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

cage and was surprised when a voice suddenly spoke from within its shadowy confines. “Who’s there?” Apparently some people’s senses were more acute than others.
“Shh. I’m here to rescue you,” Farewethor whispered with a nervous glance at Harmony’s tent. As far as she could tell all was well.
“Farewethor!” Absinthe’s face appeared out of the gloom and pressed against the bars.
“SShhh,” Farewethor quieted her with another meaningful glance at Harmony’s tent.
Absinthe nodded her understanding and turned away from the bars. “Candlelite, wake up.”
“”What is it?” Candlelite’s voice was groggy with sleep.
“It’s Witch Farewethor. She’s come to rescue us.”
“Farewethor!” Candlelite’s face was suddenly against the bars.
“SSsshhh! What’s wrong with you guys? Are you suicidal?” Farewethor hissed as she moved around to the cage door. Her adrenalin was skyrocketing and her anxiety was beginning to surge into panic. “Damnit! This lock is going to be impossible!”
“What’s wrong?” Candlelite asked.
“I don’t think I’ll be able to pick this lock,” Farewethor whispered back. Then, all of a sudden, something came to her attention. “Wait a minute, why aren’t you… you know?”
“What?” Absinthe asked from beside Candlelite.
“You know,” she urged.
“Ooh that,” Candlelite said. “Were not sure. Harmony came to see us earlier today and did something.”
“We think,” Absinthe confirmed. “Actually he really didn’t do anything. He stood in front of us, looked at us kind of funny, then he waved his hand and walked away.”
“Once night fell and we didn’t transform we just figured it must have been because if him,” Candlelite added.
“I see.” Farewethor closed her eyes and cast her senses over the two captives. She took care to keep any disturbance in arcane energy from seeping towards Harmony’s tent. “Aaah.”
“What?” Candlelite and Absinthe whispered in unison.
Farewethor opened her eyes and disclosed her findings. “There is a standard stasis field around the two of you. Childs play really. All first year apprentices learn how to do it.”
Both of them nodded sagely, having had some experience with stasis fields in the past.
“Interesting but I really think that we need to concentrate on the task at hand.” Farewethor fished around in her pocket and pulled out the lock picks that she had found along with her sneak suit. “Oh yeah, and this is for you.” She handed Absinthe the medallion.
“What is it?” Absinthe asked, wonderingly tracing the patterns on the medallion with a fingertip.
“It’s a talisman,” Farewethor told her as she began working at the lock with her picks. “It was given to me by the queen. She said that you were to have it.”
“What sort of talisman?” Absinthe slipped the silver cable over her head.
Farewethor grunted quietly as she labored over the lock and answered, “That medallion protects the wearer from magical harm.”
“So am I going to transform now?” Absinthe’s hands moved to pull the medallion off.
Despite the frustrations of her efforts Farewethor managed a smile. “No, no. It doesn’t work like that. Only magic that’s detrimental to your mind, body, or spirit is nullified. Benign or neutral magic isn’t affected and stasis magic is considered neutral. Darn this lock,” she threw the lock picks down in disgust. “I was right, this lock is impossible.”
“Perhaps the key would help,” someone suggested from behind her.
Farewethor whirled into a crouch and pulled a long dagger from her boot.
“Do not worry Witch Farewethor, I mean you no harm,” the stately woman standing before her whispered. In her hand was a long skeleton key.
Farewethor eyed the key suspiciously and demanded, “Who are you? How do you know my name?”
“Archmagi, is that you?” Absinthe whispered.
“Archmagi Florencii?” Farewethor’s eyes narrowed. “Jeshux told us about you. I should gut you right here.” Her fingers tightened around the haft of her dagger.
“And it may be what I deserve but we haven’t the time to debate that now. How I know your name is I sensed you probing the stasis field and pulled an imprint. But if I sensed you then it’s possible that Harmony sensed you.” Florencii glanced towards the tent. “I’m actually surprised that he didn’t. But here,” again she held out the key. “Take this. I’m sure there is no time to waste.”
Farewethor had come slowly to her feet but had not returned her dagger to her boot. She reached out and grabbed the key in disbelief, as if it would suddenly disappear in a puff of smoke, she asked, “Why are you doing this?”
Smiling sadly Florencii released her hold on the key. “I have my reasons but mostly out of respect for an old friend,” she glanced at Candlelite and Absinthe. “And for a couple that could have been if things were different.”
Farewethor tried to shake the confusion from her head as she turned back to the lock. She did not quite succeed as she inserted the key and turned. The lock emitted a satisfying click and the door eased open a crack on well oiled hinges. “Bingo.” Farewethor eased the door open the rest of the way. “Now come on. Like the Archmagi said, we haven’t much time.” She could feel a stirring of the magical resonance in the immediate area.
“She’s right,” Florencii stepped forward as soon as Candlelite stepped from the cage. She pressed something into the young man’s hand and whispered urgently, “Take this. No, be quiet,” she hissed as he opened his mouth. “Harmony intended to use this to turn you into his secret weapon. Instead use it against him.” Then with another quick glance at the black tent no more than a hundred feet away the Archmagi fled into the night.
Candlelite just stared at her dumbfounded and Farewethor grabbed him by the arm. “Seriously, we have got to go! Both of you stay close and hold on to your stomachs.” She could feel the magical energy around them suddenly go as taunt as a guitar string. With a glance over at Harmony’s tent she saw the door flap jerk to one side and she cried, “Now!”
With a loud pop and a bright flash of purple light the witch and the two rescued captives vanished from the camp of their enemy.


Jeshux, Nefarious, and Queen Mega’N were standing atop the moon tower gazing down at Harmony’s army when they saw the flash of purple light illuminate the night. Following close behind the flash was a loud explosion that rocked them on their feet and an inhuman bellow of rage that reached clearly to the top of the tower.
“That’s them,” Jeshux said and turned to Nefarious. “Reactivate the shields!”
The magician turned to the queen and she gave him a small nod. “Sheld aun,” he intoned and quickly followed the other two from the top of the tower.
As they reached the base of the tower the queen spoke, “Nefarious, you may retire now. Commander General, please go and receive our esteemed guests. See to their comfort and make sure they are present at the meeting tomorrow. I bid you gentlemen good night.” She then left to make her way to her chambers.
Nefarious also left to make his way to bed which left Jeshux alone as he navigated the convoluted passages through the palace. He made his way steadily downward towards a large, little known chamber that inhabited a pocket dimension similar to the one in the painting in the Archmagi’s suite back in Gonderlund. This chamber had been chosen as the place of arrival based on its size, being easily able to accommodate Candlelite and Absinthe in their transformed state. Unlike Florencii’s painting however this one was accessed by a conventional door which Jeshux stood in front of less than five minutes after witnessing the flash of Farewethor’s teleportation.
Only two heads turned toward him as he walked into the chamber and Jeshux lost no time noticing a discrepancy in what he was seeing compared to what his mental picture had led him to expect. “What’s wrong with you two?”
“Well hello to you also,” Candlelite greeted while Absinthe flung her arms around the Commander General’s neck and gave him a sloppy kiss on the cheek.
“Jeshux, you look horrible,” Absinthe giggled as she stepped back.
Candlelite stepped forward and gripped Jeshux hand in his. “Don’t worry it’s only a common stasis spell,” he said to answer the question that was still in the other man’s eyes.
“Aah.” Jeshux was obviously relieved. Then he looked around and asked, “And where is young Farewethor?”
“You just missed her,” Absinthe explained. “She left right when we got here to change her clothes.”
“She knew you’d be coming and told us to tell you that she would be right back.” Candlelite pulled something out of the pouch that he always wore around his neck. “Jeshux, do you have any idea what this is?” He held a small wolf, carved out of what seemed to be amber, dangling by a plain steel chain.
Taking the small figurine from his friend he examined it closely. It was only as big as the tip of his thumb to the first knuckle but despite its tiny size it was an amazingly detailed carving. It depicted a shaggy, wild looking wolf standing on its hind legs, front paws to its sides in imitation of a person walking. Fitted tightly around its neck was a small steel collar from which the chain was attached like a leash. The domestic appearance not withstanding there was something decidedly feral about the carving.
“No,” Jeshux finally said and handed the dancing wolf back to Candlelite. “I’ve never seen anything like it before. Where did you get it?”
“From Archmagi Florencii just before we left.”
“You’re joking?”
“No. If it wasn’t for the Archmagi we wouldn’t even be here,” Absinthe gushed. “Farewethor couldn’t pick the lock and we couldn’t get out of the cage. Then Florencii came and she had the key.”
“Interesting, and why didn’t Farewethor teleport you from the cage?” Jeshux asked.
“Because I couldn’t.” Jeshux turned and found the witch Farewethor standing behind him. She had changed out of her black sneak thief suit and was dressed once more in her traditional purple and silver robes. “I considered it when I saw the lock but when my magical probe detected the stasis spell I also found a containment spell forged into the bars. There is no way I could have got them out of the cage without that key.”
A ghost of a smile played on Jeshux lips. “And do you know what the figurine is for?”
“The Archmagi said that Harmony was going to use it to make me his secret weapon,” Candlelite interjected.
Farewethor raised her hand towards Candlelite. “Other than what the Archmagi told him, I haven’t the foggiest.”
“Secret weapon does not sound very good to me,” Jeshux mused. “I think we should have Nefarious take a look at this trinket of your’s first thing in the morning.”
“Ok.”
Absinthe stretched and yawned. “What about a bed?” she asked. “We’ve been sleeping in that cage for weeks.”
Jeshux laughed a humorless laugh. “That’s actually why I’m here. The actual debriefing is scheduled for noon. So if you’ll follow me you should be able to get some good sleep before breakfast.”
“Excellent!” Candlelite smiled ravenously. “I could eat a couple pigs worth of bacon, with three dozen eggs and a whole cow full of milk.”
“That can be arranged,” Jeshux laughed and this time it was genuine.
“Well, if that’s everything, I’m going home,” Farewethor headed for the door. “I will see you all at the meeting.”
“Bye Farewethor. Thank you,” Absinthe called and the witch waved her hand as she walked out the door.
Candlelite and Absinthe followed Jeshux out right behind her and the Commander General led them to their room. The bed was huge and the pillows were soft, with the ambient atmosphere reminiscent of the room they