The morning sun climbed steadily as AJ walked eastward from Millbrook. The plains stretched ahead, grass swaying in a gentle breeze that carried the scent of earth and life. His human form moved at a comfortable pace, covering ground without urgency.
The villa's disappearance still occupied part of his thoughts. Remaining alert for similar structures would be essential during his travels. Understanding this phenomenon could provide various insights for his cultivation and the world they were still adapting to.
The terrain remained relatively flat as the morning progressed. Occasional clusters of trees broke up the grassland, their canopies providing brief patches of shade. AJ passed through one such grove, noting the way mana concentrated slightly beneath the older looking trees.
By midday, the landscape began to shift subtly. The ground developed a gentle slope, rising gradually towards a formation that caught his attention.
A depression in the earth lay ahead, circular and clearly defined against the surrounding plains. The formation's scale became apparent as he approached, it was easily 200 metres across, with walls that dropped perhaps 20 metres below the surrounding terrain.
A meteor crater.
The rim offered a clear view down into the transformed interior. Trees grew thick within the crater, their branches heavy with fruit. Grass carpeted the ground in vibrant green, and flowering plants added splashes of colour throughout the space. A small pool of clear water occupied the centre, fed by a spring that bubbled up from the crater floor.
The mana density within the crater was noticeably higher than outside. Not dramatically so, but enough to create an environment where plant life thrived with unusual vigour.
Natural footholds in the rocky slope made the descent manageable. At the bottom, the difference in atmosphere was pronounced, the area felt enclosed, protected, almost sanctuary-like.
The fruit trees drew his attention first. Several varieties grew throughout the crater, their branches laden with produce in various stages of ripeness. The nearest tree bore round, orange-coloured fruit hanging from its lower branches it had smooth skin and a sweet scent.
He plucked one fruit, absorbing it into his substance to study its properties. High water content, natural sugars, vitamins. Nothing exceptional, but wholesome food that would provide good nutrition.
Some nearby movement caught his eye.
A small creature emerged from beneath a bush near the pool. Roughly the size of a small housecat, covered in brown and white fur with a rounded body and short legs. The animal's face was distinctly guinea pig-like, with small rounded ears and a blunt snout.
More appeared as he watched. They moved through the grass with calm curiosity, grazing on plants and occasionally standing on their hind legs to reach lower fruit branches. There were more than a dozen that he could see, though more rustled through the undergrowth throughout the crater.
One approached AJ directly, its nose twitching as it investigated this new presence. It showed no fear, just open curiosity as it sniffed at his boots.
Crouching, he extended his hand slowly. The guinea pig sniffed his fingers before sitting back, its dark eyes studying him.
"You're a curious little fellow aren't you."
The creature squeaked, then turned and waddled back towards the pool. Within moments, 3 new guinea pigs had approached, forming a small semicircle around him. They watched with that same open curiosity, occasionally chittering to each other.
AJ stood slowly, not wanting to startle them. The guinea pigs remained where they were, unbothered by his movement. When he walked towards the pool, they followed, their short legs carrying them through the grass with surprising speed.
The pool's water was crystal clear, revealing a sandy bottom. Kneeling beside it, he dipped his hand into the cool water. The spring that fed it bubbled up from a crack in the ground, maintaining a constant flow that kept the water fresh.
His guinea pig escorts settled nearby, two of them beginning to groom each other while the third watched with unwavering attention.
This is a good place to rest, he thought, surveying the crater's peaceful interior. And the mana density makes it worth cultivating for a while.
The afternoon sun filtered through the fruit tree canopy, creating dappled patterns across the grass. A shaded spot near the pool provided the perfect spot for cultivation. The 3 guinea pigs followed, with more coming out from the underbrush, they arranged themselves in a loose cluster around him.
His awareness extended throughout the crater. The ambient mana flowed naturally through the space, concentrated but not stagnant. The trees drew it in, using it to fuel their vigorous growth. The pool seemed to act as a distribution point, the water carrying mana up from below, enriching the entire ecosystem.
AJ began drawing the ambient mana into his form, guiding the energy through his substance, allowing it to integrate with his existing reserves.
Time passed quietly. The guinea pigs remained nearby, occasionally wandering off to graze before returning. Birds called from the tree branches overhead. The spring's gentle bubbling provided constant, soothing background noise.
As evening approached, AJ opened his eyes. The cultivation session had been productive, while he didn't make huge leaps he was steadily expanding his reserves. Not only that but he had managed to truly calm his mind and enter a profound meditative state thanks to the pleasant environment.
8 guinea pigs now lounged in various positions around him, some dozing, others grooming, one attempting to climb the fruit tree nearest the pool with limited success.
AJ stood, his movement causing several heads to lift and watch him. He walked to the tree the guinea pig was struggling with and plucked a fruit from a lower branch. The little creature chirped excitedly, abandoning its climbing attempt to ask for the fruit in AJ's hand.
He held the fruit out. The guinea pig sniffed it carefully, then began eating without further hesitation as it held the fruit between its small paws.
They're quite trusting, he thought, watching as two more approached hopefully. Additional fruit were plucked and distributed to his new friends. They settled down to eat, expressing their satisfaction through cheerful chirps.
The sun descended towards the crater rim, painting the sky in shades of orange and pink. AJ returned to his spot near the pool, this time allowing his human form to dissolve. His substance spread across the grass, reverting to a blob, his natural slime state.
The guinea pigs reacted with renewed curiosity. Several approached the edge of his spread form, sniffing cautiously. One, bolder than the rest, placed a tentative paw on his surface. When nothing alarming happened, it climbed fully onto him, settling down as if he were simply another patch of warm ground.
Within minutes, 5 other guinea pigs had claimed positions on or against him. Their weight was negligible and their warmth pleasant in the cooling evening air. AJ remained still, not wanting to disturb them and ruin the moment.
Since leaving Valentra, he'd been constantly moving, investigating, fighting. Before that were months of settlement building and cultivation. Always working towards something, always focused on the next goal.
In this moment he felt different, purposeless, in the best way possible.
The stars emerged overhead as darkness settled into the crater. The pool's surface reflected their light, creating the illusion of stars both above and below. The guinea pigs on his form shifted occasionally, adjusting their positions, but none left.
I should check in with Lily.
The sub-body in Valentra stirred as he focused his attention through it. The familiar view of the admin building appeared before him, evening had settled here too, the lamps casting their familiar warm glow.
Lily and Maria sat the main table going over some documents together. Walter and the others were absent.
"Good afternoon ladies," he spoke.
"Hey AJ," Lily said as she looked in his direction. "How are things?"
AJ described the day's events, the villa's connection to their previous encounters with the wooden cabin and the house, its disappearance, and his subsequent departure from Millbrook.
"Did you manage to learn anything else from the villa?"
"It was draining mana from anyone inside. Same as the cabin we stayed in all that time ago. I wanted to investigate it further but, when I went over to it this morning..."
"It disappeared..." Lily sighed.
"No traces of it ever being there."
"That sucks. Would've been good to learn more about those things."
AJ shifted to the right. "It's unlikely to be the last encounter with something like it."
"Where are you now?"
He told her about the crater and its peaceful atmosphere, the fruit trees, the clear pool, and the guinea pigs currently using his body as furniture.
"Guinea pigs?" Lily's voice rose in pitch, her eyes brightening. "I want a pet guinea pig! Can you bring some back?"
"I'm not sure about that, they're happy here, and I'd need to carry food for them the entire journey, that's potentially weeks of fresh fruit and plants."
She paused. "Oh. That's... a lot of fruit."
"Plus they'd be exposed to everything I come across. Hostile creatures, fights, harsh weather, and more."
The determined climber had given up, now waddling over to investigate his form. "They're safer here in their crater."
"Yeah, I guess so." Lily's shoulders slumped slightly.
"...It's been a good day. No fights, no mysteries, just... peace."
"Sounds like you needed it."
"Maybe I did."
Maria spoke up from her position near the wall, having listened quietly to the exchange. "A day of rest isn't wasted time, even for cultivation."
Lily nodded agreement, then updated him on Valentra. The River's Eye traders had made another delivery of Stormsteel, and everything else was business as usual.
Some minor disputes had occurred but were settled quickly and peacefully, the harvest preparations were progressing smoothly, and the new residential section was nearly complete.
"That's good. I can't wait to see what Robert will make with the new materials."
They chatted for a while longer, the conversation drifting to smaller details, Lily's current frustration with paperwork, Maria's concerns about the future, and questions about the other settlements AJ might visit.
He let his consciousness settle back into his main form. The crater's peaceful atmosphere enveloped him once more, the guinea pigs shifting slightly on his surface but not leaving their comfortable positions.
A few of them had seemingly burrowed into his substance, creating small indents where they snuggled up, sleeping soundly.
AJ began cultivating again, as the night deepened, drawing in the crater's concentrated mana.
The moon rose, adding its light to the stars' reflection in the pool. The guinea pigs shifted occasionally in their sleep, but none left their positions on his form.
Eventually, his consciousness settled into a state of rest. Not true sleep, but a state of reduced awareness, his body focused on resting but it continued its mana processing and integration efforts, though the process was dramatically slower.
The crater remained peaceful through the night. No predators entered this sheltered space. No disturbances broke the quiet beyond gentle night sounds.
---
Dawn arrived gradually, pale light spreading across the crater rim before descending to the floor. AJ stirred, slowly returning to full alertness. The guinea pigs began waking as well, stretching and chittering softly to each other.
One by one, they climbed off his spread form, heading towards the pool or the fruit trees for their morning meal. His human shape reformed, standing and stretching despite not needing to. The motion felt appropriate after a good night of rest.
The morning passed quickly as he explored the crater's interior. The space was well lived in, with small paths worn through the grass by the guinea pigs' constant movement. And several burrows dotted the crater walls, presumably where the creatures sheltered during rough weather or raised their young.
By midday, the tour was complete. It was as it appeared, a peaceful space where life thrived, protected from the harsher conditions of the surrounding plains.
Several guinea pigs followed him as he climbed back towards the crater rim. They stopped at the steeper sections, watching his ascent with those dark, curious eyes.
AJ paused, looking back. One of the creatures stood on its hind legs, as if waving goodbye.
I'll remember this place. Its location fixed in his memory. A refuge, should he ever need one during future travels.
While he would like to stay longer the journey must continue, he turned eastward, leaving the crater behind. The plains stretched ahead, grass bending in the constant breeze and the midday sun warming his body as he walked.
The terrain remained consistent through the afternoon. Occasional clusters of trees broke up the expanses of open grassland, with the occasional creature moving in the distance.
The day proved largely uneventful, but evening brought something new, the sound of water.
The sound grew louder as he continued walking, it wasn't the gentle bubbling of a spring, but the flow of a river.