The smoking Sutra AI terminal was a blaring alarm bell. Elias knew he had mere moments before the Sentinels arrived. He swiftly initiated a diagnostic protocol on his own terminal, forcing a cascade of generic system errors, making it appear as though the widespread malfunction was merely a symptom of aging Bureau hardware. He then slumped back in his chair, feigning exhaustion and irritation, a weary analyst caught in a technical nightmare.
The heavy, rhythmic footsteps grew louder, halting just outside his cubicle. Two Celestial Sentinels, their pristine armor gleaming even in the dim emergency lighting, entered. Their presence was a palpable force, a chilling blend of spiritual might and rigid discipline.
"Analyst," the lead Sentinel, a tall, imposing figure whose helmet obscured his face, intoned, his voice resonating with authority, "explain this power surge. The karmic disruption from this sector registered throughout the core network."
Elias rose, adopting a demeanor of bewildered exasperation. "Commander, I wish I could. We've been experiencing intermittent glitches all night. An old system, I'm afraid. It finally gave out. Purely a hardware malfunction, I assure you. I was just about to file a report on the failing power conduits." He gestured vaguely towards the smoking terminal.
The Sentinel's unseen gaze felt like a physical pressure. "Indeed. A remarkably precise malfunction, Analyst. Coinciding with a moment of... unusual activity on the Ledger's deepest protocols."
Elias fought to keep his expression neutral. "The Ledger is a complex beast, Commander. Sometimes it simply... hiccups. Especially when the hardware can no longer keep up."
The Sentinel remained silent for a long moment, simply observing him. Elias felt his skin prickle. He had to maintain the charade. He then discreetly activated his Karmic Lens, allowing its subtle power to extend to the Sentinel. He wasn't looking for a lie; he was looking for a connection.
What he saw sent a jolt through him, cold as a winter storm. Weaving through the Sentinel's otherwise impeccably clean and loyal karmic signature was a faint, almost invisible, karmic link. It was a thread of influence, a resonance that matched the ancient case's erased Sage—High Sage Theronius. Not a direct, conscious link, but a deep-seated, almost inherent alignment with the Sage's obscured past actions. It was like seeing a distant echo of a secret, imprinted onto the very essence of the Sentinel's being.
The implication hit Elias with crushing force: High Sage Theronius not only manipulated the Ledger; he controlled parts of the Celestial Sentinels themselves. Not through direct commands, but through an insidious, centuries-long cultivation of loyalty, an inherent programming that aligned them with his hidden agenda. The Sentinels weren't just the Ledger's enforcers; they were, in part, the Sage's instruments.
The Sentinel turned to his partner. "Secure the area. Inform the Sutra Corps diagnostic teams. Analyst Thorne, report any further 'malfunctions' immediately."
As they left, their footsteps fading, Elias remained frozen. He had just stared into the eyes of his true enemy, a being whose influence permeated the highest echelons of power, from the very records of reality to the ultimate enforcers of law. The game wasn't just older than Jadeheart; it was woven into its very spiritual fabric. And he was standing directly in the Sage's shadow.