The central courtyard buzzed with activity as students gathered to hear their assignments. Groups clustered together, chatting nervously or excitedly, while others stood silently, lost in their thoughts. Arav stood near the edge of the gathering, his arms crossed as he glanced around.

Dhiran, ever the chatterbox, nudged him. “What’s with the face? Excited to float in space?”

Buddhi smirked, overhearing him. “Yeah, Arav. While we’re breaking our backs, you’ll probably be up there meditating with stars.”

Arav shook his head with a faint smile. “Funny. Maybe I’ll learn how to teleport and come check on you two when you’re stuck under a rock.”

Dhiran laughed. “Fair. But seriously, Donyi Peak sounds... intense. You’re the only one going there, right?”

“Yeah,” Arav replied, his gaze drifting. “Makes sense. I’ve always been the odd out"

A tall, imposing figure stepped forward, his presence instantly commanding attention. It was Varunesh, his sharp eyes scanning the crowd.

“You’ve taken your first step into the world of Prana,” he began, his voice steady and resonant. “Today, you’ll ascend to the peaks where your journey truly begins. Each peak reflects the essence of your Prana. It is there that you will forge yourselves anew.”

The murmurs began, students whispering to one another.

“I heard Sangri Peak has actual lava pools,” someone said nearby.

“Chomsi Peak’s supposed to be beautiful,” another added.

Dhiran leaned toward Arav. “Bet you Donyi Peak is just... empty. Like a giant meditation spot.”

“Wouldn’t surprise me,” Arav replied. “But hey, at least I won’t have to deal with the two of you.”

Buddhi laughed. “You’ll miss us. Don’t lie.”

Varunesh raised a hand, silencing the chatter. “These peaks are not just places of training. They are sacred grounds where the divine forces of nature meet human will. Respect them, and they will teach you. Disrespect them, and they will break you.”

As the students began their journeys to their respective peaks, the atmosphere grew quieter. Arav watched Dhiran and Buddhi head toward their paths, both joking and jostling each other.

“See you around, space boy,” Dhiran called over his shoulder.

“Don’t get lost in the void!” Buddhi added, laughing.

Arav rolled his eyes but smiled faintly. Those two... they make this place feel less daunting.

His path to Donyi Peak was unlike anything he’d experienced before. The forest seemed to grow quieter the farther he walked, and the air grew lighter, as if the very ground beneath his feet was vanishing.

When he finally arrived, Arav stopped in his tracks. The landscape before him was surreal. The structures of Donyi Peak were made of smooth stone and glass, shimmering faintly as they seemed to hover just above the ground. The sky stretched endlessly above, a vast expanse that made Arav feel small yet connected to something far greater.

“Impressive, isn’t it?” a voice called out.

Arav turned to see a tall man approaching. He wore simple robes that shimmered faintly, their colors shifting with the light.

“You must be Arav,” the man said, offering a slight bow. “I’m Naresh, your instructor here at Donyi Peak.”

Arav nodded. “This place... it’s different. Feels like I’m standing on the edge of the world.”

Naresh smiled faintly. “That’s the essence of Aakasha Prana. It’s about the spaces between, the connections that bind everything together. Balance. Unity. Harmony.”

Arav frowned. “That sounds... vague.”

Naresh chuckled. “It always does at first. But tell me, Arav, what do you feel when you stand here?”

Arav hesitated, glancing at the vast expanse around him. “Small,” he admitted. “But... not in a bad way. Like I’m part of something much bigger.”

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“Exactly,” Naresh said, his voice soft yet firm. “Aakasha Prana isn’t about force or speed or even adaptability. It’s about understanding the eternal dance of the universe—the push and pull, the veiling and unveiling, the endless cycle of creation and destruction.”

Arav crossed his arms. “And how am I supposed to learn that?”

Naresh gestured to the horizon. “By observing. By feeling. By letting go of what you think you know and embracing what is.”

Arav sighed. “Great. Just what I needed—more riddles.”

Naresh stood at the edge of a smooth stone platform, gazing into the endless sky. His robes fluttered lightly as he turned to face Arav.

“Do you know why you’re here, Arav?” Naresh asked, his voice calm but probing.

Arav shrugged. “Because I’m the odd one out? The only one with this strange affinity for... space?”

Naresh chuckled softly. “Space is not strange, my young friend. It is the foundation of all existence. Without space, where would anything reside? Where would energy move, or life exist? Aakasha is both the canvas and the thread of the universe.”

Arav tilted his head, intrigued. “You make it sound like... everything comes from it.”

Naresh nodded. “Indeed. Aakashais the first element, born from the divine vibration. It is the formless, the infinite. From it come the other elements—fire, air, water, and earth. Aakasha is the bridge between the tangible and the intangible, between the known and the unknown.”

Naresh gestured for Arav to sit on the stone floor. “Before we dive into techniques, let’s talk. What do you think space is?”

Arav frowned, resting his elbows on his knees. “I don’t know... emptiness? A void?”

Naresh smiled. “That’s a common thought. But emptiness is not nothingness. It is potential. Consider the vast sky—it appears empty, yet it holds the winds, the clouds, the sun, and the stars. Without it, nothing could exist. Ākāsha is the womb of creation.”

Arav leaned back, staring at the sky. “So... how do I connect with something like that? I mean, it’s not exactly something I can grab onto or see.”

“That is why we begin with observation,” Naresh replied. “Close your eyes.”

Arav did as instructed, the faint sound of the wind brushing against his ears.

“Focus on your breath,” Naresh continued. “Feel the space between your inhalation and exhalation. That pause—it is where Ākāsha resides.”

Arav followed his instructions, but his thoughts kept drifting. Images of his family, his village, and the Ashura that destroyed it flickered in his mind. He clenched his fists.

“Your mind wanders,” Naresh said, his tone gentle but firm.

“How could it not?” Arav opened his eyes. “You’re asking me to focus on... nothing, while all I can think about is everything I’ve lost.”

Naresh knelt beside him. “The mind clings to the past because it fears the void. But the void is not your enemy, Arav. It is your refuge. Aakasha is not just the space outside you—it is the space within. The place where your pain, your memories, your fears can dissolve.”

Naresh rose and walked to the center of the platform. “There are many ways to connect with Aakasha. Let me show you.”

Arav sat up straighter, his curiosity piqued.

1. Meditation

Naresh lit a small candle and placed it in front of Arav.

“This is Trataka—a form of meditation. Gaze steadily at the flame. Do not blink. Focus until the flame becomes more than what it appears."

Arav stared at the flame, his eyes watering slightly. “What am I supposed to see?”

“The flame is a reminder of your inner light,” Naresh said. “When you focus, the distractions fade. The space around the flame becomes clearer. This is Aakasha revealing itself.”

2. Pranayama

Naresh demonstrated a breathing technique, his breath deep and resonant.

“This is Bhramari, the bee breath,” he explained. “Inhale deeply, and on the exhale, hum softly. The vibration will connect you to the subtle energies of Aakasha. ”

Arav tried it, feeling the hum resonate in his chest. It was calming, almost hypnotic.

3. Mantras

Naresh chanted softly, his voice reverberating in the open air.

“Om Namah Shivaya. This mantra invokes the cosmic principle, connecting you to the boundless nature of Aakasha.”

Arav hesitated. “How is chanting words supposed to help?”

“Mantras are not just words,” Naresh replied. “They are vibrations. And Aakasha is the medium through which all vibrations travel. When you chant, you align yourself with the cosmos.”

4. Yoga

Naresh moved into a pose, balancing on one leg with his arms stretched upward. “This is Vrikshasana, the tree pose. It grounds you while opening you to the skies above. Try it.”

Arav wobbled as he mimicked the pose. “This is harder than it looks.”

“That’s the point,” Naresh said, smiling. “Balance is the essence of Aakasha. To connect with it, you must find your center.”

5. Visualization

Naresh closed his eyes and described a scene. “Imagine an endless ocean, vast and still. You are a single drop within it, yet you are also the ocean itself. This is the paradox of Aakasha—it is both infinite and intimate.”

Arav tried to picture it, but his mind kept resisting. “It’s... hard to feel connected to something so... abstract.”

Naresh nodded. “It is not easy. But Aakasha is patient. It waits for you to be ready.”

As the session ended, Arav stood, feeling both frustrated and intrigued.

“So, when do I know if I’ve connected with Aakasha?” he asked.

Naresh smiled. “When you no longer need to ask the question.”

Arav groaned. “You really like your cryptic answers, don’t you?”

“They are not cryptic,” Naresh replied. “They are invitations. Akasha is not something you conquer. It is something you embrace. But that can only happen when you stop fighting yourself.”

Arav sighed, staring at the vast horizon. “Guess I’ve got a long way to go.”

Naresh placed a hand on his shoulder. “The journey is the reward, Arav. Trust in the process. Akasha will reveal itself when you’re ready.”

With those words, Naresh walked away, leaving Arav alone once again. The vastness of Donyi Peak stretched around him, a silent reminder of the path he had chosen.