The battle continued past noon. The air was filled with dust, blood, and cries, both human and inhuman. The shadow warriors knew the art of killing and plowed through the mortal army with an efficiency never seen before in the Underground. It would have been a complete slaughter had

Jareth not been fighting. Jareth, clad in blood stained black armor and a tattered cape, held a bloody sword in one hand and a gleaming crystal in the other. An odd sort of pattern emerged from him; slash, slash of the sword and then a toss of the crystal. The shadow warriors had become

increasingly wary of the crystals, for whenever one was thrown their numbers dwindled.

Jareth, for his part, knew the battle was not in their favor. He was not able to stop the flow of shadow warriors, and though he was able to destroy many at a time he felt the draining of the magic around him and came to realize that somehow Tarrence was summoning the beasts almost as soon

as Jareth was cutting them down. It was a dangerous situation. If he left to seek out Tarrence many of his own men would die. But if he stayed the creatures would eventually overcome their forces and the battle would be lost. Lost in thought, Jareth barely dodged the heavy ax blade

that dropped in front of his face. With a jerk, he stepped away and retaliated with his own swing of the sword nicely severing the beast's head.

"That was too close, Jareth!" He heard Didymus shouting over the sounds of the battle. "We need to do something to end this soon!"

Another crystal formed in Jareth's hand; the motion becoming second nature to him now. He threw it into a group of the monsters that had circled his own men and nodded in satisfaction as the creatures disappeared. "I know," he answered Didymus through clenched teeth.

Didymus made his way through the battleground, cutting and slicing a path to his king. "Well, what are we waiting for?"

Both men stood in a rare moment of calmness. The fighting had moved away from them and allowed them a chance to speak. Jareth looked over his second and allowed a small shake of the head. "So willing to follow your king into death?"

"Hardly," Didymus replied. He knew it was no laughing matter, but a smile crossed his lips. "I will, how ever, follow my king into victory." He held out his hand towards Jareth, who eyed it a moment before clasping arms with him. Jareth nodded once and Didymus knew, no matter what happened in the future, he had his friend back.

Jareth dropped his arm and turned around. He had pinpointed Tarrence on a hill overlooking the desert some time ago, and now, it was time to end this.

Tarrence grinned as Jareth carved a path of destruction through the battlefield as he approached. His second in command, Didymus securing the path behind him. Even from this distance Tarrence could see the determination in Jareth's eyes. He'd seen it once too many to mistake it for anything else. King Jareth had finally arrived to finish the fight. Tarrence stopped summoning more of the shadow beasts and began gathering his magic. This was one battle he did not intend to lose.

Jareth sliced down the last remaining guards between him and Tarrence, letting Didymus guard his back as he had done for so long. He held his sword to his side, dripping in black, dark blood and sent out his essence for Sarah. She was there, somewhere, but hidden. Sneering, Jareth pointed his sword at Tarrence. "Well? Here I am, Tarrence. Let us finish this." The new power pulsed through Jareth and he saw Tarrence flinch, as if he sensed the change.

Tarrence had been unprepared for the amount of raw magic emanating from Jareth. During their last encounter he had not been as powerful and a sliver of doubt crept up Tarrence's spine. Whatever Jareth had done it had magnified his power considerably. Still, Tarrence had his own way of strengthening. He bent down and pulled the magic straight from the land. The power rushed to his head, his ears ringing, drowning out the shocked and alarmed shouts from Jareth and Didymus. Tarrence shaped the magic until he was holding a broadsword, the blade black as obsidian, hard as diamond. He stood and gave the sword a few experimental swings.

Jareth shook his head. "What have you done, Tarrence?" Tarrence glanced up, an eyebrow raised, but he looked calm, undisturbed. "Can't you see?" Jareth tried again. "You are warping the land. This is causing the goblins. Don't you understand?" But Jareth could see his words were falling on deaf ears. Tarrence just sneered.

"Upset you didn't think of it first, your Majesty," he added in contempt.

"No." Jareth said firmly, but with a little sadness. "You have doomed us." The time for talking was almost past, but Jareth had one more matter to address. "Give me Sarah."

Tarrence laughed and waved his hand. The air rippled and next to him appeared Baz holding the girl in a tight embrace. "You can have her over my dead body."

Two mismatched eyes glowed an eerie red. "I accept."

Sarah watched in horror as Jareth and the other man fought with a furry and speed that made her a bit dizzy. Didymus kept the beasts at bay, swinging his sword and an ax he picked up, ensuring that Jareth was able to focus solely on Tarrence. A few times she tried escaping from the man that held her, but with a calm voice he had held a knife to her throat.

"Stop. It's not time for your death. Not yet."

The man's voice sent chills down her spine and she had turned slightly to see him. His skin was bronze and his eyes black and he watched the fight before him, deep in concentration. There was no doubt in Sarah's mind that he meant to kill her, though she didn't know what he was waiting for. She stopped struggling and watched the fight.

"You can't possibly win, Jareth," Tarrence swung his sword, missing Jareth's exposed neck by mere inches. "I will win. I will have the kingdom, and I will have the girl."

Something snapped within Jareth. Maybe it was the last bit of respect he held for the man, maybe it was his last shred of sanity. Jareth deflected another blow and grasped the pendant in his hand, letting the power of the Labyrinth fill him until he thought he would shatter into a million pieces. A crystal formed on his fingertips and he threw it with all his might. Tarrence brought his arms up, forming a magical shield, but he was unprepared when the crystal broke into hundreds of tiny sharp shards. They tore through his shield, piercing his neck, his face, one striking his left eye. He shouted in shock as a force knocked him down. One eye was full of blood, the other blurry, but Tarrence saw Jareth hovering over him, sword at his throat. An eerie silence fell over the battlefield as hundreds of eyes turned toward the final confrontation. Jareth was breathing deeply, unblinking eyes staring at Tarrence's prone form.

"Yield."

Tarrence tried to inhale, but his breath came in thick and wet. Apparently he was injured in the lungs as well. He tried to bring his sword up, still unwilling to cede defeat.

Jareth stepped on Tarrence's wrist, causing the lord to shout out in a rasp. "Yield." He commanded again. He would kill Tarrence if he had to, but Jareth was hesitant. If Tarrence was gone that would leave Jareth as the only Immortal left. An orphan. Alone. Jareth had no wish to be the last of his kind. He saw the defiance in Tarrence's one remaining eye. "Have sense, Tarrence." He pulled back his sword, preparing for the final thrust. "Don't make me do this."

Tarrence inhaled noisily and slightly turned to Baz holding the girl. Maybe he'd have time for one last sacrifice. The girl held power. Baz had felt it, as did Tarrence. It would be enough. He'd have to be fast though. He gave what he thought was a barely noticeable nod toward Baz. It was the last thing he saw before his world went black.

Jareth saw Tarrence's second plunge a blade into Sarah's side with a sneer, throwing her on the ground before he vanished. Tarrence forgotten, Jareth rushed over to Sarah, dropping his sword so he could gather her in his arms. Already the ground was red with her blood and her skin was deathly white. "Sarah!" He whispered urgently. She didn't answer, though she clutched tightly to his arms. She was leaving him, Jareth could hear her heartbeat fluttering, her breathing slowing. "No!" He reached for his pendant, pouring magic into Sarah's body. It wasn't helping though. Sarah's hands were losing their grip, her head fell back limp. "Help her!" He pleaded with the Labyrinth.

The Labyrinth's presence shuddered and Jareth felt deep remorse. "You said any price."

Dread washed over Jareth and he held Sarah's dying body closer to his. "No. Anything but this. I beg you."

"Our bargain has already been made."

"Please!" Jareth begged. He had never begged for anything in his life. "Take whatever you want of me. Save her!"

The Labyrinth seemed to pause and consider. "You will not like our terms…"

"To hell with your terms! If you can save her, do it! I will settle my debts later."

"So we shall see."

Jareth felt Sarah's body pulled from him. He let go, feeling the Labyrinth's magic working. A bright light encompassed her body, burning brightly until Jareth was forced to close his eyes. He felt the Labyrinth's magic moving through him, heard the whispers of a spell he didn't recognize and then as suddenly as the light began it disappeared. Jareth blinked away the spots in his eyes. Sarah was nowhere to be seen. "Where is she!" He demanded.

"Our terms…"

Jareth had heard enough. He closed his thoughts to the Labyrinth feeling angry and betrayed. Sarah was gone. Without searching for her, he knew down to his core. Whatever the Labyrinth had done with her, she was out of his grasp, out of his reach, and that knowing left a bitter hole in his chest. He stood there, unsure for how long, his eyes closed, his fists clenched at his side, until he heard Didymus call out to him.

"Jareth? I'm sorry, but Tarrence…"

In silence, Jareth turned toward Didymus. He was kneeling next to Tarrence, a worried look on his face. Jareth approached, surprised when he heard Tarrence struggling to breathe. There would be no mercy now, Jareth decided. If Tarrence would take Sarah's life, then Jareth would take his. His sword appeared in his hand and he was about to swing one final blow when Tarrence held up a hand. "Jareth, my brother, what have I done?"

Jareth paused and narrowed his eyes. "Late for remorse, isn't it?"

Tarrence shook his head, gasping out in pain. "I knew better. Baz...be aware of him." A shudder went through Tarrence's body and it was then that Jareth knew no matter what he would die. If by his hand, Tarrence would lose the ability to be reborn. He'd drift off into nothing, like those he murdered. He held his sword, hesitant. "Jareth…"

The whispered plea was too much for Jareth, and despite his better judgement he dropped his sword and went to a knee, grasping Tarrence's outstretched hand. "Peace, Tarrence. I pray you find it in your next life." Too far gone to reply, Tarrence tried to smile. Blood was dripping from his lips and he coughed once more before going limp. Jareth had no time to mourn. The ground beneath him bucked and rocked, knocking both he and Didymus off their feet. Black energy coiled from around them, snaked toward Terrence's body. A violent wind stirred up as all the beasts that Tarrence had called from the ground turned into dust, rushing back to the source. Tarrence's body rose from the ground, twisting and turning like a limp rag doll as the magic rebounded. Jareth watched in horror as he felt the magic swelling, about to burst. He raised a shield around him and Didymus just as the magic exploded around them.

Wave after wave black, angry magic spread through the Underground. Everywhere it touched the land became twisted, distorted. Jareth reached out his magic, tried to put a shield around Dorensae, but the black mass of energy tore through it, leaving Jareth breathless. Shock waves rippled across the land. Jareth could sense it, even after the waves were out of sight. The land was not the only thing to change. All of Jareth's army writhed on the ground as their skin darkened to different shades of grey and turned leathery, wrinkled. Bright eyes of intelligence dimmed to black irises. The shouts of men turned into the cackles and howls of goblins. Jareth once again tried to protect his people, casting his magic out wide, but it was ineffectual.

"Jareth?" Didymus' voice sounded strange, pained. Jareth turned in time to see his old friend shrivel before his eyes. Where once a strong man with red hair stood, there was now a fox, staring at his paws in disbelief. "Jareth!"

"No!" Jareth formed a crystal and transformed his army, now fully transformed into goblins, back to Dorensae.

The city was on fire. Goblins and creatures Jareth had no name for rushed around the once clean streets. Smoke filled the air, thick and black, choking the city. Jareth covered his mouth with his sleeve, doing his best to take in the entire scene. He willed the fire to extinguish, at least he could do that. The noise was overwhelming. Screaming, laughing, crying, the sounds of fighting, brawling, chaotic and disconcerting. Jareth was lost a moment in confusion until the small red fox next to him charged between two large goblins fighting over a mug of ale.

"Cowards!" The fox Didymus cried as the goblins dropped the mug and ran off. Didymus' eyes darted left and right, turning in a tight circle. "Come hither and fight me!"

"Didymus." Jareth's voice sounded strange to his own ears, hollow and flat. He cleared his throat and tried again. "Didymus, return to me."

The fox, oddly standing on two feet still, blinked and for a second the beady black eyes cleared. "Jareth? What...what is going on?" Then the moment passed as Didymus bowed low to Jareth, his twitching nose nearly touching Jareth's boots. "My liege, what do you command of me?"

Jareth recoiled. This couldn't be happening. The city of Dorensae was crumbling around him, half by the fire, half by the idiotic creatures running around. Jareth transported him and Didymus to the throne room, loath to leave his faithful friend in the city. The throne wasn't in much better shape than the city. Goblins were everywhere, and somehow chickens had managed to get in as well. Didymus spotted a goblin sleeping against a wall and before Jareth could stop him, the little fox was charging.

"Knave! Asleep on duty!" The fox leaped onto the goblin's shoulders and began hitting it in the head. Startled awake the goblin ran from the room, Didymus still holding on and hollering as if he were riding a stallion yet to be broken.

Jareth almost called him back, but he didn't. He needed a moment to think. He made his way through the throng of goblins running around. Some ran into his legs as he tried to make it to the throne. Others made him step over him, only to cling to his boots, tripping him. Jareth tried to reason with the goblins, but his commands, and then later pleas, were only met with hysterical laughter. Halfway to the seat, Jareth began kicking at them. That at least got their attention and the goblins eventually made a path for Jareth to walk. Once seated, Jareth called upon a crystal. His first thoughts were maybe Zalick could help make sense of all this, but the crystal crushed that hope. Instead of showing the bent and gnarled healer, a large furry beast was thrashing and destroying the doctor's lab. Using a bit of magic, Jareth brought the beast to the throne room.

It was bigger than Jareth expected. Long reddish fur covered a body of leathery skin. Two horns protruded from both temples and angled down. The face was broad, two fangs had an overbite on its upper lip and the beast turned in a circle, obviously confused. Jareth stepped down from his throne, staying on the top step. "Zalick, my friend. Do you know me?"

The beast ambled forward, long arms swinging by its knees. "Ludo?"

The tiniest bit of hope that Jareth still clung to shattered. "No...I'm Jareth. Do you remember?"

The beast titled its head. "Ludo…" And then the beast began to howl. Jareth flinched and the goblins in the room covered their ears. The walls began to shake as 'Ludo' continued howling. A goblin ran toward Ludo and bit its ankle, silencing the howl in exchange for a cry of pain. The other goblins began attacking as well.

"Stop!" Jareth shouted. The goblins, snickering, ignored him and continued to pile on top of the beast. With a wave of his hand, Jareth sent the creature away. He didn't know where, he'd look into it later; he just knew he needed to get him away from the goblins.

Jareth sat back on his throne, shock making him numb and his mind blank. After a while, he began thinking again. He needed to find how wide spread this transformation was. Throwing a crystal in the air he transported himself to the kingdoms of the Underground and each time the results were the same. Goblins. The people were gone, replaced with goblins or other creatures that Jareth had no name for. Occasionally the ruler would have a moment of clarity when they saw Jareth, but that's all it was. A moment. One monarch, now a goblin dressed in a king's robe with a priceless crown upon its bald head, had been chasing a pig around the throne room. And by the look in his eyes, Jareth was sure he didn't want to be around when he finally caught the animal. Disgusted and discouraged, Jareth returned to his own land.

He bypassed the throne, not wanting to see that place and instead went to his private chambers. It was odd how nothing looked out of place in his rooms. Everything was like it had been for the past hundred years, immune to the chaos that reigned in the lower floors of the castle. Jareth used a small bit of magic and set the fire roaring in the fireplace. He wasn't cold; he just didn't want any shadows near him. Leaning his hand and head against the fireplace mantle, he tried to think. The Labyrinth took that opportunity to reach out to Jareth, cautiously, tentatively.

"What do you want?" Jareth sneered. He hardly recognized his voice, dripping with contempt. He felt the magic of the Labyrinth recoil, and felt its surprise at Jareth's venom. Taking a deep breath Jareth tried to calm his emotions. "Speak. It's not you I'm truly mad at."

"Not all hope is lost…"

"No? Even with your power I could do nothing to save them." A perfect crystal formed on Jareth's fingertips and he threw it with all his might against the stone wall. The crystal shattered, shards tinkling to the ground.

"The balance was shifted. In time...it will shift back."

Jareth disliked the way the Labyrinth mentioned time. "How much time?"

The Labyrinth hesitated. "A long time. And then...even then...it will take much."

A vision passed to Jareth from the Labyrinth. Stairs that led nowhere, a child...a special child, a wish, a storm, a fox, a dwarf...a girl...the visions swam past his eyes as if he were moving too fast. He caught glimpses, but nothing was in focus. There was a feeling that this was far away, far in the future. Jareth rubbed the bridge of his nose. "And what would you have me do as I wait? Surrounded by goblins and creatures?" His lip curled up in disgust. "I'd go insane."

"And if...if you didn't know better?"

Jareth frowned and paced the floor in front of the fire. "If I didn't know better?" It was an interesting prospect. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. Jareth was unsure if he wanted to remember anyway. He couldn't save his brethren, he couldn't save Sarah, or Didymus, or any of them. He was the king, the High King. It was his responsibility to protect Dorensae and he failed. Did he want to live with that forever until balance was returned?

"It's not long."

"What isn't?" Jareth asked absentmindedly.

"Forever."

Jareth laughed one short bitter laugh. Wasn't that the truth. He walked to a window ledge and peered down at the city. It was in shambles. Smoke from the fires still lingered in the air, and even from this height Jareth could make out the noise from below. The sun was arcing down its path, soon it would be dark. Dorensae's time in the light was gone, as was Jareth's. He was no longer High King. He was nothing but the king of goblins, in a castle by a goblin city. That was too much to bear. "Will I regain my memories?"

"Yes. When the balance returns."

"Then do it."

Epilogue

The king forgot his past just as the Labyrinth had planned. Unfortunately, he lost much more. The Labyrinth did not realize what removing memories would do to the king. Without good memories to temper the loneliness, the king became short tempered, cruel, prone to acts of whimsy without the least bit of concern for anyone's well being. The Labyrinth left embedded in the king the desire to find one that could restore the balance. Even though the king and the goblins he ruled did not quite understand the reason, they took children wished away. When they did not prove to be the one the twisted magics of the Underground turned it into a goblin. And though the Labyrinth knew better, it seemed the magics twisted the king too. He took delight in causing mischief, pain, unhappiness. The Labyrinth was saddened for him. But the Labyrinth knew a secret. The King of the Goblins would one day fall in love with a girl and grant her certain powers. Through the girl the balance would be restored. The Labyrinth searched for her, even as the king fell deeper into darkness. One day she would find her way back to the Labyrinth, back Underground.