Chapter 13 - NO Magic!

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Jareth, Hilarity and Thomas continued to stare in awe at the seemingly infinite world
that sprawled out below them. They were about to cross the threshold when the demon
yelled out to them to stop.

"Oy! Haven't you kids forgotten something?" he said smugly "You! Blondie! Hand
over the magic!"

Jareth glared at the impertinent creature "Have you any idea who you're addressing?"
he knew this was a stupid thing to say to a demon who generally held no respect for
anyone whatsoever, but centuries of bullying little hairy creatures got the better of
him. It was just habit.

"Don't know, don't care." said the demon. "The rules say 'No Magic' that includes :
conjuring, necromancy, bewitching, charming, black magic, white magic,
mumbo-jumbo, sorcery, wizardry, illusions, voodoo...AND Goblin Magic!" he
added with a grin as the Goblin King was about to object and hoped that no one would
see his thesaurus carefully hidden carefully under his seat.

"Better do as he says." said Hilarity. This was going to be a terrible stress on his ego.
So what! He deserved it, she thought.

"But we won't stand a chance!" he complained.

"Yep! That's the plan." said the little demon happily. Jareth looked like he was about
to say that it wasn't fair, then quickly stopped himself. The demon seemed to sense
this and jeered at him "Hurts, don't it." it said. Jareth reluctantly made a crystal appear
and handed it over. "Thank you. You're powers will be returned when you come out.
That is...if you come out." the little bald creature with horns laughed maniacally and
disappeared in a ball of yellow flame. Hilarity stared through the iron gates.

"Nemuria." she said thoughtfully, mulling the journey over in her brain "Well, come
one, feet!" she picked up her backpack and began to skid her way down into that dark
world with the Goblin King a few paces behind her and a rather reluctant alien picking
his way through the dying grass.

Thomas was seriously regretting having tagged along on this one, but nevertheless he
would not let his love face this ordeal alone. He admired her as she strode along the
wild, almost non-existent path, silhouetted in the weak, pink sunset with her short-ish
black hair blowing in the wind. God! He wished that other guy would just piss off.

Soon the world turned black as opposed to its usual depressing grey. So much so that
walking became impossible due to the jagged flints that littered the path, waiting
impatiently for someone to stumble blindly and crack their skull.

"We should stop and make camp." said Jareth "These roads are not safe at night." And
it wasn't just the treacherous path either. This country was swarming with all kinds of
monsters... They hastily made a fire and pitched their tent behind a large boulder.
Hilarity continued to be silent through dinner and it worried him. She really was upset.
That one moment of anger had cost him his only real friend.

"What's this stuff?" Hilarity asked, suddenly breaking the silence. He looked round to
notice she was indicating the food.

"Goblin bread." He replied "It's not very nice but it travels well and it never goes off."

"It's as hard as a rock! I think we'd replace 'Goblin' with 'sodding' or better yet 'Oh no!
Not that sodding' and add 'again' at the end." Was that a joke? Was she back to her old
self? She turned serious again "Jareth. I know what Trin did was wrong, but he didn't
know any better and he certainly didn't deserve being sent away like that. In fact, it
was practically my fault for not warning him."

"No it was my fault! I acted too rashly. And I'm sorry."

Hilarity knew he was being sincere, he only apologised when there was no alternative.
"That's OK, dude. No point in arguing when there's babies that need rescuing..."

"A perilous task that we can only accomplish if we work together!" said Jareth in a
mock dramatic voice.

"Relying solely on our wits and cunning to escape the many dangers that face us!" said
Hilarity joining in and fighting off the giggles.

"Boldly going where not even the Gods dare tread..." this was an old passage from one
the Labyrinth's many myths and legends.

"...where everything seems possible and nothing is as it seems..." Hilarity said "...but
still we will triumph..." she was cut short by a blood curdling howl somewhere in the
distance. The bravado talk was abandoned as the three of them scrambled into the tent
with terror as fast as their legs could carry them...