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

a reputation. One of great power and destruction.”
Bane scowled back and gave his words great thought. After a moment, he turned on his heal and stepped to leave. He stopped, not turning back, announcing. “Give the Ancient Mystics their time, Damian. Let them heal and rest. Soon, they will know exactly what kind of foe they themselves are dealing with.”
Damian smiled wickedly, a great and evil plan forming in his mind as he watched Lord Bane stalk away.

Prologue Two:
Home Again

A sad-looking Amethyst Schmidt showed Ariana Reading in. Neither said a word as Aimee led her almost-sister to Aaron's room. That is where they found Aaron resting in his bed, his proclaimed Earthly Protector Sierra Gregory sitting beside him, holding his hand.
Aimee squeezed Ariana's hand before leaving the room.
Ariana stood at the doorway, watching and listening with her Ancient Mystic's Eyes and Ears. With Empathy, she felt both were hurt badly, and so was Aimee. She focused the Empathy on the couple in front of her, getting the sense of confusion and estrangement from Sierra. Sadly enough, Sierra was crying.
Ariana still didn’t move, letting her Advanced Clairvoyance tell her the tale of Aaron's ordeal in the Dream Realm. His mind was a strong one, as it always had been, but there was something else there as well. Something dark, but not dark. Ariana caught the vision of Sierra healing him by forcing him to take her blood. It made her heart skip, scared to think of what really happened.
Holding her chest, she gasped softly.
Sierra turned to see her standing there. She then turned back to Aaron's silent body before Ariana could sense anything else from her.
This was scaring Ariana out of her wits. Something happened when Sierra healed Aaron in the Healing Tents in the Dream Realm. That something changed them both, big time. She could no longer sense the goodness in Sierra, only confusion. Nor could she sense the lovable Aaron she'd known for years, only a dark chasm in his mind filled with confusion and self-loathing.
Without saying a word, she summed up the scene. Based on Sierra's own confession of being a Watcher-kin Sun-Dancer, a Dweller who resembled vampires of legend by Resting during the day and Hunting at night, drinking the blood of mortals and animals, Sierra Gregory had somehow made Aaron a Dweller-kin as well.
This made things very difficult now. Ariana couldn’t read the minds of either of them, and that was what scared her the most, for now. That is, until Sierra explained exactly what went on and confirmed all her fears.
Until then, they would tip-toe around each other when they spoke or met eyes.
Ariana felt helpless at that moment. Usually, Aaron would give her some kind of message, either telepathic or empathic, telling her he was going to be okay, and not to worry about him. Now, however, there was nothing in his mind.
It was as if a big chasm of darkness took over, and Aaron was fighting it from within. Right away, she knew his own Earthly Protector had Turned him, and he was too far for either of the Ancient Mystics or Crusaders to help him. The only one able to get him out of his mind-coma was Sierra Gregory.
She didn’t want to go, but she didn’t want to stay where she couldn’t do anything to help. She was afraid she was in the way of their love for each other. She was too confused, fearing for her best friend's life, mind, soul, and self. It was too hard to bear.
Not wanting to interfere, she cleared her throat and waited until Sierra's eyes met hers before saying anything.
"Heal him, Airmed Starchaser." Ariana used Sierra's Dweller-kin name in her own Young Guardian tone.
Sierra's smile didn’t meet her mismatched eyes when she nodded.

II

In the Dream Realm, Sabrina, former Maiden of the Dominion and Unknown settled in Stargazer Castle's Servant's Quarters. Her cousin Katherine Hawk-Stargazer, Lady of the Canine Valley and Stargazer Castle, was with her.
"I hope I am not too much trouble, Lady Katherine." Sabrina supplied.
"You may drop the title when we are alone." Katherine said with a smile. "As for being too much trouble, you are not. Why would you think such a thing?"
Sabrina couldn’t catch her cousin's eyes. "I have caused so much destruction over the years. I am ashamed of myself."
"You have learned your lessons, I presume?" Katherine asked.
Sabrina looked up and nodded. "Most definitely."
Katherine continued to smile. "Then let us leave it at that. If Lord Guardian seems to believe you have redeemed yourself, than so do I. What was done in the past, though it harmed many and killed others, may have been cruel on your part, but that does not mean you can never be forgiven."
"What of the other Companions?" Sabrina asked. “And the things I have done to them in the past? Do they not still see me as the enemy?"
Katherine shook her head. "Sabrina, cousin, leave it." She said. "It will take a while for all Companions to see you as sincere, but it can and will be done."
"I agree with the Lady." They heard a rough voice speak up from behind them. It was the fire-demon Cyrix, Sabrina's lover. "Give it time, my dear, and all will be well."
"That's right." The voice of Katherine's canine husband, Sire Wolfton Stargazer echoed from behind them. He stepped to Katherine and gave her feline cheek a peck. "Coming from one of your former Warriors, Sabrina, that is saying a lot."
Sabrina moaned when she met his face. "Oh, Wolf. Can you ever forgive me for making you fight a war under false pretenses? For almost tearing you and Katherine apart so long ago?"
"Not to mention stealing my Wolf Magic as well." Wolf announced with a tight grin.
Sabrina shook her head ardently. "That was Damian's doing, not mine!"
Wolf smiled. "I know, and I do forgive you."
"Aye," Katherine agreed. "If Lord Guardian himself can forgive you both, certainly the other Companions will soon. You will see."
“All it takes is time.” Wolf supplied. He turned to the fire-demon. "Cyrix, I will need your help with our new recruits."
Cyrix nodded. "Certainly, Sire." He kissed Sabrina's lips and smiled. "A demon's work is never done, I guess."
Together, Cyrix and Wolf left the quarters.
"Curious," Sabrina supplied softly as she watched them leave.
"What's curious?" Katherine asked.
"Where is Red Wolf?" Sabrina wondered. "Is he not your knight?"
Katherine was the one to avoid her cousin's eyes. "They are fighting."
Sabrina gasped. "But they are the best of friends! Even in the Wars for Power, they stuck together! What are they fighting about?"
"Celine." Katherine replied.
"What about her?" Sabrina was confused.
"Red Wolf is in love with her, and she with him." Katherine announced sadly. "Wolf is in the middle, and angry at Red. Red himself has gone to see his kin-Clans in the Outer Realm to sort it all out."
"Can you not help them?"
Katherine shook her head. "They must find forgiveness on their own. There is nothing I can say or do to help them be friends again."
Sabrina was silent in thought when her cousin left the quarters on that statement.
It made her think. Not only does Wolf Stargazer have to deal with his knight and his daughter, now he has to deal with her. Was life in the Dream Realm's Canine Valley ever going to be the same as it had before the recent War of the Realms? Were the Companions ever going to forgive her for her past and trust her again?
Most of all, was Sabrina ever going to truly fit in and feel welcome in a place she never thought she could?

Prologue Three:
The Past -- Reborn!

Damian found himself with his long-time love, the Dark Lady Shenara visiting the River of Regret, near Lava Falls in the Old Dominion. The Merchant was smiling as he playfully teased Shenara as they walked. For Shenara, a smile on the Merchant's face was a rare thing. She was suspicious and curious, eager to know what was on his mind.
"Tell me Damian." Shenara purred, wrapping her arm in his as they walked. "What did Lord Bane have to say to you? Or was it you to him?"
Damian stopped and pecked her cheek. "Ah, my love, it was none of your concern."
"Was it about revenge against the Ancient Mystics for killing your father, the Master?" Shenara asked.
He stopped in his tracks and frowned. "My, you have become nosy." He shook her off and began to walk away.
Shenara wasn't to be stopped so easily. She caught up with him. "Of course I have. I was trained by the best, you know."
Damian shook his head and laughed. "Of course you were." He supplied, stopping again in his tracks. He looked to the River of Regret, smiling. "Do you remember this River?"
Shenara was confused. "Aye." She said, and then recited. "The River of Regret holds Dreamers' regretted thoughts and memories. Should any being drink from it, they would be forced to relive their pasts in their minds. So?"
"So? I have a plan, and it has to do with this river." Damian knelt and dipped his cupped hand in the water, letting it trickle through his fingers. He then turned back to her. "Something I may need your help with."
Shenara knelt beside him. "Oh! Do tell!"
"Not yet, my sweet." Damian said. "I am still mulling it over in my mind."
"Whatever it is, my Merchant lover, I will be beside you all the way." Shenara kissed him then.
"I was counting on it, my dear." Damian supplied with an evil grin. He stood and looked beyond the river. "For now, we have company."
Shenara looked to where he was staring. "Sabrina."
Damian nodded. "You can come out now. We know you are here."
Sabrina appeared behind them.
"What are you doing this side of the River, sister?" Damian asked, smirking. "Or should I call you traitor?"
"I come on my own accord, brother." Sabrina announced. “And it is you who are the traitor, not I."
Damian laughed. "Please! I am no traitor! I was not the one to turn her back on all she knew for some stupid cause!"
"That cause was a just one." Sabrina yelled back. Shenara cringed behind Damian, afraid of the former Maiden. "I saw the error of my ways and did something about it, which is more than I can say for you!"
"Listen to yourself, Sabrina!" Damian cried. "The former Maiden of the Dominion and Unknown talking of the error of her ways. The Ancient Mystics have brainwashed you into thinking you are good, when in fact, you are not."
"At least I acknowledge them as my family." Sabrina countered. "They did not turn me away when I did them wrong. They forgave me, and let Cyrix and I live in