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

breathless anticipation for nearly five minutes before another blast devastated an area just within the army’s boundaries. What was bedlam before now became panic induced chaos as Harmony’s soldiers scattered from this new crater.
“They’re firing at themselves,” Absinthe said mystified.
“No, we’re firing at them,” Candlelite said with sudden insight. He turned and grabbed Absinthe in a tight hug. “We have the canon! We’re firing on them!” Candlelite began jumping up and down, lifting Absinthe off of the ground.
Smiling Absinthe squealed with delight and began to laugh, infected be Candlelite’s excitement.
“We’re firing at them!” she echoed.
“Yes. We’re firing at them!” Candlelite repeated and joined in the laughter.
But as soon as the reverse bombardment started it stopped and did not resume.
“What’s going on now?”
“I don’t know.” Candlelite’s voice was a near whisper.
The minutes ticked by and the only sounds were the bustle of the army around them as it tried to reorganize. Harmony did not seem to be concerned by the sudden assault by his own canon as he had not even put in an appearance out of curiosity and was still hidden away in his tent.
About thirty minutes and six craters after the flash of light from atop the palace tower the city gates ponderously began to open outward. Absinthe gasped. Candlelite quickly clapped a hand over her mouth and looked around. Amazingly no one in the army appeared to notice.
“Not a word,” Candlelite breathed.
Absinthe nodded her head and he removed his hand.
“The gates,” she whispered.
He nodded and looked around again as the gates came to a halt, wide open. Still no one appeared to have notice and he returned his attention to the city gates. He could just discern movement from within their depths and then a wave of knights came charging out of them. And still Harmony’s army remained oblivious.
By the time the horde that surrounded the city began to react to the charging knights it was too late. With a resounding war cry the mounted men crashed through their outer perimeter and began driving a wedge through their disorganized ranks.
“Yes, yes, yes!” Candlelite yelled and jumped around in the cramped space of the cage, unable to suppress his elation.
From the gates soldiers on foot marched out to trail behind their mounted comrades.
“Here comes the Calvary!” Absinthe could hardly suppress her giggles as she clapped her hands together.
“I thought they were the Calvary.” Candlelite pointed to the knights and the two of them fell apart laughing as they hugged each other in relief. They were going to be saved.
It did not take long for Harmony’s soldiers to organize and launch a counterattack. The captives watched in horror as snipers took positions and began trying to pick off the knights, without much apparent success.
“Look!” Absinthe startled Candlelite out of his observation of the battle and he turned just in time to see a bright flash fade away on the outer perimeter. Where the flash had been were what seemed to be more soldiers. After a brief hesitation the newcomers began to head towards the advancing knights, attacking Harmony’s army as they moved forward.
Within two minutes of the first flash a second flash burst into existence. Actually seeing it happen Candlelite immediately recognized it as the same type of phenomenon as what had occurred earlier on top of the palace tower. The second flash faded away much the same as the first had and revealed yet another large group of soldiers.
Before he could say anything Absinthe spoke his mind. “Those are the mercenaries!” she exclaimed.
The mercenaries began firing efficiently into the enemy opposition and started a swift infiltration of Harmony’s army which eventually brought them to converge with the force from the first flash. Once the two smaller armies met they began to steadily battle their way towards the black tent and consequently Candlelite and Absinthe’s cage.
On the inner side of the camp the knights had altered their course slightly and were also headed for the black tent. The multitude of foot soldiers followed closely behind them.
With the two forces converging on him Harmony finally stepped smoothly from his tent.
Completely unperturbed by the chaos around him the evil sorcerer turned his soulless black eyes on his two little jailbirds and spoke, his words came to them clearly. “Now isn’t this something,” he remarked with a cold smile. Then he advised, “You two should watch this.” And then he strode boldly forth into the fray.
Crackling bursts of energy burst from the sorcerer’s fingertips as he waved his hands about in complex gestures. Knights and horses began falling left and right as his arcane powers enveloped them. The horses fell dead with the knights charred inside their armor.
“Har-mon-yyy!” the lead knight cried as he bore down on the magician while wielding a giant sword aflame with white fire with a savage fury fueled by maniacal strength. Absinthe and Candlelite identified the knight by his voice as King Zakeriah but Harmony paid little attention to the charging monarch and continued his savage onslaught, bringing down dozens of horsemen at a time with his evil spells.
Finally with one last surge of fighting prowess the king broke through the swell of surrounding soldiers and confronted Harmony directly. Spurring his mount forward he brought his flaming sword down in a fiery arc of destruction aimed at the sorcerer’s head. At the last moment Harmony’s eyes narrowed and his left hand rose to intersect the swords deadly descent. His hands collided with the blade and burst into amber lightning which engulfed the white fire of the sword, consumed it, and channeled it back through the weapon to the king. With a strangled cry of dismay the king absorbed the sorcerer’s magic and was blown backwards off of his horse and through the air to land on the ground in a fine cloud of dust over thirty feet away. Without missing a beat Harmony sidestepped the still charging horse and continued to lay waste to his enemies.
Candlelite and Absinthe cringed in horror as they watched a triumphant smile of malignant evil transfix the magician’s lips.


Twenty-four hours after the failed attack on Harmony Jeshux, along with McAriicoys, Max Kimbal, Vohrmint, and Sefu Atarle, found himself seated around the great table in the throne room of the imperial palace. The five of them had been accidentally stumbled upon and during the confusion which followed the king’s defeat by Harmony, had been brought into the city by the king’s forces. They were joined by the four lords, Quazetkic, Keriee, Turinoc, and Seuriius; the royal advisor Nefarious; several of the king’s generals; the witch Farewethor; and Queen, Mega’N. They had been conferring now for more than five hours and the main grumble was still about what they were going to do.
“Gentlemen if you please,” Mega’N commanded, raising her hand for silence. “None of this arguing is getting us anywhere.”
Agreement came mumbled from around the table and the queen continued, “What we have here is a very grave situation in need of immediate resolution.”
“My queen, if I may?” Jeshux interjected, raising his hand.
“Of course Commander General,” Mega’N acknowledged.
“I would like to propose, yet again, that our most pressing need is to facilitate the return of the Chosen Ones to our custody.”
This was not the first time since this meeting had been called that Jeshux had raised the matter of Candlelite and Absinthe’s captivity and he was determined not to let them get swept under the rug again as they had so many times already in the last five hours.
With hands clasped and forefingers steeped in front of his nose Nefarious asked, “And yet again, Commander General, how do you propose we go about this venture?”
Farewethor cleared her throat to speak. Having spent the majority of the last twenty-four hours by the king’s side where he lay comatose she had come late into the meeting and had spent her time there in silence. Now she spoke up, “A night raid, solo infiltration and teleportation.” Then she fell silent.
“Go on,” Jeshux urged, intrigued by the witch’s idea.
“Well,” Farewethor said hesitantly. “Obviously it would have to be attempted by someone capable of stealth and schooled in magic.”
“Obviously,” Nefarious scoffed. “And are you volunteering for this suicide mission Farewethor?”
“That’s enough!” the queen raised her voice. “No more sarcasm! No more arguments!” Her face was pinched and her hands were clenched in fists, the knuckles white. Ever since she had witnessed Zakeriah’s fall she had not slept and was skirting the edge of collapse.
“My queen, it’s all right,” Farewethor said softly. “I do volunteer.”
“What?” Nefarious sputtered.
Farewethor turned an angry glare on the magician. “That’s right Nefarious. I do volunteer. Because, unlike some people, I have faith in the prophecy and I truly believe that Candlelite and Absinthe are our only hope.” The witch swept her gaze across the entire table. “Nearly all of you here have met them, can any of you deny that there’s something special about them? An aura, an energy that marks them as special, some force beyond what we know as natural, greater than our concept of good and therefore stronger than Harmony who is only the human embodiment of all that we consider evil. Can any of you in truth say that this is not so?” Her eyes flared with the challenge of her words.
One by one the detractors of the Chosen Ones adverted their eyes while Jeshux party and the four lords applauded. The queen kept silent but a smile played at the corners of her mouth.
“Well said missy!” Vohrmint thundered as his hands boomed with every clap.
“Here, here,” Turinoc added and lifted a large mug of ale to his lips to drain it in two gulps.
Max raised his own flask in salute, took a swallow and passed it to Sefu who did the same.
Farewethor blushed at the sudden acclaim of her fellows. “I’m just following my heart,” she said.
“As should we all,” Jeshux smiled. “As should we all.” He turned to the queen and asked, “What about you, your majesty? Do you agree that we must save the Chosen Ones?”
Instead of answering Jeshux directly Mega’N turned to Farewethor. “You’ll leave tonight. You had better go and prepare yourself. The resources of the capital are at your disposal; feel free to make use of them.”
“Thank you,” Farewethor said getting up from the table. “I’ll begin at once.”
“And one more thing, Witch Farewethor,” the queen stopped her.
“Yes, your majesty?”
“Could you check on my husband please? Do what you can for him?”
“Yes your majesty.” Farewethor bowed and left the room.
“As for the rest of you,” Mega’N said, addressing the rest of the assembly. “I believe our business here is adjourned for the moment. I’m setting another meeting for noon tomorrow. I expect everyone to be here. You’re dismissed.”
Everyone stood up and stretched bodies that had spent too many hours confined to chairs before heading for the exit.
“Commander General,” Mega’N called. “I would like to have a quick word with you alone.”
Jeshux stopped. “I’ll meet up with you and the others in a little while,” he told McAriicoys before he walked back over to the table.
“Please, sit,” Mega’N motioned toward a chair next to hers.
Sitting in the chair indicated Jeshux asked, “What can I do for you, my queen?”
Leaning back in her chair Mega’N said, “Jeshux, I’m going to ask something of you. I know that we haven’t exactly gotten along since you left service here but you and Zakeriah have been friends for years and…” Here she paused.
“Yes Mega’N?” Jeshux urged, lapsing into familiarity.
“I want you to except the regency,” she blurted.
“What!” Jeshux was astonished.
“I would like you to be acting regent.”