The Laughing Sphinx

Tarvan sand, red sun, dead sky, Ruins of Irbouda watching me pass by. Bones in the dust where caravans died, Wind whispering names of the men who tried. They said: “Great cats rule these lands.” Kings of the dunes and the burning sands. Gnolls and raiders bend the knee, Every tribe fears what I soon see. Thought it was madness, desert lies, Until the ruin split the skies— Shadow moving, slow and grand, A lion king in the broken sand. Voice in my head like a blade in silk: "Why does the hunter spill my milk?" Sphinx! Sphinx! — king of the sand Bones of a thousand beneath his hand Laughing low where the old gods fell I heard the truth and I lived to tell Sphinx! Sphinx! — lord of the sun Run if you can but the hunt’s begun Once he speaks you understand: The desert belongs to the Sphinx’s hand. Eyes like fire, mind like knives, Older than empires, older than lives. Cities buried under his throne, Kingdom built from skull and bone. Gnoll warbands run his wars, Bandit kings guard broken doors. Cats in the dark, watching the land, Every claw part of his hand. "Men build crowns from gold and dust." "Mine are forged from fear and trust." Wind stopped dead when the monster smiled, Ancient god with the heart of a wild. Sphinx! Sphinx! — king of the sand Bones of a thousand beneath his hand Laughing low where the old gods fell I heard the truth and I lived to tell Sphinx! Sphinx! — lord of the sun Run if you can but the hunt’s begun Once he speaks you understand: The desert belongs to the Sphinx’s hand. Mind like thunder trapped in flame, Beast and genius in the same. Blood of gods inside the frame, Every desert knows his name. He laughed. Ruins shook. Dust ran red. Then the monster leaned and said: "Live." "Run." "Tell them what you know." "Let the fear of Sphinx now grow." Sphinx! Sphinx! — king of the sand Bones of a thousand beneath his hand Madmen walk where the lions tread And now his voice lives in my head Sphinx! Sphinx! — lord of the sun Run if you can but the hunt’s begun Hear that laughter in the wind? The Sphinx is hunting men again.