Nydewin

Chapter 10

Chapter 10 

I woke to the sound of arguing voices, that felt like razors cutting through my temples. My brain felt like it was going to explode, and when I tried to move an agonising pain would shoot throw my muscles. I willed myself back to sleep to escape the unbearable pain.

I woke next to the sound of a lion’s roar.

“Who dear trespasses here?” the voice was filled with rage and immitted so much power it made my head spin.

“I’m sorry,” there was a short pause “I mean we are sorry.” Taril’s voice was filled with fear “we only wish to pass through, our friend needs help.”

A laugh echoed around us and throw my mind. “Your friend doesn’t need help. She has healed herself.” I heard sniffing and felt the warm breath on my face.

“We are sorry for waking you.” Cormac said, “if you allow us to leave, we will be on our way.”

A mixture of emotions washed over us, excitement, anger, amusement

“np, I think I might just eat you.” Said the strong female voice

I need to get up! I tried telling my arms, my legs, to move, I tried opening my eyes. but I felt paralysed.

“good, your friend is awake, maybe she will be of some help to you.”

In what felt like seconds, I had been shifted from lying paralysed to standing among my friends, staring up at the most beautiful creature.

“It is rude to stair.” The beast spoke, sounding offended.

“I’m sorry,” I said with a bow of my head “But I have never set eyes on such a majestic” I paused unable to figure out what to call her “creature.” I continued with my praises “the tails that I’ve heard of the magnificence of sphinx do you little justice.” 

“You are sweet child, but your flattery will not save you or your friends lives.” The sphinx growled in amusement.

I looked into the sphinx’s black, soulless eyes, as she looked back into mine. She wasn’t much bigger than an ordinary sized lion.  She was very beautiful, her long golden hair cascaded in waves down over her chest, covering your breasts. Her lion like body was slender, her fur matching her golden locks, shimmered in the moon light.

I froze as she walked forwards towards me, sniffing at me.

“I know your sent.” She said in a hushed voice

“She is a decedent of the prince Thiajar.” Cormac responded.

She turned her head to look at Cormac. “and you are?” she asked

“Cormac, Beta to the Black Crow Alpha”,

“What are you to this sweet girl.” She asked, her tongue flickering out, tasting my skin

Cormac growled, baring his teeth at the sphinx

“A lover perhaps?” She laughed a little “An escort? Or maybe her protector?” the sphinx was eyeing Cormac, one eyebrow raised.

“I am her Champion, swan to protect her with my life.” Cormac replied flatly

The sphinx made a clicking noise with her tongue, before leaning in to whisper in his ear. Whatever the sphinx said to Cormac, left him looking paler than ever.

“Sphinx” I called to the beast “If the stories are true, then I do believe that.” I faulted losing my train of thought as the sphinx started to circle me.

“You wish to make a deal then?” The sphinx purred

“Well in the stories that I have heard, a sphinx would grant safe passage to those who would answer a riddle of the Sphinx choosing.” I replied

“Beauty and smarts.” She winked at Cormac “if she can learn to love you shifter, then I suggest not letting her go.”

The Sphinx was pacing back and forth now, when she finally spoke her voice cut throw the air. “Fine.” She sent me a smile that made my hairs stand on end.

“Stay strong.” His voice was smooth like silk.

I chanced a smile in his direction and was pleased to see that he was also smiling.

“What are the terms child.” The sphinx asked

“We answer one riddle, and you let us go.” I responded

“And if you answer wrong?” Her smile was toothy, and sent a shiver up my spine

“You get to do with us you please.”

“Done.” The sphinx clicked her fingers and I watched as all my companions dropped one by one.

“What is this?” I asked as I knelt next to Cormac’s limp form.

“They are fine, just sleeping.” She answered smugly “I didn’t want them distracting you.”

I looked up into the sphinx’s cold dark eyes, her smile only angering me more,

Taking a deep breath, I stood to face the sphinx.

“I thought you would have known not to trust a sphinx dear.”

Taking another deep breath, to calm myself. I knew I had to stay calm, for my friends, so we could get out of here.

“Since you have denied me help from my companions, I ask that you give my three chances to answer your riddle.” My voice was blunt.

“Very well, three guesses. After that, you and your companions’ souls are mine.”

“Ask your riddle then.” I demanded

The sphinx started pacing again

“I can move very slowly, I can come very suddenly, but I am never late or early. You can try to beat me, but you try and vain. When I win, I will end your pain.”

The sphinx made herself comfortable even as I made myself comfortable.

I knew I had to think about the riddle carefully, getting this wrong meant not only my own death but the death of my friends. The silence between us seemed to stretch into an awkward one. She watched me hungerly.

“Why do you sit there watching me?” I asked

“You have me intrigued, how does someone not from this world, know so much about my kind?” She responded

“How do you know that I am not from here?’ I asked

The sphinx smiled “Your cloths.”

I looked down, and fair enough I was still wearing the same cloths that I had been wearing the night I was teleported here. “There are books in my world filled with myths, of creatures, beasts and the hero’s that slain them.” I answered

She frowned “So we are just fairy tales in your realm?”

“Yes.”

She growled at this. “Maybe I shall go to this realm of yours and show them their nightmares are real.”

I shook my head “My realm is more advanced than this one. They have guns that would kill you were you stood.”

The sphinx raised an eye at me “You are a strange creature.” She said

“How so?” I asked picking up a stick to draw in the dirt

“Instead of encouraging me to visit this relm, to my death. You would warn me from it, even as you wait for your own death.”

I shrugged “I would not condemn a creature to death, for revenge.”

There was quite for a time before the sphinx spook again “You have until sunrise to answer the riddle, if you have not yet guessed the riddle, by then you and your friends’ lives belong to me.”

“That is cheating!” I argued

“And you bore me.”

There was no use arguing with the sphinx, they were deadly creatures. That would sooner kill us all if it had the chance.

It wasn’t until the sky was starting to lighten, and the birds had started to sing, that I knew I had failed, that sphinx would kill us.

I listened and watched as my companions awoke from their forced slumber. I turned to look at the smiling sphinx.

“You still have three guesses, I just wanted your friends to be awake, so they would know that their early deaths came at your hand.” The sphinx said in amusement.

“You haven’t guessed yet?” Taril asked sounding confused

“No, I haven’t.” I turned to look at everyone. “While you were all a sleep, she gave me a timeline.”

“How long?” Cormac asked glaring at the sphinx

“Sun rise.” I answered

“That’s only moments away!” Sachi exclaimed

“Hush!” Cormac growled at Sachi before turning to look at me “This is not your fault; we wouldn’t still be alive now if you hadn’t distracted her.”

“Times up.” Her voice was loud and more dreadful than ever.

“WAIT!” I said holding my hands ups she paused so I continued “I have enough time for one guess.”

“Go on then, just one. Then your lives are mine.”

“Death.” The word didn’t come out any louder than a whisper

The Sphinx looked at me wide eyed and angry “Repeat that!” she hissed

“The answer to the riddle is Death.” My voice was louder, but it still cracked

The Sphinx roared in anger. Glaring at me she spoke through gritted teeth “Leave all of you, before I change my mind.”

I turned to find everyone was still gazing at the sphinx “Come on!” I said grabbing Cormac and Sachi’s hand “We have to go now!”

“Before you go.” The Sphinx’s voice was sweet, too sweet

I turned to the sphinx

“I believe this belongs to you,” She handed me a small parcel “You will need this, don’t lose it again.”

I turned to leave again, then changed my mind “There might be a small group of centures heading this way, following our tracks.”

The Sphinx nodded “A nice feed.” Was all she said

We ran and ran. None of us wanting to stop and look back. It was Benita that called for a stop.

“I think we are far enough away now.” She said panting heavily

Everyone was looking at me now

“What?” I asked feeling uncomfortable

“Your.” Cormac stuttered a bit “Your awake.”

“Yes.” I was looking at a group of very worried very pail looking people.

“What’s going on?” I asked

Cormac shook his head “It doesn’t matter, I’m just glad you woke up when you did.”

Cormac than shoot everyone a look, that slapped them out of whatever trance they were in.

“Yes.” They all said in unison

“How did you do it?” Taril asked

“I don’t know exactly; I just remember reading up on Sphinx for a school project.”

“They have information of Sphinx in your world?” Benita asked, smiling broadly

I stammered a bit “There are stories,” I paused to think of another more appropriate word “Fairy tales.” I shoot a look at Taril “of all sorts of magical creatures. From fairies, to centaurs, sphinx,” I pointed in the direction that we had just run from “Dragons, harpies, mermaids. That’s just to name a few.”

“But your world believes that they are just stories, made up?” Taril asked

I nodded “There are a few fanatics in the world that believe they are true, and we have witches in my world.” I smiled at myself

They all looked stunned at this. “They didn’t have magical powers like witches in this realm have.” I frowned at myself “they are healers they make herbal medication and blessings for the sick and elderly.” I finished

No one spoke for what seemed like forever. We just walked in silence. I could feel myself becoming uncomfortable, my skin was itchy, my head buzzed, and I was finding it hard to keep my eyes focused. I looked up into the sky and to my relief I could see dark rain clouds just on the horizon. As if the storm recognised my excitement, a loud crash of thunder echoed through the air.

I smiled up at the clouds and sighed in relief. I always felt calmer and more focused after a storm. I turned to find that Cormac and Taril were both watching me smiling.

“You like storms?” Cormac asked

I could feel my smile widen “Yes.” I looked back up at the sky “They make me feel free and calm.”

“Not me.” Benita said, I could hear the fear in her voice

“But you are an elemental?” It was more of a question then an observation

“I am a fire elemental, before any other.” She said, as this answered everything

I looked at Cormac for answers, but he just shook his head. I took this as my queue to keep quiet.

“What do you wish us to do?” Taril asked “We will not make it to the town before the storm hits.

It was like someone poured cold water over me. I felt myself fall to the ground as my knees went weak, and my vision faded.

I was walking along a dirt road. The same road we travelled on even now. The vision fast forward until I came to the end of the road that spilt in two. One road headed east the other headed west. Instead of following one of these roads I continued straight into the forest, where I found an over grown track just big enough for me to crawl under. I didn’t have to crawl for very long, before I came across a large clearing. Where two enormous weeping willows intertwined to make a canopy so thick that sunlight did not penetrate.

I woke than to someone carrying me.

“Put me down.” I protested

I was somewhat disappointed to find that it was Taril and not Cormac that was carrying me over their shoulder.

“Good your awake, what did you see?” Benita asked

“How did you know?” I asked looking at her

“Your eyes clouded over, much like mine when I have a vision.” She answered

“I know where we can go for shelter, if we hurry, we might make it there before the storm hits us.”

The rain started to fall only minutes later. we continued to run, only slowing to cross through flooded parts of the road. When everyone stopped at the intersection, I made for the overgrown trail. I turned to find everyone was still on the road looking at me in disbelief.

“Come on!” I yelled over the rain, before I started to crawl through the small tunnel.

And just like the vision, I was greeted by two enormous weeping willows. Once under their protective branches, I felt the cool and dry air. One by one my companions, made their way out of the forest and under the weeping willows.