Chapter 70: The sphinx and the riddle III
Little author note: Some gore and blood ahead, please brace yourselves~
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Ceremus didn't waste time as he got himself up in an instant, charging forward with the agility of a panther.
He swung his blade in turn toward the Sphinx's exposed flank, but the intelligent creature saw through his moves. With a twist of its muscular body, the Sphinx shifted just enough to avoid the strike. Ceremus' blade caught its fur, but the impact was far from fatal.
The Sphinx let out an ear piercing hiss, spinning to face him, eyes narrowing. It unfurled its wings and, with a violent thrust, took to the air. The two men shielded their eyes from the dust as the creature rised higher, becoming a shadow in the burning sunlight. The knights as well as Loki gasped as the Sphinx hovered over them, its wings beating with great force, and then dived, its talons aimed directly at the Ceremus' chest. But the king was ready. As the Sphinx plummeted, he sidestepped at the last second, narrowly avoiding the lethal talons.
He spun around as Hael slashed upward with his gladius, and this time, the blade met its mark—a deep gash ripped through the underside of one of the Sphinx's wings. The creature screeched, its roar a mixture of pain and fury, as it tumbled to the ground in a cloud of dust.
An evil smirk appeared on his lips. "Ha, serves you right."
The two men were relentless. They both knew their opponent was fierce, but they've fought beasts before, and Ceremus was not about to let some arrogant creature overwhelm him. As the Sphinx struggled to rise, he was already aiming his weapon towards it, darting forward with a burst of speed. He drove his gladius deep into the creature's side, sinking it into the ribcage with a grunt. The Sphinx growled, its eyes flashing with fury, but it was unable to move fast enough.
Ceremus twisted his blade, aiming for the vulnerable spots—the joints in its limbs, the soft underbelly. Blood poured from the Sphinx's body, but he was not finished with it yet. Taking out all of his frustrations on the Sphinx, bludgeoning it with all his might. The creature tried one last desperate maneuver, thrashing wildly, jaws snapping toward the king's throat, but he dodged every blow coming his way.