The shift was seamless. One moment, they were in the cold, dimly lit corridors of the Nexus Arena. The next, they stood in a vast, open grassland. The air smelled fresh, clean—untouched by pollution or the usual hum of technology. A soft breeze rustled the knee-high grass, stretching endlessly in all directions, interrupted only by two massive dens carved into the landscape.
One was silent, shadowed, with a deep, cavernous opening. The other had a faint, flickering glow near its entrance—a fire, crackling steadily in the distance.
Lila turned in a slow circle, her eyes wide with disbelief. "Where… are we?"
Noah shoved his hands into his hoodie pocket, watching her reaction carefully. "My domain."
"Your what?" She whirled toward him, her blonde hair catching the wind. "How? You're a first-generation! Your ability is Perfect Echo—you mimic sounds! You can't do this!"
He shrugged. "I can explain all that later."
