Amulet of Quietus
Disclaimer: Man, I'd be rich if I owned Artemis Fowl, but, alas, it is not so...sob.
Setting: Middle of South America and Ireland (again).
Chapter 2: Searching and Planning
Mulch knew he shouldn't tell them about the water sprites, but he couldn't resist. He'd been living low since he'd last seen Artemis, and living low was living at all. Maybe stirring up some mayhem with these sprites was just what a dwarf needed every now and then.
"So, the 'child of water' is a nymph?" Butler asked dubiously.
"Yup, that's what a child of water is: a water nymph, sprite, whatever. It's all the same really, so no matter-"
"Anyway" interrupted Artemis, "We know it's a water sprite, now we need to know the most likely place to find them, and then well have to study them to see which sprite has knowledge about the amulet."
Butler smiled. He knew where this was going. Stake out in the middle of no where for a long period of time, and reconnaissance for who knew how long.
"I'll start gathering equipment, but I'll need to know where we're going in order to bring the right stuff, so, any ideas?" Butler asked Artemis, who in turn asked Mulch.
"Well, there's only a few nymph pools that are left, and almost all of them are isolated from the world. The most likely place to find them would be South America, along the eastern coast."
"Why eastern?" Butler wondered aloud.
"Because they migrate to their home every new year for one third of the year."
"Home? Isn't their pool their home?" Butler was getting more confused. Suddenly, Artemis slapped his hands together, and sat at the computer. Mulch, who was slightly frightened by this behavior, took a cautious step toward Butler.
"Does the slap mean he's found something, or his brains been fried by radio waves and his I.Q has dropped 60 points?" Butler ignored the midget and went over the Artemis. He was running a search on sprite pools in eastern South America. There turned out to be eight.
"Well, I guess we pick one at random and go, huh?" Mulch asked cheerily.
"Not quiet." Artemis responded. "You see, the riddle said the Guardian was among us, but also that they were 'up high', something like a mountain. But these are water spirits, meaning its most likely a waterfall." Onto the page popped one waterfall, a place in Guyana, just a mile or two from the coast.
"That's our spot. Now, Butler, not only will we need supplies for travel, but we also need something to carry a sprite back in. A tank of water maybe. Plus a small sedative, to convince our friend to come along. Nothing to big, I don't want to harm her. The same mix we used on Holly should do just fine."
"How are you planning to get there, might I inquire." Mulch asked indignantly. "It's one thing to fly in there illegally, but to fly out with something illegal on board? You know there are policies against bringing live things back to Ireland, right? And who isn't going to notice a gigantic fish tank? I mean, come on! The only way you could possibly do this would be to fly…your own…" He gulped, Artemis's plan hitting him full force, "Oh, no, you can count me out Mud Boy! No way I'm flying with you again. Knowing your-"
"Mulch, before I break you jaw in a very painful manor, please shut it." Butler rubbed his temples, the dwarfs ranting having egged on a headache. His old age had finally caught up with him, and all the ailments to go with it. "I'll have everything ready in one day or less. We can leave as soon as I've double checked the jet, and acquired a tank. How big do you think we should make it?" Artemis sat thoughtfully for a moment.
"About half the size of a pool, so around 500 gallons should suffice. Mulch, does it matter what type of water the sprites in?"
Still fuming about being cut off so rudely, the midget almost didn't respond. Butler's death glare convinced him otherwise. "Nope, the water doesn't matter at all, any type will do."
"Fine. Butler, fill the tank with whatever water you want, and load it on the jet. I'll be packing my own items in my room, call me when your ready."
Anya was somewhat relieved. It had only taken three hours to find Marsden, Gods be thanked it wasn't any longer. Water sprite can have one hot temper, and boy did Anya's scare Marsden.
She'd come stomping up to him in his hiding place (a small puddle of water under a sapling) and started yelling her head off about the different things that could have eaten of kidnapped him. What did Marsden do? Cry and run away, which took another half an hour of her time.
When Marsden had finally calmed down, Anya had to drag the nymph back to the village. Of course, he went kicking and screaming, complaining that he deserved to go where he wanted to and could handle anything that tried to attack him. She was tempted to let him go, but that wouldn't sit well with the others, so she picked him up and slung him over her shoulder.
"About time, young lady! We've been waiting for hours! Marsden's mom is in shock right now, completely convinced her son is dead, or worse, the pet to a Mud Man! How could you let him wonder off?" Misty laid on about Anya's incapabilities, her irresponsibility, and shameful love of land, but Anya tuned her out.
After dumping Marsden at his moms hut, Anya swam over to her own pool and bedded down. Why was she always blamed for children's wandering? It's like she was the scapegoat for them, and no one noticed but herself. Well, forget those old crackpots. She'd not take care of the tykes if it was that much of a problem. Let them wander, she if she cared!
Remembering her dream from earlier, Anya played over the one thing that had confused her. The voice had called her "My child". Could she have possibly found her mother?
Since she could remember, Anya had always dreamed about her mom. The village elders told her that her mother had gone wandering into the Mud Man world, and was consumed by the heat of the sun. But she'd never really believed it.
There were still little dreams in her head about what it'd be like to come home and have someone there to talk to, someone who loved her, and wanted to listen. A tear found its way down her smooth skin, and dropped from her chin, splashing to the water below.
I know! I'll ask the elders where my mother really is, and what this Amulet can do. Maybe then they'll tell me something worth knowing! No more lies for me! Though these thoughts did very little to make her happy, Anya settled down in her lily pad bed feeling comforted.
She was in the cave again, and there was the amulet. But there was someone else here this time. Another woman, a water sprite in fact. The light glistened off her blonde hair, her shining silver dress, and her shocking blue eyes.
I am the Guardian, the one of which you spoke to earlier. You are troubled. Why? The woman's mouth didn't move, but words were definitely coming out.
I was wondering…if perhaps you…well, it's quite stupid really, but is there any way you could be my mother? She felt like a child. What a stupid question, of course she wasn't you mom. But the woman seemed to laugh, or her body made the movements of one laughing.
My dear child, you are smarter than I thought. Those old hags at the village have taught you well. Yes, you are my child, my only child. You are the one who will guard the Amulet next. It is a great honor, passed down through generations, and it's your turn soon.
But, why do we guard it? What's so terrible about it? Her mother seemed confused.
The elders never told you about Quietus? Anya shook her head, and her mothers face darkened.
Idiotic old fools! Their going to kill our entire world if their not careful. They were suppose to tell everyone what Quietus can do, and why it was sealed away, not hide it from them! When I get out, boy am I going to tell them a thing or two!
Um, mother? What can Quietus do? Why is it so dangerous?
Her mother sighed, and walked forward, to Anya. She grasped her hand, and touched her face. My beautiful daughter, I wish that this burden didn't fall on your shoulders, but it has, and now I must tell you the horrors of our past.
She paused, brought Anya forward, and indicated the amulet. Touch it, and the Amulet of Quietus shall obliterate you immediately.
Anya stepped back involuntarily. What? How can it do that? It's just a stone!
My daughter, it is the Amulet of Quietus. Quietus means death. It brings death to all who are unworthy of touching it. Anya pondered over this. All who were unworthy? But, what if…? Her mother smiled, knowing what she was thinking.
Every so often, one worthy of touch the stone is born. They won't know about the stone, but can be told how to use it by one who does know.
Has this happened before? Her mother nodded. What happened? Did lots of people die? How was the person stopped?
Many thousands of people died. It was several centuries ago, before you were born. A Mud man was deemed worthy, and came to take the stone. He got away with it, but he couldn't control the power. The stone consumed him, and turned him into an evil shell of a man. What he touched with the power of the amulet died.
Sometime during his escapade, the mans heart resurfaced, but it could do naught to stop the stone. Besides, he could only give life to those people who he'd known and trusted before they died. Anya was horrorstricken. How awful!
The Amulet can heal too? How is this possible? It seems that such a thing could only bring evil to our world.
Not quite, my child. The Amulet gives the power of judgment to any one it deems worthy. This means they can take a life, or give it. But there are rules to this game.
Game! How can you call this a game? These are people's lives! And your just whisking them which way you will! Her mother sighed.
Yes, it does seem harsh. But the Amulet was created to help in war. A worthy person could kill thousands of warriors in seconds , and if the enemy caught them, they couldn't bring anyone back.
Why does it work like that? Why couldn't they bring those people back?
The Amulet of Quietus allows you to kill whomever you wish, but giving life is more complex. In order to bring someone back, the worthy one must have known them, and trusted them. Anya remembered her mom saying that earlier. The wielder would have to trust someone.
By trust, do you mean they trust them with their lives? Her mother thought it over.
This is difficult to explain. The Amulet is very confusing. In order to trust someone, you must not tell them a lie, and if you do lie, they must notice it.
Anya starred at her blankly. Lie? What did that have to do with anything? I don't understand.
The true holder of the stone, or the Silent Reaper, as its more commonly referred to, has a saying that is passed through the time line. "I only tell the truth to one I trust, and one who trusts me tells the truth back." It means that the Silent Reaper
may tell the truth to you, in which case the Silent one trusts you. But if it lies, you have to tell it that you recognize its lie, and it may trust you afterward.
Why would it lie to you? Just because it doesn't trust you?
Her mother nodded. Not only that, but you might have lied to it before. It is said that the Silent one only lies to those it doesn't trust, and that more often than not it doesn't trust them because they lied to it first. Her mother stopped, a pained expression on her face. The cave seemed to shake, and her mothers image vanished.
Mom? Where are you? What's going on?
Evil people are searching for the Amulet. They will seek you out daughter. You must leave your village soon. I- Her voice stopped, it was fading away.
Wait, I need to know something else! What's your name?
My name? I think…it was… Lynna.
I will make sure to tell the elders that Lynna says hi, before I attack them for hidding such information. I will leave the village five days time mother, and be on my way here. Her mother's voice was screaming at her, but it was so faded, she only caught a few words.
No!...now...don't wait...come here...safe.
I will come mother, I promise!
No...away... The silence that followed only lasted a few seconds before she was jetted from the cave and back into her own body...
Author's Note
Right, well, there's the second chapter. Any suggestions as to what I should do in the future? And a warning, it may be some time before I can make a new chapter, schools up again (Darn it!) and I have to attend. Well, review, tell what you liked, hated, whatever! Just tell me what you thought, even if it put you to sleep.
Finelley