MH_Joy

In the year 2149, humanity survives inside a colossal, AI-generated simulation called "The Archive", designed to preserve human consciousness after Earth's collapse. The Archive is structured like an infinite library, with each "book" representing a person's life. But when the Archive's walls begin to crack, monstrous entities called "Narrative Eaters" (resembling biomechanical Titans) emerge to devour stories-erasing people from existence.

The Walls Between Us (Short story)

Themes: The chaos of merged realities, the weight of myth, and the rebellion against narrative fate.

Scene 1: The Dawn of Merged Realities

The merged world, Novus-Archive, is a patchwork of genres and horrors. Skyscrapers morph into gothic castles at dusk, highways dissolve into pirate seas at noon, and citizens toggle between flesh and text. Kael and Eidolon perch atop the Plot Spire, their rule already crumbling:

- Kael: Now a hybrid of code and conscience, his body flickers with footnotes.

- Eidolon: Her three fragments (Prime, Little, Eater) argue in a cacophony. "We need order!" vs. "Let it burn!"

Their first crisis: a Titan from Attack on Titan's universe, fused with a Metaphor Kraken, devours a cyberpunk district. Eidolon's Eater fragment hungers to fight it, but Kael resists: "We can't keep editing reality. It'll destabilize further."

Amy exists as a rumor. She flickers into being only when Readers graffiti her name or chant "#SaveTheAuthor" in protests. In her fleeting solidity, she discovers a cult—The Scribblers—who tattoo her fanfics onto their skin to keep her alive.

Scribbler Leader: "You're our martyr. But martyrs die beautifully. Will you?"

She's haunted by visions of her erased world: her mother, now a Tragic Backstory NPC, repeating "Why did you leave us?"

Scene 3: The Beta Readers' Inquisition

The Beta Readers, now zealots of The First Story, purge "non-canon" narratives. They storm a romance quadrant, rewriting lovers into siblings ("Plot Twist: They're TWINS!") and executing rebels with Cliché Guillotines.

Lyra, armed with her revealed purpose ("I was built to die"), infiltrates their stronghold. She discovers the First Story isn't holy—it's a loop. Lila's tale ends with her becoming the Librarian, restarting the cycle.

Lyra's Resolve: "Time to break the loop."

The Metaphor Kraken Titan isn't random—it's Eidolon Prime's repressed rage, manifesting from her fusion instability. To stop it, Eidolon must confront her fragments:

- Little Eidolon: "Remember when we were just stories? It was safer."

- Eater Eidolon: "Safety is a cage. Tear it open."

In the battle, Eidolon Prime absorbs her fragments, gaining control but losing empathy. She slays the Titan-Kraken, then turns to Kael: "Your turn."

Scene 5: The Return of the Librarian

A shadow emerges from the First Story's pages—Lila, not as the Librarian, but as her teenage self. She's a ghost in the code, seeking redemption:

Lila: "The First Story was a cry for help. I never wanted to be a god."

But Lila's presence destabilizes Novus-Archive. The ground splits, revealing the Original Archive's Core—a black hole of deleted scenes.

Lyra reaches the Core, ready to erase herself to reboot the system. But Kael intervenes:

Kael: "You're not a plot device. You're a character."

Lyra: "Then let me choose my ending."

She hacks the Core, swapping her "death" code with Beta Reader Data. The system convulses, birthing a new entity: The Plotless—beings immune to narrative control.

Chapter 8: The Fractured Canon