When I traveled trough the virtual worlds I've found many dangers, hostilities, odd situations and people that have tried to take advantage of me. In real life, heroes rarely appear out of nowhere, risking their lives to keep us safe from harm.
While playing online I have found myself placing a steel barrier before meeting anyone. Whenever someone makes an attempt to contact me all kind of cautious thoughts pop in to my mind:
What does he/she want?
Is he/she a scammer?
Is there an ambush waiting for me?
Is he/she a stalker?
Very few people I can really call my friends online, I don't consider myself paranoid but I am aware of the many players that don't mean what they say, or rehearse what they profess.
Among this wild interaction environment there is one act that is far more memorable for me than slaying the same boss monster for the ninth time. I am talking of course of an act of true heroism.
When I was about to be exterminated without mercy by a monster they came out of nowhere without saying a word they put there own safety in the line to save me. In the worst case they are killed by the monster, leaving it weak enough, or distracted for me to kill it or runaway safely. Sometimes they just kill it and leave the drop and leave. I say thank you but they are gone by the time I hit "Enter" on the keyboard.
They gave me money and armor for no reason at all when they saw me barely armored or fighting bare handed. They gave me hope to go on about my explorations and faith that there is still good people around.
They risk their hours of grinding for experience to save a newbie that won't be able to recall their In-Game Names (IGNs). They come to me when I least expect them and when I need them the most.
Look at my heroes go, see them fight, see them die in an act that will live forever only in my memories. Their feat will not be in vain as their actions didn't make a difference for the world, but they made a difference in me.
Here is to my unknown heroes, your heroism was not in vain, you won't be forgotten.
