Shavaris puts her hand on Kerwyn's shoulder, "Are you ok?  I had no idea and I'm sorry for that.  Looks like we'll have another mystery to solve after we save the world and find Delph's home" she smiles at him, hoping to diffuse the situation some.  As she watches Johnathan stare at the little white dog, she leans over to him, "Are you ok?"  Man, running into this group has really affected some of us.  She hopes they can get back on their feet as she isn't sure what to think of these campers.  Something caught her ear though..

"Excuse me sir, did you say Piggle lost his home?  It that what you all are arguing about?"

The Fox Lupine listens intently to Delphinium, nodding as the little Fairy darts about and assails him with words.  He looks enthralled by the conversation, and perhaps from getting attention from someone as talkative as him.  

"What sayest thou, in your dream!  I am here!"  The Lupine says, motioning about, then making a sad face and motioning at the Labyrinth.  "Well, I used to be there!  But, fret not winged avenger, for I, Sir Didymus, shall sally forth soon and recapture these lands from the pestilence that has overtaken them!  But, I just introduced myself, did I not!  Oh, this?  Tis a maul, my excited friend!  I use it for...!"  

Didymus doesn't give a warning.  He begins to bark and lunge about, swinging the maul like he's fighting off a veritable horde of foes.  

"For I, Sir Didymus, am fierce!  And my smell is keen!  No Goblin army shall stand before me!  Don't mind Sir Hoggle!  He has spent too many years in the Fey Eradication Brigade, banishing those pesky Pixies and Sprites and Fairies and such!"  

"Of course I was expecting someone.  I was expecting you."  The human said to Johnathan, with particular inflection on 'you'.  The man laughed, stepping away from the rest of the group, setting himself aside from the other three people he had been talking to.  He grinned, pulling a crate around and straddling it, taking a seat.  He put the tip of his scepter on the ground, leaning on it as a sort of front rest from his odd seated position.  "Business, business.  Tell me, adventurer, what business do you and yours have within my Labyrinth?"  

The man focuses his attention from Johnathan to Shavaris.  

"Who was arguing?  We were having a heated debate.  But yes, we have all lost our homes.  That is alright, though!  I have the situation in hand, and the usurper will be out the door soon."  

"Ah, my fierce friend sir Didymus!   You have spirit indeed!  If there are foes that have taken upon this land we shall aid thee!  I have driven away many large folk with my mighty fists and goblins are often a neusence!  With your maul, my hands and our combined bravery we shall take on whatever plagues these lands!  We should join forces to fight for the greater good!  Lead the way!"  Delphinium seems delighted at the fox lupine words. They already seem ready to follow Sir Didymus into battle. 

The fairy looks back at the rest and says "Let's us go!  They are obviously noble warriors and we should aid them!"  Then proceeds to follow sir didymus as they share a tale of tiring put a particularly grumpy bear until they could defeat them and teach them how to be more kind to the other forest dwellers.  They then ask for tales of bravery from sir didymus.

Kerwyn turns now on the human, forcing himself to look away from where Toggle departed.  He gathers himself and regains control of his emotions.  “Jareth, I presume, the Goblin King?” He puts “Goblin King” in air quotations and speaks in a rather droll manner.   “I have heard of you.  Are you here to give us a riddle, lead us into the labyrinth or misdirect us?  What brings you here pray tell?  What usurper do you speak of?”

Kerwyn has a realization as he looks at Jareth.  “Hey, wait a minute… are you the one who sent us those dreams?”

"Do you hear that, Sir Ludo!?"  Didymus says, bouncing around when Delphinium addresses him and tugging at the hair on Ludo's big legs.  "Sir Delphinium is going to help us fight our way to the Castle beyond the Goblin City!  Why, not in many a year have I rallied such a force to retake a position!  This Blix doesn't stand a chance!"

The Lupine had another fit of waving his maul and barking menacingly while he litigated to Ludo and Delphinium.  

And with that, Didymus calls over his dog, mounts up, and rides for the gate of the Labyrinth.

"Ah, my reputation precedes me!"  Jareth says as Kerwyn addresses him.  "I'm not here for you at all.  I'm here for me.  See, these poor refugees..."

He motions his hand about to Hoggle, Didymus, and Ludo.

"...they are like me.  They've been displaced by the Goblin uprising.  Blix, of course.  The usurper.  Blix is a fine way to demonstrate the problem with Goblins and why they must always have a leader that is smarter than they are.  You give them just a little leeway and they rise up and tear down their own civilization.  It's tragic, really."  

"You have the situation in hand?  While you sit outside your supposed labyrinth with, what did you call them, refugees?  So do tell, how do you have the situation in hand?" Shavaris's words are dripping with disdain as she regards this man.  Kerwyn's words then register with her about the dreams.. she doesn't see the young woman she dreamt about, is she ok?  Should she worry about her?  Should she even mention her?

"Delph! Hang on there, don't head on off without us!" How is this fairy even more difficult now?  Maybe they should have avoided this crew all together.  She looks toward the wall of the labyrinth, was the gate the lupine type creature the only way in?

"Have to regroup somewhere."  Jareth says, spreading his hands in a 'what can you do?' gesture.  His smile never leaves his face.  "I've amassed an army..."

He motions to the three 'allies' he'd been talking to.

"...I found you..."

He motions then to the Dawn Guard.

"...and I'm only waiting on an old friend of mine."  

The goblin king? Johnathan chuckles ever so slightly, and here I thought we would have to search halve the labyrinth for you. Johnathan was a bit disappointed with the strangers, he always seems to be right in mistrusting them. Tell me, how did Blix take over your labyrinth? Did you also make a pact with the lord of darkness? Johnathan then notices the fox trying to butter up Delphinium into following it into the labyrinth. Didymus, hold on a sec. How is it that the goblin king needs you to help navigate his labyrinth? And what is the Fey Eradication unit? Johnathan is not letting his guard down yet. This didn’t make sense. It can’t be a coincidence that we just found these people that have an answer for everything. And just because they might share an enemy does not mean they should be allies. 

“Who is this old friend of yours.  Can you be more specific, please?”  Kerwyn looks to the man and listens, observing his manner and movements.  After listening for a few minutes he goes to get Old Ironsides and brings him down, hops on his back and rides forward, pausing as they wait and decide what to do.  

Delphinium and Sir Didymus were already heading off as the fairy follows the lupine with reckless abandon when Shavaris and Johnathan warned them not to wonder off without them.  The fairy looks back and then looks to their new furry friend and says "Oh!  Noble Sir Didymus, it seems our friends are not ready!  We wouldn't want to let them miss a chance to help right?"  The fairy then motions for them to come back to where Shavaris and the others are gathered.  On the way Delph casually asks Sir Didymus "When you mentioned Blix, do you mean the infamous goblin that may have killed a unicorn in Faron woods?" After asking that as the duo makes their way back to the group Delphinium arrives just in time to hear a question about a new friend.  They look to Kerwyn and ask "New friend?  We just met a lot are they waiting for another?"

"Look at you, little Dhampir."  Jareth says with a wicked smirk.  "So insecure and accusatory.  What is it you want me to say?  I am a slave to my nature!  I did surrender without bloodshed, and he did come with the alicorn.  I did resist, but he was mighty."

Jareth grinned and reached out to touch Johnathan on the forehead.  

"Now tell me...what is it that I would want with making a pact?  I'm not you.  What is it that the Lord of Darkness has that I do not?  He is hidden away in his lair, enshrouded by the endless black ichor of the bleeding outer reaches, unable to walk the world freely...and I...I...I do as I please with impunity.  Another minute?  Time is mine!  Serpent on the floor?  I walk the walls!  Foolish fellow you are, tell me...what good is a pact?"  

Jareth reached into his black robe and pulled out an apple as he stepped away from Johnathan and took a bite from it before offering up a grin.  

"I could tell you things that would...blow your mind."  

The Goblin King takes another bite of his apple and looks at Kerwyn.  

"That's the problem with the Lord of Darkness.  All bluster and no bang.  Can't even keep his Goblins under control.  His Goblins are such a problem now they're over here getting my Goblins stirred up!  Oh, her?  Well..."

The Goblin King reached into his jacket and pulled out two crystal orbs.  He held them in one hand and began to twirl them in Kerwyn's face.  

"You know, I used to have three of these.  Now look..."

"Then we shall perform as a mighty vanguard!"  Sir Didymus says as he rides up to the two hulking gates of the Labyrinth.  He reaches out with his maul and bangs on the gates.  "Open up and surrender and I shall see that thou are treated fairly!  But yes, one in the same!  That scoundrel has to answer to swift and vengeful justice!  We shall be the hands of atonement, and he will amend his transgressions!  Come, we must not waste any more time!"

And then, Sir Didymus, ignoring the calls to go back to the rest of the group, dismounts his mount, a dog he is affectionately calling Ambrosius, and begins to pull the huge gates open himself.  Ludo, who had been slowly following behind him, steps up next and grabs the gates...

And hauls them open... 

"Ludo STRONG!"  He says in his baritone voice.  

Kerwyn looks at Jareth with a very odd look, like he’s looking at a crazy man.  “Only have two do ya.  You like fondling your balls, do you?  Why don’t you put them back in your pocket and keep them to yourself, thank you very little.”  He looks harder at one of the orbs… “Wait a minute…”

”There’s a girl in there, falling, with long dark hair.”  He looks up at Jareth.  “What does it mean?  Your own little picture show going on in your balls there?  Who is she?  How did you trap her in there, in your balls?”  He looks at him hard and serious like.

A moment of waiting for the others but seeing the lupine form charge forth with such a strong creature as Ludo, Delphinium shrugs and yells towards the rest of the dawn guard "Oh! We are going to go ahead!  Catch up with us later!  We will make a big distraction!"  With that Delphinium zooms off like a blue blurr and says "Sir Didymus wait for me!  Let's go be the vanguard and take it to some goblins.  Shouldn't be too hard to take out a few goblins."  They zoom up until they are with Ludo and Sir Didymus.  Once next to them the fairy stands ready to fight a smile on their lips as they say "I bet I can knock out more goblins then you!  Oh, and we need to ask Blix where the unicorn is.  Also, I should probably take the Alicorn they stole.  I guess the rumors were true.  Your human friend sure knows a lot."

Johnathan is frozen in shock. This human knew his darkest secret and taunted him with it like he was almost making fun of him. How did he know? What is this human and how does he know so much? Johnathan does not take any food from the Goblin king, he just stands there. Then the rage starts building. He is mocking my pain. Can’t let that happen. Johnathan’s eyes turn a deep red as he looks at Jareth, I don’t know how you know this but you would do well not to mention it. You mock me for making a pact with a deity but at least I didn’t surrender like a coward. Johnathan fists start shaking with rage. He was almost about to rip this human in halve when he looks over at Delphinium and Ward. They didn’t know yet what he was. Maybe they’ll just think it’s the king going mad. 

He comes back to when Kerwyn mentions someone falling in a ball. I don’t know what this king is playing at but we have to move, this is all a trick. Delphinium is getting carried away with the promise of adventure. How do we intent to get in? I can climb the walls to get an overview of the labyrinth. Should we go stealthily? Are there guards on the walls? Johnathan seems to be distracting himself with the task at hand, he doesn’t want to think how Jareth knows so much. He just needs a distraction.  

As the crazy man outs Johnathan, Shavaris stands in shock, how, how does this man know?  Who is this creature and what's up with the balls?   Once Johnathan does a pretty good job of controlling himself, she steps a bit closer to see what Kerwyn is talking about - what girl?

As she sees the long haired beauty in the crystal orb she can't help but wonder if that was the girl in her dream?  Kerwyn and Delph's dreams apparently had some merit and now her?  And what did Kerwyn say?  That this Jareth sent the dreams to us?  The man didn't respond to that, so who knows?  She shakes her head, she needs to concentrate on what is at hand, "Your goblins?  His goblins? I don't believe a word of it!  You're full of crazy and you already surrendered, so what use are you to any of us?"

She whirls away from the supposed goblin king and addresses Johnathan, Kerwyn and Ward, "Delph is already on the mission, let us join him and his apparent new found friends." looking at Johnathan, "I think the element of surprise is behind us, but maybe once we're inside we can work our plan.  That is, if we can keep that loud mouth and Delph from ruining it." she says the last part in exasperation, a bit worried that their new friends are going to hinder more than help them on their mission.

And she heads off to join the others at the gate.  

Jareth ignores Kerwyn's attempt at a jab and just smiles while twirling the twin orbs in his hand.  

"What if I told you that she's not like you?"  The Goblin King says, pulling the two orbs away and putting them back in his jacket.  "She is tangible and a thing of your imagination.  Unreal.  A key to all this."  

Jareth strolls past Johnathan and Kerwyn, nonchalantly following Shavaris toward the gate that Ludo pushed open.  

"Would do well?"  He says, mocking Johnathan.  "Would do well, would do well, tra la la?  Would do well to what, not insult your sensitive sensibilities?" 

He gesticulates with grandiose sweeps of his arms.  

"You're all so upset.  About what?  Puppets with twisted strings?  Untwisted truths?  Do you believe this is all a coincidence?  Don't think I didn't bring you here?  Don't think I made myself vulnerable?  Do you think you're in control?  Come along, one and all, come along.  I don't like the time here.  Makes me...anxious."  

The last thing he has to say to any of them is to Shavaris.  

"You have belief, and you have truth.  Decide which one haunts you."  

The corridor stretches on...and on....and on.....and on....and on....on some more....and on in both directions ad Sir Didymus, Delphinium, and Ludo step into the Labyrinth.  A brick road, with brick walls.  Tiny eyeballs on articulating green stalks peer at Delphinium, trailing their every movement as they zip and zing through the gate.  

"Hey, Didymus, wait for me!"  Hoggle shouts from behind as he trots in through the gates on short legs.  "There's no gate guards!  Where'd they all go?"  

"No doubt they have heard of our exploits!"  Sir Didymus said with a confident nod.  

The gate begins to shut behind them.

"Ah, good!  They cannot escape our wrath now!"  Sir Didymus says.  His toothy grin falls on Delphinium.  "You!  Knock out more Goblins than I?  Oh ho, we shall see friend Delphinium, we shall see!  And we shall have a grand time finding the answer, no doubt!  Yes yes, King Jareth is...knowledgeable?  Yes, knowledgeable.  He knows many things."  

Kerwyn was about to tell off this odd man with his riddles and balls, but suddenly the man decides to head for the gate and enter the labyrinth, following the others so Kerwyn does the same.  He has an idea that this fellow is much more powerful than he is letting on, so he swallows his frustrations and follows the ever stranger crew (including the fountain pisser) into the labyrinth astride Ole Ironsides.  He starts talking to the snail as they are riding in.  “Can’t believe this, what the hell is he talking about, tangible and imaginary, a key to this.  Why can’t anything be straightforward?  Here we go again…” he sees Delphinium flying around happily with Sir Didymus, says under his breath in the manner of a marine who just helped to fight off an Alien “Why don’t you put them in charge!  Hrmph!”  And he rides forward…

When Jareth addresses Shavaris directly, it unhinges her a bit.  What does he mean?  Haunts me?  If he hadn't just known the way he did about Johnathan, she would have ignored it, but there was more to this madman than met the eye.  She doesn't acknowledge him, just keeps going.  Not sure if that is more because she is worried what else he might say or not?

When she crosses into the labyrinth she is in awe of the corridor and how it goes on and on, she wasn't sure what she'd find inside, but this, almost made her feel small.  The small dwarf comes trailing in behind her calling out to Didymus, she turns to him, "I know we all started out on a, well interesting foot, but you say there are typically guards here?  Do you know this labyrinth well, well enough to show us the way to the castle?  And do you notice anything else that is off?" she asks him, but she's really asking anyone who is listening.  Not wanting to spend the rest of her life lost in this thing.

She starts looking at the walls seeing if there is a secret way in or anything they might be missing and oh! a tiny brightly colored worm smiles up at Shavaris and says "hi!"  She squats down to it's level "Well hi there, maybe you know how to get to the castle?"

Johnathan just keeps staring at the king. He is speaking in riddles now, great. No wonder he lost an empire. Then the insult came, again. Johnathan starts visibly shaking with rage. The only reason he is still breathing is because he wants to know what other secrets he knows. Johnathan turns to the others, I’m done with this idiot. I’m gonna go follow Delphinium, make sure they don’t get themselves into trouble. Johnathan walks away. He was not impressed with this situation. Not at all. He catches up with Delphinium. You can’t just run off like that, it’s dangerous here. He looks around in the labyrinth. The walls twinkling with eyes was unsettling, and following a single path. Not good. Didymus, how do you know how to navigate this maze? Johnathan asks, still concerned that the fox hasn’t answered. I swear this fox will be the end of us. We are just walking straight into a trap. Johnathan looks to Shavaris when she hears a worm speaking to her. Johnathan looks to see where this worm is. What’s going on here?

"There are't usually guards here yes, fair maiden, but alas...they have gone now."  Didymus says to Shavaris before turning his attention to Johnathan.  "How do I know how to navigate the labyrinth?  Well, my smell is keen!  Have you not heard me say as much?"  

"He doesn't know anything."  Hoggle says, a bit indignant as he scuttles past the closing gates.  "I know how to navigate the Labyrinth.  Been doing upkeep for decades."

He leans in closer to Johnathan and whispers something.

The little worm looks to Shavaris and says "Me?  Why, heavens no!  I'm just a worm!" before looking at Johnathan and spouting an overly cheery "Hello!"