Her eyes darted around as she continued to walk deeper into the maze, searching for another clearing, or anything that decided it wanted to jump out of the hedges. When she noticed the light source, she fixed her eyes on the source until she was in the clearing.

It was only when she entered the clearing that she let her eyes scan the area, taking note of the other paths that lead to it. Sandra noticed the doors, but it was the Sphinx that her eyes settled on. the creatures serenity didn't help to calm the woman any. She remembered well what she read about Sphinxes, and how they become aggressive when what they're guarding is threatened. And she seemed to be guarding the way out.

"May I pass?" That was Aleksandra's way of asking what did she need to do to pass. She knew the creature wouldn't simply let her by.

The Sphinx continues to simply regard the young woman as if she hadn't spoken up at all. Even though, she practically radiates calmness, the way her eyes are always fixated on the Champion makes it quite obvious that she is ready to defend whatever she is protecting. Ready to attack. Ready to kill, should there be the need to.

After another moment of complete silence has passed, the creature finally shows some kind of reaction to the posed question. Her human lips slowly curl into a small smirk, her dark eyes still locked on the girl. "You may." And then with a rather intimidating raise of her eyebrows she added, "Or you may not. It all depends on you." A small pause ensued during which she regarded the young woman once again, as if figuring out whether she was worth it.

In the end it seems she has proven herself worthy, as the Sphinx raises her head briefly and finally addresses the girl again,

"Deep in the wood in an orchard of old,
An apple tree grows, a sight to behold.
The branches are full and the limbs hand down.
It must be magic, there's none on the ground.

From the twisted old trunk, four branches sprout.
And from each long branch, fifteen twigs stick out.
From each of these, three ripe fruit dangle free.
Tell me the number of pears in the tree."

Aleksandra suppressed a small frown when the Sphinx kept quiet as if she hadn't been asked a question. The young woman didn't feel the need to repeat herself for she knew the creature heard her, instead she continued to look at the Sphinx, grip on her wand tight should the creature decided to attack.

The smirk was unsettling, but at least it was some response after a another moment. Her own brow furrowed slightly at the creatures words, betraying her stoic demeanor. She didn't know what to make of the words, and waited for the creature to speak again.

Finally. Another riddle. Listening intently, for she was sure the creature wouldn't repeat herself, she considered the riddle for a short moment. Trick question? "There are no pears in the apple tree."

For a few minutes there is no visible reaction from the Sphinx as the champion finally attempts to answer the riddle. No reaction. Neither positive, nor negative. She is just regarding her with unreadable dark eyes, her head slightly cocked to one side, considering her answer.

Then, all of a sudden, the Sphinx bows her head gracefully before taking a step back. However not to get ready to attack but rather to move out of the way, allowing the champion to pass.

Her head tilted to the side, looking at the Sphinx appraisingly. She wasn't sure what to make of the creature not responding to her answer, if she was correct or if she was wrong, or if the Sphinx was going to ask her another riddle. Sandra wouldn't move though, not until she got some reaction from the creature.

Her grip tightened on her wand when the Sphinx moved, and didn't loosen when it stepped back. She was letting her pass. Nodding her head in response, she carefully walked passed the creature, not taking her eyes off her as she did. In case she decided to attack.

The Sphinx was watching the Champion's tentative steps towards the two doors impassively. However, after a few moments of indecision on your part, she inclines her head ever so slightly towards the door on the right.

Another nod at the Sphinx and the young woman finally allowed her eyes to leave the creature long enough to pass through the right door. Hopefully it didn't lead to any more creatures.

As you move forward, the door swings open to reveal...yet another path, framed with more high hedges. Tentatively stepping over the threshold, you follow the path ahead slowly. A few minutes and several corners later, there is no doubt about it. The hedges are retreating. Where before you were shut in almost completely, with each branch pawing at you, it's now possible to stride forward without being forced to untangle some part of the cloak or other.

Then your foot bumps against something heavy on the ground. The light of the wand reveals not, luckily, an old coffin or something similarly creepy, but the top part of what appears to be a small treasure chest.

No more creatures so far. Good. Her steps where slow as she continued down the path, the tension she had around the Sphinx gone as she worried now about getting out of the maze. And it seemed she was getting closer to the exit. Her eyes flicked about hoping to see another clearing that would lead to her exit, when she felt something connect with her foot.

Sandra glanced down to notice.....a treasure chest. Odd thing to find in a maze. Then again a mirror was odd to find in a cave. Reaching down, she picked up the treasure chest and cleaned it off a bit. She took a moment to examine the box before continuing down the path. Box in hand.

With the chest held safely in your hands, the lid springs open. Sudden brightness illuminates the ground around you. True, the light coming from the chest isn't actually all that bright, but after wandering around in the dark for hours, it completely messes up your vision.

The chest is filled with golden runes, glowing faintly. This must be what the Sphinx was guarding. Take them with you; you've earned them. Oh and know this... Decoding their secret message just might prove helpful.

http://i173.photobucket.com/albums/w...fs/Runes-2.gif
Just a little further now...

Gah! The damn bright light, and chests opening on their own. Blinking rapidly, she swore while adjusting her eyes to the light. What was in the thing anyways? Runes. Picking one up, she examined it for a moment and decided to decode them later. When she was out of these hedges.

Onward she went.

With the rune in your hand, the path opens before you. The way out is clear. As you move forward, the cheers from the stands start to cut through the eerie landscape, replacing the silence.

You've made it!

More light, and this time it was accompanied with the familiar sounds of the crowd. Weird hearing sounds when she had been in silence the whole task. Placing the rune back into the chest, she continued forward and out of the maze.

Finally.

As you make your way past the last hedge, your field of vision widens. At last you can see the crowd-filled stands.

The crowd got louder as she neared the exit, eyes blinking rapidly again when they finally came into view. Now. Where were her friends?