Evil from the Past
Author's Note: Officially, this story should be in the Van Helsing category. But due to the fact that I haven't even watched the movie, I moved it to Artemis Fowl. After all, I like Artemis Fowl better.
I realised that I have forgotten to add a disclaimer. So here goes.
Everyone in this story belongs to someone else. Dracula belongs to Bram Stoker. His brides and Imhotep belong to Stephen Sommers. So do the O'Connells and Ardeth Bay. Artemis Fowl and the LEP belong to Eoin Colfer. Lord of the Rings belongs to J.R.R. Tolkien. Harry Potter and Co. belong to J.K.Rowling. Gabriel van Helsing, Anna Valerious, Captain Jack Sparrow and his crew belong to other writers/directors I don't know. None of them belong to me. That was a long disclaimer, but then I don't intend to include any in my future chapters. So there.
The Time Shuttle
Ops Booth, Police Plaza, UndergroundCaptain Holly Short watched the proceedings in the Operations Booth with some apprehension. "Foaly. Time-stops and all are very well, but meddling with the past isn't a good idea. Especially if you're using yourself as a test subject."
The centaur poked his head out of the entrance of his latest invention. "It's very nice that you're concerned about me, Holly, to the extent that you've found time to come watch my latest exploit. And I know what I'm doing. Look at her! Isn't this baby beautiful?"
Holly truthfully could not find anything beautiful about the Time Shuttle, as Foaly had christened it. It was plated with metal of an ugly shade and had a blunt, ungraceful nose. Blue and red lights flickered on and off on it's side. It looked metallically mechanical, and was not what she would call pretty.
Foaly, in a moment of folly, had decided to try it out himself, by piloting his latest brainchild into a random era in the past. It wasn't that Captain Short was adverse to risk; it was, after all, her job. But Foaly refused to even take anyone else along (paranoia), even for protection. "All I'm going to do is take a quick look around and pop back." Famous last words, thought Holly.
The blue lights flickered on in unison. Foaly stuck his head out one last time. "Bye, Holly. If you like I'll bring you a souvenir."
"Shut up. Watch yourself, okay. You are absolutely adamant about not taking anyone else along?"
"They'd only mess around and get in the way. I'll be back in hours, don't worry. Don't crease your pretty forehead."
Holly scowled.
Foaly disappeared back inside the shuttle. "See you," he called from inside. "Now. I'm going to make history."
The Time Shuttle buzzed, hummed, whirred and then there was a loud pop. It had disappeared.
Holly stared at the empty space left behind. "Well, let's hope you don't end up history."
Foaly had set the Time Shuttle to Random Selection. He wasn't very keen on choosing which era he ended up in. He had never been a history buff in the first place.
The Time Shuttle groaned, then bumped something. Solid. They were there.
Luminous green words flickered across the screen. "Transylvania, 19th century."
Ah. Europe.
Foaly pressed the button which made the doors open with a pneumatic hiss. He stepped out into a field of snow.
He shivered. Centaurs did not like the cold. And he hadn't brought anything woolly or warm.
There was what appeared to be a castle before him. A huge, black, two-towered castle. Foaly had no idea why, but it creeped him out. Very much.
"How quaint. It's a centaur."
Foaly spun around. There seemed to be three women standing between him and the shuttle door. Extremely beautiful, though he wasn't the best judge. Mud Women, judging from their height. Somehow, their dazzling smiles creeped him out as much as the castle did.
"I've never seen one before," breathed the black-haired one. "Should we take him back to the castle?"
"Must we?" replied another. "I've never tasted centaur – yet."
Foaly gulped. He did not like the sound of tasted.
"No, Marishka." This one seemed to be the leader of the three. "See that?" She gestured at the Time Shuttle. "It's a masterpiece, that one. Perhaps he might offer the Master with some help on the – invention? Or we could persuade him to." Her smile widened, her white – and sharp, Foaly noticed – teeth protruding ever so slightly over her lower lip. "I think we'll take him."
Perhaps it wasn't a good idea to stick around. He began to inch away. Why hadn't he taken Holly's advice about security? Foaly took a deep breath and galloped for the cover of the woods.
"Oh, not the best idea."
Foaly spared a glance back. The sight he glimpsed nearly made his heart stop of shock.
The women leapt into the air after him, transforming in seconds from maidens to monsters. Wings sprouted, fangs elongated, claws extended. The foremost one raised her ghastly head, keening a shrill note that froze his limbs. Then she was upon him.
Foaly yelped as her talons hooked beneath his belly, and he was airborne. With amazing speed, his captor swept up towards the black stone castle, shrieking in laughter. Yelling in terror, Foaly travelled through the air, towards the turret window. His head met the windowsill with a sickening crack. The rest was darkness.
"Hours," muttered Holly. She had just been to check on the Ops Booth – no news of the Time Shuttle returning. "Well, it's been hours, and where is he? Lost in time." She had a nagging suspicion something was keeping Foaly from returning as he had promised. She had to admit; he was really worrying her this time.
"Captain Short."
She turned. Commander Root was outside the office. "Where's Foaly?" he asked.
"I don't know." She sighed. "He should be back by now, like he said. His absence is beginning to bug me."
"Absence?"
"You didn't know? About the Time Shuttle?"
"You mean he went ahead with that crazy idea?"
"Not so crazy. Apparently he really went back in time, and I'm guessing something's holding him up there."
Root slapped his forehead. "I don't like saying this, but it's beginning to bug me too." He pondered this. "If he's really in trouble..."
"No one can help him. That was the only Time Shuttle he built that works. The other prototypes all busted."
Creases ran across Root's forehead – thinking lines. "Does he have a system for monitoring it?"
"In the Ops booth. He's in the 19th century now; that's all we know."
"19th century isn't so far away."
"Far enough."
"Well. Just stay alert. Let me know if he comes back."
Holly nodded. Root left her office and she turned back to her paperwork, though a funny feeling in her stomach was making itself known. She was afraid for her friend.
Foaly awoke to the faint noise of dripping. In the gloom surrounding him, he could make out stone walls. He tried to get up and realised he was manacled to the nearest wall. All four of his hooves were chained to the wall, and his hands chained together. Tightly. "D'Arvit!"
A creaking. The prison (he assumed he was in one) door opened, and he saw the outline of a cloaked man. A torch was lit behind the figure. The cloaked man, followed by another bald one, stepped into the prison. The cloaked man was wealthily dressed beneath his cloak, with proud features and long hair in a stylish ponytail. The bald man, who held the torch, wore a long red-and-gold priestly robe and sandals. Neither looked as if they meant well for Foaly.
"We need to have a little chat," began the cloaked man smoothly, as he seated himself upon a stool that seemed to have been placed there for interrogation purposes. The bald man remained standing. "I am Count Vladislaus Dragulia, and I am very interested in your machine."
Foaly decided that it would be better for him if he kept his mouth shut.
"I have inspected it. Apparently it is meant for transporting people through time. The work of a genius indeed. I am impressed."
Normally Foaly enjoyed flattery, but not this sort.
"I believe you built it?"
"And if I did?" replied Foaly guardedly.
"I would like some help with an – invention – of mine. I've been having a problem with it of late, and if you perhaps took a look at it, it might just work out."
"I don't have much of a choice, do I?" answered Foaly defiantly.
Count Dracula did not anwer. Instead he glanced at Imhotep. Imhotep opened his mouth, and a stream of scarab beetles flowed out. They crawled over his arms as the priest grasped his robes and pulled them apart, revealing his chest. It was hollow; gaping holes showed the dry, withered innards. Imhotep smiled, albeit evilly. He spoke, in a tongue which Foaly recognized as Ancient Egyptian.
"You are not the only unique one here, centaur. Nor the most powerful." A scarab beetle ran into a hole on his chest and emerged by chewing through the undead skin to create a new cavity. "We have ways of making you aid us, which you might not like – very much."
Foaly gulped. "What is it you want me to help with?"
End of Chapter
Next chapter coming ... The Kidnapping of Artemis Fowl
In which Foaly makes a great blunder, Dracula makes some important choices and the Brides start on their kidnapping spree.