Part Five
Chapter Six
Jordan was the last of the group to drop down from the ladder leading to the oubliette. He quickly looked around to see Sarah, much like everyone else, was staring around the dark cave, alert and fascinated.
Sarah looked around and immediately knew this was the oubliette she had landed in during her run those few years back. It was too big a coincidence to be considered as such, in her mind. She remembered Hoggle saying something about the oubliettes around the kingdom, and once she had pushed past the familiar sadness that came with thinking about him, thought that there had to be a reason she was being led to this one specifically.
No one was speaking, nor was anyone crowding her. They gave her room as she retraced the hallway she had ran down when being chased by that massive machine. She could feel the entourage at her back but paid them no mind as she turned corners and followed the direction of her gut. She was expecting the talking cave faces to begin their warnings and whispers of doom any minute now, but surprisingly, the walls were quiet. The only thing she could really feel was a strange humming surrounding her. A vibration pulsing through her body; a feeling that grew stronger with every step she took.
She may as well have been lassoed; the feeling of being pulled in was so strong. Whatever force that lived inside the labyrinth was insistently leading her down a path she felt as though she had to follow. She was nervous, for she knew that all the men behind her were expecting her to pull something spectacular out of her ass, but the fact was she had no real clue what to expect.
It was odd; but the further they went, the lighter the trail became. They were underground, and there were no candles or fires burning, and yet light seemed to be in abundance down here.
And then, like it had been the thing beckoning her in, after turning one last corner... there it was. At the end of the hall, there it was. Looking as though it had not been touched since her last trip, the crude wooden door to the small walkway Hoggle had opened for her after she bartered for his help by offering her small plastic bracelet. Her eyes suddenly brimmed with a stinging layer of tears as she sprinted towards the door. Her fingers practically caressing the splintered soft wood as the memories flooded her.
Oh Hoggle. My first real friend. I miss you so much.
Wiping her eyes and nose as discreetly as possible, she bent down and shuffled into the small hovel of rock the talking hands had released her in.
Just like before, the walls shone brightly, like miniature candles embedded in the stone. The small space had an almost golden glow about it. An iridescence that would have seemed pretty were it not for the knot currently tightening in Sarah's stomach. This was as far as she knew to go, and as one by one the men accompanying her filled in, she looked around desperately hoping to be hit with some jolt of inspiration.
"Now what?" Jordan whispered, his eyes hunting around the shiny walls in anticipation.
Sarah couldn't respond. The pressure in her stomach hadn't let up, if anything, it was intensifying with every moment she stood there, but she had no clue what she was supposed to do next.
Casting her eyes around, her gaze once again landed on the small piece of wood Hoggle had literally picked up from the ground to act as a door. She remembered how he had used a key to open the door, but how the first time he had tried, it had opened into an overstuffed closet of junk. Going on the only hunch she had, she walked back over to the door and closed it. She could feel the eyes of everyone squished in the small space staring at her, but she ignored the pressure, and hoped beyond hope that this would work. If she had led them all this way for nothing...
Pressing her hand flat against the wood, and holding her breath the whole time, she sharply pulled it open again.
She was right.
What met her on the other side was not the hall of talking faces. What met her on the other side was amazing.
AAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA
The room was incredible, if 'room' is what it could truly be called. It looked as though they were in a submerged garden of sorts. A very large garden. They were still underground, that much was clear, for the sparkly crystalline stone ceiling shone high above them, but other than that, the expanse of the area seemed to go on for miles, stretching before them like a forest from a child's fantasy. The walls were covered in mossy trees, plants and natural beauty, the chirping of insects and rushing water surrounded them as they took in the sweet scent of cut grass and petrichor. Minuscule little water paths carved into the pebble walkway fed into different plants and flowers Sarah had never seen before. Greenery surrounded every surface she laid eyes on, and it was beyond her how something like this could have flourished without sunlight, underground.
She knew she was in the right place. The tight pressure was gone, and in its place a strong sense of purpose had returned. It felt good to be here, Felt right. This was definitely what she had been looking for.
Dazed, Sarah stepped further into the sea of green. It felt oddly warm around her, humid even, but not unpleasantly so. Even though she could see no opening other than the door they had just entered through, it felt like fresh air and heat were coming in from everywhere.
Tearing her eyes away from the scene for only a moment, she focused on the men surrounding her. She felt an odd sense of pride at their stunned admiration, and felt better that she, for once, hadn't been the only one to be knocked off her feet by such an outstanding array of beauty, and magic.
Feeling as though she were being pulled in, Sarah staggered further into the jumble of wonderful smells and bright colours. Approaching an unusual appearing orange flower, she reached out her hand to stroke the soft petals, only to jerk away as a rush akin to electric shock jolted through her fingertips. It wasn't painful; in fact for the briefest of moments she almost thought she felt... joy. An unexplainable joy surging and seizing her. It wasn't her own emotions though; it felt as though it had come from the flower. How could a plant feel joy? Being here, standing here, in this place, she was overcome with so many strange sensations. The tension and fear that had been overwhelming her mere moments before were forgotten. She felt as though this was where she was supposed to be.
It felt like she was standing in the centre of something important. Everything that could make everything whole again. The heart.
Her heart and the heart of the labyrinth.
Sarah thought she heard someone call after her, but she was far to spun by this beautiful web to pay the person any mind. A group of brightly coloured butterflies flew past her, and she jumped back in surprise, only to see the butterflies come back around, surround her, and then fly on, deeper into the oasis.
Follow them; an enticing voice in the back of her mind whispered.
She wanted to, gods how she wanted to, for they seemed to be flitting through the air as though they were excited to see her. Biting her lip, Sarah looked back at the small group of men who had kept her safe so far, only to find that a few of them had broken free from the group and were mulling around, observing their surroundings. Looking back at the flying insects, she saw they were attempting to lead her down a small cavern like passage, sectioned off from the rest of the open space by strings of leaves that grew up the walls, stuck to the ceiling and cascaded around her like the unusual branches of a willow tree. Half an hour ago, the thought of leaving the group had petrified her; but she felt safe here. No, it was much more than that. She felt like this was her home. Home. A concept that had been so lost over the last how many months. As kind as Oberon and Titania had been, putting her and her family up in their castle, their castle was not her home, and the same could certainly be said for where she had resided before that. Standing there, surrounded by all the natural splendour, she truly felt like she belonged.
Making a promise that if she felt even so much as a twinge of unease, to turn back and go find them, she resolved to follow the hyper acting butterflies that were still zooming around her, as though happy at her acceptance. She let out a little laugh at their behaviour, for only in a magical world would butterflies be happy to see her.
As she followed, she contemplated what it was she was feeling. She felt her own bliss at being here, it was true, but there was a joy surrounding her that was not her own. She had felt like the labyrinth had been calling out to her all along, even in her dreams, and now she was finally here.
But how could she be at home in a place she had so feared?
She didn't know why this place had been calling for her return, but she knew for a fact she could not stay. This was a recon mission, nothing more, and yet the thought of leaving sent a surge of unpleasantness and massive panic through her system.
She didn't want to think about all this just yet, and so pushed all the strange emotions to one side to hurry along beside six little critters who were being pretty insistent that she keep up, even flying through her hair and flapping around her ears.
It wasn't until the butterflies stopped soaring around and settled themselves on nearby flowers that Sarah knew they had reached their destination. She looked around, and noticed with just a tiny hint of trepidation just how far from the rest of the group she had gone. Looking back the way she came, there was nothing to see but several zigzag corners that disappeared into green light. Directly before her was a moss covered stone wall, and to her left, the same. The only place to go would be to the right of her, which, Sarah observed, happened to be a thick wall of dangling leaves, light shining clearly through the gaps. There simply had to be something behind it. Overcome with curiosity, she stuck out her hand and gingerly drew the curtain of leaves aside.
She gasped.
What she was looking at was a small cove that was by no means empty. Centre to her stare, bathed in sunshine coming from gods knew where, was a large roundly shaped rock, with a surface flat as a table. Seemingly ordinary, it drew Sarah's gaze like a speck of light in a vast dark tunnel. Stepping forward, Sarah realised that while the rest of the cove seemed to be overgrowing with plant life, this large, marble looking stone was clean and polished. While the walls and ceilings were crisscrossed with moss and flowers and shrubbery, the pathway surrounding this monument was perfectly clear, as though this small alcove had recently been preened. Cleaned over and swept up so the stone sat perfectly in view, unobstructed by anything.
Who else knew about this place? Sarah knew she had dreamed of the junkyard lady coming down here, but could it really be?
Cleaned up or not, the boulder appeared to be bathed in a sea of light. It seemed like rays of sunlight were beaming down upon it and yet when Sarah looked up at the ceiling, there was nothing but moss covered rock.
This place practically screamed magic, but for some unknown reason, someone or something clearly wanted this large stone in view. Taking another hesitant step towards the thing, Sarah realised that the rock wasn't perfectly flat at all. Words seemed to have been carved into the shiny marble like surface. At least, Sarah thought they were words. It wasn't in any language she recognised, nor were the letters any of the twenty-six she knew, but the strange indentations were spaced in such a way that looked like... sentences. Beautifully scripted sentences. The possibility that someone had actually carved this writing amazed Sarah. True, it was more likely whoever erected this had used magic, but Sarah was still stunned. She wanted to touch it. To feel if the rock's surface was smooth or rough. To see if she could feel the indentations of the carved words or if they were not really carved at all. Sarah's fingers twitched, wondering why, for what reason, and by what, had she been led here. If she thought that this garden was the heart of the labyrinth, a place where it's magic truly thrived, than she had a sneaky suspicion that whatever this rock was, would be the heart of the heart. She could have been wrong, but she doubted it. She had been brought here, and she wanted to know why. Oh for all the gold in the world she wanted to know why. She wanted to know the labyrinth knew her purpose, the answers to her many, many questions.
Her hand hovered over the stone, a strong urge to caress the grooving's overtaking her, but she hesitated. There it was, the uncertainty, the caution, the fear that had come to rule her with every decision she made. What if this was nothing, what if it was simply some random old stone in a strange place that held no meaning at all. She wanted to believe she had been led here for a reason, but the very idea of being proven wrong made her heart throb.
Come on Sarah, just do it, stop being so afraid of getting hurt.
Spurred on, she clenched and uncoiled her fingers a few times before finally stepping forward and laying her right hand flat on the surface.
Nothing happened, and for the first few moments a crushing disappointment threatened to overwhelm her, but then she started to feel something. An odd prickling sensation in her fingers. It wasn't short and sharp like the shock she had received from the flower, but rather dull and slow. When it started making her uncomfortable, she made to pull her hand away, only to find she couldn't. She tugged her arm back but her palm was stuck as though it were welded. Eyes bulging with every second she wrestled against the rock, her eyes suddenly focused on something astonishing. Thinking her fear was playing tricks on her, she froze, leaning down to get a closer look. It happened again. The writing, words, scratches, whatever they were, moved. They seemed to vibrate around her hand and ripple like she had stuck her fingers in water. Her wide green eyes swelled as, while she watched, the little words that were bending and squeezing each other, ripped itself from the flat surface with a sudden pop. Awestruck, she watched the strange word float out of the rock, slowly move up into the air and hover there, just above her eyes. Sarah gasped in surprise in a moment of silence before all the carved scribbles began to rapidly un-write themselves. Stripping themselves from the rock and shooting into the air like neat pieces of rubble.
Not wanting to know what would happen to her hand if she couldn't remove it from the rock in time, she pulled and yanked with all her strength, but it was no use.
A short sharp cry of panic erupted from her throat, followed by a louder more insistent scream, hoping that one of the men she had left behind would find her. She felt something strange in her chest, as though an outside force were trying to soothe her but she was to frantic. She should have known better than to meddle in things that concerned magic, she may have had some dormant force inside her, but it was still useless. She was still useless.
The stone was still shredding itself to pieces as the yells and shouts from the distance responded to her cries. The faces of her saviours appeared from behind the wall of leaves mere minutes later and first, they were just as awestruck, clearly not knowing what they were seeing, but Oberon didn't hesitate. He moved swiftly towards her, only to be halted in his tracks by some strange field of energy.
Looking around, Sarah saw that the pieces of stone were not only floating through the sky idly, but had began to surround her, moving in a circle and creating a kind of barrier between her and everyone else who was watching.
Fearful, Sarah turned back to the stone, only to see the last and final little scratch indent rip itself free from its confines and join the other strange thin pieces of rock floating around her. Her hand now lay on a perfectly intact shiny flat surface. Feeling the usually detached sense of calm waft through her body again, she gave one last pull of her arm, and was finally free.
Not thinking twice, she ran like a bat out of hell towards the group of men facing her, only to find herself flat against the invisible wall the moving rock carvings seemed to have made. It was the strangest thing Sarah had ever seen. The rock pieces, or whatever they were, were all hovering in sync, circling both her and the stone. She could see the king, Jordan, and all the rest of them with perfect clarity; she just couldn't get to them.
Pushing past the terror, she realised they were speaking. She could see the king facing his subjects, his mouth moving. See Jordan with his hand against the odd magical wall, obviously trying to talk to her. His eyes were right on her, a frantic desperation shining through them that made her stomach twist at the realisation of his affection.
She couldn't hear a word they were saying, but somehow, she felt an overwhelming urge to comfort them... comfort him.
"I'm okay!" She yelled, placing her hand in the same spot as Jordan's in an attempt to soothe his worry. "I'm alright, can you hear me?!"
She saw Jordan nod, relief washing over his features. In a rush, she watched him quickly shed one glove from his hand and place the bare skin against the improvised force field. Nothing happened, and it was clear he was hoping their shared bond might be able to break through whatever it was keeping them separated, but it was abundantly clear that nothing was getting through.
She saw his mouth move again, looking right at her, but she couldn't hear a thing. Literally, all she could hear was a rushing sound, as though she were inside a blowing wind, or a gentle wave.
"I can't hear you!" She called to him, and saw the look of confusion cloud his features, his bare hand tangling into his short, brown hair and tugging on it like he did when he was stressed.
Suddenly, Jordan's irate expression turned to horror the exact same moment Sarah heard a strange clapping noise vibrate through her ears. She spun quickly only to see that the rock, that was once sitting quietly, was now quaking and shaking like a volcano ready to erupt. Pressing herself back against the magic wall, she watched in despair as the rock shook crazily, feeling for sure like it was going to burst all over her. She twisted her head to the side, hiding her face in her hand to protect herself, and let out a little scream.
But pain never came.
She stood paralysed by her own fear for many silent moments until she finally had the courage to look up.
What she saw made her eyes bulge.
A woman, the most beautiful woman she had ever seen in her life, stepped free from the confines of the large rock that was now broken cleanly in two behind her. She was tall, far taller than any human woman Sarah had ever seen, yet possessing a grace that a human could only dream of. Her skin was pale and perfect, without a blemish or mark and her billowing white hair seemed to float about the air as though caught in a playful breeze. But the thing that intrigued Sarah the most about the stunning woman was her eyes. They were completely clear. She had no pupils and no flicks of colour, they simply shone like a lantern of pure clean white.
The rest of her face was perfect. Perfectly symmetrical nose, ears, eyebrows, everything. It was only when Sarah flicked her gaze to the woman's amazingly plump red lips that she saw they were curled in a small, comforting smile.
"Well, no one has looked upon me with that kind of admirance in quite some time." An amused voice like tinkering bells sounded.
Sarah closed her gaping mouth with a snap.
The fear that had been seeping out of her seemed to heave itself in suddenly. That voice left nothing but ease behind, and the calm she had felt the labyrinth attempting to push off on her whilst in her panicked daze seemed to seize her moment of doubt and surge through her, whispering comfortingly; do not be afraid.
Looking back at the woman, the goddess, before her, Sarah suddenly felt a large dose of inadequacy. As ridiculous as it may have seemed, she actually felt envious of this strange woman's perfection, and retreated back into the wall she had only just peeled herself from in her curiosity.
"You need not be afraid, my champion. You have nothing to fear from this form. We cannot harm you, nor shall we ever wish to."
Sarah simply stared wide eyed at the woman, wondering what the hell had just happened. It seemed that this strange creature with remarkably white eyes had just emerged from a rock as though it were nothing of importance. She could not possibly be human, and she appeared far more beautiful than any fae she had ever seen. Confusion and apprehension whirled inside of her, but not fear. No, fear was gone, pushed aside by the sheer unthreatening peace this being seemed to be radiating.
But despite her lack of fear, Sarah still struggled to find her voice. She opened her mouth only to close it again, gasping like a fish. She felt ridiculous, like she was embarrassing herself in front of something so perfect. But looking into the woman's face, she saw no sneer of ridicule or look of impatience. Looking upon the strange woman's face, even with her unusual clear eyes, the expression that beamed from her features was clear.
Love.
Sarah stumbled for words.
"W-who are you?" She stuttered, wincing at how charred and unnatural her voice had sounded, like she had been choking on fire. Nothing like the soft tinkering bells the voice of this goddess possessed.
"I speak for the labyrinth. You need not be afraid child. For its heart and yours are connected as one."
"You speak for the labyrinth?" Sarah stammered, having tried several times to form some sort of sentence from the jumbled mess that was her mind. She felt stunned in the presence of this beauty. Stunned.
"I do." Was the woman's simple reply.
More silence followed, and though this beings face showed nothing but kindness and contentment, Sarah still felt like an idiot for her lack of articulation. She didn't know what she had been expecting when she came here, but it most certainly was not this.
Apprehensive, she turned her head only slightly, trying to catch a glimpse of the men on the other side of the strange magical barrier. The pieces of suspended rock were still floating around, surrounding both her and this being in a cocoon of sorts. The woman must have seen her stare, because her voice floated over to her.
"They can hear us, but not us, them. They will not be allowed to interfere."
Sarah's head snapped back towards the woman, feeling foolish for having removed her from her sight. She knew better. Feeling of safety or none, things were not always what they seemed in the Underground, and though the calming effects were surrounding her, were inside her, willing her to relax, it was in her nature to be cautious and untrustworthy. Another gift bestowed upon her by the Goblin King.
"Interfere with what?" Sarah asked guardedly, testing the woman's reaction. The peaceful smile never left her face.
"There is much you must know, young champion. And many truths I am afraid I must burden you with. You have many questions you also seek answers to, correct?" She asked.
Sarah nodded her head in silence.
"You may ask me whatever you wish, champion. The labyrinth is at your command. I shall keep no secrets, nor will I speak lies."
No secrets. No lies. Such tempting promises. It had been nothing but secrets and lies for the longest time. Deception and deceit were the ways of this world, of any world, apparently, and she could barely think to pluck one question out of the mass she had accumulated since her first day here.
Thinking to buy herself some time, she went with something simple.
"What are you?"
The woman answered immediately. "I am the heart of the labyrinth. It's voice for when it wishes to speak. It shows my form only to those whom are worthy to see it. And you, young Sarah, are most assuredly worthy."
Blushing slightly at the unexpected compliment, she once again tilted her head in the direction of the men behind her.
"And they are worthy too?" She questioned curiously.
The woman gave a small shake of her head. "They cannot see me." Was her reply. Sarah's brow furrowed in confusion, but didn't even open her mouth to ask before the woman was speaking again. "The ancient Petram is my guard, and its words protect me. When they gaze through my shield, they see only my essence, not my form. To their eyes, you are talking to a ball of light."
Sarah nodded, understanding. So the rock pieces were words, she was right. Somehow, she knew she would be. And the men on the other side of its barrier could see her, but not this strangely perfect woman. She breathed a sigh of relief; at least they weren't standing there thinking she was crazy and talking to herself.
"What's your name?" She asked, turning back to the woman curiously.
She once again shook her head, her movements so graceful that Sarah had to fight the urge not to gawk at her.
"I do not have one, champion. I have been waiting here since before the creation of names, and no one else has ever thought to bestow one to me. But you may, if that is what you wish." She said kindly.
Stowing all the knowledge this being had revealed away for contemplation, Sarah pleaded with her brain to function enough to digest what she was saying. 'I have been waiting here since before the creation of names', surely she was very old, which of course meant that the labyrinth was very old. Of course, Oberon had said as such, that the labyrinth had been standing long before the kingdom had been built around it.
"What about... Heart?"
The woman tilted her head to the side, letting Sarah know she did not understand. She rushed to explain. "For your name. Since you're the heart of the labyrinth. What if I called you 'Heart,' is that a good name for you? Because if you don't like it..." Her stammering trailed off. She felt like an idiot.
The goddess before her did not seem to share her assessment however, as she merely continued to smile. "If that is your wish champion, than 'Heart' I shall be called." She replied gently.
Sarah nodded rigidly, feeling clumsy and pathetic before this being. She was standing before someone who could finally give her answers and she was wasting time on such fickle matters? Get it together Williams.
"So... you've just been... trapped here? In this place? All this time?" Sarah asked nervously, gesturing to the small cove they were currently standing in. She looked behind the woman to where the large rock had sat moments before, but was now split perfectly in two, pieces of its debris surrounding them.
Sarah caught the barest flicker of amusement on the newly named 'Heart's' features before the being shook her head.
"I have been around, young champion. I was created as a voice where the labyrinth cannot speak, my obligation to guide the ruler of the labyrinth in whatever assistance they seek. The last time we met, I looked rather different."
Sarah's eyes bugged from her head.
"We've met before?!" She questioned, startled. How could she possibly have forgotten being face to face with such beauty?
A light little laugh graced the air as Heart let out an almost childlike giggle. Sarah flushed with embarrassment, even knowing that the woman wasn't laughing at her.
"Yes, we have, but as I said, I took another form. One far different from the one I take now. And I must thank you for that. I cannot feel vanity, but admittedly, I much prefer this," she gestured down to her shimmering form, "than my old skin. It was quite confining." She said with amusement.
Sarah's brow remained puckered, completely confused. They had met, but she had looked different, is that what she was trying to say? Why did all these supernatural beings always seem to speak in riddles? She claimed to have met her before, but she hadn't had much contact with anyone since coming back. Her first visit, in contrast, had been entirely different. She had met all kinds of creatures, all of which had assisted her in some strange way or another. Whom had she known, that could have possibly been this magnificent being standing before her? She couldn't recall seeing anything like her, but by the way she spoke, 'Heart' made it sound like she was in a rather unappealing form when they had supposedly met, so...
So..?
"The junk lady?" Sarah gasped in astonishment, the suspicion spilling out of her mouth. All the dreams she had had about the labyrinth, they had all featured that haggard goblin lady who had met her in the junk fields. The two looked nothing alike, and yet the suspicion seemed to just fit.
She saw the ghost of a smile on Heart's lips as the beautiful woman gave a small nod.
"But... but I don't... I don't understand." Sarah stammered, backing away, shaking her head. "You tried to trick me. Distract me when I couldn't remember anything!" She accused; hostility and mistrust flushing back in a great huff. She felt the peacefulness and calming effects try to quell her but she fought them back. She knew it was stupid to trust. She knew it!
For the first time, the woman before her looked grim. Her eyes were saddened and the smile was gone, but she didn't look any less beautiful.
A trick, her mind whispered. All a trick, get away!
"We could not help you young champion. For our heart and soul was bound by another. A darker force that wished only for your failure. I must do as my ruler orders. As the spirit of the labyrinth, I have no choice."
Sarah stared shamelessly at her. She sounded so sincere. She claimed to have had no choice in her attempts to thwart her and yet, she still sounded guilty. Those eyes, they shone with sincerity. And love. Love, like the woman before her was someone who actually knew her. Knew her and loved her and was pleading with her not to be afraid.
Trust me, a little voice inside countered her fear. Trust us Sarah.
'Bound by a darker force that wished only for your failure?' I wonder who that could be.
"The Goblin King?" Sarah whispered, knowing she was right. The king had had control of the labyrinth before she came along, and he had wanted her to lose. Of course he had. If she had lost, she would have been forced to stay, that one bite from the peach sealing her fate. By winning, she had bought herself three more years of freedom, but in the end, she was still his prisoner.
"Yes." Heart replied with a solemn nod of the head. "He was our ruler. Our king, and we had no free will but his will. It is the same with every ruler of the labyrinth, and the same with you. Although..." She trailed, her light smile returning, "We much prefer being bound to you than him."
Now that was surprising. If this being was a real woman, than she would not have had to look far for an explanation. Jareth had no respect for women, and treated them as little more than pets rather than actual people. Even women of status he had talked down to, his tone always condescending and behaviour discourteous. But Heart wasn't a real woman, from the way she spoke; Sarah assumed she was merely a tool from which the labyrinth spoke through. A being with no real thought or emotion. She was bound to the labyrinth and the labyrinth its ruler. Sarah would have thought that something as old and powerful as the labyrinth would have preferred to have someone with power rule. Besides Oberon, Jareth was the most powerful being Sarah had ever met. Though that didn't really mean all that much, since she had been isolated by the Goblin King and had mostly isolated herself in Oberon's kingdom.
She was surprised to discover that this place, the labyrinth, had thoughts, had feelings. It was more than just a bunch of rocks and magic, its essence seemed capable of emotion. It was something completely beyond Sarah's head. How could a place feel? How could walls and stone and earth emote? She knew this world was magic but... this completely escaped her. And why, if this spokesperson was correct, would the labyrinth prefer her, a mere human girl, to a powerful magic entity like a fae king? No matter how hard she tried to force it, the pieces simply didn't fit.
"Why would the labyrinth prefer me?" She asked the being, gesturing down to herself in a rather unflattering way. "I'm nothing. Just a normal human girl. Why would it prefer me to a king?" She demanded.
The woman's face looked calculating. Despite the eeriness of those pure white eyes, her flat set mouth made Sarah feel as though she were gearing up for a story.
"The labyrinth has been here before the world began. Its essence, its energy, it was born before anything else. It changed as the worlds changed, and grew as the worlds grew. From the fae, it fed on their magic's, and from humanity, their imagination. Soon the labyrinth began to take shape, building itself into the mightily maze you yourself once explored. Both worlds shared and took from each other, and the labyrinth was the centre of it all. Humans would often wonder into this world willingly, incurring no consequences, and fae could also travel between the dimensions effortlessly. But your world and this one were never meant to co-exist. As both races began to grow apart, the worlds began to crumble, and the doors began to close. The labyrinth had nurtured and been nurtured by both worlds, and could not survive on the essence of only one. It had become dependent on both, you see?
"The labyrinth began luring lost children into its nests to keep the connection alive, as children have the most powerful life force of all human kind, but the magic of this world began to twist them, making them more fae than man. They became different races, races that no longer held the humanity the labyrinth desperately needed. It soon realised it could not keep stealing children to preserve the connection, and to let the two worlds drift apart would have been disastrous not just for it, but for all of you, more than either race will ever truly know."
"What do you mean?" Sarah interrupted, already awed by the tale Heart was telling.
"The labyrinth binds the two together Sarah, like the universe binds your suns, moons and stars. Without a balance of both worlds in the labyrinth, one would dominate, and that would either mean the death of all fae, or the death of all humankind. Soon, the labyrinth came up with a solution. It would continue to take unwanted children, but it would also allow their careers to come under a blanket of protection, retaining their humanity while they searched for whomever the labyrinth took. In exchange for allowing these human runners a chance to save their charges, it would feed on their humanity, but in order to insure this, it needed a ruler. A guardian it could channel all its essence into, so the ruler would have both magic and humanity in their blood. It would mean giving the being complete control over us, but otherwise, we would all cease to exist.
"The fae had been attempting to build a kingdom around the labyrinth for many years, and had attempted many spells to bind us to them and their powers. They never knew that we subjugated ourselves willingly, so we all might be spared.
"When the first fae sat upon a throne bound to us, they were given the responsibility of the lost human children. With the labyrinth channelling its human energy into the ruler, they were able to keep humanity in the fae lands, and any other human that found their way here may also do so.
"But the solution was brief. Contempt for humankind began to grow amongst the fae, for its world was newer and younger, and they believed humanity could pose a great threat. For humankind were beginning to forget. The less they believed in magic, the more of a threat they became. Mystical creatures could no longer survive in your world, forcing them to return here, where they ruined many fae lands with their newly developed powers. Humanity was once again being drained from the Underground, only now; the two worlds were less connected. Most fae ignored humans, and most humans did not even acknowledge the Underground. They were falling apart."
"But wait." Sarah interrupted again, holding out her hand to force the being before her to stop. It was a lot of information to process. From what Oberon had told her in his office some few weeks ago, she gathered that most, if not all, mythical creatures depicted by ancient civilizations were real, and if that was not mind blowing enough, she now had to consume the knowledge that their worlds were connected by more than just time and space. The labyrinth had been keeping them together, preventing both their destruction, and had allowed a fae to rule it to keep the peace? But if both worlds truly meant nothing to the other..?
"Wouldn't that mean that there would be less risk, if the worlds weren't as connected as before? I mean, humans don't really need magic, there must be less than a few thousand in my world that still believe, and even children don't hold on to magic anymore. Most of us scoff at the beliefs of older generations, and every civilisation that believed in gods or mythical creatures are normally called primitive and superstitious. Magic has no real place in my world anymore." Sarah explained rather sadly. "Doesn't that mean that the two worlds are already separated?"
"No champion, it doesn't. It might have been, were it not for humans like you."
"Me?!" Sarah exclaimed, gaping at the woman with wide eyes and mouth hanging open.
Heart smiled.
"Yes Sarah. The labyrinth desperately sought to balance humanity and magic for many years. And you are correct; most of humankind had either lost, or ignored the magic in order to fit in with your rapidly advancing society. But not people like you. Because of people like you, who still hold magic in your heart, the two worlds were still at risk. If no human believed in magic, and no fae cared for humanity, the two worlds could separate in relative peace, but the labyrinth knew that would never be so. It created a way to reach out to you. Wanting to draw you in. Humans like you, you stubbornly, shamelessly grip tight to the possibilities of magic and refuse to let go, even when the world around you would judge you. The time you were here Sarah, sharing your humanity and love of magic with the beings around you, allowed the labyrinth enough strength to last years without so much as a drop of any other humans. That is how much of the two worlds you so effortlessly channelled. I believe it knew, even then."
"Knew? Knew what?" Sarah asked, slightly uncomfortable with Hearts description of her. Yes, she had loved magic, and just look where her love of magic had gotten her.
"Tell me, do you recognise this?" Heart asked, holding up an empty hand before her. Sarah was about to ask what she meant, when before her eyes a little book materialised into the woman's hand. A little red book. Sarah gasped.
"That's... that's..."
"Yes. This book was created by the labyrinth, and given to its ruler to place in the human world. Its purpose is to lure humans who would believe enough to use the magic within, to wish themselves away to a world thought by many fake and dead. It found you Sarah. Of all others in your generation, it found you. It chose you. You were always meant to be here, for there is magic inside you that has always connected you here, but above all else, the labyrinth hoped to bring you here to rule."
Sarah did not know what to think at that moment in time, to busy was she digesting every little bit of information she was getting. She had completely forgotten about the outside world while standing in their little bubble. Forgetting that there were eight men watching and listening to their conversation. Part of her wanted to rave. To yell and fume at the woman in front of her and demand to know what the hell the labyrinth had been thinking. She had used the magic of that book to wish her own brother away. If she had never found it, or if it had never found her, she never would have been subjected to this fate. She wanted to implode about all of it, but in her shock, the only thing she could think to say was...
"Rule?"
Heart nodded again, the little red book disappearing as suddenly as it had come.
"The labyrinth has always wished for a mortal ruler. Someone with enough balance of humanity and magic to cease its struggle to keep the balance between both worlds. When humanity began to drain from the Underground, it made a deal with the fae that would become its master. Any human who uses the spells of the red book, to wish away a child to the labyrinth, to the 'Goblin King' as the kingdom's ruler had been named, would be allowed to run the labyrinth to rescue the child back. Anyone could challenge the labyrinth's ruler, but this was the only way the labyrinth knew to give a human a fighting chance. The runner was not allowed to be harmed, at the most, simply tested. If a runner were to defeat the king, then they would be considered more worthy than the last ruler. All the labyrinth's power and loyalty would transfer to them, and they would become king. Or, in your case, Queen."
Sarah blinked a few times, her head feeling a little fuzzy. It was a lot of information to keep track of. From what she had already learned, she was the rightful ruler of the labyrinth, but not the kingdom. This was so confusing. Jordan had told her she did not have a right to the Goblin King's throne, and for all intents and purposes, she was fine with that. She had never wanted any of it anyway, but now Heart was telling her she had a right to it? What was going on?
There was definitely something she was missing. If every runner who ran the labyrinth had a chance to win the throne, why was Jareth still the Goblin King? Oberon and Jordan had mentioned something about the records of this place being sketchy. Was it simply that no one knew she was supposed to take his place? And if that was so, was the right to be king or queen as simple as declaring you were one? All the information was giving her a headache, and she brought her palm up to massage her forehead to ease some of the pain away.
Finally, after a solid five minutes of standing in silence, she felt fit enough to ask Heart another question.
"Does that mean... does that mean that Jar... the Goblin King, had to run the labyrinth? To be king? I'm sorry, but this isn't making much sense to me. If the human runners who win are supposed to become the rulers of both the labyrinth and the kingdom, why am I just finding out about this now?"
Something flashed across the woman's face so fast Sarah almost didn't catch it. Even with her white, empty eyes, her face seemed so expressive Sarah simply couldn't ignore what she saw. And what she saw was fear.
"What do you know of Jareth the Goblin King?" Heart asked quietly. Almost... dreadfully.
Sarah's eyes hardened in an instant. She clenched her jaw.
"He's a psycho, a sex addict, and a murderer. What more do I need to know?" She demanded coldly.
It was strange, but Sarah could have sworn she saw the figure cringe.
Why would the labyrinth be afraid?
"There are many more things you must know. Truths we are sure you would prefer not to know, but truths all the same. We failed you, and we know it. We should have been more careful, our only excuse is having no idea how alluring our power could be."
It was Sarah's turn to be afraid, for the sheer forced nature of Heart's words led her to believe that she was about to learn something she truly had no wish to learn.
"What do you mean?" The young woman asked. The woman with the pure white eyes sighed.
"We have stood upon this land since before there was land to stand upon. We have watched the world while standing still, and have learned many of its secrets. We have knowledge that is unfathomable and never ending, and we presented all this to the fae king in exchange for taking the human children from your world. Through every generation, through centuries, we watched the human runners attempting to save their wished away children. But all humans would fail. The fae kings would play by the rules, but most humans would simply be too overwhelmed or disinterested. The king would offer the runner their dreams, a gift from the labyrinth to keep magic in the human world, and most would take it, already to selfish to think about anything other than themselves. Many gave up long before their thirteen hours were over, and we were stuck with the same ruler for many centuries. Yet they too had patterns. When the ruler, always a fae king, would produce an heir, they would share with them the secret to the kingdom. When the heirs became of age, they too would run the labyrinth. We would challenge them, put obstacles in their way, not to make them fail, but to test their strength and courage. If the heir succeeded, they were given our power and their parents would retire and remain in the kingdom until their age brought their demise. The process was always kept a secret.
"With each new ruler, the two worlds changed ever so slightly to fit with their preference. Time is a strange thing, and this world and yours do not share the same control over it. Most of the Underground would not know this, but every time the labyrinth gains a new ruler, there is another time shift. The way your world and this one moves changes to the preference of the new king, and for the most part, this was a good thing."
Sarah still felt confused, what did this have to do with the Goblin King? Her impatient look rushed Heart along.
"Your species was evolving way to fast. We gave the king the red story books to capture the hearts of humans with magic still in their souls, but at the rate your race was moving, we were losing hope fast. There were less and less runners each year, and none of them ever made it far enough to rescue their wished aways. But with the first change of rulers, time slowed, and the more rulers we had, the more time drifted apart, until a hundred years here would not even correlate to one day in your world. We needed that time, but we were foolish to offer the king's so much power. They had the power of time, the power to move through the human world with ease, even the power to transform themselves into animals so that they might inconspicuously watch for potential in the human race. We should have anticipated how alluring all that power would be, but alas, we did not."
"To late for what?" Sarah whispered, hardly finding her voice through the dread that was beginning to build.
"If there would truly be no human runner worthy enough to claim our throne, the knowledge that only a champion runner could claim the throne was supposed to be kept between the king and his chosen successor. But one king was foolish enough to write the information down, and, for whatever reason, another got a hold of that knowledge.
"From what we understand, it was no one important at the time. A young fae with a low rank and a greedy heart. We didn't even recognise the risk until it was too late. He demanded an opportunity to run the labyrinth, claiming himself more worthy than the standing king. We had no choice but to grant it, for anyone can challenge us if they feel entitled to whatever it is we possess. But this boy wanted no lost child. He wanted our power. Every bit of knowledge we had would be devastating in the wrong hands, and so we tried to deter him. Our ruler and we fought as one to keep the young fae from succeeding, but, against all odds, he reached the castle before his time was up. Our allegiance changed, and once he was crowned king, did he execute both the former king and the kings true heir. It was the birth of all Unseelie fae."
Sarah gasped. The illusionary woman before her, Heart, nodded solemnly.
"After that, the darkness spread. Any fae that wished for power, were greedy for either magic or wealth or status among their kind, were considered Unseelie. They claimed their own kingdoms, their own lands, and their own laws. Their wicked magic even spread to a few magic creatures in their care, turning them dark. The newly titled Seelie, watched, but did nothing. I suppose it was more convenient for them to split themselves in two, rather than living with any rotten apples that may have been born into their kingdoms. Surprisingly, the birth of the Unseelie had little effect on the Underground at first, but it was devastating to us. Our mind was connected to the king's, as was our hearts. This place, once beautiful, turned dark and twisted. The labyrinth became an evil force, no longer welcoming for humanity. No human runner ever stood a chance after that, and not only that, but the kings past the knowledge on to their own offspring. Any future ruler was warned against the threat of all human runners, for if one should succeed, the fate of the Unseelie would be threatened. No one knew where or why the Unseelie came to be, so no one questioned us. No one but our ruler and their heir knew of our power. We were kept a secret.
"Only the king's chosen heir was told of the need to run the labyrinth to claim its magic. But they were also told that in order to keep that magic, they would have to kill the former ruler as a show of strength."
Sarah's jaw went completely slack. Shock clouded her mind, and a small voice was screaming in the back of her head that this woman was proclaiming to something important, something devastating, but she couldn't quite hear it. There was something else taxing on her mind in that moment, something much more personal.
"Are you saying... that Jareth... killed his own father?" Sarah choked on the question, though even she was not certain why she was asking. Why would it be surprising, really? He was a monster. She had seen him kill with his bare hands, and yet somehow, the knowledge that that man was capable of patricide, among everything else, was disgusting. That was the man she had spent nights with in between soft silk sheets. The mere thought of it made her sick.
Heart nodded.
"Yes. During the war between Seelie and Unseelie, Jareth ran and won the labyrinth while everyones attentions were elsewhere. We believe, though, that Jareth's father gave him permission to kill him. For throughout the generations of Unseelie rulers the offspring have been told that killing the previous king was a necessity, and so the greedy progeny did so without remorse. The continued darkness of our rulers had left us haggard. This place, now beautiful and full of light and life, was nothing but rot and death before you came. It was why my appearance so disgusted you when we first met. I was a reflection of the Goblin King's soul. And now, I am a reflection of yours."
The being smiled a little after saying that, appraising the fearful girl before her with pride, but Sarah was too far away. She at least knew now that she was indeed not the only runner to ever win the labyrinth, and why the Goblin King had been so angry about her victory, but, how could it have been that she first won, and then, instead of staying and being given all this pivotal information, had been sent home, where she had been left clueless and vulnerable for the Goblin King's return.
She raised her downcast eyes to Heart, who was standing exactly as she had been this whole time, posed and unmoving, watching her patiently as she grasped desperately for her questions like a child would escaping helium balloons.
"If what you say is true, and the champion learns everything when they win, what about me?"
For the first time since she popped out of her rock, Heart seemed to do something ungraceful. She fidgeted, an action quite out of pace with her poised and regal manner, but her hands where clasping each other, and she was twisting them around like Sarah had done many times when she was anxious.
Again, she questioned why the labyrinth would be anxious or nervous. What wasn't she being told?
"This is where we have failed you champion. So overjoyed were we at the prospect of a new ruler, a ruler who could once again bring light back to us, back to the Underground, that we overlooked the Goblin King completely. We had to let you go, for you were far too young. Had we attempted to bestow your body with all our magic and power before you had even reached maturity, it would have shattered you. But we were too focused on you, and failed to notice the interest the Goblin King had taken in you. His days were numbered, he knew that, and he also knew that in little less than three mortal years, you would return, and claim the throne he had held for so many centuries.
"We underestimated him. Because of the time difference he once controlled, he had years more to find a way to crush your power. He spent decades searching and learning, and acquiring all the magic he could find, while all we could do was watch. We were no longer connected to him, and so could do nothing to interfere, and as you were still not ready to connect with us, we could not warn you.
"He had spent his years with us wisely, and had mastered many skills, most of all the control over time. We didn't even see it coming. The moment he found a way to squash your power before it could truly blossom, he sped up time and went to fetch you before we could intervene. On the night of your eighteenth birthday, when you came of age, we thought to lure you back somehow, but he blocked our path. We do not know how, he should not have been so powerful without us, but it would seem he was far more determined than we gave him credit. He brought you into his kingdom, and since we had not had the chance to meld with you, locked us out. Where he learnt to do so, we had no idea, but anything past our barrier; the castle, the surrounding village, everything, we could not touch. We couldn't reach you, we couldn't save you. His presence in your life was getting in the way. It was only thanks to you and your amazing intuition, that he finally let down his guard enough to leave you. He used many spells to keep us out, but whether the connection between us was blocked or not, once he was gone, we could begin sending you dreams. We tried to get you to come to us; we tried so many times, for the truth you had to learn if you were ever to defeat the Goblin King."
So they couldn't reach her, that truth deflated most of Sarah's anger, and if she was being honest with herself, part of her had known all along. Jareth had sure as shit gone through an awful lot of trouble to break her, and it had always been about way more than simply getting her to submit to him. It was about keeping her locked away. Away from the labyrinth and its power, so he could keep his kingdom, and her, all to himself. A flash of memory hit her hard as she recalled the incensed look in his dark eyes when he had caught her in the labyrinth. They couldn't reach out to her than, because of whatever spell he had placed on her to block their power out. But that spell was supposed to be gone now. Oberon and that Alchemist had drained it from her, so why was she still so completely clueless? True, she had been having dreams of the labyrinth, and the urge to come here had been desperate and insatiable, but she still felt up the creek without a paddle.
Gulping down any reluctance, she asked another question she was just dying to know.
"Why didn't he just kill me? If he had blocked you out, and you couldn't protect me, why didn't he just eliminate the risk?"
"He knows what we know." Heart said simply.
"What do you know?" Sarah responded a little frustrated.
"That the labyrinth cannot exist without a ruler. Even though we had existed before, we have become dependent on a magic heart. If he had killed you, both your worlds would have been devastated. The separate dimensions would have collided and destroyed everything for both races. The champion must exist to carry the heart of the labyrinth with them. He couldn't have taken the power back unless he conquered the labyrinth again, and the only way he could have done so, is if he had told you exactly what you are, and let you come to us."
Sarah was once again confounded.
"So he never told me? Why did he think he couldn't beat the labyrinth, just because I was in control of it? He has magic, I don't!"
"That is where you are wrong Sarah. You do have magic. It lives and breathes in your very soul, and is far stronger than anything the Goblin King possesses. You could defeat his darkness, but he would never have been able to conquer your light." Heart tried to convince her, but Sarah had had enough, on the edge and buzzing with energy and raw emotion, she exploded.
"Then why couldn't I fight him!" She screamed, fat angry tears brimming in her bright green eyes.
"I was here! I was here the whole time, and all alone! All alone while he did horrible things to me, and I couldn't fight back! How can I be stronger?!" She cried, tears freely streaming down her face.
Heart sighed sadly.
"Because the Goblin King still has the power of the fae and birth right of the kingdom at his side. It was a part of us, and as long as he is a part of us, he is untouchable."
"What do you mean?" She whispered, quickly wiping at her wet face, a strong sense of foreboding and fear reclaiming her.
"I mean whatever spell he used to bind you to him is still in effect, and nothing can kill our ruler, while they still hold our power in their souls. For as long as we live, nothing will ever be able to kill the Goblin King. Nothing... except you. He made it so. Whatever spell he has placed upon you will be broken only at his death. You're the only one who can kill the Goblin King Sarah, the only one with the power or the right, and this is the devastating truth I must burden you with child, because your heart is pure, as pure as the form that stands before you right now. And far too pure not to suffer under the weight of taking another's life. The Goblin King will hunt you to the ends of the earth Sarah, and the only way to end it, is to end him. In this, I am afraid, you must stand alone."
And with that, the surrounding rock pieces began to spin, spin fast as though they were a thrilling fairground ride. They moved and engulf the figure of the white eyed woman, swarmed around her, and flew back to the split rock, where they fixed themselves back together like jigsaw pieces, once again forming the large rock that now sat on the dirt as though it had never been moved. The wind seemed to give one last wave to scatter any remaining dust, and then the room was still.
So... Thought?