Disclaimer: I do not own the ideas of the Goblin King or teh Labyrinth itself.

Claimer: I do own Aora, her sister, and some later ideas in the story. The lines are also my invention. Mostly.

RANDOM QUOTE!!

Tomorrow's an illusion

and yesterday's a dream

Today is a solution

but you gotta learn to breathe

And if you're looking for the answer

it's right before your eyes

- same song from Titan A.E. soundtrack

Chapter Two

Aora was staring at Sarah's empty sheets. She didn't know how long she stood there; it may have been hours or only a second, but a cold wind brought her back and forced her to turn around. The window was open, letting the cold, moist air rush inside. "I thought I closed that…" She murmured as she reached out to shut it, slightly delirious with panic. However, an owl flew in before she could get a chance, and she recoiled as it fluttered past. Something caught her eye, and she swiftly turned about. But it was gone. She heard a snicker from the chair beside her and whipped her head to glare at it, but it looked normal. She glared anyway. More minute laughs followed, taunting her.

"Looking for something?" A voice asked. It was a soothing tone, but it didn't diminish Aora's tension. She turned again, staring into the darkness the owl had disappeared into. Out of the shadows emerged a figure that, previous to this night, she might not have even guessed existed. His blonde hair was tousled about his shoulders, the nape of his black cape curled upwards. His creamy shirt was made to look ruffled around the large v-neck that seemed to go half-way down his front, and his khaki-colored pants tapered near the foot as his fanciful black boots came up over them. As she looked at him longer, she realized that under his cape was a waistcoat, and he wore leathery gloves which finished the illusion of fluidly black arms and hands. Under his shirt was suspended a golden medallion, which glimmered in the bit of light from the hall that managed to creep in, and was created into an interesting shape. She was surprised she could see him so well. She had often read in dim light, which her mother said would damage her eyes. But it seemed to be helping her now; or maybe she was just hallucinating. A haunting melody seemed to float about his aura; it sounded eerily familiar, but she knew it was new to her. He also put off the same mysterious energy the book had earlier, trying to draw her closer. All of this was thrown at her senses in an instant, and she felt overloaded for a moment. She blinked and shook her head, clearing her mind to answer. "My sister…" She fought to keep her voice calm and she looked at his gloves. "My sister's missing." "Are you sure about that?" Aora, in a moment of panicked confusion, hastily looked back at the bed. It was still empty. The stranger chuckled. "What-" Then Aora looked at his face. He wore a cool, coy smile that played wit his lips, and his eyes held some slight amusement. Also superiority. There was something else, she knew, behind it all; but just what she couldn't place. At that moment something struck her; she finally realized who this man was. She could only think of one thing: Oh. Flick.

"So, you're the Goblin King." He courteously bowed. "Jareth, please; at your service." She tried to set her face. "I want my sister back." "Words are like leaves; once fallen, they can't be taken back. Besides, I thought this was what you wanted? The house all to yourself; no pesky little monster around to bother you." He took a step or two closer to her. She averted her gaze; she had to. His eyes were too piercing, like they saw right through her. And, she realized, they had a twinge of something in the back…emptiness, it seemed… "I know, and believe me she can be annoying at times. But she's my sister." She surprised herself. How could she talk so at-ease when she felt so up-tight? She concluded that it was just another effect he had on people; she refused to think it was just her he influenced. There was no explanation for him, so why should there be reason to his aura? "Aora," his voice was more firm now, "forget about your sister. Go on with your life without her, free of obstruction. There's no hope." "There's always hope." She said, more confidently than she felt. He sneered, seemingly disgusted. Or appalled. Or maybe she was misinterpreting him all-together. "You'd like to think that wouldn't you…" She was usually pretty good a guessing or reading emotions, but he was different. Very much so.

She looked up and in his hands saw a crystal ball that certainly hadn't been there before. "What is it?" Aora asked, curious. "It can be anything and everything." He twirled it around his hand, her eyes trying to follow. Before she realized it, it had changed into a rectangular object. He held it out flat on his palm. "It can be knowledge." He covered the book with his other hand, then drew it back. As he turned over his hand, she saw a bird cradled in it. "Or it can be freedom." He cupped his other hand over it, shielding the bird from view. He then unfolded his top hand, almost like the blooming of a flower, and revealed the crystal orb again. But inside of it were swirling masses of color, glittering almost. It reminded her of a galaxy, no, many galaxies. "It could be eternity." He lifted it on his finger tips, then popped it up. He somehow caught it in-between his crossed arms and made it bob and weave through intertwining circles around his hands. It slid up to his shoulder, slowed, and rounded his head. When it came out the other side, it was a large tarantella. He lifted a hand to it and let the creature crawl onto it. "And it can also be fear." He eyed the tarantella thoughtfully. "The choice is yours. But you should remember;" He looked up briefly, seemingly to intimidate her. Or perhaps just evaluating her. "All choices have consequences." He tossed the spider up carelessly, and it landed on her head. She shook her head violently, reaching up and swatting at her head. It had turned into a small cardboard box as it fell off her head, and upon hitting the ground upside-down, something under it made it scuttle away. She continued to breathe heavily for a short while, and she heard hooting laughter around her. She glanced up at Jareth and detected something almost like boredom; like he had done the trick one too many times for it to be even remotely funny anymore.

"I want my sister." Aora repeated, this time with a slight tremor in her voice. She chided herself. Why did she let him seem so powerful? Surely she must be loosing some of her resolve. "You know where she is." Jareth replied, re-establishing his calm mask, void of any detectable emotion. Except maybe arrogance. She nodded, hoping that her words would come out right. "And there's a way to her." He looked, no, stared at her. Not in surprise; expectancy…just stared. It made her uncomfortable. "You just have yet to show it to me." His eyes narrowed the slightest, and he gestured towards the window with the top of a cane that must have slipped her notice before. She wasn't sure if she trusted herself to look away, in case this was all a dream, but she turned her gaze over.

She involuntarily gasped a bit. She had just been reading about it, but words were nothing to compare to the real thing. The Labyrinth lay out before her, spreading in all directions to the horizon and, she felt, beyond. It seemed to hold many colors captive, but before she could identify them they would disappear. A sun was beginning to rise, illuminating the twisting mammoth so that it seemed to glow. Her eyes gleamed as her mind was already analyzing and studying the millions of unfathomably intricate turns and angles, trying to make some sense of it all. She had always been fond of puzzles. The castle stood in the center of it all, looking regal and defiant. It commanded her to fear and respect it, yet something else lay hidden among the others. Something like… neglect.

"What do you think?" Jareth asked, noting her awe. She almost didn't' register he had spoken to her, though she did notice that they were now standing on a hill overlooking the maze. "It's beautiful…" She whispered. He smirked. "Thank you." She brought herself out of her trance, silently reprimanding herself. Why should she honor him with a compliment? He was already aloof enough without her help. Though, if that was the case, it wouldn't really matter what she said, now would it? It was an amazing accomplishment after all… She shook her head again. Now was not the time to argue with herself. "That is your challenge, Aora. Think you can face it?" Her heart sank slightly at the realization, but then rose again with the prospect of a new puzzle to master. She had to find her sister; that was indisputable. She might as well try to enjoy the experience while she had the chance. "I will." She said, not directly answering his question. "That's too bad." He answered, not nearly as convincingly as he might once have. She turned to find him to her right, his gaze cast out across the Labyrinth. She resisted the urge to reach out and touch him, to see if he was real. Of course, if none of this was real, she didn't want to stop it. This was practically a dream-come-true for her; she was in a fantastical place that couldn't possibly exist with a puzzle in front of her she knew would make her think. Aside from the fact that her sister was being held hostage, this was a great opportunity.

If only that infernal energy would quit trying to draw her in! The Labyrinth itself was also giving off the energy, but it was so far and Jareth was closer, and therefore the pull was stronger. That music playing in the back of her head wasn't helping. She closed her eyes and tried to concentrate on something. How about that mysterious feeling behind his eyes that she couldn't place earlier? She had guessed at emptiness…a loss of some sort? And how was she going to solve this Labyrinth…

In the few seconds it took her to go through her thoughts, she heard a clock chiming. She opened her eyes and looked towards the sound. It was a clock making it; it just didn't look like any clock she had seen before; almost like a part of the tree it was sitting on. And next to it was Jareth. She furrowed her eyebrows and glanced back to where he'd been not more than a few moments ago, not sure where to expect him. But he stayed where he was. "You will have 13 hours to solve my Labyrinth;" He said, sounding bored already(again), "or your sister will be with us for the rest of eternity." He almost winced with the word 'eternity'. Aora looked back to the castle, trying to memorize its position, though she knew it wouldn't really help. "I'll get there, Sarah." She murmured, hardly audible to even herself. When she turned back, he was gone. The flapping of wings drew her attention upwards, and she saw a white owl flying off.

"Well, I should get started." She walked to the edge of the hill and nearly fell off. It was steep. Really steep. She tried walking down, but almost fell over within the first step. "Ok… walking doesn't work…" Then she had an idea. She zipped up her coat, put the hood up, and started sitting. She then remembered the goldfish bag, and brought it out. She placed it under her chin, where she knew it wouldn't get crushed in the action she was about to take. "Now, how to go about starting…" She thought for a moment, then carefully got back up. "Here goes nothing." She held the goldfish in her hand as she took a deliberate two steps forward, then jumped into the air ahead of her. She quickly tucked into a ball, slipping the small snack bag back under her chin as she ducked her head into her knees, and held tight. She hit the ground hard, but she held fast to herself. The incline, as she had guessed, was so steep that she rolled down it with not extra effort. There were small rocks and things in her path, but her jeans and jacket provided adequate protection. As she tumbled on down, she began to enjoy the speed and thrill of her improvised mode of transportation. All too soon, or so she thought, she felt the incline end. However, her speed didn't decrease. She hadn't bothered to think about how to stop. She could feel herself smiling nonetheless. Suddenly, she rammed into something, knocking whatever it was over, and sending them both tumbling for a few more feet.

End Chapter

Yeah, once again, another boring-ish chapter comes to an end. Trust me, it'll get better!

I hope...meh.

Sorry I can't get them out as fast as I write them, but I change things too much! Ah, the curse that is perfectionism...

Anyway, that was chapter two for you. What did she run into? Or rather...who? Heh...you'll just have to wait and see!

I would also really appriciate feedback of any kind! Compliments welcome, critiques highly valued!!

\offers muffin platter/ You know you want one...

Thank you for your time!

Ja