The thing finally makes a move and lunges forward to snap at me again, this time I am ready and easily step back out of reach. As soon as the thing opens its jaws to attack me the growling stops and Bones quickly rushes in and slashes the back of one of its legs. The beast lets out an angry roar and spins around to go after Bones, as it spins I jump forward and inflict a long cut along its side.

It instantly reverses its spin and attacks me again, as I dodge I must admit I am impressed by its movements. Being able to instantly reverse directions like that indicates it always keeps itself in perfect balance. Bones again is able to dart in and inflict another small wound while it is attacking me.

Dodging is all I am able to focus on for the next minute as it repeatedly attacks me with teeth and claws. Bones is able to get several hits in while it is furiously trying to catch me. If I still had the manacles on I would be struggling but without them I am far too fast for it to catch.

However, with it attacking constantly I am not able to get any hits in on it and only Bones is doing damage. Bones has been focusing on one area and the thing is finally starting to show a slight limp. He would have done a lot more damage by now but he is having to dodge the tail constantly.

The rex has finally had enough and crouches down before spinning in a full circle. Bones and I are forced back by the tail that whips around at high speed, getting hit by that would seriously hurt. The thing resumes growling and swings its head back and forth as if watching both of us.

It seems to be learning as we fight, which doesn't bode well, I need to figure out a way to end this before it learns too much. Now that I finally have a break from dodging its attacks it is time to test my speed against its reflexes. I decide to go for the leg opposite the one Bones has been attacking, mainly because to hit anywhere else I would have to jump up.

While I can jump that high easily the reason I am not doing so is because I can't dodge while in the air. Just before I attack I activate mind blade and lightning aura, then I dart forward and swing at the leg. As soon as I complete my swing I jump backwards, and not a moment too soon.

Seeing the big clawed hand pass right in front of my face and slam into the ground tells me I almost wasn't fast enough. It started swinging almost the instant I moved, its reflexes are superb! As I am dodging its counterattack, Bones is leaping up to inflict a cut on its tail.

Being attacked simultaneously seems to be more than it can cope with as Bones gets away without being attacked. We repeat this process several more times, but the rex's counter attacks get more accurate. On my next attack the rex manages to anticipate my dodge and hits me with a claw as I am moving away from it.

You have suffered a claw attack! Damage 1307 HP!

HP remaining: 2765!

You have suffered a severe injury! You will lose 130 HP per second due to bleeding!

'Ugh! That really hurts! Not even the drake hit that hard!'

Clutching my chest where the claw cut me I stagger away from the rex, Bones launches an attack to keep the thing from coming after me. The worst part is I have no way to stop the bleeding, I don't have any healing items. It isn't like I can meditate in the middle of a fight and currently that is my only recovery skill.

'If the claw did that much damage a bite would kill me in one hit for sure!'

Now I need to end the battle before I bleed to death, so as one of my favorite characters would says 'It's time to roll the dice!'. From the minute I saw that it was blind I had a crazy idea pop into my head, but I didn't want to risk it. Now it looks like I am going to have to gamble everything on that idea, because with this wound I don't think I can outrun the rex.

"Bones! I need you to keep its head still for one second!"

Bones yells "Master!"

Then he throws away caution and charges straight at the rex, which sensing him coming lowers its head and prepares to bite. As soon as it opens its mouth and the growling stops I throw myself forward at top speed. Instead of attacking with Blitz I jump towards its head, my aim is good and I manage to land standing on the top part of its jaw just in front of its ears.

'Here goes nothing! Lion's Roar!!'

As soon as my roar hits its ears its entire body jerks as it screams in pain and I find myself thrown high into the air. As I am flying up I see Bones charge in to attack the rex's body, but I can also see the things mouth open wide below me as it screams. Seeing a chance I throw Blitz as hard as I can into the thing's mouth, but I don't get to see if it worked.

By my best guess I was thrown about a hundred feet up, about thirty feet shy of the cavern roof. However I wasn't thrown straight up so coming down I am headed into the jungle instead of the clearing. On the way down I bounce off a few of the trees and eventually land on a fern type bush with large purple leaves.

You have suffered falling damage! Damage 219 HP!

*DING*

Congratulations! Skill Safe Fall has progressed to level 3!

Safe Fall

Level 3

You take 15% less damage from falling.

The landing knocks the breath out of me so I lay there for a minute until the world stops spinning. Hitting branches on the way down hurt but probably saved me from taking a lot more damage. If after all this the rex is still able to fight then I think my best bet is going to be to try and run away.

If I head for the nearest wall and get lucky and find a tunnel too small for the rex I might just survive. When I try to stand up a wave of pain and dizziness forces me back down, either I have lost too much blood or I broke something in the fall. Either way I doubt I could fight off a bird-thing right now let alone the rex.

Bones has gained a level!

Bones yells "Master?"

"I am over here, Bones!"

Bones comes over and as he approaches I notice he is fairly beat up as well, but even as I watch his armor is repairing itself. It seems he will be fine in just a few minutes, on the other hand I am in pretty bad shape. From the slight pain when I breath I am guessing I at least cracked a rib, I need to recover before I try to do anything else.