The Quest

I am waiting in the shadows at the top of the pyramid, and I crouch here as the stranger approaches. I am the Challenger. I am like the Sphinx of ancient times and if my opponent loses - he is MINE!

"Greetings!" I shout at the top of my bile filled lungs, but my voice gnarls with the remains of congealled blood and splinters of bones lodged deep in my throat, and instead of a greeting with enthusiasm, I speak with a snarling guttural growl as rivers of saliva roll out of my mouth and drip down my rotting sharp teeth. Manners aren't important though, because I know he'll never defeat me, the Challenger, for I have played this game for an eternity.

"Have a seat", my mind says evilly as I scuffle roughly to the table, "Ha-ha, don't mind if I do!" I jump over the playing table so that I am on the farther side of the table when I motion this stranger to be seated. As I sit here I realize how easy it would be to just kill this being without beginning the game, but I won't kill him - not yet - I'd rather defeat him right now than eat him.

"Hurry up!" My mind wales in impatience, being the Challenger is maddening every time I play, and I snarl at him with contempt. He is easy prey, I can tell because he is young, just like a baby in a playpen; defenseless. This opponent will be easily defeated by my extreme cunning and wit, so I have good reason to scare him a little. Taunting can be weakening to the strongest of men!

The game begins and I show him how to start: My glowing yellow cone game-piece hovers in front of my face and I grab hold and thrust it down into the circular mechanism that is in the table before us. He is looking at his glowing blue cube piece quizzically as if he doesn't know what he's doing - perhaps he shouldn't be here - oh well, his loss. Look at him shrinking away as I laugh. I laugh because I know I have won already and he will be my victory trophy! My opponent copies my movement and I stop laughing. His cube game piece fits into its holding square - and the mechanism glows and distributes out our gaming pieces.

This is easy, in a matter of seconds I have already destroyed two of his pieces and now I'm going for another one. Oh! He's starting to see how the game works - he's got one of my game pieces, well that was just a lucky shot. Too bad that it'll be the only shot he gets in.

Look! I just destroyed two more cubes, now he's totally under my power and I will defeat him with one mighty jolt from my - wait! What's he doing? He has lined up his cubes in a strategic defense and destroyed six of my pieces! This stranger is a lot more intelligent than I give him credit. Maybe I'll kill him now. Just one quick swipe with my claw-like hands and I'll tear his body apart...No, I'll finish the game. I may still be able to defeat him with one cone piece Hooray! I've destroyed two more cubes, that leaves him with two and me with one. Now even if he defeats me I know that there will be no way to get away from this place on the pyramid except downward, and I'll be able to capture him on the stairs and finish him off...NO! NO! NO!

This can't be happening! He's destroyed my cone! No one does that to me and LIVES! I am the Sphinx! I am the Challenger! I am the Master at this game! I will KILL HIM! I WILL, I WILL, I WILL!

What is that narrow plank extending from?! This whole place is glowing!! This has never happened before! Everyone loses at this point!! My opponent is jumping for the plank! He got it! He's getting away!! NO! COME BACK! I WANT A RE-MATCH! I WANT ANOTHER GAME! I WANT TO RIP YOUR LUNGS OUT AND MASH YOUR BRAINS IN! I HUNGER FOR ANOTHER GAME! I WANT TO DESTROY YOU!

PLEASE COME BACK!