Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (best detective novels of all time TXT) 📗

it did to me?”
“That was because you don’t know how to handle it.” Ariana supplied. “And I won’t project, I’ll do something better.”
Luna stared at her twin. “What are you thinking?”
“Invisibite.”
Luna was appalled. “No way! What about the baby?”
“Will everyone stop worrying about the baby?” Ariana cried. “It’s not as if Ethan’s my first child!”
This shut them up.
“Ethan?” Derrick asked. “What kind of name is that?”
“It happens to be Grandpa Woods’ name.” Luna supplied. “But Ethan?”
Ariana smiled. “I’m just experimenting. At any rate, you two should go. I’ll tell whoever O’Dell sends to me where to go.”
“What about the kids, and you?”
“I’ll be fine. Juliet is here, and I trust her.” Ariana replied.
“Can’t Aimee watch them?”
“She’ll be with you, and so will Aaron.”
“Even my three?” Luna asked.
“Have I ever steered you wrong before?” Ariana asked of her. “I trust Juliet enough to have her watch all the kids, with my help of course.”
“Let’s just hope this brilliant plan of yours works, big sister.”
“It will.” Ariana remarked, kissing Derrick and hugging Luna. “At least, I hope it will.”
“If it doesn’t, chaos in all Realms of the Worlds.” Luna supplied. “I don’t want to be there when that happens.”
“If.” Derrick cut in. “Let’s go. We’ve got some fish to fry and a spell to cast.”
Luna laughed with her sister. “Listen to him.”
“I think we’re finally rubbing off on him.” Ariana nudged her husband. “As you always tell me, be careful you guys.”
With that, Ariana left the bedroom to find Juliet and tell her what was going on. Within fifteen minutes, Caleb, Meredith, Logan, Angel and the twins, Mark Antony and Andrew were playing in the Reading’s backyard. Ariana sat reading a book at the pool-side and Juliet was at the picnic table, teaching the girls how to play ‘Go Fish.’
Ariana couldn’t help worrying, though. Her mind wasn’t on the story, it was on her youngest daughter, Melody, who was still in an Ancient Mystic coma in the hospital. Using Magic, she brought the cordless phone to her hands. She dialed Anna’s cell phone.
“Will you calm down?” Anna asked her after Ariana explained everything else that had happened. “The Crusaders will do fine without you. My guess is that they’re fighting her right now.”
“How’s Mel?”
“She’s been quiet all day. Her vitals are fine, breathing’s fine. Everything’s fine.” Anna remarked. “Don’t get too worked up over it, okay. Claud and I are watching her, day and night.”
“If all goes well, you won’t have to watch her much longer. Melody will be awake and home in no time.”
“That’s the ticket. Listen, little sister, get some rest. Have what’s-her-name watch the kids for you while the Crusaders are doing their jobs.” Anna playfully demanded.
“Her name is Juliet, and don’t worry about me.” Ariana looked over to Juliet, who was now playing with all the younger kids. “I’ll be fine.”
“I hope so, for your sake. I’ll check up on you later.” Anna said. “Oh, answer the door after we hang up. It’ll be for you.”
“Stop that.” Ariana laughed, knowing premonition was her sister’s strongest gift. “Talk to you later.”
As soon as they hung up, Ariana closed her eyes to sense who had arrived. She didn’t recognize them so she stood.
“Watch the kids for me, Juliet. There’s someone at the door.”
“How do you know?” Juliet asked. “Is it more of that creepy magic thing you did earlier?”
“No,” Ariana lied, “I just heard the doorbell.”
She left Juliet mumbling under her breath. “That’s funny. I didn’t hear it ring.”
Sure enough, there were three individuals fresh from the Dream Realm.
“Are you the ones O’Dell sent?” Ariana eyed the elder man curiously.
“May we come in?” The elder man asked.
Ariana sensed they meant no harm so she let them inside. The young boy stared at her, awed. The girl with violet eyes and braided black hair stared at her, twitching her nose.
“Tiger? Destiny?” Ariana asked once recognizing the young Companions. “Where did you get the power to become Earthbound?”
“Same as Sire Wolf Stargazer.” The elder man remarked. “Instead of the Ancient Mystics giving Companions each a trinket, it were myself.”
“Who are you?”
“Search my eyes and tell me what you see.” The man smiled.
All was still while Ariana stared into the strange man’s eyes. They were silver, the same as O’Dell’s, which told her one thing. “You’re a Wizard brother of O’Dell’s, aren’t you?”
“Being his successor, I would believe he taught you to respect the Elders.” He announced with a frown. “Call him by his title, for it is rude otherwise.”
Now Ariana frowned. “As a matter of fact –.”
“Young Guardian, please.” Tiger whined. His voice was still of a kitten’s.
“My parents?” Destiny finished for him. Her voice sounded more Earthbound than his, since she was half-human herself.
“Yes, Destiny. Your parents.” Ariana remarked with a sigh. “After he kindly gives me his title and name, I’d be more than happy to guide you.”
“Use your empathy, girl. What do you sense?” The man instructed.
Not wanting to argue, Ariana obeyed. She was curious at what she felt. “You have the energy of a cautious, yet playful Elder Originator. Why haven’t I met you before?”
“Before the Wars for Power, I fled to the Barracks, hiding myself and my four children from the battle.” He remarked. “I am Lord Byron; Lord of the Ancient Mystic Kingdom and the youngest of O’Dell’s brothers.”
“Why should I believe you?”
“He is the only one who can help me call the spell indefinitely!” Destiny cried, hugging Ariana the best she could. “Please, show us where Mommy and Daddy are.”
Feeling defeated, she wrote a note to Juliet and was on her way.

III

From the time they arrived at the Hill View Cemetery, the Crusaders had to fight Sabrina and her new zombies. It was hard, since Sabrina controlled each of them. She turned what O’Dell had called ‘revivals’ against their own families, using Panther’s trinket.
It was getting tougher by the hit.
Luna blocked a pulse of magic directed at her chest with a clever wall of magic of her own. Sabrina’s burst glowed red while Luna’s glowed white-black. Its glow was fading, showing she was weakening.
“I can’t hold on much longer, guys!” She cried. “Help me!”
Derrick and Shane looked at each other. “For the Young Guardian!” They cried together, thrusting their arms toward Sabrina’s new trinket. Using it, she disappeared, only to reappear behind them.
“I do not think so, boys.” Sabrina crooned from behind them, making them turn. She grabbed their crotches and flung them into the air.
“Freeze-frame!” Cried a voice from afar.
Derrick and Shane froze in midair. Before anyone could do or say anything else, the strange man appeared in front of them.
“Sabrina, I order you to return them to their graves.” The man cried, pointing a finger at her. The blue ring on his index finger glowed, shooting out a web of blue fire that wrapped itself around her waist.
Sabrina’s back was to the man, so she cried. “How dare you!” She cut off her own sentence when she turned to see who it was. “Lord Byron! What are you doing in the Outer Realm?”
“Ridding it of you!” Lord Byron yelled, his voice echoing in the dark cemetery. He called the Exiling Spell and she disappeared.
They watched as the necklace around her chest glowed and dropped to the ground. The ghost of Mark grabbed it at the same time his daughter ran for it. They met eyes.
“Daddy?” Destiny asked curiously.
Mark-Panther grinned, nodding silently. He placed the necklace back around his neck, winking at her.
The reunion was interrupted by Shane’s sarcasm, bringing them back to reality.
“If I weren’t scared spitless right now, I’d think this was kind of fun.” Shane remarked sarcastically.
“Get us down from here!” Derrick cried, frantic and scared. “Before somebody sees.”
“I kinda like having you guys at my command.” Ariana remarked with a teasing grin. Beside her, Lord Byron crossed his arms, scowling while both Tiger and Destiny stared. “Alright, I’ll let them down.”
Using telekinesis, she lowered them to the ground. As soon as Derrick’s feet hit the dirt, he ran to Ariana. “How do you feel?”
“Stop fussing over me, Derrick. Please.” Ariana laughed. “I’m fine. Lord Byron, do your thing.”
“It is not my thing to do, Young Guardian.” Lord Byron announced, hand on Destiny’s shoulder.
“I have no magic, Lord Byron.” Destiny remarked.
“Not true. Your father is a Companion now, correct?”
Destiny looked to the faint image of her father, who nodded.
“Your mother carries a kind of Companion magic herself. Not only can she perform Companion magic, she can turn into any she chooses.” Byron went on. “Thanks to them, you carry that same magic within you. Have faith in your special kind of power, Destiny. Believe, and it will not let you down.”
“What should I say to send them home?” Destiny asked him.
Lord Byron briefly looked to Young Guardian with his eyes before addressing the now-Earthbound Companion child. “You and Tiger can use your combined magics to say what is called the Peacemaker Spell.”
The Crusaders, Shane, Luna, Ariana, Derrick, Aaron and Aimee gathered around them.
“We’ll help if we can, Destiny.” Aimee replied.
“Earthbounds!” Lord Byron snapped. “They must do it alone, since they were born in my world.”
Aaron lunged to protect his twin from this new lord of the Dream Realm, but Derrick and Shane each caught him. With the two of them giving him a ‘don’t even think about it’ stare, Aaron backed off.
A smug Lord Byron smiled, turning back to the Companion children. “Hold hands and repeat after me.”
When Destiny and Tiger took each other’s hands, they each grinned, blushing. They looked to Lord Byron for answers.

“I thank the Ancient Mystic Gods this night,
“For helping me with Magic bright,
“Return these souls to whence they came,
“Forastu Decantum Bane!”

In a brilliant flash of rainbow-colored light, each of the ghosts were returned to their graves, disappearing. Once they were gone, Lord Byron looked to the two Companion children before nodding to the Crusaders.
“It has been a pleasure to meet all of you, though only Young Guardian knows my name.” Lord Byron remarked. “For now, it is our turn to go home.”
With that, he held the children’s shoulders, called the Dream Chant and disappeared.
The Crusaders looked at each other and walked home in complete silence.
Part Three:
The Elder Companions

Prologue:
Braken Joel’s Quest

Braken Joel Hawk was tired of keeping his own Wars for Power story a secret. He had to tell somebody, and free the Elders from the Underground. Who to tell?
His sisters? No. Lady Katherine was busy ruling the Canine Valley while Lady Kitten’s Claw was busy with the Feline Village. Not even Laurynne, Braken Joel’s oldest and dearest sister would help; she was busy with the Goddesses.
No. Not his sisters.
That left only one person – an Earthbound Ancient Mystic whom every Companion looked up to. His own rival for Guardianship, the Young Guardian herself.
Since he hadn’t practiced the more elaborate Earthbound Traveling powers since the Wars itself, he went to the Ancient Mystic Palace and found his true father with his aunt. Lord Guardian was in his human male form, laughing at something Mistress Enchantra was saying. Braken Joel cleared his throat, gaining O’Dell’s attention.
“Joel!” Enchantra spoke up while father and son were speechless. “What a wonderful surprise!”
Joel walked up to the couple.
“It’s not often you show your face here.” O’Dell announced.
“My Lord!” Enchantra hissed, then turned back to Joel. “What can we