Hey guys! I am sorry it took me so long to update! I've been really busy with school lately (new school, and they pile on work as if there's no tomorrow! It's like torture! *cries bitterly*) I tried to launch other stories and this one, but this chapter just didn't seem to want to give. it kept fighting, so I had some trouble with writers block (it will happen to everyone, and I hate it with a passion so intense it can cut diamonds)! But finally I've managed to update, and I hope the chapter was worth the wait!
Enjoy this chapter! You are all awesome for putting up with me for so long! ;)
The truth will Hurt
Holly stared at Artemis, her eyes wide. They drifted to the door, and then back to Luke, before shooting back to her companion, her pupils shrinking.
Artemis walked to her, and he reached a hand out to her, putting on a reassuring smile. He held his breath, watching her reaction.
Holly stared at his hand, before shaking her head, looking away from him.
"Impossible...incredible...that was..."
Artemis lifted his eyebrows, obviously confused. Then he remembered what had happened the night before, and his eyes widened in realization.
"Holly come on, you can't possibly be surprised! Didn't I show you my magic last night?"
The elf shook her head, closing her eyes, "You don't understand! That was...insane! You got it on the first try! And you're just a human! How could a human control such a large amount of magic?!"
Artemis grinned, stepping up to her and wrapping his arms around her waist. Holly stared up at him, her mismatched eyes filled with wonder.
"You're forgetting who I am, Holls. Am I like any normal or average human?"
"No...No, I suppose not."
Artemis smiled, and he kissed her hair, hugging her tightly to his chest. The elf soon melted against him, nuzzling at his neck as she pressed into him.
"Gods, can't you just be normal for once?" she questioned, kissing his neck.
The pale youth laughed, his eyes shining with wicked mirth.
"Would you have loved me as much if I was normal?"
Holly laughed, before jumping up and kissing him, pressing her lips to his lovingly. Artemis nearly fell backwards, his eyes going wide with shock. He stumbled slightly before regaining his balance as he hugged Holly's waist, groaning as the elf tangled her fingers in his black hair. Their tongues danced together, and both magical creatures fell into a haze of bliss.
They pulled away from each other, gasping for air. A brood grin spread across both their faces, and they held one another in a loving embrace.
"Things just seem to be getting better and better," Holly murmured, hugging him tightly. Artemis gave a short laugh, rubbing her back briefly.
"Am I right to guess that that comment was not layered with some nice juicy sarcasm?"
"Probably," she answered, giving him a wry grin that made his heart go pitter-patter.
They stood in silence for a while longer, before Holly looked up, casting her partner a pleading look.
"Can we go for dinner now? It's been a long day and I'm starving."
Artemis laughed, before taking her hand in his.
"Of course, my dear Captain," he smiled, guiding them both in the general direction of the dining hall.
Artemis lay in bed, twisting and turning as he struggled, fighting a dream that consumed his mind and drove him further into panic.
He was sitting in a dark room, his arms and legs chained to the wall. The room was damp and filthy, and his ears heard the all too horrifying sound of rats skittering across the floor, their tiny claws clicking across the floor as they scavenged for food.
Artemis coughed, blood splattering to the floor. He stared at the blood in shock before looking down at his body, searching for signs of internal injury.
He was cut and scared, long, deep flesh wounds running up and down his body. Some of them had formed scars, but the ones that hadn't bleed lazily, blood snaking out of them and dripping to the floor, attracting the rats with its heavy iron smell.
What in the name of Frond is happening? He thought, looking around himself with dazed eyes. He tried to heal his wounds, searching himself for the familiar warm magic that now coursed through every fibre of his being.
But none came. Not even the smallest hint of a spark. All he felt was cold emptiness.
"No..." he murmured, clenching his fists. He dug deeper, still searching desperately for his last hope of making it out alive.
But there was no magic to save him. No magic to come up and help him save the day.
"What!? No! How can it be gone!?" he said, his eyes widening in horror.
"It's all gone, little human. Do you see now how it feels to be locked up?"
Artemis gave a cry of alarm, his legs shooting under him as he shuffled away from the voice. His frantic eyes searched the shadows, and he let out a gasp of shock.
A man sat limply against the wall to his left, his arms raised as they were chained to the wall. His body was covered in rags, the colours of what could have once been a fine robe faded and blood stained, ripped into nothing but shreds. Long black hair fell over his eyes, tumbling down his shoulders and reaching his scarred back. His pale skin was dripping with blood, and his body shivered, too emaciated and malnourished to move.
But despite all this, Artemis swore he knew who he was dealing with. He matched Holly's previous description perfectly.
"Y-you? What in the name of Frond are you doing here, you filthy parasite!?" Artemis growled, glaring at the broken man before him...no, not man. Monster was the only word to describe him.
But that in itself seemed like a lie. The man before him was nothing more than a broken wreck, his body dying slowly but surely. The man gave a long, hard cough, and blood shot through the air, splattering on the floor.
The prisoner laughed weakly, before looking up at him, red eyes meeting blue and hazel. His eyes were filled with sadistic mirth, but behind it Artemis could make out a clear, icy emotion.
Deep, endless pain and suffering.
"You talk big, for someone who's chained to the wall. If I were you, I'd worry about your little girlfriend..."
Artemis's pupils widened and he spun his eyes towards the doors, his heart almost jumping right out of his chest.
They were in an old fashioned cell, the one wall made up of a long, steal bar door. He could see another, better lit room on the other side, ancient braziers filled with dancing orange flame hanging from the walls. The shadows danced around the light, and a small figure huddled in the centre of the room, sobbing brokenly, its frame shaking uncontrollably. Despite the light coming from just a meter away, no light strayed into the cell. It was almost as if the monster within it was blocking the light, keeping it as far away as possible.
"Holly?" Artemis murmured, feeling a lump rise in his throat. He felt fresh tears burn his eyes, and he shook his head, making little tear droplets fall to the filthy floor.
The figure gave a jump, and it looked up, choking on a sob. Holly's eyes met his, and she sniffed, getting shakily to her knees.
"Arty?" she whispered, crawling to the bars of his cell, her body trembling. Her LEP uniform was in tatters, bits of it clinging to her body as best as it could. Her chestnut colored skin had gone pale, and her flesh was scarred and cut. Bruises covered her arms, and her skin was swollen on her jaw, showing signs of obvious damage.
She fell to the floor as she reached him, her body going limp. Artemis let out a cry, pulling against his chains as he tried to reach her. For one awful moment, he thought she was dead.
"Holly! Holly don't do it! You can't die on me like this!" he sobbed, thrashing against his chains desperately, trying to break free.
But a booted foot him straight in the gut, and Artemis fell back, gasping, his eyes wide with shock and pain.
"Don't be a fool! Your judgement is clouded, human! Your actions are going to get you both killed!" the man growled, his red eyes burning with anger. He glared at the coughing youth for a while before turning to look at the elf. If Artemis had looked closely, he would have noticed a look of pure longing cross his face, his eyes becoming filled with sadness and desperation.
"Mina..." he murmured on a breath, a lump rising in his throat. But he pushed it down, looking away from the girl.
Artemis had heard the name and he frowned, momentarily forgetting his pain. The name was familiar, but he couldn't find it, no matter how hard he thought.
Mina...what is it about that name that sounds so familiar...?
But then Holly let out a moan, lifting her head up to look at him.
"Arty?" she murmured, looking deep into the darkness, trying in vain to see him.
Artemis let out a pained croak, and he felt as if his heart had just dropped out of his chest. What was the meaning of all this?
"I'm here Holls. What have they done to you?" he soothed, making his voice as gentle as possible.
Tears streamed down Holly's face, but she didn't answer. Instead, she reached out a dirty hand, trying to reach into the darkness.
But suddenly there was a loud crack, and the room filled with light. Holly cried out in fear, and the monster in Artemis's cell laughed wickedly.
"You've done it now, Arty. Watch what happens to her now!"
Two men walked into the room, their bodies cloaked in midnight black robes. They saw Holly, and they roared at her in Turkish, their eyes fiery with rage.
One of them grabbed Holly by the hair, hosting her up effortlessly. Holly screamed in pain, her eyes wide with horror. She lashed out with her feet, desperate to save herself, but they over powered her, slapping her across the face.
Artemis watched in horror, crying out and roaring at the men in rage. He'd only put two and two together later, but the fact that these men were Ottomans should have been warning enough to who the man in the cell was.
There were chains at the far end of the room, the chains rusty and covered in blood. They dragged the elf there, the poor woman kicking and screaming in terror.
Artemis let out a choked sob, fighting against his restraints. But no matter how hard he tried, his efforts only seemed to make things worse.
"No! Oh gods please no! Leave her alone, please!!" he begged, throwing away his pride. Tears streamed down his cheeks, and he began to cry out, sobs racking his frame mercilessly.
The man gave him a look of contempt, his eyes dark and cruel, "You might not want to watch what happens next."
But Artemis did watch, and what he saw would haunt him for the rest of his life.
They chained Holly to the wall, wrapping the rusty chains around each slim wrist. Holly was crying bitterly, sobbing with pure terror. The Ottoman let her go, and she collapsed to the floor, her body trembling.
One of the men walked out the room, and came back a minute later, carrying a dark box with him. Holly saw the box, and her eyes went huge, her eyes full of horror. She struggled against her chains, but her struggles were in vain.
The man placed the box on the ground, and he opened it, revealing a long, evil looking whip. Artemis let out a gasp of horror, and he screamed, desperate to get them away from her.
"Leave her alone! If you hurt her I swear I'll get you! Leave her alone!!!"
Artemis had never felt so desperate in his life. His heart felt like it was being ripped out his chest. He screamed and fought, pulling against his chains so hard that his wrists began to bruise.
But the men ignored him, taking the whip out the box. The man who took it smacked it against the wall, and a crack filled the air, the sound making Holly sob in fear.
Artemis realized what was about to happen, and for one of the only times in his life, his resolve shattered, an animalistic wave of rage taking hold of him.
"Don't you dare touch her, you bastards! I'll kill you, I swear to Frond I'll kill you!!!" he roared, his roar becoming a painful cry of despair, knowing his threats and words would not help his companion.
The man stood before Holly, and he raised the whip, lifting it into the air.
Artemis was about to scream again as the whip came down, but he heard a sickening, triumphant growl next to him. He tore his eyes away from Holly, and he let out a gasp of horror. The man was standing to his feet, the chains falling away from his wrists. His eyes glowed red in the dark, and two fangs extended from his mouth, the fangs gleaming in the half light. Shadows danced around him, forming themselves into whips just as terrifying as the one that fell onto Holly's skin, making her scream in pain.
"Now I'll make you scream just as loud as your mate, human," he growled, a twisted grin spreading across his face as he lunged at Artemis, his hands outstretched.
Artemis let out a cry of shock, before feeling the floor disappear beneath him. He fell through the stones, disappearing into total consuming darkness.
Artemis screamed, sitting bolt upright in bed. He gasped and hacked, his eyes wide with fear. Shivers racked his body, and he tilted his head back, taking in deep, shaky breaths.
Once he had calmed down sufficiently, he rubbed his temples briefly, his eyes closed. He sighed loudly, before opening his eyes, turning to find Holly.
His heart nearly fell through his feet.
The bed was empty, the covers twisted and scattered. The side of the bed was cold, hinting to the fact that she had been gone for quite some time.
Panic speared his heart, and Artemis jumped out of bed, looking around the room desperately.
Oh gods, oh gods! Holly, where are you?!
Suddenly, he heard a tap on his bedroom window. He turned around, and nearly jumped out of his skin as he saw Holly's face at the window, her lips pulled back in a smile.
Artemis rushed to the window, opening it as fast as possible. As it swung open, he saw that Holly was wearing her LEP uniform, the wings strapped to her back beating up a storm behind her. She grinned, flying backwards out of his reach as he reached out to grab her.
"Come on Arty! We've got work to do! I think I know where Opal is hiding!"
Artemis felt suspicion rear up inside him, and he narrowed his eyes, gazing at Holly carefully.
Something's not right. She's been out of bed for a while, but she acts like she's been here this whole time. And why on earth is she suddenly so confident of Opals whereabouts?
Holly smiled at him reassuringly, doing a little loop-de-loop in the air. She flew a little closer, smiling at him, her eyes sparkling joyfully.
"Come on mud boy! I'm not getting any younger! Let's go!"
Artemis knew none of this was right. His stomach clenched, and he swallowed, forcing back the panic that was swelling up inside him.
"I'm on my way, Captain," he called to her, backing away from the window. He closed it hurriedly, drawing the curtains across it.
He hurriedly got dressed into his school uniform, pulling it on nervously. He was about to leave the room, then changed his mind, backing up into the room once more. He grabbed Persephone from his desk before leaving, closing the door gently behind him.
It took him at the most five minutes to reach the courtyard, since he had done nothing as fantastic as jumping down whole flights of stairs and flying down corridors. Unfortunately for him that was still a little out of his league, so he'd just have to settle for walking.
Holly hovered above the ground before him, smiling happily. She leaned forwards and kissed him, her lips brushing against his, seeming to make all of the genius's troubles float away.
The elf pulled away and smiled, her eyes bright with affection.
"Come on Arty. Let's end this once and for all! Isn't it about time to put that pixie in her place?"
Artemis had to agree with her, even though the idea seemed totally insane. What did she hope to achieve? They were only two, both armed, but the enemy was comprised of three, all of which containing huge amounts of power.
Artemis knew that they were not the only ones. He too had begun to experiment with his own magic. In the previous day he had managed to shoot sparks at a particularly large shadow, the magic seeming to solidify and turn into a deadly projectile. It had seemed necessary and frighteningly easy to do it. That magic was far beyond any that he had used before, and this information told him that fairy magic went far further than just healing and mesmering. Magic could be dangerous, and apparently even normal fairies could use it too.
If he could do it, then there was no doubt in his mind that others could do it. They just needed to discover it.
He nodded to Holly, flexing his fingers. Holly smiled in triumph, and turned around, dropping to the ground for easier movement.
She set off at a fast walk, forcing Artemis to jog to keep up with her. They made their way off the quad and into the dense forest, walking along a forest path. What light there was soon disappeared, and Artemis shivered, unsettled by the thick, impenetrable darkness.
They walked onwards, Holly not wavering once. Artemis watched her back, his eyes narrowed in suspicion.
Are you who you say you are, Holly?
Soon the darkness opened up, and they stepped into a large clearing, the clearing lit up by the light of a full moon.
Artemis stopped on the edge of the clearing, his eyes shifting nervously. Something wasn't right, he could feel it. His suspicions grew, and he didn't dare enter the clearing, staring at the elf as she stepped out into the clearing, the moon engulfing her in intense white light.
Holly stopped a few meters away from him, turning around. She was lit up by the moonlight, and as she met Artemis's eyes, the genius jumped back, his eyes widening in horror.
He hadn't seen it before, but her eyes were red, the pupils completely gone. A grin spread across her face, and she cocked her head to one side.
"What's the matter Arty? Is something wrong?" she asked, her voice dripping with mirth. Black shadows burst into life behind her, and she raised her arms, as if preparing to sing to the heavens.
Her body erupted into shadows, and Artemis gasped, his eyes wide with horror. He watched as the elf disappeared, becoming swallowed up by dense black tendrils. Two red eyes were all that could be seen, the red irises glowing like torches in the dark.
Artemis swallowed his fear, the fear becoming replaced with anger. He stepped forwards, stepping closer towards the mass of shadows.
"You monster! What have you done with Holly?!" he growled, glaring into the red eyes with utter hate.
"Why on earth would you ask such a thing? She's completely fine!" a shadowy figure replied, stepping out of the darkness around it. Artemis recognised the voice, and he moaned, shaking his head slowly.
No, no, no! Oh Frond no! It just can't be her! I never wanted it to be her! I didn't want to be right!
"E-Eve?" he whispered, watching in horror as Eve came into view, the shadows whipping and dancing behind her.
The young woman smiled, her red eyes flashing wickedly. She was wearing a short black dress, the material of a corset clinging to her body while a puffy skirt hung above her thigh, making her look like a menacing Gothic Lolita. Her nails were long and sharp, painted red as if with blood. Despite her fancy dress, her feet were bare, the skin pale in the moonlight. Two fang-like canines flashed in her smile, and Artemis's worst fears were confirmed.
"Oh come now Arty, surely this isn't such a surprise for you. You've always known I wasn't normal. Isn't that why you took me in?"
Artemis shook his head, his expression sad and desperate, "You were alone, Eve. I took you in because you were a decent person. But this? You're nothing but a parasite now."
Rage flashed across her face, and she stepped forwards, the shadows dissipating behind her. She clenched her pale hands into fists, glaring at Artemis with hate filled eyes.
"A parasite? A decent person? I've always been this way, Fowl. You saw what I did, looking over them without a care. I knew I was different, but I never knew how much so. But now I know...and I'm loving every minute of it!"
A black whip-like shadow lashed out, and Artemis dodged it, felling it pierce his cheek, slashing his cheek horrifically. He cried out in pain, his hand coming up to touch the blood as it welled from the long, jagged cut.
The shadow slithered back to Eve, the boy's blood dripping off the tip. Eve lifted the shadow to her eye level, regarding it curiously.
"You never really were good at physical tasks, were you Arty? It's a shame really. Killing you will be so mind numbingly easy. I think I can go so far to say it will be boring," she smirked, watching as the blood disappeared, being drank by the tendril.
Artemis glared at the girl in disgust, whipping his hand on his suit, not caring about the expensive material. He knew that the suit would be the least of his worries.
"What have you done with Holly?" he growled, narrowing his eyes as Eve swayed on the spot, her hands clasped behind her back, looking innocent and terrifying at the same time.
"Hmm, good question!" she admitted, cocking her head to one side thoughtfully, tapping her chin in thought, "To be honest I'm not sure! I guess I'll just have to ask my partner."
Artemis couldn't help but make a snide comment, "You'd think someone like you would know something like that. You must seriously be losing your touch, Evangeline."
Eve's smirk died away, and she screamed angrily, her expression monstrous. She swung her arm, slashing the air with it and causing a shadow to lash out, moving with her arm.
But Artemis did dodge this one, running to the side to dodge the shadow. He felt a laugh bubble in his throat, but it died quickly when he felt a hand curl around his left arm.
Artemis froze, and he looked to the side, his eyes going wide.
Somehow, Eve had managed to flash step her way to him, arriving at his side in mere seconds. She grinned at him, her eyes wide and insane.
"Losing my touch? Why would you say that?" she asked, pulling his arm viciously. Artemis gasped in pain, lights flashing across his eyes. Then, in a desperate attempt to save himself, he grabbed his gun with his right hand, pulling it out of his blazer and shoving it against her head. He rested his finger on the trigger, his eyes narrowing dangerously.
"Oh, I'm sure you can see why," he growled, not even wincing as her hand tightened on his arm cruelly.
Eve felt the cold steal against her head, and she froze, not believing what had happened. Then, with lightning speed, she danced away, jumping away from him and Persephone within seconds. A feral hiss escaped her, and her eyes flashed an even brighter red.
"Cocky today, aren't you Fowl? No matter, I'll put you in your place," she growled, straightening up out of her fighting stance.
Artemis felt a cold presence behind him, and he turned around slowly, his eyes widening to the size of golf balls.
The man from his dream was standing a few meters behind him, standing at the edge of the clearing. His face was twisted in an evil grin, and his hands held a limp figure, the body hanging in his cruel hands.
Artemis felt the blood drain from his face, and he stared at the body in horror and fear, not wanting to believe what he was seeing. His knees went weak, and almost fell to his knees, his chest feeling as if someone had dropped a lead weight onto his heart.
"What have you done?" he whispered, his throat constricting painfully. His eyes stung, and his gun hand began to shake.
The man smirked all the wider, his red eyes filled with twisted mirth, "Why, I haven't done anything. She'd perfectly fine! Look, see for yourself!"
He tossed the limp body, letting it fall to the grass. The body moaned in pain, curling up into a ball. She coughed and looked up, her mismatched eyes filled with fear and disgust. She was clad in a LEP body suit, the black material stained with blood in some places, indicating a struggle.
Holly spotted Artemis, and she gasped, her eyes widening in horror. The she shook her head, balling her gloved hands into fists.
"No! Leave him alone! You don't need him! I swear if you hurt him-"
The man lashed out with his booted foot, kicking her in the gut before she could finish. But she refused to cry out, fighting back the gasp by clenching her teeth, baring them to Eve in a sign of anger and malice.
Eve smirked, ignoring the elf completely. She flashed over to Artemis side, smiling wickedly at him.
"So you can finally see my familiar! Welcome to the club Fowl! I must say it took you long enough! Maybe you should have those eyes of yours checked out. They really don't seem healthy!"
Artemis scowled, turning to point his gun at the monstrous girl. But she was gone in a flash, running to her companion's side. He wrapped a protective arm around her, smirking down at her wickedly.
"Fowl, I'd like you to meet my partner. I'm sure you know who and what we are by now!"
Artemis's face twisted in disgust, and he pointed Persephone at her head, aiming dead between her glowing red eyes.
"Blood suckers, parasites, leeches. But, I think the most common name for you are...vampires."
Eve burst into fits of insane laughter, black shadow tendrils dances around them like twisted flames, "Vampires!? Yes of course! It took you long enough! But you see, we are a very specific type of vampire, Fowl! My lover and I are Nosferatu!"
Artemis glared at her, his gun hand not moving an inch. Eve laughed happily, her red eyes alight with hellish fire.
"What, kitty got your tongue? How sad! But don't worry, I'll tell you who my partner is, since I'm sure you and Short Stop are just dying to know!"
Holly got to her feet shakily, trembling slightly. She staggered hurriedly to Artemis's side, taking her place next to him. She stared at her tormentor in horror, tales and vampire stories filling her mind. She had learnt from Foaly about how vicious they were, but it had never occurred to her that they could actually exist.
"Just get to the point already. I've had enough of this senseless prattle," Artemis growled, his finger pressing lightly against the trigger. Inside his heart was in pain, not wanting to hurt his old friend. But he knew it had to be done. He had to protect Holly and the People. Opal had gotten her filthy paws on Eve, and now he had to stop them, no matter how he felt.
Eve recoiled as if slapped, and she growled loudly, her fangs flashing dangerously. But she pushed her anger aside, a smirk full of contempt growing on her lips.
"Fine, I'll get to the point, since you're so eager. This man is Vlad Tepes Dracul, or, you probably know him as Vlad the Impaler. Surely you know the legend of Dracula, the No Life King?"
Artemis gasped, his eyes going wide. Suddenly, all the pieces fell into place perfectly. The Ottomans in his dream, the shadows, the Romanian whispers Holly had heard. His killing technique, his bondage suit, his glowing red eyes and flowing black hair; it all fell into place.
"Dracula Vlad Tepes..." he whispered, his eyes filled with horror, his hands trembling. He could hear Holly screaming in her throat, trying to stop it from breaking out into an all out shriek of terror.
"Correct! I'm so glad you know your history! It would have been such a pissant if I was forced to explain it all to you!" Eve sang happily, her one arm held firmly around Vlad's waist, her other arm coming round to curl around his neck as she clung to him lovingly.
Artemis stared at her in horror and disbelief, the gun in his hand drifting to the side unconsciously.
"Eve...do you know what you're saying?! How could you be in love with something like him?! He's a monster!"
Vlad bristled, and he turned away from Eve, his red eyes hard and cruel as he glared at Artemis with pure hatred. It occurred to Artemis with a startling jolt that the man actually had emotions. Artemis's words had stung him.
And, instead of feeling victorious by it, Artemis felt a stab of guilt.
"I could ask Short the same thing, human," Vlad purred, recovering from the jab. He grinned wickedly, waiting for this last comment to take the desired effect.
He didn't have to wait long.
Artemis recoiled as if stabbed, this comment stinging him deeply. All his past wrong doings drifted to the surface of his memory, making him want to gag.
Holly scowled, angry to see her partner in such a state. She swallowed her fear and glared at her stalker, her mismatched eyes overflowing with hate.
"Shut your mouth, leech! As if you could ever compare yourself to him! Your cruelty knows no bounds!" she growled, balling her hands into tight fists. Artemis was jolted out of his thoughts just in time to see a flash of a smile cross Vlad's face, his eyes twinkling dangerously.
"What an interesting observation!" he purred, leaning down and nuzzling Eve's pale neck. With a dark chuckle he rose up, his long tongue coming out to lick the girl's cheek playfully.
Playing with his food. Artemis thought in disgust before shouting out, anger rolling off of him in waves.
"Leave her alone!" he growled, disgusted to see his friend receiving such barbaric treatment. Eve laughed wickedly, her red eyes boring into Artemis's mismatched ones.
"Do you think I don't enjoy this? Don't worry Fowl, I'm having more fun than I've ever had in my life!" she laughed before kissing Vlad on the cheek, purring happily.
But as she pulled away her face became serious, her lips pulled up in a grimace of distaste.
"I've had enough of this boring conversation. I have much better things to do with my time, don't you agree?"
Before her words even finished leaving her lips, Artemis saw a flash of black as Vlad rushed at Holly, grabbing her and pushing her to the other end of the clearing. He pinned her to a tree, the bark cracking from the force of the blow. Holly gasped in pain, feeling Vlad's pale, merciless hands tighten around her throat.
"I agree, mea sub. This chatting has gone on far enough," he purred, squeezing the elf's neck hard enough to make her gasp.
Artemis was about to run to her aid when something hard hit him in the side. He cried out in shock as he was thrown off his feet, landing with a painful crunch on the hard dirt. He coughed, looking up at his attacker.
Eve was smiling horrifically, standing in the place he had been moments before. Her shoulder was lowered slightly, facing him, indicating that she had knocked him with her shoulder.
"This is where the nightmare begins, Artemis Fowl," she purred, straightening up, shadow tendrils bursting from her back and whipping the air mercilessly, "I hope you're not afraid of the dark."
Artemis barely had a second to react as she lunged at him, her hands lashing out like claws. The boy rolled to the side, getting shakily to his feet. Eve laughed at him, flash stepping till she was behind him. Her arm snaked around his throat, and she pulled him to her, taking him in a horrifying embrace.
"The dark is alive, Fowl. It moves and whispers and I was born from it. I control it as easily as my limbs."
Artemis stood frozen, feeling her cold arm around his neck. He felt her body pressing against his back, and he couldn't help but shiver.
"If that's so, then isn't it safe to say that you yourself are darkness?" he asked, his voice soft.
Eve smiled genuinely, that smile that Artemis had always been so fond of, "Yes, you're assumption is correct. But, you haven't seen true darkness, not yet anyway."
She pushed him, and he fell to the floor, shocked. He turned over and back paddled, his eyes going to the side, trying to catch a glimpse of Holly.
The elf had managed to push away from the tree, slashing at her opponent. She was swallowing her fear, dodging and countering his attacks. Vlad lashed out at her with his claw-like hands, and Holly danced away from them, lashing out with her hands and feet. She did a back flip, lashing out with her foot as she did so, aiming for his chest, but he grabbed her ankle, lifting her and throwing her a good few meters away. She hit a tree and cried out, sliding down the bark, leaving a red trail of blood on the bark behind her.
"Holly!" Artemis cried, reaching out uselessly to the elf as she groaned, trying to rise to her feet as her enemy walked slowly towards her, black shadow tendrils dancing through the air around him.
"Oh, I wouldn't be worried about her, Fowl. She's the least of your worries right now," an ominous voice behind him purred, making the hairs on the back of his neck stand on end.
Artemis turned slowly, his body trembling horribly. His eyes widened to the size of saucers, and a scream clawed violently at his throat.
Eve was standing in a storm of tendrils, the black masses swirling around her and slashing the air. Her red eyes glowed like torches, illuminating her pale face. Her left arm was held up, her arm stretched out, the fingers sprayed.
Then, to the boy's horror, her arm turned black, tendrils wrapping around it and seeping into the skin. The limb began to transform, growing and shifting, spreading out and lengthening itself.
Eve began to laugh, insane laughter bubbling out of her. She swung her shifting arm, and the night was filled with the sound of air being sliced through.
Artemis recognised that sound, and it sent his blood cold. His eyes clouded over, and he took a step back, shaking his head. He lifting Persephone desperately, aiming at the mass of black that had become Eve's arm.
No! How can she do such a thing? So ruthless, so insane! She's become a monster that even Opal would be proud of!
The shadow arm stopped shifting, and the tendrils melted away, moving away from the arm.
What was left behind made Artemis's heart skip a beat, almost stopping completely.
A huge black blade sprouted from her arm socket, the blade monstrously long and curved, forming a deadly black scythe. The edge of it reflected the moonlight, the white light dancing on the midnight black blade. There was a short neck connecting the scythe to her arm socket, just enough to allow her to slice through her enemies without difficulty and to move it in tight slashes and curves.
"What are you, Fowl? Only a man can kill a monster! Which one are you; a man, a dog, or a monster?!" she laughed, stepping towards him, slicing the air with each word.
Artemis clambered to his feet, his eyes wide, his breathing fast. He raised his gun and aimed at her chest, his entire body shaking. He hesitated, before pulling the trigger, firing a blessed silver bullet at his friend's heart.
But Eve danced out the way, watching as the bullet soared past just centimetres beside her. She laughed at him, her body pumped full of adrenaline from the near miss.
Artemis felt a claw of panic take hold of his heart, but he pushed it down, raising the gun for another shot. Just as he was about to pull the trigger Eve rushed him, her scythe arm raised high, her red eyes ablaze.
"Time to die!!" she screeched, letting the scythe slash down, aiming for his neck. Artemis saw the blade coming, and he jumped to the side, digging deep for his magic.
He found it, his mind sensing the large, flowing magic swirling inside him. He grabbed hold of it and pulled, tugging it to the surface with a growl.
Blue sparks erupted from his fingertips, forming knifes in the air. His whole body began to feel warm, giving him strength and agility that he had only been able to dream of. It was the same thing that Holly felt in those moments when death was just minutes away, waiting for her to jump right down into the void.
And in all honesty, the feeling was utterly incredible.
Artemis landing on one foot, and he turned, bringing his hand out and thrashing the air. Blue sparks shot from his fingertips like tiny shining bullets, racing towards Eve. The sparks and scythe met one another with a crack, the sparks digging deep into the black metal.
Eve cried out in pain and shock, jumping back, her scythe arm held high, blue sparks still dancing on the metal. She groaned and shook her arm, black tendrils surrounding it and destroying the sparks.
"You'll pay for that Fowl!" she screeched, her eyes filled with anger, her fangs growing longer. With a hiss she jumped forwards, her scythe slashing the air mercilessly.
Artemis backed away, taking large steps back each time the blade came directly for him.
Suddenly he tripped up, a large tree root snagging his foot. He made a confused sound, his arms spreading out to steady himself as he fell back.
Eve saw this and shrieked in delight, her scythe coming down beneath his left out-spread arm. Then, with an insane grin, she slashed upwards, the metal blade rushing up to meet his over exposed arm.
Artemis had no time to react. The blades edge sliced up his arm, penetrating straight to the bone. A cry of agony burst from his mouth, his eyes wide with pain and horror. The flesh on his arm began to burn as if on fire, and he clamped a hand over the gaping wound, staggering back as he doubled over, shivering.
Eve smiled, bringing her scythe up to her lips. Crimson blood rolled down the midnight black blade, light reflecting off the liquid as if it were made of rubies.
Artemis gave a pant, and he looked at his left arm, grimacing in pain.
The wound was long and deep, slicing through muscle and flesh. He could see red stained white deep inside, the bone clearly visible. Blood poured from the wound, staining his shirt red and dripping to the grass below. He tried moving it, but let out a scream of pain as the muscles gave a weak, pitiful tug.
He focused on the wound, grabbing for the ever ready magic that was now fully a part of him. Blue sparks began to dance on his arm, seeping into the skin.
But to his horror, the moment the sparks reached the wound they stopped, halting before they could shoot inside and do their job. The magic fizzled and died out, not even healing a single scratch.
"No..." he murmured, staring at his wound in horror. He heard sick laughter ahead of him, and he looked up, clutching his arm as he did so.
Eve was laughing hysterically, her head thrown back, her long brown hair reaching down to the small of her back. Her normal arm was wrapped around her stomach while her scythe was posed before her, the blood coating it shining in the moonlight.
"Is something wrong Fowl? Is your magic giving you a hard time?! Oh how sad!! You should know your magic won't work on things my scythe has cut!" she laughed wickedly, bringing her head back to look at him.
Artemis bared his teeth in a snarl, anger bubbling deep inside his belly, warming him up.
Eve smiled, and then turned her attention to his blood. A feral hiss of delight escaped her, and she brought the blade up to her lips. She began licking the blood off the surface of it, her tongue lapping it up hungrily.
Artemis made a loud, disgusted sound, and he lifted his gun with his right hand, taking aim.
He pulled the trigger, and the ground between the feeding vampire's legs exploded, grass and dirt flying. Eve gave a small shriek of fright, jumping back a pace. She stared at the new hole in the ground before her, and then looked up to stare at Artemis, a smile spreading across her blood stained lips.
"Why are you so surprised? Why should me drinking blood come as such an awful shock to you?"
"It just proves that you're more of a monster than I first thought. I considered the possibility that you weren't too far gone for me to save you!" he growled, aiming his gun at her head.
To his surprise, Eve gasped at his words. Her red eyes softened, and she took a step back, her arm coming up to defend an unseen blow. Her face slackened, almost in a look of fear.
But something flashed briefly in her eyes, something that almost anyone would have missed. But Artemis saw it, and his resolve hardened, making him clench his fists.
For the briefest of moments, Eve's eyes had filled with desperate longing.
But the moment was gone, and she began to advance upon him, a grin spreading across her face. Her now clean blade began to swing in arcs, slicing through the air.
"You honestly think you can save me? Oh how you humour me! But I've had enough of this endless prattle. You're just foolishly trying to elude your death. But don't worry, I'll kill you soon enough!"
Eve lunged, her blade raised high. Artemis lifted Persephone as it came down, the blade whistling through the air. The two black weapons met with a crash, fiery sparks flying as the metals ground against one another. Persephone remained firm against the blow, not even denting as the scythe tried desperately to slice through it.
Blue sparks burst into life on Artemis's hand, the blue magic dancing on his pale skin as well as the black metal of his gun. He looked up into Eve's face, noticing that her monstrous eyes were wide and confused.
"Surprised? I should have warned you before. Persephone is made of enhanced metal, the material laced with blessed silver. You can't break it that easily. We're both stronger than we look!"
"It's going to take a lot more than some well placed silver to save you! I'll slice you into nice bite sized chunks, Fowl!" she growled, pushing harder against Persephone. Artemis clenched his teeth, pushing up, both hands pressed against the gun. The blade was rubbing against the side of the long barrel, the black metal stopping it from slicing straight through it and its master.
"You talk too much! And besides, you couldn't kill anything even if you wanted to! I know you too well!" he growled, pushing with all his strength.
Eve stopped pushing to stare at him, her eyebrows raised. Then, to the genius's disbelief, she began to laugh.
"Do you truly believe that, Fowl? Well I'm terribly sorry to burst your bubble, but I've already killed someone!"
Artemis felt his heart stop, and the world around him began to waver. A cold sweat broke out on his back, and he swallowed, trying to comprehend what he had just heard.
"W-What did you just say?"
"You got hearing problems? I said I've killed before. Actually, I killed someone just moments before you fell asleep. But unfortunately, you never noticed!"
Artemis felt a lead ball drop in his stomach, and his heart turned to ice. He stared at Eve in shock and horror, his hand beginning to shake uncontrollably.
"Oh yes, I think you know who died. You also know who's partly to blame for his death. Who would have thought something so small could lead to someone's death!?"
Artemis didn't speak a word, his whole body shaking. His knees threatened to give out under him, and a scream clawed at his throat, his lungs bursting.
"What have you done!?!" he whispered, his voice trembling.
"Why, I drank Luke's blood of course! You might as well have placed him on a plate for me! You told him to go to sleep in the gym, and after you left, I woke him up and had some fun with him, killed him afterwards. If you hadn't mesmerized him in the first place, he might still be here right now."
Artemis's body went numb, tears leaking from the corners of his eyes. His throat closed painfully, and a sob racked his frame.
"You monster!" he sobbed, hate filling his eyes for the first time as he glared at his friend.
"So you're finally convinced!? At least our little Lukamou didn't die in vain. Oh, how sweet he tasted! Virgin blood always tastes so good! And his moans just made it all the more enjoyable!
"You see, I needed to have drunk blood to become what I am now. Once you've drank someone's blood, you take that person's soul and add it to your own. That soul becomes your familiar, a weapon and companion of your own. Vlad is one of my familiars, but I have never drunk his blood before. My mother is a vampire, so I presume at some point in her life she must have drank at least some of Vlad's blood, meaning that she passed him on to me. But I need a prober familiar, someone who I can use in battle. Luke seemed to be the perfect familiar for me, since we're so alike. His sense of justice was what attracted me to him the most."
"His sense of justice?! Is that why you killed him!? He never asked for this!!" Artemis roared, his fists clenching. Eve laughed wickedly, pressing against his gun with her scythe.
"I killed him because he had potential! Look at him now, Fowl. You've been fighting against him all evening!"
Artemis gasped, his eyes drifting down to her scythe. The black blade shone suddenly, the moonlight reflecting off the surface. A red eye flashed across its surface, the pupil large and black, the eye glaring at him before flashing out of existence, leaving the blade as spotless as it had been moments before.
"Luke..." he murmured, his guard dropping, his fist unclenching. There was no doubt that he had just seen Luke in the blade. It had just been his eye, but it had been there, staring right at him. How could he possibly ignore that?
Suddenly, without warning, Eve pulled her shadow scythe away, and she twisted around, her foot lashing out at him in a flying kick. Her foot connected with his chest with a crack, and he gasped, flying back from the force of it. He flew and landed on his back, crying out in pain as his arm hit with the ground, blood staining the soil beneath him.
Eve was standing over him in a flash, crossing the distance in mere seconds. She dropped down till she was straddling him, her blade coming down to press against his neck. But he blocked the blow with Persephone once again, making more sparks fly.
The vampire growled, pushing harder. Artemis fought back a groan, feeling his gun being pushed into his neck each time she pushed. He knew that any second she could slice around the barrel, decapitating him effortlessly.
In a desperate move, his layered his left hand with blue sparks. The magic danced on his hand, crackling wickedly, as if looking forwards to helping its master.
With a yell, Artemis lashed out with his left hand, ignoring the merciless pain that cursed through his arm, numbing his brain with agony. He grabbed Eve's confused face, his fingers sprayed to get her in his palm.
The magic shot into her face, dancing happily on her skin. Eve screamed, the sparks burning her mercilessly, stabbing her eyes and blinding her. She shot to her feet, shadows dancing around her, her hand coming up to claw at her face.
Artemis took the opportunity to find Holly. She and Vlad were fighting not too far away from them, the elf covered from head to toe in scars and cuts. Blood dripped off her like water, staining the dirt and grass. But she ignored her wounds, attacking and counter attacking her enemy.
But she was too weak to fight any longer, and Vlad grabbed her effortlessly, lifting her off the ground. Holly began to scream, kicking weakly as Vlad raised his hand in that all too familiar position, the fingers pressed together, the palm flat and blade like,. He pulled his arm back, preparing to impale her.
Artemis jumped to his feet and lunged forwards, ignoring his screaming muscles. He lifted Persephone and aimed, taking aim at Vlad chest.
The vampire didn't notice, too caught up in his own business. He squeezed Holly's throat mercilessly, making her hack and cough, her lungs begging for air. Her hands came up to tug at his pale ones, trying to free herself from him.
"You'll die now, elf! I hope you beg for mercy in hell!"
Without warning, a gunshot cracked through the air, the sound loud and wicked. Vlad's eyes widened in shock, and he looked down at his chest in disbelief.
A fist sized hole stood out on his chest, blood pouring from the wound. The silver bullet had pierced his heart like butter, stopping just before exiting his back. The bullet burned him mercilessly, quickening his death and piercing his soul with agony.
"No..." he murmured, blood seeping from his mouth. His hand slackened around Holly's neck, and she fell to the floor, taking deep breaths and coughing, her shoulders shaking uncontrollably.
Vlad collapsed, his body lifeless before he even hit the ground. His red eyes stared blankly to the heavens, the lights from the stars reflecting in them weakly. The black shadow tendrils died, turning to mist in the night air, drifting away on the breeze.
A scream pierced the air behind them, and Artemis turned around just in time to see Eve screaming to the heavens, standing just meters behind him, indicating that she had tried to kill him before he could make the killing blow. Her eyes were glowing red, and her face was twisted in pain. The shadows around her died as well, turning into black fog and drifting away.
"Artemis..." Holly murmured, trying to grab his attention.
Artemis turned to stare at Vlad's body, but it was disappearing before his eyes. Bits of him turned into black shadow tendrils, each one rushing to Eve in bits and rags. They sank into her skin, becoming a part of her as if she was absorbing them.
Finally his body was gone, and Eve stopped screaming, her pale face turned to the heavens. Her arm and scythe hung limply at her side, her body unmoving.
Artemis began to walk towards her, ignoring Holly's orders to stay away from her, the elf's voice layered with worry. He stopped before her, gazing at her desperately.
There's still a chance...oh Eve please don't be gone, please! I know you! You're not a monster, please!
"Eve?" he whispered, his voice piercing through the silence that had fallen over the clearing. His right hand was clamped over his left arm, trying to stop the blood that continued to seep from the wounds.
The young woman blinked, and turned to look at him. She stared at him in awe, her eyes wide with confusion. She looked from him to herself, putting two and two together.
"Arty?"
Suddenly, her eyes were filled with horror and understanding as memories flooded back to her. Her eyes brimmed over with tears, the tears beginning to flow unchecked down her cheeks.
"A-Arty!" she sobbed, her knees buckling out from beneath her. Artemis dropped down to her, tears seeping from his eyes as well. He wrapped his healthy arm around her shoulders, keeping his hand away from the sharp blade sprouting from her left socket.
But the blade began to waver in the air, before shrinking and morphing into her pale arm, the black turning white. Once again she seemed normal, just a teenage girl way in over her head.
Eve cried brokenly, sobs raking her frame. She buried her head in his shoulder and screamed, her hands clutching him desperately.
"Oh Artemis! What have I done!?" she cried, her whole body shaking with grief. The genius's shirt became stained with her tears, but he didn't care. He lifted her gently onto his lap, rocking her gently, trying to calm her.
But she was beyond reason. It was understandable, since she had just tried to murder her best friend and killed one of her affections. He knew that the fact that her vampire lover was now dead also played a part in her despair, but he didn't want to admit it. But the fact that she had murdered Luke was the main subject of her misery, and it was now too much for her to bear.
"I-I'm so s-s-sorry!! I hurt you! And I k-killed Luke!!" she sobbed, hugging him desperately. Artemis stroked her back gently, making soft, calming noises as he did so.
"I know, Eve. It's alright, you couldn't have done anything. But you held back, I know you did! You could have killed me countless times, but you never did. I should say thank you for that," he whispered, stroking her hair reassuringly.
"Don't you dare thank me! I don't deserve it!!!" she howled, clenched her hands into fists before breaking down into a fresh tirade of sobs and screams, tears streaming from her red eyes.
Artemis took his face in her hands, lifting it to look at her. He looked into her blood red eyes, and felt sadness stab at his heart.
Her eyes...they will never be the same again. Her beautiful blue eyes are gone forever...just like her.
"Stop blaming yourself for something that you could never have hoped to change. You need to learn to forgive,"
Holly stood to the side, watching them. Her mismatched eyes were sad and serious, her heart going out to the life that had been lost. Then a desperate hope bloomed in her heart, and her wings burst into life on her back, fluttering happily at the chance take flight.
The elf shot into the air, doing a graceful loop before shooting off into the night, racing towards the gym as fast as her wings would go, leaving Artemis behind to comfort the despairing vampire.
"I-I...will never forgive myself..." Eve whispered, too low for Artemis to hear. Her body had finally run out of tears to shed, and she simply laid there, her mind numb, not even feeling the heart beating in her chest.
Finally, Eve lost consciousness, giving in to the warm, comforting darkness. Further away in the darkness of the school gym, Holly found Luke's body. His body had been stripped of clothes, leaving his once tanned skin naked to the moonlight that fell through the open window. But his skin was pale in death, and his dazzling green eyes stared blankly at the ceiling, the once ever present shine gone. A trail of blood leaked from two small puncture holes in his neck, the blood making a tiny pool just below his head. But despite all this, his lips were turned up in a smile, as if he had been happy the moment he died.
Holly sank to her knees, taking his body in her arms and hugging him, ignoring his nakedness, tears streaming down her cheek. Her shoulders shook, but no sound escaped her, the elfin captain keeping her sounds of grief trapped inside her.
Not too far away from her, a shadowy figure watched the elf, a set of red eyes watching her sadly. The figure lingered for a while, before disappearing into the darkness, retreating to go find its master.
Opal sat on the roof of the gym, her fingers tapping her knees. Her dark brown eyes watched the sky, admiring the stars, ignoring the mourning vampire that had once been her slave.
"It's a pity. She had been such a good weapon. Although, she was holding back when she fought Arty, so I doubt I had complete control over her," the pixie mussed, standing to her feet. Wings burst into life on her back, and she shot into the air, twirling in the air like an insane ball room dancer.
"I'll kill you next time, Artemis Fowl. This was not a total failure...I know now that vampires are more than willing to kill...all I need is more man power," she growled, shooting up into the atmosphere. She shot through the clouds, posing in the air like a dolphin, the starry heavens framing her sleek frame, the stars shining bright like diamonds. She arched forwards before shooting off like a tiny rocket, turning into a red blur in the heavens as she raced across the sky like a comet.
Far below, Artemis looked up at the sky, his eyes following the red comet as it raced across the sky. His mismatched eyes watched it, the red light reflecting in his hazel and blue eyes, making it look as if he was lost in a magical moment.
As the comet disappeared from sight, Artemis scowled, his eyes becoming clouded with hate and anger.
I have lost the battle...for now at least.
Finally!!!!! That felt like it took forever! As you can see, this was longer than most of my other story chapters, since I made the fight scene extra long! :P Hope you all loved it!
You are probably all wondering why I never mentioned much between the fight with Holly and Vlad. I didn't because it would have been pointless. All that really happened between them is Holly kept being beaten to a pulp. Every move she made just got countered, so it wouldn't have been very exciting. Sorry if I disappointed you all!
Also, you probably saw the hint for a sequel! Yes, there will be a sequel, since Opal is STILL out there, finding more tools with which to murder dear old Arty with. I'll try to get a sequel going ASAP! :)
I wonder if any of you have guessed who that new shadowy figure was! (grins wickedly and dances around on the spot)
This is not the last chapter, so I'll try to update ASAP! I have a lot of work on my plate, so I'll see if I can get it done soon! Just keep your fingers crossed!
Please review this chapter! I'd love to get more reviews, and I desperately want to get over 190 reviews! Please put in some effort! That beautiful green button on the bottom of your screen will not jump out the screen and eat you if you press it! It will just make me happy! But no flames please! I hate those!
Bye Bye for now! ;)