Your instant reaction is to fall backwards and recollect what had just happened.

You saw everything, you heard everything, but you didn't process anything. Your head aches as it desperately attempt to catch up on the painful, short, and sudden evens that had just happened. After about twenty minutes you open your eyes. You squint, seeing the sun, experiencing the sun. You had existed, you were alive.

If you were capable of feeling so much, how is it even a possibility that you may just be a puppet? It was so inhumane.

Your emotions catch up. You want to be the emotional pillar for everyone but your humanity forces your reactions to burst out. You sob, steaming tears streaming from your eyes and hurting your face. You try to stop but you can't.

You scream out apologies and you hear the Gods rushing over. You're overcome with slight pressure and warmth.

They're all hugging you.

You let out a few extra sobs and wipe your face. You realized that you had been practically crushing Clayton, but they didn't seem to mind. He just hugs back, crying just as much as you are. You rasp out more pathetic apologies, still a crying mess. You still can't fully comprehend what they're saying or doing, but it's comforting.

After about a long time of impulsive emotions, you calm down. You now had a light yet steady stream of tears, but the messy stuff is out of the way. You all remain in silence for a time way too long, unmoving. That makes it all the more awkward when you apologize with a clear head.

"I'm so sorry. I-I had no idea. If I knew I had that and it would scare you I would've never come." You get through, feeling crushing guilt. You wished you could've prevented it.

It gave everyone anxiety and a conflict of morals. After realizing the truth Clayton almost killed you. Athena and Helios most have a type of anxiety or fear. It must've been killing them. Unfortunately they never show what they're feeling exactly, so you could only imagine the worst. Anxiety welled inside of you, aching.

"It's not your fault, Eli." Helios reassured. "You have no control over this. You can't fight it like anyone who is a character. But you're more."

"How do you know!?" You wailed, cowering. This was too much, the exposure to it all being fake, you were just a pawn, you were just in some fictional reality. You wanted to just curl up and die.

You didn't want to live like this. You didn't want to be his. You wanted to be you, but being free is just truly impossible. You just sat there, crying.

It takes a while for you to get yourself together. Everything was a dull and endless ache. It was still pounding, resonating within your head. You tried to suppress the agony and eventually you did. But only just enough to be stable for a limited time.

"I'm so sorry I scared you all..." That must've been your millionth apology. You cling to Helios, and despite being startled he returned the hug. It's warm and comforting.

"It's not your fault, Eli..." Clayton said, still hugging you. They shook their head slowly, still crying. "You're still someone."

"Calm down. Calm down. We can recollect things later, but right now we need to get moving." Athena advised. You all nod but don't complain immediately.

You spend about a few more minutes hugging until she stands up, you and Clayton follow. You help Helios up.  After breathing deeply you decide that you're ready. But before, you eat because it's tiring to be moving. After taking up two rations you start walking in a random direction.

"I am so sorry I stressed you all out. I caused anxiety and panic in one way or another." You still keep walking, looking down.

"When you came back, it confirmed that you were alive." Clayton said.

"What?"

"The gods would've commanded you to hug us, yes, but it's the small details. Your fear, your processing, your panic. They would've never thought of you. Just us. You reacted in a human and living way, like any other sentient being would." They smiled and managed to stay by your side. "I know that it's my Eli."

"Confusing, but I get the main idea." You feel a warmth inside you. You begin to appreciate your emotions, showing that you were more than someone to have actions played through. You were a human.

For this moment, you feel troubled, but alright.

You decide to check your stats and traits, wondering if they changed.

You noticed that you had a purple trait. You knew your traits and could tell if one was off. This one definitely was.

[Beyond].

You look for information on it by hovering your hand over it.

"9 23-9-12-12 19-5-5 2-5-25-15-14-4 20-8-5-19-5 5-14-4-12-5-19-19 12-1-25-5-18-19 15-6 6-9-3-20-9-15-14."

You can't decipher it, which is mildly frustrating. You ask Clayton, but they don't see the trait or the code.

"I think you being unmanned caused something like a glitch in the matrix." They hypothesized. It's the best you can hope for.

After walking a bit, you try to wrap your head around all of this. A world beyond this, possibly being the true reality, is controlling you of all people. You just had an average life, the normal grades, ideals, family. You guessed because you were a blank slate. That thought is terrifying.

You didn't want to think of the possibility of Clayton causing this by accident.

No, their reaction was painful and full of genuine worry. Sure they may have tried to kill you, but realizing that your world is fiction could cause you to react irrationally as well.

Your mind dwells infinitely things. Despite trying to pull yourself from the everything is fake, you strongly gravitate towards it. Suddenly an idea resonates.

"You know, thinking on this made me realize something. If this world is fiction..."

"Yeah?"

"We're probably the protagonists. Do you remember video games and for some reason you never can seem to lose?"

"You think that we're unstoppable?"

"We can probably reverse a lot of issues with our world. Let's just survive being hunted down first." You joke. Clayton punched your shoulder nervously. "You seem scared. What's wrong?

"It's just that... I'm afraid that you'll shut off again." They admitted. "I don't want you to go."

"I won't."

"Eli you have no control over it."

"To hell with me doing that again and scaring you all! If I feel like that is going to happen again, I will use every single ounce of my willpower that I have to be me." You growl, looking up to where you assume the controllers to be. "I'm making my own life!"

"Eli, you're amazing." You hug Clayton.

Hours go by without conversation. Soon it's dark, your eyes are heavy, and every motion feel a like you're dying. You recalled the beginning of this, where your main objective for the week was to get a full night's sleep. Now look at you, sweating and haven't had a show in two days, navigating through a forest on foot, and pushing your energy to the very last second you can suck out of it. It's also barely halfway through and your life has changed, you're on the lam, with gods, and aware of players from above.

Life is crazy.

You check the time and see that it's almost 4:00 A.M.. No wonder you felt like collapsing. Even Clayton began stumbling through his drowsiness. Athena and Helios catch drift of this and tell the both of you to sleep. Your friend drops on the spot, zapping out instantly. Before you follow their lead Athena stops you.

"Do you remember our plan?" She asked. You manually process her question and nod. "We ditched it. We're staying with you and Clay. Please don't tell Clayton that we ever even thought of it.

"Got it." You say. She lets you go and stays on lookout. You feel comfortable knowing that they were staying and they wer e g outing to protect you.

You fall asleep, holding Clayton.