Villdon sat on the throne, gazing out of the window. It was dawn: still night, though was almost day; a time that perplexed him. Like dusk, you could not tell whether it was light or dark, even the shadows were confused - some in hiding, though others remained in view. Just like they were now, prior to sunrise - the shadows did not know whether to remain unseen, or to make themselves known, maintaining a little piece of darkness until the sun should set and bring darkness in its full glory. Yes, this time bewildered him indeed.

As he was deep in thought, his long black jacket fell in folds to the floor where his foot tapped slowly. His hands rested on the chair arms, and he unconsciously stroked the ends with his fingertips as he waited. It wasn't long before he sensed her. Sarah was coming through the Crossworld... his magically enhanced senses could tell whenever someone was approaching, but this added confusion to his features. "Impossible," he uttered as he got slowly to his feet. Jareth's ears caught the word, and he and Kardallen were alert once more.

Sarah appeared in the centre of the room staggering forwards to steady herself, the inertia almost overcoming her balance. She ran to Jareth and Kardallen, wishing she could put a hand to those delicate aquiline features, though felt the evil eyes bear into her back.

"Villdon," she said coldly, turning round, taking predatory side steps into the centre of the room. As her eyes met his, she had a vision from the Crossworld - being in his arms, feeling his lips on hers... she could taste the evil even now. She broke her eyes away not wishing to remember more, ashamed as her outrage was akin to embarrassment.

"It seems near-death experiences treat you well, Sarah," he said, eyes leering over her tight trousers and shirt. "I much prefer you this way..."

"More than my wardrobe has changed," she returned, eyes locked back into his. She shot a glance at Jareth who stood there, so many emotions flowing from his features. Shock at her retaliation; relief at her safety; apprehension for the battle to come; frustration as he wouldn't have a hand in it...
"In deed it has," he said, slowly moving around her as though on the prowl. "And yet it hasn't. A chain is only as good as its weakest link - what good is immortal magic in the hands of a mortal intellect?"

"She's different, Villdon, you know she is," shouted Kardallen. Sarah smiled inside at his defence.
"I may have a mortal intellect, Villdon, but be warned - I have faith in my magic."
"What's this, a threat?" He laughed. "Very well, then..." In a flash, he produced a dagger in his hand, and sent it spinning through the air towards Sarah.

She remained calm as she heard it's blade cutting through the air, and held her hand in front of her. The dagger halted mid flight and hovered before her palm. As she lowered her hand, the blade remained suspended in the air - she stepped to the side of it and grasped its handle, throwing it to one side. It clanged as it hit the stone floor, and Villdon's rage began to grow in his features.

"Well," He retorted, seemingly unimpressed by Sarah's show of power. At that moment, floods of Villdon's soldiers came pouring through the door wielding huge spears and axes. They saw Sarah and rushed towards her, and she hesitated, taking a few precarious steps back. She looked at Jareth with panic written on her face. He nodded at her with a reassuring smile: 'you can do it' he mouthed. She immediately turned her attention back to the mob, and with hands held out in front of her, she struggled forward as though trying to close an invisible heavy door. The soldiers stopped dead in their tracks and began to move back. Though their retaliation was not of their own doing - their feet dragged along the stone floor despite their efforts to move forward. One of the huge trolls on the front line slashed his axe towards Sarah with an almighty blow, though it hit the invisible wall and sent sparks flying around them. As soon as they were in the corridor, the heavy wooden doors slammed shut, a bright glow emanating from the crack as magic sealed them. Sarah spun back round to face Villdon.

"I want you gone from this place," she said, walking towards him. "Never again will you come to this land, nor shall you interfere in the other kingdoms. You will return to wherever it is you have been hiding for the past centuries, and you will stay there."

Villdon cocked his eyebrow. "Or else? What if I don't want to go? What if I won't leave?"

"Don't play with me, Villdon. I can stop you, and you know I can." Sarah replied.

"I know you can try..." he said, a mischievous smile on his lips. In a split second though, the smile dissolved. His hands moved at terrific speed and he threw huge balls of light at Sarah. She seemed un-phased by the barrage, her hands moving just as quickly as his as she motioned each ball away from her. They pounded the walls as they hit, leaving huge dents in the solid masonry and shaking the room on impact.

Sarah spied a large candlestick behind Villdon and quickly motioned it towards him. His gaze never left hers, though his hands ceased sending their powerful orbs and caught the heavy candlestick just inches from his head. With a look of disappointment, he produced a large black candle in the holder which puffed into flame. Villdon swept his hand around the fire and it rested in his palm. With an intense stare at Sarah, he blew the flame in her direction. A huge, roaring flame emitted from his hand and rushed towards Sarah - her hair disturbed from the heat before the fire reached her. The place she was standing was engulfed in flames - her entire form no longer visible. Suddenly, she appeared to Villdon's right and hit his hand away from his mouth. The flames ceased and he turned to look at her angrily.

His arm instinctively swiped a powerful blow at her face, though passed straight through it as she smiled at him. A look of shock momentarily took over his features, though changed into determination as he threw another ball of light into her face. She managed to deflect it away, though while she was distracted, Villdon motioned Sarah across the room. She flew at lightening speed, her head slamming into the stone wall and momentarily dazing her. Villdon approached her with wide, determined steps, and moved his hands as though stirring up a whirlwind. Sarah was still suspended a foot from the ground, held against the wall by dark magic... a python suddenly wound around her body, and instantly tightened it's grip. Villdon's hands motioned again and the snake became solid metal, pinning Sarah to the wall. He was upon her, and producing a dagger in his hand, swung it remorselessly towards her heart.

The sound of the sharp metal clanging against the stone wall echoed around the Throne Room. Villdon swung round to see Sarah standing ready in the middle of the room. He launched another barrage of light at her as he moved around her. She moved to stay facing him as she again deflected each one, sending it careering into the walls, and causing stony debris to crash to the floor. Sarah caught two of the balls in each hand and launched them back towards Villdon. He translocated out of the way, though before he could recommence his attack, Sarah launched light from her own palms. The white, dazzling beams hit Villdon square in the chest, and sent him careering into the wall.

While he was still dazed, Sarah flicked her hand in the air before her, and a giant crystal orb appeared around Villdon. It grew smaller, and despite his attempts to break the spell, he remained trapped, struggling. She ran over to Jareth and Kardallen, attempting to reach her hands through the magical wall and pull them through while Villdon was distracted. A burning sensation shot up her arms as she tried to push her hands though the magic, golden sparks flying from the wall. She screamed, and withdrew her hands - the burns on them disappearing as she turned them in the light. She circled the candlesticks, her back now to the stairs so that she could see Villdon's struggling.

"How can Villdon maintain his spell when he is trapped in there?" Sarah asked Jareth,

"The spell is Llynton's my dear, and until you take care of him, the spell shall remain."

"Oh, but I've..." before she could finish, Sarah was knocked to the ground by someone flying at her from behind.

"Taken care of me?" finished Llynton as he pinned her to the ground. In her moment of distraction, the orb around Villdon shattered, crystal tinkling as it covered the floor. He landed on his feet, and steadied himself. Llynton hauled Sarah to her feet and clasped her hands tightly to her chest in his solid, oppressive embrace.

"My, the tables have turned," said Villdon, crystal grating under his feet as he took steps towards her. "It was a valiant attempt nonetheless..."

Sarah closed her eyes; unable to motion her magic, she had to summon it from within. In the centre of the room, between her and Villdon, a red rose appeared, suspended in the air. Villdon halted his approach and looked at it, amused. A book appeared behind it, and the rose was embedded into the thick leather cover with a flash of red light to seal it. The book turned over, and fell open to the floor; Sarah's eyes were still closed. A gentle, glitter-filled breeze stirred around the Throne Room, though quickly grew in intensity. Villdon's stance faltered as confusion invaded his features. As the glimmering air continued to speed around them, the pages of the book began to turn: they were blank, though had a golden glow. The light grew and burst into a golden column in the centre of the room. Llynton and Villdon both shielded their eyes, though Sarah was unaffected. She took advantage of the interruption and cast Llynton's arms from around her. She pushed him towards the book and he was caught up in the torrent of the whirlwind. He spun faster and faster and with a piercing howl, was swept into the golden light. His form became a dark shadow; it shattered into tiny pieces and they rained into book. At that moment, the candlesticks surrounding Jareth and Kardallen disappeared, and they ran forwards to Sarah's side.

Her gaze was fixed upon Villdon's, and their eyes remained locked despite the torrent all around them. "Your magic is of the darkness Villdon, but now you are nothing but a shadow. Welcome to the dawn." Sunrise hit the Labyrinth, the beams raced across the land, chasing the night away. As the sunbeams flooded through the window, the glitter on the whirlwind glowed brightly. Villdon was overcome with a strange feeling - he lifted his hand up to the light and saw it darken. The fingers elongated, then stretched around the whirlwind as though they were thick smoke. The rest of his body followed and soon he was nothing but a dark cloud swirling among the glitter. The whirlwind began to shrink, pulling Villdon into the book. The column of golden light glowed brighter, then in a burst of stars disappeared with the wind. The book slammed shut, and then was still.

Sarah turned to Jareth and embraced him tightly, crying tears of relief into his shoulder. He rocked her gently, smoothing her hair and kissing her head. Kardallen smiled at the show of tenderness, and then his eyes fell on the book. He approached it and leafed through the pages. Astounded, he flicked faster through the parchment - the book, once empty, was now written in runes, scripted tightly and covering every inch of every page. "No one must ever read from this book..." He turned to Jareth; "I have heard of spells such as this before. They are rare and powerful, but can be broken if the words are spoken." Jareth smiled in agreement. "I shall see to it. Thankyou, old friend."

Jareth did not break the embrace. He stood there with Sarah, cradling her in his arms. "All will be well again, Sarah," he kissed her hair as he whispered, "you did it."