***This is my little tribute to the memory of David Bowie who will always be the Goblin King. May he reign forever.***

Take note that I've fudged the timeline on when Sarah's original journey occurred for various stylistic reasons. In this story, Sarah's original trip to the Labyrinth occurred at the beginning of summer in 1996, NOT 1986.

I own my original characters and the precise order I put my words down in. The world and characters of Labyrinth will sadly never belong to me. I just like to play in their sandbox. I make no money off of this.

Sarah spent most her last weekend before school started reading through her new books and trying to master the ability to speak telepathically with her goblins. The process was getting easier, but still didn't feel entirely natural. She quickly learned that she couldn't just sit and practice silent communication for an extended time unless she wanted a pounding headache. Marvok hadn't been surprised by this occurrence. "If you work muscles far harder than they are accustomed to working, the result is pain. This is much the same. You will become stronger in time." It made sense, really, but she didn't have to like it.

On Sunday afternoon, Sarah decided to make a trip downtown to see if Encore had any chokers in stock. Marvok seemed determined to perch on her shoulder anytime she left her room, so it seemed like a good idea. Truthfully, she found his slight weight comforting. It reminded her that she wasn't alone.

Sarah headed downstairs and found Karen on the couch reading Michael Crichton's "The Lost World" while Toby watched Barney from his walker seat. Sarah smiled to herself. There's irony for you. "Hey Karen. I thought I'd head over to Encore before they close and see if I can pick up a few accessories with my store credit."

Karen blinked up at her. "Oh! I didn't even think about accessories. I don't know where my head's been this week. Do you want a ride?"

Sarah shook her head. "No. I feel like walking. I haven't gotten enough fresh air lately."

"Okay. If you're sure." Karen pulled her wallet out of her purse and handed Sarah a pair of twenties. "Here. I think I saw some cute earrings in their window the other day."

Sarah took the cash reluctantly. "You don't need to give me money. Like I said, I've got credit. I gave them all my old stuff, remember? And you've already spent a fortune on me this week."

Karen laughed and gave Sarah's hand a squeeze. "I want to give it to you. This way you'll have some credit left over if you're there with Nikki after school some time. I know you girls love that place. Besides, you might want something from The Coffee Zone. You haven't been there lately."

Sarah nodded. "Thanks, Karen. An iced mocha does sound amazing right now. I've missed The Zone, but it just isn't the same without Nikki." Nicole, better known as Nikki, was Sarah's best friend and she'd spent the entire summer with her dad in Los Angeles. Sarah had missed her, but considering everything that had happened this summer, Nikki's absence might have been a blessing. God knows I needed some time to adapt to seeing Fae everywhere before I had to deal with Nikki and her latest conspiracy theory, Sarah thought. If she'd been around during those first few weeks, I'd have probably told her that I thought all her 'alien abductees' were actually stolen by the Fae. That would have gone over great.

Karen pulled Sarah from her thoughts, "She's an odd girl, but she has a good heart. I know you've missed her. Is she back in town yet?"

"Yeah. She called on Wednesday while you were at work to let me know. Her mom was taking her out shopping on Thursday and they were going to visit her grandparents over the weekend, so she didn't really have time to meet up. I'll see her at school tomorrow. It'll be good to have her back." Sarah stuck the twenties into her purse. "Okay. I'm off on a shopping adventure! Thanks again for the cash and wish me luck defeating the fashion dragon."

Karen laughed. "Have fun, sweetie. Call if you want a ride home."

Sarah's house was in one of the historic neighborhoods only a few blocks from the downtown square. It was a beautiful day: warm, but not scorching hot, with a gentle breeze in the air. The goblins were oddly quiet. "Everything okay?" she asked silently.

Because standard mortals couldn't hear him, Marvok normally answered her mental queries out loud. This time he didn't. "You need to remain calm, but you are being watched. They are not friendly."

Sarah forced herself to behave normally. "Human or Fae?"

"Fae," he replied. "Their kind will not attack during daylight so you are safe for now. They do not know you are guarded. They will come for you tonight; The Unhallowed are not known for their patience."

Sarah didn't recognize the name. She was certain she'd remember reading about creatures called The Unhallowed. It was a morbid title, but definitely memorable. "Unless they're known by some other name as well, I haven't heard of them. What can you tell me?"

"It is unlikely that you would find a written description of them. They rarely leave the Underground and mortals who encounter them do not usually survive. They are dark Fae and they are so…" Marvok paused as if searching for words, "corrupt, so twisted, that they are barely tolerated even by the Unseelie. Even the Sidhe find their appearance disturbing. Regardless, they are no match for us. They are skilled at violence, but have limited defenses. They rely on raw fear to subdue their victims and my kind are immune to such parlor tricks."

Sarah considered this. Fear she could probably handle. "What kind of fear are we talking about? You guys radiate some kind of terror aura yourselves. Is their mojo stronger than that?"

Marvok's barked laugh echoed through her mind. "No, Champion. Their 'terror aura' as you call it is not at the level of ours. They only have enough to supplement their unfortunate appearance."

"Okay. Scary looking fear Fae. I think I can cope with that. I'm more worried about pretty things that lull me into submission before I know I'm in danger."

Sarah could feel Marvok's approval through their bond. "Well said, Champion. You are learning." Sarah smiled and tried to shove the impending attack out of her mind. There was no point in worrying about it now.

She made her way across the town square and walked into Encore. She loved the place. It made her think of a fantasy gypsy bazaar. The owner, Miriam, was a retired stage actress who'd moved to Saint James to be close to her grandchildren. After thirty years of musical theatre, idle retirement hadn't suited her and she'd opened Encore when Sarah was thirteen. Sarah had no idea where Miriam acquired most of her stock. Some of the items, like Sarah's old clothes, were purchased from people in town, but there was no way most of it was local.

Miriam looked up and gave Sarah a smile. "Welcome, darling. You've got a bit over two hours before I close up shop." Miriam was accustomed to Sarah just wandering through.

This time, Sarah approached her. "Do you have any chokers in stock? Karen took me back to school shopping and my old accessories don't really go with the new tops. I really need a choker."

Miriam gave her an indulgent smile. "Of course, darling. The right accessories make all the difference." Miriam led Sarah to the back of the store and pointed to a three-tiered table tucked into a corner. "Right over there."

Sarah thanked her and went to have a look. There were dozens of different chokers laid out on the table and Sarah had no clue what she was really looking for. She scanned the options, trying to decide what would go well with her new clothes and would also withstand being constantly gripped by Marvok's tail. Delicate, wire pieces were right out. She caught a familiar shimmer out of the corner of her eye and turned to investigate. A mother of pearl cameo was suspended in the center of three strands of faceted black beads. It was breathtakingly beautiful. She pointed a finger at it, but didn't touch. "Can you tell me what sort of enchantment is on that?"

Marvok shifted forward to examine it. "Yes. The spellwork is exquisite. It is a focus stone—an old type of magic. They were designed to aid spellcasters in focusing their power. It can also store a significant amount of excess energy for later use."

Sarah considered this. It seemed like a useful tool, but she wasn't certain that the delicate necklace would hold up. The creator probably hadn't considered goblin tails as likely hazards. "Two questions. One: would it work with my magic? And two: is it as delicate as it looks? I don't need glass shards embedded in my neck because you crushed it."

Marvok chuckled. "It would work for you and you could only benefit from having a focus stone. I can certainly train you in its use. As for any perceived fragility, appearances can be deceiving. A great deal of magical force would be required to cause any damage to such an artifact. Simple physical blows cannot harm it."

Sarah nodded and picked up the choker. She felt the magic it carried brush against her like a caress as she checked the tag. It was priced at thirteen dollars. She snorted and showed Marvok the tag. "This is from the Underground isn't it? The price can't be a coincidence. Thirteen is the number of the Labyrinth and hand-crafted antique jewelry costs more than that. Even in this store."

"Indeed. It is not human magic. I assume the Labyrinth sent it here for you to find."

Sarah slipped the choker over her wrist with a sigh and went back to browsing. She'd told Karen that she was buying accessories, so she needed to turn back up with more than one piece. She purchased several pairs of hair sticks on a whim. None of the girls she knew wore them, but she liked the idea of wearing her hair up. It felt ladylike and elegant to her. She even bought something called a 'French twist comb'. The top of the comb was covered in iridescent glass beads that looked beautiful against her dark hair. Miriam spent nearly twenty minutes teaching her to use it correctly. Sarah could tell that the Miriam was delighted that a teenaged girl would be interested in such a thing.

Shortly before closing, Sarah left Encore with a purple paper bag holding several bracelets, four pairs of earrings, an assortment of hair accessories, and a long strand of faceted black beads that looked fantastic with her new choker. The focus stone itself was secure around her throat, Marvok's tail curled just beneath it. Sarah felt her anxiety increasing as soon as she walked out of the store. Shopping had provided a welcome distraction, but now all she could think about was the battle to come.

Sarah busied herself after dinner with preparations for her first day back to school. Her new backpack was ready to go and already held all of her supplies. Her lunch was packed and her alarm clock was set. Her outfit and accessories for the next day were already selected and set to the side. She'd even given herself a perfect mani-pedi. Admittedly, she'd had some goblin assistance with that bit. Karen had purchased herself a bottle of Chanel's coveted Vamp nail polish on a trip to the city and then decided that she wasn't daring enough to wear it. Thus, Sarah inherited the bottle. Sarah decided it would be a perfect accent for her new look—edgy, but sophisticated. She'd quickly realized that dark polish was not forgiving when you kept screwing up because your hands were shaking.

Azu and Nessos looked horrified when she started sobbing over the botched paint job and took the bottle away from her. It turned out that shadow goblins could apply nail polish perfectly. They even dried it with magic. She was so grateful that she almost started crying again. She managed to refrain from that. She hoped they'd be willing to play manicurist again if she showed proper gratitude and didn't upset them further.

By sunset, Sarah was sitting at her desk and pretending to read. There was nothing else left to do. She was as ready for school as she was going to be and she didn't know how to be ready for an attack. The best she could really do was to try and remain calm. She knew that her emotions were all over the damn place. She'd actually cried over nail polish. Embarrassing as it was, she was grateful that the goblins didn't seem to know that her behavior was out of character for a human. Sarah could see the sky though her window. It was painted with streaks of crimson and rose-gold. It would be time soon. She had no intention of facing The Unhallowed in her home. She didn't want to put Toby or her parents at risk. Marvok agreed that the park would be a far better location for the upcoming fight.

Sarah let out a shaky breath. She felt like a spring that had been wound too tight. Marvok had gone to scout the park, to decide where they should enter and what path they should take. It was the first time he'd been away since the goblins arrived. She missed his weight on her shoulder. Has it really only been a few days? It felt longer. Much longer. She looked down to where Azu and Nessos perched on her desk. Their presence was familiar and reassuring even though she was less comfortable with them than with their alpha. It was hardly surprising. Azu had spoken exactly three words to her in the time that she'd known him. Nessos hadn't spoken at all. But they helped me with a silly human thing, she reminded herself. They helped when they didn't have to. Besides, they were here. After a moment, she asked them, "What should I do? During the fight I mean. Do you know?"

Nessos looked up at her with bright golden eyes. "It would be best if you were to formally challenge The Unhallowed as soon as they appear." He spoke in a rich baritone, pleasant if you ignored the growl that ran beneath the words.

"Challenge them?" she asked. "How? Is that wise? They already want me dead."

Nessos tilted his head, studying her. "Fae of all kinds are functionally immortal in your world. If they are killed here, they simply re-manifest in the Underground. You know the old stories? The importance of true names?"

She nodded. "Knowing something's true name gives you power over it. But aren't Fae always immortal?"

He shook his head. "Not most of them and certainly not The Unhallowed. The Fae are unaging and they're very difficult to kill. However, they can and do die in the Underground. If you know the true name of a Fae, you can use it to issue a challenge that will render it as mortal in this world as it would be in the Underground during the course of the challenge. That's why most Fae hide their true names and mortal summoners seek to know them."

That made sense, but she couldn't use a weapon that she didn't have. "Okay. I'm willing to do whatever it takes. The only problem is that I don't know their true names."

Nessos flashed a cruel smile. "You don't need to. You have what no other mortal has ever possessed—full title in the Underground. Nobles have always taken duels and challenges seriously. You can challenge them using your own true name and full title. If you do, it is every bit as binding as if you knew their true names. Of course, the magic will affect you as well, but that's hardly a downside."

Sarah smiled. "It's not a downside, because I'm already mortal. So I'm not risking anything extra by making the challenge." She paused as a thought occurred to her. "But what about the three of you? If I issue a challenge, won't it put you at risk?"

Nessos laughed. "It will render us exactly as mortal as we are in the Underground."

Sarah considered everything he had said during their conversation. Finally, she asked, "How mortal is that?"

Nessos shrugged, "Your concern is touching, but there is no cause for it. We are…unique in many ways."

She wanted to ask more questions about them, but she didn't think he'd answer. She sighed. "I'll take you at your word. What do I say to issue the challenge?"

Before Nessos could answer, she felt a familiar weight settle onto her shoulder. A voice like liquid darkness spoke, "You say: By right of conquest, I am Lady Sarah the Defiant, Champion of the Labyrinth, and I hereby issue challenge. The exact wording is important. Repeat the words to me, leaving out only the word 'challenge'."

It took half a dozen repetitions before Marvok was satisfied. After the sixth, he said, "Good. You will do well. The Unhallowed remain blind to the shadows. They believe you to be alone. As soon as you actually see one of them, issue your challenge. From that point, we will deal with them. The sun will be below the horizon soon. We should go now."

Sarah felt numb as she made her way downstairs. She heard herself telling Karen that she felt restless and was going for a short walk, heard Karen telling her to be careful and that back-to-school jitters were normal. She walked to the park in a daze, repeating the words of challenge to herself over and over in her mind. She could not afford to forget her lines. Not this time. So she focused on her words and followed Marvok's directions without thought.

It was dark by the time Marvok told her they'd reached their destination. "Remember that we are with you, Champion. Stand your ground." With those words he vanished. Sarah stood alone in a roughly circular clearing. Trees surrounded her on all sides. Her heartbeat was loud in her ears. She didn't have to wait long. Sarah heard a mocking laugh behind her. Flashes of movement flickered through the underbrush. Hideous voices whispered all around her.

"Tasty morsel. Just a child. Too weak to hold so much power. Take her to the master. Master will be pleased. Magic for the master, but the flesh will be ours. Drink her blood, eat our fill. Tasty mortal." Sarah couldn't tell how many of them spoke, but she knew that they had her surrounded. She could feel the fear that they emanated pushing against her like a tangible thing.

They mean to soften up their prey, she realized. Sarah smiled. For days, she'd spent every moment asleep or awake in the presence of shadow goblins. The fear these things projected was a child's toy compared to the menace that poured off of Marvok. Their threatening whispers couldn't touch the nightmare that was his voice. She found that she was unafraid. Sarah squared her shoulders and held her head high as she awaited the approach of her enemies.

Sarah watched as the first of The Unhallowed entered the clearing. Its appearance was indeed disturbing, but she found that she was revolted rather than afraid. It was shaped like a skeletally thin child. Its smile was far too wide for its warped child's face and revealed sharp, broken teeth. Black pits sat where its eyes should have been. She stared at it in revulsion. Her voice was strong as she spoke, "By right of conquest, I am Lady Sarah the Defiant, Champion of the Labyrinth, and I hereby issue challenge."

The thing laughed. "You? A mortal thinks to challenge us? We are fear. We are death. We are…"

Sarah cut off its words with a snarl, "You are nothing. You are no one. And to nothing you will return." She felt the power echoing through her words.

The thing's face contorted in rage. Its whole body tensed with fury. Before it could move, shadows billowed up like smoke from the ground at Sarah's feet. The shadows sharpened and coalesced into a crouched, humanoid figure with arms outstretched. Wicked curved blades of utter darkness appeared in his waiting hands. The figure stood to tower above her as she took in his appearance: leanly muscled, ebon skinned, clothed in jagged shadows. He'd manifested with his back to her and she couldn't see his face, but she knew his eyes were red and burned like embers.

The things circling her shrieked. They screamed for their brethren to run. They hissed words that meant little to her. "Nightmare Walker! Dark Blade! Shadow Stalker!" One word repeated, a word she knew the meaning of. "Assassin!" they hissed. "Assassin!"

The ebon figure moved faster than her eyes could follow. There was a blur of motion and the lead Unhallowed fell. Time held no meaning as the storm raged around her. She was the eye of the maelstrom. She saw little, only flashes of movement. But the sounds… The sounds were everywhere. Wails filled the air around her, screams that cut off abruptly, the wet sound of flesh rending. Sarah turned back and forth, trying to follow what was happening, but the attempt was futile. A flicker from the corner of her eye caught her attention and she turned just as a snarling Unhallowed darted from the underbrush and charged her with claws extended. Hands grabbed her and she was spun. She stared up at a charcoal-toned visage: high cheekbones, sharp features, glowing amber eyes. Tiny braids the color of gunmetal fell around the angles of his face. He grinned as the Unhallowed's claws ripped into his back. Sarah could feel the impact of the blows shudder down his arms. He turned to face his attacker. Sarah stumbled forward when he released her. She braced herself against him, palms flat against his back. His wounds were horrific, ugly and deep, black blood ran in rivulets over her fingers. She gasped. This is my fault, she thought. Azu is bleeding because of me.

Movement near her feet drew her attention. Black pits where eyes should have been stared up at her. Sarah felt the bile rising in her throat and turned away from the severed head. It didn't matter. It couldn't. She refused to feel pity for the things that had come to kill her, for the things that hurt Azu. She looked up and saw whole, charcoal skin. The wounds were gone. There was no blood on her hands. Sarah staggered backwards, slipped, started to fall. Strong hands caught her and held her firm. She closed her eyes tight and bit back her tears. She could hear nothing except for her own panicked breaths.

When Sarah opened her eyes, Azu was watching her from few feet away. His head was tilted and a few braids had fallen over one eye. "It's over," he said. "Marvok is hunting down the few who managed to flee. They won't make it back to their master."

She managed to nod. Nessos stood at her back, holding her steady. "You were hurt," she said to Azu. Her voice shook. "Your back…Your blood was on my fingers." She held up her trembling hands as though the blood would reappear.

Azu brushed the errant braids back from his face. He arched one brow at her, his expression amused. "As my brother told you earlier, there is no cause for concern. We heal rapidly. An Unhallowed is not a threat to one of us. They rarely even manage to land a strike. It could have hurt you, however, so I took the blow in your stead."

Sarah stared at her hands. "But your blood…"

"Was absorbed by your skin." Azu sighed as though reluctant to continue. "It's supposed to be. Shadow goblin blood is a powerful contact poison. It's why The Unhallowed tried to run. They fight with claws and teeth and wear no armor. The one who clawed me was already dying from the poison when I ended its life. It won't harm you, of course. The blood binding saw to that. Our blood is in your veins already."

Sarah nodded mutely and lowered her hands. She'd never felt so helpless before. Not even through the worst of the Labyrinth. The Unhallowed attacked and her goblins protected her. She'd stood by and watched like one of the useless, decorative princesses she'd raged against all her life. She'd hated those pathetic, sniveling girls and now she was one of them. The Champion of the Labyrinth was nothing more than a delicate, porcelain doll. She was the heroine no longer, but just a fragile thing to be defended. Sarah clenched her hands into fists then threw back her head and screamed.

Sarah felt herself being lifted up. She buried her face into Nessos's shoulder, into silken hair the color of ashes. She couldn't stop shaking, but she refused to cry. Later, she would realize that she didn't know how they got her back to her room without encountering anyone. She'd even heard her voice wishing Karen a good night through the door. Sarah knew that she hadn't been the one who'd spoken. Nessos laid her gently on her bed. She didn't respond. Her mind was locked in a spiral of self-hatred. I'm weak. I'm useless in a fight. For all of my theoretical power, I have no magical abilities. I'm not equipped to survive in the Underground. Hell, I'm not even equipped to survive here. I'm not strong enough to defeat most human attackers, let alone a Fae. My challenge left the goblins vulnerable and Azu bled because of me. I don't deserve protection. I don't…

"Stop. That." Marvok's darkling voice cut through her thoughts like a white-hot blade.

Sarah's eyes snapped open. Marvok stood at the foot of her bed between Nessos and Azu. Anger danced in his ruby gaze. The others looked away from her. "Marvok, I was…"

His eyes narrowed, "You were torturing my seconds while I ran down the last of The Unhallowed."

"Torturing?" Sarah sat up and looked at Azu and then at Nessos. They both looked shaken. "I didn't mean to. What did I do to them? Is this because I wasn't talking?"

Marvok sighed. He ran a hand though the wild ebon locks that framed his face. "This has been explained. We feel your emotions. We hear your thoughts if they are loud enough. Remember?"

Sarah's stomach dropped. "Oh God. They were feeling what I was. I didn't realize…" She pulled her knees up to her chin. "I should have. I'm so sorry."

Marvok sat in her desk chair and leaned forward. His elbows rested on his knees, fingers steepled before his lips as he studied her. "Tonight's battle was a victory. None of those who attacked tonight will trouble us again. No survivors will return to give warning. You played your part well during the battle itself. Why are you falling apart now?"

Sarah shook her head in denial. "I didn't do anything at all during the battle! Nothing! I couldn't even tell what was happening. That's the problem. I'm useless." Her voice trailed off, she refused to drag them back into her self-pity. Finally, she said, "I don't want to be useless."

Marvok examined her curiously. "You followed all of our instructions. You issued the challenge properly and held your ground. Many would have broken and tried to run. If you had, it would have made defending you far more difficult for us and some of The Unhallowed might have escaped as a result. As I said before, you played your part well. Your thoughts are jumbled and difficult to follow. There is too much emotion for me to read you clearly. What is it that you want?"

Sarah looked him in the eyes. "I want to not be a helpless little girl. I want to be able to defend myself."

Marvok cocked his head to the side. "You want to learn to fight?"

Sarah nodded. "Yes."

Marvok relaxed and gave her a pleased smile. "That, we can do. We will begin your training tomorrow. Be warned, I will not be gentle. If you truly want to learn, you will learn properly."

Surprise flooded through Sarah's mind. "You'll really train me? You'll teach me to fight?"

Marvok's smile didn't waiver. "Indeed. You do not want to be prey, so I will teach you to be a predator. It will take time, but you will learn. This I promise you, Sarah. For now, you need rest. Tomorrow will arrive on schedule whether you will it or no."

He'd never addressed her by name before. That seemed important, but Sarah wasn't sure how, so she decided to worry about it later. What mattered is that he'd agreed to teach her. She might be a helpless little girl right now, but she didn't have to stay one. "Okay," she said. "I'll get ready for bed."

Sarah stood up and froze. Her room was very crowded. It occurred to her that having three housecat-sized gargoyles in her room was very different from having three six-foot-something warriors in the same space. Either Marvok heard her thought, or it showed on her face, because he chuckled and the figures melted into the shadows. A moment later two goblins sat on her desk wearing the shape she was accustomed to. Marvok once again perched on her shoulder.

Sarah looked at Azu and Nessos, "I apologize for my…episode. I'll try not to do that again." They just nodded wearily in response.

Sarah walked downstairs and boiled water for a cup of hot chamomile tea. She would need something soothing if she was going to get any sleep. Her stomach grumbled and she glanced around for a snack, but nothing in the kitchen looked appetizing. She gave up her search with a sigh and went to wash her face and change into her pajamas while her tea steeped. She tried to not think about the fact that her goblins were apparently shapeshifters and had been person-shaped a few minutes before.

Sarah found herself getting drowsy as she drank her tea and ate the pear that Azu had given her. The pear was perfectly ripe and delicious. She must have overlooked the pears when she'd been in the kitchen. Sarah barely managed to get under the covers before she was asleep.

Thanks SO much to all of my lovely reviewers! Reviews really motivate me to keep writing, so please leave a comment if you can. :)