To Kill Gods or Die Trying

Margot Lasonia

"Man, this place is awesome!" Havanna cheers. The marketplace is booming with vendors and buyers, both players and NPCs. Small guilds have started up their business or have partnered up with NPC businesses to basically control the Capital's 16-block market sector known as The Plaza.

"Wait, so what are we here for again?" Alo asks confused.

"Just to, like, hang around. Come on Alo, like, look at how awesome this all is," Rachel snaps.

"Eh, I guess," Alo shrugs, keeping up with us. The sweet aroma of smoked meat and steamed vegetables fills the air, while live music from players and NPCs merges with the ambience of chatter.

We "hang around," admiring the stands and stores—armor we can't yet afford, weapons we don't have the rank to use, but there are melee and magic training guides that we do pick up from whatever gold we got from monster drops. Free samples from the cooks are amazing— everything from pastries to meats to vegetables and sauces.

We spot a big crowd raving over something and curiously flock over to see what all the commotion is about.

"What's going on?" I ask an NPC at the back of the crowd.

"It's a game competition between the hunting guilds," the young man replies excitedly. "Someone caught the big game! Bet it was my pops!" We push through the seemingly endless crowd. This mob is bigger than I thought. On the flat roofs of the one-story pawn shop, stand five people from the five hunting guilds assembled so far.

The first kid, a player, holds a five-foot fish. The second lady, an NPC, holds a giant wild turkey, erupting cheers from her guild. The next guy, a player winning the bronze, holds the massive head of a dire wolf by its ears and raises it up with pride, attracting cheers. The next person, an NPC winning the silver, displays the head of a caribou—its head smaller than the dire wolf, but its antlers spanning out everywhere.

"Yeah! Way to go pops!" the teen from earlier shouts with content.

His father grins and waves him a thumbs up with a wink.

The last lady, a player winning the event I'm assuming, just stands there. Suspicion and suspense arises from the quiet crowd, all except for her guild members excitedly yelling her name, "Margot!"

She grins, opens her menu, and then a gigantic bear skin envelops her. The crowd goes wild. That thing is freaking huge! It must have been a boss fight! There is no possible way something that big was just roaming around in the Wildlands outside the Capital!

***

"OK, is everyone boarded the SS Kick-Ass?" Mack asks. "Is that what you named the boat?" Havanna giggles.

"That's not even how you use Naval prefixes," Essej groans at Mack's ignorance. "SS stands for steamship. Our prefix would actually be SB for sailboat. You-"

Mack sends a gust of wind into Essej's face. Essej growls angrily and stands up to punch Mack but stops before he acts—his fist is sparking. Our eyes bulge.

"OK, like, wow," Rachel admires.

"Yeah, you're welcome for that. Now you know how to use force magic, webster," Mack says with a sneer.

"Gee, thanks," Essej mutters sarcastically. Mack blasts the sail.

"Wait!" someone yells.

I turn and choke on my words as a bear sprints at us! No, not a bear.

It's her! The girl who won the hunting contest. She leaps off the pier and into our sailboat. "Uhh..." Alo questions.

"Hi, I'm Margot. Currently hiding from the other guilds. They think I cheated that competition earlier," she explains.

"From the size of that damn thing, I wouldn't be surprised if you did," Mack mutters.

"I didn't. Is it cool if I stow away with you guys? I mean it's not you can throw me overboard. I'd love to see you try," she says.

"Debatable," I threaten half-jokingly. Who the hell does she think she is? "Anyways, we're off for main quests in the Desert region. You up for that?"

"My slingshot and spears are always in my quick-access," she replies.