Hiding in the sewers, clutching the primordial karmic shard, Elias knew time was rapidly running out. The karmic vortex was spreading, the ley lines screamed, and the Stoneborn invasion, though temporarily diverted, loomed large. He needed to stop the vortex, and for that, he needed an ally with deep elemental knowledge: the Stoneborn themselves.
Through the Sylvan Grove Warden, Lyra, who maintained her connection to Mei Lin, Elias initiated a desperate negotiation with the Stoneborn. He requested a meeting with a Stoneborn Earthshaper, one of their most respected geomancers, a being deeply attuned to the earth's energies and the ley lines that flowed beneath it.
The meeting was tense, conducted in a neutral, pre-arranged cavern deep beneath the city, far from any prying eyes. The Earthshaper, a massive, stoic figure whose body seemed carved from living granite, radiated an aura of ancient power and unyielding resolve. His eyes, like molten gold, burned with the recent trauma inflicted upon his people.
"You caused this," the Earthshaper rumbled, his voice shaking the very cavern. "Your human conflicts have desecrated our lands. Why should we listen to a word you say, 'Accountant'?"
Elias, flanked by Mei Lin, projected an air of weary honesty. "We acknowledge the devastation, Earthshaper. And we seek to stop it. The entity responsible for the bomb, Master Veyra, is Arthan's puppet. She used our human conflicts to create a weapon that threatens all life, not just yours. The karmic vortex is spreading. It will not stop at Emberfall. It will consume your lands, destroy your connection to the earth, and then spread to Jadeheart."
He then laid out his deal: "If we can work together, if you can provide the raw elemental power and ancient geomantic knowledge necessary to contain and eventually stop this vortex, we will do everything in our power to restore the balance, to mitigate the damage to your lands. In exchange for your aid in stopping the vortex, the Stoneborn will delay their invasion of Jadeheart. We will give you the means to fight this true enemy, not just its pawns."
The Earthshaper listened, his golden eyes narrowed in thought. The concept of the vortex, of ley lines unraveling, clearly resonated with their deepest fears. He knew the threat was cosmic, beyond simple warfare.
But then came the catch. "What guarantee do we have, human?" the Earthshaper demanded, his voice hardening. "How can we trust a manipulator of karma, a man whose hands are stained with falsehoods? You speak of truth, yet you live by deceit."
He pointed a massive, stone finger at Elias. "We demand proof of your commitment. We demand your Earth Core data. Every piece of information, every record within that device. We will analyze its karmic imprint. If your claims are true, if you truly seek to fight this evil, then let your history be laid bare before us. This would reveal your crimes, 'Accountant.' Every manipulation, every shadow deed. If you are honest in your intent, you will give us this."
Elias felt a cold knot in his stomach. The Earth Core contained the karmic paper trail, the full, raw, unfiltered history of his every manipulation, the details he had carefully wiped from the karmic lens for the Sylvans. To give it to the Stoneborn would be to completely expose himself, to relinquish his last shred of control over his own narrative. It was the ultimate price for trust. He looked at Mei Lin, her face grim but resolute. There was no other way.