Well if you read The Choice or A Sisters Guidance then you know I'm big on the Kambei thing… heh. But, I am not a writer as I have said many times before, but I love this story. It tells more about Kumeko… if you were wondering just who the hell she was. And how the heck she even got into a fanfic (you can thank my mind for her heh). It not only tells Kumeko and Kambei's story, but also the story of the time they spent in the war and how they worked their way up the ranks. So that's as much as I shall give away…

And for those who read the choice information on that story will be at the end of the chapter

Enjoy and review please!

Chapter one

"In this era, the gift of life meant nothing without the glory of death."

...

This was a time when life itself held no meaning and death was all the salvation that man needed. Indeed man no longer wanted to live life fully; rather he wished to experience death and all her beauty. He sought this over the beauty of the world... that is if the world still held beauty, the years of chaos throw the world into darkness.

And in the center of all that chaos, warriors and their leaders, the men willing to die and the men willing to allow them to perish for such a useless and unending war.

To the southeast, past the lines of enemy territory, the night took its place. The moon was nowhere to be found in the darkness, only twinkling stars that danced and showered over the land. Large dead oak trees cluttered the vast valley. Burnt to a crisp each tree had the familiar scent of blood and oil. No bout that a battle had taken place here but a few days before. And just beyond the stench of blood and ash, the gentle salt waters of the churning sea crashed against the cliffs. She gently sang the song of the fallen, and slashed tears of sadness for the dread of the amount of life that was lost. This was the battle of the fallen, no rather the battle for the fallen. The pro-log of what was to come.

"I can't stand this!" a group of men were gathered around a small fire under the cloak of darkness. Each wore a dry green uniform, "Hey, don't you, any of you, think this is crazy?" one member of the six man group said while gripping the gray handle of his katana.

"Sit back down Kazenoshi." Kazenoshi turned his head toward the voice that called his name.

"What the hell do you know boy?" Anger replaced questioning. "You're just a boy! Don't think you know what you're taking about! You think you're the best, don't you Kambei-Kun!?" he pointed at the black figure that rested on a dead tree, away from the group.

Shimada chuckled. "Well, no. I'm not." he confessed with a smile on his face.

Kazenoshi growled. "If not you, than who?" Kambei's smile grew larger and he opened his eyes and looked at the men in front of him, then his gray eyes trailed toward the other three next to the fire place.

"Shiro, Hihaku, Massaki, do you know?" all three men were puzzled. "Who is the strongest in our group?" well of course they knew who that was, they also knew that Kazenoshi should just shut up before he got them all in trouble.

"Dammit Kambei, don't play games with me!" His hands went for his sword at his waist. But from behind, an ominous aura flared behind Kazenoshi.

"I highly bout he is playing games Kazenoshi-Dono…" Each man raced to their feet.

"WELCOME BACK KUMEKO-SAMA!"

-Whack-Whack-Whack-WHACK!-

"Baka yaru." All four samurai were at the mercy of the woman that hovered over their limped bodies. "Honestly you really are idiots. We're in enemy territory, don't salute me here. " After her quarrel with the others she walked toward Kambei, who was sited nicely on his spot on the tree. "Any news from the front?" she asked.

Kambei shucked his head. "I got nothing." He said and continued. "Seen their backed up with everything these days, the war is at a stand-still."

Kumeko nodded her head in agreement. "These days, everything involves conflict, wheatear it be the samurai and their swords or the Merchants and their money or even the peasants and their rice… everyone is fighting for something."

"That's true; there is no way to void what is happening in this era." Shiro got up and walked over to the fire as he listened to Hihaku. "We fight, in the hope to preserve what little peace that is left." For a moment they all fell silent.

Massaki got up and walked over to Kazenoshi who was sitting on the ground where Kumeko had left them. With a gentle tap on the shoulders he brought the said man back to his senses.

Kazenoshi shuck his head lightly and got to his feet as well and moved his hand from the sword at his hip. "Seems the war has finally taken its' toll on me." He declared silently, as he looked over at their two captains. "what about you two? Must be hard work being lowly captains."

Thought it sounded like an insult, Kambei and Kumeko smiled. Just to know that they even held the title of captains, even if it was just for a small ambush area of the enemy grounds, made them feel at ease.

Soon loud noises clapped from the east and the west. Large balls of fire flared against the brilliance of the night, for the moon was not in the sky, giving the fires the perfect scenery to shine against the stars. Everyone watched the beautiful chaos that the war brought their way. The only question was… who was winning? Was it them or the imperial army? And if it was them, there was an even more daring question to be asked… how long could they keep fighting like this? The war had to come to an end sometimes, it was just a matter of when and who.

"Eh, what else do you expect from Roy and Amara?" Kazenoshi broke the silent as he fell to the ground next to the fire. "But," he paused, because he knew that the next thing we was going to say was all to true. "if we have any hope of winning this war, we're going to need more than those two."

Kumeko looked at Kambei. His eyes were lock to the east, and she knew exactly way. The man in charge of the eastern boundaries was none other than Roy Kiraku. The man Kambei held to the highest of standards, aside from their sensei, Roy was one of the few Kambei wanted to spare with. To clash blades with that man was an honor Kambei always thought of.

As for her she felt the same, taking her eyes from Kambei, she too looked toward the west. There, unlike the east, all the fighting took place in the skies. Airships crashed and burned, falling from the skies like stars falling from heaven. There Amara Kakuredzuki was the commander, a woman. She was an elite assassin before the start of the war, both her and her husband, who was now her second in command. Kumeko wanted nothing more than to fight side by side with the woman who led her to the war, her inspiration.

"The day will come,"

"huh?" Kumeko looked at the man on the tree.

"The day will come when they will call us commanders." Was his reply as he got up and walked over to the near ridge. Looking down and watching the ocean as its waves clashed with the wall of the cliff. Kambei allowed the ocean to spray his body, after all it had been quite a while since he had seen the sea. Thought he wish he had more time. after all he now he had to be on guard at all time… and he was right.

"huh?!" in one quick movement, Kazenoshi Graded the water jug from his pack and poured the water onto the fire and kick sand on top of it. "Hide!"

Kambei and Kumeko raced behind a nearby tree, followed by the others that did that same. Each samurai grad a hold of their swords as one minazuki entered the camp grounds with three more behind it.

"what do you think?" one of them asked.

"we'll head back and report this to Tsutomu-sama."

Another poked at the fire. "It's fresh, looks like they put it out with water and booked it out of here." He said. "That's not much to report."

"Neither the less we have to get this information back to headquarters." The rest nodded and turned to head out.

"Huh? You're a bunch of idiots alright; no wonder we're taking control of this war. I didn't know that the imperial army was full of idiots."

All four Minazuki turned toward the voice that mocked them. "And who the hell are you?!" they demanded.

Kumeko's face grew a wicked smile. "The last face you'll ever see."

"What?!" and just then, Kambei, Kazenoshi, Massaki, and Shiro beheaded each enemy with a single swing of their swords.

"Well that was easy."

"Easy you say? You mean just as easy as it was for them to find us!?" Kazenoshi barked at Shiro.

"I WAS COLD I NEED A FIRE!" Shiro ducked and hind behind his arms.

Massaki sighed and watched Kambei and Kumeko as they walked toward the cliff side. "…" at the time it didn't really bother him… not until Kambei came back, alone. "huh? Where is Kumeko-sama?" all four looked at their captain but all they got was a loud sigh. They know right then and there where she had gone.

"YOU GOT TO BE KIDDING ME!"

…

Meanwhile inside the enemy camp, the one known as Tsutomu, a large Nobuseri, was surrounded by foot soldiers, both human and machine alike.

One of the human samurai knelt down before Tsutomu. "Tsutomu-Sama!" he paused. "we have not received our report the scoots we sent out!"

The entire base whispered to one another. "Do you think it's those samurai we faced back at Fuma falls?" one of the men asked.

"you mean the ones we encountered a few days ago?" another replied.

"Yeah them, I'm not sure but I think they could of survived the fall." Everyone stated to question the survival of the samurai.

"Ha! Yeah right, the have a woman with them I'm pretty sure she's the one slowing them down right about now! Unless one of their men can't handle the cold."

"Ahh-Chooo!"

"hey you ok there Shiro-dono?"

"(sniff) yeah I'm fine, thanks for asking Massaki. I think someone's just bad mouthing about me."

"Wouldn't be the first time." joked Kazenoshi.

Tsutomu shook with anger. Even the slightest thought of woman set his heart on fire… how he wanted to tear her to pieces.

"Huh. Well when you put it like that you have a point."

"Yeah she's probably at the bottom of the falls." All the men chuckled at the thought. But not Tsutomu, he knew better. There was no way in hell that woman was at the bottom of those falls, and he knew it.

"ENOUGH!" he shirked aloud. "Are you all fools?!" he yelled, "Think about it for a single second. That wench took my arm! Remember?!" everyone fell silent, shaken but Tsutomu's outburst. "I want you to find them, and I want you to bring me that woman. I want to rip her apart myself!"

"YES SIR!" all those in his command straightened themselves and separated into groups of ten.

Tsutomu sat back down, calming himself so his arm could be repaired by the mechanic. He sat thinking of what he was going to do to that woman. Would he rip her limb from limb without mercy? Or was he going to slowly tear her apart, allowing her to beg for remorse and forgiveness? The seconded one seemed more fitting for him, yes he was going to enjoy the moment.

TBC….

Ok there is chapter one of Trials of a guardian. The entry to Hearts bond only to the swords… which I have yet to write. I am blocked at some part because MY ONEE-CHAN! And I'm not going to name names, is still working on her character Audiro, Kumeko's younger sister. Until Onee-chan has finished that and gives me a better understanding of Audiro's Character I will start on that story until then enjoy kambeixKumeko for the time being.

Review please ^-^

…

Info. The Choice.

Well so far the story is at a standstill over the summer I was able to make it to chapter 17 before getting suck yup. But I am rewriting it and to be honest it does sound a heck of a lot better, I guess that's how it is when you get to write it with no one pressuring you. Heh… sorry onee-san ^^' don't kill me! But yes for now I will keep the chapters up until I finish typing out the new ones. And the chapters will be longer for more reading and more details.

Characters

Settings

You name it everything will be more detailed for you.