The Nightscape

Threats

"And why do you want that? Or, more importantly, why would I want to do that?" Lyra asked, ignoring her churning stomach and blurring vision. Hayden smiled, but there was something cold about it that made some of Lyra's confidence evaporate. He leaned forward and laced his fingers together, looming a little too close for comfort. 

"Because Guy is a very confused and twisted young man, who wants to do something that could hurt a lot of people and could very well wipe out our entire species." He explained. 

"Is this about that stupid war I've been told about? Because I really don't care either way, I don't want to get involved." She sighed. "Oh, and don't give me the lecture on how I need to pick a side, I've already had it, and I'm not convinced." 

"How much do you know about the war? Some people are biased, and so might give... skewed interpretations." 

"Whereas you have no bias whatsoever?" He didn't reply, patiently waiting for her to answer the question. "I know that there's a war between the clans. I know that once the Night and Dayscape were one, and no one could flicker. I know that the different clans have different powers and that the magic we use can be different shades." She summarised after a moment. 

"So you only know the very basics. In the mood for a history lesson?" 

"Not really, but somehow I don't think that was an actual question." Lyra snapped snarkily, getting a chuckle from Hayden. 

"You're sharp, I'll give you that. Your father wasn't wrong about you. And besides, you'll need to rest for a few more hours before you can flicker back, so I have myself a captive audience." He joked with a friendly smile that the stony faced Lyra didn't return. He cleared his throat and the smile was dropped. "Right then. The Scapes didn't just up and separate one day; there was, obviously, a catalyst. What exactly happened remains a mystery, as everyone involved, which was most of the purple clan, died without telling anyone the secret. However, what we do know is that a temple was built in the middle of nowhere, along with seven alters at various ley line meeting points, and something was sealed inside the temple by one member of each clan standing at each alter. Whatever it was that they sealed away, it broke our realm apart and cast us into the human world. However, it makes sense that if we free whatever is inside, it will fix the damage casting it away did, and repair our world."

"If its such a good idea, why haven't you done it already?" Lyra snapped. She didn't really care about any of this, she just wanted to go home and try and forget about all of this, as impossible as it seemed. Hayden smiled again, dripping fake charm that Lyra could see right through. 

"If I could, I would, my dear. However, to do that I would need one member of every clan, and these days that's not very easy at all. My own kind, the metallics, are rare, as are the yellows and reds. However, your kind, those from the purple clan, were largely thought to have died out. In my entire life, I've only ever met two of them. Yourself, and your mother." At that, Lyra's head snapped up, glaring at him. 

"You know my mother?" She asked, frowning severely. 

"Well, to say I know her is a bit of an overstatement. We have met twice, both very brief and neither very pleasant." Lyra raised her eyebrows, prompting him to keep talking. "The first time was almost twenty years ago, we struck a bargain but she didn't keep up her end of it, and then she disappeared. The second time was much more recent; a few days ago, I believe. My people found her, brought her to me, because she owes me, and she offered to help set up a meeting between the two of us." Lyra's face turned furious and she bolted to her feet, ready to pace as she usually did, but a wave of dizziness made hr sit down heavily on the floor. She couldn't believe it. After almost seventeen years, she had come back into her life just to lead her to some random guy?