9. Loss of Control

Armed guards began to pour from all exits, like air from a ruptured balloon. Artemis was lost in the confusion. He melted to the side while Gaia and Edward took centre stage. They stepped nimbly onto the slightly raised dais in the centre of the room and Gaia flinged her two deadly fast snakes back and forth into the endlessly moving sea of guards, the Siberian tiger swatted at them with his huge, heavy and potentially lethal paws. Edward, meanwhile, was barely more than a blur, whirling, twisting and turning as he kicked and pushed the guards away, and though it cost him no effort, they fell back to the floor, dazed and confused. Gaia used her heels to defend herself from the numerous security and military personnel. The pair of them - Gaia and Edward - began a dance of extreme speed, whirling and kicking away the gun butts from their vicinity. This was what they were born to do. Artemis watched in absolute admiration for the beautiful pair, for their speed and incredible effects though they seemed to take no effort in doing such a workout. And then, the euphoric dance was over, they stood tall and uttered such a shrill and high-pitched cry that everyone in the room, including Artemis, fell to the floor, hands clamped over their ears as the incredibly loud and yet beautiful sound threatened to burst their eardrums, and it went on for well over a minute. And when the harmonic cries stopped, Artemis’ ears still thrummed and vibrated in aftershock, and that was when many more veelas and vampires stormed through the doors. Gunshots added to the cacophony in Artemis’ ringing ears, and he waited for blood to be spilt, but none was, because the beautiful army simply ducked and weaved faster then lightning as they walked calmly into the room. There was hardly a resistance, but what guards there were, were simply pushed aside with force that seemed to be non-existent, but still drived the fairies to the floor, unconscious. Their graceful bodies seemed not to be bothered with effort, and as they approached the dais like smoke through the guards, Edward jumped down lightly and joined the army as they swept through the room, easier than a razor through rice paper. Gaia beckoned to Artemis and he clambered onto the dais to join her, still a little shaky. Gaia laughed her honeyed laugh.

“Artemis, thank you! Look! We’ve won. It’s all thanks to you. I can’t do speeches myself. We owe it all to you.” Artemis looked at the veelas and vampires, who stood between the limp forms of the guards, all curiously observing Artemis but with gratitude. For perhaps the second time in his life, Artemis was lost for words.

“Err…. welcome.” he said vaguely and all the beautiful faces smiled so zealously that Artemis felt so ecstatic, as he’s never been in life…. until he heard a shout. It was the judge, he had managed to stand up (though unsteadily) behind his podium, red in the face and contorted with anger.

“SO,” he said, brimming with self-confidence. A few Council members peeked over the headboards of the chairs in front of them. “SO, you now think we’ll let you rejoin the People after you do this? You ARE mad. And so cowardly for not meeting us in war head-on, but sneaking into the centre of our city before attacking us! You’re nothing but a bunch of geneticly-modified, loathsome, abominable, fetid, scatological, heinous, fraudulent, intemperant, narcissistic, alluring and provocative slaughterers!” And not a nano-second later, Edward had the judge on his front, flat on the floor, and his teeth were at Judge Mussel’s neck. Gaia gave off a low snarl, filled with bellicosity and venom. Everyone looked at her apart from the judge, who tried but couldn’t in Edward’s vice grip. Gaia’s eyes were ice, no longer their beautiful dark green, but light blue. Murderous. The palpable cold flashed dangerously at Edward, and Artemis felt himself shiver. Edward scowled back at Gaia but released Judge Mussel, who stumbled up, thoroughly shaken and trembling from cold and fright. Gaia’s eyes returned to their normal clouded green, and she smiled at Artemis before she swept down from the dais in one fluid motion and glided to the judge’s podium. Judge Mussel backed away, but Gaia ignored him and addressed the jittery Council members.

“We ask of you to represent your ideas as one and tell us the verdict. No matter what the outcome is, we will accept it and comply. We just thought you should see our strength in action before judging on old memories and word-of-mouth.” She gracefully stepped down to Edward’s side, where he whispered into her ear, and she smiled. Artemis couldn’t watch. He turned back to the audience. One shaky figure rose, heading for the judge’s lectern.

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