Reunion:

Mia had never more pain in her life than I had now. She felt her chest being scratched and singed at the same time. Aster's screams echoed in her ears. Four times they had tired and four times they had failed. She struggled to catch her breath after every slash they attempted.

Mrs. Coulter's impatience made her head burn.

Just then there was a sudden rising of a siren which echoed

"What is going on?!" she shouted.

"The tartars are being attacked by an armoured bear," a soldier reported.

Mia's eyes widened a little. It's Iorek. she thought.

"Well surely they can take of just one bear,"

"He's not alone. A man is with him. He's managed to get into the control room and shut down the gates,"

"What?!" Mrs. Coulter bellowed. "Take her out!"

The door opened and Mia was hauled out of the cage. She tried to stand but she was so weak. Mr. Sysselman forced her onto her legs and made her stagger forward. Aster, in the form of an Arctic fox was pulled out by the golden monkey.

Lyra was panicking. She was freaking out. She couldn't be late.

Pan flew ahead. "Lyra stop!" she stopped and peeped around the corner. She saw Mrs. Coulter, the last woman she wanted to see, and the man from Trollesund hauling Mia out. She looked so weak. Her heart jumped. It jumped again when she saw him push her to the floor. The golden monkey threw Aster to the floor as well.

"What do we do with her Marisa?" the man cold questioned.

Mrs. Coulter went mmm and stared down at Mia. "If she can't be cut from her daemon, then she is a freak. An inhuman girl who can't go on living."

Lyra felt her heart beating faster at the mention of her words.

"But we need her for leverage over her father,"

"We will only have leverage for as long as he believes she's alive. But for the sake of all that is right and just...she will have to be put down," She raised her gun.

Lyra gasped. She wanted to shout but no words came out.

"Lyra...the spy fly," Pan whispered.

A new thought emitted in her head. She pulled out a tin from her pocket. Inside was something struggling to get out as it banged against the lid. She opened it. Suddenly a spy fly shot out like a rocket right at Mrs. Coulter. It struck her right in the face and she stumbled back in fright. She saw her golden monkey daemon fall back in pain too.

"Run Mia!" she screamed.

Quickly Mia turned and their eyes met. She used whatever strength she had to scramble onto her feet, and she rushed towards her.

Mrs. Coulter managed to spot them and her eyes enlarged. "Lyra?"

Once their eyes met for a moment Lyra stiffened. She wasn't expecting to see revelation in them. But she couldn't be anywhere near her. She pulled Mia out of sight. They heard footsteps pursuing them. Pan flew ahead and led them into a safe corner. They pressed ther backs against the wall and heard the footsteps retreat away. Everything was quiet.

Lyra peered around the corner to make sure no one was by. She sighed in relief. She turned back to Mia and pulled her into her arms. "I'm so glad you're safe,"

"I've never been more glad to see you," she cried.

"I was so horrified when I thought I was too late. I heard your screaming and then when I saw you...If I hadn't of done something soon..."

"It's okay Lyra. It's good to see you?"

"It's good to see you two. Are you hurt?"

"I'm fine,"

"I can't believe my mother tried to..."

"Yes. And I don't care whether she's your mother or not. You're too good,"

She stared at me with paleness engulfing her bright facial colours. "Is it true? Could they not..."

"Please? Not now," Mia pleaded. It was too painful. Her body felt so weak that she was afraid she would collapse.

"Okay. First we need to get your things, then we need destroy that machine once and for all!"

She nodded. "First I'll need to set off the fire alarm. Then we need to get Roger to do something,"

"Do what?"

"You'll see. Is my dad here?"

"Yes. And so is Iorek. They're buying us time until the Gyptians arrive. They should here just soon Do you remember where the room is?"

"Yes. Now let's go," Spotting a fire alarm, Mia gave it a kick sending a siren wail echoing across the hallway.

Quickly they bolted to the storage rooms and pulled out Mia's clothes from the cupboards. She managed to get changed quickly and pulled on her long leather coat and her hat before they bolted out again.

They burst into a changing room.

Roger was getting changed. "Lyra!" he cried out for joy.

"Roger?!" Lyra was overjoyed too. They ran into each other's arms, holding each other tightly.

"Who's this?" a boy asked.

The boys began demanding questions about who Lyra was. Quickly Mia ushered them to calm down and said that Lyra was a friend and that help was here and this was our chance to escape. Luckily Roger had managed to get the message through earlier.

"Mia, I'm so glad you're alright," he said, giving her a hug too. "I was so afraid that..."

"It's okay Roger. You need to go to that room and get all those kids to leave,"

"What if they don't wanna come? They looked...empty,"

"You have to try,"

"Okay? What are you and Lyra going to do?"

"We're going to destroy that machine. Once and for all," Lyra declared.

Splitting up, us girls bolted to the Intercession Room. Lyra began pressing buttons.

"The doctors said if they don't close the doors, the machine gets frenzied," she pulled open the doors. Lyra meanwhile pressed the buttons, powering it up to its maximum capacity. She lifted the lever, lifting the blade and then bam!

The moment the blade was chopped between the two boxes, the whole room started to shake. The machine began to come apart. She pulled Lyra out of the room and just as they ducked behind a corner, the room seemed to explode behind us. They just missed getting knocked back by a flying piece of rubble.

They looked at each other and shared a long sigh. The machine was destroyed. No child would ever be cut again. They made their way back through the hallways but they were overrun with soldiers everywhere. They kept ducking and diving underneath them to try and find Roger or Lee or anyone. Suddenly Lyra was snatched away.

"Lyra!" Mia tried to make a run to her but she was knocked down by a soldier. They tried to grab her but she kicked them away. She ducked behind a corner but she lost sight of Lyra. She couldn't find her.

"Lyra!" she cried out. "Lyra! Oh no!"

"Mia. Let's go free that bear. It wouldn't hurt to another in the fight," Aster said. "It may be our only chance to find Lyra quicker,"

Mia managed to get through to the restricted room door. Spotting a doctor walking out, she quickly ducked inside just as it closed. Iera, still chained up, looked up as me as she was in her presence.

"You were quite lucky," she said.

"Lucky I had a friend save me just in time. Help has arrived. I'm getting you out," she grabbed a spatula and with a few strikes, the system was busted and the locks were unlocked. Iera was realised from the cage and she looked at her with a warm face. She pulled the nuzzle off her mother and she relived herself of its burden.

"Thank you Mia Scoresby. I am forever in your debt young one. Climb on my back,"

Lee felted cornered by Mr. Sysselman. "Ahh...I was wondering when I would see you again," he snarled. "Come here to cause trouble again? Just like your darling daughter,"

Lee flew into a rage. "If you have hurt my child...in any way,"

"You're lucky she got away. But you aren't. The Magisterium are after you now. But...it would be more fun to shoot you instead...while you're still here. Then I can find her again...and kill her,"

Crying out in rage, Lee lashed out and tried to hit him with his musket but he ducked. He tried to shoot but he knocked the barrel away. Sysselman suddenly pinned me against the wall, knocking away his weapon. He pulled out a pistol and held it against his head.

"Goodbye...aeronaut," he taunted. He sneered.

When all hope seemed lost, a loud growl emitted in his hears. Sysselman's too. His toothy smirk dropped. He turned around. He looked to the side.

It was Mia riding an bear, a female one. "Get your hands off of my dad!" she snarled.

Mr. Sysselman turned scared.

"I am not a slave to be bought," the bear growled. Then with a swipe of her massive paws she knocked Mr. Sysselman aside and off me. The bear pierced his daemon with her knife-length claws, killing her, killing him.

"Nobody messes with my dad," Lee's daughter growled. She slipped off the bear and she ran into her father's open arms. Lee mothered her head with kisses. Hester nuzzled Aster like a mother with her baby.

"Oh Mia I'm never letting out of my arms again," Lee cried.

"Oh dad. I was so afraid I wouldn't see you again,"

"It's alright Mia. I'm here. You're safe now,"

"It was so awful," she looked at him. "They tried to cut Aster from me," Lee blinked. He became shocked. His pulse stimulated.

"They tried but they failed. They kept trying and it...it hurt so much. And that horrible woman Mrs. Coulter, she tried to kill me. If it wasn't for Lyra..." she drifted off.

Her father's thumbs gladdened her wet checks. "It's alright. I'm here. We're here. They won't hurt you. No one messes with daddy's girl," he hugged her again, kissing her head. "We have so much to thank Lyra for. Let's go find her,"

"Follow me," the bear said.

Lyra screamed and screamed out for Mia but she had lost her again. Tartars were everywhere and she struggled to keep out of their sight. She rushed in another direction, but it was a dead end. She turned round and to her shock Mrs. Coulter and some of her men were with her. She was cornered.

"Lyra..." Mrs. Coulter tried to walk forward.

"Get away from me!" she shouted.

"I'm so glad to have found you," It was as if she didn't care that I sent a spy fly flying at her to save Mia.

"I won't say it again!" she growled.

"I know what you're thinking..." the cold uncaring woman tried to say.

"You tried to kill Mia!" Lyra snapped.

"She's a freak. And a danger to you!"

"You're the one who's a danger to me!"

She snarled but she turned soft.

Another approach to try and win my favour. Lyra thought.

"Lyra...there's something you should know..."

"Don't tell me," she interrupted. "I know who you are to me. And that doesn't change anything. If you were really my mother...you would have kept me. You wouldn't have abused me. You wouldn't have kidnapped my best friend! Or tried to kill my new friend!"

"I wasn't equipped at the time. And it wouldn't have been good for either of us,"

"No it wouldn't have been good for you because you cared more about power,"

"Lyra...this is for a better future. One that will ensure that this world is freed from sin, from dust,"

Lyra blinked at her. "Dust is sin?" Every rumour she had heard about this strange substance was making everything a great mystery.

"Yes. I know it looks cruel but all those children I cut...it was to free them from sin...to provide a better future,"

"But what about Billy Costa?" Lyra snapped, about to burst into tears again as she reminded myself of her friend who her mother had killed. "Was killing him a way to free him from sin?"

"That was unfortunate. But you must understand that the greatest changes require the sacrifice of the few for the many,"

"It's over! The machine's destroyed! You'll never be able to hurt anyone ever again!"

"I don't want to hurt you Lyra. But if I have to drag you away..." she stepped away.

Suddenly a loud roar erupted from behind her. Lyra gasped. It was Iorek. Her mother turned around and she jumped to the side as soldiers were bombarded through by a mad armoured bear who came to Lyra.

"Hop on Lyra!" Quickly she mounted Iorek and they went charging through the tunnels to find a number of Tartars battling the Gyptians who had managed to catch up with us. But no sign of Lee or Mia. Lyra looked back at Mrs. Coulter, who stared after me with a desperate glance. She turned forward.

They managed to find the Gyptians including Ma Costa and Farder Coram who were overjoyed to see me. Everyone battled the Tartars with force and fear. Iorek told me to retreat to a safe corner. She obeyed and went to a safe corner out of danger. She noticed that one scientist was pointing towards her. A soldier was ordered was captured. He rushed forward.

From out of nowhere, a silver arrow pierced his neck killing him. Then there was a blur of green killing every soldier she could see. The killer was the witch Serafina Pekala. Once she finished the scientist, she shot up like a rocket into the sky. It was over. It was finally over.

Lee and Mia followed Iera. Mia stayed close to Iera as dad took out soldiers from behind and beside them. They were reaching near the others when one very armed soldier blocked their way with a big gun. With no armour, Iera would be killed. Bravely but reckless, Mia stood in front, unable to let the soldier kill her new friend.

"Mia! No!" dad screamed.

But before the soldier could shoot, a pair of jaws snatched his feet and pulled him back. Mia cringed as his life was taken. It was Iorek.

"Iorek!" she rushed to him so she could touch his face.

"Mia! Are you okay?"

"I'm alright. Thank you. I believe there's someone who wants to see you," I stood aside allowing Iorek and Iera to see each other for the first time in years.

They growled soft as they were in each others' presence. They walked forward and they nuzzled noses and touched each other's foreheads. It was so sweet. Mia noticed her dad was a little grossed out; he wasn't expecting this.

"Come on dad. It's just love," she said.

"Yep. I'm so proud of you for freeing that bear,"

Mia noticed a stern look on his face. "I know it was reckless..."

"It was. But you were so brave. And I'm proud of you as for rescuing Roger as well," Mia looked at him. He had learnt it from Lyra.

"Are you alright?" Iorek asked Iera.

"I am alright. Thanks to Mia," she turned to me.

"Thank you Mia,"

"Is Lyra alright?"

"Yes. She's fine. It's all over. The witch queen Serafina Pekala finished off the last of the soldiers," Quickly they followed Iorek and they reunited with the Gyptians. Roger had brought out all the poor cut children, wrapped up in blankets.

Quickly Mia ran into Lyra and Roger's open arms. "Are you guys okay?"

"Yes. We're fine," Roger assured.

"I'm so glad you're safe," Lyra expressed. She noticed Iera. "Who's this?"

"Just a new friend I made. Guys, this is Iera. Iera, this is Lyra and Roger,"

"Uh...hello," Roger waved anxiously. He had never met a bear face to face.

"Hi," Lyra greeted with a strong voice, not afraid of her for one second.

"You must be the girl who that horrible woman with the monkey daemon was talking about. I heard from Mia that you freed Iorek from his slavery.

"Are you...?"

"Yes. I am the bear who he fought against another to win me over. We owe both you and Mia for bringing us back together,"

Together we shrugged our shoulders and just smiled.

"You brave lass," Lee looked at Lyra with a grateful smile. "Thank you Lyra. For saving her. I don't know how to ever repay you," he gave her a hug which she wasn't expecting. Mia laughed at her surprised face.

Noticing Roger's questionable look, Mia introduced him to her dad.

"So you're the balloon driver?" he asked.

"It's aeronaut Roger. Tell me do you do well with heights?" he asked.

"Not really. Why?"

"We've got a long trip ahead of us,"

Lyra looked at him. "You're going to help me get to my father?"

"Yep. You saved my daughter's life. And such a debt that should be repaid,"

She sighed with relief. As did Mia.

"Thank you Mr. Scoresby,"

"Please...call me Lee,"

The balloon was waiting for us outside. Iorek and Iera boarded.

"Woah! woah! We can't carry two bears!" Lee objected.

"Yes we can dad," she said. "And we can all fit in,"

"Yes, but it's goanna be very squishy,"

Once again, his daughter just shrugged my shoulders, holding a straight face.

Lyra gave Maggie one last hug. They shared one final conversation about how Billy would have been proud that they rescued everyone. Mia gave her and Tony one last hug too before we boarded the balloon.

Two Gyptians closed the gate and dad pulled a lever. They took off into the sky.

"I am very impressed that your balloon can carry two bears, three kids and a full grown man," Roger looked admirable.

"This balloon is a lot stronger than it looks. But I never want to tire this baby out again once we rescue Asriel," Lee said, a little uncomfortable by such an overload of passengers.

"Good luck Gyptians!" Mia waved down to them. "Take care of those children!"

They floated higher and higher into the air, heading north to Svalbard. Mia never thought we would end up going there...but here we were.

"Thank you Mia," Roger said.

"For what?"

"For saving my life of course. Even though you got into trouble because of it,"

"It was nothing Roger," she assured. "I'm just glad we're all safe and we've saved all those kids,"

Lee told them to get some sleep and they did. They snuggled up to the two bears and Mia felt her dad's lips kissing her head as she fell asleep.

Ahh! So they've all been reunited at last. And they're off to Svalbard! Wonder what adventures lie in store for Mia later. Please send over some ideas. I would love some inspiration. I'm still going to follow a majority of the storyline but I would like to add a few changes. Hope you all enjoyed this chapter.