Sarah didn't have to wait long. The enemy decided to do a full frontal attack first. They had catapults too and they sent the ground army in first thinking that the sheer number would frighten the Labyrinth inhabitants but no one in the Labyrinth had seen the army and so this tactic would not work, "Catapults launch!!!" The rocks from deep within the Bog of Eternal Stench would crush several and make several more flee. Those that remind would be coated with slime and Sarah's extra mixture. As the army began to disperse from the first wave of attack Sarah ordered the archers to launch their arrows.
It was a sight to be seen, the arrows flew across the wall in such a wide and thick layer that the remaining combatants didn't have a chance to escape. "Archers! Fire!!!!!" The second wave of arrows were fire arrows and when they hit their mark the entire army went up on fire. If Sarah had not prepared herself she would have lost her lunch. The enemy army was doing nothing wrong but following orders and they were now roasting out in the Labyrinth fields. The stench of cooking meat wafted from the battle field and a cry of angry voices sounded behind them. Apparently they had not expected such a well formed attack and it had taken too long for pig to take action. He himself yelled at his incompetence and ordered the remaining legions to follow him.
Sarah climbed down as fast as she could from the wall and headed towards the junkyard lady, "The prisoners in the Stallions pit bring them here and launch them." The Junkyard Lady was about to protest, "Do it or I'm launching you instead!" Immediately dazed and confused prisoners were appearing next to the catapults, "Hog tie them and launch them across the wall!" The goblins piled on the prisoners and began tossing them across the wall as ordered. Sarah climbed back up the wall and saw what she had only hoped for, when the prisoners began landing on the opposing army some of them ran back and dropped their weapons. She had a feeling they had been told of an easy win and not matter what they had seen earlier and whatever anger that scene would have caused it was nothing compared to knowing that the forces they had placed inside had been caught and were now being used for cannon fodder.
"You can stop now Grench." The Garbage Lady stopped summoning prisoners thru the oubliette and looked into the battle field. What had started as an army of thousands upon thousands had been reduced to just several hundreds. Their dazed and confused expressions were enough to convince Sarah that it was time for the aerial assault. She caught the light upon her blade and shined it upon the birds on the sky. These birds while quite beautiful were simply that animals to be admired because they had the most horrendous singing voices. They made Ludo's warble seem like opera compared to the noise that emitted from their beaks. As they torpedoed towards the remaining attackers they began to squawk. Their high pitched noises were loud and close enough to the army that they burst their ear drums. They started to scream and run away from the animals that were hiding amongst the smoke produced by the fire churning bodies of their dead comrades.
The attack lasted only a few lines of their song and then they launched themselves back into the air. Sarah climbed down from the wall and beckoned for Marita, "Marita everyone that was out there was the entire army, correct?" "Yes. Everyone one in the camps came down for the battle, they had planned to pillage every last corner of the Labyrinth and so they left no one behind, not even the cook." Sarah mounted Paza and ordered the gates flung open. This was the moment the army had been hoping for and they ran out of the Labyrinth with a loud yell of war. What happened next was a blur those who fought back were cut down without a second thought and those that threw their weapons down were pinned in place by their own swords buried deep into the ground and them in between.
Sarah had ordered the goblin army to only kill those who fought but those who surrendered incapacitated so they would not pose a threat in the future so the ensured this by burying swords into the right side of their leg. A wound like this would be deadly but they would be treated and released to go back to their homes at the end of it all.
The whole battle had not taken a single life on the side of the Labyrinth inhabitants but it had decimated the enemy's army. Sarah split the army into three sections. One set was to load the dead and take them to the Bog of Eternal Stench. Once there the troops that had prepared the rock fire bombs would strip the armor of the dead and burn the bodies. What could be salvaged was to be placed in the armory and what could not was given to Grench for that had been their agreement.
The remaining next set was placed in charge of clearing the attacker's camp and leave only one tent up where Sarah would interview their leader to find out who he was and what he knew. They would then begin clearing the battlefield so Marita and the rest of the fairies could begin their life. The remaining Fire Gang went with the soldiers to monitor their surroundings to ensure none of those that had fled were calling on reinforcements.
"Paza what do your brethren say" "There have been no disturbances anywhere; it appears this attack was solely a frontal attack and no one else was involved." Sarah entered the tent followed by Hoggle and Didymus astride Ambrosious. Sarah left the tent flap open so that Ludo and Paza could hear the conversation. Sarah took a chair and set her weapons upon it. She then took her helmet off as she addressed her prisoner, "Hello Ranqir." Ranqir spit at Sarah but it only landed at her feet, "Lets not make this more difficult. You have lost so why don't end this with some dignity on your end. Tell me everything and you can go back home to those who love and miss you." Ranqir tightened his mouth and refused to speak to Sarah. "Paza torture is a common way to get answers from prisoners but I don't want to resort to that today. Too much violence has been shed." Paza nodded his understanding. "Skrit!" Skrit rushed into the tent, "Skrit tell the army to be ready to move as soon as they are done with their duties and after they have rested. We march towards the southern kingdom for answers."
Ranqir turned to look at Sarah, "You've left me no choice I was going to send you back peacefully but you have left me no choice you won't answer my questions then someone back home will." Sarah gathered her items and left Didymus and Hoggle to watch Ranqir while she went back to the castle to prepare for travel and look into the pool and hope to see a glimpse of Jareth.
Sarah had just arrived back at the castle when Skrit come running to tell her the army was ready to march. From what she had gathered from the soldiers wounded in the battle and that were being treated deep in the Fire Gangs forest their home was unprotected. Only young ones and those too weak to go to battle were left behind. All they knew was that Ranqir their leader, because they did not believe in kings or queens, had been visited by glamorous fae and they had told Ranqir that the Goblin King was gone from his land and now was the time for him to expand his own lands. With everything the Labyrinth held Ranqir would be a stronger force to be reckoned with, so nothing but ambition and greed had led the attack.
Sarah went outside to talk to Paza about what she was now planning to do. "Paza I would like for you and only a couple of your brethren to join me. Once we take control of the situation in the southern lands because they don't believe in kings and queens and we both determine it safe for Ludo to travel with you we will have him and the rest for brethren come down and go into your new lands. Right now it is just too uncertain and I don't want to put anyone in danger if it can be avoided." Paza nodded his understanding but it didn't mean that he liked it. He had hoped that with this battle over that the Stallions would be able to run to their original home and finally be at peace but with the information gathered from the recovering wounded it only raised more questions, who had been these glamorous fae and why had they wanted Jareth out of the way and the Labyrinth destroyed.
Sarah climbed into the supply caravan as it was pulled by worker goblins. The second and third caravans were full of provisions and weaponry and the last caravan had Ranqir bound and gagged so he wouldn't disturb anyone. They started at a fast pace to ensure that they arrived at their destination before sunset.
Sarah had changed into her armor and had mounted Paza once more before the last leg of their journey. When they came to the road that led straight into the heart of the southern lands they saw dilapidated dwellings and children running around in nothing more than rags. No wonder Ranqir had been desperate to obtain what the Labyrinth offered; compared to his the Labyrinth was paradise. Sarah had the army surround the dwellings and push all the inhabitants to the center of town. When they arrived there she had Ranqir pulled out from the last caravan and thrown at her feet.
In full armor she addressed the crowd, "Here in front of you lies your great ruler. He refuses to tell me why he attacked the Labyrinth and if there is anyone here who can offer an explanation you will be spared everyone else will be considered a traitor and put to death much like this pig." Sarah dismounted from Paza and walked towards Ranqir, as she raised her sword to plunge it into Ranqir what Sarah could only assume to be a woman thru herself upon Ranqir, "I'll tell you everything just spare him, he is my brother." Ranqir tried to shove his sibling off him and glared at her in anger, "I told you brother that it was foolish to follow the lead of that fae. We were nothing but a tool for her." "My name is Qten and Ranqir is my only and older brother."
Qten let go of Ranqir and stood to face Sarah, "Exactly six moon cycles ago a fae woman came to meet with Ranqir. I was not part of the meeting so I could not give you her name but what I can tell you what happened after she left. She took the main road towards the Goblin Kingdom and our lives were never the same again. Ranqir began to order the villagers out of the fields and into battle training. For that we have starved for the last two moon cycles. All our stores are dried up and because Ranqir was determined to succeed he had fed his ambition to his army and they left us here to fend for ourselves. Just before you arrived several of the farmers came back. They are hiding in the basement of my home. They have pleaded with me to forgive them but I don't know what to do.
Sarah ran Qten's information with that from the wounded. They either all rehearsed very well or they were telling the truth. Sarah had come to one conclusion though. The battle for the Labyrinth had ended but the war for Jareth safe return was only beginning.
"I believe you Qten but because your brother was the leader and he represented you and the rest of the villages in this battle you will from this point forward no longer be masters of your own fate. Your brother made that forfeit when he attacked the Labyrinth. You are all now under its rule and will do as commanded." The remaining villagers began to shout their protests when Paza neighed and burst into flame. Sarah didn't know if he was angry at her words or at the villager's reactions but she did not react to it. Paza was standing behind her and she was sure he made a formidable sight be she did not show her fear, "Like I told Ranqir. We can do this the hard way or the easy way, your choice but choose wisely. Under the Goblin Kingdom's rule you will be prosperous without it as a conquered land we will do as we wish to everyone and everything here."
Qten looked around her and saw the hunger gnawing at the children and the anger from the adults, "We must do this for the children. Let not our weaknesses to stop Ranqir destroy the possibility to have a future. We will no longer be the southern lands but part of the Goblin Kingdom and that is better than being annihilated." Qten looked towards Sarah and was about to take a knee to show she surrendered herself to the Goblin Kingdom's rule. Sarah pointed at Skrit and had him bring a contract to her. Sarah wanted to make sure that there were no discrepancies, all those who were part of the Goblin Kingdom would not only be ruled but bound to it and to its ruler for all future generations to come.
As the people began to sign the contract Sarah ordered Qten to show her which was her house. She had several soldiers surround it to ensure no one tried to escape. She then began to examine the houses that still stood and those that were in the worst condition were torn down and what could be salvaged would be used to build new homes at a later time. All those who had been left homeless would be sharing those of who had managed to keep their homes in livable conditions.
She then ordered the army into the fields and reports how damaged the land was to allow for planting and the new was disheartening. The fresh rive that flowed thru their lands was caked in mud from lack of grass and trees from holding back the river bank from unloading dirt into it. Sarah had a small group of soldiers to go back and call upon one of the Fire Gangs, Marita and several fairies of her choosing. She hoped that their magic would follow them this far south so they could coax the land by the river back. It would take some time but the water would one day be drinkable and the land plant able but for now they would have to live from what was in the Goblin stores.
Once the food, water, Fire Gang and the fairies arrived the house with the biggest facilities was chosen as a communal gathering place. The children were all bathed and given clean proper clothes to wear and sent to the task of learning. The adults were also cleaned and their closed fixed and sent out to the fields to begin the replanting and restoring of their lives. Sarah stayed with the villagers for several nights to ensure that when the wounded arrived there wouldn't be an outcry of anger.
When the first caravan arrived with the healed Qten was angry when she saw that they were wounded and came to Sarah to demand an answer, "In case you haven't noticed they are only hobbling from lack of exercise. True they will never be healthy enough to fight but they are healthy enough to return to the fields where you have always belonged. Be glad I didn't kill them when they were on the ground." Qten walked back outside and she saw the truth in Sarah's words. The soldiers would never be able to take up arms again but they had never been meant for such a life. Qten nodded her agreement and went to make arrangements for the returning villagers.
As the first full moon in the southern village grew closer, Sarah took several of the strongest villagers so they could begin clearing a path for Paza and his brethren to travel to the lands further south. "Qten why was the road allowed to be taken over by the wild?" "After the Stallions were purged from their lands no one has come or had the time to try to inhabit them. We are…were a simple people and had our hands full with our lives here in the village." Sarah nodded and waved Qten away; Paza it is time. Once the villagers finish clearing a path I will travel with you and a small soldier entourage to ensure you will be safe. Once we do you will call everyone else who wishes to come and Ludo will follow you to create you mountains.
"I was beginning to wonder if you had forgotten our agreement and for that I ask for your forgiveness I know that lately your concern has been for him and his return but I must ask, why don't you ever call to him? That may be all that is needed to bring him back." Paza walked away from Sarah and she stood there pondering his comment, could it all be that simple. Call upon him the way he had told Hoggle, Ludo and Didymus and he would return or was he too far gone for her to ever hope to reach. She would explore that possibility later right now she needed to ensure that the last of the Labyrinth saviors received their just rewards.
By the time the second moon cycle reached Sarah's stay in the village Paza was ready to call upon his brethren. Sarah had all the villagers stay indoors after nightfall and bar all their doors and windows and they were not to come out until sunrise the next day. Since there was no safe or secret way to transport the Stallions to their new home and Paza insisted that their true numbers remain secret Sarah had acquiesced without a second thought. So upon the first moonless night the gates of the Labyrinth were flung open and Sarah was speechless at what she saw. It seemed that a giant fireball was headed straight towards the village and in a moment said fireball was upon them. Sarah had never and would probably never see such a sight there were easily at least a hundred Stallions in the group. She could only assume that some were mares because there were colts in the group that galloped and kept pace with their full grown counterparts. Paza let the group pass before he turned to Sarah, "Thank you for all that you have done they will be happy in their new home and I have promised them to check up on them every once in a while.
Sarah turned to Paza, "Check up on them aren't you going with them?" Paza shook his head, "Not today. Someday but not today there is still more work to do and besides someone has to be you clarity in the upcoming battle." The next morning the villagers came out to find Sarah and the army gathered and packed up ready to leave. "Qten you will remain my representative in this land. This crown with its jewel will show you above all others and it is a direct link to me. Wear it always and I will be back soon to check up on the village and villagers progress. Your first tribute payment will not be due for some time." Qten curtsied to Sarah as she left and headed back to the castle. She would need to rest for several days before she put her new plan into action, calling Jareth back.