Twist and Tenacia continued through the tunnels and another cave, slowly going upward through the layer of Lethes. They spoke little outside of Tenacia asking the occasional question regarding local fauna or flora.

Then they came to another especially large cavern and their feet touched water.

"Bleck!" Tenacia shouted, backing off from the body of water before them.

"Whoa! Wait a second, there isn't supposed to be any water here!" Twist exclaimed, he examined the water before him: It was a shallow pond that barely reached pass his feet. He leaned down, then dipped a finger into it.

He licked his finger.

"Okay, why would you do that?" Tenacia asked incredulously.

"To see if the water is any different from the water before, and indeed it is! This is salty, not fresh like the water we encountered before"

"Alright, so are we near the ocean or what?"

"Nope, it is in Oshea where we will be close to the surface's ocean. Perhaps this is some run-off from Oshea or... Do you hear that?"

"I sure do" Tenacia remarked, carefully walking out into the shallow pool. They could both hear a soft sound that wasn't too far away, the weeping sniffles of someone crying. Twist looked ahead and saw a hill that rose in the middle of the cavern, thin streams of water came down this hill to form the shallow pond that laid around it.

At the top of this hill was the source of the weeping, a tall, gorgeous, yet strange looking woman in a flowing dark dress. Her skin was paler than bone, her hair was pitch-black and long, falling around her like a great cloak. Her eyes were large and redfrom all the crying she was done, from them streamed two waterfalls of tears.

"Looks like we found the source of the salty water" Tenacia said, scratching the back of her head, "Do you know who this lady is?"

Twist scratched his own chin, unsure himself. He carefully walked up the soggy hill, and addressed the crying woman.

"Pardon me madame, but what is troubling you?" Twist asked, taking off his hat respectfully.

The woman didn't seem to notice Twist at first, continuing to cry to herself.

Twist waved a hand.

"Ahem, excuse me? Might I ask what is troubling you, madame?" he said, a bit more loudly.

The tall woman finally looked at Twist, her bottom lip trembled then suddenly she began to cry far more loudly. Her quiet weeping transitioned into cacophonous wailing. Tenacia and Twist had to hold their hands over their ears.

"Madame please! I am sorry if I offended you! Please calm down!" Twist squeaked desperately.

"Ohhh poor souls... Ohhh poor fate... Why have these cards been dealt to you, dear children?" the woman cried.

"Quiet down, please!" Tenacia shouted, joining Twist, "We ain't gonna hurt ya!"

"My companion speaks the truth! We are simply travelers!" Twist affirmed.

"Please shut up before our ear drums burst!"

The woman slowly calmed down, she held her hands over her eyes, the streams of tears going between her fingers.

Twist reached into his hat, then pulled out a handkerchief.

"Here miss, this should help" Twist said politely, offering her the small cloth. The woman looked at it, her missive hands could probably hold Twist's head in her palm of her hand, so this small handkerchief probably wouldn't do too much.

The woman though still took the handkerchief and wiped her eyes.

"Such a kind soul... Thank you so much..." She said in a gentler tone, "I am so sorry... It is how I am, but I must be courteous... I am Dolora"

Twist's ears perked up, he had heard that name before. He had read it in a book.

"Wait, the goddess of sadness?" Tenacia asked aloud.

Twist turned to her, surprised she had known that. Clearly the surface knew more than he had thought.

The tall woman nodded.

"The very same... I am she who mourns for all and weeps for the downtrodden... And there is so much to mourn... Oh so much..."

Dolora's lips trembled again. Twist and Tenacia quickly held their ears, though Dolora simply blowed her nose.

"Soon souls will be kidnapped... Metal will steal the place of flesh... And a shadow among shadows watches all..."

Twist felt a chill go up his spine. He had no idea what Dolora was talking about, but the words worried him greatly.

"I-I see... Anything we can help you with?" Twist stammered, still unnerved by Dolora's words.

Dolora looked at him with her big shining eyes, then handed him the thoroughly soaked handkerchief.

"Continue on, dear little souls... Continue on and be strong... Wisdom will soon come, foes will become friends, and the sun will rise for you for the first time. Go down that tunnel"

Dolor pointed at one of the many tunnels connected to this cave.

"Follow it until you find whom you need to find"

"Ahhh thank you... are you sure there is nothing we can do for you?" Twist asked awkwardly.

Tenacia grabbed him by the arm and began to drag him out of the cave.

"She said we should continue! So let's continue! Bye Dolora, have a nice day!" Tenacia quickly said.

Dolora waved goodbye to her visitors.

The two walked in silence for a while.

"That was something, wasn't it?" Twist asked with a nervous smile, not liking this silence after such a strange event.

"It sure was" Teancia gruffly replied, wanting to get on with the journey quietly.

Twist took the hint and stayed quiet, though he really wanted to talk more. If only so he could get Dolora's words out of his head, which he was deeply afraid may have been some sort of portent.

Within was another underground lake and plenty of stalactites and stalagmites. It seemed like another normal cavern… But there was one thing it that made Twist gasp and Tenacia raise her eyebrows.

Near the lake on top of a rocky hill was an old hut made of rock and moss. It was quite run-down and had a bunch of unusual, seemingly random pieces of wood sticking out of its side like weird roots. On top was a chimney that was smoking a bit.

“So who is this Twist?” Tenacia asked, “I assume this is one of your neighbors?”

Twist just gaped at the hut for a while. Eventually he tried to form sentences.

“That that! What? But it can’t be! But it is! Its her! But how? Where? When? Who? HOW?”

Tenacia waved a hand in front of Twist’s face.

“Hey Twist, you okay there?” she asked, impatient and concerned at the same time.

“That house! The house of the oracle! It’s the house of the oracle!” Twist shouted, raising a shaking finger at the gross hut.

Tenacia’s brow furrowed.

“A what now? An oracle?”

“Yes, an oracle! Someone who knows things!”

“What kind of things? Slow down and catch your breath”

Twist nodded in agreement then breathed in and out as slowly as he could, which was at a rapid rate but he soon slowed down.

He turned to Tenacia, his eyes flashing literally “Tenacia, in that house is the Oracle Delphine, and an oracle is a powerful magician who has the ability to know things!”

The statement sounded more impressive in his head.

“And again I ask, what kind of things?” Tenacia asked, giving Twist a confused frown.

“Well, anything! They are chosen by Chaelum to accept knowledge from Him, and Chaelum knows all things! As such, oracles great are mages who can answer any question! Any at all! And I know Delphine will listen, she is a friend of my family!”

Tenacia brightened up.

“So we can go ask this here oracle anything we want?”

“Yes!”

“So just free information?”

“It won’t be free of course, but yes! Knowledge is power! We can find out the best way to save your brother, know the weaknesses of our enemies, and find out the best route to the surface! All at once!”

Tenacia brightened up at this. She would prefer being given some sort of powerful weapon, but being given inside info on that Behemoth and how to get in would be just as good.

“Hang on, if you knew Delphine was here, why didn’t we see her before” Tenacia suddenly asked, putting her hands on her hips and giving Twist an annoyed look.

If you discover this narrative on Amazon, be aware that it has been stolen. Please report the violation.

“I didn’t know she was even still alive!” Twist quickly answered, “My family used to talk with her via magic mirrors, but then suddenly ten years ago she stopped answering. We had assumed she had passed away in old age, she is extremely old”

“Assumed? Didn’t you all check on her?”

“We tried, but her house moves around!”

“That thing moves around?”

Tenacia this time didn’t get an answer, Twist had bolted to the hut as if worried it would get up and starting moving this very moment. Tenacia, still hesitant but now extremely curious, followed suit. They looked upon the hut door, it was made of both wood and metal and looked incredibly heavy. Twist politely knocked on it.

“Hello? Miss Delphine? There are some travelers here who would love to have counsel with you” Twist said humbly, “I am Twist of the House of Fate, we have never spoken before, but you have talked with both of my parents before!”

There was no response.

He knocked again. Then he waited for few seconds and then knocked again. Twist cleared his throat and spoke with far greater eloquence and grandness.

“Ahem! Great Oracle Delphine! We are explorers who need your assistance, knowledge would be much appreciated! The son of Cadenza and Ostintatia seeks your great wisdom!”

Still no response.

Tenacia scowled and shoved Twist out of the way, then slammed her the fist of her good arm on the door. It was much louder and shook the door so much Twist was afraid the half-dwarf would break it.

“WHAT?!” yelled an angry scratchy voice behind the door.

“Great Oracle Delphine!” Twist quickly said, getting in front of Tenacia, “Perhaps you did not hear us, but we travelers who are in need of your wisdom!”

“Go away, I don’t do that sort of stuff anymore!” growled the voice.

“Uhhh excuse me Miss Dephine? What do you mea-” Twist stammered.

“I said I don’t so that stuff anymore!” replied the voice more loudly “I am no longer in the job of being an oracle! Too many unexpected and needy guests. I just want peace and quiet now!”

Twist stood there in dumbfounded astonishment, his jaw wide open.

“Can you quit being an oracle?” Tenacia asked.

“As far as I know, you can’t” Twist answered, scratching his head, “Remember, an oracle is chosen by Chaelum, and you don’t quit being Chaelum’s chosen so easily”

Tenacia nodded. She remembered old legends of those who refused to serve Chaelum. They always ended with them doing it Chaelum’s way.

Twist looked back at the door, then took his hat of respectfully “Well using your oracle abilities or not, can you please find the kindness in your hear to help two desperate persons. We will be happy to give you payment in return”

“Nope! Get lost!”

There was a long moment of silence.

Twist was befuddled and frustrated, he bit his finger and stood on one foot. Before them was someone who could literally give all the answers to their problems, but she wouldn’t even listen. Twist remembered Delphine had always been difficult to deal with, but she had always answered the questions his family had.

He turned to Tenacia, whose face had turned red in anger.

“Tenacia, are you okay?”

“Its called… Common courtesy…” she growled, cracking her neck.

Twist wisely moved out of the way. Tenacia began pounding on the door with her good arm again, with such force the whole hut seemed to shake.

“Now what did I just say to you?!” screeched Delphine from inside the hut “I have no interest in talking! You could give me all the gold from the hoards of all Fiahn’s dragons and I wouldn’t budge!”

“You are letting us in and giving us the info we need whether you like it or not!” Tenacia roared at the door, pounding harder and harder.

“Get going!” Delphine shouted.

“No! We will noAACK!” Tenacia’s fist met the empty air and she fell over, she missed her mark as the hut had moved out of the way.

Twist helped her up and the two of them looked in shock as the hut moved away, those strange wooden roots to the side of the hut had extended into four spider-like legs that moved the hut forward.

“I don’t think that ‘get going’ was for us” Twist realized.

Tenacia gritted her teeth and her eyes narrowed, she ran after the hut and grabbed one of the legs with her good arm.

“Stop this thing now!” she commanded.

The hut did not slow down at all and Tenacia quickly lost her grip and was knocked back by the moving legs. The hut then reached the wall of the cave, then without missing a beat it began to climb up the wall.

“Twist the hut is getting’ away!” Tenacia yelled, unsuccessfully trying to climb the cave wall with one arm.

Twist watched the hut and thought. He was tempted to do some time magic to pause it in place or reverse it, but his body had not yet recovered from the time spells he had cast so many hours ago. Air magic would have to be the element to use, but how...

Twist gripped his staff and raised it.

“Movement of the air, the source of all sound,

Send my voice wherever it may abound!”

The crystal flashed, then Twist watched the hut and where it was going.

“Do somethin’!” Tenacia cried desperately.

The hut continued to go straight up the wall of the cave where an opening in the ceiling was, its clear destination.

Twist pointed his staff at the hole.

“Please Great Oracle Delphine! We truly need your help!” he said, though his voice did not come out of his throat. Instead, his spell made it so it echoed from the hole

“What, how did you get up there?! Go back hut, go back!” Delphine yelled from within her hut, the hut then quickly reversed its direction and crawled back down the wall.

Tenacia smiled and didn’t waste any time, she grabbed the door and began to pull it.

“What the heck?! Stop that!” Delphine shrieked.

“Sorry Miss Delphine, but we need info right this instant!” Twist explained “We got a cult on our tail and multiple lives at stake!”

Tenacia paused for a moment. Multiple lives? Only Hubert was really in danger, or was Twist counting themselves too?

Tenacia then refocused and with all her might, tore the door off. The hut tried to climb up the wall again, then a vase fell out and clattered on the floor.

“Stop you stupid hut! I don’t any of my stuff falling out after I finally got it all organized!” Delphine voice snapped.

The hut settled down and sat, allowing the two explorers into it.

“Now really Miss Delphine” Twist said exasperatedly, going into the hut and turning to the source of the voice “What do you have against… People coming in” he finished with his eyes widened and mouth agape. Tenacia walked in too, her face a furious mask that soon too stared in astonishment at the oracle known as Delphine.

In front of them was a hat rack that carried but one hat, a deep indigo top hat that had wrinkles along it that looked remarkably like angry eyes and beneath these creases was a large tear that seemed to be a mouth.

“Didn’t your parents tell you not to stare?” the hat said in Delphine’s voice.

“You’re a hat?!” Tenacia squeaked in disbelief.

“Yeah! You catch on quick don’t you?” Delphine growled, sarcasm dripping from her voice.

“Well… This is unexpected” Twist said, scratching his chin.

“Yes, gaze upon the amazing talking hat! Now scram! You know you can’t get any help from a ragged hat!”

The two travelers look at each other in confusion for a bit, countless questions filling their head.

Then they remembered their situation, both turned back to Delphine with determined expressions.

“A ragged hat you may be, but you are still the oracle Delphine” Twist remarked “Even as fabric you must have your exponential knowledge”

“Okay, fine! You are right! But there is no way I am answering any questions of yours! I meant what I said when I said I ain’t doing crap like that anymore! Now get out!”

“But we really need the information and advice!” Twist explained desperately “Tenacia here has a brother and he is stuck in the clutches of a mad group of masked marauders! And I need help saving my city!”

Tenacia looked at Twist in surprise.

“Ahhh shaddup!” Delphine growled “I could not care less about either of your problems! NOW BUZZ OFF!”

Twist’s mouth hung upon, at a lost for words. Tenacia meanwhile practically had steam coming out of her ears. She grabbed the hat rack.

“Listen here you ragged old…”

“Back off you pint-sized cow!” Delphine snapped “Otherwise I will turn you into a proper cow! I am a master of curses!”

Tenacia shook the hat rack “Don’t care! I have a brother to save and if you don’t help us…”

“Begone!” Delphine roared, with such force Tenacia actually backed off.

Twist looked at the hat a while.

“So, are you both getting out, or will I have to curse you both?” Delphine growled.

Twist gazed at her in silence, deep in thought. Tenacia looked at him, waiting for his next move as Delphine kept up her glare.

“You can’t cast spells” Twist said finally.

“What?” Delphine snapped.

“You can’t cast spells” Twist repeated “I have always heard Delphine never takes disrespect, if you wanted to curse my friend you would have already done so.”

“Oh? And what of my hut? It obeys my commands” Delphine replied, her glare still burning.

“This hut is enchanted to follow your instructions, no spellcasting required after the initial enchantment” Twist said, piecing things together in his head “But you can’t cast spells now, since spells require four things to work: an incantation, energy, the element, and something to channel! You can give an incantation, use your vis to power it, and you may have elements on hand, but nothing to channel! You can’t initiate nor guide the spell! No staff, no wand, no crystal ball, not even hands!”

Twist then snapped his finger “THIS is why you stopped contacting us isn’t it? Not just out of embarrassment, but you simply couldn’t period!”

He looked around the hut, not too far away mounted on a wall was a big mirror with a silver rim..

“There is your magic mirror! Perfect for magical communication, but it needs a spell to activate… Which includes touching it with your fingers, but all you have is a rim”

Tenacia turned to the hat for her answer.

Delphine glowered at Twist for a while.

“You are smart I’ll give you that… You hit the nail on the head” Delphine begrudgingly, “Yes, my hat form prevents me from casting spells. I can still command my hut, as well as my hat rack to move me from place to place in here, but spellcasting is now beyond my ability.”

“What happened Miss Delphine?” Twist asked, after all the excitement he was now concerned for Delphine “How on Fiahn did you get changed into this form?”

“NONE OF YOUR BEESWAX!” Delphine roared “And you can do what you want with me, but I am STILL not answering any questions.

Tenacia scowled and walked forward ready to tear a hate apart… But then Twist put a hand on her arm.

“Let’s not be too ungracious as guests Tenacia” he said.

The half-dwarf turned to him incredulously.

“But Delphine should share some of what she has to some poor travelers…”

Tenacia smiled wickedly.

The two then quickly began to look around Delphine’s hut, scrounging around the messy abode.

“HEY! Keep your mits off my stuff!” Delphine shouted.

The hut was cluttered with various shelves that held almost countless thick tomes, scrolls, and even stone tablets. There were also various tables covered in potions and odd items and cabinets that each held something different. Twist opened one and found a pair of mirrors.

“Ahh a spare lantern! Most useful! And it can make its own light even, we can give that tinderbox a break!” Twist exclaimed.

“Sweet! I just got a bunch of bottles and canteens, we can hold extra water now!”

“Are you quite done stealing yet?” Delphine grumbled.

“Nope!” Twist and Tenacia said together, heading towards a nearby door and opening it.

“The pantry eh? Do you still have to eat in your current condition Delphine?” Twist asked.

“Yes, don’t ask me where the food I swallow goes but do indeed still need to eat. I don’t need to breath, but somehow I need to eat! I’m still trying to research why this is…”

“We’ll be sure to keep some food for you then. I got rations, but I had not anticipated another person coming along” Twist commented as he collected some food. It was fortunately all food meant to be kept for long periods, including nuts, dried fruits, and salted cave fish.

“Nah, take it all” Tenacia said, picking up a nearby sack of potatoes and shoving various foods into it.

“We really shouldn’t Tenacia, I don’t want to leave Delphine without anything” Twist answered sternly.

“We aren’t leaving her at all, we are taking her with us!”

“What?!” Delphine snapped.

“Lady, you are going to give us information whether you like it or not” Tenacia replied with grim expression “We need information, and I don’t even think you will be so stubborn as to stay silent when we are all being chased by a mad cult!”

Twist nodded and smiled, “Most devious… My apologies Delphine, but you are now a part of our little party.”

“Like Gehenna I am! March away!” Delphine shouted to her hat rack, the three little legs it stood on then shuddered and began to walk away.

“You’ll never catch me!” Delphine said as the hat rack went as fast as it could out of the hut.

Twist walked casually to the slow moving piece of furniture and plucked Delphine off of it.

“You know, your security is not terribly impressive ma’am” Twist remarked.

“I never needed it before, and I got cursed before I could make any…” Delphine grumbled.

“That is fair. How long have you been a hat Delphine?” Twist asked.

“Like I said: None of your stupid business!”

“Fair enough again! I would assume at least 10 years given that is when you stopped contacting my city” Twist chuckled, with Delphine in tow he and Tenacia left Delphine’s cave.

“So what now Twist?” Tenacia asked.

“Back to plan A, goin’ to Fatana” Twist answered, then stopped “But first, we better stop to have some breakfast”

“No way Twist!” Tenacia growled sternly “We’ve already wasted enough time, Hubert needs help and we can’t afford to have any of those maniacs catch us!”

Her stomach joined her in her growling. Tenacia blushed.

Twist smiled at her “Its okay Tenacia, your brother sounds tough AND clever. We don’t have to rush, neither should we”

“Y’know… Good point” Tenacia said, blushing. She placed some firewood they had taken from Delphine’s hut and prepared a fire to cook. Twist got out a big black kettle from his hat. Delphine meanwhile was set on a nearby rock, continuing to glare at her captors.

Then suddenly she asked something.

"Do either of you feel we are being watched?"

"I know! I've had this feeling for a while now!" Twist laughed, "Is it like something peeking at us from the darkness?"

"Sure is, its like some sort of predator is watching us. Not ready to pounce just yet, but examining us... Judging us"

"Okay seriously, are all magicians this weird?" Tenacia groaned. She would quickly patrol the area to see if there were any monsters.

Tenacia returned and plopped down with a big frown.

"There is NOTHING around here. Its all in your heads" she growled.

"Famous last words" Delphine replied.

Tenacia flicked the top of Delphine's brim, making her fall back. Tenacia reveled in Delphine's subsequent rage as Twist cooked, shaking his head with a smile.