To Kill Gods or Die Trying

Chapter 18-The Reef

August 15th, 2301

"Before we can continue, we need to make up for the lost food," I say. We have our three ships for three loads: food, supplies, and weapons/gear. During our fight with the Leviathan, we lost our food. It all got swept away into the ocean or ruined by the water. We're looking at a seafood diet from now on.

When we stop, we anchor the three ships next to each other and have gangways from the center ship. This allows us to travel from ship-to-ship easily to get what we need.

"We have crystal clear waters and the seabed is right there. If you get lost, then... maybe you kinda deserve it," I joke. People snicker. "Anyways, by the end of the day, we need enough fish for the rest of the trip."

Everyone nods in acknowledgment and we begin removing our casual clothes to swim in our undergarments. Magic has been restricted because we're not wearing our armor and we're not in battle. When not fighting, magic users only have up to tier two, except for the Druids. Everything must be done by hand, including using weapons. The Druids however, will be spending their time collecting water and boiling it to evaporation for salt drops so that we can enhance the flavor. The Whisperers are abstaining from the hunt because it would be pretty messed up to use one's power of bonding between animal and human, only to kill them.

With balance, I stand on top of the boat's rail with my greatsword in its sheath—strap slung across my back. I'm going for big kills. I hold my breath and dive off the boat. The sun gently roasts my back as I fall. Splash! Coldness envelopes my body from head to toe. As the bubbles and ripples quickly fade, I see an unforgettable display of beauty.

I forget where I am and what I'm doing as I admire the sight. Sometimes—a lot of times when one is playing this game, they have to question their reality. You can look at your hands in this VR, and look at your hands when you get out of that tube—there's really no difference. You can run cold water over your feet, do the same in the real world— there's really no difference. You can eat a meal, the game will trick you into thinking that your stomach is full, then you come back to the real world only to skip supper because of the after effect.

I look around at the magnificent coral reef in awe, smile, and take a deep breath. Then I begin choking.

I swim up to the surface and cough up water while hanging onto the rope ladder dangling against the hull.

In the beta, they told us to always remind ourselves that this is not reality. If you don't, you get confused and lose a sense of what's real. I never did reality checks—nor did anyone else.

Nowadays, the meaning of life is to be born, go to school, work and pay your taxes, then die. What a dull life. I love the world I live in, but this game—no, this reality—this experience can offer so much more than the real world could ever offer. I've always known that, but now I know it more than ever.

There's more to being trapped in this world than fighting for our lives, being sad, and dying. I think about Allysson and my two kids every single day when I have time to myself.

It makes me depressed to imagine my family hearing the beeps on my heart rate monitor—at first, normal as I prepare to fight—then faster and faster beeps as I engage—then slowing down as I die—then finally, the non-stopping beep as the enemy delivers the final blow. It makes me so somber just thinking about all the tears shed. It's what I think about before every single fight, and I tell myself no! Not today! Today I fight for them! Not only that, but I promised to get everyone else out too.

Here, in this world, we make memories to remember. We fly higher than the clouds. We kill monsters 100 times stronger than ourselves. We defend against serpents as we sail the seas. We drink and eat and laugh and sing and tell stories and cry alongside each other when things get bleak and bring people together and give them hope because if we don't take action, who the hell will? This is our legacy.