The Way, The War, And The End – Chapter 10
I have not forgotten this story, half yearlies have been murder, with really terrible results especially my maths… Anyways, second reason why this chapter has taken so long is that I've had a really, really, really, bad case of writer's block. It was like a very wide wall that I needed to get over and I'm really not the kind who climbs walls. Now that I have climbed this wall, here is chapter 10!
The roar of the gunfire echoed through the skies, as avians dropped from the skies, from the seemingly never ending barrage of bullets. At first it seemed like things were going well, until the avians began to overwhelm them as battalions surrounded the ships that headed to France. At that point the tide of the battle began to change.
All around Will and Lyra as they both stood back to back, Will with a rifle and Lyra with her revolver, shooting at the avians that would do the most damage, and their daemons below deck, worried for their human's safety. Mary was back to back with Jennifer, shooting at absolutely any enemy that dared to go close. Janurius bit any avian who dare threatened either of them. Xaphania in the air with a spear and cloaked in shining armour, stabbed any and all who would attack the ship from above. Iorek and his bears would, tear at any avian that touched the ship, ripping them to shreds.
From above, Godfrey and Tristan, flew with an elite squad of heavily armoured and skilled avians, tearing through the skies. Bullets bounced off their armour, and as they landed on separate ships, they drew their swords and hacked and slashed at any anyone.
Lyra glimpsed the angel on the other ship, and signalled Will to cover her, as she neared the ship's railing, with Will covering her she took aim at the angel. 'Lyra anytime now!' Will shouted.
'Just give me a moment' Lyra said, as she aimed at the vital point of the angel. Things were getting hectic, but nonetheless Lyra aimed taking into account the gravity, and wind speed, although she hesitated at first, she then pulled the trigger.
BANG!
'TRISTAN!' bellowed Godfrey, seeing his friend fall, and looking at the other ship to have seen a girl, with a revolver in her hand. The girl, Godfrey was given to look after, but then was taken by Xaphania. Anger built up and a lust for revenge came over him, but before he could even act, he too was stabbed, in the left shoulder, but he retaliated by slicing his head off. Godfrey disappeared in the middle of the battle to try and get patched by the avian medics who were very skilled. After fifteen minutes, he was patched up by the medics, Godfrey flew back to the battlefield only to find Godfrey holding a rifle aiming at someone.
Straight after Godfrey left the battlefield. Tristan was bleeding, he knew it was only a matter of time before he died, as avian allies fell and died around him, he knew the battle was lost and it was stupid to attack, but he was told this battle would help destroy the most dangerous thing that all men fear.
So many years ago, he remembered visiting a cloaked woman and her German shepherd daemon. The visit was no surprise to the woman, but Tristan knew she was a fortune teller, and was believed to have the ability to look into the future. Tristan had came to her for several visions, soon after the separation of Will and Lyra. The angels' gift of foresight simply disappeared. This time, Tristan came of his own accord. He wanted to know something about his future, just for his own sake. He paid the usual fee, and sat down at the table.
'So, Tristan, what brings you here,' the woman said, as a tray of tea floated to the table, 'sugar?'
'No tea please, Jennifer,' Tristan said, 'I've come here of my own accord with my own purpose.'
'Then speak already, so I may get this over and done with,' Jennifer said, sipping her cup of tea.
'Hathrow plans to start a battle amongst the angels and all creatures of all the worlds,' began Tristan, 'he has appointed me second in command. I would like to know if there is anything you see in it.'
'Oh I don't have to see in the future to know much, in battles and possibly war from the sounds of it, people die, and one team has to win,' Jennifer said, and as if suddenly something came to her she said, 'but I see one battle that may make a difference in two people's lives. You will aid them by destroying the very thing we all fear the most…'
Things were looking grim, but nonetheless, Tristan was not going down like this, he grabbed the nearest rifle, and loaded it with an ethereal and glowing bullet, but it was not solid. Instead it was slightly transparent. Tristan struggled to stand up, and he stood up on his two legs, and aimed at Lyra who was busy, shooting everyone with no one to protect her.
Will was on the quarter deck, and Lyra was on the main deck, Mary and Jennifer were right behind him, giving fire support from a higher deck. Will had drawn his sword, slicing anyone that set foot on the ship. Blood was everywhere, it was only as he turned back to see Lyra did something bright catch his eye from the other ship. He then saw an angel there, still alive, but aiming a rifle, and he already knew from that point, who his target was… Lyra.
Will knew he would not make it in time, but he remembered Jennifer mentioning a way to slow down time. Thinking it was his only hope of protecting Lyra, he thought with all his might about all the events around him slow down. And then he felt everything slow down around him. He then heard the rifle from the other ship fire, although faint he could still hear it, running as fast as he could, he headed straight to Lyra. It was in milliseconds, but Will was going in seconds through his timeframe. As he saw the bullet near Lyra's heart, he knew there was little left to do, he didn't think. All he did was grab her and he took the bullet. Will felt something heavy pass through his heart, like the time his soul was torn from him in the land of the dead, but to his own shock and realisation, it passed through him and through Lyra. Before he could say another word he fainted.
Lyra felt Will grab her, but as she looked at him, she felt a heavy blow to her heart, almost identical in everyway to the pain she felt when she left Pantalaimon. It scared her that Will was hit as well. Before another word could be said, she fainted.
Godfrey flew down to Tristan's side, 'Tristan! What the hell did you do that for, isn't the whole point of this war is to make sure they stay together, and not kill them, they have their whole lives ahead of themselves!'
All Tristan could say was, 'Ha ha, nothing like taking two birds with one stone!' and he retched, fell silent and died.
'RETREAT, RETREAT!!' Godfrey shouted, and whatever avians remained alive retreated into the skies into their haven.
Everyone was cheering on the other ships, but on the ship Will and Lyra were on, all were slightly cheering, but Mary was not, neither was Xaphania. They both checked Will and Lyra's pulses; there was a pulse, but very faint. They were immediately brought to their cabins, while they allowed doctors onboard to check them.
After a diagnosis, they went to both Mary and Xaphania. The doctor began, 'Physically, Will and Lyra are quite fine. Their daemons are just as fine, however I feel as if they are battling something inside them. My prognosis is that they may make it or not, it depends if they can defeat whatever lies inside.'
Mary looked to Xaphania and they both wore worried faces. 'This is unnerving,' Mary said, 'what could they be fighting.'
'They are both strong people, but after all I've put them through, I have doubts,' Xaphania said, 'all we can do is wait…'
'We may wait a bit long, depending on how smart they are,' said someone behind them.
'Oh it's you Jennifer,' Mary said, 'wait… what exactly do you mean?'
'I've known this for quite a while Mary, I saw this happen,' Jennifer said.
'Then why didn't you warn them!' Mary said, slightly angered by this new factor.
'I could have, but I only would have postponed the inevitable,' Jennifer said.
'The inevitable?' Xaphania said, 'what do you mean?'
'Do not ask for specifics, but just know the bullet is no ordinary bullet,' Jennifer began, 'and what they are facing is something we all fear.'
With the look of a worried mother, Mary said, 'Which is…'
Okay I think I'm gonna end this chapter since I can't think of anything more to add to this… 1500 words, it's okay, but doesn't meet my goal but I think it's been a while since I've posted.