Artemis Fowl - The Lost Colony Part 23

Artemis didn't bother to look.

'Oh, yes. We have disguised our fairy friend as a child in a muumuu.'

Mister Lin frowned, and the spiral on his head moved. 'Fairy friend? Oh, really? Who are you people? Are you from Pop Art Today Pop Art Today? Is this one of Dougie Hemler's postmodernist stunts?'

'No. He's a real fairy. A demon warlock to be precise. The one behind him, flying, is an elf.'

'Flying? You tell Dougie Hemler from me that there isn't a chance in...' Then he spotted Holly hovering over No1's head. 'Oh!'

'Oh!' agreed Artemis. 'That's a fair reaction. Now, can we go in? It's extremely important.'

'Are you going to ruin the exhibition?'

'Probably,' Artemis admitted.

Mister Lin's lip quivered as he spoke. 'Then I can't let you in.'

Holly darted forward, collapsing her helmet visor.

'I think you can let us in,' she said, her voice layered with magic. 'Because these three humans are your oldest friends. You invited them for a sneak preview.'

'And what about you two?'

'Don't worry about us. We're not even here. We're just inspiration for your next exhibition. So why don't you buzz us all in.'

Mister Lin flapped a hand at Holly. 'Why would I worry about you? You're not even here. Just some silly idea flying round my head. As for you three guys, I am so so glad you could make it.' glad you could make it.'

'You don't need to video us,' prompted Holly. 'Why don't you shut down the gallery cameras?'

'I'll just switch off the gallery cameras give you guys a little privacy.'

'Good idea.'

The curator had turned his attention to the pile of posters on his desk before the security door closed behind Artemis and his group.

The exhibition hall was ultra-modern, with dark wooden floors and slatted blinds. The walls were hung with photographs giant blow-ups of the dancing figures in the centre of the room. The figures themselves were raised on a dais, to make their detail easier to view. There were so many spotlights on them that there was barely a shadow on the stone.

No1 absently pulled off his bonnet, approaching the exhibit in a daze, as though he had been mesmerized and not the curator.

He climbed on to the dais, stroking the stone skin of the first figure.

'Warlocks,' he whispered. 'Brothers.'

The sculpture was beautiful in its detail, and yet horrific in its subject matter. It consisted of four creatures, ranged in a broken semicircle, in the act of dancing or recoiling from something. They were small squat fairies, like No1, with thrusting jaws, barrel chests and stumpy tails. Their bodies, limbs and foreheads were covered with swirling runes. The demons were all holding hands, and the fourth held on to the severed hand of the next in line.

'The circle was broken,' said No1. 'Something went wrong.'

Artemis climbed on to the dais beside him. 'Can you bring them back?'

'Bring them back?' said No1, startled.

'From what I know of the gargoyle's touch, it can transform living things to stone and back again. You have the touch can you use it?'

No1 rubbed his palms nervously. 'I may have the touch. You know, maybe maybe, and that's a big maybe. I turned a wooden skewer to stone, at least I think it was stone. Maybe it was just coated with ash. I was under a lot of pressure. Everybody was watching. You know how it is; maybe you don't. How many of you have even been in imp school? None, right?'

Artemis gripped his shoulder. 'You're babbling, Number One. You need to concentrate.'

'Yes. Of course. Concentrate. Focus. Think.'

'Good. Now, see if you can bring them back. It's the only way to save Hybras.'

Holly shook her head. 'Way to keep the pressure off, genius.'

Minerva was circling the exhibit in a daze not unlike her former captive's.

'These statues are are actual demons. They have been among us all this time. I should have seen it, but Abbot looked nothing like this.' actual demons. They have been among us all this time. I should have seen it, but Abbot looked nothing like this.'

Holly landed beside the girl, up close.

'There are entire species that you know nothing about. You almost helped to wipe out one of them. You were lucky; if that had had happened, a dozen Artemis Fowls would not have been enough to rescue you from the fairy police.' happened, a dozen Artemis Fowls would not have been enough to rescue you from the fairy police.'

'I see. I said sorry already. Can we move on?'

Holly frowned at her. 'Glad to see you've forgiven yourself so quickly.'

'Harbouring feelings of guilt can have a negative effect on mental health.'

'Child geniuses,' growled Holly.

'Genii,' said Minerva.

On the dais, No1 was laying hands on one of the petrified demons.

'So, back in Hybras. I just kind of held the skewer and got excited, then it started. I wasn't trying to turn it into stone.'

'Could you get excited now?' asked Artemis.

'What? Just like that? I don't know. I feel a bit sick, to be honest. I think the muumuu is giving me a headache. It really is bright.'

'Maybe if Butler gave you a fright?'

'It's not the same thing. I need some real pressure. I know Mister Butler wouldn't actually kill me.'

'I wouldn't be too sure.'

'Oh, ha ha. You're a rum one, Artemis Fowl. I can see I'm going to have to stay on my toes around you.'

Butler was checking his pistol when he heard noises in the corridor. He ran to the security door and peered out through the small rectangle of toughened gla.s.s.

'We've got company,' he declared, c.o.c.king his pistol. 'Kong found us.'

The bodyguard put a single round into the electronic lock, frying the chip and sealing the door.

'It's not going to take them long to open that door. We need to wake up those demons and get out of here. Now!'

Artemis squeezed No1's shoulder, nodding at the security door.

'That enough pressure for you?'

On the other side of the security door Kong and his men were halted by the sight of a smoking keypad.

'Dammit,' swore Kong. 'He busted the lock. We're going to have to shoot our way in. There's no time for planning. Don, you have the case?'

Don held up the suitcase. 'Right here.'

'Good. If by some miracle there is a demon in there, clip the case on to its little wrist, good and tight. I don't want to miss another chance.'

'Will do. We have grenades, boss. We could blow the door.'

'No,' snapped Kong. 'I need Minerva and I don't want her injured. Anyone hurts her, I hurt them. Understood?'

Everybody understood. Nothing complicated about it.

Inside the gallery, Artemis was getting a little anxious. He had hoped that Kong would leave the building immediately, but the hit man must have spotted one of the exhibition posters in the elevator and come to the same conclusion that Artemis himself had.

'Anything?' he asked No1, who was vaguely rubbing a statue's arm.

'Not yet. I'm trying.'

Artemis patted his shoulder. 'Try a little harder. I have no desire to get involved in a firefight in a high-rise building. At the very least we would all end up in a Taiwanese prison.'

OK, thought No1. Concentrate. Reach into the stone Concentrate. Reach into the stone.

He held the stone warlock's finger tightly and tried to feel something. From the little he knew about warlocks, he guessed that this was probably Qwan, the elder magician. The stone figure's head was circled by a simple band with a spiral motif at the front the sign of leaders.h.i.+p.

How terrible it must have been, No1 reflected. To see your home dematerialize and be left behind. To know it was all your own fault To see your home dematerialize and be left behind. To know it was all your own fault.

It was not my fault! snapped a voice in N snapped a voice in No1's head. It was that stupid demon N'zall. Now are you going to get me out of here or not? It was that stupid demon N'zall. Now are you going to get me out of here or not?

No1 almost fainted. His breath came in short explosive gasps and his heart seemed to hike upwards in his chest.

Come on, young warlock. Release me! I have been waiting for a long, long time.

The voice, the presence, was inside the sculpture. It was Qwan.

Of course it's Qwan. You're holding my hand. Who did you think it was? You're not a simpleton, are you? Just my luck. Wait ten thousand years and then a simpleton turns up ten thousand years and then a simpleton turns up.

'I am not a simpleton!' blurted No1.

'Of course not,'said Artemis encouragingly. 'Just do your best. I will instruct Butler to hold Kong back for as long as he can.'

No1 bit his lip and nodded. If he spoke aloud, it could get confusing. And this situation was confusing enough without him adding to it.

He would try thought-power. Qwan was speaking in his mind; maybe it would work the other way.

Of course it works! Qwan sent. Qwan sent. And what is all that nonsense about cooked food? Just release me from this prison And what is all that nonsense about cooked food? Just release me from this prison.

No1 winced, trying mentally to black out his dreams of a cooked banquet.

I don't know how to set you free, he thought. I don't know if I can I don't know if I can.

Of course you can, responded Qwan. You have enough magic in you to teach a troll to play an instrument. Just let it out You have enough magic in you to teach a troll to play an instrument. Just let it out.

How? I have no idea how.

Qwan was silent for a moment, while he took a quick peek into No1's memories.

Oh, I see. You are a complete novice. No training of any kind. Just as well really. Without expert tuition you could have blown up half of Hybras. Very well, I will give you a little nudge in the right direction. I can't do much from here, but maybe I can get your power flowing. It will get easier after this. Once you have been in contact with a warlock, some of his knowledge is pa.s.sed on to you.

No1 could have sworn that the stone fingers round his own tightened a fraction, but that could just have been his imagination. What was definitely not in his imagination was the sudden feeling of cold loss that sped along his arm. As though life itself were being sucked from him.

Don't worry, young warlock. I'm simply siphoning off a little magic to get the sparks running. It feels terrible, but that will not last.

It did feel terrible. No1 imagined that dying piece by piece would feel something like this, which in a way was what was happening. And in such a situation the body will try to defend itself by seeing off the intruder. The magic that had lain dormant inside No1 until recently suddenly exploded in his brain and gave chase to the invader.

To No1 it felt as though he suddenly had an entire new spectrum of vision. He had been blind before, but now he could see through walls. Of course, it was not really some kind of super-vision, it was an understanding of his own abilities. The magic flowed through him like liquid fire, chasing impurities out through his pores. Venting steam through his orifices and setting the runes on his body aglow.

Good lad, sent Qwan. Now let it go. Chase me out Now let it go. Chase me out.

No1 found that he was able to do exactly that to control the magical flow. He sent it after Qwan's tendril, through his own fingers and into Qwan's. The dead feeling was replaced by a buzzing of power. He began to vibrate, and so did the statue, shedding wafers of stone like a dead snakeskin. The old warlock's fingers were solid no more, but living, breathing skin. They held on to No1 tightly, keeping the connection solid.

That's it, lad. You're doing it.

I am doing it, thought No1 incredulously. This is really happening This is really happening.

Artemis and Holly looked on in amazement as the magic spread through Qwan's body, sloughing the stone from his limbs with pistol-shot cracks and orange flame. Life claimed Qwan's hand, then his arm, then his torso. Stone fell from his chin and mouth, allowing the warlock to heave his first breath in ten millennia. Bright blue eyes squinted against the light and shut tightly. And still the magic ran on, blasting every last shard of stone from Qwan's body, but there it stopped. When the sparks of No1's power reached the next warlock in line, they simply fizzled and died.

'What about the others?' asked No1. Surely he could free them too.

Qwan hacked and coughed for several moments before he answered.

'Dead,' he said, then collapsed in the rubble.

On the other side of the gallery security door, Kong was emptying a third clip from his machine pistol into the keypad.

'The door won't hold much longer,' said Butler. 'Any second now.'