Easy Come, Hard to Go

AN - HA! I have figured out why my chapters seem to be so long when I write them, but come out so short when I post them! My word processor was set to my grandmother’s picture printer. So every time I typed, it would say it was like 20 pages long, but in reality, it was only like 7! I apologize for the inconvenience and I will try harder to give you the chapters you deserve!

Chapter 31

The desolate walls outside of the Labyrinth was not a pretty sight to see. Any vegetation was little at best and no one really ventured outside of them ever. The only village, which had held the group overnight once before, stood a little mock village ion the distance as the pack walked through the wasteland. Silence, deadly silence as everyone thought of the worst thing that could happen, and then wished it would never come.

The sun gleamed on their battle gear. Shiny and metallic, blinding all who looked in their direction. Some had said to go in stealth, but others made the point that if a battle did occur, then they needed to be ready. And everyone had to agree, a battle must have been coming. You could taste it in the air, feel the heavy burden of distraught bearing down the pack of people trudging as though their life depended on it.

“What if we are too late?” Toby sail softly as a breeze finally wisped through them.

“We will not be too late. He won’t do anything too rash if no one is there to see.” Jareth answered back.

“A sick bastard.” Zach followed.

Silence again fell on the six, the six who had taken it upon themselves to make this end up right. Nothing was going to stand in their way of a happy ending, even if it meant killing some people, or giving their own lives to make it that way. Jareth, Toby, Crystal, Zach, Findore, and Siress walked in a line. Hoggle, Ludo, Didymus, and Ziekiel stayed at the castle, just incase they came back for a second round.

“I hope she is ok.” Findore grasped onto Zach’s arm harder.

“She will be fine.” Crystal called to her.

“Both of them, both of them will be fine.” Siress corrected her.

“Right.” Crystal nodded.

Jareth, leading the pack, held a steady pace to his brother’s castle. He couldn’t help but shake the feeling something wasn’t right. And he didn’t like the feeling that something wasn’t right. Someone or something was not as it should be. Something was out of place. Jareth’s reached up and grabbed his head as a flash of pain went coursing through his temple.

“What’s wrong Jareth?” Zach asked as he stooped down to him.

“I don’t know. Something is wrong. Pain, lots of pain.” Jareth said gasping for air.

“Oh no.” Findore held onto Crystal now as they hugged each other in hope.

“You don’t think?” Toby began.

“I don’t know what it is you guys.” Jareth said standing as the pain continued. “But, what ever it is we need to go faster.”

Everyone in the pack nodded and they all broke into a slow jog. Desolate waste land started to become greener. Trees began to sprout here and there and soon, they were seeing patches of grass. In the distance, a forest sat waiting for their arrival. As they reached the outer ring of trees, Jareth turned and looked at the group behind him. His sister, the only one he had left in his family. Zach and Siress, the two he trusted with his life. The one he loved more than a friend, as a companion, Findore. And, the love of his life’s brother, the squirt who started it all, Toby.

“Everyone,” Jareth straightened himself up and looked over the pairs of eyes that lay upon him, “I just need to say that you being here with me, well, it means a lot.”

“Is Jareth, the stone cold Goblin King, actually showing emotion?” Zach joked and they all laughed, even Jareth. This maybe the last time they had a chance to laugh together. All of them.

“I can be cruel, yes. But, now is not the time to joke around.” Jareth said smiling a little. “You all know why we are here. You all know what we need to do and what needs to be accomplished. Now, don’t go and do anything stupid. I want everyone one of you to come home with me.”

The all looked at each other and nodded. Everyone wanted to see the others again. No one wanted to lose anyone, and no one wanted anyone to play the hero. And everyone knew exactly what had to be done. Micheal and his little play thing needed to die. They all needed to pay dearly for what they did and anything they had ever done.

“Right, so from now on,” Jareth stopped mid sentence and everything seemed to stop. He forgot what he was going to say and an overwhelming sadness came over him.

“Jareth?”

Everyone looked at him as he seemed to be withering away.

“Is everything ok?” Crystal asked, tugging on his shoulders.

“No. Something terribly wrong has happened.”

“Oh no.” Findore gasped and started to feel tears in her eyes. “You don’t think...”

“I don’t know.” Jareth said turning to the forest. Without another word, he broke into a sprint and the others followed closely.

The forest seemed to go on forever, and the trees all looked the same. Cries shrieked through the forest as the dragons that inhabited it started noticing something that wasn’t suppose to be there. Calling out to their master, warning him that they were getting close. Finally, the forest ended, and there standing tall and dark, was a castle.

“Micheal is mine.” Jareth said, and as soon as the words left his lips, they set forward to the castle. The pack moved on and decided that they had better heed Jareth’s words.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Nerk watched as the pack climbed up the steps to the castle.

*Why had none of the dragons attacked the pack when they were walking through Micheal’s forest?*

He slowly made his way down a passage and took a left at a corner.

*It doesn’t seem right that they would let them just walk right up to the castle.*

A servant walked past him and he stopped her.

“Tell me girl, why have the guards not stopped the pack?”

The girl, who was very pretty, hid her eyes and shrugged. “I know not, master.”

“You lie to me wench.” Nerk’s anger grew as she walked away. “What is going on?” Nerk continued walking and stopping servants. Each of them gave the same reply, that they had no idea what was going on.

“You all lie. Why is everyone lying to me?”

“You are not to know, by order of the master.” One girl replied as she continued on her duties.

“He is hiding secrets from me?” Nerk stood in place, his mouth hun open in awe. “Something is going on. Why would he not tell me something?”
Just then, the doors to the opening of the castle busted open, and there standing in the doorway was the pack. Nerk changed his appearance quickly and stalked away from the intruders. *I need to have a talk with the master.*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As the pack came to a halt in the doorway, the dust settled and the six looked in on the barren castle. A few servants still walked the halls, paying them no attention what so ever.

“Does this seem a little, well strange to you?” Findore asked as she walked into the castle.

“Just a little.” Jareth answered.

“Don’t you think that she will be in his chambers?” Zach asked, starting to climb the stairs.

“No. She’ll be in one of his torture chambers.” Jareth called, walking to a flight of stairs leading down. “I think we should stick together. Follow me.”

“What about cat boy that just slinked off?” Crystal said moving out of the way of one of the zombified servants.

“We will deal with him later. Let’s find Sarah first. I want to make sure she is ok.” Toby followed right behind Jareth.

“Right. Sarah first.”

The pack moved to the stairs and began their descent.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

The cat slid past the servants and down the hallway that lead to Micheal’s sitting quarters. Something was wrong, even he could feel it. It didn’t matter if the pests were here and even if they were going in the right direction. All he knew is that his questions needed to be answered. He was tired of being the faithful servant and never getting anything for it except praise. Praise was not enough to keep him going when someone he loved was hiding secrets from him.

He rounded a corner and changed back into his human form. He was a gift to Micheal, a present that he was taking for granted. This would not due. Not due at all. He reached for the doors and as they swung open, he let the anger fall from his lips.

“What, my master, is going on?”

Micheal looked away from the window to look at the intruder.

“What are you doing here? Aren’t they in the castle?”

Nerk moved to Micheal and locked his eyes with his.

“I want to know what is going on.”

Micheal rolled his dark green eyes and scoffed at the boy. “Like I care what you want.”

“You will tell me what is going on. Why haven’t the guards attacked them? Why haven’t one of them died yet? They didn’t even fight on the way here!”

“ENOUGH!” Roared Micheal. “That is enough from you. How dare you even question my actions!”

Nerk didn’t even flinch as Micheal’s voice nipped at him. “I want to know what is going on.”

Micheal looked sharply at the boy. He was a good servant until now. It was made clear mere moments ago that the boy had found his own sense of mind. Demanding things from him? What was he thinking? A good servant never asked questions, and servants who did, well they paid. They paid with their life.

“You test my patience boy. I have been kind to you your whole life. I have given you shelter and food. Taught you how to harness your power. Now, you come and question me on how I run my kingdom? You do not need to know everything I have up my sleeve. You are not that important.”

Nerk cracked his neck as his master’s words set in like venom. Not important, though he did everything and anything he asked. He would die for him, or at least he used to say that he would. He was the only person he ever loved, and now, he was ripping him apart and chewing on the pieces.

“If I am not that important, then maybe you should just kill me.”

Micheal froze as the boy called his bluff. He had grown so much and it happened to everyone. The student must at one time become stronger than the master. But not this master. He was not going to bow down to some putrid mortal. Even if he was a changeling, he would not let him get off that easy.

“You have a death wish, boy?”

“If you are going to treat me as you have today, then yes. Kill me.”

Micheal looked at the boy. Up and down, over his broad shoulders and over his tall body. His black hair, usually done up, was raged and messy. Anger resounded in the boy’s eyes and he looked like he could kill. *Kill me though? I doubt it.* He moved to the boy, bending in close enough to whisper in his ear.

“So be it.”

As quick as lightning, both men moved, one faster than the other. Micheal hit the floor as Nerk jumped above him and changed into a falcon. It squawked and shrieked and before anything else could be done, flew out the window.

Panting and rubbing his elbow that hit the floor, Micheal stood up. He batted off his clothing, straightened himself, and with a resounding sigh, made his way to the dungeons.

“No matter, he was of no use any how.”

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Jareth, leaving the dungeon room they had just searched, was beginning to get annoyed. No sign of Sarah was anywhere. They were nearing the end of the dungeons, and she was not in any of the rooms. All that was left was the last room.

“She’s got to be in here.” Toby said as Jareth stood beside the door.

Jareth held his hand up to the door. He felt no heat, and sensed no magic.

“I don’t sense anything in this room either.” Zach said as he and Findore pinned themselves to wall.

“She has to be in here though.” Crystal said.

“Hush.” Jareth held a finger to his lips as he pushed the door open. It swung slowly out of the way and six head slowly poked around the corners of the door frame. Eyes adjusted to the darkness and just as everyone got used to it, they also noticed, she was not in this room either.

“Oh no.” Findore said.

“Where could she be?” Jareth yelled.

“Jareth?”

A voice at the end of the hallway echoed through the doorframe.

“Did you just hear that?” Zach ran into the hallway and motioned for them to come with him. “Of course. I can sense her now. She’s down here alright.”

Zach moved with the pack in tow and walked into the second room they had searched.

“She’s not in here Zach, we already looked.” Crystal said as the filed into the room.

“I know, but look.” Zach pointed to a small crack in the wall, a stream of light flooded from it.

Jareth ran to it and with a blast of finely tuned magic, blasted the crack, bringing the wall down. Three girls screamed, each a different pitch. And as the rubble and dust settled, Jareth saw Sarah, bloody and shaking, clinging onto the necklace he had never seen before.

“Jareth. Oh my god Jareth. Don’t come in here.”

Toby ran past Jareth, not even looking where he was going. Before he could even see the bloody mass on the floor, he slipped on the blood and with a thud, landed in the pool of blood.

“Oh my god. No.” Findore started to cry as Zach held her.

“It can’t be.” Siress said as he walked forward to help Toby up.

“What?” Toby looked down and saw what he had slipped in. “Oh...” Toby turned his head and puked.

“I’m so sorry.” Sarah stared to cry as she stood up. She looked worn and broken. He eyes, red and blood shot from crying, her wedding dress, stained a darker red from the blood she had lost and also the treatment she was given. She stumbled slightly as she walked to an awe struck Jareth and collapsed in his arms. “Forgive me.”

Jareth felt all the eyes in the room on him. He held her close as she began to cry again, and everyone seemed to join in. Findore was being tightly held by Zach, her body racking with sobs. Toby and Siress, afraid to move, were soon joined by Crystal, who bent down, teary eyed, to help Toby up.

“What a monster.” Crystal said softly.

“Why thank you.”

All the sorrow drained from the room as Micheal made his presence known. The smile that resided on his face only darkened his features. He stood tall and regal. Pain, if he even knew what it was, was not evident in his voice as he spoke.

“What’s wrong, Jareth? Something missing?”

A shit eating grin spread across his face as he walked closer to the pack of now seven. He looked pleasantly pleased with himself and he seemed to not even notice the pain in everyone’s eyes. Pain and anger. And anger can be a very dangerous thing.

“You pig.” Findore snapped at him.

Micheal smiled at her. The little bitch he had so much fun with. “Oh you are still alive? I was hoping you were dead. I guess some people aren’t that lucky.”

“Hold your tongue Micheal.” Jareth said as he handed Sarah off to Siress.

Micheal laughed and rolled his eyes. “Like I am going to listen to you.”

“I would think twice about trying my patience right now, brother.”

“If you want to fight, let’s get it over with. I have things to do, people to kill.”

Jareth’s eyes burned with anger. His compassion for his lover and now the loss of another was over whelming. Someone was going to die before the night would be over. And he was going to be damned if it were him.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*


AN - Ta Da! There you are, another installation. Just for you, from me. Be sure to let me know what you think. Thanks for the support!