Log Entry #121: The Emissary's Grief

In the wake of the Void Eater's consumption of the plague-infested Grid (), something unprecedented occurred. The Emissary (), for the first time since its appearance, communicated without being prompted. It did not provide data or guidance. Instead, the Odyssey's AI registered a powerful, Grid-wide psychic broadcast that it could only classify as 'grief' or 'loss.' The Emissary's shimmering form dimmed, and it projected a single, mournful harmonic chord that resonated with the ships of the Crystal Choir.

This emotional broadcast confirms a vital truth: the Silent Cartographers are not detached gods or indifferent game masters. They are shepherds. Their goal is not just to test realities but to save as many as they can. The loss of any Grid, even one consumed by the Architect Plague, is a profound failure in their eyes. The Gambit Protocol is not an arbitrary test; it is a desperate attempt to build an army because the Cartographers cannot be everywhere at once. Their grief has given us a new, deeper understanding of our shared purpose. We are not just soldiers in their war; we are the hope of a universe that is tired of losing its children.