The Aeronaut's Daughter

Seperation

Hey everyone I'm back. You have no idea how busy I was with my Master's Dissertaton but it is all done and I'm here now. I have started a Teaching Course but i will be updating as often as I can. I have made this chapter extra long for a treat. Hope you all enjoy it and please review. .....................................................................................................................

For hours, the children watched as windy sandstorms swept the desert and pipes sprouted out of the ground. Now they were jogging along a road where people were walking down, not taking heed of their energetic greetings. Still, they tried to talk.

"Is this Land of the Dead?" Lyra asked a businessman. He didn't answer.

"Are we going the right way?" (M/C) asked.

They stopped. "They're not looking at us," Will said grimly. "I think something's wrong with them,".

"It's like they're being pulled forward by something," (Y/N) looked ahead. She heard whimpering. "Aster," She fell before him and Lyra before Pan. "Are you alright?".

"I'm scared, (Y/N),".

"You're okay. I'm here. Here, get into my coat," she offered a hand. Aster turned into a mouse and crawled inside her long coat, staying hidden in one of the leather pockets.

"You too, Pan," Lyra persisted. But Pan didn't go in. "We've been in plenty of worlds without daemons before,".

"There are people here that should have daemons but don't,". he cried.

"Just get in my pocket and you'll be safe,".

Pan, with his gloomy eyes, turned into a mouse too and crawled up Lyra's arm into the inside pocket of her red coat, and she zipped it up.

"Is he alright?" (M/C) asked.

"He's fine,".

"He doesn't seem fine,".

"Neither is Aster. It must feel really horrible being here when you can't see other daemons," Will said.

"What about Roger?" Lyra asked.

Roger trumpeted. He sounded scared. "Come here," He opened his bag. It was big enough to carry the baby Mulefa in. Roger shook his head. "It won't be long. I promise, buddy,". His companion walked inside the bag and he zipped it up but allowed Roger's trunk to poke out a bit so he could breathe.

"I really don't think stuff Roger in a bag like that is a good idea," Lyra said sceptically.

"We can't stand out, Lyra," (M/C) said. "We have to keep move.

"Maybe I could take flight and look what's up ahead," (Y/N) suggested.

"Are you sure you'll be able to see something in all that flying sand?" Will asked.

"It's worth a shot," (Y/N) unfurled her wings and flew up a bit and then scouted ahead for a while.

Aster flew out of her coat and became an owl to help her. "(Y/N), look!" They stopped in mid-flight, and squinting her eyes, (Y/N) saw a giant warehouse, almost brown like the dusty skies around them. People were flooding in. "This has to be it,".

Quickly, they flew back to their friends, Aster hiding in the inside coat pocket again. "There's a giant warehouse ahead,". On foot, the others followed (Y/N), and they saw the building that drew more dead people like flies to a light.

"Did you guys see that before?" Will asked Lyra and (M/C).

"I don't recognise it," (M/C) answered.

"Neither do I," Lyra was becoming uncertain herself.