Love, Life, Loyalty and Honor by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (e book free reading .TXT) 📖

in attendance had to keel over and keep silent, else their screams from the pain would disrupt the effects of the spell.
All Dratianos’, including Adellandra’s own mate, were frozen in their places, eyes turning brightest of white. Those with Dragonwolf blood, such as herself and their children, had auras that were glowing the same color. She looked at her own hands and saw that she, too, was glowing; only, it was of A’isha-named-Light. She was A’isha, with memories from all her incarnations, with magic to match. She was the Ancient Mystic’s Goddess of Spirit and Illunian Goddess Silver Moon. All her Goddess forms had combined into one body, complete with all memories and magic. Adellandra was surprised it didn’t overwhelm her, nor did she faint from the power.
She looked again to her mate, who was now glowing the darkest of blacks. It reminded her of his God form, Draconai-named-Darkness. Just as she was all her Goddess forms, he was all of his God-forms, including the Ancient Mystic’s God of Shadows.
Adellandra searched the room to find her own Dratyrna – Lord Brakkon – who had his own God form, had transformed to a large black dragon-Immortal that wore a cloak as black as night and carried his sword-like scythe. He, too, had changed to his God form of Brakkon-named-Death.
The three Realmbound Pillars were one once again, as well as their combined peoples. As the magic ‘settled’ in their minds and bodies, all in attendance, from Draconians to Ancient Mystics and beyond started to disappear. Most woke up from their slumbers in the Outer-Realm or in their own Homes around the Inner Realms, knowing of what they had done, and suffering no ill effects of the binding.
“You’re almost there, Sister A’isha.” She heard a voice in her mind she’d not heard in centuries of being Realmbound. A vision came and transported her to the Garden behind Mal’estar’s Castle.
“Brigit?” A’isha spoke. “Why have you come?”
“I have come to congratulate you, Sister.” Brigit announced, her blue eyes mirrored waves of the waters she now commanded as the Mystic Goddess Brianna. Her turquoise dress glittered in the sunlight and her bright silvery hair flickered in the light wind. “You have done in a matter of moments what thousands of eons could not. You have brought together peace for those of your bloods.”
“Is it our time to return?” The Goddesses heard the husky male voice of the God-named-Death. Draconai-named-Darkness was with him. “Are we to be Havenbound once again, to look after our peoples from above?”
Brigit shook her head. “Not yet, Brother. There is still much work to be done.” She explained. “The four of us must still work together to bring the past to the present and erase the deeds our lower Ancients have wrought against us.”
“Vengeance, Sister?” Draconai asked softly, stepping to A’isha’s side. “For forcing you to be Havenbound while we are Earth and Realmbound? Is that what you desire, Brigit? Vengeance?”
“Why bring all our Peoples into your need for vengeance?” Brakkon asked her.
“It is not just about us anymore, Brother.” Brigit responded. “Without us, and our Magic to keep the Realms in line, they would all fall into chaos. You know more than most about Chaos.”
“Aye,” Draconai growled. “I wish not to see that kind of destruction again. For me, it was Hales.”
“It tore our Peoples apart and spread us throughout the Realms.” Brakkon encountered. “Is that what you desire?”
Brigit sighed. “I desire naught but peace within All the Realms of All the Worlds. I desire all our Peoples gathered as one, as you have done today, for more than some minor cause. What I desire is my brothers and sister back Home with me, as themselves, and not gallivanting around the Realms as Those of Many Forms.”
A’isha stared at her Sister Goddess and frowned. “Tell me, Brigit; did you have anything to do with MagDaliah’s return?”
Brigit held her breath, which told her Pillar siblings that yes, she did.
“Thought as much.” A’isha spat. She crossed her arms and her eyes turned red with anger. “I ought to destroy you for your stupidity, Brigit, but since you are a Goddess, and my Sister Pillar, I cannot. Did you stop to think whose lives you were meddling in?”
“I have harmed no one.” Brigit declared.
“But your meddling has.” Brakkon supplied. “If it was in our power, we would demote you to minor Goddess status, or even force you Realmbound, but it’s not, as the Pillars are needed for Balance.”
“Enough, Death.” A’isha commanded. She turned back to Brigit. “Do you recall a game of Chi’ton’ai? I found a similar game in the Outer Realm called Domino’s.” She began. “Set up the tiles side by side, one by one, until the tiles are in a row. Then, knock them over and watch them fall. Each of those tiles was like an event the Mystic’s called ‘Destiny’, one leading into another, affecting the one after it. Did you know that those same tiles can also be members of a family, and their lives?”
Brigit clasped her hand to her mouth in realization. “I swear! I meant no harm!”
“You meddled in the affairs of Immortals and Mortals alike, messing with their – our – lives.” Draconai supplied. “You should know better than to do that. You are ‘Life,’ Brigit, not Chaos.”
“Together with Ishanar, we are Balance.” A’isha reminded her. “With Chaos, there is no Balance. While we thank you for the good things you have done with such chaos, you must learn that balance came at a hefty price.”
“Now we wish to keep the balance, throughout All the Realms of All the Worlds.” Brakkon supplied.
Brigit was silenced.
“For now, there is naught we can do but let Time flow and the events you started with your meddling unfold as they may.” A’isha announced. “As for you, was there anything else you had wished to tell us before you return to Haven?”
Brigit bit her lip and nodded. “By your binding today, Ishanar has successfully been brought back to the present, where It belongs. The Heart of Ishanar is hidden deep within the caverns. You must find It and learn to harness its power. Keep the Heart safe, my Pillar Siblings, for only you will be able to wield it.”
“You can count on us, Brigit.” A’isha responded. “Draconai, Brakkon and I will find it and keep it safe for all-time.”
Brigit finally smiled, “I do not doubt it.”
She disappeared then, taking the four of them with her and returning them to their own beds in their own Realms.

Chapter Four
The Heart of Ishanar

For three days and three nights, all of those Peoples who had linked with the Power of Ishanar slept, their daily lives on hold.
In the Outer Realm, all Earthbound Ancient Mystics rested and healed themselves while they were watched over by the very Ancients they worshiped. The Dweller kin-Clans from all parts of the Outer Realm, Rested for three nights, physical and spiritual bodies in a deep healing slumber. Protective spells and enchantments kept Stalkers at bay and others from knowing of their existence.
Those in the Inner Realms of the Dragon Nations and Mystic Realms were also protected as they slept; not only by Ishanar’s great magic barrier, but watched over by Brigit herself. It was the least she could do for causing such a mess in their lives, forcing them to return Ishanar to the Present and use Its power.
Brigit kept a close eye on the deep cavern where she hid the Heart of Ishanar, a large blood-red Bloodstone. She gave her Pillar Siblings clues to its location in Dream-time, but was forbidden to tell them exactly where it was.
She reminded them, in that particular cavern, there would be no use of magic, for the flow of any power could cause a cave-in that no one would survive.
Knowing the lesser-Ancients would scold her for helping her siblings instead of hurting them, as she’d been told to do once-upon-a-time ago, she fled back to the Realm of the Ancients, where she met her other Ancient Siblings, Dana of the Earth, Aura of the Winds and Hestia of the Fires. Those particular Ancients didn’t know who she was, really. To them, she was Brianna of the Waters, a silly Goddess who giggled a lot and wasn’t very bright.
At last, she was safe at home.

The first ones to rise in either Realm were Lord Draconis and his Lady Adellandra. The House was silent but the gentle snores of all family members and Household staff.
“No permanent damage, thank the Gods.” Adellandra whispered.
“You’re welcome.” Draconis teased. “Let’s see if anyone else is awake.”
“We’ll start with Dratyrna.” Adellandra suggested. “I want to see if he had the same trippy dream we did.”
“You had a trippy dream?” Draconis supplied with a grin. “Seemed pretty normal to me.”
“Normal is an understatement, beloved.” Adellandra said.
The couple headed to Brakkon’s set of rooms, where he was waiting at the doorway with his arms folded and a smile on his lips.
“Mornin’ Kano, Kanata.” Brakkon nodded. “Did you have a trippy dream, too?”
Adellandra nodded, smiling. Draconis merely shrugged.
“If it was about the Heart of Ishanar, we’d better find it, before everyone wakes up from their slumbers.” Draconis supplied.
“Don’t you think it strange the three of us had the exact same dream featuring the Goddess Brianna and the Heart of Ishanar, whatever that is?” Adellandra asked.
“She doesn’t remember.” Brakkon announced to his Kano with a grin.
“She’s not awake yet, Dratyr.” Draconis supplied. “Give her time to readjust to her Realmbound form.”
“Hello!” Adellandra cried, slapping her mate. “I’m right here, you know! What am I supposed to not remember?”
“It will come back in time.” Draconis told her. “Now, to the Snowy Caverns.”
“How do you know the Heart is there?” Brakkon asked.
Draconis shrugged. “Call it a hunch, Dratyr.”

It didn’t take long for them to gather supplies and weapons for their journey. They’d been awake for three hours and slowly getting their bearings. The entire Dragon Nations was still at rest, and so were the Mystic Realms.
“Why are we the only ones awake?” Lady Adellandra asked as they headed north. “It almost Feels like some magical spell has been put on the Realms of All the Worlds, forcing them to sleep.”
“Brigit did put a spell on them.” Brakkon supplied, leading them. His Realmbound son Draconis was in the middle while Adellandra trailed behind.
“Brigit?” Adellandra asked as she hiked in her Immortal form. “The Celtic Goddess Brigit? What would she have to do with anything?”
“She doesn’t.” Draconis told her, taking his own Earthbound Immortal form. He remembered his Sister Pillar’s warning about using magic near the caverns. “Do you remember being A’isha last night, once the spell to bind all Draconians and Ancient Mystics to Ishanar was cast?”
Even Brakkon was his own Immortal form, which was almost identical to Draconis’, down to the black hair, dark eyes and pale complexion. While Draconis preferred his