A/N: Thanks to everyone who reviewed! Although, I would like a few more… but that's just the details! No biggie! But please, if you are reading this story, please please please review! Thxs! And do enjoy the chapter… I write for your enjoyment…
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Disclaimer: Labyrinth and its characters are not mine... Hensons… but I do own all original people (and things) so no touchy!
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Labyrinth: The Dream Never Ends
By: Eriksleadinglady
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Chapter 10: Is a tragedy for everyone
Jareth entered into the castle discreetly, hoping that no one would notice his presence – at least until he found Sarah. He was in Jouegh's domain now, and if he encountered anyone, they would surely alarm the entire building, which was something that Jareth wanted to avoid. He just wanted to get to Sarah with no fights along the way, and then take her back to the Labyrinth where they could formulate a real plan – and buy themselves some time.
Continuing to walk through the corridors, Jareth finally found himself in the throne room, where he was sure that he would find Sarah and Jouegh. However, he could see no one in sight. He furrowed his brow as he looked around the room in different directions, but it was evident that no one was here.
Going to press his luck, Jareth walked – in sight – through most of the castle. Still, to his mild surprise, nobody was inside. All was completely silent, and for a second, Jareth pondered over where they would be, if not here. Realizing what had happened, he cursed under his breath, a frown growing upon his face. It was not supposed to be this way yet; Jareth was supposed to have stopped Jouegh before he got this far, but it would seem that Jouegh's plans were much farther along than Jareth had thought.
Everything was moving along so fast, and Jareth was now questioning whether or not he would make it on time.
Transforming into an owl, Jareth began to make his way back to the Labyrinth. Along his way, though, he saw what he had been dreading – Jouegh's army was on the move. In the air, he paused for a moment, batting in place as he watched the army march. It was much larger than he had assumed – about ten thousand creatures – but its size was not unexpected. They were moving at a fast pace, and they were heading straight for his goblin city. Deciding that he had had enough viewing, Jareth continued on his way, going as fast as he could. He knew that they would get to his realm in about three days if they kept up the pace and rested at night. If they did not rest, however, then they would attack in perhaps two days time.
Seeing the size of the army, he knew that his goblins would not be enough; he would need some help from his neighbors.
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When Jareth got back to his castle, he went immediately into his throne room in order to gather his thoughts. Seeing Jouegh's enormous army of perhaps ten thousand, Jareth began to worry about his own troops, which, at the moment, were just his measly goblins. Of them, there were probably maybe two thousand and those numbers were not good enough. Jouegh had gained the upper hand already, and Jareth desperately needed to find more aid for his cause.
However, he could only think of two neighbors that would be willing to get involved: the Giants to the west and the Elves to the north. Both of these creatures, if enlisted, would be a major help for they were some of the important powers down in the Underground.
Jareth was long time friends with the Elves and knew that they would undoubtedly help, for he had helped them in their time of need when the Minotaurs were invading their territory. They owed a debt to his realm, and he would be sure that they would lend their aid.
The Giants, on the other hand, were a completely different matter. They owed the Labyrinth nothing and they most certainly did not like to get involved in other races business – they liked to be isolated and secluded, left to deal with their own problems and no one else's. In order to gain their armies, Jareth would have to be very persuasive.
Jareth walked over to the window out-looking his Labyrinth and sat down on the ledge, his knees up in a crouching position. His gaze wandered out and over the many twists and turns that he called his own. The sky was turning an orange-to-pink color in the sunset, and the few clouds that were present were casting a quiet shadow over the forests. As he looked on at the impending silence of his land, he knew that in a few days, everything would change. His borders would be swarming with enemies and many rotting corpses would cover his land – possibly including many, or all, of his own loyal subjects.
Jouegh's armies would undoubtedly never be able to find their way through the Labyrinth and to his castle. But, even though Jareth could probably keep himself safe, he would not leave the edges of his realm to the mercy of ten thousand bloodthirsty creatures. He would not be a coward and hide away in the protection of his castle, just waiting to be overthrown. No, Jareth would go out and meet his adversaries, never giving way to weakness. He could fight the armies himself for decades, millennia's, never letting them get by. However, Jareth knew that once all his people – his goblins and loyal subjects – were gone, there would be nothing left for him here, or anywhere, and he would let himself go on to the next chapter – the afterlife.
Jareth sighed as he breathed in the refreshing night air. Tomorrow, he would go and retrieve the help of his neighbors and hopefully they would be enough to bring down Jouegh. He could only wish that Sarah would be all right through it all and not be harmed. His castle and his life would not be the same without her voice to fill the halls.
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Jareth arrived in Flouë, the Elvin country, the following morning. The land was a lush green, with pure waterfalls and a giant stream that lasted for miles and then finally ended in an ocean. The trees were tall, over one hundred feet, and all were green – there wasn't a brown plant in sight. Also in Flouë, the buildings were all made of shining white stone, all casting a beautiful reflection over the already beautiful landscape. The sight truly was breathtaking.
The king of this wondrous land was called Aroyan. Jareth had known Aroyan for nearly the entire second half of his life, and they had become familiar presences to each other, forming somewhat of a friendship. He knew that this visit would be brief, trusting that his friend would be there to help him in a second.
In the throne room, Aroyan rose to his feet to greet his guest. The messenger boy, who had led Jareth into the room, introduced him as well.
"King Jareth of the Labyrinth," he said before he bowed and retreated from the room.
Aroyan walked over to Jareth greeted him accordingly. "Ah, my old friend, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
"It is with troubling news that I come to you, I'm afraid," began Jareth.
The Elvin King frowned in disappointment. "And what news is this?"
Jareth sighed. "My brother," he said simply.
Aroyan took a slight step back. "Jouegh?"
Jareth nodded as he said, "Yes, that troublesome little pigeon is stirring up quite the mess. At this very moment, he has a ten thousand-man army marching towards my realm, preparing to overthrow me. Along with this act, he has also taken something very personal to my being, and I require its return immediately." He paused at the look he was receiving from his friend. "Oh, don't look at me like, Aroyan. He did not take my amulet again. He has taken Sarah," Aroyan "oh-ed" an understanding, for he had heard much about this human girl from Jareth, mainly on the night that she had defeated him. Jareth continued on in his story, "but to what purpose he intends with her is beyond my knowledge. I know that she has some sort of connection to the Labyrinth itself, but of what use she can be I do not know."
"This is grave news indeed," interjected Aroyan.
"Yes," continued Jareth. "You know what my brother is up to. He is out to harness the Labyrinth's power. But it is how he is going to do this that troubles me. He shall overtake my kingdom, throw out my subjects, and then plan his rule as supreme-being, or some other nonsense of that sort." He looked Aroyan straight in the eyes. "My armies do not have the man power needed in order to stop his attack. They need help in order to accomplish this."
Aroyan sighed as he put his hands out to his sides. "You know that you have my help, Jareth, but even with my armies, will that be enough to stop him?"
"I am going to the giants as well, in order to try and gain their allegiance. But above all else, it is not the amount of troops that we muster, but just the time that they can give. If I can get some time in order to figure out just what Jouegh plans on doing, and where he and Sarah have gone, then I might be able to find a way to stop him. Once he is defeated, then his armies will be called off as well."
Aroyan nodded his head. "If you believe that you can do it, then I have no other choice but to place my faith in you as well. You have my armies."
"You have my deepest thanks, Aroyan." Jareth turned to take his leave. "I will call on you when I have heard from the giants. Prepare your armies immediately – Jouegh's people will invade in most likely two days, if not sooner."
"I shall be ready," was all Aroyan said before Jareth left the room and went off to visit the giants.
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Jareth arrived in the land of the giants later that afternoon. The land of the giants was much different compared to that of the Elves. The land was more dirt and large boulders than anything green and alive. The giants lived in caves and straw huts, each and every one carrying around a club. Occasionally throughout the land there were a few trees, but most of them were dead, or had just lost all of their leaves for the winter. However, even though the land was barren, at all times the sun cast an orangey glow everything, creating a beautiful picture of serenity.
When Jareth got to the kings hut, he was shown inside in somewhat of the same fashion as the Elves. Jareth greeted the king, Turmon, in a more formal way than he had greeted Aroyan since they were not on the same friendly terms.
Turmon was the first to speak. "Why are you here, King of the Goblins?"
"I require your aid in a most dreadful situation," explained Jareth. "There is an army on the edges of my realm, their leader wanting to overthrow me. This leader is my exiled brother, Jouegh. He has plans to overtake my kingdom and then use the Labyrinth's power to further his own." He paused. "The army is about ten thousand in size, and my goblins will not be enough to suffice. I have already enlisted the aid of the Elves, and now I ask for your service as well."
Turmon considered this for a moment, his large eyes closing lazily. "What does this have to do with my kingdom? Why should I get involved?"
"You are already involved; as soon as Jouegh gains control over the Labyrinth, he will not stop there. He will continue to every realm, including yours, and become king of them all."
"Such a thing is not possible!" exclaimed Turmon. "No being is as powerful as that!"
Jareth began to pace the room, his patience wearing thin. "You know very well about the power of the Labyrinth! With it at his disposal, nothing will be able to stop him!"
"To harness the Labyrinth in such a way is impossible."
"Jouegh has found a way, I can assure you. Otherwise, he would not even be attacking my kingdom."
Turmon was silent for a moment, considering if what Jareth said was the indeed the truth – if Jouegh would really try to take over all realms, including his own. He grunted as if he had finally come to a conclusion.
"This is grave news indeed, Goblin King," Turmon said quietly. "If he truly has found a way to retrieve the Labyrinth's power for himself, then we are all doomed. If sending in my armies will help to stop him, then I shall do it."
Jareth smiled. "Good. I thank you most deeply for your aid, Turmon, King of the Giants. If you would please ready your troops and immediately send them over to the Labyrinthine Kingdom, that would be best; Jouegh plans on attacking very soon, I believe – perhaps only a day or two."
"Then I will make most haste," replied Turmon as he stood up, making himself tower over Jareth. He summoned for a guard to come in, as well as a messenger. "Men, ready the army; we go to battle!"
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When Jareth got back to his own castle at long last, it was just becoming night, and the sky was a dark red, meaning a coming battle. At the end of both his meetings, Jareth was very relieved that the two groups would lend him their aid. Still, they would not amount to Jouegh's army's power, for they were still short by a couple thousand men. The giant's army was two thousand, the Elf's was three thousand, and his own army was two thousand as well. Of course, neither of these two groups had a mage such as himself in their parties, but in the end, that would prove to be indifferent, since his battle was with Jouegh, making him likely to be found off the battleground more often than on. However, he could only hope that he would stop Jouegh before he made it to the tree – the right tree, rather.
True, there was a tree in the forest, one that looked like that of the Labyrinth tree, but the real one was hidden. It lay in a most dangerous place to enter, unless the one entering held the correct key. This key was not an ordinary key; it did not unlock the door itself, rather what lay inside.
Jareth had heard of this key, but had never found it himself. Legends had hinted at what it may be, but no one truly knew…
Suddenly, like a flash, Jareth was standing on his feet, his eyes wide as he looked across the Labyrinth.
"No…" he whispered under his breath. "It can't be…"
Sarah.
Sarah, of all people, was the key that could unlock everything. It made perfect sense: she defeated the Labyrinth, there was the prophecy, and the key… It all fit together, all leading to believe that Sarah was the one holding the power to unlock the Labyrinth, to gain hold of its power.
Jareth suddenly had the urge to smack something, anything. Grabbing his goblet, he threw it across the room and listened as it smacked the wall and then fell down with a clang. His breathing was heavy and loud, sending out the message either that he was suffocating or was just very, very angry.
Of course, it was the latter.
Most of all, Jareth was angry with himself that he had been such a fool. He could have figured out this vital bit of information long ago, since the answer was staring him in the face the entire time. He had had Sarah with him for so long, and he never figured it out. Worst of all, he had kept such an important thing under the most horrible protection! He had left her here, in his castle, with no guards, nothing, practically wide open, just screaming, "Here! Come and take the key to the Labyrinth's power!"
Damn. It was his own fault that she had been taken and that Jouegh now held the object that would indeed give him the power, the magic, and the world. It was because of his lack of propriety that Jouegh could be able to take over the world.
Jareth lifted his head up and looked out over the forests and the turns of the Labyrinth. This was his home, his life. He would not let Jouegh take everything away from him so easily. He would fight his brother in an attempt to right his wrongs and defeat the very thing that he had made possible. Whenever the armies came to his borders, he would be ready and waiting. He would be like a cat ready to pounce on his prey. And most of all, he would win.
A/N: Heehee! Next chapter, the climax begins! Yes, my darling, the war has started: 0