Legend: Needed Drama Vs Undeserved Grief
Let's be realistic. In the fantasy world of mmo games, part of the thrill of the addiction involves some form of drama whether it be via guild wars, sieges, raids, or drama via player to player communications. This is a necessary and needed aspect of the mmo world that keeps players coming back for more. But sometimes the drama becomes far more than you would expect from "just a game". Sometimes there aren't happy endings but endings that will never be forgotten. This is a the story of a legend.
The Defender Of The People
Once upon a time there was a female gamer who was overly social and always there to lend a hand to whatever random noob stumbled upon her path. To the hardcore gamer she was viewed as an oddity. Who is this strange supposed "girl" that defends those called noobs and those picked on by the strongest of the strong? Who does she think she is coming into territory long claimed by etc "XXX" champions? How dare she bring up common decency and respect and morality into a GAME?!?!??!
These champions decided she was trouble to their long reign. She should be quieted before her cheery crusades of friendship destroyed the respect earned by those who had long followed the traditions of gamers~where those with the best skill, gear and noob pwning skills were the ones revered and fearfully respected.
Thus, the plans were made for her demise. Minions far and wide were informed of her supposed treacherous ways, the richest and most powerful of the oldest guilds and clans shunned her, the up and comers avoided her to avoid being hated by association.
Yet still she continued in her social bubble of fun and friendship. She didn't care about having the most skilled players and didnt order her troops to level faster~get better~get richer~get stronger~get colder. She did EVERYTHING opposite to what had always been. She showed no respect to those that were followed with awe. She dared to defend the lowliest mage against heroes of beta legend.
They must get rid of her. There were now those who followed her and shared her ideals! How dare they agree with her and egg her on in her destruction of all that had always been! The time had come for drastic measures. Thus, the messages were sent to all the oldest of the old. This thorn in their side must be blacklisted. At any cost.
~~~~~~~~This is where the drama needed to keep players coming back for more changed. This is when it became personal.~~~~~~~~
Lies were spread, nasty comments covered forums, pictures of her were taken off of a website and spammed on fansites with horrible flames and personal attacks. Her personal computer was hacked. People private messaged her telling her to go kill herself. Spies were created solely to join her troops and find out things to start more flame wars. Her online gaming life was made to feel like a personal hell.
Yet still she refused to quit. What had been a drama worth fighting for in honor of those without the strength~had become a grief and pain that she swore she would not be defeated by. For months she suffered in misery because of sheer stubborn pride and to prove that hatred doesn't win. She lost many an ally and many a friend yet still remained.
Eventually, those that had followed the crowd and contributed to the attempts at destroying her.....began to realize that perhaps she really wasn't so bad as they had been told. She was always cheery when spoken to and she still helped those that shunned her even after the pain they caused. Perhaps she was worth keeping around after all.
Too little, too late.
Months of this unhappy environment took its toll on this friendly girly gamer. The mental stress of trying to hold her troops together while dealing with roadblocks at every turn had made her bitter. No longer was she carefree and always there when someone needed a shoulder to cry on or an uplifting word of encouragement. No longer did she feign enjoyment at this hell they had created for her.
She snapped. She left. She came back. She snapped again. She left for good. She "killed herself" by deletion. She admitted defeat.
She finally realized that there was no point in trying anymore. The damage had long ago destroyed all she worked so hard for. She lost more and more friends daily that couldn't deal with the grief they received by associating with her. She lost the will to fight for humanity. Hundreds of forum wars scarred her soul. She lost respect for a game that ignored her cries for help. She lost respect for a game that ignored her advice that while drama was a needed part of this world, it would surely be its demise if things continued as it was. They yelled for her suicide; she cried for their ignorance.
In the end.........they cried for her gaming suicide. She gave up the fight. They gave up the hatred. They sat with heavy hearts at the knowledge that the brightest star in this dismal little world had finally been put out. What they thought was a problematic disruption was the only innocence that kept this world's souls alive.
With her end, ended humanity.
Tumblewords float by dismally in this shadow of a ghost world. She accomplished what thousands had strived for ~Immortality via legend~ as the voice of reason when there was no voice.
Yet at what cost? Grief and pain that was not from a game but from real life hatred directed towards her. It hurt her to know that it all stemmed from her being herself. She cared when noone else would. She loved when others hated. She cried when they laughed. She lost her heart to prove that people deserve to be treated with respect.
She left a martyr when all she wanted was for them to realize that they were better than they had let themselves become.
She will live on in infamy. They will live on in denial. Yet they will never forget her.
______________________________________________________________________________
~~~~This was written as a personal experience as a memory to reference for future fictional stories about the words below~~~~
(((((The angel's wings were broken when she realized that the love she offered was raped from her soul in needful greed....without thought to paying it forward. Once her wings disappeared she was fated to become those that she helped. Only time will tell if she is ever able to refind her path. Everything and nothing depends on the choices made by the ones she shared shards of love with. If they find their way back to the light ~ so shall the broken angel.))))
______________________________________________________________________________
Please note that I write poetry. I've never publicly written a story as I tend to ramble when I narrate so I know to an established writer this story might get a laugh at even trying to convey a story from someone that quit school and forgot her childhood dream of being a book editor. oh and this is probably the last thing I'll post here. Toodles <3