The stones of Wyvern shook violently, obeying Ludo's call. Jareth's agility came to an advantage, letting him navigate the twisting corridors. He dodged falling debris and jumped over fallen stones, cowl thrown back in his haste. His breathing was rough, but he pushed on relentlessly. He needed to get to Sarah, to free Toby and destroy Alexander.

"Ludo!" Sarah called, voice faint. Urged on by this Jareth lengthened his stride and doubled his pace, literally flying through hallway after hallway. His goal was the throne room that was supposedly at the center of the castle. With his Fey perception he made his way unerringly to the throne room, anxious to get the battle over with.

The doors that led to the throne room were made of think lead, chains weaved across the handles. Cursing under his breath, Jareth magicked the chains, rusting them through. Using a booted foot Jareth broke the chains with a mighty kick, throwing the doors open.

"So you think your friends are here to save you?" Alexander asked. He pulled her hair roughly, jerking Sarah's head up, fury in his limpid eyes. "No one will save you, Jareth won't find you, and I will triumph."

"Never." She spat. "People like you never win."

"We'll see about that, we'll see." The Alexander forced a kiss upon her as the castle shook vehemently. Chained Sarah could barely fight back, but a thunderous crash separated them.

"Get away from her Alexander." Jareth's voice was a flat and as deadly as steel. Twisting her head around Sarah saw Jareth standing just inside the doorway, dressed in unrelenting black, his pale hair and skin the only light about him.

"Ah Jareth, so good to see you." Alexander said silkily, dropping Sarah's head. Her eyes stayed riveted to Jareth, and she could see the waves of anger rolling off him. He stood like an avenging angel, sword drawn.

"Alexander. Wish I could see the same." Jareth calmly walked forward. "Let Sarah and Toby go. This is between you and me."

Jareth was surprised when Alexander snapped his fingers, releasing the siblings. Keeping his eyes on the darkness of himself, Jareth heard Sarah approach, Toby hiccupping.

"Jareth, what's going on?" She whispered.

"Take Toby and follow this." Not looking at her he produced a crystal. "I'll be fine. You'll be safe outside.

"But - "

"No." He commanded. "I'll see you outside."

"Fine." Sarah sighed. "But come back to me." She took the crystal from him.

"I will, just go." Jareth promised, then heard Sarah dash away. "Now Alexander, why did you kidnap Sarah and Toby?"

Come on, admit it. I'll just help my cause.

Jareth was counting on Alexander to spill his guts, a special crystal recording everything that was being said. Once he supplied it to the Grand Council the Jareth would be absolved of the actions of his past.

Quick as lightning Alexander pounced, but Jareth was faster, easily dodging. As he attached Alexander spoke,

"You know why I did what I did; both you and that damn Green Sage."

Mindless with fear Sarah followed the floating globe, clutching Toby to her chest. Jareth's tone had startled her, showing his core of solidity beneath his layers of ruffles and tights.

Please be safe Jareth.

The iridescent bubble nimbly weaved through fallen boulders and mangled furniture. It bobbed along merrily, looking absurdly out of place in a crumbling castle. At least the quakes had stopped, that was a small miracle. Ludo had stopped calling the rocks.

Sarah prayed that the reason Ludo had stopped calling was that he simply stopped, not that he had been forcibly stopped. The bubble dipped around a corner and Sarah followed, plowing into something warm and soft. Red fur filled her vision as large hands steadied her.

"Ludo!" Sarah gasped. "What happened?" Toby sneezed.

"Need Sarah safe." Ludo gently pushed her down the hall. "Must go."

Deciding not to question Ludo's speech or intentions Sarah let the Beast guide her out of the castle. Thankfully Toby was behaving, curled against her chest with his eyes closed. Fervently Sarah hoped Jareth would be safe and come back.

"That meddling Sage ruined everything." Alexander thrust his sword at Jareth. "I'm supposed to be the Goblin King, not you."

Jareth slapped the blade away with his own, punching Alexander in the face. His fist made contact with the mans nose, the crack of breaking bone and cartilage echoing through the room. Blood gushed crimson against Alexander's pale skin, his nose a ruined mess.

"Damn you Jareth." Alexander cursed. "I never know you were so ruthless without me controlling you." Once again he lunged, this time his blade biting flesh, slicing Jareth's left upper arm.

"That's because you kept me caged up in a corner of our mind like a rabid beast." Jareth gritted his teeth, unable to enact a self healing spell. His sword must be spelled.

"You were power hungry, and that hasn't changed in four hundred years."

"My consolation is that even if you defeat me Jareth, your precious Sarah will die." Both men were equally matched, only striking minor flesh wounds until Alexander began using magic.

"You lie." Jareth threw a fistful of liquid fire at Alexander who countered with an ice shield.

"Do I ?" Alexander tossed lightning bolts at Jareth, who easily deflected, sending bolts plowing into the walls. "I have an army of golems waiting to pounce at the first sight of your Sarah."

"Wrong. I also have and army waiting." Jareth lunged and the battle really began.

Sarah scrambled to hid behind a fallen boulder, holding Toby close. As she stepped outside a swarm of golems attacked, but an army of goblins came to the rescue. Leading the goblins was Sir Didomus. Beyond her boulder sanctuary she could hear metal against metal, growls, howls and all sorts of garbled language.

Toby began to fuss, Sarah tried to soothe him, to keep the focus away from them. Rocks rolled closer, prodded on by Ludo to surround them, protect them. Unafraid Sarah watched as the rocks built up around her, closing off both her and Toby. The crystal Jareth had given her began to glow, providing illumination to the rock made prison.

In it's depths the crystal began to swirl a multicolored cloud around. The clouds motion made her dizzy, but Sarah refused to look away, same as Toby. Slowly it began to clear, showing the battle between Jareth and Alexander.

I was wanting to see the battle and somehow this crystal showed me what I wanted. Does this mean I have some magical powers? No way.

"Even if you did have an army it wouldn't save you." Alexander threw a ball of scarlet magic at Jareth who has a shield of black with little white lights to block it. In return Jareth hurled a ball of blue green magic at Alexander that threw the evil man back against the throne.

"I have more than an army Alexander." Jareth growled. "I have loyal subjects and friends. I have the faith that they will back me no matter what."

"What you have," Alexander gasped forcefully. "Is a weakness. Loyalty, pshaw. Power is the only thing important."

Alexander threw a dagger at Jareth and the blade hit home. It bit into the flesh of his left shoulder. Pain flared through Jareth's body, nearly buckling is knees. Gritting his teeth Jareth pushed back the pain, moving forward with a speed he did not feel.

"You are the weak one Alexander. You expect things of people you don't know, or have not known for many years." Jareth plunged his sword in Alexander's stomach, having distracted him with his words. Producing the dagger from his shoulder Jareth embedded the short blade into Alexander's heart.

"Go to Hell, you demon bane." Jareth growled, twisting both blades. Life left Alexander's eyes and Jareth breathed a sigh of relief. Now he could get on with his life with Sarah and Toby.

After what seemed like hours the rocks rumbled away, letting Sarah out of the protective cage. Toby had settled to sleep against her chest, the globe tucked into his fists. Ludo's large hands lifted Sarah out gently and lightly sat her on the ground.

"Ludo, are you okay?" Sarah asked softly, not wanting to wake Toby.

"Ludo fine. Cousin fine too." The Beast replied as Didomus approached.

"Where is His Majesty?" Sarah wondered what happened to the fox's accent.

"Still in the Castle, I think." Sarah replied. "The crystal he gave me showed me the battle between him and Alexander."

"I'm sorry you had to see that Sarah." Jareth's voice said from behind her, tiered and labored.

Turning Sarah saw a haggard and wounded Jareth leaning against the broken curtain wall. His clothes were torn and stained scarlet with thee blood that oozed from his wounds. His usually carefully styled waterfall hairdo was singed and tousled. Bruises puffed his cheek and eye, blood smearing his pale skin.

"I can't self heal, so you're forced to see how gruesome battle is."

Gently Sarah gave Toby to Ludo, then moved to Jareth, slinging his good right arm across her shoulders. He was trembling in exhaustion.

"Can you teleport us?" Sarah asked.

"Barely." He replied. "But I don't want to chance it."

"Then Ludo will carry you." Sarah wouldn't tolerate any argument.

Jareth was struggling to swallow his pride and let Ludo carry his bandaged body back to the Castle at the Center of the Labyrinth. Sarah had wrapped strips of supply sacks over his wounds to staunch the bleeding. Toby was in her arms, playing with the still present crystal, drooling all over it.

Honestly he was glad Ludo was carrying him because Jareth didn't think he could walk, even if aided. He was tiered, emotionally and physically. Four hundred years of battling and standing against the darker side of his soul. Now that the brick wall he had been pushing against was suddenly gone, Jareth no longer stood with a purpose to anchor him. No, that was untrue. He did have a purpose, a reason. To love Sarah with his entire being, to tutor Toby in the ways of his heritage.

But for now, Jareth yawned hugely and curled into Ludo's red fur, he would sleep, and sleep well. His eyes felt heavy and his body lethargic. Knowing Ludo would not drop him, Jareth let himself drift off. In his dreams he had visions of a life with Sarah. Sweet Sarah.