Boom!
Debris sprayed outward as fragments of rock, mingled with splatters of molten lava and sparks, scattered across the ground from the fissures.
Massive boulders continued to tumble down the slopes of the volcano, igniting the surrounding jungle until the horizon glowed as if dawn had already arrived.
"Aunnng—"
The Ceratopsian herds, jolted awake by the sweltering heat and the violent tremors, scattered in a frantic panic.
The plains that the Apatosaurus herds originally used as their escape route were now a wall of fire; they were forced to turn back and flee into the dense jungle.
In the chaos, predators and prey collided, collapsing into the dirt together.
Towering Brachiosaurs let out mournful cries as they choked on the thick black smoke, coughing and slamming sideways into the earth.
The plumes of smoke erupting from the crater reached toward the heavens, completely shrouding the sky and refusing to let even a sliver of moonlight through. The roaring flames on the ground became the only source of light for the dinosaurs, yet the fire offered no direction, only death.
A few stray boulders, a few drifting sparks, in an instant, the southern reaches of Isla Nublar were engulfed. The once peaceful and silent forest had been transformed into a prehistoric purgatory.
Beep... beep... beep...
High above, a drone flickered with a faint red light, recording the scene as the natural disaster swept across the land in a heartbeat.
"Upload these as well."
The drone's operator stared at the real-time transmission, their expression grim and heavy with grief for every living soul on the island.
How many times had this happened?
Humans always took it upon themselves to perform "romanticized" gestures, actions seemingly regardless of cost or consequence.
But they only ever enjoyed the fleeting beauty of the moment, showing utter disregard for the damage dealt to nature, waiting for the ecosystem to either clean up their mess or collapse entirely.
The moment they brought dinosaurs back into this world, had they looked upon these creatures with "dreams" in their eyes, or with the cold, calculating gaze of someone seeking an ulterior motive?
When they terraformed the ecology of Isla Nublar, had they ever considered that a natural disaster might one day descend upon it?
Once again, they had abandoned their engineered ecosystem, leaving nature to digest the consequences on its own.
Beep... beep... beep...
The drone continued to document the despair. Countless dinosaurs were driven by the heat into circles of fire; the thick smoke began to invade their lungs, eroding their lives.
However, this time, the dinosaurs facing the catastrophe were not without a champion.
Because that drone had originally been sent to film Carlo.
Thud!
A massive foot slammed down onto the flames, leaving a charred patch of "pure land" behind, while the surrounding fire hissed and hungered for more.
Carlo's silhouette loomed exceptionally large against the backdrop of the firelight. His dark frame was unmistakable amidst the burning forest.
Flames had somehow climbed onto his hide, but this time, they couldn't leave so much as a singe mark.
"ROOOAR—!"
Smashing through the fallen giant timbers blocking the way, Carlo let out a long, thunderous roar that drowned out the din of the smoke and the crackling fire.
Every dinosaur that had been agitated, snarling, or on the verge of turning on one another stopped dead in their tracks.
The air grew so still that only the roar of the wildfire remained. The dinosaurs all turned toward the source of the sound. Some opted to huddle and shiver within the circle of fire, as if the newcomer was far more terrifying than the forest fire itself.
Snap.
The Ceratopsians turned toward the sound of splintering wood. Carlo had cleared a temporary safety corridor for them to pass through.
But the herd lacked the courage to charge past such a titanic predator, nearly driving Carlo to the brink of frustration.
He leaned down and gently nipped the head-frill of one of the individuals, slowly swinging it behind him.
"Aunnng!"
The Ceratopsian let out a distressed cry as it tumbled to the ground, before scrambling up and bolting down Carlo's safety corridor.
Like a stone cast into a still pond, the rest of the Ceratopsians, under the oppressive weight of Carlo's gaze, began to follow in the wake of the first.
Similar scenes of chaotic rescue erupted one after another throughout the silent forest.
Unlike the time with "Mom," even though the thick smoke had completely blocked the air circulation, it could not stop Carlo from using the scents left behind by the dinosaurs to find those who were trapped.
The natural disaster could no longer check his stride.
…
The true dawn broke from the horizon, though even the gentlest sunlight now stung the burned hides of the gathered dinosaurs.
They rested at the end of the safety corridor Carlo had forged, a small stretch of grassland. Various species of dinosaurs lay across the grass, wearily tending to their wounds.
Predator and prey shared the same space, existing in a harmony reminiscent of the Great Lake.
Black smoke still blanketed the sky, though thin wisps of blue smoke now rose from the forest. The crackling and raging of the fire had not fully vanished; it remained lurking within the woods.
Rustle...
The remaining trees swayed as a Brachiosaurus stumbled onto the grassland. The various herbivores on either side of the path wisely stepped aside. They did so not just for the Brachiosaurus, but for the true uncrowned king following behind it.
Carlo emerged, drawing every eye. Baryonyx, Albertosaurus, Diplodocus, Triceratops... their gazes held fear, unease, and an indescribable sense of trust.
O King, where shall we go?
For some reason, Carlo could read that very sentiment in their eyes.
He turned his head to look back at the southern part of the island, ravaged and unrecognizable by the fire. That was no longer a place where dinosaurs could easily survive.
A moment later, Carlo gave a soft huff toward the sky and began to lead the way back toward the Great Lake.
The herbivores followed with trembling limbs. Only a few chose to stay behind, either due to severe injury or paralyzing fear.
The carnivores cast aside their usual arrogance. Homeless, they wove through the herbivore herds, quiet and well-behaved.
Rumble...
But it seemed the heavens weren't ready to let these survivors go just yet. As they navigated the cliffs at the edge of the island, a massive landslide was triggered on the adjacent slopes, threatening to sweep these creatures into the sea.
However, the sliding earth and boulders soon began to pile up, eventually coming to a halt.
A "mountain" that was not quite as lofty as the crumbling peaks had once again stood against the disaster.
Why save these unrelated dinosaurs?
Carlo didn't have a clear answer himself, just as he didn't know why he had adopted the Parasaurolophus.
Even if they didn't speak the same language, and even if they shared a predator-prey relationship, Carlo would still choose to save them.
Simply because they were dinosaurs. They were his kind.
Countless dinosaurs passed by Carlo's side. They hurried their stumbling steps, occasionally tripping as they rushed through the area where the landslide might hit.
The narrowing path caused the procession to stretch out long. Carlo stood between the disaster and the dinosaurs, transformed into a high wall that never wavered.
If dinosaurs possessed a spiritual culture, Carlo would, at this moment, be hailed as a god.
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