Hello! I've just managed to finish this while I was at school. My exams start from day after tomorrow, so no update next week. Don't worry, after the exams, I have holidays! And holidays mean, wait for it, *drumroll* UPDATES! Stay tuned!

Also, reviews make me really happy, so please, REVIEW! (I meant that in an excited voice, by the way)

A request to every single reader: tell me whether this chapter was:

a) Exciting b) Okay c) Awesome d) Boring e) Terrible or f) (type a word you feel that describes this chapter) (It's not a poll.)

Don't forget the three R's (Read, Review, and Rate, not Reduce, Reuse and Recycle) and the three F's (Favorite, Follow, and FAN ART!)!


Thalia opened her eyes. She blinked the sleep out of her eyes, and looked at her roommate, Holly. She was fast asleep. Thalia smiled. Holly had had a rough time, piloting shuttles, watching others eat meat, and staying up late.

She pushed her covers off, and stretched. She brushed her teeth, took a shower and was standing in front of the wardrobe. She did not know what to wear. She would normally have worn a t-shirt and jeans, but now, she felt the need to dress formally. She decided to wear a white shirt and black formal pants.

Juliet saw Thalia coming out of her room, and went up to chat. "Hey, look who's up early today! What happened?" she asked. "I don't know. I have some work to do, maybe that's why," she said, shrugging. Juliet smiled. "Have a few minutes? I want to chat," she said.

Thalia smiled. "Sure. I'm all ears." she said. They walked down the stairs together, talking about the manor, the People, food and clothes. Thalia's stomach rumbled. She smiled guiltily. "I think I know why I woke up early," she said. "Well then, go eat!" she said.

Thalia sat at the table. Beckett was chasing Myles, a blob of green slime in his hand. "Not my suit, not my suit!" cried Myles, running with a style reminiscent of Artemis. Juliet walked over to Beckett, and lifted him up. "Beckett, no slime catch near Myles, remember?" said Juliet. Beckett promptly spread the slime all over Juliet and hopped off. "You didn't tell you were banned, Jules," said the boy, and ran off.

"Ugh," said the girl, and walked after Beckett. "I'll be back." Thalia repressed a smile. Beckett was extremely naughty, but lovable. Myles looked at her and asked, "Would you like to see my lab?" Thalia smiled. "Of course, Myles. What are you doing right now?" she asked. "I am trying to prove the existence of the cosmic background radiation," he said in a serious tone. Thalia was surprised. "How old are you, Myles?" she asked.

"Five." came the reply. "Amazing. How are you proving it?" she asked. "Arty gave me a prototype of his radio telescope." he said. "Myles, you will overtake Artemis someday." she said. Myles looked down, and said, "He is far too smart. I will never rise above him." "Don't worry, Myles. I'll help you." said Thalia. They reached the lab, and Myles keyed in a long passcode. The door opened with a pneumatic hiss, and Thalia gasped.

The lab had a coat of pure white paint, and the counter-tops were all marble. It was clean, and there were a myriad of flasks, beakers and test tubes on the counter-top, and a glass cabinet with different chemicals. There was another table on which two microscopes were kept, along with a Petri dish with a pink solution in it.

"Where is the telescope?" asked Thalia. Myles led her to another door. He placed his index finger on a black screen. It scanned his finger, and opened the door. Thalia stepped in and saw a section of the ceiling was cut out so that the telescope could be propped up. She ran her hands over its glassy cover.

"Myles, why don't we come here tonight and do a little research?" asked Thalia. Myles' face brightened. "Good idea. Why don't you have breakfast now?" asked the boy. Thalia nodded. She asked, "What about you, Myles?" "I already ate," said the boy, and turned his attention to some graphs stuck to the wall.

Thalia walked back to the dining hall, and found Artemis. He was busy talking to someone on his laptop, and his hand occasionally brought a cup of tea to his mouth. Thalia mimed a 'What's going on?' to Butler, and he tapped Artemis and pointed to Thalia. "Ah yes, Thalia. We have been waiting for you," he said. "Why? Who is that?" she asked, pointing to the laptop. "Foaly." he replied. "I see," she said, and sat beside him.

"So maybe, you'd like to do a little research on that," said the centaur. "Thank you, Foaly," he said, and closed the lid of his laptop. "So, are you going to tell me what Foaly said, or should I find out for myself?" asked Thalia, raising her eyebrows. "I will, Thalia. But we will need to delve into magical history before that." he informed. He got up, took his laptop, and said, "Come, Thalia. I'll brief you."

She grabbed a cup of tea before she went after him. "So, what about magical history is essential to us now?" "Well, we need to learn about magic and rituals," said Artemis. They reached the library, and Artemis closed the doors behind him. "Rituals? What rituals are you talking about?" asked Thalia. "Well, this starts with Opal…"

After two and a half hours, an annoyed Butler knocked on the closed library door. The door opened, and Thalia came out. "Sorry, Butler, but Artemis insisted that you stay outside," said Thalia. Artemis came out after her. "What were you both doing in there for all this time?" he asked.

"Sorry, old friend, but Foaly informed me about a potentially critical situation. I'll brief you on the way to my room." replied Artemis. As they walked, Artemis relayed the news. Butler listened attentively. What he understood was very little, but it did not paint a good picture.

"So, are you even sure this might happen?" asked Butler, skeptically. "I don't seem to have all the details." "Only I do, Butler, and I still have to gather more," said Artemis. "It's a risk, and we have to be prepared." said Thalia. They reached his room, and Artemis opened the door.

"So, we need quiet, Butler. Keep the twins away from here. We both have some planning to do." said Artemis. Butler agreed. He closed the door behind him. Thalia sighed. "I hoped to be free of her, Artemis. She's like an outgrowth I cannot get rid of," lamented Thalia. "Thalia, I do not wish to involve you in this matter if you don't want to be involved," said Artemis. "No, Artemis. I cannot keep running away. I will face her." he said.

Artemis rubbed his hands. "Well then, we'd better get started." "So, Opal has been meditating for two weeks straight?" asked Thalia. "Yes. Foaly noticed this last week. He suspects that she might be trying to 'gather' magic." he said. "But didn't she lose her power? When I, uh, worked with Opal, she could only levitate a small cup. She couldn't even heal." said Thalia.

"You are correct. Her practice is reminiscent of the Hey-Hey monks' annual moon ritual." he said. "Have you heard of the demons?" Thalia nodded.

"Well, they used to have warlocks in their midst, and they drew power form the moon. They did a ritual during the full moon, similar to the People's, where they would form a pentagram, and chant to the moon. The pixie monks adopted the practice and performed it annually, during the perigee. This magnified their power tenfold. This year, due to a number of factors, the moon is closer to Earth than usual. This only happens once in a millennium. I would be willing to bet that Opal is waiting till then to break out."

Thalia's brain jumped into action. "When will this event take place?" she asked. "A month and a week from now," he said. "Can we stop her?" asked Thalia. "That's where I'm doubtful. It's perfectly possible that we should be able to disturb the ritual, and nothing would happen, but I doubt that Opal would leave herself vulnerable." he replied. "No, she wouldn't. So, even if she is disturbed or not, the result will be the same," concluded Thalia.

This is a topic on which there are very few experts," said Artemis. "Luckily, I know one of them." "Who? A monk?" asked Thalia. "No, a warlock." said Artemis, and selected the video call option on his laptop.

A few minutes later, Artemis was talking to Foaly. "We need to talk to No1, Foaly." said Artemis, "I don't know; Section Eight probably won't even let him talk," said Foaly. "Section Eight? There is more than that at stake here," retorted Artemis. "I'll ask Qwan. It might work out, but no guarantees," said Foaly. "Oh, by the way, Foaly, you really should not leave those delivery orders on your desktop. Someone might see therm." said Artemis, smirking. Foaly turned red. He kept all his hoof cream orders on his desktop. He never told anyone about it, except Holly. But now, it seemed like Artemis had hacked into his computer, and found his little secret.

"Nice to see someone cares about his hooves," said Thalia, teasingly. "Oh, you just wait, Artemis, you just wait," said Foaly, and ended the call.

"Really? Hoof moisturizer?" asked Thalia. "That's hilarious!" Artemis was not laughing. Thalia abruptly stopped laughing. "Don't be so tensed, Artemis. You've taken her down twice; you can do it again," said Thalia, reassuringly. "Positive thinking does not turn the odds in our favor," replied Artemis. He got up, and sat down, cross-legged, on the Tunisian rug, and closed his eyes.

Thalia got up, and started to pace. What was Opal's plan? Why did she want me? And what is she planning now? A billion thoughts raced through her head, like buzzing bees. Too much noise, too many questions. Death is imminent, just over the horizon. She saw the edges of her vision blur, and she felt weak. Her knees folded, and she was on her knees. No, stay strong. You're not a damsel in distress. But the thought of death chilled her to the bone. No! Accept the past, make the future. Don't let your second chance go. She tried to get back up, but they felt like jelly.

"Artemis," she croaked, before her vision went black, and she lost consciousness before she hit the ground soundlessly.

Artemis was in a trance like state. He was visualizing possible scenarios, when he heard Thalia call out. His thoughts vaporized, and his eyes flew open. He turned, and saw Thalia's body lying still on the floor.

"Butler! Come in here, now!" he called out. Artemis walked over to her, and flipped her hand. He checked her pulse. It was sluggish, and soft. Her warm skin was ice cold. Butler was quickly by her side. "Take her up, Butler. I'll call the doctor." said Artemis. Butler did not waste any time replying, and he climbed the stairs three at a time.

When Thalia opened her eyes, she saw a concerned face hovering above. She blinked. Angeline Fowl's face came into full focus. "Are you okay? Do you feel fine?" she asked. Thalia blinked again. Artemis snapped his fingers, and held up seven fingers. "How many fingers am I holding up?" he asked. "Seven. I'm fine." she said, and sat up. A man with grey hair looked at her. "That's all. She will be fine. Don't put her under too much stress." he said. A doctor, thought Thalia. "I must take your leave now." "Yes, of course," said Artemis Fowl the First, and led the doctor down.

"Are you feeling well, dear?" asked Angeline, again. "Yes, Mrs. Fo- I mean, Mother-sorry, Mom," she said. Angeline smiled. "I'll take your word for it," she said, and stroked her hair. "Go now and meet your friend, Thalia." she said, and got up. She went out to find her husband.

"Why did I faint?" asked Thalia. "Fear," said Artemis, simply. "That and your previous history of panic attacks have made you more vulnerable." "I don't want to keep fainting, like a helpless little girl. Butler, I want to be stronger. You have to train me." she said, determinedly. "I will. Someone else could also do with some strength," he said, looking pointedly at Artemis. "Time for discussions later, Butler. We don't want to keep our friend waiting," he said, and the three people went to the hall.

Thalia was expecting to see Holly, but she had left earlier, and was on duty. She had promised to be back at night. Artemis had told her that this demon warlock, No1, looked a little intimidating, but she was not to act scared, as the demon got upset easily. She took a breath, and stepped in.

A creature, almost her height, was sitting on a chair. His skin was grey, and he was short. Thalia was surprised. The demon wasn't scary, he was almost cute. He turned, and Thalia noticed that a red rune was tattooed onto his forehead. "Hello, new friend!" he said, cheerily. "What's your name?" "I'm Thalia. And you are?" "No1. Nice to meet you."

Thalia sat on the nearest chair, and Artemis took his armchair. "So, why am I here again?" asked the little demon. "We need a few answers. It concerns the moon rituals." said Artemis. "Oh, the ritual. We warlocks only do it once a month, but I only need to do it four times a year. Qwan says I'm very powerful." said the demon. "Qwan? Who's Qwan?" asked Thalia, confused.

"He's my mentor. He used to be the leader of a warlock team, but the others all, um, got stoned, and could not come back." informed No1. "I see." said Thalia. "So, No1, can you elaborate on the ritual?" asked Artemis, leaning forward. "Ok, so basically, we form a pentagram, and we chant a special spell that only works during a full moon. Now, it's only me and Qwan, and we're sufficiently powerful to just do it with both of us. But, the pixie monks adopted our ritual and did it when the moon is closest to Earth in its orbit, or the perigee. They could summon more power that way, you see?" said the little grey creature.

"What happens if we disturb this ritual?" asked Artemis. "I'm not sure. Either the fairy gets stoned, or they release their magic violently. Both ways don't end well. It would be better not to disturb the ritual. Especially if it's a pixie. They have a very small magical capacity, so they tend to release their power, and their life force through a tremendous explosion." he said.

"Hmmm. Thank you, No1. You have been very helpful." said Artemis. "I am always ready to help my friends." said the demon, and teleported back to Haven. It was a new trick, and No1 decided to try it out. A red circle was burnt into the ground, and after a few seconds, it faded to become a thin, grey circle.

"That was a lot of work. I just want to rest now." said Thalia. Artemis nodded. Thalia opened her mouth to say something, but then closed it. "W hat did you want to say?" asked Artemis. "Nothing. Nothing of importance." she said, and stared off into the distance.

"Your family disappeared on this very day, two years ago, yes?" asked Artemis. "How did you know?" asked Thalia. "Use a stronger password, Thalia. I just happened to crack it. It was marked on your computer's calendar." replied Artemis.

"I just wanted to go visit them. In New York. But, that's not possible, is it?" she asked. "Probable. Not impossible. I'll see what I can do." replied. Artemis. "Thank you, Artemis. I'll be ready tomorrow," said Thalia. It was already 5:00pm. The twins ran into the hall, and fell over Artemis. Myles turned to her. "Are you coming? Everything's set." asked the boy. "Of course," said Thalia, and got up. "Shall I join you, Myles?" asked Artemis. "Yes, Arty." replied Myles.

They walked to the lab, and were soon deeply involved in discussion. As the night grew deeper, the sky was strewn with more stars. Thalia was looking out of the window, when a figure materialized. It was Holly. She caught Thalia looking at her, and waved. "Open the window," she mouthed.

Thalia opened the glass pane, and Holly climbed in. "Sorry, I could not say goodbye to you; I had to go on a rogue goblin chase." she said. "That's fine. You're back now." said Thalia. "Switching on the detector," said Myles, and flicked a switch. Then, he quickly ran over to the computer, and typed in some coordinates.

A loud hum filled the room. Everyone closed their ears. "Sorry," said Myles, and typed in another set of coordinates. The hum grew fainter, but it was still there.

"60% of that sound is the background radiation," informed Myles. Thalia walked over to the computer, and her mind got to work on the graphs. "Myles, change the z coordinate to 40% of the vertical position." said Thalia. Myles changed it, and the hum grew even fainter. "90% of that is now the background radiation," she proclaimed, triumphantly. "Are you sure?" asked Artemis. "Positive," said Thalia.

He walked over to look at the readings. Thalia was telling the truth; the graph said so. He was impressed. Even he hadn't managed to refine the signal to this extent. "An impressive feat, Thalia. Even I have not reached this mark." he said. Thalia smiled. "Don't forget, Artemis; we are equals," reminded Thalia.

After one more hour of interpreting the readings, Holly and Thalia felt sleepy, and the brothers were forced to end their research for the day. Artemis went to Myles' room to tuck him in, and the two girls went back to their room.

"Why is that we only actually interact right before going to bed?" asked Thalia. "Maybe because you wake up early, and I have duty," replied Holly. "Well, I've set an alarm for 6:30 am. We'll both wake up together. No more goblin chasing, okay, Holly?" said the girl. "Fine by me," said Holly, yawning. "I'll get the lights tonight." Thalia nodded, and pulled the duvet over her.

Holly switched off the lights, and climbed into bed. "Good night, sleep tight, don't let the bedbugs bite," said Holly. "Bedbugs?" asked Thalia, horrified. "Just kidding," said Holly. "Uh, I knew that," said Thalia, quickly. She glanced at her table, and saw the laptop. Thalia mentally slapped herself for forgetting to check it.

Never mind now, she thought. Tomorrow, we're going to New York. Better get some sleep. She closed her eyes, and in a few minutes, fell asleep.


Don't forget to tell me what you thought of the story!

Reviews have been going down lately, and it's making me less happy, since I'm writing this while I'm revising for my exams.

So, please, review! (Don't forget that it's my first fanfic!)

Thanks!

Author1720