Previously: Esmiralda and her companions have discovered that the shattered ship--found upside-down and in the middle of a forest—was once captained by Harfirgorn the Merciless, a pirate of some repute that had vanished long ago. Following clues in a log book they find in the pirate’s quarters, they hope to discover clues to his final resting place—and the treasure that he is most likely buried with...
We walked on through a forest that was still damp from the previous night's storm. The trees were alive around us and the air was occasionally thick with swarms of biting flies that hung in gray clouds at chest level. They bothered Seymuhr more than Broo Fang, Merrick or I, for he was the shortest of our odd company and where we could brush the pests away from our chins, he ended up with a face full of them.
What a strange person, I thought, not for the first time. Obviously I had only met these three companions only a few days ago and still knew very little about them. The prodigious strength Seymuhr had shown during our brief battle with the Hunyn and the ease with which he had carried me out of the city did not match up with his diminutive stature. I wondered if it matched that of the giants themselves and if he came by it from some form of sorcery. He picked at his teeth and spat another wad of spider flesh into a clump of weeds, then scratched at his backside. I waved a hand in front of my face, as much to chase away the insects as the sudden overripe human smell.
"Where did you find him, anyway?" I asked
"It was a bizarre encounter," he cautioned.
"I would expect nothing else," I muttered.
"In truth, it wasn't entirely bizarre--although you may find it a bit difficult to believe. It was a day like any other day and I was traveling far south of here, in the
"I know of it, although I have hardly ventured very far beyond its borders. It is aptly named." Indeed, it was rumored that the Enothopian explorer Grolly Ann had named it thus when she first caught a glimpse of it after a brutal winter traveling through the Mountains of Sineb. 'This now, is a nice area,' she said, according to several historical tomes I was familiar with.
"Indeed. The reasons for my errand in that fine country are not important. I walked along the main road, and was just coming up a low, gradual slope when I saw a strange shape ahead of me: a gigantic mass with a horse-shaped head walking steadily toward me on two stubby legs.
"I had never seen the like," he continued, "and I am not ashamed to say I felt a bolt of fear churn in my bowels and threaten the cleanliness of my underclothes. I looked for a place to get off the road and hide, but the country was wide open, with nothing but tall grass on either side. I drew my blade, uncertain of what to do, when I saw another appendage break free from the figure and wave."
"I could scarcely believe my eyes when this figure approached. It was not one creature, but two: a man and a horse traveling together, but inverted. Seymuhr--the man--was carrying the horse."
"That's impossible."
He shook his head. "So I thought and I would not believe it either, had I not seen it myself. The horse had gone lame, and Seymuhr was carrying it to a temple or smith to see if there was anything that could be done for the poor beast."
"A horse. An adult horse?"
"Aye."
"A big horse?"
"Big enough, I'd wager. Well, I immediately saw that he could be of assistance in my...pursuits, so I introduced myself--and immediately wished I hadn't."
"Why, what happened?"
"He dropped the horse when he shook my hand. We had to put the poor thing out of its misery then."
"I see."
"Don't we all." Now I couldn't help but be offended. Hadn't Seymuhr complained when he had me thrown over his shoulder like a...like a horse? "I've never heard of a man who possesses such strength. How did he come by it?"
"Ah. Well. Speaking of bizarre tales...you'll have to ask him about that."
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