Act Two continued 2

Mrs Coulter and Lord Asriel have seen Will and Lyra's daemons and know that they are alive. They see that the clouded mountain is growing, and a swarm of angels preparing to attack. Lord Asriel knows he has to counter-attack as soon as possible, but without the knife, he'll have to use force. He gives the signal to attack.

On the edge of the Land of the Dead, Roger begs to go first and dissolve into nature. He and Lyra say farewell. Jopari tells Will to cut through to the battlefield and give the knife to Lord Asriel. As Jopari leaves, he warns Will that ultimately he can only survive in his own world. When Lyra and Will reach the battlefield they meet Iorek, who has to take his bears back to their own kingdom in order to survive. Lyra and Will find a casket containing the Authority, who appears to be a withered old man. The Authority dies in front of them. Lord Asriel and Mrs Coulter arrive. Lord Asriel is amazed and proud at Lyra's courage in releasing the dead. As Will goes to hand over the knife, Stelmaria stops him. Lord Asriel tells Will to cut through into any world and take Lyra. They cut through to an unknown world where they meet Serafina. Lord Asriel has realised his duty to hand the knife back to Will and the second Eve. His work was done. Together he and Mrs Coulter leap into the abyss of Dust.

Lyra and Will are together in the unknown world and they make love. As they do, Dust changes direction and rains on the earth. When they waken, Pantalaimon and Will's daemon join them, but they need never be linked again, as Serafina tells them, it is possible to live separately. Serafina tells Lyra that by submitting to temptation she has helped Dust begin to triumph but unless she closes up the windows between worlds, it will never completely triumph. Will and Lyra realise they'll have to separate and go to their own worlds to survive, closing the window between them. When Lyra tries to consult the Alethiometer for advice, it no longer speaks to her in the same way, since she has lost her childlike grace. Serafina instructs them that, once apart, Will must destroy the knife.

Later, at the Botanic Garden, Will and Lyra agree to meet in the same place every Midsummer's Day. They close the window and Will breaks the knife. At the next Midsummer's Day, they meet. They have each now found their republic of heaven.

END