Well, hi ya'll. Sorry this chapter took awhile. I am writing this as I go along, praying my imagination doesn't come up with stuff to make it too confusing (I have a basic plot and ending.) Anyways, I am excited about writing the next chapter now that things are getting good, so I will the first chance I get and post right away. Please review if you like it, and even if you don't, please, please, please, I love reviews. Let me know if anything is confusing, if you have ideas, or questions, or whatever.
These Powers That Be
"I wish the goblins would come and take you away right now."
As she slowly turned to answer the taunting command she had been issued, realization struck Sarah all at once. She really had wished her brother away before by saying the words. It had to have been real, or real enough, if the owner of that seductive, daunting voice could be standing behind her in the school parking lot.
All the strange things that had happened over the course of the day raced through her mind. If the Labyrinth was real, had it affected her in some way?
"Well the fact that I can fling teenage boys backwards a couple of yards without touching them does seem a little suspicious." Sarah thought bitterly. "Or maybe it wasn't me at all. Maybe it was Jar…him…all along."
Suddenly Sarah began to feel angry, the way she had been when her Psychology book, and, later, James had become airborne. Refusing to let the accompanying fear betray her with even a tremble, she took a deep breath and slowly traced her deep green eyes upwards until the met the icy, mismatched eyes of her former opponent.
"Former, because I beat him once, despite what challenge he might think he can give me now. Of course, he has nothing of mine, so this time I won't be persuaded to play some silly game."
However, Sarah's boldness dissolved, and she felt her stomach tighten and her eyes go wide as they locked into the gaze of the Goblin King.
"Well, Sarah, I must say it was kind of you to finally call on me again. Actually, I'm surprised you were able to do it so soon, but then, you are always surprising me."
Sarah shivered, noticing that the parking lot had turned even darker while Jareth spoke, so that now it seemed as if Sarah and Jareth were standing alone in a dark mist, with a storm approaching. She could smell the anticipation of rain, or something more sinister on the wind.
"Sarah, pay attention to me. I am going to tell you your challenge." Jareth snapped impatiently, pulling her attention back to him full force.
"Challenge…" Sarah said quietly. "What challenge?!?! I didn't wish anyone away this time! I was mad at James, but I didn't call you to take him. I didn't say anything near the words!" Sarah was beginning to feel her earlier anger completely take over any fear she had of Jareth. "It's not…"
"Fair?" Jareth cut in. "No, dear Sarah, that isn't the right thing to say. "You saw only a small part of my kingdom, so I can forgive your foolishness."
Jareth didn't notice as Sarah flinched irately at that comment, and continued speaking.
"However, as I suppose you will soon learn, my kingdom is vast and there are many avenues to reach it. Just now, you used one of them, and now I have the right to take you back there with me, even if you did it unknowingly. Just as you have the right to face my challenge and escape."
"But that isn't… reasonable." Sarah managed. "You can't just pull me away every time I accidentally do something that you construe as an invitation to kidnap me!"
"Sarah, you clearly wished for me to come. Anyone with power can call me, if they are willing to accept the consequences. You wished to be in the Labyrinth, and I am trying to oblige. You cannot tell me you haven't noticed that you are significantly more powerful now than ever before."
"I should have been more careful. I would have been if I knew what was going on. However, I can't deny that everything I've wanted today has happened. Though I can't believe I wanted this!" Thoughts raced through Sarah's mind, though she stayed silent under Jareth's gaze. "Well, I beat him once before. And now I seem to have magical powers. If there's no way out, I'll just beat him again."
"If I were to say I believed you." Sarah began. "If I were to say I did wish to be in the Labyrinth, even if I didn't necessarily wish for you. Well…what would my challenge be?"
"To find the key to the Labyrinth."
"You mean run the Labyrinth again?"
"Sarah, you are sometimes very stupid. Or at least, you think too much."
Jareth stopped to smile as Sarah frowned at him, irritated.
"The Labyrinth has a key, which allows anyone to bend it at their will and reach my castle well within any time limits I may set for them, or, if they have come to the Labyrinth without my knowledge, before my guards could even know that they are there. It has been stolen. Obviously, this is somewhat of an inconvenience to me and a danger to the inhabitants of my Labyrinth. If, or when, you find the key, I will allow you to leave the Labyrinth."
"What's my time limit?"
"There isn't one, this time. Only, if I find the key first, or someone else does, you will have to stay in the Labyrinth. Indefinitely."
"Do I have a choice then? What could you do to me if I refuse to look?"
"Keep you in the Labyrinth forever, dear Sarah…don't be difficult."
"Well…who took the key?"
Jareth just looked at her in disdain.
"Okay, so you don't know." Sarah bit her lip, falling deep into thought.
Well, the Labyrinth seemed impossible, and it wasn't, so this can't be either. Plus, I have powers now, or seem to, so it will be easier. Before, I wanted my book and it came to me. Maybe if I really think about wanting this key, it will just…show up. I mean, Jareth is powerful, more powerful than me, of course, but what if his powers are different? What if he can't summon the key and I can and I'll find it so fast no one will even know that I'm gone."
"Well, Sarah, do you accept my challenge?" Not that you have a choice.
"Yes. Yes, I accept."
"And you accept the traditional conditions of such a challenge?"
"Um…yes." Sarah said. "And if that's it, I'd like to get started. It's Karen's night to cook, so we're probably having pizza tonight."
"Fine. I will transport you to the underground just as soon as all the prerequisites of your search have been satisfied."
That said, Jareth suddenly summoned a crystal in one strong, black-gloved hand and hurled it in Sarah's direction. Sarah screamed and tried to duck, but she never felt an impact. When she looked up, the crystal, or she assumed it was the same crystal, was back in Jareth's hand.
"What was that for?!?!?" Sarah shouted.
"You agreed to abide by traditional rules, so I will be in control of your powers until you find the key."
Sarah's face turned white, but it wasn't because Jareth was suddenly advancing toward her. It had a lot more to do with the information Jareth had just imparted, and the realization it generated.
She had no powers, no way to call the key, and no idea how to look for it otherwise.
She was going to be in the underground forever.
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And now the huge, big, incredible thank you to everyone who reviewed the last chapter. There were so many! Yeah for cliffhangers! Anyways, thank you so much to Heikgan, Arianne, CrystalUnicorn, Dark Mage Mistress, Sarah (no joke), Megan, Brandy Parduhn, Kayson, Renegade Seraph, and Speaker or the Spirits (how creepy? j/k)!!! You guys are so, so cool!!