That's the Reality, Wanderer

The sadhu stretched every bone in his body with every joint popping along. He leaned over, grasping his feet. His back revealed his spine to be like the old mala beads he wore with his matted white locks draping over. Providing warmth and letting the cool of the evening come, the sun embraced him, apologizing for the wrathful hours of noon where the heat pounded anyone who walked under it.

The student carefully observed his guru practice his rites. He buried his pale, ash-covered face in his saffron robe, eyeing various locations alongside the river banks. Reflecting the evening sunlight, every ripple danced as Mother Ganga rolled by blissfully, greeting them both. It had been a month since he chosen the path towards self-realization. Or more so, his guru taking him under his wing after seeing him at the worst state of his life. Either way, life as his student was much more preferable than a half-drunk pariah.

A mantra was cantillated by the teacher, bringing his student’s attention back to his meditation. The words rolled out of the sadhu’s fruity and gravelly voice with excellence, for he chanted them for years. If there was a mistake or stutter, it didn't matter, for he was already in the realm where he'd commune with the divine.

“Guruji?” the student queried.

“Yes?” the sadhu replied, raising an eyelid, a small grin forming.

“Well…,” the student muttered, trying to bring his thoughts together, “How do you do this with such... Such..-”

“Ease?” the sadhu finished his student’s question.

“I guess so..” 

A chuckle rushed out of the sadhu, “It all comes down to this: everything that has caused you any suffering, all of it's talk. It's not all there, but you make it a priority. What really matters is just this. The tandava, the Om! That’s the reality, Wanderer.” He then cackled, reveling in what he just said, for he knew this for an eternity, and his student would come to know this as well.

The student’s eyes widened at the name his guru gave him, never mind his wisdom. It was surely unlike the names others called him such as “drunkard” or worse yet, “untouchable”. This one was an affectionate name, like how a father would call his own son. No one ever gave him that level of respect before. It fit him. Traveling at his guru’s side, looking for inner peace, and finally figuring what is it really about. Wanderer...

-Just exploring the AU a little bit more. Or me spouting out philosophical things. I might get to designing Alastar (low-key thinking he'd be an officer of the British Raj) and other characters :3c.

The Secret of Kells (c) Tomm Moore