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

that was lost forever and could never be retrieved. It was also a life without Candlelite.
Candlelite, she wondered where he was right then and if he was all right. The city was lit more from the glow of the hundred different fires that burned throughout its expanse than it was by the sun which was about to set. Absinthe prayed that wherever Candlelite was in the massive city that he was safe from the harm she watched pass from every direction. The street below her was littered with corpses from both armies and she fingered the medallion that had been given her by the queen. She sent out a prayer for Candlelite’s safety for what was perhaps the thousandth time when she heard a noise behind her.
“It’s sort of pretty in its own way,” a voice spoke from behind her.
Absinthe spun off of her chair and brought her rifle up sharply as she stood to face the figure behind her.
“Who are you?” Absinthe demanded.
“A friend maybe, in another life.” The person stepped from the gloom to stand in the fading light that filtered through the grimy windows.
“Archmagi!” Absinthe gasped in recognition. “But what are you doing here?”
“The same as you I think,” Florencii ventured. “Contemplating the course of my life and how I’ve brought myself here.” The Archmagi gestured towards the other woman’s weapon. “You won’t need that my dear. I mean you no harm.”
Absinthe removed her finger from the trigger but only slightly lowered the barrel. “You didn’t really answer my question,” she accused. There was tension in her tone.
“Do you mind if I sit?” Florencii asked, indicating the only other chair in the room. At Absinthe’s nod of assent she settled into the seat. “That is better. Why don’t you join me?” she suggested.
“So you’d like to know why I’m here,” the Archmagi mused as Absinthe retook her seat across from the sorceress. “I’ve been asking myself that very same question for some time now. Do you know how old I am Absinthe? I am almost twelve hundred years old. Quite possibly the oldest woman on the planet, not considering the remote possibility of some secluded hermit unknown somewhere, and I’ve spent the majority of my life in search of one thing and one thing only. And do you know what that one thing is?” Absinthe shook her head and Florencii answered, “Power. And do you know what that search has got me?” Again Absinthe shook her head and Florencii answered sadly, “Absolutely nothing.”
“So why don’t you stop?” Absinthe asked.
“I’m afraid that it might be too late for that now.” Florencii smiled bitterly.
“No!” Absinthe insisted and lowered her weapon. “It’s never too late. You can always change your mind and pursue other things. Like this war,” the young woman protested. “It’s so wrong and you’re a good person, I sensed it almost from the moment we met. Why don’t you join us, forget your quest for power and fight Harmony?!”
Florencii smiled again but this time with amusement. “You’re a sweet child Absinthe but it’s not that simple.”
“Why?” Absinthe’s compassion had her close to tears. “What’s so complicated about it?”
“After I helped you to escape with the Lupelire Harmony had me tortured for hours for my betrayal.” Florencii showed Absinthe her wrists and hiked up her robes so that she could see her ankles.
“How horrible,” Absinthe said as tears declared freedom from her eyes.
“Indeed,” Florencii agreed. “But not as terrible as what he’ll do when he discovers the Lupelire is missing.”
“What will he do?”
“There are only two things he can do Absinthe,” Florencii told her. “He will either risk losing the strength of my army by killing me or, and this is the most likely, he will kill my physical self and keep my soul imprisoned for all eternity.”
“Why would he do that?”
“Because my dear, it is the only way he can get around the fact that my army can only be controlled by me.” Florencii sighed and stood up. “With my corporeal spirit imprisoned he will gain ultimate control of all the Gonders. But now I must leave for the change will be upon you momentarily I think.”
It was true. Absinthe could already feel the beast stir within her and she also stood from her chair.
“No my traitorous bitch,” a new voice intruded. “I don’t think either of you will be leaving just yet.”
Absinthe’s rifle rose swiftly and her finger was ready on the trigger while Florencii bowed her head solemnly.
“Hello Harmony,” Florencii whispered. “I had wondered when you would make the scene.”
A shadow darker than the rest detached itself from its brothers and became a black robed man. Two green orbs opened from within the cowl of the robe and began to leak iridescent phosphorescence into the tense atmosphere of the room.
“Hello again Chosen One,” Harmony purred in greeting to Absinthe. “And as for you Archmagi, it appears that your treachery knows no bounds.”
Florencii turned and lifted her eyes to Harmony’s. “My conscience drives me away from the treachery I’ve already committed but we both know that excuse will never be yours.”
Harmony laughed mirthlessly. “Too true, my treachery is driven by lusts of a nature that no man could comprehend. Conscience has nothing to do with it, you are right about that. Unfortunately that’s not all you are right about.”
“What do you mean?” Florencii’s eyes narrowed suspiciously.
“I truly thank you for your confession.” Harmony drifted closer.
“Not another step?” Absinthe shouted.
Ignoring Absinthe Harmony’s voice dripped with venom as he continued, “But did you believe that I would give you the keys to such an awesome power and leave myself subject to your involvement in wielding your army?”
Florencii’s eyes suddenly widened with horror as they darted to the green tendrils that leaked from the sorcerer’s cowl. “No Harmony, you can’t!”
“Ah, and there is the sweet dawn of realization,” Harmony murmured and then he raised his arms and intoned, “Yes Archmagi Florencii, I have become a soul eater, death incarnate, capable of devouring the very essence of life itself and the first life I shall consume WILL BE YOURS!”
“No!” Florencii screamed as the dark wizard rushed her like a gale force wind, embraced her in his arms and brought his lips to hers.
At the same time Absinthe’s rifle clattered to the floor as the change overtook her. No, not now, she thought as a snarl broke from her clenched jaw. Not now! Then with a powerful spasm the young woman hit the floor, landing next to her rifle.
Absinthe watched through watery eyes as the Archmagi’s feet left the floor and began to kick wildly and then with a final jerk came to a stop.
Harmony tossed the sorceress’ shriveled corpse aside with preternatural ease and wiped a sleeved arm across his mouth. “Ah,” he sighed. “Now that was refreshing.” He turned his gaze to Absinthe where she writhed on the floor.
“You know that really doesn’t look like it’s very comfortable,” he sneered down at her.
Absinthe moaned in pain as the transformation twisted and reconfigured her body as it saw fit.
“No, not comfortable at all,” Harmony mused as he glided closer. “Now whatever shall we do with you?” he asked as he knelt next to her and stroked a stray strand of hair back from her head.
Before he could touch her though a brilliant flash of light streaked from the medallion around Absinthe’s neck and struck Harmony’s outstretched hand with a snap, crackle and resounding pop.
“Nooo!” Harmony wailed and snatched his hand back before he fled the building nearly as fast as lightning.
Absinthe watched with relief as the sorcerer fled before she closed her eyes and lost consciousness.


Elsewhere in the city Candlelite was going through a similar transformation. The change was upon him and although he had removed himself from the presence of his comrades so as not to disturb them with his curse they still flinched at the inhuman sounds that emanated from his place of hiding. The werewolves that surrounded these humans camped in the streets responded to the sounds with calls of their own and their howls echoed and reverberated off the many buildings that lined the Avenue of East and West.
When the change was complete Candlelite stood to his full height of nearly nine feet and let rip a long howl that dwarfed those of the werewolves while simultaneously and effectively silencing them. With a stealth that came natural to the state he was in Candlelite moved back towards his human allies who only became alerted to his presence when all the werewolves moved off to crowd around him, whining and nipping at him playfully. He sent them scattering with a short growl and strode gracefully over to where McAriicoys and Vohrmint were deep in discussion with the soldier who was in charge of the imperials under General Kahill.
“You know my friend, just when I think I’ve gotten used to your peculiarity something new crops up to give me the willies,” Vohrmint grinned up at Candlelite’s horrific countenance.
Candlelite lolled his tongue and gave the man a playful slap on his back that almost knocked him off his feet.
“Ha, ha,” Vohrmint laughed. “Careful pal, I don’t think you realize your own strength.”
“Come on you two,” McAriicoys grunted. “This is no time for horseplay.”
Candlelite turned to McAriicoys and knelt down in front of him. He used one claw tipped finger to trace one word on the cobbles, Absinthe.
“You’re going to look for her?” McAriicoys asked and Candlelite nodded his massive head. “I figured as much and I can’t say I blame you, can you leave us your ‘wolves?”
Again Candlelite nodded and traced another word on the ground. You.
“They’ll respond to me,” McAriicoys made the question into a statement. “Good. Happy hunting.” Sadness crept over his face for a brief moment. “Find her boy and keep her safe.”
Candlelite rose, placed his clawed hand on McAriicoys shoulder and nodded again. Some instinct told him that the old mercenary’s concern went deeper than he realized, it was a hurt he tried well to hide. He turned to Vohrmint and repeated the gesture.
“Good luck lad.” Vohrmint patted Candlelite on his furry chest before he loped off into the battle stricken city to search out the whereabouts of his love.

The streets were mostly dark except where towering infernos raged, entire buildings engulfed in flame. The smoke from these fires hung heavy in the air and confused even the heightened abilities of Candlelite’s sensitive nose.
Where these fires burnt was where the heaviest of the fighting was concentrated and so Candlelite avoided these areas as he lost himself in the single minded determination to find Absinthe.
He deftly navigated his way through a debris filled alley and was brought up short by a familiar scent. He temporarily forgot all about Absinthe and veered off in a direction opposite of the one he had intended in order to follow the new scent. This new target led him directly into a roving band of goblins that had followed the aerial scouting of half a dozen vampires. With a series of deafening squeals and screeches the viscous, winged creatures began swooping to distract him so that their grounded cohorts could have a chance to close in.
Candlelite howled his frustration and ripped one of the beasts from the sky as the goblins launched their attack. With a mighty shrug of his shoulders he heaved the struggling vampire back into the air where it collided with one of its brothers and sent the two of them crashing into the side of a nearby building. The other four vampires flapped their wings to gain altitude and await the outcome of the conflict below.
Candlelite spun his furred body in