OMG it's the next to last chapter! but fear not! the wonderful author who is not me who is known as Code Green has written yet another Labyrinth fanfic (you can thank me for getting her hooked on it). so tell me whether you want me to post it! I WILL ONLY POST IT IF I GET VOTES!
meh i'm so bad at this :)
As The World Falls Down
"What have you been up to?" Sarah asked suspiciously as Jareth sat across from her in the crystal tunnel, his face tight with agitation.
"It is not wise to question his majesty when he has such an expression on his face," Hoggle whispered to Sarah, trembling.
"We can't just have him constantly disappearing with that crystal. He could leave us here forever," Sarah said back and then walked over to Jareth. "Jareth, where have you been? Why do you keep leaving? We are supposed to find our way out of here."
Jareth didn't answer and Sarah growled in frustration.
"I think we might almost be out of the caverns," Hoggle said, gazing down one of the tunnels.
"Then we can get to the bridge and meet Majeste there," Sarah said and then stood up.
"She won't be there," Jareth said, playing with the crystal orb in his hand.
"Why not?" Sarah asked and then noticed the smug grin on Jareth's face. "What did you do to her?"
"Why are you accusing me of anything?" Jareth asked, his dark eyes looking into hers. "Perhaps she's to blame."
"Not from the character description I've heard of her!" Sarah exclaimed.
"And what would that be?" Jareth asked, standing up and pacing.
"She's a beautiful woman with a great deal of kindness and patience," Sarah said, watching him pace.
"Who told you such things?"
"Hog…" Sarah stopped, realizing that she might be endangering her friend.
"And has Hoggle ever seen Majeste?" Jareth asked, turning to Hoggle.
"Once, sire," Hoggle stammered uncomfortably.
"Only once?"
"Well, once in person."
"And how did you see her the other time?" Jareth growled, grabbing hold of Hoggle's collar.
"Once, sire, when you were sitting on your throne, I saw her."
"Saw her where?" Jareth shouted.
"In your…"
"In where?" Jareth roared, dropping Hoggle to the ground.
"In your eyes!" Hoggle shouted back. "There was a look of thoughtfulness and kindness in your eyes that I had never seen there before, and I knew it was her. She was indeed beautiful."
"What was she doing in my…my eyes?" Jareth scowled, sitting down again.
"Now then, sir…" Hoggle stammered, and Jareth's eyes burned into his.
"What was she doing?" he demanded.
Hoggle blushed a bit and then said calmly, "Dancing with you, sire."
"You are trying to flatter me with kind words so that I will go to the bridge," Jareth snarled.
"Of course we want you to go to the bridge!" Sarah shouted. "The world is beginning to fall apart!"
"Majeste has decided that it would be best that way."
"Majeste!" Sarah shouted. "I think you decided that!"
"Majeste wouldn't compromise, therefore she forfeits her world, forcing me to abandon mine," Jareth shrugged.
"Let me go talk to her!" Sarah shouted.
"That would be amusing," Jareth grinned, his eyes glittering. "After everything she's seen and heard about you, you would be one of the first people she would take her anger out on. I have a better idea, Sarah darling."
The orb appeared in Jareth's hand and he spoke to it. "Get Grues for me."
The orb turned into a bubble and floated out of Jareth's hand and out of the tunnels.
"Who is Grues?" Sarah asked, worried.
"Someone who will see to it that Majeste goes to the bridge when I want her to. I want her to suffer a bit before she gets there," Jareth said easily.
"I thought you want to save your worlds!"
"After she refused my generous proposals and was cold, I think I should give her a little more time for consideration," Jareth said and then watched as the bubble reappeared, floating towards him.
The bubble popped before it reached Jareth, and a large, frightening creature dropped down from it. He was huge, red, and had a terrible, forked tongue flicking in and out of his mouth.
"There you are, Grues," Jareth said, gazing at the creature. "I have another assignment for you."
"Yes, master?" Grues hissed.
"Go to Confucius. There you will find Majeste roaming about, trying to find her way out. Do everything you can to confuse her and make her more lost than she already is. In two days, if she is weak and susceptible, bring her to the abyss where the bridge used to be."
"Yes master," Grues said and then moved away from Jareth, about to step into another bubble that had appeared.
"Oh, and Grues," Jareth said, his voice menacing, "if you so much as touch Majeste, I shall throw you to the frog creatures, whatever they are, and they will feed you to the despas. I will not have the object of my punishment being touched by your filthy body."
"Yes master," Grues growled and then disappeared into the bubble.
"Why did you do that?" Sarah asked. "The girl doesn't deserve it!"
"Doesn't deserve it?" Jareth snorted. "She refused a king, Sarah, and for that, she is worthy of death. I am treating her far better than that. She is in the process of learning some very valuable lessons, to be sure."
"Such as what?" Sarah gasped.
"Goblins hate the word, lo… Oh, whatever that word is. They hate it and they can't feel it. Secondly, goblins, especially goblin kings, are not to be mocked. Thirdly," Jareth spoke and a shrewd smile formed on his face, "there is nothing any self-respecting woman could want more than a goblin king."
"You are being so selfish! That's not fair!" Sarah exclaimed.
"There you go again with the not fairs. It's perfectly fair. Majeste wounded my pride, so I'll teach her a few lessons. It's very simple, Sarah, now stop worrying about her."
"What is Grues going to do with her?"
"I don't know. I gave him free will to do what he likes, so long as he doesn't touch her."
"Jareth!"
"Last time I put Grues in charge of anything," Jareth said, stroking his chin thoughtfully, "he did a very good job of nearly drowning his prey in the Bog of Eternal Stench."
"I thought you loved Majeste!"
"Sarah!" Jareth sounded, standing up. "I told you goblins don't know half of what that word means!"
"Yes they do," Hoggle said quietly. "I've seen it in your eyes."
"You have spoken too far!" Jareth shouted, the orb appearing in his hands. "I banish you to the Labyrinth!"
"Hoggle!" Sarah shouted as Hoggle disappeared. "That was entirely evil, Jareth! He did nothing wrong!"
"Do not provoke me, Sarah," Jareth warned. "I have been generous before, but there is always the possibility of my losing all thoughts of generosity."
"Your generosity cannot be found in the dictionary," Sarah murmured. "What are we going to do now?"
"I suppose we can just stay here for the time being. We have two days before we need to be at the bridge. I may change my mind between now and then and have us stay here forever."
"Jareth, I demand that you stop tormenting Majeste and bring us to the bridge!" Sarah panicked. "I have to get home! I have a wedding to plan and things to take care of! I have a life to live!"
"Ah yes, twould be a pity to miss your own wedding," Jareth said, his eyes glowing.
"Stop pretending you care for me. I don't know what your relationship to Majeste is, but it must be something important otherwise you wouldn't keep seeing her."
"My relationship with Majeste is strictly political," Jareth said simply.
"Then how is it that you saw her dancing and you can't seem to stay away from her for very long?"
"Perhaps it's an attempt to make you jealous," Jareth said with a smile. "Perhaps I am trying to convince you that I am far better than any other love interest you might have."
"This is all so confusing!"
"Precisely," Jareth said, running his fingers together with pleasure. "The more you and everyone else are confused about what is really happening, the better. I don't want you to know or understand everything. You women are too curious for your own good."
Sarah huffed indignantly at that remark and then sat down, staring angrily at Jareth. He was so confusing, so enchanting, and so terribly irritating! She was also very curious about the strange way Jareth was beginning to look. His blonde hair seemed overnight to suddenly have dark brown and red tips. His eyes seemed to become darker than they ever were before, and his teeth, which were already slightly pointed, seemed suddenly to become even pointier. His appearance concerned Sarah.
What was truly happening to Jareth was this: he was losing all forms of kindness and consideration. True, he had never had much to begin with, but there was a very distinct pattern in his long life, that, in taking the time to look at it, would have made perfect sense. When first Jareth was introduced to the people of Crystalla, he had been enchanted by Majeste and had fallen madly in love with her, more so than she had fallen in love with him. He had shown her great love in so many different ways it was remarkable. He had opened his heart to her; shared things with her that now disgusted him. As time had progressed, Harin had seen the love that radiated from his son and had loathed it, hence the reason he had a deep conversation with Jareth about how goblins couldn't love for they were incapable of it. Jareth had grown to believe his father but had still loved Majeste. Not long after Harin died and Jareth became king, he had granted Sarah's wish for him to take her brother to the goblins, but in so doing, he had become entranced by his own tricks and had, as Sarah wished, fallen in love with her. The love lasted only as long as Sarah was in the Labyrinth. It had taken several years after Sarah left for Jareth to understand what had happened to him when she had come to the Labyrinth. It was then that the great change took place. Jareth became guilty. He had trapped and tricked a young girl, had fallen in love with her, and had hurt Majeste. Being a goblin, Jareth did not know how he could overcome his guilt and had allowed the years to pass with him falling deeper and deeper into bitterness at himself. That was why, when Majeste saw him again for the last time on the bridge, he had cast her into the Labyrinth for refusing him. Her refusal had made him feel that he could never be forgiven, and now that Sarah was returned, he was becoming harder and crueler than ever. In a summary of what was happening, Jareth was becoming greatly like his evil father before him, for his heart was now hard, almost beyond repair, and his cruelty was at its peak.
Jareth, for his part, could only sit casually on his throne of crystals and smile. He was enjoying tormenting Majeste and Sarah. Now he didn't care so much if Majeste loved him, he only wanted to save his world and rule hers. She was a stubborn woman, he determined, stroking his chin. She didn't deserve someone like him. No, she didn't deserve him at all.
Majeste was in the process of turning a corner when she heard a loud sound behind her.
"Toby?" she asked, turning around.
"No, my lady," Hoggle sighed, standing up slowly. "Hoggle."
"I have heard of you," Majeste said. "Jareth used to speak of you."
"He speaks plenty of you," Hoggle said uncomfortably. "You are in danger."
"Of course I am," Majeste smiled slightly. "I am in Jareth's kingdom."
"Do you remember Jareth's father, Harin?" Hoggle asked, bowing curtly before he walked over to Majeste.
"Yes."
"He's starting to look like him a little bit."
"Jareth?" Majeste gasped, fear shining brilliantly in her eyes.
"Yes. He has sent Grues to find you."
"Grues? Why would he do that?" Majeste asked, confused. "What did I do to him?"
"Nothing, I think. I think it is because the worlds are falling apart," Hoggle said.
"He was becoming worse each time I saw him," Majeste said worriedly. "How can I stop it?"
"I don't know. I don't think he can be helped."
Majeste looked up at the lightning that streaked above her and she shook her head unhappily. "Perhaps I can do nothing. He must be lost."
The sound of agony and hurt in Majeste's voice caused Hoggle to study her face carefully. "It's true, isn't it?" he asked carefully. "You do love the Goblin King."
"I don't believe in love anymore," Majeste said, turning away from him and continuing her walk. "There's no love left to believe in."
Hoggle followed quietly after Majeste, noting her tattered dress, her matted her, and her numerous bloodstains.
"All the same," Hoggle said quietly. "The king sent Grues after you."
"That is the least of my troubles," Majeste sighed. "I need to get back to Crystalla."
"He has been sent to confuse you."
"He isn't here yet," Majeste said. "Besides, I don't have to listen to anything he tells me."
"He can be very conniving, from what I've heard."
"No one can be as conniving as Jareth, and since I have been able to resist Jareth, I can resist Grues," Majeste frowned. "Do you know how to get out of here, Hoggle?"
"I'm not sure," Hoggle said uncomfortably, and Majeste turned to face him.
"You aren't sure, or you are afraid to tell me?" She asked. "Has Jareth threatened you also?"
"No, but I think helping you would be the death of me."
"Does Jareth have everyone in the palm of his hand?" Majeste sighed and then shook her head. "Hoggle, don't forget that your friends are still with Jareth."
"I know that," Hoggle frowned. "They are in as much danger as we are."
"If they get Jareth to the bridge and I am not there, the worlds will still fall apart," Majeste said unhappily. "We have to be there at the same time, Hoggle. If you don't tell me how to get there, you will die anyway."
"All right," Hoggle sighed, throwing up his hands in defeat. "See that great tree way over yonder? The one with the branches hanging out above the wall?"
"Yes," Majeste nodded.
"If you always go to that tree, it will lead you…"
"Absolutely nowhere," A hissing voice spoke, and Majeste and Hoggle started. They turned to see Grues standing next to one of the walls, having appeared out of nowhere.
"That's not true," Hoggle said, pointing a finger at Grues. "You were sent to confuse her."
"And so I shall."
"Did Jareth tell you not to harm me?" Majeste asked, watching as Grues stalked towards her, his tongue flicking in and out.
"I will not disclose that information," Grues grinned, his fangs very sharp and nearly dripping with venom.
"He was ordered not to touch you," Hoggle said, and instantly, Grues pounced on him, knocking him to the floor.
"He ordered me not to harm her ladyship," Grues snapped, his eyes blazing. "He said nothing about keeping you alive."
"Release him!" Majeste panicked, leaping at Grues and reaching out to grab him by the neck. Grues turned sharply and snapped his fangs at her, nearly getting her hand.
"You are trying to get yourself killed," Hoggle said in surprise. "You were very close to getting her hand."
"Listen, Hoggle! I will kill you if you try and help the queen. If I don't, the king himself will, so I advise you to keep all information to yourself," Grues snarled, moving away from Hoggle. "Your majesty," he said, turning to Majeste, "that tree leads to nowhere. Now, I don't expect you to follow me, since someone has already told you about me, but I believe that I will escort you and your nosy companion to wherever you happen to be going."
"I'm going to that tree," Majeste said with determination.
"Are you certain you want to go that way?" Grues asked. "Seems to me that the tree leads you back to the palace."
"Confucius was formed by the goblins," Majeste said, moving towards the distant tree. "That would make everything uncertain."
"I do hope you aren't going to assist her, Hoggle," Grues hissed as he stalked after Majeste.
"I reckon I'm not a brave person," Hoggle said, walking next to him, "but I don't want to die, either."
"Surely all that nonsense about both worlds being destroyed is false," Grues snapped.
"No, it isn't," Majeste said, nearly tripping on her tattered skirt as she walked. "If the Goblin King and I do not repair the bridge in a very short time, both the Labyrinth and Crystalla will fall to pieces. The destruction has already begun. Look at these walls." Majeste gestured to the walls with her hand. "They are already crumbling."
Grues looked at the wall she had indicated and carefully tapped it with his paw. Instantly, the wall crumbled and Grues jumped away from it with a yelp.
"Is it true that everything will be destroyed? Seems to me that all the creatures below the ground won't be harmed," Grues asked.
"They will pass just as quickly as the creatures above land and in the walls," Majeste said, her eyes sparkling as she had an idea. Perhaps, she reasoned, if she frightened Grues and then angered him, he would work himself into such a rage that he would lead them to the abyss without meaning to. "The Goblin King and the ruler of Crystalla shall be the last ones remaining. From what I have heard in the legends, both rulers will find themselves standing on nothing. They will then completely disappear."
"Dreadful thought," Hoggle frowned.
Majeste's plan began to work better than she thought it would, for Hoggle didn't frequently look on the bright side of things, and he very quickly began to frighten Grues.
"It's a dreadful thought, thinking of our home being turned into nothing. I will greatly miss the rising of the sun each morning over the trees of Slime. The castle looks so beautiful during sunset. I might even…" Hoggle said thoughtfully. "Yes, I might even miss the stench of the Bog of Eternal Stench just a little bit."
"Don't forget the flames of my home," Grues added. "I suppose I'll miss my home, too."
"And Crystalla," Majeste said, her eyes shining. "My beautiful home. If the bridge were to be repaired properly, the people of Crystalla and the goblins of the Labyrinth would be able to commute back and forth over the bridge. You both would be able to see my castle, with the glittering, multi-colored walls and water fountains. Oh, how I miss my home!"
Grues suddenly chuckled, and Hoggle frowned.
"What is it, Grues?"
"That was a marvelous trick, your majesty, but it will not work," Grues said. "I am not bringing you to the bridge. I am no coward. I would rather face death by the end of the Labyrinth than have King Jareth kill me."
"We are at the tree," Majeste said, frowning because her idea didn't work. "Hoggle, where are the doors?"
"Well, they aren't here," Hoggle said slowly.
"What?"
"I had a thought, when you asked me about the way out."
"And that thought was?"
"I agree with Grues, for once. I would rather die with the Labyrinth than suffer from King Jareth."
"Neither of you are going to help me?" Majeste gasped. "You are both cowards!"
"Have you ever seen Jareth torture anyone?" Grues asked.
"No, because he never has."
"Throwing a creature into the Bog of Eternal Stench is not a pleasant experience," Hoggle shuddered.
"That's what you are afraid of?" Majeste exclaimed. "That isn't torture! You can get out of the bog easily enough!"
"No, you can't," Grues growled. "It's almost impossible to get out of. My brother was thrown into it. I never saw him again."
"That's because no one ever helped him out because he smelled so bad," Hoggle couldn't help but add. "He did manage to climb out, my lady, but the smell was so bad that he was banished from every other creature. He went to live in the great dump at the very end of the Labyrinth."
"Why don't you both go away?" Majeste suggested. "Grues, I am too confused for you to confuse me any more. Hoggle, I am not interested in having a coward help me along the way. I can protect myself, thank you, and somehow or another, I will find my way out of here."
"I am supposed to be staying with you," Grues argued.
"Of course, so you can confuse me more than I already am."
"Nevertheless, I will accompany you," Grues hissed and then stepped into place beside her. "Please, keep walking. It's amusing to see how far you are going in the wrong direction."
"Now I am confused," Hoggle sighed.
Majeste did her best to ignore both Hoggle and Grues, but they were very difficult to avoid. Both of them wouldn't stop arguing.
Majeste tried once, as night came, to climb to the top of one of the walls. Hoggle and Grues stood and watched her, and it must be admitted, were the situation not so bleak, the attempt would be quite interesting. Majeste did her best to keep her leg covered up with one hand while she tried to climb up the wall with the other. There were large cracks in the walls, making her climb a bit easier, and she was almost positive she would make it to the top. Her hand grabbed hold of the top of the wall, and she was just about to pull herself on top of it, when the wall magically moved. It didn't move far, but the small motion was enough to send Majeste falling to the ground. She landed on her back and was immediately thrust into unconsciousness.
"What do we do?" Hoggle asked, running to Majeste.
"Nothing. She's unconscious. Just leave her like that," Grues said, his tongue flicking in and out as he looked at the approaching storm clouds.
"I'm not going to leave her here while the storm comes," Hoggle frowned and then reached down and grabbed Majeste's arms. He pulled her into an opening in one of the walls and then sat down next to her. Grues squeezed his large body into the small cave and then watched as the rain began to pour down outside of the cave.
"What are we to eat?" Hoggle asked as he made himself comfortable near Majeste's head.
"I can think of something I wouldn't mind eating," Grues growled, stepping towards Hoggle.
"Don't eat me, you filthy beast!"
"Why not?"
"Because it would be terrible! I would taste horrible!" Hoggle pleaded. "Don't eat me!"
"I'll just take…"
"Grues!" A voice snapped, and Grues turned to see Jareth stepping out of the rain and into the cave.
"Your majesty!" Grues stammered, doing his best to bow.
"You are not doing as I commanded you."
"I am confusing her," Grues whined.
"Are you the cause of this?" Jareth asked, gesturing to Majeste's still form.
"No sir! I promise! The wall did it! I thought for certain you had used your magic!"
"It's the Labyrinth," Jareth said, moving some hair out of Majeste's face to make certain she was relatively safe.
"The Labyrinth, sir?"
"It's about to fall. I don't have two more days. I need to save my world. Bring her to the abyss, Grues."
"And she'll listen to me now?" Grues snapped, stepping boldly towards Jareth. "You had me confuse her!"
"And just as you did that, you can lead her back to the abyss," Jareth frowned. "I don't care about her or her world. I want my Labyrinth to stay in one piece, and you, Grues, will see to it that it does. If you don't…" Jareth left room for Grues to think, and Grues shuddered.
"I'll bring her back to the abyss, sire," Grues growled and then curled up into a ball on the floor. "We cannot travel now."
"You will travel now!" Jareth shouted. "Both worlds are crumbling, you nit wit!"
"She's unconscious and you told me not to touch her!" Grues yelped.
"Must I do everything myself?" Jareth growled and then reached a hand down and put it on Majeste's cheek.
Hoggle, who was watching with interest, noticed that Jareth's cheek twitched as he touched Majeste. Color appeared in the queen's face again, and she seemed suddenly to smile. She whispered something inaudible, but it was apparent that Jareth heard it, for he froze awkwardly for a few seconds before he righted himself and then took a step back.
"To the abyss, Grues," he said, pointing warningly at the red creature.
"To the abyss," Grues nodded, getting to his feet.
Majeste turned suddenly and grabbed hold of Jareth's boot, stretching herself across the floor to do so. "I thought you were here," she said, gazing up at him coldly. "What new instructions have you given your pawns?"
"They are to bring you to the abyss," Jareth said, pulling away from her.
"And if I don't wish to go there?"
"You will go there!" Jareth snapped viciously.
"It is my turn now, isn't it?" Majeste asked, standing up slowly and beginning to circle Jareth. "My turn to be cruel and unkind. I have no desire to save your world."
"Nor I yours, but for the sake of your people, you will go to the abyss," Jareth snarled.
"Do you truly believe you can prey upon my character so easily?" Majeste asked, running her fingers along the scratch on her cheek. "You have mistreated me, therefore, I have no desire to be of any assistance to you."
The coldness in Majeste's voice surprised Jareth, and he turned to face her, his eyes studying hers carefully. "You would forfeit the lives of your people to be harsh to me?" Jareth asked.
"I would…I would…" Majeste stammered and then turned away, her long hair slapping gently against Jareth's face as she did so. "Why have you done this to me?" She asked, her voice quivering remarkably. "I am torn between saving my world and destroying you. Destroying you would be so simple. If I simply stayed here and let the worlds fall apart, you would fall with them."
"As would you, and even worse, Majeste, you would be trapped with me until the very end of time," Jareth said harshly. "Imagine, the two of us trapped together in the middle of nowhere with no power and no hope, for who knows how long."
"Once I savored that thought," Majeste said, turning and trying her best to keep her eyes cold.
"Of perishing?"
"Of being trapped with you for an endless amount of time with no one and nothing to come between us."
"Please," Grues hissed, rolling his eyes. "I have promised to get her to the abyss, my king. This talk disgusts me."
"As it does me," Jareth said cruelly and turned away from Majeste. "Tonight you will either meet me at the abyss or in complete darkness with no worlds and no hope. I suggest, for the sake of your people, that you come."
Majeste watched as Jareth stepped out into the rain and disappeared.
"Well, your majesty? Are we going to the abyss then?" Hoggle asked uncomfortably.
"No," Majeste said, her eyes dark. "Let Jareth destroy himself."
"You leave me no choice, then," Grues snarled, stepping into place behind Majeste. "I have orders to get you to the abyss."
"And how do you intend to do that?"
"Any way possible," Grues whispered harshly and then suddenly pounced at Majeste, his teeth glistening in the darkness and rain. Majeste jumped away from him and then jumped again as he pounced at her a second time. "Actually," Grues said thoughtfully, stopping for a moment, "I think I may need a bit more strength to get you to the abyss. A hearty meal would do me good." He turned to Hoggle, and Hoggle, coward that he was, began to run, shouting the whole way.
"Hoggle!" Majeste cried out as Grues chased after Hoggle. "Hoggle! Grues, stop it!"
Majeste chased the two through multiple corridors, bashing herself against walls and tiring herself out. She caught sight of Grues and Hoggle running over a cliff-like part of Confucius, and then, taking a deep breath, she followed after them. Five seconds later, she found herself standing atop a great cliff, gazing down at the abyss that separated the Labyrinth and Crystalla. "I will not go," she said aloud, gazing up at the sky that was streaked with lightning. She could feel the Labyrinth shaking violently beneath her, could hear the crumbling of walls and trees, and hot tears began to stream down her cheeks. "I cannot help him," she said quietly, and then shouted. "I do not love him! Let the Labyrinth fall!"
The rain pounded against Majeste, and she fell to her knees, sobbing. "Oh father," she pleaded, her eyes turning red with crying, "Why must it come to this? Our two worlds have been at war for so long. Must I be the one to prevent peace? Why must I always be the one to yield, to submit and humble myself?"
"Look!" Toby shouted, pointing at two creatures that were running full speed towards him and Sir Didymus. "That's Hoggle! Who's the other one?"
"A creature of the Labyrinth, to be sure," Sir Didymus chirped, watching as Grues and Hoggle raced towards them. "Hoggle, what are you doing here?"
"I am running for my life!" Hoggle shouted, jumping behind Toby. "Save me!"
"Back! Back you creature of the underworld!" Sir Didymus shouted, waving his sword at Grues.
Grues stopped and looked from Sir Didymus to Hoggle and then back to Sir Didymus. "You look a bit more tasty than Hoggle," he said.
"You can't eat either of them," Toby said, picking up Sir Didymus and placing him on Ambroscious' back. "Hoggle, what is going on?"
"Her ladyship, Majeste, is on her way here, at King Jareth's orders," Hoggle gasped, trying to catch his breath.
"It's about time," Sir Didymus said firmly. "The worlds are almost gone."
"Look at the storm up ahead!" Toby exclaimed, and everyone looked up to see the black clouds beginning to swirl together, lightning flashing violently from them.
"It appears that King Jareth and his companions are almost here," Grues said nervously, noting that Majeste was nowhere to be seen and hoping that Jareth wouldn't be angry enough to kill him.
Toby looked across the abyss and saw Jareth stumbling along, Sarah's arms around him, supporting him, as he limped along without one boot. "Well, I say," he said a bit loudly. "The Goblin King is here and the Crystal Queen will be here any second. This is all so simple. Everything will all be solved peaceably and quickly, and it will be a piece of cake."
"Don't say that!" Sarah shouted, overhearing him from across the way.
"Why not?"
"Anytime anyone says that around here, something bad happens!" Sarah shouted back, stumbling beneath Jareth's weight.
"Things can't get any worse than they already are!" Toby called.
And then, quite suddenly, the worlds went silent. The winds stopped making their terrifying noise, the sound of the rocks and trees falling became still, and nothing more could be heard. The sound of silence was more horrifying than any sound any of the creatures standing on either side of the abyss had ever heard. It meant that the worlds were at their ends.