Karen thought about what Ludo had said. She wanted to go home and he told her that he'd take her back to her family. But trusting Sarah and trusting these - creatures - Karen's head was spinning. Why hadn't this thing taken her home yet?
A chilled voice in her mind told her that Ludo could not be trusted. She shook her head, she thought she had decided to trust him. She would trust him to get her home. Still the voice would not relent, the rock caller was evil. Rock caller? How had she known to call him that? She bit her lip, she had to get out of here, but she didnt' want to upset this large - well, whatever it was. She glanced over and saw Jareth and Valeria advance on the Dark King.
"Ah, my former wife. So good to see you," Orion hissed. "Come to see me marry the mortal child?"
"Sarah is safe in her own world," Valeria said, one eyebrow arched. "She will not be your slave."
"I will kill you and your pathetic family tonight and then the girl will have no real protection. I will absorb Jareth's magic from her dying flesh. Without the Goblin King's powers, she will be helpless."
"She has a power you cannot touch," Jareth said, looking around until he saw Ludo and Karen off to one side. Good, Ludo had gotten Karen out of the way of battle. Still, they would have to get Karen to admit that this place was real or she would be condemned to remain here, a prisoner of her own fear.
"I plan to do more than touch, Goblin King. I plan to flail the skin off her flesh until she is screaming with sweet agony. I plan to have you watch as your beloved is ripped from her skin. Will she be so beautiful to your gaze then?"
"You will never come near Sarah again," Jareth said in a low voice that chilled Karen. What was happening? She had been so sure this was a dream and now she didn't know what was happening.
You must bring Sarah to me, the voice in Karen's head hissed. What was that buzzing in her head? A calm came over here and she smiled. The voice was right. Sarah needed to be here. This was her home. No! She had to protect Sarah from everything in this place. From everyone who was trying to take her from her home and family. Karen held onto her head and sobbed silently. Ludo saw this and frowned.
"Dark King trying to control you. Fight, Karen."
"No, get away from me - you - monster!"
"Karen, no," Ludo said, but Karen ran towards Orion. "Master, let me go get the girl. I will bring her to you."
"That will not be necessary," Orion said, grinning. "She has arrived in this world and shall be here soon."
"You will not touch her," Jareth yelled, running toward Orion, sword blazing in the still night.
JSJSJS
Robert looked around in shock. "This place is real."
"Of course it's real," Sarah said, almost amused. "Did you think Jareth was imaginery?"
"Part of me hoped," her father admitted wryly. "This world is very dangerous, Sarah. I don't know how safe you can be courting a Goblin King."
"I'm engaged to a Goblin King," she reminded him. "His fight is my fight."
Sarah started walking towards Orion's kingdom, seeing that the barrier seemed to have been lifted.
"Looks like Karen let Ludo in, I hope she will trust Jareth to help her escape."
"How can you trust Jareth when he's brought us all into this mess?" Robert said, not unkindly.
"He's the true ruler of this place and Orion must be stopped. I know that you still see me as a child, but I have his powers inside of me. I keep them safe. How can Jareth fight without his full powers behind him? I have to be here."
"I still don't understand how the two of you are sharing powers," Robert said, trudging up the steep hill to reach the Dark King's dominion. They saw all manner of beings fighting, elves and trolls, phantoms and wraiths.
"He entrusted me with his Labyrinth. It's the source of his power. He still can use his magic, but he's trusting me to keep it safe for him. And I've given him control over my new powers. We balance each other's darkness. That's why I have to be here. He isn't thinking rationally. He still thinks he must protect me."
"And these creatures fighting? Whose side are they on anyway?"
Ariana's voice cut through his confusion.
"They are not allies in normal life, but Orion made them his minions. Now that the spell is off of them, they have no reason to stay civil to each other. They are not on anyone's side but their own at present."
"Ariana, you're here," Sarah grinned then sobered. "Jareth's gonna be pretty mad, isn't he?"
"You do seem to bring out that response in him," the princess agreed, her eyes sparkling with amusement. Darien was right behind her, watching to make sure none of the fighting creatures got too close to Ariana.
"Well, I'm not leaving. We have to save Karen," Sarah said, folding her arms.
"And so we shall," Ariana said, nodding. "Stay close and don't do anything rash."
"No that's your job," Darien muttered and Ariana hid a grin. They made their way inside the Dark King's fortress and heard shouting.
"You will not touch her," the voice said.
"That's Jareth," Sarah said, running toward the sound.
"Sarah, no," her father yelled, following her. Ariana and Darien rolled their eyes and followed the two into the throne room. Karen was kneeling in front of Orion, eyes glassy. Ludo was trying to get close enough to grab her again, but Orion was slashing with his sword. Ludo could not get near without risking Karen.
Sarah picked up a rock and threw it at Orion. "Take that!"
"Karen, you're all right," Robert said, relieved. He ran up to Karen but Orion shoved him back. Robert crashed into a wall and slumped down, unconcious.
"Daddy," Sarah said, distracted. Orion lunged for her and Valeria sliced at him, watching in satisfaction as his hand fell to the floor, still holding his sword. A dark mist oozed from his severed arm and took form into a large black cloud with glowing yellow eyes. Orion himself fell to the ground and screamed in pain.
Karen tried to grab Sarah but Ludo blocked her path. "Sarah - go to Jareth," Ludo said gently. Karen tried pushing Ludo out of her way. Sarah looked at her father, then her stepmother. Ludo was right, she had to combine power with Jareth.
Ariana guarded Sarah from dark elves who had come to the throne room to see what the fighting was about - Darien guarded Ariana. The two Fae circled the room, quickly killing the enemies that attacked.
"Your time is up, Orion," Sarah yelled, creating a ball of fire in her hand and throwing it toward the Dark King. He deflected it and Valeria took that opportunity to advance upon him.
"Valeria - do it now," Darien shouted.
"This is for my parents and everyone you've hurt," Valeria said, plunging her sword into her former husband. After a long, bitter wail his body turned to dust and the black cloud laughed approvingly.
"There is darkness within you. I shall make you Orion's replacement." Valeria jumped back, stunned by the appearance of the dark forces that had turned Ryan into the Dark King. She held her sword steady and waited for the attack.
"Valeria, behind me," Jareth said as Sarah ran to his side. He glared at her but she reached up and kissed his cheek. The glare melted into a look of frustration and love.
"You should not be here," he chided.
"You should not underestimate me," she said lightly, producing a fire ball in her hand and using it to create a wall of flame around the dark cloud. The entity laughed and extinguished it easily.
"Impressive trick, child," it said. "But soon you will be dust and I shall rule the Under Ground as I did eons ago. Before the Fae appeared to warp my realm."
Robert woke up and Karen called to him. "Robert, give Sarah to the dark cloud and we can go home. It's all just a dream."
"Karen, you don't know what you're saying," Robert said, aghast.
The cloud grew into an imposing mass of black and red. Sarah gasped when she realized the red blurs were souls screaming for escape.
"Everyone it's killed is trapped in there with him," Ariana whispered. "But our parents?"
"Your parents are safe," Sarah assured her. "They were caught between worlds when I found them."
"True," the cloud mocked. "But they do not interest me, they are beyond my reach. All of you however," an icy chill burst through the room, "you are all my slaves."
Sarah grasped Jareth's hand and prayed for the wisdom to fight the evil cloud. She felt her great grandmother in her mind, guiding her towards the right path. Closing her eyes, she could sense Jareth's parents nearby and the King of the Fade. They were all watching, but they could not intervene. No, this was not their fight. It was a fight for the living and Sarah intended to stay living for a very long time.
The cloud yawned. "I grow weary," Ariana and Darien fell to the floor, eyes open. Jareth glared. Valeria ran to them.
"They are still breathing," she said then gasped, falling onto the hard floor. The three Fae could watch, but could not move, though they struggled to regain control of themselves.
"Had to level the playing field just a bit," the cloud rumbled. "I don't like having so many strong enemies in the same room. I'll wait to kill them for a little while though, it's fun to have them watch the torture. As a king yourself, I'm sure you understand," the cloud mocked.
"No," he shouted. "You shall not defeat us."
"Strong, arrogant Goblin King. I save you and your mortal plaything for last. But now I will kill everyone else here and you shall watch."
So intent was the cloud on Jareth and Sarah that he did not notice Ludo run to Robert.
"You must get Karen to accept this world or we are all doomed," the rock caller said quickly. "Her fear is feeding the dark entity." He paused. "Your fear is feeding it also. Human fear is a strong power for a creature like this to have."
"You talk?"
"Yes, now listen. You must get Karen to snap out of whatever fantasy she's made in her mind. It's the only way to get control back and defeat the darkness. Can you do it? Can you overcome your fear to save your child? And your wife?"
Robert took a deep breath. "Yes. I'll do it."
