Les Guardiens de Ordre: A story of loyalty, honor and love

AN: Wahahaha!!! Me told you guys that I'm not really good with the fight scenes. I really messed up back there didn't I? Anyways, I'm really thankful for your truthful opinions, at least I know where I've gone wrong… /swt Again, me sincere thanks to all of you. Well, I really don't know if the next chapter will be the last chapter or maybe two more… I'm not really sure, but one things for sure… this story is coming to an end… /heh. Thank you again and hope you like this chapter! Revies minna!!!!

Chapter 10: A decision made

Letting go is hard to do

But to forget is even more

How can I get though life

When I have your memories imprisoning me…

Emerald eyes stared at the visage before her, beside her stood a hunter with his arm tied to a sling. Blessed sighed as she eyed their little priestess go through her unusual routine, a routine they had only seen when she came back with them from the Underground Assassins. The green haired priestess looked at the girl that she looked after like a little sister, she leaned her head on the shoulder of the hunter beside her.

Hi-Jakkk looked down at his girlfriend and held her with his uninjured arm, leading her back into the castle. Bless sighed and looked at her boyfriend as they stepped into the castle. "Jakkk, do you think we did the right thing when we took her from the Underground Assassins?"

The hunter stared at the priestess in shock. "How could you say that, Bless? We all know that this is her rightful place… this is her home, we only did what was necessary."

"Did we? I mean look at her Jakkk, she's changed! She's not the priestess we used to know…" she told him with tears brightening her eyes.

Jakkk bit back his own answer when he saw two assassins at the doorway with their guild master. "She's just adjusting back to her usual surroundings, give her time." Dark told her gently as they stepped in the room, having heard all of her discussion with the hunter.

Bless whirled around to face them, "Time?! Time?! It's been three months since we came back from our guild siege and she still hasn't shown any signs of returning back to normal!" she yelled at them, tears falling down her face. "What's wrong with her… I thought she'd be happy back here with us… I thought everything would go back to normal…" she whimpered before she collapsed to the floor sobbing. Jakkk kneeled and wrapped his arms around her in comfort while his eyes looked up to their guild master for guidance.

Hatred could only look at them for he himself had no answers to the priestess' questions and Dark lowered his head and Saitou could only look outside the windows where he could see the priestess training hard with her stunner.

What did they do to you, Mizu?

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Mizu swiped her stunner in a downward motion, her movements graceful yet deadly. She closed her eyes and concentrated hard, remembering another voice from another time, You need to concentrate, you don't need to force your body, just let it flow through you… just as you let your powers wash over you… another swipe and another kick, she whirled with precise movements as she led her body to the techniques that Shinta had taught her. The priestess opened her eyes as she stood in the middle of the garden, her breathing deep and slow and she could feel her perspiration trickling down her face and back. Gripping her weapon, she leaned her head to face the heaven above…

I miss the ocean breeze… she thought quietly as tears made its way down her face. She quickly wiped her tears dry lest somebody saw her crying. Three months… three months since the guild siege… three months when she left the Underground Assassins… three months when she turned her back to him. She sighed as she made her way under a huge tree and collapsed on the soft grassy floor. She closed her eyes and leaned her head back remembering what had happened back then…

"SANCTUARY!!!!"

All heads turned to the sound of the voice after the ground where they all stood shone and immediately, they could feel their wounds disappearing and their energies returning. Sano looked at the silver haired priestess in confusion.

"Oi, missy! What dya think you're doing?!" he yelled at her from his position

Shino merely looked at her and noticed the two Les Guardiens emerge from behind her. Understanding what it meant, he lowered his own weapon and told the others to do the same. When Hiko and Sano opened their mouths to complain, he merely glared at them and told them icily, "The battle's over."

Sano's eyes widened and looked at the priestess for confirmation, only did when she bowed her head did he realize what it really meant. He lowered his weapon as well and held Hiko's arm. "Let's go, Hiko… it's done and over with…"

Hiko looked as if he was going to explode when Shino gave him an icy glare that told him it would be unwise if he argued. Sano merely looked up at Mizu as the green haired priestess wrapped her arms around her and sobbed in relief, the priestess merely smiled as she held the other priestess in her arms. Only did he saw her true self when she looked up at him… her eyes glistened with unshed tears, sadness and remorse. He nearly choked as he felt his throat tighten, she clearly wanted to stay but why was she doing this… unless…

"My loyalty lies with them… and it could never change…" she answered the apparent question in his eyes before she whirled around and walked side by side with the other priestess. She and Blessed simultaneously released sanctuaries to heal the injured fighters at the other hall and as they moved out of the castle grounds, Mizu took one wistful glance at the closed doors before joining her comrades back to their own castle...

Gracefully running one hand through her hair, she stiffened when she felt someone's presence beside her. Looking up, she saw Saitou leaning against the same tree looking down at her.

"Blessed's worried about you…"

Mizu chuckled at his obvious statement. "I know that…"

"Then how can you just sit there and pretend that nothings happened?"

"Because I can't go back to the person I was before…"

The assassin looked down at her, "Why is that?"

Mizu looked at their castle sadly, "Too much has happened, too much has changed… I caused you guys a great deal of trouble…"

"You didn't. Besides, we only did what was necessary." He told her as he continued to look at her, he knew he had to tell her… "You're beautiful…"

Mizu's head snapped up at him in shock. "I beg your pardon?"

"I said you're beautiful…" he told her starkly

Mizu's mouth gaped open before she shocked the assassin when she gave out a loud robust sound of laughter. "You have got to be kidding me, right?" she asked him between laughs

The assassin frowned, "I'm not." When the priestess stopped laughing, she eyed him warily, moving from his position, he held her hands in his own, "I've always noticed, Mizu… I just didn't want to tell… didn't have the courage to tell you that I've been in love with you for some time now…"

The priestess' eyes widened even more. "What are you trying to tell me, Sait?" she whispered

"I'm trying to tell you that I love you… and I hope that you'll accept me…"

"I…" she looked away and looked at the small pond, removing her hand from his own, she walked towards the waters edge and looked at her reflection on the water. She saw Saitou come up from behind her looking at her through the water, she sighed and looked up. She smiled sadly and placed her hand on his cheek. "I thought no one could ever love a stupid little girl like me…" she smiled sadly, "I'm sorry Sait… I can't return your love for me…" she whispered sadly.

The assassin merely looked at her, "Why?"

"Because… I…" Mizu shook her head ruefully, "I don't know… you don't deserve someone like me… you deserve better Sait…" she whispered

"But I don't want another… I want you, Mizu" he whispered his hands fitting themselves to her waist.

Mizu lowered her head to his chest, "I'm sorry… I really can't…" she whispered her voice choking

Lifting her face to meet his, he whispered harshly, "Is it because you're in love with someone else?"

The silver haired priestess smiled sadly. "Yes… I am…"

Saitou gritted his teeth and sighed in defeat, "I understand…"

Looking at the water, she smiled as she felt the tears run down her face. "I'm in love with someone I could never have… I'm sorry Sait…" she whispered before running of towards the castle, tears streaming down her face.

The assassin merely looked at her retreating form before he swore quietly. He made her wait too long… if he made the move before any of these could have happened, she could be his by now, he could have prevented any of these from happening. He swore yet again… and this time, he glared at his own reflection in the water. "You are definitely one first class idiot." He told to his reflection in the mirror before making his own way back to the castle unaware of a pair of blue eyes that stared at his retreating form, hidden within the dark branches of the tree.

Dark stared at the other assassin, leaning back to the tree and sighed. Well, there goes his hopes in trying to win Mizu's heart… he had heard their conversation from on top of this tree, he had been sitting here even before Mizu came to train and practice her swings. He hit his head on the branch of the tree, Idiot… I'm a first class idiot as well, just like Saitou… he knew there was no way that he could ever have a chance to the beautiful silver haired priestess.

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"Grimtooth!!!"

Amber eyes watched emotionlessly as the creatures dropped before him like flies. It had been three months yet he still couldn't remove the fury in his veins every time he thought of what had happened. The half of his guild mates didn't take her departure quite easily right after the battle. Hiko raged and raged shouting of injustices and the unfairness of the situation. Kitsune seethed when she was told what Mizu told them while Misa only remained quiet but her eyes had shown her fury over the matter. It was Sano who finally put an end to all their complaints telling them that she never belonged in their guild from the very beginning, that her place was with the Les Guardiens… her code of loyalty bid it… so did the rest of them… they each have a code to follow, and one of them was the code of loyalty.

Shinta stealthily moved within the dark shadows of the pyramids, he had focused all of his energies and channeled his rage into one outlet. Training. He had said that he would understand her decision… yet, it had rankled, and his anger even reached a dangerous point when he knew deep within himself that he couldn't accept her decision because he had fallen in love with her. He growled darkly as he charged into a group of ancient mummies and large horned minoruses. He didn't care whether he felt pain, felt himself weakening, all he knew that he had to get all this rage out of his system.

Weakly standing in the hot desert sun, he balefully watched the different people that milled around the pyramid entrance. Most of the other people avoided him as they took in his bloodied form, red hair, and dangerously glittering amber eyes. Slowly staggering back toward their castle, he moved gracefully despite his weakened state and his injuries. Just as he passed the side of the pyramids leading the way towards the sphinx area, he felt a familiar presence and stooped. He looked around but saw no familiar face, his mood darkened. Why does he have to think of her? Why can't he just remove her from his mind… as he moved yet again, he suddenly felt a strong wave of energy pass through his body. Looking down at his hands, he saw no trace of blood that had been previously coated it, his clothes were back to normal and he didn't have any injury left. Turning around to see who would have dared to heal him, his furious amber eyes met with sorrowful blue orbs.

Mizu stood quietly looking at the people around the pyramids. Their guild have been training in groups and her group had been assigned here at the pyramids, she looked sadly at the surroundings… nothing had changed since she last stepped in this place. She smiled ruefully before her eyes caught a glimpse of red hair between the ruckus. She followed the patch of red before she noticed that the red head was a male priest, she sighed disgustedly. "Now, I know that I really lost my marbles…" she shook her head and just as she looked up to look for her party, the very person she was hoping to see walked by her. His head held high, dangerous and dignified. He stopped for a moment, his brows furrowing in thought before his face darkened and he resumed his trek back towards their castle. She knew she should just let him be, that it would be pure folly if she tried to talk or even meet him in the eye, yet with one look at his bloodied clothes she knew he needed to be healed, no matter how much he despised being helped by others. Casting a silent spell, she focused all her energies into one spell and healed him. She saw him stiffen and slowly turned around, her breath caught as her blue eyes caught sight of his beautiful furious amber eyes.

"Mizu…" his mouth formed the words yet no voice came, he was about to go to her when he saw a knight come close to her, the same knight that he had met for the first time at the pyramids. As she turned to look at her companion, he disappeared in a glance, not wanting to make things even difficult for the two of them. He had to leave before he did something crazy like grab her and kiss her senselessly.

Mizu's eyes filled with tears as she turned to look at Shinta once more only to find that he was no longer there. She tried to put her tears behind the mask that she always wore, she smiled brightly at her friends as she greeted them.

Two pairs of eyes have not missed the sadness in the priestess' eyes before she masked it with a bright smile. Hatred looked at the priestess standing beside him, Blessed looked up at him nodding in approval. It was time to put things to right… they've seen too much. Blessed urged their party to enter the pyramids even when their voices rose in protest wondering why their guild master was staying behind, and a sharp and loud voice rose above the noise saying, "He has still something to do and told us to get our buts in there and TRAIN!!!!!" Hatred shook his head and chuckled as he watched his guild mates before they disappeared in the portal to the entrance of the pyramids. Looking back at the direction where the assassin took, he spurred his peco-peco towards the Underground Assassins' realm.

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