Lawang Sigotaka

Chapter 9

The air grew heavier with each step Dimas took, the atmosphere thick with a sense of something ancient and sacred. The path before him, barely discernible in the dim light that filtered through the dense jungle canopy, wound deeper into the heart of Borobudur, leading him away from the crumbling stone terraces and into a realm where the boundary between the physical and the spiritual seemed to blur. He could feel it a presence that was both comforting and unsettling, drawing him forward with a pull he could neither explain nor resist.

The moon, now obscured by clouds, cast only the faintest glow, leaving the world around him shrouded in shadow. But Dimas did not need light to guide him. There was something else, something deeper, that directed his movements a force that resonated in the very marrow of his bones, urging him onward, toward the center of the mystery that had enveloped him since he first set foot in Borobudur.

The jungle closed in around him, the thick foliage rustling softly in the night breeze. The sound was almost hypnotic, like the whisper of a thousand voices carried on the wind, telling tales of forgotten times, of gods and men, of worlds beyond the one Dimas had known. The scent of earth and damp leaves filled his nostrils, mingling with the faint aroma of incense that seemed to hang in the air, a lingering echo of the Vesak ritual that had brought him to this point.

His heartbeat quickened as he felt the ground beneath him begin to change. The soft, loamy earth gave way to something firmer, smoother stone, but not the weathered stone of the temple's terraces. This was different, untouched by time, as if preserved by some ancient power. Dimas paused, his breath catching in his throat, as he realized where the path had led him.

Before him, standing tall and majestic against the dark backdrop of the jungle, was an ancient bodhi tree. Its trunk was thick and gnarled, the bark a deep, almost black hue that seemed to absorb the faint light around it. The tree's branches spread wide, their leaves rustling softly in the breeze, creating a sound that was at once soothing and eerie, like a distant chant that echoed through the ages.

The air around the tree was thick with energy, a tangible force that seemed to vibrate with the pulse of the earth itself. Dimas could feel it in his chest, in his bones, in the very core of his being a connection that went beyond the physical, a link between the tree, the temple, and something far greater than himself. It was as if the tree was a conduit, a living bridge that connected the earthly realm to the divine, to the cosmos.

For a moment, Dimas could only stand there, rooted to the spot, his eyes wide with awe and reverence. He had read about bodhi trees in his studies sacred fig trees under which the Buddha had attained enlightenment but nothing he had read could have prepared him for the overwhelming sense of presence, of power, that emanated from this ancient tree. It was as if the tree itself was alive, not just in the way all living things are, but in a deeper, more profound sense as if it was a conscious being, aware of his presence, aware of his purpose.

He took a step forward, then another, his movements slow and deliberate, as if afraid to disturb the sacred energy that surrounded the tree. The ground beneath his feet was firm, the air around him still, as if the world itself was holding its breath, waiting for him to take the next step. Dimas's heart pounded in his chest, a mix of anticipation and fear, as he approached the base of the tree.

The bodhi tree loomed above him, its branches stretching out like the arms of a guardian, protecting something precious and ancient. Dimas reached out a trembling hand, his fingers hovering just above the rough bark. The energy that pulsed through the air seemed to intensify as he drew closer, filling him with a warmth that was both comforting and terrifying. It was as if the tree was speaking to him, not with words, but with something deeper, more primal a language that resonated in his soul, bypassing the mind and reaching straight into the core of his being.