Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga - Lady Adellandra Dratianos (electric book reader TXT) 📗

Mystics, but somehow, Craig couldn’t keep away. He was hooked.
Shane, formerly known as “The Shadow,” had practically grown up with his Ancient Mystic beauty, Luna. He was spared from the Hill View rumors, unable to deny his feelings for her. When Shadow had picked Derrick up from some remote town ten years ago, taking him to the System for the first time, Shane had helped open a new world of detecting for him. They became instant best friends after the twins reunited.
Aaron, a former Crusader, was responsible for so many things. He’d once loved Ariana Moon, Derrick’s own Ancient Mystic beauty, sheltering her from abuse. Aaron was the true father of Ariana’s daughter Kelly. He knew the insides and outs about Ariana’s Ancient Mystic powers, learning along with her through their childhood. He even had the Unicorn Magic in the necklace and bracelet he wore. To this day, Aaron is over-protective of Ariana, even knowing Derrick wouldn’t let anything happen to her.
Derrick smiled around the table at his friends before standing.
“Gentlemen, I’d like to propose a toast.” He said, clearing his throat. “Congratulations to the best damn detective on the Hill View Police force. Shane Morehouse, my best friend and brother-in-law, I couldn’t have made it without you.”
“Ah, yes, you could.” Shane teased. “All you needed, buddy, was a little push. Derrick, not only are you my brother-in-law and partner, but you’re truly my best friend.”
“Here! Here!” Aaron and Jake echoed, and Derrick sat down.
Craig looked sheepish before speaking up. “Is he really your best friend, Derrick?”
Derrick found the words hard to say. “You’ve been my childhood best friend since I learned to walk, Craig. I appreciate that, really, I do, but Shadow and I have a bond that not even you can compare to.”
“I rescued him from his desolate family life.” Shane announced.
“I admit we weren’t getting along, but we were far from desolate.” Jake replied.
“You want desolate, try growing up in an orphanage where the Mistress hands out daily beatings.” Aaron said, looking down at his beer glass.
Craig stared at Shane, who had his arms crossed. “At least I didn’t desert him when he needed me most.”
“I never once deserted him!” Shane stood, fists at his side.
Craig stood, pushing up his shirt sleeves.
“I took him away from hell and taught him his craft.” Shane continued, eyeing Craig. “What have you done for him?”
Jake and Aaron, who were sitting quietly, shared a glance.
“Sit down, both of you.” Derrick demanded, each of his hands on both guys to stop them. “This isn’t the time nor the place to discuss the matter.”
The boys sat and all was silent around the table as they drank.

Meanwhile, across the bar sat a lonely, confused young man. Michael Ashburn was depressed and lonely, worried and lovesick at the same time.
He didn’t know what to think about Mary Ellen Woods. She was smart, funny, beautiful, and seemed the perfect woman. Her only downfall he learned was that she was a Ancient Mystic, and he didn’t know what to think of her. Normally, he’d ignore the strange, silver-blue-eyed Ancient Mystics, but it wasn’t the same. He’d grown up with the rumors of the Ancient Mystics being devil-worshiping creatures who practiced evil magic. Mary Ellen seemed to totally prove those rumors wrong, and that made him itching to learn more. He couldn’t keep away.
He was also confused by her. For the longest time, he’d only dreamed of a girl that special. On the other hand, he’d also dreamed of her being in desperate danger, where he was the only one able to rescue her. He didn’t know how, or why, or even what the mystery about her truly was, but he wanted it, and her, badly.
“Another drink, Mac?” The bartender tapped him out of his thoughts.
Michael shook his head and the bartender left. His eyes surveyed the bar, where they fell on four of the five guys across the bar.
He knew them vaguely by name. Derrick and Jake Reading were easy to remember, and hard to forget. They were from one of the richest families in Hill View. Michael also knew Craig Richardson, somewhat. He’d heard all about his parents dying in a fatal car crash the night of his sister Andrea’s college graduation. Shane Morehouse was somewhat of a mystery. He had just shown up in Hill View one day, buying the house across the street from the Woods’ and moving in.
Michael only recognized them because of Mary Ellen and her family of Ancient Mystics. They were the Earthly Protectors to her sisters. Derrick was Ariana’s, Jake was Anna’s, Craig was Claudia’s and Shane was Luna’s.
He sighed, shaking his head. Michael knew he was getting himself in deep trouble by dating Mary Ellen, but he also knew it was going to be well worth it.
He heard the bustle of chairs falling coming from the table Derrick and his friends were sitting at. He watched the scene.
“Knock it off, you guys!” Derrick yelled, trying to separate them. Jake stood in front of Craig and a brown-haired guy with a strange necklace stood in front of Shane. “I mean it! You’re going to get us kicked out!”
Shane and Craig are on the edge of fighting! Michael thought, rushing over to them.
“I wanna know, Derrick, who’s your best friend?” Craig asked. “This blowhard or me?”
“Blowhard?” Shane cried, pushing up his sleeves and attempting to shove the stranger out of the way. “Let me at him, Reading! I’ll show him who’s the blowhard.”
“I said, knock it off!” Derrick commanded, scowling.
“He started it.” Craig cried, jumping to attack, but Jake stopped him.
“In your dreams!” Shane said sarcastically, doing the same.
“Come on, Shadow.” The dark-haired stranger turned his head to tell him. “You’re a Crusader. Don’t do this.”
As Michael walked over to them, he could have sworn he saw Derrick’s, Shane’s and the dark-haired stranger’s necklaces pulsating a black glow.
He rubbed his eyes, and had a bad feeling about this.
“Come on, you guys.” Michael yelled above the noise. “You’re all grown men.” All five guys looked at him, and the fight was slowly dying down. “Declare a truce and talk it over like real men.”
“Do you know this guy?” The brown-haired stranger asked. As Michael looked closer, he saw a ponytail in the back of his head.
“Vaguely.” Shane sighed. “Wanna get off me now, Aaron?”
“Can you behave?” Aaron asked him, then turned to Craig. “Both of you?”
“Yeah.” The two chorused.
Aaron looked at Jake, who nodded.
As the guys settled back in their spots, Michael cleared his throat.
“Let me reintroduce myself.” He began. “I am Michael Ashburn, Mary Ellen’s boyfriend and Earthly Protector, whatever that is. I already know Jake, Derrick, Shane, and Craig, but I don’t know you, yet.”
Aaron stuck his hand out for Michael to shake. “I’m Aaron Schmidt.” He supplied. Michael sat in the empty seat next to Aaron. “How much do you know?”
“About what?”
“The Ancient Mystics.” Aaron said. “I mean, you obviously know something about them to know about Earthly Protectors.”
“Yeah, so?”
“So...how much do you know?” Jake asked.
“Not much. Just that a chick named Sabrina is making a menace of herself. According to Mary Ellen, she’s already used some kind of power crystal to haunt her premonition.”
Aaron frowned. “So, you don’t know exactly what’s going on, do you?”
Michael shrugged.
“In that case, we’ll tell you.” Derrick said. “Sabrina was once the Maiden of the Dominion, an evil place in the Dream Realm. She and her brother Damian used to lead an army of Dominionites.”
“Unfortunately,” Shane supplied. “We’re dealing with something even more fierce than just a Dominionite messing with us.”
“You’re kidding.” Michael breathed, gulping.
“I believe we’re in way over our heads trying to protect the girls.” Craig replied. “Those things scare me to death.”
“For once, Craig’s right.” Shane replied. “Dominionites, in case you don’t know, are the most terrifying part of the Dream Realm. They are creatures bent on destroying the minds of Dreamers and using the energy for their own dirty work. Most of them were turned around by Lord Max’s impact. Others, like Shenara, Albrath and Gloriana, ran away after the Wars for Power.”
Aaron gasped. “You know about them?”
“Yeah. Luna told me.” Shane said.
“But we Exiled them to the Unknown.” Aaron said. “Ariana was the only one besides my twin Aimee to know about Shenara in my Dream Realm.”
“Aaron, the twins tell each other everything.” Derrick said with a grin.
“I know.” Aaron remarked. “I should have known better than to keep a secret from Luna.”
Michael sat up in his chair, eyeing the others, and sighed.
“If what you say is true, Mike, don’t worry about learning all this Ancient Mystic stuff.” Aaron replied.
“You’ll learn soon enough.” Derrick said.
“I don’t know about you, but I intend on helping them.” Craig announced. “I’m afraid for Claudia. She’s told me what Sabrina’s done to her Healing Power, and she’s scared stiff.”
“Isn’t Healing a basic power?” Aaron asked. “Ariana’s been healing us since we were six. I thought it would come naturally.”
“The only reason Ariana had the Healer’s Power at such a young age is because she’s one in a powerful set of twins.” Derrick explained.
“How do you know?” Michael asked.
“I’ve been dreaming about her since I was young.” Derrick remarked, suddenly sullen.
Shane pat him on the back, getting him to smile again.
“Look, we know the girls are powerful,” Aaron began. “But I happen to know Sabrina is much more powerful.”
“I’ve had my share of experiences with the Maiden.” Derrick said. “For three long years, we were the only Crusaders. Sabrina would haunt Ariana’s dreams. She even succeeded in switching us for a while.”
“Sounds intense.” Jake said. “How did you get back?”
“It wasn’t easy, I’ll tell you that.” Derrick said.
“Whatever Sabrina has in mind for the girls won’t be easy either.” Aaron said. “I say, we keep an eye out for anything suspicious when we’re with them.”
“I don’t understand any of this.” Michael complained, hand on his head to stop his thoughts from spinning.
“Go to Mrs. Woods.” Craig said. “She’ll tell you all you need to know.”

II

At the Reading Estate, Mary Ellen Woods and her four sisters gathered in the basement, in a special room Ariana had put together for her Ancient Mystic Magic studies.
“I gathered you here for an experiment.” Mary Ellen replied. “A week ago, Damian came to me in Witches Grove, disguising himself as my new boyfriend, Michael Ashburn. You were watching on the sidelines, unable to move to save me. Damian took me in his arms, whispered ‘gotcha’ in my ear and made us both disappear. When I disappeared, I woke up.”
“What did you feel?” Anna asked.
“Some kind of energy was being taken from me.”
Ariana and Luna looked to each other, amazed. “Go on,” they chorused.
“When Mary Ellen told me about her new man,” Claudia began. “I had the thought that he might have taken one of your powers.”
“Exactly.” Mary Ellen pointed. “That’s why we’re here. To test that theory.”
“How have you felt since then?” Ariana stood and examined her sister. She began by holding a palm up, and the Healer’s Magic Touch barely grazed Mary Ellen’s standing body.
“Strangely enough, I didn’t feel weak.” Mary Ellen supplied, watching. The orange glow from Ariana’s hand turned different colors as she passed it over her sister.
“What did you feel?” Luna repeated. She watched as her twin’s hand turned red when it hit Mary Ellen’s heart.
Ariana dropped it, sharing a look with Luna.
“Nothing.” Mary Ellen shrugged.
“You couldn’t have felt nothing.” Anna supplied. “As