Jareth sat straight up within his thrown as he heard Sarah’s voice softly call for him. He could feel the fear and anguish within her voice as he summoned up a crystal and willed himself to her side. The magic he willed came easily and surrounded his being as he appeared beside Sarah. His powers released out towards the evil creature that was at Sarah’s throat.

Navea cried out as her feeding was interrupted and her body thrown back with Jonathan. The magic burned her flesh as she tried to regain control of her body and pull herself back to her feet.

Picking up Sarah’s unconscious form he looked over to see that the Slayer was trying to fight off a gang of vampires. Freeing one hand from holding Sarah he quickly willed his powers to form another crystal which he immediately threw towards the deadly creatures.

Buffy was momentarily shocked as some kind of white ball of light threw the vampires back. Looking back she felt her heart wrench as she saw Sarah’s body held in Jareth’s arms. Immediately she was at her side, and as soon as she had reached them they had disappeared and were standing in a bedroom.

Ignoring Buffy, Jareth immediately placed Sarah’s unconscious form on the bed. Reaching for cloth within the basin of water just beside the bed he gently cleaned the wound on Sarah’s neck.

Sarah stirred under his ministrations but did not awaken. Buffy slowly approached the bed, her heart wrenching at the thought that Jareth had come to late, that she would loose another friend. That it was her fault that she should have stayed by her side no mater what.

Jareth noticed the wound on Sarah’s neck starting to close and heal and he knew that she would be all right. Looking hatefully up to the Slayer standing beside the bed, his voice was deadly, “What were you doing in my Kingdom and how did you get here?”

Buffy flinched from the deadly tone of his voice but stood her ground, “We found a portal in our world that led to this one. I told Sarah not to go in but she insisted and then it closed behind us.”

Jareth soaked in her words looking away from Buffy and down to the woman that he loved. Leaning down over Sarah’s sleeping form he lightly kissed her forehead with eyes closed. He lingered there for a long moment and then rose to address Buffy, “Come, we’ll continue this conversation somewhere else. I don’t want to awaken her.”

Buffy did not argue and followed the Goblin King out the bedroom door. They were silent as they walked through the dimly light hallways of the castle until they finally reached the throne room. Jareth crossed the floor and stood in front of his throne. Buffy stood and watched as he began to pace back and forth with hands held behind his back. She could feel the anger and power radiating from him and was wise enough to let him have the first word.

He stopped himself as he knew that he was pacing and sat in his throne looking to the Slayer before him, “Where exactly was this portal that you spoke of earlier?”

            “I’m not sure. When we entered on the other side we were on a hill overlooking that maze thingy.”

            “It’s called the labyrinth and is a large part of my kingdom,” Jareth corrected her.

            Buffy rolled her eyes, “Whatever, look we think that this portal and Sarah’s defeat of this place are connected. She thinks that the portal was opened for her. Something about feeling some kind of connection to this place.” Looking around her she couldn’t for the life of her figure why.

            Jareth’s brow rose at this and looked to himself in thought, “That…is possible. No one but her has ever successfully traversed the labyrinth…” he trailed off not wanting to outwardly admit that he was defeated. “Who was that one that had attacked Sarah? She looked elfin but the power that radiated from her…” he trailed off as his mind tried to put together the mystery of that creature that had almost killed his love. When he had come to Sarah’s side he immediately could sense the dark power almost taste it. The elves were peaceful and this creature was something far too evil.

            After finding what information that he could about the role and power of the Slayer he had read a lot about vampires and the demons that haunted her world. In the Underground there were similar creatures but none had been seen in over a millennia. Standing from his throne he vanished from the room leaving a bewildered Buffy alone.

            Buffy frowned, “Okay, I’ll just stay here then.”

            Something about everything that had been going on recently reminded him of something he had run across in his youth. Standing in the large library he looked up at the books trying to remember the title of that certain book he had read. Closing his eyes he summoned his power to find the book and bring it to him. Feeling the heavy object suddenly in his hands he looked down at the dusty volume and headed to the adjoining room where he could look through the old pages.

            His eyes fixed on the old legend that he had not thought about in over a millennia. Softly he read out the words, translating it from the dead language of his ancestors, “And the mortal shall defeat the great labyrinth to leave and return a time later. Forever linked to the place, her powers shall become great. For great evils shall awaken in this land of magic and of dreams. Her destiny shall unfold the defender of the right she will be.”

He stared at the words before him reading them silently to himself three times before knowing that his translation was not mistaken. Sitting back in the chair he was shocked at the revelation. Not only was his Sarah the Slayer and was destined to return to the labyrinth. A great threat to his world was soon to follow, “Oh, hell!” he silently moaned. The vampires entering his world, was somehow the key to awakening the long dead evils of the Underground. He shuddered at the memories of those days, and Sarah once thought him cruel.