HOME | DD

Description
Be by the boy before the beast begins to brag about it beating the bear, because bragging beasts are barely bearable.

053 A Sphinx?
requested by anonymous if I remember correctly.

A story about misunderstangings in two acts.
Also, Roy Harper - Roy the Harp(-y-kill-)er? Gettit?

___

There is a creature known as Sphinx from the West, living right in front of the entrance to the Sacred Temple, right in the middle of the city.

When he first appeared, a panic to broke out, everyone having heard of the terrible fate that would meet anyone who failed to provide the answer for the Sphinx's riddles.
Oh how terrible their lifes would end, at the bottom of the creature's stomach!

They heard what happened to those, who tried to slain the creature.
The Sphinx being faster than even the fastest of horses, stronger than the strongest of men, with it's teeth and claws sharper than the sharpest of swords!
The only way to rid of the creature, was to solve the riddle, which were always almost impossible to guess.

The news of the creature quickly spread across the nation, promising great fortune and fame to anyone brave enough to face it.
The messages, posters, letters and messengers themselves, making sure that not one person would be left uninformed.

That's exactly how our mighty hero - Roy the Harpy Killer - found out about the mostrosity that is The Sphinx from the West.
He was brave enough, and definetly clever enough to try and beat the beast at it's own game!

Unfortunately, the letters were transported mostly with the use of birds, which took a few days to reach another city.
For Roy, the Harpy Killer, the trek would take at least thrice as much time, even when riding the fastest horses the stable could offer.
He just hoped that the poor, terrorized city would hold on until then.

When he finally arrived at least, fourteen nights have passed, and both him and his horse were barely standing, out of exhaustion, the trip here having taken the last of their energy.
He didn't waste any time though, quickly giving his house away to the stable and requesting for it to be taken good care of, before swiftly moving toward the closest tavern.

He surprised the owner, by busting right through the entrance, still dirty from his trek.
"Is the Sphinx still living at the entrance of the Temple?" He asked loudly, forcing himself not to show how out of breath he was.
The owner nodded.
"Indeed he is." Before the man could get another word in, the hero turned around and made his way toward the exit.
"Say no more! The creature shall be slain!" He shouted his promise, not paying attention to anyone he was passing nor their surprised looks.

The closer he got to the temple, the more determined he became.
The poor people living in the city! Living under the creature's paw for so long, they just continued their lifes, pretending that everything was okay!
He passed by the tiny shops, selling various foods and knick knacks, pottery, clothing, carpets; The customers happily buying the products, giving their money to the smiling sellers.
How could they smile, while their own city was being terrorised?!

The nail to the coffin came, when he finally reached his destination! And oh, the horror!
A group of onlookers stood by, watching as the giant creature pounced around on the ground in front of the temple, running after children!
Roy, the Harpy Killer watched in horror as the little boys and girls ran away in terror, their screams and squeals echoing through the square.
Then, a little boy tripped over his own feet, laying right in the path of the monster!
He broke out into a mad run - there were too many people in the way to try and shoot it with his mighty bow- praying to gods to be at the boy's side before the beast.

He just barely made it, and jumped to the side, the boy safely in his arms and he heard the creature give a confused noise as it spotted him for the first time.
He had a moment to catch his breath and take a good look at the Sphinx.
It was roughly a size of a small lion, it's body built for running and killing. It's light fur was glistering in the sunlight, showing dark spots in some places.
The human part of the Sphinx - it's face - appeared to be of a young man, with spots dusting over the cheeks, and a hair, red like the fire.
The wings, when they shifted, they looked like hell itself, with their red colors of fire and death, mixed with the orange like one of withering plants and yellow of rotten teeth.
It's sharp, green eyes, narrowed when they spotted the intruder holding it's prey.
Only then, the hero heard the noises of distress coming both from the boy he was holding, and the people standing around him. He came just in time.
"Give me the child." The creature warned, it's long tail whipping around in clear anger, as it positioned it's body, ready do strike.
Roy, the Harpy Killer carefully manuvered the kid behind him, away form the danger's way.
"I will not let you harm him!" He yelled angrily, as he took out his sword and took a fighting stance.

The mighty beast blinked. And tilted it's head in confusion. Then, it looked around, meeting the eyes the civilians, just as perturbed as it was.
"Harm him?" The Sphinx looked at the hero with a frown. "Why would I do that?"

Roy, the Harpy Killer just stood there for a moment in confusion. What sort of sick game was this?!
"You are the Sphinx from the West, are you not?!" He yelled out, fixing the grab on the kid he was holding. He started to squirm, trying to get away.
"Indeed I am." The beast replied, unmoving.
"Do you not live at the foot of the holy Temple, in this very city?" It nodded.
"You are correct, I do live here."
"Do you give people riddles to solve?!" It nodded again.
"Yes I do."
The hero then pointed his sword at the creature accusatively.
"And what happens, when they fail to solve it?!"
Silence fell over the square.
"...I give them the answer." The creature said simply.

Roy, the Harpy Killer blinked.
"What?"

"I give them the answers. It's more enjoyable when you get to explain your riddle to others, so they can pass it along."
The people around him started nodding their heads in agreement.
"You...don't kill people?" At the shake of head he recieved, he slowly lowered his sword and let the kid he was holding go.
The boy quickly got to his feet and ran to hide behind the creature's legs.
Hiding from Roy.

"Wh-why were you chasing after the children?" The Sphinx rolled it's...no.../his/ eyes.
"We were playing." He explained and the boy quickly nodded his head in agreement.

"B-but the letter! It said there was help needed with the Sphinx terrorising the city!" He yelled out, trying to defend himself.
"Oh yeah." One of the people standing by said. "We had sent the letter before we even talked to the Sphinx. We might have overreacted." They seemed sheepish enough. "We sent the cancelling letter about eight nights ago."
Eight nights. When he was about half of the way to here, and had no real stops on his way, so the letter never reached him.
He sheathed his sword, defeated.
"All my traveling has been for nothing." He sighed, fatiqued.

The Sphinx's wings shifted a little, as he smiled at the hero, his sharp teeth glistering in the sunlight.
"Would you at least like to hear a riddle for your troubles?"

___

"Arggg!" Yelled the hero, his cries echoing through the now abandoned square, at the feet of the Sacred Temple.
"Are you giving up?" The Sphinx asked smugly, sitting in his favourite spot, on the little monument right next to the steps.
"No! Don't tell me!" Roy, the Harpy Killer, replied angirlly, covering his tired eyes, sheilding them from the light of setting sun.
"We can continue tommorow, you should rest for no-"
"You very well know that I won't be able to get even a wink of sleep because of your stupid riddle!" He cut him off, before the creature could put another word in. Sphinx just smiled.
"Suit yourself." They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the beast's tail swaying softly, back and forth, right in front of the hero's face.
"Do you want a hint-"
"I do not want any hints!"
"Alright."
The /tail/ continued to waggle. The hero's eyes widened in realisation
...Roy, the Harpy Killer brought his palm to his forehead.
"I hate you."
The creature's ears perked at that.
"Did you figure it out?"
The man sighed. "Yes."
Sphinx grinned.
"Great job!"
They sat in silence for a moment. Roy frowned.
"You don't want to hear what it is?"
"I don't need to, I know the answer to the riddle I created." The beast informed stretching.
...
"I'm going to sleep."
"Alright."
The hero tiredly got to his feet, swaying slightly from fatique, then turned and pointed an accusating finger toward the creature.
"But tommorow, it will be ME, who's giving YOU a riddle." He warned, but the Sphix just looked at him with an excited glint in his eye.
"I will be waiting."

Description
Be by the boy before the beast begins to brag about it beating the bear, because bragging beasts are barely bearable.

053 A Sphinx?
requested by anonymous if I remember correctly.

A story about misunderstangings in two acts.
Also, Roy Harper - Roy the Harp(-y-kill-)er? Gettit?

___

There is a creature known as Sphinx from the West, living right in front of the entrance to the Sacred Temple, right in the middle of the city.

When he first appeared, a panic to broke out, everyone having heard of the terrible fate that would meet anyone who failed to provide the answer for the Sphinx's riddles.
Oh how terrible their lifes would end, at the bottom of the creature's stomach!

They heard what happened to those, who tried to slain the creature.
The Sphinx being faster than even the fastest of horses, stronger than the strongest of men, with it's teeth and claws sharper than the sharpest of swords!
The only way to rid of the creature, was to solve the riddle, which were always almost impossible to guess.

The news of the creature quickly spread across the nation, promising great fortune and fame to anyone brave enough to face it.
The messages, posters, letters and messengers themselves, making sure that not one person would be left uninformed.

That's exactly how our mighty hero - Roy the Harpy Killer - found out about the mostrosity that is The Sphinx from the West.
He was brave enough, and definetly clever enough to try and beat the beast at it's own game!

Unfortunately, the letters were transported mostly with the use of birds, which took a few days to reach another city.
For Roy, the Harpy Killer, the trek would take at least thrice as much time, even when riding the fastest horses the stable could offer.
He just hoped that the poor, terrorized city would hold on until then.

When he finally arrived at least, fourteen nights have passed, and both him and his horse were barely standing, out of exhaustion, the trip here having taken the last of their energy.
He didn't waste any time though, quickly giving his house away to the stable and requesting for it to be taken good care of, before swiftly moving toward the closest tavern.

He surprised the owner, by busting right through the entrance, still dirty from his trek.
"Is the Sphinx still living at the entrance of the Temple?" He asked loudly, forcing himself not to show how out of breath he was.
The owner nodded.
"Indeed he is." Before the man could get another word in, the hero turned around and made his way toward the exit.
"Say no more! The creature shall be slain!" He shouted his promise, not paying attention to anyone he was passing nor their surprised looks.

The closer he got to the temple, the more determined he became.
The poor people living in the city! Living under the creature's paw for so long, they just continued their lifes, pretending that everything was okay!
He passed by the tiny shops, selling various foods and knick knacks, pottery, clothing, carpets; The customers happily buying the products, giving their money to the smiling sellers.
How could they smile, while their own city was being terrorised?!

The nail to the coffin came, when he finally reached his destination! And oh, the horror!
A group of onlookers stood by, watching as the giant creature pounced around on the ground in front of the temple, running after children!
Roy, the Harpy Killer watched in horror as the little boys and girls ran away in terror, their screams and squeals echoing through the square.
Then, a little boy tripped over his own feet, laying right in the path of the monster!
He broke out into a mad run - there were too many people in the way to try and shoot it with his mighty bow- praying to gods to be at the boy's side before the beast.

He just barely made it, and jumped to the side, the boy safely in his arms and he heard the creature give a confused noise as it spotted him for the first time.
He had a moment to catch his breath and take a good look at the Sphinx.
It was roughly a size of a small lion, it's body built for running and killing. It's light fur was glistering in the sunlight, showing dark spots in some places.
The human part of the Sphinx - it's face - appeared to be of a young man, with spots dusting over the cheeks, and a hair, red like the fire.
The wings, when they shifted, they looked like hell itself, with their red colors of fire and death, mixed with the orange like one of withering plants and yellow of rotten teeth.
It's sharp, green eyes, narrowed when they spotted the intruder holding it's prey.
Only then, the hero heard the noises of distress coming both from the boy he was holding, and the people standing around him. He came just in time.
"Give me the child." The creature warned, it's long tail whipping around in clear anger, as it positioned it's body, ready do strike.
Roy, the Harpy Killer carefully manuvered the kid behind him, away form the danger's way.
"I will not let you harm him!" He yelled angrily, as he took out his sword and took a fighting stance.

The mighty beast blinked. And tilted it's head in confusion. Then, it looked around, meeting the eyes the civilians, just as perturbed as it was.
"Harm him?" The Sphinx looked at the hero with a frown. "Why would I do that?"

Roy, the Harpy Killer just stood there for a moment in confusion. What sort of sick game was this?!
"You are the Sphinx from the West, are you not?!" He yelled out, fixing the grab on the kid he was holding. He started to squirm, trying to get away.
"Indeed I am." The beast replied, unmoving.
"Do you not live at the foot of the holy Temple, in this very city?" It nodded.
"You are correct, I do live here."
"Do you give people riddles to solve?!" It nodded again.
"Yes I do."
The hero then pointed his sword at the creature accusatively.
"And what happens, when they fail to solve it?!"
Silence fell over the square.
"...I give them the answer." The creature said simply.

Roy, the Harpy Killer blinked.
"What?"

"I give them the answers. It's more enjoyable when you get to explain your riddle to others, so they can pass it along."
The people around him started nodding their heads in agreement.
"You...don't kill people?" At the shake of head he recieved, he slowly lowered his sword and let the kid he was holding go.
The boy quickly got to his feet and ran to hide behind the creature's legs.
Hiding from Roy.

"Wh-why were you chasing after the children?" The Sphinx rolled it's...no.../his/ eyes.
"We were playing." He explained and the boy quickly nodded his head in agreement.

"B-but the letter! It said there was help needed with the Sphinx terrorising the city!" He yelled out, trying to defend himself.
"Oh yeah." One of the people standing by said. "We had sent the letter before we even talked to the Sphinx. We might have overreacted." They seemed sheepish enough. "We sent the cancelling letter about eight nights ago."
Eight nights. When he was about half of the way to here, and had no real stops on his way, so the letter never reached him.
He sheathed his sword, defeated.
"All my traveling has been for nothing." He sighed, fatiqued.

The Sphinx's wings shifted a little, as he smiled at the hero, his sharp teeth glistering in the sunlight.
"Would you at least like to hear a riddle for your troubles?"

___

"Arggg!" Yelled the hero, his cries echoing through the now abandoned square, at the feet of the Sacred Temple.
"Are you giving up?" The Sphinx asked smugly, sitting in his favourite spot, on the little monument right next to the steps.
"No! Don't tell me!" Roy, the Harpy Killer, replied angirlly, covering his tired eyes, sheilding them from the light of setting sun.
"We can continue tommorow, you should rest for no-"
"You very well know that I won't be able to get even a wink of sleep because of your stupid riddle!" He cut him off, before the creature could put another word in. Sphinx just smiled.
"Suit yourself." They sat in comfortable silence for a moment, the beast's tail swaying softly, back and forth, right in front of the hero's face.
"Do you want a hint-"
"I do not want any hints!"
"Alright."
The /tail/ continued to waggle. The hero's eyes widened in realisation
...Roy, the Harpy Killer brought his palm to his forehead.
"I hate you."
The creature's ears perked at that.
"Did you figure it out?"
The man sighed. "Yes."
Sphinx grinned.
"Great job!"
They sat in silence for a moment. Roy frowned.
"You don't want to hear what it is?"
"I don't need to, I know the answer to the riddle I created." The beast informed stretching.
...
"I'm going to sleep."
"Alright."
The hero tiredly got to his feet, swaying slightly from fatique, then turned and pointed an accusating finger toward the creature.
"But tommorow, it will be ME, who's giving YOU a riddle." He warned, but the Sphix just looked at him with an excited glint in his eye.
"I will be waiting."