Chapter 13

"We do not need to see an oracle! Harry!"

"But Louis! It could be so fun! It'll be my first oracle!" Harry snatched Louis' hand and dragged him behind. Louis gave in easily because at least Harry didn't seem sad anymore. Their conversation with Artemis had left in despondent.

They couldn't have been more than a day's walk from Eretria. But Harry wasn't sure he was ready, and he really hadn't ever met an oracle. They were always pivotal in a hero's journey. That Louis didn't want to go was just a fun added bonus. He was hoping the oracle would help him figure out why he felt such a weird sense of disappointment deep in his chest. He didn't like being aware of it. But he thought it might have been there for a long time. Much longer than he'd ever realized.

Walking into a shadowy, cave-like room, lit only by a small, foggy, lamp in front of the last person in the world Harry thought would be an oracle. At the table, filling the small room with the width of their shoulders, sat a muscular man with close-clipped hair, wearing an angry expression.

"Uh, hi," Harry waved across the table, Louis grumbling behind him about the cramped quarters.

"What do you want to know," the big man was pouting? How strange.

"What's your name?" Harry's eyes widened as the man's chin started to tremble.

"No one ever asks," the man looked up at Harry with teary eyes. "Rastus."

"Rastus? I'm Harry. How are you? How's your day been going?" Harry really hoped he wouldn't cry. But he probably shouldn't have asked those questions because Rastus' whole face crumpled like bad origami.

"No one," hiccup, "ever asks," sobs, "about me," Louis sighed while the unfortunate oracle really gave into his tears. Harry stood stiffly, waiting, nervous, and a little scared.

"Rastus! Stop crying!" Louis shouted and snapped in the small space startling the oracle. "Harry just really wanted to meet an oracle. And you seem great. But, the tears? It's cool, but Harry's just being nice. He's just a nice guy, maybe you could make his weird oracle dreams come true or something?"

Rastus frantically nodded and wiped the tears and snot on his wide sleeve. Harry looked relieved.

"I'm so so sorry, sir. I'm just not used to people being so kind, I apologize." He continued to sniff and snuffle.

"Rastus, it's okay. I'm sorry that people aren't more kind to you."

"Harry, yes, what is it you've come to learn?" Rastus waited expectantly. Harry turned to look shyly at Louis.

"I don't know why you want to be here," Louis shrugged at the wide green eyes that watched him. Harry turned back to the emotional oracle and started speaking in a whisper.

"I wanna know if I'm doing the right thing," Harry didn't look at Louis now, as the shorter man stood surprised at his companions' concern. "I want to know if immortality is...wrong? Maybe not what I should do?"

"Ah, a question of morality and mortality. Very interesting." Rastus unveiled a small crystal ball, followed by laying out several different colored stones. "Give me your hands," Harry timidly reached across the table, hands shaking just enough for Louis to notice.

"Oh, interesting." Rastus holding the backs of Harry's hands and watching the cloudy ball was humming and making noises of surprise and interest. He even laughed a couple of times.

"So?" Harry was pale, his breathing was shallow. Rastus finally looked up at him.

"You have an interesting path ahead of you, child." Rastus closed his eyes and his voice changed as he spoke. "Your journey has only just begun, and will not end in this time. You have begun hunting to fill the void you felt on Olympus. But you no longer feel that emptiness. The journey you thought you were on is the path to the quest to save your whole soul." Rastus let out a long breath and opened his eyes to the even more confused man across from him.

"That was very good. Thanks for coming in today," the oracle smiled like he'd addressed Harry's concerns. Louis laughed and turned to leave. But Rastus gasped, his eyes lit up and he looked across their cramped quarters directly at Louis.

"You have a great moral question you've been battling with for some time now. The conflict is breaking down your walls, softening your heart to new experiences, and new people. The dream you've harbored for so long will be jeopardized by this change in your heart. The work you do for the gods may never be complete. You battle between giving up your dream for someone you love, and taking what you've worked towards for several lifetimes. You must join the quest for your soul as well. Sacrifice will bring new opportunities, opening new doors. And presenting new, more real fears." Rastus sank into the table, exhausted. Louis and Harry looked at each other, both wide-eyed and scared.

"What was that?" Harry whispered.

"Let's go," Louis checked to make sure Rastus was breathing before exiting the oracle's small room.