At 22:00, the city lights dimmed automatically.
Artificial night mode activated.
Aarav stood near his apartment window.
He stared at the sky.
It was perfectly dark — no stars, no satellites, no blinking aircraft lights.
Just smooth emptiness.
His Band whispered softly in his mind:
Sleep Cycle Recommended.
But instead of lying down, he asked a forbidden question:
"What was there before the dome?"
The Band paused.
A microsecond glitch.
Then:
Historical Data Restricted.
That was the first crack.