SCI/FI FANTASY SATURDAY: THE GATEKEEPERS OF KY BY K. J. DAHLEN

Guardians stop a group of Immortals from Ky, from getting the five pieces of an ancient magical Staff that could destroy two worlds?

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Back at the palace Willow and the others grabbed their weapons and met in the Greta Room where Keighten waited for them. He held in his hands a parchment and a small flat box. He handed Willow the box and opened the parchment.

Keighten looked at them. "You may or may not be aware of a time when our planet was torn by war. Under Agon's rule we knew a peace--at first--then he found the Staff of Seti and everything we knew changed. We learned of war and black magic. Many lives were lost forever. The Staff of Seti brought us nothing but strife as we learned too late of its hidden power.

"The Staff was created to steal a man's will to the point of madness. It brings nothing but pain and death to all who follow it.

"We learned a hard lesson the last time the Staff was here. We cannot allow Bastian or anyone else to bring it back. I am charging that you three follow Bastian and the others to the place where we banished the Staff. It was broken into five pieces and scattered. There are some on the other side of the Gate who will help you and one who will come to you. He is special in the ways of the universe and will carry the markings of old."

"Father," Willow asked, "what manner of weapon did Bastian use to murder the Guardians? What could have taken the lives of Immortals?"

Keighten stared at his daughter, "Bastian must have a shard of the original Staff."

"But how would he have such a thing?" Echo wanted to know.

"He must have known his son would go after the Staff at some point. All he had to do was hang onto the shard." Keighten shrugged.

"What will happen if Bastian gets all five pieces and returns to Ky?" Echo asked.

"If the Staff is brought back to Ky, it will destroy our world. The Staff will remember the past. Bastian will feel the power it possessed when his father had the Staff. That power will drive him to madness. Agon raised Bastian to rule after he was gone and when Agon was defeated in battle, Bastian knew his chances to rule Ky was gone forever. He's doing this to get his kingdom back."

"How do you know all of this?" Talon asked.

"When the wars began, we found the magician who brought the Staff here. He told us he had been paid to bring it here by our enemies from the planet Hano. King Leria knew what the Staff would do and wanted his revenge for what the armies had done in the battle fields of Crisom. Three of his sons died in those battles." Keighten paused. "King Leria wanted our destruction for the deaths of his sons."

"How can an inanimate object yield so much power?" Willow wanted to know.

"The Staff was cursed to feed off the essence of the king. It would, over time, build up its own power to corrupt leading the holder to feel he had more power than he actually did. By the time we got the Staff away from Agon, the magic was almost to the point of madness. Agon was quite ill for the longest time and eventually slipped into the madness after he was taken away from the palace. He's barely alive yet today. If Bastian retrieves the Staff, he will be hit by the full strength of the Staff."

"What about us?" Talon inquired. "Won't we be affected as well by the power of the Staff?"

Keighten shook his head and went to the table and picked up an old wooden box. "You must put the pieces of the Staff inside this box as soon as you can. The Staff is rendered harmless once inside. The Staff is not of our world but of a world older than here."

He handed the box to Talon. "The world you are going to is called Earth. The pieces of the staff are in five different places. To follow Bastian you will need help. I've called on the Elders to assist you in any way they can. They will send a man named Michael Kane to you. He bears the marks of the Ancients on his body. These are a primitive people and they do not know of our magic. You must not harm them or allow them to see you use the magic you possess. Also, each piece of the Staff will be guarded and the ones who guard the pieces will fight to keep them hidden. The Guardians are our own people who chose to go to another planet to safeguard the pieces of the Staff. They left the only home they knew to keep the Staff hidden from all who would look for it. Now it will be their children's children who look after it. They will not know of its history or why the pieces must remain hidden to the world. You must convince them to turn over the pieces to you. You cannot break the rules we live by or you will not be able to return."

"If we break the rules and cannot return, how does Bastian hope to do so?" Echo frowned.

"He will blast through the barriers protecting our world. If he does, it will begin a series of event that will destroy our planet, killing every living being here." Keighten told them. "That is what you must prevent at all costs."

Echo gasped as she stared at her King. Willow and Talon stood a little taller. Willow crossed her arm over her chest and with a clenched fist tapped the symbol of their planet on her uniform.

"For Ky." She whispered. Talon and Echo followed suit and when they did, Keighten uttered, "For Ky." He turned and led the way back to the gate.

ALSO BY K. J. DAHLEN

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When Michael Kane finds out the family secret he isn’t sure about his future. When God cast the fallen angels out of the heavens He entrusted seven very special Keys to mortals. The Keys open the seven Gates of Hell. Michael’s family holds the first Key and the powers have been passed from father to son since time began.

Fifty years ago Michael’s grandfather and uncle were kidnapped by demons hoping to get the Key. Now the time is right to transfer the knowledge and the magic to the next generation. Isaac, Michael’s grandfather, doesn’t want to give all he knows to his son, Daniel. He gives the power to Michael instead.

After Michael is put through a series of challenges he still faces the final test. Will Michael accept the powers and the Guardianship?

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When Olivia Laundon uncovers a hidden agenda in a Washington D.C. watchdog group, it takes her to a plot of homegrown terrorists planning the unthinkable.  After two friends are murdered in front of her, she goes on the run only to be discovered by FBI agent Jesse Cantral. Together they uncover more of the plot but to stop it they rely on a special group of Americans. Can they stop the Phoenix Society before they ruin the world as we know it?