I was sold into apprenticeship at the age of four. My master was a knight commander of the order of the Golden Knights. They protected caravans and towns and fought battles and evil. By the age of ten I was very good with the blade and the bow. By fourteen I was a master of both and by sixteen none in the order could best me.

I was still an apprentice and served my master. I brought him food and made his bed and put up his tent. I cared for his horse and his equipment and tended to all his needs. I had fought soldiers and evil beasts many times, even if I was not a knight. I had badges from the Silver Lions and the White Dragons and the...

It mattered not if I fought with armies, I was not a knight. I had two whole chests filled with sacks of gold coins. I had spent much more to make my scale shirt and pants and to make my weapons. It had all been made from what they called star silver. It was a white metal lighter than steel and many times stronger.

The huge walled city was a port and many caravans came and went. On one side was a cliff where the order had a large compound and a Keep. The commander said we kept a company here because the city brought evil and we had to stay and face it. Each morning I spent three hours practicing with the new apprentices and the few squires.

Those were noble sons or bastards the order accepted for gold or charters in the nobles lands. The squires did not like to practice with me because I did not hold back and taught them as I did the apprentices. Now I had an arrangement with the servants and they would make the commander breakfast and feed him each morning.

I brushed the awkward stroke up and pushed while turning and sliding in. I used the blunt practice dagger and stabbed under the arm of the squire, “I told you to keep your elbows down and not to swing like that.”

He spun and leaped and brought his sword sweeping down in anger. I moved aside and snapped a kick out and into his legs and he went down, “knights do not get angry.”

He went down hard and rolled and spun to glare, “I am...”

I stalked towards him, “a spoiled child with no patience or skill. Now get on your feet and start over.”

He shifted and threw down the practice sword, “I will not be treated like this by a mere apprentice.”

I stepped and struck the side of his head with the flat of the practice sword, “get up boy.”

He was knocked to the side and I kicked his legs, “get on your feet coward.”

He rolled and leaped up and opened his mouth. I stepped close again and slapped him with the flat of the sword once more, “you are not even skilled enough to face a foot soldier. You are a weak, sniveling piece of dung.”

I flipped the sword and struck his ribs and then stepped and slugged him with the hand holding the dagger. He went back and down and lay looking up stunned with his lip quivering. Another squire appeared, “enough Kit.”

I glanced at him, “quiet you.”

He snorted, “the knight lieutenant sent me. He wants you to go with sir Nelson.”

I straightened, “where?”

He shrugged, “some outer temple. They have a creature locked in a chamber.”

I turned back to the new squire, “one hundred strokes on the practice post. I also want you to start using the hand weights and pull the iron bow one hundred times.”

He glared and I smiled, “or I will drag your worthless ass to the dung yard and whip you bloody.”

He swallowed and nodded and I turned and moved to the practice weapon rack, “the rest of you finish and do your chores.”

I put the practice weapons away and strode to my small room. I stripped and used a cloth to wash before putting on the under padding and then my scale. I put on the belt and thigh sheaths and then the rest of my weapons. The two throwing daggers under my arms and the two straight across at the small of my back.

There were the twin short swords behind each shoulder and the single curved long sword. That had cost a thousand gold pieces and several weeks of work. I finished and went to the stables. A dozen soldiers were saddling horses and sir Nelson’s apprentice was doing theirs. I pulled mine out and rubbed his face before I put the saddle on and then the bitless bridle.

I had suffered a lot over using them but I refused to use a bit. We led the horses out and to the bailey and waited until sir Nelson arrived. We swung up as the gates were opened and headed out and down into the city. I rode up beside him, “did they say what type of creature?”

He glanced at me, “a demon.”

I snorted, “how many times have they claimed that?”

He smiled and then chuckled as the men whispered, “many times lad.”

People hurried to get out of the way when they saw us. Finally we turned in at a very old temple that was against the outer wall. I swung down as a temple lad ran out and a priest followed. I handed my reins to one of the men and moved to sir Nelson. We listened as the priest spun his story.

Sir Nelson finally gestured and strode up the steps and pushed open the door. I followed but as soon as I felt the fridged air inside I caught the other apprentice, “stay at the door and watch.”

I looked at the men as sir Nelson pulled his sword, “guard the door and do not let it out.”

I reached up and pulled my long sword and moved forward and to the left as I searched the shadows, “I follow your lead sir.”

We moved forward deeper into the chamber and toward the alter. The demon streaked out of the shadows close to sir Nelson. He slid back and cut but it rose up as huge wings snapped open and beat down. It was white and had long fangs and red eyes. It twisted and rolled and closed its wings as it dropped straight at me.

I felt the dark magic and bluish sparks flickered on my scale armor. I lunged as huge claws reached for me and the demon roared, “MINE!”

My sword went between its feet and arms and struck deep into its chest before it slammed into me. It screamed as smoke and fire erupted around the blade of my sword. I went back and down but went with it as my left hand pulled a long knife from my left thigh. The monster went with me and rolled and I ended on it and twisted as I shoved the knife into its throat.

It thrashed and clawed and jerked and sir Nelson was suddenly yanking me up and away. I left the knife but my sword came out and I caught my balance, “thanks.”

He was watching the demon and then relaxed, “you did good lad.”

The demon’s spasms slowed and finally it lay still. I shook my head, “we burn it?”

He nodded and turned to gesture to the soldiers, “leave the knife.”

I snorted, “only until we start the fire. The blade is star silver.”

He looked at me and then grinned, “smart.”

The soldiers pulled it out and it began to give off a horrid stench. The priest was chanting and more came to pray. The bishop gave a large bag of gold to sir Nelson and we moved to our horses. A teenage girl appeared beside mine, “it came looking for you.”

I hesitated, “what do you know witch?”

She glanced at sir Nelson but I had not spoken loud, “I have visions. Those of dark have been summoned and given your name.”

I looked around, “now why would creatures of evil care about one apprentice?”

She put her hand on my chest, “you will not always be a apprentice. They have tried seduction and greed but you care not for either. They know time grows short before you will stand before the lords of light and accept their grace.”

She looked into my eyes, “prepare and watch for them.”

I caressed her hips, “seduction?”

She smiled and wiggled, “the maids?”

I snorted, “that was more like they were attacking me.”

She moved closer and kissed me, “you can find me when you want.”

She stepped back and turned and walked towards the street. Sir Nelson chuckled as I watched her, “find a lady at last?”

I grinned as I turned and swung into the saddle, “perhaps.”

One of the soldiers rode ahead as we pulled the demon after us. People filled the streets and moved back and whispered and pointed. In the outer court of the Keep we stopped and let grooms take our horses. Knights, squires and apprentices came out to look as the center pit of the outer court was filled with coal and oil.

We pulled the demon to the center and I waited as several small fires were started and then pulled my knife out. I backed away and out of the pit quickly and stood next to my master. The demon shimmered and shifted but flames finally caught. It screamed and writhed around suddenly and everyone covered their ears.

It came to its feet but the fire had engulfed it. It finally went to its knees as it went silent. We waited and watched as it was consumed and then I turned away. I walked away and went down below the Keep. In a quiet room were the baths where water from the sea was pumped up and into a large boiler.

I stripped and cleaned my weapons and armor and then washed the under padding. I climbed into a tub and started scrubbing and looked at my master when he entered. He sat and looked at me, “sir Nelson said the demon spoke. He said it tried to claim you?”

I nodded and went back to washing, “it was rather crude. It did try to use magic.”

He snorted, “with the chain and scale you made that would not have much chance.”

I hesitated, “a street witch was outside the temple. She said other creatures of evil were coming for me. That they had been summoned and given my name.”

He hissed, “and you did not take her?”

I sighed, “sir she did nothing. She tried no magic and spoke no spell. She did but warn me against those that might harm me.”

He smiled, “you liked her.”

I hesitated again and then nodded, “I would bed her if you would agree.”

He chuckled as he stood, “bring her to the alter and...”

I hesitated, “sir? She said those maids that tried to seduce me had been sent.”

He froze, “that is a serious thing.”

I nodded once more, “and if it is true...”

He spun and strode out and I went back to washing. When I was done I went to change in my room and then headed for the kitchen. I ate and drank cold tea and went to check on the apprentices. I checked their chores and today’s list of knights that wanted or needing practice. I heard the screams when I came out into the practice yard.

Three maids were by the chapel writhing around on the ground. Six knights stood around them in full armor. My master held holy water as our three priests chanted. Each time they paused he would send water onto the maids. I looked the other way at the raised voice of the gate guard and a girl’s.

It was the witch from earlier and the two guards were blocking her from entering. They were correct to do it since the knights and priests were pulling evil spirits from the maids. I strode toward the gate as one of the maids shrieked. The witch saw me and stopped arguing and one of the guards looked back.

I stopped behind them, “it is not safe now.”

The witch snorted, “it is never safe in this city. What they are doing will bring those much stronger. I have seen a great Were beast.”

The guards growled and one moved but I gestured, “hold. What have you seen?”

She looked at the guards and then at me, “it is already here and this is angering it. It will come with the death of the sun and...”

She nodded to the guards, “such as these will not stop it.”

They shifted and I moved between them, “the knights will.”

She nodded, “and you.”

I reached for her hand, “my master has given me permission to bed you.”

She smiled as I took her hand, “bed me?”

I pulled her after me, “after I take you to the alter.”

She pulled back and gasped, “I can not!”

The guards laughed as I kept pulling her, “of course you can.”

She pulled and struggled, “the gods will burn me!”

I could see the maids laying quietly now as the priests knelt and prayed over them, “the gods would only burn you if the dark gods or spirits were inside you. Know you not that magic and visions come from nature?”

She kept pulling as I went through the doors and headed to the alter. When I reached it I pulled and placed her hand on the alter, “are you burning?”

She stopped struggling and took a breath and looked at me and finally shook her head. I nodded and turned, “lords of light I bring an honest witch before you. She would protect me and has shown no signs of evil. I ask for your guidance and protection for her.”

She gasped as the alter began to glow and then it spread up her hand and arm. I released her as she was engulfed and had a surprised look on her face. She started nodding and speaking but I could not hear what she said. I glanced back at one of the priests at the door and he stopped to stare.

Finally she stopped glowing and smiled as she looked at me, “they said I can bed you now.”

I laughed as I caught her hand and started for the door, “come wench.”

She was not resisting now and almost strutted after me. I saw and waved to my master as he and the other knights watched the priests. He grinned and then laughed and I pulled her in the side door. We went through the halls to my room and I closed and locked the door behind us. I began to undress as she quickly pulled her dress off.