Artemis Fowl and the Master Experimentation

Chapter 9

Holly had just told Butler of Artemis's dream-walk to her and was now sitting in Artemis's office, hoping that this would be the place he'd return to. It was then that the call came through from Foaly. 

"Hey, Foaly," said Holly, answering the little flashing incoming call icon.

"Holly, I'm really, really sorry," said the Centaur, grief in his voice.

Holly sat up and felt her heart begin to speed up.

"Foaly, what's happened?"

"It's the tiger," he said sadly, she could imagine him shaking his head, "I'm looking into it's death now. From what I can gather it had an allergic reaction of some kind. It was spasming and thrashing around. I think they put something in its blood and it had a terrible reaction."

"Look into it further, Foaly. If the tiger died from a reaction, it's possible Artemis might- might-"

"I know, Holly," said Foaly softly, "I'm getting onto it."

And Foaly was gone. Holly relaxed back into the chair, her heart throbbing in her chest painfully. She didn't want Artemis to- to- No, she told herself, don't think like that. Artemis is strong.

"Yes," she said aloud, "but only mentally, not physically."

But perhaps that'd be enough, she decided. She closed her eyes and sighed. This was going to be a long week.

Artemis sat up and screamed, long and loud. For a moment he had forgotten when he was, who he was. He wiped the sweat from his brow and took in a deep breath, flinging his legs over the edge of the bed and standing up carefully, testing his legs. He went over the the sink, splashing water over his face.

He had been in the Void-Space, he recalled, directing himself into this building. He walked around, getting the lay of the building, trying to find himself and the way out. He found where he'd been hidden away at the very centre of the operation, there was no chance of rescue from an outside force. That's when the Void-Space had sucked him back in and he'd come face to face with one of the creatures, a Skrix. It had reached out a human-esque clawed and wrinkled hand and touched his arm, wrapping its fingers and thumb around it. Then it had dragged him through the Void-Space. They had arrived in a large cavern that dripped with water, huge stalactites rising in the dark. It was dark, but the Skrix seemed to give off a faint glow. Then the cavern had filled with other soft glows as other Skrix appeared from the gloom. Then the Skrix released his arm and he'd been dragged back through the Space and snapped back into his own body. 

"Artemis," said a voice from the doorway.

Artemis span and faced the Master, who stood proudly, hands behind his back.

"Mr. Master," he said as icily polite as possible.

"I see you almost, very almost, found yourself in another place. A terrible shame you didn't. Ah well, keep trying, won't you? It will be very valuable to us if you would. It would mean we could take back what is our right, that your kind has taken from us. Isn't it be poetic justice that mans greatest enemy is himself?"

With that he turned and left, slamming the heavy door behind himself and there was a buzz as it locked itself. Artemis sat heavily on the bed and thought through what was happening here, what was happening to him. If he went to Holly and told her what he'd found, she'd tell Foaly. Foaly would have to tell his superiors at Section Eight. They in turn would alert the Council. Artemis would then be deemed a threat to both fairy and human civilization and secrecy of the People and have to be eliminated. Could he tell them what the purpose of these experiments were and have his mothers heart broken again? No, he would keep it from them and tell them at the opportune moment, if at all. Artemis sighed and laid back on the bed, closing his eyes which were, again, heavy.

The creatures were waiting for him once again. They floated in the Void, their long fingers grasping his arms and pulling him forwards, through the darkness, into the gloom of the cave. One kept hold of him this time, leading him across the slippery floor that was a mess of smooth, warn stones. He was led to a slit in the rocks that formed the great sides of the cave, from where an eerie blue light emanated. When Artemis was led through the gap, he found himself stood before one of the most beautiful things he'd ever seen. It was a large stone, the size of a football, that glowed with a blue light, shining away the darkness in all the corners. The Skrix pointed at it, then to Artemis and spoke in a rasping voice that took Artemis a few moments to realise was speech. It talked in a primitive form of Gnomish and its deep, guttural tones made it hard to decipher.

"Fowl," it said slowly, testing the word in Gnomish, "this is powerful. It has deepest magic of all. In wrong hand, it will be danger. You have right hand to guide."

"I don't follow," said Artemis, his brow furrowing.

"Deepest magic," repeated the small, ugly creature, "you have right hand, to guide."

Before Artemis could question the creature again it released his arm and he was flung back into the Void Space and into his own body once again.

This chapter is soooo short, but I had to give you guys something, I was feeling really guilty. I hope it's up to your expectations! XXX