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

almost killed her aunt Dixie, and started Nick’s secret insanity whenever the Ancient Mystic Magic was used. That time in her life was the most emotional, but the story had to be told.
“I was there, in the Wars for Power that killed many Companions.” Shannon began softly, looking at her lap. Nick took her hand, and she was able to continue.
“When was this?” Luna asked.
“You were seven, and we’d just rescued Shadow from a dead-end life.” Shannon looked at Shane, who smiled. Luna looked at him. “The three of us, plus Big Guy, Love Joy, Cool Cat, Jammins and Chips were the first team of Dream Realm Crusaders.”
“I remember watching as Dixie’s own power ricocheted from Orthos’ shield to herself, badly burning her.” Shane supplied when he noticed Shannon was about to cry. It was a tough time for them all, but it had to happen.
“I was thirteen then.” Shannon said. “Dixie had told me I was to take her place after the Crusade.”
“Five years later, we buried her.” Luna remembered the day. “Two weeks before your eighteenth birthday, Shan.”
Shannon nodded sadly.
Ariana hugged her for comfort. “I’m sorry, Shannon.” She replied. “I knew she was your only family besides us.”
“I was a part of it, too, and so was my father.” Nick replied softly, now looking at his lap. He squeezed Shannon’s hand for comfort. “He’d fought in the Wars with us, dying in the Dream Realm. He was comatose for a week before dying in his sleep.”
Ariana, Derrick, and Aaron looked at each other, never knowing this about either of them.
“All these sad stories make me feel like a brat.” Luna replied after a long silence. The moment was becoming too awkward to her. “I was selfish way too much in the System.”
“You had a right.” Shane replied, hugging her and kissing her cheek. “Like me, you’d lost the only family you’d known, if you’d known them at all. I was only nine when I met you. If I knew then what I know now . . .” Shane gave Luna a playful wink.
“If you’re suggesting anything, Shane Morehouse!” Luna replied sarcastically.
He laughed with the others.
The team heard pounding down the stairs and turned to see all four Companions.
“What is all the excitement about?” Katherine asked as she walked into the room. She turned to her Young Guardian friend. “What is going on, Young Guardian?”
“See for yourself, Katherine.” Ariana smiled, pointing to the new arrivals.
Katherine rushed when she saw Sister Shannon, Nick, and Shadow. She hugged Shannon. “Sister Shannon! What are you doing here?”
“I was going to ask you the same thing, Katherine Hawk.” Shannon smiled.
Shane stood and hugged the Companions. “Great to see you again, guys.”
“How did you get Earthbound?” Nick asked them, patting Toby on the back.
“The Sisterhood Crystals.” Kit told Nick, looking at Toby’s smile.
“With all the hard work you’ve done over the years, I’m glad the Sisters finally decided to let you.” Shannon said as she hugged Wolf.
Aaron stood, arms crossed as he stared at Shadow. “Luna told you about Companions, huh?”
Shane shrugged, sharing grins with the Companions.
“What hard work did they do?” Derrick asked.
“We helped in the first Crusade.” Toby said. “Wolf and I were Warriors at first.”
“When we found we were fighting for the wrong side, we formed a rebellion.” Wolf said. He looked to Katherine, who blushed. “If it had not been for a certain Balinese beauty, who knows what would have happened?”
“Wolf, please.” Katherine purred.
Kit and Toby purred their own laughter.
“It’s amazing how much you guys look like Earthbounds!” Nick commented. He pecked Kit and Katherine’s cheeks.
“Stop teasing them, Nick.” Shannon was back to her old self again.
Shane sat down next to Luna, asking. “So, what were you guys doing before we crashed the party?”
“We were just going over the case.” Luna supplied.
She noticed her sister was playing with the Dream Locket around her neck, a serious look on her face. She knew then Ariana had her mind on other things.
What are you thinking? Luna thought to her twin.
What do you think? Ariana stared at her sister. Sabrina. She’s been quiet, and I want to know why?
Luna nodded, agreeing.
“Do you mind telling us what you guys are thinking about so intently?” Shannon grinned at her cousins, knowing how good they were at telepathy. Shannon herself knew it, too, but wondered what her twin cousins were thinking of.
“Sabrina’s been quiet,” Ariana said aloud.
“And we want to know why.” Luna concluded.
“I’ve been wondering that myself.” Derrick replied. “She hasn’t tried anything with me lately.”
“Me neither.” Added Luna, Ariana, Aaron and Mark.
“What do you think she has planned?” Nick asked them. He knew what a nuisance Sabrina was. He’d met her personally, and thought she was too screwy for his tastes.
“We know she’s Earthbound with Grand Psycho.” Ariana commented.
Mark gasped at the name.
“We also know she tried invade my dreams, testing our loyalties to each other.” Derrick replied.
“She came to you, too?” Mark asked.
Derrick nodded.
“Did you notice anything strange about her?” Mark continued, finally getting into the Crusaders’ mission. He stood up and faced Derrick, hoping he’d have a clue.
Derrick thought about it for a minute. “Come to think of it, I did.” He said.
The Crusaders stared, waiting in suspense.
“What?” Ariana asked.
“In my dream of her, she had a peculiar crystal around her neck.” Derrick said. “It was black, and glowing. The crystal seemed to give her power over my thoughts.”
Shannon yelped. “The Dominionite Crystal!”
“What’s that?”
“One of the more powerful evil crystals in the Dream Realm.” Shane said. “Before the Wars for Power, Orthos and a being called Maximaniac invented it to use together. Its purpose was to send them Earthbound again, to destroy the world.”
“Only, they had to use it together.” Nick continued, emphasizing the last word.
“Maximaniac was indifferent about using it.” Shannon supplied. “He was on O’Dell’s side, not wanting to hurt any Dreamers. After seeing Orthos’ true intentions, Maximaniac Banished himself to the Outer Realm. No one’s seen him since.”
“Lord Max!” Kit cried. “Could it be the same being?”
Katherine held her breath, but nodded.
“You heard my story.” Mark replied. “Max is evil. I saw it in his eyes.”
“I may have been evil then, but I assure you, it was only for show.” A low voice replied softly from behind them.
They hadn’t heard the door open, or Maximaniac himself enter.
Derrick and Aaron didn’t know what to think of the newcomer. He looked a lot like an older version of Mark, with the same gray eyes and black hair.
“You’re Maximaniac?” Derrick asked, curious.
Maximaniac nodded. “Aye.” He continued as he walked in the living room. “There are stories within each of us we wish to keep, such as the truth about myself.”
He told the story to Derrick and Aaron as he had told to the Companions.
“I’d want revenge too if I was in that position.” Derrick announced.
He hugged and kissed Ariana as if his life depended on it. If he lost her as Maximaniac had lost Jezebel, he wouldn’t know what he’d do.
Luna turned to Shane, her arms crossed. “Why didn’t you ever tell me about your own Crusade?”
“I couldn’t bring myself up to telling you.” Shane took her hands in his. “I’m sorry, Lu.”
“That’s okay, Shane.” Luna replied. “There was a lot I couldn’t tell you.”
“Until now.” Ariana pointed out.
“I never realized how many secrets we’ve kept from each other.” Derrick replied. “I thought the System Agents told everything to each other.”
“You don’t know the half of it, Derrick.” Nick mumbled, knowing he had no say in the matter; he was the Network boss, the System’s enemy.
Each Crusader looked at each other with silent thoughts.
Nick was right, Derrick mused as he looked into Ariana’s eyes. We don’t know half about each other, as we should. Just how much about Ariana do I know, or how much have I shared with her about myself?
There were times he had to keep his family a secret from Ariana. He didn’t want her to be hurt when she didn’t have one herself. In the beginning, he was forced to keep Luna a secret from his ‘dream girl’ until they reunited three years later.
Ariana’s biggest secret was of her affair with Aaron, producing Kelina Erin, and her secretive past with him. She was now faced with the choice between Mark, Aaron, and Derrick. She loved each of them in different ways, but her heart was torn in three. She didn’t want either of them hurt in any way, which is why she hadn’t told Mark about Derrick’s proposal.
Katherine Hawk had been her Balinese best friend, a Companion Banished from the Dream Realm’s Dominion for being the least bit good in a dimension of evil. Katherine had tutored Ariana in the use of her powers, along with being her friend throughout her life.
Mark was a sad soul, loving Ariana Woods with his heart, but actually loving his lost sister, Bonnie Marie Parker with his soul. Not only that, but he’d had Wolf banished to him. Before that, his only friend was the playful “Psycho,” now known as Lord Maximaniac.
Shannon and Nick had to keep their relationship secret throughout the years because they were the leaders in rival agencies. Shannon was the Chief at the System while Nick was the Boss at the Network. Each even held past secrets from one another.
Luna was, and still is, Shannon’s unofficial ‘sister,’ being adopted at five by the System’s then boss, Dixilynne Ryan. Dixie had been her grandmother, but Shannon hadn’t known she and Luna were related. It wasn’t until Luna began to have clairvoyant dreams and visions of hellfire that she revealed the absolute truth about the Ancient Mystic Sisterhood to Shannon. All her life, Luna had to keep her secret insanity from the other System Agents . . . including her boyfriend Shane Morehouse.
Aaron and Ariana were the best of friends while they were growing up with his own twin Aimee in the Orphanage. Aaron was the silent, but loving and understanding type. The three of them were the Three Musketeers. He knew she loved Derrick, and had a special bond with Ariana since childhood. Aaron realized early he could never have her as his own, but he still loved her in his own way.
Maximaniac smiled, knowing he’d succeeded in having the Crusaders think hard.
“Sabrina is in the dark about my true identity.” Maximaniac continued. “She is so blinded by hate; she does not wish to see the truth.”
“What is the truth, my Lord Max?” Kit asked.
“I have my own scheme for ridding myself of her, my nephew Damian, and own brother Orthos.” Maximaniac supplied.
“Did you know Damian confessed Sabrina’s plans to me?” Ariana asked.
Maximaniac shook his head. “Watch for cruel intentions, Young Guardian. Damian is even more evil than before.”
The Crusaders looked to Ariana when she gasped. “I knew he had something up his sleeve.” She turned back to Maximaniac. “Thank you, Lord Maximaniac.”
Maximaniac nodded. “For now, I must be going. Sabrina is sure to be on a rampage if she catches me here with you.”
With that, he left.
The Crusaders were silent as they stared after him.
“He is so mysterious, even now.” Katherine whispered.
“Getting back to the subject, what did Sabrina do to you in your dream?” Derrick asked Mark.
“She teased me about Ariana’s true feelings.” Mark replied, glancing at Ariana. “I noticed how powerful she’d gotten with that crystal thing around her neck. I tried to use my