Leoric was momentarily stunned before snapping back to reality. If thesphinx creatures could lurk here to ambush them, they must have planned it long ago. These monsters excelled at mental control and illusionary camouflage magic. They might have already hidden around the square where they camped, waiting for the right moment to strike.

  Needless to say, the so-called reconciliation between thesphinx creatures and the Bedai, ceding the city of Escao, was undoubtedly a trap. Perhaps the messengers sent to inform the Bedai tribe near the Black Road had already been hypnotized and controlled by thesphinx creatures.

  Leoric ran, his speed was not slow, but Mavis ahead of him was even faster, wielding her sword like a streak of silver light. The two of them dashed through the street, with a low wall ahead.Leoric was about to consider going around it when he saw Mavis press her hand against the wall, leap up, and flip over it effortlessly.

  From the direction of the square, the sounds of chopping and fighting were faintly audible. Clearly, thesphinx creatures had already started their attack.Leoric didn't have Mavis's agility. He went around the low wall and through an alley, and could already see the distant square. Indeed, a group of over thirtysphinx creatures were wielding scimitars and charging back and forth.

  Mavis swung her silver sword and charged into the thick of the fray.Leoric, however, stopped and tried to calm down to analyze the situation. Thesphinx creatures had indeed prepared in advance, sneaking in with their invisibility magic and lurking around the square, waiting to launch a sudden attack after the Bedai had settled down to rest. This Bedai tribe numbered about thirty, with the majority being the elderly, weak, women, and children (most of the strong and able-bodied had been killed by the Scattered Tower Lin Guild, including the old chief). Their combat effectiveness was very weak, and they had traveled a long way, already exhausted. Coupled with the unexpected attack, they were almost instantly overwhelmed by thesphinx creatures. Only the three priests, although they hadn't expected the sudden attack, reacted quickly, drew their weapons at the first opportunity, and leaned against a wall, stubbornly defending and resisting the wave after wave ofsphinx creature attacks. Although the priests were skilled at defense and all three were of high rank, with various divine spells enhancing them and the wall at their backs eliminating their worries, they could resist for the moment. But if the situation dragged on, they would surely be overwhelmed by thesphinx creatures.

  Mavis charged into the thick of the fray, heading straight for the three priests. Her silver sword was incredibly sharp, and all thesphinx creatures that blocked her way were split in two at a glance. She was truly unstoppable and incredibly brave. The three priests, seeing Mavis come to their rescue, were also greatly invigorated. They swung their war hammers and mace heads densely, blocking thesphinx creatures.

  Leoric hesitated, wondering whether to go forward and help. As a wizard, he would be very unsafe in this melee without protection. A stray blade might take his life in an instant. But they had traveled together all the way, and it seemed inappropriate to just watch them be besieged by thesphinx creatures while he hid.

  Just as he was about to make up his mind and charge forward, he suddenly caught sight of asphinx creature standing on the roof of a house in the distance.

  This story originates from Royal Road. Ensure the author gets the support they deserve by reading it there.

  Unlike the othersphinx creatures that were fighting, it was clearly a noble—its upper body was in the form of a human woman. Because the distance was too far, her face was not clear, but he could see that she was wearing a black leather armor with a low cut at the chest, highlighting her large breasts; her lower body was a green snake tail, as thick as a water bucket, swaying back and forth on the ground. Her arms were bare, her skin was dark green with a faint blue glow, and she held a gray staff in her hand, which seemed to be covered with silver snake-shaped ornaments, quite eerie.

  Leoric had learned in school that mostsphinx creatures were half-human and half-Leoric, but the upper-class nobles among them were half-human and half-snake, and mostly female. It seemed that she was the leader of this group ofsphinx creatures.

  Just as he was about to remind Mavis to be careful, the femalesphinx creature had already made her move. She forcefully pounded her staff into the ground, and her massive body soared into the air, leaping down from the rooftop and landing in the square. She let out a piercing shriek, and thesphinx creatures who were attacking furiously retreated at the sound, forming a circle at a distance, surrounding Mavis and the three priests in the middle.

  Mavis and the priests regrouped. After the fierce battle just now, she was clearly exhausted. She leaned on her giant silver sword, and although she wore a helmet and her face couldn't be seen, her chest heaved unevenly, clearly out of breath.

  The femalesphinx creature slithered forward gracefully. Now that she was closer,Leoric could see more clearly. If one only looked at her upper body, she could still be considered beautiful. Her facial features were distinct, her eyebrows arched, her eyes full of spring, and the corners of her mouth faintly revealed a seductive smile. A silver necklace was around her snowy neck, and with her dark blue hair, she looked even more enchanting. A black emblem was engraved on the chest part of her leather armor, but the details were unclear. A curved black snake-shaped dagger hung from her waist.

  However... if one shifted their gaze to her lower body and saw her thick green snake tail swaying back and forth on the ground, a shiver ran down their spine, and any lascivious thoughts vanished. The femalesphinx creature twisted her waist and slithered out of the group ofsphinx creatures. She smiled and applauded lightly.

  "Impressive," she praised, speaking surprisingly fluent Common Tongue. "Let me introduce myself. My name is Karina."

  It was a nice name, and her voice was pleasant too. If one ignored her lower body, she was a standard beauty.

  "I've never seen such a powerful human, and a woman at that," she said with a coquettish smile, her eyes fluttering as if she were not facing a life-or-death opponent but seeing a long-lost lover. "If I'm not mistaken, human, you're a paladin? A paladin of Tyr, right?"

  Mavis responded with silence.

  "A female paladin, how rare," Karina said to herself. "So, Lady Paladin, if I ask you to lay down your weapons and surrender now, will you comply?"

  Mavis didn't respond. This was obviously a rhetorical question.

  Fortunately, Karina didn't expect an answer. She giggled, her voice as clear as a silver bell. "A paladin of Tyr would rather die than surrender... However, I'm curious about one thing, Paladin," her face suddenly darkened, shrouded in a chilling aura. "I'll count to ten. If you don't lay down your weapons and surrender by then, I'll kill all those people over there. If you surrender, I'll spare their lives."

  The "people over there" referred to the Bedai. After being charged by thesphinx creatures, a few had been killed in battle, and most had been captured. They had now all been disarmed and were huddled in a corner of the square, guarded by severalsphinx creatures with knives.

  "Well?" Karina said calmly. "A paladin of Tyr wouldn't sacrifice innocent lives out of fear of death, am I right?" Her face returned to its coquettish expression, and she giggled. "So, I'll start counting now. You have ten seconds to consider."

  Leoric, hiding in the darkness far away, furrowed his brows. This... such a clichéd tactic, it was really too uncreative.