Prologue
All is quiet in the halls and corridors of this once magnificant structure, now forgotten to history and time itself. Its walls, once bright and vibrant with detailed artwork, are now as dim and faded as the lights leading into the main meditation chambers. Inside, twelve grey hooded figures, with heads bowed and swords firmly planted in the ground; kneel completely motionless and silent around a different, dark hooded figure. Slightly taller and much more imposing than the others, it's obvious that this one is the leader. Slowly raising his head, he speaks in a voice of authority, breaking the absolute silence that had been set over the room for longer than anyone could imagine.
"Brothers..." he says with bated breath, "the time has come. Our enemy has reappeared after being thought vanquished for oh so long. We have been waiting for this for longer than any man could possibly comprehend. Awaken, and heed my instruction." The twelve hooded figures raise their heads and stare at the one in the middle with faces of anticipation.
"Find my descendant, the only one that can provide us with even the slightest hope of victory. Find him and bring him to me, unharmed and unafraid. We must distance him from the Dark as much as we can if we are to have any chance. Now go, my knights... and may the force be with us all."
Rising to their feet in perfect unison, the twelve Grey Knights leave their swords behind and proceed down the hall all the way to the entrance of the building. Its massive metal door slowly opens for the first time in thousands of years, allowing the sunlight to pierce through the darkness as if it were an explosion. Each Grey Knight goes to their own carefully preserved ship, and quickly scatter across the galaxy, desperately searching for their target.
If only the man in the slums of Dearic knew what he was about to be thrown into...