Melly sighed with a wistful smile. She had done it, and it was over.

With the giant glowing god defeated and only a bush fire left to clean up, Dylan performed what could only be described as a ‘stop, drop, and roll’. The giant sea eel that moments before served as a god ending sword now floundered below like stray goldfish.

As the liquid god rolled, the sea water doused the roaring inferno, replacing smoke with steam. The remnants of the fire dog army dissolved and the spike in temperature dropped.

Melly watch as Clemiticus unceremoniously fell from the sea god’s head. He landed amongst the smouldering rubble of the city with his hands in the air in triumph.

“We did it!” he shouted.

Melly sighed. “Dog fly down,” she said softly. “You did great.”

Dog smiled. “Thanks lady buddy! We’re a good team!”

“Yeah, we are!”

She patted his side as they made their way down. When they neared the ground, Melly hopped off and stretched her legs eager to regain her balance. Stradling a giant floating whale may be exhilarating with all the loopy loops and barrel rolls but was not so fun on the joints.

Melly moved beside Clemiticus. He was rubbing his hands together eager for a reward. “Fairy! Where are you? It’s loot time!”

Melly couldn’t help but agree with him. She had just performed something unfathomable and wanted compensation. She knew it selfish, but since she had just vanquished a god, a little reward would go a long way.

The fairy, however, was a no show. Clemiticus scratched his chin, confused.

“Fairy?” he asked into the open air.

Movement in the corner of her eye shifted her attention.

Her father had just emerged from the wreckage of the city with the Queen by his side. They strolled towards them happily chatting. The third black box rested under Queen’s arm while a beer stein was in the other. Melly was surprised to find a mug had also found its way into her father’s hand.

When did they get the chance to switch from wine to beer?

She shook her head. Derrick swigged a mouthful and winked at Helen who blushed and giggled like a schoolgirl.

They look so chummy together.

Helen nudged Derrick with her hips as they strolled chuckling and making googly eyes at each other. A giant crash muffled their voices as Dylan rolled once more, a little closer, with a steamrollering manoeuvre. The sea god looked to be enjoying himself.

“Hey dad!” Melly called out.

It took a moment for him to respond.

“Ah! Melly! You did it! I’m so proud of you!”

Derrick and Helen quickened their steps and stood before the victors.

She grinned. “Well, it was a group effort. Without Dog I wouldn’t have been able to get anywhere.”

Dog wiggled his tail.

“I can fly!” Dog said.

“Yes, we know, Dog. Well, done!” Melly said chuckling.

She turned to the Queen and winced. “Sorry we didn’t save your city.”

The Queen glanced around of the destroyed walls and shrugged.

“It’s all good. The place was getting run down, anyway.”

“FAIRY! WHERES OUR LOOT!”

Melly turned to the incensed man. His expression brightened as a tiny blue dot high in the sky descended towards them.

“It's here! It's here!” he sounded far too excited.

Melly rolled her eyes, then turned back to her father.

“So, what are you two going to do,” she said, gesturing to the rubble, “with all this?”

The Queen’s eyes drifted over the wreckage and hummed in thought. “I think I will start again somewhere else,” Helen confirmed.

“Do you need any help?” Derrick asked.

“Of course. I’m thinking my new city will be Dwarven themed.”

Derrick's eyes lit up and a broad grin split his red beard.

Melly watched in silence as the two rattled on about plans for a new city. She wasn’t too sure about this recent development. They had only just met, but seemed to hit it off.

Whatever makes dad happy, I guess.

“How dare you!” shouted a familiar voice.

Oh, I forgot she was still around.

Melly’s mother stormed towards them, soaked to the bone, and covered in soot. She stumbled on a fallen stone warrior and rolled to the forefront. She held out a tired finger and pointed towards the happy couple.

“You dare fraternise with the enemy! Derrick, how could you! She’s a player?”

Derrick laughed. “She can play with me anytime!”

“Oh stop it.” Helen giggled.

Melly stood in front of her father defensively and stared daggers at her mother.

“What’s your problem, woman!”

Her mother made a strained growling sound in her chest.

“You may have defeated my lover but you shan’t defeat my dragon! COME HERE FIRE BALL!”

“Fireball?” Clemiticus muttered. “What a shit name.”

Wings emerged from the ashen rubble as the dragon soared into the sky and opened its mighty maw. Melly stared, confused. It looked like a winged gecko and flapped like a laboured mosquito. Flying over the wreckage, the small creature landed on her mother's shoulder, huffing and puffing.

Did the dragon lose its power when the fire god vanished?

“Attack! Kill them!” Tanwen shrieked.

The tiny dragon launched towards Melly only to be backhanded to the floor. Before the rest of them could react to the sheer stupidity of the de-levelled dragon, the sea god made his way back to the city with his firefighting job completed.

He quickly turned back into his human sized form wearing his leisured attire. He grinned as he sauntered by their side.

“All done bromigos!” Dylan said, pointing two finger guns their way.

Clemiticus happily returned the gesture. “Thanks sea guy!”

The fairy followed the sea god and waved eagerly towards the victorious players.

“Hey listen! Well, done players!” Fairy the fairy said in its singsong voice.

“Where’s our loot?” Clemiticus said, cutting to the chase.

The fairy sighed.

“You haven’t completed the quest yet.”

His eyebrows furrowed. “Why not we contained the god yeah? Did Thea fail or something?”

Fairy shook its head.

“Thea finished before you guys. She’s a powerful player that one!”

“Then what’s the problem. Loot now!”

The fairy pointed its tiny hand towards the sea god.

“You have one last god to contain.”

They turned to Dylan and tensed.

“Contain me?” he frowned.

Fairy nodded.

“As in, you send me back to that dark place? The one where I cannot hear birds or feel the burning sun on my back?”

Fairy nodded again.

They all tensed, sensing yet another fight.

“Oh, great! Sign me up!”

“Um, what?” Melly asked.

“This ground dwelling business is bloody exhausting. Let me go back to sleep where I can be super chill.”

Melly could hardly believe what she was hearing.

“Is that the container thingy? Now don’t get me wrong. I like you guys. But you're super loud and yeah, I’m way too tired for that kind of vibe.”

The god strode over to the Queen plucked it from her grasp and said, “Peace!”

In an instant, he head-butted the box and vanished into the glowing light within, turning the box into a greenish-looking pearl.

“Loot now?” asked Clemiticus.