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

the curly red hairs from her face before staring into her eyes. “You’re not, right?”
Claudia shook her head. How can I explain it? She thought to herself.
She clasped her Dream Locket and said softly. “Sabrina’s after us again. This time, she came to me while I was healing the seagull.”
“What did she do?” Craig was reluctant to ask.
“My Healer Magic hasn’t been that strong since I was a little girl.” Claudia pondered.
“Just tell me already.” Craig was anxious, she could tell. “Stop talking in riddles.”
Would he understand, though?
“That’s just it. Sabrina made my Healer Magic stronger by using that black crystal necklace she’s wearing.” Claudia tried to explain.
“Why would she do that?” Craig asked. “Wouldn’t she want to destroy it?”
Claudia shrugged, turning around to lean against his chest. “I don’t know, but whatever it is, will you stay with me, no matter what?”
Craig kissed her ear, whispering into it. “No matter what.”
Claudia sighed, enjoying the rest of their date with no other interruptions.
Instead of driving her home, Craig led her to his. She looked at him, wondering what he was thinking.
“While this Sabrina chic is on the loose, I insist you stay with me.” Craig told her as he helped her out of the car.
“I would have been fine at home, Craig.” Claudia insisted, taking his hand. “My family is there, you know.”
“That’s all fine and dandy, but I want to be sure you’re okay.” Craig kissed her cheek, leading her into the house.
“Fine! I’ll spend the night.” Claudia said with a laugh.
As they walked in the door, the phone rang.
“Who could be calling you at this hour?” Claudia wondered aloud, noticing the clock on the wall said midnight.
Craig shrugged before answering it. “Richardson’s.” After a moment, he handed the phone to her. “It’s Ariana.”
“Hello?”
“Claudia, did you just walk in the door?” Ariana’s voice was concerned.
“Yes, why?”
“Did you have a Vision of Sabrina earlier?” Her sister prodded.
Of course Ariana knew, she was the Young Guardian. Premonition was the more powerful of her Ancient Mystic Magics.
“Y-Yes, I did.” Claudia stammered.
“I felt it.” Ariana told her softly. It was obvious her sister didn’t want anyone to know she was on the phone at this hour. “Just be careful until we can figure out what’s going on.”
“I will.” Claudia promised. “Good night Ariana.”
“Good night Claud.” Ariana returned, and the click on the other end told Claudia her sister had hung up.
Claudia sighed, looking at her boyfriend.
“She sounded urgent. What’s up?”
“She felt my vision with the seagull, and told me to be careful.” Claudia explained. “That’s all.”
“Aha!” Craig wrapped his arms around her waist and teased her lips with a kiss. “I knew I was right about that. Come on, let me put you to bed.”
Claudia blushed and giggled. “If you don’t pipe down, we’ll wake your sisters.”
Craig shrugged. “Oh well. They’ll have to get used to your being here.”
“Oh? Why’s that?” She asked with a giggle.
Instead of answering, Craig pulled her tighter to his chest. “Claudia Marie Woods, I want you to move in with me.”
Claudia didn’t know what to say, so she wrapped her arms around him and smothered his face with kisses. “If you didn’t catch that, yes. I will.” She kissed him on the lips. “It’s about time, Craig Black Richardson!”
“Hey, some things take time.” Craig said. “I had to make sure you cared about me as much as I do about you.”
“Of course I do. You know that!” Claudia replied. “Now, you wouldn’t mind showing me to that bed of yours, would you?”
Craig kissed her. “Ours, my darling Claudia, and I’d love to.”
As she lay her head on her pillow to sleep, she grasped her Dream Locket and called the Dream Chant in her head. It felt natural being with Craig, sleeping next to him in his bed. They were made for each other and their hearts knew it.
As for Sabrina’s threat to her happiness, it’ll have to wait until the morning.

III

At the new Woods’ estate, Mary Ellen was bored. She just lay on her bed, hands under her head in thought as she stared at the ceiling. The house was vibrating with the rock music coming from downstairs. Sure, Anna and Kevin had friends over, really enjoying themselves, but she just wasn’t in the mood to party. Since the other day, Mary Ellen had been wondering what Sabrina had up her sleeve.
She and her sisters had disbanded, going their separate ways instead of joining in the circle. Neither sister had time then. Ariana had to get back to her children, and so did Luna with hers. Anna had to get ready for a date with Jake Reading and Claudia had Drama Class at Hill View University.
It was too bad. Mary Ellen was really psyched about the Circle. She was finally beginning to feel like she was worth something to her family, like a savior or something. Not only that, but the elder twins, Ariana and Luna, hadn’t been in the Ancient Mystic Circle with them yet. They’d been in a similar one with the Crusaders, but it wasn’t the same. Mary Ellen wanted to show them what they could do with combined power.
Mary Ellen sat and spotted a book on her desk across the room. Instead of reaching for it, she decided to use her Telekinesis. Goddess only knew she needed the practice.
In her mind, she imagined the book coming to her. It lifted itself off the desk slowly, floating toward her as she thought about it. Just as she reached for it in the air, a sharp pain in her temple made her lose her concentration.

In her mind, a picture of a blond-haired male smiled at her, taking her hand and kissing it. As Mary Ellen tried to delve further into the vision, she could faintly see the man’s face slowly getting darker. His eyes, which were green before, were now glowing red. His smile, which had been gentle and caring, was now one of great evil power. He turned into a woman, with long black hair, black lips, and a crystal like none Mary Ellen had ever seen before. The woman, on the other hand, she recognized immediately.
Sabrina.

Mary Ellen gasped, making the book fall to the floor. It only took a split second for her to think and react. Her sisters must know of this, like it or not.
She raced downstairs and found Anna talking with some of her old high school friends.
Sabrina’s at it again, she thought to her sister with telepathy.
This made Anna look up and excuse herself from her friends. When the two sisters were out of earshot, Anna whispered.
“What do you mean, she’s at it again?”
“Sabrina got to me, using the premonition against me.”
“How?”
Mary Ellen quickly explained her vision. “We have to tell the twins.”
Anna looked at her watch. “It’s too late to do anything tonight. Ariana’s already patrolling and Luna hasn’t been herself lately. Whatever is going on, it’ll have to wait until morning to be taken care of.”
“Do you think we’re safe until then?”
“Kevin and I will work some sort of Protection Spell, okay?” Anna assured.
Mary Ellen wasn’t convinced, but nodded absent-mindedly anyway.
“We’re sending them home so we can cast it right away.” Anna told her, hugging her. Mary Ellen shook in her arms, afraid. “Relax, we’re Ancient Mystics. We can handle this, right?”
Mary Ellen looked at her, saying. “Right.”
“Now, go to bed and let Kev and I take care of it.”
Defeated, she went upstairs to bed. Despite the rumbling thoughts of Sabrina on her mind, she fell right to sleep.
Story #2:
Blast From the Past

In the Dream Realm, Katherine found herself with her Young Guardian in the Garden. She had been playing with her daughter Celine when she disappeared, reappearing near the rock the two friends always met at when they were younger.
How odd? Katherine thought to herself in her mind. Ariana was probably wondering the same thing.
She could see her friend sitting on the rock, eyes squinting in thought. Young Guardian Ariana Reading wore the same flowing white gown as she always had, complete with the Jewels Amulet pin hanging over her right shoulder on a multi-pastel-colored wrap. The gown’s top was partially see-through, and as Katherine grew closer, she could see Ariana wore a rose-colored slip underneath. The gown went down to her ankles, making her look more sophisticated.
“Young Guardian?” Katherine asked, approaching her. “Why have you brought me here?”
Young Guardian Ariana shrugged. “I didn’t. I thought you brought me here.”
Did her dear friend Ariana know about Sabrina’s plight?
Katherine shook her head. “Nay, but I do have some concerns.”
“If it’s about Sabrina and her dark crystal, I already know.” Ariana said. “Luna, Anna, and Claudia have already had experiences with it.”
“What does it do?” Katherine asked. “Do you know?”
Ariana frowned, shaking her head. “I wish I did, old friend. I’d take care of it and stop Sabrina for good.”
Katherine could tell her friend was thinking like a detective again. Trained from her youth at a place simply known as the System, Ariana was both a powerful Ancient Mystic and brilliant sleuth. Those reasons were why Katherine had to confess.
“She came to me.” She said softly.
Ariana was alert in seconds. “What did she say, Kat?”
“She wished to strike a bargain, only I never heard it.” Katherine said regretfully. “Wolf interrupted, throwing her out of our sight.”
Ariana wasn’t paying attention. She just stared into space.
Katherine went on. “I have gone to Queen Jezebel for answers, but still fear for our lives. What can we do about her?”
“Why is Sabrina playing around with our powers?” Ariana asked her friend. “Why not destroy them altogether, instead of just teasing us with the powers we don’t understand? What’s her motive?”
Katherine was the one to stand silent, saddened she didn’t know the answers.
“I’ve got to see her again, and stop her.” Ariana was insistent as she cried aloud. Her face brightened with determination.
“No, you cannot!” Katherine tried to stop her but it was too late. Once Ariana Reading made up her mind on something, there was no stopping her. In moments, her friend had disappeared. Katherine called into the air. “Do be careful!”
She sighed, closing her eyes to return to her daughter’s side.

II

When Ariana appeared again, she frowned, recognizing her surroundings.
Her heart dropped in her chest. She was in the Abyss.
The chasm between the worlds was a dark and solemn reminder of the distant past. Three years ago, her husband’s ex-girlfriend kidnapped her ten-year-old daughter Kelly. Using her magic, Kelly had brought her here from the comfort of Katherine Stargazer’s home. The image of Kelly took her to the past, to another sad memory.
Now the Abyss was deserted, dark, gloomy, and cold.
What am I doing here? She asked in her mind. The thought echoed loud and clear around her.
“Hello!” Ariana called.
She tried to take flight, but found she couldn’t get her feet off the ground, or whatever she was standing on.
To light her path, she used Magic to make a candle appear in her hands. She grasped the candle-holder with one hand, shielding the candle itself from being blown out by the numerous winds that blew in the Abyss.
Ariana walked forward, sensing someone was watching her.
“Whoever you are, show yourself!” Ariana called into the air. “The Young Guardian of the Dream Realm demands it.”
As soon as she’d finished the word “it,” a familiar figure of the Dominionite Maiden Sabrina appeared.
“If