A/N: I just really felt like writing today. And I have been waiting till I finished some of my other stories to write down this idea, but I just can't hold it back any longer. Hope everyone likes it.

Disclaimer: I do not own Artemis Fowl or anyone, and anything else from the books.

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A Walk Through Shadows

Prologue: Assassination Attempt

Holly fired up her wings and flew off into the starry sky, heading for the ancient oak tree where she first met Artemis Fowl. Ever since he had been mind-wiped she had never gone anywhere else to do the Ritual. She didn't know why, but she just couldn't bring herself to go anywhere else, she missed him, whenever she let herself identify her feelings, and that particular hot spot brought back memories. Memories she now cherished, even the bad ones. But each time she went there, she would look around the empty clearing, as it always was empty ever since the People had found out that was the place where Artemis had kidnapped Holly; and Holly would half hope that Artemis would be there to kidnap her all over again.

The emerald green Irish landscape zipped by beneath her feet in a blur. The full moon above her illuminated the land and Holly sighed, remembering a time when Artemis had hung to her on a moonbelt over scenes such as this.

~*~

The key turned in the lock of the pedestrian entrance in the outer wall of Fowl Manor and the door swung open to reveal the soft green turf outside the Manor walls. Artemis locked the door behind him and stepped across the cleared fields to the darker woods that surrounded the Manor on three sides. The whispering of the sea could be heard from the cliffs overlooking the Irish Sea to the east of Fowl Manor.

Artemis didn't know why, but he felt drawn to the outside more and more often, especially on nights of the full moon. But he couldn't help feeling slightly guilty. Lately there had been mysterious attempts on his parents' lives. In public a couple of weeks ago someone had shot his mother in the arm, luckily the shooter's aim had been off slightly. Last month someone had tried to kill his father with a knife from the bushes in one of Artemis Senior's business associate's gardens, which his father had been visiting. Butler was tense, more so than usual, and he tried to divert Artemis from going out in public. His mother and father had strongly warned him about going outside; they didn't even let him out into the Manor garden.

Of course, not being allowed outside meant the unruly Artemis Fowl yearned for the outdoors. During the day Artemis would be hard at work trying to figure out who it was that was trying to kill his family, but in the dark hours he would be roaming the forests outside Fowl Manor, or sitting under his favorite oak tree to admire the stars, despite his father's orders.

Tonight, Artemis decided he would go to the oak tree, an ancient one that sat in the bend of a river. It was a long hike, but not nearly as inaccessible through his favorite path through the forests as it was from the closest road. If you went by automobile then you had to trudge across two fields, a bog, and a stile. He didn't know how he remembered that, since he couldn't remember going there any way other than on foot, but he was sure he could remember Butler complaining under his breath about the trip.

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Holly landed smoothly, and hung up her wings on a branch protruding from the oak tree, as always. She took her helmet off, as she had done when Artemis first captured her. Holly scanned the clearing with hopeful hazel eyes. There was no sign of any pale mud boys or the gorilla named Butler. She sighed bending over to pick up an acorn.

A shiver traveled down her spine and a sort of electric buzz tickled her skin as she stood back up with the acorn in her hand. Fairy intuition. Something was about to happen. She again looked around the clearing; half believing she would see Artemis standing behind her with his vampire smile. But no one was there.

Holly sighed again, and completed the Ritual. When she was full to the brim and felt like dancing from all the energy inside her she sat down with her back to the oak and stared at the sky. This was another thing she did often when she came to do the Ritual. She would stay as long as possible in that little clearing, relishing her memories with Artemis.

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He was almost there. The clearing with the oak tree was only a few steps away, just beyond those bushes. Artemis came up behind the shrubbery and stopped. Someone was in the clearing, sitting beneath the oak tree. He stared at the creature. It wasn't human, he realized, as he saw the pointed ears. Auburn hair bordered its pretty feminine face with hazel eyes. He knew this person, he was sure.

Then a name came to him...

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The man pulled back on the bow string. Making sure the arrow would hit its target in the middle of the boy's back. His eyes narrowed, he had only one shot. And if he failed then his employer would not be very happy, as it would be his third failure. He loosed the arrow, and it hit its mark. Yes, his master would very pleased. The heir was eliminated. Then the man turned tail and ran, as quiet as a moth fluttering away into darkness. He had to hurry, someone would be there soon to try and save the boy. But he was sure no one was near by. At least no one with the power to save him in his current state.

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A/N: Ohhh! I'm so evil, a cliff hanger is what I have left my readers to endure. Okay, I know it was short, but it's just a prologue anyway. And the first chapter should be up soon, I just have to write it. Anyways, while you're waiting why don't you all click that little button and send a review to me? I would like that very much.