Esmiralda and her companions, the Optimist Monk Broo Fang Tane and the odd, loutish warrior Seymurh, have paused to rest in a tavern outside of Veral Ski, one of the largest cities in all of Korin. Here they wash the blood, gore and dirt of their recent adventure from their bodies but Mira finds the memory of their lost comrade Merrick is as restless as the living dead that claimed his life. In a dream, he hints at a new quest that Esimralda must undertake...
"By the way, where is Broo Fang Tane?"
Seymuhr shrugged his thick shoulders and cracked his neck. "He said something about going to the market."
"The market? Alone? Are you sure that's a good idea?"
"He seemed to be in a good enough mood."
"That doesn't necessarily guarantee anyone's safety." His mood was just what I worried about. Tane was an Optimist, one of the champions of good news and a positive outlook, dedicated to his cause--and that was a dangerous thing in Korin, particularly during times as troubled as we lived in. Optimist Monks were fierce fighters, trained by masters of power and grace, for their message was often so ill-received that it required immediate self-defense. Sometimes, trying to spread a smile was enough to start a fight in Korin. Telling someone to cheer up or that things weren't as bad as they seemed...depending on your audience, those simple, kind sentiments could spark a blood feud.
Moreover, Tane's normally quiet presence attracted teasers, ne'er-do-wells and pranksters of all sorts. Bullies flocked to the little man like hornets to a picnic. His journey toward inner and outer peace met setbacks anytime he ventured into public or, indeed, was noticed. In the short time I had known him, I watched him try to contain his short temper on many occasions, only to erupt into shocking, violent action when provoked too far.
"True," Seymuhr said. He glanced down at my plate, where I had pushed aside the spider leg. "Are you going to eat that?"
"Not on your life." I pushed the plate toward him. He snatched up the spider leg and bit through it, sending a small river of grayish ooze over his lips. "They didn't even cook it!" He was genuinely excited.
I turned away. "We should go after him." I wanted to go into Veral Ski anyway and hopefully purchase some better clothes before I met with the queen and shared the news of Merrick's death. Going to the market without Tane also gave me the option to pretend that I didn't know him, if his temper flared up. "I don't want him to hurt anyone--or worse."
"There are too many people in the land, anyway," Semuhr said with a belch. He scratched his groin and lifted his cheek. "Nobody will miss ten or twelve."
"I suppose that depends on who they are," I growled, waving a hand in front of my nose.
"Besides, you should give him more credit. We can always hope that nobody bothers him, or that his mind and soul remain at peace."
I grunted. "You know what they say about hope, don't you?"
"No. I don't."
"Neither do I." I tossed two coins on the table, waved to Mallyn, and headed for the street.
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