Wary of the stories of Lean Peg, and recalling that Gnorrin, Glorrin, and Glog sometimes spoke of visiting their "Auntie," the consortes depart from Eredy, prepared to scout out the ogre cave with great caution. At Friar Sidrach's insistence, the group first investigates Gwynnon village, and finds that a company of Black-blade rucks has established a permanent camp there. The rucks keep a few human slaves, but the consortes note the rucks' vigilant sentries and defer further involvement here until after the cave is secure.

The group turns north into the wilds of Wimm Copse, gradually climbing up through steep, hilly terrain. Even though most of the consortes have traveled this way before, the surroundings occasionally appear strange and unfamiliar. About a half-hour from the cave, both Bear the donkey and Sir Hamral's war-horse, Fiasco, pull up short in fear. The beasts refuse to proceed any further.

Undeterred, a couple of the consortes scout ahead. Where the cave should be, they spy a small, neatly-tended cottage with garden. As they watch, a pretty young woman emerges from the cottage to tend her plants.

Once the scouts report in, the consortes tether Fiasco and Bear and quietly advance to the edge of the cottage clearing. Meanwhile, all sorts of strange tracks are discovered in the surrounding woods. A few sets are man-sized, several are as large as an ogres'—and a small human child appears to have left a third set of tracks. Valerius thinks that he glimpses something small and fast moving through the underbrush near the party.

Although our heroes are deeply suspicious of the entire situation, Friar Sidrach and Vandoren advance to the cottage while their fellows remain in hiding. The woman looks up from her garden and greets the strangers warmly, claiming that she is surprised to have visitors. The Friar tells her that he and his companion have gotten lost while trying to find Gwynnon village. The woman warns of nearby rucks, and explains that she and her sisters dwell alone out here in the woods. The Friar, seeking a pretense to get inside the house, notes the woman's interest in herbs. She explains that her mother imparted much knowledge of the subject to her daughters, and invites the two strangers inside to see her collection of dried herbs and simples. The woman also asks—even though Friar Sidrach claimed that he and Vandoren were alone—if "the rest of your friends would like to join us?" The Friar denies the presence of anyone else.

Once inside, Vandoren and Friar Sidrach find a snug, well-kept cottage. The woman prattles on, offering her visitors a nice drink of cold, clean water drawn just this morning from her well. As she hands Vandoren his cup, he secretly uses his magical stone of dispelling, which reveals that the cup is actually filled with dark, fetid liquid. Vandoren, a bit bolder now, offers his hand to the woman. And as he takes her hand in his, he palms the stone. When it touches her, a wondrous transformation occurs: the woman, the room and all its contents appear to blur and distort.

The glamour evaporates, and suddenly Vandoren and Friar Sidrach find themselves standing in the middle of a dank, gloomy cave. And towering over them is a hideous, skinny creature, over eight feet tall, appearing something like an old woman with wild frayed hair and a withered face, her mouth filled with dark, sharp teeth, and her long fingers ending in dirty talons. Her eyes burning with hatred, she scolds Vandoren for his impudence, and then with one blow sends the hapless bard flying across the cave. Her strength is incredible, even greater than a troll's.

Vandoren draws his weapon and prepares to give battle, while Friar Sidrach prays to the Five. Vandoren hacks at the creature but her iron-hard skin rebuffs his blow. The creature then clobbers him twice more and Vandoren collapses, bleeding and broken, his life ebbing away. Meanwhile, Friar Sidrach's prayer is answered: the Five conceal him from the Hagge, who searches vainly, even though the terrified Gerardian stands only feet away. The Friar tends to Vandoren's wounds, and then tries to leave the cave in search of aid. He finds to his dismay that a great oaken door, bound with a giant metal bar, blocks the way out. The friar struggles mightily against the heavy bar, and is at last able to push the door open and rush outside.

Meanwhile, their fellows had watched in wonder as Vandoren and Friar Sidrach disappeared inside the quaint little cottage. Suddenly, the door to the cottage appears to burst open and Friar Sidrach runs out, screaming bloody murder at the top of his lungs. And behind him, in the doorway, stands the monstrous Hagge.

The consortes spring into action. Mendelor drinks his potion of fortitude and charges, Valerius begins conjuring, Sidrach prays, and other consortes begin firing arrows at the creature. The fight that ensues is fierce and bloody: the creature is strong, ferocious, and almost invulnerable to harm, absorbing staggering amounts of punishment. Also, Valerius and Sidrach find that many of their spells have no effect on her at all.

Brave Mendelor in the forefront endures terrible blows from the Hagge, but stands his ground nonetheless. Meanwhile, Ruik sneaks into the cave and drags out Vandoren's limp body. Friar Sidrach's prayers grant miraculous strength and courage to his friends and weaken the monster. Valerius conjures up several bear-like creatures with great double-bitted axes; Valerius also casts a spell that blinds the Hagge with glittering dust and allows St. James to steal up from behind and backstab her. Young Dirk proves his worth, holding steady in the midst of the carnage.

At last Mendelor drops under the Hagge's withering assault, and Ruik drags his dying friend out of the battle. What's more, a second Hagge arrives on the scene, and the fighting continues at a furious pace. Finally, St. James, recalling his earlier deeds at Wimm Copse, slays the first Hagge with a well-placed arrow to her eye.

However, a third Hagge soon appears, and our heroes fight on. Sir Hamral and Mot both fall before this onslaught. Fortunately, the Hagges are so badly wounded that they retreat. A terrified, exhausted group is left with four grievously wounded friends, night coming on—and safety several hours of hard marching away.

St. James, Valerius, and Ruik decide to investigate the cave while the Hagges are in flight. The three men explore until they reach a great iron door. Just then they hear strange noises, and Ruik is suddenly stabbed in the back by an invisible attacker. Giving up on this adventure, the three leave the cave. Carrying the four unconscious heroes, the consortes beat feet back to the tethered Bear and Fiasco. After a frantic march in the dark, the group reaches Eredy shortly after midnight.

The arrival of our heroes creates much excitement and anxiety among the people of Eredy. Meanwhile, the group reviews the battle at the cave. What is the nature of the small, invisible creature? Valerius speculates that it may be some sort of diabolic Ympe, perhaps serving as familiar to the Hagges. Others speculate that the invisible thing acted as a spy or lookout, alerting the Hagges of approaching strangers. Some party members argue that if the Hagges are to be defeated, they must be taken by surprise—meaning that the invisible Ympe must somehow be disabled. Other party members wonder if there are really only two Hagges left. What if the Hagges' mother is waiting somewhere out in Wimm Copse? The consortes shudder at the very prospect.

Friar Sidrach determines that Mendelor, Mot, Hamral, and Vandoren will be bed-ridden for at least two weeks. While these wounded recuperate, a smaller group of consortes return to the cave. They approach serendipitously, hoping that Bear and Fiasco will alert them to the presence of the Ympe or Hagges. Several hundred yards from the cave, Fiasco and Bear startle. Friar Sidrach prays to the Five, and senses a source of evil a hundred yards distant. When the group approaches this spot, the invisible Ympe suddenly disappears, only to reappear a hundred yards behind the consortes. The party turns about and heads in the opposite direction, but the Ympe disappears again, reappearing in a completely new direction. This game continues a couple more times, unnerving the consortes enough so that they head back to Eredy, determined to wait until their disabled friends are fully healed before returning to finish off the Hagges and their Ympe.

The opportunity never arrives, for a couple of nights later the consortes awaken to a gentle rapping at the door. Fearing shapechanged Hagges, the group had taken extra precautions against the approach of strangers. A woman's voice outside the door taunts the consortes, inviting them to come out and enjoy the beautiful night air. The panicked consortes try to stay calm as they hear scratches at the door and all along the sides of the small, frail building. After a few moments of banter, the Hagges make their move. The front door explodes in a shower of splinters, and one Hagge strides in through the opening. Meanwhile, the second Hagge rips open a great hole in the roof and then plunges down into the middle of the room.

Valerius creates a magical web that slows down the Hagge that came through the front door; some of the other group members then set fire to the web. Friar Sidrach prays to the Five for aid, granting strength and confidence to our heroes. Dirk, Renton, and St. James shoot arrows and then engage the Hagges in melee, while Ruik attempts to evacuate the grievously wounded through an open window. Valerius conjures fiery bolts and summons weird creatures with two bird-like heads. Meanwhile, the invisible Ympe enters the house and stabs Valerius.

The fighting is dirty and bloody, but the Hagges appear weakened from the earlier encounter, and luck favors our heroes this night. Renton steps in and cuts down one of the Hagges where she stands, and at this the second Hagge takes flight. As she flees into the night, Dirk, Renton, and St. James launch several volleys of arrows after her, and Valerius conjures two flaming bolts that incinerate the Hagge utterly.

The weary consortes thank the Five for their fortune, and are ready for a well-deserved rest when Valerius discovers that his spellbook has been stolen. Furious, he goads his fellows into pursuing the thieving Ympe into the night. After a frantic search, Friar Sidrach locates the creature in the nearby woods. Valerius entangles the Ympe in some magical webs, and after taking several arrows the pitiful creature dies, appearing in death much like a small boy of about ten years old, with fay features. Nearby, Valerius recovers his precious spellbook.