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

did you sense?” Red Wolf was afraid to ask.
“Whatever was in the Canine Wood, grew.” Toby supplied. “I sense more danger to come, and so does Kit.”
The wolves look at each other, then back at their feline friend.
“Does she have visions?” Wolf asked.
“Does Kat?” Toby asked.
“What does she see?” Red Wolf asked. “What does she tell you?”
“It is hard to explain; as it always has been.” Toby replied. “She keeps a close eye on both Tiger and now K’Sarra. She fears for their safety.”
“I have noticed the same in Kat.” Wolf agreed. “Ever since the kit-pups were born, she has been with them night and day. She refuses to come out of the Castle for hours at a time.”
Red Wolf nodded, agreeing with him. “So, what can we do about it?”
“Whatever it is, lies in wait for now.” Toby supplied softly.
“There is naught to do but wait for it?” Wolf asked.
“Nothing, Wolf.” Toby looked his good friend in the eye. “If that is all you came for, I am sorry you have to leave so soon.”
Wolf wasn’t listening. “I agree. Come, Page. Time we plan.”
At that, all the gear disappeared and both canines shifted form.
Toby stared after them, afraid for the Canine and Feline parts of the Dream Realm. Especially his own home, the Feline Castle.
Story #1:
Missing In Action

After a night of patrolling the Dream Realm, Ariana Reading was well aware of what was going on. Between Red Wolf’s Dweller powers threatening him, something threatening the Canine Valley and Feline Village, and the way Tiger White-Snow was acting, she knew she had her work cut out for her. Wolf told her everything that happened the next she wanted a report.

“Where is the Protector?” Wolf asked before she returned home to the Outer Realm.
“I’m not worried about him right now, Sire Wolfton.” Young Guardian had responded. “I’m just worried at what’s bugging my husband.”
Wolf agreed, waving goodbye as she disappeared between the clouds in the sky.

When she woke up, Ariana was herself again. She wanted to do something to make him forgive her, and forget it all happened.
At first, she thought of the Ancient Mystic’s Forgetfulness Spell, and thought again. No erasing of Derrick’s memories. She couldn’t bring herself up to do it. Then, she thought of a surprise for him.
She made sure to wake up first that morning, to get a head start. Her necklace buzzed and felt warm as she touched it. It had been acting like that for a while, ever since the Djinn God Omri put the spell on them. All but Shane and herself were affected. Shane knew enough in his Dream Locket-Protectors’ Pendant to fight back, and so did Ariana with her own Ancient Mystic powers. It seemed Derrick, Luna, Aaron, and Aimee were affected the most. It hurt her to think about it, so she shut her Empathy off, not allowing herself to feel the necklace’s warning glow.
Being the Dream Girl of his past, she made him breakfast in bed. As she took it into the bedroom with her, her Empathic sensors opened up.
“Derrick, honey. It’s time to wake up.” Ariana said in a low voice. Usually, that would at least get a grumble out of him.
Nothing happened.
She placed the tray down on the bed beside him and tried feeling his head. It wasn’t hot, so he wasn’t still asleep. In fact, it was cold, telling her something she didn’t want to know.
Ariana! Come quickly! It was Aimee’s voice in her head. She sounded alarmed.
Sister! Luna’s this time. Something’s wrong with Shane!
Ariana blocked them out for the moment, trying to think. Using compulsion to wake the woman up, she sent a message to Juliet. Come to my room, Juliet.
In moments, she was there. “Is something wrong, Mrs. Reading?”
The woman was all Caregiver. Good, Ariana thought.
“I need you to wake Kelly.” Ariana instructed. “Tell her to come in here and watch him while I head to my sister’s.”
“What about the other children, and the baby?”
“After sending Kelly in here, look after them for me.” Ariana looked to her silent husband. “Something tells me I’m going to be busy for awhile.”
Juliet nodded. “Yes, Mrs. Reading.” She said, leaving.
Ariana checked a few things on her husband.
Breathing, normal.
Necklace, pulsating gold. Okay, something’s fishy there.
She took it in her hands and closed her eyes. Immediately, she saw a vision of the one being she despised above all others. “Damian.”
Ariana opened her eyes, seeing her daughter standing next to her.
“What do you want me to do, Momma?” Kelly asked.
“Watch over him while I check on your aunts.”
Kelly sat in the chair beside the bed, watching. “Go.”
After a kiss on her daughter’s cheek, she was on her way.

II

Derrick Reading was disoriented and confused. Where was he and why was it so cold?
He looked to the Pendant-Locket around his neck and saw it glowing gold.
What was going on?
As if reading his mind, Damian answered. “I will tell you what is going on.”
Derrick looked but said nothing. He could see the faint form of a leering Djinn God Omri, lurking behind the Merchant.
“I ordered a Djinn to capture you.”
“Why?” Derrick asked. “Run out of ideas already?”
“Now, that was not very nice.” Damian replied, ticking. “Omri, fry him.”
“Yes, Master.” Omri conjured up a round fireball in his hand and threw it in Derrick’s direction. It hit his arm, lunging him to the ground of the cage.
“What is with you, anyway?” Shane remarked from beside Derrick. His question was aimed at Damian. “What have you got against us?”
Damian shrugged, bored. “Only the fact your Over-Seer Crusader sent me here.”
“You belong here.” They heard Aaron’s voice remark.
“Is that reason to kidnap us?” Shane asked, tending to Derrick’s arm with a cloth he’d ripped off his shirt. “Or are you just holding us until your sister gets back?”
“Ha!” Damian cried. “Sabrina has nothing to do with this.”
“Orthos.” Derrick managed to growl.
“Nay, not him either, I admit.” Damian said. He ran a fingernail against the bars, making a clicking sound on the bars as he walked the width of it. The noise echoed the dungeons. “Nay, I did this all on my own.”
“Do not forget the help of a powerful Djinn god.” Omri reminded him with a frown.
Shane couldn’t help chuckling. “Still can’t hack it, can you Damian? You always were the faulty Merchant son of a decaying Master. Can’t you do anything right?”
“I caught you, did I not?” Damian cried. “Enough! You may think you can fool Sabrina with mind games, but I assure you. I am not so easily fooled.”
“You’re only the fool, right, Damian?” Aaron quipped. “Why did you kidnap us now? Are we a threat to you?”
“I said, stop!” Damian growled, turning into a giant black dragon. Even Omri was frightened of the Merchant. Damian the dragon blew a wave of fire at the cage.
Aaron knew enough of his Unicorn Magic and was fast enough to stop the flames from hitting them. He shielded them with a wave of his own made of Unicorn Magic. The two waves canceled each other out, extinguishing the flames and keeping the three men from harm.
After that, Aaron was weak. He could do nothing but faint.
Derrick was hurting from the pain in his arm, he fainted as well.
This just left Shane and the dragon-man Damian, with Omri staring from a distance and unable to interfere without a command from his master.

III

Back in the Outer Realm, Ariana met her sister Luna in her bedroom.
“Something’s wrong with Shane.” Luna announced as soon as she sensed her sister near.
“I know.” Ariana whispered. “Derrick, too.”
Luna stood. “Is his Pendant-Locket glowing gold?”
Ariana nodded. “What do you think it means?”
“I don’t know.”
“I do.” Came a voice from the doorway. It was Aimee’s, and the woman looked as if she’d been crying. “Aaron sent me a telepathic message. He used great Unicorn Magic to shield himself, Derrick, and Shane from a fire attack by Damian. After that, he fainted.”
The twins looked at each other.
“I’ll try to locate him.” Ariana closed her eyes. After a moment, “Sorry, no go.”
“What did his necklace look like?”
“It was glowing green, as it always does when he’s working the Unicorn Magic.” Aimee dried her tears with a tissue.
“So, what does it all mean?” Luna asked.
“They’re in the Unknown, deep in the underground dungeons.” Aimee supplied. “Oh, what are we going to do?”
“We’ll think of something.” Ariana remarked. “On that, you can rely.”
Story #2:
Shadow’s Rebuttal

“You stare at me, wondering what I am up to.” Damian was the first to break the long silence. He changed back to his human-male form before continuing. “I know what you are thinking. Unlike you, I can read minds.”
Shane got a grip on his Protector Powers, and become the Shadow. He was silent, listening and scowling at the former Merchant.
“You are thinking to destroy me.” Damian supplied. “But wait, you cannot destroy me.”
“Make a bet?” Shadow growled.
“You see, you need me, Shadow.”
“Like a hole in the head.” The Shadow quipped.
“You need me and those like me to keep you on your toes.”
“I’ve had enough dancing, thanks.”
Damian laughs. “Humor. What mortals use to make themselves feel better.”
“Seeing you dead by my hands would make me feel a lot better.” Shadow remarked.
“Ah, but it would also leave an empty gap in your very soul. One that only I could fill.”
Shadow stood face to face with Damian. “I don’t like playing games, Merchant. For years, you and your Warriors have been demolishing innocent Dreamers’s worlds.”
“All so you can pick up the pieces and start again.” Damian interrupts. “Face it, Shadow. You need me.”
“Why would I need you?”
“I am the Chaos before the Calm. The Storm before the Rainbow. The night before the dreary day.” Damian explains. “I am your nemesis. Without me, who would you fight? Who would be there to create the chaos that makes the world go ‘round? Who would be the one to taunt you, forcing you to use your wit and whatever pathetic power you think you have?”
Shadow gave that thought. “There are others out there. Like Gloriana and her daughters. Your father. Other Dominionites who didn’t exactly obey the call of duty. Other Dominionites who were forced into exile in the Dream Realm once the Dominion Wall fell. Your Dominionites that were left in the Dream Realm’s Grey Area who may not see eye to eye with Lord Max. Believe me, Damian. I’ve got plenty to fight. You, on the other hand, I have plans for. No, I won’t destroy you. Not yet. I’ll let my successors do that for me.” Shadow’s eyes turned black as the night. “I only warn you. Watch your backs. The Ancient Mystics are multiplying, as with our strength and power. Be aware at all times. You never know when one of us Crusaders happen to be watching you.”
Suddenly afraid, Damian and Omri disappeared in a wind of black smoke. For now, Shadow, the Protector and Aaron were safe.
Shadow turned to his Crusader friends. The Protector was barely conscious, but breathing steadily. He was trying to tend to Aaron, who was silent on the ground.
“Hey, man.” Shadow croaked, getting the Protector’s attention.
The Protector looked up. He was silent as he nodded.
“You ok?” Shadow sat next to him.
The Protector shook his head. “How could I