A monstrous harroth demon loomed over Piper, its armored skin glistening in the harsh red light. The creature’s mouth yawned open, revealing rows of dagger-like teeth. Leaning forward, it bellowed a deafening roar and then swung its four arms ending in talons at Piper.

  Piper groped for an arrow, only to find her quiver empty. To her side lay another injured harroth, its chest slowly reforming where her [Demonic Mark] had exploded. If she could just concentrate her fire on a single demon, she might be able to kill one. But as soon as she knocked one down, another dozen appeared to take its place.

  All she’d managed to do was slow down the mob of creatures in the minutes since Lukas had disappeared with Ophelia. She could only pray to whoever was listening that they’d made it safely out of the pyramid.

  While she’d been fighting the harroths in the vanguard, dozens of other demons had slipped around to cut off her escape. She spotted furry spider creatures, demons wrapped in chains, and others that looked like oversized frogs blocking her retreat.

  As the harroth’s taloned limbs descended, Piper threw herself to the side. One of the sharp tips caught her shoulder blade and sent her tumbling limb over limb. Her bow flew from her hand and disappeared among a group of shadeling’s feet, who were milling around a portal.

  Piper scrambled back to her feet, feeling hot blood pouring down her back. She quickly activated [Demonic Blood], the heat making her clothing smoke. Then she readied her claws and raised her tail as the huge demon stomped after her.

  As Alfred often liked to say, she might as well be a mouse fighting a mammoth. But then again, a mouse didn’t have her tricks.

  She cast [Veil of Lies] in front of her before repeating the casting on all sides. That should at least hide her from sight for a second.

  Then she raised a hand and cast [Umbral Terror] at the closest harroth demon. A series of notifications popped up, but she dismissed them as she watched the result of her spell.

  The harroth demon shook its head, then turned and galloped away from her on its hoofed feet. The demons behind it couldn’t get out of its way fast enough, and dozens of imps were crushed as the harroth stampeded away.

  Now that she had a brief reprieve, she focused on one of the notifications she’d received.

  Congratulations! You have learned the spell Wraithskin, Level 1.

  A demon hidden by wraithskin can move unseen in even the most hostile of places. This spell conceals the caster completely, hiding footprints, and muting any sound she may make.

  Piper’s eyes widened as she read the message. She didn’t know why she’d learned this spell now—perhaps it had something to do with casting [Veil of Lies] all around her. But she remembered how effective a similar spell had been at concealing the shadeling she’d fought in the Infernal Realm.

  Hope blossomed in her chest as she cast [Wraithskin]. This was how she was going to get out of here alive. While the demons were busy trying to recover from the harroth crashing through their ranks, she would slip away.

  Her spell snapped into place, and the world outside of the [Wraithskin] blurred slightly. At her disappearance, the demons went into a frenzy, with many of them charging toward where she’d been standing.

  But Piper was already moving. She hurried toward the exit, a slight smile playing across her face. Once again, she was grateful that she’d chosen the deceiver class.

  She’d almost reached the door leading out of the room when a demon who was the same species as her guide, Astaroth, appeared and blocked her path. Her heart sank as the eyeless demon grinned at her before it snapped its fingers.

  The force of the snap sent her tumbling back like a leaf caught in a hurricane and annihilated her [Wraithskin] illusion. She was left lying crumpled on the floor, in full view of the thousands of demons crowding the room.

  As she pushed herself up onto all fours, she was finally hit with the cold reality of what was going to happen. She was going to die here. The Black Pyramid was going to be her tomb, and her body was going to be mounted on that grisly wall. Even when she’d sent Lukas off with Ophelia, a tiny part of herself had expected she’d find a way out of this situation.

  However, she knew there was no escape now. The demon standing in front of her radiated power so oppressive she could barely breathe. If she tried to cast another illusion spell, the demon would simply dispel it. And there was no way she could outrun the surrounding mob of creatures.

  I don’t want to die.

  Piper stared up at her doom as one of the harroths raised its massive hoof to stomp on her. But even as it did, she groped for the knife on her belt. She would fight until her last breath. She would never give up.

  Raising the knife, she braced it so that it would drive into the bottom of the creature’s foot. Then she closed her eyes and waited for the end.

  An end that never came.

  After a moment, she cracked one eye open to see a knight in shining armor parrying the harroth’s foot with his sword. In his other hand, he clutched her bow, Gorebark.

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  Piper blinked and shook her head, uncomprehending of the scene in front of her. Was the knight another adventurer exploring the Black Pyramid? Had Lukas run into the man and sent him to help?

  With a shove, the knight toppled the harroth like a felled tree and let out a hearty laugh. “Take that, you foul demon!” Then he brandished his shining blade at the advancing demons, making them shy away. The demons formed a wide circle around them, giving her saviour a wide berth.

  “My fair maiden,” the man said, handing back her bow. “I have come to rescue you.”

  “Thank you?” Piper said, with confusion still reigning in her mind. How was anyone powerful enough to make the demons retreat at the mere sight of them? As far as she knew, even the Crimson Guard feared to come into this place.

  The man offered her his mailed gauntlet. Once she took his hand, he helped her to her feet. “That’s an interesting bow you have there. You know, I’m a bit of an archer myself. But the downside of a legendary weapon like the one you possess is that it sends out ripples of infernal magic for leagues when used. It would make you incredibly easy to track—if you were worried about that sort of thing.”

  “It would?” Piper exclaimed before facepalming. No wonder the Crimson Guard had been able to find her over and over again—usually right after she used Gorebark. She was practically sending up a flare for them.

  She paused as she felt her skin prickle.

  “That's odd,” the knight murmured. “There’s no rarity associated with your class when I used [Soul Identify]. It’s almost like an incomplete illusion spell. No matter, I’m sure it’s just an anomaly in the Holy System.”

  Piper swallowed, her blood running cold, as she realized she’d screwed up her [Truth Shroud]. No one had told her that higher tiers of [Identify] could see class rarity. Hopefully, the knight who the demons feared didn’t realize she was one herself.

  The man gestured at the far door. “Shall we leave this place?”

  “What about them?” She gestured at the wall of demons blocking their path.

  “Those evil creatures? They won’t trouble us if they know what’s good for them.”

  The knight pointed his sword at the clone of Astaroth, who had dispelled her illusions. “Out of my way, skinny.”

  The gaunt demon simply nodded before floating away and disappearing into the crowd.

  Piper’s eyes nearly bulged out of her head. Who was this man? What was going on here?

  While holding her hand, the man led her toward the door, and the demons parted around them. As they moved, she grabbed the edge of her quiver and channeled mana into it. When the demons finally came to their senses and charged them, she wanted to have plenty of arrows.

  But they reached the door without incident. The demons stood frozen in place, watching them intently. None of them even moved as the knight opened the door and then gestured for Piper to walk through.

  She gasped in shock as she entered the next room. On the far side, a female demoness with chains swirling around her body had Lukas strung up in the air. Meanwhile, Ophelia was brandishing her glowing angel sword at the creature.

  Piper immediately drew an arrow, but the knight grabbed her wrist and shook his head. The man stalked forward and raised his own blade.

  “Unhand that boy, you chain witch!”

  The demoness’s eyes widened slightly, and the chains wrapped around Lukas snaked back to her body. The young man was freed and unceremoniously dumped onto the floor. Once there, he clutched at his neck as he gasped for air. Then the chain demoness retreated, inclining her head slightly.

  Piper raced over to Ophelia, who hurriedly sheathed her blade. She opened her arms for a hug but instead received a bonk on the head from a stick. Where the stick had come from, she had no idea. It was as if her friend could conjure one through magic.

  “How could you send me away!” Ophelia stormed. “If you thought you got poked a lot in the past…”

  Piper rubbed her forehead and scowled. “I was trying to save your life.”

  Her friend pointed at the chain demoness standing nearby. “Great job with that.”

  “I didn’t know there was going to be a demon in the next room!”

  “Whatever. I’m never forgiving you.” Ophelia crossed her arms before softening slightly. “Unless you buy me some ice cream.”

  “It’s a deal.” Piper wanted to smile, but the incredibly dangerous demoness standing only a few paces away was filling her with too much anxiety. Why wasn’t it attacking? Until a few seconds ago, the infernal creatures had been in a frenzy at their presence.

  Piper pointed at her new companion. “This is…” she frowned. “I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch your name.”

  “I am the great knight, Sir Raz Kalma.” He gave them a deep bow with a flourish. “At your service.”

  “I don’t like him,” Ophelia said. “What’s he even doing here?”

  Piper elbowed her friend. “He’s saving our lives.”

  Ophelia narrowed her eyes and glared daggers at the knight.

  Lukas struggled to his feet. “Are you a member of one of the religious hosts, Sir?”

  “Nothing so mundane.” He puffed out his chest. “I’m an adventurer. A smiter of evil, a battler of demons, a pusher of harroths, and a wooer of fair maidens.” At his last words, he winked at Piper. “Don’t you have a handkerchief to bestow upon me to show your favor?”

  Piper simply shrugged. “I don’t seem to have one at the moment.”

  “No matter.” Raz sheathed his sword. “We’ll just simply say that you owe me one. And I always collect my debts.”

  “I see…” Lukas rubbed his throat, his gaze darting over to the chain demon. “Shouldn’t we flee this place, sir?”

  “Not just yet.” He waved at the demoness. “Begone, foul creature! We have things to discuss.”

  The demoness rolled her eyes and then stalked out of the room, leaving the three of them alone in the long corridor. As they stood there, the walls shifted, turning from stone into what looked like wood. Then they changed again, sprouting black plants with floppy red leaves.

  The knight thrust a hand in her direction. “I believe Piper has something to deal with first before we depart this place.”

  “I do?”

  “Yes, you do. There’s a particularly annoying vampire on your trail. I see tragedy in your future if you don’t deal with him before leaving this structure.”

  The mention of vampires made her blood run cold. Had they actually followed her into the pyramid? But then she realized there was an army of demons standing between her and the vampires. There was no way they could reach this room alive.

  “I doubt they’re going to get past the demons.”

  “Those unpleasant creatures are departing as we speak,” Raz replied. “The portals are a defense mechanism in case certain celestial beings ever attempted to invade this place. Any summoned demons can remain here for but a short time.”

  “They’re leaving? Piper said quickly. “That means the vampires are going to catch up with us. Can’t you help?”

  “I’m afraid my work here is done.” Raz patted Piper on the shoulder. “But there’s only one of those pointy-toothed monstrosities coming this way. I have full faith that you can deal with him.”

  “Please!”

  “I’m afraid you’re on your own for this one.” With that, Raz turned on his heel and marched deeper into the pyramid. As he walked, his shoulder bumped Ophelia, making the young woman stumble and curse. But he didn’t slow his pace, and his armor clanked as he disappeared through the door, leaving them alone in the ever-shifting room.

  “That guy was a jerk.” Ophelia said, rubbing her shoulder. “And totally weird.”

  Piper could only nod her head in agreement. But regardless, he’d saved them from the demons. And for that, she was grateful.