The final morning of the trip dawned crisp and bright in Kashmir. Eva had arranged for the group to travel to a high-altitude viewpoint near Gulmarg—a place of unparalleled beauty and profound silence. The students, now entirely accustomed to Eva's 'logistical excellence,' were chauffeured up the winding mountain roads in comfortable vans, bundled against the glacial air.
When they reached the viewpoint, the students spilled out, stunned by the vista. Below them lay the valley, carpeted in snow and shadow, while above, the giant, raw peaks of the Himalayas stood sentinel against the clear blue sky.
Eva led them to a protected viewing platform. "Look at this," she instructed, her voice hushed with reverence. "This view has remained largely unchanged for millennia. It is indifferent to human conquests, monuments, or sorrow. It simply is."
Emerald, standing at the very edge of the platform, felt Zinan's presence stir deeply. A perfect place for a fortress, the ancient voice murmured, unassailable and eternal.
Goutham was the first to break the silence. "It's so big, I feel really small. Like, what's the point of worrying about exams when this exists?"
"That's the exact point of a high-altitude viewpoint, Goutham," Eva said, smiling faintly. "It provides perspective. It reminds you that most of your problems are temporary and self-imposed."
Ananthu, holding his scarf over his face against the wind, nudged Emerald. "Man, if I had white hair and this view, I could start my own mountain cult."
"You'd only need Eva for the logistics," Emerald joked, his voice echoing in the thin air.
As the friends started taking photos, challenging each other to stand closest to the precipice, Eva subtly pulled Emerald aside, out of earshot of the others.
"The trip is almost over, Emerald," Eva stated, her blue eyes intense. "You excelled. You used Zinan's strength for the climb and the lectures, and you used his money to buy human happiness. You have lived this borrowed time well."
"And what about the man whose body I'm using? What about Emerald?"
"You are still guarded. You've let your friends make jokes, but you haven't let them see the raw struggle," Eva challenged. "You hid your tears when you spoke to your mother. You deflect everything with Zinan's cold logic or your friends' sarcasm. The final test of your control is vulnerability, Emerald. The honest goodbye."
"What are you suggesting?"
"You have one day left with them. Tell them a small, honest truth about your life—not the vampire secret, but the human truth that made you crave escape. Shed the armor of sarcasm, just for a moment."
Emerald looked out at the jagged peaks, then back at Eva. He remembered the feeling of failure, of being misunderstood by his family. "That's harder than fighting a vampire general."
"I know," Eva said softly. "But if you can't be vulnerable, you can't fully live, and if you can't fully live, Zinan wins the spiritual battle, regardless of the contract."
Later that day, back at the resort, Eva hosted a final, extravagant dinner for the students. The atmosphere was a mix of celebratory exhaustion and the underlying sadness of departure.
Around the long table, the friends were reminiscing.
"Remember Albi drinking the Mughal fountain water?" Shanie laughed.
"And Eva charging me for emotional damages!" Albi cried, throwing his hands up.
Karthik raised a toast. "To Eva, the best logistics coordinator and high-stakes gambler the college has ever seen!"
The next day, the long journey back home began. On the final leg, as the buses cruised through the familiar terrain nearing the city, Eva stopped by Emerald's seat.
"That was the most dangerous thing you've done all week," Eva murmured, her approval evident.
"I felt lighter than I did on the mountain climb," Emerald admitted. "I think I finally understood what you meant by control."
"You didn't fight the current; you rode it," Eva said, her eyes warm. "You have a proper anchor now, Emerald. Hold onto it."
As the bus pulled into the college compound, the trip was officially over. Eva gave a final, professional handshake to the professors, and a knowing look to Emerald. Her duty was fulfilled, for now.
Emerald stepped off the bus, surrounded by his laughing, reminiscing friends. He was exhausted, but centered. He had faced the emperor within, and for a short time, he had won. The clock, however, was still ticking.
The trip is over, and Emerald is back home, grounded by his friends and his new vulnerability. Eva's role as his guide and protector is temporarily paused.
(To be continued)