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

will become your face.”

In seconds, the Companions had changed. Wolf, with his brown hair, brown eyes, and tall, muscular frame, was in awe. He looked to Katherine and Kitten’s Claw, who were identical in sight. Black hair with white strands peppered throughout their locks made them look lovely. Kit’s hair was shortened to just under her earlobe while Katherine’s was up in a beautiful bun.
Kit looked to her beau of Toby. His once grubby fur was now replaced with a head full of dish-water blond hair, and his eyes were deep green in color.
“You guys look great.” Ariana complemented. “Okay, you can stay in the spare room down the hall from Luna’s and mine.”
“Thank you, Young Guardian.” Toby replied.
“Please, while you’re here, feel free to call me Ariana.”
The Companions followed her to the spare bedroom to retire for the rest of the night. All the excitement of Crusading had made them ultimately tired.
Ariana couldn’t help feeling a little homesick for the Parkers and the System. Even though it had only been a few weeks since she’d seen Derrick and Mark last, she missed them dearly. She yawned, heading back to bed.
In the morning, the Dream Realm and Earthbound Crusaders would gather and prepare themselves for Sabrina’s ultimate game.

II

Mark was alone in the Dream Realm. Where was his friend Wolf when he needed him?
He was lost, and cold. The Dominion was just that: dank, dark, cold, and dusty.
Well, no one said it would be the Palace of Fantasia.
He heard someone behind him and turned quickly, panicked. No one was there.
His heart pounded in his chest, and he was scared the most. This must be how Ariana felt when he surprised her at the System, he mused.
A twig snapped and a rustle of leaves made him stand still.
“Hello? Wolf?” Mark’s voice was frightened, but soft. “Who’s there?”
No answer.
A cackle rung in his ears, and Mark spun once again to face Damian, the Dominionite Merchant.
Damian came toward him. “I pity you, Earthbound.”
Where’s my courage? Mark asked himself. He gulped and stared straight into Damian’ red-and-black eyes. We’re the same height, Mark noted.
“That’s funny,” he quipped. “I feel nothing for you.”
“That is a shame, because we share something very dear.” Damian pointed out with a grin.
He sure was tart, wasn’t he?
“As if.” Mark took from Caroline’s own words to him.
Damian just laughed. “Funny, Mortal. Taking from Lady Caroline.” He replied with a spiteful glow to his eyes. “Talk is cheap, and according to Young Guardian Ariana, love is too.”
The magic words made him mad instantly. “What have you done, Damian?”
“For once, I have done nothing.” Damian said. “But my dear sister has something planned for Uncle’s successor.”
“We have something in store for your dear, not-so-sweet sister, Damian.” Mark took Damian’ shirt and lifted him to the air.
“I am afraid you are missing the point.” Damian said softly.
Mark let him down. “Get on with it.” He growled.
“You and I, though you would hate to admit it to my face, have something in common.”
“Yeah, right.” Mark scoffed, beginning to walk away. “Prove it.”
“Young Guardian Ariana Woods.” Damian replied.
“What about her?”
“We love her equally, but she does not love us back.” Damian pointed out. “Since I was younger, Sabrina has been telling me what a nuisance she is. In Outer Realm terms, Young Guardian was only seven-years-old when Sabrina met her, learning who she was to become. Since then, I have been literally dreaming of her.”
“So has every other guy I know.” Mark said, agreeing. He pushed the feelings of suspicion out of his conscience. “First, it began with Aaron, her best friend in the orphanage, so she says. He was the one –”
“To impregnate her with the Enchanted Child.” Damian muttered. “Aye. I know her story, and it is filled with admirers that have loved and lost.”
Maybe Damian wasn’t as bad as everyone insisted he was. Mark thought to himself.
“What do you think of Derrick?” Mark asked. He was jealous and wanted Damian’s opinion to make him feel better.
“Ugh. Dare I answer such a stupid question?” Damian admired his hands. “That little thing has been with her since childhood. I should know; I have been following her for nearly fifteen years.”
He paused, and Mark stared at him. “Derrick James Reading. What a loser? Everyone he meets since Sister Shannon thinks he is the best thing in sleuthing.”
“Yeah. He always thinks he knows it all.”
That’s it, Damian thought. Let out all your aggression Earthbound. One more Warrior to add to the lot.
“Aye, do go on.” Damian urged him. “Anything else you hate about Young Guardian?”
Mark finally realized what he was doing. “I don’t hate Ariana. I love her.”
“As do I,” Damian insisted quickly.
Now, that was suspicious. Mark thought to himself. He looked deep into Damian’s red eyes, and saw they were glowing. He’d learned long ago, through Wolf, whenever he did that, there was an evil, dirty spell behind his intentions.
Mark scowled. “What do you really want, Damian?”
“You.” Damian pointed a closed fist at him, opening it to him, and a fluorescent red ball grew from his palm. From it drew webbing that caught Mark in a glowing red cage.
“What do you want me for, Damian?” Mark asked, touching the cage bars. Instantly, it singed his fingers, charring his arms as well.
“Careful, Young Mark.” Damian replied. “I need you in one piece.”
“Let me go.” Mark replied. This seemed very familiar. He remembered what the Sisters had told the Crusaders that day at the Palace. Grasp the magic . . . Whatever you wish to do, it can happen . . . “Or else.”
Damian scoffed. “Or else what?”
Here goes nothing . . . Mark thought to himself, closing his eyes and thinking hard about Ariana’s special magic.
He only hoped it would work. He put his fingers to his temples until they grew warm, and a yellow glow could be seen. Mark took his hands then and stretched his arms out, sending a burst of yellow energy from his very being.
It was exhilarating – he loved what he could do! The Magic came from within; the Sisters were right about that all along!
Soon, Mark had made the cage disappear, controlling the color scheme of Magic. He had taken the red-evil magic of Damian and turned it into his own. All Damian could do now was stand and watch in amazement.
“By the Power of the Ancient Mystics!” Damian cursed, disappearing in a burst of gray smoke.
He had to get home and tell the other Crusaders.
As he woke, he suddenly felt very weak. It was still the middle of the night, so he closed his eyes again, drifting off once again to find Wolf, or any other Companion to play with.

Chapter Forty-Nine:
Dream Realm Crusaders – Unite!

Sabrina and Maximaniac woke from a horrendous night’s sleep at the Parker Mansion. The maids never asked who they were, for they knew if they asked, Lady Caroline would fib. Master Mark had a clue, they could tell, but didn’t dare ask him. He was to be left alone.
The three of them ate at the table, silent and scheming. Maximaniac knew Mark was still upstairs, resting from the Ancient Mystic adventure. They had plenty of time alone.
Unfortunately, the maids hovered over them like buzzards over an awaiting feast. “Are we able to be left alone?” Max growled.
He never did like people over his shoulder.
“No problem, Gregory.” Caroline smiled, turning to the nearest maid. “Louisa, I want you and your peasants to leave us alone.”
Sabrina could tell the maid was silently fuming, so she fed the anger. “You are bugging me.”
The maid stared at her nastily but her voice was calm. “Very well, miss.” She replied. She turned to her colleague and nodded, grumbling something in French.
They left and Sabrina smiled. “Go ahead, my devilish creature.”
“Let us make it interesting for the Crappy Crusaders.” Max began.
Sabrina’s and Caroline’s eyes widened. “Do tell.”
“Where would we be able to find her enemies?” Max asked, secretly knowing already. He wasn’t stupid, but pretended for Sabrina’s sake.
Caroline snapped her fingers, and her face lit. “I once read in her diary about a woman named Helen Gertrude. Ariana used to be in an orphanage not far from here, and Mrs. Gertrude was the head of it. I know where it is. Let’s go.”
“Great.” Sabrina and Grand Psycho echoed.
“On the way, we have something to tell you, Lady Caroline.” Sabrina concluded, wrapping her arms around both Grand Psycho and Caroline’s shoulders.

II

Aaron Schmidt was on pins and needles, just waiting for Sabrina and Grand Psycho to make their moves. Every time he tried Crusading, he ended up somewhere he didn’t want to be.
The Unicorn Magic made him sense something was going to happen, and he wasn’t going to like it.
“Don’t be so nervous, bro.” Aimee suggested. “If she hasn’t done anything by now, she won’t.”
Aaron glared at his twin. “You obviously don’t know her as well as I do.”
“Of course not.” Aimee shrugged. “I’m not the one Crusading to fight her.”
With that, and still sensing something was going to happen, he returned to his morning newspaper.

III

Ariana woke to her alarm clock. For once, Luna woke with her. She was surprised on two accounts: one, Damian hadn’t tried anything with her, and neither did Orthos or any of Sabrina’s Warriors. It was as if they had given up, or were plotting behind her back, getting ready for just the right moment to pounce.
Her sister’s tired voice interrupted her thoughts.
“What time is it?” Luna groaned, sitting up and stretching.
“Time for the Crusaders to reunite and plan to defeat Sabrina and the Dominionite Warriors.” Ariana said softly. Now, why hadn’t she included Maximaniac?
Luna stared at her twin. “What are you talking about? How?”
“With a little Earthbound Companion help.” Ariana smiled as she used her powers to dress. One wave of her arms and she was finished.
“I’m sure you’ll explain once I’m awake.” Luna responded. She yawned, and watched Ariana pass her hand over her bed to make it. “You’d better save your energy.”
“Don’t worry, Miss Luna.” Ariana kidded. “I’ve told Derrick the same thing many times. When it comes to my Magic, I can take care of myself.”
“That’s what I kept telling Shane.” Luna said. “But somehow, I always end up in deep water.”
“That’s because you don’t watch yourself.” Ariana joked in a serious tone.
Luna was silenced.
“By the way, be sure to wear your Dream Locket.” Ariana reminded her.
Luna reached into her bag and pulled out the necklace. “Here it is,” She muttered, going to the mirror where her sister was brushing her long hair. She thought back to when they were separated long ago. “Want help?”
“No, thanks anyway.” Ariana tied her hair into a bun.
Luna brushed hers, pulling it back into a lazy braid. When she reached to place the Locket around her neck, she couldn’t reach to clasp it behind her back.
Ariana smiled. “Here, let me try.” She clipped it and tapped Luna on the back. “Have you ever worn it before?”
Luna shrugged. “Not really. I used to think it was gaudy, but now it’s essential, and I never got around to putting it back on.”
Ariana laughed at her. “I find that charming, little sister!”
Luna frowned. “Why do you say that?”
Ariana shook her head at their reflections. “Think back. We just found Kit, right?” Luna nodded. “Well, the reason you