Disclaimer : The Artemis Fowl series and all related characters belong to the revered Eoin Colfer. Characters introduced by myself, however, are mine.

Note: some information included regarding the owners of the Super pit in Australia is false, other than that it all checks out. This fic might contain spoilers for Artemis Fowl books one through six. This fic takes place six months after events in The Time Paradox.

Prologue

June 25th, King Manor, Adelaide, South Australia, Austalia

Thomas King's body convulsed as he drew in a sharp breath, his left hand clutched his chest in agony as he did so. His once handsome and full face was now pale, withered and drawn. His right arm lay at his side twitching meekly. He inhaled yet another breath.

His sixteen year old son stood by his side, sobbing quietly, unable to think of something to say or do to ease his father's suffering. He shivered each time his father's body shook.

A tall man stood in the shadows behind the weeping boy. The man's index finger tapped on the top of his wooden cane monotonously, like a clock ticking away the time Thomas King had left in this world.

The room they occupied was the Kings' master bedroom, a large ornate chamber decorated in a manner and endowed with furniture fit for a king. The room seemed rather too grand for such a grave circumstance, in spite of the chill that emanated from the king-size bed on which Thomas King lay.

Suddenly, the ill man lurched forward and grabbed his son by the collar. He opened his mouth to speak, but only a gurgling noise came out. The difficulty he faced when breathing and his wheezy coughs were a result of the pneumonia he suffered from. This, however, was due to the final stages of lymphocytic leukemia, or rather blood cancer, he was in. His immunity has been lowered drastically by the blood cancer, and infectious diseases broke into his body. Uninvited. Unchallenged. Modern medicine was reduced to treating symptoms and world renowned doctors predicted a maximum of a couple of weeks for him to live. That was a week ago.

King made another attempt at speaking and his voice came out thin, his words were barely intelligible.

"Ryan," gurgled King

The boy didn't trust himself to speak, he nodded and his father continued every word or so interrupted by a wheezy cough or agonizing breath.

"I can feel it, son," said King "my end has come"

"NO!" wailed the boy "Don't say such a thing. You'll live…you have to"

"Be strong, my boy," wheezed King "and know that I have always loved you"

These few words seemed to take their toll on Thomas King. He collapsed in a faint, his head resting on his son's shoulder.

"Father, No!" screamed the boy thinking his father has relinquished his hold on life, but he restrained himself once he felt his father pull in another tantalizing breath.

However, less than ten minutes later, Thomas King's labored breathing ceased and his soul left the restrains of the material and finally joined its maker.

His son did not wail nor cry, this time. He placed his father on the bed again and kissed his forehead. He mouthed a prayer to the heavens and covered his father's face with one of the bed sheets.

The man standing in the shadows moved forward and placed his hand on the boy's shoulder, gripping it tightly. This gesture was not a be strong, young man gesture,but was rather a you're not going anywhere gesture.

"Checkmate," drawled the man, his accent clearly Australian, chuckling at his wit "A good riddance by all means"

"What?" said the boy, turning to look at him.

"Mr. Andrews," said the man into a microphone fixed into his sleeve "If you could please escort young Mr. Archer to the nearest police department. I believe he is trespassing on private property"

William Andrews, the Kings' newly appointed hulking head of security, entered the room. He advanced on Ryan King and gripped his forearm in one liquid motion. The young King frowned.

"What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

The man with the cane pulled out a small stack of papers from within his jacket's breast pocket and threw the stack into Ryan's face.

The boy took the stack and looked at the first paper and his heart beat skyrocketed.

His own face glared back at him from a photo he never remembered taking, on an identity card he never saw before. For in the name section was: John Brian Archer.

"What the hell…" said the boy, before it all dawned on him, he jumped at the man with the cane "Loki, you snake"

But before he could touch a hair on Stevenson Loki's well-cared for mane of jet black hair, he was pulled back by Andrews' thick arm.

Ryan King was then unceremoniously removed from his own house, with nothing to identify himself with save for legal papers which proved him to be someone else entirely.

Chapter one: The Last King

June 28th, Fowl Manor, Dublin, Ireland

Artemis Fowl was in his father's study, putting the final touches on an article on "Stockholm's Syndrome" under the pseudonym "Dr. Cade Knapp R." when he was interrupted by Juliet opening the door none too quietly.

"Artemis," said Juliet "There's a call for you"

"Who is it?" inquired Artemis, irritated. He has warned her not to interrupt him, unless it was important.

Juliet frowned in annoyance. "Won't say"

Artemis sighed. He missed Butler.

His parents were at an environmentalists' conference held in Sicily. Butler insisted on accompanying them, seeing as to how many of Artemis Fowl senior's past criminal associates were based in Sicily, and none of them were too pleased by his 'going legit'. Thus, Juliet was called from the United States, interrupting her tour as Jade Princess, to stay with the young Artemis for the duration of the conference, which was to be divided over a stretch of five days. Becket and Myles were, once again, at the nanny's cottage in Howth.

Now, if it was Butler who had answered the phone, and found the caller reluctant to give his name, he would most likely hang up, not before delivering one of his threats, which generally included painful arm wrenching and bullets. But, Juliet was never one for the Bodyguard conduct courses she received at Madam Ko's. Juliet was more interested in the arm wrenching part of the job.

Artemis sighed again. "I'll take it"

Juliet handed him the wireless receiver and exited the room muttering about how she must have missed half of some match. Artemis put the receiver to his mouth.

"Hello"

"Artemis Fowl?" inquired a thick Australian accent.

"Yes," replied Artemis cautiously "Who is this?"

The caller seemed to sigh in relief.

"Ryan King," replied the caller "We've met in Australia"

Artemis remembered the visit to the King family, owners of King Gold Corporation, a 50/50 owner of the The Fimiston Open Pit, more commonly known as the Super Pit, Australia's largest gold mine. The head of the family, Thomas King, was terribly ill and Artemis Fowl senior decided that they pay him a visit, seeing as to how the King family had helped them financially during his MIA time in the bay of kola. That visit was a couple of months ago.

"Ah, Mr. King," said Artemis with fake courtesy "How are you doing? Your father is alright, I hope?"

"My father is dead, Mr. Fowl," retorted Ryan King.

"I am…err…sorry to hear so," said Artemis unsurely "If there is anything I could do for…you…"

"There is," said the young King quickly "I'm in a real fix. My father's advisor, Stevenson Loki, has kicked me out of my own house. He has, somehow, deleted every record of me everywhere. My ID Card, my temporary driver's license, even my birth certificate. It's as if I never existed. He is planning to take over King Gold Corporation"

Artemis instantly typed in an internet search about Stevenson Loki.

"I'm sorry, Mr. King," said Artemis coolly "I don't see how I would be of any help. This, apparently, is a matter which concerns your family and its advisor"

The search results came up, and Artemis opened one that was headlined: New KGC owner to donate gold to St. Peter's Cathedral

"You don't understand," cried King hoarsely "I am my family. I am the last person carrying the King name. Now, that Loki's turned me into some bloke called John Archer, the Kings are all dead. You're the notorious Artemis Fowl, you know things, you know people, and you can help me"

"I don't know what nonsense you've been hearing," hissed Artemis "But just because I have left the way of crime, doesn't mean I've become some benevolent do-gooder"

The link opened a small article which talked about how the charitable Mr. Loki, the new King Gold Co. owner, is going to give away a quarter ton of gold to St. Peter's Cathedral, which had decided to use it for renovations in the Adelaide Orphanage and many other similar institutions. Loki had been willed the KG Corporation by the childless Thomas W. King, who had died of a late stage of Leukemia earlier this week.

Artemis frowned. Childless?

"We helped you," said King desperately "we paid the debts your family owed when your father was thought drowned on the Fowl Star"

"If I remember correctly, Mr. King" said Artemis, his voice dropping another couple of degrees "that debt has been paid in full"

Artemis zoomed in on a picture of Stevenson Loki standing next to one of the priests. Loki was a tall man, with jet black hair hanging in curtains around his pale face. His thin mouth was open in a calm smile. His grey eyes, however, seemed distant and unfocused. Artemis zoomed in on his eyes. He almost gasped as he saw the man's iris. The edge of the retina was ragged, as though it had been nibbled on by tiny sclera fish. Stevenson Loki has been mesmerized, and by the looks of his tattered iris, quite a lot.

"Fowl," said Ryan tentatively "Are you still on?"

Artemis didn't reply. His mind was in fifth gear. Calculating. Plotting.

"Ah, great," said King with a sigh "He hung up on me"

Artemis was broken out of his thinking trance.

"Mr. King," said Artemis "I've thought it over and I've decided am going to help you. I will call you back on this number shortly"

"But…well, okay," said King and he hung up.

Artemis quickly manipulated his fairy communicator, which was aptly disguised as ring, and tried to send a message to Holly. A faint staccato beeping emanated from the device. No signal. The flares must be up, and they are known to sometimes block transmissions for hours on end. Artemis didn't have much time to waste.

Power struggles were not uncommon in wealthy corporate European families. Artemis knew better than to interfere in such matters. Nevertheless, if the People were somehow involved…

Besides, with magical aid, erasing someone from existence may not be so difficult after all. Artemis knew he had to act immediately. The last time the People came in contact with the humans, terrible events took place.

Artemis turned his eyes on the article about Loki. He scanned it quickly and found his mark:

Stevenson Loki would be honored in St. Peter's Cathedral on June 29th St. Peter's Day, at 2:00 pm, following mass.

Destination and timing thought Artemis. He picked up the receiver and redialed the last incoming call.

"Hello," replied King on the first ring "Fowl?"

"Yes," said Artemis "Meet me tomorrow at the entrance of St. Peter's Cathedral, on King William Street, at 1:00 pm"

"Why St. Peter's?"

"You'll see"

"I never took you for an Anglican, Fowl" said Ryan King darkly.

"Just be there, Mr. King," said Artemis coldly "It will unravel to you from there"

Artemis whipped out his mobile phone and sent a message to Butler's, it said:

Humans in contact with the People. Boarding first plane to Australia. Juliet is with me. I'll call with details. Trust me

And he would.

A plan was already forming itself in Artemis' mind. A very Fowl plan.

(A/N : Next chapter should be up in a couple of days, hopefully. Meanwhile, you can review your thoughts and/or feelings about…everything really. Cheers!)