Chapter Twenty-Two: Raymond. My Life Is Saved Because I Know Nothing

Here is chapter twenty-two of Heroes: The New Level.

My Life Is Saved Because I Know Nothing
When I found Carter and Sadie, they were being cornered by the old griffin. The griffin was slashing at them and swinging in for nearly-fatal blows. Carter was slashing just as well with his khopesh as Sadie continued to ha-di the griffin, who seemed unfazed by the destruction spell.

Ready, Ra? I asked. Re Khet shot a beam of flames at the griffin until it looked at me.

"Fool," the griffin murmured before it looked at me. While its back was turned, Carter struck it in the back. The griffin briefly pondered which one of us would be the better target. It settled on me and flew at me with a fierce Screeee!

Ra thought faster than I did, shooting Re Khet right into the griffin's open mouth. The griffin sputtered for a moment before collapsing. The griffin vanished right after its last words. "He said you'd be weak without your leader..."

"So now we can get to the temple?" I asked.

Sadie shook her head. "The griffin wasn't the only monster that got here. The sphinx..."

"Hello, Raymond," the sphinx said. "I am a nightmare for some. For others, as a savior I come. My hands are cold and bleak, though it is warm hearts they seek."

Death, Ra said immediately. Instead I looked at the sphinx and said, "What Re Khet's going to do to you."

The griffin gave a puzzled expression before I set the flames at it. The burning sphinx leaped at me but I was ready. The flames of Re Khet struck hard - harder than I'd ever pressed before. It wasn't enough though...

"Sphinx," I said. "What is greater than Ra, more evil than Apophis? Poor people have it, rich people want it, and those who eat it will slowly die."

The sphinx stopped in its strike. "Fires... though the rich do not want that. They would desire greatness... but greatness is no more evil than the original Serpent... There is no answer."

"Wrong," I said. "The answer is nothing. I fight my prey as I soar the sky, but against a fire I soon die."

"Icarus..." the sphinx said. "No, he fought no prey... It must be..."

"The answer is you, sphinx." I sent one last burst at the weakened sphinx and watched it - finally - be reduced to ashes.

"I will not... go unavenged... she will defeat you..."

"Well, is that the last monster?"

Carter and Sadie nodded. "Let's get to the temple now," Sadie said. "How do we get there?"

I thought for a moment. Tara might not be coming back soon. "I'm part Greek demigod. If I can get to the Greek camp in Manhattan, I can probably get Nico di Angelo to shadow travel us to the temple in Tenochtitlan.

Carter nodded. "Let's go."

That turned out to be easier said than done, as sudden rainfall was pouring, slowing us down a lot. Eventually we got to camp, only to find that Nico was missing.

"He left a while ago to get Tara," Percy said. "He was worried the prophecy might've been talking about her."

"Know any other ways to get there?" I begged.

Percy thought for a moment. "We could always call Hazel and Arion."

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Heroes: The New Level

Chapters

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