In Harmony We Trust by Ryan Matthew Harker (chromebook ebook reader .TXT) 📕

Jeshux said and stood in front of the painting. “Usually the key is a word or a phrase. In this case we don’t know and we have no way to figure it out so I’m hoping the rope will hold the door open and we can follow it out.”
“Hope?” Candlelite.
“We?” Max.
Jeshux looked over his shoulder and smiled grimly. “Tanner, if we’re not out in half an hour or if an emergency comes up pull me out.”
“Yes sir!” he said.
“Good.” And without another word Jeshux picked up one foot and stepped into the painting.
Max and Candlelite exchanged glances and the younger man said, “What the hell,” he smiled, grabbed the rope and followed Jeshux.
Max muttered something unintelligible and then he too went into the painting.

Jeshux was busy making sure that his rope was secure when Max stepped out of the painting and found himself in the Archmagi’s suite.
“Abbie!” Candlelite called out enthusiastically and Max reminded himself that this was not actually the Archmagi’s suite.
Absinthe sat in a chair in an area of the room that mirrored the library. She had a thick, old looking book on her lap which she looked up from at the sound of Candlelite’s voice.
“Candlelite!” she called out, equally ecstatic and still clenching the book, leapt out of the chair and into his arms.
“Oh thank God you’re all right!” Candlelite hugged her tight. “I don’t know what I would have done if you had been hurt or…”
“Hush,” Absinthe whispered placing a finger to his lips and gently pushing away. Holding the book between them she said, “Look what I found.”
Confident that his knots would hold Jeshux had wandered over. “What’s that?” he asked.
Absinthe smiled triumphantly and held out the book to him, “It’s the Archmagi’s diary.”

The rope worked wonderfully. Back in the comfort and relative safety of the suite Jeshux flipped idly through the diary.
Finally he looked up and said, “Absinthe you did a good job finding this book…”
“Thank you,” the young woman curtsied.
“…despite my warnings not to touch anything.” Her face fell. “Don’t worry. The value of this book makes it worth more than any admonishment I could give you.” Holding the diary up for everyone to see Jeshux spoke up, “This book is the personal diary of the Archmagi Florencii Splendora Ambrosia. Within these covers are over six hundred years of intimate confessions. These confessions detail multiple crimes against not only AnEerth and her people but also against the natural laws that bind them.” His features grew sad and his shoulders sagged slightly. “It’s a damning testimony against a woman that was loved and admired by all.”
“Does it reveal what happened here?” This question came from Tanner, still blood spattered.
Jeshux nodded in confirmation. “Yes it does.”
Everyone stood attentively waiting for him to continue and finally Max spoke impatiently, “Well?”
The Commander General lowered his eyes to the floor and sighed heavily. Without lifting his gaze he said, “The Archmagi is a necromancer.”
While the importance of this revelation was lost on the three earthlings Tanner nodded his head in understanding.
“What exactly does that mean?” Max asked.
“Yeah, so she brought the dead back to life?” Candlelite inquired.
“I’m afraid it’s much worse than that my young friend,” Jeshux said and lifted his head to return the others gaze. Candlelite read sorrow and pain in the old warrior’s eyes, also a touch of disappointment and maybe betrayal.
“Oh you poor dear,” Absinthe murmured as she surprised him with a hug. “She was your friend, wasn’t she?”
“Yes,” Jeshux said quietly and gently pushed her away.
“So what did she do?” Max prompted.
Jeshux opened his mouth to answer when one of the sentries that had been left posted down in the antechamber stumbled through the door. He was battered and bloodstained with one arm dangling uselessly. He had lost his rifle but he clutched a pistol tightly in his good hand. It took him a moment to catch his breath before he could speak.
Still panting the merc managed to sputter, “You need to come quick. They're all dead.”


Careful to keep close to the buildings along the right side of the avenue Sefu crept carefully towards the guild hall. The silence was almost tangible, a thick blanket that lay over the Citadel and threatened to smother any who dared to disturb it.
The guild hall loomed hugely in front of her and dwarfed the surrounding buildings with its awesomeness. As the assassin got closer she could see the crumpled forms of mercenaries at the top of the steps. Blood was everywhere. At the foot of the massive staircase, lying on one ear was the decapitated head of the other merc that had been guarding her. She smiled cruelly at the grimace of horror on its face and involuntarily glanced behind her. The street was clear but when she turned back there were what appeared to be mages hunched over the dead mercenaries on the landing. It was hard to tell exactly what they were doing but she hoped it was not what it looked like. Even a blood thirsty assassin could stand only so much atrocity.
Unfortunately they were doing exactly what it looked like and the gruesome meal was interrupted by Jeshux timely return. He and the others came out blazing and Sefu quickly ducked into a doorway.
Peeking around the jamb she was just in time to see two mages flee from the gunfire faster than what should have been possible. The others that had been feasting were now sprawled about with the remains of their meal.
Staying within the concealment of the doorway the assassin checked her weapons before shouting out, “Jeshux! What the hell is going on here?”


Jeshux did not hesitate at the wounded soldier’s sudden appearance but immediately jumped into action. He ordered Tanner to tend the man’s wounds and waved the others to follow him out the doors and down the hall.
He only stopped once, after he rounded the first corner.
“What happened to the bodies!” he exclaimed.
The corpses of both the apprentice and Hunter were gone. Only broken glass, blood, and a bit of cloth remained to show that something had happened in the hallway.
“What bodies?” The wounded soldier, refusing medical attention had followed the others, having to brush off the attempted administrations of Tanner as they ran.
“There were two bodies, here and here,” Jeshux indicated the two bloody spots on the floor.
“They weren’t there when I came up, sir,” the mercenary informed him.
“Damn!” Jeshux cursed and resumed his breakneck pace through the guild hall.
They met little resistance as they sped through the halls. They were only attacked twice by small groups of three or four zombies. Pausing just long enough to put the creatures down before continuing on their way it took barely half the time to reach the front landing that it took to rise to the suite.
The sight that greeted their arrival made Jeshux blood run cold and with his rifle blazing he hit the landing closely followed by Candlelite and Absinthe, then the others. Soon the perverted mages were lying on the ground among deceased mercenaries with only two managing to flee beyond the reach of their vengeance.
Although he stood stiff with fear and rage Jeshux was still able to marvel at the way Absinthe had handled herself in battle. No doubt her ferocity was born from her predatory nature but regardless, he thought it good that Candlelite was an honest man.
From somewhere out in the street a voice called out, “Jeshux! What the hell is going on here?”
He recognized that voice and motioned everyone to cover before he called out, “How did you get free Sefu?”
The assassin chuckled, “It seems your men are too curious for their own good.”
“We should have killed her when we had our chance,” Candlelite growled ruthlessly.
“I agree,” Absinthe was just as cold.
“Perhaps,” Jeshux conceded and then caught movement from further down the street. “Maybe we won’t have to.”
Far down the street, starting at about the invisible barrier that had so disturbed their horses, dozens of brown robed forms were flitting from shadow to shadow, doorway to alleyway, and silently as a feather fell they grew closer and closer to where the assassin was concealed.
“Hey Sefu!” Candlelite called.
“Hello pup,” Sefu answered scornfully. “What do you want?”
“Maybe you should look behind you,” Candlelite advised.
Sefu turned within the confines of the doorway in which she was concealed and cursed under her breath when she saw the quick and stealthy progress of the demons sneaking up on her.
“Ho, ho assassin, it looks like you’re in a dilly of a pickle!” Max yelled before swigging off his flask. The old scientist could not help but get a jibe in and chuckled at his own wit.
“Curse you, you withered idiot!” Sefu screamed. She did not understand the scientist’s slang but the meaning was still conveyed clearly.
Max laughed again and Jeshux told her, “It looks like you’ve got two options Sefu, either you can surrender to us peacefully or…,” he paused for dramatic effect. “You can die rather unpleasantly.”
Candlelite and Absinthe both smiled evilly