there.” William, unfazed, headed toward the small sand dune where their makeshift camp lay. An unused buggy awaited him. “You better name that boy after me,” Gregory called after him. “And if it’s a girl, name her after Mary.” With a defiant grin, William revved the buggy’s engine, sand spraying in his wake. “Screw you, old man! Don’t forget to pay me like last time, Ox brain!” William raced the buggy over the sands of the Dead Man's desert kicking up sand and dust like a bat out of hell shifting gears as he hit top speed. The wheels spun and dug into the sand as he neared the city the engine began to overheat and hiss as he neared the titanic gates of Wall Hope. "Come on you piece of shit you survived three wars and got wrecked twice and you’re going to quit all because I'm maxing the speed!!" William beat on the roof of the buggy as he yelled at it. The buggy hissed more and began to spit the engine backfiring before kicking back to life, forcing William back against his seat. "That’s my girl come on almost there and you can get a fresh drink once we're home." Five heavily armed soldiers mixed between pure-bloods and sub-humans alike were covered head to toe in thick plates of bullet and laser-resistant armor face plates covering all but their eyes which were protected behind glass built inside the helmet, their gray armor shining in the bright midday sun. "Hey, Lieutenant!". "Yes, what is it corporal?" all five guards looked up seeing the huge dust cloud getting closer and closer two of the guards grabbed their sleek-looking acr 45s your standard-issued acceleration assault rifles. To most people, it would look like nothing more than a long sleek two-by-four with a handle and magazine and a few groves cut into the barrel mostly solid white with the handle and magazine being black or red.

   The officer noticed the buggy before his men throwing his hands up in the air and screaming.

"HEY, HEY STOP STOP!!!" He jumped out of the way just in time to avoid becoming roadkill as the buggy came to a screeching halt just an inch in front of the massive gate. Williams's head popped out of the makeshift door which was nothing more than a thick net. "Sorry about that Lieutenant didn’t mean to make you piss yourself, but can you open the gate I'm in a bit of a rush here." In a fit of rage, the Lieutenant sprung up off the sand and began to stomp toward the buggy. "WHO THE HELL DO YOU THI…...oh apologies Sir William, I did not know it was you."

"That’s fine and all but gates now please?" The lieutenant snapped to attention bringing his right arm up and diagonally across his chest hand balled in a fist. "Sir" the Lieutenant ran off towards a small tent set up inside was a radio to the top of the wall. A few seconds passed before the grinding of the gigantic gears began to turn inside the walls rumbling so loud they could be heard for miles the walls shook as sand and pebbles fall from them as the massive metal gates began to slowly open a mere ten foot gap opening as when fully open the gateway would be a hundred foot wide. Before the gate opened any more William hit the gas driving into the city, unlike most sub-humans who would stop and live inside Wall Hope Williams's home resigned inside Wall Purity amongst the nobles and royals. When addressed as sir by even pure bloods William, like his father and grandfather, was a war hero in the eyes of the people of Bastion. His family name of Star held power, influence, and wealth.

  After passing through the gates of Wall Sanctuary and Purity only then did William slow the buggy down before coming to a small estate ground a mere fifty acres of land walled off and gated at its heart laid a small modern-style fortress castle house a mix between a mansion and castle stronghold with a few small railguns in placements on three of the six towers. The walls were black as a moonless night, the roof in need of some repair and fresh paint red as blood.

Outside stood a small group of twenty men all purebloods except for two they wore armor similar to the bastion guard but more like a knight in full plate mail lined with fur the armor itself died a light blue, dark black fur-lined cloaks draped over their backs, in their armored hands they held acr 55s much like their little brother this rifle is much bulkier and has more firepower than any acr 45 ever made. On their hips, looped and sheathed in thick leather scabbards were not your standard knightly long swords for these swords were laser edged blades only Knights of Bastion were allowed to carry, But in this case, these men outside Williams's home were not just Knights in the army but twenty of the most highly trained men In the world the Royal families personal elite guard.

   William stepped out of his buggy and quickly walked to the door the two elite guards standing closes to the door snapped to attention butts of their rifles on the ground bringing their right arm diagonally across their chest and closed fists. "Welcome home Sir. William the king awaits you inside!" They both spoke in unison. William ignored them both as he walked past them pushing open the thick heavy dark oak double door to his house. He kicked his boots off knowing how much His wife and the head housekeeper would kill him if he tracked dirt throughout the house, he looked up the central staircase that led to the second floor. "Mary. Mary, I'm Home I'm coming to see you and the baby."  before William could take a step towards the stairs his eyes drifted to the foyer in front of the large stone fireplace stood a man. The King of Bastion himself. William approached as it would be rude to ignore your king even if your wife was in labor. The king was a young man in his mid-twenties short and small in build he stood a solid five foot two. He wore clothing fancier than anything you would see a normal person wearing a sleek three-piece light blue suit with white stripes down the sleeves. Gold fitting from his black dress boots to the buttons and cufflinks on his back was draped a thick fur-lined black clock. He held a small glass of a dark liquid in his small pale hand. He turned to face William, his soft features and sleek brushed back red hair matched by the red goatee around his mouth his green eyes seemed to see everything in the room at once. "William, It's good to see you, my friend."

     "It's good to see you to Leo but I must see to my."  "It's his royal majesty Lord Leonard Rus Wulfram to you, Lord Star." Both men looked at each other serious the tension so thick you could cut it with a knife. Their faces faltered as they broke out laughing, the king almost spilling his drink. "The look on your face William by the gods," Leonard spoke through broken laughter.

"My face look, at yours Leo." Both men laughed a bit more before recomposing themselves. "But truly I must go see…'' "Sadly you can't right now she is still in labor from what your servants have told me my wife is with her as are the royal doctors she is fine William." William sighed in a mix of defeat and relief after spending half the day driving like a madman to get home. "Besides Mary would kill you if you walked into that room like that." William stopped now, only noticing that it wasn’t just his boots covered in dirt but after driving that windowless buggy for most of the day he had taken a shower in the dirt, his hair and fur brown rather than gray like it was supposed to be. "Your right even more so if I tried to pick my son up like this." William let out a long loud laugh as he tried to dust himself off. The two men stood by the fireplace the King still nursing his drink. "William, have you thought about my offer." William dipped his head and sighed deeply. "I'm sorry Leo but the answer is still no I will not return to my post as Commanding General or as captain of your guard." The king let out a sigh and downed his drink. "And you’re sure about this." "Yes, Leo I'm sick of war both my father and grandfather died in service to this city, and do not wish my son to grow up without a father as I did or to know what war is." William leaned on the mantle of the fireplace as he looked the king dead in the eye. "My answer is no."  "So be it Wil…" Before the king could finish his sentence the quiet of the house was drowned away by the sounds of a crying baby loud and defiant to the world. "Congratulations William." That was all the king said as William rushed past him and up the stairs no longer caring about the dirt clinging to him as he rushed into the room.

    "William What the hell ar…You're covered in dir….No stop get off me before you take a bath" Mary screamed as William burst into the room hugging her as she lay in the bed though out of breath and a ragged mess much the same size as the king in height but a sub-human wolf-like William gray furry tail hair and a pair of perky wolf ears witch laid flat on her head as she was exhausted after giving birth. "Ugh, fine William but you definitely taking a bath later." William laughed as he held his wife in his arms. "So, I heard the little warrior from downstairs where is he?" one of the maids handed the baby to William and Mary as everyone else cleared out. Now cleaned and wrapped in a thick, soft fur blanket lay a small baby boy. eyes open wide showing bright silver eyes, unlike his mother and father his tail and ears were pure white like fresh snow. "Look at him a strong young man just like his father." William said out loud as he looked at the boy." Mary laughed lightly. "I pray to the gods he is smarter than his father and less of a fool." William grabbed his chest as if he had been shot. "OW, you wound me my beloved wife how could you." They both smiled leaning back in the bed as they held their son. Mary was the next to speak. "So, what shall we name him." William looked at his son this small child whose skin and hair were as pale as snow. "How about we name him after our families from your father and mine?" William held his son as he spoke his name. "You are my son. From this day forth you are Shadow Nova Star."