The Sphinx & the Manticore (special preview)

“As much as I love women inside of me, I highly doubt your logic. I came to see if you were hunters, but I am certain I have found something much worse.” She tosses her head to the side then rises up to her full height. “Will you be staying much longer?”

I shake my head. “I am heading to other temples to teach my ministry and spread the gospel of Rhu. I do not plan on lingering in the desert for long.”

“Good!” She scoffs. “I hope you are gone from here sooner than later. If you annoy me, I will take care of you like you were a hunter.” She steps into the shadows, melting away from the light of the torch.

I fall to my knees, having been so terrified the entire time. She could have killed us, ripped us apart then gnashed us between her teeth like baby food. I clutch my hand to my chest, praying to Rhu and thanking her for sparing us from the Manticore. 

I do not want to worry my guide and traveling party, so I do not tell them of what happened that night, I feel like it is best that some things stay in the shadows. Instead I insist we get to traveling early and getting out of the desert as soon as possible. We travel, and each time we stop to rest, I can not fall asleep with the others. Instead, I stay awake, fearing that the Manticore is still close by. Sometimes I can feel those eyes like the first night, other times I feel nothing at all but the chill of the night. 

Once we are coming close to the edge of the desert, we come across a farm built on a small oasis. We decide to ask the owner if we can rest there for a day and I feel better knowing we are coming to the end of our journey. 

The owner is kindly and takes us in, offering us wine and food as well as a warm place to sleep for the night. 

“What could a group such as yourselves be cutting through the desert for at this time of year? There are no holidays on the horizon, no festivals. Only a cruel sun and blistering sands.” He fills my cup and watches me closely when I do not drink right away.

“We are missionaries,” I tell him. “We are traveling from the Temple of Oracles in order to teach my ministry to struggling temples in this country. Our goal is the temple in the capitol which has lost its way. The hearts of the people there no longer turn to Rhu.”

He nods his head slowly. “I see. I was never a religious man myself.” He sets the wine down as he joins the table. “Is that why you wear this?” He flicks the side of my helm and I can hear it ring inside. 

I touch the face in order to stop the high pitched ringing. “I wear this so people will see Rhu and come to love Rhu.” I turn towards him. “It should not be me the people see anyways.”

He chuckles. “That’s one way of putting it, I’m sure.” He takes a deep drink of his wine, keeping a watch on me from the corner of his eye. I’m sure he wants to see me beyond the helm, but I am weary of him now.

“You lot can sleep in the barn, my prize bull is old and docile these days, but do keep an eye on him.” His laugh is boisterous and bright.

“That is very kind of you, sir. Is there nothing we can give in return for your hospitality?” I raise my glass to him.

He looks at me again and shakes his head. “No. Just rest deeply.”

That evening, the others are tipsy or drunk on the wine. I didn’t even touch my glass because of the way the owner kept staring at me, so I am leading everyone to the barn to get them to bed. As I am making sure everyone is asleep, I hear a rustle and snort behind me. Turning, all I can see is a giant shadow and two great horns on either side of the head.

My heart is hammering hard in my chest and I freeze in place. The rest of my team is dead asleep and drunk on wine. I try to breathe but it comes in shallow and ragged. Stepping back, the bull lowers his head then walks away. As he steps from the barn, I see the doors close behind him.

I hear the clank of a bolt as it locks the doors shut. I rush forward, shaking the doors in a desperate hope they could still open, but no, they are locked tight. I turn back to my traveling party, hoping one of them will wake, but just as I am kneeling, smoke starts to billow into the barn. 

I jump to my feet, rushing to the door to bang on them, but I can feel the heat from fire burning at the doors. I race back, forcing my guide to wake, but he is far too drunk to respond. I start searching the barn in a panic; finding a pickaxe, I start taking it to the barn wall. The barn is filling with smoke and I am having a hard time breathing. I strike the pickaxe against the wall, hoping to break the boards and escape. 

I am nauseous and wheezing from the smoke. I fall to my knees, praying to Rhu as I cling to the pickaxe to keep me up. One last ounce of strength I beg, one last clear breath and I could get us out. I slump more, gasping for breath.

The door then bursts open, bolt and all shattering off the hinges. The bull runs through, charging and screaming as something comes chasing up behind it. It roars and snarls, but I fade away just as it approaches me. I fall to the ground and darkness surrounds me.

I wake to rain as it hits upon my helm. I quickly rip my helm off and let the water hit against my face. My eyes and lungs burn, my tongue feels numb, and around me my party has started to wake as well. The barn is partially burned down and the bull is lying dead inside.

I turn and look, seeing the Manticore sitting behind me. 

“Oh,” she murmurs. “So that’s what you look like.”

I stand and look at her, seeing her in the gray daylight as rain falls upon us. Her long neck goes into a powerful form with strong legs and thick paws. Her wings are raised, covering her head from the rain while her tail is curled around her back leg. 

“What happened?” I stumble backwards, nearly falling as I try to take in the scope of what happened. I’m clutching my chest as it grows tight and I begin praying to Rhu. “What did...the barn was on fire.”

“Yes, it was.” The Manticore scoffs. “The man who invited you in did it.”

I stare at her, my heart sinking down into my stomach. “But why?” I gasp.

She shrugs and I see the dried blood down her neck. “I didn’t ask why. I only tolerated his voice until I crushed his throat.” She sits down before me, her shar eyes gazing up at me. “He was a hunter.”

“Why would you save me?” I clutch my hand over my heart, feeling it rumbling behind the bone. I try to swallow, but my throat hurts too much.

The Manticore’s eyes dart over me, taking in my face while the helm lies on the ground. I cannot tell if she finds me repugnant or not. Her eyes give away nothing. “I followed you this long. Might as well see where the journey ends.” She tilts her head to the side. “Perhaps I’ll wait and listen to you preach before I decide if you annoy me or not.”

I place the helm back over my head. “Thank you. Really. You saved our lives. Is there anything I can do for you?”

“Don’t thank me just yet.” The Manticore smirks. “You might regret it later.”

The Manticore vanishes back into the desert once the party recovers. Hungover and sick from the smoke, it takes us much longer to make our way that day. We are all sluggish and beyond terrified. We have no clue why that man tried to kill us; either he opposed the goddess Rhu or there was a darkness in his heart we did not see. I pray for his soul anyways, hoping he finds peace somewhere in the eternal, even after what he did to us.