Chapter 37 – Moksha and Nirvana (Part I)
The Elven Kingdom woke slowly beneath a pale winter sunrise.
Crystal towers shimmered under the early light, and thin mist drifted across the frozen valleys surrounding Elnoir.
But while the kingdom appeared peaceful…
Sam had not slept well.
The presence he felt in the forest the previous night lingered in his mind like a shadow that refused to disappear.
He stood now at the highest peak overlooking the entire Elven Kingdom.
The mountain was sacred to the elves—an ancient place of meditation where the winds carried whispers of the forest spirits.
Sam sat at the edge of the cliff in complete silence.
Bare-chested.
Eyes closed.
Snow drifted gently around him, yet none of it touched his body. The air itself seemed to avoid disturbing his concentration.
To any observer, he would appear perfectly calm.
But inside his mind, calculations were unfolding at frightening speed.
The memory of the hooded figure in the forest replayed again and again.
Was that man the reincarnation of the ancient king?
The one whose betrayal had awakened the Nirvana Curse?
Or was it something worse?
A new enemy.
An unknown force.
Sam slowly exhaled.
If the curse truly had begun to awaken…
Then Elnoir was already standing on the edge of disaster.
The Silent Command
Without opening his eyes, Sam's consciousness expanded outward.
Far beyond the mountain.
Far beyond the palace.
Across the entire city.
Within seconds, his mind connected to dozens of hidden presences scattered across the world.
His spies.
The elite reconnaissance division of the Blood Legion.
A voice echoed through their shared mental channel.
Calm.
Cold.
Authoritative.
"Team Seven."
Instantly, seven minds responded.
"Yes, Commander."
Sam spoke without moving.
"Enter the City of Elnoir immediately."
"Disguise yourselves as elves."
"Blend with the civilian population."
One of the agents asked,
"Objective?"
Sam's eyes slowly opened.
"Surveillance."
He paused before continuing.
"Two of you will track Tsar."
"The Hand of the King."
There was a brief moment of silence on the link.
Even the spies understood what that meant.
Tsar was powerful.
Watching him would not be easy.
Sam continued.
"The rest of you…"
His gaze shifted toward the distant frozen forest.
"Find the man who appeared last night."
The team leader spoke carefully.
"The hooded figure?"
"Yes."
Sam's voice turned colder.
"I want to know exactly who he is."
"If he is the reincarnated king…"
"Or something else entirely."
One of the spies asked the question none of them wanted to say out loud.
"And if we confirm he is the source of the curse?"
For a moment, Sam didn't answer.
The wind howled across the mountain.
Then he said quietly—
"Do nothing."
The agents were surprised.
Sam continued.
"This isn't a mission to kill."
"Not yet."
His gaze hardened.
"Because if the Nirvana Curse has truly awakened…"
"Then the real enemy may not be the reincarnated king."
The communication channel went silent.
The team leader finally responded.
"Understood."
"Team Seven moving into Elnoir."
The mental connection closed.
The Uneasy Kingdom
Sam remained seated on the mountain.
From his position, he could see the entire kingdom.
The palace.
The quiet streets.
The distant frozen forest.
Something about the land itself felt disturbed.
Like the entire kingdom was holding its breath.
Sam slowly stood.
His eyes narrowed toward the forest.
"…Show yourself."
The wind shifted suddenly.
Far below, deep inside the frozen trees—
Something moved.
And for a brief moment—
Sam felt the same presence from last night.
Watching him.
Waiting.
Then it disappeared.
Sam's expression darkened.
"Fine."
"If you want to play hide and seek…"
His voice dropped into a whisper.
"…I'll find you."
Elsewhere in the Forest
Deep within the frozen woods—
The hooded figure stood among the silent trees.
He looked up toward the mountain peak where Sam had been meditating.
A faint smile appeared beneath the hood.
"So you felt me again."
His voice echoed softly through the frozen forest.
"Interesting."
The man slowly turned away.
"This will be more entertaining than I expected."
And somewhere within the hanging forest of dead elves—
One of the bodies suddenly opened its eyes.
By noon, the City of Elnoir had begun to stir again.
Markets opened slowly. Crystal bridges filled with travelers, and illusion mages entertained small clusters of spectators.
Yet beneath the surface, tension quietly spread through the kingdom.
Whispers.
Rumors.
Fear.
Another body had been discovered that morning.
Another elf who had taken their own life in the frozen forest.
The Nirvana Curse was spreading.
Inside the Palace
In a quiet chamber within the royal palace, Meera sat with Ruhi near a wide crystal window.
Ruhi was drawing shapes in the frost on the glass.
"Mama," she said suddenly, "why does everyone here look sad?"
Meera paused.
She had noticed it too.
Servants spoke more softly.
Guards stood more rigidly.
And the joy that normally filled Elnoir felt… muted.
"Sometimes kingdoms go through difficult times," Meera replied gently.
Ruhi turned toward her.
"Like when people get sick?"
"Something like that."
Before Meera could say more, a royal attendant appeared at the door.
"Lady Meera," the elf said with a respectful bow, "His Majesty requests your presence later this evening for the festival gathering."
Meera blinked.
"Festival?"
"Yes."
The attendant hesitated briefly.
"It was planned long ago."
Ruhi immediately brightened.
"A party!"
Meera forced a small smile.
"Yes… a party."
But something about the invitation felt strange.
Why hold a festival when the kingdom was clearly in distress?
The Hidden Observers
Far across the city, inside a crowded marketplace—
Two figures walked quietly among the elves.
Both appeared perfectly normal.
Silver hair.
Elegant robes.
Identical to any other elf in the city.
But their eyes told a different story.
Blood Legion operatives.
Team Seven had already infiltrated Elnoir.
One of them spoke quietly through the mental link.
"Commander's orders confirmed."
"Target One: Tsar."
"We have visual."
Across the square, Tsar exited a council building surrounded by royal guards.
The spy continued.
"Target Two remains unidentified."
Another agent replied.
"We're sweeping the northern districts."
"Still no sign of the hooded figure."
The team leader's voice cut through the channel.
"Stay sharp."
"If the commander felt his presence…"
"Then that man is dangerous."
The Watching King
High above the city—
Sam still stood on the sacred mountain.
The wind had grown colder.
From this height, the entire kingdom looked small.
Fragile.
His eyes drifted toward the frozen forest again.
The place where the bodies hung.
Where the curse had begun.
Something there was calling to him.
But before he could move—
His mind suddenly caught another signal.
One of the spies from Team Seven.
Urgent.
"Commander… we've found something."
Sam focused immediately.
"What is it?"
The agent's voice carried unease.
"Another suicide."
Sam's jaw tightened.
"But…"
The spy continued,
"This one didn't happen in the forest."
"Location?"
"Inside the city."
Sam's eyes narrowed.
"Where?"
There was a pause.
Then the answer came.
"…The palace gardens."
The Garden
Moments later, Sam appeared in the palace courtyard.
The guards barely noticed the shift in the air before he was already walking past them.
A small crowd had gathered near the gardens.
Whispers filled the air.
An elf lay motionless near the frozen fountain.
A dagger rested beside his hand.
But Sam's attention wasn't on the weapon.
It was on the elf's face.
The expression was wrong.
This wasn't the look of someone who had chosen death.
It was the look of someone who had been pulled toward it.
Sam crouched slowly beside the body.
Then he noticed something else.
The elf's lips moved faintly.
Barely a whisper.
But Sam heard it clearly.
One word.
"Moksha…"
The elf's body went completely still.
Dead.
The crowd gasped softly.
But Sam didn't move.
Because the moment the elf died—
Sam felt the same presence again.
Close.
Much closer than before.
And from the shadows of the palace corridor—
Someone began to clap slowly.
Sam looked up.
A hooded figure stood there.
Watching him.
Smiling.
"Welcome to the real game," the man said softly.
"And now that you're here…"
His eyes gleamed beneath the hood.
"Let's see if you can stop Nirvana."