I was currently outnumbered.
That wasn't an issue, many battles were won by a smaller force. The Boudican Revolt, the Battle of Dupplin Moor, or even the Battle of Agincourt.
Outnumbered, they all prevailed with victory.
It was quite easy, just use tatics.
Only dumbasses that F1+F3 worry about things like this. For me, this battle was way too easy.
Click! Click! Shwing! Shwing!
The luminescent monitor lit up a portion of the room I was staying in. With utmost attention I was completely focused on war.
Click! Click! Click!
The only sounds I heard in the quiet room were the sound of his clicking, and of stiff battle.
'Damn they're trying to flank' I thought. My mind completely engrossed into my compter. All I could think about were the countless ways to win the battle.
However, as the battle raged on and victory became more clear my mind soon started to drift.
I thought about myself.
Everything about me was simple, to my clothes and my looks. Even my taste. I chose everything handed to me and I never cared to divert from the norm.
After all I thought what was the point?
The things I truly love and desired, don't exist. The paths once taken by great kings and conquerors are no longer possible. The rushing sounds of horses and the clashing of swords was all I ever dreamed of.
'Yet they're gone,' I thought.
Thats why I loved to play, I could put my mind at ease. Even if it was for a little bit, even if it wasn't real, even if people didn't like me for it, I played.
It brought me relief. Joy.
Even for the breifest moment.
"They enemy is fleeing ! How cowardly!" The games commander rung out, his voice booming with power.
'Fuck, finally'
I had played this campaign for months. It was a grueling hellous torture called Super Very Hard Insane Ironman Hell Mode. As the name implied, it was pretty hard.
No saving, no UI, no hints, enemy damage is trippled while yours is halved, supplies last half as long while being twice as expensive.
Not to mention the stupid political system in the game.
It was way too detailed for a normal person.
I was, however, far from normal.
Battle was my second nature, and everything associated with it was as well.
At least I like to think so.
Politics is just another form of war afterall.
So is logistics, innovation, and business.
If it was for war, I understood it well.
HEROIC VICTORY
"Yes!!" I yelled, jumping out of my seat in excitement.
My excitment was immeasurable, after months of playing the same game with the sole purpose of world conquest, I finally achieved it.
My longest hardest campaign. Completed!
The screen lit up and showed my pathetic surroundings.
Dirty clothes, a cheap apartment, with trash everywhere. The only light in the entire apartment came from a single screen.
'Maybe its time I get a job'
I had lived the off revenue from my hobby as a streamer and the occasional reward from a tournament.
It wasn't much but I was able to live off it. For a while at least.
4 years to be exact.
But life just came crashing down.
Its been harder and harder to live off my meager earnings, to the point where I became indebted.
The sole light from the screen and the snap back to reality hit me all at once.
My life was depressing.
'Why?' I asked himself.
I could've at least landed a job somewhere, made decent money. Enough to live comfortably at least.
Thoughts I frequently pushed down floated through my mind. Of my parents, friends, teachers.
Her.
"You should stick to school, Earl."
"This gaming thing isn't going to work out, son. How about working for us?"
"Still doing that gaming thing huh?
"Dude give it up and come to the real world."
"I don't want to date a loser"
It left nasty dark feelings in my heart. It never went away.
But I kept playing anyways. I don't know why. I know I should've listened, my life would've definitely been better.
Instead I played games.
For what reason?
A popup from my computer screen took me out of my thoughts.
CONGRATULATIONS!
You have achieved World Conquest Victory.
Start New Game Abyss Plus?
Y / N
I smiled.
I rememberd why I played these games. Why I continued to play when I knew I shouldn't, when I knew I could be doing something better with his time.
Because I enjoyed it.
Because for a few fleeting hours hours I could take my mind off the world around me.
And be totally immersed.
YES
Click!
While the game loaded I leaned back in my chair.
…
…
It's taking a while isn't it? Usually my computer was pretty quick. The loading icon continued to circle endlessly, with no end in site.
I rubbed mu tired eyes.
It wasn't unusual for me to be tired, I stayed up pretty late almost everyday. It was a feeling I was accustomed too. But I very quickly and suddenly felt a wave of inescapable drowsiness wash over me.
"Why ish that lamp look weird?"
Before I knew it the world was changing and shifting, like a ball of clay. It seemed as if it was being molded into something. Before I drifted off to a dreamless sleep I had a single parting thought.
'This is some bullshit'