Chapter 40 – The Last Totem.

Two years. It had taken them two years to get to this point, to reach this place. Callie wasn’t sure if it was to the day, as they hadn’t paid enough attention to the world around them when they had first arrived to exactly pinpoint it, but it would be fairly close. It was late summer again, after all, a dry wind blowing past, the weather hot, even under the glow of the orange sun, all of them wearing the minimum to be presentable. Even Stella, who was riding on the back of Felicia in her fox form, who was now larger and sporting two tails, to accommodate their daughter’s growth.

Callie felt a pang of sadness in her heart, that one day, probably one day soon, this place would be all gone. There was a beauty to it that she had never seen anywhere else, and in a way, it felt like home. Their home. They’d spent two years travelling through it, after all. Two years getting acquainted with it, of settling into seasonal routines, and getting closer to each other as well. Becoming more than they’d ever been. Lovers, more than that, and a family, Stella being born into the world. The last child of this realm.

Perhaps part of it all was the freedom that she felt here. Not having to worry about the expectations of her parents, not being under their control. Not suffering through what they had done to her and Uriah. Something that they would have to face again soon, when she created a rift, and they stepped through. Her parents, and Riddling. She was nervous. Worried. But they were not the same people as they had been, the ones that Riddling had sent through. She had no idea if he’d been aware of the time flow difference, but he’d make a mistake, picking on them. He would pay for that. And for everything else that he had done. His hands were stained with blood. There would be other things that they would have to do too. She had a little mental list, but it would be one at a time, at their pace. They were, after all, no longer members of the Guardians.

“She’s here, isn’t she?” Julia asked, tying back her hair into a ponytail as she stared ahead. It had gotten a lot longer, and was even tinged red at tips now. It looked really good on her, a subtle hint about what she was.

Callie and Uriah both nodded simultaneously, Callie voicing the reply. “Yeah, she is.” The sense of the totem was so strong now, and on top of that, they could both physically feel her. That Arianna was here, just over the rise. That sensation was strange, but undisputable. Of course there were other signs as well, the terrain having changed a lot in the space of about a week. The grass had gone from green to a fiery red, the land had a persistent dryness about it, even with a large river flowing through it, and there was a scent in the air that was only getting stronger.

“Who, mumsy?” Stella asked, looking up at her.

“The last of the totems, darling. Arianna. She’s kinda like your godmother.” Which was true in a sense, even if no one had ever said as such. She had been instrumental in Stella’s birth, and Callie still held her suspicions.

A surge of light, a squee of happiness, and Stella was sitting on Felicia’s shoulders, Felicia having returned to her human form. “Let’s not keep her waiting though.”

“And no being rude either,” Uriah added, giving their daughter a stern look. Stella just blew a raspberry back at him, and then giggled, Uriah giving her another look.

“Okay,” she finally conceded. “Be nice to the lady.”

“Good girl,” Uriah said with a smile, ruffling her hair, Stella giggling again.

“Stella’s always a good girl!” Stella stated with a grin.

“Of course you are,” Uriah confirmed, giving her another ruffle, then turning back to what lay ahead of them.

Callie was nervous. She could admit that. Even with all the time that had passed, she wasn’t sure what they’d find, exactly what Arianna was. Or how she’d react. Saying that she was a totem was one thing, but Webster had been a lot different, and smaller, from the ones at the Source. From Mort, Alder, Wyrm, and Nine-tails. And since her single attempt to contact her, there had been no further communication between them. Callie hadn’t had a need, and apparently neither had Arianna. And of course, there was everything that would follow.

‘It’ll work out,’ Julia sent her, looking at her with a gorgeous smile. ‘It has this far, hasn’t it?’

Callie sent lots of warm feelings back. ‘That it has.’

They resumed walking, following what looked like a natural path that weaved its way up the rise, between the red grass and segments of stone that jutted out of the earth, a dusty red-gray in colour, the incline gentle. A casual pace, the sun at their side, anticipation building, Callie getting more nervous in spite of her efforts not to. But she wasn’t the only one. They all were, apart from Stella, who was just looking all around them, giggling as she pointed out yet again, that everything looked red. Then they reached it, the crest of the rise, all of them stopping and looking at what lay before them.

Staring would be more accurate. She hadn’t had any expectations, but still, the scene took her breath away. It was dominated by a massive crater, the stone that it was formed from a warm red, heat visibly rising from it. Callie wondered if it was safe to even walk upon. Scattered throughout it were hundreds of little trees, the bark black, flames for leaves. And in the middle of it, dwarfing even those from the Source, was Arianna.

“Where’s the lady?” Stella asked, very much confused.

“She’s right there,” Felicia answered softly, pointing towards Arianna.

Stella tilted her head, leaned forward, squinted her eyes, and then shook her head. “That’s a bird, muffy.”

“Phoenix, actually,” Callie amended, “and that is indeed Arianna. Very much a lady, darling.”

“Umm... okay...” Stella still didn’t sound convinced.

There was no mistaking it though. She radiated power and strength, age and wisdom, and was the source of the sense that they had been feeling. And just like every other totem that Callie had seen, her name was instantly known to her. Arianna did not look well though. She was skinny, her feathers pale, her flames dull, the only remaining intensity about her being her fiery ruby eyes. Once she would have looked glamorous and beautiful, the life of fire itself. Now she was but a broken reflection. She was dying.

“Come, please.” Arianna’s voice was clear, and still demanded respect. The same voice that Callie had heard so many times.

They made their way down slowly, being careful where they stood. The burning trees were hot, the ground warm but bearable, the enchantments on their footwear preventing any damage. There was magic here, stretching out from the totem and into the land, spreading far and wide. It was a strange sensation, walking through it, but not unpleasant. And then they were before her, Arianna shifting slightly, her gaze upon them.

“Callie the Witch, you came.”

“It is good to finally meet you in person.” Callie realised she had no idea what kind of respect she should show, settling for a slight bow of her head. “This journey, we were always going to finish it, to find you.”

“For that I am grateful.” Flames danced around the totem’s head. “And that you are all here. Uriah, Julia, Felicia.” She paused, and then looked at their daughter. “Stella.”

“You’re a strange lady,” Stella said, crossing her arms.

“And so are you, little one.” Arianna chuckled. “Child of four natures, last of this realm. Vulphir.”

“What’s a... Volfeer?”

“The label that your parents gave to you. You are a very unique child.”

“Okay...” Stella just tilted her head again, still confused. “You still look like a bird to me.”

Callie felt herself blush with embarrassment.

Arianna laughed, her feathers ruffling. “You are raising her well. She takes after you all.”

“So... what now?” Julia voiced, looking a little flushed as well.

“We talk, I give you the seed, we part ways.” Arianna’s answer was stated matter of factly, her voice then softening a little, a tinge of wistfulness to it. “It has been a long time since anyone has stood in front of me, and I wouldn’t mind enjoying it for a little bit.”

“You will die after you grant the seed, won’t you?” Callie asked. It was a blunt question, but one that she needed an answer for. From all that she had learnt, from the state that she could see the totem was in, she was pretty sure that that was going to be the case. It was sad, and yet, Arianna had said that it would give her closure.

“Yes. And the realm with me. I am all that is left, that keeps it together. Its time is at an end though. Too much was taken from it.”

“Your siblings?”

“Yes.” An answer awash with sadness.

“Is there anything else that you would ask of us? I’m not sure if we would be able to achieve it, but we can try.” The totem had done so much for them in their time here. Callie felt like they owed Arianna. Especially for her blessing.

“All that I ask is that you keep my seed from the demon. Nothing more.”

“That we will.” On that one, Callie was certain. Riddling would not touch it. Nor their daughter. “How much do you know about him?”

“Very little, my focus was always elsewhere, until it was too late. He is old, and his influence has been felt even before we realised what it was.”

“Webster?”

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“Yes. I thank you for that. I... could not bring myself to admit that part of the story.”

Arianna stretched her wings, a warm gust laced with flames rushing past, before she folded them back again, slowly. “It has been lonely, but watching your time here, communicating with you, has been nice. Though not of your own violation, you brought hope. Life. The knowledge that all was not lost. A fitting final chapter for this place. What would have killed many, has killed many, you survived, and have overcome. While your world was gifted with magic, you, Callie the Witch, carry the blessings and last memories of this realm. And your daughter, its spark.”

“You intend to give Stella the seed, don’t you? That was always your plan, wasn’t it?” It was time that Callie asked the question.

“Yes.”

Uriah frowned. “Will it change her, affect her?”

“Will you believe any answer I give? What would you do with it otherwise? Do you even know what form it takes.”

“Please...” Callie asked somewhat more quietly, taking Uriah’s hand and giving it a reassuring squeeze.

“It’ll affect her no more than the blessings have affected you. It will not change her personality, nor directly influence her. But it will grant her a portion of my magic, the core of what I am, and magic is a living thing. She will always be herself, but what she will have access to will be significant. The seed is independent of me, and carries nothing of who I am. Instead it will grow with her.”

“With what she has ahead of her, of what she will face, she will need this,” Felicia commented quietly. “She won’t be with us forever, and if her current personality is anything to go by...”

“You swear upon your seed that you speak the truth?” Uriah still sounded reserved, but also resigned. It wasn’t as if they hadn’t talked about it before, the suspicion always there, but it had always been a delicate topic.

“Child of the totems, on the power that made you who you are, and on the core of who I am, I swear that I speak the truth.”

‘Callie?’ He was still worried, his love for their daughter perhaps the strongest of them all.

‘Uri... I trust her on this. She gifted us with Stella after all, and I believe in our daughter too. That she has the strength to accept the seed. She is... special. In many ways.’ Callie sighed. It was hard for her too, to get over those doubts.

‘I know. It’s just... this is our daughter, Callie. She’s a part of us all. I know I joked about it, but I had never dreamed that this would ever happen.’

‘Me neither, Uri.’ Her emotions were strong. But in the end...

“Stella has to be the one to make the decision,” Julia declared, taking their attention, and echoing her own thought. “On her own, without any coercion. She is young, but our daughter is clever, and her instincts sharp.”

Uriah looked at Julia, Arianna, then Stella. “Yeah, that I can accept,” he finally stated with a smile.

“Me too,” both Callie and Felicia said in unison, electing a giggle from Stella.

“Thank you,” Arianna stated, her flames flickering for a moment, before intensifying in hue. “So it shall be.” She shifted again, lowering herself a little, her gaze directed at their daughter.

“Birdy?” Stella asked, a little confused, suddenly realising that Arianna’s attention was on her.

“I offer you a gift child. Yours to accept or refuse.”

Callie could feel the totem’s magic, gathering up within her as all of the tendrils that had stretched out from her and into the land snapped, till it was focused to a small point within her. A small flame, burning brightly, red and golden hues, wrapping around itself and forming into the shape of an egg. And then it was gone, reappearing again directly in front of Stella, floating there in the air.

Stella stared at it, poking it with her free hand as her tail swayed lazily. She touched it, brought it to her, examining it closely as any child would. The magic flared, responding, but still keeping to itself.

“What it do?” she then asked, cradling it in her hands ever so gently.

“It becomes a part of you.”

“Okay, kind lady.” Stella declared, smiling. “Thanks.”

Callie felt it before she saw it, the seed flaring once again, a burst of magic that wrapped around their daughter, before it then flowed into her and disappeared. Merged with their daughter as the blessings had for herself, the only hint of what had just happened a streak of deeper red hair and a red line on one of her ears.

“Stella?”

“Mumsy?” Stella looked over at her.

“You okay?”

Stella nodded enthusiastically. “Warm. But good. She’s a nice lady.”

“It is done.” Arianna sounded a lot weaker. And almost hollow, her form already starting to fade.
“Thank you, again, Callie the Witch.”

“How much time do we have?” Callie asked as she walked over to Felicia, gently reaching up and taking Stella off her shoulders, and holding her against her. Stella snuggled in close, a sense of comfort for them both.

“I do not know,” Arianna replied, shifting again, curling herself up, the flames on the trees slowly flickering out, one by one. “But less than I thought, I suspect.”

“Do you want us to witness your final moments?” That had been her original plan, but she could feel the land subtly starting to shift, and the magic that had been here in this space had already gone.

“No. I would rather watch you leave, and know that you crossed between realms safely. Final closure, if you will.”

“As you wish.” She felt the tears well up and start flowing before she had a chance to stop them, the realization slamming into her. In a few minutes they would indeed be gone, and they’d never be coming back. A chapter of her life, their lives, was finishing, and she wasn’t looking forward to some of what lay ahead. She felt their arms around them, all of them, holding her close, Stella apparently enjoying the affection as well.

‘We’re in this together,’ Uriah’s thought reached her loud and clear.

‘Yeah, that we are.” Callie calmed herself down a little, using her free hand to wipe the rest of the tears away as the others moved back, standing beside her.

She then turned, pulled the image from her mind, and cast the spell. It came to life smoothly and easily, the array spreading out from her, glowing the soft purple of her magic, and then she felt it. A shift and a tear, the fabric between the worlds weakening as a rift opened up before them. Not the sickly purple and green of all the ones that she had seen before, but the soft purple of her magic again. Stable and welcoming. Brought to life by her magic, and yet... Callie looked back at the totem, her eyes still on them.

“Arianna, do you have any idea why they were never able to leave our realm? Could they not have just cast this spell?”

“The spell is a personal one, Callie the Witch, the rift tied to you, and those of your blood and bond. Learning it is one thing, casting it another. There is a reason that the Demon had so much more anchored to it, and still lacked the power to bring it to life.”

That... just made things a lot more complicated, answering some questions, but forming even more. Arianna had been confident, though, that she would be able to cast it in the first place. Known something that she had not. Known a lot more. She was old after all, a part of the realm, and one that had seen and experienced a lot. Callie wanted to ask more, to talk more, but she knew that they had to leave.

“Arianna, Totem of Phoenix, thank you. For all that you did for us while we were here. Know that you will live on, in our memories, in your blessing, and your gift to Stella. And,” Callie took a deep breath, the pain still there, even if the tears were gone, “goodbye, I guess.”

Lining up in front of it, they gave each other a quick look, then as one, they all stepped through.

“Goodbye, Callie the Witch. Our hopes and dreams go with you.”