The Forgotten Daemon

Disclaimer: I didn't think much of The Golden Compass. I read only one book and watched the movie a few times. But nonetheless, watching it has grown on me, so here is a one shot, peculiar idea I had gotten from watching Golden Compass...and playing Spyro Eternal Night. I don't own anything that has to do with Golden Compass.

"Ethics cannot be based upon our obligations toward [people], but they are complete and natural only when we feel this Reverence for Life and the desire to have compassion for and to help all creatures insofar as it is in our power. I think that this ethic will become more and more recognized because of its great naturalness and because it is the foundation of a true humanism toward which we must strive if our culture is to become truly ethical."

-Albert Schweitzer

"Life is a process of becoming, a combination of states we have to go through. Where people fail is that they wish to elect a state and remain in it. This is a kind of death."

-Anais Nin

By: VampireQueenAkasha

"We'll set things right. We will. You, and me, and Iorek, and Serafina Pekkala, and Mr. Scoresby. And my father. We'll set it right, Pan. Just let them try to stop us."

-Lyra Belacqua, Golden Compass

The North

A heavy snowstorm had passed through the destined path of the hot air balloon. The entire crew struggled to keep warmth and the balloon adrift.

"She ain't gonna hold on much longer in this storm!" Scoresby shouted, to the others. Hester, his Daemon struggled to keep a grip on his coat.

Iorek had curled himself protectively around Lyra's small frame. Pan, her Daemon had curled around her neck as well. "I don't like this, Lyra!" Pan cried, "We're not gonna make it through this mess!"

Lyra shivered from the cold. But she was determined to reach Lord Asriel in time, no matter what.

Suddenly, as the snow seemed to part, Scoresby's eyes grew wide. Right in front of the balloon was a mountain. The balloon crashed into it with great force, snapping the wings and puncturing the balloon, sending it toward earth.

The occupants of the balloon were sent scattered across the snow, out cold. All except for Serafina; due to her ability to fly. She carefully rushed toward Lyra and delicately lifted her.

"Lyra, are you alright?" she said.

Lyra shivered and blinked, snowflakes plastered to her eyelashes. Pan had fallen against her chest. The others slowly awoke from their spots and huddled together while Scoresby checked the damages of his balloon.

"What are we going to do now?" Pan asked, shaking.

Scoresby glanced down at them, resolute. "Well, I'd say we hit a bit of a snag ... " he told them. "These damages are gonna take some time to repair."

"Great ... " Hester muttered, shivering.

Serafina took a few steps forward and gazed through the blizzard, noticing a castle in the distance. She furrowed her brow.

"There is a castle not far." she told them, pointing. "Perhaps we should seek shelter there until this weather lets up."

Scoresby nodded. "Lady's right," he agreed, "Let's get movin'."

The small team trudged through the blizzard, following Serafina to the castle she spoke of. As they drew close enough to see it, they looked up in amazement. The castle itself was made entirely of a greenish emerald. Jade. It's towers stood as tall as they could see.

Scoresby and Iorek reached for the massive doors and pried them open. Everyone rushed into the castle, sheltered from the snow for the time being.

O

The castle was barely lit by torches that glowed with green fire. Everyone looked around in amazement.

"Wow, look at this place!" Lyra gasped.

And then, a voice filled the entire green chamber. A gravely voice that sounded as if it were covered up by another. "Who enters my domain?"

They turned, all weapons at the defense toward the source; a figure resting at a jade throne. It was a woman. A woman dressed in a thick, fur dress and long, yellow hair that practically trailed down to her feet. Her fingers were long, nearly bony, almost like that of an old woman, but her face was youthful. But those eyes ... Those eyes were dark brown, filled with a coldness and a hatred that was colder than the raging winds outside.

And yet, the most peculiar thing about her was a strange silver device on her neck. It resembled a large collar with a speaker in the middle. It occurred to them all that she had spoken to them through this speaker.

"Uh ... I am Lee Scoresby ... " Scoresby greeted, removing his hat in respect. He gestured to the others. "Serafina Pekkala, the Witch, Iorek Byrnison, and this is Hester," He gestured down to his Daemon. He glanced at Lyra. "And this little girl here is Lyra Belacqua and her Daemon Pan."

The strange woman's eyes landed on Lyra, cold and pitiless. "Why does she not speak for herself, then?"

Lyra took a cautious step forward. "I can speak for myself." she told her, "We're here because our balloon crashed outside in the storm. It was cold and - - "

A dry, cold chuckle escaped the woman from her speaker. "You thought you'd find shelter here." she finished, for her.

Lyra nodded.

The woman raised her brows. "How utterly presumptuous of you ... " she replied, "I am Lady Caladwen, mistress of this castle of Jade." She gestured with a single hand. "And it is these walls have sheltered me from your harsh world for nearly 300 years."

They stared at her in disbelief. "Are you a Witch?" Serafina asked.

Caladwen smirked. "No." she replied, "I am simply a common human. But this home holds the magic of your kind. As long as one is to live inside these green halls, they are blessed with immortality. Never to leave for as long as they live."

Lyra frowned at her. "But why?" she asked, "What's the good of having immortality if you're stuck here?"

Caladwen glared at her furiously. "YOU KNOW NOTHING!" she spat.

Scoresby gently touched Lyra's shoulder and spoke softly, out of earshot. "Lyra, keep her calm." he suggested, "We don't know what kind of traps this castle could hold."

Then, another voice filled the air. "What's all this ruckus?"

This voice was male, aged and rusty. From behind the throne stepped out a great form. A dragon. This was Caladwen's Daemon. Much to everyone's shock, this woman's Daemon was huge! He resembled the dragons of myth. His scales were shimmering with rainbow effects and back and face was covered with thick fur. The Daemon's eyes were the same as Caladwen's.

"This is Ormarr ... " Caladwen told them, "And he will see you out."

As Ormarr took a step forward, Lyra held out two hands. "Wait, please!" she begged, "We need help! The storm's too much and our balloon has crashed!"

Ormarr looked back at Caladwen with a questioning look. She knotted her brow. "Why should I help you?" she asked, "What is to be gained on my behalf? How am I to know you are not simply spies from the Magisterium?"

They reacted visibly to the mention of the horrible place. "How do you know about the Magisterium of you're locked away in here?" Pan asked.

Caladwen scoffed. "I am not utterly blind by the outside world, little rodent." she snapped, "The Magisterium is fully aware of this place. They send numerous spies to attempt to kill me, to finish what they tried 200 years ago. To claim this place for themselves." She leaned back. "When they come, I erase them from this world."

Lyra suddenly got an idea. She fingered with the Compass in her pouch and looked up, hoping this would work. "Let's make a deal, then."

Caladwen and Ormarr instantly grew interested. "A deal?" the dragon growled.

Lyra smiled. "Yes. A deal." she told them, "If I can figure out your entire tale of history, we stay until the storm settles."

Caladwen shifted slightly, smirking coldly. "And what if you are wrong?" she inquired.

Lyra thought about that for a moment. "Then we'll stay here and remain as your slaves for the rest of our lives if you so wish."

Everyone stared at her in disbelief. "Lyra!" Pan protested, "Are you sure you know what you're doing?"

Lyra nodded. "Yes."

She removed the Compass and opened it gently. She began to turn the knobs at the side. Caladwen watched her, brow furrowed in fascination with the thing. She leaned forward and Ormarr sniffed Lyra's hands.

Lyra watched the hands move to three symbols. The Thunderbolt, the Baby, and the Owl. Each symbol meant "Anger", "Helplessness", and "Fear". Finally, the Compass hands spun wildly and Lyra saw the past. She could see Caladwen's history.

"You were sick as a child ... " Lyra read, "Always sick ... "

Caladwen reacted visibly with surprise. "Yes ... "

Lyra tilted her head. She saw horrible images to follow. She saw Caladwen's Daemon. It had grown and settled quicker than any child's Daemon.

"Your Daemon settled fast ... because of your wild imagination, it became the Dragon," she read, "Your parents were frightened ... and that was when they came ... the Gobblers ... "

Caladwen narrowed her eyes and tightened her lips.

"And then ... you ran. You ran ... " Lyra read, pity in her child - like gaze, "And they hurt you ... "

Caladwen rose from her throne. "Enough ... " she ordered.

Lyra did not hear her. "More were afraid. And more hurt you and your Daemon."

"I said ENOUGH!" Caladwen bellowed, smacking the thing out of Lyra's hands. She stood there, visibly shaken, watching as Lyra quickly gathered the Compass. She glowered at the rest. "We had a bargain, you are to stay until the blizzard dissipates. Until then ... you will be watched."

O

The storm did not let up.

Lyra wandered the castle into what she assumed was the kitchen. Pan grimaced slightly as she fingered through cupboards. "We shouldn't be in here, Lyra." he warned, "That lady is awfully mean. She might have her Daemon eat us!"

"Ormarr has eaten already, so you would not satisfy him."

Lyra turned swiftly with a yelp and there stood Caladwen, held up by a small cane.

"Uh, we was hungry and ... " Lyra began.

Caladwen nodded. "Very well. I have stock. Come with me." She left the kitchen and Lyra followed.

"Her food isn't in her kitchen?" Pan wondered.

Caladwen was silent as she led the two to the so - called "stock room". Lyra glanced up at her. "Uh, Miss. Caladwen?"

"Yes?"

"Why did you get angry with me when I explained your history?" Lyra asked.

Caladwen was quiet for a long time and Lyra wondered if she even heard her. "It's not something I prefer to disclose." she murmured, "I was simply taken aback by the fact that you knew to begin with. You knew everything."

"Well ... yeah ... " Lyra said, holding her hand tighter around the Compass in her pouch.

Caladwen glanced down at her. "Do you know why such things had happened?"

Lyra shook her head.

"It was because no one wanted to know what I was ... " Caladwen replied, quietly, "I even had a lover." She smiled sadly. "But once he learned who I was, he rejected me. His Daemon attacked me and tore out my throat." She gestured to the speaker. "I visited a Witch clan, begging them for the strength to avenge my own wounded pride."

Lyra had seen all of that. "I know." she said.

Caladwen's eyes softened temporarily. "My dearest lover ... hated me." she whispered, "The Witches, in their mercy, granted me the strength to kill those who had done harm to me. I found him ... cornered him ... and Ormarr ripped his throat out just as his Daemon had done to me." A deep breath followed. "I tortured many, but none gave me peace. None gave me satisfaction. So the Witches gave this palace to call home. With only the Window of Realms as my sight to the outside world. It is a curse, dear Lyra Belacqua. If I were to step outside, I would die."

Lyra stared at her for a long time. "Have you ever thought about it?" she asked, "Ending it that way, I mean?"

Caladwen smiled slightly. "Once." she admitted, "But then it occurred to me ... why do that to Ormarr? Is it not his choice as much as it is my own?"

Ormarr passed them with a low grumble.

Meanwhile

Marisa Coulter's blimp had been following Lyra's group through the storm. She watched their progress through the large, glass dome window.

"I'll find you, Lyra ... " she vowed.

O

The snow let up after what seemed like days. The sun cast a shimmering glow on the frosty mountains. Caladwen was watching Ormarr perform repairs on the airship with Scoresby's help. She nodded her head and turned to the others, who were watching as well.

"Ormarr will be finished with repairs soon," she told them, "Then you may leave."

Serafina stepped forward. "Caladwen, why do you hide here?" she asked, "My sisters may have helped you for the moment, but surely they did not mean for you to torment yourself for all eternity."

Caladwen was quiet. She simply stared at Serafina harshly.

Suddenly, a loud, bellowing roar from Ormarr alerted Caladwen to the mirror once more. She gasped softly. Through the mirror were the Magisterium airships, coming toward them. She tightened her lips and spun around to glower at them.

"You led them here!" she raged.

Iorek raised a single paw and shook his head. "No!" he insisted, "They must have tracked us down." He looked at Lyra. "We cannot run from this. We have to fight them."

Serafina nodded in agreement. "Protect the castle."

Caladwen's harsh gaze faded into one of shock. "What?"

Outside, Ormarr's back was arched in a snarling hiss as the Magisterium's airships closed in. Scoresby glanced at him. "We better get the others," he advised.

"Yes," Ormarr replied, "There are too many. I must activate the castle's defense systems." He rushed back toward the castle with Scoresby trailing behind. Hester galloped in the snow with gasps and pants.

Caladwen watched in amazement as everyone rushed to battle stations. "I ... I don't understand," she said, taking Lyra aside, "Why are you protecting my home?"

Scoresby walked by with a smile. "We don't like these folks any more than you do," he told her, "If this place is important to you, we're gonna protect it for ya'."

Caladwen's eyes went wide. It startled her. "But I have treated you so unkindly," she said, "Why are you willing to risk your lives for the sake of my safety?"

Iorek gave her a gentle nudge with his head. "It's what we do, Miss Caladwen."

Ormarr was perched over top of the castle. He bared his teeth with a snarl. "Come then!" he shouted, "Come and die!"

Marisa Coulter noticed Ormarr and furrowed her brow. She looked stunned by the strength and size of the Daemon.

"Not to worry Miss Coulter," a voice behind her replied; she did not care to look and see who, "We will take care of him, the Forgotten Mistress as well."

O

Iorek and Ormarr dove into battle as soon as the airships landed and Magisterium men came pouring out. Scoresby and the others also joined in.

"Protect the castle!" Iorek shouted.

While they were distracted, a single Magisterium soldier crept into the castle. Lyra and Caladwen were huddled together in the throne room.

"It will be alright." Caladwen assured her, "Ormarr knows what he's doing."

Lyra frowned and shook her head. "We should be out there!"

Caladwen shook her head. "No."

Suddenly, something lunged out at them both. They spun around with gasps.

Meanwhile

Ormarr looked back at the castle with a horrified gasp. Caladwen and Lyra were being dragged out by the Magisterium soldier.

"I got them both!" he shouted, tossing them into the snow.

Caladwen writhed in the snow, moaning in pain. Lyra rushed to help her, but she was roughly pulled aside and tossed into the snow. "Iorek!" Lyra shouted.

The Panserbjorn rushed to help her, roughly swatting the soldier aside, killing him and exterminating his Daemon. Caladwen writhed in agony, gagging and choking. Marisa watched this, confused and a little disgusted.

"What's wrong with her?" she demanded.

Above, Ormarr had abruptly stopped in midair with a sharp cry and plummeted beside Caladwen, shooting snow into the air. The dragon hissed and shrieked, seemingly in pain.

Lyra rushed toward Caladwen and bent down to her. "Mistress!"

Caladwen's eyes were bloodshot, foam dabbled around the corners of her mouth. "L - Ly ... " she struggled, despite the machine in her throat.

Marisa noticed the emotion between them and furrowed her brow. She wanted Lyra, but not if it meant this way. On her own terms, if anything. She gestured to a single soldier with one hand. "See to her!" she ordered.

The others were shocked by her "kindness", and rushed to Caladwen's side. She had stopped thrashing and weakly lifted her eyes up toward the sun. She was smiling.

"Caladwen, we have to get you back inside!" Lyra insisted.

"No ... Leave me ... " Caladwen whispered.

"Why?" Serafina asked, "You know you will die. The effects of the Jade Castle do not carry beyond their walls. Age will catch up to you in a matter of minutes."

Caladwen nodded. "I know."

Ormarr moaned and dragged himself up to Caladwen. He rested his great head against her chest, his own heaving rapidly. "Milady ... " he panted, "It's what I want ... "

Caladwen chuckled softly, stroking his muzzle. "Then we have an accord, don't we?"

Lyra shook her head, tears in her eyes. "Why now?" she asked, "You can't die like this!"

Caladwen squinted at her. "It was always the way I wanted to die." she told her, "Not alone." She looked up at them all. "Can you stay with me?"

Serafina nodded, kneeling down. "Of course."

Scoresby removed his hat. "You got it."

"I will." Iorek assured.

Caladwen smiled up at the sun. "It's ... beautiful ... " she sighed, "It's ... been so long since I've ... seen the sun ... " Her body shuddered a few times before it crumbled to ash and powder.

Everyone watched in horror as Ormarr tossed his head with a final roar before he flickered into golden dust. Ormarr's "Dust" and Caladwen's "Dust" flickered and melded into one in the wind. Marisa watched this as well, confused and only a little, quickly piteous for the woman.

Behind them, the Castle of Jade crumbled into pieces. Serafina watched this with a sad sigh.

"Now that the Forgotten Daemon and his Mistress have passed on, the Castle of Jade is no more ... " she said, softly. She bowed her head in respect. "May they find peace now, in the next life ... "

O

Note-I don't know much about the series, but I did my best. If it's inaccurate, my bad. Hehe. It was just an idea that was buggin' until I wrote it down.