CHAPTER 11
Riddles And Monsters
By Elizabeth, age 12
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The three reentered the castle. Roxie and Espio were still a bit drowsy from what happened with the flute, and Roxie had taken the ring that was in the tree, she said it looked pretty.
They went through the remaining door, which led into a banquet hall, and they were greeted by three doors.
“Let’s go through this one!” Said Espio, pointing to the door to the right at the top of a staircase.
“Good choice.” Elizabeth said, trying to open the locked door.
“It’s locked.” Roxie said. “Try a different one.”
“They’re all locked.” Elizabeth replied, pulling out a bobby pin and inserting it into the keyhole.
*Click!*
‘I was wondering why she packed a bobby pin too…’ Espio thought.
A sphinx lay in the next room, blocking their path. She seemed to be watching their every move…
“Who are you?!?” The sphinx snapped. “No one may pass without answering a riddle!”
“I know that!” Espio exclaimed.
“SILENCE!” And the sphinx pounced on the poor innocent chameleon, nearly crushing the life out of him!
“Hey! Stop!” Elizabeth yelled. “He’s my friend! Don’t hurt him! You know he didn’t mean what he just said!”
The sphinx growled.
“If you spare his life, I will gladly answer your riddle!”
“Oh alright… But YOU!” she said, unsheathing a fearful claw and pointing it at Espio, “Keep those lips of yours sealed!”
Espio nodded and the sphinx let him up.
“Now!” she began. “I’ve no eyes, but once did see. Thoughts had I, but now I’m white and empty.”
‘I swear, her hide’s my next rug!’ Espio thought.
“Well??? Do you know the answer to my riddle?” The sphinx asked, almost grinning. ‘Please answer incorrectly!’ she thought. ‘I’m starving’ here!’
Elizabeth turned to Espio. “Where’s that skull you picked up in the dragon’s chamber?”
Espio reached into his bag and pulled out the grisly item. He handed it to Elizabeth, who offered it to the sphinx.
The sphinx stared at it, stomach growling because she had to let three victims live. She couldn’t eat any of them. “ Thank you. You may pass…”
Up a staircase they went, into an observatory. A telescope pointed out the window and out at the stars.
“Wow…” Espio said, looking through the telescope. “Hey that’s Venus, isn’t it?”
“Hey let me take a look!” Roxie exclaimed, pushing Espio aside. “Hey I can see Mars!”
Pretty soon, everyone was staring at celestial objects through the telescope!
Elizabeth stepped away, just to look at other things… and take them! There was a silver star on a star map hanging on a wall, and while Espio and Roxie were turning the telescope in different directions and peering through it, Elizabeth removed the silver star and put it in her bag. “Come on,” She said. “We still have a long way to go.”
A ladder led upward into the next room.
A beautiful woman lay on the floor, chained to the wall. A golden blade lay next to her.
Espio felt sorry for the poor girl and knelt down beside her.
“Espio! Stop!” Elizabeth warned. “It’s a trap!”
Espio paid no heed. He was, after all, unconcerned by danger, and enveloped in the woman’s immense beauty.
To his surprise though, the woman seemed to… growl!
Espio stepped back. He had already been attacked enough!
Elizabeth looked for something to kill the girl with.
Suddenly the woman turned into a fearsome wolf! Espio finally had to throw a shuriken star at her; an explosive one!
Yowling in pain, the wolf pounced…
“Noooooo!” Elizabeth screamed.
The shuriken star caused the wolf to blow up…
The whole room was spattered with blood and guts, and in the middle of the room, all covered in blood, lay the poor chameleon.
Elizabeth just couldn’t help but cry. She poked his blood-covered flank and nearly jumped when she saw him twitch…
“It’s alright. I’m fine.” Espio said. “She was only half a centimeter away before she blew up…”
Elizabeth helped him get to his feet, picked up the blade, and the blood-and-gut-covered trio got cleaned up.
The three walked into another room. There was a horn on the floor, a platinum horn! Espio bent down to pick it up…
FWOOSH!!!
A giant fireball appeared, causing Espio to fall back, startled! The flames cleared and inter place stood something far more menacing!
A hound.
A hellhound.
A hungry hellhound.
Elizabeth rummaged through her supply bag to look for the Holy Water she had found in the lab. “Bad dog! Baaaaaaaaad dog!” she yelled, holding up the bottle. “Here, ya thirsty?” She threw the bottle into the dog’s face and he returned to the place where he was spawned!
It was now safe to take the platinum horn.
Elizabeth picked it up and put it in her supply bag.
There was a ladder leading upward and the three climbed up it, greeted by a big blue dragon at the top of a turret. A talisman held up by a stand also greeted them.
The dragon’s watchful eyes did not look very happy!
Espio turned into a dragon and hissed. The other dragon spread its giant wings and swooped over their heads… then crashed headfirst into Espio! Instantly, the two dragons locked in mortal combat, resulting in a very bloody battle!
One bite to the throat and Espio roared in triumph as the blue dragon fell into the moat, which turned red instantly!
An Invincible Summer 