Cronus' system: Against the gods

"The answer is night and day... I mean, the question alone already answers itself" Rex said, shrugging in disappointment.

The Sphinx was getting angry at this mortal every passing second. It slammed its paws on the ground, sending dust and debris flying everywhere.

Rex instinctively flinched, shielding his face with an arm as the ground trembled beneath him. His heart raced, but he forced himself to stand his ground.

He dared a glance at the Sphinx's face and immediately regretted it. Its fiery eyes burned with the intensity of a blazing inferno, and for a fleeting moment, Rex swore he saw embers flickering between its jagged fangs.

A thin curl of smoke drifted lazily from the corners of its mouth, a dangerous prelude to whatever wrath it was barely holding back.

Rex swallowed hard, his dry throat clicking. "Okay, okay," he began, raising his hands in mock surrender.

"Since we both know I'll always figure out the answer to your riddles, because, let's face it, I'm pretty good at this. why don't you just let me go?"

He arched a brow, a glimmer of forced confidence in his expression. Inside, though, he was praying—praying to whatever gods were listening, or maybe even to Cronus himself that the Sphinx would take the bait.

The Sphinx's growl deepened "Dost thou truly believe," it hissed, its voice a venomous whisper that grew louder with each syllable, "that thou can answer all the questions I shall lay before thee?"

Rex shrugged again, feigning nonchalance, though every instinct in him screamed to run.

"Yeah... sure," he said, drawing out the words like he was talking to an old friend rather than a mythical beast that could incinerate him in an instant.

He paused, scratching his head as if trying to soften the tension. "I mean, come on. I get it, you're the big, bad master of riddles. No one's better than you. But maybe…" He hesitated, carefully choosing his next words.

"Maybe your riddles just aren't my… type?" His tone was casual, laced with a deliberate lightness that he prayed wouldn't push the creature over the edge.

For a moment, silence hung heavy between them, broken only by the sound of Rex's nervous breathing.n/ô/vel/b//jn dot c//om

The Sphinx's eyes narrowed further, its nostrils flaring as its wings unfurled slightly, casting an enormous shadow over Rex.

It tilted its head, studying him with an unnerving intensity, as if debating whether to crush him or continue its game.

The corners of Rex's mouth twitched in what he hoped resembled a confident smirk. "Look, big guy," he added quickly,

"you can throw whatever you've got at me, but I'm not going anywhere. So let's keep it civil, yeah?"

The Sphinx's lips curled into a sinister snarl, revealing rows of glistening fangs. "Civil?" it repeated, its voice dripping with contempt. "Thou darest mock my riddles, mortal?!"

Rex took a cautious step back, his hands raised defensively. "No, no! Not mocking, more like appreciating!" he corrected hastily, his voice a higher pitch than intended.

"Your riddles are… incredible. A masterpiece, really! I'm just saying, you might be underestimating how much I… y'know, love puzzles."

The Sphinx loomed closer, its claws scraping against the stone with an ear-splitting screech. "If thou truly lovest puzzles," it growled, "then thou shalt revel in the torment of my next riddle!"

Rex bit back a sigh, already regretting his life choices. "Great," he muttered under his breath, forcing a weak grin. "Can't wait."

"I am the beginning of the end and the end of time and space; I am essential to creation but appear in nothing,"

the Sphinx asked, its voice echoing with an ancient, otherworldly tone. A smug, arrogant smile crept across its lips as it awaited Rex's failure.

Rex barely blinked. He leaned forward, his gaze unwavering. "The letter E," he answered sharply

For a moment, there was silence, just before the Sphinx's eyes narrowed. It tilted its head, clearly caught off guard.

"Five more to go," Rex muttered under his breath, his confidence bolstered by his quick success.

The Sphinx didn't erupt in anger as he expected. Instead, it studied him with cold contempt, a predator reevaluating its prey.

Without warning, it launched itself into the air, its massive wings unfurling with a deafening snap. The gust of wind generated by its powerful ascent struck Rex like a wave, hurling him backward.

"Arrk!" Rex grunted as his back slammed against the rough stone wall. Pain lanced through him, but he clenched his teeth, forcing himself upright despite the ache radiating through his shoulders.

High above, the Sphinx hovered like an ominous deity, its silhouette framed by the dim light filtering through the chamber's cracked ceiling.

Its eyes gleamed with a cruel brilliance as it peered down at Rex, a scornful god surveying a mere mortal.

"Now, now, mortal!" it boomed, its voice carrying an unsettling mix of mockery and admiration. "Of a truth, ye have proven thyself to be wise indeed."

Rex glared up at it, brushing the dust from his jacket. "Did you just realize that?" he shot back, the sharp edge of his sarcasm barely masking his fatigue.

The Sphinx's lips curled into a toothy grin, its razor-sharp fangs glinting in the dim light. "I never expected thou to pass the first five mortal riddles!" it declared, its voice ringing with feigned astonishment.

"Yeah, well... now I did…" Rex began, then froze as the words caught up to him. His brow furrowed. "Wait, what? Did you just say five mortal riddles?"

The Sphinx threw its head back, releasing a deep, guttural laugh that reverberated through the chamber. The sound was rich with malice, each note dripping with cruel delight. "Surely, mortal, thou didst not expect the riddles of the Sphinx to be so simple, did thou?"

Its laughter died down to a low chuckle as it descended slightly, circling Rex like a vulture. The breeze from its wings stirred the dust and debris around him, forming eddies of chaos.

"The first five riddles I presented were those befitting of mortals, simple trials to test the feeble wits of men. Though I never expected thou to solve them all, thou hast proven me otherwise."

It paused, savoring the moment, its piercing gaze locking onto Rex's. Then, its voice dropped to a menacing growl.

"And now... we shall begin the true test: the other five, the godly riddles."

Rex's stomach tightened as the words sank in. He forced a weak laugh, masking the dread creeping up his spine. "Godly riddles, huh?" he said, flexing his fingers to steady his nerves. "Well, isn't that just fantastic?

"Beware harbinger for these next riddles aren't like the type you've answered before!" Cronus' voice sounded in Rex's mind, warning him

Rex clenched his fists. "Hey, Sphinx! I'm no god, so why ask me the questions befitting of a god?!" Rex asked.

The Sphinx hovered ominously, its fiery eyes narrowing with predatory amusement. "Thou art no god indeed, but perhaps thou aspirest to be one," it purred mockingly. "And what better way to ascend than to prove thy wit against riddles meant for the divine?"

Rex sighed heavily, rubbing his temples as if physically pushing the absurdity of his predicament out of his mind. "Great," he muttered. "Now I have to play trivia night with the gods. Just another day in the life of Rex Xander."

Cronus' voice echoed in his mind once more, tinged with exasperation. "Harbinger, your arrogance will doom us both."

"Yeah, thanks for the pep talk, Big C," Rex muttered under his breath, earning a confused look from the Sphinx.

"Thou speakest to thyself, mortal?" it sneered, circling him again. "Hast thou already lost thy mind before we begin?"

"No, no," Rex waved dismissively. "Just… consulting my imaginary friend. You know, the usual."

The Sphinx growled low, clearly unimpressed. "Prepare thyself for the first of the godly riddles, mortal. Let us see if thy hubris will lead to glory… or destruction."

It landed with a heavy thud, its paws sending another tremor through the ground. Towering over Rex, it leaned in close, its sulfurous breath washing over him like a furnace. "Listen carefully."

Rex gulped, forcing himself to stand tall. "Okay.....let's see how it goes!"

"I am ancient, yet I grow. I am strong, yet I bleed. I can be broken, yet I never die. What am I?" Stay connected with empire

Rex blinked, the words swirling in his mind like a cryptic whirlwind. "Ancient yet you grow… strong yet you bleed… broken but never die…" He scratched his head, muttering to himself. "Sounds like my harbinger routine."

The Sphinx's fiery gaze bore into him, unamused by the quip. "Thy time is not infinite, mortal," it rumbled, its voice echoing with foreboding. "Answer swiftly, or face my wrath!."

Rex groaned, rubbing his temples. "Okay, okay. Think, Rex, think…" He glanced up at the Sphinx, his face a mask of forced calm. "No hints, huh?"

The Sphinx's grin widened, revealing jagged teeth. "None shall be given, save for the mercy of my patience, which is swiftly waning."

Rex exhaled deeply, pacing as he thought. "Ancient, growing, bleeding, unbreakable…" Suddenly, an idea struck him. His eyes lit up with cautious hope.

"A tree!" Rex exclaimed, snapping his fingers as if he'd solved the world's greatest mystery. "You're describing a tree!"

The Sphinx laughed "Hehehe! Mortal! Surely, thou art good at mortal riddles, and your answer ought to have been right if this riddle was in a mortal form but no, you're wrong!"

Sweat beaded Rex's face.

"Harbinger! Thou canst answer the godly riddles on thy own! I shall aid you in these aspects as the arrogance of that Sphinx is getting on my nerves!"

"Wheww!" Rex heaved a sigh of relief which surprised the Sphinx as he was expecting to see the Mortal panicking, after using up one of his tries.

"It's a mountain, harbinger. The answer is a mountain."