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

asking. “One query, canine.”
“Aye?”
“Who is Mark, and how were you Banished to them in the first place?” Toby asked. “If I know, maybe that will better help me understand more about this Outer Realm you know so much about?”
Katherine began. “When Uncle Orthos killed my sister, I was there, hiding behind some boxes when I found out. Frightened, I knocked something over and he discovered me. I could not move as he Banished me to Young Guardian.”
“What about you, Wolf my friend?” Toby asked.
“Sabrina told Orthos I was in love with Katherine, and later came to me. Sabrina told me what she had done, and I paraded to Orthos myself, anger in my breath, ready to attack him. My words were wasted as he laughed, and I, too, was Banished.” Wolf explained. “That is how I met Mark Grey, the young man who later became my friend. He had another Companion with him, none other than Lord Maximaniac himself! Of course, he had changed his name and image – he was named Psycho. It was after I returned that Sabrina decided to pounce on the playful clown. Mark was angry when he found it was she who made Psycho a raving lunatic. He came to me, and I in turn warned Katherine of what was to come.” Wolf looked into his friend’s and Katherine’s eyes. “Lord Maximaniac made me promise not to tell his secret Banishment to either Mark or any other Earthbound to know of him as Psycho.”
Toby shook his fist and punched at his other hand. “I will become a Crusader. I want to Banish Orthos from Dark Tower for all eternity!”
“Aye, but do you have any idea what you are getting into?” Katherine asked, afraid for him. What if Orthos was to catch him as well?
Wolf did, but his friend Toby didn’t have a clue.
Katherine sighed, tiring. “I would not want to wish myself back to Dark Tower until he is destroyed.”
Both Toby and Wolf stared at her.
“What? Am I not precise in my thinking, Companions?” Katherine asked them. “Do you not think the same thing for yourselves?”
“Aye Katherine,” Toby started.
“No buts about it.” Katherine interrupted his sentence.
“What can we do about it? We are only Dominionites.” Toby finished, facing her fiercely. “Orthos has way too much power for us to maintain by ourselves.”
“Right.” Wolf said, brightening. “We can join up with the Earthbound Crusaders. Together, with their Ancient Mystic Magic and our strength, we may gain just enough power for us to stun his own.”
“Once uncle is confused, we move Young Guardian and her friends in for the kill.” Katherine said, and continued to outline her plan.
Finally, it was her turn to have a plan.

Chapter Forty-Two:
Kidnapped!

At Dark Tower, Damian revealed his evil deeds to his father.
“You did what?” Orthos screamed, furious. “You told her of Sabrina’s plan? How could you! You will die for this stunt Damian!”
Damian stayed calm. “Relax, Father.” He had a smile on his face. “Listen to my reasoning.”
Orthos sighed. “Very well, go ahead.”
“I only told her to give her a false sense of hope.” Damian revealed. “When, in fact, there will be naught. Understand?”
Orthos pondered his son’s actions. “I take it back. You will be rewarded when she dies!”
Damian the Dominionite Merchant rubbed his hands together. A snide smile spread on his evil blackened lips. “Precisely.”
Together, father and son cackled evil, heartless laughs.
“She will no longer keep you from your deeds, Father.” Damian replied, thinking of the future without the pesky Dream Realm’s Young Guardian. “I will bring her to you, and you will finally have your revenge against Uncle O’Dell.”
“Brilliant. I must have her rotting soul!” Orthos cried. His hands found a blackened fruit, crushing it with a red glow to his eyes. “I shall finish her off for good!”
“That can be arranged.” Damian replied softly with a grin. “Leave it all to me.”
He left for Ariana’s private Dream Realm to rock it.

Ariana and Aaron were standing by the Computer Lab doors at the System, catching up on old times.
“Ever wonder what might happen if there weren’t any Dominionite enemies?” Aaron asked, arms linked with Ariana’s. He started to walk with her along the corridors of the System.
“Hopefully, we’ll be able to find out soon.” Ariana grinned at her best friend of many years. “Katherine, Wolf, and Toby White-Snow are working on a Dream Realm plan, and the Earthbound Crusaders are working on stopping Sabrina and Grand Psycho from doing harm while they’re here.”
“Toby White-Snow? Who’s that?” Aaron recalled their Companion friend Katherine Hawk, but had no idea who Toby was.
“Remember Kat’s sister, Kitten’s Claw?” Ariana asked, and Aaron looked at her. "Toby is the tiger cat that loved her. Once he found out she was Banished, and hadn’t left him, he decided to get involved in the Crusade. Toby doesn’t know I could read his mind and see that.”
“Great! We have a huge team now!” Aaron cried happily.
“We still need to find Sabrina.” Ariana said.
“Can’t you sense her, the way you used to sense Aimee and me when we were kids?” Aaron wanted to know.
“I could try, but I doubt I’d be able to.”
“Why not? The gruesome twosome is Earthbound now, aren’t they?” Aaron probed. “You could try.”
Ariana stared at him in amazement. He actually remembered everything about the Dream Realm from the orphanage!
“I guess so.” She thought of something. “Wait a minute – they’re Earthbound, you’re right there. I can sense Earthbound Dreamers, but usually not in the Dream Realm – especially when it comes to Sabrina.”
They found a bench and sat. Ariana closed her eyes and muttered under breath, “Sorry, Anna.”
She took a deep breath and began to search in her mind for Sabrina with her Ancient Mystic Magic.
Ariana found her – at the Parker mansion talking to Caroline and Grand Psycho. “They’re planning to gather all my enemies together to attack me.” Ariana’s voice was low, so Sabrina wouldn’t hear her. She gasped. “She’s also planning to pit my own Oracle Children against me.”
She opened her eyes and looked at Aaron.
“Oracle Children?” Aaron asked. “Who were they?”
“When I was back in the orphanage here a few months ago, Mrs. Gertrude was the mistress – again. I was in charge of a room of girls, as Sandy was to us. After a while, I ran off, giving them each a bracelet with enough power to go to the Dream Realm to escape the pain.”
Aaron nodded, understanding. He looked at her eyes, and remembered something important. His whole purpose for being with his best friend right now. “Do you remember why I’m here?”
She had a questioning look on her face, and then she remembered. “Kelina Erin, right?”
Aaron nodded. “Yes, wasn’t she beautiful in our dream?”
Ariana nodded sadly, and a tear made its way down her cheek. He impulsively kissed it away. “I miss her, Aaron, and I haven’t seen her since she was born. I want her back.”
“I do, too, but right now, we have work to do.” Aaron told her softly, hugging her close.
Ariana closed her eyes thinking of her long-lost daughter, only to disappear.

In the Dream Realm, Katherine sensed this.
“I am sorry, Wolf, but I am needed with Young Guardian.” She quickly kissed him and fled. “Tell Mark!” She yelled over her shoulder.
Wolf watched her go. With a sigh of determination, he left to find Mark.

Back in the Outer Realm, Katherine opened Ariana’s eyes to see Aaron with his eyes closed, and arm around Ariana’s shoulders.
“Young Aaron? What are you doing here?” Katherine asked.
He opened his eyes and looked into hers, realizing what had happened. He recognized their old Companion friend. “Katherine,” He whispered.
She purred her answer. “Am I too late?”
“For what?” Aaron asked. “Where’s Ariana? With the Sisters?”
“Nay, I know not.” Katherine told him sadly. “She could already be with Sabrina or Uncle Orthos.”
Aaron stood up quickly. “That’s it.” He announced, taking her hand. “Katherine Hawk, you’re coming with me. The Crusaders need to do some Crusading.”
Katherine stood and Aaron whisked her away to find the others.
In a few hours, they had heard Katherine’s own plan for defeating her cousins.
“What do we do now?” Mark asked, grumpy.
“Do we just sit here and wait or do something about it?” Derrick asked after him.
“Why don’t we Crusade to the Dream Realm and search for her there?” Luna suggested.
Katherine purred sadly.
Aaron looked to their Companion friend. She may have been in Ariana’s body as her own soul, he thought. But that didn’t mean she didn’t have feelings, too.
After Aimee and himself, Katherine was the only one Ariana would trust with her secrets. Katherine also taught her how to harness her powers.
“She promised she would keep her mind on this world.” Derrick huffed, not daring to look at the rest of them.
“Ariana was just thinking about her daughter.” Katherine replied.
Derrick and Mark both looked at Aaron when he snapped.
“Kat!” Aaron was furious. “How could you?”
Katherine shook her head. “I had to tell them about the affair, Young Aaron. I had no choice.”
“Was this before or after we reunited?” He asked, frowning at Katherine.
“Way before.” Luna replied, sticking up for Katherine. She didn’t want any more fights between them.
“Please, do not be mad at me.” Katherine purred. “I only meant to help, not to harm.”
Aaron sighed. “I’m sorry I snapped, Katherine. I’m not mad at you.”
Katherine beamed, nodding.
“Meanwhile, I found Katherine’s sister.” Luna announced.
“Have you spoken with the Sisters yet, Sister Luna?” Katherine asked her.
Luna nodded, smiling. “I’m gonna help bring her back with a special spell I’m working on.”
“What kind of spell?” Derrick asked.
Mark was interested, but stayed quiet.
“With my help, Kitten’s Claw is going to meet me in the Dream Realm so I can test her.” Luna replied. “The only problem is if it’s going to work or not.”
“If it does, how long will it last?” Aaron asked her.
“Hopefully long enough to test her power.” Luna said.
Derrick looked at his watch and yawned. “Let’s Crusade to the Dream Realm tonight and find out what’s going on.”
Aaron nodded, looking at the other Crusaders. They were nodding, too.
They separated, with Katherine and Luna leaving together. Mark sauntered off, depressed. This left Derrick and Aaron to walk upstairs together.
“Who are you stationed with?” Derrick asked him.
“Shadow.” Aaron said.
Derrick smiled. “Lu’s true love, no doubt.”
Aaron laughed. “Shannon warned me before I met him. She happened to let it slip he and Luna were going out for three years.”
“I’m with a computer genius named Chips Deneson.” Derrick replied. “His real first name is Alan, but he hates it.”
This got Aaron thinking. “What’s with the nicknames around here?”
“It was Shannon’s idea, which is playfully called the codename craze.” Derrick explained. “Shane Morehouse has been calling himself ‘The Shadow’ since I met him. Chips, well, his is self-explanatory.”
Aaron stared at him, not quite understanding.
“Chips is a computer genius, and his best friend Jamie Stewart is an electronics whiz.” Derrick said. “Once you get to know them, they’re all pretty cool. Soon, you’ll get to meet the other three Senior Detectives. Big Guy, Cool Cat, and Love Joy.”
“Hopefully we’re not here that long.” Aaron remarked.
“Don’t you like it here?” Derrick asked him.
“Sure, but I’m hoping Sabrina’s plight is over soon.” Aaron supplied. “Know what I mean?”
He stopped in his tracks. Aaron noticed they were already at his room. “Yeah, I know. Good night, Aaron.”
“Good night