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…)

I’ve been writing stories for decades.

“Wait a minute,” some of you must be thinking. “Tom, aren’t you 24-years-old?” (more…)

Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Stephanie Hughes
Revised: January 20, 2023

[Continued from Match 51]

Daylight died with hope along with it.

That was how Akane, the pilot of the kaiju-fighting machine Kiryu, felt. Recently, Earth’s mightiest defenders joined forces to defeat the abomination known as Bagan. Against all odds, the valiant defenders of life prevailed, but not without sacrifice. Bagan slaughtered many brave souls. On the battlefield there was no distinction; Man and Monster alike died together. Akane couldn’t help but remember the late Dr. Serizawa and how he joined the first Godzilla in oblivion. He didn’t have to, he could have let the animal suffer and die alone in the freezing waters of Tokyo Bay. But Serizawa sensed a kinship with the monster. Despite their differences, it would seem they shared the same purpose in life: begetting destruction. And from that moment on, they were as one dead.

“Kiryu,” Akane whispered softly, “We truly are one aren’t we?” There was a low rumble. It was very subtle; it could’ve been one of the machines, a hydraulics tank, or an energy reactor activating. But Akane knew better. Kiryu was alive. And on some level, however small, Serizawa and the first Godzilla were too. Akane would need their help in the face of this new threat. For now, Bagan was no longer their primary objective. He was nothing more than a beating heart left to rot. Bagan was evil incarnate, the personification of death. He was the blackest of cosmic evils in the universe. When it came to single threats, Bagan was the worst. But if the forces of evil joined together? Suddenly, Bagan wasn’t very scary. This was what Akane and her allies were up against. That was why Akane was having a hard time being optimistic.

The greatest terrors Man had ever known have united.

Godzilla locked eyes with SpaceGodzilla, Destoroyah, and King Ghidorah. They were his greatest adversaries. Not even he could defeat them alone, he always needed help. Regardless, Godzilla roared in defiance at his evil rivals. So what if it was suicide? Godzilla would give them hell.

Gamera watched the skies warily. Even if it was dark, it wouldn’t matter; the wings of a thousand Gyaos could blot out the Sun. Gamera channeled his plasma. He could eradicate three to four Gyaos before being consumed by the Shadow of Evil. The Gyaos were truly living up to their name. But the Guardian of the Universe had more faces to fear. The alien menace Legion was once again at large. And somewhere amidst the swarm, their mutated prodigy–Iris–was pulling the strings.

Mothra Leo remained telepathically linked to his allies. All he could do was persuade them to remain vigilant. Desghidorah tried provoking the benevolent deity by torching a nearby forest, while Dagahra mocked Mothra Leo’s calm state by threatening him.

Gomora, Ultraman, Battra, Rodan, Biollante, and Kiryu prepared to support their heavy hitters. They were all in this together. If they failed, life would never be the same. Gigan, Kumasogami, and Megaguirus waited for the strongest in their ranks to launch the attack. But it was not their strongest, it was their dumbest. Megalon’s horn crackled with electricity, discharging yellow hued lightning bolts into Battra’s face.

All hell broke loose.

Battra retaliated, blasting Megalon relentlessly with his Prism Beams. Megalon howled in misery as Battra’s beams disintegrated everything they touched. The Seatopian God couldn’t return fire, the superior firepower of the dark moth was too strong. Kumasogami sought to kill Battra. He didn’t do it to save Megalon, the demon cared little for the deformed insect. Kumasogami wanted a rematch. Burning arrows seared the air, harpooning the thick hide of the winged guardian. If the weight of the arrows could not bring the mighty protector down, their explosions would.

Akane watched Battra plummet. She wanted to help him, but they had to defend themselves; Gigan used his chainsaw arms as tractors, ripping up the earth as he charged at the last of the valiant mechas. Using his thrusters, Gigan jumped up, moving to rip the mechanical dragon apart with his chainsaws. Kiryu raised his arms to defend himself. As soon as chainsaw met armor, sparks flew. The chainsaw menace swiftly hacked away at the steel-enforced arms, trying in vain to damage the robot. Little by little, the cyborg made progress. For every blow Gigan landed, his chainsaws scratched and rendered the man-made armor. Kiryu transformed one of his hands into a drill. In his other, an electric saber flashed out of his wrist. Kiryu deflected the double-chainsaws with his drill, creating an opening. With all his strength, Kiryu thrusted his electric saber deep into the chest of the cybernetic bioweapon. Electricity pumped into the cyberclaw terror, frying the cyborg’s internal circuitry, resounding electronic screams as his insides malfunctioned.

Kumasogami bent down, preparing to cut Battra apart. Gomora tackled the demon, pounding his molten infested face with a series of punches. Kumasogami fired burning arrows into the rugged chest of the ancient beast. The horned saurian steamed as the arrows detonated, flames gobbling his chest, yet the dinosaur refused to fall. The subterranean monster tried bashing Kumaosgami’s head in like before, only for the demonic golem to overpower him, tossing the brown dinosaur like a toy with his fearsome strength.

Gomora felt the ground rise as his body sunk deeper into it. He tried clawing his way out of the earth that spawned him, but the primal lava god was there to stomp him deeper into his grave. Gomora wailed a challenge to not only Kumasogami, but death itself. This place would not become his tomb. The fiery devil would try to prove him wrong; the demon bombarded the helpless foe with his exploding arrows. Pillars of fire sailed into the night sky, burning the hole in the ground and its prisoner.

Megaguirus grazed the winds, striking Ultraman with her wing. Right as he fell down, Ultraman was back on his feet. Energy beams blazed out of his hands, hitting nothing but air. The supersonic insectoid was too fast for him to score a direct hit. In a burst of supersonic speed, Megaguirus flew around the Warrior of Light, and buried her pincers deep into his back. Ultraman shouted his displeasure, falling forward. Megaguirus didn’t let him go, she kept her pincers buried deep in his backside.

Before any permanent damage could be inflicted, Biollante’s vines entangled the prehistoric predator, and pulled her into the ground so hard it knocked the wind out of her. Free of the Meganula Queen’s foul grip, Ultraman wanted to share his pain with the demented anisoptera. The super dragonfly felt the giant humanoid pound her face in with his fists, but Megaguirus would not be so easily beaten. Her wings vibrated so fast into obscurity, Biollante’s vines were torn apart. The mammoth Godzilla-plant hybrid cried out as Megaguirus broke free. Using her speed, she buried her tail blade deep into Ultraman’s chest cavity, the light in Ultraman’s dome shaped eyes beginning to fade. He could feel Megaguirus ripping his life force out from him.

The genetically engineered superbeast sprayed her acid onto Megaguirus’s back, the vicious insect screeching as the acid ate away at her exoskeleton. Unable to stick around long enough to suck Ultraman dry, Megaguirus left him alone to engage Biollante. Gathering Ultraman’s stolen power, Megaguirus funneled it into her abdominal region and discharged it in the form of a glowing sphere. Biollante felt it explode against her face. Although it inflicted no visible wounds, it was strong enough to give Biollante a concussion. A helpless Ultraman watched on as his largest ally fell.

—

The Gyaos hadn’t attacked yet. Gamera knew they alone could destroy him and his friends. If he didn’t think of something soon, they’d be nothing but corpses come morning. Flames hissed in the back of his throat. The Guardian of the Universe decided it would be best to pay Iris a visit. If he could kill him, then perhaps the Gyaos would kill each other long before they noticed him. Gamera’s legs disappeared in columns of smoke, azure flames propelling him into the dark heavens.

A few Gyaos flew down to meet him, cackling like crows. They were taunting him. Gamera disintegrated them with his fireballs. Balls of burning plasma lit up the night sky, acting like a beacon to the swarm, the burning carcasses never hitting the ground. Gyaos were well-known for their cannibalistic tendencies. Gamera flew through the horde, clawing the reptilian vultures aside. None of them attacked. Gamera’s heart was racing. He had fought these devils all his life. Not once did they ever demonstrate such patience. They were like ravenous locusts, driven by an insatiable hunger.

Gamera sensed a greater hand at work here.

Iris really was controlling the Gyaos.

As the chelonian guardian approached a clearing–akin to the eye of a storm–he finally located Iris. Suspended in midair, surrounded by his four wavering tentacles, the crimson beast boomed a challenge to the Guardian of the Universe. Gamera accepted. He tucked his head and limbs into his shell, spinning like a flying saucer. On command, dozens of Gyaos sliced the winds with their sonic beams. They bounced off Gamera’s shell, ripping other Gyaos apart. Iris braced himself; Gamera crashed into the false prophet, spinning so fast he pushed Iris across the night sky. The armored phoenix felt the frigid winds overlap him as he prepared to put a stop to this.

Using his scythe appendage, Iris thrusted it so hard it tore into Gamera’s spinning shape. The mighty terrapin cried out as he came to a halt. Both monsters continued to soar through the air; but this time, Iris was in control. All four tentacles lashed out as Gamera’s head emerged out of its shell. Each of its tentacles ended in sharp metallic ends. Within seconds Iris knocked Gamera unconscious by smacking him with his tentacles. Green blood dripped from the tentacles while gravity pulled the comatose guardian down…

—

“Die!” Akane screamed as Kiryu electrocuted the cyborg known as Gigan. The bright flashes of light the electric saber emitted blinded all spectators. The cybernetic alien thrashed madly, bashing the visage of the mechanical dragon with his massive chainsaws. Black smoke seeped out of the cracks of the black leathery armor. The cyborg had been turned into an oven. Gigan had enough, raising his chainsaws nice and high before bringing them down. Kiryu tried backpedaling, but he wasn’t fast enough. The electric saber shattered on impact, damaging Kiryu’s arm in the process. Akane ignored the computers as they reported damages she was already aware of.

Thinking quickly, Kiryu uppercutted the neck of the cybernetic assassin with his drill hand. Gigan’s rocketing thrust lifted him hundreds of meters above his robotic foe. Crimson energy seared out of the cyclopean eye, creating a cluster of explosions. The mechanized reptile shrugged off the weak attack and answered with his twin maser beams. Electricity blazed into the cyborg’s chest, only inflicting minor damage. On Gigan’s chest, two tiny slits opened. Razor sharp discs launched out, with Kiryu only able to deflect one of them with his drill. The other punctured his left shoulder with ease. Akane couldn’t believe how effortlessly those discs had punched through the steel armor. Gigan watched Kiryu’s damaged arm sizzling with smoke. The cyborg shrieked with laughter.

Kiryu found out why, the hard way.

Gigan’s discs were homing weapons, designed to cut their target apart repeatedly. Kiryu tried deflecting them with his drill, but missed them both. The discs cleaved their way out of his chest, returning to their master. Akane surveyed the damage; the Absolute Zero Cannon might have been damaged. Kiryu dropped to his knees, bellowing a digital cry. Akane couldn’t worry about the condition of their most powerful weapon. The goal was to survive in the here and now. Gigan answered by firing his discs again. Kiryu tried shooting them down with his electric beam. It was enough to interfere with the electromagnetic frequencies Gigan used to control one, but the other grazed the mouth and cheek of the artificial dragon. Akane panicked as her beloved fighting machine went down in flames.

—

Molten fireballs erupted out of the three mouths of the super dragon, missing their speeding target. White hot beams lanced out of Mothra Leo’s forehead, stabbing into ebony armor of the hellish hydra. Painful shrieks echoed throughout the region, emboldening the protector’s mission. Imbued with divinity, the divine moth charge-tackled Desghidorah. Not even a behemoth like Desghidorah could keep its footing; the forest green guardian sent the planet killer flying. Leo didn’t have time to celebrate; Dagahra’s fiery energies mercilessly bombarded the paladin warrior. Mothra Leo was the most powerful force for good on the planet, but not even he was invulnerable. Dagahra had burned the deity with his flames, yet he didn’t succumb to the searing sensations.

Seeking out the sea dragon, Mothra Leo fired a powerful emerald energy blast out of his abdomen, drilling Dagahra deep beneath the Earth’s crust. He surveyed the impact crater, hoping Dagahra wasn’t dead. With all this power, Leo needed something to vent his concealed anger. There was a putrid flagrance in the air. It settled after Bagan’s defeat. He knew it was guilt, how he wasn’t fast enough to save his mother from a gruesome death. Hatred burned within his holy heart.

And what happened to the pure hearted soul consumed by rage?

Desghidorah tried shooting the verdant moth down with his molten fireballs. He learned the hard way what happened. Leo unloaded a seemingly endless wave of energy. Desghidorah was one of the most durable creatures in the cosmos, but not even he could wade through the sea of blistering heat. Mothra Leo watched the horrid dragon fall.

Preparing to unleash another wave, Mothra Leo didn’t expect Dagahra to return so soon. The sea dragon slammed into Leo like a rocket, clamping his jaws around Mothra’s underbelly. His rage drowned out whatever pain he might have been experiencing, energy bolts rippling out of his wings, torching the oceanic demon. Dagahra was infamous for having a high tolerance for pain, so when he released his grip, Leo knew he wasn’t holding back. On the eve of his arrogance, Mothra Leo discovered his folly; Dagahra shot the benign deity at point blank in the face. The divine lepidoptera shook off the heat, but the emerald leviathan was quick to pounce on the giant moth, pushing him downwards. When he hit earth, he felt the ground smash into him.

Dagahra glared at the creature pinned beneath his mighty paws. Blue lightning pulsated around his shoulders. Large horns grew out of where sacs designed to shoot his acid spewing Barem used to be. Mothra Leo’s multifaceted eyes witnessed Dagahra’s transformation. It looked like he had greatly underestimated his opponents. Desghidorah stomped over to where Leo was trapped.

There was only one thing Leo could do.

Mothra Leo’s body started glowing bright. Dagahra and Desghidorah were about to fire, only for Leo to explode into thousands of tiny glowing moths. Dagahra and Desghidorah roared in displeasure as the tiny moths buried their burning bodies into their hides. Finally, a blinding light enveloped them both. A powerful shockwave blew them back, heralding his reformation. Leo unleashed an onslaught of his holy light. Dagahra and Desghidorah disappeared in the landscape leveling explosions. The son of Mothra evaded their attacks with ease. With his foes beaten to a pulp, Mothra Leo turned his sights to the skies. Accelerating faster than the speed of sound, he flew into the Gyaos infested skies.

—

Godzilla showed no hesitation in the face of such impossible odds. The King of the Monsters expelled destructive crimson energies, recoiling from the discharge. The first kaiju Godzilla hit was Destoroyah; the Precambrian terror lost its upper torso in a cloud of fire, smoke, and exploding flesh. The red devil disappeared in a mist. When it showed itself again Destoroyah looked as if it had never been harmed.

The second kaiju Godzilla’s ray hit was the nefarious SpaceGodzilla. The cosmic dragon bent light as he warped the particles to his liking, manifesting a crystallized barrier out of thin air. The crimson spiral ray deflected harmlessly off its reflective surface. The third and last kaiju Godzilla’s ray hit barely noticed he was being attacked.

Red ionized plasma washed over King Ghidorah’s golden scales, but within a microsecond, they absorbed and manipulated the power of Godzilla’s ray, using it to create an invisible shield. All King Ghidorah felt was the sweltering heat of Godzilla’s heat beam. To the three-headed dragon, it was nothing compared to the stars he had traversed upon for eons.

Seeing his strongest attack fail sent a chill up Godzilla’s spine. All but one primal instinct pleaded with him to run for his life: pride. He refused to surrender, but that arrogance would cost him dearly. A milky white ray blasted Godzilla off his feet, the monstrous king feeling the smoldering crater in his chest burn. The magnificent supercolony marveled at the damage he had wrought. Wanting to inflict more damage, Destoroyah bombarded the downed king with his lavender hued beams of death. Godzilla spat atomic flames into Destoroyah’s face, forcing the crustacean horror to back off for the time being.

Before Godzilla could rise to his feet, SpaceGodzilla’s corona beam carved into his torso. Dorsal spines stabbed the earth as he fell. Like before, his instincts compelled him to run. But how could he run in this condition? Corona beams detonated the ground around Godzilla’s face. He knew SpaceGodzilla was toying with him now.

Enraged, Godzilla’s dorsal spines burned red hot, boiling the soil. Jumping to his feet, the atomic reptile fired his signature attack. SpaceGodzilla watched with boredom as the atomic blast raced to meet him. His shoulder crystals flashed, acknowledging the wishes of its master. Once again a crystallized barrier manifested, parting the crimson fire. Godzilla was about to express his frustration before noticing he was being lifted out of the churning earth. Godzilla was so caught up in his fight with SpaceGodzilla, he hadn’t even felt Destoroyah’s tail latching onto his neck.

With unparalleled strength, Destoroyah threw Godzilla into a nearby hill. King Ghidorah watched on with great interest. The King of Terror could see Godzilla’s power steadily increasing. The longer he fought, the stronger he’d become. He was looking forward to harvesting Godzilla’s awesome power. Once upon a time, Ghidorah visited this world in its infancy, in the time dinosaurs walked the Earth. He drove them into extinction, unintentionally paving the way for Mankind’s ancestors. But it would appear Ghidorah missed a couple dinosaurs.

Amidst the cries of war, King Ghidorah heard a familiar rhythm. Throughout his wretched existence, the terrible tyrant had heard many different heartbeats. This one he knew belonged to the avatar of death. Unbeknownst to the warring monsters, Bagan’s heart was slowly regenerating. King Ghidorah was ashamed to admit how threatened he felt by a mere beating heart. He wanted to attack it, but he knew he wouldn’t dare. In his own twisted way, King Ghidorah secretly envied Bagan. This was why he had come to pay his respects. Bagan’s second coming was unavoidable. And when the devil was reborn, he would be there to kill him and take his place.

—

Kumasogami’s burning orbs watched the flames flicker. Before him was a gigantic hole, believed to be Gomora’s resting place. It was here Kumasogami sprayed it with explosive arrows, consuming the cavernous tomb in a baptism of fire. And it was here the lava-embuned devil had every reason to believe Gomora was dead. But when the ground started to shake, the demon quickly learned he was wrong. Gomora burst out of the soil, burnt skin shedding from his bulk. With lightning speed, the horned saurian battered the burning golem off his feet with his tail. Kumasogami gritted his teeth, drooling hot magma as he did. The demon would never underestimate the underground monster again.

But Gomora wasn’t going to give him another chance.

Burning, seismic energies erupted out of Gomora’s horn, crashing into the chest of the wicked deity. Kumasogami’s baritone screams resounded as the Super Oscillatory Ray broke his chest apart. Molten veins sprayed out of his shattered chest, scorching the earth it spilt upon. Dark magics kept the lava pumping within him. Those magics were now severed. The vile golem felt his life force pour out of his wound. With one last act of desperation, Kumasogami swung at the prehistoric animal with his blade. Gomora jumped up at the last second. The burning devil cursed the gods for he came this close to slicing open his foe’s belly. The brown beast landed behind the demon, and the last thing Kumasogami heard before being blown to smithereens was Gomora’s triumphant roar.

But his view of the earth quickly turned upside down. Powerful energy beams had struck him down, and now Gomora was struggling to his feet, searching for his new enemy. The emerald leviathan howled a challenge in the open. The confident sea dragon saw no need to hide his position. Gomora stood upright, shaking from the fatigue of battle. Like a lion on the prowl, Dagahra crawled to meet his newfound prey. Gomora tried intimidating the artificial dragon by roaring at him, only for Dagahra to seared his neck with an energy blast.

Gomora charged, wanting nothing more than to gore Dagahra with his horn. Energy beams flashed out of the wicked creature’s mouth and shoulder spikes, leveling the bullhorn dinosaur like before. Burning flesh assailed his nostrils, it made him queasy. Gomora tried getting back up. His muscles were burning, his bones aching. He didn’t have any more energy left. Dagahra’s shoulder spikes split open, firing a volley of Barem. The tiny starfish-shaped organisms clung to his brown flesh, secreting acid specifically designed to trigger his pain receptors. The pain was so excruciating, Gomora wanted to die.

—

Megaguirus relentlessly slashed at the warrior of light known as Ultraman. Glowing blood oozed out of the humanoid’s grotesque cuts. Ultraman flipped backwards, narrowly avoiding one of her pincer claws. He threw a spinning energy disc into her face, but the giant insect blurred out of harm’s way. Not one second later, Megaguirus appeared behind her wounded foe, and attacked. The silver giant was sent hurtling face first into the earth. Rolling over, Ultraman fired his Specium beam, a super-charged ray designed to ignite the molecules in animate and inanimate objects alike. It essentially turned them into ticking time bombs. Strong enough foes have overcome Ultraman’s signature attack before, though Megaguirus found another way by evading it altogether.

The Queen of the Meganula suspended herself above Ultraman, flapping her wings rapidly. Sonic vibrations reverberated off her wings, bringing the warrior of light to his knees. He tried covering his ears, but he couldn’t block the sound out. When the agonizing sounds ceased, Ultraman was clobbered by her tail. The alien hero clenched the blood soaked dirt, fighting to stay alive. Slowly, Megaguirus hovered towards him, her bulbous red eyes wide with delight. Her sharp jagged fangs tasted the air, hungering for his glowing blood. She readied the stinger at the tip of her tail, but right as she thrusted it, it embedded itself deep into the earth. Ultraman had vanished out of thin air! Megaguirus panicked, thrashing madly to liberate her stinger.

In a flash of light, Ultraman reappeared behind the oversized dragonfly, having saved his life by teleporting. With incredible accuracy, Ultraman disintegrated the wings of the insectoid beast with his energy attacks. Megaguirus crashed into the earth, taken aback by how quickly the tides of battle had turned on her. She screeched her disapproval, but when a large shadow fell over her, Megaguirus stopped by staring in awe and disbelief. Biollante hunched over the crippled warrior queen, her gaping maw dripping with acid. Ultraman watched Biollante clamp her massive jaws over the writhing Megaguirus, crushing the life out of her. He’d be lying if he said he didn’t enjoy what he saw.

But fate was cruel. Flames split the ground beneath Biollante asunder, summoning hellfire. Within seconds, the colossal superplant was burning to death, her massive size consumed by raging fires. Ultraman transmuted his hands, alchemically creating a hose to shoot water at Biollante in the insane hope of dousing the flames. Ultraman rarely used this technique. It was risky bonding the tools of his armor with his flesh. Ultraman had no other choice. Even if Biollante somehow miraculously survived the conflagration, she wouldn’t be much help to his cause.

Six red eyes emerged from the darkness, focusing on Ultraman. Molten fireballs shot out of three mouths, singeing Ultraman’s posterior. Ultraman answered by twirling around, blasting Desghidorah with his Specium beam. Desghidorah cried out while sparks and explosions danced across his body. The three-headed, four-legged brute quickly recovered. Even while burning to death, Biollante proved her worth; sharp tendrils acted like spears, harpooning the thick hide. After penetrating the dark scales, the tendrils excreted their acidic blood. With acid coursing through his veins, the painful roars of the hydra could be heard for miles. Desghidorah’s body crackled, obliterating Biollante’s vines with an energy pulse.

Light manifested within the palm of Ultraman’s hand. The warrior of light sprinted to meet Desghidorah head on, determined to cut off one of his necks with an energy attack. Desghidorah’s middle head had other ideas; a jet of fire seared the air, splitting the earth beneath Ultraman open. The silver giant saw the fiery pits of hell reaching for him; he disappointed them by flying hundreds of feet into the air. Ultraman planned a counterattack, not wanting to abandon Biollante in her time of need. To his dismay, filthy talons slashed into his face.

Ghoulish cackles told Ultraman everything he needed to know about how much danger he was in.

Three Gyaos circled Ultraman like vultures. Only unlike vultures, the Gyaos attacked their meals whether they were healthy or dying. He felt their jagged teeth bury into his flesh. Ultraman struggled not to shout, knowing his screams would embolden the ravenous fiends. The red and silver humanoid fired his charged energy attack, punching a burning hole through the chest of a Gyaos. It died instantly. The other two savagely clawed into the human-shaped being. Even in his deteriorated state, Ultraman was a powerful warrior. Not even he could overcome two Gyaos by his lonesome. All he could do was hold them off. When his color timer started to flash–signaling death was imminent–Ultraman realized he didn’t have much time left.

—

Chainsaws bounced off the mechanical arm in a shower of sparks. Kiryu was hunched over as he tried backpedaling to safety, but Gigan advanced, swinging wildly. Kiryu blocked most of his blows, but of the ones he failed to stop? Chainsaws chewed into the armor, forcing pieces of it to scatter into the wind. Sweat permeated Akane’s face. She tried not to blink even when it dripped into her eyes. The damaged snout opened, discharging electrical energies into Gigan’s face. It was enough to make the cyborg retreat, but he didn’t have enough time to recuperate as a large, spinning drill clobbered Kiryu off its feet.

Computers inside Kiryu’s cockpit brought up live footage of a charred Megalon. The God of Seatopia berated the fallen robot with its laughter. Gigan returned to persuade the insectoid deity to continue his attack. Megalon responded by banging Kiryu’s back with his drills. The automaton tried defending himself, but the drill-handed brute smashed one of his eyes. The impact shattered its contact lens, revealing the yellow optic mechanism within. It didn’t diminish his vision of the battlefield; instead it was more akin to a battle scar. Gigan and Megalon attacked simultaneously, but Kiryu caught their sharp arms. His damaged hand started falling apart as Gigan’s chainsaws revved faster and faster.

Kiryu’s rocket thrusters ignited, blasting the machine hundreds of feet into the air. Gigan was tired of playing these games. Wanting to finish this fight once and for all, his chest ports slit open. Before the cyborg could fire its homing discs, Kiryu improvised. Right as Megalon fired one of his napalm balls, the metal dragon caught it and shoved it into Gigan’s mouth. Kiryu dropped down, kicking Gigan’s legs out from under him. The discs sliced the air above the Godzilla-based construct, missing him by an inch.

The napalm ball detonated, annihilating Gigan’s head in a gigantic explosion. With their navigational systems scrambled, the discs selected Megalon as their target. A confused Megalon didn’t know what to do. Kiryu turned around in time to see the discs slice through Megalon’s throat. It wasn’t enough to decapitate the Seatopian God. It was, however, enough to kill him instantly. Akane breathed a sigh of relief. Kiryu wasn’t out of this fight yet. Twisted shadows fell over the magnificent robot, Akane knew her luck was about to run out. Several Gyaos descended, shrieking madly at the artificial being. It had no sustenance to offer them. Its destruction would have to do.

—

Gamera regained consciousness right as he hit the ground. The impact rattled the area, attracting unwanted attention. He knew he was about to be attacked when felt steady vibrations in the earth. Too weak to fight back, all he could do was brace himself. Flames shot out of Desghidorah’s middle head, engulfing the downed turtle in a sea of fire. The shelled guardian summoned what little energy he had left. Green blood dripped out of his torn body, but when Gamera expanded his mind, the fire felt like an extension of his body. He manipulated it, absorbing it into himself. In ways not yet understood by science, the last hope of Atlantis used the flames to heal his superficial wounds, and rejuvenate his awesome power. Gamera let loose a powerful roar.

Desghidorah answered with a barrage of molten fireballs. The burning projectiles missed the monolithic tortoise, decorating the landscape in blinding explosions. Gamera felt the adrenaline rush, and with newfound power coursing through his body, the Guardian of the Universe was fighting at full strength once more. Gamera parted his jaws, separating them with hissing flames. Desghidorah felt the plasma fireballs explode against his armored hide, the three-headed titan feeling his skin sizzle. The tusked terrapin went on the offensive, but before he could sink his teeth into the blackened demon, a blinding flash of light repelled both from attacking. When the light died, Gamera caught a glimpse of an electromagnetic blast ripping Desghidorah apart. The resulting explosion was immense even by kaiju standards. The volcanic hydra didn’t have time to roar in pain. Within seconds, his body parts were scattered. A smoldering impact crater marked the spot of his demise.

Gamera searched for his unseen savior, wanting to thank them. Maybe it was Mothra Leo? When Gamera located Desghidorah’s killer, he realized Legion was anything but a savior. The alien creature was much like an insect. Only unlike all other known insects–or any other creature for that matter–Legion was a silicon based organism. Scientists have known about and studied the anatomy of other aliens for years. Their compositions weren’t too difficult to understand. But Legion? She was an anomaly.

And a destroyer.

He wasted no time. Fireballs erupted out of his mouth, searing into the electromagnetic shield. Electricity rippled out of the armlike appendages, destabilizing the fireballs. Gamera rammed into Legion, using his flight propulsion as an added boost. He wanted to grind her with his claws, smash her to a pulp with his great strength. It was like trying to stop a train by throwing a rock at it. Gamera’s decisive strike would’ve overpowered any other monster. But Legion stopped him in his tracks. It went without saying that if Gamera, one of the strongest monsters on Earth, couldn’t make Legion budge, then everyone was in big trouble.

Legion thought about crucifying the life protector with her sharp appendages. Instead she elected to rise up on her hind legs and fall back down, crashing her enormous bulk into her mortal enemy. Gamera hit the ground so hard, it hurt him more than when he fell from the sky. Bone piercing spears tore into the fallen warrior, pinning him down. Gamera watched helplessly as Legion hunched over, her twin horns surging with electromagnetic power, the very same power that killed Desghidorah in one hit. Gamera knew the cold realm of oblivion all too well. He died before. And the chances of returning from the dead this time? Unlikely.

Prism Beams stabbed into Legion’s thick face, showering it in sparks and flames. Distracted, Legion turned to face her new attacker, firing her electromagnetic blast as she did. Her beam exploded harmlessly in the darkness. Circling hundreds of feet above, Battra blasted her with his energy blasts. They didn’t hurt her. No, they were fireworks to her. Legion didn’t see the world in the way humans do. Her kind responded to energy signatures. Most life forms looked like light in her eyes. Electronic devices, energies, and attacks? They were as bright as stars to her. So when Battra bombarded her body with his Prism Beams, Legion was mesmerized by the pretty lights. The persistent guardian knew his attacks were ineffective, but he had to save Gamera. Of all Earth’s protectors, Battra understood Gamera the most. Even if he treasured the human race, Gamera ultimately cared more for the Earth. Battra saw him as a worthy beneficiary, one he’d risk his own life to save.

Legion grew weary of this engagement. She felt her children–more like soldiers–stirring in her chest. Sending an electronically transmitted signal, Legion commanded her swarm to attack. Thousands of man-sized soldiers flew out of her breast, flying to meet Battra in battle. The Battle Mothra unleashed hell, incinerating several dozens at a time, but their numbers were overwhelming. Battra watched them attack from many different angles.

At first, the Dark Mothra repelled them with his electric shocks. The hundreds attacking his body soon became thousands, with so many of Legion’s soldiers cutting into his flesh, he couldn’t react fast enough to defend himself. Gamera watched on helplessly as most of his chitinous exterior was devoured. Soon a bleeding husk of a carcass was all that remained of a once valiant guardian.

Gamera quietly prayed for Battra’s spirit. Legion had no feelings on the matter whatsoever. This only emboldened Gamera’s quest to avenge his fallen comrade. Fire churned in the back of his maw. The silicon alien analyzed her enemy’s intentions, realizing he was too close for her shield to work. Summoning the swarm, Legion sought to kill Gamera the same way she killed Battra, but the swarm couldn’t heed her summons fast enough. A fireball launched into her chest, exterminating the next batch of her soldiers. Wracked with pain, Legion backpedaled. Screeching her alien sonic cry, she commanded her swarm to show no mercy. The warrior of Earth saw the crater burning in her chest. He had gravely wounded her, and the time for a tactical retreat was now. Flames and smoke shot out his leg sockets, propelling Gamera out of Legion’s clutches. But he was far from safe.

Descending rapidly from the sky, a large body blindsided Gamera by drilling him deep into the earth with his feet. The red phoenix bellowed a booming challenge to the Guardian of the Universe. The shelled warrior crawled out of the ground, struggling to his feet. Iris stood in the darkness, his tentacles poised to attack at any given moment. Legion and her swarm loomed menacingly behind him, Gamera finding himself caught in a crossfire. Legion and Iris cared little for the other, so when she commanded her swarm to kill Gamera and Iris, the mutated Gyaos summoned a horde of his own.

Several Gyaos immediately flew down to protect Iris. The Atlantean prodigy knew they’d rip him apart before ever having the chance to kill each other. Legion’s horns separated, conjuring electromagnetic energies. Her swarm moved in to attack. The tentacles of the knight-like phoenix charged their sonic beams, warping light and sound, his Gyaos slaves doing the same. Gamera had to think fast. Firing up his jet propulsions, he ascended quickly at supersonic speeds. Electromagnetic blasts, sonic beams, and thousands of kaiju devouring space bugs obscured the earth beneath him.

Gamera tucked himself into his shell, spun rapidly in circles, and sliced a Gyaos in half. Then he popped his head out, pummeling the flashing earth below with fireballs. Flames engulfed the region, eradicating Legion’s swarm and the several Gyaos. Legion’s azure hued eyes burned blood red. Iris’ sonic beams had punctured her thick exoskeleton, but Legion in turn had vaporized all but one of Iris’ tentacles, badly maiming the mutated Gyaos’ body in the process. With flames crackling all around them, the two titans squared off. Gamera landed in-between them, eager to watch both of them burn.

—

Bagan’s heartbeat pounded in slow rhythms. It sensed another deep within the earth, craving its flesh. For hours, it hid in the womb of the planet, waiting patiently for the time to be right. While its brethren fought and died, Baragon kept itself safe. Its insatiable appetite had reached its limits. Tunneling to the surface, Baragon found its prey. Wiggling its big thin ears, Baragon sensed now was the perfect time to eat. More arrogant creatures might have seen this as something to brag about. Eating the heart of the most dangerous creature to ever stalk creation? Life would be indebted to whoever or whatever slew Bagan.

These things didn’t occur to Baragon. All he saw was a helpless meal. While the horn stabbing into it would be a problem, Baragon was perfectly willing to take the risk by eating around it. And so he bit into Bagan’s heart, devouring the heart of the dragon.

The dark power of Bagan coursed through Baragon’s veins, amplifying its hunger tenfold…

—

Spirals energized the crimson ray, blasting a sizable hole in the ground in front of SpaceGodzilla. Pillars of fire and clouds of dirt obscured vision of the cosmic sultan, stopping him from erecting a shield in time. Godzilla’s heat ray blasted through the haze, incinerating the skin off his alien doppelganger’s chest. Steam sizzled off the exposed crystallized sternum. Brimming with nuclear power, Godzilla fired a third shot. This time, SpaceGodzilla was hurtled backwards. While falling down, SpaceGodzilla’s malleable corona beam plunged into the neck of the monster king. He felt the cosmic energies shredding his flesh. Staggering in his stance, Godzilla shot his fallen space clone, enveloping him in plumes of fire.

With most of his skin fried, SpaceGodzilla’s crystallized skeletal structure glinted in the crackling flames. It’d take hours for him to regenerate the damage. Godzilla’s dorsal spines pulsated a burning red glow. One more hit should do it. But Destoroyah’s oxygen destroyer ray lanced into his shoulder, bringing the King of Monsters down. Godzilla’s feral eyes opened, seeing the destroyer descending rapidly before slamming its bulk into his body. Destoroyah struck with enough force for the King of the Monsters to be buried hundreds of feet deep. The smell of the blood soaked earth assailed Godzilla’s nostrils. Within a heartbeat, the pincer tail hooked into his neck, and lifted him into the air.

Godzilla weakly grasped the armored tail, trying in vain to break free. He felt the micro-oxygen dissolve his skin and strip it of its energy. Digging deep, Godzilla summoned enough energy to spray his radioactive fire once more. It blasted Destoroyah’s chest wide open, spilling green blood and shredded organs all over the place. The crimson tail dragged Godzilla to his knees in retaliation. The sharp horn on the devil’s forehead glowed an eerie orange-reddish luminance. As Destoroyah leaned over, swiping an energy katana out of its horn, Godzilla prepared for a painful demise.

But Rodan intervened; the mutated pterodactyl flew between the dueling monsters, slicing Destoroyah’s neck and tail apart with his wings. This unexpected attack threw Destoroyah off balance. Before he could regain equilibrium, the booming shockwaves pummeled the crustacean nightmare. Too overwhelmed, Destoroyah broke apart into trillions of microorganisms. It disappeared in a cloud of white smoke. Rodan’s timely save gave Godzilla enough time to get back on his feet and win this fight. Godzilla and Rodan focused now on the sinister King Ghidorah. The golden dragon stared at them both with mixed interest. They were insects to him, but they didn’t know that yet.

Godzilla snarled. Rodan flew into the skies, acknowledging the request of his fearsome ally. The giant pterodactyl dove behind the golden terror, pecking at its back with his sharp beak. It was like trying to stab a rock with a toothpick. King Ghidorah whacked him away with one of his wings. The three-headed dragon felt strange vibrations in the earth. Godzilla was charging at his top running speed. Unlike most kaiju, who’d flee at the sight of an attacking Godzilla, King Ghidorah stayed his ground. The charcoal gray mass slammed into Ghidorah at full speed, pushing the golden dragon backwards.

Then Godzilla snapped at one of the trunk-like necks with his teeth, biting them with his immense jaw strength. Ghidorah’s neck muscles were one of the strongest in the universe, so it took no great deal of effort on his part to break free. Godzilla swatted at King Ghidorah, his powerful claws bouncing off the golden dragon’s armored scales. A mocking chorus of laughter emanated out of his three mouths. Anger flashed in Godzilla’s eyes. The atomic reptile wrestled with the space demon, prompting King Ghidorah to manipulate gravity in order to fly upwards.

Earth scientists were baffled by the laws of gravity, unable to truly comprehend what forces make it work. So imagine the sheer terror scientists–and the rest of humanity–felt when they discovered King Ghidorah not only manipulates gravity, he unlocked its secrets. What was once considered a dangerous space predator in the minds of billions had transformed into the harbinger of death, a sickening sentient being driven insane by the primordial laws of an unforgiving universe. It was believed King Ghidorah had manipulated gravity to destroy countless worlds and civilizations in the past. Perhaps the space dragon threw a world off its axis. Maybe he eradicated the atmosphere. Whatever the answer, Mankind was not eager to learn the truth. Neither were Earth’s monsters.

King Ghidorah ascended higher into the night sky. Many confessed how King Ghidorah was to them one of the most beautiful and terrifying creatures they’d ever seen. But at night, it was easier to see the creature for what it truly was: a monster. Rodan tried knocking it out of the sky with his shockwaves, but gravity manipulations prevented that from happening. Atomic energy enriched Godzilla’s dorsal spines. Molten hot energies spewed out of Godzilla’s maw, crashing harmlessly into King Ghidorah’s barrier. Rodan joined the attack, striking the three-headed dragon with a beam of his own.

Both attacks failed.

King Ghidorah launched a counterattack; each of his golden wings were laced with sharp protrusions. They acted like claws in physical confrontations, but they had another purpose. Crimson lightning bolts blazed out of the protrusions, burning most of Rodan’s flesh. The giant pterodactyl crashed and burned. King Ghidorah’s six red eyes focused on Godzilla. The reptile curled his upper lip, warning the dragon not to attack. The three jaws of the hydra opened, firing gravity-guided yellow hued beams. The gravity beams lanced into Godzilla, igniting his flesh and bone. Godzilla writhed in pain as he burst into flames. The King of the Monsters tried extinguishing the flames by rolling around in the earth. It didn’t help much. King Ghidorah flew across the night sky, knowing his patience would soon be rewarded.

As Godzilla burned to death, emerald energies constrained him. King Ghidorah wasn’t the only gravity manipulator in the universe. SpaceGodzilla lifted his counterpart up in his gravity tornado. Thanks to Godzilla, most of SpaceGodzilla’s flesh had been burned away, revealing his crystal skeleton and the energized organs beating within. He wanted revenge and he would have it. A gigantic crystal spear sprouted underneath the floating Godzilla. Rodan squinted his eyes. Too weak to intervene, Rodan watched helplessly as SpaceGodzilla commanded gravity to slam his comrade into the crystal spear. With fire continuing to eat away at his skin, Godzilla felt the crystal weapon pierce his heart. And he was left dangling on the spear, roasting to death.

—

A few minutes ago, Ultraman was fending off several Gyaos in the sky. He retreated to the surface, finding Kiryu trapped in the same predicament. Now the two were working together, shielding one as the other attacked the reptilian vultures. Both were severely injured; Ultraman’s color timer was flashing rapidly. If he didn’t recharge in Earth’s atmosphere in the next few minutes, he’d die. It didn’t help much that he was bleeding profusely. Kiryu was in a similar situation. Gigan and Megalon exhausted most of his energy and damaged a great deal of his armor. One well placed Gyaos sonic beam would cut him to ribbons. So the two heroes fought on, using pain as a deterrence.

Killing a Gyaos would take too much time and effort, but their battle was attracting the attention of the others. If they didn’t exterminate them soon, more would arrive. Their prayers were quickly answered; energy arrays mutilated the Gyaos effortlessly. Mothra Leo appeared over Ultraman and Kiryu. With the Gyaos threat temporarily lifted, the trio moved to help their other allies.

Mothra Leo transformed into thousands of mini-glowing moths, cleansing Gomora of his Barem infestation. Kiryu and Ultraman launched a combined attack, repelling the sea menace known as Dagahra. Gomora could barely stand. Kiryu helped him do so. With quite possibly his only chance to rejuvenate his power, Ultraman shot up into the night sky, using every bit of his power to keep the Gyaos away. Within moments, Ultraman was in the atmosphere harnessing sunlight. Mothra Leo, Gomora, and Kiryu waited impatiently for him to return.

After a few minutes, Ultraman returned with his power restored, but his body was still injured, his restored power was already diminishing, seeping out of his wounds. To survive, Ultraman would have to find shelter and rest. However, now wasn’t the time for rest. The others needed him now more than ever.

—

Legion’s massive legs acted like spears as they were launched at the mutated Gyaos, but they were deflected at the last second by Iris’ equally impressive arm spurs. Gamera saw an opening, thrusting his elbow blade deep into Iris’ armored chest. The lone tentacle twisted in front of Gamera, shooting out one of his eyes with its sonic beam. Gamera stumbled backwards, wailing in misery. Legion advanced upon the mutated Gyaos, taking advantage of its distraction.

The silicon-based alien slammed its body into the red and silver organism, pinning the demonic beast. Legion wanted to annihilate Iris at point blank. When Gamera’s fireball detonated against her exoskeleton, it gave Iris the chance to impale her already damaged chest with one of his scythes. Legion knew the opportunity was lost. The lost guardian of the south sent his scythe deeper, spewing the gas compressed system of the alien insect. When Legion started thrashing around, she nearly freed herself of the spear-like blade, but Iris wasn’t the one she needed to fear. Spinning rapidly, Gamera separated the two monsters. He bashed and fried them with his spinning shell and blue-silvery propulsion flames. That was when Iris and Legion decided to temporarily put aside their differences to eliminate Gamera.

One of Legion’s sharp legs harpooned the airborne turtle, striking it hard enough to make him fall. Iris slapped Gamera’s face with his tentacle. Within seconds, Gamera found himself overwhelmed by the two stronger monsters. Their unholy union would bring about his destruction soon enough. Suddenly, a combined assault from Mothra Leo, Gomora, Kiryu, and Ultraman saved Gamera’s life. Lying in scorched earth, Iris and Legion were stunned by the unexpected onslaught. There was no time for the protectors of earth to celebrate. Not with King Ghidorah, Dagahra, SpaceGodzilla, and Destoroyah surrounding them.

—

The brownish-red reptile swallowed most of Bagan’s heart, gnawing at the horn that had impaled it earlier. He was panicking; the assembly of evil monsters filled his heart with terror. Baragon wanted to return to the womb of the earth and survive the oncoming apocalypse. The hunger of the subterranean dinosaur would soon bring about his demise, realizing he had made a mistake. But his urges compelled him to continue on, with the flow of dark energies enhancing his natural capabilities and instincts.

Wide ears perked as the quiet wailings caught his attention. He didn’t know what it was, nor could he understand the strange, mourning sensation they gave him. But when the shrilling cries of winged demons made their presence known, the primitive reptile tore his focus from the half-eaten heart to the vile vultures that flocked to his location.

With bloodshot, receding eyes, Baragon swerved with the dangling muscle strands of Bagan’s heart in his maw. A dry, wheezing roar parted from the dinosaur. But the demonic harpies dismissed it as a bluff and nothing more. Of the three Gyaos from the horde, one of them began to charge sonic particles in its razor-lined mouth, emitting a wailing shriek as it did so. With his sensitive hearing, such a strain disorientated the subterranean animal, but he refused to fall. Funneling more power than he ever mustered in his entire existence, Baragon unloaded a supercharged fire breath at the Gyaos.

As the other two parted, the one charging its sonic scalpel burst into flames. Its head scattered as bits of flesh and gore as the burning carcass spiraled out of the sky, crashing onto the scarred battlefield and left to burn. Of the remaining two, the second Gyaos sped straight for the brownish-red reptile, eager to tear the foolish creature to shreds. Without a doubt the consumption of the heart of evil had something to do with this creature’s unnatural power. And it was something the Gyaos wished to be a part of–or something that could be of service to their master.

With talons bare and feral, the Gyaos clashed with the ravenous Baragon, hacking and slashing away. The subterranean terror swiped with bronze claws, lacerating the blood-red skin of the flying devil. But the Gyaos was quicker and more precise, slicing the reptile’s mahogany scales apart. But no blood spilt from these wounds; for Bagan’s heart acted like a sponge, absorbing all of the dinosaur’s blood in the act of consuming the vile organ.

High off the adrenaline and the lust to kill, the Gyaos lunged for the jugular, tearing it straight from the neck. But once again, no blood spilled from the open wound. Baragon returned the favor by chomping the base of the neck, sinking his teeth into rotten flesh. Then, planting his claws firmly against the emaciated ribcage, Baragon tore with all his newfound strength, ripping the head of the wicked vulture off with little effort.

Even with the display of his might, the last of the Gyaos triad mindlessly flew towards death as if it had nothing to fear. Why? If this cretin knew better, it would have retreated by now. With the second one’s carcass, he sniffed it and picked up a scent. A genetic traceback that linked these foul ghouls together. If there was a greater influence at hand, then it would be taken care of promptly.

As if reading his intentions, the last Gyaos made a hard turn upwards, darting straight for the sky. Flames churned in Baragon’s maw, spewing girthy pillars of fire at the airborne demon. However, the maneuverable scavenger evaded the magma heat ray with elegant precision. And it succeeded where the others failed to do. Charging its signature weapon, the Gyaos dispelled a supersonic scalpel at the augmented dinosaur, finding an entrance way through the eye socket and through the skull. Even without an ounce of blood dropped, the prehistoric titan remained utterly silent, unflinching to the pain brought onto it.

Not giving a moment to spare, the Gyaos prepared another volley of its supersonic laser–only for Baragon to suddenly spring into motion. Using his powerful legs, the Barasnodragon hurled itself several hundred feet in the air, the nasal horn aimed square for the chest. Even as the Gyaos managed to discharge the scalpel at the last second, all that achieved was punching a hole through the unfettered dinosaur. At the moment of impact, Baragon plunged its body into the third of the Gyaos trio, clawing at it as both fell to the earth below.

Using the dying ghoul as a cushion, the two titans crashed with an eruption of dirt and debris, leaving the mangled corpse to screech until it ran out of breath. With a heavy huff, Baragon resumed the original task at hand. The dinosaur eyed the heart, with the horn still entrapped within it. What curse was inflicted to keep the obstruction there? But without a second thought, and with his organs and bodily fluids consumed, Baragon continued to chew and consume the darkest of hearts.

And felt every moment of it.

The heart pulled the horn down, slicing Baragon’s neck, chest, and belly open like butter. No entrails or blood spilled out, there was none left. Demonic energies rearranged the genetic structure of the mole-like reptile. The bones in the arms snapped to the surface, replacing its skin. Baragon died a slow and painful death, its body hijacked by the stalker of life. Bagan’s heart had found a new host.

And now, with his old body completely restored, the second coming of Bagan was nigh.

—

Mothra Leo shot his strongest ray in his arsenal at the dreaded King Ghidorah. The three-headed dragon’s thick golden scales repelled it with a barrier of light. With a single gravity bolt, Ghidorah blasted a hole into one of Mothra Leo’s wings. Gamera tried avenging his comrade with a fireball barrage, but his fireballs were prematurely detonated by SpaceGodzilla’s corona beams. Dagahra pummeled the Guardian of the Universe with his energy salvo. Ultraman jumped in front of him, summoning what little energy he had left to erect a shield.

Kiryu and Iris exchanged blows; the mutant prodigy whacked the mechanical dragon repeatedly with his tentacle, while the latter attempted to disembowel the red and silver phoenix with its drill. When Kiryu moved in too close, Iris lunged at him with scythes. The mechanized cyborg activated his jet thrusters, blasting out of Iris’ reach, but Kiryu was anywhere but safe. The oxygen destroyer ray washed over his backside, blasting it apart. The last of the Mechagodzilla lineage pushed off the earth, refusing to become a victim. Destoroyah studied Kiryu, wondering how much punishment could it take before giving up. He was too eager to find out.

The only intervention came in the form of Gomora, having other plans. The horned saurian jumped in front of Destoroyah, whipping his tail into its demented face. Destoroyah responded by bouncing his face off Gomora’s skull. Gomora fell next to his fallen comrade, dazed.

Soon Mothra Leo, Gamera, and Ultraman were overwhelmed. Knowing the time was right, King Ghidorah flew high above the battlefield. Iris ordered the Gyaos not to attack, knowing his soldiers would be slaughtered. Iris knew they were starving. If he kept them waiting any longer, all would be caught in their killing frenzy. SpaceGodzilla’s gaze ascended towards King Ghidorah, wondering why he had chosen sanctuary in the scorched skies. It didn’t take long for him to find out why.

A soul piercing roar ended the battle. While Gamera and the others felt their spines shudder, Iris searched for the source. Only, it found him. Bagan’s claw effortlessly pierced his back, shoving Iris’ heart out his chest for him to see. Blackness greeted Iris, welcoming him to oblivion. SpaceGodzilla watched the mutated Gyaos die.

The reaction was immediate.

Thousands of Gyaos celebrated their freedom, cutting the earth asunder with their sonic beams. They felt indebted to Bagan, pledging their allegiance to the dragon god. Bagan glared at the disgusting reptiles. They were the most hideous creatures he had ever seen. It wasn’t their appearance that made them so disgusting. No, it was their habits. They were bloodthirsty, killing machines. Living plagues. If Bagan could show emotion, he would’ve smiled with joy. He accepted the Gyaos swarm as his army. And when this was all over, he’d set them loose across the globe. Bagan saw Earth’s protectors, recognizing them as his sworn enemies. He’d see to it that they die slowly.

It was then Bagan saw the others. He had never felt so much sin in other living beings. SpaceGodzilla and Destoroyah glared at him. Dagahra gritted his teeth. Legion twitched her bladed arms and legs. Finally, Bagan made eye contact with King Ghidorah, and knew at once why they were here. Bagan roared with laughter. These fools were here to steal his mantle! He barked a menacing challenge. Let them try to usurp his infamous crown.

Gravity beams rained from the sky, stabbing into the malevolent devil. Bagan howled not in pain, but in pleasure. King Ghidorah responded with his crimson lightning bolts, covering the towering monolith head-to-toe. SpaceGodzilla joined in the assault, firing arrow shaped crystals at the demonic beast. They shattered on impact, exploding in great balls of light. Dagahra’s energy beams carved into the devil. When the smoke cleared, Bagan was unimpressed. Even with his boiled flesh dripping off the side of his body, Bagan grinned in excitement.

This shouldn’t take too long.

Legion’s electromagnetic blast took him by surprise, blasting a gigantic chunk out of him. Bagan fell to one knee, taken aback by the crippling attack. Already regenerating the damage, Bagan knew he had to act fast. Quickly closing the gap between them, Bagan rammed into Legion with his monstrous strength. She screeched in alarm, hurled across the broken battlefield. The alien succumbed to its immense pain by falling face first into the dirt.

Superheated energies slashed into Bagan’s spine, the mighty superbeast uttering a groan as the energies cauterized the wound, infecting it with micro-oxygen. A milky white substance subdued the spinal column, forcing the tri-horned demon to lose his balance. Destoroyah taunted Bagan with its mischievous chuckles. The Precambrian horror took all the credit for the suffering inflicted on death itself. Bagan paid his respects by incinerating Destoroyah’s face with hellfire.

Dagahra grazed the winds, snapping his jaws into the muscular throat of the phantom beast. Bagan wrestled with the sea dragon before slashing its neck open. Dagahra screamed but continued to persist. Bagan was about to expunge this nuisance until several Gyaos jumped the writhing leviathan, biting and clawing into emerald flesh. The death god encouraged his followers to kill every last one of them. Dagahra relinquished Bagan’s throat, and spun rapidly away in circles. Crimson energy rings erupted out of his spinning shape, cutting apart the Gyaos’ limbs.

Two Gyaos landed on opposite sides of SpaceGodzilla, snapping at him with their jaws. Snaking lightning electrocuted them with cosmic energies, the crystalline tyrant ignoring the foul odor of their charred corpses. SpaceGodzilla focused on their new master. Corona beams slashed into the thick armored torso, drawing blood. Bagan couldn’t retaliate immediately, he was still healing from Legion and Destoroyah’s assault. Bagan spat white hot flames at the cosmic saurian, who stopped it with his crystal shaped barrier. In return, SpaceGodzilla’s corona beams ruptured Bagan’s throat.

As the bringer of death swallowed his own blood, SpaceGodzilla’s crystal spines transformed into a spiky shell. The cosmic saurian levitated, choosing to attack from the air. Bagan waited patiently and, when his wounds were fully healed, jumped up and impaled the wounded chest of the tyrannical menace with one of his horns. SpaceGodzilla shrieked louder when Bagan jabbed his claw into his ravaged chest, slashing apart his insides. Red electrical bolts zapped Bagan’s arm, making it go numb. SpaceGodzilla used his entire body as a weapon; a wave of sweltering energy blasted the demonic tyrant off of him, the devil beast landing on his feet.

With its face reformed, Destoroyah returned the favor by spewing its oxygen destroying ray into Bagan’s face. The armored colossus sprinted into the mutated crustacean, tackling it. King Ghidorah’s gravity beams blew apart the right shoulder spire. Bagan glared at the three-headed dragon, concentrating as he did.

King Ghidorah soon discovered why.

Burning diamond shaped projectiles fell from above, striking King Ghidorah. He watched on as his own barrier deflected the diamond storm, but too many were striking at once. This in turn overwhelmed the barrier, unable to dilute the rampant energy. As the fiery diamonds punctured the space dragon’s flesh, King Ghidorah felt pain for the first time in his awful existence.

Several Gyaos swarmed Dagahra, stripping the flesh and muscles from his bones. Despite their best efforts, the Gyaos couldn’t kill Dagahra. Bagan tested that theory by engulfing him in hellfire, incinerating his Gyaos slaves in the process.

Smoke steamed off Dagahra’s flayed body. With his eyes burnt out of their sockets, the sea beast was blind. His muscles bubbled and popped, splashing into the soil. There was no way Dagahra could continue fighting. And yet he tried. The creation of the Nilai-Kanai fired his energy blast, permanently injuring his neck. Bagan shrugged off the weak attack. His opponent was anything but weak. Bagan couldn’t believe he was still alive, let alone fighting back. One more shot from his hellfire would do the trick, though Bagan had other ideas. Dozens of Gyaos consumed Dagahra with their shadows, proceeding to eat him alive.

King Ghidorah and SpaceGodzilla landed on opposite sides of Bagan. It was an unholy alliance between two unholy creatures. On any other given day, they would’ve fought to the death. Neither could defeat Bagan alone. So they joined together to fight a greater evil. Now it looked like resistance was futile. Their allies had been slain. And it looked as if they were powerless.

Mothra Leo begged to differ, blasting Bagan’s vile shape with his holy light. Gamera, Kiryu, Gomora, and Ultraman joined in. SpaceGodzilla saw them as nothing more than pawns in a game of chess. For now he’d spare their lives. King Ghidorah wasn’t as compromising; the King of Terror sent a gravity bolt singeing into Gomora’s belly. Gomora collapsed from the pain and damage. King Ghidorah cackled with delight, but hitting an unsuspecting creature wasn’t enough, so he blasted SpaceGodzilla off his feet. King Ghidorah relished in the betrayal; he ought to seek out alliances to break more often.

Bagan acted on King Ghidorah’s betrayal, cutting Kiryu and Gamera down with his claws. Ultraman and Mothra Leo were too busy seeking vengeance against the King of Terror. Even in his injured state, Ghidorah barely felt their attacks. So with an extra mouth to spare, the terrible tyrant sent them hurtling backwards with his gravity bolts.

That moment was when Bagan caught the space demon off guard; Bagan slammed into the golden hydra at full force. King Ghidorah sailed through the air like a bullet, not touching the ground for a mile. When he finally landed, the tyrant of the cosmos didn’t rise for several minutes. He couldn’t move, he was in so much pain. At last when he returned to his feet, he did so by manipulating gravity. He quickly realized he couldn’t stand under his own strength, so he bent gravity to his will once more, using it to keep him in place. Ghidorah didn’t look broken from the outside. Beyond his seemingly healthy features, shattered bones entwined with mangled organs. Blood dripped out of his three mouths, attracting hordes of Gyaos. Before they could attack, a vicious bark stopped them. Bagan marched to meet King Ghidorah, wanting the three-headed dragon to die by his hand alone.

The battle was not only taking its toll on Kiryu, but on its pilot as well. Akane tasted warm blood in her mouth. It was minor compared to the headache she felt after King Ghidorah sent Kiryu tumbling across the earth. According to computer projections, Kiryu’s power was at 28%. There was no time to return to base to restock on energy and ammo. Either they killed Bagan here and now or die trying. Akane couldn’t do this alone. So she checked up on her monstrous comrades. Mothra Leo was still fighting in good condition, which was a blessing. Having rejuvenated his strength, Gamera was fighting at full capacity. Gomora was seriously injured. Ultraman was bleeding to death, losing his newly restored power at an alarming rate.

But where were the others?

Akane fought back tears when she saw Rodan’s burnt corpse. There was a faint heartbeat, the giant pterodactyl was barely alive. But what she saw next profoundly disturbed her. Godzilla, the King of the Monsters, writhed on a crystal pike as charcoal scales were barbecued to cinders. This made her hate SpaceGodzilla even more. It didn’t help that he was, for the time being, one of their strongest allies.

Destoroyah launched an all-out attack on the protectors. Oxygen destroying rays lanced into Gamera, bringing him down. The crimson devil focused on the dying Ultraman, sensing he was the weakest. Unholy light flashed from the energized horn, blinding Ultraman. The warrior of light knew what Destoroyah intended to do. Instinctively, he dodged the energy wielding horn. Mothra Leo flew to intercept Destoroyah, but the wings of many Gyaos distracted the noble paladin. As Mothra Leo waged a one-kaiju war against the Gyaos, lighting up the night sky as he did, Ultraman struggled to stay alive.

Kiryu jumped to meet Destoroyah in combat, but he bounced off its thick carapace. The destroyer of the living clobbered Kiryu with its tail as an afterthought. On any other given day, Destoroyah knew any one of these beings could’ve given it a great fight. All the more reason why it’d be a good idea to eradicate them all one at a time. Ultraman wanted to grind the axe-faced skull with his hands. Yet every time his muscles twitched, he lost more blood. To defeat Destoroyah, he needed a way to keep the crustacean terror stationary to throw everything he had at it.

Then an idea popped in his head.

Ultraman raised both hands, shaking profusely. This technique was not unlike King Ghidorah and SpaceGodzilla’s gravity manipulations. Two telekinetic rays jumped out of his fingertips, ensnaring Destoroyah. Confused, the Precambrian terror howled as it was lifted into the air, unable to move. That was when Ultraman launched his attack. Cutting lasers and spinning discs ruptured the crimson carapace, splattering its green blood all over the place. Even if it couldn’t move, that didn’t mean the micro-oxygen organism couldn’t attack. Destoroyah charged its oxygen destroyer ray, blasting Ultraman so hard he found himself underground. With his concentration broken, Destoroyah was free to move. It lumbered over to the impact crater, looking down at the wounded Ultraman.

The hero of the light felt his life slipping away. Destoroyah snarled at the broken hero, reminding him of his inability to save the day. Ultraman answered with his Specium beam, incinerating one half of the devil’s face. Destoroyah shrieked its hatred at Ultraman, outraged by his refusal to die. With its horn brimming with light, the enraged demon brought its energy dagger down. Ultraman felt a burning sensation from his chest, for Destoroyah had sliced it open. There was no pain at first, he was in too much shock. When the winged destroyer powered up its horn for one final swing, Ultraman didn’t think much of it. Pain was an illusion created by the mind, meant to remind you that you’re still alive. Ultraman waited to die with honor.

Suddenly, Destoroyah stopped, its horn powering down. It recoiled from an unseen blow. Ultraman couldn’t believe his eyes! The heroic Gomora embedded his horn into the rostrum of the destroyer. Gomora’s mighty roar was the last thing Destoroyah would hear for many years. Using his horn as a bridge, Gomora pumped the demonic mutation full of energy. Destoroyah’s cries reverberated throughout the region as it exploded into a cloud of glowing particles.

King Ghidorah watched Bagan march slowly to meet him in battle. The King of Terror reflected on his reputation, how he was the oldest evil in the universe. These worthless specks known as humans talked about nightmares as if they could be controlled. He was the embodiment of nightmares everywhere. And he could neither be tamed nor imprisoned in the feeble minds of Men. This devil in disguise known as Bagan was something greater than any nightmare. It was as if he dreamt of an abomination and it was made flesh. Although he’d never admit it, King Ghidorah had a death wish. Life was meaningless, an anomaly in a sea of chaos. Ghidorah was there when the first star lit up the darkness, long before particles of dust sculpted planets, long before the first amoeba life form crawled out of the sea, along with all the other abortions called life. Understanding the true meaning of existence had driven him insane. Now he spoke in an arcane language not even he could remember or understand, but King Ghidorah was no stranger in the presence of death.

And right now, King Ghidorah somehow knew Bagan was death incarnate. Life and death were two sides of the same coin. So it was only a matter of time until existence breathed life into death. The golden tyrant envied Bagan not just because he was more powerful. It was not even because the cosmos feared Bagan more than it did Ghidorah. No, King Ghidorah envied Bagan because unlike everyone else–himself included–Bagan was meant to be. He had a purpose in life.

Gravity beams tore into the armored hide. Bagan waded through the gravity beams, ignoring them as they tore his body asunder. The demonic dragon broke into a sprint, but King Ghidorah was ready for him this time. Crimson lightning shot out of his wings, temporarily blinding the draconic destroyer. In the couple seconds spent regenerating his eyes, Ghidorah put to good use. Bagan’s newly healed eyes searched for his adversary. That was when Ghidorah dropped down from the sky, burying his feet into the tri-horned head. Bagan bent low enough to touch his feet with his tongue, but he refused to fall.

Ghidorah was shocked by Bagan’s indomitable strength. That dive-bomb would have broken even the mightiest kaiju. The incarnation of death growled, proving once more he was on a higher plane. Grisly hands closed around the ankles of the xanthic hydra, squeezing so hard they started to pop. King Ghidorah panicked, blasting Bagan in the face. Effortlessly, the monolithic dragon yanked King Ghidorah out of the air and into the cold earth. Red eyes glared down at the three-headed demon. Bagan wanted to kill him, but his hesitation prevented that from happening.

For the first time in his terrifying existence, Bagan thought about sparing another life form. This one was different from the rest. He didn’t want to admit it, but he actually liked King Ghidorah. He was the sultan of chaos, born into madness. King Ghidorah wasn’t a child of sin; sin was a child of King Ghidorah. Bagan recognized King Ghidorah as his ancestor and inspiration. All the more reason why Bagan should kill the three-headed monster. It was the only way to truly appreciate one another in this barbaric universe.

White hot flames glowed in the back of the dragon’s gaping maw, steaming the distorted air. Suddenly, glowing spheres hit and showered his armored posterior in light. Crystals emerged out of the fiery light, sprouting out of Bagan. SpaceGodzilla flew above the two evil monsters, mocking them with his ear piercing screams.

The demon beast gritted his teeth, a few of his teeth shattering. Bagan respected King Ghidorah; he didn’t respect the cosmic saurian. He had heard of this space creature. It was one of Godzilla’s many clones. It was perhaps the most pathetic in his eyes, a mistake’s mistake. SpaceGodzilla’s quest for absolute power was common knowledge, which Bagan found repulsive. Why would anyone or anything want to rule this pathetic universe? Why would anyone or anything want to rule over abortions? SpaceGodzilla wanted to become a new god for the masses to worship and fear. To Bagan, there was only one god to worship: death. And soon, SpaceGodzilla would meet his maker.

White hot flames shot out of Bagan’s mouth, SpaceGodzilla feeling the hellfire burn away his skin. While his body struggled to regenerate the damage–along with the other injuries he had sustained earlier–the crystal beast discharged his corona beams. The malleable, scarlet beams skewered the demon king, roasting flesh spilling boiling blood. Crying havoc, Bagan charged the flying crystal monstrosity. SpaceGodzilla tried to avoid Bagan by flying higher up, but the colossal death god jumped up, grazing the sultan’s face with his horns. SpaceGodzilla crashed next to King Ghidorah, awakening the three-headed monster.

Ghidorah instinctively spat gravity beams at his former comrade. SpaceGodzilla roared in irritation, electrocuting King Ghidorah. The two titans rose to their feets only to get into a tussle. Despite their best efforts, neither could overpower the other. Hellfire and scalding diamonds pummeled them without warning. SpaceGodzilla and King Ghidorah turned to face an enraged Bagan. The crystals sprouting out of his back siphoned his energy, feeding their master SpaceGodzilla.

Using Bagan’s own power against him, SpaceGodzilla charged augmented corona beams. They were powerful enough to blast Bagan to the ground, the newly energized corona beams so hot they generated massive amounts of smoke and steam after hitting Bagan. SpaceGodzilla took vengeance upon King Ghidorah, stabbing him through the chest with the jagged tip of his tail. Hearing King Ghidorah’s painful screams filled SpaceGodzilla’s heart with pleasure. He pumped the three-headed dragon full of electricity, shocking the life out of it.

Suddenly, Bagan charged out of the haze of smoke, shattering one of SpaceGodzilla’s shoulder crystals with his head. Enraged, SpaceGodzilla touched the horn still sticking out of the devil’s heart. It conducted sparkling energy, zapping the dark heart. Bagan furiously swatted SpaceGodzilla aside, then focused his attention on King Ghidorah.

Grabbing SpaceGodzilla’s tail, which was nestling inside King Ghidorah’s chest, Bagan thrusted the tail so far, it jutted out of the other side. Ghidorah screeched as the draconic colossus twisted the crystalline tail, tearing the three-headed dragon’s insides apart. The three mouths seized the horn in Bagan’s chest, twisting it. The pain was unbearable, forcing the armored dragon to abandon the fight all together and retreat. Bagan fired a supercharged blast, removing King Ghidorah and SpaceGodzilla from the battle for the time being.

“He’s beaten two of the most powerful, evil monsters we’ve ever known,” Akane whispered in disbelief. “Bagan, why won’t you die?”

Miles away, Bagan shifted his stance, as if he had heard Akane. Filthy breath steamed the air, his sharp, blood stained teeth somehow glowed in the dark. Perhaps someday he would die, but he would see to it that his enemies died long before he ever did. Stomping to bring about their doom, Bagan’s monstrous roar emboldened the Gyaos swarm. Their screeching, foul-mouthed bodies obscured the advancing Bagan from sight.

Ultraman didn’t even bother to cover his wounds. The Gyaos already had the scent of his blood. If he tried retreating, the Gyaos would find him. Ultraman was no coward, but he also wasn’t stupid. There was only one way he could make himself useful. If he had enough time, Ultraman would’ve shared his power with all his allies, but he could only transfer it to one. All of them saved his life, but it was the one closest to him now he felt most indebted towards.

Gomora saved Ultraman’s life by stopping Destoroyah. So now he would return the favor. Ultraman transferred his cosmic power into the wounded Gomora. All of it. Gomora’s eyes surged with incredible power. It mingled with his genetic structure, jumpstarting its evolution. His skin hardened into an incredibly thick plating. Bony spikes jutted out of his shoulders. His claws grew longer and sharper by the second. The glow in Ultraman’s eyes faded. Before slipping away into the blackness, the warrior of Nebula M78 witnessed the birth of a new defender of the Earth.

EX Gomora!

The dragon stopped. This new creature was brimming with immense power. Bagan cracked his hands in anticipation. After defeating the likes of Godzilla, King Ghidorah, SpaceGodzilla, and King Kong without too much effort, Bagan started to wonder if he’d ever find a worthy foe.

Bagan broke into a sprint. EX Gomora charged at his top speed. Trembling the earth with their footsteps, Bagan and EX Gomora clashed.

The armored ultra beast matched Bagan blow for blow, slashing the devil beast with his claws. EX Gomora drew first blood. Bagan angrily swatted the prehistoric super monster in the face, leaving terrible claw marks in its wake. EX Gomora hesitated for only a second. Bagan wasn’t holding back. The strongest creature in creation showed no mercy. EX Gomora wouldn’t have it any other way. There was plenty of energy to spare.

Flexing his newfound power, the heroic juggernaut smashed Bagan’s face in repeatedly, dislocating the demon’s bottom jaw. Roaring in frustration, Bagan slammed into EX Gomora with everything he had. EX Gomora was sent hurtling backwards, dragging his feet into the earth for traction. They gradually came to a halt, standing tall and firm. Bagan found himself hating EX Gomora more by the minute, but nothing could’ve prepared him for his opponent’s next move.

EX Gomora leaped forward, curling up into a spinning ball and collided against the visage of the tyrant, bouncing off and striking him with all the force he could muster. The recoil proved severe enough to force the demon beast to cough up blood. Uncurling in front of the devil, the supreme saurian shrieked in satisfaction. Bagan planned a counterattack, but EX Gomora ruined those plans by impaling the back of his throat with his tail. With what seemed like little effort, the muscular tail spear swung Bagan back and forth before chucking him aside. The phantom god clenched the earth, snarling in contempt, fighting back to his feet. EX Gomora curled up into a spinning ball, attempting to crash into Bagan like before; only this time, he was aiming for the horn buried in the demon’s heart. A direct hit would shove it deeper, possibly resulting in Bagan’s untimely demise.

Bagan shielded his chest, catching EX Gomora’s spinning form in midair. Recoiling from the impact, the demon dug his claws into the gyrating shape, his claws splintering off. He summoned all his great strength to throw the rolling sphere straight down, the impact alone making the earth explode sky high. Standing tall in the newly formed impact crater, EX Gomora was forced to eat dirt with a swift stomp to the head from the colossus. In turn, the armored reptile reacted by skewering the protective belly with his tail. Pulling the tail spear out, Bagan started bludgeoning the horned superbeast with his fists. Bagan wailed on EX Gomora, each blow sounding like a sonic boom.

The supercharged dinosaur responded by clasping the horn in the chest of the wicked dragon, plunging it deeper into his wicked heart. Bagan pushed the large claw away and spat hellfire, pushing the sheathed warrior into the outer edges of the crater, his armor unscathed. Bagan narrowed his red eyes into tiny slits. Diverting more energy into his primary weapon, Bagan fired his strongest plasma ray yet. It not only pushed EX Gomora out of the crater, it sent him hurtling backwards for miles while parting the land in its wake. It was so hot it made EX Gomora’s armor boil.

When the ray stopped hitting him, EX Gomora found himself consumed by a blinding light. All he could see afterwards was dead earth for miles.

The towering destroyer approached Kiryu and the others. It’d take EX Gomora a few minutes to reach their position, all the time Bagan needed to butcher them alive. However, Bagan felt a disturbance in the air. It didn’t belong to any of his Gyaos minions or Mothra Leo. It wasn’t until Legion dove into him did he remember who she was. Legion rammed him with such force that he found himself buried hundreds of meters deep. Legion’s gas compressed muscles propelled her blades deep into Bagan, crucifying him where he lied.

Bagan thrashed around for several minutes before realizing Legion had him where she wanted him. Her massive horns split open. Azure hued bolts pulsated within the exposed core. After being reduced to a disembodied heart, Bagan not only survived, he returned in full force. There was no way Legion could kill him, but she could still hurt him like hell. Bagan found a third option; the demonic dragon swatted the protruding horns so hard, he snapped them off like twigs. Her horns acted like control rods, charging and directing the electromagnetic energies. With them destroyed, Legion’s energy blast exploded aimlessly into the air, vaporizing dozens of Gyaos.

Legion screeched so loud it made his ears bleed. Breaking free of her clutches, Bagan took advantage of her misery by ramming into her. Legion stopped herself from sliding back, only to end up falling forward. Believing himself to be victorious, Bagan stomped towards his enemies, only for Legion to rise with hate burning in her bosom. Several crimson whips shot out of the yellowish core, piercing effortlessly through the thick armor of the dragon. Bagan watched them wiggle out of his chest as they melted his insides. As quickly as they appeared, Legion sucked them back into her forehead. She gave Bagan enough time to turn around and face her.

Legion wanted him to see his destroyer.

She pumped him full of her crimson whips like before. Bagan wavered, but refused to fall. They burned his flesh and organs, but it wasn’t enough to stop his stride. Legion couldn’t believe it. Her laser whips could kill other kaiju in less than a heartbeat. Bagan read her emotionless face like a book, her doubt made him stronger. He waded close enough to reach out and grab her head. With her laser whips continuing to melt his insides, Bagan snapped her head clean off, spraying gas out of her ruptured neck. Legion’s glowing eyes started to fade; before dying, Legion emitted a low, ominous warning. It wasn’t just a warning to Bagan, it was a warning to the entire world.

She was only reconnaissance. She died knowing her kind would avenge her by invading and conquering the Earth. And her kind outnumbered the stars.

But if Bagan succeeded in his campaign, there’d be nothing left to invade. Akane couldn’t believe how close they were to winning this. This war should’ve been won! They defeated Bagan, the world was saved! But those other evil monsters interfered. So many have lost their lives because of this foul demon. So many more would perish now because they weren’t strong enough to protect them.

Kiryu refused to let things end this way. He unleashed his maser cannons, trying in vain to blast apart the ultimate obstacle that stood before them. Bagan lumbered through Kiryu’s weak attacks. Gamera joined the fray, belching fireballs at the horrible demon. Explosions consumed Bagan as he marched on. He walked out of the flames, laughing with a psychotic demeanor. An emerald beam blazed into his stomach, stopping him momentarily. Mothra Leo cut a swath of death through a Gyaos swarm, fighting his way back to his allies. Together the three defenders launched an all-out assault, drowning Bagan in beams and fireballs. Their attacks pulverized his flesh, but Bagan regenerated the damage immediately.

Mothra Leo energized his body and flew circles around Bagan, appearing like a blur. Pollen shed from his wings, paralyzing the dragon’s powerful muscles. This stopped him in his tracks. Kiryu and Gamera simultaneously activated their rocket thrusters and jet propulsions, slamming themselves into the beast. Bagan was sent crashing down, but he was quick to get back up. Mothra Leo fired at his neck, trying to distract him long enough for Gamera and Kiryu to retreat.

He ignored the paladin deity, Bagan smacking Gamera aside with his tail. A grisly, skeletal hand grabbed Kiryu by the neck, and pulled him closer to Bagan’s ravenous jaws. Akane suspected Bagan would be taking a bite out of Kiryu very soon, only Kiryu was saved by the unlikeliest of creatures.

SpaceGodzilla.

Corona beams flayed Bagan’s rotten flesh to the bone. The demonic destroyer glared at the cosmic saurian. SpaceGodzilla’s single shoulder crystal glowed brightly in the night sky. Bagan mocked him with a chilling roar. Let his enemies join forces together! They’d only end up dying together, too.

Cold air blew over the near-dead warrior. Weakly, the giant pterodactyl opened his eyes. He was burned beyond repair. All that was expected of him was to wait there and die. Rodan saw Bagan fighting his comrades in the distance. None of them stood a chance. He heard the ruffling of wings above. Several Gyaos were fighting over who’d be the first to devour the charred flesh of the dying reptile. The pterosaur very nearly gave up until he saw Godzilla. The King of the Monsters was resting in an uncomfortable position. A crystal spear was sticking out of his heart. Smoke curled off his fried skin. Seeing Godzilla like this filled his heart with rage and sadness. Emitting a thundering cackle, Rodan flapped his wings and flew over to his friend. The Gyaos were too busy slaughtering each other to notice.

The crimson avian landed on Godzilla, quivering in his stance. On the battlefield, there were no words of comfort. Many have lost their lives, but Godzilla would not be among them. Rodan would see to that. The triple head crests affixed to his head burned with atomic power. Unlike most creatures, Rodan’s control over his energy was so great, he could will himself to self-destruct. Particles of light buzzed around the radioactive giant as his skin melted off. Shedding his flesh and bone, Rodan cackled loudly in his pure energy state, brimming like a phoenix as he prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice. He journeyed to the heart of his brother, merging with the King of the Monsters.

Godzilla’s eyes peeled open. Radiation corroded the air, assailing his senses. He felt the crystal spear in his heart evaporate. Planting his feet down into the boiling earth, Godzilla cracked his fists. He felt the energy within skyrocket. Before he could adapt, Godzilla disappeared in a blinding light…

The giant dragon lunged and grabbed Kiryu’s face, squeezing it. Akane knew Bagan didn’t need to exert himself to crush Kiryu’s skull, he was just toying with her. Before Bagan could destroy Mankind’s last line of defense, a blinding glow washed over them. No more than a few miles away, a mushroom cloud erupted into the heavens. Bagan glared at the gigantic explosion. What he saw emerging out of the mushroom cloud filled his black heart with dread.

Stepping out of the sweltering smoke, Godzilla roared a challenge to the abomination known as Bagan. His dorsal spines glowed like magma, pumping more steam into the air. Red eyes burned with hatred, rivaling Bagan’s own. Warping the elements, glowing raindrops sprinkled over the battlefield. Seething with uncontrollable nuclear power, Godzilla started his march. Bagan knew Godzilla would be a challenge. What he didn’t see coming was help.

Gravity bolts blazed a line in front of Godzilla, warning him not to cross. The burning furnace looked up to see the three-headed menace cackling wildly in the night sky. The atomic reptile stepped over the line. King Ghidorah hissed at the radioactive behemoth, gravity beams carving into Godzilla, blasting off chunks of flesh. Ignoring the pain, the atomic menace chose instead to focus his cold gaze on King Ghidorah. It agitated the terrible tyrant so much, he descended to face Godzilla in combat, but the nuclear leviathan was too quick for him. From a distance, Ghidorah was defended by his barrier. Up close, however, his barrier couldn’t activate fast enough.

At point blank, Godzilla discharged his spiral blast, punching a hole through Ghidorah’s chest and back. It didn’t stop. The burning stream of radiation cut into an unsuspecting Bagan, exploding with devastating force. Bagan’s rotting entrails dangled out of his wound. Hunching over after receiving such a terrible wound, Bagan growled at the King of the Monsters. Godzilla didn’t notice, he was too busy throwing King Ghidorah out of his way. Remarkably, the three-headed dragon wasn’t dead. It writhed on the dead earth, unable to bleed. The superheated ray had cauterized his wounds on both ends. Instead of blasting King Ghidorah to smithereens or focusing on Bagan, Godzilla locked eyes with his cosmic clone, SpaceGodzilla.

SpaceGodzilla was soaring through the air when he recognized Godzilla’s intentions. What he saw next was a blinding torrent of red light. After blasting SpaceGodzilla with his crimson ray, Godzilla watched the cosmic saurian plummet. Rising out of an impact crater, SpaceGodzilla screeched weakly at his genetic ancestor. It was as if he were begging for his life. Godzilla glared coldly at the space monster. On some level he did feel a distant kinship for the creature. After all, he had his own scent. They might even be the same creature, but evil and malice lurked in this dreadful beast. Like Bagan, SpaceGodzilla was a universal threat, one Godzilla sought to rectify.

King Ghidorah blindsided Godzilla with his gravity beams. The nuclear leviathan pushed off the ground with one arm, refusing to lie down. The golden demon hovered above the atomic dragon, mocking him with a chorus of cackles. Even with a hole in his chest, King Ghidorah refused to die. Gravity beams and crimson lightning bolts erupted out of his mouths and wings, bombarding the augmented Godzilla. Atomic fire churned in the back of his maw, but the world destroyer stopped him from attacking by blasting him repeatedly. King Ghidorah didn’t stop at Godzilla, he fired at the injured SpaceGodzilla too. SpaceGodzilla retaliated in kind with his corona beams.

Bagan glowered at all three monsters. As they exchanged attacks, Bagan prepared to kill them all. King Ghidorah channeled most of his great power to his three heads. Waves of shimmering light radiated off his golden scales. Gravitational forces intensified the electromagnetic energies gathering within Ghidorah’s maws. Godzilla and SpaceGodzilla didn’t know whether they’d survive or not. They didn’t have enough time to launch a counterassault. As King Ghidorah fired his supercharged gravity beams, neither Godzilla nor SpaceGodzilla were harmed by it. Instead the gravity beams tore into the already injured Bagan, incinerating large portions of his body.

Bagan fell into the barren earth, smoke curling off his ravaged body. Satisfied, King Ghidorah ascended into the night sky. He couldn’t stand being jealous anymore. His envy for Bagan took its toll, culminating in his last attack. The Gyaos steered clear of the world destroyer, fearing his power. Godzilla challenged the fleeing space demon, but King Ghidorah ignored him. Whether Godzilla and his allies succeeded in destroying Bagan or not mattered little. Ghidorah got what he wanted. And now this world would burn. Maybe someday he’d return to dance over their graves. Maybe someday…

SpaceGodzilla flew after King Ghidorah. The cosmic saurian wanted nothing more than to destroy Bagan. The stakes were now higher. The Earth’s champions might just prevail against Bagan without him, and if he caught up with Ghidorah and killed him? Even better.

Godzilla watched on helplessly as his greatest enemies departed the Earth. Wanting to kill them with his own claws, Godzilla felt robbed. No matter. He’d quench his bloodlust one way or another. The monster king focused on Bagan, advancing onto his smoldering remains. Suddenly, a fully healed Bagan sprung to his feet. Godzilla stopped in his tracks, taken aback. Bagan gritted his razor sharp teeth, hellfire hissing within his throat, but his boast was not taken as seriously as he would’ve liked.

EX Gomora announced his return to the fight by thrusting his tail through Bagan’s chest. Godzilla joined the fray by swatting the lower jaw of the towering giant, hot blood guzzling out of his cracked mouth, but the demon was far from beaten. EX Gomora’s tail was too close to Bagan’s injured heart. If it had been a few feet closer, the fight might’ve been over. Thinking quickly, Bagan jumped at the King of the Monsters, impaling the atomic dragon with EX Gomora’s tail.

The charcoal reptile hunched over, blood dripping out of his mouth. Before his transformation, Godzilla would’ve fallen.

Those days were gone.

Godzilla planted his feet, rising to face the stalker of life with no fear, only determination.

With herculean effort, Godzilla rammed his body into the horn sticking out of Bagan’s chest. The pain was immense, the herald of destruction feeling his life force slip away. When Bagan retaliated, he did so with quick precision. He brought up his tail to deliver a skull shattering whack to EX Gomora’s face. At the same time, Bagan buried his claw into Godzilla’s temple. Both EX Gomora and Godzilla broke off the attack.

While EX Gomora regained his equilibrium, Godzilla was not as fortunate. Even with his cells repairing the damage, the pain remained, he started blacking out. Wanting nothing more than to kill Godzilla once and for all, Bagan bounced his body off of him. Godzilla went sailing into the night, and when he finally landed, he was out cold. Several Gyaos tore open his motionless frame with sonic beams.

Before they could find out what Godzilla tasted like, plasma fireballs blew them apart. The Guardian of the Universe rushed to defend the King of the Monsters. Bagan howled in outrage at the chelonian beast. Godzilla should be dead by now! By his hand! Knowing the only way to kill Godzilla would be to cut down his allies, Bagan changed strategies. Gamera charged up another fireball, channeling more energy than normal. Bagan broke into a sprint, shaking the earth with each mighty step.

The chelonian defender fired a supercharged fireball, blazing into Bagan’s speeding form with a detonation. Bagan quickly emerged out of the cloud of fire, pushing Gamera aside as if it were an afterthought. Gamera never hit the ground. In midair, he sucked his limbs into his shell, and spun rapidly. The sharp edges of his shell combined with his superheated propellers made quite a cutting combo. The Gyaos learned this the hard way. When Gamera spun around to take Bagan’s head off, the demon evaded decapitation by ducking. When he stood right back up, EX Gomora’s spinning mass bounced off the back of his head.

Bagan woke up with his face buried in dead earth, fighting to his feet as Mothra Leo bombarded him with scorching energy blasts. Bagan felt the soil churn and boil; Mothra Leo’s attacks were so hot, the earth beneath him had transformed into molten slag. Bagan pulverized Mothra Leo with hellfire, shooting the paladin deity out of the sky. Thorny tentacles eviscerated Bagan’s armor and flesh, drenching him with acid. Biollante roared at the devil beast. Bagan reprimanded her by incinerating her entire upper body. With her core still intact, Biollante burrowed underground to heal.

Enough was enough.

With a soul piercing scream, Bagan commanded his Gyaos horde to attack while he moved closer to Godzilla. Mothra Leo, EX Gomora, and Gamera were left to fend for themselves. Bagan marched closer. Within reach of Godzilla’s skull, Bagan reached down to squash it.

The nuclear menace sprang to his feet, crunching the face of the nephilim with his jaws. Bagan cried out as Godzilla powered up his dorsal spines. Radioactive fire washed over the visage of the demon, parts of it became blackened by the intensity of the atomic flames, other parts had been blasted off by the explosive force. Godzilla swatted Bagan in the face, engraving claw marks. The god of darkness answered with a vicious strike to the ribcage, shattering them so hard some were poking out of the rugged skin of the atomic reptile. There was space between them now. Enough for them to charge each other at full force. Godzilla and Bagan’s collision sounded like thunder. The sound of the two gods ramming into each other was drowned out by an even more disturbing sound: broken bodies.

Godzilla could barely stand. Bagan didn’t want to anymore. Their shortcomings didn’t stop them from tearing into each other. When Godzilla lunged to attack, Bagan discharged a pillar of plasma. It mutilated Godzilla’s right arm, blasting it off its shoulder. The ensuing painful wails were so loud, all life on Earth shuddered.

The stump on his shoulder was emptying with blood. Godzilla’s feral eyes focused on the horn sticking into Bagan’s chest. Godzilla seized it, pushing it further into Bagan’s festering heart. Red-blackish smoke seeped out of Bagan’s chest and mouth. Godzilla could hear whispers emanating from the smoke. The closer he listened, the more he didn’t understand. He was a primitive creature, incapable of understanding what he heard, but his instincts told him it was madness.

Akane wept. Kiryu’s instruments picked up and identified the sounds. The sounds weren’t garbling nonsense. They were languages, many unknown to Kiryu’s database. There was no scientific explanation available about what they were seeing, but something in Akane just knew.

They were the souls of Bagan’s victims. Every single creature he had ever slain. Bagan consumed their essence, using them to fuel his seemingly indestructible body. This was beyond blasphemous. Mothra Leo, Gamera, and EX Gomora were so stunned they almost lost their lives to the Gyaos. Akane screamed for Kiryu to avenge the dishonored dead. The robot was not in the condition to fight the strongest creature in the cosmos. Bagan swatted Kiryu aside like an insect. Kiryu nearly fell apart when it crashed.

Godzilla roared. He didn’t know the full story. All he knew was if he pushed the horn deeper, he’d undo Bagan’s evil. And harder he pushed! More and more souls were freed, escaping the tainted being, their shackles no longer tethered them to the most evil beast in creation. Some souls took on the apparitions of Titanosaurus, King Kong, and the first Mothra. Bagan had to put an end to this, now! The phantom beast fired hellfire and summoned diamond storms, mutilating Godzilla until he could no longer stand. Bagan couldn’t believe Godzilla was still alive. Even after all the punishment he had put him through. It didn’t matter now. Bagan was certain he’d finally have the kill he always wanted.

Akane couldn’t see straight. The lights in her cockpit were blinking on and off. When she tried rejoining the battle, her computers informed her of the bad news. Kiryu was so badly damaged, they couldn’t send the signals needed to allow Akane to operate him. She pounded the computers with her fists in frustration. It couldn’t end like this! That was when Akane felt a strange lucid sensation. It was as if she were dreaming. Suddenly, ice cold water filled the cockpit. It wasn’t really there, but Akane felt it. Soon the metallic walls of the cockpit disappeared, replaced by the dark depths of the sea. She couldn’t see anything. Somehow, Akane knew she wasn’t alone.

Towering over her was the first Godzilla. Then Akane felt something in her hands. It was a strange device, built by a scientist many years ago; the Oxygen Destroyer. Everything started making sense. These were the last moments of Dr. Serizawa and Godzilla’s predecessor. These were Kiryu’s memories. Why was he showing them to her? It was then Akane figured it out. These two lived separate lives, but they died together. They died as one being. Now, many years later, they had returned as the heroic defender of Japan, Kiryu. They were back to finish what they started. And they needed Akane’s help to do it.

“Gojira, Serizawa,” Akane whispered in the dark cockpit. “Let’s end this together!”

The once amber glowing eyes disappeared, replaced by red light. There was no logical way Kiryu could rise to his feet after sustaining so much damage, yet he did. Shrieking a digital cry reminiscent of Godzilla’s powerful roar, Kiryu’s chest port opened. The Absolute Zero Cannon had been damaged earlier by the cyborg Gigan, so he couldn’t fire it from afar. Not that it mattered. Kiryu and Akane knew what had to be done, activating his rocket thrusters and racing to defend his son, Godzilla.

Bagan charged up one final blast, one that would annihilate Godzilla once and for all. Weakly, Godzilla struggled to rise. He couldn’t do anything more. If he had a few more minutes, his wounds would heal, and he could fight on. Bagan denounced the fallen King of the Monsters, mocking him with his malevolent laughter, only for Kiryu to arrive on the scene, slamming his metallic bulk into Bagan. It was enough to throw off his aim, hellfire scorching the winds above Godzilla, destroying some unseen mountain in the horizon.

Utmost fury teemed in the demonic brute, unable to control his rage. He tried breaking Kiryu apart with his bare hands, but the robot showed strength and determination it didn’t have before. Kiryu gripped the horn stabbing into Bagan’s heart, and in a spectacular showcase of strength, ripped it out! All the souls the vile killer of the living consumed poured out, transcending dimensions, finding whatever paradise Bagan had denied them. The great demon beast felt his godlike power drain. In retribution, Bagan vowed to dismantle the mechanical cyborg. No, he wouldn’t stop there. Kiryu and the soul of its human pilot would be the first ones he shall feast upon this night! He would rebuild his power!

Akane had other plans. She knew the moment she activated the Absolute Zero Cannon, it wouldn’t fire in a concentrated blast of energy. It would do something far more destructive. Thinking about her fallen comrades, her country, her people, the planet… Akane pushed the button without a single regret.

Kiryu disappeared in a blinding flash. Extremely cold temperatures washed over Bagan, freezing his flesh, bone, and blood. Bagan had been transformed into a splintering frozen statue. As his icy flesh cracked, his fingers twitched. Somewhere in his frozen eyes lurked life. Even without his souls to empower him, Bagan was a force to be reckoned with. His current predicament, however, caused his Gyaos followers to fall into disarray. They turned on each other. Soon thousands of Gyaos were waging war. Hundreds of sonic beams lit up their black wings.

Mothra Leo, EX Gomora, and Gamera rushed to Godzilla’s side. While EX Gomora helped Godzilla to his feet, Mothra Leo knew what had to be done. He transferred his divinity into the Guardian of the Universe. With a thundering roar, Gamera looked up to the heavens, summoning Mana. It was as if the gates of heaven itself opened, heeding his call. Light empowered by the spirit of the Earth poured into Gamera. Mothra Leo guided that light in the form of a thousand glowing moths.

Bagan reached out, the ice breaking at his fingertips. His bottom jaw dropped off, breaking into icy shards. He was still strong enough to put an end to this, if he could only reach his enemies. Gamera’s body was shaking. The power was indescribable. With enough energy pouring in, Gamera’s plastron opened. Bagan reached out to the chaotic Gyaos horde, imposing himself onto them once more. They stopped fighting and rushed to his defense.

Gamera’s roar heralded the discharge of his mightiest attack. Orange-yellowish energy poured out of his chest, possessing the destructive prowess of a small hydrogen bomb, burning a mile long trench into the earth. It closed in on Bagan, but at the last second, many Gyaos dove in to save their master. For every Gyaos that died, dozens more took its place.

It was the final bout between good and evil.

The light continued to shine, eradicating the vile winged reptiles. It was a losing battle for the dark. All the vile reptiles could do was buy Bagan enough time to form a barrier. Despite having lost most of his power, Bagan was still a threat to the world. Streaks of Gamera’s mana blast shot past the barricade of horrendous demons, striking the energy barrier. Even in his weakened state, Bagan was strong enough to endure such a powerful strike. Gamera recoiled from the fiery energy at his command, dragging his feet as he was being pushed back by it. Gamera feared it wouldn’t be enough. His body couldn’t contain this power for long. There had to be a faster way to destroy these Gyaos and hit Bagan with the full fury of Mana.

EX Gomora joined Gamera in his time of need. His horns pulsated with power and, channeling the power of Ultraman, EX Gomora unleashed an energy blast from his spiky chest. It was almost as strong as Gamera’s attack. In seconds, the Gyaos horde was obliterated. EX Gomora and Gamera’s energy beams intertwined, striking Bagan with their combined force. In the heart of the swirling inferno, Bagan’s red eyes burned. He knew his time was short. His barrier would falter soon. Bagan’s melting flesh evaporated from the sweltering environment. Beneath his ghastly exterior, Bagan’s last defense surfaced. It’d take far too long for him to regenerate the damage, he’d be dead long before that would ever happen.

So Bagan improvised.

Gamera and EX Gomora watched on in surprise as Bagan encased himself inside an armored cocoon. Their attacks broke through the barrier, washing over Bagan. They couldn’t even make his cocoon budge an inch. As the seconds ticked away, the cocoon started to sizzle. If they had more time, perhaps they would have succeeded. Their time was short. All this power at their disposal was temporary. Within minutes, it would be no more and Bagan would return from the dead once more.

Godzilla found Kiryu’s broken head. Still shaken up by Bagan’s blow from earlier, he reflected on how he didn’t contribute. First Anguirus died for him. Then Rodan sacrificed his own life to resurrect him. Now Kiryu was gone, saving Godzilla in the process. How quickly times had changed for him. He once didn’t need any help. No creature, be it god or mortal, could kill him. That was in the past. Godzilla was a sentient creature of the lowest level, driven mostly by instincts, but he felt emotion. He experienced love and tragedy probably more than any other creature. For a time Godzilla started feeling like he was part of a family again.

Now he was alone once more.

Godzilla thought about his friends and how he failed them… No! He fought for them, giving his all. Godzilla stared at Kiryu’s remains, understanding the bond his kin felt for other organisms. However little he understood it, he knew he and the human race mirrored one another. How they were essentially the same creature. They were not only as one dead, they were as one living. Godzilla thanked Kiryu with a soft growl. All his life, Godzilla excelled only in destroying other lives. Let the newly arisen stars in the night sky bear witness to a new destiny, one chosen not by the fates, but by the King of the Monsters himself.

EX Gomora and Gamera were nearly drained. Their power was about to fade. Bagan laughed from within his cocoon, knowing he had finally won. Suddenly, a familiar yet terrifying roar silenced him, Bagan began to panic. Godzilla joined the protectors of the world. Atomic energy flooded his dorsal spines, emitting an eerie crimson luminance, scarlet light spewing out of his gaping maw. But the atomic flames acted strangely, taking on a familiar shape. Godzilla couldn’t believe his eyes! For a split second, the atomic breath took the shape of a fiery Rodan! Godzilla’s power and Rodan’s essence fused with EX Gomora and Gamera’s energy blast, cutting a burning swath through Bagan’s cocoon.

Dozens of Gyaos broke off, planning to strike the heroic monsters when they were most vulnerable. However, Biollante’s vines shot out of the earth, crucifying them in midair. The plant-like reptilian herself emerged, fully healed. She chomped on a wounded Gyaos as her allies finally vanquished the avatar of evil. The power was overwhelming. Bagan’s cocoon was sent flying for miles. It disappeared in the horizon. When Godzilla, Gamera, and EX Gomora’s energy beams ignited Bagan’s departed shape, they couldn’t tell whether the Sun was rising or if it was really an extremely large explosion. When the shockwaves disemboweled the earth and slammed into them, they discovered it was the latter.

As the smoke cleared and the air returned to breathable conditions, Godzilla’s red eyes and dorsal spines returned to their natural color. Gamera relinquished the power of Mana, returning it to the Earth spirit. Mothra Leo reassembled himself, joining his comrades in arms. Biollante seeded the barren wasteland, planning to one day turn it into a paradise in honor of their historical victory and the dead. Mothra Leo joined her in the pollinating process.

EX Gomora transformed back into his original state, returning the power back to its proper owner. Ultraman’s dome shaped eyes flooded with life once more. Not a soul amongst them celebrated. There were no cries of victory or mourning. They would let others do the celebrating for them. Now they must go their separate ways and find a befitting rest.

“Shuwatch!”

Ultraman jumped into the sky, eager to return to his Nebula M78 home. Mothra Leo and Biollante faded into the scenery, rebuilding what the Earth had lost. It was what Leo’s mother would’ve wanted him to do. Gomora walked into the direction of the rising Sun. Maybe he wanted to make sure Bagan was really dead. Perhaps he simply wanted to go wherever there was light. He harnessed it once, he was one with it. Someday, Gomora would like to be part of it again.

Godzilla and Gamera were the last to leave. For the longest time, the two titans had a rivalry. Many of their followers, however few in numbers they were, believed they hated each other. But not today. No, today they became friends. Gamera bid his new friend farewell, flying off into the morning sky. Godzilla roared in thanks to the Guardian of the Universe. Picking up his arm, he attached it to his stump of a shoulder, letting it heal. He sensed how his life had changed for the best. There was once a time when Godzilla was an arrogant, lonely king. Now he had come to realize he was not above his kind. No, the King of the Monsters was one of them. And as long as he had friends to protect and cherish, Godzilla would never be alone.

Miles away, a broken husk stirred. He regained consciousness inside a gigantic crater. He was not in one piece. Bagan didn’t know how long he had been lying there. Perhaps he’d been slumbering for days? Maybe even weeks? All he knew was he was still alive, and he regretted it immensely. There was a void in Bagan’s heart now. He knew why, but the truth frightened him beyond belief.

With no more souls to keep him company, Bagan was truly alone.

The void was where a soul of his own once resided; now it was an empty place. Bagan’s brief moment of sadness was usurped by his unforgiving wrath. Fueled by rage, Bagan vowed to return to his former glory someday. And when that day came, the phantom dragon would parade over his fallen enemies, and the world would howl in despair. He would feast upon the souls of the people of Earth, then all shall join them in the hellish furnace of his belly. There was no rest for Bagan. Bagan wouldn’t allow himself to rest in peace.

For there was no rest for the wicked.

But there was no victory for them either.

Winner: Biollante, Gamera (Heisei), Godzilla (Heisei), Gomora, Mothra Leo, Ultraman (Universal)