It took me ages to come out with it. I am finally ready to confess.
I am a geek.
But before you judge me, I have to make my stand clear. Out here, in the world of flesh, blood, bank balance, terrace homes and 8’o clock news, I’m an everybody. I’m someone who believed I had an identity owing to my unique DNA and hair do. I have dreams, and I believe I will one day achieve them, and the world will watch as I levitate up the ladder of personal success. Just like every other unique idiot around me.
But in the virtual world, I am secretly a warrior. A brave warrior of three founding villages and an average population of 650 in each settlement. I wisely chose to hone defense over crop/lumber/clay production and then blindly raided and plundered every other villager in sight to feed my army. I am a Hittite. A Genghis Khan of cyber space strategy gaming portals. The Angulimaal of the virtual wars. My name brings shudders to people’s servers and they beg for my non-existent mercy over mails and portal chats.
Warrior Rae.
Founder of the villages Warrior Monks, Saints of Gaiah and Armorica.
Warrior Rae.
“Name yourself!”
“Warrior Rae!”
“Name your Alliance!”
“N16 and the Guardians back Warrior Rae! Withdraw your troops immediately!”
“Submit!”
“Never! The Saints of Gaiah and her 3500 Phalanxes will never submit! Remember, Warrior Monks and Armorica have a large army, too!”
“No, you idiot! The final ad! Submit it!”
*Blink* *Blink*
“Oh. The ad?”
“Yes?”
“Can I send you crop instead?”
I have just deleted my travian.com account. Clicking on ‘delete account’ took me back in time to the time I had to say goodbye to my best friend at the airport thirteen years ago. I knew I would never see her again, but I told myself reality was never as important as hope.
This hurt more.
So I sat down to mail everyone I attacked, traded with and befriended - my fellow warriors, soldiers and generals of multiple villages, like myself. It hurt to say goodbye, but it is the code of a true warrior. It is honourable and courageous to quit when you know you have given the battle all you have, to step down and gracefully exit when your time has finally come to……
“…. In deep gratitude, I remain…?”
My collegue was reading over my shoulder. I grinned before he could call everyone around to check my screen. Yeah. That’s your laugh for the day. Suckers.
“Warrior Rae of Saints of Gaiah…?”
He looked me in the eye, like he found this scarier than funny.
“Are you serious? Like Gaiah.. the Earth….? Like in God of War II? The Titan God chick who helps Kratos get back at Zeus?”
I smiled. What a geek.
