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

“She was right. The twins pulled the prank on Juliet. I shouldn’t have accused her and punished her for something they did.”
“The deed is done.” Wolf remarked. “When her punishment is over, talk to her. Make her understand it was for her own good.”
“She’s thirteen.” Ariana supplied. “She won’t see it that way. Besides, she’s never done anything wrong before.”
Wolf laughed. “Nothing she was caught doing.”
Ariana broke away from his side without another word. Wolf watched as she headed to a bush. Being safe, he brought his sword up. Ariana heard it and turned, nodding. She followed suit.
“Look at the pommel.” Ariana whispered, showing him the jewel in the pommel of her short-sword.
“Is your jewel not the opal?” Wolf asked. She nodded. “Why would it be as black as an onyx?”
She shrugged. “Something’s fishy ‘round here.”
“What do you sense?”
Wolf watched as she threw her sword arm out, pointing the weapon to the bush. “Reveal your secrets!”
There was a flash of light, blinding them for a moment. When they were able to see, they didn’t like what was waiting for them. There was a black cloud surrounding most of the bushes in the area.
“What is that?” Ariana asked, examining it closer.
Wolf held his sword at attention, cautiously making his way to her. “I recognize this cloud. It is a Dark Mist. The Master used it against Lord Guardian’s own Army during the Wars.”
“Did it work?”
“Against them, no.” Wolf smiled. “He tried casting a spell on the feline Warriors, but it turned out all wrong.”
“I’ll bet.” Ariana grinned. “What else do you know about it?”
“The mist may have been called a Dark Mist, but the Province was so full of goodness the mist did no damage.” Wolf laughed. “When the Master found the Mist had faded into nothing, he was so mad, he could not think straight! The spell played itself out, disappearing.”
“I guess that’s how we get rid of this one.” Ariana remarked. “Spread the word. No Companion is allowed in the Wood until I give my word.”
“Do not want anymore, uh, occurrences such as ours, do we?”
“Total and complete chaos.” Ariana said. “Come on, Sire. I’ve got some time before I wake, and I’ve already patrolled. Let’s visit until then.”
“On one condition.” Wolf replied.
“What’s that?”
“We shift.”
“What about the gear?”
“Have you learned nothing? Send it to the Castle ahead of us.” Wolf announced as he shifted. “Race you.”
Ariana quickly shifted, loping ahead of him to Stargazer Castle.

II

“You, my dear stepmother, are a failure.” Damian remarked as he came from the mirror. “You may be good enough to satisfy Father’s ultimate desires, but as an evil-doer you stink.”
“I was sure the mist would cause some chaos!”
“It did, but you underestimate the Ancient Mystics. As usual.” Damian responded. “Father did a wonderful job trying when he unleashed the Djinn.”
“I will make him proud!”
“Why do it for him?” Damian asked. He played to her ego. “Why not do it for yourself? After all, did they not Exile you here in the first place?”
“That was different. I wanted it.”
“You wanted to be Exiled so you could reunite with Father.” Damian supplied. “Now, he pays no attention to you.”
“What would you have me do? I have tried everything I know!”
“Try something you do not know.” Damian remarked. “What the hell, make it up as you go along? It will be fun.”
“Why would she ever want to be like you, brother?” They heard Sabrina’s voice croon.
“Who was it this time?” Damian greeted her.
“Lord Byron. He’s returned from the Barracks.” Sabrina supplied. “He was Earthbound with Destiny Grey and Tiger White-Snow.”
“That handsome wizard has returned, has he?” Gloriana asked. “Gather my daughters. I have a plan.”
Sabrina and Damian couldn’t believe their ears.
“What about your oath to Father?” Sabrina asked her.
“He ignores me. I want him to know I can be as evil and cunning as him.” Gloriana replied. “In order to do that, I must go outside my usual boundaries.”
“Usual boundaries?” Sabrina and Damian echoed.
“Face it, you will never beat the Ancient Mystics.” Sabrina remarked. “Set your sights a little lower.”
“Just because you have given up on them does not mean I will.” Gloriana remarked. “I want my share of the Ancient Mystics.”
Damian came up with something. “You will have your share, my Queen.”
Gloriana gave him a suspicious look. “What are you getting at?”
“You will see. You are not the only one wishing to get on Father’s good side.” Damian replied. He turned to his sister. “This is our turn to shine, sister.”
“Just what are you talking about?”
“We have Ancient Mystic Powers.”
“How can we use them?” Sabrina asked.
Damian did nothing but smile.

III

Tempest shivered, lost in the Unknown. She could hear howling of a distant pack of wolves. She was in a forest, she knew, but why wasn’t it green and flourished like the Shady Kingdom? Everything around her screamed death and decay. A dark shadow passed over her head, making her look up in alarm. There was nothing there.
All my fault. Tempest concluded. If I had not been such a baby and run from the castle, I would not be here now. If only I could learn to keep my mouth shut!
She heard caws of a crow from behind her. Frightened, she turned to see where it was. Again, nothing was there.
“Are you scared yet, child?” She heard the shrilling of a female in the air.
“I fear nothing I cannot see.” Tempest stood her ground, despite her anxiety.
A cloud of dark grey wind twisted itself around her body before settling feet in front of her. She watched in amazement as the wind formed itself into a female figure. It almost looked human. The eyes were black as coals and spiky hair white with patches of black in it.
“Who are you?” Tempest demanded in her best Princess tone.
“No concern of yours.” The female shrugged, not looking at her.
“I am Princess of the Shady Kingdom!” Tempest cried. “You will tell me your name!”
The female felt the gentle push of compulsion on her mind, but ignored it.
“Impressive, Princess.” She mocked. “Allow me to introduce myself. I am Albrath, a Dark Lady of the Unknown.”
Tempest gasped, stepping away from her. Albrath moved closer, using her mesmerizing black eyes to freeze her in place. “You reek of Lord Maximaniac. If you are his Princess, how are you here instead of there?”
“The Grand Magus sent me here.” Tempest told her. “I am in search of my true parents.”
Albrath smiled, the simple expression not meeting her eyes. Tempest was petrified the demon-girl’s gaze felt like ice. “If they were once Warriors on the Master’s side, they would be here.”
With a quick chant in an ancient dark language Tempest had only read about, Albrath tied her in a magical rope. She was unable to escape.
“Unhand me this instant!” Tempest’s nerve to command was back.
Tempest struggled to free herself from the bindings.
“I would not try anything if I were you.” Albrath leaned close and whispered into her ear. “The spells holding you are powerful and can be quite painful if you use your own magic on them.”
She licked Tempest’s ear, breath making her skin crawl.
“Now, Princess.” Albrath shrilled. “Shall we go meet the Master?”
“Aye.” Tempest knew she had to listen, and not speak, to the Dark Lady. She could do nothing but obey.

IV

Luna was tiring in the Abyss. She searched for hours but couldn’t find the opening to the Unknown. She found the only thing that resembled life in this desolate Realm. A rickety shack made of old wood. Just as she raised her arm to knock on the door, she heard a booming voice.
Who dares disturb my rest?
“I am the Grand Magus, an Ancient Mystic of the Dream Realm.” Luna supplied. “I can’t seem to find the doorway to the Unknown.”
Why would you wish to go there? A shadow in front of her remarked. Its voice was neither male or female, but both.
“Please, Gatekeeper. Let me pass.” Luna replied. “I need to fetch a soul that doesn’t belong there. I have to bring her back.”
Who did you send to the Unknown?
“Princess Tempest, of the Grey Area’s Shady Kingdom.”
The shadow moved, and a brush of air passed Luna’s left side.
You will find the entrance behind you. Go swiftly.
“How do I get back?”
That is your problem.
At that, the shadow disappeared.
“Thanks a lot, Gatekeeper.” Luna replied sarcastically to thin air. Turning, she indeed saw the doorway. She cautiously walked through it, falling into nothingness. Quickly, she thought of the wings of a bird and began to fly. “Now, to find the Princess.”
She soared through darkness until she could see a light. A bright light came from a tower in her vision. She changed her eyesight to that of an owl and magnified her vision. It was a castle, she was sure, but why did it look so familiar?
That’s when she heard cackling. “Birdy, birdy, in the sky, come down from your flight so high. Shift your form with your own power and find what you seek in Dark Tower.”
Dark Tower? Couldn’t be! Luna thought to herself.
Without thinking, she shifted back to her human form in midair and began to fall. She tried to shift again, but couldn’t. She felt it; her Magic for shifting was gone in the Unknown.
She felt a field of a white-black glow shimmer around her, slowing her descent until she was safely on the ground. When she set on the cold ground, she stood up. All around her, she could see restless spirits in the shapes of ghosts. Somehow, she wasn’t afraid.
“You are right not to be afraid, Grand Magus.” One walked up to her and grinned. It was a giant half-human rat. His huge teeth stuck out of his mashed-in snout, whiskers were shortened, as if burned.
“How did you know who I was?” Luna asked.
The rat-man grinned, showing receding gums and broken, rotted teeth. “You would be surprised how fast rumor flies when one is not listening.”
Great, she thought. A riddle.
“Answer me this, then.” Luna supplied. “Have you seen a recently-Exiled female come through here? I need to take her back to the Dream Realm.”
The rat-man thought for a moment, ticking his tongue to the two front teeth. “Souls come through here all the time. Describe her.”
“She was human, wearing all black.” Luna tried.
The rat-man shook his head.
“She acted like a common Dominionite spy, only she wasn’t.”
He shook his head again.
“What about this? Her hair was black as night, her eyes as red as flowing blood, and her skin was white as death.” Luna remarked softly, pausing after each description for effect. It seemed to work, for the rat-man cowered away from her.
Bug-eyes widened, frightened at the sight of her, the rat-man bowed and told her what he knew. “She heads toward the Dwindling Glen, where old memories are kept before they are forgotten.”
“Show me.” Luna replied in her best Grand Magus tone.
With a nod, he stood. “Follow my lead.”

V

D’Kora, the Maiden’s own servant, watched as Young Guardian’s twin followed Sarnov’s lead.
That rat has always been gullible to good. D’Kora thought in her mind.
With a sneer, she disappeared, finding her Maiden in conference with Queen Gloriana and the Merchant.
“Maiden, my I have a word?” D’Kora’s smile never left her lips. It was devious, so Sabrina nodded her head. “Young Guardian’s twin is here, searching for