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

/> O'Dell nodded, smiling. "Come, I will take you now." He pointed to the necklace. "All you have to do is close your eyes and I will do the rest."
7-year-old Ariana Moon placed the locket around her neck and clutched it as she closed her eyes. In moments, she was in a place with no pain, no anger, just beauty and warmth. At last, she felt safe.

III

Enchantra found Dixilynne and floated herself over her daughter's bed.
"Dixie, honey. Wake up, it’s Momma." She whispered, using the magic in her voice, gently waking her up.
Dixie woke up slowly, sat up in bed, and looked around sleepily. "What's going on?" She whispered to herself, though Enchantra could hear her. Dixie looked up and gasped. She saw the worried look on her mother's face and asked. "What's wrong, Mother?"
"The Dominionite Master has done it again." Enchantra replied with a low voice.
"Oh no!" Dixilynne replied, horrified. She had heard many stories over the years from her mother and aunt about the Dominionite Master, and the news frightened her. "What has he done this time?"
Enchantra looked at her Earthbound daughter, who had become lovelier as the years wore on. "We need to talk to Shannon, Dixilynne."
"Is he going to harm her?" Dixie gasped.
Sadly, Enchantra nodded. "Along with a few others who will be named later for what I am about to tell you." She continued by telling O'Dell's plan he had sent the Sisters to unveil, and how they were both in danger.
Before turning to leave, Enchantra replied. "I will be back after you train her to be your replacement." She smiled.
"My replacement?" Dixilynne asked, confused. "Where am I going?"
"Back with me to live, where you will be safe." Enchantra told her.
Dixie thought for a minute. "I understand." She told her mother.
To herself, she thought, I think.
Enchantra disappeared and Dixilynne went back to sleep, knowing what she had to do in the morning.

When Dixie awoke the next morning, she asked Shannon to come to her office first thing. Thirteen-year-old Shannon Ryan walked in two hours later, yawning.
"Yes, Aunt Dixie?" Shannon asked. "What is it?"
Dixie stared out the window, refusing to meet Shannon's tender glance. This is going to be harder than I thought. Dixie thought to herself before beginning. "Do you remember when I explained that you were a special young lady?"
Shannon nodded. "Yes, but I still don't understand."
"Well," Dixie started. "You are an Earthbound Ancient Mystic."
Shannon stared, confused.
"To explain, I am a daughter of a Realmbound Ancient Mystic, bound to this earthly Realm for my own safety. My sisters, one of who was your mother before she died, came with me."
Shannon barely knew her mother, but still held some feelings for her. She knew Sarabeth had died of cancer just weeks after she was born.
"Go on," Shannon replied softly.
"Earthbound Mystics hold magic in the colors of their eyes, an exotic silver-blue.” Dixilynne supplied. “I have noticed lately that you have been able to tell what is on people's minds, and in their hearts. The first is called Telepathy, the second is Empathy.”
Shannon stared, credulous.
“That is not the main reason I sent for you, but it is part of it.” Dixilynne replied with a sad sigh. “My father, the Lord Guardian O'Dell himself, came to my mother and aunt a few nights ago, wishing for their assistance." She paused, wiping a tear from her eyes. "He told them he saw a Vision in his Dream Realm's Sphere. A vision of mass-destruction of the Realms' Palaces and Kingdoms. The Master’s Dominionites destroyed it all, leaving only the Dominion standing."
Shannon stood silent, trying to let it all sink in.
Dixilynne Ryan continued. "Mother came to me last night, beckoning me home to her in the Dream Realm. I know not when, but it is soon."
Shannon questioned her aunt. "What will happen to the System, and where will we go?"
Dixie finally decided to face her adopted niece. "You will be in charge, Shannon, and I want to train you to take my place."
Shannon was shocked. "Your place? Why can't you just stay here?"
"It's not up to me, but my Lord Guardian Father." Dixie continued. "For now, go and do whatever you do in the morning. We'll start whenever Enchantra deems you ready. You are excused.”
Shannon nodded, leaving her aunt staring out the window once more. She headed back to her own quarters in silence.
Ancient Mystics? Never heard of them. What does Realmbound and Earthbound mean? Dream Realm? Where, or what, was that? There’re so many questions bouncing around in my head! I only wish I had half the answers. Shannon thought as she opened the door, sighing. What about the Empathy and Telepathy I have? What did that have to do with what Lord Guardian told her? Why do I have the feeling I'm getting into more trouble than I can handle? What does it all mean?
Shannon put it out of her head until she could question her aunt further. She plopped on her bed by the balcony of her quarters and placed her hands under her head in thought. She closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and fell into a deep trance.

"Shannon." She heard someone softly call her name.
"Who's there?" Shannon asked. She looked around unfamiliar surroundings. "Where am I?" She asked into the air.
Funny, her voice was frightened, but she actually felt safe in this unknown place.
"You are in the Dream Realm, Shannon." A woman's gentle voice replied. "Turn around and meet me."
Shannon obeyed and a saw a lovely woman with dark black hair. She could almost see stars sparkling within the woman's raven locks along with a friendly twinkle in her strange-colored eyes.
"I am Enchantra, one of the Ancient Mystic Sisters." Enchantra introduced herself, looking into Shannon's brown eyes.
"Are you Aunt Dixie's mother?" Shannon asked, curious.
Enchantra nodded and explained in more detail why Dixilynne had to leave her. Shannon slowly understood everything both her aunt Dixilynne and Enchantra were explaining to her about the Ancient Mystics.
"What do you wish of me, Enchantra? What is my role in all this?" Shannon asked, feeling less afraid now than before. She also felt more mature.
"I am glad you asked." Enchantra smiled, her eyes twinkled. "Your role is to be friend, confidante, and authority to your new recruits."
Shannon pondered her words. She opened her mouth to say something, but all that came out was a yawn.
"Return home for now, Shannon." Enchantra replied. "You will need the strength and energy for the journey."
Shannon nodded.
Little did Shannon Ryan know then the amount of excitement and danger the next couple of recruits would bring?
The Lord Guardian of the Mystic Realms was the only one who knew.

Prologue Two:
Dream Realm Crusaders

Katherine Hawk

Katherine Hawk sat on her favorite rock in the Garden, thinking. Kitten's Claw and her beau of Toby White-Snow had disappeared to find their friends, but Kat was in no mood for a celebration.
In the middle of meditating, she thought she heard something from the bushes behind her. She dared not look; for fear of whatever it was disappearing on her. Katherine was still, tuning her feline ears to listen for noises in the bushes. Using what little Empathic power she knew, she could sense some Companion watching.
In seconds, whoever they were went away.
She returned to her meditating, only to be frightened by a voice.
“Sulheya, M’Lady Katherine.” It was the soft and gentle growl of a male.
Turning, Katherine saw a Timberwolf Companion she recognized as one of her cousin's Dominionite Warriors. He was smiling at her.
“How dare you sneak up on me, Warrior?” Katherine remarked. “You nearly scared me half out of my wits!”
“I apologize, M’Lady. I meant no harm.” The Companion said softly. “I was only trying to start a conversation with you.”
“There are others here.” She told him gently.
He stared into her eyes and she heard his thoughts.
What beautiful emerald eyes!
Katherine gasped, blinking away and blushing.
“I only wish to speak with you.” He announced with a light growl. “I am the Warrior known as Wolf, but my Companion name was Wolfton Stargazer. I lived in the Stargazer Castle deep in the Canine Valley until the Wars, when the Merchant claimed me for his Warrior Armies and killed my Parentada, destroying my home.”
“I am sorry to hear that, Wolf.” Katherine replied, purring sadly. “It would seem you know my name already. Unfortunately, I am one of the Merchant Damian's cousins.”
“I care not about the Merchant, or the Armies.” Wolf said, smiling again. He couldn’t stop staring at her, she noticed. “I am interested in you.”
The statement startled her. “Why me?”
He looked her in the eyes. “I happen to like you. That is all.”
Katherine smiled, blushing. “You really mean it, sir?”
“Wolf.” He said his name again, nodding. “My name is Wolf, and aye, I really mean it.”
“Call me Kat.” She petted the empty space beside her on the rock. “Please, sit. Tell me more about yourself; such as, what do ‘Sulheya’ and ‘Parentada’ mean?”
Wolf sat beside her, telling her. “It is Ancient Wolf-Speak. My Matéré and Pérat were from the Mountain Wolf Forest Packs up by Wolf’s Head. ‘Sulheya’ is a common greeting, and ‘Parentada’ means ‘parents’.”
“I see.” Katherine couldn’t help smiling at him.
This Warrior was not like his brethren in the Armies. He was actually nice! He sounded and acted more like her sister’s beau Toby White-Snow.
They talked for a long time, as if they had been friends forever.
He disappeared shortly after that, leaving her to watch her sister from afar, wistful. She changed from a common Balinese cat to an Immortal girl, conjured a hairbrush to her hands and brushed her long, silky black-and-white striped hair.
I wish Wolf and I could be a pair! How I would love to have someone like him to call my own? Before he spoke to me, I was so lonely, Kat thought to herself, purring sadly, as she recalled her life at Dark Tower before Wolf introduced himself.
Trouble was; no one really paid much attention to poor Kat, especially in the Dominion. She was known not only as a goody-goody in a dimension of evil, but a bit of a loner.
Kat thought dreamily about Wolf, even though he was a canine, and she was a feline. It would be a mistake if she pursued Wolf, for canines and felines simply don't mix. Especially since both Wolf and Kit's beau of Toby were Warriors.
She sighed and entwined her hair around her finger, still daydreaming.
Kat heard a giggle coming from behind her. She shook out of her blissful daydream and turned around. Kat saw her twin sister and Toby smiling down at her, and blushed.
"What is your problem this time, Katherine?" Her sister cried sarcastically with a spiteful grin. "Lonely again?"
Kit seized every moment to humiliate her twin and Kat was always afraid to stand up for herself against her sometimes-awful sister. Kat nodded, ignoring her sister's comment.
Not wanting to get into another scene with her, she said "Aye," looking away.
Toby rolled his eyes at his girlfriend and smiled compassionately at Kat. "Do not worry, Kat." He replied, patting her on the back. "I am certain someone will come to your rescue someday."
"I thank you for your concern, Toby. One keeps hoping and dreaming," Kat's voice