Laying on my bed in a sleazy, empty apartment, wearing nothing but worn boxers, I probably looked like a total loser, and a one on the verge of dying at that; my body was covered in fat, with stretch marks from getting too obese too fast. It was ravaged by ridiculous doses of energy drinks and junk food. Lack of physical activity left it grotesquely unshapely, and shortage of sleep put dark circles around my eyes. And yet, I felt like the Master of the world, for my conscience was not bound to this miserable, exhausted, mortal body; rather, it roamed the last floor of the Dragon's Lair alongside my generic, yet trusty team, at the speed not even the heaviest spenders could possibly attain. Galleon was using Time to Loot every time it went off cooldown, miraculously landing all defence-breaks as well, as if he knew it was his last run and was trying to make up for all the derping he has ever committed. It was a beautiful sight to behold, and I was glad to be going out this way. The last months of Summoners War were sad and slow. The occasional patches contained only bland bikini transmogrifications. Without any new content being introduced by the devs, not even to mention the Dimensional Hole still displaying the same 'Preparing Update...' notification we first saw years ago, players became weary and bored, so they started to leave the game. The top spots in PvP rankings, previously so contended for, were now almost empty, as the game's closure neared quickly. On the very last day, no one but complete addicts or people with strong, blissful memories of the game were there to witness the countdown before the server shut-down. With 21 seconds left on the clock, I finished my last DB10 run and returned to my Sky Island to take a goodbye look at my units. Over the years, I have managed to summon 13 natural 5* monsters. Heck, I even had Cadiz to show for the thousands of dollars I tossed into the greedy void-of-a-throat of Com2us. I swept above the Command Post, where my beautiful ladies, the jewels of my account were stationed: Juno, Praha, Ethna, Beth, Hathor, Vanessa, and Alicia. Lying on the back, I watched the mesmerising, shiny pixels spinning and presenting their weapons at my slightest touch. I petted my screen, hoping my girls would feel what I felt at the moment, and that having shared my fear would lessen the burden. I threw a glance at the countdown, gravely frightened of the reality I'll be forced into when it reaches zero. I had no one left, and since I've spent almost all my inheritance money on Reapp Packs, crystal refills and transmogrifications, there was no choice for me but to start looking for a job. Having no practical skill, with a broken body and a mind blunted by countless hours of idle farming, deep down I knew I will not succeed. When the very last dollar vanishes, I'll spend the rest of my life leeching off of the unemployment benefit. Despite being immensely delusional my entire life, I knew all too well that I won't be able to keep the suicidal thoughts away, not without the power whaling granted me. Years ago, as my life began to crumble, I turned to Summoners War in a last, desperate attempt to finally be good at something, and started dumping money, tricking myself into the conviction that spending the most is in some way equivalent to being the most skilled. Struggling to become the best in this game, seeing my name in the rankings was the sole purpose of my existence. Not that I was ever a Guardian-class contender, but being at least able to stand my ground against the best in Conqueror was good enough for me. However silly and childish, it made me truly happy... I lived to play, and I played to live.
I broke out of the memories and checked on the countdown. With 14 seconds left on the clock, I closed it, and with eyes wide open, absorbed the gorgeous sight of my virtual toys, dancing to the rhythm of my taps. My chubby arms were tired of being half-stretched for so long, but I refused to change my position. The 14 seconds felt like if they were stretching into minutes, and I thanked all the gods I never believed in for such a miracle. The human nature, however, quickly adapts even to the greatest bliss. Despite thinking it impossible to become bored of the breathtaking charm of the one thing Com2us ever did truly right – the animation – I suddenly felt the wave of drowsiness. I felt something hot hit my face, and I fell asleep.