The Southern Oracle

There were two telescopes, assuming Urgl would eventually become interested in science, Engywook had made two, only to leave one of them unused. He urged Atreyu and Axerena to look through them. When they did so, they saw two statues that looked like sphinxes.

"Is that the Southern Oracle?" Atreyu asked, smiling down at Engywook.

Engywook answered, "Well, no. It's the first of the two gates you must pass before you reach the Southern Oracle, and get me the final information for my book!"

Axerena whispered to Atreyu, "Is that book all he cares about?" Hearing this, Atreyu tried to hide his snickers.

Suddenly, Engywook got a somber look of his face, "Of course, most people never get that far."

"Why?" Atreyu wondered.

"The sphinx's eyes stay closed until someone who does not feel his own worth tries to pass by," Engywook explained, "Ah! Here comes one that looks fancy." A man in a suit of armor approached the gate on his horse.

"Let's see what he really thinks of himself." Axerena couldn't help but think he was enjoying himself a bit too much, but continued to look through the telescope, as did Atreyu. They both saw the man hesitate.

"Go on, scaredy cat," Engywook taunted, "Oh, go on!" He tried to get Atreyu to let him see, but Atreyu ignored him. Then he tried the same with Axerena, but just to spite him she didn't move.

"He's going on!" Atreyu exclaimed excitedly, "I think he's gonna make it!"

"The sphinx's eyes, are they open or shut?" Engywook asked, "Let me see!"

"They're shut!" Axerena snapped at him, getting annoyed at his pushiness.

Atreyu corrected, "No, wait! They eyes are open!" Both children are horrified as they saw beams of light shoot towards the man, and burn him. They looked at each other and shared a look of absolute terror.

"Oh, no!" Engywook cried, "Did he make it? Did he?" Both just shook their heads.

"No," Axerena whispered.

Engywook sighed, "Fancy armor doesn't help much. The sphinxes can see straight into your heart. Listen, next time, let me see what happens! It's my telescope." They both ignored him as they shared a look of determination.

"We're going to try it," Atreyu declared. They both started climbing down the hill.

"No! Don't go yet!" Engywook tried to stop them, "I haven't told you about the next gate! It's even worse than this one! Atreyu! Axerena!"

As they approached the gate, Axerena gulped, "This well be where our journey ends."

"I know," Atreyu whispered, "But we must remain calm. We can't let fear take us now. Not after everything we've been through."

"Right," Axerena said, still slightly on edge, "Would you... mind holding my hand?" Seeing the shocked look on Atreyu's face, she quickly stated, "Not that you have to! It was just a tho-!"

Smiling, Atreyu answered, "It's fine. I'd love to hold your hand." And he took her hand, causing her to blush. Even though she was slightly embarrassed, she was mostly happy. If she died here, at least she would die holding the hand of the one she loved most. Little did she know, Atreyu was feeling the exact same way. Feeling slightly more confident, they approached the two sphinxes.

"They'll never make it!" Engywook cried, "They'll never make it!" They were doing just fine, that it until the reach the man from before. The wind lifted the mask covering his helmet to reveal a heavily burned body. Most of they're confidence they had earlier disappeared at this horrible sight.

"Don't start to doubt yourselves now!" Engywook exclaimed, "Be confident!"

(Um,hi?)

Bastian joined in, "Be confident! Be confident!" As he kept reading, the eyes started to open. "Run, you two, run!"

(It'sbeenalongtime,huh?)

"Run!" Engywook shouted. They both looked straight ahead, hoping they could make it.

(Iamsoincrediblysorry!)

"Run now!" Bastian yells, so caught up in the story he didn't even register he was just yelling to a book.

(Iamatotalidiot!)

Still holding hands, Atreyu and Axerena started to run, just barely making it through. They both sighed, relieved to still be alive. They smiled at each other, then quickly shared a hug. They had come so close to failing their mission, and losing each other. But, soon it was time to get back to business.

Back with Engywook, he had fallen from his basket in excitement, chanting, "They made it! They made it!" Urgl was giving Falkor a shot when he appeared in front of them, "They made it, Atreyu and Axerena, they made it through the Sphinx's Gate. I always said they could do it!"

Urgl seemed genuinely happy, "Oh, good! But that's no reason for you to go falling out of the basket again."

"Oh, hogwash!" he just waved her off.

Falkor calmly said, "I knew they would be safe."

"Nonsense! The worst one is coming up," he stressed, "Next is the Magic Mirror gate. They have to face their true self."

"So what?" Falkor looked confused, "That won't be too hard for them."

"Oh, that's what everyone thinks!" Engywook began to explain, "But kind people find that they are cruel. Brave men discover they are really cowards. Confronted with their true selves, most men would run away screaming!" With Atreyu and Axerena, they were walking through plies of snow, all the while more was falling fast. They soon found a mirror in front of them.

Looking at her reflection, Axerena gasped, "I look beautiful." She had longer hair, that was slightly darker, and she was smiling. She had no idea what this mirror was meant to show, but she knew this couldn't she looked like. Nevertheless, she was happy to have this to help her confidence.

Atreyu looked over at her, "Yes, you do." But he wasn't talking about her reflection. In fact, he couldn't even see her reflection. But when he looked into the mirror, he saw a young boy, wearing strange clothes, reading a book.

(Ican'tevenbelieve)

Bastian threw the book across the room, saying, "No. This is going too far." He froze slightly, "What if they really do know about me in Fantasia?" Unable to resist the temptation, he picked the book back up, and continued reading.

(IswearIwillneverleaveastorythatlongeveragain)

Atreyu stuck his hand through the mirror, then pulled it back out.

"I think we just found our way to the Southern Oracle," Axerena whispered excitedly. They walked through the mirror to find more sphinxes, only this time they were blue, while the others were yellow. Instantly they were wary,

"Do be not be afraid," the Oracle said in a comforting voice, "We have been waiting for you two a long time, Atreyu, Axerena."

"Are you the Southern Oracle?" Atreyu asked, just to make sure.

The Oracle patiently answered, "Yes, we are."

Axerena exclaimed, "Then you must know how we can save Fantasia!"

"Yes, we do."

"Well, what is it? We have to know,"Atreyu stated.

"The Empress needs a new name," the Oracle simply said.

Axerena was confused, "A new name? Is that all? But that's easy! We could give her any name she wants."

The Oracle explained, "No one from Fantasia can do it, only a human child."

"A human child?" Atreyu wondered, "Where can I find one?"

"They can only be reached beyond the boundaries of Fantasia," the Oracle guided, "You must hurry, you two. We do not know how much longer we can withstand the Nothing." As they were speaking, they began to crumble. Atreyu and Axerena rushed off to Falkor, so they could find the boundaries of Fantasia.

OH MY GOD! I AM SO SINCERLY SORRY! I CAN'T BELEIVE THIS! HOW LONG HAS IT BEEN SINCE I LAST UPDATED THIS STORY?!

Justin: Just past two years.

Me: TWO YEARS! I'm such a failure!

Justin: Please don't start crying again.

Me: To those who are still reading this story, I am never leaving this story lie around again. I'll be working on the next chapter soon, don't you worry! I'll wok on it tomorrow!

Justin: I doubt you'll be asking them to review this time.

Me: I don't deserve it... I am a disgrace to call myself an author...

Axerena: That scene from earlier was cute.

Me: Oh, you mean the one with the hand holding?

Axerena: Yeah. It was really cute.

Me: I know! I was squealing just writing it!

Atreyu: This story will be ending soon, won't it?

Me: Yeah. Give it two or three more chapters, and we'll be done. But don't worry! I still have two stories coming out afterwords, so if you're still here, stick around! We're not going anywhere! Once again, I am so sorry for leaving this for two years. But I'm back now, so stay tuned!