Evolution Island: Kill to Survive

Tyrannosaur v Predators

As the countdown came to an end, a terrifying growl echoed across the plain, causing all the smaller animals to flee in different directions. A bright red light flashed in a wide circular zone, indicating the spawning location of the dinosaur. And then the T-Rex appeared in flesh and bone, more vicious than they had imagined.

Standing over 50 feet tall, from head to tail, the enormous dinosaur had a massive skull and a pair of strong muscular hind limbs, almost as thick as the trunk of an overgrown oak tree. Its mouth, filled with long serrated teeth, was powered by a powerful jaw which could easily tear even the biggest sauropod in half.

Terror gripped Isabella’s heart as she looked at the most powerful apex predator to have ever walked the earth. She started trembling in her boots, her face turning paler by the moment. This was the stuff of nightmares, and she was only a little girl. Her mind stopped working and her legs went numb. She could neither run away, nor scream.

Though Aaron and Madeline had faced several horrifying monsters and vicious beasts in games, nothing could have prepared them for facing a T-Rex in the open. All their best laid plans were thrown right out of the window as soon as the dinosaur spawned right in front of them. The formation was already a mess, with Isabella shaking in fear.

“I’ll take point!” Madeline yelled, leaping forward. “Take my sister to safety.”

“We can’t outrun it!” Aaron shouted back.

The T-Rex roared at them, exposing the flesh stuck between its teeth. It’s tail reared up and then it charged straight at them.

“Bestial Rage! Unholy Strength!”

Madeline charged forward, activating her most powerful ability, which transformed her into a vicious brown bear. The Unholy Strength ability which she used in combination, granted her strength proportionate to that of a feral Dark Orc. Her animal body grew 5 times its original size, till she reached almost 15 feet in length.

Before the T-Rex could get close, she leapt in the air, using her elongated blade-like claws to pierce the dinosaur’s thick scaly hide and secure a grip on its neck. The T-Rex groaned in pain as she took full advantage of the brown bear’s bite force, digging her teeth into its flesh.

“We have to fall back!” Aaron grabbed Isabella’s hand and pulled her behind as he ran back.

Zach wasn’t even looking back. He thought that this was a lost cause and kept running at full tilt, hoping to flee the battle.

“Zach!” Aaron called out from behind as they reached the foot of a baobab tree.

Zach didn’t want to stop running, but hearing Aaron’s repeated calls, he slowed down and finally came to a stop. He was panting and covered in sweat, his heart about to jump out of his mouth. He could still hear the roaring of the T-Rex behind him.

“Use the fast travel orb. We gotta get back to...to that settlement.”

“We’re not leaving Madeline behind!”

“What?”

“We can turn this around.”

“Just let her die. We can load a saved file.”

“We can’t just give up without trying!”

“It’s gonna chew us alive!”

“Just listen to me, bro!” Aaron held Zach against the tree-trunk, pinning him in place. “Summon the Raptors! We are taking that T-Rex down!”

Zach looked at the T-Rex and then back at Aaron. Madeline was still fighting tooth and nail, while the giant carnivore was doing its best to shake her off.

“f**k it, man. You just don’t know when to retreat.” As Aaron released his grip, Zach opened his inventory and took out a green summoning scroll. Unfurling it, he held it up. “Use rare scroll: Summon Feral Raptor Pack!”

The scroll instantly turned to dust, releasing a pack of 20 Feral Raptors. These ones were twice the size of the normal ones they’d encountered outside Dewdale and far more vicious.

“Attack the T-Rex! Go!”

The raptor pack charged mindlessly at the T-Rex. They weren’t as intelligent as the normal raptors, but they made up for it by being extremely aggressive. All the smaller carnivores would have been intimidated by an apex predator of that size, but these summoned dinosaurs didn’t care much for self-preservation.

The T-Rex saw the raptors rushing towards it, and quickly whipped its tail around, taking down 10 raptors in one hit. Its massive jaws chomped down hard, biting another raptor in half. But the raptors still kept coming. A few of them went for the Tyrannosaur’s legs, while the rest jumped onto its back. It was just like a pack of wolves hunting an oversized prey.

Madeline noticed the raptors had the T-Rex occupied, and she used this chance to use her claws and slide down the dinosaur’s neck, slicing through its hide. Her bite and claw attacks had got through the T-Rex’s tough scales, but it hadn’t caused it sufficient injury. The minor wound on its neck was just a scratch.

As the Feral Raptors continued their attack, Madeline jumped down and transformed back into a human. Her timed ability only allowed her to change once for a few minutes. In her human form, she had no way to target any of the T-Rex’s vital organs, without bringing it down.

Madeline regrouped with her sister and the others under the baobab tree. Isabella was still in no state to fight. Her body was as stiff as before and she wasn’t even making eye contact with anyone.

A quick look at Isabella’s status tab revealed that she had been afflicted with fear. The roar of the T-Rex was actually an intimidation skill, which was meant to scare off all melee attackers below its current level. Aaron and Madeline had been able to negate it due to their enchanted armour, but Isabella had no way to resist it.

“We have to take her to a healer. I don’t have any encouragement potions on me!” Madeline exclaimed.

“Zach!” Aaron turned to his friend.

Putting his scrolls away, Zach focused on Isabella. He pressed his fingers on her forehead and cast the Curia skill. Isabella made a quick recovery once the debuff was removed.

“What? What...happened?” It didn’t take her long to spot the T-Rex in the distance. It had taken down most of the Feral Raptors and looked even more enraged.

“You should sit this one out,” Madeline suggested, taking Isabella in her arms. “We will deal with the boss.”

“We can’t do it without her. You know it,” Aaron said.

“You saw what just happened. She’s not ready for—”

“I...can do it, sis!” Isabella cried out. Taking a few deep breaths, she tightened her grip on her shield and looked straight ahead at the T-Rex. “I want to make you proud, sis. I’m ready.”

“There goes the last raptor,” Zach announced.  “We have to make a call right now!”

Madeline used her Z-band to scan the wounded T-Rex. It had 50000 HP and 500/1500 EP remaining.

“It can’t use Intimidating Roar again. That skill costs 1000 EP. But, it’s still gonna be a tough one to kill.” Madeline looked at Isabella and asked, “You sure about this?”

“I am!”

Madeline wanted to tell her a firm, ‘no’, but her sister’s determination changed her mind. “Alright, this is our second try.” She looked at Aaron and pulled out her twin axes. “Give the orders. We will do our best.”

As the enraged T-Rex came charging towards them, Aaron quickly re-arranged the formation. Isabella and Madeline stepped up to the frontline, Aaron stood in the middle while Zach remained at the rear.

“Here’s the plan. Zach will use his most powerful summoning scroll. The summoned creature will take the T-Rex head on, while you go use your wind skills to weaken it. I’m gonna cast my skills from a distance and coordinate all attacks. If the T-Rex comes after you or me, Isabella will protect us.”

“Got it!” both sisters exclaimed in unison.

“Alright, let’s kill the last Guardian!” Aaron turned on his flames and prepared to cast his most powerful skills.

Zach unfurled the dazzling green scroll in his hand and spoke aloud, “Use rare scroll: Summon Titanoboa!”