The clan tram hummed as it rose.
Talia stood alone on the platform, hands braced lightly against the railing as the stone carriage climbed through the mountain's spine. The movement was smooth now—no grinding or tremors—just a comfortable few moments of travel, or a scenic tour of the Citadel centre.
Floor Three.
She exhaled slowly as the tram slowed… and stopped.
"Where here, Boss?" the driver asked. The other passengers watched curiously as she stood.
There was no platform waiting for her.
Just a raw stone wall, unmarked and unshaped, pressing close enough that she had to step carefully to avoid brushing it with her shoulder. The space beyond the tram doors was narrow, unfinished, and dim—an absence rather than a place.
"Well," she murmured, half to herself. "That feels about right."
She stepped down anyway.
Stone responded immediately.
Not dramatically, and not like the early days when every shift had come with resistance and fatigue. Now it responded smoothly, like a surface recognising familiar hands. The wall softened, pulled back, then widened. The floor levelled beneath her feet, flattening into a clean, stable landing.
Stone unfurled outward, forming the skeleton of a proper station. Light shafts opened above, angled to catch what little sun filtered down through the mountain's upper vents. The platform broadened, railings rising from the floor as if they had always been waiting to be uncovered.
The station blueprint activated, and soft light filtered through the structure as moss lanterns slotted into position and wooden slats settled onto seats.
Floor Three was now accessible.
Talia created a station platform in ten minutes, all while under the gaze of… both trams now.
"Alright, Station Three will be open soon—not yet," she said, waving the crowd on.
The trams continued to run.
Talia stood there for a long moment, then rolled her shoulders and got to work.
The corridors were crafted first by necessity.
She carved them wide—wider than strictly necessary—because crowds would gather on this floor. Roads followed, broad stone lanes branching outward like roots, curving instead of running straight to soften sightlines and reduce wind tunnelling. She paused often, adjusting angles, opening vents where air wanted to move, carving channels where water could run without stagnating.
Sunrooms came next.
Large sliding stone windows, wide enough to let warmth and light through. She tested each one, opening and closing them with a little strength, smiling faintly when they slid into place with a satisfying hush.
Water would follow gravity naturally now.
She guided the stone with subtle pressure, carving clean channels that curved gently instead of cutting sharp lines. Pools were able to fill where they were meant to and drain where they shouldn't linger once the water gates connected. A few shallow basins were left empty on purpose—future pockets, waiting for decisions not yet made.
By the time she finished the main arteries, the space no longer felt like an empty floor.
It felt like a foundation waiting for an injection of life.
The Entertainment District was the first district to be worked on, as it was closest—and more fun.
Talia had originally expanded the vertical distance between the second and third floors carefully, widening the gap just enough to allow for proper pool depth without destabilising the stone above.
This district was designed larger than the others—deliberately so. People needed space to gather, move, and be loud without consequences.
She shaped the four main sub-districts around a massive central park. Luminous stone and moss were interspersed to create artificial lighting of differing intensity around the park, and a stage rose at the centre—simple, sturdy, and designed with sightlines so that even those seated at the furthest edges could see clearly.
Guard stations went in next—four of them—placed at exit points without feeling oppressive. Beside the northern entrance, she built the Entertainment Office and staff quarters, with a small parking bay for carts and equipment.
"This is going to be chaos," she muttered fondly, already imagining it.
The teen zone came together with wide seating, climbing walls carved into one side, and open spaces meant for movement, sports, and physical entertainment. Talia included a medium-sized obstacle area that she herself was drawn to.
I'll come back to test that climbing wall later, she promised herself.
A small games room, quiet area, dance or party zone with a stage, and lastly a refreshment and discussion lounge made up the less physical entertainment for young adults.
The adult area followed—lounges tucked into quieter corners with refreshment areas, stone couches warmed by the exhaust vents that ran through the whole citadel, and tables spaced far enough apart for conversation without crowding.
Completing the theatre, music rooms, and other event areas, she looked around and paused, running a hand along the smooth stone back of a seat.
"I might… accidentally spend too much time here," she admitted to no one.
The child play zone was brighter.
Lower walls with rounded edges. Channels for water play were carved shallow and safe. She laughed once when a spray went higher than intended and soaked her boots.
"Noted," she said, adjusting the flow. "Lower pressure."
Play equipment followed—pits for sand and furs, quiet rest areas, forts and cubby spaces for hiding and imagination, creative areas, a stage and dance space for the younger Clan members, refreshment stations, and a place for adults to rest.
The whole sub-district was created with open sightlines and adult supervision in mind.
At the centre, the park completed itself—small bushes and hedges coaxed to grow a little faster, their roots guided carefully into stone planters. Grass followed, soft and resilient in the prepared dirt patch.
The water park came last: change and refreshment areas, pools of multiple sizes and purposes. One for parties and stage entertainment, one large obstacle-course pool for active challengers, another for quiet swimming, and a final huge pool full of slides carved directly from stone, gentle currents looping back into themselves.
Finally, Talia stood back at the entrance, staring at it in excitement, watching the blueprint as the final smoothing and lighting were placed and came to life, wood panels fitted, and greenery adjusted or newly placed where it had been forgotten.
Opening day couldn't come soon enough. The Entertainment Department finally had a home.
Walking to the opposite side, the housing came next.
The housing districts clustered naturally—four separate zones forming a loose ring around a shared commercial core. Talia started with the small housing district, carving compact apartment blocks designed for singles and couples. The stone split cleanly, rooms unfolding with practiced ease.
She moved fast here—too fast, almost—caught up in the momentum of it."Slow down," she reminded herself, but didn't quite listen.
That was when she broke through into a moss cavern.The air changed immediately—cooler, damp, alive.
Talia froze, then laughed softly. "You were hiding here."
She didn't close it off. Instead, she shifted the planned park to incorporate it, adding park features around the cavern instead. The green glow softened the nearby apartments instantly, adding gentle natural lighting and a calming atmosphere.
Medium housing followed—larger units with shared walls but more breathing room and individual front courtyards. Then the large housing district, where family homes took shape with private courtyards, space, and communal rooms balanced carefully.
Housing for elders and those who found multi-floor buildings difficult was built next—small, single-floor housing complexes with easy access and a nursing station integrated into the community.The final area to complete the third floor was the central commerce district.
Two-wing malls sat on the east and west sides—one for food and groceries, the other for clothing and home needs. The north edge included a market street, The Beastcare Lane, which would house shops and stores for pet care; the Hearthlops were ready for fostering. On the opposite side of the guardhouse and gate stood the managerial centre, including a CP exchange counter, offices, and maintenance buildings.
The south featured more market lanes—one for life services such as hairdressing, the other for trade and tools. At the centre of the entire commercial district stood a large food court and stage. Wide lanes for carts, parking areas, greenery, seating, and water fountains spread throughout the zone.
Blueprint confirmation scrolled quietly across her panel.
"Floor Three: Complete," Talia said. Deepway Clan now had homes, she thought.
Turning back, she stood at the edge of the entertainment district and opened the water gates, watching as water surged in—filling channels, spilling into pools, flowing exactly where it was meant to. She watched it for a long moment, fingers twitching.
She absolutely wanted to play.
She did not.
The Clan had been watching and waiting for weeks now. Reluctance oozing off her in waves, Talia turned to Maris, who had been watching her with amusement, scowling as she asked if notification had been sent.
"Yes," Maris replied. "I called the runner when you finished the Commercial District. They should be arriving any moment now."
Talia had finished the floor just before midday, so the Clan should have been on break. Spotting the clan tram arriving and sentinels disembarking, she walked over to the station while noticing the Admin team beginning to set up tables in front of the housing district.
Megan was already directing traffic for the quicker Clan members, voice sharp but smiling as she grouped families into their assigned districts.
"No, no—large housing is this way. Yes, I know it's tempting, but you're not stealing a unit."Laughter echoed.
Mum and Grandpa had already lined up. Once the slate work was completed, Talia moved along with them to explore their own family home. Grandpa, Mum, and Dad—who had caught up—stepped into their assigned large home with quiet awe.
Fingers traced walls. Windows were opened and closed just to feel the mechanism. Luminous moss and star stone were placed thoughtfully to adjust the lighting.
Cael vanished into the entertainment district almost immediately, then reappeared with narrowed eyes."I am conducting a safety inspection."
Talia raised an eyebrow. "Of the date spots?"
"Of the dangers," he corrected. "Which may include romance."
Evan and Annika found their office in the commerce district and stopped dead.
"This is… actually good," Annika said slowly.
Evan nodded. "Workable for now."
That afternoon, as the school bell rang, children poured out like released arrows.
They raced up the ramp with their families, voices echoing, laughter bouncing off stone. They pressed their faces to the entertainment district barriers and groaned when they realised it wasn't open yet.
"Soon," Talia promised, grinning. "It will be opened soon."
By nightfall, lights glowed softly from hundreds of new windows.
Deepway had homes now. They had settled—not as a camp or a shelter.
They were now a place built to last.
Winter would come, but Deepway would survive.
Talia allowed herself to believe it.