After a few moments of blinding light and the strange sensation of weightlessness, the knights found themselves elsewhere- transported into a vast chamber that dimly lit with an eerie, otherworldly glow emanating from the walls.
The room is circular, with high, vaulted ceilings that seem to stretch endlessly into darkness. Within distance, there is a huge statue standing at around 65 feet that resembles a knight clad in armor.
Commander Darius quickly notices that half of his units are missing.
He asked, "Where is the half of my units?"
The knights' glance at each other, realizing that some of their comrades are missing.
Suddenly, they heard a shout from the other side of the room. "Commander, where are you?" The voice is familiar, belonging to one of the missing knights.
Commander Darius recognized the voice immediately that was coming from the other side of the room as it was the same voice from one of his knights. "I am here, Jan. Are you okay there?"
With an enthusiastic voice, the separated of roughly two hundred knights in the other chamber replied, "Yes commander."
As Commander Darius and his group advanced, they drew closer to the towering statue.
Suddenly, the statue's began to open—slowly, deliberately—revealing a burning red light within. The knights were startled by what they saw.
The statue then spoke in a deep, resonant voice, "Greetings, challengers. I am Sophius, the guardian of this tower. Behind me lies the door that leads to what you seek. Only those who are deemed worthy may pass through."
Gareth cracked his knuckles and stepped forward with a grin, his voice echoing boldly through the chamber. "So, we just need to beat the life out of this cranky giant?" He said, stretching .
"A statue that speak unheard of, it's mechanism is not a craft of magic. A technology, no, unknown technology, every revelation in this tower never failed me to amazed." Uttered by Allen.
The statue's voice boomed again, "Your worthiness will be determined by your wit. Solve my riddle, and you will be deemed worthy. You have two attempts and ten minutes to solve the riddle before I end your foolishness."
Gareth scoffed, "So it's just a puny, gigantic Riddler."
"I turn polar bears white, And I will make you cry.
I make guys have to pee, and girls comb their hair.
I make celebrities look stupid, and normal people look like celebrities.
I turn pancakes brown and make your champagne bubble.
If you squeeze me, I'll pop. If you look at me, you'll pop.
So, what am I?"
"Verily, that statue is powerful. Its aura is…vast, larger than mine at best. So, it's wiser if we solve the riddle." Uttered Commander Darius.
Even Commander Darius acknowledges the danger of the statue, thus they had to other choice but to play with the riddle before them.
Thing is, all of the knights tilt their head in confusion, as none of them knew the answer, their craft wasn't about wit. Thus, every gaze turned to Allen.
He spoke, "I know this riddle."
A gladsome smile came to their face.
"The riddle was dismissed by most scholar as nonsense as it has no definitive answer since it breaks the traditional riddle structure, and I don't exactly know the answer."
At this, the countenances of the knights did blanch as they murmured, "Well we're dead."
Gareth taps Allen's shoulder as he said, "We understand, we're at like mind and understanding except that you know some magic. Our commander will solve the riddle."
Allen thought within himself, "Surely, I am wiser than these hapless knights, whose minds are dulled by steel and not sharpened by book."
Then stepped forth a knight, bold yet uncertain, and spoke, "The answer is Time."
The commander, brow furrowed as he asked, "How do you say so, Ryan?"
As the knight opened his mouth to speak, Allen did swiftly interject, "Time turns polar bears white because of evolution. Time will make you cry-time brings emotional experiences, nostalgia, or even joy that can lead to tears. Time makes guys have to pee- the passage of time leads to the natural need to relieve ourselves. Time makes girls comb their hair to groom themselves. Time makecelebrities look stupid. Over time, public perception can change. Past actions or statements resurface, making celebrities appear foolish.Time also makes normal people look like celebrities. Time can bring fame or transformation—ordinary people can rise to celebrity status."
Marshal Romeo interrupts his explanation as he raised his hand, "That's enough, time is ticking. What can you say, Commander?"
Commander Darius gave them a slight nod.
Gareth murmured under his breath, "Allen, way to grab the glory that you didn't earn, huh."
Allen gazed upon Sophius as he exclaimed, "Our answer is TIME."
"Wrong," declared Sophius
A murmur rippled through the gathered knights. Allen's brow furrowed as he stepped forward and asked, "Why? How can that be?"
But Sophius did not yield. Instead the statue replied, "Five minutes remained before you can deliver your last answer attempt."
Allen turned to the knights and said, "Figures."
Gareth, visibly frustrated, "Hey bastard, you know that the answer is incorrect, and you didn't object. Instead, you explained it convincingly."
He exclaimed, "Told you earlier, I don't know the answer, but that doesn't mean that I cannot explain the candidate answer. Worth a try."
Allen thought to himself, 'A mere knight's wit cannot surpass the ancient riddler."
Allen added, "Time has logical inconsistencies, from the line, if you squeeze me, I'll pop. Time isn't something that we can physically squeeze. And the last part is metaphorical at best, inconsistent with time."
Marshal stepped forward, "Why you didn't bring that earlier?"
"Time is ticking, lad." Allen with wry simply mimic Romeo's response earlier.
Romeo understands that escalation doesn't help their situation. Romeo thought to himself, "This mage is…helpless. Lucky bastard, he is untouchable because of Duke's grace."
Allen gazed at Priest Jarek, looking for an answer. Jarek replied with a shrugged, "God Jeremiah condemned playing with the trial of evil. I refuse to offer an answer."
With a wry curl in his lips, Allen murmured, "Figures, isn't the ancient tome of four Gods said that: Seek the truth with all thy heart, and thou shalt fine me. For I am the way, the truth and the answer that shall remain when all questions fades."
For one thing, Allen has a talent to annoy anyone.
Priest Jarek knew the sacred weight of the scripture. He remarked, "How dare you wielding the word of God in vain."
"Pay him no heed, Father Jarek." Uttered Romeo.
Jarek stirred by Allen's provocation, did narrow his eyes and speak, "So be it! My answer is Heat."
Allen also reveal his answer with a smirk, "Ho! fortune, my answer is Pressure. Allen added, "Both are feasible answer but we don't have time for a debate. How about settling it with a game of Rock, Scissor and Paper?"
Jarek, his brow furrowed in disapproval, "I don't partake in such childish game. Let's your answer stand."
Gareth strode forward though he didn't care whether the answer proved correct or not, he couldn't stand Allen folding the situation in his will.
Gareth remarked, "No, I will represent the Priest"
Commander Darius paid no heed as his eyes fixed on the large statue.
Marshal Romeo, however, clicked his tongue with the unfolding clownery despite the urgency of the situation.
"Well then, are you ready?" Uttered by Allen
Gareth rotate his arm and shoulder with a grin, "I am, Lad!"
With fists clenched and eyes locked, Allen and Gareth stood face to face, they raised their hands in unison, and with a steady rhythm, chanted, "Rock…Paper…Scissor…"
On the third beat, their hands struck forth- Gareth drew rock while Allen drew Paper, winning the game.
Truth is Allen cheated using subtle magic that Gareth failed to notice.
With confidence, Allen proclaimed, "Done this, a thousand times but I never loss."
Gareth a knight with honor, accept his defeat wholeheartedly, lowered his gaze as he said, "It's my loss."
No one raised an objection to Allen's answer. With great surety, he turned to face Suphius, lifting both hands high in triumph, and did proclaim, "Hear me out, Suphius. Our answer is…Pressure"