In Harmony We Trust, Ryan Matthew Harker [rooftoppers .txt] 📗

I knew you were whooping on me so I had to take measures, hence forcing you towards that root. But if you had been aware of your surroundings and your opponent, you would have realized what I was doing and taken preventive action. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Candlelite nodded his head in assent. “Yeah, I think I’m getting you.”
Vohrmint shook his head violently. “No, no! Don’t think, know.”
Smiling Candlelite said, “Alright, alright! I understand.”
Vohrmint appraised him carefully from under creased brows. “Good,” he said and clapped his young ward on the back. “Ha, well let’s get you back to the monastery before your pretty lass gets worried over you.”

Absinthe was not worried about Candlelite, in fact she had almost forgotten about him, about the prophecy, and their seeming roles in the whole plot to save the worlds. She was sitting in a patch of sunlight, among some wildflowers, behind the monastery and beyond the garden. The Midnight Monastery had a beautiful garden filled with all kinds of good things to eat and a wonderful array of flowers, hedges, and sweet pools of clear spring water.
She sat cross legged among the flower’s assortment of brightly colored petals- pinks, blues, whites, and yellows- humming a tune she remembered from out of some long lost part of her childhood. Absinthe leaned back on her hands with her arms behind her, closed her eyes and enjoyed the soft caress of the sun as a light breeze blew across her skin with a touch as soft a silk. All of a sudden a shadow fell across her face and she smiled but did not open her eyes as familiar warmth of a different nature settled into the grass beside her.
“I smelled you coming from a mile away,” she chuckled and opened her eyes slightly against the light of the sun.
“Really?” Candlelite murmured and slipped an arm around her shoulders. “Do I smell that bad?”
“You could use a bath,” Absinthe said as she snuggled close to him. “How long has it been, four or five days?”
Candlelite hugged her tighter and laughed, “It’s only been three, smart ass.” He kissed the top of her head and inhaled deeply as he did so. “And how is it you still smell so sweet? It’s been at least that long for you.”
Absinthe looked at him and rolled her eyes, “Duh, sugar and spice and everything nice of course.”
“Well however you manage it,” Candlelite told her and took another whiff. “I suppose you’re right, I should get in a bath sometime this evening.”
Absinthe pushed Candlelite to his back and swung her legs over to straddle him. “Well, I suppose if you do that then you’ll need someone,” she leaned down to kiss him. “Willing to scrub those hard to reach areas.” And then an eyebrow arched over her sparkling green eyes.
Candlelite laced his fingers together behind her head and through her soft red hair before he replied, “You know and assistant may very well be just what I need to get extra clean.” Then he chucked as she giggled.
“A-hem!” Suddenly a gruff voice burst from behind them.
The two startled lovebirds sat up quickly, both blushing from being caught in such an intimate position. Vohrmint stood there with both hands on his hips and a grin threatened to split his head from ear to ear.
“You’ll have to beg my pardon at the intrusion,” the big warrior said although he sounded none too sorry. “I would have knocked but alas there was no door.” And then he let out a deep laugh.
“That’s okay Vohrmint,” Absinthe said good-naturedly and stood up. “We were just getting ready to come in.”
“We were?” Candlelite quipped and Absinthe kicked him playfully. “Oh yeah, right, we were.” And he stood up grinning.
“That’s good,” Vohrmint said and his smile faded. “I came to tell you that a messenger just arrived with news of Jeshux. He hasn’t said anything yet as he wants to disclose what he has to say to everyone at once. He’s having food and drink while I tracked the two of you down.”
“Well then,” Candlelite was equally serious now. “Let’s not keep him waiting.” He took Absinthe’s hand in his own and followed Vohrmint back towards the monastery all thoughts of a bath temporarily banished from his mind.

The messenger was grimy with dust and road filth. His name was Roland and he sat at a table in the monastery’s modest mess hall. He had finished his meal and was talking with Witch Farewethor as he waited for Vohrmint to arrive with Absinthe and Candlelite. By his own account he had rode hard for the better part of a week after having gone first to deliver his tale to the King before moving on towards the monastery. “Ah,” Roland exclaimed coming around the table to shake hands. “You must be the great saviors that everyone is hearkening to.”
“I guess we must be,” Candlelite said somewhat embarrassed.
“Well then, are we all here?” Roland asked.
“Not quite,” Vohrmint answered. “We’re still waiting on two more.”
“No need to wait further,” intoned a gentle voice from behind them.
“Ah, Jin,” Roland bowed gracefully. “And you, sir must be the scientist who opened the Harashna.” He shook hands with Max.
“One of them anyway,” the old man smiled thinly.
“Now we’re all here?” At a nod from Vohrmint Roland began his report.
The picture he painted was one of horror and madness. A little over a week ago in the dark and fearful part of the night Harmony’s horde had swept through the Complex’s perimeter security defenses without tripping a single one. In the brutal assault of the mercenary encampment the losses sustained by Jeshux soldiers was tragically high. Fortunately McAriicoys himself had personally been on watch that night and due in part to his strategic prowess the mercenaries were able to organize their forces and repel the invaders.
Sadly this was not the last attempt made by the soldiers of darkness to procure the Harashna and before three days time was up the demons of Harmony had attacked twice more. Each one of these attacks brought many deaths to the mercenary ranks and much destruction to the Complex but without the element of surprise neither accomplished as much devastation as the initial show of force.
Shortly after the third attack Jeshux returned from AnEerth, which coincided with Witch Farewethor’s return to the Midnight Monastery. After being briefed on the situation and the immensity of Harmony’s army by McAriicoys the Commander General agreed that the only thing to do was to abandon the Complex and cross through the Harashna back into AnEerth. Only then, by funneling the brunt of Harmony’s army through the Harashna, might they hope to stem the tide of invasion.
So the Commander General ordered the retreat of his mercenary compatriots and not a moment too soon. The last mercenary had just made it through the Harashna when Jeshux and McAriicoys both turned for one last, brief look at their temporary place of residence, and in swept the minions of the dark sorcerer like a black wave into the Complex.
“And that was it,” Roland finished. “Jeshux and McAriicoys crossed through also and Jeshux bade me to take my tale to the King and then here. He said that he would soon be on my heels. He wanted to be sure that we had the Harashna secure on this side before he set out. As of my departure none of the opposition had made an attempt to pass through.”
“If there aren’t any questions,” Roland inquired. “It has been a rather long journey and I’m a bit tired.”
“Of course,” Jin grabbed his arm apologetically. “You’ve given us a lot to digest. Please let me show you to a room so that you may rest.”
“That’d be appreciated,” Roland stated and let the monk lead him away.
After the messenger was gone Candlelite sat down heavily on a bench with one arm resting on the solid table. “Far out,” he said somewhat despondently.
Absinthe sat down next to him and put a reassuring arm around his shoulder. “Don’t worry,” she said softly. “Jeshux knows what he’s doing. I’m sure he has things under control.”
Candlelite let out a sigh and smiled at his beautiful companion. “I’m sure you’re right,” he patted her hand. “I’m sure you’re right.”
Little did any of the five people who sat in silent contemplation of Roland’s depressing tale realize but their faith in Commander General Jeshux was momentarily misplaced. The mercenary leader had things about as in control as a parachute in a hurricane and was even then in a mad flight to the Midnight Monastery.


It took longer than Dan thought to make it back to the tower. He had followed what he and Dave had presumed to be the path to the Midnight Monastery for nearly half a day before he decided that he must have missed it somehow. Another half a day fruitless searching left him no closer to his quarries supposed refuge and with some deliberation he concluded that returning to Earth to report his findings, scant as they were, would be his best course of action. Not once did it occur to him to return to Dirsellia and seek out Dave.
So he began the long journey back to the Dark Tower and the waiting harashna. He attempted the trip via the path through the forest that Dave and he had traveled previously. This proved to be the most difficult part of the journey. He had not exactly paid attention to the route they had taken as he had been more concerned with following his prey discreetly, the same as Dave. Admittedly there had also been something a bit primal to the pursuit, the thrill of the hunt as it were. Dan cursed himself for this now though because it led him to become a bit lost. Not enough to hinder him much, no he had marked the general direction of their travels well but he did manage to become lost in a meandering sort of way that cost him in time.
When he finally left the confines of the forest he exited the tree line and entered a tilled field. He found himself quite a few miles south of where he had initially entered the forest. Across the field in the distance was a small cottage where a thin plume of smoke rose slowly from its chimney. Dan gazed at the structure uncertainly. Somewhere close by a cow lowed. He took a few nervous steps towards the cottage and stopped. Something did not jive here. It was well after dawn; late in the morning in fact, where was the farmer or his family? Someone should have been tending to the affairs of running this farm. At this point anybody would be a welcome sight.
In the end Dan’s stomach won out over his brain, hunger over common sense. He warily began to cross the field. He did not attempt to hide because, well, really there was nowhere to hide. He did loosen his pistol in its holster though and kept his hand close to it, ready to draw as he walked.
Reaching