Dying Breath (Labyrinth Fanfic) (UNEDITED VERSION)

Chapter 26 - Fighting the Dullahan

Sarah's POV:

I stood up and a moment later was standing in my Goblin armor. It looked a good deal like Jareth's. Mine had a few more curves but then I was a woman and he was a man. We had a totally different figures.

I turned to look at Jareth and saw that he was in his armor as well. He smirked at me and kissed me passionately.

"You look stunning in armor. Let's go fight." He took my hand in his and a sword in his other. I formed a sword in my other hand and grinned.

"Yes, let's." I couldn't help but blush at his compliment. Oh, how I loved this Fae. We darted out of the tent were immediately greeted with a troll. He was tall and muscular but his skin was of a slightly gray-green color and his eyes were golden. I drew back and ducked under his sword.

He swung again at me and I drove my sword deep into his heart. Blood squirted onto my armor but I ignored it. The troll fell and I ran on. I heard Jareth's footsteps behind me and it brought comfort. The camp was in an uproar and everyone was running around like crazy.

I growled and created about a dozen crystal balls and sent them among camp. They magicked the liquor from the Goblin's blood and they instantly sobered up. Jareth looked at me and I smirked.

"I learned a few things, Love, while you were gone. It is a really helpful trick." I grinned again and suddenly saw a large troll coming up behind Jareth. I pointed but he spun and with a few swipes of his sword, killed the troll.

I glared at him and took on a troll that was running at me. A few moment later, he was also dead. Jareth raised his eyebrows and clicked his tongue.

"I can't have my wife doing better than me. That is a two to one. I shall win." I shook my head and grinned,

"No, I shall win." And so began our long game against each other. It went long into the night and into the next morning. The battle was long and bloody. The trolls wouldn't stop coming and the Banshees proved to be horrible fighters. They could fight but were cowardly.

The Fae fought with bravery and many fell. The Goblins fought with such tenacity I had to be proud of them. I never realized how good of fighters they were. By dawn, Jareth and I were tied in our little game. He proved a better fighter than I thought.

It was about dawn when I heard a horn. A massive horn. The battle ceased for a moment as everyone looked towards the horn.

Coming down a hill towards us was a large group of trolls. In their lead was a Dullahan. He was mounted on a black horse and holding his head in his hand. I hadn't ever seen a Dullahan but I knew what he was. And in an instant I realized who he was.

"It's Maitland." I whispered to myself. I looked over at Jareth who was also staring at the Dullahan. I growled and ran towards the mounted form. Jareth screamed at me to stop but I didn't listen. I had a score to settle with Maitland. He had tried to kill my husband and thought about killing me. He had tried to ruin the Underground.

I wasn't letting him get away with that. I stopped about fifty years away from him and shouted,

"COWARD! You hide behind your shape-shifting magic! Only a coward does that!" I fixed my eyes on the ugly head and saw its jaw drop. Then it spoke,

"Coward? I am smarter than you will ever be. I played the famous Fae King for years. You fools!" He laughed and I growled,

"Yes, a coward. You didn't dare to show your face. Ashamed of how ugly it is?" I smirked. The face twisted in anger and he dismounted from his horse. Throwing the head onto his shoulders where it attached itself, he said,

"I am handsome. We are not an ugly race like you Fae. Don't dare speak ill of my looks!" I drew my sword and laughed.

"Handsome! I would rather call a pig clean. Now, coward, let us determine the fate of this land once and for all. Fight me and win and the land is yours. Fight me and lose and you and yours die." The Dullahan frowned. I raised my sword a little and felt Jareth's eyes on my back. He wasn't saying a word but I felt his displeasure and worry.

The DUllahan drew forth his whip made of a spine and said,

"We shall fight, girl, and the victor shall be I." I braced myself and shook my head.

"No, it shall be I. I refuse to lose to an ugly coward." I smirked and readied myself for battle. The Dullahan snapped his whip and lunged.

We circled for several hours. Injuries were sustained by us both. His whip proved a dangerous foe and it took bites from my flesh every time it touched my skin. I managed to cut him and even draw blood. But, I had misjudged my opponent and found myself losing.

He snapped his whip around my feet and I tumbled to the ground, my sword flying away from my hands. I stared up at the Dullahan who drew out a large double-edged sword and swung it in an arc above his head with intentions of bringing it down on my body. I rolled out of the way and grabbed my sword.

He swung it again and I lunged beneath him and tried to sink my sword into his heart. I missed. Fatally so. He make one quick move and buried his sword just below my breasts. For a moment I felt nothing. The shock was too much. I looked up at him and threw my sword at him. It lodged in his ribs and a moment later he fell.

Then the pain hit me. I fell backwards and stared forward as the world began to spin. The pain was too much. It hurt so badly. I wanted nothing more than to die at that moment as a way to relieve the pain. I felt someone take my hand and I could just see Jareth in my side vision. He was saying something. I struggled to understand him. It seemed he was saying,

"Don't leave me, Sarah! Precious, stay with me! Don't die! Don't give up!" I moved enough to look at him. I shook my head and whispered,

"This is the end. I love you, Jareth. Go on. Live your life to the fullest." My last strength was used up when I squeezed his hand. I felt my life leaving me as I slipped into darkness.