Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth.
LEGEND
The Lady of the Rock City
Hoggle stared at the view in front of him. Unbelieving, he rubbed his eyes. "What…?"
"Don't be so astonished," the Sphinx snorted, reminding, "this is Under's Ground, after all…"
Hoggle shivered and briefly glanced down at Cobweb peeking from his cap. "I don't like thi'…" he muttered.
"Yeah, tell me about it." The fairy tucked herself deeper in the safety of Hoggle's cap, and wrinkled her nose, sniffing. "This place stinks."
At her words, the Sphinx let out a deep grumble, a roaring laugh, while looking at the fairy and the dwarf. "You think so…" Pressing his shout to the dwarf's chest, he nearly pushed him on the ground. The basalt-like eyes remained cold and inanimate, and he hushed darkly, "You have no idea …"
Hoggle met his stare. The seeping coldness ran down his spine like invisible fingers of the darkness.
"Hey!" He jolted as the beast turned his back on him. "Wait a minute!" Hoggle sprinted to run, hurrying next to the Sphinx, terrified the monster might leave him and Cobweb. The dusk of the faintly glowing rocks only strengthened the scaring premonition he had.
Hoggle glanced furtively aside, feeling on him the attention of the imaginary beasts of the Under's Ground. He shivered, sensing their restlessness, their urge to taste blood. Hidden in the shadows, they only waited for their first change to attack and devour poor Hoggle. The dwarf fixed his stare at the Sphinx, marring his forehead. The odd blue glow of the Sphinx had grown stronger the deeper they got; and the stronger the light grew, the further the hungry shadows retreated. He sighed. Despite the rock beast scared the hell out of Hoggle, he was better than facing the unknown. And it appeared the shadows were even more scared of the Sphinx than Hoggle.
"Yar runner, ya know," Hoggle silently said to the fairy, "had really chosen th' best possible route…"
The fairy just snorted, without bothering to answer.
The Sphinx led them through the gateway into a crumbled courtyard. Suddenly, the beast halted and tilted his head. Curious, Hoggle looked at the same direction but only saw tall pillars on the rooftop of the old temple.
"Pardon me, but is somethin' wrong?"
The Sphinx glanced at Hoggle briefly, swinging his tail. Hoggle nearly failed to hear him murmuring, "I don't know, dwarf… This time I really don't know…" His gaze wandered back to the highest spire and its empty perch. He shook his head, sighing, "Oh, come along, you two…We still have a runner to catch."
Heart hammering his chest and the blood rushing in his ears, the dwarf followed the beast through the crumbled doorway into the dark temple.
Suddenly he heard a swooshing sound, and a white figure, a bird, flew pass them in the corridor. Horrified, Hoggle screamed, throwing his arms to cover his face. "The King!" In panic, recognizing the familiar shape of an owl, he turned around and sprinted to another direction. He didn't pay any attention to the angry shouts of Cobweb, hurrying away from the temple, the dark frightening corridor and the possibility to face his sovereign in flesh.
"Stupid dwarf!" the Sphinx roared and the stones rattled underneath his paws as the beast lunged forward.
"No!" Hoggle cried when the beast reached him and, pushing him on his face, pinned him down on the ground. The fairy let out a high-pitched scream as she was thrown away from the cap.
"I'm not going there!" Hoggle sobbed, squirming beneath the beast's hold. "I'm not!"
"Imbecile dwarf, will you cease already!" the Sphinx snarled in his ears. His breath caressed Hoggle's skin. The beast smelled weird and still similar, like a blend of dust, sandalwood and ancient magic. Freezing, Hoggle blinked his eyes, an odd sense of déjà vu flashing through his mind.
"Lemme go…" he panted. "Ya're leadin' us to His Majesty…"
The Sphinx snarled displeased, releasing his hold, and hastily the dwarf scrambled on his feet dusting off his pants.
"Obnoxious dwarf, you're assuming too much."
Hoggle shook his head. "But th' owl…"
"Oh, get a grip!" Cobweb squeaked, also scrambling up on her wobbly legs. She frowned at the dwarf. "You're such a coward!" the fairy accused. "A sight of one bird, and you're already running away. It's a wonder She ever reached the center of the Labyrinth with you escorting her…"
Hoggle blushed viciously. "That's not fair!" The words felt bitter, reminding him about Sarah and his own failures. How many times had he heard her uttering that same sentence?
"Just leave the stupid dwarf," Cobweb said to the Sphinx and, then, plunged out her tongue while scowling at Hoggle, "if not able to do else but wail."
"Ya watch yer tongue!" Hoggle bent down, poking his finger on the fairy. "And whom ye say bein' whining, bug?"
"You stupid -- hog!" Cobweb staggered backwards, and after regaining her balance, stamped her foot on the ground. "If I were your size…"
"Too bad ya're not!" Hoggle cut in gleefully.
The Sphinx shook his head. "Hmph," he let out an annoyed puff of air. "It seems we're off to a good start…" His whiskers trembled as he listened to the insults flying back and forth between the dwarf and the fairy. Finally, rolling his eyes, he got up his feet and turned his back on them.
They both froze and, shocked, stared after the Sphinx. Hoggle was first to react.
"Hey!" he yelped and took few hurried steps forward, forgetting his earlier dispute with the fairy. "Where ya think ye'r goin'?"
"Wait here…" the beast muttered in answer without looking back.
Hoggle staggered, stopping, "But---but, ya can't leave us…" His voice died away.
"Just watch," the Sphinx snorted and disappeared in the darkness of the gateway.
Standing still Hoggle stared in the impenetrable darkness to where the beast had vanished, unbelieving the transpired. He glanced down when hearing the fairy to speak out.
"He'll be back." Cobweb creased her brows, sounding oddly certain.
"Yeah?" Hoggle arched his eyebrows. "Wha' makes ya think so?" he inquired, approaching the fairy and placed his hands on his hips, scowling.
The fairy sighed, "Stupid, doubtful dwarf. You seriously think he would allow an new riddle to pass unsolved?"
Hoggle refrained from commenting. Instead, he inhaled deeply and turned to the doorway of the ancient temple. He trembled, sensing again the gazes of the invisible beasts on him. "I hope yar right," Hoggle muttered finally, "or there won't be too much left of us…"
Her face turned white, and she shivered while looking around.
Dripping sound of falling water echoed through the courtyard as they stood still, attention fixed at the open gateway. And only when the familiar, odd blue glow returned, Hoggle felt the tension of his muscles to ease. The shadows seemed to disperse and fleet when the Sphinx stepped up on the courtyard.
The monster stopped, giving an intent look at the fairy and the dwarf, and suddenly smiled while sitting down on his legs, "You should see yourself, dwarf. You look like seeing a ghost."
Face flushed, Hoggle swept the ground with his feet. "His Majesty," he muttered, "makes me scared…"
Surprisingly, the monster only nodded. "This time I can't blame you…" He sounded thoughtful as he glanced up at the rooftops.
Jolting, the dwarf lifted up his face. "So, it was him!" he screamed softly, and Cobweb gasped as echoing his words.
The Sphinx didn't answer, giving the dwarf only a sharp glance. After noticing the little fairy tucked back to the cap dangling on the belt of the dwarf, a small smile played over his face. He got up and turned. Alarmed, Hoggle realized he was heading back to the waylaying darkness of the corridor. And without following, remained where he was.
The Sphinx glanced back, crinkling his eyes, and snarled, "Don't make me repeat myself…We had a deal!"
Blood fled Hoggle's face, "No…"
The beast chortled dryly. "You're afraid?"
"Only a fool wouldn't be," Hoggle stammered. "But ye seriously expect me to follow you now when I knows ya're seen his Majesty?"
"I don't know which is more annoying," the beast grunted, flattening his ears against his head, "your cowardliness or not understanding that I do not work for the Goblin King!"
"Who then?" Cobweb peeked behind the brim of Hoggle's cap.
"Not you too!" The beast groaned. "Are all people in the Underground truly inflicted by this disease of non-thinking?" He snarled, creeping slowly closer. His tail swung restlessly in the air, curling like a thick snake while letting out a loud swooshing sound.
"While excuse me if not believing in your non-existent explanations!" the fairy pouted, retreating hastily back to the safety of the cap.
The Sphinx snarled even more displeased before finally grunting loudly, "Fine!" he snarled. "I obey the Lady of the Rock City…" his voice lowered, and he hushed, "the only one the Furies are afraid of."
"The Furies?" Hoggle repeated, blinking his eyes.
"The Shadow Sisters," the Sphinx locked his teeth together, and Hoggle heard Cobweb to gasp. The Sphinx fixed his stare at the fairy, explaining, "My Queen banished the Furies eons ago and stripped them from their power. But now the Goblin King has made a deal with the sisters …" He shook his head in apparent disgust. "Your precious king," he spat, "has aside of contract with the Othering also restored the Furies."
"He's not my precious king!" Hoggle answered resentfully.
The beast only snorted, and then his face turned somber, almost sad. He looked at Cobweb, "I fear it might be already late for your runner," he muttered.
The fairy shook her head in refusal. "No…" she whispered. "Linda will survive! She has to!"