Nothing Is What It Seems

Chapter 44

Chapter 44

With long bloody fingers dug into stone, Jareth dragged himself. Sharp pains shot up his legs, as he tried to walked. The once proud Goblin King was now being brought to his knees, both literally and figuratively.

Continuing to drag himself, he fought through the now searing pain. What was Sarah thinking? What could she think to do against a monster like Tynan? Oh, he knew better to underestimate her, but he clearly hadn't been a match for him. So why would she think she could do anything and run off alone?

Struggling, Jareth pulled himself up, but his left leg dragged behind him useless. What that could mean terrified him, but his pain riddled body didn't matter. He had to find Sarah before she could run into Tynan. The pain was slowly becoming worst than before, but he continued to fight. Sarah's safety came first.

Eventually, both of Jareth's legs stopped working altogether. His arms burned as he used all his remaining strength, to pull himself along the floor, no better than a worm crawling on the ground.

"Well, isn't this a lovely sight." Boot heels clicking on the floor, Tynan slithered out of the shadows. "Although, I would prefer if it was your father on his belly."

Jareth raised his head, slowly. "You haven't won, Tynan."

A cruel smile appeared slowly across Tynan's face. "Who is left to stop me? Your father? My lovely sister? That mortal girl? Ha, that girl won't last long after you."

Smirking through the pain, Jareth fought to raise his upper body slightly off the floor. "You'll come to regret those words."

Tynan laughed, before sneering at the Goblin King. "I highly doubt that, Boy."

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

Meanwhile, Sarah walked up a small flight of stairs following the path the Labyrinth was laying out before her, but she couldn't fight the feeling of dread slowly creeping into her. Jareth hadn't been where she had left him. Where was he? He could barely walk. So there was a good chance he hadn't gotten far.

Sarah began to quicken her pace. The Labyrinth wouldn't allow anything to happen to Jareth would she (it)? Who was she trying to comfort? It (she) hadn't saved Jareth's grandfather from death. So why would she (it) save Jareth?

"I was greatly weakened at the time. Otherwise, I would have been able to help more than I am Jareth now."

Looking around her, Sarah quickly came to a stop. Had she really heard that or...?

"Relax, Sarah. You are able to hear me because of your run, Lady of the Labyrinth."

"If that's so, then why wait to speak to me till now?"

"The time wasn't right. You must hurry. Jareth is weakening, and Tynan has found him."

"What?!" Sarah slowed down almost to a stop. "So what do we do now?"

"I will set a path, but be careful. Tynan is a trickster. Watch yourself."

Sarah nodded before she continued down and up the stairs and bridges as fast as she could. Memories of her racing through this room looking for Toby, slowing began to come back. Shaking her head, she cleared her mind as she climbed up a set of stairs. Now was not the time to get lost in the past.

"Sarah, Jareth's fading faster. You need to hurry."

Taking a deep breath, Sarah tried to calm herself. There was no telling what she would come upon as she raced forward. After all, Sarah still had no idea what exactly the Labyrinth was planning. She knew the ancient being was angry and actually feared slightly for Tynan, but only slightly. He deserved everything that was coming to him, actually maybe more, but Sarah highly doubted she would want to watch what the Labyrinth had in plan for him.

The flights of stairs were beginning to feel longer and longer as she climbed up and raced down. This labyrinth within the Labyrinth was seriously beginning to get to her, more so than her run ever had.

"You're almost there, Sarah!"

Taking another deep breath, Sarah walked up the last step of the current flight. She stopped as she reached the top, glancing around her. Below her down the next flight of descending stairs, upon a square platform, Jareth laid on his back with a man towering over him.

"Now the time has come, Tynan. For you to pay for your crimes." The Labyrinth's voice echoed off the walls. The man standing over Jareth stopped and began to quickly glance around him. He continued to look around the almost theater created by the stair cases until his eyes fell on Sarah. "Remember you are more powerful than you know, Sarah."

Sarah suddenly felt very alone.