Ring of Sagacity
Disclaimer: I do not nor will I ever own Artemis Fowl. Frankly, I wouldn't want to, not after what I'm going to do to him.
Setting: An island in the mid Atlantic, America
Chapter 3: Fights, Flights, and First Meetings
She rolled to her right, narrowly avoiding the dangerously sharp claws of the cat. It immediately regained its feet and jump at her again. Vesta plunged to her left, pulling her knife as she did.
The panther turned to her, eyes glaring maliciously. It lunged at her yet again, mouth wide open. She attempted to bury her small blade into its neck, but missed. The blade was locked in front of the cat's teeth, keeping those vicious jaws from closing on her. The crazy animal lingered above her, mouth closing around the blade, and then reopening when it bit down on the sharp edges. It wanted her blood and no small blade was going to stop it.
Vesta decided now was a better time than ever to kill it, seeing as she was still alive. For the moment, at least. She jammed her hand into the panther's throat, hitting the trachea. It gagged, or made a noise resembling a gag. As she held her hand there to prevent the rabid animal from tearing her to shreds, Vesta plunged her knife into its side, near the ribs. Blood seeped out, sliding down her arm.
The cat whimpered, mewed, and then pulled away. It was staggering, unable to keep its balance. The animal wanted to go at her again, but it knew she could fight back now. Its chances of winning had just been demolished. The wild cat growled once before sauntering away into the unknown jungle.
The fire sprit plopped down to the ground, panting. She had never seen such an animal! It was so violent, so viciously violent, like it had never fed in its life. She realized that this may be the natural nature of the animal, but that didn't quell the fear. If there was one of those on this island, there had to be more. She had been luck in that fight, but who was to say she'd be lucky in the next?
Vesta stood on shake legs, her mind decided. She was leaving, now. The short rest she had been granted had been worth it, and the fight had renewed her energy. She poured a small amount of water over her fire, quenching the flames, and turned to the night sky.
With a small flutter of wings, the sprit was off. She traveled for some time, bright stars of the sky guiding her. The North Star pointed a false trail to her right. It invited her to come to the cold lands, the frost land. The girl ignored it, continuing westward.
With a yellow sun rising behind her, Vesta the firs sprit crossed the border into America. The White Bringer was near, she could feel the link to her charge. She dipped to the south, following the connection. The Bringer wasn't far off.
"Sir, I've got an unknown object at the ocean border of South Carolina. Radar caught a picture of it, but it is slightly blurred." Butler said as he held out the photograph. Artemis took it in his hands, giving a good look over. There was definitely an un-humanly figure in this picture. She was dressed in a small leather brown dress, bore violent red hair, and flew with the aid of a small pair of shimmering wings.
"Did the government get a copy of this?" he asked suspiciously. Butler shook his head.Artemis was oddly untrusting toward Butler, and it was concerning the manservant. He was everything but disloyal. Heck, he had nearly given his life for the kid. Was this what it was amounting to?
Stop it, you're letting that stupid Mercenary get to you. Artemis isn't the least bit insane. Off kilter, maybe, but never insane. And the world certainly isn't going to end. But…what if , Butler thought. What if he is? What if it does? Oh, stop it already! This is ridiculous! All you have to do is what he says. Muscle, almost no brain, not too hard. Shut up and do the job given to you. His conscious mind seemed to be very adamant that Artemis wasn't insane. But that nagging voice, the one that questioned everything, it was lingering there, waiting to instill more fear in his mind.
Artemis interrupted his train of thoughts. "Let's get the jet ready to go. We need to be in South Carolina as soon as possible. You'll have to fly Butler, I'm going to need to track the Guardian on the trip there. Now that we've got her we certainly don't want to lose her." He walked from the small computer room to his own rooms, leaving Butler to prepare the trip.
Artemis certainly was in a good mood. He had found the second guardian sooner than expected and would be within reach of the second sister in a short time. Life was looking up.
He retired to his room, deciding on a small nap before the trip. His plush bed was made to perfection, and it seemed a shame to ruin such a perfect job, but he did need his rest. The young genius threw himself gracefully onto the bed, eyes fluttering even as he laid his head down.
He was in the manor, looking over the Sisters. All three were here, he could see them. Deidra was out cold on the nearest bed, her mouth open just a bit. Next to her was an older Japanese girl. Her long black hair was tied back, and a small frown rested on her face. After her came a young girl with golden blonde hair. She was probably in-between the other two in age.
This image suddenly flashed to one where all of the girls were awake. Each wore one of his special magic restricting necklaces, and each wore a different expression. Deidra looked irk, like she was about to smash something in. The black haired girl had an expressionless face. She took in everything she saw and gave away nothing. The blond was frightened, although she tried to hide it. Every time something moved, she jumped.
Quite suddenly, Artemis himself was in this bizarre dream. The girls all turned to look at him, and his dream began to speak.
"We are ready to begin. Follow me." he said placidly. Is that what I sound like, he thought. Not too bad.
The young women looked to each other, and Deidra spoke up. "He's not going to hurt us, trust me. He has a monkey man to do that for him. But don't worry about him either, he only hurts us when we hurt Boy Wonder over there. Come on." She followed after the dream version of him.
It occurred to Artemis then that he hadn't a clue as to where they were. It looked like some castle, but was made completely from white marble. The dream him walked onto a balcony, and he floated along above the girls. From the outlaying landscape, this could be only one place.
He had been here once before, though not in this castle. His stakeout years before, when he trapped Holly, had taken place here. He was above Haven, the fairy city. But what was this place? The other him answered that exact question right then.
"We are in the castle that once belonged to King Frond. If you don't know, he was your father many thousands of years ago. He is the one that allowed for this loop hole with your powers, the one that couldn't bare the loss of his daughters, and so therefore allowed you to be recreated every hundred years or so. This is the spot I plan on ruling the world from. You girls will help me with this.
Deidra, you will kill anyone who dares to fight against me. If they hold information I need, you will revive them afterward. As the Silent Reaper, you take death orders from me and only me.
Huyen, you will be able to torture my enemies without even hurting their physical bodies. The information you drain from them will help me in my conquest. As the White Bringer, you will scramble the minds of my enemies only when I tell you so.
Amara, you will leave any fighters who hate me with a passion without that passion. Steal from them the hate, the love, anything and everything. Stop all movements against my power, and help any toward it. As the Betraying Angel, you shall deal in others hearts at my command only.
Now you have your commands. You stand before me, Three Sisters of Doom, powerless to stop me or yourselves. When I have power over this planet, you shall then be released to do as you wish. But know that any faction that is made to rise against my by your hands will be destroyed by my faithful followers.
But as of the moment, you are unneeded. You may roam the castle. I trust you will find your Guardians lingering about. Feel free to talk to them. You will also rediscover your old rooms. I am told they are kept as they were the last time you stayed here. Now, if you girls will excuse me." He bowed his head to them, and then stalked off.
The real Artemis starred down at himself on wonder. I am a complete genius, he thought. I've got this planned out perfectly. No one will stop me.
With those thoughts, the dream died out and Artemis fell deeper into his sleep world. But the one thing that should have bother the young man that didn't still lingered on. He hadn't seen his own eyes in the dream, the madness that lingered there. The madness that, very soon now, would consume him, heart and mind.
A bright moon shone this night. Huyen walked out on the balcony of her apartment and looked up to it, finding comfort in the big, bulbous, white object. That wonderful moon never failed to bring her joy or comfort.
With a happy grin, she turned back to her apartment as the doorbell rang. She walked slowly to the door and pulled it open. There she froze in her tracks.
A small girl dress in animal skins stood there starring at here. She looked Irish, but that might have just been her red hair and freckles. Huyen kicked herself out of shock and smiled politely.
"May I help you, Miss…?"
"My name is Vesta. I am your Guardian." She said it like it was suppose to mean something, but Huyen was drawing a blank.
"I'm sorry, but I don't understand. My Guardian? As in, protection? From what, exactly?" The girl looked startled. She briefly scanned the area around her, and then turned back to Huyen.
"May I please come in? There are dangerous people about, and I can't let them hurt you. Please, I only wish to explain." she begged.
"Um, sure, I guess." She stood back and allowed the girl in. It was then that she noticed the wings hanging from her back. To say that they shocked her would be an understatement. Her mouth dropped to the floor, and only when the girl turned about and notice did she shut it.
"Oh, I don't suppose you've seen a sprit before then. Don't worry, I shan't harm you, I promise. Please just hear me, you're in danger." Huyen nodded, indicating she should sit down, and then closed the front door.
"Please, feel free to explain now. I'm all ears." she said.
"Right. Well, I'm Vesta, as I said, your Guardian. You are the White Bringer, one of three sisters who can destroy this world. I have been sent here to rescue you from an evil human man who comes to hurt you." The sprit paused there.
Huyen gave her a skeptical look. "So, I'm some magical sister who can destroy the world, and you're here to help me do that?" The young girl shook her head.
"I am here to protect you from bad people like-" The girl stopped there, her eyes going wide. The searched the room, those small green shaded globes, and then rested on the front door. "Run."
"Excuse me?"
"The human, he is here! Run!" There was a knock at the door, and Huyen walked toward it. The sprit made a move to stop her, but she pushed her away.
"Look, its probably just my friend Mindy. She comes over all the time." Huyen said as she pulled open the door. What stood there stopped her in her tracks. It was Mindy, but she wasn't alone. A very large man was holding her about the neck, and she looked like she was in pain.
Before Huyen could do anything, Mindy was thrown at her. The two collided and fell unto the floor. Above them, Vesta pulled out her small knife and prepared to protect her charge. At the door, the man stood ready for the fight that was coming. Everyone was ready for a fight, except the two girls of course, and the new arrival. It was a young, clean looking man. Huyen knew he was intelligent just from the way he carried himself, but she also knew he was dangerous. It was in his eyes.
"And so we begin again." he said coldly. All at one time, everyone but the boy moved.
Author's Note
I'm so good at cliff hangers, huh? Right well, sorry for the delays, I had state assessments last week. It did, however, give me time to plan out this whole story. Now I just need to write it...
Also, I did have a small mishap in my story that I have changed. Deidra is not 15, she's actually 13. That was in the fifth chapter of Amulet of Quietus, but I have fixed that now.
No reviews...well, aside from Heather, but she reviews every chapter. And yes, I am slightly sadistic. And yes, this will have an evil ending. I am exactly like Huyen. Happy endings make me mad. Flame me for writing it if you want, or review and say I rock. I'm only here to get the thoughts out of my head. This isn't a popularity contest, and I wouldn't win if it was. I wouldn't want to win, what's more. Reviews are of no relevance to me (but I do like them!)
I am also still looking for a beta. Anyone interested, email me. Please title the email, as I throw away anything without a title or a title that sounds like spam. Thnx!
Finelley
