The stone floor was cold and had numbed her cheek. As Sarah drifted back into consciousness, she slowly moved her arms and legs to stand to her feet, though cried out as a dull pain shot through her body, intensified by every move. Biting her lip, she hauled herself away from the ground to sit up.

She was in a small stone room with no windows. The only light came from a flickering lantern shining through bars in the door. There was a pile of straw in the corner, doubling as a make shift bed, and her cream dress had been covered in dirt from the floor. The air was musty and damp. She was in the castle dungeons.

As she shakily got to her feet, her light was blocked by someone peering through the door. "Ah, you're finally awake," said an unfamiliar man's voice.

"Who are you?" She demanded as the man unlocked the door and stepped inside. He was tall and slender with long black hair. He was dressed all in black; a flowing poets shirt was restricted by a fitted long black leather coat that swept the floor as he walked. His face was shrouded in a shadow that made Sarah want to run and hide, though she found herself simply staring at the faceless man, trying to see past the shadow. He slammed the door behind him and walked predatorily towards her.

"I?" he asked rhetorically in a deep, hypnotic voice. "I am but a child," he replied, prowling before her, remaining in the shadows. "I am the child who's father never returned from the battle. I am the child who grew into a man seeking revenge. I am the man that would be King, and I am the King that will rule the Underground."

"I don't think you've gone to all this effort, only to baffle me with cryptic responses as to your intentions." Sarah said shakily.

"Oh, you mortals are all the same you make me sick," he spat. "Your tiny mind is not capable of perceiving the bigger picture without someone explaining it to you." He recommenced pacing in the shadow. "But, since you are an integral part of my plan, you deserve to be enlightened, where would be the fun if you didn't know your place in my scheme?" The words were spoken through an unseen yet not unheard evil smile that made Sarah quake to her very core.

"My father was a wonderful man - when I was little, he would sit me on his knee and tell me stories by the fire. Stories of how his Underground would be. As I grew older, I saw the stories become reality - they were played out before me as I stood by my father in battle. I would feel the pride and glory as people of a new land would bow before us, accepting us as their new leaders. He shaped the Underground into a glorious realm for immortals... but they were not grateful - they rejected all that he had done and began to revolt, kingdom by kingdom, forcing us from our home in the middle of the night. Forcing my father to shed more blood on the battlefield.

"My mother was taken sick, and so instead of riding into battle with my father, I stayed at home to tend to her. I shall never forget that day. I paced the halls until my feet bled, playing the battle through in my mind, thinking of my father. At length came the time when he was due back at the castle - my mother was a little better, and we waited at the castle gates to give the army a heroes welcome. But they did not come. Hours passed, sunset came, though my mother would not be removed from her vigil, eyes fixed into the distance - no longer filled with hope and devotion, but with fear and weariness. At length, a solitary soldier came hobbling from the horizon, covered in blood. My mother collapsed when she heard the news - my father had been slain in the battle along with most of his army. It was only a matter of time before we were forced out of that home too - outcasts in our own kingdom."

Sarah stared at the shadow over the man's face - remembering. Jareth had told her a story of an evil old Lord who was beheaded by Kardallen's father. "Lord Villdon," she remembered aloud, "Villdon was your father."

"Well, a mortal can be taught, despite what they say," he retorted. "You remember my father then, but I am hurt that you do not recall me." He quickly took a step toward Sarah and was just inches from her face when the lantern cast its light over his features.

"You!" She instinctively backed away from him - her recognition came as though it were a dream remembered. She had seen those strange blue eyes before - he was one of the men who had kidnapped her from the Throne Room - the evil man that had taken delight in taunting her, stealing her voice to render her helpless. His eyes seemed to glow, the brilliant blue against the stark white - making the rest of his features even more dark and threatening.

"So you remember me now?" He shouted, his tone enraged. He followed her until she could go no further, hitting the wall. He grabbed her throat, pinning her to the stones; she frantically lashed out at him, arms and legs trying to push him away, though his grip did not loosen. She managed to dig her nails into his cheek, and scrawl them down his face leaving a trail of blood. He did not cry out in pain, instead, the fire in his eyes intensified and he threw her onto the floor.

"It's a shame you don't remember anything else of our little meeting - we had such a good time," he said with a mocking smile. His eyes remained fixed on her as she shakily got to her feet.

"They thought they could do better, you know, the traitors who usurped my throne." He continued as his eyes bore into her. "I knew it would be otherwise - my father's glorious creation went to seed - and now a mortal lives among us," his tone turned vicious, and he seized her face, jerking it upward to look up into his. "You have polluted this world, diluted the immortals - like water through wine. I had to stand by watching helplessly, but not anymore. I intend to return the Underground to it's former glory, taking my father's place as it's King - a position denied to me by those who murdered him. The House of Villdon shall rule once more."

She mustn't show her fear, Sarah thought, even though he knew she possessed it, she must be strong. "I'm sure the other rulers will hand you their kingdoms on a plate when they hear that you intend to rule the entire Underground and reinstate an archaic belief that died with your father." She was shocked at the strength of her words, and half expected Villdon's retaliation. She saw the rage consume his features just moments before his hand lashed across her face, sending a searing pain all the way through her body.

"Stupid mortal" he spat. "The other leaders will cower before me, pleading for mercy, and begging forgiveness for the treachery of their ancestors. I shall show them my power by killing you..."

"No!" she cried, feeling suffocated as though the walls were closing in around her.

"Don't worry Sarah," he said with a smile, "the purification of the Underground is a noble cause. I shall purge this world of all its impurities, starting with you."

"Jareth will stop you," she warned.

"Jareth?" He scoffed, "I don't think so. I have my father's powers and my own besides, so your precious Lord Jareth is no match for me. There isn't a ruler in the whole Underground who can outfight me - I am unstoppable."

"You're insane," she whispered, her voice broken. He took a step towards her, and thrust her into the corner she had backed into. "I'd be careful with that word," he said quietly, "it makes me a little edgy."

The closeness of him was overpowering - she could almost sense his evil and it made her skin crawl. She tried to push him away, though he was solid and didn't move. He leaned even closer to her and took her face roughly in his hand. She closed her eyes tightly as his face came nearer to hers.

"Luckily for you," he whispered, "You smell too much like a mortal for my liking." He released her face and walked toward the door, knocking on it so his guard outside could open it.

"Don't go anywhere," he smiled, "I'll be back for you later."