Artemis Fowl II

I  watch as Hermione and Draco walk off into the woods together. She still denies it, but I know she has feelings for him. I think she's trying to protect them both. After all, only one person is coming out of this arena alive.

"Hey, Arty," sighs Holly, coming up behind me. She sits down on the log next to me. 

"Hay is for horses," I reply. 

She smiles. "I'm glad you're still joking."

"Are you okay?" I ask. "You've seemed sort of down today."

Holly shakes her head. "You know me too well."

"So is that a yes?"

"Is anyone really okay? This alliance seems smart right now, but all it's going to do in the end is make it harder to kill each other."

I scoff. "Like I could use a weapon if my life depended on it."

My friend smirks. "That's why we're a team. You're the brains, I'm the brawn."

"Butler's the brawn, really. Or, he was."

"I'm sorry about Butler, Arty."

Normally I would object to anyone but my parents calling me Arty, but this is Holly. There's something about the way she says it. So caring and affectionate. Almost as if....

No. It just isn't possible. I will not believe it.

I turn to face her. "I know we're all suffering here, Holly. But you're not yourself."

She meets my eyes, and I am shocked to see tears in hers. "You wouldn't be yourself either, if you had to...." Holly's voice falters. 

"Tell me, Holly. You know you can talk to me."

She shakes her head. "I can't, Arty. I can't."

"Please, Holly. I want you to be happy. I want it more than anything."

She stares at me. "Do you mean that?"

"Of course."

Holly leans towards me, and her lips meet mine. I hesitate, unsure of what to do. But it feels right. Not even stopping to consider the consequences, I kiss her back. 

Suddenly, she pulls away. We stare at each other, neither one of us knowing what to say.

It hits us both at the same time; I can see it in her eyes. The memories. Everything. 

How I kidnapped her. How we worked together against Opal Koboi, Jon Spiro, and D'Nall. How I tricked her into going back in time with me to save Jay Jay. Our kiss at Rathdown Park. How I told her the truth, and everything changed. She hated me, not just because I lied to her. She hated how the fact that I lied to her didn't change the way she felt about me.

Then I got the Atlantis Complex. Vinyaya died, and we were left stranded. Orion took over, and almost revealed Holly and I's secret to Foaly. I recovered just in time to be thrown up against Opal once again. I remember it all now. The battle that went on inside me during those last days. It was me or the world, and in the end I chose the world.

"You died to save everyone," Holly says quietly. 

"But I came back."

"Only Artemis Fowl could find a way to cheat death," says Holly, smiling. She has a beautiful smile.

You can't think like that, I scold myself. Not now. The stakes are too high.

"Holly...." I sigh, not knowing what else to say.

"I shouldn't have done what I just did," she says, "and I know it. But I can't keep hiding my feelings, Arty. Especially now that I remember. I love you."

Annabeth is never going to let this go. 

"I think we should leave the alliance," I say quietly.

"You're right," says Holly. "You're always right. But how?"

"I... I don't know, for once. I'll think about it. Tomorrow we can talk."

Holly nods. "Okay. Are you going to sleep now?"

"Yes," I say. "You should too."

My friend goes over to where we set down the tent and begins to unpack it. "Luke and Annabeth should be back soon," she says.

"They'll wake us up when it's our turn to keep watch," I reply. "Holly, how's your magic?"

"It's okay," she says. "I'll survive."

Holly finishes setting up the tent and climbs inside. "You coming?" she asks.

I shake my head. "I want to sleep out here tonight."

She closes the tent flap behind her. I wait a few minutes until I hear her steady breathing from inside the tent. Then I creep over to the food stash. I can't take much, because we don't have much. I slip about ten crackers into my pocket along with a small piece of cheese.

I pick up the half-full jug of water and take a few sips. Then, with one last glance at the tent where Holly sleeps, I take off into the woods.

I head for the center of the arena. I want to observe the careers. When I reach the edge of the clearing, I hide behind a bush and watch. They have two large tents set up, with all the food and supplies in a pile.

Suddenly, a hand clamps over my mouth. I struggle, but my arms are being held in place.

"Spying, are we?" The voice belongs to the boy with the silver-white hair from district 4. "Who else is with you, genius boy?"

His hand leaves my mouth for a moment. "No one knows I'm here," I say. "I'm alone."

"Are you part of an alliance?"

"I... No."

A sharp point digs into my back. "Tell the truth."

"I ran away."

"Who was in your alliance before? How many? Will they look for you?"

I know it isn't wise to lie. "Five besides me. Both from one, both from six, and the girl from my district."

"Will they try to find you?"

"Maybe."

He laughs wickedly. "Then perhaps I'll leave you alive."

I feel rough rope around my wrists. He ties my ankles as well. He props me against a tree, then jabs the blade into my chest. I cry out in pain.

He grins and retreats into the trees to wait.

Soon I hear her voice calling my name. "Artemis? Are you here?"

I want to call back to her, but it will mean her death.

Blood seeps from my chest. I will die from blood loss if  I don't bind the wound, but I cannot.

Suddenly Holly is by my side. She examines my wound. "Heal," she whispers. The magic comes from her fingertips and stitches up my wound.

"Get out-" I stammer. "It's.. a.. tr-"

My words are cut short as I see a flash behind her and watch the light leave her eyes. The silver haired boy laughs as he pulls his sword out of my friend. I barely hear the cannon go off.

"I'll leave you alive," he whispers, "just so you can suffer with knowing her death was your fault. I want you to remember something, Artemis. As strong as you think your alliance is, I am stronger. I will cut all of you down, one by one, until only I am left standing. Got it?"

I nod slowly, hoping he doesn't notice that my hands are free. He turns and walks away. I grab Holly's Neutrino from its holster and aim. I refuse to let him go free after what he has done. I pull the trigger, and the blast hits him squarely between the shoulders. The cannon goes off.

I can't bring myself to look back at my friend's limp body. Instead I flee into the woods with the boy's words on my mind. Her death was your fault.

SURPRISE!!!! So, who's mad? I will not apologize for any of this, so don't expect me to. Here's the thing- I wanted Sebastian to be defeated unexpectedly, by someone who wasn't really a good fighter but had motives. Holly's death was what gave Artemis the ability to kill Sebastian. That is all I will say. 

Also- I probably won't be able to update again until July because my parents STILL have my electronics and I will not get them back until we go on vacation in July. With school out I will not be able to tell them I'm doing "homework" on the computer, so yeah. Hope you're enjoying this story!