The Aeronaut's Daughter

Last Goodbye

Here it is. The final chapter. I cried so much writing this. It has now come to the end. I hope you all enjoy this final chapter. 

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The children were at the river again, near some fruit trees, their demons playing around with Roger whilst Atal was watching them. Lyra and (M/C) were skipping pebbles, exchanging kisses. Will and (Y/N) were picking fruit, also exchanging kisses.

An angel. Atal alerted.

The children turned and saw Arthur and Damian approaching them, with another angel behind them.

"There is someone you both have to meet,". Damian stood aside, and Xaphania approached them.

"Every world is grateful to you four beyond words,".

"I know you," (Y/N) approached a little closer to Xaphania, his eyes a little narrowed. "You're the voice in my head,".

"Yes, I guided you in Citagatzze and spoke to you in your dreams, telling you about the war,".

"Thank you,".

"Melaine is so gifted to have you for a daughter. I would have loved to have met your father in person,".

(M/C) noticed his dads struggling to hold back tears. "What is it? What's wrong?

"We'll...leave you to it,". Without a second glance, they walked away. (M/C) became confused. Lyra held his hand.

"I come here because what I have to say, you four must hear,". The children paid close attention. "For centuries, Dust has been flowing out of the universe. What you four have turned has turned the tide. Your love for each other alone will not be enough to sustain it forever. Every window that exists must be closed,".

"Every window I've opened, I've closed," Will promised.

"There are countless more. Windows left behind by all the bearers that have ever been. Each time the knife makes a cut, the flow of Dust increases. And from a tear in the space between worlds, some darkness is released, bringing destruction across all the world,". It can take the form of many things. A plague. A Spectre,".

Will turned pale. "I've been making Spectres?".

"No wonder there were so many in Citagatzze," Lyra remembered.

"Iorek was right before. The knife has its own intentions, too," (M/C) said. "The more it's used, the more damage it does,".

"This is what Giacamo meant before when he said the windows left open have done so much damage,". (Y/N) explained. "The longer they're open, the more Dust flows out, destroying humanity,".

"But if Will can't use the knife and we can't leave the windows open, then how will we...?" Lyra drifted off. The others shuddered. "We have to choose worlds. Will's or (M/C)'s or...".

"You can't live in someone else's world for long. (M/C) nearly died, and my dad was close to dying too," Will recalled. "Our daemons won't survive,".

Pan, Aster, Kirjava and Kayniradi whimpered in fear.

"It means we can't live outside our worlds," (Y/N) realised ."And it means...".

(M/C) shook his head. "No,".

"You can't stay in the same world together," Xaphania said sadly.

The children felt like they had been stabbed in the heart. Lyra held onto (M/C) tightly. "No. You can't come here and just say that. After everything we've been through, it's not fair,". The angel stared apologetically at them. "It's not fair,".