They had logged out, one by one. Gradually it began to sink in that I had been alone all along. MLG had a way of doing that to you.

Let me explain. As the 22nd century approached, the incremental increase in technological advancement had accelerated beyond any predictions. The mystical had effectively been accomplished. As someone once said: “Any sufficiently advanced technology is indistinguishable from magic.”* The difference between reality and fantasy had become so blurred that many individuals found it hard to get a grip if they played Mystical Life Game too long.

*Arthur C. Clarke