The year is now 2244. Twelve years have passed since Shadow was born into this world as a member of House Star. It has been six years now since his parents William and Mary Star died in an accident. When a fire tore through the house of Star taking much of Shadow's childhood home and his parents. Though Shadow did not escape unscathed his left arm baring the burn marks from where he tried to save his trapped parents. Though the house was rebuilt to its former glory the name of house Star spread throughout the city like wildfire what was to become of the boy not even seven years old, who would run the family until he was of age. But now, here he stands in the court of the royal family in the very heart of the city. Shadow, now more solidly built for the age of twelve, has spent the last six years of his life in service to the crown training and learning fighting when needed. His white hair was cut short, his thick tail was trimmed and kept clean, so it didn’t bush up, his wolf ears stood tall and proud the left one with a V-shaped nick near the base a cut from a training sword. His face was soft but clearly marked by the stern features of his grandfather square-jawed and stone-faced. He wore knightly armor like that of the elite guard plate, mail lined with fur from head to toe even the front of his boots were lined with thick metal plates. The armor was dyed pitch black with small bits of red as the accent down the sides, over his back was a thick black fur cloak, and on his waist was the heavy leather belt that carried the scabbard with his knightly laser edge longsword the pommel of the blade shaped like a wolf the cross-guard engraved with the words of house star victory in battle, glory in death. Under his right arm was tucked a solid black helmet though unlike the normal helmet knights wore this one was fashioned into a wolves head the earpieces had engraves with a vinyl pattern.

  Shadow approached the great doors that led to the throne room which were guarded by the blue-armored elites of the royal family. He stopped just in front of them, at attention, and waited. Both guards snapped to attention and marched forward, turned around and stood by his side. "Nervous little knight?" One of the guards asked him. Shadow took a deep breath through his nose. "I'm ready." Both guards looked at each other and nodded before marching forward and opening the heavy golden doors and moving into the throne room. Shadow waited for a few seconds and began his march behind the two as his foot stepped into the room and someone spoke loudly so the whole room could hear. "Presenting the young lord of house Star, Shadow Nova Star, son of Sir William Raz Star and Mary Das Star, Squire to Sir Gregory Kilmonger, The Ox of the Bastion Guard." the few hundred people in the room all turned to look at him as he walked closer to the throne escorted by two of the elite guard as is custom when one becomes a knight all nobles both pure-bloods and sub-humans are to be in attendance so that no one may question that said individual is a knight of the city. In front of Shadow sat the king and royal family the queen, The prince, and the princes. Shadow looked at King Wulfram and the royal throne. The throne itself was an imposing thing carved from the skull of a great horned sand Wyvern the jaw and horns made the base the top of the skull laid vertical and at a ninety-degree angle the teeth of the wyvern still jetting out in the direction of the door raised onto a small three steep high ledge.

     As Shadow stood before the throne, he bowed his head Kneeled on his right knee, placed his helmet on the bottom step, and with as much grace as he could slung his heavy cloak to his right side to present his scabbarded sword and averted his gaze from the king. King Wulfram stepped forward onto the top step of the platform and looked down at the boy. He raised his hand and spoke loudly and clearly. "On this day I. Lord Leonard Rus Wulfram on this the thirtieth year of my reign. Have seen fit to appoint this squire after his six years of service have seen fit to raise him to the rank of Knight of the Bastion do any here assembled to see the reason that this boy should rise?"  aside from a few coughs from some old men no one dares to speak against Shadow. To speak against Shadow is to speak against Sir Gregory and the king and all know this for he has support from two of the oldest and most powerful houses in all of Bastion. The king clears his throat and takes up a sword an old heavy thing more decorated with gold and dulled to the point it can't kill or even cut unless one was to beat some with it. He places the tip of the blade on Shadow's right side. "I King Leonard Rus Wulfram by royal decree and all power bestowed upon me by both old gods and new." He moves the blade over Shadow's head to his left side. "Hereby entrust you Lord Star to protect and uphold the virtues which the city of Bastion demands of her people and to take up arms in her defense." he lowers the blade under Shadow's chin. "Raise you to the rank of Knight of the Bastion." As Shadow raises to his feet the king hit him in the chest hard enough to knock the wind from his lungs and leave a small bruise with the flat of the blade. "Let this be the last insult you allow to go unanswered." The king pulls Shadow into a tight hug and whispers in his ear. "Your father would be proud of you Shadow. I wish he was here to see it."

    The King released Shadow throwing his arms up in the air "Now as is custom for all knights of the Bastion your first assignment." The king makes a grand gesture as a court page approaches with a tablet handing it to Shadow. "This tablet is now your key to all of Bastion. It will give you your missions and keep track of all records you make your map of the land and give you access to all your accounts. But for your first assignment, I want you to check a forward solar charging outpost in the Dead Man's desert simple for a first assignment just arrive check the outpost and return home." Shadow snapped to attention and saluted arm over chest and closed fist. "By your order Your Majesty."

    As the ceremony ended and people began to leave the throne room, Shadow walked down the east corridor. "So, a knight now my and what a cute little knight you make shay shay." Shadow turned to meet the voice of a young woman a girl the same age as he stood now. She wore a pair of brown cargo pants that came up to just below her waist a few leather belts around her left thigh just an inch or two apart a matching belt looped around the pants waistline her hips were exposed she wore a skin-tight black leotard and a pure white crop top hoodie with fake cat ears sowed into the hood. She had pale skin and shoulder-length black hair her gray eyes stared straight forward as if piercing into Shadow's soul. Shadow knelt on one knee and lowered his head. "Still as playful as ever Princess Kat." Shadow's mouth cut into a slash of a smile. "Why sir Shadow is that how you address a member of the royal family?" She gave him a playful smile looking at him as he knelt before her. "My deepest apologies Princess Kathrine Vas Wulfram." Shadow and Kat looked at each other before laughing aloud. Kat sighed as she looked at him. "So, a knight of the bastion?" She smiled as Shadow stood up. "I will always be your knight princess." Shadow smiled as he looked down at her as she was shorter than him. "Oh, shut up we were kids when we made that promise." Kat pouted crossing her arms. "What do you mean, we are both only thirteen." Shadow patted Kat on the head.

     "I see still picking on my baby sister like always how shameful Sir Shadow. For a Knight to make his princess pout." Both Kat and Shadow turned to see Kat's older brother the prince of Bastion. Much like his father in appearance if not much younger. "I have no idea what you're talking about Prince Draco." Shadow rolled his eyes at the prince before all three of them laughed aloud. "Well, I'm glad that my friend is back in the city you’ve been gone a whole three years now I wasn’t sure if you'd be the same after Sir Gregory got a hold of you." Draco laughed at his joke. Shadow shook his head. "And look at you the only difference now is you're actually taller than me now." They both laughed "So why have both of you felt the need to speak to me now instead of after I get back."

    Kat sighed and looked at her brother Draco. "About that, we know that every knight gets sent on a first assignment, but we also wanted to make sure that you come back from that one." Draco sighed. "What my baby sister is trying to say is that we have something for you, follow me." Shadow followed the prince and princess off to a separate part of the castle, a room where one wall was nothing but solid glass and the rest wooden from floor to roof. The room was completely empty except for a long table in the middle and a large black case on that table. The three of them stood by the table as the prince waved at the box. "Well go on great Sir Shadow." Shadow looked at both his friends as he slowly opened the case. Inside the case was a very high-tech-looking rifle with sleek sliver metal. The rifle was flat as a board comfort fit grip at least seventy-seven point two inches long from butt to the barrel. As Shadow's hand wrapped around the grip a thin blue line lit up down the barrel the gun hummed as it felt like it came to life. The prince smiled as he saw the look on Shadow's face. "I give to you my friend the latest prototype acceleration rifle. The ACL-R 55 Predator."