Magic

Butler couldn’t gather any information on their sprint. Artemis and Hermione were both fighting for breath by just running, and he wasn’t about to stop them and ask what was happening. Still, he would like to know what they were rushing into, and how he could protect Artemis. Honestly, a whole other world with a whole other kind of magic - it was enough to make a bodyguard’s head whirl but, after all, he wasn’t just anyone’s bodyguard. He was Artemis’ bodyguard and that meant being prepared for everything. 

“Butler?” a tiny voice in his ear said. “Where are you guys? We’ve got a read on him. An officer spotted him just outside a shop on Lilo Street.”

“We’re on our way,” Butler replied. “Holly, what’s going on?”

He heard a faint laugh, and then, “Apparently the Mud Man’s trying to combine the two types of magic. Or… has already combined, as the case may be.”

Butler swore softly. This was not good. He relayed the information to Artemis who, with the map of Haven practically memorized, veered off onto a different street. The two were slowing down, and, though the situation was far from funny, Butler couldn’t help but want to chuckle at the fact that his charge wasn’t the only non-athletic one anymore. 

“We’re here,” Artemis gasped, trying to keep his gulping breaths quiet. “He’s just around the corner.”

Butler peered around the corner of an enormous building and saw the man everyone had so desperately been tracking lounging in front of a cafe. He was leaning against the wall, and the dark skull tattoo on his forearm was clearly visible as he finished off a bag of crisps. He was broad-shouldered and tall, but not as tall as Butler. His thin blonde hair was cut close to his head which gave him the impression of a huge neck when, in reality, he only had a small head. He was dressed in a cloak-like jacket and jeans and he looked, Butler thought, unhappy and twisted. 

“Holly, where are you?’ Butler asked urgently.

“On the corner of Lilo and March,” Holly said, “What about you guys?”

“We’re at the crossing with Vivan,” Artemis said, then, to Butler and Hermione, “They’re on the other side of the street.” 

“What is he doing?” Hermione said curiously. “He doesn’t look like he’s up to anything bad.”

As though Rowle had waited for that cue, he stood up properly, stretched, and began to speak. His voice boomed across the street, probably magically magnified, and its message was not one Butler was happy with.

“Citizens of Haven, beware. I will kill each and every one of you and love every second. I will rid the earth of you foul plague, and when I am finished, I will burn this city to the ground,” he broke off laughing.

“He’s insane!” Hermione whispered, horrified.

“Also, rather foolish,” Artemis pointed out calmly. “Why would he announce that plan to the street? And why not the whole city?”

“You’re right, that’s weird,” Hermione stepped back thoughtfully, “If he’s going to announce his evil plan, you’d think he’d do it in a more public place, not this random cafe. Unless there were something here to draw his interest.”

“Holly?” Butler tapped his comm. “Anything special on this street that we should know about?”

“Aside from the giant bomb located in the building you’re hiding behind, no,” Holly said and, despite the attempt at a joke, Butler could hear the tension in her voice. “Butler, that bomb is there to destroy the city. It’s in case the Mud Men ever find us so we can evacuate and then destroy all traces of ourselves. But if we’re still in the city it’ll kill everyone inside it and then some.”

“It’s got to be difficult to set off, yes?” Artemis asked, his eyes closed. “Opal never tried it.”

“Well, it’s remote-controlled, so it’ll go off at the push of a very guarded button,” Holly ruminated. “But if that was missing, we’d know. Manually, it would take up his life force’s worth of magic. That’s why no fairy would attempt it.”

“What if you had double the magic?” Butler asked grimly, though he knew the answer. There was no reply. Artemis opened his eyes.

“We have to stop him from getting to the bomb.”

A new voice, one Butler recognized as Harry’s, came over the comm now.

“Got it,” he said, “So, do we all attack at once, or…?”

Butler looked at his charge, only to find an unusual expression of uncertainty there. Battle plans, while not unknown to him, were not his forte.

“I’ll go out first,” Butler decided, “I’m a big target. I’ll distract him. Then, Harry and Holly, you hit him with your magic - hopefully, that’s enough to take him down. If not, Hermione and Ron serve as a backup. Artemis, get to the bomb and protect it as best you can.”

“Butler, what if you’re hurt?” Artemis put a hand on his arm. Butler smiled down at him, trying his best to disguise his worry, though he knew his charge could see right through it. 

“Let’s hope it doesn’t come to that,” Butler said. “There’s no better idea, and you know it, Artemis.”

Artemis withdrew his hand. He did know it.

“Is everyone alright with this?” he asked, and he heard murmured approval of his plan over his comm.

“On my count,” he said, “3...2...1...GO!”

He burst out of hiding, charging down the street at the not-very intimidating figure of Thorfinn Rowle. The man turned towards him and grinned maliciously. Then two bolts of magic flew at him - one from the man’s hand and one from a stick in it. Butler managed to dodge the first but was hit by the second. A wave of excruciating pain rolled over him, and he nearly fell to the ground. He was on fire, he was dying, he was in agony, but he had a mission. He pushed through the pain. Every step was like treading over broken glass covered in chemicals, he was crawling, his joints were broken, his muscles had been torn apart, he was dragging himself forward, he vomited and the world went black.

When he came to, he found Holly and Artemis kneeling over him. Holly’s hand was laid over his chest, and he could feel the warmth and healing emanating from it. Artemis’ face was pinched but cleared slightly when Butler opened his eyes fully.

“Old friend, you gave us quite the scare,” Artemis said lightly. Too lightly.

“What is it? What went wrong?”

“Well, just about everything,” Holly sat back, and Butler immediately felt achy. “You went down with what Hermione said was the Cruciatus Curse, a torture kind of magic. After that, Harry tried to hit him with magic, but he blocked with the other type of magic, and I was just fighting to get to you-”

“You should have gone after him,” Butler reprimanded.

“You would’ve died,” Artemis said shortly. “Right now, he is making his way towards the bomb, with only Harry, Hermione, and Ron to stop him. If you’ll excuse us, we must join them.”

Butler struggled upwards, “I’m coming.”

“You can’t,” Holly said apologetically. “Butler you’re in no state to travel. Noble as it is, you’d only slow us down. Time is something we don’t have a lot of right now.”

“But I-” Butler took a deep breath. This was something he had dreaded for a long time. “You better stay in constant contact with me. I’m going to make my way back to Police Plaza. I’ll tell Foaly what’s happening, and hopefully, we can help from that end.”

Artemis’ face relaxed completely. Oh, how the tables had turned. “Good idea, old friend. We’ll meet you back there.”

“Yes,” Butler said softly. “You will.”