On a certain planet within Sector 101, the Mid Sector—
"..."
Richard maintained his meditative posture, seated cross-legged on the ground with his hands resting calmly atop his knees. His eyes were closed, his eyelids perfectly still, his breathing slow and controlled. Even his heartbeat was steady and subdued, so quiet it was almost imperceptible—he looked less like a living being and more like a carefully carved statue, frozen in time.
Then, without warning, his eyes snapped open.
The stillness shattered.
His expression immediately twisted into a smile laced with bitter self-mockery and a faint sense of helplessness. He straightened his back, then slowly leaned it against the thick trunk of a colossal tree behind him. Remaining in that relaxed position, he gazed forward, silently taking in the breathtaking sight of endless yellow meadows stretching to the horizon, their color warm and serene, cruelly at odds with the chaos consuming the sector.
