To Kill Gods or Die Trying

♑Chapter 56-Capricorn♑

April 8th, 2306

The funeral was more somber than all the rest, because this time, I lost a close friend. Family, really.

The Paladins could have died with us, but they chose to die for us. For that, I am forever grateful. I will finish what we all started and everyone, since day 1, died for.

"Approaching Capricorn's lair!" Margot yells from above.

Our five ships slowly approach the waterfall. It's time to fight. Hopefully, I'm not rusty. One by one, each ship passes with the cold water splashing on top of the deck. The battlefield will take place here in this cove as I see no land ahead.

Water missions aren't really bad according to Essej. We'll have to see.

"Drop anchor!" I order. The crew on deck releases the anchor, stopping the movement of the ship.

I quickly down Havanna's voice-projection potion and get to work. Hmm... bubblegum.

"Wizards, cast your spells," I order. "When we get underwater, we take formation just like we practiced."

"Accommodare missa aqua," the Wizards say. They cast mass water resistance spell on all of us.

I begin reviewing my rules of combat. "Rule 1!" I yell. "Follow your commander! Rule 2! Stay in your sector! If we need to blitz or diverge, make sure you get right back in! Rule 3! Make sure while you're fighting that you analyze its fighting style, and think of counterattacks! Rule 4: Sub-commanders! Be prepared to assume command if the commander is to die in battle! Rule 5: If you find the weak spot, tell your commander! Rule 6: Adapt! We all signed up to die so at least die doing it right!" Chuckles come from the deck.

It's morbid and a bit cynical of me to say I realize, but that truth still remains. You either die for what you believe in or for someone else.

"In this water, the spell will allow you to basically fly. Density and water resistance will be gone. You will also be able to breathe. Let's do this and get out of here," I say.

With our five ships in a circle around the circumference of the battlefield, I step off the deck with both feet together and sink into oblivion. The bubbles clear and I behold the combat zone. The god resides in a seaweed-filled seabed.

Quickly we begin to take formation around the feminine goat-fish humanoid hybrid. These devs have quite the imagination.

I suck in water through my nose and let it take over my respiratory system.

"Is everyone ready?" I ask.

The 500 fighters emit a conglomerate of war cries. I grin. Then let's do this.

"Engage sequence one!" I order. The Snipers in the back engage and fire lethal projectiles.

Capricorn becomes hostile.

"Engage sequence two!" I order. The Wizards fire high tier magic spells at the 300-foot god. Capricorn tries to protect itself taking major damage. The god whips around, but can't identify a sole target to attack.

"Engage sequence three!" I order. The Beast Whisperers all take one sector and begin swimming at high speeds on their aquatic war animals. Sess leads the charge on his squid towards the god for a stampede melee attack. Meanwhile, Pranav and the Sorcerers, and Cecelia and the Priests, from behind, begin spamming shadow magic and solar magic in the masses.

500x left.

"HAHAHAHAHAHA!" I laugh maniacally. It actually worked. It took us literally two months of formation practice and then another month of training for all of these noobs to get this down, but the hard work and frustration finally paid off.

Ben Even, the commander, is back.

"Front guard! We're going forward!" I say. I fly forward in the water. With its size and slowed movement from the density of the water, I imagine it still packs a deadly punch.

"Speed is key!" I remind.

We get close to the massive god. "Starburst Drill!" I yell. My body begins spinning rapidly as I fly forward like a torpedo. My strike goes right through the stomach. I swim around back into formation where everyone is attacking the crap out of the god mercilessly, and doing a good job of evading its powerful swipes. Capricorn opens its mouth and emits a whirlpool. Slowly, we are all pulled in.

"Swim for it! Move it!" I yell. We all retreat as Capricorn's pull becomes stronger. I kick my legs as hard as I can to swim away. It feels like I'm pulling a freight train on a rope.

"Druids! Flank around!" I order.

"Electrocute the water! Keep your shock radius in check!" Mack yells. 53 Druids shock the water towards the humongous god, slowly draining its HP as it convulses violently.

Right as they run out of mana and the melee prepares to attack, Capricorn takes the offensive. Its giant tail whips around at high speeds. Even though it's pretty slow, it's also a lot faster than anticipated. I manage to swim out of its way but all of us are sucked into its current, spinning and tumbling uncontrollably.

"Stabilize!" I urge. So much for not being affected by water density...

My vision blurs as I tumble. How am I taking damage? I wasn't hit... that must be the god's attack. No wonder it's been so easy. We've been taking damage the entire time. With our HUDs disabled, it's impossible to know when we're taking damage if we're not even hit.

Cries for Paladins' heals echo across the battlefield.

That must mean that... this whole zone is toxic.

We stabilize as the current's energy dies. "Everyone retreat to the Paladins! Hurry!" I urge. My health is falling low as my visuals begin to blackout. The 477 of us retreat to the nearest Paladin who releases a proximity healing spell.

Vulnerable and conveniently clumped into one place to our dismay, the god seizes the opportunity and swings. It somersaults to bring its gigantic tail down.

"Scatter!" I cry.

We swim away quickly avoiding the downwards current with only half our health and dropping very slowly.

"Keep healing!" the new Paladin commander, Pisces Reyes, urges. It's awkward with her around. She isn't Alo. She's not even really our friend. She's more like a professional acquaintance. We'll have jokes with her once in awhile, but she has her own friends from her own guild, and is here strictly for business. We don't really know her, and it's awkward.

The Paladins continue their proximity healing but the god gives us no rest. It brings its two hands together to crush. "Swim up!" I urge. I fly upwards as two gigantic hands trudge through the water towards one another. The force of the two coming together produces a huge shockwave in the water, tossing us again. I quickly stabilize.

"Back into formation! Paladins spread out and continue proxy heal!" I order.

Everyone flies through the water back into formation as the god continues swinging.

"Engage sequence one and two! Go all out, then fall back to the nearest Paladin!" I order.

The Snipers and Wizards summon their strongest attacks and release. With its size, the god is able to absorb our attacks' damage with ease. 200 bars of health left.

It's time to end this.

"Engage sequence three! Finish it off!" I urge.

The Beast Whisperers begin dive-bombing, one by one to attack the god as the Sorcerers and the High Priests from behind begin spamming shadow magic and solar magic. It's health drops quickly. 175x. 125x. 75x. The twin classes lose mana. The remaining Beast Whisperers coordinate a mass charge. We watch them evade the hands of the 300-foot god, and strike decisively. Capricorn dissipates in gold particles.

Before excitement is aroused, I begin ordering people back onto the ships. I pull myself onto the deck through the rope dangling from the rail and laugh. I laugh hysterically. I laugh in pain. I laugh in power. I laugh in success. I laugh like a madman.

Death count: 0.

Finally, a successful raid.