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〃hold on；〃 iorek growled； and began to charge。
a flare burst high above； and another and another； drifting slowly downward with a magnesium…bright glare。 another shell burst； closer this time； and they felt the shock of the air and a second or two later the sting of earth and stones on their faces。 iorek didnt falter； but they found it hard to hold on。 they couldnt dig their fingers into his fur； they had to grip the armor between their knees； and his hack was so broad that both of them kept slipping。
〃look！〃 cried lyra； pointing up as another shell burst nearby。
a dozen witches were making for the flares； carrying thick…leaved； bushy branches； and with them they brushed the glaring lights aside； sweeping them away into the sky beyond。 darkness fell over the grove again； hiding it from the guns。
and now the grove was only a few yards away。 will and lyra both felt their missing selves close by； an excitement； a wild hope chilled with fear； because the specters were thick among the trees and they would have to go in directly among them； and the very sight of them evoked that nauseating weakness at the heart。
〃theyre afraid of the knife；〃 said a voice beside them； and the bear…king stopped so suddenly that will and lyra tumbled off his back。
〃lee！〃 said iorek。 〃lee； my rade； i have never seen this before。 you are dead； what am i speaking to？〃
〃iorek； old feller； you dont know the half of it。 well take over now； the specters arent afraid of bears。 lyra； will； e this way； and hold up that knife。。。”
the blue hawk swooped once more to lyras fist； and the gray…haired lady said； 〃dont waste a second； go in and find your daemons and escape！ theres more danger ing。〃
〃thank you； lady！ thank you all！〃 said lyra； and the hawk took wing。
will could see lee scoresbys ghost dimly beside them； urging them into the grove； but they had to say farewell to iorek byrnison。
〃iorek； my dear； there ent words； bless you； bless you！〃
〃thank you； king iorek；〃 said will。
〃no time。 go。 go！〃
he pushed them away with his armored head。 will plunged after lee scoresbys ghost into the undergrowth； slashing to right and left with the knife。 the light here was broken and muted； and the shadows were thick； tangled； confusing。
〃keep close；〃 he called to lyra； and then cried out as a bramble sliced across his cheek。
all around them there was movement； noise； and struggle。 the shadows moved to and fro like branches in a high wind。 they might have been ghosts： both children felt the little dashes of cold they knew so well。 then they heard voices all around：
〃this way！〃
〃over here！〃
〃keep going； were holding them off！〃
〃not far now！〃
and then came a cry in a voice that lyra knew and loved better than any other：
〃oh； e quick！ quick； lyra！〃
〃pan； darling； im here。。。”
she hurled herself into the dark； sobbing and shaking； and will tore down branches and ivy and slashed at brambles and nettles； while all around them the ghost…voices rose in a clamor of encouragement and warning。
but the specters had found their target； too； and they pressed in through the snagging tangle of bush and briar and root and branch； meeting no more resistance than smoke。 a dozen； a score of the pallid malignities seemed to pour in toward the center of the grove； where john parrys ghost marshaled his panions to fight them off。
will and lyra were both trembling and weak with fear； exhaustion； nausea； and pain； but giving up was inconceivable。 lyra tore at the brambles with her bare hands； will slashed and hacked to left and right； as around them the bat of the shadowy beings became more and more savage。
〃there！〃 cried lee。 〃see em？ by that big rock。。。”
a wildcat； two wildcats； spitting and hissing and slashing。 both were daemons； and will felt that if there were time hed easily be able to tell which was pantalaimon； but there wasnt time； because a specter eased horribly out of the nearest patch of shadow and glided toward the daemons。
will leapt over the last obstacle； a fallen tree trunk； and plunged the knife into the unresisting shimmer in the air。 he felt his arm go numb； but he clenched his teeth as he was clenching his fingers around the hilt； and the pale form seemed to boil away and melt back into the darkness again。
almost there； and the daemons were mad with fear； because more specters and still more came pressing through the trees； and only the valiant ghosts were holding them back。
〃can you cut through？〃 said john parrys ghost。
will held up the knife； and had to stop as a racking bout of nausea shook him from head to toe。 there was nothing left in his stomach； and the spasm hurt dreadfully。 lyra beside him was in the same state。 lees ghost； seeing why； leapt for the daemons and wrestled with the pale thing that was ing through the rock from behind them。
〃will； please。。。” said lyra； gasping。
in went the knife； along； down； back。 lee scoresbys ghost looked through and saw a wide； quiet prairie under a brilliant moon； so very like his own homeland that he thought hed been blessed。
will leapt across the clearing and seized the nearest daemon while lyra scooped up the other。
and even in that horrible urgency； even at that moment of utmost peril； each of them felt the same little shock of excitement： for lyra was holding wills daemon； the nameless wildcat； and will was carrying pantalaimon。
they tore their glance away from each others eyes。
〃good…bye； mr。 scoresby！〃 lyra cried； looking around for him。 〃i wish； oh； thank you； thank you； good…bye！〃
〃good…bye； my dear child； good…bye； will； go well！〃
lyra scrambled through； but will stood still and looked into the eyes of his fathers ghost； brilliant in the shadows。 before he left him； there was something he had to say。
will said to his fathers ghost； 〃you said i was a warrior。 you told me that was my nature； and i shouldnt argue with it。 father； you were wrong。 i fought because i had to。 i cant choose my nature； but i can choose what i do。 and i will choose； because now im free。〃
his fathers smile was full of pride and tenderness。 〃well done； my boy。 well done indeed；〃 he said。
will couldnt see him anymore。 he tu