The Salzspeicher is a real place, and General Cockburn was also the real commander during the Burning of Washington. Not particularly important, but I found it interesting. If he was wasn't important, my inner child would be sniggering at his name.
Mack
"I've held on too long just to let it go now, will my inner strength get me through it somehow? Defying the curse that has taken hold"
The Curse by Disturbed
The biggest populations of Lycans appear to be European, mostly in the Germanic areas – where most of the beasts herald. Ireland has the least amount of Lycans throughout it's history, and the ones who did reside in Eire were notorious pro-fairy. Over the years, the British and Irish born wolves have become some of the most passive, some even offering services to LEP! The most prominent of these is the British royal family, which have had the curse since King Henry VI.
Excerpt from The Complete Works of Wolfenkindby Dr. K. Kopple.
24th August 1814, Washington D.C, USA
"Rule Britannia!" The chorus of victory sang true amongst British soldiers. The American capital was burning under the glories of the Union Jack.
"Captain Dunkeld sir!"
Captain Leviticus Dunkeld was on of the youngest captains in the Royal army, and only managed to join the raiding party after convincing the Bermuda garrison to lend some troopers to Commander Cockburn.
He was in his mid-twenties, and had a look of authority despite his youth. A soft stubble grew around his jaw, showing the hours he put in. The young captain was an amazing tactician, and had been placed in Bermuda after the Peninsula war.
While he had wanted to help finish off the French tide, the American scourge was just as good.
"Back to the ships men! Before the bastards realise what happened!" He shouted. A chorus of cheers and they were off.
Before they could react, a shot was fired from one the houses, hitting one of the Bermuda soldiers in the torso.
"Get down!" Dunkeld shouted, but not before he was grabbed by unknown parties.
Artemis Fowl the first was in a jovial mood.
The ex-crimelord practically skipped through the huge manor. He felt alive since his transformation. He had a lovely wife, his eldest son would be finishing his therapy within the week and his two youngest were building an unnecessary complex structure out of Lego and electrical parts.
Pouring some juice into a triplet of glasses, he hummed to himself, marvelling at the changes he had gone through.
An Irish folk tune broke out and startled the millionaire. My phone?
Checking the caller ID, he was wary. He answered it after he let it ring for a moment.
"Hello...?" He asked.
"Senior, is it true you've gone clean?" Laughed the caller, his Scottish brogue heavy. Drunk.
"Yes." Artemis Senior pinched his nose, "I'm focussing on my family now..."
Another drunk laugh, "Good for you my little leprechaun!" He was shouting down the phone, with a loud guffaw after every sentence.
Artemis simply sighed, he had spoke to some of his old... associates, but this man was one of the leaders of the Union of British Assassins. He had been waiting the call of some of his less... agreeable employees and the UBA had earned a decent wage from the Fowl Empire.
"Five years since we last spoke!" The Scot guffawed, "We need to meet up again!"
Artemis paled. The UBA weren't the most... sociable group, and they weren't the type of people to sit down for tea.
"I'm sorry... tell Gardner I'm sorry... people leave this business all the time..." He was starting to worry... the UBA killed people for less...
"Calm my friend," His voice softened, to that of someone who seemed to care, "I disbanded the group..."
A moment passed and Artemis released a breath he did not realise he was holding. After hearing his breath, Leviticus guffawed again. "We would never have hurt your family my friend, you helped us when no one else would."
Artemis blanched and he didn't realise what came out of his mouth, "You were the cheapest..."
Instead of been insulted, Levi laughed again, "It's a tough market, but Butler is much better than any of the bloods we had!"
For the first time in the conservation, Artemis smiled, "I'm sorry my friend, Butler isn't even paid anymore..."
A short silence, and then another bout of laughter, "How could we compete with that?!"
Even Artemis allowed himself a little chuckle. And a sarcastic Levi jumped at the opportunity, "Laughter, Fowl? You have changed." After a loud guffaw, even Artemis laughed.
After a few moments, Artemis spoke, "Do you really want to meet up again... It won't be like old times..."
A snort came from the end of the line, "Believe it or not, I wanted you to help me on the right path..."
Artemis laughed despite himself, and there was another indignant snort. "Fuck you, I'm being serious."
"Fine," chuckled Artemis, "Bring, what was her name? Katie? Kattee?"
"Are you being serious? Cougar Katie? Once again fuck you." Levi's voice was layered with sarcasm.
Another laugh from Artemis, "My son just got back from... a school trip on Friday so I won't much time... What about next week?"
"I'll be on the earliest Ferry, shit have I got news for you."
"Such as?"
"The reason I'm going clean, for one." With a final guffaw, he finished, "I'm in a rush, I'll see you soon Artemis, and thanks."
The beeps of the hung up line made Artemis smile. After he came back from Russia, he had very few friends left amongst the people you used to have business with. Levi was one, although he didn't get drunk often, but when he did, he got plastered. It must have been a huge leap for the young assassin to suddenly want to go legal.
Artemis knew why he had got in touch. The Fowl Empire had plenty of legal contacts, and plenty of clout with those contacts. If anyone could help Levi, it was Artemis the first, and he was determined to save this man.
Artemis put his phone down, and strolled back towards the twins. He wasn't surprised to a working scaled lighthouse.
"Who wants drinks?" He asked.
3rd January 2013, The Salzspeicher, Lübeck, Germany
Levi sat on his customary beam. The last times he was here, Gardner practically declared war on Fairykind. Levi wasn't entirely sure how he felt about that.
Sure, he thought, fairies have the potential to be much more dangerous than humans... just look back at the Christmas fiasco...
Nick 'the Ravager' Gardner refused to accept blame for his father death, despite the fact it was his recklessness that got him killed in the first place. Then it was the summary execution of the young elf who killed him that was planned. And since Levi hadn't killed or captured the poor lass, the spoilt brat blamed me.
That thought alone gave him a sharp pain in his brain. This brought him back to why he couldn't kill the girl. I need to speak to someone who knows more about our magical restraints. Wolfenkind had long since accepted that it was not the gods who gave them this curse, and that it was the fault of a magical being.
And even they had their own laws, or hexes, that prevented them from doing certain shit like breaking into houses...
"Suscipiat amici mei, and welcome to our gathering, I trust everyone is fed?"
The young wolf copied his father down to his confident snarl. The range of howling was already deafening.
Levi could not help his snarl. They had transformed already. Like beasts. Rud would not have tolerated it. The only reason Levi stayed in Wolf form was for his heightened senses.
"This may come as shock... or it may not... My father is dead." You could hear a rabbit in this silence.
The young wolf glanced at Levi's position, although he doubted he could be seen. "After beating him in single combat, I am the new Alpha!"
The howling was much quieter now. Nick had few friends amongst some of the elders, and his loyalists were mainly in the newer recruits.
A single voice broke out, "Do you have a witness?"
The young Alpha looked towards Levi's position again. Levi hoped he was invisible, simply to hide his shock at what the youngster was doing.
"Be quiet."
"Sacrilege! Without a witness-" He cut himself off with his own howls of pain. Any onlooker would realise that only an Alpha would cause the brain numbing pain at a disobeyed order.
"My friends... the fairy menace will end by the end of the year." They had all learnt of the Christmas disaster, but Levi had not mentioned that a fairy had killed their former leader due to the wishes of a grieving son. He didn't want to make his father seem weak. Levi felt his own anger rising at been tricked.
"With our greatest planners, we will slaughter the leaders of the Earth people!" A chorus of roars, mainly form the younger wolves, but a few elders who believed his lies also roared.
Levi snarled with the crowd, but not with them. He snarled at them.
"What is it Foaly? I'm at the clinic babysitting Artemis." Holly smirked at the paled teen.
"I'm sorry Holly, but this is urgent, I need you and the Mud Boy in the police plaza now." Foaly's voice sounded strained.
"That's not how it works Foaly, consultants do not give orders to captains." She said with another smirk. Foaly would shut down the entirety of Haven if the word 'fairy' was written in a book.
"Lycans are on the move. We got them on a live feed." Countered the Centaur.
"D'Arvit, we're on our way." Holly cut the connection and turned to Artemis who had a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Lycans? As in Werewolves?" He asked, raising an eyebrow.
"This isn't a joke Artemis." Artemis took note of how she paled. "Lycans are dangerous and have recently become active."
She turned to walk out of the Clinic, but Artemis put a hand on her shoulder. "What happened..."
"They almost killed me and Kelp on Christmas, you've been out of the loop-"
"You mean the Christmas Disaster was done by these Lycans?" Interrupted Butler. "It had been all over the news, but it was said to be a pack of bears or wolves..."
"Yeah, almost two hundred dead." Holly said soberly.
"Short, where are you?" Commander Kelp shouted.
"I'm here." She said. Kelp could not help but find her determined look sexy, but he knew that this was not the time to ogle.
"Foaly, big screen." He ordered.
"Done Trouble." Replied Foaly.
"As the screen loaded the images, Holly glanced at Trouble. He was best friends with Captain Orland, 'Speed' and 'Trouble'. He had a personal vendetta against the Lycans. Like when Opal killed Julius...
Her heart lurched at the thought of her mentor. But she felt a soft hand on her shoulder, Artemis.
Before she could read into it, the Lycans were on screen.
It was small group, half a dozen wolves. However, it was the small, more coordinated groups that they worried about the most. The victory at Christmas was much attributed to the bloodlust of the wolves than to any particular part on the elves.
The group stopped at a clearing. And to everyone's surprise, there where another six wolves waiting for them.
"What is this?" Said Foaly, his voice sounding empty with the lack of insult or sarcasm.
"Can we amplify the sound?" Asked Kelp.
"Sure thing Trouble..." The growls were heard instantly.
Trouble's eyes narrowed at the sight of the silver wolf leading the group who been under surveillance. The bastard who got my leg.
Holly, however, focussed her eyes on the leader of the other pack. With black fur and silver streaks.
The silver wolf spoke first. "I knew I couldn't trust you Silver Stride." He spat the name.
"I did not lie about the death of my father – Ravager." The black wolf replied, with equal vehemence.
"Calm Silver Stride, Ravager we can solve this dispute." Spoke one of the group behind Silver Stride.
"There is nothing to solve Knight Wing" Spat Ravager, "Levi is lying."
Another wolf, a dull silver wolf spoke up next, "If he were lying then he would be in pain, would he not?"
The next action was instantaneous. In a fluid moment, Ravager decapitated the dulled wolf, his blood covering both parties. In seconds the simple rhetoric had turned into a gore filled battle.
The one called Knight Wing leaped at two of the young wolves behind the shiny silver coated wolf. The first did stand a chance as his legs were removed, but the second took Knight Wing's head.
The others battled it out, but the LEP were focussing on the battle in the middle of the clearing.
The pure silver Lycan, Ravager, and the wolf with the black and silver streaked coat, Silver Stride, fought with skill few had been privy too.
Ravager had natural talent, while Silver Stride had experience. Both used their claws like swords of old, and the sharp scraping noise forced many of the LEP to cover their ears.
Silver Stride used his claws like a rapier, parrying and going for quick strikes. Unfortunately, the much stronger Ravager used his claws more like a two-handed cleaver. The battle was clear as soon as the last of Silver Stride's allies died. Only two of Ravager's supporters where alive, but they did not join the fight.
The battle continued for minutes that felt like hours, and it wasn't until Ravager got a lucky hit on Silver Stride's arm, making his cry in pain.
To his credit, he did not panic, and allowed Ravager to go in for a final strike, only to find that Silver Stride was no longer there. In a fluid movement, he moved to throw the two young bloods at their leader before sprinting into the forests.
Before the young bloods could take chase, Ravager spoke up, "Leave him. He has no allies now, he has nothing to come back too."
"Follow the black one!" Shouted Kelp, being knocked out of his silence. The room became loud again as people bustled about.
"Got him!" Shouted one of the techies.
"Keep an eye on Ravager, but put on... what was it? Silver Stride? On the big screen."
"Aye aye sir."
"Where is this happening?" Holly asked.
Foaly clicked something and a mini-map appeared in the corner of the screen. "It's logged as Belgium, but due to the Scottish accent he had, I bet he's headed to Calais."
"Is he being followed?" She asked.
"Negative, no other sentient life signals in almost a mile radius now..."
"Could we follow him until he becomes human and identify him like that?" Holly asked, running her hand through her now sweaty hair.
"He's the one who kill Speed..." They all turned to Kelp. Holly put a friendly hand on his shoulder but he ignored her. "I want a retrieval squad ready in 5, Foaly, keep an eye on this bastard."
Butler's Gnommish wasn't the best, but he recognised signs of soldiers preparing for battle, "They aren't serious..." He asked in english.
Artemis gave him a grave look, "He's on his own, its much better odds than the other one. Plus he's wounded."
"He still managed to throw the other two... that shows endurance..."
"LEP's finest will solve this problem, don't worry my friend."
Holly grabbed a helmet, shit, Artemis, she ran over to him and punched his shoulder, "I have to go."
He waved her off, "Do your job Holly, Butler," He said, turning to his manservant, "Shall we go?"
"Home? You mother has a surprise ready..."
"Surprises? Mother? Really?" Butler simply smiled at the young Fowl.
The first Lycan Civil War was known to the humans as the War of the Roses. As King Henry VI was the first major Lycan leader, Richard of York however was strictly against the Lycan race, and sought to 'remove the scourge'. Unbeknownst to him, his closest ally, Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick was also a werewolf, disillusioned with the King's leadership. The war was eventually won by Henry VII, a Lycan, who tainted the York family after he married Elizabeth of York.
The death of much of the English nobility removed many Lycans as well those under the duke's sway, this had the ramifications of the rise of the merchant class, which had a distinct lack of Lycan blood. Many faeries agree that this a benefit, many Lycans also agree, due to long lived nobles having the trait of been noticed. Modern wolfen nobles 'retire' to keep Lyncanthropy secret from the rash humans. These nobles tend to help the younger wolves control themselves, or at least take an elder-like role.
Excerpt from The Complete Works of Wolfenkindby Dr. K. Kopple.
"Surprise honey!" Shouted Angeline Fowl, turning on the large room's lights. Artemis I laughed with his wife, and the young twins, Myles and Beckett stood smiling, at least Beckett did. Myles simply stood impassively, waiting to be able to go back to his science.
"Welcome back son!" Said Artemis I, putting his hands his son's shoulders.
Artemis II was not impressed. While he happy to see that his family was warm and happy, he was not fond of this warmth being projected onto himself. Butler's amused glances were not helping his mood.
"Mother, Father, yes, I am now cured of my condition, and I have -"
His arguments went on unheard, or at least ignored, as his mother dragged him to the kitchen.
Artemis and his bodyguard arrived back at Fowl manor about an hour after the Lycan fight. Foaly had promised to tell him when the creature had been apprehended, but Artemis reckoned he would check the updates live. Of course, this plan involved his family leaving him alone, which was not going to happen.
After baring almost an hour with his family, he found himself feeling.. What? Happiness? Butler noticed it too, Artemis did not smile. But he did it more so with his family, and he noticed his charge becoming more and sociable. Butler smiled at the change.
So did Artemis I. While his son didn't laugh heartily, he did laugh without looking pained. I have so much to make up for...
The Irish jig of his phone went off, earning him from his wife. He apologized and stumbled out to his office.
He answered the phone, forgetting to check the ID. "Hello?"
"Fowl, I'd hate to overstep my bounds, but is it a bad time?" The scottish accent was thick, but Levi's voice was rasping.
"Erm, a little bit, but... what do you need?" Artemis decided to use his business voice to talk to his old associate. An old assassin did not call and sound like they were in pain without needing some assistance.
"A car, and I can give it back when I come and visit my old friend." He tried to chuckle, but a fit of coughing stopped him.
Artemis sighed, "What happened to going clean Levi..."
"Heh, turns out I don't get redundancy pay..." Another fit of coughing, "At least, the new boss doesn't take kindly to asking..."
Artemis smiled. "Where are you?"
"I'm on a Lorry in the middle of the channel tunnel..."
Artemis pinched the bridge of his nose, but Levi spoke again, "If you happen to have a spare helicopter, that would do nicely..."
Artemis chuckled dryly, "I'll have someone come and get you within the hour."
"Much appreci- shit I have to go, make sure your man likes to speed." And he cut off, leaving Artemis wondering if he should be regretting his decision.
Levi ran from the battle and did not stop until he could no longer feel his legs. Lycans had impressive stamina, but even they felt pain after blood loss.
By the time he relaxed, he was already human again. The process was painless, but his arm hung limb from his body and he collapse at the base of a tree. Darkness took him in nanoseconds.
Lycan bodies heal faster than humans, with a weeks rest, they can regenerate much of their blood. Levi slept for mere minutes, but it was enough to give him a small energy boost and to stem the blood flow from his arm. It hadn't sealed however, and it bled as he tried to stand.
The distinct sound of vibrations coming in made Levi panic. Fairies. He had no particular grudge against the little creatures, but he hadn't exactly made friendly with them either.
His body ached, and it strained as he forced himself to run. I can hitch a ride back to Britain...an explosion just in front of him almost tripped him. He afforded a glance behind him, to see at least three unshielded fairies firing at him. He recognised the commander from the Christmas attack and he blanched. He could still hear at least a dozen others however.
He wouldn't be captured alive.
He changed his tactics to running in front of trees as much as he could, and he was thankful of his jumpsuit. The biggest problem with transforming was the loss of clothes. During World War 2, someone invented a jumpsuit that would morph with the skin, which was celebrated throughout the Lycan community.
Another shot hit his bad arm, actually cauterising parts of the laceration. That was nothing compared to burning pain, but Levi was nothing but pragmatic. With blood loss problem lessened in importance, the biggest worry was, well, the murderous magic beings shooting at him. To emphasise this point, a shot exploded a tree that was about to be dodged, sending it tumbling down in front of the werewolf.
"Get him Short!" Shouted the fairy commander, and another fairy unshielded to fly towards him.
Instead of slowing, as the fairies expected him to, he sped up, sliding under the tree the moment before it hit the ground.
Levi did not count this as a win. Instead of hiding, he pushed himself off of the ground and ran towards the sounds of cars.
After the huge crash of the tree, he could only hear his footsteps. Moments later, he heard a shielded fairy. And it was fast.
I'm not going to reach the roads before he gets to me. Levi glance around. There were no trees anymore, just a short plain before the motorway. I get to there, and they won't risk being seen. He decided to run.
Seconds later, another blast hit where his foot would have went, but instead of sturdy ground, his foot clipped of off the edge of this new hole, sending the Lycan tumbling forwards.
He cried out in pain as he hit the ground. He rolled onto his arm, but it put pressure on his injured arm, making his cry out again.
Face in ground, his nose now broken, he found that his entire body was writhing in pure agony.
The elf landed with a dull thud next to his head. Levi could hear his, no, her rasping breath. At least I gave her a good chase. Bullet in my skull, and it's over, huh, guess I won't get to my old friend.
"Can you stand?"
The question took him off guard, but the voice was familiar. "Don't torture me Elf, just do it and be done." Levi growled.
Instead of darkness, she put a hand on his head, "Get up."
"Fuck y-" A sharp stabbing pain in his head overtook any pain he had in either his arm or his nose. This pain forgotten, he grabbed his head, and stumbled onto his feet.
As the mysterious pain subsided, he glared at the elf. She had her helmet down, so in the darkness it would look mirrored, to Levi's improved eyesight he could see her mismatched hazel and blue eyes twinkling with indecision.
The lass was disobeying orders for... what? "What do you want?" He snarled.
She frowned and looked away, "You didn't kill me, I'm repaying the debt."
"I couldn't kill you!" He snarled, "I wanted nothing less!" He swung his good arm towards her, but once again, the mysterious brain-pain crippled him.
"What is that?!" She cried, "You did that back in Texas!" Her eyes were wide now, not with fear though.
"Order me to do something." He stated. Let's see if Aegis's theory was right...
"What? You need to get out of here before Kelp finds out what I've done!" She cried, waving her arms about in a comedic fashion.
"Order me to."
"Run, now!" She shouted.
The Lycan shoot impassively for a moment, "No."
A wave of pain took him before he began to run. He gave the elf a final glance, a look confused acceptance, while she gave him that said 'Get the fuck out of here!' He nodded his thanks and ran.
I'm gonna need a lift.
It took almost an hour find a suitable lorry to hide in, and Levi decided to ring Artemis I to get help. The man was openly suspicious and Levi didn't blame him. He'd only recently called up to ask for help going clean, and then to ring up asking for some help with something that sounded fishy?
However, before he could give Artemis more details, the distinct sound of shielded fairies surrounded the lorry. Levi chastised himself, they can see my heat. Giving his old friend a quick goodbye, he hung the phone stood.
Three fairies uncloaked in front of him. He recognised the commander, Kelp, as the lass told me, but the two others he didn't know the others. He could not hear any others, but all three had their weapons drawn.
"You might have been able to run from Short, but you won't be able to run any more." Spoke the Commander, his face twisted into an evil sneer. Short? I have a name.
"Ah yes, Short, but please, don't insult me Commander, don't send a woman to do a man's duty." He spoke, voice oozing with sarcasm. He had no particular opinion on gender equality, although he needed to find a vice, or he would not leave this encounter alive.
The Commander did not appear phased, but Levi noticed a slight twitch in his eye at the mention of the girl's name. Lovers perhaps? "You killed my friend..." He raised his gun towards Levi, as did the elves on his flank.
So this is how it ends? I have nothing left to loose. Levi laughed. "A blaze of glory my friend, hopefully your bitch won't be able to see how manly you are."
Kelp's sneer twisted even more, "Leave her out of this!" He snarled. Perhaps a one way lover? Levi returned the snarl.
"She's as much as this as you are!" He slammed his fist onto the nearest cargo box, "How would she feel if she knew her knight in shinning armour killed an injured prisoner."
Kelp's gun wavered, but his partners' guns stayed level. "Orders, sir?"
The Commander knew Levi was right, and his sneer only got worse, "You're own kind doesn't even want you, the cruellest thing I could do is leave you alive, for both you and everyone else." He snarled, and turned. The last sight Levi got was of the trooper that hadn't spoke, was a sympathetic look that made him snarl.
Minutes after the vibrations disappeared from Levi's eyes, he slumped to the ground, and he let the darkness take him.
"Your kind doesn't even want you"