Night 45: Sphinx's Chamber

[quickdrawbkiddo.livejournal.com]

[from here]

The room was very bright. That was the Bride's first thought and then she noticed why. Gold. Everything was gold. Everything, that was, except the Sphinx on a pedestal in the center watching them with eyes far more intelligence than any beast should have.

"Do be careful what you say to it," she warned before setting her attention on the Sphinx.

Comments

[damned-monsters.livejournal.com]

"Oh, my," the sphinx intoned dryly, looking up at the adventurers with a deadpan expression. "You guessed right. How unexpected."

The creature didn't even try to go back to its usual regal demeanor as it groped backwards for its usual prize and shoved it toward the patients. It was a miniature shield made of silver and engraved with unknown markings.

"This is the Coliseum Shield," the sphinx said, and though his tone probably should have been solemn, it instead came off as a sarcastic recitation. "I have handed out many, many versions of it in my long days, but I have yet to hear of a man, woman, or child for whom it has brought nothing but misery.

"There is nothing evil about the artifact itself, but where it will take you is certainly a place of death and despair. Of course, I'm sure you'll go there anyway, so here are your directions:

"In the ballroom, you might have noticed a door to the south--one of such intricacy that it either repulses or entices all who see it. That is the door to the Coliseum, and should you find the partner to this artifact in the east end of this basement, you will find yourself able to enter so long as you are willing to make a sacrifice. Should you survive the trials within, from which many venture but few return... You will be able to proceed further into the bowels of this Institute. And, perhaps, bother other creations of the man upstairs."

The sphinx sighed as he settled back down again, obviously making a conscious effort to calm himself.

"Hmph. That's all."

He closed his eyes and went still.

[arc-wrench.livejournal.com]

Well, that was a cheerful and not at all melodramatic prize. However, HK was in possession of a great deal of morbid curiosity, and the description of the Coliseum was not at all off-putting to him. It just sounded like a normal day at work for the Sith, really.

But if he had to give up killing things as a sacrifice, then he was not going to be happy.

[quickdrawbkiddo.livejournal.com]

Ah, so that is what the warlord had been hiding. Coliseum. How fitting.

Without hesitation, Beatrix took the shield and turned away from the Sphinx. They had the two items now. Well, SubZero had the one from the weapon range. She was going to have to find him.

If not, then she knew what to do this next night. "Let's go," she said, ready to leave the room.

[ruthless-hunter.livejournal.com]

So HK was right after all. He honestly wouldn't have guessed that answer in a million years. The shield was kind of cool, but seemed like kind of a jip after all that shit.

He also hadn't been expecting there to be a friggin' coliseum. What kind of nuthouse was this? Kids shooting themselves and making monsters, cat-human things asking riddles, ballrooms and now this.

"Yeah, let's go," Lance murmered.