The Gift

Sarah woke to darkness. She sat up, her breathing rapid. The ground was cold and hard beneath her and she stood, feeling around until she found a wall.

"Hello?" her voice echoed far. I must be in some sort of tunnel or something. "Is somebody there?" She heard no response and pulled her robe tightly against her body as she sat, her back against a corner. The air was cold, and bit against her exposed legs, which she tucked beneath her. She felt something sharp against her hip as she sat and reached her hand into her pocket.

She brought out the ring that Jareth had given her. Her mother's ring. And although Sarah could hardly see anything, she managed to remove the half of the ring she was wearing and fit the two together. As they came into correct contact with one another, a flash of light lit up the entire room for a fraction of a second, and Sarah blinked, her eyes readjusting to the darkness. Then with some trepidation, she slipped on the ring.

Nothing happened as the ring fit over her finger and Sarah sat back with a sigh. Well what had she expected? She rubbed her arms with her hands and wondered if Jareth had discovered if she was missing yet. Would he even care when he did find out?

"Of course he would, my darling." A woman's voice spoke out from the darkness

Sarah jumped at the sudden sound, "Who's there?" she asked. She watched in fascination as a woman's figure, clothed in white, walked soundlessly to where Sarah sat huddled. The woman looked entirely too familiar.

"Mom?"

Madeline Williams nodded, tears coming to her bright blue eyes, "Yes, it's me Sarah. How I've hoped it would be you. After all these years."

Sarah stood, no longer feeling the effects of the cold, and stood before her mother, as beautiful as she remembered, "Mom, what's going on? What's happening?"

Madeline smiled, "You have made it back to the Underground. Where our spirits have waited, after all this time." She waved her arm and a brilliant picture formed in the mist of the tunnel. Sarah saw a beautiful land, green and full of life.

"This was the Underground that I knew Sarah. And that our Mother's Before knew as well." She looked very sad, and very wise. "For countless years, the Sendaness, lived here and made many wonderful things." The picture changed and Sarah saw beautiful towers of gilded gold and white, formed with such beauty her eyes prickled with tears, her mother continued, "But it did not last, indeed, nothing lasts forever. And after this time of prosperity came many bitter wars between the Kingdoms. We aligned ourselves with Marius, the King of the Goblins. His force withstood many battles, and in the end, his Kingdom won dominion over the Underground. But that was not before nearly all of the Sendaness were destroyed." Her voice became bitter, "Believing that all was lost, the remaining Sendaness abandoned their world and turned to a new one. The Aboveground. We found out later that Marius had won the last battle and was searching the whole Underground for the Sendaness, but by then it was too late."

Sarah's mind was in a daze, "But why didn't you just come back after you found out?"

Madeline smile turned sad, "In order to blend into the world of humans, and not endanger the Underground, we vowed to perform a ritual that would cause each of us to forget our ancestry, our lineage of great sorceresses. It was only after death we would remember these things." She reached out to touch Sarah's cheek, her hand was cool, and felt like a warm mist.

"Sarah, you are the first of our children to return to the Underground. The ring I gave you would only call me if you put it on within this world."

"You mean that I can do magic?"

"Some of the greatest magic this world has ever known."

"How?"

"You must simply think of it, and with the proper thought, what you want will happen."

"Jareth.." she blushed, "I mean, the Goblin King uses crystals with his magic."

Madeline nodded, "You may do that as well if you so desire." She closed her eyes, "Sarah, simply imagine the crystal within your hand."

Sarah closed her eyes as well and when she opened them, a shining crystal rested within her palm. She attempted to roll it across her hand, as she had seen Jareth do so many times, and it fell out of her grasp and disappeared before it reached the floor.

"Don't worry, you will get the hang of it." Her mother grinned, "And Sarah, don't worry about Jareth, I believe you two would make a perfect match."

Sarah glanced up, "How did you know about that?"

"I just know certain things, that's all." Her mother said, then her face grew sad again, "But darling, it is time for me to go."

"No. Mom, don't leave me here!"

Madeline reached out her hand and touched Sarah's cheek, "My little girl, you can take care of yourself. Use what you have seen, and when you are able, marry and have many children. That is the wish that I have…that we all have for you. Grow strong Sarah, you are the last of a great race." With those words, Madeline Williams receded into the darkness, and for a moment it seemed as though Sarah could see many figures, all standing, their silhouettes framed by a brilliant white light. She saw the figures raise their arms in unison, greeting their hope for survival, before the brightness blinked out and Sarah was left again in darkness.

A source of light filtered into the room and Sarah turned to see a door opening on one side of the tunnel. Out of the door came the man who had taken her, he was tall, and had greased blonde hair that he slicked back onto his head. He shut the door behind him and pulled it off of the wall, and laid it onto the floor. Where the door stood was now only stone. Several lights turned on as he approached and Sarah watched him smile when he saw her.

"You are awake I see."

"Who are you?"

"I am Alorin, an old friend of Jareth's, I didn't think he'd mind if I…" he swept a hungry gaze over Sarah's body, and she stiffened, "...borrowed you for a bit." He came closer to where Sarah stood, and she looked into his eyes, and saw nothing but a terrible blankness there.

That was when Sarah found the strength to run.