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

older sister’s hand. “Take my hand, Mary Ellen.”
Luna took her other hand, with Anna and Claudia looking at them strangely. “Why?” Claudia asked.
“Trust us.” The twins chorused.
There it was again. Mary Ellen thought. The twins never speak together like that unless something’s going to happen.
“What’s going on, Ariana?” Anna asked. “Luna?”
The twins looked at each other. “You’ve never been to Witches Grove, have you?” Luna asked.
Anna, Mary Ellen, and Claudia all shook their heads.
“Be aware of reality, and the truth.” Ariana warned.
“Images are forced in your mind, testing your senses of reality.” Luna supplied. “Why Sabrina would bring us here is beyond me.”
“Testing, huh?” Anna asked. She took Claudia’s hand, who took Luna’s other. “Maybe that’s what she’s doing with that strange crystal-like thing around her neck?”
Ariana held her breath, remembering her run-in with Sabrina in the Abyss. Luna could sense her twin’s discomfort.
“Testing our power, so she can see its weaknesses and destroy it?” Claudia mused. “Why?”
Before either sister could answer, Ariana felt Mary Ellen’s hand let go. When she looked to where her older sister’s gaze was, she found out why.
Surrounded by a yellow-white glow stood a male with green eyes and blond hair. His eyes sparkled and his arms were outstretched.
Be aware of the truth, Mary Ellen. Ariana warned her sister telepathically. She and Luna shared a look.
Anna stood beside Claudia, who gripped Luna’s hand so tightly, it hurt.
The four sisters watched as Mary Ellen Woods wandered to the man’s arms, waiting to embrace him.
The man didn’t say a word, and neither did Mary Ellen. The four sisters were silenced with fear as they watched the scene.
Mary Ellen walked closer to the man until she could see his eyes. They were glowing dark green, and Mary Ellen was forced to use her wild Empathy power to sense his intentions. Her heart began to pound as she was drawn to him. Her Empathy was useless, she couldn’t sense a thing; good or bad. Her hungry curiosity urged her closer, drawing her into his arms. As soon as he had his arms around her, with her eyes still glued to his, he whispered in her ear.
“Gotcha.”
Immediately, she recognized the monotone of the Dominionite Master’s son, Damian. Mary Ellen blinked, and sure enough, the man’s green eyes turned bright red, glowing with malicious intent.
Ariana, Luna, Anna, and Claudia could do nothing but stand aside, knowing what was going to happen. They were frozen in their spots, unable to move.
To their dismay and confusion, as Mary Ellen screamed, she disappeared.
At that, all five Woods’ sisters woke up, afraid for their lives.

Mary Ellen sat up straight in her bed, gasping for breath. She had to get help, fast. Not only is Sabrina messing with the five sisters, now Damian is in it, somehow.
Anna sat up in bed, too, her own heart pounding. She pulled back the sheets on her bed and raced to Mary Ellen’s room.
“What just happened?” Anna demanded.
“Protection Spell didn’t work.” Mary Ellen replied at the same time.
Anna sat on her sister’s bed, repeating herself. “What happened to you?”
“You saw me in Witches Grove.” Mary Ellen supplied in a whisper. “Damian posed as some visionary guy, luring me into his arms.”
“Who was this visionary guy, and why would Damian want to disguise himself as him?” Anna asked.
“Who is he? Good question.” Mary Ellen said. “He was the one in my vision the other night, the one I told you about.”
“Your premonition going haywire because of Sabrina.” Mary Ellen nodded, confirming. “Who is he is the question.”
“That doesn’t matter.” Mary Ellen supplied. “What does matter is what Damian has to do with Sabrina’s current scheme.”
Anna shrugged. “Have you been dreaming about this visionary guy a lot lately?”
Mary Ellen looked at her sister. “Why are you dwelling on that? We’ve got a major crises here!”
“I know. We’ll get to that with the twins and Claudia; I promise.” Anna supplied. “Just answer my question.”
Mary Ellen sighed. “Yes, why?”
“He’s your Earthly Protector.” Anna supplied. “And you’ll meet him soon.”
“I shouldn’t even ask how you know.” Mary Ellen groaned.
“My power is premonition, remember?” Anna said with a grin. “Enough about that. Where did Damian take you?”
Mary Ellen shrugged. “He didn’t take me anywhere.” She replied. “He whispered ‘Gotcha’ into my ear as we disappeared.”
“Did you feel anything?” Anna asked.
Mary Ellen had to think of that one. “I felt a jolt of energy surging out of my body.” She told Anna. “How’s that for weird?”
“Somehow, he took one of your powers.” Anna replied, then yawned. “We’d better get back to bed. We’ll discuss this further with the twins in the morning.”
“What about Claudia?”
“She’s got an early class.” Anna supplied, standing. She hugged her sister. “Try not to think about it too much anymore tonight, okay?”
Mary Ellen nodded, lying down. “I won’t. Thanks, Anna.”
Anna left her room, closing the door behind her.
“The fear is all I’ll think about.” Mary Ellen mumbled under her breath as she snuggled under her blankets once again.
Part Three:
Song of the Ancient Mystics

Prologue:
Sisterly Scare

Luna Morehouse woke up afraid, unable to go back to sleep. Shane woke up with her.
“Confess, Lu. What’s up?” Shane murmured.
“Nothing, honey.” Luna supplied. “Just go back to sleep.”
Shane sat up and shook his head, trying to meet her eyes in the dark. “Whatever woke you up, also got my Pendant jumping. Something’s up, Aluna Star, and I want to know what that is.”
Luna should have known better than to keep something like this from him. He was too smart for fools’ moves.
“It’s not anything you can help with, I’ll tell you that.” Luna whispered, playing with her ring.
The couple heard the doorknob turn and the door itself creep open. With the hallway light, Luna could faintly see two of their children, Caleb and Meredith standing at the door.
“Mommy, we’re scared.” Six-year-old Caleb announced, holding his sister’s hand.
“See, even the kids are afraid.” Shane announced, ushering them in with a gesture.
After Luna waved her hand to light a candle beside the bed, the hallway light was turned off and the kids ran to their parents’ sides.
Meredith climbed into her mother’s arms, and Luna could see the tears in her daughter’s eyes.
“Why are you crying, Meredith?” Luna whispered to her daughter, hugging her tight.
“Bad man got Auntie Mary.” Meredith sniffed.
Both Shane and Luna gasped, with Shane sharing a look with his wife.
“Which bad man?” Shane asked his daughter.
“The Merchant.” Caleb pronounced. “I saw it, too. They disappeared.”
Meredith nodded her little head. “Where they go?”
Luna shook her head. “I don’t know, honey. The only way to find out is to ask them in the morning.” Luna stood up. “Meanwhile, you kids have to get back to bed.”
“We’re scared, Mommy.” Caleb whined. “We wanna sleep with you.”
“Tunder-thorms, Mommy.” Meredith tried to say.
“Thunderstorms are one thing, demons are another.” Luna announced.
She held her hand out for Caleb to take. After Caleb and Meredith kissed their father goodnight, Luna took them back to their rooms to welcome sleep. Meredith was easy to calm, with Luna singing her to sleep with a lullaby. Caleb wasn’t as easy, though.
“Mommy!” Caleb cried, sticking close to Luna’s side. “I don’t want him to get us.”
“He’s not going to get you.” Luna assured him. She tucked him in his bed, kissing his cheek. “Good night, son.”
“Will you protect me?” Caleb asked.
Luna had to smile. “Always, Caleb Ryan.”
Caleb smiled back, now closing his eyes. “I love you, Mommy.”
As Luna went to shut the door behind her, she stopped and stared at her son. “I love you, too, Caleb.”
Before heading back to bed, she checked up on the baby Logan. Staring at her hand, she quietly entered the room. In seconds, a glowing orange ball of her Magic was hovering over her palm, giving her just enough light to see by. With it, she headed to Logan’s crib.
She didn’t like what she saw. Logan’s closed eye dropped a single tear down his tender cheek.
Could he be bothered by the same dreams we had? Luna mused to herself. She reached in and lightly pet his head of soft blonde hair. Sleep well, Little One. Mommy will always love you.
Luna kissed her forefinger and touched his cheek. At that, he smiled. She smiled, too, easing the door closed behind her.
She went back to her husband, who was already sleeping by the time she got back to bed. She snuggled next to him after kissing his cheek.
Whatever happened in Witches Grove would have to wait until morning. There was no way Aluna Star Woods-Morehouse would let it ruin her picture-perfect family tonight.

II

The next afternoon, Ariana Woods-Reading let her next-door neighbor Aimee take care of the kids. Something was depressing her, and she didn’t want Kelly, Bradley, Mark Antony, Andrew, or even Melody to see her distress.
“What’s going on, Ariana?” Aimee asked as the kids rushed past her. “I can sense trouble, and you know it.”
Aimee wasn’t a Ancient Mystic, and neither was her twin brother Aaron. Ariana knew they were both powerful Ancient Mystic Over-Seers, with a touch of Ariana’s own Magic in the bracelets they wore. According to Lord Guardian, Aimee had Unicorn Magic, power of the earth, which enabled her to sense any living being, animal or otherwise.
Ariana could tell this time would be no different.
“I know you can.” Ariana supplied softly. “There’s nothing I can do about it, but I don’t want the kids in the middle of it.”
When Ariana looked at her best friend-almost-sister’s eyes, she could tell Aimee wasn’t getting any sleep, either. Her normally brown eyes looked puffy and tired. “What about you? I sense your worry for Aaron.”
“Aaron’s wanting to use whatever power he’s got in the bracelet and the necklace against bad guys, that’s all.” Aimee supplied. “Mystic Havens forbid, right?”
Ariana had to smile. Her almost-sister had grown up with her, knowing the attraction Aaron had for Ariana. Aaron fancied himself as her protector sometimes, though he knew very well Derrick was Ariana’s Earthly Protector.
“Let him learn it.” Ariana supplied. “He’ll soon find out using the Ancient Mystic Magic is dangerous if not handled right.”
“Like you, huh?” Aimee asked. Ariana was confused. “I saw your visions in Witches Grove. What made you guys decide to go there?”
“We didn’t.” Ariana told her. “Sabrina whisked us there. I was patrolling in the Province Wood, talking to a Companion when I disappeared in front of his eyes.”
Aimee’s eyes widened, then hugged her. “I’ll watch the kids, that’s no problem.” She said, then met Ariana’s eyes. “I want you to be careful.”
“Yes, husband.” Ariana teased, smiling. “Derrick tells me that all the time, and I don’t even know why. I’m the Young Guardian. I think I can take care of myself by now.”
“We just worry for you, that’s all.” Aimee said. “We love you.”
With that, Ariana headed back next door to start on her housework.
When she started the dishes, she began to think of Derrick. She’d closed herself off to her Earthly Protector, not wanting him in the middle of another battle with Sabrina. Ariana had barely spoken to him for a week. She only saw him at night shortly before her classes, which always gave her the excuse to get away. She could tell he was worried for her, but she avoided his caring eyes.
Even Kelly knew something was up. Both Ariana and Kelly had woken up in the middle of