Imagine discovering that you are not just talented, not just different, but rare. Imagine learning that your mind can influence reality, that ancient beings have been watching you, and that your abilities rank among the most powerful ever recorded. That is the moment Jesse Finch faces in Keepers of the Shield by Sandy Kelly.
In the hierarchy of magic within Xanthara, colours matter. White, blue, yellow, brown, and black each represent specific strengths. Red stands near the top, historically reserved for immortals. When Jesse is identified as a Red Magic Finding, the revelation does more than flatter him. It places him at the center of a conflict that stretches across realms.
Would you feel fear first? Red magic is not a cosmetic trait. It carries immense potential. Telepathic penetration of a dragon’s mind. Rapid mastery of focus and mental discipline. The ability to influence outcomes in ways others cannot. Power at that level demands control. Without it, the line between protection and domination becomes dangerously thin.
Perhaps you would feel temptation. The novel does not ignore that possibility. If you could quiet a bully’s aggression or bend a rival’s will, would you resist? In Book 1, Jesse learns that ability alone is not virtue. Training under his grandmother and the guidance of Xanthara’s Elders is not about amplifying strength. It is about governing it.
That is the path Jesse ultimately chooses. In Keepers of the Shield Book 1, readers witness the awakening. The Talismans glow. The Shadow Dream reveals hidden worlds. The Keepers begin to assemble. The discovery of red magic is not an ending. It is a summons.
By Book 2, the stakes intensify. Xanthara expands in scale and political depth. The Council of Elders confronts escalating threats. The so called Boss is no longer a distant presence. The war for free will is active. Red magic becomes strategic. Jesse is no longer training in theory. He is operating within a world where hesitation costs lives.
If you discovered you were a Red Magic Finding, you would have to decide who you are before deciding what to do. Would you pursue status, or service? Control, or protection? Influence, or integrity?
Sandy Kelly’s Keepers of the Shield series transforms what could be a simple power fantasy into a moral journey. Gaming mechanics evolve into sacred responsibility. Dragons are not mounts. They are mentors. Talismans are not accessories. They are indicators of destiny.
Both Book 1 and Book 2 challenge readers to consider how they would respond if imagination became obligation. The series does not ask whether magic exists. It asks what you would do if it chose you.
If you discovered you were red, the rarest of the rare, would you rise to become a Keeper of the Shield, or would the power change you first?
Enter Xanthara. Discover your colour. Decide who you will be.
Keepers of the Shield: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FJZPGKDJ.
Keepers of Knowledge and Truth: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FWLC7BN9.