The old buggy rattled across the sand as Shadow and his charge Sage returned to Bastion. Shadow still wasn’t happy about being forced to take her with him, but he could understand why Paladin Maxwell didn’t want her near the frontlines. He dropped the gear, and the engine roared as the tires kicked up more sand accelerating towards the city. Sage flicked her ears at the sound of the engine, her ears unprotected like Shadow with his knightly helmet. She looked at him tilting her head slightly. "Thank you for taking me back to the city my father said I would stay at your estate for the first day then someone should come to take me to my family's estate." She let out a deep sigh as she slumped into the seat. "It will be so nice to take a shower." Shadow shifted gears again kicking the engine into overdrive. "What you didn’t have showers at the outpost." "Of course, we did its standard protocol within the Bastion guard is to hav…" Sage quickly realized that as a knight Shadow has spent many years in the guard and knew this. "Well, it's not the same for women we do have a shower separate from the men but still in the desert even taking a shower the next day you're covered in sand and sand gets everywhere." "So, tell me Shadow how long have you been in the guard." Shadow tilted his head back but kept his eyes on where he was going. "None I have never spent any time in the guard I know you can join at ten but I'm thirteen I spent three years as a squire to Sir Gregory, and I'm a Star even when I turned sixteen, I wouldn’t have joined the guard I would have joined the Speculatory." Sage turned to look at Shadow. "Specul… What I've never heard of that branch of Bastion." Shadow kept his head forward. "Normally you wouldn’t since we don’t exist, we have full authority to act as we want and take full control over military regiments since we all hold the rank of Knight or Paladin, we hold military rank but as for the missions we take one day we can charge into battle the next we could be slitting someone's throat." Sage looked disgusted at the thought.

    "So basically, you’re a spy and assassin." Shadow laughed as he kept driving. "You can say that but think of us more as special units that can do what we need to make sure the missions are completed." Sage rolled her eyes. "Whatever it has no honor in it." "Honor in war all that matters is winning save honor for the ones who need it." "Honor is what dri..." Sage quickly felt the rage building in Shadow an ability all demi-humans shared she felt his rage and his hate for this topic she touched a nerve that shouldn’t be touched. Shadow let out a low growl. "Honor is all well and good for those that can afford it but as the last of my family I will do whatever it takes to make sure the ones I care about stay alive if it means breaking the rules then I will break every single rule in the book."

   Sage watched the rage wash off Shadow. She looked around trying to find something to change the subject. "So…So sure is, well sandy out here." Shadow turned his head slightly to look at her and realized that he had broken his calm. "Y... Yeah, sandy it does get everywhere have to get someone to vacuum Lola when we get back." Lola who is that." Shadow pointed to the dashboard with his father and grandfather's names carved right before Lola. "Lola you’re sitting in her she is old but built to take a hit or two." Sage looked at the names carved into the dashboard closely. "Why haven't you carved your name into the dash yet." "Family tradition first mission then name carved." Sage sat back in her seat as they drove on the sun slowly fading into the sky. They reached the gates of Bastion after the three-day long trip. The night sky was filled with stars and the twin moons of Terra nova as well as the wreckage of the lost ship Dawn Breaker floating in the space above them. As the buggy came to a stop in front of the massive gates of Wall Hope a massive walker stopped before them a walker a four-legged seventy-foot tall mech used to transport people from the city through the desert to what outpost and the few town steads that existed for Bastion. The slow-moving mech slowly stepped through the gates when one of the guards approached the buggy, his rifle pointed at the ground as he approached. "State your name and…" Before the guard could finish Shadow shoved his sheathed blade out the window showing the white wolf of his family crest a crest everyone in Bastion knows the second most powerful family second only to the royal family in all of Bastion. The guard snapped to attention and brought his right arm across his chest diagonally as is the salute of the Bastion guard. Shadow shifted the buggy into drive and slowly drove through the massive gates trying to make the ride through the city as smooth as possible. Sage had fallen asleep next to him. They passed through wall Sanctuary and Wall purity finally arriving at the gates of the Star family estate.

   As Shadow pulled up to the old black castle garage door now stood servants among them an old gray-haired man with fox ears atop his head and an old frizzled tail swayed behind him as Shadow pulled the buggy to a stop all the servants bowed except the old man who wore a well-tailored three-piece suit "Good evening young lord Star it has been a long time since I have seen you I am glad to see you following in your father's footsteps." Shadow quickly hugged the old fox tightly picking him up off the ground a little bit. "I'm happy to see at least one familiar face Godwine." The old man fixed his suit and dusted himself off smiling at Shadow. "I am glad you still see this old man as someone you are familiar with." "Godwine, you have served my family since my grandfather was alive and you as well as Mrs. Penny raised me your just as much my family as my actual parents." "Very good sir I will make sure to serve you as well as I did your grandfather and father until such time as I am no longer able to do so." Shadow nodded his head slowly walking over to the passenger side of the old buggy he carefully picked Sage up bridle style as she was still asleep. " Godwine, can you prepare a guest room for Ms… Well Ms. Sage she is Sir Maxwell's daughter." Godwine looked at his young master giving a small chuckle. "Careful now young master Star if you keep bringing home pretty girls the princess might get jealous." Shadow's eyes widen quickly as he realized how he was carrying Sage, but he couldn’t just drop her. "Shut up Godwine I couldn’t just let her sleep in the buggy." Shadow carefully carried Sage into the house as the servants opened the doors and went back to work Shadow looked at one of the maids. "Please tend to her bath and a pair of fresh clothes for her." "Yes sir." The maid bowed and left to make ready a room and bath for Sage. Shadow carried her up the staircase as the servant following him was a young man with a fox tail and ears much like Godwine but clearly without the white hair and fur. The young man's ears perked up as Shadow approached the door. The young man jumped in front of Shadow opening the door to the guest room, Shadow laid Sage down on the bed letting the maid take over from there. The group left Sage to sleep and be tended to by the maids Godwine and the young man followed close behind Shadow as he walked to the office his father's office his family's office. "Godwine who is the boy following us." Godwine cleared his throat. "Yes, sir this is my grandson James he is the same age as you my young lord thirteen and as of today he will be your footman." Shadow stopped dead and both Godwine and James stopped behind him Shadow turned around. "Godwine, you do realize this means he will follow me into combat a footman isn't just a personal servant he will have to know how to fight how to fix my armor how to clean and tend to my sword…" It was James that stepped forward interrupting Shadow. "Sir, forgive my rudeness but as you were away training with Sir. Gregory. I was  studying to serve you Sir in hopes of one day becoming a member of the Knights of the Bastion just like you sir I can tend to your weapons and armor as well as assist you in everyday matters as well I am like my Grandfather and Father ready to serve house Star until a time that I am unable to do so." The young man stood firm holding his ground against his lord's protest. "Can you fight?" "Yes, my lord, I have basic training in firearms and swordplay." "Do yo…" "Yes, my lord I have armor of my own provided to me by my family mark III vanguard armor second best armor any soldier can have besides your mark IV Knights plate mail."

    Shadow sighed, knowing he wasn’t going to win this fight he turned and headed towards the office. It was Godwine that broke the silence. "I shall have someone bring your dinner to the office my lord also there is a letter for you from Princes Kat on your desk." James followed close behind Shadow as they entered the office taking his place on Shadow's left side as Shadow took his seat at the desk running his hand over the desk remembering though much was destroyed in the fire his grandfather’s desk his father's chair the shelves and walls rebuilt the floor replaced. Suddenly Shadow's mind flashed back to that night of Sir Gregory holding him as he screamed for his parents as the fire devoured his home. "...lor" "My Lord, are you all, right?" Shadow shook his head seeing James staring at him. "Y... yes I'm fine just tired is all."