QUINN'S POINT OF VIEW

Pagkabukas namin ng pinto ay tumambad samin ang napakalawak na disyerto at puno ng naglalakihang piramide. Pero umagaw talaga ng atensyon namin ang napakalaking estatwa na may ulo ng napakagandang babae, pero may katawan ito ng leon, at may pakpak ng agila na napakalaki.

"Napakagandang estatwa," Nasabi ko na lang. Nagulat naman kami nang biglang gumalaw ito at pinagaspas ang kanyang mga pakpak.

"Ito na!" Sigaw naman ni Princess Tweqty na mas lalong nagpabigla samin, "Ito na ang inaabangan ng lahat, ang pagharap ng kupunan ng ating Malevolent Phoenix sa Sphinx!" Sigaw pa nito. Kita ko naman ang takot sa mata nila Invera, Calin, at Arod.

"Bakit ganyan ang mga reaksyon niyo, guys?" Tanong ko.

"They say if the eleventh fabled summon exists, that would be the Sphinx. But this Emeritus-Grade, Tier 95 Adjunctus stops its level there, so there's no way it would be given the title of Eleventh Fabled Summon, as the Ten Fabled Summons exceed their Tier by more than a hundred and they don't stop from leveling up as long as they are alive." Paliwanag naman ni Invera na nagpalaglag ng aking panga.

"Surely, you're one of the creatures that know a lot, girl, and you look familiar, did we meet before?" Tanong ng Sphinx kay Invera. Umiling-iling naman ito at nginitian siya ng pilit.

"N-Nope, I think this is the first time we have met," Sagot naman ni Invera.

"Okay then, let's fight!" Sigaw ng Sphinx. Kaya naman naging alerto kami at inilabas naman ng mga kasama ko ang mga Adjunctuses nila: Si Lornt kay Calin, Si Julia kay Arod, at Queen Blood Bee naman ang kay Invera.

"P-Protektahan kita, Master!" Sigaw naman ni Mush.

"Wait, you don't stand any chance if you fight head to head with me, also, I don't want a smell of blood. I fight using wise, figurative, and mind-blowing words. So, return your Adjunctuses now or I will make you go down to first floor!" Sigaw naman ng Sphinx at nagpakawala ito ng purong shock wave Magmus na nagpanginig naman kay Mush at sa mga Adjunctuses ng mga kasamahan ko.

"I recommend you to return your Adjunctuses, guys," Sabi naman ni Prince Grety, "The Sphinx has the power to control the Labyrinth, and if the Sphinx wants you to go to first floor, it can." Dagdag pa nito. Napahinga na lang ng malalim ang mga kasama ko at ibinalik na ang mga Adjunctuses nila.

"Okay, paano ba ang gusto mong laban, ipaliwanag mo na samin," Sabi naman ni Arod.

"A simple game, my dear. I will tell a riddle-ten riddles, to be exact. Every riddle has three chances to be answered. If you are wrong with the first and second answers, you still have one chance, but if you can't answer it, you will go to the third floor again. But if you answer it all correctly, I will transfer you to the seventy-sixth floor. Additionally, each riddle must be answered within ten seconds, and if you won't give me an answer after ten seconds, your answer will be considered wrong," Paliwanag nito. Napakunot naman ako ng noo dahil doon.

"Hindi ba siya unfair, since if matatalo kami ay baba kami ng third floor, which is sixty-seven floor ang babaan namin, sakaling kapag nanalo kami ay sa seventy-sixth floor lang, which is six floor lang ang itataas namin?" Tanong ko. Humagikgik naman ang Sphinx dahil doon. Pagkatapos ay kinalabog niya ang sahig na naging dahilan ng paglindol.

"My game, my rules, dear. So, let's start now!" Galit na sigaw nito. Napalunok naman ako dahil sa kaba, at kita ko rin ang paglunok ng mga kasamahan ko na sa tingin ko ay kinakabahan din.

"Sharpen your mind, observe, and pray to have lots of luck." Bulong naman ni Calin samin.

"I am taken by all but seen by few, I can keep secrets and memories too. I exist without body, shape, or form, yet hold the power to weather a storm. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Sabi ng Sphinx. Nagpahawak naman kaming pare-parehas sa baba namin at nag-isip ng malalim.

"Time, the answer is time!" Sigaw naman ni Invera na nagpangiti samin.

"Correct! Next one is, I can be cracked, made, told, and played. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Sabi ng Sphinx na nagpa-isip ng malalim samin ulit.

"An egg?" Tanong ko.

"You seem unsure, my dear. Five... Four... Three..." Sabi naman ng Sphinx na magpa-panic samin.

"A fricking Joke!" Sigaw naman ni Arod. Kaya, napatingin kami sakanya at sunod naman ay sa Sphinx. Huminga naman ng malalim ang Adjunctus na nagpalunok samin.

"You almost lost with that one, but it's correct! Next, I am full of holes, yet I hold water. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Mabilisang sabi ng Sphinx.

"Grabe naman ang bilis." Sabi ko habang nakahawak pa sa aking baba at nag-iisip ng malalim.

"Ano yan, is that a container? Wait, an animal? D*mn!" Frustrated na sabi ni Arod.

"A Sponge?" Tanong naman ni Calin.

"You also seem unsure with your answer, girl. Three..." Sabi naman ng Sphinx.

"Yes, the answer is Sponge!" Sabi naman ni Calin.

"Correct! The next is, The more you take, the more you leave behind. What am I? Ten seconds begin, ten..." Sigaw ng Sphinx.

"What the heck is that?" Tanong ko sa sarili ko. Bigla naman akong napatingin sa mga kasama ko na naglalakad-lakad ng pabalik-balik at kita ngayon ang mga bakas na naiiwan nila sa buhangin.

"Sh*t this is so hard!" Frustrated na sigaw ni Calin.

"The more they walk, the more footprints they left on the drought sand. Aha!" Sigaw ko dahil sa naisipan kong i-try ang naiisip kong sagot, "The answer is Footsteps?" Alangan na sabi ko. Umiling-iling naman ang Sphinx.

"You seem unsure again, dear. Two... One..." Sabi ng Sphinx na nagpa-panic sakin.

"Footsteps is my answer!" Nagmamadaling sagot ko. Umiling-iling naman ang Sphinx at huminga ng malalim.

"You almost lost the game, but you got it. Correct! Next is, I speak without a mouth and hear without ears. I have no body, but I come alive with the wind. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Sigaw ulit ng Sphinx. Nagtinginan naman kami nila Arod at Calin dahil familiar samin ang bugtong na ito na sikat noong mga bata pa kami.

"An echo is the answer!" Sabay-sabay naming sigaw at nagtawanan pagkatapos.

"Correct! Next one is, I am always hungry, I must always be fed. The finger I touch will soon turn red. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Sabi ng Sphinx. Nginisian naman siya ni Invera.

"What a coincidence, that's a very popular kid's riddle for Drows. The answer is Fire!" Sigaw ni Invera. Kaya nagpa-ngisi ang Sphinx.

"Correct! Next is, I can fly without wings, cry without eyes, and run without feet. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Sabi ng Sphinx. Dito naman ay kita mo ang hirap sa mukha ng mga kasama ko ngayon.

"Echo, the answer is echo!" Sigaw naman ni Arod na nagpasalo saming mga noo.

"Nasagot na kanina yun!" Sigaw ko naman sakanya. Napakamot naman ito sa batok niya.

"Wrong! Seven..." Sigaw ng Sphinx na nagpa-pressure sakin.

"The heck!" Sigaw ko naman habang iniisip lahat ng posibleng mga sagot.

"Sound!" Sigaw naman ni Invera. Umiling-iling naman ang Sphinx.

"Close, but wrong! Four..." Sigaw ng Sphinx. Humihinga na ako ngayon ng malalim dahil sa kaba, "Three... Two..." Sabi pa niya na nagpa-iyak na sakin.

"Wind! The answer is wind!" Sigaw naman ni Calin.

"One..." Sabi naman ng Sphinx. Tumigil muna ito at napatingin samin. Napalunok naman kaming lahat at nagpupunas ako ngayon ng luha, "Correct! The next one is, What is at the end of a rainbow? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Tanong nito. Napangiti namna ako dahil sa pamilyar sakin ito. Ito kase ang laging bugtong ni Holy Father sakin noon.

"W! The answer is Letter W!" Nakangiting sigaw ko.

"Correct! The next one is, I am the beginning of eternity, the end of time and space. What am I? Your ten seconds begin, ten..." Tanong ng Sphinx. Umiling-iling naman ako dahil sa mahirap na naman ang tanong na ito.

"Basic, the answer is envelope!" Sigaw naman ni Invera. Kaya napangiti naman ako dahil sa iyon din ang naisip ko. Tinawanan naman siya ng Sphinx.

"Wrong, girl! Six..." Sigaw naman ng Sphinx. Kaya heto na naman ako, pilit na pinipiga ang utak sa pagsabunot sa buhok ko.

"The beginning of eternity.... The end of time and space... The beginning of eternity.... The end of time and space..." Paulit-ulit na sabi ko. Hanggang pumasok sa isip ko yung sagot kong Letter W na end ng rainbow kanina out of nowhere at doon nga ay may naisip ako."Wait, the eternity begin with letter E, and time and space is letter E. Does it mean na ang sagot ay letter E? Pero pwede rin kasing Darkness, since all dark bago ang eternity ng world and siya rin ang end ng world." Pagkausap ko sa sarili ko.

"Why not try both, Quinn? May dalawa pa naman tayong chance, take a risk and if we lose, then we lose, akyat na lang tayo ulit ng mabilisan sa twentieth floor. Remember, may butas na roon sa rooftop papunta sa fourtieth floor na kung lilipad tayo ay agad nating mapupuntahan," Sabi naman ni Invera. Kaya nginitian ko siya at tinaguan.

"Salamat, Vera. The answer is Letter E!" Sigaw ko. Napangisi naman ang Sphinx.

"Correct, woah! You're all geniuses, uh? But, there's still the last one riddle, and it'll make sure that you will have a headache that can pierce your brain with its high difficulty level. I'll give you twenty seconds with the last one. Remember, words can be deceiving, and your brain can be fooled by words. Be cautious. Here's the last one; In a realm where time stands still, I wander without end. I am a mirror to your thoughts, a reflection of what's within. Seek me not in valleys or on mountain peaks, for I am bound to the realm where the mind speaks. I exist in the whispers of dreams and the spark of creation's fire, in the depth of a poet's verses and the ambition of a dreamer's desire. Some may spend a lifetime searching, while others stumble upon me by chance. I am elusive yet ever-present, a paradox of existence. What am I? Your twenty seconds begin, twenty...." Tanong ng Sphinx. Nagpanic naman ulit ako dahil sa haba ng riddle ay nakalimutan ko ang ibang bahagi nito...

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Try niyo ngang sagutin HAHAHA

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