Nooo!!!
None of them knows the answer.
And to make things worse, they didn't even TRIED to answer.
They just stood there with vacant looks on their faces.
I think they are overwhelmed.
The sphinx frowned as she grumbled that they should've made an effort.
I lightened up her mood though when I told her the answer which is tongue.
And now we have to face a consequence again.
This time, it's Ghost facing several behemoths.
Uh-oh.
That's a difficult consequence.
Ghost's earth magic attacks may be ineffective against behemoths while his brawling skills will force him to be within the deadliest range of them. But his advantage is that he has really good jumping abilities.
I think he can manage.
To my horror, the sphinx gave us another consequence as a punishment for not making an effort of trying to answer her question.
Oh, no.
The creature that either Orm or Lion will face are several guardian nagas.
Oh, no!
And the sphinx chose Orm to face them.
Oh no!!!
The battle that Orm will be facing will be difficult.
Orm and the guardian nagas are hugely reliant on spells.
The sphinx looks like she's busy thinking of a good riddle so I focused my attention towards Orm.
Orm uses water and ice elemental magic while a guardian naga is quite famous for having devastating fire based spells.
If Orm focuses on his water magic attacks, he may have an advantage but since he is facing several of them..
His ice elemental magic attack will be weakened by the guardian naga's fire elemental magic attacks.
A guardian naga may conjure up a weapon though it will be low quality while Orm has a high-tier crossbow made out of rare and unique materials by Heph. Not to mentioned that it was infused with all sorts of elemental magic.
Orm's body can regenerate itself though for a long time and is immune to all sorts of poison and venom.
As for the guardian naga, it knows healing spells so Orm should find a way on not letting them heal each other.
If only Orm's wings are a bit larger then he might have a huge advantage as he can fly while attacking them.
And the guardian naga are weak against ice spells.
The desert terrain allows the guardian naga to hide and do ambush attacks while Orm should find a way to not stay on the ground.
It would be an interesting battle as Orm's magic abilities balances out the guardian naga's advantage of being many in numbers.
.....
Too bad that I can't watch the battle as the sphinx told us that she is ready to tell us the last riddle.
I gave Lion an encouraging smile and cheered for him.
He embraced me behind my back and told me that he will try hard to answer the riddle.
The sphinx looked at us with amusement then spoke the last riddle:
"You saw me where I never was and where I could not be. And yet within that very place, my face you often see."
After hearing it, it took me a short while to think until I finally got the answer.
A reflection.
To my delight, Lion answered correctly.
I wrapped my arms around him as I kept praising him for doing well while the sphinx looked pleased at him.
Lion looked embarrassed with my praises but somehow seems to enjoy hearing it.
Then the sphinx told us that she has another riddle for him to answer.
What?
Oh, yeah.. We need to answer three of her riddles before she will allow us to enter the cave.
After a bit of encouragement from me, Lion told the sphinx that he's ready for the next riddle.
He looks a bit more confident now.
...
"I am born in fear, raised in truth and I come to my own in deed. When comes a time that I'm called forth, I come to serve the cause of need."
The sphinx barely finished speaking the riddle when Lion confidently answered correctly.
The answer is courage.
He got it again!
Of course, I showered Lion with all sorts of praises again and this time, he grinned at me and told me that he wants to impress me more.
Oh, Lion! You always impress me!
I told him that, making him embarrassed again though he looks elated upon hearing it.
As for the sphinx, she looks pleased and asked us if we are ready for her last riddle.
Lion looks very confident now and he carried me in his arms as he waited for the sphinx to say her last riddle.
"Bright as diamonds, loud as thunder, never still, a thing of wonder."
Yes, Lion got it again.
The answer is a waterfall.
...
We got all three!
In my excitement, I held Lion's face with my hands and gave him a short, passionate kiss before facing the sphinx again.
He kept complaining, saying that the kiss was too short for him that I shushed him, then promised to kiss him a bit longer later.
He nuzzled on my ear as I asked the sphinx if we can enter the cave as we had answered the three riddles correctly.
She laughed and reminded me that my other companions are not yet done with their battles.
OH, MY GOSH!
I forgot about them!
They looked absolutely exhausted with the battle that seems to have no end in which I asked the sphinx if Lion can help them.
Lion smirked at me as he told me that he will just let them be as it will be a good training for them while the sphinx pondered for a bit before agreeing that the others definitely needs help and she will allow it if I can give her a riddle that she can't answer.
That's easy.
I know that this riddle will always stump any sphinx, based on the fantasy books I've read before.
Then with a grin, I blurted out the riddle in excitement:
"I never was, am always to be. No one ever saw me, nor ever will and yet I am the confidence of all who live and breathe."
...
Just as I thought, the sphinx doesn't know the correct answer.
She tried her best to answer it correctly but to no avail.
Even Lion doesn't know either as he looks like he is thinking hard too.
Soon, both of them gave all sorts of wrong answers until they gave up.
It might as well that they gave up as the rest of the group doesn't look like they can go on with their battles.
That's weird.
I know that they improved their skills and abilities but why does it seemed like their battles have no end?
They already faced monsters worse than that!
Good thing that Lion noticed too as he told me that he will help them as soon as I give the answer.
The answer!
I got distracted again!
Immediately, I told them that the answer is tomorrow in which Lion hurriedly assisted Ghost first as he looks like he is about to pass out from exhaustion.
As for the sphinx, she told me that she will use the riddle that I gave her in case she might encounter some foolish travelers again.
Foolish? In what way?
She asked me why we are going towards the desolated part of the desert as it is extremely dangerous that a powerful magic user made these stone mountains to prevent anyone from going further.
I told her that we are looking for something in which she gave me a strange look before muttering that we must be after the stupid transformation stone again.
So.. we're not the first ones to attempt in getting the transformation stone?
Ah wait. I remembered Rahab telling me before that they attempted to get the dimension stone in which they have some problem in getting it.
The demon king must've ordered some of his minions to get the transformation stone but something must've happen in which they failed.
His minions must've failed quite badly that we are the ones tasked on getting the transformation stone instead.
I think.
....
Seeing that Lion is too busy to help Ghost...
What the..
Even Lion can't finish it yet?
And there's still others who needs his help!
Something is definitely weird here.
Anyway, I asked the sphinx why she is guarding the cave in which she admitted that she does it for fun.
And of course, the solitude.
I see.
She warned me to be careful as there are presence of terrible creatures and beings beyond the mountains.
I asked her what it is in which she shook her head and told me that she can't speak of it as it is too terrible for her that she doesn't know what to name them.
Now I'm beginning to feel terrified.
Though I'm more terrified right now at seeing the situation of my companions.
Suddenly, the sphinx gave a hysterical laughter, making me look curiously at her in which she told me that maybe it's time to remove the spell.
What spell?
Don't tell me...
Yes.
It was all an illusion.
....
She kept on laughing at seeing the faces of my companions as they stared at her with faces that is too hard for me to put into words.
Especially Deus.
And of course, she did it for fun.
Then with a grin, she told us to go inside the cave as she is going somewhere else.
With that, she leisurely went away.
Everyone except me and Lion, collapsed on the ground as they panted hard while closing their eyes.
They all groaned with exhaustion and kept on murmuring all sorts of expletives.
The rest of them pleaded for Lion to make some sort of shelter in which they want to rest for awhile before entering the cave.
Of course, Lion made some sort of a huge tent for all of us in which he carried everyone one by one inside.
Suddenly, he made a face, telling everyone that they reeked that he instantly made a huge tub of some sorts.
He demanded for them to take a bath but they all protested as they can hardly move as their bodies seemed like it is about to break.
He looked at them in horror as he exclaimed that no way is he going to bathe them despite their condition.
The rest of them turned to look at me, asking for my help while Lion is about to protest when we heard loud snarls from outside the tent.
Oh, great...
Lion clenched his teeth as he went outside the tent but not before placing plenty of thick comfortable rugs on the floor.
I can hear him yelling all sorts of expletives from outside the tent as he must've been battling some monsters since he didn't place a protection spell around our tent yet.
Everyone inside the tent closed their eyes though they kept on begging me to help them bathe.
Sigh.. the smell inside the tent is horrible..
Before I removed my clothes, I covered Deus and Khamsin's eyes with a cloth, making them chuckle in amusement though they didn't say anything.
In fact, they looked like they are kind of excited...
But I know that I'm safe from them or else they will get killed by the pack, especially Lion.
...
I bathe Bubu first, who closed her eyes throughout as she kept dozing every now and then.
She fell asleep while I was putting her some clothes then took a while on carrying her behind my back then placed her in a corner of the tent.
Next, I bathe Orm who was about to fall asleep. As soon as he heard me trying to persuade him to go inside the tub, he instantly went inside in a flash.
He kept biting his lip as I bathe him, especially when I washed his hair as I sat behind him, deliberately placing my chest on his back.
Heh.
Despite being highly aroused, his exhaustion is too great for him that he whispered in my ear that he would bathe with me soon then curled up in the corner after I helped him put on some clothes and immediately fell asleep.
Five more to go.
Despite Deus being excited of the thought of me bathing him, his face looked too drained of energy that it didn't take long for me to finish bathing him.
I kept a bit of distance from him of course.
But to my surprise, I can feel him softly touching my back though it was for a short while.
It tickles.
But I'm not like Bubu though.
It didn't take him long to fell asleep too.
Ghost is sleeping when I woke him up. He was about to complain when he saw me.
Ay.
He didn't need a second invitation as he instantly carried me towards the tub.
Since the others are sleeping while Lion is busy fighting monsters outside the tent, he began hungrily kissing me while removing his clothes.
I straddled on his lap as we kept on kissing intensely that soon, I felt something poking me on my abdomen.
Both of us panted while kissing, as his arm pulled me closer to him while his other hand held my neck as he started to lick it slowly.
Of course it didn't take long for me to moan in pleasure, as low as possible of course, making him whisper that he wants me to lick him too.
I was so engrossed licking him all over his neck, shoulders and chest as he kept panting while closing his eyes that we didn't notice Alpha going inside the tub.
Uh-oh.
Soon, Alpha licked me all over my back, touching me all over my body while Ghost continued on kissing me deeply as his hand started to touch me all over my chest.
We are getting heated!
Oh, my gosh...
I can definitely feel something rubbing my back....
Something quite... er... dangerously large...
And my hand unconsciously touched something that made Ghost groan...
I did not do it on purpose though!
I was too engrossed on kissing him!
Mercifully, we heard Khamsin's sleepy voice, asking us on what we are doing as it seems that we are having a hard time as he will assist us despite being exhausted.
Both Alpha and Ghost chuckled before giving me several gentle bites on my body before getting out of tub as they told me there are going somewhere....
Though they also gave me a lick on my ear as they whispered that they will continue on what we are doing as soon as we get back at the territory where no one will disturb us.
They immediately dressed up and went outside the tent.
As for Khamsin, he kept on asking me where did his brother and Alpha went, in which I remembered that I covered his eyes and I haven't bathe him yet.
Silently, I pulled him towards the tub and made him sit down.
His face turned red as he obediently obeyed me, saying nothing as I gently washed his hair first.
He clenched both his fists in which I immediately asked him if I bothered him.
Instantly, he exclaimed that it isn't like that and I definitely did not bother him at all.
Oh, good.
I hummed a random song as I continued to wash his hair gently, in which I saw my earring on his ear.
I was about to touch the earring when I unintentionally touched his ear instead. He chuckled as I apologized to him, reassuring me once more that I did not bother him at all.
He likes it.
Gently, he took my hand and kissed it softly then leaned his head back on my chest.
He stayed silent for awhile then made my arms wrapped around his neck as if I'm embracing him from behind. After a few moments of him nuzzling on my arm, I continued to hum another random song.
Several moments later, he told me that I am meant to be cherished, not possessed and that he will honor me from a distance.
Huh?
He smiled mysteriously and stayed silent until I finished bathing him.
That's when I finally understood.
Oh...
He was about to get up when I hugged him tenderly and kissed him softly on the cheek.
Immediately, he sat down and kissed me slowly as I felt all his yearning towards me.
We kissed like time stood still until we heard Sly stirring from his sleep.
He pulled back reluctantly and kissed me gently on my forehead then whispered in my ear on how it will always be me and wished that we could've met earlier.
Then after that, he stood up and took off the cloth covering his eyes and looked at me with yearning and passion in his eyes.
After several moments, he smiled at me then went outside the tub in which I can hear him wearing some clothes. Then silence.
With a glance, I saw him with his back towards me, lying in another corner of the tent.
Oh.. he must be really exhausted..
But I can't believe...
Khamsin?! Like how? I did not expect his confession!
I thought...
Oh my gosh.
I'm so dumb that I didn't notice the subtle signs that he showed me.
The way he showed his interest towards me back in his city..
Every conversation we had..
The way he glimpse at me every now and then..
How he likes to hear me sing, especially his favorite song..
And how the first dish I cooked for him became his favorite food that he requested me to cook it for him again and again....
My earrings..
The way he never takes off the earring and the ring..
All those stuff he bought for me.... That should be a huge sign as he didn't buy anything for the rest of our companions!
Oh and the way he's too concerned with my opinion of his griffin form!
His feathers..
The way he pulled out his feathers for me to lie on it!
Twice!
I'M SO DUMB NOT TO REALIZE IT!
Oh, Khamsin...
Based on the fantasy books that I read about, when a griffin gives his feather to a female, it means that they choose her as their mate..
For life.
And they mate for life too. They are famous for being monogamous that they don't take another mate even if their mate died.
I don't know if it's the same here but it's only Khamsin that I met who is a griffin.
He's not even a griffin entirely as he is a deserter too.
But I now understand what he said to me earlier and what he must've murmured about when he saw me surrounded by the pack.
Yeah.. if we could've met earlier...
Though I didn't regret meeting Lion first.
In fact, it will always be him.
Speaking of Lion, he entered the tent looking extremely dirty.
What on earth?!
Just then, I heard Sly gasping in surprise in which he commented that Lion looked like he was swimming in the mud.
I giggled as Lion made a face towards him before changing the water inside the tub.
Sly grinned at him mischievously as he offered Lion his help in removing the dirty clothes.
Now I'm laughing uncontrollably as they kept on bantering, like how Sly smelled like he hasn't showered for days and how Lion must've bad eyes as he took a bath in the mud instead of clean water.
They looked like they were too engrossed with their bartering that I decided to get up from the tub and change.
Of course they can manage to bathe themselves as they seemed full of energy.
I was about to leave the tub when suddenly, I can feel them behind me as Lion whispered that we have some unfinished business to attend to.
A cloak was wrapped around my body in which Sly carried me in his arms as the three of us left the tent.
Um.
Where are we going?