Soul Arrow

Jake thought briefly of an eclipse, but the sunlight was not obstructed by a moon or a black sphere would have been enclosed by the star's rays. The sun really seemed to be more distant.

Out of habit, he tried in vain to deduce by what astrophysical phenomenon such an incongruity could occur, but he quickly gave up. It did not matter. It was no longer a simulation as in the first or second trial, but the sky was definitely fake. Otherwise, these Zhorion survivors would not have needed to build these Sanctuary Bubbles on a desolate asteroid.

The only conclusion to be drawn was that just like the blizzard of about three weeks ago, the Sanctuary Bubble had decided to put them through another test. And this new challenge was a daunting one.