Sphynx's Gauntlet Part 4

this last part has a lot of screen time with Reishara, a Guardian Sphynx
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Bael walked slowly through the large chamber and took note of his surroundings. There were four pillars holing the roof up, and some benches on the edges, near the large torches. There was a hallway going in each direction from his standpoint. If there was a giant salamander, it could jump at them from any angle.

The group stayed close together, and looked out at all sides for any sign of movement. As Bael looked on ahead, his detection spell let him see what he assumed was a Salamander. It had an organic looking figure, and its whole body was highlighted in a different shade that contrasted with the fire it was attempting to hide behind. Bael nudged Derek and nodded towards the Salamander.

"It's over there"

"Where?"

"The right torch near the entry of the far hallway."

As if to hear what he said, the creature lunged out suddenly with a stream of fire, separating the group as they dodged the flame from its mouth.

"Watch out!!!" Derek yelled, and shot a neural shock at the creature, barely hurting it.

It was a shiny skinned, twenty five foot long beast with barely any room to manoeuvre in the relatively narrow hallway. Ienna took out her rifle from behind a pillar, and shot a tranquilizer slug at the behemoth.

It moved a little to the left and blew another stream of fire at the pillar as the dart stuck it in its left shoulder

Mara was quick to respond; she used an illusion spell to duplicate herself, and three additional fairies flew around trying to disorient the salamander with additional illusion spells.

The massive salamander started writhing around, clawing and breathing fire in random directions, not being able to see clearly. The others took advantage of their confused and disoriented opponent. Seeing an opening on the beast's right flash, Bael took the opportunity and flung an ice spell into the soft fleshy hide.

Yelling in pain, it tried to retreat, but hit a wall and lashed out with more claws and fire.

"Give it some room!" Ienna yelled as she shot another slug into the creature, once again missing its swerving head, hitting it square in the nervous system.

The beast made a deafening painful roar, and charged straight through the middle, trying to hit something. Derek tried to shoot its head with another neural shock and missed, since his main weapon was a foot long knife, fighting large monsters up close was out of the question. Obviously the creature had experience or luck in fighting against projectile weapons. The problem was its mass, which made it hard to take down quickly.

Bael launched a bolt of ice at the floor in front of the salamander, freezing the ground, and the salamander slipped. Mara and Soinee worked around the rear, and Derek was next to Ienna, who took the opportunity flee as it fell and wailed in pain. Bael ran along the other side, opposite Ienna and Derek; he met up with everyone at the creature's tail, and ran down the hall, out of reach. Behind them a collapsed, somewhat paralyzed creature was seen lying on the floor, basking in the heat from the gigantic torches.

A few minutes later, they took a deep breath as they escaped from the Salamander.

"So Bael, is that a heat detection spell, like thermal?"

"Nah, if I cast one of those, the beast would still blend in with the fire. What I cast is a spell that 'highlights' beings with a magical density, therefore allowing me to see the Salamander over the fire."

Everybody kept quiet after Bael spoke. The group continued to walk a bit slower, paying attention to any hint of movements elsewhere. The halls and chambers were still lit with massive torches, and anything could pop out at a certain time.

The next hour was spent walking carefully, and navigating the dungeon.

"So what do you guys think we'll find?" Mara said with a happy face.

"Well I thought we all heard that there was supposed to be a Sphynx somewhere around here."

"No, not the Sphynx, I mean the knowledge, or artefacts of ages past~"

"Well I don't care too much for treasure, you all know that" Bael responded, "It's the creatures that interest me more than anything else...and the magic."

Mara took this opportunity to tease Bael about being 'one of those creatures', causing him to sigh.

"I don't know, but whatever it is, I hope it helps us get more money" replied Derek. For him and his wife weren't exactly rich, and living outside of Negav is a necessary evil for their relationship.

"It'd be nice to help Tuc get some data. I don't think he has any information of Sphynx's, and he doesn't have the time to go exploring a lot." Ienna stated. Ienna lived with a human doctor, who went by the name "Tuc".
When silence fell over the group again, Ienna spoke up, "oh next time we get into a fight, we need to make sure my core is protected"

"Yeah, that's what lets you come back when you die..." Bael tried to remember the odd relationship between Ienna and her core.

"Well, that's one way to look at it"

"Don't worry, we'll protect you" Mara smiled as she gave the Letene a hug.

"I can take care of myself; it's just that I want to make sure my core isn't damaged in the event of a drastic situation." Ienna tried to hug the clinging Fairy back.

They took the stairs at the end of the corridor into a larger room. This one looked promising; it was lit the same way as all the other rooms, but there were thin pillars a dozen feet ahead, which marked the end of floor. The chasm in the middle was crossable only by a thin bridge that was drawn up in the center. As everyone looked out they walked blindly out to the bridge ahead.

As Mara approached the bridge she heard a scuttling sound and moved back suddenly.

"What is it Mara?"

"Insects!!" She yelled, as about a dozen insects climbed over the edge of the chasm walls. Bael quickly opened fire with a magic spell. Insects were resistant to magic spells directly, so he used a spell that loosened the floor underneath with a sudden jerk. This sent a few flying back down, and half a dozen scattered in a different direction.

Ienna split up with Soinee, and Derek was stuck with Bael, as both groups assaulted the insects from both sides. Mara used her illusion spells, and cast a couple duplicates of herself, and let her 'clones' do the fighting in front. Using a little magic, one of the duplicates grew a few feet, and picked one of the insects up, throwing it against another.

Bael stood back and used the brick to pummel another insect with it. About five insects walked over the brick, and the Archmage used a combustion spell to bust it apart, sending a barrage of tiny projectiles in every direction.

Derek used his knife as two of them approached him from climbing up over the chasm. He swung in a horizontal arch, slashing at them. More insects kept climbing up over and into range of the group ceaselessly.

Everyone was too busy to yell for help, but the platform before the bridge was wide enough to allow for manoeuvring space. Only Ienna and Derek had effective anti-insect weapons. Soinee's shadow spells were able to push them back, but not hurt them. Mara's illusions worked only so well, and her ice magic wasn't able to pierce the hard shells of the insects.

Four insects crowded around one of the Mara duplicates, and lunged and injured one of them. The illusion disappeared, as the real Mara tried to duplicate herself again.

Bael cast a physical deflection shield as about three insects lunged at him. As they fell to the ground a small column of fire hit them underneath, and they fell over sizzling.

Ienna used her rifle to shoot at the creatures from behind the lines. It was imperative that she not get damaged, being more fragile than the others.

"We need to get past these guys!" Mara yelled, freezing one of the insects in place.

"They're coming up the centre, we need to separate them!" Bael took the gap in the attack on himself and Derek as an opportunity to look down the chasm. There were holes in various locations further down the chasm. The insects were crawling out, and walking straight up the walls. As more came up toward him, he tried to use his position to his advantage, but every spell he cast was easily neglected by the insects.

He realized a weakness though, spells themselves were resisted and deflected by the insects, but the force of the spell couldn't be defended against. Bael charged a fire ball as he backed up, and Derek slashed again at the insects. Soinee and Mara blocked the insects in front of Ienna, and Derek swung at the insects in front of Bael, creating a defensive line. Suddenly, Bael launched a large fireball against the middle group of insects, clearing a way to the bridge.

"Now's our chance!" He shouted.

Suddenly they all ran to the bridge and across it. As the insects realized where they were, they chased them down, but bottling themselves up. Ienna shot a slug into an insect, and hit another one behind, killing two at once.

"There may be a lot of them, but they're not too smart!" Mara yelled happily. Her other illusion was distracting a few other insects where the group was not a minute prior. Soinee watched the front, using shadow magic on anything that might hit them from the front, as they others ran across the bridge looking back. Ienna ran down the middle behind Soinee.

Mara floated up in the ceiling as the others ran.

On the other side of the bridge, there were inscriptions on the walls, and magic lights floating up in the air. The room was pretty massive; the ceiling was easily one hundred feet high.

"This reminds me of a department store." Derek said calmly.

"Huh?" Mara replied, having never seen a department store, she figured that was something from his home world.

"Hello there." A calm, comforting voice was heard as a large creature walked in front of them from around a large corner. It had long beautiful dark brown hair, and the lower body of a lion. Its wings were folded up as it walked elegantly out in front of them. For such a large creature, it moved incredibly silently.

Mara took this opportunity to sigh, she hung her head down, and for a brief moment as the sphynx walked out, her long blood red hair blew to the side. The other four members stood there looking up.

"Hi what's your name?" Mara replied almost instantly with a happy tone to her voice.

"You may call me Reishara." It stated politely, looking down at the group.

"You seek the prize I guard, do you not?"

"What is it you guard?" Bael asked, trying to be polite back. He felt it was unwise to be rude to a Sphynx. It must have felt what he thought, for it replied along the same lines he was thinking.

"Do not worry. I am required to ask a riddle to those of you who wish to pass. Otherwise, I shall not hurt you."

"What if we choose not to participate?" Ienna questioned, relaxing the grip on her rifle.

"Then I must ask you to leave the way you came." She looked down with a determined, yet passionate gaze.

"I will ask each of you a riddle, if you desire to pass. Those of you, who fail will receive the punishment." She sat down with her paws outstretched, her wings folding down now.

"What's the punishment?" Bael asked. He looked over at Mara, who had an expression on her face like she knew what would happen. The other three merely stood there, giving little to no expression back.

The Sphynx merely stroked her stomach, not speaking. She pointed to her belly before relaxing her human arms.

Bael and Derek sighed. Her silent answer didn't need to be said. A Creature of her size could easily eat Bael, Derek, and Ienna. The fairies would be able to resist far easier, and Mara and Soinee were likely to guard their loved ones with their life.

"If one of us gets it wrong, can we wait until everyone's turn is up before receiving the punishment?" Derek asked

"No, you will take your turns one at a time. You get it wrong, and you pay the price."

"That seems pretty harsh." Bael responded.

"The geas has spoken."

"The geas?" Derek asked.

Reishara merely nodded, it appeared she won't give any answers as to what the geas is.

"Alright, let's hear your riddle then" Mara exclaimed, continuing to show her happy side. Bael knew somewhere deep inside she was nervous about the situation though. She may appear happy, but fairies are exceptional actors, Mara and Soinee not the least of which.

"I know a word which letters three. Add two, and fewer it will be." She spoke clearly and concisely so she did not need to repeat it, but merely listen.
"I know a word...which letters three..." Ienna spoke

"Add two, and fewer it will be..." Mara continued.

There are lots of words out there with three letters, and the word "fewer" made it sound like the answer to the riddle was a number. The more everyone thought the more they felt stumped. Mara floated over to Ienna, and the two of them were chattering rapidly about each possibility, and breaking down the riddle. Being the most logical thinker, the others were confident Ienna would figure it out. Soinee, Derek, and Bael sat a few feet away.

"We only have one chance..." Soinee spoke.

"...yeah" Bael and Derek spoke simultaneously.

"So is it a number?"

"Yeah, it goes 'a letter which numbers three, add two...'"

"That doesn't necessarily make it a number though." Soinee spoke.

"That's true. It could be any word, but it becomes less when you add additional letters on."

"Wait, so adding letters, lessens the value of the word?"

They sat and thought for a while, there were many directions to take, and the Sphynx merely looked down and yawned as it listened. Bael didn't feel like looking over at Reishara's yawn, and just ignored it. A large mouth makes him nervous, even as an Archmage.

The whole place was silent. The insects that followed them were on the bridge behind them, and couldn't seem to advance any further, as if a force field was drawn up.

"I'm going to take a break and go ask the Sphynx a few things..." Bael spoke suddenly.

"What for?"

"Oh just curious about some things."

The others watched as he went up to her massive form, and stood about 40 feet off from her body.

"So your name is...Rei...shara?" Bael asked, and sat on the ground, slouching back.

"Yes, have you figured it out?"

"Nah, I need a break...is that your force field that you set up?"

"Yes, I do know magic."

As Bael spoke casually with the Sphynx the others turned back to figuring it out. A few minutes later Mara leaned over and looked at Soinee.

"Hey!" she whispered, "I think I figured it out!"

"What is it then?" Soinee was glad to hear this.

"The word 'few'! Think about it, if you add 'e-r' then it becomes the word 'fewer' and it's the only word where if you add letters, the value decreases!"

"That makes sense, surprisingly." Derek said, Soinee got up as Ienna did, and looked down to see the space between Mara and the Letene to have a bunch of magical engravings on the floor with letters and words crossed out in a large mess. It appears they really did butcher the riddle. Bael looked around and stood up, walking back over to the group.

"We have the riddle solved." Ienna stated matter-of-factly.

"Oh?" Reishara responded, "State your answer."

"Add two letters to 'few' and 'fewer' it becomes."

The Sphynx paused and looked at Ienna, thinking if there's an angle she can play, but they did get the answer right.

"Correct." The Reishara stood up and moved to the side.

"Let's go then!" Mara exclaimed quite happily. She flew eagerly up to the Sphynx as the others followed suit.

"Thanks, Rei." She gave a warm smile, which was returned pleasantly.

"Not many people get that one right."

They walked across the bridge to the room behind. On the other side of the room the insects were completely gone, hiding away in the dark chasm.

The next room was perfectly lit, and there were bookcases and interesting furniture. A few treasure chests lined the back wall, and there was a weapons rack. It looked like most of the treasure was either claimed, or there wasn't much there in the first place.

Ienna reached out to take the last sword from the weapons rack. It was an enchanted sword. Derek looked down and reached what looked like a gemmed amulet, and a sealed book. Derek picked up the book and tossed it to Soinee.

"Thanks, how do you open it?"

"I dunno, ask the mage."

"Hey Bael!" Soinee spoke

Bael looked down and saw a gauntlet with a large ascarlin gem magically attached to it. He picked it up and put it on, walking over to Soinee.

"What is it?"

Ienna walked over as well, carrying her sword.

"I don't know how to open this."

Bael examined the book, and found only runes across the top. Well there's two ways. You can force it open with a special rune, but it looks like there's a word you speak. Bael reads the word to Soinee, which opens the book and hands it to her. Derek meanwhile, puts on the amulet, and points in a seemingly random direction.

"The amulet tells me there's a ley line in that direction."

"Well that's handy." Bael stated, his question about what the amulet does was answered.

Mara examined her bit of treasure and floated over to the group, she was holding a pretty necklace up, scratchless and white.

"I found a necklace!" She put it on, and her wings shrank into her shoulder blades, and she looked like a human.

Bael stared with the others, and turned to them, "Hey guys, the exit looks like its right there, why don't you go outside, I need to talk to Mara for a minute."

Ienna looked at the situation, and thought they might need a little alone time. She stepped into the hallway, which had a bright light shining around the groves of the door that guarded the exit. As the others walked toward it, they saw the sun, and a beautiful morning atmosphere, with a sound or water nearby.

Bael turned to Mara saying, "Take that off again, and then put it on." As he said this, Mara took her necklace off and put it on again. She transformed from a human to a fairy and back into a human again.

"Hey, maybe I can visit you in Negav!"

"I don't think so." Bael stated, sounding a bit worried. "This is bad."

"Why?" Mara's wings drooped slightly, reflecting her feelings.

"I know you don't have a lot of reason to be afraid, but if anyone finds out about that, and our connection to it, I could get in a lot of trouble. Not to mention, even if the eye doesn't negate the effects, it would be hard for you to resist eating the other people in the city. It's a very powerful item."

"I'll be careful then! I'd at least like to see you..."

"Let's talk about it later, I don't want to keep the others waiting."
As they left the dungeon through the back, they saw Janev there talking with Ienna, Derek, and Soinee.

"I'll give you guys a ride if you'd like." Her tail appeared to be much better now. As she saw Mara and Bael, she gave a friendly wave, and everyone jumped on.

"You know, I should tell you. There's this charming naga near the base of the waterfall..." She trailed off as she slithered home with a satisfied expression. Mara sat thoughtfully, wondering how best to use her necklace.