Our world is full of wonder and it is also full of darkness. There has always been a balance and even when I was young I wanted to keep that balance. The weapons were shiny swords or the new guns. Those were muzzle loading and most had coarse powder that create clouds of smoke when fired.

I designed and created something better and it all came from watching a farmer. He had cut and used a special sled behind horses to rake the cut hay into a single row. A few days later another sled pulled by horses had collected and packed the hay into bundles to be tied. After the entire field was done he used a wagon.

I expected men to walk and toss the bales up and onto the tall wagon but he had a strange machine pulled behind it. The wagon went over the bale and the machine caught and lifted it straight up where a man pulled it off before the lift dropped. That gave me the idea later as I watched small rockets going off for a celebration.

The guns had changed to have grooves inside, that made the balls more accurate. I made them into long pellets and then made brass chambers to put them in. I filled the chamber with a new smokeless powder and capped it with a firing cap. Under the barrel of my weapon I made a tube that held the new bullets.

They were pushed back and into the receiver by a spring. When I fired the one in the chamber it shoved the bolt back and a tiny nail like pin pushed the brass chamber out. The bolt going back pushed on a lever that blocked the tube and raised the first bullet in the tube. A spring behind the bolt pushed it forward and the brass chamber and bullet were pushed into the barrel.

It was a repeating gun and took me a year to perfect. I made a steel pistol and a steel rifle and kept the secret of how they worked. I was studying law and the many creatures of light and dark. When I turned eighteen I went to Candle to see the White Council. I asked and was accepted as a Defender for the huge city.

I walked into the chapel and crossed to the priest and the small gathering. Four men held down a young girl as she struggled and cursed in several languages. I was wearing a nice suit and set down a saddlebag, “how long has she been like this?”

The priest snorted, “we do not need you Defender.”

I smiled as I moved closer to see the girl better. I could see the bulging in her neck and the way the veins were distended, “she will not last much longer.”

He gestured to the door which I ignored, “she has a shadow demon priest. If it is weak enough you might be able to exercise it otherwise she will die.”

He glared and I turned, “I need a wash tub.”

The priest nodded and gestured and one of the men standing around, ran out. I moved to the saddle bag, “once he brings it back I need two fingers of blessed water in it.”

I opened the saddlebag and selected a set of special glasses. I slipped them on and then took a glove made from silver thread. When the man returned I had the tub set beside the girl. The priest watched as the water was added and I knelt before he could bless it. I pulled a small medal I wore off and set it in the water.

When he began to pray and bless the water it glowed and everyone gasped as the priest looked at me. When he finished I fished out my medal, “it is a saints medal priest and not magic.”

I put the medal on and then slipped the silver glove on my right hand. I moved to the girl and knelt and grasped her by the throat. In my glasses I could see the demon inside her as it struggled. I squeezed and pulled as I stood and it fought and struggled but I pulled it out. Its hands clawed at my arms as it tried to enter me.

I turned and stepped and started lowering it into the tub. When it touched the water it screamed. The water began to boil and steam and everyone could hear the demon as it dissolved. This was not an exorcism, the demon was dying. It struggled and fought until I pushed the last of its head into the water.

When I stood and looked at the girl she was being hugged by a woman. The priest had wide eyes and I smiled, “you can use the water in your garden. The demon is dead and will not return.”

I took the glasses off as I went to the saddlebag. I put them away and removed the silver glove and put it back in the bag. I picked it up and headed for the door, “let the White Council know if you need us again.”

Outside I put the saddlebag on my horse and swung up. I nodded to the boy that had held the reins for me and tossed him a copper penny. He grinned and ran off and I turned and rode into the street. I touched the fist size crystal orb on the front of the saddle, “it was a shadow demon Andrew. What else do you have?”

Andrew was the White Council dispatch clerk. He chuckled, “a watchman down the street reported a young gargoyle on the roof of the Commoner Gentlemen Club.”

I smiled, “do they still have reports of the Phlam lizards on this street?”

He snorted, “yes and no one wants to climb into the attic to hunt them.”

I found the watchman beside the club and swung down. I looked up at the southeast corner and saw a large gargoyle and something smaller beside it, “we have a young one?”

The watchman smiled, “very young.”

I nodded and went to bang on the door until a man opened it. He sneered, “members...”

I shoved him out of the way as I walked in, “I am a Defender not one of your ... members.”

I looked around and then started for the stairs and he ran after me, “you can not just come in here.”

I glanced at him as I started up, “would you like me to have your club closed for a year?”

He sputtered and stopped and I kept going. Three floors and then I was searching for the ladder up to the attic. From there I went to the end and unlocked and opened the vents. I bent and stepped out on the ledge and turned to walk to the southeast corner. The large gargoyle did not even shift when I reached it.

The tiny one on its other side was another story. I moved around the large one and knelt and touched the small, “welcome small one.”

It shifted as if to move to one side and I caught her ear, “my name is Simon. If you need someone to help you or to keep you company find me. If you need protection or food find me.”

I let her go and turned to touch the large one, “she is beautiful. Down the street two blocks is a building with a nest of Phlam lizards. I will have the mages open the attic vents so you and your people may hunt them.”

I heard the purr and smiled as I stood and made my way back to the vent and into the attic. Gargoyles protected the city from birds that carried disease and rats and other vermin like the lizards. Those grew to a pace or more long and were a danger to young children. When I reached the front door the attendant was arguing with the watchman.

He glared at me and I gestured and the watchman pushed him back so I could leave. I headed for my horse, “she is a cutie and new born. Let your station mage know to open the house vent so they can hunt the Phlam lizards.”

The watchman grinned when I swung up into the saddle, “I will let the men know to leave gifts.”

I nodded and turned and started riding, “have a good day.”

I touched the orb, “a baby girl Andrew. What next?”

He chuckled and then became serious, “we just had a runner from the Birch Temple. They report a monster killing a priest and locked in the main worship hall.”

I turned and kicked the horse into a trot, “call the watchmen.”

I leaned to the right and back and pulled what looked like an over and under rifle. It was my repeating rifle and all the bullets were silver. It took almost fifteen minutes to reach the temple. I swung down as soon as I turned in and held the reins out to a temple lad, “walk her and then give her water.”

I strode to the large double doors into the worship hall. Several priests were praying and four watchmen clutched large rifles. I gestured as I brought my rifle to the shoulder, “open the door.”

Two spun and grabbed the handle and pulled as the other two lifted their weapons. I walked slow and searched the dim room. There were rows of high back benches and pillars and ... a large creature leaped away from the back wall and rushed me with a roar. It had fangs and claws and spikes but only partial or vestal wings.

I fired into its chest and it staggered and I lifted to aim and fire again. This time the back of its head exploded and it fell. I moved closer and kicked it and then bent to grab and yank it over and onto its stomach. I set the rifle on the floor and pushed my coat aside and reached under my left arm.

I pulled out a silver knife and grabbed a horn on the demon’s head. I stabbed and cut through the thick hide and then the stonelike spine, “I need a hot fire outside in the temple yard.”

When I lifted the severed head a few minutes later a watchman was there with a hook. He took the head and I stood, “burn it separate from the body.”

I grabbed my rifle and started for the other end of the temple and a priest hurried after me, “that is sacred!”

I snorted, “this whole temple is going to need cleansing priest.”

I went around the alter and to the wall. I looked at a carved square that had been opened, “open this.”

The priest hissed, “that is the resting place of saint Maldor.”

I growled, “the demon was just in it priest.”

He looked and moved slowly to pry the stone panel out. I waited and watched and moved as soon as the space was open. I growled when I saw the demon egg sack and gestured the priest back. I hooked the point of the silver knife into the sack and lifted and turned. I walked out and found the watchmen bringing coal to burn the demon.

I tossed the egg sack into the fire and there was a scream that seemed to echo through the whole city. I watched the fire for a moment as the sack shriveled and the eggs burst. Tiny demons writhed around and then turned black and slowly started to turn to ash. I knelt and cleaned my knife and then went to my horse.

I put the rifle away and swung up, “cleanse your temple priest.”

I turned and rode into the street and touch the crystal orb, “Andrew let the council know we need a watch on the Birch Temple. There was a soldier demon and it placed an egg sack in the crypt with a saint.”

He snorted, “than it was not a saint.”

I nodded to myself, “probably true but not for us to say. I am going home.”

He chuckled, “want me to warn you?”

I shifted as I watched the street and the buildings, “about?”

He laughed, “about a girl looking for you? She said something about being your wife?”

I blinked as I saw the girl I had stood beside when I was thirteen. I shook myself, “did she say where she is ... Never mind I will find her.”

I lifted my hand before he could make anymore remarks. I had grown up with Ivy, at twelve we were pledged and at thirteen married. She went into a private church school and I stayed at home with tutors. I turned in at a large manor on the edge of the city. I swung down and grabbed my rifle, the orb and saddlebags.

A stable boy came out and I tossed a copper, “rub her down.”

He grinned and nodded and I walked to the side door into the house. I used the back stairs and climbed to the third floor. At a corner suite I opened the door and stepped into my rooms. I had a common area, a bedroom and a bathroom. I set the rifle in the gun case by the door and hung the saddlebags on a peg.

I headed to the bedroom to change and stopped when I saw the beautiful girl on my bed. She was naked and smiled, “I missed you Simon.”

I ignored the three chests against the wall and shifted and removed my coat and turned to hang it, “already naked and in my bed?”

She laughed as I removed the shoulder holster and knife sheath and hung them up. Next was the vest and shirt and then I bent to remove my boots. I took off my pants and undershorts and looked at Ivy, “why in bed and naked?”

She sighed and moved to the edge and sat up, “I was tempted and wanted sex. I could have allowed a teacher or any boy to have me but ... you are my husband Simon. I want sex and I want you to do it. You are a man and have been with women.”

I blushed as I walked to the bed, “I am a man but I have not been with a woman.”

Her eyes brightened and she reached out and wrapped her hand, “I came very close once.”

I pushed her back and down and knelt and looked at her pussy. I bent to smell and then lick and teased her clit. I pushed my tongue into her and she hissed and tried to push me away. I caught her hips and sucked on her clit, “it is going to hurt the first time.”

I squeezed and nibbled and licked until she was shuddering and squirming. When she spasmed and jerked I stood and lifted and spread her legs. I shoved my cock into her and there was a moment when my cock was held and then I slid into her. She screamed and struggled and I held her hips and kept her in place.

I bent and laid on her and kissed her and kept it up as she sobbed. I shifted and wiggled as I moved her back and into the middle of the bed. I settled on her and began to grind and she clutched me. I did not pull back for a couple of minutes and by then she had stopped crying. I fucked her slowly with short, grinding strokes.

She wiggled and squirmed and her extremely tight pussy kept clenching. Finally I pulled back and fucked her with long, deep thrusts. She gasped and shook and hugged me tight, “SIMON!”

I smiled as I continued to kiss her and bury my cock, “you better have something to keep from getting with child.”