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

Warriors, head of the Brigadiers, to be exact. I followed only to be with you.”
“Of your own will?”
“My own will.” Cyrix smiled. He began to walk with her once the three slaves who cleaned her were on their ways. “There is a heart in there somewhere, my Lady Maiden, and I will be the one to unearth it.”
“How do I know it is not a trick?”
He stopped in his tracks. “I would not be here if not for you.”
He walked with her to Dark Tower, where he bowed to her at the gates. “This is where I leave you, my Lady Maiden. I bid you a fond adieu.”
Before disappearing, he took her hand and kissed it.

II

“You see, Master is not the only one in the Unknown able to bring about chaos.” Gloriana announced, flipping through a Spell-book.
“What are you doing now, Gloriana?” Damian asked, bored.
Gloriana turned on him. “Address me correctly.”
“Fine. Queen Stepmother.” Damian waved at her. “Happy?” She nodded tightly. “Tell me.”
“Searching for a proper spell. One so hideous, it would make what I just did look petty in comparison.”
“Rich.” Damian scoffed. “What, may I ask, did you just do?”
Gloriana showed him an image in a Dark Mirror. It was the Canine Valley, and there was a mist covering each little tree, every blade of grass, every bit of wildlife that lived in the Canine Wood. “Recognize the mist?”
“A Dark Mist. Clever, but not enough.” Damian supplied. “There is so much goodness in the Canine Valley, the mist will be gone in no time.”
“Of course, but not without attacking certain individuals first.”
“What are you talking about?”
Gloriana crooked her finger, telling him to come closer. “Watch for yourself.”
Damian stood beside her, watching the image. The figure of a wolf came into view, stopping mid-stride to howl in pain. There was a purple gem around his neck he recognized as the Amethyst Diamond Amulet. Damian leaned closer to the mirror, watching as Wolf Stargazer changed his form. Wolf was holding his head, continuing to howl. His necklace glowed bright and he changed form once again. This time, another wolf strode up to him. This one stopped, and sat in one position, watching Wolf go through his tirade of pain. Damian heard the wolf-song, recognizing the tone as a wolf-bitch’s consoling droll.
The wolf-bitch’s eyes glowed silver-blue and Damian knew. “Is that Young Guardian? In wolf-form?”
“Aye. I knew you would recognize her.” Gloriana replied. “Watch what the mist does to her.”
Damian’s eyes followed the mist from Wolf Stargazer’s mind to her own. She calmed him, changing form and embracing him.
“I have learned a lot from that book.” Gloriana supplied. “Especially about the Ancient Mystic’s healing powers.”
“What about them?”
“As with any power, there are limits.” Gloriana announced proudly. “Young Guardian heals by taking the pain away and banishing it in her mind. Only, the pain I put Wolf through is so confusing, she can’t do anything with it.”
Damian smiled. “So, the mist in turn hurts her own mind. Brilliant.”
“I thought so.”
“Being it’s a Dark Mist, it hurts not only Young Guardian’s mind, but those who are around her, if they are not strong enough against it.”
“They do not know what hit them.” Damian rubbed his hands together. “You need no other spells for this, Gloriana. Let the Mist do its job, and nature take her course.”
“We will have them beat in no time.”
For once since the woman’s arrival, Damian agreed.
Epilogue:
Ancient Mystics and Wizards

After seeing the feline children home, Lord Byron stopped by the Shady Kingdom’s Castle.
“Who goes there?” Announced the twin guards at the gate.
“I am Lord Byron of the Ancient Mystic Kingdom.” Lord Byron announced proudly. He loved how the title rolled off his tongue. “Here to see the Lord of the manor. Step aside, Grey Areans. I will not fight again today.”
Lifting their spears, the twin guards stepped aside to let him through.
“That is more like it.” Lord Byron supplied under his breath. “Carry on, gentlemen.”
He showed himself through the narrow corridor to the main hall. Smiling at the sight of Maximaniac speaking with his lady-love Jezebel, he stopped paces in front of them.
“Lord Byron?” Jezebel’s inquiring voice cried happily once she heard him stop. “Is that really you? After all this time. . .”
“Aye, Jezebel, it is I.” Lord Byron bowed, kissing her outstretched hand. “Lord Byron of the Ancient Mystic’s Kingdom.”
“So O’Dell gave you the old Kingdom.” Maximaniac stood to greet his brother. “Time below has paled you, brother.”
“No more than this land has stripped you of all color.” Lord Byron supplied. “If I may be so bold, Queen Jezebel, I need a word with my brother.”
“Certainly, Lord Byron.” Jezebel curtseyed before she was on her way.
Maximaniac groaned as soon as she left. “That god’s-awful title of yours.” He moaned. “Just because you were knighted in the Outer Realm, you think yourself a lord. What happened to just Byron?”
“Few people are allowed to call me Byron.” Lord Byron announced. “Maxwell, my dear brother, you should be one to speak. Where did the name Maximaniac come from?”
Maximaniac said. “I changed it when I Banished myself for Jezebel. When I changed my name, so did my persona.”
“No longer the lone Wizard, are you Max?” Lord Byron chided.
“Are you here for a reason or just to antagonize me?”
“A little of both, I think.” Lord Byron continued to joke with him. “Did O’Dell tell you anything of the Earthbound Ancient Mystics thus far?”
“I have not had the pleasure of our Lord Guardian’s appearance at my door as of late.” Maximaniac supplied. “Apparently, he seems fit to send Young Guardian in his place. He has given her full rights to this world, for all she’s but a child. Have you met her?”
“Quite the lovely woman. Met her when I was Earthbound.”
“What were you Earthbound for, Byron?”
Lord Byron told him about his trip to the Hill View Cemetery, and how he helped Destiny Grey find her parents and bring them back to the Dream Realm. “While I was doing that, what were you up to?”
“After her little fling with you in the Outer Realm, Young Guardian saw to it to personally reunite Wolfton Stargazer and Red Wolf Moondancer to their respective families.” He told Lord Byron, who listened with interest as Maximaniac told him the tale of the Renegades and Revolutionaries.
“So I was not the only one to emerge from my hideaway?” Lord Byron replied.
“Indeed, you were not.” Maximaniac supplied. “There is something I wish to discuss with you.”
“Please, not another favor.” Lord Byron joked. “I am still recovering from the last one.”
“I am serious this time, Byron.” Lord Maximaniac shifted to his gargoyle form.
“To become one of those disgusting, meddling things, I guess you are serious.”
“I am finished playing around, brother! Listen to me for once!” Maximaniac growled. “There is something going on in the Canine Valley that, if not handled correctly, could prove disastrous for this entire Realm.”
“Get to the point.” Lord Byron said. He changed his own form to a serpent, just to show his brother he hadn’t forgotten how to shift. “Dare keep me in sss-suspense-sss.”
“For once, this is no joke.” Maximaniac said seriously. “Someone has sent a Dark Mist there.”
“I remember those from the War for Power. I believe Orthos created them.”
“Since they are his creation, they are in his Spell-book.” Maximaniac pointed out. “Somebody got hold of that book and cast the spell in the Canine Valley, starting with the Wood.”
“Has it effected anyone, yet?”
“As far as I know, only Young Guardian and Wolf Stargazer.” Maximaniac said. “I need you to get rid of it.”
“Why me?”
“Why you? You were the only one of the three of us that knew how to undo Orthos’ spells.”
“You know about his Dark Mists. They have to run their courses, that is all.”
“Will you try, Byron? Please?” Max asked, changing form back to his court-jester persona. “From one brother to another?”
Lord Byron changed back to his own human-Wizard form. “For you brother, I will.”
Maximaniac beamed. “My thanks to you. If ever you need a favor from me, it will be yours. All you need do is ask.”
Lord Byron grinned. “Ask and ye shall receive. Remember this if any of your subjects end up on my chopping block.”
Before he knew it, his brother was gone. Lord Maximaniac of the Grey Area’s Shady Kingdom stared at his youngest brother’s exit in awe.

II

Ariana Reading woke up in a hospital bed.
Oh no, she thought. Not again.
She looked down and found her belly flat. Where was the baby?
“Good morning, sleepy-head.” The cheerful voice of her almost-sister Amethyst whispered. She pet Ariana’s hair, flattening it on her head. “How are you feeling?”
Ariana opened her mouth, but nothing came out. Where’s the baby? She asked Aimee in her mind.
“In the NICU.” Aimee supplied. “He’s fine, for a preemie.”
Too early.
“Two months too early to be exact.” Aimee told her, holding her hand. “Derrick’s gone to see him. He was here day and night, you know. Couldn’t stand to be away from you for a whole month.”
Here? A month? When?
“Question is, where were you all this time?” Aimee whispered. “Trouble in our world?”
Ariana nodded, relaying in thoughts what happened in the Dream Realm.
Where is everybody, Aimee? I want to see my family. Ariana’s eyes started to tear, and it hurt Aimee’s empathy to feel her intense emotions.
“Relax, everything’s fine now.” Aimee supplied. “There’s nothing more to worry about. The kids are at school, Luna’s watching Melody with Logan downstairs in the lobby, and Derrick’s with the baby.”
Aaron.
Aimee knew she’d ask for her brother. “Just outside. I’ll get him.”
Ariana smiled, squeezing her almost-sister’s hand before letting go. After a moment, Aaron was at her bedside. There was something on both their minds, and they needed to talk. Alone.
Aimee, stall Derrick while I talk to Aaron, okay?
Aimee gave her a quizzical look before leaving them.
“Spit it out, Ariana Moon. Why the long trip?” Aaron was concerned. “Everyone was worried, especially Derrick and myself.”
There’s something I have to tell you.
“So, talk.” Aaron supplied. “Wait – why the telepathy? Can’t you talk?”
Ariana shrugged, rubbing her throat. “Better on my tired voice, I guess.”
Aaron kissed her cheek. “That’s my Ariana Moon.” He commented with a grin. “So, tell me.”
Aaron watched as she closed her eyes and nodded her head.
“What’s up?”
“Checking for listeners.” She told him. “What I have to tell you is pretty important, and I don’t want anyone else to find out.”
His grin faded, turning into a frown. He crossed his arms. “Out with it.”
“The baby’s yours, Aaron.” Ariana told him. “Only, nobody can know except us.”
He stepped away from her, shaking his head. “No. It can’t be.”
“He’s your son, my Aaron Theodore.” Ariana reached for him, only for Aaron to lay his head on her chest.
“What have we done?” He whimpered.
“Created life.” Ariana supplied, then grinned. “Again.”
He stood up. “When?”
“When Gloriana and the Djinn were haunting us. Remember our little affair?”
“You don’t understand what your new son has done to us.”
“Our son, but only we’ll know.”
“What about Kelly?” Aaron replied. “Will she know?”
“I think she already suspects.” Ariana said. “Listen to me, Aaron. I want you to get Derrick and congratulate him. Tell him how much that boy looks like him.”
“Don’t know how much, though. He had green eyes at birth.”
Ariana was confused. “Green? How? He’s Ancient Mystic.”
“I’ve had dreams,