Makes No Sense At All
Chapter 30 –
"The final hour never comes with closure but it's over
The play will end with hate within the chapters, ever after
But you stand and you fight, cause you "know" that you're right
You remain by your pride 'till there's nothing inside
Turn away, realize that there's no one in sight
There's no reprise that lies within the stillness. Are you speechless?
The venom hides behind your inner secrets and your sickness.
Adrift inside your mind
Void of all dreams
The darkness, deafening
The silence screams"
- "Call Out My Name" - Neverwake
They appeared in front of a very familiar sight for Sarah. The humid air wrapped around, her skin starting to bead with sweat. She eyed the giant guardian of the pyramid in front of them, who was stretching lazily from a nap. Once it realized who its visitors were, the Sphinx immediately bent down on its front two paws, then moved aside for the Kings and their entourage to enter the coolness of the great structure. Surprisingly it wasn't at all talkative, unlike her last encounter. Jareth kept a firm grip around her waist as they passed by.
Once inside, they navigated corridors - some inclining, some declining. Sarah held her breath as they walked over the spot she had fallen through to her first meeting with Kai. It was solid stone this time and they continued on. Their footsteps the only sound as silence wrapped around them from the lack of life. Once she realized how big the structure really was, she wondered if there were any mummies of Kings buried in here from Ancient Egypt. Definitely plenty of room for burial chambers.
She glanced back at Kai, who was magically being floated along, still immobile. Since the spell she had weaved consisted of more than just her fledgling magic, the two Kings had taken control of it as they had transported. She was fine with that as she didn't know her limits yet and she wanted to ensure the vampire stayed contained.
Finally they reached a room towards what she assumed was the top of the pyramid, as there was sunlight streaming in from slats in the ceiling. Haloed under these openings, sitting on what looked like a gold perch, was a massive red and yellow bird with striking yellow eyes. It was studying them as their group approached.
Once they came to a halt in front of it, it addressed them, "Goblin King, High King, Champion, brother of the Goblin King, welcome. I have been expecting you."
The High King bent his head in acknowledgement and the Goblin King slightly bent his upper half. "Bennu, it is good to see you. Last time I had visited the area you frequent more often, I had just missed your death. I am glad to see you reborn once again."
"Indeed. The cycle of life continues and is a reminder that everything must end and begin again."
"Is this the phoenix that we saw the fire from awhile ago when you were showing me the Labyrinth?" Sarah couldn't help her curiosity.
"Correct, Precious. Sarah, this is Bennu, the spirit of the Labyrinth. Bennu, as you know, this is your Champion, Sarah."
Bennu's gaze focused solely on Sarah for a moment, causing all thought to escape her mind. This creature's eyes held the power of ages within them.
"Ah yes, Champion. I see our Goblin King has neglected your education where this Labyrinth is concerned. We shall have to remedy that at a later time. For now we have a more immediate situation needing addressed."
Sarah's thoughts started flowing again and she looked up at Jareth. She felt his presence brush her mind in calming reassurance. He cocked an eyebrow at the bird to continue.
The phoenix's attention was now on the dark figure held stationary by magic on the other side of the room from Jareth and Sarah.
"You seek answers on how Fae can become a vampire as well," Bennu stated, not taking its gaze from Kai.
As this was not a question, both Kings were silent.
"For this, it may be easier to access his memories," Bennu continued. "I don't suppose you would make this easy and open your mind, vampire?"
Kai's head was now released, glaring at everyone as he bared his fangs, "I will never give such power over me to you idiots!" He drew breath to say more, but his mouth moved with no sound.
"I thought not," the phoenix replied. "No matter, we shall do this the hard way which will cause you pain."
Sarah sent a question telepathically to Jareth.
'Extracting thoughts and memories from a being who is unwilling is very painful to them,' he answered.
Kai all of a sudden collapsed to the ground, his sharp nails gouging into the sides of his head. His mouth was moving, but there was still silence. Sarah could just imagine the cursing he was doing.
Then unexpectedly, images started flowing in front of her eyes.
Two fair-haired, green-eyed identical little boys looked to be practicing magic, conjuring fragile bubbles but not able to keep them yet.
Then the scene changed to older, what would be described as, teenaged versions. The one boy seemed to be having a better grasp of his magic, while the other struggled.
Once again the images shifted, this time to include a third male. A fair-haired, blue-eyed slightly younger boy than the two now adult looking males.
The blue-eyed boy was now the teenager and his command of magic was already impressive. He produced spheres with little effort.
Another scene, to three grown males. Jareth and Cerin were easily recognizable, but the third looked exactly like Cerin.
Jareth easily transforms into animals, his grasp on magic seemingly mastered.
The third male looked on with envy as he weakly manipulates a stream of magic before it fizzles out.
Then they are all in front of the High King, looking as if no time has passed between then and now. He announces his successor has been chosen and it will be Jareth, once he shows he can run the Goblin Kingdom until the High King steps down or decides to pass into the veil. The final test.
The third male, Cerin's twin, explodes in anger. He should be the next King, he was born first!
The High King commands him to get himself under control and that he knows quite well birth order means nothing. That his grasp of magic is weak and he could never be powerful enough to run a Kingdom and keep it safe.
He disappeared from the room and reappears at the gates of the Labyrinth. He tries pushing them open, to no avail. He conjures a sphere and throws it, making no dent. He finally gets frustrated and resorts to kicking them.
'You are not meant to conquer this Labyrinth. You are denied entry,' says a voice above him.
He looked up to find a phoenix who looks exactly like Bennu, sitting on top of the stone wall that extends on either side of the gates.
He asks who they are and it replies with, 'the spirit of the Labyrinth.'
He implored Bennu to let him in, that he is the rightful King. To which Bennu just tilted its head and stared at the Fae. After a moment, the phoenix replied, 'No, this is untrue. You hold the same blood as my future King, but you are not he. You are not destined to wield enough power and wisdom needed to rule a Kingdom.'
The Fae begs that there must be some way to increase his power. Again Bennu studied him for a moment, seeming to see more than the present, then responded, 'There is a path you can take that can aid in the rightful future. But it is not one to be agreed to lightly. Much struggle and pain will take place before the outcome is accomplished.'
He eagerly agrees, Bennu's further warnings falling on deaf ears. So the phoenix takes him to the same room they are standing in the present and performs a powerful spell. The Fae screams and rips his shirt open, clawing at his face, arms, chest, any exposed skin. It starts bubbling, looking like molten lava moving underneath. He fell to his knees then collapsed to the floor, writhing in agony.
The spirit of the Labyrinth watched impassively until the male is deathly still. Then he slowly awakened and came to his feet effortlessly. Fangs are now peaking between his lips. He conjured a mirror with a thought. Nothing has changed beyond the new dental work.
He asks why a vampire and how is this even possible?
Bennu replied that the answer to the why will be revealed in time and the how is old magic that changes his blood. He is still Fae, but enhanced as a Vampire.
The new vampire asks how he can use this transformation to become King and how soon it can be accomplished?
Bennu's answer is that much time will pass before the fate of his current choices will be revealed and that he must use it to go to the Vampire Kingdom to learn.
He does so and the images shift a bit faster, showing him coming back over and over. The phoenix always advising it still wasn't time. Finally when Jareth is crowned Goblin King, he turns to dark magic, determined to speed his fate up. His eyes and hair slowly turns darker until they become the picture of the Kai she knows now.
Bennu finally calls him back and explains he must hide in the Labyrinth, cloaked from Jareth. It was almost time for everything to come to fruition.
The roll of images finally come to a halt and they are brought to the present.
Kai has blood running from his nose and ears, and is collapsed but still held up by magic.
Staggering into Jareth, who wraps an arm around her waist, Sarah snaps back to the present as the images cease suddenly. Her arms slides around his lower back as well to help steady herself.
All the while, everyone's eyes flicked between Bennu and Kai.
Bennu stared impassively at the Vampire Fae. What seems like hours is most likely minutes, no one daring to break the silence.
Kai finally stirs, groaning, eyes fluttering open and arms jerking at his sides, still magically bound. This seemed to fully rouse him and he starts to struggle, then his memory seemed to return as he glared at everyone. His mouth starts moving with most likely cursing, but still bound in the phoenix's magic the sound remained mute.
None of the beings in the room deigned to address him and instead conversed with each other. "So you changed the composition of his blood with some type of old magic to make him Vampire as well as Fae?" Jareth asked of the bird.
Bennu dipped its head slightly, "Correct Goblin King."
"But why?" came from the High King.
"Because it is as it needed to be to bring my King and his rightful Queen together," It answered simply.
"As in the Champion?" replied the High King.
"Correct."
Sarah had looked up at Jareth, her eyes widened with shock. He glanced down at her, but gave nothing away of his reaction to this news.
Obviously this was where this romance of theirs was leading. If they were both serious about what had been happening between them, a logical step in the future would be marriage, making her his Queen. She flinched at that thought. She had not let herself think that far ahead. Partially because she didn't want to ruin what they had now, just for the possibility of him tiring of her in the future. Also because she was not royal material. She was an out of work writer, a human being, albeit with magic that continued to grow. Though who knew if it was just a side effect of her being in the Labyrinth for so long. These powers could disappear as quickly as they had come if she was taken out of this environment. Another situation she hadn't let herself think about if she was ever sent back Above for good. She was solely living in the now and trying to enjoy every moment with Jareth and being in this magical realm that she was granted.
The Goblin King's arm still wrapped around her, slightly squeezed her waist.
'It will be ok Precious. We are in this together.'
She stiffened as she realized she must have been projecting her thoughts to him. She needed to get better control of that.
'Did anyone else hear all that?' she sent to him.
'No, I just have easier access since we have already been in each other's minds, as well as you were thinking of me and subconsciously sent them to me.'
She slowly let out the breath she didn't know she had been holding and relaxed against him.
She tuned back into the answer the phoenix was giving to the High King in response to his question as to why create this interference?
"I knew the Goblin King would need some motivation to remove himself from his pride to contact the Champion again. In order for the rightful future to take place for me and all the inhabitants within my walls, I saw I would need to put certain events in motion."
"Which included putting Sarah in peril by giving Kai all these powers?" Jareth asked with an edge to his voice. He was very unhappy with his Labyrinth.
"Indeed. She is fine I see. No harm done." Bennu cocked its head in her direction.
Sarah tensed up and her mouth dropped open at the nonchalance. Once again Jareth's arm tightened around her waist before she could let her growing anger out at the knowledge that everything that had happened to her, all the pain and wounds, were because of this feathered being who truly had its own best interests as priority.
"Bennu this is unacceptable. You put Sarah's life in danger multiple times because of looking out for yourself. I am very displeased with you," Jareth's voice was tinged with annoyance. There was also a magical quality to it that actually made Bennu flinch.
Then it collected itself and stared back at its King, "What's done is done."
"Quite. But don't think this conversation is over between you and I. I will decide your punishment for putting Sarah at risk. By accepting me as your King centuries ago, you gave me power over you and while I choose not to exercise it often, in this instance I will be. I need to impress upon you how grave your actions have been. The fact you didn't even consult me in your plans, makes this all the more insulting to my station. That you would dare think you knew better than your King." His voice was the epitome of a royal, infused with the magic of his position.
Younger Sarah would've bristled at his haughty words with not being in on the decision of this whole debacle, thinking that he was putting his own pride first instead of her. But at her current age and with the time spent with Jareth, she understood this was how he needed to be to his subjects when they stepped out of line. He needed to impress upon them the seriousness of the actions done, and he was expressing his concern for her in a formal way that would come across to the old magical spirit that it should be able to understand.
There was an art to speaking officially as the King and not just as Jareth. She wondered if that was something taught to young monarchs or if it just came naturally.
Bennu tilted its head, "Acknowledged."
After a moment, the High King spoke, "Back to the matter at hand. The spell you used, who has access to it? Can this become a threat?"
"It is very unlikely. It is an ancient spell in a language that hasn't been spoken by any being besides myself in centuries. I retain it by memory."
"It is not in any book?"
"Not that I am aware of. When this language was spoken, books weren't in existence, so I would be very surprised if it could be found written. "
The High King nodded after a moment, then looked to Jareth whose eyes flicked to Bennu, "Nevertheless, you will watch for even a hint of anyone else having an awareness of this spell. Any whisper, you will come to me immediately. We can't have this becoming common knowledge." Sarah could feel the push of of magical authority in his voice. This was an edict from the King, not a request.
The phoenix bowed its head in acquiesce.
"Well now that that is settled, it is onto most likely more unpleasantness for your brother, " The High King looked to Jareth and then Cerin, before turning to address Kai. "I don't suppose you would willingly tell us exactly how much the vampire nation knows of how you became one of them when it should be impossible?"
"Also if they are planning on trying to overtake the Goblin Kingdom or were you solely acting on your own?" Jareth added on. He then waved a gloved hand and continued, "Think before you speak brother. Do you choose more pain before your death? You know we are not bluffing, we will invade your mind again to retrieve our answers if you don't cooperate."
Kai had opened his mouth to start another tirade when the magical hold on his head was released, but snapped it shut at Jareth's words. He wanted to rail at them that they were going to kill him anyway, but pulling his memories was painful enough. He wasn't sure if he could survive that so soon after the previous time. This lead to a vindictive thought. If he was going to die, perhaps he indeed wouldn't make it through and once he was dead, his blood would be no help in healing the Goblin King. They both would perish this day. Not exactly how he saw this going, but he was nothing if not adaptable. Maybe as an added bonus, they wouldn't even get all their answers before he had passed.
Decision made, he looked at both Kings defiantly, "Do your worst, I will never willingly betray my brethren. I will die with honor."
Sarah couldn't contain the burst of laughter from her throat. "There is nothing about you that is honorable. I've seen into your mind, don't forget. Which I seem to be getting better at, since you had no idea I was listening to your thoughts just now." She looked up at her lover and relayed Kai's hopes to him mentally, who then passed it down the familial link to the High King and Cerin.
"Never fear my wayward son, our magic will keep you alive until we have collected every piece of information needed to satisfy our concerns. You will heal your brother before you move to your punishment in the next life. If you had chosen to act of your own free will it may have helped you, but now it will surely be added to weigh against you."
Kai had been muted before the High King's speech. Once he realized this, he stopped his ranting and fumed. He hadn't even noticed the touch of the girl's mind. She was progressing too fast. Such a shame he hadn't been able to bend her to his will. He would have won guaranteed. Instead, his mind was racing to find any possibility out of this predicament. Before his thoughts got any further, he was thrown into blinding pain as his mind was forcibly accessed. He didn't even have the privilege of writhing in agony since they held him completely immobile with their magic.
He tried to bury the answers they were seeking deep, but it was too late. With the girl's growing abilities bolstered by the two powerful Kings and his twin brother's magic, she followed the trail quicker than he could banish them into the recesses.
The pain released its hold of him and he collapsed against the invisible bonds, hovering on the edge of unconsciousness.
It was quiet for awhile until Kai fully came to, then the High King revealed their findings, confirming he had failed to withhold the truth. "It appears you have been on your own with your delusions, the vampires rejected you once they found you were attempting to move against the Goblin Kingdom. I will send one of my most trusted spies to ensure that you haven't found a way to deceive us even in your own mind, but I am confident this is nothing more than a precaution."
"I believe that takes care of the final piece then," Jareth concluded after a moment.
"Yes, nothing halting the inevitable now. Taking the life of a son is not something to decide lightly, but you have forced my hand. I can't sacrifice the Goblin Kingdom's monarch and my successor for even my own blood," The High King addressed Kai, who glared at him.
The vampire fae's arms extended from their magical bonds and two large hospital type bags floated beneath them. Deep gashes appeared on the underside of each wrist and the blood flowed unhindered into them.
Jareth let go of Sarah's waist and went to lean against the stone wall. An IV appeared in each arm, which was attached to the bottom of the receptacles of his brother's blood.
The absence of him pressed against her side was more acute than she thought it would be. She studied his naturally pale face and realized it had a gray cast. The poison seemed to be working faster than they expected. She wanted to go to him, but she knew she had to stay strong for both herself and for him.
Kai's eyes widened in horror that the moment was here. He truly hadn't believed it would come to fruition. He pushed with all his power against the magic holding him. This couldn't be the end. He had worked so hard and waited so long, how was this his destiny? Each moment that passed he felt himself growing weaker. His magic dwindled away with his life and the pressure he applied against his bonds grew fainter.
"Bennu, why did you tell Kai you would help him become Goblin King if that wasn't your plan?" Sarah asked the phoenix, trying to distract herself from watching the murder of a living being in front of her. She knew it couldn't be helped and he would've killed her without any qualms, but it still made her uneasy.
Bennu's eyes flicked over her, "I told him he could aid in the rightful future, he heard what he wanted to hear."
Sarah flashed back to the images of the exchange between them and concluded the spirit of the Labyrinth spoke the truth. Once again she realized this being acted in its best interest, regardless of the lives involved. Knowing Kai perhaps could've been saved centuries ago by his family, made her sad for what had transpired because of what Bennu had set in motion, instead of just turning him away that day the gates. He had been tricked at that moment and Bennu had all but admitted it knew Kai wasn't really listening to its words. It was cold comfort to her that Kai's desire to use any means necessary to become King, was the catalyst to give the Labyrinth the opening It needed.
Before she could reply to the phoenix, Jareth collapsed on the cold stone floor. Sarah rushed the few steps to him and slid to her knees. Moving his head to her lap, she looked at the High King in a panic, her eyes wide with fear.
Before anyone could say anything, Kai's weak laughter bubbled from his throat. "Played right into my hands," he whispered.
"What do you mean?" Cerin who had watched the events unfold up until now, lending his magic silently as needed, strolled over and captured his twin's chin in a forceful grip.
"The girl's magic..was too weak when she..invaded my mind to..get the antidote," he coughed with the effort squeeze his words out.
"Explain."
"My blood is..only half the cure. By itself it..speeds up the poison," he grew weaker with each sentence.
At this, the IVs in Jareth's veins disappeared and the stream of blood from Kai's wrists ceased as the wounds sealed themselves.
Teenage Sarah would've jumped up and attacked the damn vampire. Instead she channeled her rage and without any warning, she shoved her magic into his mind. He screamed at the surprise intrusion, which felt akin to a hot poker being forced in with one gigantic push, slicing through anything in its way. She was done playing games and any pity she felt for him was now dissipated. She ripped the rest of the cure from his mind in one swift movement.
"Your power," she stated for everyone else in the room.
Kai would've collapsed at her invasion if he hadn't already been limp. Not much blood remained in his body. Still, he somehow found the energy to conjure gleeful laughter, "Too little..too late."
"How so?"
"You need..my full power. Not the..little left to..me now," he labored. "Blood and..power needed to..be given at once."
"You're saying because he received the blood first before your power, he would've needed your full power to counteract them not being given simultaneously?" Cerin summarized.
Kai cough-laughed for a minute, then replied, "Exactly."
Sarah was rooting around in his mind, trying to ascertain if he was telling the full truth. She could detect no lies, but asked him directly while entrenched in his thoughts, "So there is absolutely nothing that we can do to save him now?"
"Correct. Your lover doesn't..even have the time..to turn mortal now. All of..you have sealed his..fate..by giving him just my..blood." He worked to draw a breath, then his eyes flicked to his father and he managed a smirk as he continued, "You will..be without..your chosen..heir. I may die..but I still..win."
Sarah gasped in horror as she tasted the completeness in Kai's answer. She was missing nothing this time. Her heart thumped with guilt, that in a way it was her fault. She hadn't stopped to think she needed to double check she had gotten the full antidote. She had been inflated with self-importance that she had managed to pull one over on the powerful vampire fae. The feeling of magic in her veins had been a heady feeling. If she hadn't been so hasty, Jareth would not be on death's door.
She stroked the sharp angles of his ashen face. His eyelids had been flickering as he tried to keep them open, while he listened to what amounted to his death sentence.
Kai's stilted laughter seemed to wrap around everyone, as it echoed with finality.
A/N - Can it it be? An update? I never intended this to go over a year without. I have been working on this chapter since last summer and just had so much trouble. Then within a few days, the last half just poured out. This is officially the longest chapter I have written to date. I am feeling quite accomplished right about now and am basking in it.
However, never fear. I have semi-outlined the next chapter. So hopefully I won't feel the need to linger in this moment too long.
I believe we are near the end, unless the characters throw a detour on this road trip.
I hope everyone enjoys and as always, pay the tolls in way of reviews. Please and thank you!