Sacred Guardian

When Kaori Sansa’s father dies, he is forced to return home to claim the throne as the rightful heir of the country of Kazure. In the aftermath of his father’s death, he learns that the country he loves is riddled with corruption, and is hovering on the brink of war. Will he be able to hold the kingdom together despite the odds that are stacked against it and, somehow, unlock the buried powers of Shinja, the Sacred Beast of Kazure?

Kaori Sansa has uncovered the truth about Shinja, the Sacred Guardian of Kazure, but the country he is sworn to protect is far from secure. War presses hard from the east, and unrest from within Kazure's borders threatens to undermine what little control he has managed to gain over his subjects. Furthermore, there are those who question his choice in pursuing a relationship with Hunter - quite possibly even those who are closest to him, and whom he has most come to depend upon.

The country of Kazure bows under the shadow of war as the Shindori lords from the east continue to wage their holy crusade. Kaori Sansa, the High Lord of Kazure, is desperately searching for a way to defend his people while he struggles to determine which of the lords in his own country can be trusted to see the war through. Meanwhile, Hunter confronts his inner demons as the horrors of his past come back to haunt him, and he comes face to face with the criminal organization that enslaved him as a child.

It has been over a year since Kaori took the throne, and he and Hunter are at last ready to become married under Kazurian law. However, a brutal attack against Hunter just days before the wedding suggests that not all of Kazure is in favor of the alliance. Kaori goes on a desperate quest to save Hunter's life even as a new enemy arises, slaughtering the priests and priestesses inside the Summer Temple for unknown reasons. Finding a solution to these mysteries will decide whether or not Hunter manages to survive, and if Kaori will be able to continue as the High Lord of Kazure at all.