Somewhere between the haze between the physical world and the one beyond it, there was a bright ongoing storm of light. It swirled silently. It was easy to imagine the color as bursts of hue in a glass filled with clear water, surrounding yet never touching the center of the light. No trees, no buildings of any kind - just the swirling orange blaze feathering out from some bright point of no return. And in the middle of it all, Rialta floated and wished for true death.

Rialta felt - different. That was really the only way to describe it. Like the tether that was holding her in the world between worlds was cut. She closed her eyes and tried to picture herself in the Fade, with Seth. How long she had been trapped in this place was impossible to know, she only knew of her deep sadness being separated from her family. After a long moment, his face came suddenly into her mind, the clear green eyes staring at her with love. When she opened her eyes, he was drifting in front of her.

"Seth! All this time I've called to you but now - why? What has changed?"

"My darling, your memory - has it returned to you?" The prince materialized fully in her vision and held out his hand to her. She grasped it and smiled weakly. It was not completely solid, but she could feel traces of his strength.

"Our daughter - "

"She is safe, Jareth has been a loyal and true guardian to Jenata. Now that you are coming back into your memories, you will know your next step to freedom. He has dropped your ring, the ring he stole the day he tried to take you from me, his hold over you is ended."

"Devlin. Oh Seth - it was Devlin," she cried. "He's kept me here - away from you, away from everyone. What do I do? You say our girl is safe?"

"Yes, but not for long if we do not work to save Jareth. Devlin has cut him with the same knife that took me from you. Jareth is here, with you and you must find him before he finds the Fade. Can you do that, Rialta? Can you try to save my brother before Devlin reaches our child?"

Rialta felt her anger rise. "It is my fault for not making certain Devlin knew I did not care for him. I let him flirt before I chose you, I let him believe," she started to cry and the prince sighed.

"My dearest, he was lost to your charm the moment he saw you. As was I. Rialta, I still adore you. I still believe in you. Please, go save our family."

"But how?"

"There is another who now holds your ring. He does not know what he holds or that Devlin will kill to get it back from him. You know that the magic Devlin placed on your ring is what binds you to this place, but for now, you must remain so that you can save our family. Find the one who holds your ring, and you will know what you must do."

The mists cleared enough that Rialta saw Hoggle marching towards the Goblin King's hospital. She shook her head. The dwarf was brave, but foolhardy. Seth spoke again, his voice drifting like a soft breeze.

"Find Hoggle and the two of you will find the way to Jareth. When you find Jareth in this world between worlds, all will become clear. I must go now - my time here is so..." he started to fade away.

"Seth! No, please, not again." Her eyes filled with tears and he gave her one last embrace.

"I await you on the other side, my dearest. But first, you must save Jareth - and Jenata," he whispered, disappearing into the mists. "You must find a way."

JSJSJS

Hoggle muttered curses to himself as he made the long trek to the hospital hidden deep within Jareth's castle. No one had told him the rat had been hurt until the royals were long gone. He knew that Jareth was not going to keep Sarah safe now - the king was a goner for sure. None of the carriages would take a mere dwarf to the hospital, and he had no horse - not that he'd ever ride one of the foul creatures. As he walked, a misty shape appeared before him and he did what any self respecting dwarf would do - he screamed.

"Gets away from me, ya witch," he yelled, waving his arms around wildly. Rialta materialized fully and Hoggle stared.

"Princess Rialta? You're not you - you're dead. Go away!" The dwarf closed his eyes, shaking his head. When he opened them, she was still there, staring at him.

"The ring you possess binds me to a world between worlds. Devlin used it to hold me prisoner. He will try to get it back and then steal my child. I'm certain Sarah is also in danger."

"Sarah! He won't get near her - not when I'm around." The dwarf puffed himself up and Rialta stifled a laugh.

"Hoggle, you must help me. Devlin is going to try to take Jenata. We must get to Jareth so he can help us save her. Then Sarah will also be safe with her king beside her. But we must act quickly."

"Jareth's lyin' in some hospital bed thanks to Devlin. He's no help to ya or to Sarah."

"He's alive and he's the Goblin King, heir to the Crystal Kingdom and guardian of my child. He will help and you will help me get to him."

"I can save your daughter just fine without his help," Hoggle muttered but she shook her head.

"We need Jareth. You know as well as I the mischief the Labyrinth can get into without his steady hand. You will help me, won't you?"

Hoggle saw the desperation on her face and rolled his eyes. How did he keep getting involved with women who got him into trouble?

"Well, I was goin' there anyway to keep an eye on Sarah, but - how do we get in? I mean, I'm me and well - you're you."

"Just get us to the main gate, dwarf. I'll see to the rest."

"Bossy women - I'm surrounded by them." But he continued on his way to the hospital hoping that Sarah was safe.

JSJSJS

Devlin made his preparations quickly, there was no time to dwell on past failures. The special shuttle he'd built to contain the young one's magic was fueled and ready to leave this wretched world. Back on Lordos, he would be a hero - a born leader who would be honored for his warrior heart.

His pilot saluted Devlin as he strode into the hangar. The fool thought he was going to transport prisoners of war. In a way, it was the truth. Devlin was waging a war against weakness, against harmony and peace and all the fool things forced upon his world as a result of his father's treaty with the Avians.

After assuring himself that the shuttle was ready, he headed towards the small cottage where the princess lived with her dwarf nanny. Jenata was as good as his and then Alia would be under his control. And then - then he would find his Sarah and use the ring...

The ring - he had forgotten that part of the plan. He had to get it back or Rialta would be lost to him forever. Using a summoning spell he tried to call it to him, but it would not appear. Furious, he tried again - nothing. Someone must be wearing it. Well, whoever it was, they would die.

Wrapping his long cloak around him tightly, Devlin disappeared in a flash of red mist, heading for the princess and his niece. He would make certain the Goblin King was dead. And then, he would get that ring back and his queen, bringing his females back to his home world.

Just in time to start the war that would destroy Avian peace once and for all.

JSJSJS

"You're kidding," Sarah was saying as the guards refused her entry. "I'm betrothed to him."

"The magic around him says otherwise," one of the guards said, almost apologetically. "We cannot let you pass."

"She hasn't rejected him with the right words," Karen said, holding Sarah's hand. Queen Marissa paced, seemingly not paying attention to the conversation.

"We are sorry, it is not up to us, it is the way of the magic," the second guard said. "His magic won't let you pass."

Marissa looked up suddenly. "Come with me Sarah - come to Jareth's room. If this is to work, you must be in a place that means something to you both."

"His bedroom is important to you both?" Robert asked, suddenly uneasy. Karen looked as though she'd hit him again and he shrugged.

"I can't turn it off, Karen - I am still her father even if Jareth has grown on me." Marissa bit her lip before saying something to him and simply took Sarah's hand, making them both disappear. Karen grabbed Robert's hand and did the same.

In Jareth's room Marissa explained. "Sarah, you cannot go to him physically, he is not awake anyway. You will have to go to where he is."

"You just said I couldn't," Sarah said, confused.

"Physically," Marissa reminded her. "You will have to go to where his soul is, and bring him back."

"You mean she has to be dying?" Robert asked, appalled as he appeared next to his daughter. Marissa sighed, humans were so literal.

"No Robert, she must simply go into a deep sleep and find her way to his soul."

"Oh like that's so easy," Robert muttered.

"It will not be easy and we have little time," Marissa snapped. She turned back to Sarah. "You must agree to this or Jareth's life is already forfeit."

"Anything," Sarah said quickly. "I'll do anything."

"Then lie down and try to relax. You must clear your mind and release your fears. Your feelings for Jareth will guide you once I invoke the spell needed."

Sarah looked at Robert and Karen then back to Marissa. "I'm ready," she said, lying down. She thought back to the night Jareth had come to visit her here and tried not to cry. It didn't work and tears formed, running down her face. She wiped them away quickly and through unspoken agreement, Marissa began to chant.