Learning how to use the knife

Hey. I am so sorry this took so long. I was focused on other stories and I didn't want to update until I watched Season 3 of his Dark Materials. I've finished the entire series now and I'm going to continue updating the story. Hope you all enjoy it.

Mia watched Will sit down at the end of the bed holding up the knife. "There are two edges of the knife," Giacomo began as Will twirled around a bit. "This edge will cut through any material in the world. It will even ward off and kill spectres,"

As the edge-lit up in the light, Mia saw a flash of blue and orange. She stumbled back in fright, memories of Bolvanger flashing in the mind of her eye, the machine. She heard her screams in her head.

Will noticed. "Mia, are you all right?"

She breathed in and out slowly. "That colour. I've seen it. It's the colour of the blade at Bolvanger, the blade that..." She paused feeling ashamed. "...that tried to cut me from Aster," She and Aster glanced at each other, terrified and traumatised. She couldn't bear to mention how it gave her the scars that scorched her back and chest.

"I am sorry you had to go through such an awful experience," Giacomo apologised. He wanted to come over and comfort her but she turned her head away, unable to dwell on it anymore. "The other edge is more subtle still," he continued for Will. "With it, you can cut an opening out of this world altogether. This is a great burden for one so young, but the knife, the Esahaettr has chosen you,"

Will stood up and slowly raised his hand with the knife.

"Now, it's not only the knife that has to cut, but also your mind," Giacomo added. "So put your mind at the very tip of the knife. Concentrate boy. You're looking for a small gap,"

Will stretched his hand and tried to follow everything Giacomo had taught. He continued to talk as Will tried. "The gap is almost invisible but the knife tip will find it if you put your mind there," Will breathed in and out shakily. "Stand steady until you see the smallest gap appear," It wasn't making it any easy for Will. He gave up and dropped his arm but not the knife. "You're not clearing your mind," Giacamo lectured.

"I can't," Will panted and he slumped on the bed again, head hung down. "I can't be the Bearer,"

Mia pressed her lips together and knelt beside him. "Will, you can do this," He wasn't motivated. Aster became an Arctic fox and he crooned softly coming closer to his bandaged hand which was red all over. He was soft and gentle. Will's spare fingers poked out of his bandage and touched him. Mia felt a flash of pain and stumbled back. "Aster,"

"Did I do something wrong?" Will asked, looking at her with guilt.

"No. In my world, you're not supposed to touch someone else's daemon. But you didn't do anything wrong," she counselled.

"It was me, Will. I wanted to," Aster said.

"He wanted to help," she said. She sat down next to him. "I know how much it hurts. When I was captured, I couldn't shut the fear out. Just like you can't shut the pain out,"

"How did you get through it?" Will asked.

"I kept telling myself that my father and Lyra were coming to get me. All you have to do is remember that whilst the pain is there, the knife is the most important thing. You can do this Will,"

Will looked at her as she expressed her deep faith in him. "Okay," he said. "I'll try again,"

"Let's go downstairs," Giacamo said. "It would be best to open a window on a lower level anyway," they followed him down the stairs back to the giant hallway they had entered. Will reached out again, motivated by her words. "You're gripping it too tight," Giacamo advised again.

Mia watched Will as he focused intently on the knife. Then all of a sudden, invisible strings appeared out of nowhere just off the edge of the knife. Will was surprised. They disappeared when he lost focus. "I saw something! Like thin strings that were almost invisible,". I felt them connect with the knife,"

"Yes. Good!" praised Giacamo. "This time don't lose sight of those strings," for each string is an opening into another unique world. Slide the knife into them and down. Cut. You will feel a powerful resistance,"

"Okay," Will wasn't going to give up; Mia was proud of him. He held out the knife and did exactly what he did before. They saw the lines appear. He concentrated, sensing resistance as Giacamo had warned him. Then he slid the knife down the line; a doorway to another world was formed.

"You did it, Will," Mia clapped. "I knew you could," We stared through together and saw a small blue room and exchanged a delighted smile with one another.

"Now you must learn to close," said Giacomo. "First you must sheath the knife," he pulled out a short knife scabbard from his pocket and handed it to Will who sheathed it. "For this, you need to put your soul into your fingertips. Touch very delicately until you feel the edge. Then pinch it together,"

Will sheathed the knife and then reached his fingertips to the top of the hole. He pinched it very delicately and pulling his fingers down, the doorway closed and the world beyond it disappeared. He waved his hand around. "It's gone," Giacamo cheered. "That was easy,"

"You're a fast learner," Giacamo praised. "Much faster than I was,"

"Well done Will," Mia praised.

"We knew you could do it," said Aster proudly.

"Listen, there are four things you need to know," Giacamo invited him to sit down. "First, never open a window without closing it. The windows left open have done enough damage," his instruction made Mia think of poor John Parry separated from his family for years because he fell through a hole into my world which had been left open. "Second, never let anyone have the knife. Third - don't use it for base purposes - don't show it off, don't let it inflate your ego," She knew Will was nothing like that. He was a sweet boy. "And lastly keep it secret. It mustn't fall into the wrong hands. You have come here for a purpose, boy," he gently touched his cheek. "Maybe you don't know what that is, but you are brave," Will was brave; she couldn't thank him enough for risking his life to come looking for me. "And your friend here with the daemon is wise," he looked at Mia with admiration. "The knife will protect you. But promise me you will protect it too,"

"I will," Will vowed. "Both of us will," he looked at her and nodded.

"I sense you'll be a better bearer than I was. Now go," he stood up.

Mia's lips parted in shock. "But without the knives, the Spectres will get you,"

"Come with us," Will implored. "You'll be safe,"

"No Will, I have fulfilled my duty," he clasped his hands. "The knife has been passed down to you. You must find your path. I'd like to meet my destiny in private now. Before I do, I must tell you something very important. There's a boy who was dropped here in this city many years ago. He is not from this world,"

"Viktor," Mia realised

"Yes," He nodded. "The man from the world he was born of came to me in this tower, and told me that it was my duty to protect him,"

"From what?" asked Will.

"For a dark force that only this weapon can destroy," Giacamo pointed to it. "And now that you are the bearer Will, it will now be your duty to protect him and return him to where he belongs. One cannot survive out of their world for very long. He has been here too long and needs to be returned to where he belongs,"

"But which world is he from?" she asked.

"Look for the man with the scar across his face. He will guide you. I bid you and your friend Will Parry farewell. No matter what happens, never let him or the knife out of your sight,"

"We promise," Mia answered, deciding she would not let Will carry this burden alone. Giacomo nodded and he walked up to the stairs and up the tower, ready to meet his destiny. She hoped it wouldn't be painful at all. Will tried to walk forward but she gently touched his shoulder. "Let me him go, Will,"

Lyra, Viktor, Pan and their new friend had walked for what seemed like hours and they'd had yet to find Citagatzze. Roger rolled alongside the children; Pan sometimes raced with him for fun. Lyra kept scanning through the photos they had found in that ancient Zeppelin. It seemed like with every adventure they took; everything was becoming stranger and stranger by the day to Lyra. She hadn't realised how walking through that doorway into this world would lead to so many mysteries and surprises.

"You okay?" Viktor asked.

"I'm just...overwhelmed," she confessed. "All I wanted to do was to find Roger and bring him home, but then ever since my father killed him, everything's just so rough. Like I'm under a lot of pressure with everyone counting on me,"

"You don't have to bear it alone," he comforted kindly. "You can always count on friends to look out for you,"

Lyra blinked her eyes, wet from remembering Roger.

"Guys! Look!" cried out Pan. He was in the form of a magpie. We followed him towards a lookout spot and to their delight, they saw Viktor's home.

"We found it," Lyra breathed. "Come on," She was desperate more than ever to get back to Mia and Will. She prayed they were still here in the city, safe and sound. They entered the city, just as it was turning dark. Lyra felt a little cold. Thankfully avoiding Viktor's mean bullies, they finally managed to reach the cafe.

"Mia! Will! We're back!" Lyra cried out, bounding up the stairs but she saw neither of them on their beds.

"Oh no," Viktor turned ghost-white. "We're too late,"

"No," she breathed. They had left to find them. And they couldn't go back into Will's world; they'd be caught.

"This is all my fault," lamented Viktor "If only I hadn't been so selfish," he slammed himself on his bed. "Angelica always said I would get people into trouble. And she was right," he began to cry. "Lia was killed protecting me and now Will and Mia are probably in custody because of my actions. I'm so sorry Lyra," She couldn't be mad at him. She sat next to him and hugged him tightly.

Roger blew his trunk in sympathy and gently touched his hands. Pan purred in worry. Just then they heard voices coming from downstairs.

"How are we going to save Lyra and Viktor?" it was Mia). I flicked my head up in alarm.

"We can't give Latrum the knife. We'll just have to try and bribe him or something," Will spoke.

"Guys! We're back!" Lyra cried out.

"We're here!" Viktor bounded behind her with Pan. They stumbled down the stairs and the moment they were in the kitchen, we saw Will and Mia who stared at them in shock.

"Thank goodness," Mia threw her arms around Lyra and hugged her tightly. When she pulled back, Lyra stared at her silver locks.

Viktor stole her question. "What happened to your hair?"

"What's happened to your hand?" Lyra asked Will, noticing his hand was bandaged only two fingers and a thumb was poking out on his right hand.

"Where were you two?" Will asked us.

"It's a long story," Viktor explained. He suddenly noticed a knife in Will's hand. "Where did you get that?"

"It's a long story," he simply answered.

"Looks like we should sit down and eat," Mia said. Loud scrambling echoed up the stairs and when Lyra turned her head, Roger was rolling down towards them. She screamed out loud.

"Woah! Woah! What is that?!" freaked out Will, holding his knife out.

Roger squirmed in fright and hid behind Lyra. "It's all right guys," She calmed them down. "This is Roger,"

"Where did he come from?" Will asked.

"We'll explain," said Viktor.

That's another chapter done. I hope you all enjoyed it. Thank you all very much for your support. Please send reviews and let me know what you all thought. Also, I would like to ask you something. Shall I follow the series or make Lee and John or just one of them live? Please send some answers as soon as possible. If you all that would be most helpful. Look forward to seeing you all soon, definitely sooner than before.