HI! And welcome toooo... MAH FIRST STORY! This was actually a project for skool so if it's too serious, then TOO BAD! This 'chapter' takes place right after the Golden Compass, when SOILS I mean uh, SPOILERS Lyra is in Cittagazze the first time.So uh yeah nods importantly. READ REVIEW OR ELSE!
...and the Golden Compass, The Subtle Knife, and Philip Pullman do NOT belong to me!
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Soon the light dimmed and Lyra felt the shock of her life. She was no longer in the arctic wasteland of the north, but in a moonlit, Mediterranean city with rolling green hills and cliffs to her right and a magnificent sea coast to her left. She gazed around dimly, trying to take in the scene. Pantalaimon turned into a big, black panther, untrusting of his surroundings.
"Pan… something isn't right here…" Lyra whispered.
Pantalaimon rolled his dark eyes at her.
"Of course not. There's no one here."
Lyra looked about here and realized he was right. There weren't any people outside. And for that matter neither were the birds or any other animals. It was completely silent, save for the repetitive breaking of the waves on the beach. Pan nudged Lyra's hand with his nose, causing her to jump.
"Let's go try to find someone. Maybe they're all indoors." Pan said quietly, turning into a robin. Lyra nodded and set off toward the nearest building with her daemon flying alongside. As Lyra stood in front of the building, she realized it was a café with a large deck that had many tables and chairs. With closer inspection, she saw that there was food, uneaten, on neat plates on the tables. Pan landed on a nearby table and regarded the food with suspicion.
"This seems too perfect. This is might be some sort of trap. It's better to ask the alethiometer before we try anything."
Lyra didn't say anything. She took off her rucksack and rummaged through it. After a moment of rustling, she took out something folded in black velvet and slipped out her most precious possession, her alethiometer. She set the gold hands of the alethiometer and focused her mind into a question. Then focused on the all too perfect array of food and asked:
Is this alright to eat? Or is this a trap?
The needle swung wildly, almost too fast too see. Lyra silently read:
Yes, you may eat. This food is not tainted nor is this a trap.
Satisfied, Lyra nodded to Pan and ate. It was a bit stale but very delicious. Belly full, she took a small piece of bread, still buttered, and walked over to the doorway. She gave several crumbs for Pan to pick at and jiggled the doorknob with her free hand. The door creaked open and Lyra peeked in. There was a sort of bar on one side with pictures of fighters along the wall, at the back she saw a doorway by the kitchen. After inspecting the entire floor, she opened the door and found a narrow staircase leading to a second floor. Lyra climbed the flight of steps and found a hallway with several doors on one side. She had entered each room, four in all, and stopped in the last one. They had been a bedroom, a bathroom, and two more bedrooms, respectively. Lyra turned to the now rat daemon on her shoulder.
"What should we do now, Pan? I don't think anyone is here."
Lyra was suddenly overcome with a horrific thought.
What if something terrifying had eaten everyone?
Lyra shook her head to clear her thoughts. No need to freak out now. Pan, meanwhile, was thinking up an answer. He was, after all, something of a conscious to her.
"Maybe," he began, "maybe this world was emptied all of a sudden. Or everybody had gone up and went somewhere. Like if they might have had to leave as soon as possible for something."
…or from something…
Lyra shuddered. This time imagining a hideous monster eating up everything in its path. (A/N: evil smile)This time Pan felt her think of it too. Hoping to break the silence and the mini-war against the beast in their minds, Lyra said "If this world is empty, do you think there isn't any Dust here?"
"No. Lord Asriel had even said so. Dust is everywhere. But this world can't be empty. I'm sure there is a scholar that knows something about Dust."
Lyra sighed. "I hope your right Pan," yawning, she looked around her and set her bag on the floor, by the bed, "but for now, let's get some sleep. This can be our room while we are in this world. We can explore some more in the morning." Lyra laid down on the bed and found it surprisingly comfortable. Pantalaimon turned into an ermine and laid down on the pillow, near Lyra's head. They both fell asleep almost immediately.
Lyra woke up first, and seemed startled to find herself on a bed. Then she remembered the night before and relaxed. She turned to her daemon and prodded him with her finger. He continued to sleep as if she had done nothing. Lyra watched him for several minutes, snickering uncontrollably when his legs furiously twitched every now and then. Finally Lyra tried to wake him up again, this time whispering to him.
"Pan. Pa-an. Hey Pan. Pan. Pan! WAKE UP, PAN!"
Pantalaimon jolted up, fur on end. Lyra had yelled the last three words in his ear.
"Finally you wake up. Get up. Let's go check out the city!"
Pan turned into a bobcat and hissed at her. But he did get up and walk to the doorway, pausing to glare at Lyra as he padded by. Lyra ignored him as she picked up her rucksack. Opening the door, she stuck her tongue out at him and raced down the hallway, down the steps, through the door, across the room, and out the entrance. Pantalaimon had turned into an ostridge and dashed right after and her passed her as they ran across the first floor. They both stopped on the street and for the first time saw the city in the daylight.
"Wow." Lyra breathed. Pan could only nod. All the buildings seemed very old, almost ancient. And all of them had repairs running along the walls. It's as if the citizens would simply just not get rid of its history.
As they both scanned the city, one building stood out, it was very close to where they were and was about several stories tall. It was an ancient tower, obviously much older than all the others, that stood alone in the middle of an empty square. It seemed as if all the buildings were turned away from it. Lyra walked over to it and stopped. Carvings of winged figures were in the sides of the tower. There was a large, wooden double-door with one of the doors partially open. Something about this building made her feel really desolate. Pan, now a chimp, bared his teeth.
"This building feels so… empty. I don't want to get any closer, Lyra. Let's go. Please."
Lyra couldn't help but agree with him. Something was not right here. She turned and walked toward the beach, instead. Small fishing boats lined the ports along with large ships. There were small pools of water along the coast that each seemed to reflect their own sun. As they began walking across the wet sand, Pantalaimon turned into a seagull, and then seeming to change his mind, he turned instead into a large bass. Lyra could almost hear him giggle with glee (a/n: GLEE I TELL YOU GLEE!)as he swam about. Following him, Lyra splashed into the sea and had the most wonderful time she had in a very long while, swimming with her daemon in their very own sea, their very own world.
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Well did you like? I probably won't add anything to this so BACK OFF! And yes I know the ending is cheesy but wutevah. intoxicating sweet voice AND RR PEOPLE!