Those Cruel Eyes Edition 1

Chapter 32

Once again, Emmeline was up in the air, flying in a rope net. This time, she was not alone. Her mother and Jareth were both squished together in the same net. Luckily, they were no longer gagged or tied. Fowler had taken pity on them and untied them when Hoggle wasn't looking.
Sarah was silent, just staring out of the net, thinking hard.
"Was it you I kissed? Or was it Hoggle disguised as you?" Sarah asked Jareth in a dead voice without so much as glancing in his direction.
"Now I have an even better reason to get rid of that worm," Jareth snarled, wrapping his arms around her while Sarah lay her head on his chest. Emmeline was in Sarah's arms. She had her eyes closed, but she wasn't asleep.
"Do you feel sick?" Sarah asked Emmeline, stroking her dirty hair from her face. Opening her eyes, Emmeline whispered, "No, it's just that we are really high up."
It broke Sarah's heart to see her daughter so scared and miserable. Hoggle will pay for this, Sarah thought irately.
Suddenly, the net dropped slowly, gently putting them on the ground in the Hydra's nest. The rope cascaded down around the three in a small circle, getting onto their feet as best as they could, Sarah, Jareth, and Emmeline all faced Hoggle with blank faces.
"Alright. Now, you all have fifteen minutes to kill the Hydra and get to the center of the Labyrinth." Hoggle cackled. He stopped laughing and looked daggers at Emmeline. Hoggle slowly walked to her.
"Cozy, isn't it?" he asked her tauntingly. Emmeline looked at him lividly. Hoggle lowered his voice so only Emmeline could hear him. "Are you ready to die?"
"Go to hell," Emmeline said evenly, fury etched on every part of her face. Hoggle just smiled at her insult. "Now, now," He said in a mock baby voice, "Wouldn't want me to release the Hydra, now would we? Gag her." Hoggle said the last line to Fowler. Fowler flew down behind Emmeline and threw the gag over her mouth. When Emmeline was safely tied and gagged, Hoggle went to her and slapped her across the face.
"No!" Sarah screamed.
Emmeline didn't react; she just glared at Hoggle menacingly. Hoggle gave her a satisfied look, turned around and started walking back to the back of the house. Turning and sitting, Hoggle called to Fowler, "Release the Hydra."
Fowler reached up to a rope connected to a large metal door. He pulled on that rope, raising the door. It was absolutely silent.
With an ear-splitting crash, the Hydra burst out of the black opening; all six mouths open and screeching, all twelve bloodred eyes staring at its three victims.
Finally removing the gag from her mouth, Emmeline screamed, "Now!" Sarah, Jareth, and Emmeline slipped out of their gags and restraints effortlessly.
Jareth then made a beeline straight for Hoggle, who was frozen in shock. Jareth pulled the silver sword from his fight with the Black Dragon magically from behind Hoggle's back. Swinging the sword around, Jareth pointed it straight at the Hydra, which recognized an instant challenge.
As Jareth was challenging the Hydra with Emmeline and Sarah distracting it, Hoggle was still standing there, frozen with shock. Finally, Hoggle had finally processed what was going on. With a wordless, angry bellow, Hoggle regained control of his body and aimed straight for Jareth, only to be tackled by none other than-
"Fowler?! You set this up? You lying, betraying little-"
"No," Fowler chuckled in that horrible voice of his. "I wish I had. Emmeline came up with the whole thing. She is one devious little child. I wouldn't cross her if I were you. She is Jareth's child after all. Oh wait, you did already." Fowler cackled. Grasping Hoggle's arms harder, Fowler pulled him into standing position. Hoggle was still facing Fowler.
"You can't take me off the throne! You have no one to help you! My subjects are loyal to me!"
"Are you sure?" Fowler asked seriously, the pushed Hoggle so he was facing the door. Hoggle's mouth dropped open in astonishment. All of the goblins of Labyrinth were there, standing defiantly before him.
"Still think that they are loyal to you?" Fowler asked sadly. "You treated us worse in three days than Master Jareth did in a whole hundred thirty-sum years. That's bad."
Hoggle started sputtering. "I...You... I..."
Fowler laughed. "Hoggle, with nothing to say?"
While Hoggle, Fowler and the other goblins were backbiting, Sarah, Jareth and Emmeline were focused wholly on the last task before them: the Hydra.
"How do we kill it?" Emmeline yelled to Jareth, doing her best to avoid the sharp talons that threatened her. Jareth was swiping at the six heads with the sword, making the Hydra hiss with frustration and anger. "I'm not sure!" Jareth yelled back, breathless. "Maybe we should try to kill it the same way we killed the dragon on the first task!" Suddenly, one of the Hydra's heads got in the way with one of the sword swipes, and it was cut clean off.