To Kill Gods or Die Trying

♈Chapter 37-Aries♈

October 8th, 2303

Now down 359 players, we're going to need more when we return or people will have to double up in fights. This is the first god that we will face off and the casualties will be high. I can't begin to imagine how high. The Hekatonkheires thing killed 12% of our force, and it wasn't even a god.

My heart races as we approach Aries' lair. Following the map, our ships sail into the midst and unpredictability of a mile-wide waterfall. From her stern to her bowsprit, dark-green water pours down on the deck. I take a deep breath in as the atmosphere on the other side changes completely to a white and yellow heavenly aura.

"Land Ho!" Margot relays. I look up. The ceiling of the cave stretches upwards infinitely. I stumble forward as the boat stops in place.

It's time to fight.

By the tens, boats dock on the brown shore, and we spill out onto the beach in mass. I take front and center, as hundreds of players follow my lead. In thirty seconds, we are all in position. In front of us is a thick, opaque layer of white fog falling from the ceiling.

I walk forward with pride, determination, and the comforting sound of the boots of thousands of other Gem-rank players. We can do this.

I pass through the fog. Aries stands there as if expecting us—100 feet tall, muscular hind legs, giant ram horns, claws, hooves, slender-buff build, and white skin. It's humanoid face is twisted into an angry sneer, showing the whites of its deadly eyes.

I point my sword. 500 of us step forward. If we can't beat this with the 500 of us, we'll have the other guys on standby for support.

I lead the charge against the god with a sprinting start. "Berserker Spirit!" I bellow. I take a glance at the god's health and clench my teeth in annoyance. 1000x.

We've worked so hard to get to this point. With the melee fighters, we leap into the air. Aries turns its attention to us, bends down, and dashes forward with its horns first.

"Impenetrable shield!" I yell in reaction. The ram's massive horns slam against me. Most of us have activated some sort of defense, and push off of the horns losing some health. The ones who react too late are killed instantly. With half HP, I bounce off of the horn moving like a train.

"Starburst drill!" I yell as the god stomps and kills our forces on the ground. I tilt my body downwards in a dive position like a top to spin wildly, drilling on top of the god's head. Usually, with the demigods, I'd go right through, but Aries' horns are impenetrable. I still did some damage at least.

I take a look at the bigger battle. Like fighter jets, the Whisperers soar about on their flying beasts. With speed and reflex, the god swats them out of the air like flies, leaving the best to dodge and evade. On the ground, melee fighters high-jump to strike the god in the legs. From a safe distance, Snipers, Wizards, and magic-casting Priests and Sorcerers attack the chest and arms with projectiles.

I haven't really noticed a difference between the meta of fighting a demigod and this. The only difference is that a direct hit from this guy will kill you, and he has 10 times the health. Aries seems to have no magic and relies on physical attacks.

I'm sure we started with more people. Where is everyone? Dead? So many white particles in the air... This can't be real. I watch in horror as my allies are slaughtered. Each person—a life, a story, ties to people they loved or loved them, a real human life. All gone...

This has to stop.

"Armor piercing strike!" I furiously explode as I spring into the air. A powerful hand smacks the top of its head, its hurricane-like wind threatening to pull me down. Two other players below me are crushed and killed. "Starburst drill!" I add with hatred. They didn't deserve that goddammit! They didn't deserve to die! Hopefully, this should do the trick. I begin spinning rapidly towards the scalp of the god, and drill into it. There is blackness for a few seconds as I drill out its abdomen, then smash into the soil. I collapse from using up too much stamina—feeling like I literally sprinted a marathon—I can barely breathe or move from deathly exhaustion. I feel like I'm about to pass out... so dizzy.