World of the Whimsical
That Haunting Hunch

Once we’d finished breakfast, Alice and I placed our trays back into the picnic basket. I was about to say something, but I think Alice could read my mind – she raised a finger, saying, “Worry not, watch this.” With a strange hand gesture and the snap of her fingers, she made the basket disappear into thin air. I was completely blown away.

“Wait, how’d you do that!?” I asked.

“It’s one of my abilities,” Alice replied. “I can summon or remove objects at will.”

“Even in your sleep?”

“Of course.”

“That’s amazing.”

“Oh, Simon! You’re making me blush!”

Suddenly, a dove landed next to us, dropping an envelope out of its beak. I picked up the envelope and opened it. Inside was a card that I know was addressed to me, because “Welcome Newcomer” was written on the front.

“What’s that?” Alice asked.

I handed the card to her, replying, “Looks like an invitation.”

Alice read the card, then looked at me in shock. “No way! The Oracle never reaches out to anyone!”

“Wait a minute, the Oracle? Who’s that?”

“The Oracle is one of the greatest minds in all of Ahllium. Some say she is able to see into the future.”

“Oh, so a fortune teller.”

“Yes, but unlike a fortune teller, she makes predictions that are so accurate that it’s actually terrifying.”

“Fair enough. It wouldn’t hurt to go and see what she wants.”

Alice asked the dove to guide us to the Oracle, promising to give it a sweet treat. The bird took flight, and we began walking towards our destination. I started to wonder if I had any special powers in this world. Though, that may be unlikely since I was new here. I thought nothing else of it.

Alice and I soon came across a promenade that led to a river. Across the river was a massive forest with trees that stretched into the sky. As we crossed the river and entered the forest, my eyes widened.

The trees towered over us like skyscrapers. Their tops created a blanket that blocked out most sunlight. On the ground, it was dark, except for a few spots where light came through. There were colorful mushrooms, some of which were taller than me, and vines with flowers that glowed. This world seems to never fail at surprising me.

Alice and I eventually arrived at the Oracle’s parlor, and I wasn’t surprised in the slightest. The building was completely black. It was also hidden behind a gate and thorny shrubs that were also black. Creepy.

With a loud clack, the gate suddenly opened. A cloaked figure hovered in the middle of the walkway leading up to the doors. She was surrounded by several lanterns, each with a glowing orb inside. That was the Oracle, no doubt about it.

With a soft but stern tone, the Oracle simply said, “Come,” and she floated towards her parlor. Alice and I followed closely. The gate immediately shut behind us as we stepped into the yard.

My blood ran cold upon stepping inside the parlor. The place was almost pitch black except for the many candles that were scattered about. Near the back of the parlor was the Oracle’s desk; a glowing sphere about the size of a beachball was built into it. Safe to say, this lady was the real deal.

“Have a seat,” said the Oracle.

Alice and I immediately sat down. The Oracle raised her head to look directly at me. Her eyes were cold and calculating, like those of an owl. It made me quite uncomfortable.

Unable to handle the painful silence, I asked, “So, you wanted to see me?” However, the Oracle said nothing. I was even more nervous. I looked at Alice, and she was just as worried as I was.

Finally, after the longest minute of my life, the Oracle began to speak. “You are courageous, Mister Underwood. You will do well here.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that, so I just said, “Nice to meet you, madam.”

She nodded. “First, welcome to Ahllium; I acknowledge that this world is far different from your own.” She turned to Alice. “I see that you have already made a friend.”

“Thank you for the kind words. By the way, this is Alice.”

“You two have such a great bond already. I’m impressed. But, in order for you two to truly blossom together, you must let go of your pasts, along with all of the painful memories that come with them. Especially you, Simon.”

“What do you mean by that?”

“You ran from a world that wasn’t very kind to you. Yet, you are lost – you have doubts about where you belong. However, your spirit is the only entity in the universe that has the authority to determine where you belong.”

I began to shed tears. “That’s…very interesting…”

“In a way, you and Lahneus are very similar. You both yearn for a sense of belonging. In addition, you two have pure intentions, for better or worse.”

Alice became quite angry, and shouted at the Oracle, “Do not compare Simon to that…evil thing!”

The Oracle stood her ground. “I understand that this statement is very triggering to you. But, to be clear, I only tell the truth, and will never go out of my way to harm you. That is my duty.”

Alice was so upset that she left, leaving me and the Oracle to look at each other in confusion. I had no clue what was going on, but she was very sympathetic. I whispered, “I think I should go check on her.”

“She will be a great partner for you. You, for her. The fact that you two care so much about each other proves it. But, before you go, I want to warn you about something.”

“Go ahead.”

“Lahneus can sense your presence. He will come for you, and he is relentless. To him, you are an anomaly. You must prepare yourself for his arrival, because he is on his way here.”

“Thank you for warning me. I will.” The Oracle and I shook hands. Then, I headed outside to find Alice.

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