Read part 1: The New Guard 1 A dark fantasy illustration of Madrina , the heartless princess, walking through a grand obsidian hall. Behind her, the powerful Patron sits on a throne of jagged black glass. Shifting shadows, demons, and spirits bow in fear as she passes, capturing the eerie and supernatural atmosphere of 'The New Guard' story. The Mortal Daughter She had everyone, minor demon or spirit, jumping out of the way as she walked toward the obsidian hall. She is furious, and every demon that saw her knew their life is at an end if they don't clear the way immediately. She is not known as the heartless daughter for nothing; her cruelty and ecstatic delight in the suffering of others is well known. The demons called her a sadist—not to her hearing, of course. She usually sent them to get her mortals that she used to play and watch as the demon tormented them. Her name is Madrina , and she is just twenty-five years old. She walked on, hissing at an old spirit that...
Chapter 1: The Friends Kanji lived a quiet life as a sales executive for a retail chain. He rented a modest one-bedroom flat in the upscale part of town. Friends were few, and social gatherings—even the ones dragged to by colleagues or Sharon —felt like chores. He wanted for nothing. Money flowed easily, but he never spoke of it. He was running from a past no one here knew. Every morning and night, Kanji trained: karate, swordsmanship, hand-to-hand combat, archery, and drills to move faster than any ordinary man. A day would come when his past knocked. He intended to answer ready. Sharon was his closest friend. People assumed they were dating; they laughed it off. As the city’s top event planner, Sharon’s client list read like a who’s-who of the elite. She had three ride-or-die friends: Linda, Sarah, and Deborah—better known as Debbie. The four were inseparable, though none believed Sharon when she insisted she and Kanji were just friends. Linda was fearless. She took what she wanted—...