The man and the dog stared at each other in silence, both equally confused by what they were seeing, when a sharp rush of wind cut through the air.
Whoosh.
Whoosh.
Two figures shot out of the ancient well in quick succession.
Blackie landed first, steady and relaxed. Ethan followed a heartbeat later. The Infernal Hound barely needed a second look. He knew immediately that the Ethan who emerged last was the real one.
Blackie squinted at him, then at the massive black dog standing nearby, and broke into a grin. He slung an arm around the shoulder of the Cosmos Tower duplicate as if they were lifelong friends. "That's a dog," he said cheerfully. "Tastes amazing."
"Taste… amazing?" the duplicate repeated, eyes lighting up with interest.
The Infernal Hound stood there, completely lost, unsure whether to be offended or alarmed.
"From now on, you're called Cosmos," Ethan said casually, naming his avatar without much thought.
