In the morning, we took off in the balloon to find a good spot for the house. We flew high above, the balloon swaying gently in the wind, and used binoculars to scan the vast area below. Now and then, there were slight rises in the terrain, but most of the swamp was a maze of twisted trees and murky water. From up here, it looked almost beautiful in a dark and ominous way—a patchwork of greens and blacks. The sun shone through the thick canopy, creating shadows that danced across the ground.
Al stood next to me, scanning the ground below. With a slight adjustment to his binoculars, he remarked, “Surely, there is a stable area of land somewhere.”
On the other side of the basket, Mahya was busy steering the balloon with her gadget, holding her binoculars to her eyes as she scanned back and forth. Rue had his paws on the edge of the basket, taking in the view. I tried to spot a suitable location, but all I could see were stretches of water and dense clusters of trees.
The swamp was so huge it could easily be mistaken for a small country. From above, the view was like a tangled web of waterways and plants, with ancient trees guarding mysterious secrets. Now and then, a little pond would reflect the light back at us like a tiny mirror, but otherwise, the endless green stretched on forever.
“There,” I said, pointing to a small patch of land that seemed higher than the surrounding water. It was thick with mud on top, but it looked more stable than the other places we’d seen. “That spot might work for setting up.”
Mahya joined us and leaned over the basket to get a better look. She agreed, “It’s not bad, but just in case, we should look for higher ground. We don’t want to be surprised if this place floods.”
We kept flying over the swamp in a zig-zag pattern, searching for a better spot. There was no clear path through the maze of dark water and thick plants below. The trees were incredibly tall, with tangled branches that made it hard to see the ground in many places. Sometimes, we spotted a small opening or a higher area, but nothing that looked like a good place to set the house.
As we continued, the sun dipped lower in the sky, casting long shadows over the swamp. The light turned golden, transforming the green below into a rich, almost magical landscape. It felt eerie, yet there was something strangely beautiful about the place.
“It would be wise to reverse course and land on the elevated area we spotted before,” Al said, putting down his binoculars. “That was the most suitable location we have seen so far. Once we touch down, we can explore further.” Mahya nodded, and Rue even let out a small bark and sent a feeling of agreement. I was on board, too, and took one last look at the vast swamp below. It was definitely a spooky place, but there was something about it that pulled me in.
When we landed on the moss and mud covered ground, the balloon’s basket hit with a soft thud. It felt like the surrounding swamp was holding its breath. The only sounds were the rustling of leaves and the distant croak of some unseen frog. The damp air and dim light filtering through the trees made the scene feel oppressive and threatening.
After stepping out of the basket, I said, “I want to try something new.” I placed the core on the ground and gave the order out loud so the others could hear—otherwise, Mahya would’ve killed me, or at least smacked me upside the head. “Open in a configuration suitable for the surroundings.”
As soon as I gave the order, the house rose from the core, following the shape of the hill beneath it. The roof was the first to appear, with soft curves along the sides to match the slope of the land. As the walls spread out from the center, the dark wood stretched and shaped itself to fit the hill’s contours, creating a multi-level structure that blended in with its surroundings.
Each floor grew atop the one below, expanding the house into a series of terraces along the hillside. The roof extended into an overhang above the different levels. The walls thickened with a blend of wood and stone, and the roof’s surface merged into the hillside, making the house feel like a part of its surroundings. It looked as though it had always been there, perfectly matching the land’s curves.
“Nice,” Mahya said.
I was walking right to inspect the side of the house when I felt a warning from my Luck. “Everybody inside,” I said urgently.
We all rushed inside, and I instructed the house to activate the first stage of the defense—the mana-absorbing force field.
“What happened?” Mahya asked, looking around for the reason I warned them.
“I’m not sure. My Luck warned me about—”
I didn’t have time to finish the sentence when an enormous snake jumped out of the water toward the porch. As soon as it came into contact with the force field, it stiffened for a second before retreating. It stood? Reared? with part of its body out of the water, watching us and swaying gently from side to side.
“Yummy snake!” Rue exclaimed with too much enthusiasm, jumping in place and yipping happily.
The snake didn’t appreciate the yipping and lunged at Rue. On instinct, I tasered it with lightning, pouring a lot of mana into the strike. The snake stiffened, and I watched as the lines of electricity spread through its body and into the water, even a bolt shooting out from its tail to strike a tree. I’d used a lot of mana in that hit. The snake fell onto the porch, twitching. Mahya quickly drew her sword and decapitated it. Glancing into the water, I noticed some frogs and a couple of smaller snakes floating.
Rue was still dancing in place, “Yummy snake! John cook yummy snake!”
I scratched his ear. “I’ll cook it for you. But next time, don’t antagonize the snake, okay, buddy?”
“Yes boss!”
I shook my head. I couldn’t be upset with him—he loved snake meat.
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We started pulling the snake out of the water, and it just kept coming. It was over fifteen meters long and more than half a meter wide. Well, Rue would have plenty of yummy snake meat. As I looked around, I noticed more creatures approaching the house. A smaller snake was slithering on a nearby tree. A couple of giant frogs—the size of a Mini Cooper—hopped closer, and I saw trails in the water, though I couldn’t tell what was causing them.
Those were the perfect conditions to try something I wanted to try for a long time but didn’t have the chance. I was sure those were mana beasts, not monsters—I could feel it. They lacked the polluted aspect I learned to recognize in the gorge.
I sang “The Sound of Silence” by Simon & Garfunkel and activated Arcane Lullaby. Just to verify, I poked the ability again and read its description.
Arcane Lullaby
Playing a calming tune can put enemies to sleep or pacify aggressive creatures, providing a brief window for peaceful resolution or escape.
The sphere of influence grows with the skill levels.
All the surrounding creatures stopped. The snake in the tree swayed from side to side with the tune. The frogs halted their jumping, and a creature that looked like a cross between a crocodile and a fish lifted its head out of the water, swaying along as well. When I finished singing, all of them stood still, staring at me.
What, are they waiting for another song?
The alligator-fish creature dived back into the water, and I watched its trail recede. The rest of the creatures stayed put. I shrugged, went back into the house and, just to be safe, activated the shutters on the entire house.
I cooked a big dinner out of the snake, and it was indeed yummy. Rue was on cloud nine, constantly repeating, “Tomorrow we collect more yummy snakes! Tons of yummy snakes! Lots of yummy snakes! Rue needs lots and lots yummy snakes!”
Based on my experience with the song earlier, I wrote and composed a very slow and melodic lullaby for the next day.
The following morning, we glided across the swamp on the quiet jet skis, cutting through the still water. The only sound was the gentle ripple beneath us. Other than that, the oppressive silence of the marsh held steady. The smell of damp earth and something ancient filled the thick and heavy air, clinging to the bent trees and reaching out like ghostly fingers from their twisted limbs.
A greenish light crept through the dense forest, casting an unnatural glow over everything around us. It gave life to the shadows, making them shift and stir. Al and Mahya were close by, but the dim light made it hard to see them clearly. Their presence was a slight comfort in the stifling atmosphere. Rue led the way, his massive body barely visible ahead. Maybe the black color wasn’t a good idea in such a dark environment, but I wouldn’t be the one to tell him that. He was too happy about looking dangerous.
“Careful!” he sent. “Rue feel swamp dangerous.”
As we ventured deeper into the muck, I nodded, even though he couldn’t see me, because I felt the same unease. The trees closed in, their roots curling and diving into the water like skeletal hands trying to snatch us. Glowing bugs floated above the water, casting a soft, greenish light that made it seem like orbs were hovering in the mist.
As we pushed further into the swamp, it increasingly felt like the place was closing in on us. As the air thickened, the silence became nearly deafening. The canopy above made it difficult for even the faintest light to penetrate and hit the darkened water below. The longer we traveled through the marsh, the more it felt like the swamp itself was watching, waiting for us to make one wrong move.
As we progressed deeper into the swamp, the strange creatures that called this place home emerged. The first to catch my eye was an enormous insect floating near the water, its body as large as a wolf. The light on its wings pulsed from green to blue with each beat, the wings themselves translucent. It hovered just above the water, long legs nearly skimming the surface. Its eyes glowed, fixed on us as if it was always watching.
Further on, something rose from the dark depths, its snake-like body gliding smoothly through the water. The creature was at least twenty meters long, with thick, segmented scales that gleamed in the dim light. A row of spines ran along its back, each tipped with a glowing orb that pulsed in sync with its slow, sinuous movements. Its head, crowned with growing antlers, emerged just above the water, revealing rows of needle-like teeth as it hissed softly. The sound echoed through the swamp like a low hum.
Sensing the growing tension, I took out my guitar and sang “Wild Melodies,” letting the tune flow smoothly as I activated Arcane Lullaby. It didn’t take long for the effect to be noticeable. The giant snake with antlers swayed gently to the rhythm. The insect stopped its movement and landed on the water, and another one of the crocodile-fish lifted its head out of the water and swayed with the melody.
Wild Melodies
Amidst the whispering leaves,
Where sun-kissed branches sway,
The wild creatures find their solace,
As twilight fades the day.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
In the meadow’s gentle hush,
Where silver dew drops gleam,
The deer graze with tranquil hearts,
In the glow of a starlit dream.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
In the meadow’s gentle hush,
Where silver dew drops gleam,
The deer graze with tranquil hearts,
In the glow of a starlit dream.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
The river hums a lullaby,
As otters twist and glide,
Their playful dances shimmer and sway,
In the water’s mirrored tide.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
Above, the birds on feathered wings,
Compose a hymn of grace,
Their melodies thread through the dusk,
A lullaby in nature’s embrace.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
Beneath the ancient oak’s embrace,
Where shadows softly creep,
The fox curls up in velvet moss,
And drifts into a dream-filled sleep.
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
And as the stars emerge, one by one,
The owl’s wisdom fills the skies,
“Fear not, dear ones, the night is kind,
With peace where silence lies.”
All is well, all is calm,
In the cradle of the night,
Every soul finds gentle peace,
Beneath the moon’s soft light.
So let the winds carry this song,
To every heart, both great and small:
All is well, all is calm,
In nature’s arms, we fall.
The further I sang, the more the creatures seemed to relax, captivated by the calming effect of the Arcane Lullaby. By the time I finished the song, most of them had retreated, leaving us alone, while the snake continued to sway gently, completely entranced by the music.
We turned around and headed back; it had been enough for the first day of scouting. To be on the safe side, I sang the entire way back to the house. When we got there, I asked Al, “Did you see the plants you wanted?”
“Yes. A great variety.”
“Do you have a plan for how to collect them?”
He just looked at me and waited. I waited, too, and waited… I had patience. Finally, I broke down and said, “Fine, I’ll be your pacifier.”
He clapped me on the back and smiled. I just shook my head.