"शांतिः न बाह्य वस्तुषु — किन्तु अन्तर्मनसि।""Peace does not lie in outer things — but in the inner silence."— Wisdom of Tapovana Scrolls
🟠 Adrift in Stillness
The orange light of the realm bathed Aarav's skin as he lay beneath the weeping branches of a whispering tree, its leaves dripping slow, rhythmic droplets that echoed like a lullaby across the still waters.
For the first time in what felt like days — or lifetimes — he let himself do nothing.
No searching.No fighting.No running.
Just… breathing.
🍃 The World That Watches Gently
The land around him pulsed with quiet life.
Silken birds with silver-tipped wings fluttered through the canopies, singing melodies that had no urgency. Aarav lay still on a patch of moss, his hands folded behind his head, simply watching.
He heard rustling — not threatening, but soft.
Turning his head slightly, he saw two deer cubs prancing around a flowering bush. Their movements were clumsy and joyous, like toddlers learning to dance. One tried to leap across a low rock and tumbled onto its side — only to bounce back up and try again, unbothered.
Behind them, the mother deer watched calmly, her eyes soft and knowing.
Aarav smiled.
"They don't fear failure. They only know joy in the attempt."
Further off, a rumble shook the ground lightly.
A family of elephants emerged through the mist — majestic, slow, and resonant with strength. One young calf, perhaps just weaned from its mother, tried to keep pace with the herd but kept stumbling in the soft earth.
It squealed — not in pain, but in delight — and rolled onto its back, trunk flailing in the air.
The others waited.
The mother walked back, nudged it up gently with her forehead, and the calf joined them again, galloping with joy, only to fall again moments later — this time laughing in its own way.
Aarav's chest lifted with a warmth he hadn't known he'd missed.No words. No visions. Just life — as it is.
🔥 Nourishment in Simplicity
Hunger crept into him again, but it wasn't desperate.
Wandering near the riverbank, he found amber-colored fruit hanging from twisted vines, almost glowing in the orange light. He picked one, bit into its soft flesh — the flavor was mellow, with a hint of citrus and something faintly floral.
Nearby, he dug out root bulbs the size of his fist. Roasting them over a fire gave off a nutty aroma that felt… ancestral. Like something remembered from deep memory.
He ate quietly, watching the light dance on the water.
Each bite felt like a soft ritual — not survival, but ceremony.
🧘♂️ Return to the Breath
He sat beneath a fan-shaped tree, its leaves the color of copper and emerald, and crossed his legs. His eyes fell shut.
This time, there were no visions.No voices.No guilt.
Only his breath.
He felt his shoulders loosen.
The space between thoughts widened.The pulse in his chest softened.
In that stillness, he forgot why he'd come here.
And for a moment… he didn't need to remember.
🍂 Watching, Not Wanting
Later, as dusk approached, golden motes floated through the air. The birds grew quiet. The deer family lay in tall grass nearby, heads resting on one another. The elephants disappeared into the glowing mist, their silhouettes swallowed by soft orange light.
Aarav didn't feel the need to move.
There was no desire to fix anything.No urge to ask questions.Only a strange… contentment.
"Perhaps this too," he thought, "is part of the awakening."
📜 [End of Chapter 7]