Young Guardian Trilogy by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (read aloud .txt) 📕

Derrick.” Aaron repeated after him.
When he opened the door to his own room, Shadow was pacing the floor, a giant frown on his face.
“What’s wrong, Shadow?” Aaron asked him.
“The Crusaders banded together, didn’t they?” He asked, getting in his face.
“Yeah, so?”
He stopped to stare at him. “What has Sabrina done?”
“Nothing, yet.” Aaron told him. “Relax.”
“I can’t relax.” Shadow huffed. “Lu’s gonna be in trouble tonight.”
“How?”
“When she Crusades to meet with Kitten’s Claw, it’s gonna take up all her Magical energy.” Shadow explained, finally sitting on the couch.
“And?”
“And,” Shadow emphasized, “She’ll have to wait until the spell wears off in order to return.”
“How do you know these things?” He asked.
Shadow showed Aaron the necklace. It looked similar to Derrick’s Protector’s Pendant.
“I’m Luna’s Earthly Protector.” Shadow revealed.
“The Protectors’ Pendant links you and Luna together in Magic, right?” Aaron guessed.
“Right.” Shadow yawned. “For now, let’s hit the sack. I’m drained.”
It was Aaron’s first night at the System. A lot had happened since he arrived, meeting the eyes of Shannon Ryan.
Something told him they were just beginning.


II

Ariana opened her eyes to find herself in a Dark Tower dungeon, chained to one of its many crumbling walls. She looked up and saw Orthos, as a dragon-beast, staring down at her with a vicious smile.
“What do you want with me, Orthos?” Ariana’s voice quivered in fear and she tried to use her powers to escape. Again, no luck.
“Surrender to me,” Orthos’ voice was hoarse and menacing, and he was face to face with her. He shifted to an Immortal, looking as if he jumped out of the Renaissance Period.
She stared at his transformation with a frown, spitting in his face. “Never, creep!”
Orthos wiped the spit from his face as if it hadn’t fazed him at all. “You will, Young One, or you will die.”
“For me to die is to become your Guardian.” Ariana told him with a grin. “Now, you don’t want that to happen, do you?”
Orthos stared at her with glowing yellow eyes. “You lie, wench!” He screamed.
“I don’t lie.” Ariana said sternly, looking him in the eye.
Orthos turned away, angry. He swore, crying in her face. “There just is no getting rid of you, is there?”
She flinched, but expected his response. The only thing to do now is be brave. “Not a chance.”
“Then I shall have my revenge on your Crappy Crusader friends.” He said, leaving her in complete darkness.
“Don’t you dare, Orthos!” Ariana screamed.
Her words were wasted, as was her breath. He never heard them, or didn’t care.
Ariana truly believed she was doomed.

Meanwhile, Orthos the Dominionite Master headed back to Dark Tower, only to find his brother there, scowling at the gates.
“What do you want now?” Orthos demanded.
“That was my question for you, dear brother.” O’Dell replied, folding his human arms. He was seen as half-horse, half man, a Centaur. “What would you want with a mere mortal being?”
Orthos laughed. “You and I both know, O’Dell, that she is no mere mortal. She carried the Enchanted Child and has the Ancient Mystic Magic. The very future of the Dream Realm is in her hands, once I destroy you.”
“How do you know of the Enchanted Child’s existence?” O’Dell wasn’t happy. “Have you violated our treaty?”
“Just say I have visited the Child’s dreams.” Orthos bragged.
“Then you openly admit to a violation of the treaty?” O’Dell was furious now.
“Treaty!” Orthos waved a hand at his brother. “You know very well I do not keep any treaty!”
“This brings me back to my query.” O’Dell was tired of stalling. “What would you want with the Young Guardian Ariana Woods?”
“You can honestly say you have no idea?” Orthos laughed. “Are you truly that ignorant?”
“Get on with it, Orthos!” O’Dell growled.
“I wish to rule all of the Mystic Realms – Perhaps the Outer Realm as well?” Orthos explained. “I have already given segments of the Dominionite Crystal to Sabrina and Grand Psycho.”
O’Dell remembered the power of the Crystal, once all five segments were together. “If I do not accept?”
Orthos pretended to think, the smiled. “Then your precious Young Guardian will die a very slow death.”
Frightened, O’Dell disappeared and left Orthos laughing in malice.

As for Luna and Kitten’s Claw, it was time for the final test.
The test of power.
With an Ancient Mystic Spell in the Dream Realm’s Province Wood, Luna met her feline friend.
“Do you remember anything about home at all?” Luna asked her.
“Aye, but it still confuses me. Like, if I have power, how do I use it?” Kit asked.
Luna held her arm out to her, closing her sea-blue eyes. She started the chant in a whisper. “Ancient Mystic Magic, come unto me.”
Before anything could happen, the girls heard a snap from behind them.
Luna was aware in moments, and stood. Kit stood with her. “Who’s there?”
Damian came out of his trademark hiding spot of the shadows.
Kit folded her arms. “What do you want, Damian?”
“Nothing with you, cousin.” Damian snapped. He strode to Luna and touched her cheek with his hand. “Just to bring Young Guardian’s twin some disturbing news.”
Luna grasped his hand so he couldn’t move. “Tell me, or you’ll be wearing that tunic around your neck.”
“Why Aluna, I never knew you cared.” Damian smiled.
Luna wasn’t amused. Kit watched in amazement as Luna threw him against a tree trunk with her powers. She faced him fiercely. “No one calls me Aluna. Now tell me, or I’ll have to –”
Damian couldn’t move, so he smiled in his spot. He searched her eyes. “What are you going to do, young Ancient Mystic Luna? Your great power binds you from killing, which includes me.”
“I may not be able to kill you, but I can turn your brain matter into mush.” Luna searched his empty eyes, only to stare at her own menacing expression. “Just tell me.”
“Very well, if you will?” Damian gestured for her to let him up.
She agreed and he continued. “Your dear sister is being kept by my Father. Once seeing her weakness – the loss of the Enchanted Child from her being – Father captured her mind. Now she is rotting in one of his dungeons.”
“No!” Luna screamed, tears coming fast to her eyes. “Liar!”
“I need not lie of this, Ancient Mystic.” Damian was gone after that, leaving Luna in the care of Kit.
Kit hissed at her cousin’s statement. “You do not believe this, do you?” Kit cried. “He lies as if it were the truth.”
“No,” Luna’s tears disappeared. “He’s telling the truth this time, Kit. I can sense it.”
Kit didn’t know what to say. “I am sorry, Luna.”
“That’s okay. I can’t do anything for her anyway.” Luna replied. “The spell I chanted for you to be here now leaves us here until it wears off.”
“Let us hope it wears off soon.” Kit whispered, staring off into the distance. “For Young Guardian’s sake.”
“For all our sakes.” Luna said softly after her. 
Chapter Forty-Three:
The Ancient Mystic Sister Rescue

O’Dell reappeared as a unicorn in front of Challandra, who was tending to the garden that surrounded this Palace.
Challandra jumped in surprise when she heard the familiar hoof-beat of her Lord Guardian friend. She looked up, startled. “Why, O’Dell,” She stood, noticing the look on his face. “What is the matter?”
“Orthos has done it again.” O’Dell told her, changing into an Immortal male in front of her.
“What has he done this time?” Challandra asked.
“He has kidnapped Young Guardian and is keeping her in one of his dungeons in Dark Tower.” O’Dell explained.
“How terrible!” Challandra gasped. “We must tell Enchantra.”
“Aye,” O'Dell nodded his head.
They raced through the Ancient Mystic Palace doors and found Enchantra staring into the Ancient Mystic Mirror. When she noticed her sister and lover standing over her, she muttered. “Dost not look good, I am afraid. I see mass destruction of the Dream Realm’s Province. I see hatred taking over the Outer Realm, and poor Young Guardian! I see her chained, unable to escape and help us fight.”
Challandra was entranced by the Mirror’s spell, but replied, “There is one thing to do about it, dear sister.”
Enchantra and O’Dell stared at her.
“If you are thinking on rescuing her yourselves,” O’Dell started.
Challandra took her gaze from the Mirror. “Oh, but we must!”
“Before it is too late!” Enchantra finished her sister’s thought.
O’Dell looked to each Ancient Mystic Sister, and sighed. “Very well, but I warn you, be careful.”
The Sisters looked at each other, nodding as they chorused. “Certainly, O’Dell.”
“I hope so, for Young Guardian’s sake.” O’Dell replied. He gave Enchantra a kiss on the lips and Challandra a kiss on the cheek before disappearing. He was on his way back to his Castle.
Meanwhile, the Sisters met at the Dominion Gate. A troll noticed who they were, and let them through with no questions. He bowed in respect as they passed him.
The Sisters thankfully ran into Wolf, Katherine, and Toby in the Garden. They knew they’d need the Companions’ help with Dark Tower.
Katherine curtsied and the boys knelt.
“Sisters! What are you doing this side of the Dominion Gate?” Katherine whispered, looking from side to side, making sure no one, mainly Dominionite Warriors, were around to see them. “You are not supposed to be here!”
“Did the Gatekeeper not ask questions?” Toby asked, standing.
“Crag obviously knew not to.” Challandra replied. “We came for one reason.”
“To find and rescue Young Guardian from Dark Tower.” Enchantra told them.
“Oh, no!” Katherine cried. “Not again! I warned her about the promise, but she did not listen.”
The Sisters nodded.
“The promise does not matter now.” Enchantra said. “All that does is getting Young Guardian back.”
“Let us waste no time,” Wolf pronounced. He turned to Katherine. “Tell us, do you know where she might be?”
“My feline instincts are rarely wrong.” Katherine said. “Follow me, Sisters, if you may. I have an idea where uncle is keeping her.”
The Sisters trusted Katherine and Wolf’s borne instincts. They followed with Toby through many tunnels short-cutting to a lantern at the end of the trail. The lantern had a note attached.
Wolf picked it up and read aloud its puzzling message:

“‘Behind this door, a mystery is kept,
“A fair maiden has stood and wept.
“Once the best in all the land,
“Can no longer lend a helping hand.
“If thou can decode the message inside the tree,
“The maiden will be freed.”

As Wolf finished, Katherine hissed angrily. “Yet another one of Damian’s riddles, I am sure.”
“ENOUGH!” Enchantra screamed, startling her sister and the Companions. They were aback when flashes of lightening came from her fingertips, opening the door to the dungeon.
“Hello!” Yelled a voice from inside. “Who’s there?”
“Young Guardian?” Katherine tiptoed inside, carrying the lantern as she led the Sisters and her Companion friends to their Young Guardian. “Where are you?”
The group found Ariana in a corner, hanging where Orthos had left her.
“Sisters! Quickly!” Ariana cried. “I fear Orthos is on his way!”
“Close your eyes,” Enchantra said simply, then turned to her twin. Taking each Companion’s hands and raising them to the ceiling, they started to chant.
In moments, Ariana was free. Wolf and Toby caught Ariana’s tired soul as she fell. The group headed back to the Palace in silence. The boys placed her on a couch to rest where O’Dell was waiting.
“How do you feel, Ariana?” O’Dell asked her softly.
All she could think of was her body, left in her own world. She