Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga, Lady Adellandra Dratianos [reading tree .TXT] 📗

Ancient Mystic’s War of the Realms Saga:

#1: The Ancient Mystic’s Challenge

By: Adella Dratianos,
Author of The Young Guardian Trilogy


BOOK I: A Circle of Sisterhood
Part One: Dark Secrets

Prologue One:
Twin Dilemmas

Aluna Woods-Morehouse couldn’t be happier than she was at that moment. Sure, she was doing a mediocre chore of washing the dishes by hand, but the thoughts in her head made her smile.
She thought of who she was. Not only was she a famous Ancient Mystic of the Dream Realm with powers beyond comprehension, she was now the title of Grand Magus. She was a mother of three beautiful children: Caleb, Meredith, and Logan. She was the wife of a wonderful husband, detective and father, Shane Morehouse, and she was the Young Guardian’s own twin sister.
At that moment, all was perfect in her life.
She hummed a tune to herself while she dried the dishes and put them away in the cupboards. Her children were each at school; six-year-old Caleb in the first grade while four-year-old Meredith was smart enough to be in Kindergarten. The baby Logan was fast asleep in his crib. Shane was at work, as a Detective for the Hill View Police Force.
The house was quiet, which was good. It helped her to think.
It took three months to get life back to normal after the Crusades, and Luna couldn’t have been happier. When her niece Kelly took her Ancient Mystic Oath at the age of thirteen, Luna and her twin Ariana had also taken theirs. Since then, both twins’ powers began to grow rapidly. Luna was an avid Ancient Mystic of the Dream Realm, knowing all about its secrets and nuances. She knew loads of spells; so many, she couldn’t fit them all in her Spell-Book! She knew the dangers of Dark Magic, the wonders of the Unicorn Magic, and specialized in being a Clairvoyant. Aluna knew all there was to know about the Ancient Mystic Magic. She even knew the linage from front to back. That in itself was a remarkable thing; her mother said so many times.
When she was finished, Luna cleaned the kitchen and headed to the back room, which was her Altar Room. It held all her Magical supplies. Candles, bells, books, crystals, herbs, wands, chalices, and numerous other magical tools covered an old mahogany hope chest. If someone were to walk into this room without knowing her, they would have thought she was a witch or a Pagan. They would be wrong. Luna was an Earthbound Ancient Mystic.
On the east wall, there was an old vanity Mirror; only, it wasn’t an ordinary Mirror. The Elder Ancient Mystic Sisters, Enchantra and Challandra, had given it to her as an Anniversary gift. To Luna, it showed the Sisters thought she was mature enough to handle such a powerful gift.
Luna’s gaze went to it immediately. The reflection wasn’t hers; it was the image of a pink and white cyclone, rotating clockwise. As she drew closer, she could feel something compelling her to touch it. When she did, her eyes closed, and the picture of an old nemesis flashed through her mind.

In moments, Luna was inside the mirror, only feet away from the image of a woman.
The woman in her mind was sadistic, evil, cunning and cruel-hearted. The vision was dressed in new-age fashion, with a black leather jacket. Everything on her was black; black hair, black leggings, black miniskirt, and black low-topped boots that zipped up on the sides, black halter top with a spiked collar around her neck. She even had black lipstick and eye shadow.
Images of the Crusades passed through Luna’s mind. She was back in time, to that night in the Hill View Cemetery at the edge of town, where one of the Crusaders fought against the nemesis and lost his life. One name flashed through her mind, but she was speechless in fear and couldn’t say it aloud.
Sabrina.
Luna dared to delve deeper into the image, being careful not to show her Ancient Mystic Force to her enemy. Around Sabrina’s neck was an odd-looking crystal. It reminded her of the Dominionite Crystal in some way, but Luna knew this wasn’t it. The Dominionite Crystal was with Lord Maximaniac and Queen Jezebel, Sabrina’s mother, in the Realm they called the Grey Area.
No, Luna thought, this crystal has a deeper, darker purpose.
It was shaped like a diamond, but she didn’t know where it came from. The diamond-shaped crystal around Sabrina’s neck illuminated as her eyes glowed evil red. A sadistic smile was on her lips for only a second before the Dominionite Maiden burst out laughing.
Luna tried to get herself out of the vision, but found she was hooked. She couldn’t move her eyes from Sabrina’s own, paralyzed with fear and panic. She could only stand in her spot.
Wait, Luna thought. How can Sabrina be haunting my mind if we Exiled her to the Unknown? How did she return and why?
No time for silly questions, Mystic menace! Sabrina’s thoughts echoed in her mind.
Sabrina walked toward her.
If only Luna wasn’t so afraid of the Empathy. She’d sense what the Maiden was up to, and put a stop to it before anybody got hurt. Now more than ever did she want control over it. She searched for the Ancient Mystic Force in her mind, finding nothing but darkness.
Her fear of the Maiden and the Empathy was clouding her Mystic’s vision. Luna didn’t want the Dark Magic to take over her so she found her voice.
“What do you want?”
You Exiled me, now you must pay . . . Sabrina’s cackle brought Luna out of her frozen state as the two stared at each other.
The strange necklace was glowing again, and Luna was too frightened to move.
Sabrina kept her smile as she announced. I dare you to sense me.
Luna was silent, holding her breath so she wouldn’t cry out.
Sabrina placed a hand against her cheek. Is that better? Can you sense me now?
Luna stepped back, staying silent. To speak now would be giving up the fight.
It’s okay, Mystic. I will not bite you. Sabrina supplied. I only want you to open your Empathic eyes and ears for me.
Luna shook her head.
What is the matter? Are you afraid of the Empathy? Sabrina pressed, a smile on her face. It is only a simple Magic. Even Young Guardian uses it daily.
Luna wanted to scream, “I’m not Young Guardian! I’m her twin sister!” But she couldn’t.
Sabrina found Luna wasn’t going to speak, so she gave up, shrugging her shoulders.
Oh well. No use wasting time here. Sabrina supplied with a bored sigh. Off you go, Mystic.
It only took a moment, but Luna was frozen with fear. Sabrina waved her arm, plummeting Luna into complete darkness.
Not knowing where she was, she screamed.

II

Across the street, Ariana Woods-Reading, Luna’s twin sister, was doing her homework at the kitchen table when a Vision clouded her mind.
Something told her the Dominionite Maiden was back.
After staring at her book without reading it, she put it away. Closing her eyes, she used the Empathy and Premonition. Ariana, the Young Guardian of the Dream Realm, held her Jewels Amulet in her hand while she focused on the Vision in her mind.
Luna was lost, in trouble.
Ariana opened her eyes once again, stuffing her books back into her bag. She heard the door open, with her three children racing through the door.
Thirteen-year-old Kelly and her fourteen-year-old step-adopted-brother Bradley Allen were behind Ariana’s six-year-old twin boys, Mark Antony and Andrew.
“Hi Momma.” Kelly smiled, her silver-blue eyes sparkling when she gave Ariana a kiss on the cheek.
“Hi, Mrs. Reading,” Bradley echoed, kissing her other cheek and smiling.
The twins were already gone, and Ariana looked to the door to find their school bags and coats on the floor.
“Hello to you, too, kids.” Ariana grinned. “Will you put those away for them, please? I need to get ready for school.”
Not to mention get to my sister, Ariana thought to herself.
“Sure, Mrs. Reading,” Bradley chipped.
He raced off and Kelly stood beside her. “What’s wrong with Aunt Luna?” She asked.
“Nothing, why do you ask?” Ariana asked back, pretending to sort through her bag and books.
“I heard what you said in your mind.” Kelly replied.
Ariana stared at her, frowning. “Kelina Erin, that’s an invasion of privacy and you know it.”
“Sorry Momma,” Kelly replied. “It just happened.”
“Were you thinking about her as well?”
Kelly nodded. “I had a vision on the way home. Looks like we were thinking about her at the same time. I didn’t mean to hear your thoughts.”
Ariana thought it over. It was true. Whenever two Ancient Mystics thought of another person in their minds at the same time, they heard each other’s thoughts.
She sighed, sitting at the table.
“What’s wrong with her?” Kelly repeated.
Ariana shrugged. “I was just going to find out before you walked in.” She thought for a moment, rubbing her temples after pushing her eyeglasses up on her nose. She looked at her daughter. “Can you babysit?”
Kelly nodded. “Sure. Go.” She replied with a smile as Ariana stood up. “Bradley and I can take care of the twins and Melody.”
Bradley himself came back to their sides. “The bus is waiting out there for Mrs. Morehouse. Did you want me to bring Caleb and Meredith over here for you?”
“Come on, Bradley.” Ariana nodded, wrapping an arm around her adopted-nephew’s shoulders and flashing him a smile. “You do that, and I’ll check up on my twin.”
Bradley beamed.
When Ariana turned to Kelly, she was already gone.

Ariana’s sensors took her to Luna’s Altar Room, where she found her twin sister lying on the floor in front of her Ancient Mystic Mirror. She bent down to Luna’s body and passed a hand over her closed eyes.
“Oh no. The Abyss.” Ariana whispered, placing her index fingers on Luna’s temples.
Luna was trapped in the one place Ariana hated above all others. Despite that, she closed her eyes and chanted under her breath to wake her sister from the trance.
Ariana opened them again when she heard Luna’s soft moan and felt her move.
“Ari?” Luna sat up slowly with her sister’s help. “What are you doing here?”
“I felt you from afar.” Ariana announced.
Luna shook the cobwebs from her mind, hugging her twin. “Thanks.”
“Don’t mention it.” Ariana replied with a smile. “What happened?”
Luna stared. “You didn’t see it?”
“See what?”
“The Mirror’s image.” Luna supplied.
Both twins stared at it. It was back to its normal mirror shape, showing how identical the twins really were. Elbow-length reddish-blond hair, perfect, youthful complexions and golden frames accented each sister's silver-blue eyes.
“What about it?” Ariana asked her reflection.
Luna turned to her with a look that told Ariana something was up. Her sister's eyes were silver-blue, when they usually were ocean-blue. “Let’s get out of here first, and I’ll explain.”
“Good idea.” Ariana replied.
The twins headed to the kitchen, where Ariana fixed her sister a cup of hot tea to calm her.
Luna sat at the table while Ariana stood at the Cook’s Island. Ariana folded her arms and leaned on the counter as she patiently waited for her sister to speak.
“I’m having intense visions of Sabrina again.” Luna replied as Ariana placed a hand on hers. “I