Yellow Deacons; Black Bishops

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The Bishop Training Ground, formally known as the 'Yellow Deacons', is where the Pharaoh's 'Sarcophagus' was sent from the 'Pharaoh's Labyrinth' to do his bidding as his 'Instrument'. Bearing part of his 'Soul', it was animate with his 'Spirit', and it was bid further directly by the 'Will' of the 'Pharaoh'.

On it was plastered the image of the Pharaoh as well as intricate decals and electric-looking designs, like lightning. "Yellow Deacons," bellowed the Sarcophagus, which floated in the midst of the Yellow Deacons' hall, "Report To The Court. It Is Time To Be Instructed On The Ways Of The 'Black Bishop'."

Though they were sure of their head start and were not sure of how soon the Sphinx would gain on them, they pressed on up the spiral staircase quickly, grasping as much of the information about their next technique as they went along. From what they could tell, all it meant was to take advantage of an advantageous situation in a previously disadvantageous situation, and thus gain the advantage. It didn't seem very complex in theory, but in practice, especially against such a legendary creature as the Sphinx, it would probably be harder. For the moment, all they needed to do was get as high up as they could and read as much as they could. They could communicate and compose a strategy later.

Drawing nearer to their Lightning God, the Instruments would find themselves surging with electrical energy which heightened their senses, giving them the capacity to feel more niche wavelengths, and also to be able to sense when the Sphinx was coming and how far away she was. These powers were shared with them based on the electrical energy of the Lightning God, which would become more charged as they neared the top. They would heard his voice again saying to them, 'The Closer You All Get To Me, The More Of My Powers Will Influence You, Such As This One, Which Heightens Your Senses. Next, Your Minds Will Be Cleared Of Extraneous Thoughts So That Your Thoughts Are Not Jumbled Or Discordant With Each Other. But You Must Still Come Closer Before That Is Revealed To You.' They hadn't been given extra commands or instructions, so it should have been inferred that they should just continue with the previous one until it was confirmed to be completed.

As it turned out, the Sphinx eventually made her way to the foot of the spiral staircase, watching as the Black Bishops of the Yellow Deacons continued up. Finally, the Sphinx was not just in pursuit of them, but was actually going to engage them in direct combat. They were about to be free of Pharaoh's Labyrinth, and so now the Sphinx had to serve its purpose as a guardian. With outstretched wings, the Sphinx shot up to the top of the tower in a beam of light with a single flap, resting itself just at the exit in order to block the way. It rested as a normal Sphinx would, awaiting the Instruments to reach it so that it may give them riddles or face off with them.

The Black Bishops were naturally very distraught when they saw that all that running they'd done was thwarted pretty easily in a single move by the Sphinx, as if all of that calculative maneuvering and getting ahead just meant absolutely nothing. It was disheartening, sure -- but not soul-crushing. They'd indeed seen the instructions left behind by the Lightning God were coming together for some of them as they processed all of the information, and they would quickly explain to the others. They all decided that it was best to try to solve the riddle of the Sphinx, as they knew was appropriate and customary for any Sphinx guarding anything. They figured if they simply solved the riddle, they could avoid conflict entirely, and they will have made advantageous all of the efforts they'd put into remaining evasive and tactical by having avoided any fighting altogether throughout the entire process... More or less.

So it wouldn't be a wasted effort as long as they didn't have to fight, but if they did end up fighting, they'd still have more energy than if they'd been fighting the entire time, which was part of why it would still be a pretty big boon despite not turning out exactly as they'd hoped in all of their maneuvering to get ahead. They were just a little more readily prepared to endure a fight than if they'd been tattered down by being careless before. And now, they had the chance to not have to fight at all, which was the best outcome. They only hoped the riddle wasn't too challenging...

'Very Good, My Black Bishop Yellow Deacons!' spake suddenly the Lightning God into their minds yet again, 'You Have Grasped What My Previous Instructions Meant And Have Not Become Discouraged When Faced With The Final Test. I Am Here To Tell You That This Surely Is The Final Test, And That You Have Solved My Riddles, But You Have Yet To Resolve The Sphinx's Riddle. It Is Hidden In Her Code, And Not In My Instructions, Which Is Why It Is Totally Separate From The Riddle I Made For You In Order To Get You Up The Tower. This Is The Sphinx's Own Personal Riddle. Obey My Commands, And You Will Best Her, As You Have Been Since I Have Been Teaching You The Black Bishop Techniques'. The information was translated to them via the waves of the atmosphere, and the forces of nature around them.

The Sphinx did not ever speak anything to the Instruments, and had remained wholly silent throughout the entirety of their engagement. However, with the help of the Pharaoh, the Lightning God, they were able to pick up on the wavelengths of the Sphinx, which allowed them to process the codes of her algorithm based on her internal commands to herself. They could understand that the riddle was not something of spoken words, but of a deeper understanding that was spoken, and they would have to figure out what the Sphinx was communicating on a vibrational level beyond just words... And then also figure out the riddle that was within the riddle of her actions, of course.

Surely, it shouldn't have been believed that it would be so easy as to have been revealed to them by the person that brought them here. Otherwise, what would have been the point or lesson or growth? Or, at least, what would have been a test of those things, since there was such progression all throughout, albeit through guidance. It was still important to allow for applied knowledge without any help on an actual test in order to gauge the truth of their capabilities and education in whatever matter.

The voice of the Lightning God was clearer to them than ever when they received the waves of the atmosphere. The Yellow Deacons were all fortified in their resilience against the elusive nature of the Sphinx that was once hidden to them. They started to grasp what she was, but there was still a huge air of mystery about the Sphinx that left them indeterminate about what exactly the riddle was. Sure, they could sense and feel and understand her, but people could understand a Sphinx when it spoke to them normally, and still not understand the riddle, nor solve it. So the greater element to this coming from the Sphinx not speaking the riddle, but acting out a riddle, made this scenario that much more strenuous.

The Black Bishops carefully studied the Sphinx as best they could, making no effort to solve the riddle until they were sure they'd figured at least something remotely educated out.

Because it was so difficult to determine what the Sphinx intended by its riddle, or even that there was a riddle at all, the Lightning God needed to make sure that the ways in which the Sphinx communicated other than speaking were translated in a manner able to be understood. Be it visually, audibly, or in another sensory fashion like touch, it could all be influenced by the wavelengths in the atmosphere. This way, no matter what happened or what the Sphinx did, they'd all be able to understand. This didn't mean they'd be able to figure out the riddle, but it did mean that the Sphinx's actions would become able to be interpreted, which would be a big help in them figuring out what the riddle meant after they could understand her.

What was once only silence that came from the Sphinx now became the words to a command input in the minds of the Black Bishops, who would be able to perceive the nature of the command input in various ways. They might hear, see, or experience the nature of the command differently, but it all ended up still being in relation to what the Sphinx was doing at present. It at first seemed to be nothing at all, but given the command, it was clear that there was a sort of aroma coming from the Sphinx which was permeating the air. It was unclear what this sort of fragrance was meant to be doing, but it was certain that it came from the Sphinx, and worked in tandem with the command that they all perceived in their various ways after the translation. But the Sphinx herself did not move nor speak.

To each of the Black Bishops that perceived differently than the others the command input of the Sphinx, they would each gather different interpretations of it and the situation, but also further perceive differently with their primary senses that they were strongest with, further registering their interpretations based on how they perceived with their senses.

They all came to different conclusions, but were not able to figure out why nor how to come to a resolution, or to see whose idea was the most accurate for this riddle. It was tricky not to sow discord between their accumulated camaradarie when faced with a challenge that made them face each other instead of an outer threat, but they knew they needed to work through it. It wasn't as if the bonds were falsified or fabricated between them. They were just intensified when plastered against each other instead of fortifying each other in ways that the others might need or lack. Here, they didn't have that support, but instead fought their differences that once supported them with a disadvantage due to the lack. It would be very tricky to engage in combat afterward as well, which was something that came up during their roundabouts with each other, trying to figure a scenario.

Maybe the Sphinx knew that. But they seemed not to consider that she did.