With the help of the gods

"Stay close behind us." You tell Iola, "As soon as we take care of the demons, it will be your job to cut your sister free." The determination in her eyes is somehow reassuring, there is surprising strength in this young woman. If the odd lovers you met in the dark are as ready and able as this young noblewoman, you might just pull this off.

Less than a minute later you are crouching in the darkened underground amphitheater just a dozen paces from where the demons chanting is growing in both pitch and intensity. The tall lizard-faced leader is standing between the maiden's spread legs holding a knife of black obsidian that looks older than the mountains. The foot-long blade with it's jagged edge and leather wrapped handle looks even more wicked because of the contrast between it and the soft whiteness of Airlia's small breasts that it is hovering above.

"Light my spear." The command seems to fill the chamber, but the four demons engaged in the ritual do not seem to notice until you stand up and hurl the short flaming spear directly into the back of the demon with the knife. It is a good throw considering how little experience you've had with this kind of oversized weapon; the point of the flaming projectile hits just to the side of the raised spinal column that you were aiming for and sinks at least a hand's breath into the demon's back. Had this been a man, this would have been a killing wound, but the demon seems to be make of sterner material. The grace and agility of the demon as he turns to face you makes you realize just what a bad idea this is. In the gladiatorial pits you once witnessed a captured lion pitted against a trio of slaves armed only with wooden swords. You cannot help but think that the way these demons react to the interruption of their ceremony is too much like the way the enraged beast tore through it's hapless victims. - this was a really bad idea.

Not even the flames licking up from the demon's back seem to concern the beast as his eyes lock onto yours assessing the source of the unexpected interruption. You have no idea what the hissed words that come out of his mouth mean, but you are pretty sure he is not wishing you a good day. The black blade that had so recently been tracing the curve of Airlia's tits is now pointing directly at you. The demon does take a moment to reach behind him and jerk free the short spear lodged in his back and that gives you and Lykiaos the time you need to prepare for the upcoming ****.

Just before the four demons reach you, two bolts of blue-white light shoots down from the high seats overlooking the sacrificial table and two of the demons drop, significantly improving your odds. Still, two of these sinuous lizardmen towering above you are more than you want to face.

"Draw them this way!" You hiss as you circle toward where your mysterious allies were hiding and Lykiaos moves with you shielding your left flank. Some part of you is clearly hoping for two more of those divine bolts of energy to end this now. The demon facing you is still aflame, and the light from the towering burning figure fills the chamber. Is it better to be killed by a burning demon? The thought goes unanswered as your opponent lashes at you with the stone blade, if this demon had a normal length sword you wouldn't have been able to avoid it. As is, the jagged blade rips through the loose silk of your black shirt and the demon grins when he sees the flash of white from the gap in your shirt. Again he says something that you cannot understand, but you feel quite sure that is something about what he intends to do once he has you at his mercy.

On your left, you hear Lykiaos grunt when his demon slashes at him with some kind of flexible metal blade. He swings back with his sword, but comes nowhere near the agile demon. Behind the flaming demon you are facing two figures in leather armor are moving down from the steps, and as happy as you are to see them, you wonder if they will be in time to keep you alive.