Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read me a book TXT) 📗

battle or on her have you not?” Enchantra asked. Luna nodded, biting her lip so the Mistress continued. “That is the very Dagger Dracora bound them together with.”
“So, she knew about the Dwellers this whole time, and said nothing about them until recently?” Luna asked. “I don’t understand.”
“Dracora confessed everything later.” O’Dell said. “Believe me, I was not happy to learn my successor was now Bound to a Dweller-kin. Something she told me made me think differently.”
“What did she tell you?”
“Young Guardian was given a special coercion spell in her mind that works the same as the Forgetfulness Spell you gave her ten years before.” O’Dell supplied. “One that would allow her to remember when she and her Magic were old enough and wise enough to handle the information.”
“What does that mean, my Lord?” Luna asked. “Is she a Dweller now, or what?”
Enchantra shook her head. “Nay, but we fear she gained some of their abilities and is unable to handle them at this time. Cyrix told us of her using Stealth.”
“A trademark thing for the Dwellers.” Luna said. She was in serious thought. “Anything else I should know about my own sister?”
“She is to rest and heal completely.” Enchantra said. “She has been patrolling in her physical form since the War, instead of her dream-form.”
“That’s dangerous!” Luna cried. “You lose more energy in your physical form here than you would in dream-form. She knows that! Why did she push herself physically?”
“She was only doing her job.” O’Dell supplied. “Your sister is very dedicated to her role as my successor and the Young Guardian. I expect you to be the same in that respect as well, Aluna Star. Do I have your word on it as you take her place?”
Luna stood, waved her arms to change into her Grand Magus robes and bowed as she held a staff that had appeared out of thin air. “As the Grand Magus, I give you my solemn word. I will not let you down.”
“Rise, Grand Magus,” Enchantra said.
Once she’d risen, Enchantra took the chance to hug her. “See that you do not. We are counting on you.”
After O’Dell hugged her, she bowed and disappeared in a cloud of indigo smoke.
“That girl has a wild flare for the dramatic.” O’Dell smiled after her, kissing Enchantra. “Just like somebody else I know.”
Enchantra laughed lightly then sighed.
“What is on your mind?” O’Dell whispered in her ear.
“Are we doing the right thing, O’Dell?” Enchantra asked. “We both know how unstable the Grand Magus has been in the past. Are you sure she can handle it now?”
O’Dell kissed her. “Would I send her if I was not?” Enchantra shook her head. “Have faith in her, Chantie. She is Young Guardian’s twin and a very powerful Elder Ancient Mystic.”
O’Dell stepped back and changed to his unicorn form. He scratched the ground with a hoof and shook his head so the mane danced. “Come run with me in the forest, Enchantra. Feel the wind in your mane with me. Feel the very earth beneath your hooves and the world just move with me.”
“Race you!” Enchantra laughed and changed her own form to a thoroughbred horse before she playfully pranced around him and disappeared into the forest ahead of him.

III

Sabrina was in the middle of another magic lesson with her cousin Katherine when the vision came.

The scene was familiar somehow. Damian stood at the bank of the River of Regret, his hands raised to the skies. Once calling a spell into the air, a swirling portal appeared above the River. Within the same moments, he disappeared through the portal and reappeared with a prize in hand.
Damian seemed to sense her watching and showed her the prize. “My turn, sister. Time to show you exactly what this thing can do.” He murmured just loud enough for her to hear him. “You will come back to our side before I am through with you, Sabrina. You will remember your place!”
With the statement, he let out a laugh, closed his dark eyes and disappeared.

The vision disappeared with it. Sabrina gasped out of it to stare at Katherine.
“What did you see?” Katherine asked, worried for her.
“Damian!” Sabrina said, standing from her sitting position and racing toward Stargazer Castle.
“Wait! Sabrina!” Katherine shifted to her feline form and raced after her. “What about him?”
Sabrina continued to run but huffed. “He’s got the Crystal from the Abyss! I must warn Young Guardian!”
“Will you stop already?” Katherine commanded, changing back to her feline-human form. Once Sabrina stopped, out of breath, Katherine continued. “Now, tell me exactly what you saw.”
“No time, Kat!” Sabrina huffed. “We must tell somebody!”
“We will, just tell me what you saw.”
“Damian got the Black-as-Night Crystal from the Abyss!”
“Let us find the Grand Magus then, cousin.” Katherine shrugged, changing into a cheetah. “If we hurry, we can catch her at the Feline Village.”
Sabrina changed into a raven and flew toward White-Snow Castle.

After she left Lord Guardian’s Castle, Grand Magus found the Protector and told him what happened. He was in the middle of patrolling alone and wondered why Young Guardian was nowhere to be found.
“I knew something like this would happen.” The Protector shook his head.
“How could you know?”
“The strange way she’s been acting lately, for one.” The Protector replied as they walked to the Feline Village through the Province Wood. “For another, she usually takes patrolling the Realms very seriously. Lately, she’s been preoccupied. Not to mention I feel she’s avoiding me. She’s keeping something from us; Aimee confessed their trip to the Dragon Nations.”
Now the Grand Magus was in deep thought. “I see.” She nodded. “I’ll talk to her once we get back and she’s out of her Healing Coma. Did you know she’s been patrolling non-stop since the War?”
The Protector sighed. “Yeah, I knew. I just kept it to myself, thinking she knew what she was doing. I keep telling her to be careful, but she never listens, you know.”
“Oh, how I know?” Grand Magus supplied, rolling her eyes. “It would seem I’m to take her place and join you in Patrolling the Realms.”
The Protector was surprised to hear it. “Oh really?” He smiled and put an arm around her shoulders. “Than come with me, Grand Magus, to Snow-White Castle.”
His sense of humor made her smile. “You’re too late with that statement, Protector.” He stopped them in their tracks and waited, knowing she was going to continue. “Take a look ahead of you; we’re already here.”
The Protector looked where she was pointing. That’s when he saw movement from the Wood behind the White-Snow Castle. “Luna, look and be quiet.”
It was her turn to watch. “A raven followed by cheetah?” She dared to open her empathy and sense the two animals. “It’s Sabrina and Katherine!” She closed her empathy and grabbed the Protector’s arm. “Something must be terribly wrong.”
“I agree. Nothing would make Katherine shift to a cheetah and race like that.” He supplied. “Let’s go see what’s going on.”
Just as they raced to greet the cousins, Sabrina and Katherine shifted back to their Companion selves.
“Boy, are we glad you are here!” Sabrina cried to Aluna.
“What’s going on?” Grand Magus cried, looking from one to the other. “Why rush in shifted forms?”
“Damian is at it again.” Sabrina supplied.
“Now will you tell me?” Katherine asked her. “All you told me is that Damian conjured the Black-as-Night Crystal from the Abyss.”
“He what?” The Protector was astonished. “What for?”
“Who knows?” Katherine supplied. “Why do you not tell us, Sabrina?”
Sabrina continued to tell the three of them all about her vision.
Neither of the Crusaders was impressed.
“Based on that vision, we need to head to the River.” Grand Magus took charge, her eyes glowing with anger. “Katherine, Sabrina, come with us. We could use your help.”
“I believe Katherine needs to be heading back to Stargazer Castle and her two pup-kits, if I am not mistaken.” They heard the voice of the Lady Kitten’s Claw coming from in front of the Castle door. She headed to the quartet. “I will go with you; K’Sarra is in her father’s care and Tiger is safe with Destiny.”
The four of them stared at her. It was so unlike her to take charge, she wasn’t the leader-type, more of a follower.
“What’s your beef with Damian?”
“It is not Damian that we will meet there; it will be Shenara.” Kitten’s Claw supplied. “It would seem my Clairvoyance and Premonition are getting stronger, thanks to you, sister.”
Katherine was astonished but managed to choke out. “Anytime. A word of caution to you Kit. Shenara is meaner than she has ever been before.”
Kitten’s Claw only smiled. “Oh, I know this already. Thank you anyway.” She turned to the silent three. “Well, let us head to the River of Regret. Shenara will be waiting for us.”
Without another word, each silent in their own thoughts, the Protector, Grand Magus, Sabrina and Kitten’s Claw headed in the opposite direction toward the River. Katherine herself stared for a moment and smiled before whisking herself back to Stargazer Castle.

IV

Shenara couldn’t stop laughing. She was having too much fun playing with the Black-as-Night Crystal in her hands. She knew in her blackened heart that her and her lover Damian would make a great pair. She knew their combined plans to destroy the Ancient Mystics indefinitely and get back at the Maiden at the same time would work perfectly. Shenara was a crafty demoness, at least she liked to think so.
She also knew that the Grand Magus would fall for anything she and Damian would think of.
Damian told her to wait for the Grand Magus and her cavalry of Companions at the River of Regret. He’d already sent the vision to his sister Sabrina, so it was only a matter of time before they got word of it and ran to snatch the Crystal back from her hands.
Shenara squealed. She could hardly wait!
She heard the wind blow, saw ripples forming in the River and had a sick feeling in the pit of her stomach. She knew one of Lord Guardian’s rejects was on their way, she could feel it.
She hid the Crystal in her pocket, stood from her kneeling position at the River and folded her arms, waiting for her cue to do some major damage.
As if on cue, the Grand Magus indeed did arrive. Behind her were the Protector, Sabrina, and Kitten’s Claw White-Snow.
“So good of you to join me, Grand Magus.” Shenara grinned, pulling the Crystal out of her pocket and playing with it in her hand. She threw it in the air and caught it a few times before addressing the Grand Magus again. She showed her the Crystal. “I suppose you are