Llynton still sat on the cold stone floor, chanting. It wouldn't be long now, he thought. The black shadows continued to rise into the air, the flame still flickering behind him. Despite his concentration on the chant, he was bored, and shuffled slightly.

The mirror sputtered into life. "That wasn't me..." said Llynton as though he'd been accused of breaking it. He jumped to his feet as he saw the mirror's reflection change - he saw flashes of blue mist, very thick, then someone coming through it. Sarah... and she didn't see him until she had jumped towards the frame.

***

Villdon was pacing around the Throne Room. Perhaps he should go help Llynton with the mirror? It was taking him an awfully long time... But then he saw Jareth and Kardallen following him with their eyes and decided against it. Perhaps it was best to stay here and hold the fort - Llynton could take care of it, right? He gave a deep, hopeless sigh as he received the answer.

"Getting impatient?" smiled Jareth, knowing that things had not gone according to Villdon's plan.

"Sarcasm suits you, Jareth," he said, not wishing to show his anxiety any longer. "That must be what Sarah sees in you... lord knows, there can be little else." Jareth didn't reply, he just pulled an unimpressed expression, cocking his eyebrow.

Villdon wasn't satisfied. "I've seen that glint in her eye, Jareth, have you? The fire that burns within her. You try to dampen it and control it, for fear that it will run loose." He walked up to Jareth, staring at him. "She really is rather intense, for a mortal... I'm still going to kill her, of course, but you can be sure that when I do, the glint in her eyes will not be for you. You should have seen her cower before me in the dungeons - such fear, yet such excitement. You could never have that effect on her, however hard you try - you're pitiful."

Still Jareth didn't respond, though Villdon did not require a comment. The momentary look of hurt on the Goblin King's face was enough to make Villdon smile, and sit back on the throne contentedly.

***

Sarah rushed through the blue mist of the Crossworld towards the mirror. She was in such a hurry - all she could think about was Jareth and Kardallen trapped in the Throne Room at Villdon's mercy. As she jumped carelessly through the frame, she fell into Llynton's solid frame. He seemed to be prepared, and held her to him in an iron like embrace.

"Hello Sarah," he said into her ear. "My, you look delicious," he said, his gaze trailing lazily over her closely fitted attire.

"Let go of me!" Sarah said, struggling, but to no avail.

"You'll have to do better than that," Llynton said with a smile. The rage built up inside Sarah and was released in a sudden burst - she pushed Llynton away, but the unknown force within her threw him to the other side of the room, bouncing him off the wall. Sarah was just as dazed as he, but saw her opportunity, running for the door and careering down the winding staircase.

The air rushed past her as she ran - her steps were broad and even, yet she felt reluctance. "Why am I running?" She asked herself aloud, "I have the power to beat him!" Her feet were unconvinced, however, and they continued to carry her through the corridors as a natural reaction to the pursuit. As she began to pass chamber doors, her ears pricked up when she heard another pair of footsteps echoing in the distance, though their steady pace got louder...

"Why am I running?!" She said again, "I don't need to run anymore." Her pace slowed, and she took a deep breath to clear her mind and prepare for the battle to come. Llynton was at once upon her - he leapt from behind, pinning her to the floor. She turned quickly, and using all of her strength and willpower, pushed him away with a forceful kick. She sprang to her feet just in time to see him launch towards her again. Her impulses took over - her fingers arched out into the air before her, and drawing them back slightly, she violently pushed the air. Llynton was charging into her, but was thrown back by Sarah's force - she didn't even touch him. It was as though a wall had emanated from her fingers. She looked at her hands in amazement, turning them in the light of the nearby lantern, and as she did so, she began to believe in her power.

Llynton looked up once more in shock, and when he approached again, it was more cautiously. "You seem to have picked up a few tricks on your travels Mi'Lady," he said, still edging closer to her. "Though I am not bereft of magic myself."

She raised her hands in readiness for another defence as she watched Llynton with eagle eyes. Without taking his eyes from her face, he made a cup with his hands in the air. A tiny flame flickered from his palms, dancing in the draught coming from a nearby doorway. Suddenly, he blew onto the flame, and it shot out towards Sarah in a blazing trail. She screamed, and hid her face, managing to avert the flame with her hands as before, but she did not see Llynton dive for her. He tackled her low around the waist and pushed her into the doorway - it gave way with the force and the two fell into the room.

With a motion of her hands, Llynton was pulled from her - she scampered backwards, and upon seeing his second relentless attack, stirred the air before her. Llynton was propelled across the room and slammed hard into the wall, his neck snapping back causing his head to hit the stone with a dull thud. He slid to the ground, unconscious. Looking around the dusty room, she saw a coffee table and an easy chair by a fireplace, and a grand old four poster bed on the opposite wall. She ran over to it and tugged at the drapes that adorned the frame, sending clouds of dust as the material and rope decorations fell to the floor. She hauled them over to where Llynton lay slumped on the ground, and tightly bound his hands and feet with the twisted golden rope. His breathing was shallow and erratic, and his head was bleeding at the back, but she was out of time. She could leave him here and come back later to deal with him.

"I must get to the Throne Room," she said aloud, heading for the chamber door, though was halted by a strange sensation. The door frame ahead of her stayed in perfect focus, though the surrounding room suddenly blurred and streaked towards her. Everything took on a blue tint, and she noticed her skin begin to glow; she felt light headed as her feet were lifted from the ground. She gasped for air as she was propelled forwards and flew at incredible speed out into the corridor, swerving around the twists and turns with pinpoint accuracy, driven by some unknown force. This must be the Crossworld, she thought, as countless doorways and lanterns passed by in a blue haze.