A/N: Sorry for the infrequent updates on this but I have been fairly busy with other projects. Again I thank all my readers and I especially thank my reviewers and hope that you enjoy chapter nine.


The Guardians: Beginnings

Chapter Nine: Beautiful and Deadly

"Yay," Rune screamed happily as the trio finally makes it out of the mountains. They were now in an area by the coast while Amandela could see a small city in the distance. "Nice warm unfrozen non-snow covered ground."

"So where do we go now Master Amandela," Chankushept asked while the blonde druid rolls around on the ground.

"Well," Amandela said as she looked toward the city before checking the Heart. The Roman had given up trying to get the young Egyptian to stop calling them master, but at least now she was using their names. "It seems that city. Though someone isn't presentable anymore."

"What are you talking about," Rune said as she bushed some of the larger chunks of dirt off of herself, "I always look good."

"Sure you do," Amandela said pointing to the large beetle in the druid's hair while Chankushept giggled happily. Rune then brushed her hands through her hair before following the other two into the city.

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"Great we get to search another city," Rune said in an annoyed tone. The city itself was even more alive than Giza as acrobats and shop keeps urge the people to buy their wares.

The three were in awe at the amount of people. The docks made up a large part of the city and the boats inside were a site to behold as the workers unloaded vast amounts of fish from the sea. There was large palace like structures on the top of a hill with what looked to be barracks off to the side, but the heart lead the three outsiders quickly away from there until stopping at a large temple.

"So she's a priestess," Amandela asked. "This doesn't look like a place of worship."

"Maybe this is an inn," Rune suggested.

"It's far too fancy to be a simple inn," Amandela responded while crossing her arms. Suddenly, a young boy goes flying through the opening to the girls' right and landed hard on his back.

"And that's why you shouldn't touch other people," a girl with long black hair that was tied back into a long ponytail by a large orange bow said in an angry tone. She had bangs that stopped just before her stunning dark chocolate colored eyes that were glaring angrily at the boy. She wore a simple light brown gi with the arms cut off that fluttered gently in the slight breeze that ushered in her appearance.

"Forgive me Master Hatsuki," the boy said while standing and entering an apologetic bow. "I was only showing my courage in a little dare."

"So what," Rune whispered to Amandela, "is that guy a slave or something."

"I don't think so," Amandela said while watching the girl lecture the young man, "it seems more like the bond between a teacher and a student."

"Please," the boy said quickly, "I will accept whatever punishment you deem worthy for my discretion, Master."

"Whatever punishment huh," the girl said as she placed her hand on her chin, "okay. Since you showed bravery in not only sneaking into my room and coping a feel, plus the added courage of admitting your mistake. I want you to take three laps starting here to the docks then to the northern entrance and back, understood."

"Yes, Master Hatsuki," the boy said before bowing once again and running off passed the three. It was then that the young teacher noticed the three women staring at her.

"Well aren't you exotic," she said quickly while suddenly appearing in front of the red haired Roman and examining her hair. "How did you get such a sharp hair color?"

"Well," Amandela said as the heart flashed a grey while a silver letter C floated in it. "I grew it I guess."

"And what extraordinary blue eyes," the girl who was much shorter that the other three said while staring into Rune's eyes with curiosity.

"Yeah well I uh…" the blonde haired woman is cut off as the much smaller woman continues to inspect the three at a fast pace while pointing out every odd detail.

"Um Hatsuki," Amandela finally said which stopped the girl in her examination of Chankushept's clothing.

"Huh," Hatsuki said in an annoyed tone, "how do you know my name. Unless you are some sort of stalkers from my brother's martial arts school and if you are then I'll send you back with your tail between your legs."

"Your student said your name only a couple of seconds ago," Rune said in an annoyed tone.

"He did," Hatsuki said while placing a finger on her chin while thinking back, "I don't really remember that."

"That's okay," Amandela said, "listen we need to talk to you about something."

"Really," Hatsuki said as her eyes light up with curiosity, "and what might that be."

"Well," Amandela said rubbing the back of her head at their new member's antics, "you see we've come from a land that is far to the west of here, and…where'd she go." The red haired beauty asked as Hatsuki seemed to have vanished. The heart then quickly yanked on Amandela's wrist and pointed towards the crowded town square.

"This is not going to end well," Rune said with a sigh as the three girls headed into the busy square.

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"You get off calling this food," a large man dressed in full armor said as he threw a bowl of noodles onto the head of a young woman.

"Well everyone else seemed to like it," the girl shyly said as the hulk of a man approached. The crowd cleared out of the way as the man drew his blade and pointed it at the girl.

"You dare talk back to your superior," the man growled angrily.

"We should do something," Rune whispered as the three watched easily since they were all at least four inches taller than everyone else.

"Like what," Amandela said quickly, "the only reason we know what's going on is because we are taller than the crowd. It'll take us too long to get in there."

"That's okay Master Amandela," Chankushept said quickly while rubbing the back of her head because of Rune's glare. It was something that the Roman accepted, but not the Druid. "That girl Hatsuki is there."

"What," the two Europeans said in unison while turning to see the Chinese teacher walk out of the crowd.

"Superior," she said as she looked at her fingernails, "I thought women weren't allowed in the army."

"What is that woman," the man said angrily while tuning his eyes toward her. "You got something to say."

"Yeah," Hatsuki said with a grin while flicking her wrist and knocking the sword out of the soldier's hands without even touching him. "Leave her alone."

"And who are you to tell me that," the soldier chuckled, "I was trained by the great Master Lin."

"Really," Hatsuki said while seeming to float up to the man to get a good look at him, "I don't remember training a loser like you."

"Why you," the soldier said raising a hand to hit the woman but Hatsuki easily stopped it with another flick of her wrist. "Who are you?"

"It's no surprise that you haven't heard of me," Hatsuki said in a happy and triumphant tone, "I am the fearless martial master Lin Hatsuki."

"Wait," Rune said in a questioning tone, "I thought her first name was Hatsuki, but it's Lin."

"Its reverse," Amandela said quickly, "I had heard a story from an Arabian trader back home of a country where your last name is spoken first, and your first name is last, but I thought it was just a myth."

"So you're related to Master Lin," the soldier laughed, "no wonder you are so brave, but maybe you should go on and play your games else were."

"Games," Hatsuki's voice changed quickly from joyful to annoyed at the soldier's words, "you think standing up for those who are too afraid to fend for themselves is a game. How did someone like you even make it into the army?"

"Because I am strong that…" the soldier's sentence is cut off as he clenched his gut and doubled over as the air fled from his lungs.

"You aren't that strong," Hatsuki said as she pulled her fist back toward her body. She then turned to the still frightened girl on the ground. "You okay?"

"Yes," the girl said while Hatsuki helped her up, but her eyes quickly widen in fright as the soldier is once again standing and is barreling toward the two with his sword at the ready.

"I don't know how you did that," he said angrily, "but you won't ever do it again."

"Really," Hatsuki said calmly, "you've already lost this." The soldier stops his charge upon hearing these words.

"You lie," the soldier said before he felt a large gust of wind cleave into his body. It was a strong gust as it was able to lift him, even in his armor, and throw him high into the air to land outside the crowd of people.

"Were those her powers," Amandela said in surprise while the three watch the woman bow happily to the crowd as if the entire situation was just an act.

"It looked as if she controlled the wind," Chankushept said with a slight grin.

"Not just the wind," Rune said calmly replaying the whole confrontation in her head. Every movement the woman made from when she entered the circle put of a slight magical feeling that Rune had been trained to pick up. "That girl is like the air itself. Happy and calm most of the time, but if you make her angry you won't be standing much longer."