As both children stare at the black mass that was slowly coming towards them, Lyra realised that it was the open field near the canals where Ma Costa and the other Gyptians would station their boats. Then out of the corner of Lyra's eye she noticed something that looked like shooting stars, but she knew they weren't.
"What are those?" Will asked to Lyra
"I'm not sure but look, it's like they are fighting that black mass"
These bright glowing darts of light the children see in the sky aren't stars but angels fighting the bad that is heading their way, in fact in the direction of Lyra's parents.
"WE NEED TO GO NOW LYRA" Will shouted as if Lyra was running in the field in the other world, she was still standing next to him.
Will closes the window, grabs Lyra's hand and heads back to the open area he cut a window in when they returned to his world. He knew deep down he had to return Lyra to her world... to her parents.
—————————————————-
Marisa still sad that she couldn't return with Lyra. Sitting on a rock near the Adamant Tower, a voice caught caught Marisa's attention.
"Why are you crying? A woman of your stature wouldn't shed tears on the weak"
Marisa goes to look to see who is talking to her, they were so bright it was like staring into the sun.
"I can't see you, who are you?"
"I am the almighty Lord Regent, Metatron"
Marisa was shocked, she read so much about Metatron, she never dreamed that she would see him in her life.
"Where is your daughter Marisa? You must bring her to me"
"Why do you want Lyra?"
"I know about the prophecy Marisa. So where is she?"
"She is in another world with a boy, she didn't want to return with me….. I hurt her too much and she doesn't want me as her mother"
Marisa looks down at her feet, her daemon staring back at her.
"I bet when you were human, you had lots of woman hanging off you. I bet if you had me on your arm, I could get you in places like the Magisterium"
"As pleasing as that is Marisa, I wish to either take on your daughter or the man that started this war…. ASRIEL"
Marisa starts to panic. What have I done? As much as Marisa would love to see Asriel fall, if she were to have one last chance with Lyra and Asriel dies, Lyra would never forgive her.
"I'll be right back and bring Asriel back with me"
Marisa runs off towards where Asriel would be. Waving her arms like a lunatic she's screaming out to him.
"ASRIEL!"
"ASRIEL!"
"ASRIEL!"
Asriel could hear Marisa yelling out his name but wasn't paying any attention to the woman. What got is attention is something he'd dream of seeing his whole life. Marisa finally at his side saw what he was staring at.
"Is that what I think it is?"
"Yes…. Dust. It's beautiful, don't you think Marisa?" Asriel turns to his lover to see tears in her eyes. She was so caught up in seeing something that was classed as sin, she forgot what she had to say.
"What's the matter Marisa? You look like you've seen a ghost"
Marisa embraces Asriel, he grows a little concerned as she hasn't done this since that time on the mountain top. "What have you done?"
"Oh Asriel, my dear Asriel, I have done something horrible. I found Metatron and I told him that id bring you back to him. He knows about the prophecy, he knows that its Lyra, he knows she's the new Eve. What are we going to do? She is still our daughter Asriel!"
Asriel looks at his lover then down at his daemon and takes a deep breath. "I was never a father to our daughter, I left her at that college for a reason. I couldn't be a dad after what had happened, she's more yours than mine"
As they were crossing worlds, Lyra started to get this horrible feeling, a very similar feeling she had when she found out what her mother was up to when she lived in London.
"Will stop"
Will turns around quickly, knife in hand ready to protect Lyra "What's wrong Lyra?"
"I'm not sure, I was just walking then this horrible feeling consumed my body. I haven't felt this since I found out what they did at Bolvanger. Let's just keep going I'm sure it's nothing"
The children walked on for a few more hours still Will found the right place to cut a window. The first place he opened the window, when he went to check to see if it was clear, he nearly fell off a cliff face. Will shook his head and quickly closed the window. Window two he opened, and a big fog cloud started to seep through. "This isn't right" the boy thought to himself, he could tell these were safe places to cut windows but when he did, he could have hurt himself and Lyra.
"I can't do this Lyra. I can't cut us a window to get us closer to where your mother could be. I'm going to get us lost"
Lyra knew her newfound friend had it in him, she just had to find a way to encourage him.
"Will, remember when you figured out how to find the Alethiometer in Mr Latroms house, you can do that again. I BELIEVE IN YOU WILL"
"OK, I'll try once more….. for you Lyra"
Will cut through the air like a hot knife in butter, this time it felt different than the other times he tried with opening windows. When this one opened, glitter like substance burst into the world they were in.
"Dust" Lyra whispered to herself
Will looked back at Lyra with a slight smirk on his face, then made the window bigger for them to go through. In the distance they could see fire, bears and what looked like people, but they were see-through. Lyra was in utter shock to see such a horrible war happening… one she knew her father would have started.
"We need to hurry and find them Will" Lyra said in a frightened tone
Marisa finds her way back to Metatron to tell him Asriel wouldn't come with her to see him. For the first time since that night when Edward died Marisa was scared for her life… and for Asriel's.
"My lord, he wouldn't come with me. I tried to convince him, but he could see right through my lies"
"Don't worry Marisa, my army will destroy him and everyone who came to help him with this war against me"
Marisa runs back to Asriel to warn him yet again about Metatron's plans. Asriel grew more concerned and worried about the people he got to join his side.
"I can't bear the thought of oblivion Asriel. A world without you and Lyra is a world I don't want to live in"
"To you, I'd give you the world Marisa, I just wish I could have done this thirteen years ago when Lyra was born. Married you like I wanted…. To be a family. But it's too late now, I know what I must do"
Asriel looks down at Stelmaria and gives her a nod. She knows what must be done.
Lyra and will were getting closer and closer to the carnage of the war and noticed two figures close to each other. Lyra let out a gasp "Mum and Dad" oh how desperately she wanted to run up to them to show she came back, to say let's go home and be a family. Then she saw her parents walk to this big ball of light.
"Oh no, Will we need to stop them"
Will looked up to try and see what Lyra saw, then he saw it, what he assumed was Lyra's parents fighting something that wasn't human.
"I get you want your parents to be ok Lyra, I wouldn't go there it doesn't look safe"
Lyra didn't care, she wanted to make sure her parents knew she came back. As she got closer and closer the three figures were getting closer and closer to the edge of a cliff. Lyra's heart began to sink, she knew one bad move and both her parents will be gone.
"Mum, dad don't do it. No…. there has to be another way to stop this"
Both Asriel and Marisa looked at their daughter, tears in their eyes. Then Metatron noticed the child, the one he'd been seeking. Metatron flings his wings open and both adults go flying across the ground.
"So, you are the famous Lyra, the new Eve. Well, you won't be for long. Come here child" Metatron reaches out his arm to touch Lyra's face. Marisa grabs all her strength to stand up, her daemon doing the same.
"DON'T YOU TOUCH MY DAUGHTER!"
Marisa lunges herself at the angel, her daemon flung his claws and teeth into the right wing. Asriel ran at the angel while Stelmaria went for the other wing. Both parents look at their child, their minds filled with regret and sadness. Oh, how Asriel wishes he was there more for Lyra, Marisa wishes she told Lyra who her mother was the day they had that argument in the flat. Both cherishing the time they had with their daughter.
Lyra's eyes filled with tears, she could tell this wasn't going to end well. Both parents were flung to the ground again. Asriel and Marisa take one last look at their daughter.
"Lyra, we love you. We always have and always will. Please be safe. Please know that we are doing this so you can have a better and brighter future. This is for you. Goodbye Lyra"
Marisa, Asriel and their daemons take one last leap at the angel over the cliff into the abyss. Lyra runs after her parents, screaming and crying. A cloud of dust rises to eye height, it was like a final goodbye from her parents.
The war was over, Lyra's future was safe and free. The Magisterium had fallen, there was no more authority. For once in her life, Lyra was scared and truly felt alone. Yes, she knew she had Will, the Master and the Gyptians but she truly felt alone.
Serafina greeted the children. She felt sad for Lyra losing her parents, but glad this war is finally over, and everything can go back to normal.
"Will, you must return Lyra back to her world and you to yours and break the knife and keep those broken pieces safe. I will find all the open windows and close them, but you must teach me first"
Will taught the witch how to close the windows. Once she left, he cut a window to Lyra's world.
"Don't forget me Will. Promise me that we will find each other again"
"I promise Lyra. Every year we will go to the botanical gardens on Midsummers day at the bench. This will be our way of finding each other"
Lyra gave him one last hug, the daemons both in cat forms said goodbye and walked through the window. Lyra watched as will closed the window to her world.
"What are we to do now Pan?" Lyra felt lost in her world.
Walking back towards Jordan college, the Gyptians found Lyra, somehow the news of her parent's death got to them, but she knew Kaiser would have sent the news to them since they were close to Asriel.
Lyra went back to Jordan college to live full time and attend her schooling at Saint Sophia's college the same school her mother went to. From time to time, she'd get sad and shed a tear for her parents.
Every year Lyra and Pan visit the botanical gardens to try and connect with Will.