To Kill Gods or Die Trying

Chapter 57-The Last Gathering

June 29th, 2306

"Hear ye! Hear ye!" I yell in the enchanted megaphone among 45,000 players.

The castle of glass has become the mass graveyard of the 15,000 heroes who died for our progress. This place is the opposite of loss and sadness, for though we've lost many, their sacrifices are never forgotten.

I remember doing this, six years back. That was the start. Now this time, it's the end.

The massive crowd hushes to hear my words.

"We've been here a long time. We've fought, we've died, we've all sacrificed, one way or another," I begin.

Now, it's time for the fact that is swept under the rug. The thought no one wants to bring up.

"We've been given no guarantee of our freedom," I say bluntly. Smiles begin to fade.

"That's the truth, and there's no denying that every once and awhile, that scary thought crosses our minds. Even if the case is that we don't get out of here and the bastard who did this lied, I just want to go on record to say that these have been the best six years of my life. No lie. No exaggeration. No bullshit," I say. I pause to compose my thoughts. "To be honest, I'll remember this all in a good light despite the shitty situation. I've had so much fun here and learned so many things about life and myself and done so many things that are so freaking awesome and tried out so many new things and eaten such awesome foods and made so many friends and I'm rambling aren't I?"

Laughter comes from the crowd and I can't help but grin.

"This world and you people have shown me that you have to live for something greater and give your life a purpose. You have to leave your mark somewhere. It's safe to say that you all have done that here. Let's get a round of applause to everyone who has helped, whether it's was by telling a joke to boost someone's morale, or by killing a god, we all have a part in this!"

Cheers erupt so loud that it sounds like a rock concert. I can feel the vibrations of screams rumbling in my entire body. I wait about ten seconds before the cheering dies down.

"When I take a look at the history of games, especially video games, I see a long line of teamwork. Games take many forms; board games, sports, competitions, screens, or a VR game like this. The fact of the matter is that games require a group of individuals to achieve a goal. Don't ever let anyone tell you that a video game is a waste of time!" I snarl furiously. "Sure it's a video game. Sure it has no real-world application. It's pixels! But in that logic, people should stop playing or watching football—or all sports. Here, we make a difference! Especially in games like this, not only do we make a difference, we have a community within a community of gamers from all walks of life! Don't let people tell you that you're wasting your time playing video games when they sit on their lazy asses to watch a bunch of old dudes playing golf! We make shit happen here! Games are ruled by the players! Nothing will replace the awesome moments and memories we make here and during our lives gaming! Why the hell wouldn't you play video games? If that's the case, then damn right we're wasting our time—wasting our time having fun and making a virtual difference! We do this cause it's awesome and we do things we can never do in real life!"

The cheers are amplified so loud that I grit my teeth through the blasts of the screams and applause. I grin.

"Aquarius is the last god before we may or may not get out of here. After that last battle, this war will be over. In case we get to leave, say your goodbyes and exchange contacts now, as we'll go our separate ways. It was an honor getting to know all of you and it was a blast being here. It's time to go home now."