Evolution Island: Kill to Survive

A well-deserved rest

This was the first time in many days that they actually had a chance to relax. There were no active side quests or events on the quest tab and all 4 Zone Guardians had been defeated. Aaron was surprised that Gilbert didn’t try any tricks this time.

With no immediate danger in the vicinity, their only worry was the timer on the bridge. They had to make it to Ashenfort before the sea bridge went underwater again.

Aaron took this time off to browse the manual on his Z-band to get a better understanding of things in the game. Madeline was still as tense as always. Her thoughts kept going back to that lab where their bodies were stored inside the life pods. She had chosen to side with Aaron, putting all her faith in his intuition. So far, Gilbert hadn’t pulled off any dirty tricks, but she knew he wasn’t going to let this slide so easily. She wasn’t worried about herself, but her heart sank, looking at Isabella. Her little sister was enjoying herself, brewing her favourite potions and experimenting with different concoctions. To Isabella, this was still a game, but Madeline knew she couldn’t let her guard down, even for a second.

“I could get used to this life,” Zach announced energetically, breaking the stale silence in the room. As the other eyes in the room shifted towards him, he put down his basket laden with herbs and veggies and smiled. “Living off the land, hunting beasts, slaying orcs, this is a lot better than studying for exams.”

“I bet Gilbert will be happy to make your stay as comfortable as possible,” Aaron replied.

“Come on, bro. I’m just trying to enjoy myself like you said. We’re gonna be stuck here for a really long time. Except the horrifying predators, everything else looks pretty chill. Not everyone gets to experience a survival RPG like this.”

“So, you’re not worried about your exams at all?”

“Well, there’s nothing I can do about it now,” Zach sighed wistfully. “Lately, I’ve realised something.”

“What is it?”

“I’d make a crappy zoologist,” Zach grinned. Taking all the gathered veggies and herbs, he walked up to the cooking spit and started tossing ingredients in the cooking pot. When he was done adding the last few thyme leaves, he turned around and looked at Aaron. “I’ve always been too busy worrying about my future. Ever since I took that student loan, I have forgotten what it was like to have fun. I don’t miss that life anymore. After we get back to our world, I’ll get back to streaming my favourite games.”

“It sounds like your friend is delusional. We are trapped inside a game, against our wishes, and there’s no telling what lies ahead,” Madeline reminded Aaron in a hushed tone, so that Zach couldn’t hear.

Aaron smiled at Zach and watched him silently go about his cooking business. He was truly enjoying himself over here. Aaron didn’t know what to say to him. This was the happiest he had seen Zach in many months.

“I think we all should lighten up a bit,” Aaron whispered to Madeline.

“I understand you’ll have been through a lot, but we can’t let up now. We still have 3 islands to conquer. The other team has already reached Ashenfort and Gilbert is probably thinking of a new way to get us killed.” Madeline closed her digital map and looked Aaron in the eye. Her tone was a lot softer this time. “This isn’t our world, Aaron. We belong somewhere else. There are people waiting for us, worried sick about us, on the other side.”

Aaron could make out a strange sense of urgency in her voice. He, too, wanted to return to the real world, but there was something different about Madeline. It was as if she was holding on to a painful burden, a burden which was hers alone to carry. She still wasn’t comfortable enough to share her secrets with them.

“We will get back to our world. I promise, we will,” Aaron uttered in his most reassuring voice.

Madeline nodded, holding back the words in her throat. She turned away from Aaron for fear of revealing too much. Isabella, still brewing potions at the alchemy table, noticed her sister’s teary eyes and immediately put down all her vials.

The little blue-haired girl walked up to her sister and gave her a tight hug. Madeline held Isabella tightly in her arms, almost afraid to let go.

“I’m sorry I put you through all this. I am a terrible sibling.”

“Don’t say that, Maddy!” Isabella squeaked. Her voice broke as she held back her tears. “You’re the best sister in the whole world. I am happy to be with you. I always wanted to go on an adventure with you. I only need you by my side, and I won’t be afraid, I promise.”

Wiping Isabella’s eyes, Madeline gave her a kiss on the forehead. “You’re even braver than me. You’re my hero, Izzy.”

Zach and Aaron exchanged curious glances with each other, but neither knew what was going on between these two sisters. Though Zach felt like he should try to sort out his differences with Madeline, apologising wasn’t really his thing. At that point of time, the only thing he could think about was food, and that’s what he used to break the ice.

“I don’t know how it works inside a game, but I sure feel hungry,” he cried out loudly enough to attract their attention. “I’ve made some vegetable soup. It’s 100% organic. Feel free to slurp it all up.”

“I hate veggies. I want chicken!” Isabella bawled.

This made Zach break into peals of laughter. “Chickens are related to dinosaurs, you know? Maybe I can throw in some raptor legs next time.”

“Yuck! No way!”

While they waited for the armour to get repaired, they enjoyed a meal of warm vegetable soup with a side of mashed potatoes. Eating a hearty meal provided each of them with a HP bonus and warmed their bellies. This was the first decent meal they’d had in many days. Zach still didn’t have any recipe books on him, but that didn’t stop him from using his real world knowledge to cook a delicious pot.

After resting for a while, the group was woken up by Aaron’s stop watch timer. The repairs were now complete and it was time for them to move on. Since they didn’t plan on exploring any other areas on Solaris, it was pointless to stash items in the player lockers. So they gathered all the newly brewed potions and freshly picked herbs and distributed it among themselves.

Aaron and Madeline put on their repaired Predator Armour sets, while Isabella equipped her newly acquired Antique Cuirass. Zach changed into a purple robe which he had obtained from the Diamond Loot Chest. It granted him 50% resistance against all magic attacks and increased his EP by 100%.

At midday, the group gathered outside the cottage and used a Fast Travel orb to travel to the human settlement at Dewdale.

They were greeted at the gate by Mawanko himself. He was overjoyed to see Aaron and Zach again. As soon as Kawasha heard news of their arrival, he came out of his shack to give them a warm welcome. He didn’t even bother asking about the two girls. Anyone close to Aaron was always welcome inside the gates of the Cayuga settlement.

This was an entirely different experience for Madeline and Isabella. The first human settlement they had visited had been extremely hostile towards them, but this one looked like a peaceful community. Aaron and Zach were practically worshipped here and every single Cayuga man, woman and child treated them with the utmost respect.

The young chief led them to his own lodging and served them cool coconut water and fresh fruit. He made sure all their comforts were taken care of, before striking up a conversation.

“It looks like your settlement is doing great. Your father would be proud,” Aaron said.

Kawasha received the compliments graciously and thanked Aaron and Zach for all their help. Then rising from his cot, he whispered some instructions to one of his servants and sent him on an errand.

“You’ve come at the perfect time. I went out exploring yesterday and found a treasure unlike any other!” Kawasha exclaimed excitedly.