Dubai, Qatar, Terra
When Liam and his friends logged into Terra, they found themselves standing at the foot of the Burj Khalifa.
Every detail was perfect. The reflection of sunlight on the skyscraper's mirrored surface, the warm wind rolling in from the Persian Gulf. It was Dubai, down to the last grain of sand, but more quieter, stiller, almost dreamlike.
Kristopher turned in a slow circle and asked, eyes wide in surprise, "Wait… why do I look like this?"
He stared at his clothes—jeans, black hoodie, sneakers—the exact outfit he was wearing before logging in.
"Same here," Alex said, patting his jacket like he couldn't believe it. "I thought we'd have avatars or something."
"Yeah, this is either the most realistic avatar customization I've ever seen… or we just got cloned," Harper said, raising his hand and observing himself.
Matt stepped closer to Liam. "Alright, boss, explain. What's going on?"
