2. Behind The Screen

Civilizica, a game where you can be whoever you want, to nearly any extent. Here, you can choose to be an adventurer, exploring Civilizica's vast, intricate worlds, taking on quests, and slaying monsters that lurk in enchanted forests and forgotten ruins. Or, if empire-building is more your style, you can construct your own kingdom from the ground up—raising cities, training armies, and managing resources. Prefer a more daring approach? Seize power by raiding a village and claiming it as your own, or overthrow an entire government to take the throne yourself.

What sets Civilizica apart is its unique fusion of science and magic. From powerful spells woven into the fabric of society to towering machines and advanced technology, the possibilities are endless. Harness arcane energies to fortify your empire, or deploy technological marvels that rival even the most skilled sorcerer's power. Civilizica's world offers endless paths, each as complex and limitless as the player's imagination. In Civilizica, the choices you make shape not only your destiny but the very world around you.

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The word Victory blazed across Lina's monitor, casting a faint, golden glow across her face. Her eyes lingered on it, tracing each letter as the game stats began to scroll by. Ship count, damage dealt, territory gained—it was all there, proof of her skill. Proof that, even after weeks of meticulous planning, she still had what it took to lead her Kingdom to greatness.

"Another flawless campaign," she whispered, a hint of pride creeping into her voice. And yet… it felt hollow.

Her fingers, still warm from hours of furious keystrokes, hovered over the mouse as she absorbed the weight of silence around her. No cheering crew, no thunderous cannons—just the hum of her computer and the faint rustle of the midnight wind against her window. In the game, she was the Kingdom of Britannia revered leader, a tactician feared by rivals and respected by allies. Here, though? She was just Lina, a girl with too many empty walls and a long list of ignored messages.

Leaning back, she let her head rest against the chair and gazed up at her ceiling, deep in thought.

"Guess it's back to reality," she muttered while rubbing her tired eyes.

"I wonder if they even remember me," she mused. Friends she'd once spent hours with barely seemed to check in anymore. But then, she hadn't been much better, wrapped up in Civilizica as she was.

A rueful smile tugged at her lips. She had invested so much of herself into this game, into her kindgom she had meticulously crafted, territory by territory, war by war. Sometimes, she thought it was more than just a game—it was her kingdom, her people. Her world.

But when she shut off her monitor, all of it would disappear into the void. The mighty Britannia, its bustling cities and disciplined fleets, its victories and triumphs, all folded into lines of code. She could close her eyes and imagine it—vast, unstoppable, the perfect blend of magic and steel. But when she opened them, there was nothing but the quiet, cluttered room and her own exhausted reflection in the darkened screen.

"Why do I keep doing this?" she murmured, half hoping for an answer she knew wouldn't come.

The reflection in the monitor stared back, a girl with bags under her eyes, sitting in an oversized T-shirt, hair tied up in a messy bun. No majestic cloak, no command staff, just… Lina.

'Maybe it's just because… in there, I can be whoever I want,' she speaks to herself. 'In here, it's just me and my half-finished assignments.'

She chuckled softly, the sound hollow in the stillness of her room. She'd spent so much time molding her kingdom into a masterpiece of her vision. In Civilizica, she was Linnette, Queen of Britannia—a leader, a strategist, a name spoken with awe and fear. But outside, she was still searching, still hoping for something that made her feel even half as alive.

A soft ping snapped her from her thoughts. Her gaze drifted to the screen where a message notification glowed.

Tournament in 4 days. Top 100 players invited. You're expected to compete.

Another chance to prove herself, another chance to claim the title that so many others chased. But a small voice in the back of her mind asked, What next, after that?

Sighing, Lina turned off the monitor, the golden glow of victory fading away to a dim reflection of herself in the dark screen.

"Maybe one day," she murmured, casting a last glance at the darkened screen, "I'll find something out here that feels as real as that."

Lina shut down her computer and stretched, muscles stiff from hours of being hunched over the screen. With a soft groan, she pushed herself up, slipping into a jacket and grabbing her keys.

Her stomach rumbled, reminding her that dinner had been a bag of chips she'd inhaled somewhere between a fleet formation and a turret barrage. "Guess it's time for real food," she muttered, slipping her wallet into her pocket as she headed out the door.

The hallway was empty, the air cool and faintly scented with the distant smell of rain. As she made her way downstairs, her thoughts lingered on the battle she'd just fought and won. Even though it was all virtual, the tactics and strategies felt tangible—more so, sometimes, than the routine of her actual life.

Outside, the city was bathed in the muted glow of streetlights, the roads mostly deserted at this hour. She zipped up her jacket, bracing against the chill, and made her way toward the convenience store just down the block.

As Lina made her way back to her apartment with the remnants of her quick snack in hand, her mind drifted back to Civilizica. Even after hours of play, the game still lingered in her thoughts, vivid and insistent. Britannia's victory had been hard-won, and though her rank would rise, she knew the game's top players would be analyzing every move she'd made. Each battle seemed to carry more weight, pulling her further in as if the game were a world all its own.

Back in her room, she set her things on the desk and noticed her reflection in the blank screen, just barely visible in the dim room. The muted silence of her apartment felt a world away from the clash of Britannia's victory. She sighed, shaking her head at her own thoughts. It's just a game, she reminded herself. Yet, she found herself drawn to the idea of logging in again, of being back in a place where she wielded power, where her choices shaped the world around her.

A ping from her phone broke the silence. She picked it up, blinking at a message from a friend she made in game: "Saw your win. Nice play. You're ready for the tournament, right?"

She bit her lip, typing a quick reply. "Wouldn't miss it for anything."

The upcoming tournament was her next big shot—a chance to rise through the ranks, to claim the spotlight in a way that echoed beyond the screen. But she wondered: When the game ends, what then?

Lina placed her phone on the desk, exhaling slowly as she felt the weight of her long night settle in. The victory, the late-night snack run, and the lingering excitement had all kept her mind racing, but now, in the stillness of her room, fatigue began to creep up on her.

She pulled her covers over herself, nestling into the familiar softness of her bed. The thrill of the game slowly faded, replaced by the quiet hum of her thoughts. Her mind drifted back to the battle she'd just fought—every maneuver, every calculated risk, every hard-won victory replayed in flashes behind her closed eyelids.

A part of her still felt the excitement, the spark of Britannia's triumph, but as her breathing slowed, so did the vividness of those images. In the end, they were only memories of pixels and lights, bits of code that would be forgotten by morning. But in the game, they had been everything: her choices, her power, her Empire.

As she lay there, she found herself wondering again what it would feel like if it were real, if she could step into that world and be the Lina who commanded fleets, who shaped nations. That Lina was fearless, decisive, and driven. This Lina—the one lying here in the dark, in her quiet room—was just… a girl with a dream.

She sighed, letting herself sink deeper into the mattress. Tomorrow, it would all be waiting for her again: the challenge, the strategies, the tournament. But for now, her eyelids grew heavy, and the sounds of Britannia faded, replaced by the soft, familiar quiet of her own room.

As sleep pulled her under, a final thought crossed her mind: In Civilizica, anything is possible. Maybe one day, in this world too.

With that, Lina drifted off, her dreams filled with ships, kingdoms, and worlds she could only hope to conquer.