As he slowly regained consciousness, the first sensation that greeted Sam was a profound sense of weightlessness. It felt as though he floated in a space between dreams and reality, where time had lost its grip and the boundaries between life and the subconscious blurred.
His eyelids fluttered open to reveal a world bathed in the soft hues of dawn. Above him stretched an expanse of clear sky, streaked with the first delicate fingers of sunlight. He lay on a bed of lush, emerald grass that gently cradled his body, a stark contrast to the clinical confines he had last remembered.
With a deep breath, he pushed himself up, feeling a strange lightness in his limbs. The air was pure and sweet, carrying hints of wildflowers and distant, unknown fragrances. As he looked around, he saw he was nestled in a valley embraced by towering, ancient trees. Their branches reached skyward like guardians of this secluded haven.
A serene lake stretched out before him, its surface smooth as glass, reflecting the vibrant greens of the surrounding forest and the cerulean blue of the sky above. He could hear the faint rustling of leaves in the gentle breeze and the melodious symphony of birdsong echoing through the valley.
Disoriented but inexplicably calm, Sam stood and took tentative steps toward the water's edge. Each movement felt like a rediscovery of his body's capabilities, as if he had been reborn into a world untouched by the passage of time.
As he knelt by the shore, his reflection rippled in the clear water. His own face, weathered by years of sleep, stared back at him with a mix of curiosity and disbelief. He splashed water on his face, feeling its cool embrace against his skin, awakening senses long dormant.
With a sense of wonderment, he explored further, wandering along a narrow path that wound through the forest. Every step unveiled new wonders: vibrant wildflowers carpeting the ground, their petals kissed by morning dew; butterflies flitting through shafts of sunlight that filtered through the canopy above; and the distant murmur of a waterfall cascading into a hidden pool.
He reached the edge of a meadow that stretched out like a tapestry of greens and golds under the expansive sky. The meadow seemed to breathe with life, the tall grasses swaying in a gentle rhythm, as if welcoming him to this untouched paradise.
Overwhelmed by the beauty surrounding him, Sam sank to his knees, tears mingling with the dewdrops on the grass. Here, in this untouched wilderness, he felt a profound sense of peace—an inexplicable connection to the earth and its timeless rhythms.
Hours passed unnoticed as Sam wandered deeper into this sanctuary, each corner revealing new marvels: a grove of fruit-laden trees offering their bounty, a crystal-clear stream murmuring secrets as it wound its way through the forest, and vistas that stretched to the horizon, painted in hues that defied description.
As evening descended like a soft embrace, painting the sky in shades of crimson and gold, Sam found himself drawn back to the lakeside where his journey had begun. He sat on the shore, his back against the smooth bark of an ancient tree, and watched as the sun dipped below the horizon, casting its final farewell across the tranquil waters.
Under the blanket of stars that emerged in the twilight, Sam felt a sense of gratitude blossom within him—a gratitude for this unexpected second chance, for the beauty that surrounded him, and for the promise of new beginnings in this paradise that had become his refuge and his home.
"Welcome back, Sam."
A voice echoed in his mind, familiar yet distant. It was Pushp's voice, unmistakably clear, but Sam couldn't shake off the feeling that he had just heard it yesterday, though it felt like ages ago.
Sam hesitated, his doubts surfacing. "What do you mean when you say 'Welcome back,' Pushp?"
Pushp's voice resonated once more in Sam's consciousness. "It has been five years since I last met you, Sam."
"Five years?" Sam repeated incredulously. "But that's impossible. It feels like only yesterday we were discussing—"
"Time passes differently in the condition that you've been," Pushp interrupted gently, anticipating Sam's confusion.
Sam struggled to comprehend. "What happened to me all this time? And why am I inside Pushp Lok? Shouldn't I be in Maha Lok at the moment fighting alongside Nitin?"
"You've been in a deep sleep," Pushp explained patiently. "A kind of suspended animation that your consciousness entered into. As for me, I've been here, waiting for your return."
Sam's brow furrowed as he tried to piece it all together. "But why? How did I end up there? And why am I only waking up now?"
Pushp's voice softened. "The answers are complex, Sam. Your mind needed time to heal, to process certain events. As for the how and why, it was because of the reward you received for saving Durinia."
Sam's mind raced with more questions. "What about the school I planned to set up? Anna? Nitin? Did they know where I was?"
Pushp's response was measured. "No one knows where you were all this time. Despite that, they've been patiently waiting for your return."
A pang of guilt shot through Sam. "No one knows? Why didn't you tell anyone?"
"Because it would be hard to convince them," Pushp replied cryptically.
As Sam absorbed Pushp's words, a mix of relief and apprehension settled within him. The five lost years felt like an eternity compressed into a void of uncertainty. But now, with Pushp guiding him through the haze of his own mind, Sam knew he had to unravel the mysteries of his absence and the enigmatic presence of his companion.
"I remember that I was planning to receive my reward from Vishv Vani, but as I reflect now, it wasn't merely a plan—it had already begun. The moment arrived when a torrent of information and knowledge was forcibly thrust into my mind, overwhelming it with its sheer volume and complexity."
"The reward, if you can call it that, was not just a simple collection of facts but a profound deluge of insights and understanding. It felt as though the universe itself had decided to pour its wisdom into my consciousness, regardless of my ability to withstand it."
"The intensity of this mental inundation was such that my body instinctively entered a coma-like state, a protective mechanism to shield my fragile existence from being consumed by the vast and relentless flow of knowledge. In that suspended state between awareness and unconsciousness, I could sense the weight of this extraordinary gift pressing upon my very being, reshaping my understanding of reality itself."