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

in defense.
The girls noticed Sabrina was only a spirit hovering over them like a ghost. Neither could do anything as they watched in horror.
“Turn the hands of time, Nicholas Michael,” Sabrina stared at him and chanted, waving an arm in his face. Immediately, he was under her spell. “Be taken back to the Wars for Power and the moment you killed your father . . .”
Ariana reached to take his shoulder to feel the moment with him.
“What are you doing?” Luna hissed, pulling her sister back. “You could kill yourself by doing that!”
“There’s no other choice.” Ariana whispered back. She shook out of Luna’s grasp. “In order to kill Sabrina, I have to help him.”
“Ariana,” It was Derrick’s concerned voice now. “It didn’t work with the Dreamer Sean, and it won’t work with the Crusader Nick.”
Ariana glared at her boyfriend in the darkness. “Trust me.”
She placed her hand on Nick’s shoulder for sure this time and closed her eyes. She could see an image as she concentrated on her Advanced Clairvoyance. Being cautious, she began reliving the moment as Nick.

The Dream Realm was one. War was raging between Orthos’ Dominionites, who believed in his dark fiendishness, and O’Dell’s own Ancient Mystics. Shannon, Shadow, Jammins, Chips, Big Guy, Cool Cat, Love Joy, and Nick were all there with their bosses, Dixilynne Ryan of the System, and Michael McNathaniels of the Network across town.
It was Nicholas’ father!
In the middle of the fight with Sabrina, Nick’s father was stuck by a shot of Sabrina’s and Orthos’ power.
“NO!” Nick was frantic, frozen in his spot by anguish.
“Mere mortals cannot deal with the Master!” Orthos knew how to intimidate then as well, and disappeared, taking Sabrina and her brother Damian with him.
O’Dell was saddened. He had worked so hard to put the two of them together – Dixie and Michael – only to have his evil twin brother ruin it all.
Nick ran to his father’s side when only Shannon and he were left in the Dream Realm.
“I’m sorry, Dad.” Nick’s voice shook, holding his father’s now-lifeless body to his chest.
“You know what happens next, Nick?” Thirteen-year-old Shannon told her best friend.
Nick was in tears when he looked up at her.
“His body will be in a coma for a while, then . . .” Shannon knelt down to Nick and his father. “I’m sorry.”
“I killed him, Shan.” Nick sobbed, holding his father close to him. He knew they were going to return to the Outer Realm, where they had begun, only to find his own father dead on the ground beside him.
Shannon, meanwhile, didn’t know what to say. How was she supposed to tell him Sabrina was the one to kill Mr. McNathaniels, and not Nick himself?
She sighed, and the image disappeared.

Ariana opened her eyes, returning to the present. She felt the wetness of tears on her cheeks.
Nick looked up at her and whispered, “I didn’t mean to kill him, really. I loved him so much.”
He was in shock. Ariana and Shannon looked at each other, afraid for him.
Ariana turned to her cousin, whispering. “Take him somewhere, and chant for him.”
Shannon had tears in her eyes, remembering, but nodded.
Sabrina, on the other hand, was laughing. “That was fun, who is next?”
Her gaze went to Mark, who was scowling in defiance.
Sabrina froze all Crusaders but two. Only Ariana and Mark were aware of what would happen next.
Ariana stood beside Mark now, ready for anything. She was still weak in her Magic from the scene, but she had to go on. For the Crusaders’ sake. She watched as Sabrina sauntered over to Mark, outlining his cheek as she circled him.
“Leave him alone!” Ariana cried, afraid for him.
“Not a chance, Young Guardian.” Her nemesis crooned with a spiteful grin. “You know, you are not the only one in his heart.”
What was she up to? Ariana thought, getting furious with her stalling. “Out with it!”
Sabrina just laughed. “A secret obsession that has haunted his heart since before her death.”
“No....” Mark whispered, looking at Ariana with a sad tear in his eye. “Don’t. I beg you.” He shook his head, lost in a daze.
“Does the name Bonnie Marie ring a bell?” Sabrina taunted him, chuckling under her breath.
She wants me to turn against him. Ariana thought, holding her breath.
“You had done the ultimate betrayal, Young Mark.” Sabrina continued, watching Ariana’s reaction from the corner of her eye. “To fall in love with your sister, then pretend she didn’t exist when Young Guardian came along.”
“Stop it, please, stop it.” Mark chanted, holding his head. “Please Sabrina, don’t do this...”
“Oh, but what fun we are having!” Sabrina crooned in his ear. “Why should I stop?”
In the heart of Ariana Woods, however, was a feeling of betrayal. Looking at Mark, she could faintly see tears in his gray eyes. The thought of Bonnie Marie Parker was on his mind, and his heart filled with anguish over his sister. She could feel it deep down in his soul.
Her own heart was breaking, though she’d already made her choice. She felt as if she were about to lose a friend, brother, confidante, lover. They shared a bond not even Derrick or Aaron could compare.
“Leave us alone!” Ariana cried for the second time. The anger in her system was bubbling. She could feel something dark and hateful in her soul, and had a feeling Sabrina was to blame.
“I have only begun to play with you!” Sabrina cried. She stepped back from Mark before announcing. “Reunite with your worst enemy!”
From behind Sabrina came the only two people in Ariana’s recent hard life to come back at her, complete with yellow eyes. Mrs. Gertrude and Caroline Parker each had segments of the Dominionite Crystal around their necks.
There had to be some way to get them back on the Crusaders side . . . Ariana thought. She made a quick list in her head.
Sabrina has one segment, as do Caroline, Tart, and Mrs. Gertrude. That could only mean one segment of the powerful Dominionite Crystal was missing.
Derrick knew what she was thinking. He took her shoulder, and she followed his gaze to a male shadow in the distance was behind Caroline. She immediately knew who had the last piece of the puzzle.
Maximaniac.
It was the perfect time to distract Sabrina.
“You know, Sabrina.” Ariana was taking a chance by taunting her. “Those Crystals don’t belong to you.”
“Daddy gave them to me and Grand Psycho.” Sabrina pointed out.
“I know that, but they weren’t his alone to give.” Ariana held her breath, expecting the worst from her enemy.
After waving a hand to freeze the Crusaders, Sabrina met Ariana’s eyes. “Explain.” Sabrina’s voice was tight.
Face to face, the two of them once more. Like they’d done so many times before.
“Well, I know the history of the Dominionite Crystal.” Ariana began, watching both her words and her enemy. “As it stands, it belongs to both your father and a very special being in this cemetery tonight.” Ariana pointed to Maximaniac in the distance.
“Grand Psycho was nothing until I made him a man!” Sabrina protested.
“I believe I shall tell my true identity now. Thank you, Young Guardian.” Maximaniac shifted from an Immortal male to a gargoyle using his own blue-gray magic. The shift surprised Sabrina and her Earthbound Warriors. Perfect. He thought, and continued. “The name is Lord Maximaniac. I am your uncle.”
“But?” Sabrina was speechless. “How?”
“Never mind.” Max replied, shifting back to a human male. He gave Ariana a wink when Sabrina’s back was turned. He hugged her shoulders, quietly and quickly trying to take the Crystal from around her neck. “We have some destroying to do, do we not?”

Chapter Fifty-Eight:
Forbidden Truths Revealed

Sabrina liked him even better now than before. She’d heard so much about this evil uncle from her brother Damian and her father Orthos. The same uncle who Banished himself for the heart of her mother, Jezebel.
“Who shall be next?” Sabrina cackled with her eyes aglow.
“Ah, I know.” Sabrina waved a hand to unfreeze Luna and Shane. “The lovely Aluna Star.”
Both Luna and Shane blinked out of their frozen dazes, now aware of their surroundings.
It was only the four of them now. Shane, Luna, Ariana, and herself.
“Nobody calls me Aluna Star!” Luna cried, balling her fists in anger. She shook in her spot. “Least of all you!”
Ariana could only stand and watch as Sabrina continued the vicious banter.
“Come now, Sister Luna.” Sabrina crooned. “Or should I start calling you the Grand Magus? You may think you are the smartest about the Ancient Mystic Magic, but I have a secret not even your Earthly Protector knows about you.”
Ariana’s eyes opened wide, and she was unable to say anything to help in her sister’s defense.
Luna hated to play games. “What do you know?”
“For one, you have always known about your true identity.”
“So?” Luna asked.
Each twin wondered what she was doing.
“You were sworn to keep it a secret from Sister Shannon until you were fifteen.” Sabrina continued, droning on as if bored.
“It was for the sake of destiny.” Luna whispered. “Where is this going?”
Her question was ignored, and Sabrina caught Ariana’s eye. “Was giving Young Guardian the Forgetfulness Spell when you were each five for the sake of destiny?”
No wonder I thought of myself as an orphan. Ariana thought. “Stop stalling and start fighting. We’re ready for anything you can dish out.”
“Yeah!” Luna and Shane cried after her.
Sabrina looked at the three of them and laughed.
“What’s so funny?” Shane asked, secretly thinking of a way to use the Pendant’s Magic to fight.
“You truly are pathetic, the whole lot of you.” Sabrina asked. She turned to Luna. “One more thing, my dear. Which is more important to you? Your love of the Magic or Protector Shane?”
Shane clenched his fists at his sides, staying silent.
Ariana couldn’t wait to hear her sister’s answer. She could sense Luna’s apprehension, then bravery as she announced.
“I am an Ancient Mystic with great powers.” Luna stated. “The powers of both love and Magic, which not even you can destroy.”
Sabrina laughed. “That is rich.”
Ariana caught something moving in the corner of her eye. She could faintly see Shane’s Protectors’ Pendant glowing. She knew what he was going to do.
“I wonder what you would do if I put your precious beau in danger?” Sabrina asked.
She thrust her arm out, opening her palm to reveal a glowing sphere of her evil red power. The sphere began floating in the air toward Shane.
Shane himself knew what he was doing, and decided to make his move. With the Magic he’d learned in the Protectors’ Pendant, Shane “the Shadow” Morehouse caught the red sphere in his hand while the other hand was on his Pendant.
The three of them watched as Shane concentrated on the Magic. He was able to change the color of the sphere to a brilliant yellow. Like a softball player, he threw it back at her.
Ariana noticed the Dominionite Crystal segment was glowing. The Maiden was using its powerful Magic to shield herself from Shane’s attack. Sabrina just laughed as the sphere bounced off the shield.
“You must be joking.” She cried. “You can do better than that.”
Shane didn’t know what to think, and neither did the twins. His eyes were wide in amazement, and Sabrina laughed.
She turned to Ariana now. “Well, what do you think of your dear twin now? Is she still everything you wanted in a sister?”
“Knock it off, Sabrina.” Ariana cried. “We’re