Passing under the great archway, I muttered a small thanks. It was easy to get back into the Imperial section during shift change. Holding a box full of nothing, I prayed my stomach didn’t give me away. Thankfully, as I entered the guard’s view, a woman lost track of her pet.

As politely as possible, the guards began explaining they weren’t going to look for her lost animal. This let my pulled together costume hold up. The musty rags hid most of my face and I kept in line with the rest of the merchants moving goods. Being banned from your own home is hard enough, but desperation drove me to risk being beaten or worse if I was caught trying to get around my banishment.

Once inside the orderly, walled estates of the Imperial Section, I headed towards the nearest bar.  Leaving my empty box, I walked inside. Off duty soldiers, merchants counting profits and servers were plentiful everywhere you looked.  Then, I noticed my target. The drunken, miserable form of a noble.

All others did their level best to ignore the pathetic sobbing, leaving me free to offer the man a comforting shoulder. Like many nobles, his insecurities and doubts were overblown and his whining let him miss me throwing a few drinks on his tab. Internally, I was thankful my first stop had proved so useful. With my new friend’s woes, lamented, the patrons all gave me a pleading look to get him out of the bar.

Taking the hint and the promise of better booze got my new friend leaning on my shoulder. One of the servers even politely opened the door for us. Once outside, I lead the noble to my box and sat him down. I didn’t even need to knock him out, he just passed out on his own.

Taking his outfit, I tied the guy up behind the bar. He’d be found in the morning. Night had fallen by the time I managed to get myself all set. I followed the familiar path to the Retra mansion. Amid all the confusion of carriages bringing nobles in, once more I slipped in. Thankfully my stolen clothes marked me as a noble.

Once inside, I headed towards the kitchen to keep an eye out for a familiar face. It didn’t take long for me to spot the familiar black hair I was looking for. Stepping into the serving woman’s way I whispered, “Can we talk?”

Lumi, a friend and more took only a second to recognize me. Taking me by the arm she dragged me into the garden. Most of the partygoers were still arriving so the tended bushes were largely unpopulated. Pulling her close to me, Lumi pushed herself away with a scoff.

“Please, forgive me. It hasn’t been easy.”

“Oh? Is that so, Lanif Solface? I heard you were off chasing strange women!”

“Who told you that? I’ve been tracking an assassin for the past few weeks!”

“Is she female?”

“Well, yes, I think she is. Haven’t seen ‘em naked to know. Hell, I’ve barely managed to catch glimpses.” Lumi’s arms crossed in annoyance now. I fell to my knees and lowered my head.

Lumi’s foot rested on the back of my skull, “I’m sorry. The Legate barred me from the Imperial Section until I capture her. It’s only 'cause of this party that I could sneak in.” The foot raised and I looked up. Lumi’s foot kicked me back to sit on my ass.

Kneeling down, one hand all but tore open my pants as the other pushed her soft hair aside. With no shame, Lumi pulled my cock free. Bringing her soft, pale lips to it, I felt her tongue probe inside my foreskin. I gasped and arched my back.

With surprising strength, Lumi pinned my legs to the ground, leaving me at her mercy as she began to suck on me. I felt my arousal grow and my stomach start to tighten. More and more blood filled my cock, making me lightheaded, our weeks apart having only increased Lumi’s fervor.

Head bobbing along my generous length, our eyes met. The hungry gaze demanding my seed made me shiver. My hips started to buck up on their own as the ache inside intensified. Reaching inside her clothes, her breast filled my palm as I squeezed her in response. Her moan, muffled by my erection, vibrated through me.

Now fully aroused, I took hold of Lumi’s head and bucked faster and faster. Piercing her with my length. I moan deeply as I erupted into her waiting mouth. Her lips milking me greedily for every drop. My head swooned until I heard distant voices.

Wiping her lips on her arm, Lumi helped me onto my feet. She whispered, “You’ve got time to make up to me, so let’s go somewhere more private.”

Skirting the party, Lumi led me to our usual side room, kissing me deeply as soon as we reached the hall. Between kisses, I managed to explain, “I’m sorry but I need some financial help. I’ll starve before my next payday.”

“Please! No more! The Master is getting suspicious!”

“Please, my dear. Just a little to float me till I can capture my quarry.”

A cough broke us of our reverie. My eyes widened. Had he just overheard us? Was he one of the guards? I fled on instinct. The guard not far behind. A loud roar came as I tried to jump over a table of snacks. My foot caught the edge and I toppled face first onto the floor.

Managing to scramble to my feet, I ran from the manor into the street. Another loud roar and a sharp pain wracked my arm. The one chasing me kept me pinned. However, our struggle ended as bells rung out.

“Devils are in the city. They’re coming this way,” I reconciled with myself aloud. The horror twisted my stomach in knots. Every drow knew the bells meant that the gate was breached. The man atop me quickly climbed off and looked in the direction of the ringing. My own eyes peered through the darkness.

In the distance, two torches swayed and the softer ringing grew louder. The man clicked his tongue explaining, “Etace, the Devil runners are leading them this way. We need to get back inside. I wouldn’t have such a luxury, no one would shelter a soldier who’d been banished to the Slums."

“Lanif, calm down,” I reassured myself. Reaching to my belt, I withdrew a dagger with my good arm. The other throbbed when I flexed or breathed too heavily. A few devils probably slipped in, due to them not closing the gate fast enough. It wasn’t uncommon.

I watched as the Devil runners drew closer. Bells tied to their ankles drew the Devils after them. As they got closer, a thrumming made me turn. Having been distracted by my assaulter and their flight, I didn’t notice something odd about the road. Blockades had been erected, sealing it off!

Behind me, atop a spiked wall of steel were archers. The only other exit was blockaded by a huge cage with more cloaked archers atop it. The first shots brought the Devil runners down. Both toppled over, due to shots that struck their legs. It was only a matter of moments before the Devils pounced.

That was when training kicked in. Every Drow soldier is taught to analyze your enemy. Cripple it, then kill it. I went over the usual procedure aloud, “Six legs. No arms. Fangs. Spiked tail. Move in, pack.”

I watched as the Devils turned their attention to the archers on the cage. It only took a few shots before the Devils shied away from them. I added to the list, “Likely scavengers. Cowardly.”

That last word struck a bit home. I was isolated, alone and injured. Their ideal prey. My eyes started to flick towards the mansion. It was surrounded by walls and professional guards were on hand thanks to the party. However, I’d just made a scene and running back in would probably get me arrested.

Staying out here would get me killed.

As the monsters turned, almost in unison, away from the armed strangers to regard me. My decision was set. I fled towards the manor. The gates to it were quickly be slid shut.

One was slightly faster and leapt at my throat. My training kicked in and I lashed out with a sweep of my leg. Catching it by the neck, I leaned forward and turned my foot so I could stomp down on the beast with all my weight. Leaping off of it, I managed to slide between the gates just before they shut.

Before a beam could be slid into place, the door bulged back. Several guards joined in and pushed the gate back into place. A communal sigh of relief came.

And was immediately thwarted as the door burst open inwards. It flung everyone away. I landed against a carriage, keeping myself upright. This let me see a bloody smear on the ground just beyond the door. I cried out, “Bomb types! Kill them quick!”

Any guard dreaded this type of Devil. They had no sense of self-preservation and would sacrifice themselves if they couldn’t fight anymore. Likely, the one I’d stomped had done just that. More of the devils surged in. Taking a spear from another stunned guard, I joined the fray behind the more armored guards, thrusting where I could.

It didn’t take long for a battle line to form with those with armor holding the front while the rest of us poked in with spear or bow. We focused the monsters down, smashing their brains so they couldn’t explode on us.

Then, came screams. Not from the road but behind us. I felt a body latch onto mine. My eyes widened in shock when I realized it was Lumi. Before I could even ask, I noticed more bodies were streaming out of the manor’s front. All blabbering or screaming.

The presence of such easy prey made the Devils ignore us soldiers. Instead, they went for the Nobles. Our defensive line broke. Keeping my injured hand on Lumi, I kept the Devils at bay as we retreated into the garden. Hidden amongst the bushes I quietly demanded, “What are you doing out here? Get back inside!”

“No! There’s a killer in there! A woman just killed Lady Retra and Lord Retra!”

“And Devils out here! Take your pick!”

Rustling came and I turned the tip of my spear towards it. Again, interposing myself between it and Lumi. Leaping above the manicured shrubbery was one of the Devils. A roar called out and the monster was thrown to the side. A short woman yelled, “Get inside!”

“Keep her safe!” I yelled as I pushed Lumi. Impaling the creature through the skull, I watched to make sure she made it inside. The door slammed shut and I heard something heavy pushed behind it.

Working my way back to the front, I was greeted by a more muted chaos. The initially fleeing nobles had joined the struggle for survival. Making, if nothing else, distractions to let the soldiers deliver the blow. Yet, more of the Devils trickled in.

That’s when I noticed lights in the distance. They bobbed and reflected off blue sashes. Someone else cried out, “The Paladins are coming!” This made a cheer reverberate through the night. The Church’s paladins were dedicated Devil hunters and would make short work of the remaining numbers. Their heavy, blessed armor would repel their strikes. Their weapons would tear through their hides like paper. If we held on, they would take care of the rest.

The fighting died down in the courtyard as the Devils focused on the Paladins. As I leaned on my spear, gasping for air, I watched the Paladins draw up to the gate. We were saved.

That’s when the first Paladin’s light went out. I watched a body be sent skyward and vanish into the distance. A second and third did as well. The cause became clear, as one of the Devils changed before my eyes.

Its back grew more pronounced with muscles swelling rapidly. Painful cracks of bones could be heard as the creature grew. Its four front limbs gaining clawed fingers while its legs split into a base of four thin, veiny limbs. The Devils stood upright and swiped at one of the nearest guards, cleaving his top from his legs.

Letting out a shriek of fury, the Devil leaned down and snapped up the corpse of one of its own. Devouring it in a single gulp. Dread knotted in my stomach as its title passed my lips, “Titan.”