One of my fondest memories is seeing Godzilla: Final Wars (2004) in theaters. It was playing at the Neptune Theater in Seattle. Tickets were sold out, so there were over 600 moviegoers in attendance. I brought all my friends and it was a blast. While the film nowadays drifts between being a party pleaser to an assault on my sensibilities, I’ll always remember how much fun we had that night—and how, if given the chance, never pass up seeing a Godzilla movie with a crowd. (more…)

“Millions of years ago, Godzilla and Kong’s ancestors waged a cataclysmic war. Who won? Discover the mystery of how their ancient rivalry ended — and what other threats may still be lurking in the shadows of the MonsterVerse.” (more…)

In the 1954 kaiju masterpiece film Gojira, Akira Ifukube composed Prayer for Peace. At this point in the story, Godzilla just finished destroying Tokyo and returned to the cold depths of the sea. Our protagonists were broken and overwhelmed by the hideous devastation. All Japan could seem to do was mourn the tragic loss of life. But then the nation’s children rekindled their hope by calling for peace, and, in many respects, it spurred our protagonists into action. Ultimately, Japan ended Godzilla’s rampage, but it came at a terrible price. (more…)

SpaceGodzilla is threatening to plunge the world into an endless night. But when Godzilla arrives to face the cosmic tyrant, he quickly discovers that this creature from another planet not only shares his face, it holds a dark secret — and the key to his final destiny. (more…)

Despite being a Godzilla fan for as long as I can remember, it was never apparent what my favorite Godzilla era was until a few months ago. I always thought the Heisei series was my favorite, and it could very well be someday; it is deserving of praise and recognition—not to mention it had a first impression on me. Then I thought it was the relatively new MonsterVerse. While Godzilla (2014), Kong: Skull Island (OK, not a Godzilla film, but it felt wrong not to include it, and it’s arguably the best installment in the MonsterVerse), and Godzilla: King of the Monsters (2019) are stellar films that have introduced a whole new generation to the kaiju genre. But aside from a few aesthetics in terms of cinematography, setting, and sound design, it hasn’t yet shaped me as a cinematic storyteller. Finally, the answer became crystal clear, and just so happens to be the one that started it all. (more…)

One good way to befriend a Godzilla fan is by asking them, “What was your first Godzilla film?” For years, I’ve always said Godzilla 1985. A few years later, I started to respond back with The Return of Godzilla (1984), the superior Japanese version of the same film. It’d be even longer before I realized that Bambi Meets Godzilla was technically my first Godzilla movie, as it preceded Godzilla 1985 on my VHS copy. (more…)

It was always a dream to visit Japan. After spending years watching Japanese icons like Godzilla, Gamera, and Ultraman, the chance to roam around the very land that played a crucial part in enriching my childhood was something I had to do. In the summer of 2019, my dream came true, and it was one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. But something happened there that I was not truly prepared for. (more…)

Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

They closed their eyes to see the white canvas turn black.

The distant sun exposed the Earth, a world flirting with innovation and annihilation. A loud, high-pitched scream rocked the planet to its core, stirring it to action. Waves of golden energy emanated from all corners of the globe, surging through wild blue oceans, lush green fields, puffy white clouds, and silent gray mountains, ultimately converging on the nation of Japan. It was neither a natural phenomenon nor a human-made experiment gone awry; it was the planet’s last desperate plan to repel the most insidious of infections. (more…)

Creator: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

An otherworldly threat descends upon the Earth. Coated in an alien arsenal, the cybernetic invader threatens all life on Earth. Only a demon of legend possesses the power to stop it. Rising to the challenge, Iris humors the aggressor and engages in aerial combat. Who will win in this clash of titans: the False God or the Cybernetic Assassin? (more…)

“Monsters are tragic beings. They are born too tall, too strong, too heavy. They are not evil by choice. That is their tragedy.”

– Ishiro Honda (more…)

Creator: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Thomas Fairchild

An otherworldly threat descends upon the Earth. Crashing with a fiery inferno, the invader threatens all life on Earth. Only a beast of legend possesses the power to stop it. Rising to the challenge, Godzilla emerges from the surf ready to battle the alien insect. Who will win in this clash of titans: the King of the Monsters or Queen of the Swarm? (more…)

During a long hike in the mountains, two friends come face-to-face with the most tenacious monster in the world…

ANGUIRUS! (more…)

“Everyone, deep in their hearts, is waiting for the end of the world to come.” – Haruko Murakami, 1Q84

When the last dice has been cast, how will it all end? Humans have pondered this question since before we had words to speak. Will our doom be delivered to us in the form of a burning meteor? What if a terrible outbreak sentenced our collective species to an early grave? What if we destroyed ourselves in a nuclear holocaust? Some cultures believe Armageddon is preordained and the fate of destruction is the emergence of an eternal rebirth. Nobody knows for certain. Personally, I think the end will come on the golden wings of a three-headed space dragon. (more…)

‘Twas the night of winter solstice when Gamera arrived

In a far-off land where only the strong survived.

The wind was howling like a mad siren,

Only to be drowned out by the roar of a Titan.

From the darkness, a living mountain of flesh emerged;

Stronger than any force on Earth, its atomic power surged.

What Gamera saw coming was truly scary,

He knew of this creature, its battles legendary!

Not wanting to die without putting up a fight,

Gamera unleashed a burning blast of light;

But when the smoke cleared and the flames receded,

Gamera beheld something he didn’t know he needed.

In his claws was a gift that contained a surprise,

A gift Gamera would be playing with ’til the next sunrise;

Gamera was speechless; he didn’t know what to say;

It seemed all Godzilla wanted was a friend on this winter solstice day. (more…)

My worst fear is being lost. It’s like having your mind broken down to your most vulnerable, primitive state. As your will to live is stretched to its limits, your hope threatens to become the first casualty. Making matters worse, your paranoia leads a vicious mutiny against reason and logic. The truth is you’re trapped, and you might not know it until it’s too late. (more…)

You’re in a city teeming with thousands of strangers. It’s a safe bet you won’t see any of these people again, not that you would remember them even if you did. As the city’s ambiance plays out like a disorganized orchestra and the allure of an Italian restaurant slowly reels you in, you’re suddenly snapped out of your daily routine by a violent force of nature. You don’t know what it is or where it came from. There’s only one thing you do know: the city is no longer safe. (more…)

Emerald City Comic Con granted me my first ever press pass, and it’s all because of the hardworking staff members here at Toho Kingdom. I’d also like to extend my gratitude to all our visitors. Without you, Toho Kingdom wouldn’t be the eminent website it is today. (more…)

On October 11th, 2016 I saw my fourth Godzilla movie in an American movie theater: Shin Godzilla. It is a gift to see my favorite fictional character of all time grace the silver screen. In this review, I will briefly summarize the film, but I will mostly be providing commentary on its themes, story, contents, direction, and visual/sound quality. There will be spoilers. So grab your water bottles, have a new shirt on standby, and reschedule all your meetings pronto! It’s time to save the day. (more…)

Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Christian Salabert
Revised: August 30, 2026

“Wake up,” whispered Ann Darrow, her voice soothing. “It’s dawn.”

King Kong’s brown eyes rolled open. As his vision adjusted to the cliff he called home, he saw Ann standing in the palm of his hand, nursing his scarred cheek. Kong wanted this moment to last forever. When his stomach growled, Ann enlightened him with a smile. It was brighter than any star in the sky.

“Come on, sleepy head,” said Ann. “Let’s go explore.”

Her persistence inspired him to rise. Kong stretched, flexing his huge muscles. He breathed in the morning air, delighted to have a companion to explore with at last. Kong gently picked Ann up and swung her on his shoulders. Then in a huge burst of speed, Kong jumped over the cliff, and fell hundreds of feet before catching the side of the mountain.

Ann gripped the hairs on Kong’s back, screaming in excitement. The cold air blew over them as they continued their descent. While Kong was too busy jumping from rock to rock, Ann gazed down at Skull Island. It was both beautiful and foreboding. Jungles greener than any rainforest on earth covered most of the island. Wild rivers flowed through and disappeared in the thick foliage, feeding the dark swamps. Far across the island, Ann saw the great walls of stone lying in shambles at the shore. It served as an epitaph for the natives who once lived there. Beyond the shoreline, a sea of fog concealed Skull Island from the rest of the world.

King Kong plummeted his hands and feet into the ground. He let Skull Island’s aroma assail his lungs before breaking into a sprint. Kong maneuvered through the forest, kicking up dirt and plants in his wake. Ann, likewise, evaded low branches as they sped forth. She loved doing this. Finally, they arrived at a great lake that was concealed in the heart of the island.

Ann Darrow and King Kong’s reflection shone on the crystal watery surface. She stood on his shoulders, basking in the warmth of the rising sun. Kong, captivated by her waving reflection, could only stare in disbelief. How did he ever get so lucky? He knew he had been alive before Ann entered his life, but he couldn’t remember his past nor did he really care. All that mattered was this moment.

In the darkness of the jungle, red eyes glared at the pair in the most detached of manners. Moving quietly, the ravenous hunter snuck up on them. Its scaly snout opened, its jaws dripping with blood. It moved in as if it was going to snatch Ann up. Instead it leaned in close to King Kong’s ear.

“Time to wake up, my son,” whispered the demented saurian.

–

King Kong was no longer King Kong and Ann Darrow was no longer with him. That dream was over. A weak, malnourished hand reached up in front of him. The hand was his. Wires funneling life-saving fluids ran through his arms. When he breathed, the respirator on his face hissed. Artificial light shined above him, blinding eyes he had never used before. Squinting, he tilted his head to the side. In a mirror, he saw a dying gorilla being kept alive by lifeless machines. He turned away in shame, disgusted by what he saw.

An automatic door slid open. The dying ape heard footsteps approaching his bedside. When the light panels above him shut off, a gray-haired Japanese man in his mid-sixties, dressed in black, entered his peripheral vision. There was a black fire in his eyes, one that burned with a mixture of brilliance and malice. The dying ape knew this old man was his maker and he was at his mercy.

“My son,” said the infamous Doctor Who. “I’m very disappointed in you. But rest assured, I have finally found a use for you. If you survive the night, I’ll give you purpose.”

It was a command the dying ape had no choice but to follow. If he had a choice, he would’ve chosen to never wake again.

–

The lights flickered. In a small room, Doctor Who stood on a stage while a slide show of the dying ape played on a projector screen behind him. His wrinkled face maintained a cold composure, only showing an ounce of emotion when it suited him. The audience, numbering in the single digits, consisted of the most powerful individuals in the world. Some were not even of this world.

The Xilien Commander, donning a black combat uniform, grinned through his dark shades. Images of the frail ape compelled him to make a condescending remark about apes being puny and weak, no different than cattle.

This infuriated Mugal, Leader of the Black Hole Aliens. Mugal’s second in command, Tsuda, convinced him to stay his hand until the time was right. Both were dressed like businessmen.

Doctor Shinzo Mafune, a brilliant yet mad scientist, watched the slides with great interest, oblivious to the extraterrestrials bickering around him.

The Saradian Agent, SSS9, watched from the back corner. He had been sent by the Emir of Saradia to collect both vital information and to plunder his rivals. Stroking his beard, SSS9 waited patiently for the right moment to execute his plans.

Captain Ryuui, representing the terrorist organization known as the Red Bamboo, was anything but calm. The Red Bamboo Commander had given him strict orders to buy whatever Doctor Who was selling. He wasn’t sure he could now that he knew the identities of his rivals. This might cost him another eye.

“Gentlemen, let’s not dispense with any introductions,” said Doctor Who. “I know why you’re here. Like myself, you’re all visionaries. You have goals and agendas like any sensible human being, or carbon based life form, and will accomplish them no matter the cost.”

“I thought Doctor Who was supposed to be British,” the Xilien Commander joked.

Doctor Who didn’t miss a beat. “Behind me is one of my greatest achievements, Prometheus. I grew him in a lab from a sample of King Kong’s DNA. Unlike Kong, Prometheus was born with physical defects. Even with the aid of Element X, of which only I can control,” boasted Doctor Who, “the defects couldn’t be eliminated. Originally deemed a failure, Prometheus was scheduled for dissection until I made a remarkable discovery. It would seem Prometheus, while lacking in strength, possessed a brilliant mind.”

Live images of Prometheus solving puzzles, mathematical equations, and repairing complicated machinery flashed across the screen.

“That’s what you wanted to show me?” scoffed the Xilien Commander. “If I wanted a smart monkey for a slave, I would’ve taken a trip down a black hole.”

“You insolent dog,” shouted Mugal, offended by the Xilien Commander’s words.

“Gentlemen, please,” said Doctor Who. “There’s more here than meets the eye. Prometheus, despite being a pale imitation of King Kong, is still a Kong. If not in body, then certainly of instincts. One I’ve taken the personal liberty of properly tuning.”

New images of Prometheus, now standing at a height rivaling a kaiju, waited patiently in a giant cage for the technician-controlled machines to strap him in a suit of armor.

“This is Mechani-Kong,” said Doctor Who. “Armed with kaiju busting grenades and a hypnosis generator in its head, Mechani-Kong is every bit as strong as his inspiration. With the latest in armor coating technology, generously provided by a loyal UNGCC informant, Mechani-Kong could wade through any army sent to oppose him.”

Who methodically strode along the crowd, building anticipation as a show of theatrics. “One thing that really fascinates me about Kong and their peculiar relationship with Element X. Even though Prometheus, in his natural form, was a weakling, Mechani-Kong has a generator specifically designed to feed his body electricity. Look.”

Prometheus was covered in armor. Mechani-Kong was a sight to behold, no longer the frail, gangly creature he once was. Enhanced imagery showed the sheathed core that resided within, as a sudden surge of Element X coursed through his body, sparking like electricity. Engine parts whirred, needle-like conductors stabbing into his flesh, amplified by the energy within. Like an oiled lubricant, the swelling energies infused with the body, greatly augmenting Mechani-Kong’s performance, showing Doctor Who’s audience what happened when the ape’s physiology meshed with the radioactive element.

“Remarkable, isn’t he?” said Doctor Who. “And with the power of Element X burning in his veins, what was once a weak creature has now become the strongest being on Earth.” Finishing his presentation, Who twirled to face his audience.

“We’ll start the bidding at $10 billion.”

The Xilien Commander clapped, laughing manically. “Doctor Who, I mean no disrespect, you are a credit to your cattle race, but why would I want this Mechani-Kong? I have an army of creatures at my disposal. Why would I want a King Kong reject?”

“Because he’s superior to the original creature,” replied Doctor Who. “He’s superior to any beast you have in your armada.”

“The brain is the strongest part of any mind,” Dr. Mafune spoke up, “merged with cybernetic technology and you give birth to a promising monster… I respect it,” Mafune nodded approvingly.

It was Mugal’s turn to speak. “Doctor Who, if what you say is true, then perhaps a demonstration is in order.”

Doctor Who’s decrepit face contorted into a smile. Nobody else knew he was smiling. “I concur.”

Doctor Who left the room, leading his audience outside. SSS9 waited for the Xilien Commander to leave, but he stayed in his seats, staring off into space. It looked like he was somehow communicating through nonverbal means. SSS9 was no stranger to psychics, so perhaps telepathy was at work here. If so, SSS9 suspected he had been compromised. On cue, the Xilien Commander favored the Saradian agent with a grin, confirming his worst suspicions.

–

Outside, the humid air was intoxicating. Darkness had fallen yet temperatures were almost unbearably high. This could’ve been Doctor Who’s doing, given his controlling nature. Light poles taller than trees helped shine light on the forests, mountains, and streams. A full moon lit up the dark heavens, casting its luminance. In many ways, it was a tropical paradise.

There was a distant tremor. Most of Doctor Who’s guests looked nervous, frightened even. This emboldened Who’s agendas. Doctor Shinzo Mafune, however, looked more ecstatic than alarmed. Like Doctor Who, Mafune was an old, experienced scientist. And like Who, Mafune was infamous for his mad theories. It had been decades since the scientific community excommunicated Mafune. Most people would’ve accepted the early retirement, but not Doctor Mafune. Not long after the fall of his career, Mafune returned into the world’s spotlight, but not as a visionary or an innovator. No, Mafune returned as a monster. His name soon joined the unholy ranks of Hitler, Stalin, and Mao. What the public didn’t know, however, was one disconcerting truth: Mafune had been right all along.

There was a reason why Doctor Who saw a kindred spirit in Doctor Mafune. Mafune wasn’t afraid of getting his hands bloody. In the pursuit of truth, the ends justified the means. And if the truth didn’t meet their criteria, they’d manipulate it into a more fitting conclusion.

Trees wobbled and fell, heralding the ascent of the subterranean dinosaur, Baragon. The horned creature peaked out of the forest, hungrily gazing up at the ledge where Doctor Who and his guests congregated. If he jumped at them, the underground beast would be crunching on their bones in seconds. That was when the earth vibrated. A massive, gaping hole opened no more than a few hundred yards from Baragon’s location. Inside the hole, two massive, silvery arms reached out, and pulled Mechani-Kong to the surface. The reddish-brown reptile growled a warning at the cybernetic ape. Dull, lifeless eyes peered at the horned saurian. Behind the artificial optics, Prometheus’s nerves pulsed and concentrated on his first opponent. His creator’s orders were clear: search and destroy. Searching was no longer a problem.

Optical sensors emitted streaks of focused light, blinding the prehistoric mole. Baragon, unable to see, rushed blindly into the light, hoping to find his opponent. He instead found a metal fist smashing into his face. The impact sent the diminutive titan flipping in the opposite direction, blood splashing out of its broken jaw. The wild cretin’s insatiable appetite suppressed his pain, allowing the horned beast to ready himself for a second charge. Baragon jumped towards his larger opponent like a supersized frog, hitting Mechani-Kong so hard it sent the cyborg flying back. The artificial android watched the treetops swish by his feet before falling into a forest.

Doctor Who and his guests watched columns of plantation shoot up, obscuring Mechani-Kong. Baragon, like a predator stalking its prey, moved in for the kill.

“Mechani-Kong had the advantage,” snorted Doctor Mafune. “Why’d he let Baragon do that to him?”

“My child is merely testing his opponent,” Doctor Who explained. “More accurately, he’s testing himself.”

The quadruped galloped through the jungle at his top speed, mowing trees down with his bulk. When he arrived in a clearing, the daring reptile isolated the position of his target and opened his mouth. Baragon’s breath turned to fire, washing over reinforced titanium in its burning embrace. As trees and all manner of plant life were reduced to cinders, a towering figure emerged out of the inferno, his metal armor glowing bright. In a quick burst of speed, Mechani-Kong grabbed the unsuspecting Baragon by the face. The creature writhed in agony as a hot glowing hand burned his skin off. When Mechani-Kong released him, Baragon dropped to his belly, his face burnt, his eyes sealed shut.

Even from a mile away, Doctor Who and his guests could smell the burning flesh. It was repulsive, even to the warlike extraterrestrials. Only the human, Captain Ryuui, looked indifferent…

Ryuui had once been a faithful servant of Japan, defending the motherland whenever she called. But that all changed when Ryuui was ordered to infiltrate the international terrorist organization known as the Red Bamboo. It took months for him to earn their trust, months of blood, torture, and abuse. Then the opportunity presented itself; the Red Bamboo Commander wanted to see him. This was his chance to break the chain. To his surprise, he learned he hadn’t been the only spy Japan sent to overthrow the Red Bamboo. Now he and his countrymen had the Red Bamboo Commander right where they wanted him. But the Red Bamboo Commander had other ideas.

From the beginning, the Red Bamboo had always known their true identities. To prepare for this, they took the necessary steps to incriminate Ryuui and his countrymen. There was blood on their hands now, for the people they killed to gain favor were ones of prominent status, royalty even. So even if they assassinated the Red Bamboo Commander, even if they somehow managed to topple the Red Bamboo itself, their motherland wouldn’t protect them. Japan, to avoid a geopolitical nightmare, secretly disavowed them. If they ever stepped foot on Japanese soil again, their government would betray them. The Red Bamboo, however, was willing to make them an offer, an offer meant for only one and one alone. Whosoever was the last one alive would find a future in the Red Bamboo. After an intense, bloody fifteen minutes, Ryuui, missing an eye, emerged the sole survivor.

On that day, he’d been baptized in the blood of his countrymen and was reborn as Ryuui, Captain of the Red Bamboo.

Prometheus was no stranger to pain or torment. He watched as the subterranean terror wallowed blindly in its misery. There was no sympathy for the creature. His creator, Doctor Who, despised weakness with a passion. That bleak view was one Mechani-Kong begrudgingly inherited. Wherever he saw weakness, he saw his own reflection, of what he had been. Enraged by the cretin’s primitive pain, his weaponized shell sent photons of Element X flowing through his veins, augmenting his capabilities. Mechani-Kong pulverized the helpless Baragon, mangling his scaly flesh and shattering his bones. The blows were so intense, even the sands on the island’s distant beaches trembled. The beatings lasted for approximately two-minutes. Baragon died in the first.

“Now you see the power of my creation,” said Doctor Who, pleased with Mechani-Kong’s performance.

“You’d have a point if I was invading a world populated by Baragons, Doctor,” scolded the Xilien Commander. “But I’m not planning on fighting Baragon, especially now since he’s dead. I was hoping you’d have your pet fight a worthier opponent.”

Mugal nodded. “As much as I hate to admit it, the Xilien is right.”

Doctor Who shot an ugly look at the aliens. Even with all their power, the aliens didn’t want to suffer his wrath, so they stopped talking. SSS9, before his arrival, researched Doctor Who’s history. Most of his past was stripped from the record. Knowledge is power, so when knowledge of your life remains shrouded in mystery, you deprive people from having power over you. And what power does Doctor Who hold over all of them? He and he alone unlocked the secrets of the mysterious Element X.

Mechani-Kong marched through the jungle, returning to his cage. Suddenly, a line of webbing ensnared his back, pulling him down.

Doctor Who smiled. That cadaverous grin of his always gave people chills.

Baragon wasn’t the only staged opponent for this demonstration. Eight-legs crawled out of the shadows and into the moonlight, revealing itself as the monstrous spider, Kumonga. The robotic ape took a couple steps back, startled. It was a common instinct to retreat from the sight of a spider, especially one larger than a football field. Kumonga, obeying the mysterious signal affecting her brain, attacked. The giant spider launched herself at the silver-clad goliath, stabbing him with her bony-like legs. Sparks flew as the durable armor repelled the flurry of attacks. Mechani-Kong, forced to give ground, used his arm to block the thick webbing from the arachnid. Thinking quickly, the ape-machine tugged at the line of webbing in order to reel Kumonga towards him. He delivered a punch hard enough that the resulting shockwave leveled the trees in the vicinity.

Kumonga crashed into a hillside, causing an avalanche. After the spider titan crawled out of the rockslide, Mechani-Kong blinded her with an array of bright, illuminating eyes. She panicked, trying in vain to shield its myriad eyes with her front arms. At last it formulated a different solution; Kumonga jumped over Mechani-Kong and landed behind him, entangling him with her webbing. Even with his incredible strength, he  couldn’t tear apart the webbing. To compensate for this, another wave of blinding light shot into the many eyes of the eight-legged freak.

This time, however, the giant arachnid was ready; Kumonga launched a poison stinger into one of the glowing optics, disabling it in a shower of sparks. Taking advantage of what she perceived to be her prey, Kumonga leapt onto Mechani-Kong, constricting him with her legs. Immune to the adhesive effects of her webbing, the towering arachnid regurgitated another poison stinger. She fired it into the thick, wide neck, denting the armor. Again and again, she fired poison stingers, wishing to incapacitate her impossible foe. Mechani-Kong had other ideas; he loosened the webbing enough for him to reach down and touch his waistline, where a belt full of grenades waited. He grabbed two grenades and, raising them to his chest, detonated them.

A fiery explosion incinerated the webbing and ripped Kumonga’s legs apart. Mechani-Kong stood motionless in a smoldering crater, unscathed. Shrieks resonated as the charred titan writhed helplessly next to him, trying in vain to scuttle away. But without legs to do the scuttling, she was defenseless. Mechani-Kong reached down and picked up one of the legs, and slowly walked towards the wounded arachnid. Kumonga’s many eyes looked up and stared at the armored titan. There were no exchanges of pleading or remorse between the two giants. Kumonga wasn’t aware of the differences between life and death, she was a slave of her habits and instincts, nothing more. So when the robotic ape plunged her leg through her face, killing her instantly, she felt nothing.

It was a sentiment Mechani-Kong shared.

–

Hours have passed since millions of insects gathered to consume Baragon’s rotting corpse; hours have passed since smoke stopped curling off Kumonga’s fried carcass; and hours have passed since Mechani-Kong returned to his cage.

Doctor Who, secluded in his laboratory, watched the footage on one of his many monitors. When he looked into another monitor, triggering its sensor, the screen showed all of his guests resting in separate rooms. With the press of a button, Doctor Who listened in on their private conversations.

As expected, the Xilien Commander remained unconvinced of Mechani-Kong’s usefulness. During his ravings and laughter, the Xilien Commander thought about destroying everyone for wasting his time. Doctor Who suspected he had a different reason for being here.

Mugal and Tsuda, the Black Hole Aliens, discussed other matters of importance. Their world, years away from being consumed by a black hole, was on the brink of chaos. If they didn’t find a new planet to act as an exodus for their people soon, a rebellion was inevitable. They withdrew a pair of vials, which perked up Who’s interest, but their silent whispers made it hard to hear. Much to Doctor Who’s delight, however, their raised voices had expressed great interest in Mechani-Kong, believing he’d make a worthy addition to their armada. Doctor Who couldn’t help but see the irony in selling a weapon to an alien race that would then use it to raze human civilization.

SSS9 was sitting in the corner. Doctor Who stared into the silent image for a few seconds. In a facility full of aliens and mad scientists, the Saradian agent was the one not to be trifled with. Before landing on the island, Who had his guards thoroughly search him. No weapons were found. Yet there he was, sitting alone in a room, twisting a silencer on his pistol.

Captain Ryuui quietly meditated with his sword. Unlike SSS9, Ryuui was granted permission to bring his weapon of choice. This wasn’t the first time Doctor Who had done dealings with the Red Bamboo. In the past, the Red Bamboo agreed to these meetings only if their representatives were properly armed. Who was certain Captain Ryuui would make a tender offer soon.

Doctor Who turned to see his last guest face-to-face.

“Are you impressed yet, Mafune?” asked Doctor Who.

Doctor Mafune nodded. “I am, yes. But you know I’m not a man of wealth; I’m a man of science. So why did you invite me here? You know I can’t afford Mechani-Kong.”

“This is true,” said Doctor Who. “I apologize if I’ve offended you, Doctor. You’re easily one of the most brilliant scientists on the planet. So please, don’t feel insulted by the circumstances behind your invitation.”

“And what are these circumstances?”

“Titanosaurus.”

Mafune was silent. After a moment of silence, he asked, “What about Titanosaurus?”

“My creation, Mechani-Kong, has proven to be quite the formidable creature,” said Doctor Who, pausing for Mafune to nod in agreement. “But he has yet to become a juggernaut. Titanosaurus is one of the strongest creatures on the planet. If my creation bests him in combat, I will have no trouble selling my creation to the highest bidder.”

“No,” grumbled Mafune. “No, Titanosaurus is mine!”

Doctor Who glared into the eyes of his colleague. With a gesture, Who summoned a number of heavily-armed guards. All of them surrounded Doctor Mafune, weapons drawn.

“I thought a fellow scientist would’ve been more understanding,” said Doctor Who, with deep resentment in his voice. “It’s a pity that I must resort to threats.”

“Shooting me won’t summon Titanosaurus!”

“Who said anything about shooting you, Doctor? Oh, my, no,” said Doctor Who. “I have far better means of extraction. This is your last chance, Mafune. Give me what I want willingly, or give me what I want painfully.”

–

Cold seawater washed ashore, dampening the sands. Moonlight reflected off the waters, casting a brilliant luminance over the beach. In the backdrop, tropical trees swayed in the wind. It looked like a beautiful place, one many would pay a high price to visit. But it was far from a perfect getaway.

An enormous creature stomped out of the sea, the beaches quaked beneath its massive bulk. It scanned the shoreline with its feral, catlike eyes, searching for its enemy. It couldn’t see it but the island was brimming with the scent of death and decay. As water skidded down its crimson, bumpy flesh, Titanosaurus marched to the heart of the island. The aquatic dinosaur, annoyed by the rows of trees blocking his path, turned and flapped his fan-tipped tail. Strong winds instantly ripped the trees from their roots, as if they had been struck by a hurricane. Titanosaurus continued his stride, crushing the pile of trees to splinters.

–

In the rooms where his guests were being kept, Doctor Who’s face appeared on the television screens.

“Attention honored guests,” said Doctor Who. “I wish to show you yet another demonstration of Mechani-Kong’s power. Any minute now, you will have the honor of watching Mechani-Kong fight the aquatic leviathan known as Titanosaurus. You may now start the bidding at your leisure.”

Doctor Who’s face was replaced by footage of Titanosaurus marching through the forest. That explained the rumble they all felt. It wouldn’t be long before Titanosaurus met Mechani-Kong in combat. It wouldn’t be long before all their plans clashed.

–

“Awaken, my son.”

Before hearing those words, Prometheus was in darkness. Now active and awake, all he saw was darkness. Did that make him an extension of it? Whether it was in his mind or in the mind of the world, Prometheus couldn’t escape it. There had to be a way to find the light.

He wanted to remove his helmet, but it had melded to his exoskeleton, becoming his new face. Even worse were the cuffs that kept him bound, nigh-unbreakable chains that kept him at bay. He remained, as always, a prisoner. Irritation pulsed in his active brain matter, Mechani-Kong waiting for his master to release his restraints. But it didn’t happen.

“I will release your shackles when you show me discipline,” said Doctor Who, unhappy with Mechani-Kong’s stirring attitude.

Those words ignited his fury. Mechani-Kong thrashed, trying in vain to break free from the darkness. His rage activated his armor, which pumped electric shocks into his body. Again and again, metal fists swung with reckless abandon, desperately trying to snap the chains off. While Mechani-Kong wasn’t strong enough to break them, he was strong enough to snap them out of the wall. In a frightening display of power, Mechani-Kong brought the whole wall down behind him in a shower of rubble.

“Stop this, Mechani-Kong!” screamed Doctor Who.

Images of the outside world flooded his vision. Bars blocked him from leaving his cage. This infuriated the monster to a new extreme. With his Element X running rampant in his systems, Mechani-Kong felt his entire body pushed to their most extremes. Was his armor durable enough to contain his growing rage?

Furious hands bashed the bars. No longer will this cage call him its prisoner.

–

Doctor Who was angrier than his creation. His guards kept a good distance, not wanting to attract his wrath. Doctor Shinzo Mafune, however, wasn’t afraid to mock the gaunt scientist.

“What’s this I’m seeing? Has the great Doctor Who finally lost control?”

“Mind your tongue, Mafune, or I will have it cut out!” snapped Doctor Who. “You think I’ve lost control? You know nothing of control.”

“Yet it is not my beast running amok.”

Doctor Who tried his best to ignore Mafune’s criticism. But there was no escaping the truth, he realized. Mafune was right. Thinking quickly, Who initiated a backup failsafe, having anticipated a meltdown like this. ‘This conflict will soon be resolved and when it is,’ Doctor Who thought to himself, ‘Mafune will be stuffed into a body bag.’

–

Mechani-Kong pried the bars open, free at last. He stepped out of his cage, free to destroy this underground compound. Technicians and guards at his feet scampered to safety. Stomping, metal feet made sure they would not escape alive. Amidst the chaos, a lone figure walked, undaunted by the madness swarming around her. When he saw who it was, his mind ceased as his attention squared on her.

It was Ann Darrow.

The metal ape hunched down, inspecting her. It was her face, her smile, and, to his content, her eyes. She was tinier than he remembered her to be, smaller than his thumb. And her scent had changed. When he seemed like his doubt would hinder his acceptance, Ann smiled that wild, soul-fulfilling smile, and reached out to touch him.

Ann whispered, “I’ve been dreaming about you.”

Mechani-Kong felt his brain surge, a response to his rising adrenaline. This was not the result of anger, he realized, but love. As he reached for her, the element in his body intensified. For a brief second, Mechani-Kong’s neural pathways were electrocuted. Instead of knocking the savage beast out, it had an unexpected effect on Mechani-Kong’s consciousness. It purged his mind of Doctor Who’s brainwashing, liberating his mind from its ignorance.

Reality returned as he saw Ann Darrow smiling up at him, seeing through the lies. Clenching his fists, a mournful roar thundered from his faceplate, reverberating off the walls. Ann’s smiling complexion quickly morphed into one of fear. What did she do wrong? Doctor Who told her exactly what to say and how to behave. A dark shadow fell over her, encroaching on her hope.

As Mechani-Kong brought his fist down, his mind put all the pieces together. This life, all of it, was a mockery. Somewhere in the world, there lived a mighty creature, a creature that wasn’t born to a weak, dying body, that hadn’t been tethered to these restraining shackles. All these dreams he’d been having?

They were fragments of another life, experienced by none other than the ruler of Skull Island himself, King Kong.

So then how did he come to possess these memories? Doctor Who, his creator. The mad-doctor used Element X to create an imperfect clone of King Kong, a clone he called Prometheus. While Prometheus lacked King Kong’s prestigious strength and health, the clone was very intelligent. Even though Doctor Who admired his intelligence, he ultimately yielded to his worst fears because he didn’t want to be overthrown by his creation. So Doctor Who suppressed Prometheus’s brain with mental restraints and drugs, creating yet another layered prison to contain him. Now the restraints were gone, cast into the wind of change.

Mechani-Kong smashed Ann Darrow into a bloody smear.

–

Doctor Who was beyond livid. He stormed out of his laboratory without a word, leaving Doctor Mafune in the hands of his guards. His guards acted like nothing was wrong. Mafune, however, knew everything was wrong, and this was the beginning of Doctor Who’s downfall.

A few minutes later, Doctor Who arrived in his control room. It was the most technologically advanced room in his entire facility. On every wall, large screens projected all the major events happening on the island. Some screens showed events happening elsewhere in the world, like secret meetings between high-officials at the Pentagon and the UNGCC headquarters. Every technician kept their heads trained on the machinery, daring not to look into the murderous eyes of Doctor Who.

“Get out you cretins,” screamed Doctor Who. “Leave, now! You’ve all failed me.”

In truth, they did nothing of the sort. They had diligently fulfilled their duties of maintaining the island and doing everything Doctor Who instructed. Doctor Who was just too proud to admit he miscalculated. As the technicians left, many in a hurry, Doctor Who glared at one of the screens. On the screen, Mechani-Kong was on the move. With his godlike strength, King Kong’s imitator smashed through one of the ceilings, flooding the underground compound he was in with thousands of tons of soil. As that screen went black, another showed Mechani-Kong clawing out of the earth.

Suddenly, the control room shook. Something big was attacking the facility. Doctor Who identified the attacker on another screen: Titanosaurus. Suspecting Mafune, Who ordered his guards to execute the old man at once. There was no response. Through the lens of one of his laboratory security cameras, Doctor Who saw the bodies of his guards lying in a puddle of blood. Mafune, his clothes stained red, operated the control module that controlled Titanosaurus. He looked up at the security camera, his face full of intense hate.

“How?” said Doctor Who, at a loss for words. “How did Mafune do it?”

“With help,” announced Mugal. Doctor Who glared at the Black Hole Alien leader. Tsuda was at his side, holding an alien gun.

“What’s the meaning of this?” said Doctor Who.

“Isn’t it obvious, Doctor?” said Mugal, relishing in his treachery. “We’ve decided it would be easier to take Mechani-Kong and all your research by force.”

Doctor Who scoffed at the idea. “Who do you take me for, a fool? I’ve long anticipated this.”

“That may be true, Doctor, but you clearly didn’t predict that all of us, your esteemed guests, would betray you,” said Mugal.

There was an insidious laugh, one that didn’t come from Doctor Who or the Black Hole Aliens. The Xilien Commander revealed himself, grinning in the fluorescent light.

“You’re all fools,” said the Xilien Commander. “I won’t dispense with the melodrama. I’m not here to steal your pathetic Mechani-Kong. I’m here to unlock the secrets of Element X.”

“What do you want with Element X?” Doctor Who inquired.

“I want to make a monster,” replied the Xilian Commander, unafraid of sharing his motivations. “Now surrender Element X to me at once and I will destroy you utterly.”

“Or you’ll destroy him utterly,” said Tsuda, correcting the Xilien Commander.

The Xilien Commander smiled. “I’ve come as your doom. The least you can do is give your meaningless life meaning by helping a higher being like myself.”

Lasers pelted the Xilien Commander’s chest, dropping him to the floor. Tsuda kept his weapon on him, Mugal motioning for him to finish the job. Acknowledging his order, Tsuda walked over to shoot the Xilien in the head. The Xilien Commander had other ideas; in a blur of speed, he jumped to his feet, and kicked the gun out of Tsuda’s hand. Then he placed a bone-shattering kick to Tsuda’s chest, which sent the Black Hole Alien flying through the exit doors. Mugal brandished a weapon and fired, but watched in stunned silence as the Xilien Commander stopped the laser in the scorched air.

“When one possesses the power of a Keizer, your powers are almost limitless,” said the Xilien Commander. “So what happens when you combine that power with Element X? Do you become a god? That’s what I’m eager to discover.”

The Xilien Commander distorted the light around him and vanished. He reappeared in a blinding flash next to Mugal, disarming him with contemptuous ease. The Xilien traded glances with the Black Hole Alien for a few seconds before throwing a knockout punch. Doctor Who backpedalled, fearing he’d suffer a worse fate.

“So what time is it now, Doctor?” said the Xilien Commander, arrogant as ever. “Is it time to talk or time to die? Either’s fine with me.”

“Xilien scum!”

Both Doctor Who and the Xilien Commander looked over at Tsuda. The Black Hole Alien no longer looked human, pushing a needle and injecting himself with a vial. His appearance became more apelike, the effects of the drug warping and amplifying his primal wrath with feral yellow eyes and a hulking physique. When he launched himself at the Xilien Commander, he moved faster than the human eye could see. The Xilien Commander felt the Black Hole Alien’s body collide into his, which hit him so hard his vision blurred. When his vision returned to him, he was lying in a pile of twisted wreckage.

The Xilien Commander chuckled.

“What’s so funny?” grumbled Tsuda.

“I think it’s funny how you look like them, the cattle, I mean,” snickered the Xilien Commander. “Is there a connection I’m unaware of? How is it that you all look very similar yet are separated by millions of light years? Not that it matters much. I’m going to exterminate every ape world in the universe.”

Tsuda moved to strike but the Xilien Commander was ready. He blocked Tsuda’s swipes, jabbing the alien ape in the face in turn. Roaring, Tsuda kicked the Xilien’s legs out from under him, snatched him up, and slammed him into the floor. With the push of his arms, the Xilien Commander was back on his feet, unfazed. Cracking his fists, it was the Xilien’s turn to dish out the pain. Again and again he punched Tsuda’s face in, finally hitting him so hard the Black Hole Alien slammed into one of the video screens.

Doctor Who turned to leave, but Mugal, having molted and reverted to his ape-like state, blocked him. “Come with me, Doctor,” said Mugal, with a seething growl. “If you delay me any further, you will come in pieces.” With all the speed he could muster, Mugal plunged the vial into himself, enabling his rapid, hulking mutation.

With no other choice, Doctor Who guided Mugal to a corner of the room, where a secret door opened. Mugal took Doctor Who by the arm and forced him inside, keeping an emergency vial in hand. As the Xilien Commander and Tsuda exchanged blows, their hits ringing off the walls, the doors closed. Doctor Who and Mugal went down in an elevator, one that descended deep into the island.

–

Titanosaurus shredded the facility walls, tearing it down like a human would tear down paper. The source of the signal that summoned him was broadcasting from somewhere in the massive structure. It beckoned him from the darkest depths of the sea, urging him to seek it out, and destroy it. A strange sound from behind him compelled the giant reptile to postpone its roaring rampage. Mechani-Kong emerged from the ground, no more than a few hundred meters away from the aquatic kaiju. Chains swayed back and forth from Mechani-Kong’s wrists, a reminder of his enslavement.

Titanosaurus tasted a piece of his past when he tried tackling Mechani-Kong to the ground; the armored ape whipped the chains across the dinosaur’s visage, stopping the reptile in his tracks. Mechani-Kong tackled the bumpy leviathan to the ground and proceeded to punch its scaly, bumpy body. Titanosaurus responded by pushing the cyborg off, giving him enough room to stand upright. When Mechani-Kong charged a second time, Titanosaurus was ready. The hidden flaps of skin at the tip of his tail opened.

A powerful gust of wind, rivaling the might of a tsunami, smashed into the robotic ape. Trees were ripped out of the ground and thrown into the wind long before the titanium primate was sent hurtling into a mountainside. Plumes of dirt and dust shot up into the sky, marking the spot where the hulking colossus crashed into. Mechani-Kong stumbled out of the sea of dust, recalibrating his vision. With cumbersome, but swift movement, the artificial ape tried to rush towards Titanosaurus before he could flap his tail. He was unsuccessful. Once again a wall of air struck Mechani-Kong, sending him hurtling back into the same mountainside, disappearing somewhere in its core.

It took a full minute for Mechani-Kong to punch his way out of the mountain. When he emerged, his rage sizzled off him like steam. Optical sensors shined his lights into the golden eyes of the prehistoric amphibian, temporarily blinding him. Mechani-Kong next unbuckled three grenades from his waistline, tossing them in front of Titanosaurus. The explosions blew gaping craters into the earth, enveloping the area in dust.

The aquatic dinosaur squinted in the dust cloud. Eyes keen enough to see through the darkest depths of the sea were rendered blind. Titanosaurus roared in frustration as he turned to flap the dust cloud away. It took only a few wags to disperse the cloud. With his field of vision cleared, he had thought he’d see his opponent. Much to his dismay, Mechani-Kong was gone. Titanosaurus searched but couldn’t find him. When the ancient leviathan lowered his guard, the steel primate jumped out of one of the craters, and took the aquatic saurian by surprise. Mechani-Kong smashed his fists across Titanosaurus’s bottom jaw.

–

The control center was a disaster. Dozens of monitors were in ruin, rows of computers had been smashed into oblivion, and the walls looked like they were about to fall apart. The Xilien Commander, standing at the center of the room, held a glowing sphere in his hand, a manifestation of his psychic energies. It acted like a gravitational magnet, pulling Tsuda into his clutches. The drug-enhanced alien buried his claws into the Xilien’s arms, hoping it’d make him relinquish his hold. It didn’t.

“Go on, struggle,” laughed the Xilien Commander. “I haven’t had this much fun in ages.”

Gritting his teeth, Tsuda swiped off the Xilien Commander’s black visor. The Xilien stopped laughing. Tsuda thought this was a blessing in disguise until the Xilien punctured one of his lungs with a chest-breaking punch. Coughing up blood, Tsuda’s resistance faded.

Suddenly, the ceiling and the walls crumbled like a house of cards. It happened so fast it took a moment for the Xilien Commander to realize how lucky he was to still be alive. Titanosaurus was lying over them, his bulk crushing the control center. The Xilien Commander, still holding Tsuda by the throat, stood between his scaly fingers. Titanosaurus, unaware of the aliens, pulled himself up, and resumed his brawl with Mechani-Kong somewhere outside their view.

The Xilien Commander dropped Tsuda to the floor, laughing like a madman. “I had a near death experience,” said the Xilien Commander, pleased. “I’ve never had a near death experience! This is fantastic news. I think I’ll make this day a holiday for my people, to celebrate my continued existence.”

The Xilien Commander was beside himself. Tsuda weakly crawled away, trying to escape under the cover of darkness. But the clouds parted, casting moonlight on his skulking shape. The Xilien Commander, both humored and disgusted by his attempt to flee, disintegrated the ape with an electrical blast from his hand.

Breathing in the smell of scorched flesh, the Xilien Commander searched for Doctor Who with his thoughts. All signs pointed down. Smiling, the Xilien Commander followed the mad-doctor underground, knowing he’d soon possess a stockpile of Element X.

–

The elevator raptured down into what looked like an underground catacomb. On one end, a large glass wall shielded an army of chemists and geologists from the glowing rock quarry on the other side. It was neither too dark nor too bright. Mugal greedily stared at the abnormal rocks. At last he found Element X. Doctor Who, however, wasn’t so pleased. As soon as they entered the glass chamber, he would summon all the guards on the island to this level.

Then there will be a reckoning.

Mugal interrupted his daydream by pushing him into the glass chamber, where Doctor Who’s people looked at him in confusion. To them it wasn’t unusual to see Who walk around with an apelike specimen.

Mugal killed one of Doctor Who’s scientists with his laser. Even with smoke sizzling out of the cauterized hole in the scientist’s head, nobody screamed, and nobody ran. Mugal rolled his eyes. It would seem these people are no strangers to this kind of violence. Mugal unloaded on the rest of the staff, mowing some of them down. That was when they finally had the sense to run.

“The conditions of your workplace are appalling,” said Mugal.

Doctor Who frowned. “Do I detect sympathy? You didn’t get it from me. I’m immune to such impediments.”

“Not at all, Doctor,” said Mugal. “It was only an observation.”

There was a moment of silence. Much to his dismay, Doctor Who felt compelled to explain himself.

“I designed them that way,” he clarified. “You see, I couldn’t risk sharing my work with outsiders. I require absolute obedience from my subordinates. I’ve yet to find that in another human being, so I created one. And then I created many more.”

“Just like the blonde woman you sent to seduce that monster of yours?”

“How did you know about that?” said Doctor Who, astonished.

“Look, your dedication to your craft is immeasurable, Doctor,” said Mugal, ignoring Who’s question. “But this god complex of yours will be the end of you.”

“This isn’t a god complex,” said Doctor Who. “That would imply there is a god for me to rival. No, it’s more of a matter of transcendence. I have the intellect and the means to push the boundaries of my evolutionary potential to the next level. In the pursuit of truth, all that matters is how much knowledge you have.”

–

When Mechani-Kong crashed into the earth, the impact was devastating. Maelstroms of soil and smoke blanketed the jungle. This time Titanosaurus didn’t need to see through the haze to locate his opponent. Mechani-Kong, while in a seated position, arched his body up. A powerful, three-toed foot greeted him with a kick to the face.

That was only a prelude.

Titanosaurus jumped on the steel colossus, stamping the cyborg deeper and deeper into the earth. Armor groaned as it repelled prehistoric bulk. With an enraged roar, Mechani-Kong caught the hammer-like foot, clamping onto it and threw the aquatic titan. The hulking robot hurried to his feet to trade blows with Titanosaurus. No matter how hard Mechani-Kong hit, his metallic fists couldn’t even leave a bruise in the bumpy, scaly flesh of his target.

So Mechani-Kong improvised.

He stepped back to give himself enough space. Titanosaurus lunged forward, giving Mechani-Kong the perfect opportunity he needed to implement his strategy. With a firm thrust of his hand, Mechani-Kong entangled the long neck of the red titan with one of his wrist-bound chains. This momentarily stunned the reptile. The machine ape quickly used this chance to wrap the other chain around the dinosaur’s neck, ducking around behind him. Summoning all his strength, he used the chains to pull the leviathan back. What happened next was exactly what Mechani-Kong planned; the chains tightened, sealing his foe’s throat shut.

Titanosaurus, unable to breathe, thrashed around in desperation. Mechani-Kong could barely hold him at bay. If the monstrous dinosaur continued fighting back like this, he’d break free in no time. So he pulled the head back so far, their faces were almost touching. That was when Mechani-Kong deployed his secret weapon. The top of his armored head opened, revealing a glowing gem. It bombarded Titanosaurus with blinding flashes, hypnotizing the giant dinosaur.

Titanosaurus stopped struggling. When Mechani-Kong pulled the chains harder, Titanosaurus’s eyes rolled back their sockets, a clear sign he was suffocating. And then something unusual, something unexpected happened. Somewhere in Mechani-Kong’s rage and torment, a flicker of mercy sparked to life. This creature, however primitive, wasn’t his true enemy. His true enemy was hiding somewhere in that wretched steel castle, likely pulling this poor creature’s strings like so many others.

Mechani-Kong spared Titanosaurus’s life, choosing instead to focus on finding his creator turned betrayer, the enigmatic Doctor Who.

–

Mugal pinned Doctor Who against the wall, debating whether torture was necessary. Who’s contracted pupils remained in a perpetual state of hate, no indication he’d squeal. Mugal was fascinated with human expressions and micro-expressions, believing it to be a form of mindreading in disguise. But Who was a blank slate, completely unreadable. Mugal’s claws gently peeled back a small patch of skin on Who’s neck.

“Your choice, Doctor,” warned Mugal. “Tell me what I want to know and live or let silence seal your fate.”

Doors opened. Several heavily armed, masked guards flooded the room, assault weapons drawn. Mugal didn’t even flinch. The guards surrounded him, waiting for Doctor Who to give them the kill order.

“I’ll go with the third option,” said Doctor Who, smiling in satisfaction.

Before Doctor Who could give them the signal to fire, one of the guards fired his weapon—at the other guards. With one arm, he choked the life out of another guard; while with the other hand, he unloaded hundreds of rounds into his comrades. Hot lead punched through human flesh, painting the walls with blood. Dropping his empty rifle, the treacherous guard whipped out a pistol with a silencer, and shot one of the last guards between the eyes. The traitor confirmed the kill, unaffected by all the carnage that lay at his feet. Satisfied, he removed his mask.

“It’s that damn Saradian agent,” murmured Doctor Who, jaws clenched.

SSS9, the Saradian Agent, aimed his weapon at Doctor Who. Before Doctor Who could make sense of this unholy alliance, one of the doors opened. A lone guard stepped into the room. All of Who’s hope vanished when he saw the blade of a sword sticking through the guard’s chest. The guard fell face first into the blood stained floor, with a sword handle pointing out of his back. Captain Ryuui entered, removing his sword from the corpse. While watching his step, he casually cleaned the blood from off his blade. Doctor Mafune entered behind him, ignoring the bloodbath.

“So we’re all here,” laughed Mugal.

Suddenly, everyone in the room felt lighter than air, like their minds had been separated from their bodies. There was a distortion of light yet nobody could summon the strength to react to it in time. The Xilien Commander replaced the distortion, the warp rift closing right behind him.

Mugal wasn’t laughing anymore.

“Now we’re all here,” said the Xilien Commander. “And just in time too. I see our poor, deluded host has finally been made aware of your secret coalition. Only the weak seek strength in numbers.”

Mugal grimaced. Even if they attacked the Xilien all at once, he’d kill them all just the same.

“Brilliant deduction,” said the Xilien Commander, making eye contact with Mugal. “And by the way, I can read minds. It’s a far more effective technique than your micro-expression nonsense.”

Explosions shook the walls, triggering the emergency alarms. The ceiling lights changed from a yellow-white luminance to an eerie crimson glow. The Xilien Commander smirked. This was quickly becoming the best day ever.

“That’s Mechani-Kong,” coughed Doctor Who, trying to breathe through Mugal’s fingers. “If you free me now, I’ll order him to leave, and we’ll conclude our business.”

“You’re acting stupid again,” said the Xilien Commander. “Stop acting stupid, especially when you don’t need to act. I tried using persuasion. You should count yourselves fortunate. I’ve never been this merciful. But force is, as it has always been, the best means to take what you want. Soon the secrets of Element X will be mine! Try not to think happy thoughts, Doctor.”

The augmented Black Hole Alien pounced on the Xilien Commander, knowing Who’s mind was about to be compromised. But the Xilien Commander was too quick; he evaded Mugal’s furious swipes and disintegrated his arm with a searing blast of energy. It all happened faster than the human eye could blink. Mugal writhed on the floor, howling in agony. The Xilien Commander’s eyes dared SSS9, Captain Ryuui, and Doctor Mafune to attack him. None of them moved a muscle. So these humans weren’t as foolish as he thought.

The Xilien Commander stared into the eyes of Doctor Who. Who trembled, knowing his memories, everything that made him human, was being assimilated. It was all over in a minute, but it felt like it lasted hours. Doctor Who fell to his knees, sobbing quietly. Before he looked like a wrinkled corpse, now he resembled a living skeleton.

“Just the push of this button?” the Xilien Commander asked, while walking over to the control pad. “That’s all it takes. Many years from now, my people will question why I hesitated, why I didn’t extract this information sooner. On that day, I’ll remind them why entertainment is a commodity everyone can afford to celebrate.”

The Xilien Commander pushed the button. But to his surprise, the wall of glass shielding them from Element X lowered. High concentrations of radiation washed over the Xilien Commander, weakening him. While the Xilien Commander soaked up radiation, SSS9 put on his mask and successfully shielded himself. Captain Ryuui and Doctor Mafune ran out of the room, escaping with their lives.

“Come Mafune, it’s time you fulfill your bargain by joining the Red Bamboo,” said Captain Ryuui, his voice echoing down the hall.

Doctor Who, revitalized by Element X’s rays, stood a cackling conqueror.

“Now who’s the fool,” boasted Doctor Who. “Element X is mine and mine alone. Nobody else, be they of this world or beyond, will ever know its secrets. But not even Element X holds a candle to my glory. You thought my mind was weak. You thought wrong. For years I’ve experimented on myself, evolving my mind and body. All your telepathy saw was what I wanted you to see. This day has seen many players of treachery.

“But none of them compare to Doctor Who, the International Judas!”

SSS9 retreated to the exit door, weapon raised. Mugal dragged himself across the wet floor, knowing he was at his most vulnerable. The Xilien Commander slumped to his knees, shaking.

“Well played, cattle,” winced the Xilien Commander. “You won a war of words. But I will win a war of worlds.”

A powerful laser burned through the ceiling, exposing this underground catacomb to the surface world. Moonlight washed over rocks that had been submerged in the dark for billions of years. The Xilien Mothership, a massive sphere construct that dwarfed the entire island, hovered in the sky.

Doctor Who wasn’t intimidated.

“You just revealed yourselves to my world,” said Doctor Who. He turned his gaze on SSS9. “Would you care to divulge your treachery with us?”

“Treachery would imply we were in league with one another from the start,” said SSS9, talking through the mask speaker.

Doctor Who smiled, turning his attention back to the Xilien Commander. “The Saradian agent recently reported back to his government. In exchange for lifting the sanctions imposed on them, Saradia shared this information with other world governments. My island will soon be destroyed along with your Mothership.”

“How could you possibly know that?” SSS9 asked.

“It’s what I would have done,” replied Doctor Who. “Be on your way, agent. These aliens will be dealt with.”

“I should just kill you,” said SSS9.

“But you won’t kill me,” said Doctor Who. “Either because you’ve been ordered not to or because you know you can’t.”

“No, it’s because this place will become your tomb,” said SSS9, leaving the room. “I was just trying to be merciful.” He inserted a card into a security device, hacking into its mainframe. The doors closed shut, locking Doctor Who and the aliens inside the glass chamber.

“That damn Saradian agent,” Doctor Who laughed. “Now you see what happens when you underestimate us humans?”

“Yes, it makes the game last a little longer,” said the Xilien Commander. “The Saradian was right about this being your tomb, Who. Long after you rot in this hole, I will return to harvest Element X. With Element X and the power Keizer in my thrall, the universe will kneel before me.”

The Xilien Commander vanished, returning to the Xilien Mothership.

Doctor Who basked in Element X’s warmth. It was a fitting end, Who thought quietly to himself. But his life wasn’t over yet. A looming figure cast a shadow over the Element X catacomb, capturing Doctor Who’s undivided attention. He instantly recognized the giant as his rebellious creation.

Mechani-Kong peered down into the massive hole in the earth. He had been rampaging through Doctor Who’s facility when he saw the Xilien Mothership descend from the heavens to blast the earth asunder. Somehow he knew his creator was down there, hiding in the shadows.

Suddenly, the Xilien Mothership vibrated. There was a low rumble emanating from its core. At its base, metallic doorways screeched open. A giant creature dropped down, hovering above the island like a dark assassin. Its red, singular eye glowed in the darkness. One of its arms was a massive chainsaw, the other a demented scythe. The buzzsaw running vertically down its chest whirred to life. Blue energy silently burned underneath his crimson wings, keeping the cyborg adrift. Moonlight glinted off its black armor as its clawed tail swished the air.

Gigan screeched a challenge to the world. It was answered by Mechani-Kong.

“Yes, my Prometheus,” whispered Doctor Who. “This will be your greatest challenge yet.”

Sparks flew as metallic hominid slammed his metal fists together, rattling the chains around his wrists. The Xilien assassin scorched the winds as he flew to meet Mechani-Kong at supersonic speeds. At the last possible second, the scythe-wielding arm fired a grappling hook, entangling the Kong forged of steel. A large mass flew past him, carried by its blood-red tri-wings. Unable to react in time, the gargantuan machine was pulled off his feet and dragged through the air. Gigan spun him around before throwing him into the burning wreckage of Doctor Who’s facility. Exploding rubble subsequently buried Mechani-Kong.

Weakened from the impact, the silver goliath slowly rose out of the rubble. Gigan flew inches above him, grinding the facsimile of a face with his buzzsaw. With his vision compromised, he blindly threw his fists into the air. Gigan, after making landfall, slashed the damaged faceplate with his chainsaw arm, showers of sparks and eviscerated metal spraying from where his false face was. Finally, the asymmetrical cyborg clamped Mechani-Kong’s faceplate with his clawed tail, and ripped it off. Moonlight beamed down onto the thick casing housing his brain and nerve endings, exposing the true face of Prometheus to the outside For the first time in his life, Mechani-Kong saw the natural world with his own eyes. Gigan screeched at him in surprise, its buzzsaw and chainsaw roared to life. The cyborg must have thought Mechani-Kong’s faceplate was his real face, a resounding shriek signaling he would soon rectify that mistake.

The two titans slammed into the other so hard, it sounded like a cosmic gunshot. Mechani-Kong wasn’t holding back when he punched Gigan, but his blows failed to leave a dent. Gigan, however, sliced open the reinforced armor with his scythe strikes. The imitation Kong winced as hot blood shot out of his damaged parts, dripping down his armor. The visor-like red eye of the alien shot a blazing trail of energy. Before striking Mechani-Kong, it scattered into a cluster of beams. Explosions danced across the metallic primate, scorching his armor, exposed circuitry, and open flesh. Even so, it wasn’t enough to bring the cybernetic ape down.

The scythe arm shot another grappling hook, entangling the steel colossus like before. Mechani-Kong wrestled with it, trying in vain to break it. But he wasn’t strong enough. Gigan’s propulsion engines, protruding from his upper calves, blasted at maximum power. He dragged Mechani-Kong into the sky, where the ape caught a quick glimpse of a world bigger than he ever imagined. Then Gigan released him, sending the robot Kong speeding into a lake.

The large mass pierced its watery surface, instantly striking the bottom of the lake. Geysers of water shot up and recoiled from the violent intrusion. Mechani-Kong dragged himself out of the lake, exhausted and fried as he let the cascades flow out of his shell. He could hear Gigan grazing the winds above, preparing to launch yet another attack. Mechani-Kong cared little for his wellbeing or functionality. He leaned up to look back at the lake, only to find something intriguing by his wavering reflection.

For a brief second he saw himself, healthy and strong, standing above the water with Ann Darrow resting on his shoulder. The Sun was brightening the sky, bathing beauty and the beast with its enchanting warmth.

But it was only a dream; the Moon replaced the Sun, darkness consumed the light, and there never was beauty to begin with—only an abomination. Mechani-Kong lowered his head in misery, loathing his wretched existence. He didn’t register the reflection of the razor sharp discs rapidly closing in on him from behind.

In an instant, Mechani-Kong felt a sudden flash of pain searing into his nerves, collapsing into the lakebed. When he came to, his face was drenched in blood. His blood, he realized. All the pain and resentment he felt fueled his rage, Element X racing through his veins and mechanical circuitry, surging him with a newfound resolve. With increased performance and accelerated activity flowing through him, he faced the heavens and unleashed a booming roar louder than thunder.

The alien cyborg flew at him, unafraid. Mechani-Kong surprised him with an earth-shattering punch to the face. Gigan was sent hurtling into the trees, hitting the forest floor like a meteorite. Mechani-Kong sprinted after him with haste, feeling intensely sharper and keener than ever before. Amid all the warring emotions clouding his head, Mechani-Kong thought about this power, and knew his capabilities had finally exceeded King Kong.

Gigan darted into the sky, brushing off mounds of dirt and foliage. The cyborg tilted his head and fired a barrage of cluster rays, setting the forest ablaze. Mechani-Kong charged through the burning jungle, unharmed. Then with tremendous power, the great ape jumped hundreds of feet into the air, preparing to strike Gigan with both fists. The black-clad augment managed to get the first strike with his chainsaw, the ape sent plummeting into the conflagration below. Not wanting the earthling machine to recuperate, Gigan fired an onslaught of cluster beams, explosions racking Mechani-Kong’s being.

Believing his opponent to be finished, Gigan launched a grappling hook with the desire to reel him in and finish him with his claws. Mechani-Kong had other ideas; he caught the grapple and heaved it with all his might, pulling Gigan out of the sky. This in turn led the alien superweapon to crash in front of him. Mechani-Kong used this chance to pounce on his target, hitting him repeatedly with punches that could level a mountain. Gigan fought back, slicing and whacking Mechani-Kong with equal intensity.

Using his intellect, Mechani-Kong grabbed the scythe arm, shattering the elbow joint, and twisted it until it popped off. Gigan screeched in agony, a feeling he had thought himself immune to. Mechani-Kong gave the cyborg back his scythe by stabbing it through the abdomen lined with the buzzsaw. Gigan, overcome by a combination of shock and pain, dropped to his knees. A merciless jab from the ape machine shattered one of his pincer mandibles. Gigan paid very little heed to his pain; he activated his jet propulsions and flew into Mechani-Kong at top speed. The pair crashed into a mountain and exploded out the other side. Not even a mountain could slow these monsters down.

Mechani-Kong crashed and slid across the island with Gigan on top of him. The chainsaw revved as he moved to pivot it into Mechani-Kong’s brain case. He barely stopped it by grabbing at the elbow. But Gigan wasn’t so easily denied; the alien cyborg pushed it closer and closer. The soul of Prometheus roared in anguish as the chainsaw’s spinning teeth shredded his forehead, spilling more blood and fluids.

His life would be over soon.

Suddenly, a wounded dinosaur whacked maimed machine off the robotic primate. Gigan screeched at Titanosaurus, threatening him with his chainsaw. A snarl from the powerful leviathan leered at the alien cyborg, determined to return the favor for sparing his life. As Gigan and Titanosaurus tore into one another, Mechani-Kong struggled to his feet. Slamming the blunt side of his chainsaw, Gigan whacked the amphibious reptile into unconsciousness, slamming the leviathan into the ground with resounding force. Whirling teeth moved to dissect the aquatic dinosaur until a large boulder struck him.

Mechani-Kong charged, wanting to grind Gigan’s skull. Before he could, tiny chest slits opened, shooting the razor sharp discs from their compartments. The reinforced armor didn’t even slow the discs down as they ripped through his steel-forged body. Mechani-Kong, his stride broken, fell into the war-torn land. The discs moved like they had a life of their own; again and again, the discs spun back around to crucify the fallen ape. By the time the carnage ended, the splintered android was almost finished, the ebb and flow of Element X seeping out of his wounds. Bladed feet stomped towards the faltering ape-machine, looking to bury the chainsaw into his visage. As Gigan screeched with insane laughter, he didn’t see Mechani-Kong unbuckle four grenades from off his belt.

Gigan’s shadow fell over him. It was now or never.

Bringing his chainsaw down, Mechani-Kong caught it and cried out as it shredded his armored fingers. Rising to his feet, he willingly sacrificed his hand to plunge his other with the grenades into the back of Gigan’s throat. Pulling his hand out of the metallic beak, the robot rolled away. The chainsaw wielding cyborg charged Mechani-Kong in desperation, knowing he could kill him with one more concrete hit. But the grenades in his throat detonated, almost blowing his head off his neck. It stopped in its tracks. As the cyborg’s head dangled from his neck, Mechani-Kong knew how to finish him.

Tearing the buried scythe out of the immobilized body, he slashed in a swiping motion, decapitating the alien’s last thread with it. Gigan was dead long before his body slumped down. Mechani-Kong dropped the scythe. He was overclocked throughout that duration, a mass of energy seeping through his broken, fractured armor and blood-matted fur. Facing the heavens, Mechani-Kong celebrated his victory by pounding his chest with a mighty roar.

–

Doctor Who’s eyes transfixed on the Element X quarry, arms folded behind him. He’d been visualizing the battle for the past hour. Mechani-Kong’s victorious shriek made him smile. Doctor Who closed his eyes, squeezing out tears.

“My son, my Prometheus,” he whispered. “I knew you wouldn’t fail me.”

Deep down inside, Who knew he was in a state of delirium. He attributed this mainly to Element X. It would seem overexposure to its radiation had abnormal effects on the human mind. Somehow, he felt he had always known this, or at least he thought he did. In truth, Doctor Who was in denial. He thought Mechani-Kong was a failure the moment the beast disobeyed him. In fact, he always thought he was a failure. But Mechani-Kong exceeded his expectations.

The Xilien Mothership was long gone. Who suspected SSS9, Captain Ryuui, and Doctor Mafune were long gone too. It wouldn’t be long now before naval ships reduced the island to ash. There was a sole thought lingering in his head, one Who couldn’t ignore. Why didn’t he try to escape? He has one of the most brilliant minds on the planet. Even aliens, capable of interstellar travel, feared his brilliance. So why didn’t he try overriding the security controls? Why did he have a death wish?

His answer dropped down in front of him.

“Mechani-Kong, you’ve returned to me,” said Doctor Who, his voice full of pride and disdain.

Prometheus glared into the eyes of his creator. For the moment it looked like he would do nothing else. Then in a burst of speed that belied his size, Mechani-Kong snatched Doctor Who. The steel Kong was careful not to crush the frail little human, at least not yet.

“Your control is very impressive, my son,” shouted Doctor Who, his eyes wide with ecstasy. “But you can’t take all the glory. I made you. Remember that. All your accomplishments will be laid at my feet.”

Mechani-Kong’s bloodlust boiled. Doctor Who knew he was fueling the inferno. Soon he would be fueling it with his life.

“It doesn’t surprise me to see you in this light,” said Doctor Who, his voice high-pitched. “Originally, I thought you were my greatest failure, tantamount to an abortion. But then I saw your brilliance and I knew, on that day, you would surpass me. Not only would you surpass me, you would succeed me. But what birthed your intelligence, Prometheus? It didn’t come from the genes of a primitive ape. It came from me, Doctor Who!”

Silence. Mechani-Kong stood unmoving by this revelation.

“You have my DNA flowing in your veins, my son,” Doctor Who explained. “In exchange for your deformity, you were given the gift of awareness. Now go, Prometheus! The world is yours. But remember this: I created you, I guided you, and you will always be like me.”

“No!” roared Mechani-Kong, his voice louder than thunder. “I’m nothing like you!”

Doctor Who was speechless. Finding the words to speak, Who made one last attempt to imprint his legacy on his vigilant creation.

“I’ll tell you the secret of Element X,” whispered Doctor Who, hoping to entice Mechani-Kong with his most valuable piece of information.

Mechani-Kong growled back, “I already know.”

There was no time for Doctor Who to process this revelation. When Mechani-Kong squeezed his body, there was a sickening pop. All that remained of the International Judas was a cloud of blood.

Mechani-Kong savored his newfound freedom. In the throes of his rebirth, an unexpected creature squirmed not far from where he had grabbed the late Doctor Who. Mugal, still in his enhanced apelike form, crawled out into the open. Mechani-Kong wondered if he should crush him too.

“Prometheus, I beseech you to stay your hand,” Mugal pleaded. “I’m not your enemy, and neither are my people. I only wish to make peace with you. For centuries I’ve traveled with my people across the cosmos, searching for a new home. In all the years of my life, I’ve never believed in a higher power until today. When I look at you, I don’t see the eyes of my kin, I see the eyes of my new god.”

What was a god? Mechani-Kong didn’t know but he was determined to find his own answers. Climbing to the surface, he examined the state of his island. It was salvageable. Preparing for the next phase in his new life, Mechani-Kong greeted the early morning light.

It was a new day.

–

The USS Fay Wray, a United States Navy aircraft carrier, plowed through the seawater, leading a fleet of battleships. It was beautiful sailing weather, nothing but blue skies. It was a huge contrast to the weeks leading up to this voyage. A mysterious electromagnetic signal scrambled their navigations. But the Navy was determined to reach their target: the island of Doctor Who. They have finally done so.

Inside Fay Wray’s command center, Admiral Frank Englehorn readied his fleet. That’s when he received an urgent message from one of his scout ships.

“Red alert! Red alert!” one of the scouts screamed through the radio transmission. “Abort mission!”

“Pull yourself together, sailor,” ordered Admiral Englehorn. He didn’t think the sailor’s behavior was the conduct of a United States Navy serviceman, let alone an elite scout. “Give me eyes on that island. What’s happening?”

All communication was lost. Admiral Englehorn gestured for his Communication’s Officer to investigate why. He relayed the command to the sailors on deck. Advanced binoculars were pointed at the island to ascertain the truth. Live images of what they saw appeared on the control center’s screen.

“Oh, my God,” Admiral Englehorn cursed. “Get me the UNGCC and the Earth Defense Force! We’re in way over our heads.”

–

On the beach, Mechani-Kong stood in his upgraded armor, brandishing a gigantic spear made from Gigan’s scythe. When his faceplate snapped open, he barked a command. A swarm of Black Hole Alien starships levitated up from the heart of the island. The triangular-shaped crafts flew overhead for reconnaissance. But they were just the first wave. Kumonga and Baragon, reanimated by Mechani-Kong’s advanced science and technology, emerged from the foliage to join their creator. Titanosaurus stomped out of the jungle, acting as his noble vassal.

At long last, the chains of bondage were broken. He was a pariah no more and was eager to show it to the rest of the world.

…

In Greek mythology, Prometheus stole fire from the gods, and shared its power with Mankind. Now a new Prometheus hath arisen, eager to share its knowledge with the monsters of the world. Nothing, not even fate, knew what such a future would bring.

Winner: Mechani-Kong, Titanosaurus

Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Christian Salabert
Revised: August 10, 2026

The United States National Institute Station 4
Somewhere in Antarctica… 

Dead eyes stared into the light, belonging to a pale man having frozen to death. He died in agony, the look of fear etched on his face.

In front of him was a computer. It was a dated model, one past its prime. It was showing the dead man a simulation. Over and over, it showed the same thing in an endless loop; first it showed him the double helix, then a bunch of human cells grouped next to each other, and then an unknown substance attacking and changing everything down to the cellular level.

Doctor Blair ran down the corridor, panting. The cold air was unbearable, he could hardly breathe. Even with a younger, healthier body he wouldn’t have gotten far. Outside he could hear the howling winds warning him of the coming storm. How long did he have now? Three minutes? That still wasn’t enough time.

He ran past the dead man. Doctor Blair remembered insisting on giving him a proper burial. His colleagues, however, wanted to burn the body. None of them got what they wanted. So much happened in the last ten minutes. Doctor Blair didn’t know if he was the only one still alive. He didn’t even know if he was infected or not.

There was only one thing Doctor Blair did know: he had to warn everybody.

Locating a radio device, Doctor Blair frantically turned its gears to the right frequency. When a red light turned on, signaling for him to speak, he couldn’t find the right words. He couldn’t even talk without rasping for air.

“P-please,” Doctor Blair coughed. “This-this is a distress call from Station 4. We’re under attack. This facility is no longer safe. We found something. I don’t know what. But it’s killed most of us. Please, send help!”

There was a loud tremor. Doctor Blair fell to the icy floors but was quick to look in all directions. He couldn’t see or hear anyone. But he did hear something. It was looming outside the walls. Doctor Blair stared out the window, catching a tiny glimpse of it. It was quiet, not unlike a predator stalking its prey. It was almost as if it had stopped just to listen in on his cries for help.

Doctor Blair gripped the radio transmitter. Closing his eyes, he spoke his last words.

“My name is Doctor Blair. In the event of my death, I’d like my colleague and friend, Doctor Nick Tatopoulos, to investigate my findings here. He is the only one qualified to understand my work. Nick, if you’re listening to this… Trust no one.”

The ceiling crumbled. Doctor Blair looked up not as a scientist, but as a man broken by forces beyond his understanding. A monstrous claw dropped from the heavens, blotting out the howling winds of snow, and scooped him into its gigantic palm.

–

Sandy Point Military Base
New Jersey

It’s one of the youngest military bases in the country. Shortly after the first Zilla attack on New York City, the higher brass in the United States Army chose a restricted area in New Jersey as its location to monitor kaiju activity on the Eastern Seaboard. So far it’s yielded favorable results. Under the command of Major Hicks, it kept American borders safe.

A blue minivan stopped at the checkpoint. One guard stepped out to check the driver. Two heavily armed guards circled the vehicle, ready to use deadly force if necessary.

Rolling down the window, the driver introduced himself.

“I’m Nick Tatopoulos,” he smiled. “This is my research team, HEAT, and we’re here to see Major Hicks.”

“Major Hicks is expecting you, sir,” the guard responded.

Nick saluted the soldier and drove into the heart of the military base. The guards watched the minivan leave before facing one another.

“Goddamn tree-hugging hippies,” one of them complained. “They love monsters more than their own people!”

The members of HEAT were escorted into Sandy Point’s headquarters.

Walking through the halls, Nick thought about his teammates and their specialties. There was his longtime friend Randy Hernandez, one of the best computer hackers in the world; Monique Dupre, an operative of the French Secret Service; Elsie Chapman, a biologist without equal; Mendel Craven, a specialist in electronics and robotics; and NIGEL, an advanced robot designed specifically to go where the other members could not.

In the study of mutations and giant organisms, they were the first research team everyone turned to for help. Nick fought hard to keep them together. He’s had to turn down many offers from other reputable organizations like G-FORCE, Science Patrol, G-Graspers, Godzilla Prediction Network, Earth Defense Force, Crisis Control Intelligence, and many more. HEAT is where he belonged and it’s where he’ll stay. He only hoped the others felt the same way.

“Good to see ya again, worm-guy,” said Major Hicks. “How’re the worms doing?”

“Oh, y’know how it is, Major,” Nick replied. “They keep getting bigger and bigger. Same old, same old.”

“Tell me about it,” Major Hicks laughed, his smirk fading into a straight face. “Nick, I contacted you because we have a serious problem.”

“Tell it to me straight,” Nick asked.

“One of our bases in Antarctica was attacked not too long ago,” Major Hicks revealed. “There are no survivors. All signs point to a giant monster being responsible.”

“So you called us,” Elsie butted in with an arrogant grin. “Good choice, Major!”

“That’s not entirely true,” Major Hicks said. “We called you because someone else recommended the worm-guy to us. Nick, you’re familiar with a Doctor Blair, right?”

“Yes,” Nick answered. “He was one of my college professors.”

That was all Nick had to say. Major Hicks waited for more information. Unable to keep her mouth quiet, Elsie once again butted in.

“Doctor Blair is one of the foremost biologists in the world,” Elsie explained. “He’s revolutionized our understanding of the origins of our species. He’s our modern day Charles Darwin. But he dropped out of the spotlight a few years ago after he openly suggested we’re all descended from aliens. Last I heard he went to Antarctica to continue his research.”

There was a long pause. Elsie thought about the last thing she said before showing concern.

“Doctor Blair died in the attack,” Major Hicks confirmed. “The Navy picked up a distress call from the late doctor himself.”

They listened to a recording of the transmission. Nick closed his eyes, picturing what it must’ve been like. When he heard the line go dead, Nick’s eyes opened. Major Hicks explained how they sent in a rescue team a few days ago. They found signs of a giant monster attack. Since Doctor Blair suggested Nick by name, they thought they’d honor his last words.

“But that’s not all,” Major Hicks quickly elaborated. “There’s something else, something I’m not permitted to tell you. All you need to know is you will be accompanying a team sent in to investigate. I suggest you don’t invite your giant reptile friend to the party. Not with these people joining you.”

–

USS Harry S. Truman
Ross Sea, Antarctica

Dark waters stretched out in all directions. Battleships waded through the sea, guarding the aircraft carrier at their center.

In his winter coat, Nick watched them glide through the water. Snowflakes fell from the gray clouds above, sticking to his skin. Nick sighed as he leaned over the rail, wiping it off his face. He knew he shouldn’t be outside, knowing he’d likely catch a cold. Knowing his actions were irrational, Nick remained in the company of the cold waters of the Southern Oceans. They helped him find solitude.

But he wasn’t alone.

“Monique,” Nick sighed. “You’re losing your touch, y’know? This time I knew you were there.”

“Maybe because I wanted you to know,” replied Monique Dupre. She was being honest and straightforward. That’s what got his attention.

“I take it you’re not out here just to have a little chat,” Nick deduced.

“On the contrary,” Monique smirked. “I think a little chat is precisely what you need.”

Nick smiled before staring down at the cold waters. Monique walked over to his side, providing moral support. Somehow, she knew he was depressed. She knew he was still grieving. In her many years in the French Secret Service, Monique must have mastered the art of mind reading.

“I wouldn’t call it mind reading, Doctor,” Monique said. “More like face reading.”

Unbelievable. Nick knew he better get all his problems off his chest now or else Monique might start becoming his therapist.

“It’s Doctor Blair,” Nick explained. “He was my best college professor. He opened my eyes; he helped me see just how incredible everything is. Together, we helped shed light on mysteries no other scientist would’ve ever solved. He was like a father to me.”

“I take it things weren’t perfect?”

“No, far from it,” Nick admitted. “As a scientist, I pursue nothing but the truth. So does, uh, I should say, so did he. But we had a falling out after I confessed I don’t think we’ll ever know everything. He took this a different way. He thought I meant we shouldn’t know everything.”

“Should we?” Monique inquired.

Nick’s voice deepened. “I believe we’re byproducts of our environment. If that’s all there is, that’s all we’ll ever know.”

“You didn’t answer my question.”

“Because it can’t be answered,” Nick replied. “That’s the honest truth. And if the truth isn’t enough, nothing ever will be.”

“Well, it looks like you two lovebirds are having a good time,” Elsie joked as she walked over to join them. “Why wasn’t I invited?”

Nick looked over at Monique, waiting for her to give a witty answer.

“Don’t look at me,” Monique smiled. “I didn’t hear her coming.”

Elsie didn’t need an answer, she could see what was really troubling Nick. Many people think scientists aren’t capable of expressing emotion. They forget scientists are people too. Contrary to what her sense of humor would lead most to believe, Elsie is the most empathic member of HEAT.

In earnest, Elsie helped Nick the best way she knew how. “I’m sorry about Doctor Blair, Nick. I know you two were close. But you shouldn’t feel guilty about his death. He made the choice to stop being your friend. Not you.”

Nick was silent. Is that what’s troubling him? Did he feel guilt for Doctor Blair’s untimely demise? If he had sided with his friend and mentor, would he have been resigned to this place, and met a similar fate?

Alarms sounded across the fleet. Nick, Monique, and Elsie were instructed to report back to the main deck. Before walking inside, Nick looked overboard, and saw his reflection in the water. If Doctor Blair’s endeavors got him killed, how long did he have to survive?

–

Antarctica

It took hours for HEAT to make landfall. Perfect coordination, timing, and luck made sure their arrival was a safe one. Nick made a mental note to personally thank the company of soldiers sent to protect them with their lives. He was also thankful Major Hicks elected to join them.

“Why didn’t we take a helicopter again?” Randy asked furiously. Being stuck on a boat for a few weeks was starting to get the better of him.

“Uh, Randy,” Craven lectured. “They told us in the briefing the winds were too dangerous to fly a helicopter through. So we have to rely on a boat. Judging by how we got here safe and sound, I’d say they knew what they were talking about.”

Nick knew Randy wouldn’t let Craven get the last word. But Major Hicks motioned for them to clamp down. With the storm dispersing, they had a shot at getting to where they needed to be. Time wasn’t on their side, so they would need to move quickly.

They all hopped on their snowmobiles and took off as one big group.

Leaning over his shoulder, Elsie asked Nick an important question. “So where are the folks who, y’know, wouldn’t have liked our pet iguana to crash the party?”

“Let’s hope we find out soon,” Nick replied.

Elsie wasn’t as optimistic. “Or not at all.”

Station 4 was in ruins. Save for the mass destruction, there was no sign of a giant monster rampage. If Doctor Blair intended for Nick to carry on his research, there had to be another level beneath the surface. There had to be something he could use to determine what did this and how to stop it.

According to their blueprints, Nick and the other members of HEAT found themselves entering the room Doctor Blair was last in. This is where he died, Nick realized. Where there should have been a ceiling, gray clouds filled Nick’s line of sight. Where there should have been walls, fields of snow and ice filled the backdrop. There was nothing left for them here. There was nothing left to salvage.

While her teammates wasted time sulking, Monique snuck away from her guards, and located Major Hicks. He was entering a strange passageway leading to an underground facility. Security was too tight; she wouldn’t be able to enter without being seen.

A pistol pressed against the back of her head. Monique almost gasped in surprise. She didn’t think anyone could sneak up on her.

“These Americans have made you soft, Monique,” a voice from her past warned.

With lightning precision, Monique spun around, kicked the gun out of her assailant’s hand, and moved in to sever his jugular. Shocked by his identity, she stopped in her tracks.

Philippe Roaché glared at his former pupil, disappointed by how her skills have declined. The Frenchman once worked closely with Nick Tatopoulos during the first Zilla’s attack on New York City. After that crisis ended, Philippe ordered Monique to keep a very close watch on Nick and Zilla’s offspring. He disappeared shortly thereafter. Monique wasn’t privy to the reasons why.

“Philippe,” Monique gasped. “I see you’re working with the Americans now.”

“You shouldn’t be here, Monique,” he grumbled. “You’ve already seen too much.”

“So are you going to kill me? You’re welcome to try.”

Philippe said nothing. For a moment, Monique thought her bluff worked. Suddenly her legs were kicked out from under her, and she found herself pinned to the icy floor. Philippe pressed a knife against her carotid artery.

“You insisted I try,” he whispered.

Monique smiled. She motioned for Philippe to look down, where she was holding a knife up to his crotch. It was a very unpleasant situation for both. Philippe favored her this time with a grin.

“Philippe,” Nick shouted. “Let her go. Now!”

Philippe looked over, seeing Nick and the members of HEAT frowning at him. In honor of their past friendship, Philippe obeyed. He offered his hand to pull Monique to her feet. She refused his request, choosing to stand on her own.

“It is good to see you again, old friend,” Philippe said to Nick. “Your company has been sorely missed.”

“I wish I could say the same,” Nick retorted. “Not when you’re abusing a member of my team.”

“Is that what she is?” Philippe said. “My apologies.”

“Who the hell is this guy?” Randy asked.

“Look what we have here,” Elsie chimed in. “Looks like the old gang is back together again.”

Dozens of soldiers surrounded them, guns raised. Philippe wasn’t afraid. Like a commander, he walked over, and ordered them to put HEAT into protective custody. An enraged Nick demanded answers.

“What the hell is going on, Agent Roaché?” Major Hicks hollered. “Soldiers, stand down! Those people are on our side!”

“Apologies, Major,” replied Philippe. “I only wanted to make a point.”

“Looks like you made it,” Major Hicks responded. “Nick, you have no right seeing any of this.”

“Are you serious?” Nick roared. “Did you really think we wouldn’t have found out about your hidden passages sooner or later? We saw it. It’s done. So you will either tell us what we need to know or we’ll find out on our own. Decide.”

Major Hicks locked eyes with the young scientist. Philippe nodded in approval, impressed by Nick’s bravery. Realizing there was nothing else they could do, Major Hicks relented.

“What you’re about to see is top secret. But since you’re here to carry on Doctor Blair’s work, I can give you access without losing my job,” Major Hicks sighed. “I hope.”

Guiding them into the entrance to an underground complex, Elsie moved to walk side-by-side with Monique. The agent was reluctant to accept her company.

“So first we learned a bit about Nick’s former mentor, now we meet yours,” Elsie pointed out. “Who’s next? Are we going to find out Craven was raised by goats?”

“Philippe was more than just a mentor to me,” Monique lowered her voice. “He and I, we, were once engaged.”

“Wow,” was all Elsie could say. “I-I never thought you two were so…”

“Close?” Monique finished. “I thought we were. But he didn’t see it that way. He had other ideas.”

In the back of her mind, Monique hoped nobody overheard them talking.

Returning her focus to their surroundings, Monique saw a very large room unfold around them. It had to be larger than three football fields. There was a gaping hole in the ceiling. Snow fell from the sky, falling on a strange vessel at the center. Its silvery surface was so clear it would’ve looked invisible amidst its surroundings were it not for its hull being ripped open from the inside. Tubes and machines attached to it continued to monitor its molecular structure.

Nick recognized the craft instantly.

“That’s the Millennian UFO,” he gasped. Nick recalled how an alien craft attacked Japan in 1999. It spawned a horrible monster, one that was destroyed by Godzilla. According to Yuji Shinoda, founder of the Godzilla Prediction Network, the Millennian UFO crashed on Earth long before the dinosaurs. It waited at the bottom of the ocean before sunlight revived it.

Major Hicks couldn’t hide his guilt. This did not go unnoticed.

“Care to explain your involvement in all of this, Major?” Elsie asked.

“Major,” Nick stuttered, unable to hide the tension in his voice. Major Hicks was his friend. First Doctor Blair was killed, and now Major Hicks is experimenting on alien crafts, again?!

“Dude, tell me you’re not being mind-controlled… again,” Randy said.

“My thoughts exactly,” Elsie agreed.

“You’re one to talk,” Craven mumbled, knowing Elsie would glare at him. Oh well, at least Elsie was looking at him.

“Look,” Major Hicks explained. “Shortly after being demoted for going soft on your pet reptile, I received this assignment. American, Japanese, and French stations picked up a signal emanating from this exact location. Working together, we uncovered this UFO. It’s unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. The fact another one exactly like it attacked Tokyo months later made this a top priority to the pencil pushers back at the Pentagon. So they replaced me with an expert.

“You know him as Doctor Blair.”

Nick scoffed at the idea. Doctor Blair was working for the government? Then why as his last wish would he want Nick to be brought here? When they last met, Nick was anti-government. He was part of every major protest in the country. This helped him get recognition. It also helped him get recruited by the government on his first giant monster assignment. Perhaps Doctor Blair had done his homework and knew all about Nick’s new profession?

Monique leaned close enough for just Philippe to hear. “So how are you part of all this? Dealing with aliens is my expertise, not yours.”

“This was a joint operation between three countries. Our government needed someone they could trust to oversee the project,” Philippe smirked. “So they sent me.”

Monique looked away from him, concealing her true feelings. Try as she might, Philippe could see she was nursing more than just her wounded ego.

“So what did the late doctor really want?” Elsie wondered. “We all know about his fall from grace. I’m assuming y’all did as well. So why recruit someone who was, sorry to say, unstable?”

Major Hicks shrugged. “Look, despite his shortcomings, Doctor Blair was the best at what he did. He did a lot of work down here, good work.”

“Buuut,” Elsie countered.

“It looks like he was right,” Major Hicks revealed.

Nobody knew what that meant. Before the truth could be given, gunfire erupted from the surface. Major Hicks motioned for Philippe and his soldiers to move up to provide support. One of his soldiers tried establishing radio contact. They only heard screams, gunfire, and then static.

Nick and the other members of HEAT rushed to the surface. When they got there, no structure was left standing. Dozens of soldiers were taking cover in the rubble and ice, firing at the hulking mass obscured by a blizzard. Two soldiers ran by with a bazooka. Within seconds, they were loaded up, ready, and fired. The rocket left a trail of smoke as it pierced the haze, finding its hidden target. It made a loud, distinct boom. All it did was agitate the monster.

Orga emerged out of the blizzard, shrieking like an enraged god. It had the demented body structure of a gorilla, its putrid, gray flesh steamed the cold air. Its yellow eyes glowed ominously. Needlelike teeth dripped with hissing spit. There was a large divot in its left shoulder, resembling the mouth of a volcano. The most distinguished feature was its large, long claws, capable of ravaging a mountain if given the chance.

In a motion of speed that bellied its size, Orga swiped at a group of huddled soldiers, and sent their mangled remains sailing into the snowstorm. Philippe sprinted in range and shot at the eyes of the monstrosity. It was an unusual thing to see: a lone operative firing a pistol at a godlike creature. Philippe was either crazy or the bravest man on the planet.

A shadow fell over him. Orga moved to crush the human with its claws, but Monique pushed Philippe out of the way with only seconds to spare. Meaty claws fractured the icy soil, tossing the tiny humans up in its wake. Philippe caught Monique in midair and used his own body as a cushion for her to fall on. Upon impact, it knocked the wind out of him. Orga bent down, drooling at the sight of his next meal. Nick ran over, flailing his arms to distract the alien menace. It worked. Nick quickly thought about his chances of survival. Thirty, maybe forty yards separated him from the beast. That was plenty of time for him to reflect on his life, right?

There was a loud rumble. Nick felt the ice beneath him rip and tear. That was when a large, reptilian head burst out of the ground between him and Orga. Its dorsal spines, swishing tail, and distinct roar made Nick smile. Like many other so-called monsters, Zilla was the offspring of Mankind’s nuclear ambitions. Nick used to march against the testing of radiation. But now there is a new field of science. Many critics believe giant monsters are living proof the theories of evolution and natural selection are a farce. If anything, it’s the opposite. Evolution personifies change. Instead of going extinct, creatures like Zilla adapted, and sparked a new race. They’re living proof life will always find a way.

Zilla dug his claws into the hideous armored hide, pushing the gray goliath back. Orga stopped the Tyrian lizard in his tracks, subsequently smashing the nimble creature in the abdomen with his claws. The giant reptile slid across the icy tundra, clawing to his feet. He wasn’t fast enough, as the hulking abomination jumped high into the air, stomping his bulk into Zilla. Both monsters broke through the ice, consumed by geysers of cold water.

Nick wanted to stay and provide moral support. Elsie and Randy’s arms grabbed him from behind, pulling him into the underground base.

“Nick, we can’t stay here,” Elsie explained.

“She’s right, jefe!” Randy assured him. “Time to go down and spend some quality time with a UFO.”

Swirling lights glowed through the surface. Zilla was blasted through the ice by the concussive energy blast, careening the lithe reptile high into the air. He fell thousands of feet before landing on a snow-covered hill, an explosion of ice and cold air enveloping the fallen reptile. Orga pulled itself out of the water, smoke sizzling out of its cannon shaped shoulder. The deformed alien could hear the giant reptile’s heartbeat.

Zilla was still alive. Orga would have to change that.

Using his powerful hind legs, Orga jumped like a giant frog and pounced on Zilla’s weakened body. Crazed bloodlust made the alien go berserk; it clobbered the reptilian with its claws, rending flesh and bone. Zilla recuperated fast enough to charge up his power breath, thermonuclear fire searing out of his jaws, throwing the horrendous mutant off of him. Smoke sizzled off Orga’s burnt, dangling flesh; but within seconds, its healing factor erased the burns that would have proven fatal. The primal lizard was more fearful of his opponent than ever now. How could he inflict permanent damage? Blowing steam out of his nostrils, Zilla was determined to find a way.

The survivors of Orga’s attack retreated back down near the Millennian UFO. Major Hicks was shouting orders left and right, trying to contact a group Nick wasn’t privy to. Distant tremors shook the icy walls, threatening to bury them with the alien craft.

Randy rushed over to Monique, offering his support. “You doing okay?”

“I’m…” she looked over at Philippe. He felt her eyes on him but didn’t look back. “Fine, I’m fine.”

“Whoa, this is different!” Elsie shouted. Everyone ran over to Elsie. She was standing in front of the Millennian UFO, hands outstretched.

“I don’t understand,” Major Hicks said.

“Can’t you feel the heat?” Nick replied.

Randy couldn’t resist. “No pun intended!”

Nick frowned at his friend. “It’s the UFO, it’s emitting heat. Why? It’s all too much to be a coincidence.”

“Not that we believe in coincidences,” Elsie clarified.

“Stop beating around the bush,” Major Hicks ordered. “If you think you know something, spill it!”

“Okay, okay,” mumbled Elsie. Clearing her throat, she explained her theory. “Well, the Millennian UFO is solar powered. It needed sunlight to operate. Whatever hatched from it made a nice sunroof. Of course, this is Antarctica we’re talking about. Sunlight is very scarce this time of year. So it must’ve taken time for it to reboot. When it did, it sent a signal to the Hunchback of Notre Dame up there, and you all know the rest.”

“Brilliant deduction, Doctor Chapman,” Philippe said. “But it’s still emitting heat, which means it’s still communicating with the Orga creature.”

“How do we stop it from transmitting?” Major Hicks wanted to know.

Mendel Craven had an idea. “The UFO must be using an electromagnetic frequency. I’ll have NIGEL hack into its frequency and disable it.”

“Whoa, whoa, whoa,” Randy muttered. “Did you just say my calling card, ‘hack?’ That’s my specialty, doc.”

“Nonsense,” Craven replied to hide his ego. “Sit back and watch a real master at work.” With his controller stick, Craven ordered NIGEL to hack into the Millennian UFO’s mainframe. On its tractors, the robot moved to fulfill its programming.

Craven’s triumphant expression was shattered, however, when the robot started singing.

“And the Jay-Z song was on, and the Jay-Z song was on, and the Jay-Z song was on!” NIGEL screamed at full volume. “So I put my hands up, they’re playin’ my song! The butterflies fly away! Nodding my head like yeah, moving my hips like yeah! It’s a party in the USA!”

Craven’s cheeks burned red. To avoid all the awkward glances, he desperately tried reprogramming NIGEL.

“Seriously, Randy?” Elsie criticized. “I know how you like hacking into that dingy robot, but having it sing a Miley Cyrus song? That’s really shallow.”

“Hey, I didn’t do it this time! Don’t get me wrong, I’m flattered,” Randy admitted. “But I’m not the one to blame here. Which means…”

Craven avoided eye contact like his life depended on it. “Stupid iTunes transferring my favorite songs to NIGEL without my consent,” he screamed. “Stupid, stupid, stupid!”

Nick rolled his eyes. “Okay, Craven and Randy will work on trying to disrupt the UFO’s connection with Orga. Which means the rest of us will have to help Zilla.”

“And how are we supposed to do that?” Philippe asked.

Nick concentrated for a moment. “Major, you once ran this operation. Is there anything you’re not telling us?”

“I was replaced, remember?” Major Hicks replied defensively. “So whatever information I had to offer is moot.”

“Not entirely true, Major,” Philippe revealed.

Major Hicks frowned at Philippe, discouraging him from talking. Nick confronted him by getting in his face. Major Hicks thought about having him detained but decided friendship was more important. 

“Backup is on its way,” Major Hicks said. “That’s the good news.”

“What’s the bad news?” Nick asked.

With the quick sprint kick, Zilla hopped onto Orga’s back, biting its head with his boxy muzzle. Orga thrashed wildly to get the giant iguana off, but to little avail. Zilla made sure to bite deep; however, there was no blood to taste. A hiss from the mutant hunchback signaled its next move, taking advantage of its foe’s inability to break its thick skin, tossing him off with little effort. Zilla bounced off the icy terrain, dorsal spines flashing.

Looking to distract its prey, the serpentine jawbones of the hulking brute snapped out of alignment. Taken aback, Zilla delayed burning the fearsome beast. The grey monstrosity used its time wisely by stretching its mouth so wide, it could swallow its target whole. That was certainly its intent. With its supersized maw slobbering in anticipation, Orga waited for Zilla to come to him. Zilla was a cognitive creature, capable of exhibiting and understanding emotion. He also could see a trap when it was staring him in the face.

Thermonuclear fire scorched Orga’s entire body. Somewhere amidst the emerald inferno, it screamed for the pain to stop. Emerald flames faded into smoke, steaming the cold air, a charred carcass was writhing in a pool of churning water, the ice underneath it melting. Zilla moved closer, wary of the wounded alien. Even with its eyes burnt out, Orga tilted its head as if it could still see Zilla. Finally, the ice melted, and Orga disappeared beneath the churning waves.

Zilla kept his distance. He crouched close enough to see the bubbling mass reconstituting. That was when the mighty reptile heard footprints racing through the ice. Zilla spotted Nick Tatopoulos, his surrogate father, running to meet him, looking worried.

“Back away, back away,” Nick screamed. “Zilla, leave! Get out of here, now!”

Understanding Nick’s plight, the loyal reptile stepped back to leave. Suddenly, twisted bulk burst forth out of the water, its maw several times larger than it was before. There was no time for the mutant lizard to brace himself. Nick watched in horror as Orga swallowed Zilla’s entire upper body, restraining the reptile in place with its needlelike teeth. The champion of HEAT couldn’t break free, not even with his tremendous strength. Zilla’s spines lit up as he prepared to unleash his fiery breath. But Orga’s jaws applied far too much pressure, stifling and cutting off the circulation of atomic power.

All Nick could do was watch helplessly. Squeezing his fists, Nick tried figuring out a solution. He was a brilliant scientist, one with years of experience fighting giant creatures; surely he had some backup plan to save Zilla. But he had none.

There was a distant booming sound. Nick spun around to face the source, shocked to see a missile streaking through the air. It struck the titanic abomination in the face, engulfing it in a ball of fire. Orga snapped its teeth out of Zilla’s flesh, surprised by this unexpected attack. More and more missiles shot into his gray hide, exploding in great balls of fire and smoke. In order to assimilate Zilla’s essence, Orga needed to concentrate, an impossibility with these missiles hitting him. And so his jaws and neck muscles relented in their attempts to swallow Zilla whole, freeing him just enough for the giant reptile to retaliate.

Thermonuclear fire burned Orga’s insides. Zilla backed out of the gaping maw, torching the insidious alien with his green flames. With its form shrouded in crackling flames, the freakish alien cried out. Its ear piercing screams made Nick resentful. No animal, be it terrestrial or extraterrestrial, deserved to die in so much pain. With its powerful legs, Orga hopped thousands of feet away, obscured by the coming storm. Zilla thought about chasing the wounded alien, knowing it was still a threat to the entire world. But he sensed the presence of another giant. And with his father here, Zilla chose to stay behind to protect him.

Nick squinted through the howling winds. He could see something standing in the fog. It was about the size of Zilla, maybe a little larger. Its yellow-hued eyes pierced the veil of the fog. Remembering how it fired missiles, Nick suspected it was a giant robot. And he was right.

Kiryu marched out of the fog, intimidating Zilla with its fearlessness. Beneath layers of armored metal, grinding hydraulics, whirling machines, and electrical currents, Zilla sensed life somewhere in the machine. It was not completely artificial. It was, however, his enemy. Kiryu took another step, threatening the primal reptile with its digital shriek. Zilla gritted his teeth, ready to defend himself.

“Zilla, get out of here!” Nick shouted, knowing it would be a death sentence for Zilla if he attacked a military unit of any kind.

The boxy-headed beast listened to his human father. Clawing at the icy surface, Zilla burrowed away to safety. The multipurpose weapon continued its march, stopping right in front of Nick. Truly, it was an imposing sight. Nick prayed Kiryu’s controllers knew he was there or he’d be squashed. Kiryu looked down at the tiny human, its eyes glowing like two miniature suns.

“A wise decision, Doctor Tatopoulos,” Kiryu’s pilot spoke out of a hidden speaker. It was a feminine voice, belonging to one of the world’s greatest pilots. His ears perked. A door opened in one of Kiryu’s ankles. Leaving Kiryu on lockdown, its pilot ventured out into the freezing cold to greet Nick.

“Is that…?” he shook his head, straightening out his thoughts. “Who are you?” Nick simply asked.

“You’ve forgotten?” the pilot chuckled, “My name is Akane Yashiro,” she introduced herself formally. “I’m the pilot of the kaiju fighting machine, Kiryu.”

–

Nick wanted to punch Major Hicks in the face. But deep down, he knew the Major wasn’t to blame. He risked everything by telling Nick the truth. That didn’t mean Nick had to like it.

“So let me get this straight,” Randy said. “You’re telling me the pencil pushers at the Pentagon wanted Zilla and Orga to fight? They knew it would’ve absorbed Zilla’s DNA and transformed into an unstoppable monster? And they knew it had to turn its mouth into a giant vagin—”

“Uh, Randy!” Elsie shouted.

 “—to do it?” he finished.

“My orders were clear,” Major Hicks grumbled. “I don’t like it as much as you do.”

“That’s bullshit, Major,” Nick retorted.

“Watch your tone, worm-guy,” Major Hicks fired back. “I respect you. But if you ever talk to me like that again, you and your people will be detained.”

“Why, Major?” Nick asked. “Why would they want to make Orga stronger? Why would they want to endanger the entire world?”

“That’s why we negotiated for Kiryu to come and assist us,” Major Hicks replied. “We had Kiryu hidden in one of the ships that brought us here.”

Nick sighed. “This is all ridiculous.”

While Nick and Major Hicks were too busy arguing, Monique greeted Akane warmly. “It is good to see you again.”

Not long after saving Japan from Godzilla, Akane was transferred to America to improve her skills. She met HEAT and even joined them on a few of their assignments. On these assignments she met Monique Dupre. After forming a bond with the French Operative, Akane kept close ties with her new friend, even after returning to Japan to protect it as Kiryu’s pilot.

“Likewise, Monique,” Akane bowed. “I’m sorry for all the secrecy. I didn’t know you and your team were here. My government wanted both a diplomat and a soldier to represent our people. So they sent me.”

“I understand. Today has been full of surprises. In fact,” Monique glanced at Philippe, “it’s been more like a reunion.”

Akane nodded in understanding. She was easily one of the most empathic people Monique had ever met. Monique was certain Akane and Elsie Chapman would’ve liked each other. But she wasn’t the type to introduce people, her former job was to do the opposite in ways that would make people sick.

Regardless, Akane saw her as a good friend, and treated her as such. Monique, likewise, was happy to see her.

Craven went up to Elsie, typing in his handheld computer pad. “I’ve reprogrammed NIGEL to try and interface with the UFO’s system,” he bragged. “It’s a long shot, but I’m positive we can sever all communication it has to Orga.”

“Since when did you become so useful?” Elsie smiled.

Oblivious to the insult, Craven blushed. All he would remember from all this was how Elsie smiled at him. Squeaking to life, NIGEL rolled over to the UFO to try and establish contact.

Meanwhile, Nick was piecing the puzzle together.

“We’re here to bring closure to Doctor Blair’s work,” Nick clarified. “Instead we’ve found ourselves trapped in a conspiracy. Make no mistake, there’s a connection between this conspiracy and Doctor Blair’s work. Now I want to know the real reason why we’re here.”

“That’s a lot to swallow, worm-guy,” Major Hicks responded honestly. “And here I thought you were a scientist. You sound more like a conspiracy theorist.”

“What if I’m right?”

“Then for all our sake, we better find an answer, and fast.”

“Uh, Nick?” Elsie waved for him to come over. “We found something.”

Nick walked over to them. Needing to reach his commanding officers, Major Hicks motioned for Philippe to keep an eye on him. As a seasoned veteran for the French Secret Service, Philippe still wasn’t keen on showing loyalty to the American government. But Major Hicks earned his respect and, like Philippe, was a professional.

“What is it, Elsie?” Nick inquired.

Craven answered for her. “NIGEL just made contact with the Millennian UFO.”

“Have you disabled its link with Orga?”

“Well, yes and no,” Craven coughed. “I know that’s not a real answer. But let me explain. We, uh, got more than we expected. The UFO uploaded information about itself onto NIGEL. It almost looked like it was trying to hack into us, too.”

“Why would it hack into NIGEL and give us information about it?”

“It makes sense, I guess,” Elsie theorized. “We’re talking about an alien life form that assimilates other life forms. That involves an exchange of information in some form or another. So it follows a similar pattern when it bonds with electronics.”

“Does it have any useful information?” Philippe asked.

“So far, it’s shown us diagrams of familiar genetic codes,” Elsie answered. “It has information on our DNA. I even saw Godzilla’s DNA in there once or twice. It seems to be giving us a list of every known creature it’s bonded with. It then gives us data on multi-celled and single-celled organisms. Now here’s what I find very fascinating,” she grinned. “If I’m looking at these diagrams correctly, it’s showing us what our ancient ancestors looked like down to the genetic level. It’s showing us the very first single-celled organisms.

“When people think about their ancestors, they usually think about their great grandparents or George Washington or a medieval knight. When scientists talk about human ancestry, they’re not talking about the Romans or the Greeks; they’re talking about ancient fish. But even some scientists forget how all life on the planet is connected. Ancient single-celled organisms, ones that existed billions of years ago, were the principal ancestors of humankind and every other life form on Earth existing today. But the single-celled organisms existing today are not the same ones that existed eons ago. Evolution, natural selection, and time changed all that. So it’s very difficult for scientists to study organisms that no longer exist. There are, however, clues of their existence. But it’s not enough to answer the most important question experts have not been able to answer:

“What caused life on Earth to exist?

“And it also shows us what spawned the first life forms,” Elsie revealed in excitement. “It’s the race this Millennian being belongs to.” She wasn’t worried about the outcry news like this would generate. She didn’t care how many people would deny the truth in exchange of superstition. Elsie Chapman searched for the truth all her life and, at long last, she’s found it.

“So we’re all related to Orga?” Randy stopped laughing when he realized no one else was.

Nick accepted this information. “This is what Hicks meant when he told us Doctor Blair was right. Blair believed aliens were the predecessors of all Earth life. This Millennian race may not be responsible for spawning all life on Earth. But it does appear to be our main ancestor.”

“Not so fast, guys,” Craven interjected. “This is just data it has on all of us. There’s a reason why it’s tried bonding with Zilla, right? Its genetic model is outdated.”

Elsie added to Craven’s observation. “It’s trying to catch up with its descendants. What better way to do that than take their greatest strengths and eliminate the competition?”

“Do you think the government knows this?” Nick asked quietly. “If so, why send us? Why make this thing stronger? Why put your entire race in jeopardy?”

“Hey worm-guy!” Major Hicks shouted. “Check this out.”

Nick and the others ran over. To help shed light on the situation, Akane showed them her previous encounter with Orga.

Major Hick’s soldiers finished assembling a computer station. They inserted a disc Akane brought with her. Accessing its video files, Nick and the others found out what it was like to be staring through the eyes of Kiryu.

Descending through the fog, Kiryu couldn’t see where he was going. Nick could hear Akane’s voice over a com-link, telling her compatriots she was switching to night vision. But that only made things harder to see. She switched to infrared. Again, it didn’t make things easier. Finally, Akane settled with a combination of all the previous visions.

“This would make a really neat ride,” Randy joked. His teammates shushed into silence.

He was right though. Seeing the world through Kiryu’s perspective was exciting. Kiryu broke through the fog coverage and found a clearing to land. Computer sensors scanned the terrain, pinpointing the best place to land, and whether or not it could support the robot’s weight. Kiryu found a nice spot, touching down on Antarctica. Nick heard its rocket thrusters die down as it scanned the perimeter.

There were no signs of life. Cold winds froze its eyes, forcing Kiryu to heat up its optics to make it easier for them to see. It turned to its left just in time to see a massive claw strike it in the face. Kiryu’s world spun round and round before he crashed into a hill. Rising out of the ice, the machine dragon was quick to look for its attacker. Glancing down at its operating arm, Kiryu’s electric saber slit out of its compartment, and pulsated with energy. Sensors detected an abnormal life sign in its vicinity and located it. It was crouching in the ice not too far away.

Orga.

They wasted no time. Missiles fired from the ports, enveloping grey hunchback and the area around it in a sea of fire, screaming as it waded through the missile salvo. Kiryu guarded himself by holding Orga’s head back with one hand, thrusting its electric saber into its vile neck with the other. Hundreds of millions of volts of electricity pumped into the bestial alien, who howled like a wounded beast. Orga retaliated with a lethal strike, flipping the artificial cyborg straight up into the air.

With his rocket boosters rumbling to life, Kiryu hovered hundreds of meters above the alien. Its maser, an electrical beam emitted from its mouth, lanced into its gray hide. Missiles and laser cannons followed suit, blasting and bombarding Orga where it stood. But this tremendous display of firepower succeeded in concealing their foe’s whereabouts. Kiryu ceased fire just in time to see Orga leap up, swatting the metallic dragon out of the sky like a fly. Kiryu saw the ground and the sky spin as he fell.

“This totally just went Blair Witch on us,” Randy complained, searching for a barf bag.

They hit the ground with a loud thud. For a full second, all that was seen were optics staring up at the sky. That was when the ice broke from under him, sending him falling into a dark crevasse. Kiryu embedded his sharp claws into the icy walls, fighting to slow his dangerous descent. But his metallic claws were so sharp, the icy walls shattered, and it looked like they would be lost in the abyss. Fire erupted out of its rocket boosters, brightening the underground chasm Kiryu was floating in. Burning at maximum power, they ascended back to the surface. Scanners quickly detected Orga’s presence in the vicinity. Morphing one of his hands into a spinning drill, Kiryu prepared for his rematch.

An energy wave slammed into his hull, blasting the robot into the ground. But it didn’t stop there, the energy wave had so much momentum, it sent Kiryu hurtling through the icy terrain, leaving a massive trench in its wake. Orga jumped high into the sky, looking to pounce on its felled foe. Kiryu jumped up in time to activate its rocket boosters and collided with the alien in midair. With a swift movement, he stabbed the brute in the throat with his electric saber, electrocuting the alien. With his other arm, he buried the arm drill into its gut, and ripped it wide open. Orga shrieked in front of Kiryu’s face, fogging up his eyes. When the fog was removed, the machine dragon took his drill, and cut a bloody swath of its hunched upper body, spilling out its organs.

When the two giants landed, Kiryu pulled back. Orga was on its knees, gasping for its life. No remorse, no mercy. The right missile shoulder pack snapped out of its restraints. The heinous fiend looked up in time to have the missile pack shoved down his throat, its worried eyes widened in shock. With the click of a button, the missile pack decimated everything above its torso in a blinding flash of light. The burning shockwaves slammed into Kiryu, replacing its vision with nothing but static.

Randy whistled. “That was epic! The way you took the fight to him reminded me of my Mortal Kombat days.”

“I assume you didn’t kill the creature, since it attacked us,” Monique said.

“By the time we reestablished visuals,” answered Akane, “Orga was gone. I didn’t find any tracks. Given the environment, I shouldn’t be surprised.” There was a loud beeping noise. It was coming from a communications device located in Akane’s watch. There was trouble brewing on the surface outside.

“What is it?” Monique asked.

“Orga has been spotted a few kilometers from here,” Akane declared. “Kiryu’s scanners just picked up his body temperature.”

“Then you should be up there, now,” Major Hicks instructed. Akane nodded. Major Hicks ordered a few soldiers to accompany her as she made haste to the surface. “While she’s saving our lives, I’d like your people to sever Orga’s connection with the UFO once and for all. I don’t give a damn if Orga’s the one in control or if it’s the UFO. Our primary objective here is to divide and conquer.”

“Waitwaitwait,” Randy muttered at lightning speed. He was overlooking the film footage from earlier. Typing in a series of codes, Randy made a grave discovery. “I just noticed something about Asian Cutie’s scuffle. According to the time logs on the computer, her fight with Orga happened at exactly the same time he clashed with Zilla.”

“There’s two of them,” Philippe said. “We’re dealing with more than one Orga.”

Nick walked over to Mendel Craven and NIGEL.

“Call Zilla.”

–

The wind was below freezing. It washed over Kiryu’s imposing figure, covering its metallic exoskeleton in layers of ice. Kiryu’s manufacturers, having foreseen a possible event, took extra precautions. An advanced heating system installed in his armor evaporated the ice. But the wind was persistent and the air was getting colder; ice quickly returned to fight for dominance.

Somewhere inside Kiryu’s spine, there was a cockpit larger than a motorhome. Akane Yashiro controlled the robotic leviathan from within with levers and advanced computers. It hadn’t always been this easy. Akane remembered the first time she entered this cockpit. It was an emergency and she couldn’t control the robot from a nearby aircraft like normal. She had to pull and twist levers just to keep Kiryu mobile, hurting her hands and wrists in the process. There was a reason why this method was considered a last resort. It was a necessary risk, one many believed would fail, but it was better than laying your arms down to die. Akane’s willpower awakened something deep inside Kiryu, awakening his own desire to live.

Now Akane preferred piloting this way. She’d never tell her superiors how Kiryu liked it better this way too.

Alarms blared in the cockpit. Kiryu detected Orga’s bio-signature in the vicinity. Up ahead, there were two mountains separated by a clearing. Crouched in the clearing was a colossal beast. It took Akane a few seconds to realize it wasn’t moving, let alone breathing. Cautiously, Kiryu moved in closer, his massive feet leaving footprints in the ice and snow. The wind picked up, making it extremely difficult to see them. Kiryu stopped where he last saw Orga. Extending his hand, razor sharp claws poked into the quiet monster.

Orga wasn’t moving because it had no life signs.

Seeing an opportunity, Kiryu unleashed his oral maser cannon. The electrical energies lanced into its chest, punching a gaping hole through its body. There was no retaliation. Deciding it’d be best to decapitate first and ask questions later, Kiryu’s claws separated Orga’s head from its neck in a sickening slash. The head exploded into pale dust, which was swept up in the wind. The rest of Orga crumbled into ash.

Still there were no life signs. It was as if it had never been alive to begin with.

“That’s strange,” whispered Akane. She felt a faint rumble. That was Kiryu’s way of warning her. Something was amiss, and she was going to get to the bottom of it. Pieces of ice fell off the mountain. Kiryu raised his head, searching for the source. At the top of the mountain it saw the silhouette of a demented looking giant staring down at him. Before they could react, it vanished. Whatever it was, it was faster than Kiryu in this environment.

Could it be Zilla? If so, she better alert HEAT immediately, and have them call the creature off. She deeply respected the creature for all the good he’s done. Like Mothra, Gamera, and the other champions of Earth, Zilla had proven himself to be one of Mankind’s greatest protectors.

Kiryu stomped around the mountain, locating claw marks on its side. There was a subtle vibration in the ground. In the span of a few seconds, it became more violent. The creature causing it was real close. Kiryu spun around in time to see a huge tail smack against his face.

Time passed almost as slow as the clouds. Kiryu could see thousands of stars gleaming in the dark sky. Most of those stars burned out when the Earth was young. And somewhere, Akane wondered, there had to be someone like her on the opposite ends of the universe, staring back. If they had a powerful telescope, one calibrated to be thousands of times more efficient than a human one, what would they see? Akane remembered reading about how they wouldn’t see people. What they’d be seeing is a window into Earth’s past. They’d sooner see a Godzillasaurus than the first Man. And if they did see such a magnificent animal, would they try to emulate its power? Would they try to assimilate everything that made it beautiful?

Akane and Kiryu returned to the fight.

Rising out of an imprint it made in a hillside, Kiryu screamed a challenge to its attacker. It roared a challenge back at him. Akane couldn’t see it. She knew it was out there, staring at them, waiting for the perfect moment to attack. Sure enough, it lunged at Kiryu from the dark, scratching his armor with its claws. This time Akane caught a glimpse of its savage appearance.

Gray-brownish scales covered its body like soil covered the dead in cemeteries. It had a long, muscular tail swishing the air. Its claws, much larger than Orga’s, flailed wildly. It looked like Orga in so many ways, but it sported a frill on its neck, its snout was longer, and jagged spines protruded out of its back. The alien wanted Zilla’s genetic strength. It sought the giant reptile out and succeeded. After acquiring enough of Zilla’s DNA, it found the other Orga, its injured twin, and assimilated its life force.

Orga, the progenitor of all Earth life, was more dangerous than ever.

Electric sabers burned to life. No doubt about it, Kiryu was fighting for all life on Earth. Suddenly, an electromagnetic wave burned across the frozen tundra, shutting down Kiryu’s systems. The cockpit went dark. Trying not to panic, Akane struggled to activate backup power. There was no response. She couldn’t even warn HEAT of Orga’s transformation and his inevitable attack.

–

Nick was lost somewhere in his subconscious. It was like swimming in an ocean without shores, left to drown in madness. Images of his past occasionally popped up; sometimes they were mental photographs, other times it felt like he was reliving those moments a second time.

He remembered meeting Audrey Timmonds for the first time. It was outside his dorm. For a few weeks, she had been dating one of Nick’s roommates, until the young man started spreading unfounded rumors about her. She wanted to hear his side of the story first before passing judgment. Later, she wrote an article about it in their college’s newspaper. In the very same article, Audrey denounced the males of their species, comparing them to worms. Nick Tatopoulos saw this as an opportunity to ask her out, since worms fascinated him, and he would very much like to help her understand them better. Nick vowed he’d ask her to marry him if he ever lived through this.

Then there was the time HEAT was called to investigate Godzilla’s whereabouts. They found him a few miles off the coast of the Bikini Atoll. Unfortunately, their presence stirred the atomic god from his slumber. Nick recalled fondly how they’re lives were saved at the last minute by his surrogate son and friend, Zilla. It was like witnessing a real life adaptation of the David versus Goliath tale. Godzilla would’ve made mincemeat of HEAT’s protector had Zilla not used his speed and intellect to his advantage. It also helped that Zilla wasn’t trying to fight his namesake. On the contrary, Zilla was distracting the King of the Monsters so HEAT could find safer waters. After they were safe, something incredible happened. Zilla pleaded with Godzilla to spare his human friends and to be on his way. Nick Tatopoulos and his teammates are alive today because of Zilla’s ability to make moral decisions.

Time and space collapsed. The building blocks of what Nick perceived to be matter shaped one of his biggest regrets. Nick found himself sitting in a chair a few rows back from the front. He was in a college classroom, watching Doctor Blair, then a Professor, lecturing his class about mitochondria. Blair approached Nick after class, pleading with him to reconsider his decision.

“You’re not some schmuck like the rest of these kids,” Blair told Nick. “I know your background. You worked hard to get here, unlike that Cameron Winter guy. So please, I’m begging you, join me on my expedition. Together we’ll make history.”

Nick sighed. “Professor Blair, you’re one of the most brilliant scientists I’ve ever met. I’ve learned so much from you. Before you say anything, I do thank you for helping me out with my financial problems, and for inspiring me to pursue a career in this field. But my answer is still no.”

Blair’s once beaming face molded into shame. Unable to hide his disappointment, he waved for Nick to leave. Nick anticipated this reaction, thinking it wouldn’t faze him. It did. Honoring Blair’s request, Nick walked away. The last thing he saw was Blair turning his back on him.

In a flash, Nick’s memories dissipated, and the young scientist sprung to life. The air was warm, which was strange given the frigid location. He squinted to adjust his vision, surprised to see the Millennian UFO hovering above him. It was operational! That explained the unnatural heat in the air. Rising slowly to his feet, Nick heard gunshots rattling from the surface. With no sign of Major Hicks, Philippe, or his HEAT teammates, Nick assumed a fight broke out, and they were all forced to retreat without him.

Feeling uncomfortable next to an active alien spacecraft, Nick hurried to the surface.

But two soldiers were blocking his path, oblivious to his presence. At first Nick wanted to ask them for help. He instinctively kept himself silent. Something about the way they were waiting didn’t feel right. Nick wasn’t a superstitious person; he didn’t believe something was wrong because something from beyond was telling him so. There was a rational explanation behind his suspicions.

There was no other way out. Did he really need to reach the surface? It sounded like a warzone was going on up there. Maybe that’s why he was left behind in the first place. Nick collected his thoughts and sighed. As the leader of HEAT, he felt responsible for the wellbeing of his teammates. Nick made a decision.

“Excuse me,” Nick said loud enough for the guards to hear.

They whirled around in alarm, taking aim at Nick. Nick raised his arms, showing no signs of aggression. They were very wary to drop their weapons. Finally, one of them instructed the other to stand down.

“He’s not one of them,” one of the guards said to the other. “He’s the one we’re supposed to look after, remember?”

Nick walked over to them, rattled by the sounds of gunshots and explosions going off nearby. “You’re here to protect me? Under whose authority?”

The guards exchanged nervous glances. Something was fishy about all this. Nick stepped out a little bit, catching a quick glimpse of the battle. There were distant figures in the icy backdrop, shooting at them. That’s when he saw the bodies in the snow. There were dozens of soldiers lying in puddles of blood. One of them looked very familiar to Nick. Why did it suddenly feel like déjà vu?

“You’re an imposter!” Nick yelled at the guards.

Before his very eyes, their hands morphed into girthy, blue-green tentacles. Dropping the firearms they didn’t need anymore, the imposters grinned menacingly at Nick. Thinking fast, Nick dropped to the ground, picked up one of the guns, and squeezed the trigger. He got a few shots off on one, killing it. The other was too close and too fast. Nick knew he was done for.

A loud gunshot rattled the area. With a hole in its chest, the imposter slumped to the ground. Nick turned to face his savior. With smoke steaming out of the barrel of her rifle, Monique fancied Nick with a smile.

“You have really good timing, Monique,” Nick praised. “Care explaining to me just what the hell is going on here?”

Monique motioned for his immediate silence. It didn’t take long for Nick to discover why. Several silhouettes were converging on their locations. Nick couldn’t tell if they were real people or not. Not wanting to find out, Monique convinced Nick to leave, and made their escape.

Nick was freezing. Of course, he’d been crawling in the ice at a snail’s pace for the last half-hour. Every fiber of his being wanted to just stand up and shout for help. Ignoring the irony in how his cooler head prevailed, Nick knew he’d attract the wrong kind of help. Even Monique.

“After waking up,” Nick whispered loud enough for Monique to hear. “Those creatures you saved me from mentioned they were guarding me. Why would they do that?”

She replied, “It’s easier to exploit someone when they trust you.”

Nick stopped moving. As cold winds washed over him, he realized he’d been tricked. There was still a chance for escape. Monique was several yards out in front of him. If he ran now, he might get away. Nick’s arms trembled as he tried standing, but his legs were too numb. Not giving up, Nick decided to crawl in the direction of whomever the alien imposters were fighting. It could’ve been Major Hicks leading a resistance. It was a risk, one that might get him killed. It was also a risk he had to take.

That’s when he heard someone slushing through the snow. Nick looked over his shoulder and saw Monique chasing after him. The ice and snow was the only reason why she didn’t have him already. Nick turned to run, but he was quickly thrown into a trench. Nick lifted his face out of the freezing snow, wiped it out of his eyes, and saw Philippe Roaché standing over him. That’s when things took a sudden turn for the worse.

Nick opened his mouth to say something. Philippe didn’t even look at him when he told him to be quiet. Instead, Philippe whipped out a pistol, and fired at Monique. Her best hope at evading Philippe’s fire wasn’t dodging his bullets but dodging his aim. So she quickly dove into the snow for cover. Philippe raced after her, blasting holes in the snow where she was last seen.

“What the hell is going on?” Nick shouted over the gunshots, but Philippe couldn’t hear him.

There was a brief moment of silence. Philippe inspected the snow much like how an interrogator would look at a convicted felon. He had a sinking suspicion Monique was alive and well. That’s when she sprung out of the snow and kicked his legs out from under him. As he fell, Monique was quick to kick the pistol out of his hand. After falling, Philippe jumped to his feet immediately, and glared at his former pupil. Both were exceptionally trained killers, with many years of experience. Neither was going to let this hostile terrain slow them down anymore.

Monique’s arms exploded into a flurry of quick jabs. Philippe blocked her hits with great precision and concentration. A glint caught his eye, making it the only warning he had. Monique swiped at his jugular with a knife, but Philippe stopped her. Again she tried and came very close to succeeding. On her third attempt, she grazed his cheek… but it wasn’t blood. Drops of translucent fluid dripped off the side of Philippe’s face and onto the ice.

Nick gasped. Philippe Roaché wasn’t human. Had he always been an alien in disguise? Nick felt like everything he knew was a lie.

Monique braced herself as Philippe, the alien imposter, lunged at her. He blocked her knife thrust, but couldn’t stop her from kicking one of his knee joints. Falling to one leg, Philippe caught Monique’s knife and shoved it into her chest.

Nick fell to his knees, stunned by what he was seeing.

His dying companion trembled as she clenched the handle of the knife. Philippe’s imposter backed away with a twisted grin. In her time of dying, Monique thought about pulling it out, but she knew she’d bleed to death if she did. She tried standing but fell down into the ice. With the last ounce of strength she had left, Monique crawled to Nick. Nick reached out to touch his friend. Her eyes rolled back as she breathed her last. She dropped into his arms, as cold and lifeless as the frozen land around them.

“If it’s any consolation,” whispered the alien posing as Philippe, “she died a warrior’s death.”

Nick glared into his inhuman eyes. If looks could kill, he would’ve burned him to a cinder. The alien was not terribly worried about Nick. It knew he wasn’t a threat. Gently, Nick laid Monique down in the snow, and stood up to confront her killer. Even his bravado couldn’t mask the fear that made him tremble.

“Tell the truth,” Nick demanded. “How long have you been Philippe Roaché? Was his life just one big act like our friendship?”

“Everything is an act,” the alien sneered.

A trickle rolled off his hands. He couldn’t bring himself to look at Monique’s blood or her corpse. Clenching his fists and gritting his teeth, Nick made his last stand. He knew he had little chance against Philippe, let alone his alien clone, but he’d die trying. The alien took a step closer. Nick closed his eyes, shaking uncontrollably. That’s when a loud bang rattled his ears. A hole the size of a dime appeared on the alien Philippe’s forehead. Seconds passed before the alien fell, its clear blood washing over the ice. Nick, shocked by what had happened, watched the Philippe alien transform into its true, demented form. Seconds later, the deceased Monique twisted and bubbled into a malign shape.

She was never the real Monique.

–

Perched on an icy cliff miles away, Monique Dupre looked out of the scope of her sniper rifle. Even from this distance she could see Nick trying to make sense of all this insanity. Philippe Roaché walked up from behind with a smirk on his face.

“You took pleasure in taking that last shot,” he observed.

Monique smiled. “What can I say? That wasn’t the first time he stabbed me in the heart. I had to get back at him somehow. Although it would seem they’re disguises are so good, they didn’t know they were allies.”

“Agents Roaché and Dupre,” Major Hicks barked from below. “Take a squad down there and rescue Nick! Do it before I finish this sentence.”

Monique and Philippe obeyed his command. Within seconds, Monique had the sniper rifle disassembled and locked away in a combat bag. Philippe approached a group of soldiers, briefing them on their assignments. They were all ready to roll out in less than a minute. Elsie and Craven were trying to formulate the next plan with Major Hicks. That’s when NIGEL’s alarm systems blared.

“Uh-oh, that couldn’t mean anything good,” Elsie said.

“Warning, giant life form approaching our position!” the robot shrieked.

A shadow blotted out the sunlight. They all looked up to see Orga’s claw swiping down. Monique flipped over the ledge, landing next to her teammates. Where she had been standing seconds before was now a crevasse.

Elsie looked up at Orga, amazed by his physical changes. “He’s evolved,” she gasped. “Orga has acquired Zilla’s best attributes. We’re in so much trouble.”

Fate agreed. A few miles away, a glinting shape marched out of the frozen mountains. The Mechagodzilla of the new Millennium had its weapons targeting the humans. Over the radio, Major Hicks barked orders at Kiryu’s pilot, Akane Yashiro, ordering her to stop. Kiryu’s cold silence was more ominous than the static that responded back.

Monique felt a tug on her arm. It was Philippe.

“We need a plan, now,” he whispered.

A shadow fell over them. The Millennian UFO hovered above the humans, emitting a humming sound. Light materialized in the core of its energy cannon.

Monique carefully analyzed her enemies and her chances of survival. Orga. Kiryu. The Millennian UFO. Three powerful entities bent on exterminating them. Maybe with the combination of perfect timing and luck, she could evade one. But hell would freeze over long before she could overcome all three. Miracles like that don’t exist, not in this world.

Averting her eyes, Monique saw Nick’s distant figure standing alone. Unbeknownst to him, the alien army, still posing as United States infantry, closed in on him. Even if he tried escaping, where’d he go?

“We could really use a miracle right about now,” gasped Randy, confirming Monique’s worst suspicions.

–

Nick wasn’t sure if he’d been driven crazy yet. He was so numb the cold no longer bothered him. But every time he took a step forward, he’d fall to one knee, and fight like hell to stand right back up. Of course, Nick didn’t know why he was moving. It would seem his cerebellum, the part of his brain responsible for movements, didn’t get the memo. There was nowhere safe for him to go. Orga, Kiryu, and the Millennium UFO were seconds away from atomizing the mountain his friends were on. Were they really friends or were they aliens in disguise? Nick didn’t know.

“Why do you persist, Nick?” asked a voice from his past.

It took all of  his strength and will to face his former friend and mentor, Doctor Blair. He was no illusion; Doctor Blair really was standing there in the snow, favoring Nick with a demented look of fulfillment. Nick lost the strength to stand, but right before resigning himself to an icy tomb, Doctor Blair caught him. Nick trembled when Blair’s cold, pale fingers caressed his forehead.

“It’s because you are a survivor, Nick,” Doctor Blair said, answering his own question. “You always have been. And now, thanks to us, you are eternal. Whatever happens to the body you inhabit, your code, your magnificent mind, will live on forever in our collective consciousness.”

“W-what are y-you talking a-about?” a feeble Nick whispered.

“Oh, my boy,” Doctor Blair laughed, embracing Nick like a father would to a son. “You haven’t fully awoken yet. You’re letting those human memories shackle you. I can relate. But they’re nothing more than windows to a previous life.”

Nick closed his eyes, wanting to die. “You’re not real.”

Doctor Blair’s hand morphed into a double-digit tentacle, microscopic receptors on its fingertips fed the alien Nick’s genetic information. Blair’s face, once beaming with pride, twisted into a look of hatred and contempt.

“And you think you are?” Doctor Blair hissed. “We were exploring the cosmos long before your little planet stitched itself together. You couldn’t even imagine what we know, where we’ve been. While your pitiful race is too busy squabbling over the most primitive of desires, we not only harnessed life, we guided it.

“Would you like to know how you fell from grace?”

Nick couldn’t move. All he could do was watch helplessly as Blair’s pale face turned into shades of blue. Its mouth expanded and contracted unnaturally, exposing the mask-like visage beneath. Nick stared in stunned silence as Blair uttered a sickening gurgle.

Finally, Nick answered. “Go to hell.”

“Long ago, one of our first prototype cruisers found this planet,” Blair revealed, ignoring Nick. “But they crashed. With their bodies compromised, they seeded the environment with their essence, giving life to life. Billions of years later, another one of our cruisers homed in on its signal. It lost control and, like the crew before it, crashed. However, unlike the first cruiser, this one chose hibernation over new genesis. When it resurfaced, it found an entire world full of life.”

Suddenly, Blair’s facial features changed. Nick heard the bones under Blair’s skin snap and twist, the blood in his bulging veins boiling. How long did it take for Nick to realize he was no longer looking at a creature posing as Doctor Blair, but at a creature posing as himself? It was like back when he was peering into the sea, staring into his watery reflection. That felt like a lifetime ago.

“So you see, Nick?” the alien doppelganger said. “We’re family. And we’ve come now to collect what is rightfully ours.”

Nick heard the sound of footsteps crunching in the snow. The silhouettes of many soldiers, all aliens in disguise, were creeping up on them. Nick felt a fire rise from within. He didn’t know why or how this was possible. Maybe it was adrenaline, but he had no energy left to summon. It didn’t matter anymore because even if he had no strength to stand, he wasn’t going to let these alien bastards walk all over him without a fight.

“We’re not yours,” Nick said in defiance. “Even if what you say is true, we will not go down without a fight.”

Nick glared into the eyes of his alien clone. It glared back, looking like it might just peel the skin from off his face to prove its point. There was a sudden vibration in the ground. At first it was subtle, but it soon matured into a full-blown earthquake. The cause didn’t remain a mystery for long.

A gigantic tail burst out of the ground, tossing chunks of ice and snow up into the air, before smashing the alien army into oblivion. Rows of spikes broke the splintered surface, rising on the back of one of Earth’s greatest champions, Zilla. The giant reptile bellowed a mighty roar, challenging the alien threat. His feral eyes looked down at Nick and his alien clone. Grunting, Zilla tilted his head in confusion. He knew this was unusual; Zilla didn’t have two fathers.

“What a wonderful specimen you are,” said the alien Nick. “I’ve always been fond of them, of mutations. I’m well acquainted with this one’s genetics. It’s a sea of untapped potential. Nick,” he said, facing his human counterpart, “you should be ashamed of yourself, for letting this animal’s usefulness go to waste.”

Zilla bent down, sniffing the alien posing as his adoptive father. Nick had never seen himself look so confident. Zilla didn’t seem to realize he was in the presence of an extraterrestrial.

“Zilla,” Nick moaned. “Don’t trust him.”

Nick’s alien clone laughed. “So you don’t even trust yourself? That’s right, Nick, I’m you. Down to the last cell, I’m you, and so much more. As far as this reptile’s concerned, I’m his father. But I won’t just be his father. No, I’ll be his mentor. I’ll transform him into a god.”

Zilla watched the two Nicks squabble. The reptile wasn’t completely ignorant of their words. Human language was initially difficult for him to comprehend, but now he knew enough to understand and obey. Zilla stared at his two fathers, knowing something was awry.

“So that’s your endgame, huh?” Nick said to his alien counterpart. “You want to become a god. Even with all your power and knowledge, you’re as imperfect as the rest of us.”

“Yes, we’re imperfect,” replied the alien. “Had we been like you from the start, our imperfections would’ve sentenced us to an early extinction. But we’re more than what you are. We’ve evolved and we’ll continue to evolve, with or without your consent.”

Nick took a deep breath. Pushing off the ice, Nick stood up. Every fiber of his being wanted to give up. He wanted to lie down and stay down. But he also wanted to save the world. With burning determination and clenched fists, Nick glared at his alien clone, and did not blink.

“No, your evolution ends now.”

Zilla roared, recognizing which one of them was his real father. To the surprise of Nick’s alien clone, the giant reptile picked the alien up by his two fingers, and dangled him in front of his massive jaws. Nick looked up, smiling. His alien clone was screaming for his life. Zilla passed judgment before he could plead his case.

Zilla flicked the alien, hurtling his mangled remains at Orga’s direction. Nick shielded his eyes, knowing what was coming next. Atomic light enriched Zilla’s spikes, heralding his thermonuclear breath. Emerald flames vaporized the clone of Nick Tatopoulos and burned into Orga’s backside. Screeching wails attracted Kiryu and the Millennian UFO’s attention. Zilla sprinted across the ice, pouncing on the wounded Orga while simultaneously knocking Kiryu down with his tail. It all happened lightning fast.

“That’s my boy,” Nick whispered.

The Millennian UFO descended, firing its energy cannon into the reptile’s chest. Zilla went flying into the hangar where the UFO had been kept. Shaking crumbled ice off of his scaly face, Zilla braced himself for the UFO’s second strike. Its energy cannon enveloped the giant lizard, casting a bright light throughout the land. When the UFO powered its energy weapon down, all that remained was a sizzling impact crater. As it hovered closer, its sensors realized it was more than just a crater.

It was a hole.

Disheveled ice burst out from under the UFO, a blast of pure radioactive heat burning a hole through its undercarriage. The UFO left a trail of burning smoke before crashing into a hillside, dying in a great explosion. As Zilla pulled himself out of the hole, Orga blindsided the reptilian interloper by tackling him into the ground. With bestial savagery, the hulking behemoth ripped its thick, hooked fingers into the atomic theropod, tearing his chest open with splattering blood.

Fighting the pain, Zilla answered by giving Orga a mouthful of thermonuclear fires, disorientating the mammoth alien as it stumbled away. The lean saurian moved to take advantage of his foe’s compromised condition, until Kiryu’s wrists-lasers seared into his rugged scales. Snorting flames out of his nostrils, his eyes glowed as his spikes powered up. But before he could blast Kiryu, Zilla was forced to face Orga as the alien fired a thermonuclear blast of its own. Zilla’s jaws parted, scorching the frigid winds with his fire.

The two thermonuclear blasts burned into one another. With neither giving ground, the flames exploded into all directions, melting the ice while evaporating the snow. The torrent of atomic fire burning out of Zilla’s mouth faded. He looked away and shielded himself, expecting Orga’s atomic fire to envelop him. When that didn’t happen, Zilla stared into the maelstrom of fire burning in the heart of Antarctica.

Zilla was cautious of his surroundings, but he couldn’t help it; the fire was beautiful. When did life become so enthralled by fire? Fire was both beautiful and deadly. Whenever a forest fire raged, all forms of life would make themselves scarce. But every once in a while, a soul would become so captivated by its light and warmth, it’d do nothing but watch it. On some level, life felt a kindred spirit in fire. So, too, did Zilla. Atomic fire burned in his heart. It’s what gave him life, and it’s what would give him the strength to end Orga’s.

Suddenly, Orga’s claw shot out of the fire, grabbing Zilla by the snout. With tremendous strength, it pulled Zilla into the inferno.

–

Monique and her HEAT teammates watched the battle unfold. They’ve seen their fair share of monster battles. But this one was different. The stakes were higher. If Zilla perished, all life would follow him into oblivion. Subduing her personal doubts, Monique moved into action. She walked over the edge where Kiryu towered above them. It had its weapons drawn on Zilla, ready to fire.

“Akane!” Monique shouted, while waving her arms. “Akane, if you can hear me, you must take back control!”

“That’s your plan?” Philippe said, with the look of defeat in his hardened face.

“If there’s the chance she’s still alive and can hear me,” Monique responded back, “I’m going to do everything I can to help.”

Randy, Craven and Elsie joined them.

“We can help,” Elsie said. “Although I’ve never seen our dear French operative show so much emotion. It must be Christmas.”

“Randy and I can get NIGEL to hack into Kiryu’s network,” Craven bragged, before looking nervous. “Maybe we can free it of Orga’s control.”

–

Akane opened her eyes to familiar surroundings. A network of machines and blinking lights greeted her beaten and bruised complexion. The last thing she remembered before losing consciousness was Kiryu malfunction and Orga’s ambush. Somehow, the alien hacked into Kiryu’s systems. When she looked to see what was happening outside, she saw only static.

“Kiryu,” Akane whispered. “We’ve been compromised. I know you can hear me. You must help us.”

A perpetual silence filled the room. It was unusual, given how all the machines and hydraulics were humming a few seconds earlier. Was she too late? Had the alien presence erased Kiryu’s spirit? As Akane moved to find another way to regain control, she heard a distant rumble. It was coming from within her Mechagodzilla.

–

Craven touched a control rod, motioning for NIGEL to move into position. When NIGEL didn’t move, Craven’s confidence plummeted. He reached to restart NIGEL’s mainframe, but the robot batted his arm away. It tilted its head, staring at Craven with its glowing green eyes. In a flash, NIGEL’s green eyes turned red.

“Randy, please tell me this is your doing,” Elsie whispered. “Which would be really bad timing, by the way.”

“Uh, no,” Randy admitted, with apprehension in his voice. “My work is far more original than this.”

NIGEL raised its arms in a threatening gesture. In an instant, the robot released a disturbing, sonic scream. It charged at the humans, waving its sharp arms around as if they were knives. Monique and Philippe jumped in front of the members of HEAT, pistols raised. They emptied their bullets into the wild robot, punching holes through its golden exterior. NIGEL didn’t slow down. Elsie screamed for Major Hicks and his men to help them.

“I refuse to be killed by NIGEL of all things!” she shouted. Craven looked offended.

“That UFO must’ve hacked into it when NIGEL connected with it earlier!” Randy theorized. “The doc’s little toy has been one big ticking time bomb this whole time.”

NIGEL was seconds away from tearing into its creators before Kiryu’s hand scooped him up, crushing it into thousands of pieces. Randy laughed after hearing NIGEL scream, much to Craven’s dismay.

Kiryu looked down at the humans, his eyes glowing red. Philippe was distrustful, believing the red eyes represented Kiryu’s descent into madness. But Monique knew better. She waved at the robotic behemoth, nodding her head in approval.

“So this is what Kiryu looks like when it goes berserk,” Monique quietly remarked.

Philippe felt nervous again. “Berserk? How does Kiryu going berserk help them?

Akane’s voice answered through a hidden speaker. “Kiryu is in control, but he’s agreed to help us. He knows what’s at stake. But before we intervene, we need to go help someone.”

Rocket boosters burned to life. In a great burst of energy, Kiryu jumped thousands of feet into the air, and landed in a controlled descent not far from Nick Tatopoulos. Kiryu lowered his hand, waiting for Nick to step into the center of its palm.

“Get in,” Akane’s digitized voice said.

Nick moved as fast as his tired body could. Kiryu picked him up slowly, motioning for him to enter through a door at the base of his neck. Nick did exactly that.

‘Cool,’ it was all Nick could say to himself. He was about to enter the cockpit of the new Mechagodzilla, Kiryu.

When Nick entered, a wall of warm air greeted him. It was one of the greatest feelings he had ever felt. It reminded him of being in the arms of his girlfriend, Audrey Timmonds. Akane rushed over to help him. She checked his vitals, making sure he wasn’t about to die on her.

“You’ll live, Doctor Tatopoulos,” she said. “But we need to get you medical attention as soon as possible.”

“No,” Nick responded. “What we need to do is to give Zilla our help as soon as possible.”

Akane nodded.

–

Orga slammed Zilla repeatedly into the ice, the heroic reptile gasping for air, but he couldn’t breathe. The heavy blows must’ve punctured one of his lungs, it’d take a few moments for Zilla’s regeneration to heal the damage. Orga choked him with one claw and showed him the other. It was its way of saying Zilla didn’t have moments. The alien raised its hooked claw, looking to decapitate the giant reptile that had troubled him so.

An oral maser cannon and a barrage of laser blasts zapped into the elbow joint, blasting it off with its destructive power. Orga screamed like the wounded animal it was, the overwhelming pain searing its nerves. Rockets burned at maximum power, propelling the metal dragon in the direction of its alien adversary. Kiryu’s metallic armor pulsated with light, charging up enormous amounts of kinetic energy. When Kiryu rammed into Orga, it directed all that energy into the alien. The end result was anything but pleasant for Orga.

As Orga was sent flying into a mountain, Kiryu inspected the condition of his comrade. Zilla stared at the steel giant, unsure of its motives. When Nick’s voice spoke through Kiryu’s speakers, confirming him as a friendly, Zilla accepted the Mechagodzilla as his ally.

When the Millennian beast awoke, it found itself in the heart of a ravaged mountain. Slowly, Orga rose to its full height. It was hard to imagine something was powerful enough to deliver such a mighty blow. It was even harder to imagine something being strong enough to survive such a catastrophe. The gray alien felt its bones snap back into place. Its body could heal the damage, but not the pain. Grumbling, the hulking monolith continued its stride. Kiryu rapidly descended from the sky, blocking Orga’s path. The colossal hunchback roared at the robot, ready for a rematch. Its alien shriek was drowned out by an even louder roar. Zilla stood behind the monstrosity, swinging his tail back and forth like a tiger ready to pounce. Orga was surrounded and outnumbered. Not that it mattered.

Orga leapt at Kiryu, claws outstretched. Wrist-mounted lasers fired, bouncing off its grey-greenish hide; Orga’s assimilation of Zilla’s DNA enhanced its resistance to harm. So he would have to opt for a different strategy. Kiryu jumped back, using his rocket boosters to create an even larger gap between him and the progenitor of life. Swirls of ethereal light sucked into the divot in Orga’s shoulder, unleashing a powerful kinetic blast. It caught Kiryu by surprise, drilling it into the frozen earth, pushing the robot back for miles.

Inside Kiryu’s cockpit, Nick didn’t know where he was. His entire world had just been shaken up. Akane was holding on to a lever at the control pad. Blood dripped out a newly made cut on her forehead. Nick cleared his throat to speak only to swallow the taste of his own blood. On the monitor, Nick saw Orga approaching. Behind the hulking abomination, Zilla tore into him.

Zilla’s teeth and claws couldn’t pierce the thick alien hide. Orga’s claws, however, would have no such trouble. The swift agility of the nimble hero saved him from being eviscerated. Still, he wasn’t fast enough to evade Orga’s oncoming thermonuclear fire, the blistering heat eating away at his rugged scales. Now he knew what it felt like to taste his own medicine. So many have been slain by his atomic fire, yet he wouldn’t be one of them.

Zilla clawed at the ground, disappearing beneath its white surface. Hundreds of feet beneath the ice, Zilla tunneled. He clawed through a patch of ice before coming face-to-face with the abominable mutant. Orga had burrowed down to meet him in his own element.

Kiryu surveyed the desolate landscape. There were no signs of Orga or Zilla. Then the land shook, splitting the icy earth asunder. The enlarged alien beast jumped out in a hail of ice, with the squirming lizard trapped in his clutches. Orga slammed Zilla down, creating a gigantic crater. Optic sensors couldn’t see through the haze caused by the impact. When it cleared, Orga stood over its fallen prey, jaws snapping open. The mouth of the deformed alien was now several times wider, wanting to swallow the mutant squamate whole. Kiryu burned his rockets and flew up into the sky. Then he shut them off, allowing his body to fall right on Orga’s back.

The massive goliath tried shaking Kiryu off, only for Zilla to recover fast enough to fire his thermonuclear blast into the back of the exposed maw, burning the alien’s insides. Orga didn’t squirm or cry, all it did was focus its livid, demented eyes on the radioactive iguana. There was a spark in the back of Orga’s throat. Zilla and Kiryu knew what was coming next. As Orga prepared to fire its thermonuclear breath, Kiryu wrapped his arms around the alien’s throat, and squeezed as hard as he could. Orga panicked, knowing he couldn’t stop the irradiated energy from building up.

The first sign that his energy was overloading happened when the spikes on his back blew up into thousands of glowing shards. Extraterrestrial eyes melted in their sockets, erased by the green flames burning from within. Gray skin bubbled and popped. Before long, Orga’s body increased in size, becoming several times larger than Kiryu and Zilla. At the right time, Kiryu released his grip, and jumped off as Orga disappeared in a fiery blast.

What remained of Orga writhed in an ocean of smoldering flesh and screaming heads. Everything Orga’s alien race had assimilated, every single living being it had ever taken into itself, screamed for a merciful death. It was the most gruesome, sickening thing anyone had ever seen. There were so many of them. Somewhere in the center of all this madness, Orga’s mangled head gasped for air.

Kiryu and Zilla watched Orga suffer. It was inhumane to leave him like this.

“Kiryu,” Akane said. “Finish him.”

Kiryu’s chest opened, revealing the Absolute Zero Cannon. Particles of light encircled the mouth of the cannon, fusing together into a glowing sphere. They would be ready to fire its most powerful weapon in under a minute.

Nick closed his eyes and thought about what Doctor Blair said earlier. He told Nick not to trust anyone. That advice turned out to be true. He couldn’t even trust himself. Today, Nick caught a glimpse of what he’d be like if he had the knowledge of a demigod. He’d be as cold and merciless as the Antarctic. But he also knew these forerunners of life lacked humanity and humility. Somewhere in the distant past, these beings exchanged honor for power. Admittedly, Nick felt tiny in comparison. But that was to be expected. If there’s anything he could gain from all this, it’s pride. Despite all their power and knowledge, the Millennian race wants what humankind has.

Someday, perhaps centuries from now, humankind will ascend beyond the stars, and achieve greatness without forsaking its soul.

Kiryu fired. Orga’s writhing, multi-limbed form transformed into a frozen statue. Zilla walked over and stomped on its frozen head, causing a massive ripple, shattering the malformed body into millions of pieces. Zilla’s spikes flashed, as he unleashed his thermonuclear fire on the shattered remains. Green flames engulfed Orga, leaving no trace of the alien.

It was a good day to be an earthling.

–

Colors of blue painted the skies. The weather was nice, no howling winds or snowstorms. Antarctica looked stunning as the sunlight sparkled off its white skin. The scenery was so relaxed, so peaceful; Nick couldn’t even hear the helicopters whirring behind him. Elsie walked up, comforting him with a touch on his shoulder.

“We need to get you back to the boats or you’re going to die of hypothermia.”

“What if I’m already dead?” Nick coughed. Elsie couldn’t tell if he was kidding or not. Randy walked up, patting Nick on the back. Craven joined them, still depressed over the loss of NIGEL.

“Chill, doc,” Randy said, reading Craven like a book. “We can rebuild him. We have the technology.”

Monique and Akane joined them. Elsie looked for Philippe, but he was nowhere to be found. Monique nodded slightly, her way of saying she was fine. Akane walked over to shake Nick’s hand. He trembled as he shook hers.

“Thank you,” Nick said. “Thank you for saving my life.”

“Thank you for showing us why human life is worth living,” Akane replied, meaning every word.

“Soooooo,” Randy chipped in, putting his arms around Monique and Akane. “How do you sexy ladies know each other?”

He had the biggest grin on his face.

Akane smiled, signaling Monique to answer for her. Monique escaped Randy’s touch and stepped close, nearly touching his face with her own. She now had Randy’s full, undivided attention. “We were once, how would you say, intimate?” she whispered into his ear.

Randy was speechless.

At a helicopter, Major Hicks was talking on a secured line.

“Yes, sir,” he said, his voice low. “I’m afraid our worst fears have been confirmed. Our government has been compromised. We now know who’s responsible. They sent us here to suffer a fate worse than death. So let’s take ‘em down now while we still have the element of surprise.”

Hanging up, Major Hicks called for Akane and the members of HEAT to board the helicopters. It was time to go. Akane and the other members of HEAT walked away, tugging Randy with them. Nick and Monique stayed behind, not yet ready to leave.

Monique looked up, marveling at Zilla. He’d been standing there this whole time, making sure Nick was safe. She could only imagine how uncomfortable the giant reptile felt this far south. Then again, Zilla was a radioactive mutant, and didn’t seem to be fazed by the cold. Like them, he might’ve found it relaxing.

Nick spoke quietly. “You asked me earlier if I think we should know everything.”

“Qui,” said Monique.

“My answer is still the same,” Nick confessed. “I don’t know. But I’m not going to stop trying. As long as we keep asking questions and keep seeking answers, we’ll find greater meanings in life.”

Monique nodded, admiring him for his sincerity and enthusiasm. Despite his renewed interest in science, Nick looked like something else was troubling him.

“I know when you and Doctor Blair last saw each other, you left on bad terms,” Monique said. “But do you remember his last words? He referred to you as both a colleague and a friend.”

Nick thought about what that meant. A light wind blew over him, encouraging him to move forward.

“Thanks, Monique.”

Together, Nick and Monique trotted off towards the helicopters. Zilla watched them leave, their words echoing in his mind. Little by little, he was learning human tongue, and what it meant to be one of them. Maybe if he lived long enough, Zilla might someday teach them something new, something they never would’ve imagined on their own.

The helicopters lifted off, departing for the shoreline. Zilla and Kiryu exchanged their goodbyes before leaving through different methods. Zilla burrowed underground into a hidden sea; Kiryu flew into the sky to follow the helicopters.

–

Orga’s grave festered. It would be quarantined and sealed off for decades. The events of today would be shared only by a select few. Those who survived the close encounter would be briefed and given whatever they desired in exchange for mutual silence. While the scientific community would’ve had a field day with all these new findings, it was generally understood why the public wasn’t ready to learn the truth. If word got out that all life on Earth originated from the Millennian race, Orga’s alien ancestors, there’d be chaos. It’s human nature to fear what they don’t understand; however, humans have the capacity to believe and disbelieve whatever they want, even if it’s the truth they’re choosing to ignore in favor of an ignorant state of bliss.

Somewhere in the ice, an alien squirmed. It looked like a bipedal squid, one with humanlike arms and tentacles. Since it was not of this world, it would soon die because oxygen was poison to its lungs.

Before crossing the threshold of life and death, it uttered a silent warning. The void was coming. In the darkest depths of space, it remembered how its assimilator, Orga, was fleeing for its life. It remembered how the Millennian race was on the verge of extinction because of this looming threat. They had returned to Earth, to their progeny, to start over.

A cosmic horror from beyond was coming. It was worse than King Ghidorah, worse than SpaceGodzilla. Upon its arrival, it would poison the Earth and eradicate all life.

With its last breath, the alien wished the earthlings luck and hoped they would soon break the shackles of their self-imposed exile. If they united amongst themselves, perhaps they’d find a way to cure the void that was here all along.

The greatest threat to life wasn’t some monstrous entity or an alien armada or a cataclysmic event; the greatest threat to life was losing the will to live.

Winner: Kiryu, Zilla