Shadow of the throne

Chapter one Shadows

Kira loved to watch the sun rise. She had spent so much time amongst the stars it was sometimes easy to forget how beautiful a simple sunrise was.

She was a warrior; it was all she had ever known. She was one of the Sisters, one of the many sects of the Church of Creation. The Sisters were one of the military orders, famous throughout the galaxy as "The Sword of Creation," as strong and unforgiving as steel.

Every part of her body told the story of her brutal life: her strong but slight frame tightly coiled as if to strike, her cold grey eyes constantly searching the crowd, the scar that ran down her cheek - all a testament to her years of service to the Church.

As she approached her childhood home, her eyes ran over the Sanctuary. The Sanctuary of Creation was one of the grandest structures in all the empire of Man. Only the great Cathedral on Outremer itself could match its beauty, from the towering bell towers with their interweaving branches that looked so fragile that they might break in a strong wind, to the great stain glassed window of the beloved Saint Melinisa.

The Sanctuary was a masterpiece.

Kira gazed up at a citadel of her order. Second only to the floating fortress of Fidem. It had been so long since she had been home, almost nine years now, she was almost grateful for the summons from the Deacon, although such a summons normally involved a great deal of death. That, alas, was what the Sisters were for. They had acted as the sword of the Order for centuries and she was not about to break that oath. No sister ever had. Despite the rumours.

She slowly walked towards the great gate, a testament to the old ways before enlightenment had been brought to Augusta. She drew in the sights and sounds of her home world, the black flowers creeping up the walls of the Sanctuary, the grunts and groans as inductees trained, the yells as their Battle masters pushed them further.

But as she entered she was captured by this old yet familiar place. The banners swayed in the breeze just as they had always done, monks rushed with a quiet dignity, it was as if she had never left.

Her feet quickly fell into the familiar routine and traced their way straight to the Deacon's door. Before she had a chance to knock, an old dusty voice told her to enter.

The room inside was filled with books stacked upon each other, and sat at a desk, equally covered, was the Deacon, who had raised her, who had found her left on the steps of the Sanctuary and had given her a purpose.

The Deacon was an ancient man, his long hair and flowing beard completely sliver, but his eyes glittered with a mischievous intelligence that hinted as very un-Deacon like behaviour of his youth. "My dear, it has been too long."

She kneeled before him. "My Lord Deacon."

He smiled slightly, he had known her since she was a child and yet she still did not call him by his name. "Please, Kira, use my correct title."

The corner of her mouth flickered, her mask broken for a fraction of a second. "I'm sorry, Father, may I ask why the summons?"

He smiled softly, she was as formal as ever. "I have some news. The Empire is expecting an attack from the Republic. As a show of faith to our staunchest of allies the College of Cardinals have seen fit to send a contingent of the Sisterhood as reinforcements."

She tilted her head slightly; a strand of silver hair fell across her face but was quickly pushed back into place. It was not unheard of for the two of the largest Human domains to work together since the peace treaty, but this was normally limited to ceremonial occasions, the relationship between them was strained at the best of times. In the heat of a firefight accidents could happen, and a new war could easily be sparked. "Why tell me in person?"