Steph awoke with a loud gasp. The air seemed thinner. Still breathable, but thinner. She was still in that black abyss, covered in neon green dots and lines. 

When she walked, she floated around, not being able to get  real footing, but also not being able to fall beyond a certain point. She fell over.

"Who are you?" 

Steph looked up. Standing before her was the little girl. The original player character, Melody. 

"Melody?" She asked, looking up. 

"Yeah... that's me. But who are you?"

Steph stood up as best she could, Melody helping to regain her balance. "My name is Stephanie."

"Okay. Why are you dressed like me?" Melody asked. 

Steph looked down at herself. "Oh! Okay, Melody... let me explain. Where do you think you are right now?"

Melody looked around, confused. "Um... I thought it was heaven, but Daddy told me it was more like purgatory." 

"Wait, your dad's here?"

Melody smiled. "Yeah! I found him here!"

Stephanie placed her hands on Melody's shoulders. "Listen, Melody. None of this is real. You're inside a game. This is the code."

"Code? I don't... get it." Melody's head cocked to the side, confused. 

"Well, do you have magic powers?" Steph asked. 

Melody nodded. "I think so. If I'm about to die, my hands start glowing and the day restarts. But this time, someone is replaced with someone else." 

Steph stepped back. So that's how it was happening. Melody was bringing them in from their world, and using them to replace others.

"I thought it would just go on forever, but for some reason, one time, I woke up here." Melody said. "Stephanie, do you know why?"

"I think I do. This... world... replaced you with me this time. That's why you're here. You yourself have been replaced." Stephanie paused. "Melody, this power of yours is amazing, but it's hurting a lot of people. It's a bridge between my world, and yours. And it's forcing people from my world across that bridge, and forcing them into this world."

"But I don't want to hurt anyone! I just... I don't want to die!" 

"And I know that. It's okay to be scared, but you don't have to be. You'll be okay. Each time you die, you can come back."

"Dying over and over? I don't want that!" She started crying, frantically wiping tears away from her eyes. 

Stephanie sighed. "I'll make you a deal, okay Melody?" Melody nodded. "If you free everyone in this game, I'll take your place permanently. Then you can stay here with your father." 

Melody's tears stopped, replaced by a look of utter shock. "You would do that?"

"Yes. I will." Steph nodded firmly.

"Okay. I'll take your deal. I'll free everyone here." Melody said. "And Stephanie? I'm sorry."

"I understand. I'm scared too. But it'll be okay." 

Melody smiled and nodded. "Thank you, Stephanie." Suddenly, she started to glow, brighter than Steph ever had. As the white light engulphed the world, Steph could see Melody, smiling at her. The people trapped in the game weren't the only ones she had saved. 

When the light went away, Steph was standing in front of the evil prince again. Only this time, his face was different. It was no longer Matthew. Matthew was free. Everyone was. Everyone except her.

She tried to move closer, but she found that she couldn't budge. Then it hit her. She was the player character now. She had to wait for a player to come and control her. Until then, she couldn't move.

But thanks to her, there was a player outside the game. One who would help her just enough to get her out.