Fog
After a bit of thought, you curse under your breath—you've never been good at riddles. But you figure a guess is better than nothing, and so you shout the first thing that comes to mind: “Fog!” A few moments pass, and the eyes of the bust glow bright red as a voice booms:
Traveler, you speak untrue
And shall not pass beyond this door.
The price of failure is that you
Shall walk as human nevermore!
Before you can react, beams of light shoot out from the eyes of the bust and strike you square in the chest, knocking you to the floor. As you struggle to stand, you feel an odd sensation wash over your body, like pins and needles across your skin. You feel hot, burning up even; instinctively, you try to roll up your
sleeves... and see fur spreading across the backs of your hands and up your arms. You know, somehow, that the heat is from the fur spreading across the rest of your body. Then, as you struggle to stand, a jolt of pain knocks you down as you feel your muscles ripple and grow, and your bones shifting. The fur grows thicker still, and while it doesn't rise past your chin it merges with your hair and forms a thick mane. You feel your head pulled back, your hands and feet change form, and fangs erupt in your mouth. A pressure at the base of your spine builds and builds until a lion's tail bursts through the seat of your pants, and soon your shoes burst apart to reveal massive paws with razor-sharp claws, your hands quickly becoming similar in shape. Unable to stand, you lift up onto all fours, your head now aligned with your spine to allow for a four-legged gait; as the last of your clothes burst off of you from the sheer size and muscle growth, you feel the changes slow down. You have become a sphinx, a beast of the ancient world! You turn to the bust to beg for forgiveness and mercy, but its eyes glow again, and you find yourself captivated by the light, unable to look away as your mind begins to feel foggy. You forget what you were doing here... where are you? Who are you? Then, clarity: You are a sphinx, the guardian of this pyramid. It has always been your duty to guard this sacred place, and you cannot remember being anything else—nor could you imagine WANTING to be anything else. The door opens, allowing you entry into your home, where you will await to test any traveler that somehow passes the door.
Written by CoggerD on 18 October 2023
The end (for now)