Artemis Fowl: A Call for Help

Chapter 17

Outside of Tara, Ireland
Artemis awoke to the sounds of moaning. All around him, his friends were pushing themselves up from the ground. Holly was still lying on the ground, blue sparks targeting the most serious wounds. Butler was standing among them all, on high alert. Trouble was leaning against the wall, blinking.
Opal's magic was dark magic, so it had less healing power. She was alive, but the wound would take days to heal so that she could move.
Holly sat up, and leaned against the wall for support. Artemis ran to her side.
"Are you all right?" Artemis asked, concern etched on his face.
"Yeah, I think so." Holly said. "I can feel my limbs now, so that's good."
Artemis smiled. "Yes that is good."
"How did you kill her?" Holly asked. "After you yelled to her, I passed out. So I didn't see what happened."
"Well, it is a little bit funny, actually. I realized that electricity fueled her powers, so I knew Butler's gun was the only one that could kill her." Artemis said. "So, I got her attention and shot. Luckily, the bullet hit her. After that, I got slammed into the wall and she plummeted twenty feet back to the ground."
"Wow." Holly said. "Once again, Artemis Fowl saves the day."
She said this affectionately. She smiled at him.
"You saved my life. And theirs." Holly said, gesturing to the rest of the group. "Without you, I would have been dead along time ago. I owe you my life."
"That's not true. You have saved me on countless ocassions." Artemis said. "I would say it is pretty even."
"Okay." Holly agreed.
Holly moved closer to Artemis. He put an arm around her shoulders, pulling her into him.
She leaned against him and together they looked around the at the scene.
It was beautiful, like something off of a postcard. Trees were scattered around them, with a warm breeze rustling the leaves. A small stream wound through the undergrowth, housing frogs that would jump off the bank and into the stream every so often. It was late spring, so flowers were blooming everywhere. Birds flew from tree to tree, singing a merry tune.
If it weren't for the situation at hand, they probably could have relaxed.
Once again a barely audible voice carried through the air. "Help me."
It came from the house that was a few hundred feet away. The wall devided a section of land that was still a forest area, (where they were now) and a residential area. Jade lived in the house past the fence, where they had seen the creature.
"We need to help her." Holly said, standing up and checking her gun.
"Yes." Artemis said, rising. "That is what we came here to do."
Holly walked over to the rest of the group. "Trouble, put Opal in cuffs. Gag her while you're at it. We can put her up in a tree so nobody will spot her."
"Sure." Trouble said, jogging out to Opal.
"The rest of us need to get ready for another battle. That thing is going after that girl, and we need to stop it."