Ancient Mystic's War of the Realms Saga by Lady Adellandra Dratianos (year 7 reading list .TXT) 📖

only half-equine as all Creatures in the Realm of Dreams were their half-creature selves. Sunlord needed no bit to keep him in line or on the right trails.
"I will be, once this is all over." The Protector supplied.
"It was my understanding the War of the Realms was over." Sunlord replied.
"Oh, it is." The Protector told him. "But that's not what's bothering me."
"Young Guardian getting well?"
"No -- I mean, yes, she's getting well, and no, she's not the problem." The Protector nudged the horse to stop. "It's her sister the Grand Magus. The last I knew, she was researching the Black-as-Night Crystal."
Derrick could sense Sunny's shifting, but wasn't able to catch himself before falling to the pile of leaves below him.
"She WHAT?" Sunny nearly yelled.
Derrick brushed himself off and waited until Sunny was his half-horse form before saying. "I hate it when you do that."
"You should know my shifts by now, Protector." Sunny crossed his arms and nodded with a smug look in his eyes.
"Well, could you at least warn me when you do that?"
Sunny smiled. "I make no promises, not even to you, Lord."
"Never mind, horse." The Protector grumbled. "You want to know why she took it to my Realm, don't you?"
Sunny breathed a horse-like sigh, and then listened as the Protector told his tale. He paced, thinking as the Protector leaned against a tree with his arms crossed, eyes closed, head down and one foot on the tree trunk.
When he was finished, Sunny asked. "Are we going to finish patrolling or what?"
"No." The Protector shook his head. "We seek the Grand Magus for answers first."
"Swell idea, brother, but it won't work." They heard a voice behind them. It was the Shadow. After nodding his greetings to them both, he went on. "She's nowhere to be found. I've Crusaded and I can't sense her anywhere."
"Maybe she is back in your Realm?" Sunny shrugged.
"The Enchanted Child would've called me back if that was the case." Shadow said.
"Why would she have to stand guard over you?" The Protector asked. "You've been doing this kind of thing since I've known you."
"I needed her in case something magical happened, or the Grand Magus made it back before I did."
After a moment, Derrick nodded.
"Not to mention she's acted strange lately."
"I think I know why." Derrick said.
"I'm listening."
"She has the Black-as-Night Crystal." He said, watching his friend's reaction. "Last I knew, she was researching it."
"So that's what I sensed so wildly!" Shadow whispered under his breath. He looked back up at the duo. "Well, what are we going to do about it?"
Sunny spoke up. "Have you tried taking it away from her?"
Shadow laughed. "You don't know the Grand Magus very well, do you, equine? It's easier said than done." He supplied. "When my wife gets herself in a power research, especially one like that Crystal, there's no stopping her."
"I was afraid of that." Derrick sighed. "You say she's acting strange at home, and we know she's doing the same here. You're her Earthly Protector, Shadow, do you have any idea where she could be hiding?"
Shane had to shrug. For once, not even Shadow Morehouse had a clue.

II

When Luna returned home to the Outer Realm, it was well past midnight. She awoke to find Shane sleeping beside her and Kelly asleep in a chair beside the bed.
What's she doing here? She thought to herself.
As she finished the thought, Kelly moved, waking up. She rubbed her eyes.
"Aunt Luna!" She whispered, once realizing Shadow was still asleep. "You're okay!"
After a minute, Luna hugged her niece. "Yes, Ma'am, I'm okay."
"If you're here, why doesn't he wake up?" The child asked.
"What do you mean?" Luna was confused.
"Didn't he find you and bring you home?" Kelly asked. Luna shook her head. "He Crusaded to find you. Didn't you meet up with him?"
"I'm afraid not, Kel." Luna supplied. She tapped the girl's shoulder. "It's the middle of the night. Why don't I escort you home?"
"I can go by myself, Aunt Luna." Kelly said.
"If you don't mind, I want to check on your Momma." Luna smirked, leading her out of the room. "Is that okay with you?"
Kelly grinned.

In minutes, Kelly was put to bed upstairs. Before heading to her sister's room, Luna checked on the other children. It was when she checked on the baby Theodore that she got a bright surprise.
Theodore's aura was glowing green, the color of Unicorn Magic.
She touched the infant's cheek, feeling the warm heat of energy. "What secrets do you hold, little one?"
Of course, the baby wouldn't answer. She left the nursery then, softly closing the door behind her. She headed to her sister's room at last.
The door was open and Derrick was fast asleep beside her. Luna would have to be careful not to wake him.
Luna's attention went to her twin. There was a warm opalescent wind surrounding her body, her Amulet doing its job by protecting and healing her as she rested. She used her clairvoyance to find the empathic link Ariana had forged with her when Luna was ill from her first try at Astral Projection. Tapping into it, she took her sister's hand and found herself hooked in a vision instead.

“Are you sure you are okay, Young Guardian?” Cyrix looked closer at her. “You look pale.”
“I already said I would be.” She snapped.
The red glow in her eyes was unmistakable. The red glow of the Dweller-kin blood lust, only weakened. Cyrix blamed the Countess and her Binding the two of them together.
“I was only showing concern for you, my Young Guardian.” Cyrix marched on.
She ignored him, following in his strides.
He could still sense something wrong with her, but he didn’t want to disrespect her. She was his Young Guardian, a Dream Realm Crusader and Lord Guardian’s successor. He couldn’t just speak his mind around her. What if she reacted the same as the Merchant or the Master?
His thoughts were broken when he smelled something on the winds. He stopped in his tracks, covering Young Guardian with an arm as he prepared to defend her.
“Cyrix, what?”
“Stalker.” Cyrix told her simply. “Only, a dragon as well.”
“Do you think it could be Balor?”
Cyrix turned to her eyes. “It very well could be.”
Young Guardian nodded and stepped beside him. “Did you want to tell him we know he’s here, or should I?”
Cyrix could see the hate in her eyes. “By all means, you outrank me, Young Guardian. Be my guest.”
Young Guardian stepped in front of him and fell into a fighting stance, powerful short-sword at the ready position. “Come out whoever you are, Stalker! The Young Guardian demands it!”
Out of the shadows of mist walked a man with hollow blank eyes, decaying fangs, stringy black hair held in a horse’s tail and a look on his face that made most shiver to glance at.
Young Guardian posed, ready for action.
“You are the infamous Young Guardian?” The Stalker laughed, showing receding gums and a blood-red throat. He sauntered closer to them. “Indeed, only a young Ancient Mystic child.”
Cyrix wasn’t stupid. He stood his guard as well, in his own stance, just waiting for the Stalker to attack, or try to attack. He wasn’t about to let him hurt or even touch Young Guardian while he was around.
The Stalker saw him move. “I remember you, Dominionite.” He remarked with a sneer. “One of Orthos’ cronies, going by the name of Cyrix?”
Cyrix used his magic to conjure a longbow in his hands. “What of it, Stalker?” He growled. “Who are you?”
The Stalker placed a hand to his chest and bowed his head, saying. “I am Balor, protégé to the great Stalker leader Crucis.”
“I destroyed Crucis in the War, did you know that?” Young Guardian growled.
Balor nodded, smiling a vicious smile. His eyes turned darker than they already were.
“You think you’re scary?” Young Guardian laughed wickedly. “I assure you. You are nothing I can’t handle.”
The only movements either Young Guardian or Cyrix saw from Balor were raised arms before he made his split-second attack.
Laughing, Young Guardian just stepped out of the way, just as fast. She pretended to yawn. She chuckled to herself, shaking her head. “Come on, Balor, you can do better than that!”
Cyrix’s eyes widened. What the hell was that? Did she just use stealth? One of the trademark moves of a Dweller-kin? He wondered to himself.
The movements and motions of both Young Guardian and Balor went so fast, Cyrix couldn’t catch up. Nor could he get a good look at Balor in order to freeze him. All Cyrix could do was stand there with his longbow at the ready. He really wanted to do something while they were fighting in lightning speed, but he couldn’t get a word or movement in edgewise.
Whatever is going on with her, I hope she can handle him alone. May the Countess’s blood help her with this Stalker-Dragon.
Young Guardian’s scream brought him out of his thought-trance.

It also brought Luna out of hers. The shock of the scene made Luna gasp out of her vision. She stared at her twin, stepping back. She didn't know what to think of what she just saw. Young Guardian used the very Stealth that defined Dweller-kin.
What had Dracora done to you? Luna mused with a sigh.
The same I did to you. Came Firestorm's voice in her head. Though she wasn't used to it, it was a welcome one. She bound Young Guardian to herself during the Mortallan War many years ago.
Does that mean we're Dweller-kin now? Luna stood back in disbelief.
Relax, blood-Sister. It was Emerald's soft voice this time. There is no need to fear.
We are only linked mind-to-mind, so we can keep an eye on you should you run into any more Stalkers. Firestorm supplied.
The thought brought her back to her senses, and what she saw.
Are all Stalkers like Balor?
Some are worse. Emerald replied. Much worse.
Luna knew what she had to do. In order for nothing like that to ever happen again, she had to do something drastic.
She had to use the Dream Realm's Sphere.
Using telekinesis, she conjured her staff, which had four Elemental Crystals, the complete Dominionite Crystal and now the Black-as-Night Crystal put together to form the Dream Realm Sphere. The only one missing was the Spirit Crystal, which hung around her sister's Amulet necklace.
She stared at the Sphere and thought of how to use it.
Once sensing her intentions, Emerald cried in her mind. What are you thinking? You could kill yourself, or worse, your entire family!
Luna blocked her out, ignoring the warning. In that case, I do what I must.
She knocked her staff to the floor, changing to her Grand Magus robes with a wave of her arms.
She looked at her sister's sleeping form once again.
Whatever I did to hurt you in the past, I'm sorry. Grand Magus tried sending telepathically. Once she felt her sister listening from afar, she continued. I had to keep our family and magic a secret from you until we were both ready to accept it together once again. It's my fault I had to give you the Forgetfulness Spell when we were five. My first premonition urged me to. I'm just sorry you had to go through most of your childhood thinking yourself a freak and an orphan. I hope what I'm about to do will make it up to you.
From the corner of her eye, she could see the Sphere glowing bright. Looking at her sister's Amulet, she saw the