Challenging Riddles   ( O _ o) ?!

---

 
1)  A sealed land forgotten,
      To precious shapes it yields.
      Zephyr on zenith found
      Across strange woods and fields.


2)  Mother of magic and father of air,
      Their colorful children heard everywhere.
      Ancientest stone wears no blemish nor crack.
      Take a half-step forward, then three steps back.


3)  Life within death, water in fire,
      A path opened in child's darkest hour.
      Secret behind a marker of stone,
      From tunnel emerges a far away home.


4)  Treasure untold, no key, nor lid,
      Yet inside purest ichor hid.


5)  Water aplenty and green round and round;
      Many happy faces, their advice sound;
      A haven for rest with secrets abound;
      Have faith and be shown a way underground.


6)  The damned leading the blind,
      On a pathway ill-defined.
      No memory of silence, no thought of sky,
      Sight to no avail, yet liberated by the eye.


7)  Walk across the ropes,
      Under protector's gaze;
      Bounded by a golden arch,
      Ancient are these ways.


8)  Creature of half-sight, by tribulation healed;
      Loved of divinity, with wound by goddess sealed.


9)  Once left, never the same.

     Two halves of a whole, 
     Each well-defined; 
     Brief expanse of blue,
     Wood-bridge combined; 
     Low marks innocence, 
     Height, Experience.

     Once back, ever the same.


10)  Five in order, one by one,
        It will not stop until it's done;
        Wrested from unseemly hand, 
        A spirit rests within its band.


11)  A gorgeous flower       
         Accursed by power,
       Both supple and dark
       With serpentine mark.
       Resilient, it thrives
       Where little survives,
        Grows taller than men,
        But less feet than ten,
        With petals of fire
       ​ As thin as a wire.
        It once sated needs
        The manner of weeds,
        Holding the sun’s rays
        In a golden gaze.


12)  In the center of the rose, 
        Where helpful being rose, 
        A witness from beneath the rose — 
        An iteration's rose!


13)  I live in earth, on earth, and above;
        In loam and rock, strong stone I love.
       Though I go unnoticed I never depart;
       My power, my essence, lies deep in the heart.


14)  Plucked from life to a Hero’s quest:
        ​ A promise of riches and peace;
         A pool, a tow’r, and greed without cease — 
        ​ His family a traitor possessed.


15)  The fruits of senescence
        Are wisdom’s quintessence;
        Sagacious yet greedy — 
        And overly needy — 
        The goods of our coffer
        In danger we’ll proffer.


16)  I come from a princess ‘ere princess was sired,
          Grew up in a stone-ringéd town;
        Robed like a king, yet considered a clown
           My counsel and speech are admired.
        Who am I?

​
17)  Apart from all my brethren,
        I have infinite use;
        Not silver, no, but golden,
        Our godhood you’ll educe.

​
18)  I hide myself, from your eyes, 
        In this uncanny valley;
        I bind my life to your life;
        Once found, I’m gone forever.

​
19)  ​Welcome to the hinterlands!
        Four corpses mark my door.
        Cryptic secrets, myths, and lore,
        All passing through my hands.
 
        Worldly symbols lie arrayed
        In field of sable-black —   
        Sympathy I proudly lack;
        Unjustly do I trade.
 
        The sages say: "Not cold nor hot,
        Take aim and find the mean!"
        But me? I find my eyes glow green
        When taking all you've got!


20)   I am the gatekeeper,
        And servant to the throne.
        Within my beating heart
        Do life and water flow.