Chapter 34 – Ruins of a Forgotten People.

Callie had a new appreciation for snow, and it was definitely not a good one. Sure, as a young child, it was a lot of fun. Running around in it, making snow angels and throwing snowballs, and appreciating the beauty of each individual snowflake. But the glamour of it was long gone. Walking through it was slow and tedious, it was ridiculously cold, and it covered everything, both good and bad, and it didn’t seem to hinder the shadows at all. Go figure. Foraging for food was difficult enough given the season, but then hide everything under snow? She was hungry and grumpy, the occasional animal that they spotted suffering her wrath and becoming their next snack. And sleeping on it was not an option, for all of the obvious reasons.

It just hadn’t gone away, and to be honest, she shouldn’t have been surprised. Arianna had warned them after all. Callie had just hoped that they would have had more time before winter actually set in, but then again, they had no real understanding of when the seasons changed here. They were just going to have to do their best, whatever nature threw at them.

It had stopped snowing the following morning, the sun making an effort to bathe everything in its soft orange glow, luring them into a false sense of hope. The smattering of clouds on the horizon should have given them warning, but it wasn’t like they could stay there in the cave for long. Even with Soryen gone, it still had that feel about it that made her slightly uneasy, and they needed to make progress to the ruins that the totem had showed her. They already knew that they weren’t going to be travelling for most of winter, and the promise of proper shelter was far too enticing. They just had to get there first.

It had only taken half a day for the snow to set in again, and it hadn’t left since. Sure, the wind wasn’t always as bad as that first day, and there were patches where the sun was able to remind them that, yes, it still existed, but that only made it slightly more bearable. At least they’d been able to find somewhere to rest each night that was somewhat sheltered. They really didn’t have the right gear to be making snow caves, but it was a moot concern. Arianna’s route seemed to wander a bit, not as direct as their path to the cave, but as long as they pushed hard, they were able to locate somewhere to rest before the sun fully set and night became a second blanket.

And then, a week later, they finally reached it.

They might have missed it completely, if it hadn’t been for the images that Arianna had showed her, landmarks becoming familiar as they crested a rise. From this vantage, just like everything else, the valley just looked like a field covered in snow. But the shape, the curves, the placement of the forest and the river that had been desperately resisting freezing, all told her that this was definitely the place. She wanted to shout out in joy, but she was too tired, and settled for sending out happy feelings instead as they made their way down and into the ruins of the city.

The closer they got, the more apparent it became that she wasn’t mistaken. Sure, it was missing all of its former glory. The sky reaching towers and spires had long been lost to time and quakes, the colourful animals absent as they were pretty much everywhere, and its sprawling expanse now just an expanse. But she could start to make out the shapes of some of the buildings, of the ones that had survived. White and grey stone, weathered and worn, some parts still sticking out of the snow, the winds blown clear a wall or two bare here and there. Nature had been reclaiming some, or quite possibly most, sections of the city, though right now only the clumps of trees were actually visible, and looking into the river as they beelined for it showed that it had chosen to take its own path. Callie had been certain that she’d seen many running through the city at its height, but perhaps that was because they’d manipulated its flow, and now, it had gone back to what it had naturally done.

The water was good, if icy cold till heated by Uriah, Callie happy to be back near a river again. Not that they’d be doing much else with it. She had standards. It didn’t take them long to find the iconic bridge that she had seen in Arianna’s memories, only the edges of it remaining on each side, impressions of the carvings of the birds that she had seen on its surface. Even now, this far gone, they still looked beautiful and mesmerising, and if by some miracle they found one, she would not be killing it. Hell, she’d rather try bonding one, and see how that worked out. From there, it wasn’t hard to find the area that the totem had painted in a positive light.

Their destination stood out in fact. A large building nestled up against a thick stand of trees, many of the varieties unfamiliar to her even after all the travelling that they had done to get here. Snow was piled up high against some of the edges and completely covered the roof, but one wall section, and the side against the trees, remained clear. It was constructed from the same white and grey stone that they had seen thus far, but she was certain that it was shimmering a little, and not from the light. The sun was on the other side of the building, and starting to get uncomfortably low.

“It’s enchanted, isn’t it?” Julia observed, starting the obvious.

“Hmm,” was all that Callie bothered to say to affirm it, picking up their pace as they covered the last of the distance to it. Like the possessions of Soryen, the hints of magic here felt complex and strong. Whoever had done the enchanting had made it to last, and last it had. It was no wonder that the totem thought that this place would be suitable.

That hadn’t made it immune to the forces of nature however. One section of it had collapsed, the resulting debris sealing that side completely, another adjoining room somewhat open to the elements, the floor a carpet of dirt and small hardy plants, but the rest of it was completely intact, and actually somewhat comfortable. Even with a hint of warmth. A quick look through it revealed that all of the half dozen rooms were empty and bare, anything that would have been there long decayed or removed, but even still, it was shelter, with the remains of the city around them. Remains that hopefully held potential.

Callie all but collapsed in one of the rooms, her back against the wall as she listened to the wind picking up outside. They had been keeping an eye on the sky, getting used to the signs, and they were pretty sure that another storm was incoming.

“You okay?” Uriah asked, sitting down next to her. Not that he didn’t already know, given their bond, but he always liked to ask, and she appreciated it.

“Just exhausted,” she replied, leaning into him, her head resting against his shoulder. That wasn’t completely it, but she couldn't put her finger on the rest of it. She’d been getting progressively more tired each day of late, though she had been hiding it as best she could. They had needed to get here as quickly as they could, and well, now they were here. She could relax a little. And not hide it as much.

“We’re all here for you, Callie. I’m here for you.” Uriah shifted himself, taking her in his strong arms, her head now against his chest. He was always so warm.

“I know, Uri.” She really did. And she loved him, and Julia and Felicia, so much.

But she was tired. More tired than she’d thought, her thoughts drifting away as she closed her eyes, and fell asleep.

---

“Where’s Uri?” Callie mumbled as she woke. She was still feeling somewhat shattered, her thoughts a bit sluggish. She was warm, still in someone’s embrace, but it wasn’t Uriah’s, even if they did carry some of his scent. It was still nice though.

“He’s out hunting,” Julia answered, giving her head a kiss, and shifting her legs a little. Yeah, she smelled nice. Like comfort and blood. And Uriah. They’d been at it again. Callie just smiled at that.

“Why aren’t you out with him then?” Callie asked as she snuggled further into her wife. She was happy that she was here though.

“Cause I suck at hunting,” Julia said with a laugh. “You have no idea how talented you two are. You keep surprising me with what you’re able to do. Miss I’m more accurate and faster than any marksman.”

“You’re just as talented yourself,” Callie mumbled back. Pleasantries went a long way. And Julia really was, in her own way. Especially at certain... things. She was too tired to blush at that though, just making a contented noise instead.

“Heh.” She could feel Julia’s smile.

“How long have I been asleep?” Her timing felt off. She could see some light, but from here it was hard to tell, and she had no desire to move at all.

“Most of the day. It’s afternoon now.”

Callie sat up in surprise. Or tried to, her body not feeling strong enough, and Julia’s arms still holding her. She was a lot stronger than it seemed at first glance, one of the many effects of her changed nature.

“You’re exhausted, Callie. More so than the rest of us. That’s why they’re still out. You desperately need some good food. Not only do you have the bonds, you’re carrying our child as well.”

“Sorry.” Callie closed her eyes again, snuggling back into Julia. She was right. They hadn’t had a lot to eat over the last week. Few weeks actually, but the last had been the worst. And while they didn’t need as much food as they’d used to, they still needed some. And all that travelling hadn’t been easy either.

“What are you apologizing for? Nothing is your fault.” Julia gave her head a gentle flick in admonishment.

“I have that array from Arianna...”

“That you haven’t had the chance to use at all!” Julia almost huffed in annoyance at her. “You barely know how it works, and how long it’ll take. Felicia’s looking, and we can but hope.”

Five thousand years was a long time, and anything that the city would have once grown would have long gone rogue and mutated, and that was ignoring the season and the natural cycles. But perhaps something could be found. It would definitely be a godsend. Of all things, she was missing bread at the moment. And the smell of coffee. She hadn’t ever drunk it at all, but she’d often made a cup for Uriah, and that scent, it had always been a part of their life. She was kinda of looking forward to doing that again, eventually.

It was surprising what was taken for granted, not realised till it was lost. She wasn’t ever going to take her partners for granted. Ever. They were far too important to her.

‘Miss you, Uri,’ she sent. He’d hear her. She could roughly feel where he was, after all.

‘Miss you too. How are you feeling? I hope that Julia’s being good to you.’ The reply was pretty much instant, even given the distance. She couldn’t help but smile.

‘Drowsy. Sleepy.’ That was the easiest way to describe it. ‘She’s snugly,’ Callie added happily.

‘We’ll be back before nightfall. We’ve had some success, and found a few interesting places. It’s going to take us ages to fully explore the city, especially in these conditions.’

‘Nice.’ She was too tired to come up with a better reply.

Callie woke up again to the smell of roast meat, still in Julia’s arms. Her vampiric wife looked like she was dozing, and Callie had no desire to wake her up. She looked so content, and even a little bit cute, like that. The smell was very enticing though, and she could feel her body yearning. She had to grudgingly admit that Uriah had actually gotten better at cooking over the last few months, at least with the use of his flames. She still wouldn’t let him near a kitchen though, that hadn’t changed.

“We actually ran into a deer,” Uriah said as he handed her one of the steel plates that was looking much worse for the wear. The gear that Riddling had provided them with was not ageing well. It had never been intended for as much use as they had been giving it.

“Well, was a deer,” Felicia giggled as she joined them, placing an empty looking pack down beside her. “It’s a meal now, enough for a few days.”

“Thanks,” Callie replied as she took the plate, and stared at it for a bit. Uriah had done a good job. The meat looked tender, cooked just to that point. She’d never used to like her meat this way, but her tastes had changed a bit since they’d come here. Necessity and all that. Maybe something else too. It tasted like heaven once she finally took a bite, and was quickly consumed, as was the next plate, along with the bottle of water. She felt a little better afterwards, but still just as drowsy, and very comfortable where she was.

“We found some trees that might be fruit bearing, and some berry bushes as well. Only a few, as they don’t seem to be the dominant species now, but.”

“But?” Callie looked at Uriah in confusion.

“You’re not going out there until you’ve properly recovered,” Felicia finished for him. “We have no idea how draining that array is going to be, and somehow, we don’t think that the weather is going to get any better. And we can feel just how exhausted you are. You have to look after yourself.”

“I know,” Callie said bashfully, looking at the ring on her finger, and the threads of her mark around them. All three of them, so vibrant and strong.

But that was also good news. She’d told them all about the array that Arianna had showed her, her other gift. And, if she understood it correctly, its potential was staggering.

“Though,” Felicia added, “we did find these.” She opened up the backpack, dumping its contents on the ground. A collection of what looked to just be plants or weeds. “We think that they might be the plants of some vegetables, but I guess we won’t know until you start experimenting with them, and the array. And it would seem that there is just the spot for that close by as well.”

Callie just sleepily nodded along. She had no clue as to what they were. Yes, she could forage to some degree, but she’d never done any gardening at all. Guess that was something that she was sort of going to be learning soon. With a whole lot of cheating involved.

Felicia swept them up again, and stashed them back in the bag. “But again, not till you’re feeling better.”

“Okay.” At least, that is what she thought she said. She wasn’t awake after, the bliss of slumber taking its hold again.

---

It took a week of mostly sleeping with a little bit wandering around for Callie to finally feel like she was actually capable of something other than rest. By the end of it, it had started to get really grating, Callie just wanting to do something, anything, but her own body, and her lovers, telling her that, no, she wasn’t quite there yet. And she was still too tired to put up much resistance, happily sinking into their arms instead. Then, just like that, as a quake shook the land around them, the fatigue lifted.

To say that she had a smile on her face, her magic as eager as she was, was understating it. She stood, stretched, gave Felicia a kiss, and together they made their way outside.

The weather hadn’t improved at all, the temperature outside bitterly cold. Snow still lay thick on the ground, the wind howling in vengeance. Julia and Uriah were standing outside, the vampire in her cloak which billowed around her in an ominous manner, her husband’s ethereal fire burning strong around him. Callie watched as the shadows pulled themselves out of the snow, unfazed by its presence, and all staring at them with a feral hunger. She didn’t even wait, lightning arcing out from her, a soft purple light reflecting across the snow as she vaporised the first wave, and then the second, Uriah and Julia easily dispatching those that she missed. She then watched with a smile as they took on the remaining ones, the pair of them working in perfect tandem.

She may have eagerly run to them both afterwards, giving them the deepest kisses that she had in such a long while. And Felicia too. She felt more alive than she had for sometime.

Pickings were still slim, the weather more than hostile, but there was a sense of hope now, that they would make it. The building was somewhat warm, Julia finally able to confirm that that was part of what the enchantments on it did, and she was now in a position to try out the array. This place would be their home for the winter, and they would be making the most of it.

Felicia had been right in that they had the perfect place to attempt the growing of their own food, the room that was covered in dirt and still open to the weather, though, like the rest of the house, it had a measure of warmth to it, the wind, and its associated temperature drops, seeming to just slip off it. Selecting a few of the plants and planting them in one corner of the room, Callie visualised the array and fed her magic into it, an image of it flaring to life around her in the soft purple that seemed to be her colour now. And then the plants grew, and grew. It was both magical and terrifying at the same time. Two developed to full maturity as if time was just racing past, while the third just withered up and died, all life gone from it. And she knew exactly why, the knowledge just coming to her as part of the magic.

She sat back, looking at the end result. One was a weed with beautiful pink flowers that she really liked, and wouldn’t mind having a few of around their home. But that was about the end of its usefulness. It wasn’t edible, and couldn’t be used as a herb either. Another piece of knowledge from the magic. The other sprawled across the ground, a dozen green gourds sitting heavily in the earth. Pumpkins. A different variety from all of the ones that she had eaten back in their realm, but still very much edible.

“I’m not sure if I should be impressed or scared to be honest.” Uriah took a few steps, kneeling down near one of the pumpkins, picking it up and testing its weight.

“Both.” Callie just grinned. They’d be a welcome change.

“We’re going to be eating these all winter then?” he asked, placing it back down.

Callie shook her head as she sorted through the knowledge. “No. And we’re going to have some work ahead of us. It just accelerates the growth, but it carries a cost. The plants will probably only provide for us twice, maybe three times, before they’ll just die, and we’re going to need a lot of nutrients for the soil here, and some water too. Like a lot. It’s gonna smell.” She could quite clearly see it too, the soil around the plants dry and faded. Felicia had been right as well, for her to wait. She was feeling a bit drained again, but at least she knew that she would recover.

“And the trees and such out in the city? The same?”

Callie nodded to that one. “Yes, but it’ll be worth doing. I would love some fruit.”

Uriah chuckled. “Me too.”

“We should keep looking though. There must be more stuff out there, even if it is just more of the same of some of them. This’ll get us through, Uri, though I’m not going to say no to some more meat.”

“We might be sad to leave this place, come spring.”

Callie laughed. “Yeah, maybe? It certainly feels like home now, even if a lot different from what we had. A place for the four of us to share, together. It’s nice, this.” She smiled happily, looking at the growth in front of her, leaning into Uriah as he sat down beside her. Like she’d always done. “Let’s not lose anything when we go back, Uri.”

“We won’t.”

“Your ears and tail are cute, Uri. They suit you.”

“Aww. Not hot and alluring? I’m sure you’ve thought that a few times as well,” Uriah teased back, a sparkle in his eye.

“Oh, very much that too,” Callie grinned, stealing a kiss. And then a lot more.

---

It was strange in a way, being here, in the city. They’d spent close to five months walking, and now the only constant to that time was the earthquakes and the resulting shadows. They were stuck in the one place as the weather continued to rage, getting even worse as winter really settled in, so bad at times that none of them even dared going outside. She wondered how some of the wildlife was even managing to survive. They had managed to find another deer, its coat a deep white and thicker than anything she’d ever heard of, but that also worked in their favour, and just like the first one, it was very tasty. But not a lot else, the creatures probably buried deep and in hibernation.

But it was nice, in many ways. Spending time together, where they didn’t have to concentrate on where they were putting their feet, able to focus more on training, and studying both the enchanted gear that had belonged to Soryen and those on the building itself, as well as the array that was hidden in her mind, the memory of the one that Riddling had used. Progress was slow on both, but headway was being made, and it helped pass the time. As did doing other things as well. If anything, they were growing closer, even with the occasional argument. Callie hated it when they happened, but it was part of human nature, and all of them ended up working together to soothe over the hurt, and make things right again. They all needed each other. So very much. They had the rings, proof of that.

A month passed, the days getting even shorter, something that she didn’t think was possible, the shadows seeming to gain in strength as well, more predators present than what they were used to. Not that it caused them much of an issue. Julia could take one on by herself now, and Uriah and herself had been improving too. Felicia still didn’t fight, her role very much support, though she had started participating in the sparring as well. They were a team, an effective one at that, forged by circumstances in a world that was dying. A poly in fact, and proud to be so.

Callie was starting to show now too, the change sudden and noticeable, and perhaps a little scary. She really had no clue as to all of what went on, what to expect, nor how to raise a child. But just like everything else, they’d do it together. On one hand, she was terrified of it all. But on the other, she was oh so very excited. Three of them mothers, and Uriah a father.

It was just a matter of waiting.

And then it happened.

In the middle of winter,
in the middle of a storm,
in the middle of the night,
Stella was born.