The Matriarch's energy projection flickered, the light casting long, dancing shadows across the balcony. "The dome you perceive as the sky is actually a spiritual matrix," said the Matriarch. "You may not understand it now, but in the future, you will. I promise you."
She moved her hand, and the projection zoomed in on the edges of the sphere. "The matrix is designed to disorient. It is powerful—so powerful that when anyone approaches the outer boundaries, their senses are warped. They turn back toward the center without ever realizing it, firmly believing the world is a sphere. Based on my experiences and what I have heard, there must be several places like this within the Desolate Lands, separated and isolated. What I still do not understand is... why."
Ethan watched the swirling energy, his mind reeling from the scale of the deception.
