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Falling --COMPLETED	By : jinx1764 Category: G through L > Labyrinth Views: 10231 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 1
Disclaimer: I don't own Labyrinth, don't make any money, this is a work of fanfiction.

Chapter List
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Alare materialized into the castle's dungeon, panting and cursing Jareth's name and title. He scrambled behind his older siblings, standing side-by-side in the main entrance, the numerous cells running in a long line abreast of them. Left brow quirking at his brother's behavior, Jareth otherwise kept forward facing. Jenea stood at his side, both dressed in royal goblin regalia with their hands joined and upraised to mid-chest in solidarity. Little time remained as the Triumvirate would appear on Alare's coat-tails.
"Gods, I hate dealing with them," Alare mumbled from his moderately safer position hovering behind Jareth and Jenea. Not exactly crouching (he convinced himself) he refused to be in front when the creatures responded to his delivered summons. Those things gave him the creepy-crawlies; Alare shivered at merely thinking of them. Being the stuff of nightmares, the Triumvirate were everlasting, all knowing, and linked to powers beyond the natural range of Underground magics. All but the most powerful feared them, and even they held them in distant respect.
"Courage, Alare," Jareth said, sensing the building presence of the beings' arrival. "We mustn't show them our nerves." Meanwhile, he gripped Jenea's knuckles a bit tighter, his leather glove creaking and felt Jenea's hand quaking within his.
"Easy for you to say, Goblin King," Alare said in a whispered hiss behind him as he forced himself to stand upright. "You've got all the power and magics of the throne behind you, what've I got besides my own magic? They could suck me dry on a whim."
"True, but then they'd have to deal with a very put out Goblin King."
"Hush, both of you." Jenea jerked her head at them, feeling the air pressure expand and her ears pop. Her brothers obeyed immediately, dropping their teasing as they sensed the same changes as she.
Before their eyes, only feet away, a rift split the air. Ruddy lightening crackled from grimy stone floor to ceiling in every direction, sending zaps of static electricity to every solid object in the room-especially the three fae. Prepared, Jareth's magic interrupted the jagged lines at a protective, magical barrier surrounding him and his siblings. Full protection, however, was impossible; and each zipping bout caused low level pain. Clenched jaws prevented painful outcries, for if the beings detected any weakness they might claim any one of them as Blood Sacrifice-even the Goblin King.
The scarlet rift widened, creating a ragged doorway which exposed a swirling, kaleidoscope vortex beyond. In front, Jareth and Jenea resisted the magnetic urge to gaze into the vertigoes hole welling before them. While they only dealt with the Triumvirate a handful of times in the last five hundred years, all three siblings understood the dangers of the unprepared and foolhardy-especially Alare who still suffered nightmares from his first exposure to them as a child. Jareth heard his brother's shallow, rapid breathing directly behind him. It staggered and paused a few seconds when the first scaly, dark being stepped through dimensional portal-ebony scales, reddish, translucent fangs, glowing eyes and cloven feet revealed one slow inch at a time.
Steady on, Jareth mentally sent his brother, wishing for telepathy, and struggled for his own straw of reassurance. Few things rattled his courage, yet dealing with such vile beings existing between dimensions was enough to unnerve the strongest fae's valor. If only he knew another way; if only his powers were enough to repair the damage without their help. If only Sarah hadn't refused him. Jareth ground his teeth harder thinking of the girl who should've forgotten everything, who should've been lost to his labyrinth forever; the girl who should not have possessed the ability to unravel that which stood for millennia. I swear on my crown, Sarah Williams, if we meet again you will understand the true nature of my generosity. His oath and rage battered his skull, distracting him for a few seconds from the single creature standing, partially hunched, and staring at him.
Two more similarly formed creatures followed the first, red sparks connecting haphazardly to them and surrounding area. Only Jareth's shields prevented the forces laying waste to them personally. In dismay, the siblings watched as ancient mortar cracked and dusted beneath the onslaught, littering the floor in various sized piles. Several large chunks of stone also broke free, shattering with a harsh grinding. The very foundations of the castle vibrated suddenly, startling Jareth.
Good gods, the ripples are reaching the castle! Once they return to the Improbable Room the damage to the Bridge will be permanent, he thought, glancing beyond the horror entering his domain, wishing to speed this ritual. The Triumvirates' great hooves slammed to the floor, one after the other, creating their own vibrations and bass echoes. The sound and shaking snapped his attention back to the matter at hand, greeting the infamous Triumvirate of the Vortex.
"Goblin King," the largest of the three spoke. His grating, hissing voice sent tendrils of cold over Jareth's skin, and knew his siblings felt the same. Jenea's repressed shiver reverberated through his hand still held high in regal fashion, and he heard Alare's faint, choked gurgle behind him.
"Your youngesst to assked our aid?" The creature's reptilian head cocked sharply to one side, making it head spines quiver. Its large, globular, pupil-less eyes absorbed any available light; their transparent lids rapidly blinked several times, snicking loudly over the static generated by the portal. Only a few feet separated them from the fae, and Jareth quashed his sudden urge to back away from the foul beings polluting the area before them. Their queer magic twisting the fabric of the Underground.
"He did, Ancient." He inclined he head slightly, showing respect, however reluctant. "Our time is short; you must feel the cords of the Bridge failing as we speak."
"Yess, it rippless throughout even our world."
"We shiver with anticipation for the mortal nightmares ssure to follow," a second one said, its black, forked tongue snaking out to taste the air with a loud slurp. "Even you, Goblin King, ssmell of fear." All three weaved back and forth like cobras preparing to strike, half-crouching, sharp-clawed hands outstretched and reaching.
"Why sshould we stop that which will bring uss ssuch delicious sustenance?"
"Because without the Bridge both our realms will lose touch with the mortal world, even yours," Jareth said, dropping Jenea's hand, his hands fisting at his sides. In the corner of his eye, his sister maintained a rigid mask.
"We shall go on, Goblin King, there are nightmaress aplenty in your realm, and magic everlassting."
"Enough!" He took a threatening step forward, his boot stomping harsh upon the floor, his cloak swirling. "I tire of your insolence. Will you assist us or not?"
"Sire..." Jenea spoke softly. It unwise to threaten the Triumvirate; their powers extended into the Underground, beyond even the Goblin King's reach. Jaw and fists clenched, he looked at his sister, reading the caution she willed to him. Catching a glimpse of Alare's blanched face as he stood stiffly, fearfully, Jareth reined in his temper with a shuddering breath before facing the beasts again.
"What have you for a Blood Ssacrifisse, Goblin King?" the first asked arrogantly as if Jareth never threatened them.
"We do nothing for physsically bound entitiess without the prisse," the third said.
"The bequesst musst be given by the petitioner." Each beast spoke its part, head tilting and swaying, bulbous eyes flicking in the portal's reddish light.
Chin jutting, Jareth motioned towards the narrow hall of cells extending beyond their position. "I give you choice of any in my dungeon."
While he didn't remember the exact count or description of his dungeon's current occupants, a variety of prisoners were always in residence-offences ranging from tax debt to treason. Surly a choice existed to satisfy these base creatures, though he preferred not thinking overlong of his terrible option. With a joined, triple snarl, the Triumvirate turned as one and walked down the aisle, their heavy, cloven feet fracturing stone which each pounding stomp. The three fae deliberately avoided looking within the saturnine depths active portal swirling with zaps of lightening and blinks of wavering color.
"I hope we have something to their liking," Jenea whispered, her attention pinned to the demons investigating each cell with their baleful eyes and sniffing tongues. A chorus of shrieks and screams filtered back and increased as the Triumvirate continued to the end of the hall. The distress of the inmates grew as they realized their plight, and soon the sound equaled that of the Triumvirate and their portal. Worried, Jareth glanced at his sister as she continued.
"It's not as if we planned ahead for this as we are wont to do normally."
"True; I'm sure they'll find a suitable morsel," he replied, frowning, disliking this portion even more than speaking directly with the things. Usually he located a single resident either in his kingdom or a neighboring one sentenced to death before summoning the Triumvirate. To allow the beasts free choice was unheard of, but necessary given the emergency; and as if in agreement, the castle shimmed again, longer, the ripples drawing closer. Jareth forced down on his anxiety, kept his face stoic.
"Oh Gods," Alare said in a restrained squeak threatening to increase in pitch. Jareth felt his brother tug slightly on his cape. "They're coming back!" The clomping of their hooves signaled Alare's correct assessment, and all silenced, preparing to face the decision. The oblivious leader of the three centered on Jareth, its tongue flicking in and out repeatedly until Jareth feared be hypnotized. Finally the beast spoke:
"We will take all of your offeringss."
"All? But there must be more than two dozen under the Crown's punishment!"
"Two dozen and five," the leader responded with a strange extended hiss.
Is the thing laughing at me? Jareth wondered, wanting to strike out.
"You want them all?" Jenea blurted, stunned, never had such a huge offering been demanded or offered. That she spoke showed her incredulity since it was Jareth's place, as king, to speak for them.
"All or we refuse," it said, cocking its head at her, the wheezing hiss repeating.
"May the gods banish you to the deepest pits of hell," Jareth said in a cold, firm voice, his eyes never wavering from the beasts. With the echoing screams of his punished subjects pounding at his ears, Jareth spent valuable seconds debating, uncertain where his morality lie in the equation. Kings were always required to make terrible decisions. Prepared to sacrifice one, perhaps two, in the name of the greater good for all their realms, he never imagined more. How could he live with so many deaths on his conscious, and he was certain none with death sentences. May the gods forgive me.
"Ass may be, Goblin King, what ssay you?" It asked; he heard impatience in the nightmare's voice, or perhaps a shiver of eagerness?
Good gods, what will they do with them? As if reading his mind, Jenea slipped her hand around his clenched fist at his flank, her warmth seeping through his gloves. For a moment, the merest second, he spared her a look, and her reversed matching eyes told him all.
Yes, she told him silently. Do what you must. We'll understand and support you, and those who don't will be made to understand the dire consequences. Swallowing hard, he turned to the madness and answered in a bold voice:
"Up hold your bargain immediately and you may take all in my dungeon cells under your power as Blood Sacrifice."
"Done and done," the lead one bowed his slick, reptilian back head once. "The Triumvirate will sspin new webss for your Bridge through the Void while you, Goblin King, will anchor your magic to the new foundationss."
"Understood."
It grinned suddenly, exhibiting its translucent, dagger teeth; and the wails of Jareth's inmates abruptly cut off, leaving only the crackling of the portal behind. "We will fetch you when it iss your time to begin your repairss." As one, the three turned towards the open portal, "Until then, Goblin King..."
"I'll be ready. Do your work quickly; there's little time."
"Do not tell uss our businesss," one said, it rigid face somehow sneering over his shoulder just before he disappeared through the portal. The hole zipped shut in an instant, taking all the red static and leaving an uncomfortable peace.
"Thank the gods it's over!" Alare said, releasing a deep breath. Jareth suspected he held once the prisoners were seized.
"Alare," Jareth spun on his brother, "prepare for my absence. Likely I will be gone for some time making repairs."
"Jareth." Jenea gripped his forearm, her eyes boggled in fear. "You can't mean to listen to these creatures; it must be a trap!" Taking her hand lightly in his, he pulled her close, and wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Sister, I do mean to listen. I knew this when I instructed Alare to bring them."
"What? But Jareth..."
"I'm going; I must." He looked to Alare's stricken face, tears collecting in his tender-hearted brother's eyes, his lower lip quivering. "As Goblin King and Keeper of the Bridge, I'm responsible for its good condition and repair." Placing a hand on Alare's shoulder, he pulled him close as well. "I will return once the repairs are complete. Do not fear."
"Yes, brother." Both Jenea and Alare nodded, Jenea with a sterner upper lip than her younger brother, who nevertheless tried wearing a brave face.
"Until then, you're both tasked as regrets in my absence." Jareth manifested a crystal which recorded his intentions.
"How long?" Jenea asked, grudgingly taking the crystal just as the castle shuddered a third time, more violently. All three scanned the walls and ceiling, wary.
"I can't be sure. Time moves differently between realms, you know, and with the damage it may be further skewed."
"Jareth..." Alare started then faltered when the portal returned with a sizzle. The siblings pivoted in place with Jareth placing himself in front.
"It iss time, Goblin King," the leader said and Jareth nodded. Wordlessly, he gave Alare and Jenea a last glance before striding staunchly forward.
"Lead on," he told the beast who seemed to snicker between his hisses as they walked through the second portal and disappeared.
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Falling --COMPLETED