ch19
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Two months later
The hilltop overlooked the jagged meeting of river and sea, where waves crashed relentlessly against rocks below. The wind carried the tang of salt and the chill of morning, but it was nothing compared to the tremor in the air as an energy that vibrated through the soles of those who stood upon the earth.
At the center of the hill, Erik stood, shoulders squared, eyes closed, his hands raised slightly as if holding the sky itself. Around him, in a perfect, pulsing circle, over twenty Children of the Forest had gathered. Their skin and hair bore the hues of bark, leaf, and moss. Their eyes were closed in concentration as they prepared for the massive ritual they were about to perform with Erik
Beyond them, a ring of fifty captured raiders lay on the ground forming a third circle in such a way that one's head touched the other's toes and so on. They lay there framing Erik and the Children in concentric layers of power and intent. They were rendered comatose by Erik's power so that they were alive yet utterly still. Their nude bodies were covered in runes.
Then it began.
A low murmur arose, almost imperceptible at first. The Children opened their mouths in unison, chanting in the true tongue, the language of nature itself. The sounds rolled and swelled, impossible to describe in mere human terms: the rumble of the earth, the low growl of thunder, the distant crash of breaking waves, the sigh of rivers, the tremor of molten rock beneath the surface.
The hill shivered under their combined voice. Rocks rattled. The few trees and bushes bent slightly as if bowing to the rhythm of the chant. Erik stepped fully into the cadence, his own voice merging with theirs as he too had been learning to shape, bend, and guide the energy in the true tongue. Even though he was a beginner in the true tongue, his purpose here was to provide power to the ritual using his own powers and the sacrifices' life force while the children of the forest mainly guided the ritual utilizing their centuries of experience and attunement to nature. His hands traced patterns in the air, casting spells that were weaving the will of the earth itself into the desired form.
As the chant reached a fevered tempo, the very ground responded. What had been a gentle hill near the coast began to twist, rise, and stretch. Soil and stone shifted as if massive hands molded them. The river bent, water rushing and pooling, while jagged cliffs erupted skyward in perfect, vertical walls.
The transformation was staggering. In what felt like minutes, the hill had become a caldera that ten kilometers wide, with sheer cliffs rising impossibly high on every side. A flat basin lay in its center, barren for now, but fertile-looking, its soil rich and dark. Streams carved their courses immediately, forming lakes, waterfalls, and rivers that meandered with purpose.
Even underground, the magic worked. Water surged from hidden veins, pressured by the geothermal heat below. Hot springs hissed and frothed where vents pushed them skyward. In some places, the singers guided the streams, shaping underground currents so that the caldera would have a natural irrigation network, a living heart of water and stone.
To get even more water, The Children had harnessed a natural phenomenon known as orographic lift and condensation in which humid air moving over the newly risen cliff tops cooled rapidly, causing the water vapor to condense into liquid droplets. This natural precipitation, drawn from the air itself, would get collected in rivulets and streams, feeding the nascent lakes forming in the caldera below.
The process unfolded naturally. First moist air from the nearby ocean was forced upward as it encountered the towering cliffs, cooling as it rose. Then at higher altitudes, lower pressure allowed the air to expand, lowering its temperature further. Next, the cooling air reached its dew point, saturating and condensing into tiny droplets. After that, these droplets clung to dust, salt, and pollen, forming clouds and fog around the cliff tops. Finally, as droplets collided and grew heavier, they fell as rain, feeding the streams and lakes that began to carve through the new caldera.
Then they carved a network of tunnels in the mountains. The tunnels served a dual purpose as they not only provided extra space for future expansion, they also provided a means of going in and coming out of the valley without climbing over the sheer cliffs. There were four main entrance tunnels placed along the cardinal directions to allow easy access to their future city while also provided strategic defensible choke points that they could defend or block at need.
At a neighboring hill, where Erik's people had camped for the day, trembled under the display. Gonir's jaw hung slack. Helga whispered a prayer, awestruck. Luna's eyes darted over the shifting terrain, trying to map it in her mind. Eldri was mesmerized and already murmuring the beginnings of a song she was making for the miracle she was witnessing. Everyone simply watched, unable to do anything as the impossible became reality before them.
Above all, the chanting continued, a living, breathing river of sound. Erik felt the pulse of the land in his chest. Every heartbeat, every vibration of the Children's voices, molded the earth like clay. He felt their power, and his own, converging in a symphony that was as terrifying as it was beautiful.
When at last the chant slowed, the valley stood complete: a volcanic caldera, jagged cliffs encircling a basin alive with water and energy. Hot springs hissed and gurgled, streams shimmered in the rising sun, and waterfalls plunged from the cliffs into crystalline lakes below.
Erik opened his eyes, breathing deeply, hands still raised, feeling the heartbeat of the earth echo his own. Around him, the Children of the Forest lowered their arms, their eyes glowing with quiet satisfaction. Around them only husks remained of the comatose raiders
From the vantage point of the neighboring cliffs, the rest of his people watched in awe as the valley took shape before them. Streams shimmered like silver threads, hot springs hissed in the sunlight, and waterfalls poured into deep, fertile basins.
Gonir finally broke the quiet. "By the gods… he's shaping the world itself."
Helga murmured, almost in awe: "It's not just magic… its creation."
Luna's eyes scanned the shifting terrain, mapping it in her mind. "It's… perfect."
"This is more than a gift," Jakob said softly. "It's a foundation… for life, for growth, for everything we are about to build."
And below, in the still-shimmering waters of newly formed lakes, the first ripples spread, carrying the promise of life, growth, and power that had once only existed in dreams.
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Later, they entered the valley and stood in silence, taking in the full measure of what they had wrought. The land itself seemed to cradle them now, stone, water, and forest arranged as if by deliberate design. Erik broke the quiet, his voice measured, certain.
"This is the only place suitable for everything a true city will require," he said.
He gestured eastward. "To the east lies the Shivering Sea. It gives us fish, salt, and a path for trade, ships can bring goods in and carry our own out to distant shores."
Then his hand moved south. "There, the Antler River meets the sea. Fresh water, fertile banks, and a natural artery into the interior."
He let his gaze sweep the valley's rim. "Because of this, the land can only be attacked by ground forces from the north and the west. The sea guards one flank, the river another, and the cliffs and caldera walls shield everything."
Erik paused, allowing the weight of it to settle before continuing. "Our scouts report that the surrounding lands are mostly flat. They are heavily forested . There are some hills that show hints that there might be metal deposits beneath the hills. Iron, perhaps more, close enough to be worked once we expand."
He looked back at the others, expression steady.
"Food, water, trade, defense, and resources all in one place. This valley isn't just a refuge. It's the foundation of a city that can last for generations."
The group entered the valley from a large tunnel that their magic had created. The caldera was alive. Streams twisted and turned through the basin, fed both by precipitation from the orographic lift and by underground veins pushed upward by geothermal vents.
"See here," Bloom said, kneeling beside a small spring that hissed with heat. She dipped her fingers into the water. "This is a vent from below. We can guide it into pools for hot springs, but we must balance it carefully. Too much, and the soil will scald. Too little, and the streams will dry. Underground reservoirs surge upward, the pressure forming natural canals. Small waterfalls tumble over newly formed rocks. In some places, geothermal vents cause steam to rise in gentle columns, warming the air and feeding the hot springs."
Erik nodded, running a hand through the shallow flow. "We can split it. Direct part toward irrigation, part into basins, part into natural hot pools. The pressure will do the rest."
Sigrun crouched beside a stream, cupping water in her hands. "The water, the way it moves, if I didn't see it being formed by my own eyes, I wouldn't have believed that such a natural thing could be shaped and molded. Like a potter making pots form clay"
Helga watched the rising waterfalls, eyes wide. "The soil is fertile here. Combine that with this water network… it's a gift to the generations to come."
ran his fingers along the edge of the cliffs, noting where underground channels naturally pushed toward the basin. "If we're careful, we can create a self-sustaining irrigation network. Even in dry seasons, the streams and springs will keep the land alive."
korb stepped back and observed. "The cliffs are too steep to climb," he said aloud, more to himself than anyone else. "No enemy can breach this naturally. And yet, everything inside is accessible to us and fertile. A perfect fortress and a fertile irrigated valley."
Bloom looked at Erik, her eyes soft yet glowing with an ancient light.
"We have given you the tools," she said gently. "The Children of the Forest have preserved many of these old techniques, but few of us remain who can still wield them. Use them wisely."
Erik inclined his head. "I am only an amateur in the magic of the True Tongue. I merely channeled the power within me—and the sacrifices that fed it. It was your people who turned what I envisioned into reality."
Bloom nodded once. "Yes. Your accent is atrocious."
Then, after a pause, she allowed the faintest hint of amusement. "Still, as only the second human ever to comprehend the True Tongue—and the first to ever speak it—well… you have much yet to learn."
"Who was the first?" Runa asked, curiosity bright in her voice.
"The one you call Bran the Builder," Bloom replied. "The last true champion of the Old Gods before Erik."
Gonir grinned. "And like Bran the Builder, you're raising grand works like the Wall. Only this time, you've built not a frozen barrier, but a mighty fortress that lives and breathes"
Helga turned to him, her voice firm. "It's more than a fortress. Erik has built a place that keeps us safe—from the harsh winters and their famines, from raiders, from the world itself. Nothing can harm us here."
She gestured to the vast sheltering ring of stone. "A safe world."
Erik's gaze swept across the caldera, the city-to-be cradled within its walls.
"A world that can endure," he said quietly.
"A world that can survive whatever comes next."
-----
After that, their daily routine shifted dramatically. They were no longer merely passing through or surviving day by day. They were planning to settle, to inhabit the valley they had carved into existence. The first order of business was food. Hunting and foraging while effective was temporary and inefficient by nature. A permanent settlement required reliable, renewable sources, and for them that meant fishing and agriculture.
The coast was on the eastern side almost next to the valley. Of the four tunnels that provide access to the outside world, the eastern gate opened to the coast. Between the tunnel's mouth and the sea stretched a narrow strip of land a kilometer or two wide, yet dozens of kilometers long along the northern and southern shore.
This area was designated as the future harbor district and it was the only district that was planned to be outside their valley. This shoreline would one day host docks, warehouses, and shipyards, but for now it became the site of their very first permanent structure, a carpentry house dedicated to boatbuilding.
From among the group, Gonir selected a dozen people who had some skill in woodworking. Some of the people were former penance prisoners, others from the tribes that had joined them. Under the guidance of Gonir was their master carpenter and boat smith, the first small fishing boats began to take shape that were simple, sturdy vessels meant to brave coastal waters and provide a steady supply of fish.
Halldis who was an expert fisherwoman was also tasked to recruit some people and start knitting nets. That result in a secnind building being built in the harbor district for net making.
At the same time, Erik turned his attention to understanding the land itself. He chose Eldri who was the best artist to lead the map making team . He sent out teams of people with a talent for planning and drawing, teaching them the basics of mapmaking. Each team was given sheets of clear leather on which to chart the valley, its rivers and streams, lakes, forested areas, cliffs, and any visible resources. This survey would become the foundation upon which everything else was built.
The central area of the valley was cleared, and yurts were erected there as temporary housing. Once the surveys were complete, the maps were gathered, and together they sketched their first vision of a city. Urban planning was a foreign concept to most of them, and Erik had to explain every detail, straight roads instead of winding paths, wide main lanes for traffic and trade, secondary streets for housing, planned sewage channels, water access, drainage, and even paved roads. To many, these ideas seemed excessive, but Erik made them understand that these invisible systems were what made a city efficient, healthy, and powerful.
Zones were marked for structures that could not yet be built: markets, workshops, storage halls, residential districts, and administrative centers. For now, the yurts remained in the central district, placeholders for what would eventually rise there in some permanent form of buildings.
At one point he held a metting explaining the districts on a large leather canvas that had a detailed map of their planned city
"This is the heart," Erik said, marking the center of the caldera. "Administrative. Trade. Storage."
Erik added lines outward. "Radial streets. Wide. Curved slightly to help with wind control and snow management. No straight corridors for storms to funnel through."
He then tapped at the four corners. "Defensive districts closer to the cliff and the entrances. Barracks, armories, training grounds."
Erik then pointed toward the geothermal vents. "Bathhouses. Sauna. Public ones. Warm water helps everyone stay clean which keeps people healthy and happy"
He created districts like:
Central District: governance halls, granaries, Embassies etc
Craft Districts: bone-working, smithing, leather, bow-making, armor shaping, trade warehouses etc
Residential Rings: layered outward by status and function, all within walking distance
Military Quarter: barracks, stables, beast yards, and training fields
Sacred & Greenseer Grove: preserved land where the Children of the Forest would work magic and teach
Market & Exchange Zone: positioned between residential and craft districts
Farming and Ranching zones: To farm on fertile soil such cold resistant crops that were kept warm by the nearby vents and hot water streams. The lands leas suitable for agriculture were selected for ranching and livestock management.
The Children of the Forest and Erik worked outward from a central lake that was near the center, carving shallow canals that followed the land's natural slope.
The canals were designed in layers:
Primary canals feeding directly from lakes and springs
Secondary irrigation channels branching toward fields and districts
Overflow routes leading safely back into rivers or reservoirs during thaw or heavy rain
Underground conduits, reinforced with stone, to prevent freezing in winter
Some canals were warmed subtly by geothermal stone beneath them, ensuring year-round flow.
Erik marked future cistern locations. Making it so that every district stored some water which resutled in no single point of failure.
Space was left for underground sewage pipe system. For now, everyone simply did their business in the bushes or in the outhouses built on top of a deep septic hole.
Nothing was final. The plans could change as needed.
Beyond the planned city limits, where the land gently sloped upward, they broke ground for farming.
The soil was rich but cold,perfect for mild tundra crops.
Fields were laid out in long strips to reduce wind exposure, bordered by low earth berms and stone walls.
The crops Erik had chosen were based on what they had foraged during their travels . The seeds were manipulated by Erik to provide more output and be resistant to climate change. They were:
Barley and hardy rye – fast-growing, cold-resistant grain staples
Oats – ideal for both people and animals
Turnips, carrots, beets – root vegetables thriving in cool soil
Cabbage and kale – frost-tolerant greens
Peas and broad beans – nitrogen-fixing crops to enrich the soil
Channels fed the fields steadily, and warm air drifting from the caldera kept frost from biting too deep.
Some of the earliest structures were Field kitchens and smoke huts for immediate food preparation, Medical and healing lodges, placed near warm springs for sanitation and recovery, Tool and material depots, stocked with timber, bone, stone, leather and salvaged metal and animal enclosures, wide and reinforced, for elks, woolly rhinos, pack animals, and breeding stocks. Outhouses were placed in each district to keep their valley clean.
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