Isla Sorna Stories: Rebirth

[The Kingpin]

A hissing growl came from the Spinosaur as it straightened to face the Tyrannosaur that dared step up against it. The short-armed predators seemed to never learn. growling at the Rex, the Spinosaur stepped forward, splaying its talons as it snapped its jaws threateningly. Crusher responded with his own rumbling snarl, massive, serrated fangs glistening in the light as his jaws parted, glimmering golden eyes tinted red at their core, the colour seeming to flow outwards gradually as the eyes soon got dominated by an orangy tinge as gold and red streaks intermingled. The Rex's snarl reverberated through the very chests of the beasts around him, a chillingly loud chomping sound being heard as his massive jaws snapped shut in a mimicry of the Spinosaur's own threat, as if to show just what kind of force it was dealing with...

Snorting in irritation over the Rex's arrogance, the beast charged forward, claws outstreched and jaws open, ready to tear apart this foolish pretender. Crusher was far from a fool, however. Stepping sideways, he suddenly rammed sideways into the Spinosaur as it charged forward, the Spinosaur stumbling away, righting itself as it powered forward into a wide turn, not daring to slow down lest the Rex make use of its vulnerability. Crusher had no intention of giving it the chance to recover. With a powerful roar, the Rex lunged forward, slamming his massive head into the Spinosaur's own as it turned to face him, the larger predator screeching as it was dazed, head flying back and to the side as Crusher swung his head up into it, giving him the opening he was waiting for. In the same movement, the Rex twisted his jaws, slamming his jaws shut, massive fangs plunging into the Spinosaur's vulnerable throat as it screeched in panic. Realising it was moments away from its demise, the terrified Spinosaur scored its talons down over the Rex's head, attempting to get a grip, slipping downwards to reach somewhere it could strike more effectively, gashes appearing across the Rex's chest and shoulders as it clawed at him, simultaneously thrashing as it tried to pull free, yanking the Rex back and forth as it struggled uselessly against the smaller, though more powerful predator, only serving to worsen the wounds the Rex's fangs were tearing into its neck, blood spilling alarmingly fast from the injuries as major veins and arteries were torn apart, its strength practically spilling out between the Rex's blood soaked teeth. The resistance earned an irritated snarl from the Tyrannosaur as he closed his jaws down onto the flailing, thrashing Spinosaur's throat, the Rex thrashing violently as a horrific ripping sound voiced the beheading of the finned beast, Crusher shearing the Spinosaur's neck and head clean off its body as the Spinosaur still flailing body fell to the floor with an earth-shaking thump, continuing to move for a few seconds as its nervous system went wild, before eventually falling still, brief twitches the only movements made by the dead beast...

The Tyrannosaur set a foot on its flank as he snarled lowly, unrestrained hatred burning in the Rex's crimson eyes as he raked his toe claws along the beast's hide, ripping open it's flank and sinking a good way into it's body, shredded parts of vital organs spilling forth from the massive gashes. Tossing the neck and head upwards, the Tyrannosaur glanced upwards, watching as it flipped in the air, the head's weight bringing it downwards as Crusher caught it once more, biting down with the full multi-ton force of his jaws, smashing the beast's head and disfiguring it grotesquely, the corpse's head all but destroyed by the sheer bite force the Rex exerted on it. As a final insult, Crusher forcefully threw the mangled skull at the floor, a sickening cacophony of cracks and crunches being heard for a brief second as the broken, mangled lump of flesh and bone that barely resembled a skull hit the floor beside the headless corpse it had once been attached to, the once proud Spinosaur now laying in a mangled pile. It was a warning to all of its kind...retribution was coming...and it would be merciless...

[C S]

In time a rock wall colored with reds and tans from the many minerals present in it was what Aircrest's path led him to, the rise in the land offering shade but no relief from the blistering heat. At the base of the cliff was a tunnel, but it was clearly no natural cave. Many dinosaurs looked upon it in wonder. Aircrest knew exactly what such an unnatural sight entailed. His time with the elder, as short as it might have been however long ago had given him a great deal of understanding.

Humans. The creators.

He ventured into the tunnel, stone and dirt abruptly turning into the dark, cold metallic gray that Aircrest associated with the ruins scattered over the island. This one and the ones like it were unlike those standing in the jungles and swamps. This one extended deep into the island itself.

The green and black raptor passed bulky machinery and fixtures attached to the walls that still glowed somewhat dimly in spite of being left unmaintained for well over 38 years. On some panels of metal, the faded logo of enterprise could be made out.

InGen: We Make The Future

He passed what would have been an automated door, the entrance now permanently held ajar, rust and disrepair locking it in place. His sickle claws bobbed as he walked down stairs, Aircrest going down the unnatural incline with practiced ease. Click, click, click the tips went on the metal. Click, click, click went the soft echo.

It was a lot cooler in the Geothermal facility. Aircrest walked down the metal hallways that were suspended in a massive chasm, gigantic metal struts holding the entire structure they comprised to the side of the rock face. It was only a small section of the whole power plant, as the hallways dipped downwards at a gentle angle to the main building, a humungous construct with a domed top...

[Giratina93]

The two Suchomimus were making quick work of the fish they had caught. This river was one of the more deeper-running ones along Isla Sorna, and as such was permanent all year round. While in other parts of the island rivers dried up during summer, here it was a constant supply of water and food... which under normal conditions would also mena increased competition, but then, what better thing to do than the share this territory with an adult Tyrannosaurus? After taking an extra bite from their fish, the two carried off whatever was left and headed off into the forest, leaving behind scraps and small hunks of meat for the local scavengers... they were headin goff to meet someone, a close friend of theirs...

[C S]

Long dusty screens allowed a foggy view into what was just behind the aged metal walls. Fixtures on the exterior shed light into the chasm, revealing an unexpected underworld to Death Valley. The surface was the barren wasteland that so many avoided. Unknown to them, the underground thrived from the intervention of the builders.

An underground river cut through the chasm, which InGen took advantage of when building the facility. The Geothermal facility was also part hydro-electrical complex and the surrounding area was meant to be roaming space for newly hatched dinosaurs. Because of this, the lights were specially designed to produce UV radiation and were being powered long after those meant to tend to them abandoned their project. The exterior lights were much brighter than the interior ones, and so over time plant life began to emerge.

Over time, an entire underground forest had sprouted up in the chasm, vines growing up its walls rather than down them. The facility below was wrapped in vegetation.

While many things died on the surface...it was the underworld that held the true struggle of Death Valley...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Shade grinned and walked towards the Stokesosaurs. Bear growled and bared her teeth at the larger predator, stepping back as if she were warning the Carcha in some sort of way.

"What is it now, Carcha?! You already killed my mate and his brother, and I don't see what else you want from us!"

Shade snickered at this statement. She was still thinking of these lies, she could see. Bear continued to growl like an angry hound...


Meanwhile, Paradox decided to hunt. The Abelisaurus could see a Xiaosaurus herd grazing beyond the forest, in a small open area that mostly ferns or grass, and only a few trees dotting that area. However, this spot was surrounded by the forest's trees, and was perfect for hunting for this reason. Paradox stalked towards the herd...

[C S]

The deeper the raptor went, the more nature made its presence known. The grime and dirt that created a thin sheet of filth on the windows was replaced with vines and lichen that took the light yellow light streaming out into the chasm and added a malachite filter to it, dying the dark gray corridors green. Inside, the vegetation poked out from spaces in the metal and machinery, small leafy tendrils hanging from the ceiling over Aircrest's head.

His nostrils flared as he inhaled sharply, scenting the air as familiar odors reached him from further ahead. Blood, spilled not over an hour ago. A battle to the death or a short skirmish over rights to pass through, Aircrest couldn't exactly tell just yet. It would not be long for him to discover, however.

It had not been a battle of life and death. From the splashes of blood that stained the walls and the scents not overpowered by the crimson fluid, Aircrest gleaned that it had been a short squabble between two young Dilophosaurs. They would not have been much larger than the green and black raptor, meaning they would have plenty of room to conduct their battle in the passageway. The red that painted the walls and windows conveyed slashes in the form of thin strips and heavy impacts with splotches of red.

The scent trail wafted around the general vicinity of the stains and then led back down the corridor. Had one of the combatants fled down with the other on their tail? Or were they both being chased by something else? So many other predators came down this way that Aircrest couldn't tell, their scents blending and altering with each passage that putting time to each trail was nigh impossible and was made even more difficult by the blood scent which scrambled the trails more so than they were already.

Aircrest continued walking on alert for a possible hostile encounter. He was used to hostile encounters and in most cases could handle his own. Most cases.

[Murloc Tyrannus]

"The more you growl, the more likely you are to be the next one dead. Besides, I never touched Mars and Djinn." Shade calmly said, trying to explain the truth to the smaller carnivore. Bear would not take this. She snapped her jaws at Shade once, trying to get her to back away. The other Stokesosaurs started to snap their jaws as well, barking and hissing at Shade.

"Dammit, Bear, I'm telling you, Djinn isn't dead, and he killed Mars."


Paradox was closer to the Xiaosaurs; he was hidden and ready to strike...

[C S]

Blood specks grew more frequent. The smell of death grew more prominent.

Specks became spots. Spots became trails. Trails led to a puddle and a corpse mauled and left in a barely recognizable heap at the side of the hallway. If the teethmarks and claw imprints on the body were not conclusive enough, an inky sludge coating the creature's mangled face made it clear just what the killer was.

That second Dilophosaur. It had gone cannibal.

Aircrest couldn't tell how they were related -if at all. Only that the cannibal was extremely hungry...or insane as so many dinosaurs were nowadays. All that was left of that Dilophosaurus was red tinged bones with a few bits of flesh and sinew to keep a few small bones together.

Aircrest took the sight in with a melancholic jadedness. He had not expected any different. The means in which death took its toll may have been different, but the end was always the same.

Remaining wary, the green and black raptor continued the trek into the lower facility, coming to another rusted up door held open for saurian passage and beyond it, the floor leveled out...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

"You know that isn't true, Carcha!" Bear snarled at Shade, her tail swaying in anger and hatred. Shade was about done with Bear accusing her of killing Mars and Djinn; however, she was about to turn her rage against the female Stokesosaurus. The black huntress opened her jaws slightly. She needed to explain the truth, or else she would have about 5 smaller animals crawling all over her...

Paradox charged at the herd of the herbivores, which sent them into a panic. He spotted a younger Xiaosaurus following its mother, until it fell over. The Abelisaur almost had caught the youngling, only to miss it by a few measly inches. However, the dark red of a slightly healing wound caught his eye; a Xiaosaurus with a gash in its flank ran around with a slight limp, which could easily slow it down enough for the kill. Its eyes focused on the carnivore heading towards its direction, but it was already too late to run. Most of the herd had been scared into the forest by now. The wounded Xiaosaur squealed in fear as the last thing it could feel was a sharp pain to the back of the head. Paradox pinned down the herbivore as he still held onto the head, letting go of the now mangled skull of the creature. The head was only held onto the neck by its vertebrae and a few strings of muscle...

[The Kingpin]

Crusher licked his chops as he gulped down one last mouthful of the triceratops carcass, crunches being heard as his jaws smashed bones en route, swallowing the last of the herbivore's remains. The Spinosaur corpse remained untouched, in the same sorry state it had been when the Tyrannosaur ended its life. And so it would remain until the scavengers found it. They would feast on the tyrants that subjugated them. straightening, the Rex took a whiff of the air currents that flowed around him, before beginning to walk away from the scene, leaving the first of the day's events behind him...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

"Djinn ripped Mars open from the stomach. I even saw it with my own eyes. I'm not some bloodthirsty beast like your mate..." Shade snorted, picking at her teeth with her tongue...

Paradox ripped off a hunk of flank from his kill, swallowing it whole and going in for another meat chunk...

[Giratina93]

The 2-mile walk went by very quickly, and before Monozu and the female knew it, they were alreayd at the entrance to the cave, the roof of which was well above their heads. From within it came the distinctive smell of Tyrannosaur, which most would not dare go near, but Monozu knew it was safe. "Blackside, you here?" He called out. At first, there was little response...

And then, from the darkness, emerged a goliath of a tyrannosaur. She was among the largest of her kind, and with few scars on her hide, one would consider her the perfect specimen of her kind. She looked down at the two Suchomimus, with a half-dazed, almost tired look in her eyes. "Yes, i am still here." She hissed, more exhausted than anything. "Last night's hunting didn't really go well. Herbivores are really getting skitish nowadays. I swear they're getting more paranoid by the day. Thanks for coming by, Monozu. You and your mate..." Here, she seemed at a loss as to what to say. It was hard for her to remember names...

"Crimsonclaw." The female suchomimus said.

"Ah, yes. Sorry... I'm still trying to remember your name, Crimsonclaw. Anyways, I guess you two can come in and chat with me." Blackside rumbled in a low, almost quiet tone before she walked back in, both suchomimus following her.

"And the once great image of a T-rex is ruined worse than any Spinosaur could do." Monozu snorted as quietly as he could, but it still got him a hiss from Crimsonclaw...

[C S]

The bowels of the facility were bathed in an orange glow where the plant life did not utterly envelop. In the places where it did however, mankind's challenge against nature was thoroughly trumped. In those places, it was not uncommon for entire sections of wall to be missing on various levels of the building. Looking out through the jagged, rust-ringed openings allowed one to see into the subterranean forest that thrived just outside.


Bulky machines flanked Aircrest as he walked, strips of light shining up from beneath him rather than over him, crisscrossing shadows running over his underbelly from the floor grates. Above him were intricate networks of multicolored piping, some of which let out small streams of vapor from valves and seams. There was a distant hum as ancient constructions continued to work unsupervised.

It took some time for Aircrest to navigate the hallways, staying clear from the areas that had gone completely dark for the dangers that lurked within them were many. When he had gotten to one of the lower sub-levels, Aircrest found one of the breaches in the building's wall, where a sufficiently tall tree's branches had punched through the metal and concrete and had gnarled fingers grasping at the ceiling. Aircrest jumped out of the break and latched onto the branch with his clawed hands, working his body over and onto it soon after.

His ability to walk effortlessly amidst the trees had not diminished at all over eight years. In fact, despite living in Death Valley; frequent excursions into the underground meant he was still proficient, much more than he was those many years ago. It made sense then that he was swifter getting down to the ground navigating the canopy of a tree than the winding hallways of ruins.

The exterior of the facility was dominated by lichen and vines, with the trees themselves having no regard for the structure. They were growing through it much like the trees had at the elder raptor's home. It was much the same for another structure which extended from the power station, but this one was very much different in purpose. Its concrete walls were tall and topped off with metal rails with light fixtures on top, some still shining blue and orange. It was longer than it was wide, with a towering observation structure devoured by the jungle in the world beneath. It had two doors, the forward most one completely retracted into the ground, the second one half-way so. It was edged in yellow and black, the InGen emblem partially concealed by the half lowered metal door. Through the passage was an artificial jungle...

...what started the burst of life where the sun did not shine...

[Murloc Tyrannus]

Bear snorted and turned away from Shade, looking at the rest of her pack. She glared back at Shade with a somewhat confused look on her face.

"Shade... is this true...?" Bear snorted in disbelief. Had Djinn really killed Mars?

[Giratina93]

Moving deeper into the dark cave, Blackside stopped, turned around and lowered herself onto the ground. When she did this, both Monozu and Crimsonclaw likewise lowered themselves. Here, all that was visible of Blackside were her eyes, and her red throat. "So... how have you been doing?" Monozu asked the Tyrannosaur...

Elsewhere on the island, deep within Thrasher's territory, Twincrest was faring reasonably well. Since few others dared to come into this death land ruled by a tyrant, she had found life here reasonably well with little competition. Right now, she was feeding from the corpse of a Lystrosaurus, the Dilo's maw coated in blood as she swallowed another chunk of meat. It was a risky place to live, but for her, it was well worth it...

[Godzilla Forever]

The hulknig shape of Gothmog soon headed deeper into the jungles of Isla Sorna. The brutish Giganotosaurus was hungry now, and he saught something to eat.... something that would be easy, but fill him up for a while. Sniffing the air, the giant giga soon headed out, following his nose...

Ba'al soon stomped off into the jungle, looknig around the forest. He had little to do, now that he was all alone. Scarred and mangled, the brute soaked in his environment, taking his tiem to explroe the land. He had nothing better to do, and he had already hunted recently. The titan's beady eyes danced around, glancing about to see an archeopteryx and a couple dryosaurs. The tarbosaur took in a deep whiff of air, enjoying the delicious scent of the forest. Bliss....

[Murloc Tyrannus]

"Yes, Bear. It is." Shade sighed, tired of explanations. The Stokesosaurs exchanged looks from one another, confused and shocked about the truth of their old packmates.


Paradox picked up the Xiaosaurus in his mouth; its head dangled from the thin muscles and the vertebrae. He began to carry the corpse back to his den to finish it off, and perhaps bury it into his den for the future...

[The Kingpin]

"That Rex is starting to be a real pain" grunted Thrasher lowly as news of a hunt turned sour reached him, the cause for the failure being a Tyrannosaur that seemed hell-bent on making life difficult for him and his allies. It seemed that any time any Spinosaur in the territory's outer limits did anything important, the Rex was there to ruin it. What was worse, it was no ordinary Tyrannosaur. This one was one of the largest on the islands, and had the fighting skill to match. Any time one of his allies tried to attack it, they'd end up dead. And if that weren't enough, they'd wind up horribly mutilated as well. The damage inflicted was never the usual damage one would expect from injuries in combat. The victims ended up completely butchered, damaged so severely and completely that it couldn't possibly be damage done in combat. Well then....you want to play.....fine....Let's play thought the gargantuan Spinosaur coldly. "I want scouts watching its movements. I want to know where it lives, what its motives are, and I want to know the moment you find anything we can use against it. Family, friends, territory, injuries, illness, whatever. Give it to that Dilophosaur freeloading around the swamp. About time it paid its dues" gurgled the Spinosaur lowly, the ageing Irritator in front of him nodding in acknowledgement, before departing for the swamp...



Crusher meanwhile made his way into the treeline, careful strides carrying forward through the obstacle-ridden jungle. His brown and grey hide was well camouflaged in this place, his hide blending in with the tree trunks around him. shimmering golden eyes watched the area around him with a predator's focus, reading the environment for signs of hidden threats. A few hundred yards away he smelled the scent of Raptors, and their hissing and snarling was easy to hear for those looking for the sounds. What most would overlook however, was that they were not normal Raptors. They were mutants. As if in recognition, a faint twinge of pain rippled through the twin three-clawed gashes on either side of his head. He was more acquainted to the beasts than most. His body was a tapestry of pain riddled with the scars of countless battles, many of them with mutants. His very body was a testament to their unnatural state, having grown beyond what was normal as a result of having fed on their corrupted corpses. His mind felt shaky, unstable, the thoughts of revenge and murder constantly teasing and touching the forefront of his mind, as if beckoning him to embrace the vengeful, murderous desires his family's deaths had brought to life within him. He felt dangerous. He felt powerful. He felt...afraid. How could he lead a family, how could he care for his young and raise them, when this abomination rattled around inside his mind, waiting for the moment he would lose his grip so that it could take control? So that it could turn him into a monster like all the other mutants?

As he pressed on, the trees gave way to a pool of water, trickling onwards in a shallow stream, the pool itself forming at the foot of a small waterfall. It couldn't be more than 10 feet off the ground, and the water flowing from it was relatively shallow. A small tropical bird landed at the edge of the rock pool, dipping its head under the water before ruffling its blue and grey feathers, a short black crest rising on the top of its small head. barely visible black whiskers extended from either side of the base of its beak, only visible because they contrasted against the circular white 'cheek' fluff on either side of its head. The bird chirped with what sounded to the Rex like a cheerful greeting, the bird beginning to clean itself, as a feline creature a few dozen feet away began slinking carefully between the rocks, tree roots and ferns as it stalked the avian creature. Despite the wide spread presence of Dinosaurs on the island, the more modern animals were very obviously surviving well. Up in the trees, monkeys called out as they leapt through the canopy, the occasional fruit dropping from above as it slipped from their grip. The chirping calls of Leaellynasaura could be heard in the background to his right, and, passing a glance towards it, the Rex caught sight of a small group of them scurrying through the undergrowth, comically long, fluffy tails in tow. Deciding he could use a drink, the Rex slowed down, lowering his head as he neared the edge of the pool, shimmering golden eyes watching the bird as it bathed, seemingly ignoring him. Lowering his snout to the pool, he began to lap up mouthfuls of the crystal clear water, the cool liquid washing away the metallic tang of blood in his mouth, the red-brown layer of dried blood on his snout breaking up and dissolving into the pool as he drank. A rustle grabbed his attention, the Rex pausing for a moment as he looked up, just as the bird sprung from its place by the pool, flying off with surprising speed as the ocelot hunting it stood where the blue and grey bird had once been, looking up wide eyed at its departing form, then at the Rex across the pool. Realising it had disturbed the peace of the massive predator, the feline soon slunk away, back between the rocks, leaving the Tyrannosaur to drink, and think, in peace...



Not far from the vine-wrapped, lichen coated structure, the purr of a Raptor could be heard in the undergrowth, though it was notably deeper than those familiar to Velociraptors. Over the smell of water and plant life, the faintest hint of blood wafted through the air, and the distinct scent of one of the island's more formidable dromaeosaurs lingered amidst the cocktail of scents; Deinonychus. The actual source of the sound was beyond a rocky outcrop, which itself, was completely swallowed by ferns and other plants. The blood was not that of a dinosaur, but of something more modern. A mammal. A sickening snap could be heard over the sound of flowing water, and the scent of it suggested that a fair sized body of water awaited beyond the stony structure...



Near the edge of Thrasher's borders, the weathered and worn Irritator walked, jaws snapping as the beast flexed its various muscles mid-walk. It had definitely seen better days, and its faded blue-grey mottled hide showed it; its flanks were covered in scars, and lacked the lustre that younger, healthier Irritators sported. Jagged, spear-like fangs protruded from its black jaws, interlocking into what looked like an organic saw. Halfway up its snout, rich red and orange patterns filled the dips in its skull beneath which its jaw muscles ran, the rich patterns outlined by jagged black rings, a similar pattern visible on its nasal crest. Behind that, its brows were mottled with what looked like shards of rich turqoise, circling its eyes, which were a dangerous shade of red-orange, slitted pupils adding to the sinister visage of the predator. One of it's toes had been sheared off by a crocodile, and a chunk of its tail was missing from the same incident, though it had healed over well despite the notable dent in it. It's fin was thick, lined with powerful back muscles, decorated with rich hues of red and orange, the most vibrant part of its war-torn body aside from its nasal crest and, surprisingly, the least damaged. Beneath the colours however, powerful muscles meant this beast could generate a shocking amount of power should it need to. Alert orange eyes stared out through the swamp as the beast searched for the Dilophosaur. Many Irritators on the island would've died by the time they had faced as much as Rake had. But then, many Irritators weren't that close to Thrasher. Such were the benefits of living under the island's most fearsome predator. Life was harsh and difficult, but at least death was marginally less of a problem. Those who served him well were taken care of, even if that care left a lot to be desired. It also gave him authority over lesser favoured creatures. As one of Thrasher's more loyal 'associates', Rake's word was one that was respected and feared. Many had been killed because Rake brought to attention their 'dissatisfaction' with their situation under Thrasher, and his name was frequently on the tongues of those living amongst the Spinosaurs. Fear Rake. Because What Rake's eyes saw, so did Thrasher's...

[Giratina93]

Placing her foot ontop of the dead Lystrosaurus, Twincrest gulped down yet another bite, and was about to take another, when she picked up an incoming scent... it was Spinosaurid... more specifically, an Irritator. An incoming predator was bad news, and though it seemed distant, she wasn't going to take the chance. Taking one last hunk of meat, she left the kill and moved off, looking for somewhere away from the incoming predator...

[C S]

Aircrest stood before the giant steel doors of the abandoned hatchery, cocking his head at the distant growl that came from somewhere upon the chasm wall, the sheets of vegetation gripping the rocks hiding the source. He replied with a dismissive snort and turned away, not itching to deal with what sounded like a larger cousin of his kind.

He would have preferred to avoid this underground jungle since so many flocked to the location, but when things at the surface were as grim as they were, he was left with no choice if he wanted to live. Quenching his thirst and getting something to eat made the transit from the badlands do the underworld a necessity. As he walked towards the river though, he returned to the thoughts that he stared to ponder as of late.

Was this all worth it? Living in the badlands and having to descend down a complex and treacherous path to get a drink, much less hunt? It was a lot to go through for the sake of avoiding others; and in doing so he was more used to seeing skeletons and gore than living, breathing creatures, and when he did see them they were engaging in acts of violence and savagery against each other. That was what survival had become, kill or be killed, even if it meant butchering one of your own without remorse.

Living in exile wasn't going to somehow make life better, to make the dark shadows go away. In fact, it seemed to make them more obvious, more far reaching than anything else. He couldn't keep on going like this...