Author: Joshua Reynolds | Banner: Tyler Trieschock

A cool breeze blew across the tropical paradise. Infant Island, once used as a nuclear testing ground over half a century ago, was resilient. Only a third of the island had become barren. The rest was still lush. If the fools in the States would have done their proper research back then, they would have discovered that the island wasn’t unpopulated like they had come to believe. No. There was a population. A population determined to live. The islanders hid deep in the heart of Infant Island, far away from the prying eyes and sins of the rest of the world. However, when the blast came unexpectedly, it tainted the island.

And it awoke something.

Their God, long shrouded in mythology, had been uncovered. Mothra was reborn after millions of years. A protector, she was guided by two mystic protectors. They went by many names to the islanders and the few people that visited it afterward. The Cosmos, the Elias, but the most well known was the name the natives had bestowed upon them: Shobijin. There were only two of them, Moll and Lora.

There was only one instance of Mothra showing aggression to the rest of the world. And that was back in the 1960’s when the Shobijin had been kidnapped by the greedy. Mothra rescued them at the cost of billions of dollars.

Now, decades later, that Mothra is aging. She has spawned the next generation. With a watchful eye, she has guided this new generation into becoming something special. Moll and Lora gave this second one its own title: Leo. Like all of his kind, this male member of the race started life as a grub-like larva before maturing into a majestic, butterfly-like entity…

Moll looked up at their protector with worried eyes. Leo seemed anxious. His antennae fluttered constantly and faint bolts of mystic power coursed through his multi-colored wings. “Something’s wrong.”

Lora approached her sister. She tried to comfort her. “I’m sure its just maturity setting in. His mother has been missing for a little bit now.”

Behind them, the Natives began to bow once Leo’s head lifted and his brilliant, emerald-colored eyes fixated on them.

“Something isn’t right, Lora.” Moll declared, turning to gaze at her sister. “Mothra has never been gone for this long. It’s been three days!”

Lora bit her tongue, “Always so concerned, my sister.”

Suddenly, a strange noise echoed through the island. The twins and those that worship the divine moths spun around. Their eyes looked up to the clouds. Fear gripped them tight. Something approached fast. It was an insect, but something completely opposite to a Mothra. It was more akin to a dragonfly. Its body covered in a purplish exoskeleton and its eyes shined a blood red. The noise that came from its mouth was like that of a nightmare, a terrible screech that was only enhanced by the intense buzz generated by the beating of its wings which moved so fast they were virtually invisible.

Suddenly, a beam of energy shot at it from behind. Megaguirus dodged, allowing the orange beam to vanish into a cloud. Emerging from behind one of the mountains, Mothra flew. She chirped as she approached. Megaguirus hissed, her head looking back toward her divine enemy. Such power… it was just begging to be drained.

“Mothra!” Both Shobijin declared in unison, in shock and awe.

Leo lifted his head and moved in his wings. However, as soon as he did, a cry from his mother ceased it. Leo’s wings went flat against the stone floor in which he lay.

“This is where she went. What does this other creature want!?” Lora begged the question as the hundreds of natives rushed to their village huts for shelter.

Moll shook her head, “I don’t know.”

Megaguirus spun in the air, faster than Mothra could stop. Suddenly they collided in midair with a tremendous bang. Bolts of energy flew in every direction from Mothra’s wings and a strange, pollen-like storm began to cloud both of them. Megaguirus’s shrieks muted the chirps of Mothra as they began to fall. The large, leathery wings of the dragonfly began to flap while her claws clamped Mothra’s steady. She held both herself and Mothra in the air, head moving side to side and avoiding several point blank beams. An extremely high-pitched scream came from Mothra. Megaguirus’s scorpion-like tail plunged deep into Mothra’s midsection.

Mothra tried firing, but her beams were sucked right back into her antennae. Her energy was being siphoned.

“Mothra!” Moll once again shouted, “No!”

“That monster is eating her energy!?”

Watching from the ground, Leo’s wings moved again. The second generation began to move. As soon as his body lifted off the ground, Megaguirus’s head tilted. She spotted him instantly. Her tooth-like jaws seemed to widen into a grin. Her tail tore out of Mothra’s fuzzy abdomen, bringing with it a glob of yellow and green-colored goo. The dragonfly’s claws tore apart, tearing Mothra’s wings halfway through. She released the Infant Island deity. Mothra fell, unable to sustain flight with each of her wings shredded. She crashed into the side of a mountain, a rockslide following suit. She was buried…

“MOTHRA!”

Mothra Leo flew in as fast as his majestic wings would allow. From the three gem-like objects between his antennae, streams of multi-colored energy erupted. Megaguirus flew up and forward, spiraling around the beams. Her speed took the youthful moth by surprise. In no time, she closed the distance. Her claws clamped around the base of the moth’s head. Megaguirus spun in the air, dragging Leo with her. Upon instinct, green bolts erupted from his wings. The lightning-like strikes struck Megaguirus, coating her in a series of small explosions. She released the moth and flew back.

Leo chirped and flew, his body speeding up. Megaguirus flew up, but Leo spun. His body became a blur. Megaguirus’s eyes widened, shifting her exoskeleton in the process. Leo, for a brief moment, moved faster than she. He collided with her, turning his entire body into a projectile. A thunderous echo boomed through the mountains and hills of Infant Island. The dragonfly began to fall as Leo circled overhead…

As she fell, Megaguirus’s wings stretched out and her tail stiffened. A fiery power gathered in front of her body. Leo looked down, just in time to see the building ball of energy fire. It moved fast, even faster than Megaguirus and Leo’s enhanced speeds. Unable to escape, Leo was struck by the orb of energy that was composed of his mother’s power. His body was shot upward, vanishing into the clouds.

But a few dozen meters from the ground, the dragonfly’s wings began to move at a blur. She recovered and flew up, shooting toward the clouds like a bat out of hell. Before she could reach them, a powerful blast of emerald-colored energy parted it. The beam missed the predator by dozens of meters, but the impressive shot hit the ground and made the entire island shudder as if an earthquake.

Leo erupted from the clouds, beams and bolts launching from his forehead and wings respectively. Megaguirus moved to the side, dodging the immense firepower. Leo chirped, turning in the air to face his speedy rival. By the time he did, Megaguirus buzzed away again.

A sharp pain raced through Leo’s back. Megaguirus’s stinger plunged into the center of his back. The dragonfly cried aloud as she began to drain Leo’s energy.

Unable to sustain flight, Leo began to fall with Megaguirus balancing herself on his back via her stinger. She guzzled his energy, siphoning it like a sponge does water. The ground raced upwards, faster and faster, to meet the insects. Finally, Leo hit like a meteor. The lush jungle cratered and a cloud of dust and dirt flew around them. Megaguirus’s body lowered, virtually lying across her victim’s body. The dragonfly’s eyes flashed, changing colors to green as she fed.

A distance away, Mothra’s head lifted. Her body was over half-way buried. She’d never escape. She looked up, watching as her son was helplessly drained. Her antennae fluttered. A beam of energy fired from each. It was weak, but it’d due. The twin beams struck Megaguirus’s forehead, covering it in a small shower of sparks and smoke. The dragonfly shrieked, ripping her tail free. Her wings flapped, carrying her up.

Leo whined softly. His head moved, looking at his trapped parent. He tried moving his wings, but he didn’t have the strength to get into the air. Megaguirus drained him of too much. Weakly, he began to move forward.

Mothra chirped again, her blue eyes flashing a golden light. She spotted the insect zooming in fast. Her head lifted and twin streams of energy shot forth, striking Megaguirus’s wings. They were quickly engulfed in fire. The prehistoric predator flew upward, spiraling out of control before vanishing on the opposite side of the surrounding mountains. Gathering her strength, Mothra whined in pain as she struggled against the thousands of tons of rock. The boulders shifted, but as they did, more fell upon her. Slowly, she began to crawl out of the landslide. Her body was ragged and half-crushed, leaving a gory trail of insect pulp behind. She began to crawl, fighting to stay alive as her innards spilled from her crushed thorax.

Mothra’s antennae touched those of her offspring. She didn’t have much power left. But what she did have, her son would need it if he were to survive and bring forth the next generation. Her mandibles released a cry as wisps of golden energy surged from her torn wings, through her body, and into her antennae.

“Mothra… she’s…” Lora looked on in awe, streams of tears running down her cheeks.
“She’s passing on her energy.” Moll finished her sentence, holding back tears.

They both knew what this meant. Leo’s body absorbed the energy his mother was transferring. Mothra’s body transferred all of her powers as fast as she could. Her wings and antennae fluttered slowly as golden particles lifted from her and fell upon her child. Leo’s eyes began to shine brighter. His colors began to shift. As Mothra’s colors dulled and her snow white fur grayed, his became a patchwork of beauty. His wings changed, the lightning-like patterns becoming a display of blues, greens, and other tropical colors.

Mothra’s head collapsed as the very last of her energy was bestowed upon Leo. Her wings remained still and all life faded from her blue eyes. Leo released a mournful cry, but he’d have to wait to memorialize his mother. Leo had become something new. A new form of Mothra unlike that of any other.

Moll and Lora gasped. Holding hands, they looked upon the revived moth with wide eyes. “He’s… he’s become Rainbow Mothra!”

Rainbow Mothra, the ultimate form a divine moth could reach. There had only been a handful of moths that had reached this state. It had been centuries since it had been needed.

Leo’s new wings pushed off the ground. He was quickly airborne. And as soon as he was, Megaguirus’s nightmarish cry pierced the air. The dragonfly flew in from above, her wings now burnt black. Her tail lowered and claws opened. Her tooth-lined jaws screamed with an insatiable hunger. Beams of energy lanced from the jewels on Rainbow Mothra’s forehead. The dragonfly buzzed around them, avoiding all three streams with ease.

As they rushed one another, Rainbow Mothra’s body flashed with energy. His body became but a blur. He moved faster than Megaguirus! She was taken off guard. Before she could react, Leo’s body collided with hers in a ram that exceeded Mach 15. Megaguirus’s body flew back from the impact, her left claw flying in the opposite direction along with numerous teeth that broke free of her skull. Her exoskeleton cracked like glass, spilling a vile fluid.

Leo began to circle overhead as Megaguirus fell. She screamed in a mixture of agony and rage. Her wings began to beat faster than the eye could see. Before she hit the jungle canopy, she flew away. Leo’s head tilted. His wings flapped and he took chase, firing beams from his forehead and lightning from his rainbow wings. The dragonfly cried in fury as she spun about. Her remaining claw opened wide. Leo closed in, aiming to ram her again. But her speed picked up. She dodged at the last nick of time. Her claw clamped around Leo’s wing and her stinger thrust up, tearing into the base of it. She began to siphon the moth’s power once more.

“Leo!” Lora shouted from the ground.

As if hearing her cries, the moth’s body shined brighter than the sun. Megaguirus’s claw suddenly clamped shut on nothing and her tail fell loose. The moth vanished in the light. Then, from the sudden flash, a swarm of smaller moths. Each one flew around Megaguirus like angry gnats. Her body was coated in explosions, showering her in fire and the energy she lusted for. The dragonfly fell, her claw and stinger swiping at anything she could hit. But each contact with the smaller insects merely caused more detonations across her exoskeleton.

She hit the ground like a rock and a tremendous cloud of dust and broken trees catapulted into the sky. Her screams of agony rang loud as she fluttered on the floor. The swarm of tiny moths seemingly vanished just as she made impact. But the damage was done. Numerous breaks in her exoskeleton spat green and yellow ooze. The dragonfly had to leave. She flipped herself over, leaving several pieces of purple exoskeleton clinging to the ground…

Her wings beat softly and her body lifted off the bloody grass. She got but a few meters high before something caught her senses. Megaguirus’s crimson eyes looked up. Above her, Rainbow Mothra had reformed and a brilliant light was channeling from his wings and into the mid-section of his body. Megaguirus’s wings began to move slower. Her jaw fell limp, hanging from her mouth as all of her limbs dangled. It was if she was in a trance. Rainbow Mothra continued gathering his energy. The dragonfly was being drawn to the gathering of power like a moth to the flame.

She closed the distance slowly but surely.

She reached out with her claw. It opened wide as if she could grab and take the tremendous power.

Rainbow Mothra chirped. The tremendous energy he had been summoning flashed. The air warped and for a brief second, Megaguirus’s senses returned. Her eyes widened and she screamed in horror. A tremendous boom followed as she was hit point blank by the biggest, most powerful Mineral Chest Beam the moth could muster. The beam was so wide that it swallowed Megaguirus’s form entirely. Her entire body was shot down like a canon. The very energy she desired tore her apart in seconds. Her exoskeleton was vaporized, followed by her muscles and organs. Her deafened screams ceased.

Leo looked down. There was nothing left. The area where she hit was a burning crater. There was no signs of life. Megaguirus was sent back to extinction…

Rainbow Mothra chirped. He flew over his fallen mother. He cried softly as energy trailed behind him. A golden light fell upon Mothra. As the light shined down upon her, Mothra’s body began to sink into the soil. A proper burial for the fallen moth…

Winner: Mothra Leo

Author: Andrew Sudomerski | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

[Continued from Match 88]

A new year dawned over the horizon. The brittle chill rushed to fill the void, brushing large trees aside. Snowy slabs shook loose from their resting place under the harsh winds and crashed down onto a sheet of thick ice. Native fauna ran with the wild gust down the mountainous slope and steered clear from the one who was climbing to its peak.

Large, earthy claws sunk into the mountainside as he pulled himself along. For Anguirus, his trek to find a safe haven had been long and arduous. It had felt like an eternity ever since he had encountered Mothra, but he continued to persevere nonetheless. The icy Japanese Alps gave him no comfort, even worse still were the cries he heard in the wind. Distraught souls continued to haunt him ever since the day he had slain the monster god. His unease swelled, but he disregarded them once again.

When he reached the top, the brown ankylosaur saw an enormous lake, which brimmed with thick ice, surrounded by pure white snow and other peaks. A magnificent sight for those beholden to see it! Without a trace of doubt, Anguirus hurriedly charged down the ridge, with a tumbling avalanche following in his wake. There was not a living creature in its proximity; therefore, nothing would hinder his long awaited slumber.

The loud rumbling disturbed the serenity, yet there were no ghosts to be found. As the commotion died down, Anguirus dipped his long snout into the frozen lake and broke the surface layer. He drank the chilled water and ice chunks alike with no discrimination, a much needed refresher from his travels. Then at long last, he would finally rest. His eyelids shielded his tired eyes from the harsh winter as he dozed off…

***

Uneasiness filled the air with hollow chanting, which woke Anguirus from his snooze. Most of it was indiscernible, but there was one word that stuck out in the midst of the mantra. “Angira! Angira!” the souls cried out. Anguirus wasn’t sure what to make of this, but he wasn’t going to let his guard down. He bore his fangs at the unseen spirits and waited to see what they would do next. White vapor escaped Anguirus’s mouth as he released a curt growl.

One by one, the mysterious choir faded into the howling winds. The crisp air took a nosedive and became unbearably chilly. Soon only the wind kept him company until the ankylosaur heard the distinct snowy crunch echo nearby. He turned to its source and raised himself onto his hind legs to look imposing. He had fought many in the past that far outclassed him and expected as much with the intruder.

Then a honk caught Anguirus’s attention.

He looked down and what he saw unnerved him, yet remained steadfast. His primitive mind registered it as a mirror of himself, but he couldn’t be further from the truth. The golden monster certainly boasted many similarities, but they were fundamentally different. The creature carried nobility in spite of its diminutive size. Its short tail hosted a spiky club at the end of it, and its carapace curved along its neck, annunciating its regality. It stood on four long legs, like that of a dog or a horse. Upon closer examination, its golden, bumpy scales exuded frosty mist while the pronounced, paler spikes that jutted out its body were akin to solid ice.

Glowing red eyes peered directly into Anguirus’s soul. They held a righteous wrath undisputedly similar to the distressed ghosts. Anguirus howled as his gold counterpart, prepared to throw down.

Angira felt the same when he unleashed a soul-filled scream.

Anguirus slammed his forearms to the ground and wildly charged at his foe, uprooting trees and kicking dirt and snow in the process. Angira gracefully galloped to meet his opponent head-on, with minimal disturbance to the snow-covered foliage that surrounded him. The two clashed with a resounding sonic boom upon impact, alleviating the surrounding forest of their frost coated burden. They clawed and slashed at each other and then Angira drew first blood by ramming his spiked nasal horn into Anguirus’s neck. Before it could even begin to bleed out, the arctic cold froze the blood, effectively clotting it as Angira pulled away. Anguirus temporarily wavered at the odd neural sensation that ran down his neck, but not before retaliating with a vicious slash across Angira’s face. Sparks and blood poured out from the wound as the gold beast screeched, again with the gash freezing over. Even if contact had been just for a moment, Anguirus felt his claws shiver from the frost.

The brown ankylosaur went in for another swing, but the golden freezing monster foresaw the attack. Opening his mouth wide, Angira caught the other hand in his grip and sunk his teeth into the earthy scales. Anguirus screeched as blood oozed from the wound, only to be immediately frozen over by the ice beast’s body temperature. He felt his hand go numb as anxiety built within him. However, not all was as it seemed.

Anguirus forced himself upright and dragged the smaller creature with him. The anklyosaur recalled this attack from an old friend; with an incredible heave, Anguirus threw Angira over his shoulder and slammed the spiked monster into the earth. The ensuing shockwave rocked the forest, but Angira held on with utmost ferocity despite the pain. Anguirus inhaled the cold air through his nostrils to fill his lungs. Even with the frostbitten wound on his neck, he had to take the risk. Releasing the stored air, Anguirus hollered at the icy beast with a high-pitched shrill. The ultrasonic roar splintered the trees nearby and saw cracks formed from the vibration. It took its toll on his neck wound, but the output was more than worth taking the brunt of the pain. Although Anguirus barely felt it, he witnessed Angira release his grip and noticed that some of the icy spikes started to fall off. The golden creature was stunned and perplexed, but Anguirus wasted no time.

Although his numbed hand was far too injured to move about on, the ancient reptile had a contingency plan. Once again, he found himself on his hind legs, but this time did a simple twirl. Anguirus faced his spiny carapace toward his gold counterpart and anchored his feet into the thick snow bed and crust beneath it. With a magnificent bound, the anklyosaur propelled himself backward and pinned Angira between his shell and a nearby rock wall. The arctic spirit wailed under the immense pressure of Anguirus’s sheer mass. However, Anguirus couldn’t keep the imitator crunched forever and dropped back on all fours. Anguirus swiftly turned around to face Angira, even if his frostbitten hand made it uncomfortable. He had expected the wounded dragon to be shattered and panting. Much to his surprise, the broken Angira clubbed him directly in the face with his spiked tail and threw him to the ground.

Even maimed, Angira imposed his regal presence. The numerous cracks oozed blood, which quickly became the adhesive to patch his wounds. The splintered spines reformed, and the sacred monster’s crimson eyes glared with intensity as he sprinted into action. Anguirus didn’t even have the chance to prop himself up before he was rammed by the smaller monster. The brown monster’s large body paved the landscape as he crashed into the very lake that lured him here. Ice shifted as the surface layer cracked under Anguirus’s weight and displaced the water beneath it. Its immeasurable chill stung his wounded hand and quickly enveloped all his senses. He writhed and sprawled in the ice cold lake and tried to regain feeling in his body.

Angira approached the outer rim and dipped his forepaw into the water. It froze nigh instantaneously and with little effort he pulled it out. He took another step; another patch turned into solid ice. Even after Anguirus found his footing, fighting against the freezing lake had taken the energy from him. He sluggishly tried to charge, but stumbled over himself before he could meet halfway. Anguirus managed to pull his head out of the water before it froze over; even then, the running water that rolled off him became unwilling icicles. Anguirus narrowed at the ice monster that stood before him and the two locked eyes.

Angira growled. The beast peered into Anguirus’s very essence. Angira’s eyes were wrathful and judgmental. Their redness lit ablaze as they ventured deep into a world beyond the physical. Every beastly impulse Anguirus had acted on, every human being he had killed, they were all accounted for. The ankylosaur felt his neural processors being washed over by an unnatural feeling. Anguirus was not a complex creature, yet he was unsure of what he felt. Was he truly being cleansed of his past transgressions? Or had his tenacity been overwritten by fear? He had faced larger and more powerful monsters, so why was it that this golden lookalike had the most influence over his very being?

“Mosura… Mosura…” the chanting returned. There were more souls present. Was it Mothra? Had her death called him here? He had felt remorse for defiling sacred land, so why was he being punished for it now? A burning sensation skulked within, one he felt disgusted with. Fear or purification? He did not know. This trance lingered for what felt like another eternity. Yet it came to an abrupt end. The audience vanished with the wind. Angira’s eyes dimmed and no longer held the same animosity he did just moments before. There was a tenderness to them that had been absent before. With a snort, Angira turned around and began to walk away.

Anguirus was lost and confused. He didn’t know what to make of the current matter. His instincts urged him to continue the fight, but his gut told him it was futile. The more his soul was in conflict, the more he felt desperation overwhelm him. Be damned of what happened; he would see it through to the end, because Anguirus was a creature of the world. The frozen coat crumbled as adrenaline shot through his body, which gave him the strength to break free from his icy prison. Channeling his newfound strength into his legs, the large ankylosaur leapt high into the air.

He had it figured out: he would employ into his rolling ball attack and savagely beat his lookalike. There was a feeling, perhaps from the sudden rush of adrenaline that was more primal and feral, one that made him lose his line of reasoning. For him, this was a fight he had to win, no matter the cost.

Before he could do anything, he felt several, excruciating points of agony lance into his exposed underbelly. Any forward momentum he had was stopped once the golden spears reached the underside of his carapace. The bleeding wounds froze over from their cold touch. In that moment, he saw that Angira had extended the spikes on his carapace and made them lances, all without turning to face him. He felt the poles wriggle as Angira shook himself, ever so loosening from Anguirus’s soft underbelly. While some of the spear-tipped icicles found their way out, others snapped and remain embedded within Anguirus. Either way, the prehistoric animal dropped back into the ice-covered lake with no cushion to catch his fall.

Anguirus was tired. He yearned for rest, yet had been denied time and time again. His eyes glanced at Angira one last time as he saw the golden freezing monster withdraw and reform its spikes. The frost guardian turned around and approached Anguirus’s prone form. He knew he was done for. No strength to pull from, no tenacity to persevere. Truly, a humiliating day! Before his eyelids embraced him in darkness that would comfort him in his final moments, he locked with Angira’s eyes for the last time.

They were filled with pity.

Anguirus accepted his fate and disappeared into his mind’s void.

***

Lazy eyes opened up. What he saw was stunning and beautiful.

Lush greenery surrounded him. The sun rained down with splendor, not a raincloud in sight. Next to him was the lake, which had long since thawed out, and reflected the sun’s rays. The native fauna teemed with life. Anguirus shifted and got to his feet, incidentally disturbing the wildlife in the process. It hadn’t been purposeful, yet couldn’t be avoided. He scanned the area, unsure if this was the same place he had been at…

His senses told him it was the truth. The snapped trees they had crushed were still there. His body tinged with light pain, the only signifier that he was involved in battle. Otherwise, he had nearly recovered from whatever wounds were sustained. He sniffed the ground and tried to trace for his former opponent, but he came up with nothing. Aside from the scars left on the battlefield, the second Anguirus was nowhere to be found.

Part of him felt light as a feather. This may have been induced from a much needed hibernation, yet it also felt like something much more than that. The guilt he carried was gone. His mind couldn’t comprehend the concept, but he didn’t care about it either way. It was the most jovial he had felt ever since winter began. That, to him, was all that mattered.

Winter passed and spring flourished. Anguirus dipped his head into the vitamin rich water and drank from it. His grueling voyage finally came to an end. But the road of life was a much different journey that still had more bumpy paths to come. Nevertheless, he would face them, now endowed with newfound wisdom from the other Anguirus.

Anguirus would live to see another day.

Winner: Anguirus (2001)

 

Greetings Everyone,

Its that time of year again! In celebration of all readers, writers and banner creators please take a moment to fill out the following surveys. The first, the K.W.C. Awards Survey, is to find out your favorite matches of the year and vote on the overall best of the best in a number of categories. The second, the K.W.C. Feedback Survey, is to get a solid evaluation on our work throughout the year, and where we should focus on in the future including new monster additions!

The 2019 K.W.C. Awards Survey 

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Winners and results from both surveys will be announced at the start of February!

Authors: Tyler Trieschock, Vincent Rodger, Harley Jameson & Andrew Sudomerski | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

Twas the afternoon before Christmas, when all across the pacific,
A bitter cold took hold, making life for all creatures horrific;

Once bustling waters lay still and devoid,
Now black, and nearly lifeless like a dark, shifting void;

A bitter hunger grasped all on one particular isle,
An island home to the world’s monstrous exiles;

Baragon, Gorosaurus and Varan searched for food to no avail,
The island hearing of their failure in repetitive, unending wails;

Kumonga, Manda and Rodan slept in ravenous yearning,
Biding their time until their prey came returning;

Standing proud yet alone in a valley surrounded by isolated hills,
Anguirus endured the cold and hunger with his immeasurable will;

The two exceptions to gluttony were son and father,
A pair of beasts that only needed to eat if they cared to bother;

Junior and Godzilla truly only needed to consume nuclear power,
But the two knew the island was sinking into chaos with every passing hour;

While Godzilla ignorantly slept atop his fracturing kingdom,
Junior began a trek across the isle to help his dominion;

He could gather food from the darkest depths of the now frigid sea,
It would at least satiate the monsters from committing a murderous spree;

Before the young saurian made it, a trumpet like call echoed from afar,
Not recognizing the screech, Junior found the echo quite bizarre;

Without hesitation, Junior tracked the panicked sound,
Junior walked to the beach where an ally was found;

The dependable ankylosaur, Anguirus, scanned the still waters with precision,
Whatever caused the call would not escape his curious vision;

Both Junior and Anguirus then spun from a thunderous crash,
The dinosaur, Gorosaurus, emerged from the jungle with a titanic smash;

No care or empathy expressed itself from the newly arrived allosaur,
All the green reptilian wished was to consume whatever emitted the roar;

In unison, the trio wandered tirelessly across the deserted beach,
Yet their search discovered no creature that let loose the mysterious screech;

But then, from the sea, a wave of water violently uplifted,
Every monster’s sight in response immediately shifted;

A lumpy orange creature arose with a trumpet like chorus,
A deep sea saurian which had fought Godzilla, the mighty Titanosaurus;

Anguirus, Gorosaurus and Junior readied for a hasty clash,
While Junior echoed a roar of deterrence, Gorosaurus bore his teeth to gnash;

But as blood gradually turned the surrounding salt water red,
The monsters noticed across Titanosaurus an unmistakable dread;

The wounds were many, so grisly it rattled Junior’s core,
He wondered what could have done this to the powerful dinosaur;

The waters swirled behind Titanosaurus, sending him fleeing onto dry land,
Behind him in his wake, an emerald devil strode onto the sand;

Malicious and old, this draconic leviathan showed no remorse,
Dagahra let loose a growl at the trio, inquiring the whereabouts of his fleeing main course;

Gorosaurus nearly turned his head to help, but a foot struck the dirt,
Junior roared at the devil to flee or it would feel unparalleled hurt;

Sensing the hostility, Dagahra let loose a breath of irritation,
He wished not a battle, but his eternal hunger fueled his determination;

The emerald leviathan called forth for the beast’s surrender,
Yet the young king roared in defiance of this new contender;

Eyes narrowed with bloodlust, Dagahra partially enraged,
And with a mighty blast from the dragon’s maw, the battle engaged;

Indigo energy spat from Dagahra’s jaws in every direction,
The draconic being would not stomach this pathetic attempt at protection;

With the devil distracted, Titanosaurus continued to flee,
His form faded into nothing as he flattened dozens of trees;

Anguirus, Junior and Gorosaurus cried in horrendous pain,
Their enemy was powerful, but they could withstand the strain;

Anguirus burst forth first, his maw held wide in rage,
Shocking Dagahra at the durability of this creature from an ancient age;

Teeth pierced flesh and warm blood splattered all over the earth,
Anguirus would remove this draconic evil from his turf;

The ankylosaur would not relent no matter how much Dagahra tried,
A grim smile formed on the leviathan as he prepared to turn the tide;

Energy surrounded his maw and the devil’s wing cones parted,
Dagahra was now ready to end what the ankylosaur foolishly started;

Overwhelming thunderous energy blasted Anguirus backward,
Even with the shocking display, Junior boldly pressed onward;

Dagahra smiled as he watched Anguirus plummet and howl in pain,
Surely now the monsters would realize this fight was in vain;

The youngster’s fins flashed a sun-bright cerulean blue,
A fiery beam scorched the sand but then it struck true;

Dagahra retreated, howling in agony from the scorching attack,
Enraged eyes fell upon Junior, while the devil’s head scales shined black;

The beach shook with ravenous fury, intentions entirely unmasked,
Gorosaurus charged with such ferocity, to stop him would be a foolhardy task;

A two-pronged kangaroo kick smashed against Dagahra’s head,
The leviathan soared into the ocean, crashing violently onto the sea bed;

Devilish eyes parted in rage from under the dark sea,
No more pride, no more hesitation, he would silence these pathetic enemies;

The open ocean exploded from Dagahra’s immeasurable rage,
His wing canons blasted Barem as the emerald devil began to engage;

Parasitic starfish coated monster island’s allosaur,
Acid like ooze coating his skin causing him to painfully roar;

Dagahra focused on Gorosaurus’ maw, taking advantage of his jaws parting,
Bubbles began to form, the allosaur was unmistakably frothing;

Green scales struck sand from the dinosaur’s titanic fall,
With only one creature remaining, Dagahra readied to end the brawl;

A flap of his draconic wings allowed Dagahra to fly,
His jaws clasped Junior’s neck causing the creature to utter a cry;

Higher and higher, the monsters violently ascended,
Dagahra’ final destination open ended;

For the draconic monster, he needed no destination,
Gravity would be the factor to end the altercation;

Jaws parted allowing Junior to begin his fall,
His cataclysmic return ending in Monster island’s jungle sprawl;

Thoroughly beaten, bludgeoned and bleeding profusely,
The monster king’s son held on to consciousness loosely;

Next to him, in terror, Titanosaurus looked on in fright,
Hearing a haunting bellow which announced it won the fight;

The ground trembled as Dagahra confidently landed nearby,
Titanosaurus spun in horror, the end was unmistakably nigh;

Rustling in the trees attracted both monsters in surprise,
From all directions the inhabitants of Monster Island began to rise;

Baragon upheaved the soil, Rodan set forest aflame,
Manda slithered into sight, Varan glided into frame,

Long, jagged legs pierced the earth marking Kumonga’s entrance,
To Dagahra irritation, all of the monsters of the island were now in attendance;

From behind the devil, Anguirus stumbled on the field,
His head held low, his burn wounds freshly sealed;

With a weak, yet determined screech Anguirus rallied his brethren,
Dagahra vented a breath of agitation, it seemed he would have to kill all seven;

Indigo energy struck Baragon and floored the dinosaur,
With an ally downed, the others moved to even the score;

Varan charged first with his claws sharp and bare,
A devastating tail swipe smashed the sacred god with little fanfare;

But Dagahra could not react to Rodan in time as it neared,
The fiery Titan’s talons skewered while its volcanic wings seared;

Manda snapped forward, encircling the devil’s back thighs,
Anguirus closed the distance, allowing Baragon and Varan to arise;

The reptilian pair jumped atop Dagahra, a planning forming fast,
They could not match the devil in power, for the difference was too vast;

But what they lacked in power, Kumonga displayed with intimidation,
A stinger which held a poison that ensured any opponent’s annihilation;

Surrounded by monsters, Dagahra scorched and clawed,
Battering his foe’s until he felt a strange prod;

Within seconds, Dagahra fell stagnant without uttering a single roar,
The monsters fell back while Kumonga continued to impale its stinger more;

Six strikes pierced flesh, six doses of poison ensured the kill,
Six monsters emitted a cry of victory then felt a startling chill;

A menacing laugh echoed, shocking every creature within sight,
Dagahra arose amused, finding pleasure in the looks of fright;

He was a creature made to consume the vilest toxins and pollution,
Kumonga’s poison was nothing to such a creature of his evolution;

Lifting onto his back legs, Dagahra let loose a mocking screech,
If the monsters wished to experience death, it was a lesson he would happily teach;

The brawl ended before it restarted with a roar which silenced all motion,
To go against the bellow would result in complete destruction;

From the edge of the battlefield, all looked toward the setting sun,
A mighty monstrous king stood over his badly beaten son;

Enraged eyes looked across the jungle toward the emerald titan,
Spines channeled nuclear power and began to eerily brighten;

Dagahra for the first time felt a shiver of terror take hold of his form,
To fight against the King of the Monsters would be like a creature fighting a storm;

The devil let loose his intention to the behemoth which was king,
To consume Titanosaurus, not his allies or offspring;

With overwhelming presence, Godzilla looked to the undersea dinosaur,
Titanosaurus felt death grip him, he would surely be no more;

As Godzilla pondered how the situation would unfold,
His oldest ally, Anguirus, attracted his gaze which was cold;

The ankylosaur looked on with a defiant stare,
Without a sound thought, Godzilla understood how to end the affair;

An order roared out to all the monsters which could listen,
Titanosaurus would go unharmed, it was the king’s final decision;

With a ferocious bellow, the toxic devil ignored his better judgment,
And charged on all fours toward a battle that would be utter torment;

The other monsters readied to assist but a thunderous roar stopped all in their stride,
Godzilla would end this renegade, not out of necessity but pride;

Nuclear behemoth and emerald leviathan crashed with immense force,
Dagahra clamped his jaws on black hide as dense as it was coarse;

Before Godzilla’s blood could fall upon the shaking frozen soil,
Atomic fire burned from his jaws causing Dagahra’s blood to boil;

Dagahra retreated backward but countered with his own volley of fire,
Thunderous toxic beams struck Godzilla until both creatures began to tire;

Their beam war ended and Dagahra jettisoned upward,
Slamming his bulk into Godzilla with such force the King fell backward;

Emerald claws pressed down upon the King’s throat,
Barem blasted onto the behemoth who could not roar but emote;

Cat like eyes narrowed, crimson energy began to flash,
Godzilla’s arms swung upward launching Dagahra away with a mighty crash;

With an earth-shattering stomp, Godzilla recovered and roared a request,
The emerald leviathan would unleash all its power, a simple test;

Dagahra bellowed in rage and parted his maw in spite,
A mighty indigo ray burst forth to wipe Godzilla out of sight;

The ray flew forth vaporizing all shrubbery it grazed,
Yet the determined King awaited the indigo ray, unfazed;

With his jaws burning crimson and spines flashing the brightest light,
A spray heat ray burst forth to finally remove the draconic blight;

The two rays collided yet the winner proved quite clear,
Dagahra’s indigo beam vanished and within the dragon surged fear;

Godzilla’s fiery ray burned down Dagahra’s gullet, his body filling with flame,
The ravenous appetite of Dagahra replaced with anguish and pain;

A great inferno swallowed Dagahra’s rotting corpse in a flash,
His flesh and bone gradually reduced to nothing but fine ash;

The monsters roared in celebration of their hard-fought victories,
Allowing the moment to overshadow their wide-ranging injuries;

But soon the monsters of the island discovered one enraging truth,
Titanosaurus, the cause of the brawl, was now aloof;

No traceable sign remained of the undersea dinosaur,
Causing the monsters of the island to mock him as a coward in roar;

Hunger silenced their calls and soon the monsters angrily returned to their dens,
The frigid air and snow flurries of the night acting as their unwanted friends;

With morning the chilled breeze remained, yet something filled the air,
A putrid, horrendous smell that shockingly began to ensnare;

The creatures of the island gradually made their way to the eastern shore,
Where the sand was stained crimson in a display of true horror;

Rotting corpses of whales and squids covered the beach from end to end,
To the monsters of the island the sight was nearly too much to comprehend;

Teeth shredded open flesh, beak shattered bone,
Mandibles siphoned fluid, the dead began to groan;

Watching the ravenous feast in the far-off tide,
Titanosaurus looked with a lingering sense of pride;

The gift had been tedious but it seemed to take,
Soon nothing would remain from the monsters’ ravenous wake;

Rising on a nearby mountain, Titanosaurus spotted a new creature,
It’s identity apparent from the dorsal spines, its most defining feature;

Godzilla’s presence loomed over all within his domain,
Striking fear into the very core of the undersea creature’s brain;

The nuclear leviathan’s head turned with his glare aimed out toward the sea,
His stare apparent sparking Titanosaurus to flee;

But Titanosaurus heard him roar as he dove out of sight,
He could return one day, with or without a fight.

Winner: Anguirus (Showa), Baragon (Showa), Godzilla (Heisei), Kumonga (Showa), Manda, Rodan (Legendary), Varan

 

Author: Matthew Williams | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

“Now tell me, my love,” Dr. Malik spoke to his wife, “Is this what you envisioned? You and I, relaxed as my creations do the work of what we have longed for?”

“Yes, it’s all I ever wanted,” Lucretia replied. “But what’s more important is that I’m happy to see you get what you desired.”

“And I bet McKenzie never knew what even hit him,” Malik chuckled as he sipped on his champagne, enjoying his time watching the screen that displayed the hidden underwater city, Latitude Zero.

As for what Malik had dreamt of, the city was put into his hands the moment a happenstance meteorite collided with the barrier that protected it, shattering it with immense force. The force field, under normal conditions, would have prevented anything from entering Latitude Zero and was the only thing that kept Dr. Malik from entering the hidden paradise. In addition, the weather in the sanctuary went from the usual warm, sunny day to an unexpected snowy blizzard. Nobody was able to give an explanation on why it was happening. Not expecting that such a fortune would fall in his favor and not wanting to question it, the good doctor took this opportunity to attack. He deployed the Black Shark to invade the peaceful city that held the knowledge and wealth he yearned for. The submarine sailed through the water’s surface and fired its laser cannon, easily decimating the longstanding structures. While precautionary measures were taken from within Latitude Zero, Malik ensured that nobody would be safe. The Black Shark released a huge swarm of the mad scientist’s hideous creations.

People were pounced and pinned to the concrete as they were horrifically gnawed on by oversized rats that were about as tall as the average person. Some of them were swooped into the air by Malik’s second most intelligent creation, the Bat People; heavily modified human hybrids with the fur, the muzzle, and the winged forelimbs of a bat. The deformed mammalian monstrosities carried anyone unfortunate enough to get caught in their talons, where they soon dropped them to their deaths. The mammalian horrors continued to follow Malik’s order: to kill anyone and anything that they saw in this paradise.

Then there was Malik’s ultimate monster servant, a creation that cost the life of Kroiga, the previous captain of the Black Shark. But the doctor had little interest in her and had many other henchmen worthy for piloting the submarine. But it was mostly for the better for his love relationship with Lucretia, who despised Kroiga for having romantic feelings for the man she cared for. With her disposed, Malik had used Kroiga’s brain to create an intelligent creature. One that had the body of a lion and the wings and legs of the largest condors he could capture. Derived from the kanji of Kroiga’s name, Malik called his griffon creation Black Moth.

A loud cry was heard from Black Moth as her wings glided her through the air. The chimera used her frontal talons when she slammed into a building, swiping at the structures as they crumbled away. The griffon glared at the civilians that cowered before her, pouncing on them as her forearms crushed them. She noticed some of the inhabitants in golden suits flying toward her with their jetpacks, where they bravely tried to fend her off by using their glove-mounted weapons that ranged from flamethrowers to lasers. Although she backed away at first, Black Moth swiped each one out of the sky, with several of the bat people swooping in to assist.

As the horrible beings savagely slaughtered Black Moth’s attackers, the griffon growled in fury. Not because of her savage nature or the sudden snowstorm that was blowing. While she appeared to be a beast, the mind and heart of Kroiga still remained. She had done everything for Malik, even with the strongest urge to marry him. But after what he did, her love for the doctor turned into a vengeful hatred to him. She hated everything about him, but she loathed Lucretia even more. If she were standing there, Kroiga would have ensured her death would be slow and terrifying. But the good doctor figured she would try to revolt against them. During the operation, he surgically inserted a communication device that doubled as shock treatment should she ever try to defy her creator’s commands. Kroiga learned this the hard way when she tried to murder Lucretia, which almost cost her life after barely surviving the powerful shocks. With no way to have her vengeance without risking death, the reincarnated Kroiga was doomed to being an abused pet for the madman that turned her into a monster, a tool to crush those who stood in Malik’s way.

Craig McKenzie was siding with Ken Tashiro and Jules Masson, where they too were in their golden suits to combat the invaders.

“How many of these things did Malik create? And not even the snow is slowing them down!” Tashiro cried out, spraying flames out of his fingertips at the swarm of rats.

Before either McKenzie or Jules could say anything, Black Moth landed on the ground near them with a heavy thud. They looked up at the tall griffon that stood over them, who gave the loudest roar of a lion that could have been heard. They all quickly activated their jetpack to fly straight up, just in the nick of time before Black Moth could crush the three with her talons.

A loud growl, from a different source, was heard from afar that caught Black Moth’s attention. McKenzie look at the direction that she was looking at and saw the large facility breaking apart as another large creature emerged. It was one that he was most familiar with. A creature he had found abandoned and had built a large enclosure facility to raise him.

“Daigoro! He’s escaped!” Jules shouted.

Daigoro shivered up and sneezed. He too was feeling cold from this snowy weather. But unlike everyone else, sans Malik’s creations, he wasn’t bothered that much by the low temperatures. He marched his way toward Black Moth as he began to hop up and down in a childish manner to try to look tougher than the feral animal that he was facing against. Even as an adolescent, he tried to intimidate Black Moth. If this led to a fight, then he would be confident to do so. The winged lion gave another loud roar again, which made Daigoro whimper and cower a little. But that didn’t last long as the giant mammalian responded with a rumbling growl.

“We have to go, it’s not gonna be safe if they’re gonna fight!” ordered McKenzie.

“But what about Daigoro? He doesn’t even know how to fight!” Jules said concerned, worried about what was going to happen. But he had no other choice but to fly away with them when they noticed several bat people flying toward them.

“That’s by far the most hideous thing I’ve ever seen,” said Lucretia in disgust by Daigoro’s appearance. It reminded her of hippos, her most hated animal.

“Well by the looks of it, it doesn’t seem to have a clue of how to fight in properly,” said Malik, having another sip of his champagne. “Think we should give our pet a test to see how powerful she is, darling?”

“I don’t see why we shouldn’t,” Lucretia answered, grinning along with her husband, who then gave his pet her next order.

“Sick’em, Black Moth.”

Black Moth roared again when she charged, running on all fours, then lashed out with her talons. Daigoro shrieked when he felt the sharp talons raking across his soft hide as he backed away. Kroiga snarled when she slashed again, but the hippopotamus-like beast struck back by punching her nostrils, having her back away. Daigoro growled as he began pummeling the lion with his fists, striking her as hard as he could. This only annoyed Black Moth as she quickly snapped at the adolescent’s right wrist. Daigoro squealed when he tried to unhinge the jaws with his other hand, but this made the chimera shake her head to tear the arm like a rabid dog. Daigoro’s remaining hand scooped up a pile of snow, grunting when he slammed it on the griffon’s eye, which did the trick as she released his wrist.

Black Moth shook her head as she howled loudly, rubbing the snow off her eye. Daigoro’s bitten wrist bled out a little as he felt it numb ever so slightly, but thankfully it was in good condition. Pounding on his bloated belly, Daigoro moved closer to grab Kroiga’s neck and tugged on her mane. The wings of man-made griffon flapped as she slashed the leg of Latitude Zero’s only hope. Daigoro cried out when he let go, backing away as he fell on the snow, rubbing the bloody cut on his thigh. Black Moth lunged in for the attack, toppling on the mammalian as she cut into his soft hide.

Daigoro whimpered as he tried to defend himself, but the only thing he could protect was his own neck and face. He felt the lion viciously cutting his arms and belly, only to then grab Kroiga’s left forelimb. Malik’s pawn used her other claw to slash at the bipedal hippo, but Daigoro opened his maw and chomped down the moment it went straight for his jugular. Agonizing cries came out of the winged feline, even though her enemy had little to no experience in combat, the bite he gave was just as painful as hers. Daigoro managed to push his enemy off of him, standing up as he held onto his toothy grip. Black Moth struck him with the only thing that was free, her wing. Daigoro flinched from the gust he felt on his head, but he pushed the feline with his might, forcing Kroiga to strike him several times with her feathered forelimbs. Finally, after striking his head for the fourth time, she felt her frontal legs become free. Daigoro cried out as his head ached from the blows he took from the wings, and then felt a powerful swipe across his face when Black Moth made her next move.

Daigoro cried out when he staggered back. Not wanting to feel chicken, Daigoro cut his cowardice and slammed his foot down as he cried out a valorous growl. Kroiga used her wings to fly, making a beeline toward her prey. Daigoro’s bravery reverted back to cowardice when he saw the lion’s frightening expression. He accidentally tripped and fell flat on his bum, and could only watch as Black Moth flew by, passing over as her talons failed to reach him.

As Daigoro recovered, Black Moth circled him from a distance and waited for an opening to strike. The hippopotamus beast watched her movement carefully. This time, he would try not to let his fears best him. As he eyed on her, his nostrils flared. Kroiga made her move and flew directly at the young monster. Daigoro jumped high in the air, prepared to body slam against the flying lion. Instead, he missed and crashed against a tall building that toppled on him.

McKenzie, Tashiro, and Jules watched as the hungry kaiju cried out, pelted by falling debris that buried most of him. Only his head and limbs stuck out of the rubble.

“Damnit, I knew this wouldn’t turn out well!” Jules shouted as he saw Daigoro weakly pull himself to his feet.

“The poor thing has no experience in fighting…” Tashiro pitied, imagining how painful it was for the young kaiju.

Daigoro patted and shook the snow and dirt off of his body. He looked around and noticed the Black Shark to his right, situated at a spot where he was closer to the sea. Suddenly, Kroiga flew in from behind and slammed her frontal claws on the child from the left. Daigoro fell on the snow-covered ground again, pinned by the winged feline.

Malik and Lucretia watched the screen as Black Moth savagely slammed her frontal limbs on the pinned Daigoro. Neither of them felt any regret watching the child’s suffering, treating it as mere entertainment. With every successive strike, the infant’s thrashing slowed. Jules, watching from afar, covered his eyes; he couldn’t watch this sadistic violence any longer.

Black Moth growled as she stared at the battered Daigoro, who whimpered painfully as he tried to get up. But his muscles ached from the pain, his blood painted the snow from beneath. Deciding that enough was enough, Black Moth readied her claws, to slit her prey’s throat.

But she came to a halt when the freezing sea suddenly erupted. A silhouette burst out of it within seconds and flew in, catching Black Moth off guard. The figure collided with the beast, Black Moth barely getting the chance to get glimpse on whoever grabbed her. The two rolled across the pavement before they released her. The stranger was the first to recover on their feet in an instant. Kroiga shook her head as she slowly got up, growling at whoever her attacker was.

McKenzie, Tashiro, and Jules were able to glimpse at Daigoro’s savior amidst their conflict with the bat people and the giant rats; they appeared as a humanoid giant with red and silver streaks uniform to their body.

“Could it be…?” Jules uttered in disbelief. “That’s Ultraman!”

“You mean… one of the heroes that saved humanity from above?” McKenzie asked. Jules nodded to him in response.

“There’s something off about him. His head looks completely different, and I don’t remember those shoulder pads,” remarked Tashiro.

“But the question is, how did he discover the entry way to this place?” McKenzie wondered.

“That, I dunno how to answer. But what I do hope is that he’s here to save us all from Malik’s swarm,” Tashiro answered.

“But still, what about Daigoro?!” Jules questioned, still worried about the young hapless monster, lying in the snow covering his wounds.

“Unless this weather clears, he might freeze…” McKenzie replied.

“Ultraseven…” Malik growled. The smug face that he held began to deteriorate into a frown. He had heard the stories from above that the humans had been saved by two giants that they called Ultraman and Ultraseven. “Why is he here? To foil my chance to accomplish my goal?!”

“Take it easy there darling!” Lucretia worried. “Think about your blood pressure.”

“You’re right, I shouldn’t go on an outburst in front of you,” Malik sighed, finishing his drink to ease the frustration.

“And besides, is it me? Or does Ultraseven look like he’s hurt?” Lucretia asked as her husband took a further look on the monitor that viewed the drenched Ultraseven facing Black Moth. The tall alien shivered. It was a minute detail that only those with keen eyes could pick up on. Ultraseven promptly struck a pose, ready to fight.

“He could be weakened from the cold. If that’s the case, then I still have a chance to beat him,” Malik smiled, reaching for his device to give his towering creation his next command. “Black Moth, kill Ultraseven!”

The griffon took flight, crying out as she readied her sharp talons that were quenched in blood. Ultraseven acted quickly when his hands caught the winged chimera’s palms. The strength of Black Moth was enough to push the red and silver giant backward as his soles raked through the concrete surface, but he held his footing and pressed against Kroiga’s forelimbs. Ultraseven yanked the winged feline downward, the lion cried out when her underside slammed against the cold snow. Ultraseven proceeded to hop on Black Moth’s back as he karate chopped the fur-covered neck. The engineered animal howled loudly, shaking wildly to get the alien hero off of her. Ultraseven’s left hand clenched on the mane as his other hand kept striking at the head. The griffon forced herself to her feet, pushing the humanoid giant off her as he landed on his back.

Ultraseven shuddered as he quickly pulled himself up. Before Black Moth had a chance to turn around, he grabbed and tugged on the lion’s tail. Kroiga felt the irritation run up her body, so she twisted around to swipe her claws at the red giant. Ultraseven yelled when he felt the talons of the lion rake his hide. Although no blood was drawn, he was not immune to the pain it delivered.

He released and jumped back when Kroiga tried to grab him. The lion growled, but immediately stepped back in shock when the ground in front of her was erupted by the Shakehand Ray that Ultraseven threw. The warrior from the Land of Light repeatedly threw five more energy shots like a ninja throwing his shurikens, creating miniature explosions around Malik’s pet. Black Moth roared in a panic and began hastily taking flight. But one of the small bullets detonated her right wing, with a terrified yelp to accompany her as she landed on her avian feet.

Black Moth screamed a frustrated roar as she dashed in on all fours, ignoring the energy bullets that pelted her. She slammed into Ultraseven, the hero staggered back for a moment before he countered by shoving Kroiga on her back. He then pinned the beast and continuously beat her head with his fists and karate chops, refusing to stop even if his muscles felt like they were stiffening from the harsh cold atmosphere. Malik kept telling his creation to fight back, even going as far as to activate the device’s tasers to enrage and urge her to fight. Black Moth cried out in agony as she lost her human side. Her uncontrollable rage had bested her, solely depending on her malicious instincts. She violently clawed the pavement and flapped her wings, but Ultraseven kept her down so that she wouldn’t have a chance.

Malik, who would rather play dirty against those who oppose him, gave his orders to his other spawns to ceasefire and assist Black Moth. The remaining bat people stopped attacking McKenzie and his men as they flew off to swarm Ultraseven, with the infested giant rats following behind. The winged humanoid freaks latched onto and slashed Ultraseven’s silver head, while the oversized rodents crawled onto his legs and gnawed on the hero’s crimson spandex. Although neither could tear his hide, they had at least managed to get the giant off of Black Moth. Ultraseven swung his arm to swat the bat men while he slammed his hand to crush the giant rats that were latched onto him.

With Ultraseven preoccupied with the hordes, the Black Shark took aim and fired its laser cannon at the crimson warrior’s back. Ultraseven yelled as the ray detonated against his spine, falling onto his knee as dozens of charred rats were blown away. He was struck again by another laser beam from Malik’s submarine, forcing him on his chest. Ultraseven groaned in pain when he moved his body to get back up. Black Moth’s snarl turned into another terrifying roar of a lion when she rose up to sprang forth, pouncing on Ultraseven to pin him on the cold ground.

The rats that managed to survive quickly scampered off of the laying hero, while the remaining bat people watched from afar. Black Moth opened her jaws and let loose another roar as she brought it down to chomp Ultraseven’s throat. The warrior caught Black Moth’s jaws, desperately pressing her head away to keep her teeth from ripping into his jugular. Kroiga bellowed when she tried to make her resisting target let go by scratching his face with her claws. Ultraseven held on as long as he could, but this struggle was starting to wear on him. The combination of the freezing atmosphere and the sharp talons that raked his head and arms were only accelerating it, indicated as his Beam Lamp started to flash.

“No! He’s losing!” Tashiro shouted as he was about to dash in to try and help Ultraseven. He was stopped dead in his tracks by McKenzie when he noticed the Black Shark’s cannon taking aim at the giant’s head.

“Don’t! You’ll get—” McKenzie shouted at him. Suddenly, a flash of light caught his attention as he looked back at the stationary submarine. It was swaying back and forth while a jet of water shot out of the sea.

The cannon fired, only to miss Ultraseven’s head when the meteorite, the one that destroyed the barrier, surfaced. The Black Shark was pushed aside when the space rock raked against its metallic hull. The meteor crumbled away, followed by a bellowing cry. A cold-looking monster emerged out of the tomb, resembling that of a blue lizard with a face akin to a rhinoceros with a unicorn spear and rows of teeth. It cried out again when he raised his gangly yet muscular arms as he reached out for the Black Shark. The crew tried to have its cannon aimed at the new monster, but the beast’s huge palms grabbed the vessel and hoisted it out of the ocean’s surface. Malik and Lucretia watched in disbelief as their beloved submarine was thrown from afar, where it made an explosive landing onto the snowy land, cutting off the video feed on the screen.

The monster grunted in satisfaction by the Black Shark’s destruction. He trudged his way through the bone-chilling ocean to reach dry land. He looked up, the horn on his head lit up a brief flash of light with volts crackling. Although no energy was unleashed, the snowy clouds that darkened Latitude Zero swiftly cleared up. The light of the artificial sun shined on the damaged city as everyone felt the warmth on their skins. The changing weather helped Ultraseven recover from a freezing demise, with his shoulder protectors already absorbing the sunlight, giving him the strength that he needed to shove Black Moth off of him. Daigoro’s nostrils snorted. He looked up and saw Kroiga recovering. He screamed in surprise when he saw the new and intimidating monster.

“Oh thank goodness, he’s still alive…” Jules sighed in relief.

“I guess we could thank the blue monster for changing the weather for us,” said Tashiro. “Thinking of calling it Goliath.”

“Impossible… everything was going according to my plan…” Malik growled, his mood turning from gleeful to frustration due to the loss of the Black Shark. He picked up the device. “Black Moth! Kill everything you see!”

Kroiga roared when she rushed toward Daigoro. The hippo-like beast covered his eyes, but Ultraseven intervened by grabbing the chimera’s tail. The crimson hero tugged as he spun around, eventually releasing the tail as he flung Black Moth. The griffon extended her wings to glide, but she noticed that she was heading directly toward the behemoth, who delivered a powerful smack to the face. Kroiga landed on her underbelly, shrieking painfully as Goliath kicked her face. The mammalian hybrid growled when she immediately stood up on her hind legs and latched onto the space monster with her frontal talons. Goliath pulled Black Moth away effortlessly, groaning in annoyance when he hurled the giant cat to the side.

With Goliath focusing his assaults on Kroiga, Ultraseven moved closer and offered Daigoro a hand. He wasn’t one to assist monsters on the spot, but much like his brothers, if he saw good intentions within a monster or an alien, he would gladly help or protect them. He saw that this bipedal hippopotamus was still a baby and hadn’t done anything wrong, so there was no questioning that he was completely innocent. Daigoro took Ultraseven’s hand and was pulled up. Being helped out twice by this red giant gave the young monster courage. Daigoro felt he could beat the invaders, since he and Ultraseven both have one goal in common: save Latitude Zero.

Ultraseven took his stance; Daigoro slammed his foot and growled. Together, they both charged into fight, with Ultraseven leaping high up to perform a jump kick against Goliath while Daigoro slammed his belly against Black Moth.

Goliath tumbled down on the melting snow, bellowing lowly as he tried to get up. Ultraseven grabbed him by the horn, which made the reptile shriek as electricity crackled out of the hardened outgrowth, forcing the warrior release it. Goliath clenched his large hands when he got up and swung one of them at Ultraseven, knocking him to the side. Ultraseven grunted as he shook his head. He turned and immediately ducked when the space demon tried to land another punch. In an instant, the Ultra Warrior struck back by turning around to kick Goliath’s chest. The muscled reptile shrieked when he staggered back, but cried out when voltages discharged from the curved horn, releasing a powerful lightning bolt. The crimson hero cried out when he was struck in the chest, blasted backward and landing on a building that became flattened debris. Goliath moved closer as he grabbed a hold of Seven and followed up by tossing him afar.

As McKenzie, Tashiro, and Jules finished off the last row of mutant bats and rats, they all witnessed Ultraseven soaring over them and yelled as he crashed into the hard pavement. The warrior from the Land of Light shakily stood up, still holding the will to fight back. The behemoth marched ever closer as Seven’s rectangular eyes noticed McKenzie and company were close by. Goliath’s horn began to amplify, readying another bolt of lightning. But before he could fire it, Ultraseven crossed his fingers over the Beam Lamp and discharged an Emerium Ray. The laser and the volt collided to one another, setting off a powerful explosion. Thankfully, McKenzie and his men were unharmed, though their bones rattled in the wake of the explosion.

Goliath cried out when he leapt forth, soaring through the air as if he was gliding. Ultraseven rolled over, just in time and barely avoiding being crushed by the reptile. This was his chance. Ultraseven quickly crossed his arm from his chest and fired the Emerium Ray again, going for Goliath’s horn. The behemoth raised his long arm to block the beam, shielding his horn as he shrieked from the blast that sparked off his arm. Ultraseven charged in and tackled the recovering Goliath, wrestling with him as the beast threw him aside, landing near the observing humans. He looked at the three and ushered them to get out of this battle zone. Seven returned to his feet and continued his battle with Goliath.

“We better get out of here, he’ll take over this battle from here,” McKenzie issued. Tashiro and Jules nodded. They activated their jetpacks and flew away from the ensuing battle.

Flapping her feathered appendages, Black Moth wailed on Daigoro with her wings and forearms. The chubby monster couldn’t get back up, but he was determined to fight back, punching the lion’s face repeatedly. Next, Daigoro’s right arm wrapped around Kroiga’s neck and held her tight, mustering the strength to flip the tables and pin her to the wet ground. Malik’s griffon cried out as she struggled as her clawed feet scraped the pavement. But it was impossible to do so when her prey sat on top of her. Daigoro kept wailing on Black Moth’s head with his fists, beating her as hard as he possibly could.

But what caught Daigoro’s ears alerted him of the few bat people that survived. They swarmed the young monster and clung onto his head, sinking their teeth and claws into his tough hide. Daigoro cried out, swatting the fiendish humanoids off him, incidentally rolling off of Black Moth in the process.

McKenzie, Tashiro, and Jules looped around as they saw Daigoro’s struggle came to his aid. They carefully fired lasers from their suit’s fingertips, shooting down the bat people by the dozen. The others, clearly startled by this, detached and flew off the giant mammal.

Daigoro wouldn’t let them get away. He turned and faced them and what happened next was rather extraordinary. His nostrils flare as he felt burning heat build up from within, one he felt the urge to release. A huge stream of scorching fire burst out of the hippo’s wide maw as he let out an enraged scream. The bat people were engulfed in the flames, their scorched remains dropped down from the sky like flies.

“Woah! Didn’t expect him to suddenly breathe fire like a dragon!” Tashiro shouted, shocked by this sudden occurrence.

“Daigoro is something that I can call extraordinary, for I made the wisest choice of raising him,” McKenzie stated.

The flames ceased as he scratched in confusion, unaware of his newfound power. Perhaps this would be the key to defeating Black Moth? Daigoro turned to face the rising chimera, narrowing his eyes as the opposing feline roared with aggression. The hippopotamus slammed his fists on his belly, inhaling the air as he ready his flame breath again…

There was only a small poof of fire when he exhaled. He was even more confused as to why the flames didn’t come out this time. Black Moth leapt on him, ruthlessly slashing him with her claws.

“Why didn’t he spew fire like last time?!” exclaimed Jules in confusion.

“Maybe it takes too much energy to use it?” Tashiro pondered.

Ultraseven detached his Eye Slugger, but Goliath twirled and whipped the warrior’s wrist with his tail, knocking the blade out of his grasp. Ultraseven tried to reach for his throwing blade, but Goliath rushed in to tackle him. The Ultra Warrior staggered to the side, maintaining his balance. Just as he was ready to cross his arms to use the Wide Shot, he heard Daigoro’s cry for help. The young monster was struggling to push Black Moth away. Ultraseven looked at Kroiga for a moment before looking back at the approaching Goliath. The crimson hero gestured a taunt to the behemoth, trying to get him to attack by either lunging or firing his lightning bolt attack. Snarling in frustration, the bulky reptile let out a shriek when he sprang forth to ram into Ultraseven. The blue behemoth was surprised when the giant disappeared all the sudden. Goliath crashed into Black Moth as she shrieked when she was knocked off of Daigoro. The young infant managed to stand up, noticing Ultraseven reappearing next to his Eye Slugger. The red and silver warrior picked up his weapon and attached it back to his head.

Goliath groaned in exhaustion when he tried to get up, whereas Kroiga recovered and pounced on him, sinking her nails and teeth onto the reptile’s blue skin. Goliath reacted to the chimera’s assault by immediately discharging electric currents throughout his body. This gave Black Moth the worst shock treatment she had ever experienced.

A cry of agony came out of Kroiga as she felt her body frying from the currents. The voltages that coursed through her overheated and fried the command device. She shivered from the sizzling smoke on her fur, but now she was free from her strings. She could now have a chance to kill the mad doctor for what he did to her. Black Moth crawled and tried to use her wings to make a clean get away, but the electrocution had charred her feathers, unable to get them to flap.

Ultraseven shot off three Shakehand Rays that exploded in front of Kroiga, preventing her from getting away. The giant winged cat suddenly yowled when she felt a squeezing grip on her tail. Goliath raised her into the air, then violently slammed her down on the ground, churning dust and pavement. Black Moth cried in sheer agony as her back snapped under the immense pressure. Malik watched in disbelief as his creation became paralyzed, showing no signs of movement.

Goliath felt a little drained after expending his energy, with drowsiness settling in. But there was still business to take care of first.

Ultraseven nodded to Daigoro that it was about time that they finish this fight. Daigoro flailed his arms and dashed in, headbutting Goliath’s bumpy chest. The horned lizard clobbered the young hippo with his fists, but Daigoro didn’t back away as he shoved Goliath back. Ultraseven jumped and landed next to Goliath. He turned to deliver a roundhouse kick to the blue creature’s side, forcing him stumble uncontrollably as he collapsed onto his knee. Daigoro punched Goliath’s face several times until the behemoth retaliated with a sluggish punch on the bipedal mammal’s belly. The young monster yipped and backpedaled from the giant, trying to keep balance. Goliath’s horn released a ray of high voltage currents, aimed directly at Daigoro. But then, Ultraseven hastily stood in its path and swiftly activated his shield barrier, blocking the attack.

Concentrating his aim, Daigoro hopped high into the air and passed over Ultraseven. Daigoro’s soles smashed on Goliath’s swishing tail, eliciting a shriek from the space titan. The young kaiju grabbed the squirming tail, proceeding to bite down on it. Goliath tried to reach for the child, but Seven swooped in and landed a powerful blow with his fist, striking the nasal horn. While it didn’t snap off, the reptile screamed from the sensitivity of his horn. Having had enough of this, Goliath’s large hands reached out to grab Seven. The Ultra Warrior performed several backflips to get away from him as Goliath tried to go after him. Daigoro bit and tugged harder, ensuring that he wouldn’t be going anywhere. The horned giant turned to face the hippo again as he clasped his shoulders.

Realizing what would possible entail, Ultraseven crossed his arms in an L-style position and fired his Wide Shot. Goliath didn’t even have a chance to look behind as he felt the ray struck his brown, craggy back. A huge blast erupted; a painful shriek bellowed from the horned reptile as he released Daigoro. The blue behemoth toppled to the ground.

Goliath tried to push himself up, but his injuries were too great for him to move. He slumped onto his chest where eventually he slipped into unconsciousness.

“They did it…” McKenzie smiled. “Latitude Zero has been saved.”

Ultraseven walked over to Daigoro, reaching out to shake the youngster’s hand. He was appreciative for his help in the battle. Daigoro thanked him back by accepting the handshake. As they finished, Ultraseven gave a shout and took flight, diving into the ocean from where he came. He would return to the surface world, take flight into the void of space, and head back to Nebula M78.

“He must be heading back to his home, where I assume where other Ultramen live at,” Tashiro pointed out.

“He saved us. Even though our paradise has taken some serious damage and Malik is still out there, Latitude Zero is safe for now,” said McKenzie.

“And what about the two monsters that attacked us?” Jules questioned.

“Will probably build new enclosure containments like Daigoro’s, just to give them a place they can call home.” McKenzie replied, as he looked up to see Daigoro closing in, whimpering in curiosity. “And for you my friend, there’s a large meal waiting for you if you keep an eye on those two.”

Daigoro squealed in excitement and promptly did as McKenzie asked of him to do. Although he was injured, his wounds would heal in time. And it was thanks to him and Ultraseven that Latitude Zero would live to see another day. It would be rebuilt back to the paradise that held the technology and wealth that had been kept a secret from the world above.

Malik sat on his lofty chair, his eyes glued to the floor in disappointment. His wife offered wine to life his spirits, to little avail. He was still depressed from the major losses and casualties from the invasion. Not only that, he worried about how he will deal with not just McKenzie, but Black Moth as well. The beast was no longer a puppet of his, and she would most certainly not rest until the day she killed him and Lucretia.

“Don’t worry Malik, I know that you will come up with a new plan to exact revenge on McKenzie and those who foiled your plans,” said Lucretia, wanting to see her husband’s smile once more.

“Lucretia, you always try to find a way to lift my mood,” Malik responded, feeling a little better after hearing her words. “But as for now, we’ll have to stand down and build a new Black Shark.”

“And what about Kroiga and that hippo?” Lucretia questioned.

“Hmm… There is one way to turn the tables,” Malik answered as he got up. “Follow me.”

The mad doctor hasted to another facility that he kept highly secured, entering a complicated password on a keypad. Lucretia knew what he was thinking of the moment that he approached to the security door.

Malik moved closer to a containment tube that held an enigmatic entity, one that gave off a ghostly blue glow. Much like Ultraseven, the lifeform was found roaming in the hideout, appearing from nowhere. It was easily contained when high pitch screeches from Malik’s bat-humanoid creations and it had been kept securely for further study. Malik was aware that this entity could do many things, but was unsure of the entity’s full capabilities. With the stakes placed against him, he was willing to take the risk. He faced to his left, where he grinned at several enclosures that kept two of several species of animals that his henchmen abducted.

It would take a month or more to build a second Black Shark and create more horrific creations. This long wait could be made up since the mad doctor planned to study this entity when he wasn’t busy. It was best to see what this foreign creature was capable of.

Winner: Ultraseven, Daigoro

 

Author: Thomas Eckert | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

The island of Okinawa was shaken by the intrusion of several giant crystals protruding from the soil. None of the island’s inhabitants knew where these massive crystals came from. All they did know was they had spawned a terrible monster. The crystalline terror known as Krystalak transformed this island into his new domain and the perfect breeding ground for the crystals that brought him to life. Since his creation, Krystalak rampaged across Okinawa like a disease, demolishing temples and slaying the locals. Unknown to Krystalak, there was another giant living on the island and it was about to break out of its slumber.

Krystalak snarled while doing a survey of his new home. New batches of crystals were forming. No intruders were in sight. The power-hungry mutant gritted his teeth in satisfaction. His new territory was shaping up rather nicely. But for Krystalak, enough was never enough. He needed to expand his domain to the farthest reaches of this world. He would not rest until the entire Earth was littered with enough crystals to sustain his all-powerful status.

Suddenly, he heard a sound. It sounded like singing and it came from the beach. Krystalak snarled in curiosity and went to investigate. On the beach sat a young maiden in a kimono singing toward a mountain range. She sang loudly to the guardian of her island home. When she finished her song, she waited for the beast to awaken from its sleep. She never took her eyes off the mountains. She didn’t even notice the giant, monstrous silhouette that loomed over her.

She then gasped in agony as a giant purple claw impaled her in the chest. She coughed up blood which spilt onto her dress. Before she knew it, she was being lifted into the air. Despite this, she still continued looking at the mountains until the finger that stabbed into her turned her around. She stared silently as she was looking directly into the eyes of Krystalak, who brought her closer to his countenance. The mutant growled in irritation at the noise she was making.

“K-King Caesar shall avenge my home and everyone you killed, including me,” she coughed and stammered to the monster before spitting blood into Krystalak’s face.

Enraged by this action, Krystalak bellowed furiously. He closed his fist tightly. The maiden continued coughing up blood, much to Krystalak’s pleasure. Finally, she exploded from the crushing pressure. Having gotten his revenge on the maiden, Krystalak opened his hand and started licking it clean. The sound of boulders splashing into the bay caught the mutant’s attention. Krystalak turned his head to his left and saw one of the nearby mountains splitting open.

The beast’s eyes widened in surprise as a pair of hands ripped out of the mountainside like paper. A thunderous roar erupted from the opening, revealing another kaiju. King Caesar sensed his homeland being attacked, but couldn’t be released until the young maiden finished her song. His eyes locked onto Krystalak’s own. With a mighty bellow, King Caesar leaped into the sea. Krystalak extended his claws out in defense. He waited for his foe to meet him on the island. King Caesar’s feet touched the beach of Okinawa; his ears extending backward as he roared toward Krystalak in rage.

With a vicious bark, Krystalak charged toward his challenger on all fours. King Caesar charged forward with his claws facing forward. The two mineral-based beasts lashed out with their claws, striking each other in the sides. King Caesar landed gracefully while Krystalak stumbled into the sea. Krystalak spat out seawater before getting up. King Caesar looked at his foe curiously. The feline beast could attack his foe at this very moment. But a quick look at Krystalak’s body made him think before attacking. His opponent’s back was littered with dozens of crystals. Any attack to that region would be dangerous. King Caesar didn’t have long to form a strategy.

Krystalak was back on his hind legs and bared his fearsome teeth at his enemy. King Caesar raised his arms before he took a step, unfazed by Krystalak’s expression. Krystalak crept toward his right, circling around King Caesar like a panther. King Caesar repeated the same action. Both monsters circled around each other; never moving their glaring eyes. When King Caesar made one step, Krystalak lunged forward. His claws carved into King Caesar’s chest, knocking the shrieking golem onto his back. Krystalak snarled before taking a leap, hoping to tear his foe apart with his claws. King Caesar’s eyes opened to catch his opponent jumping toward him with a ferocious snarl. Thinking quickly, King Caesar raised his legs up. Both limbs caught Krystalak in his chest and sent the monster sailing over King Caesar’s head. King Caesar rose in time to watch Krystalak smash into an already demolished temple.

Krystalak brushed the debris off his body. When his head was clear, the first thing he saw was King Caesar’s foot striking him in his right cheek. Krystalak rolled over from the attack, crashing onto his chest. When he turned around, he noticed King Caesar charging toward him. Before King Caesar could land another hit, Krystalak swung his tail out. King Caesar shrieked in pain when the spiky tip of Krystalak’s tail smashed into his leg. The golem crashed onto his side and tried to recover, only to have Krystalak swipe his claws into his chin. The Okinawa guardian bellowed painfully with small pieces of rock cracking off his face. King Caesar fell onto his back while Krystalak stood back; wagging his tail in delight. King Caesar did his best to stand. He barked angrily from the cheap shot. Krystalak snorted in contempt. The two beasts snarled at each other for a moment. They were ready to attack when they heard something rising from the sea.

Both combatants turned to notice a block of ice ascending from the deep. King Caesar and Krystalak titled their heads in puzzlement at the unusual object. When a bright light shined from inside it, two giant fists broke from inside the ice. A giant, orange horn emerged. Both monsters snarled as a giant, blue head rose to let loose a roar. Goliath punched his way free from his prison. He soon spotted Krystalak and King Caesar glaring at him. He waded through the water; smashing his fists against each other. King Caesar bellowed toward Goliath to stay away from his island. A warning Goliath chose to ignore. The moment Goliath’s feet touched the island sand, he cracked his knuckles. He couldn’t decide which one to attack first.

Krystalak made the decision for him. The crystal-spawned monster leaped through the air and smashed his feet into Goliath’s chest. The space behemoth had no time to respond before crashing into the water. Krystalak snarled, daring his foe to attack him. Launching out of the water, Goliath slammed both fists into Krystalak’s face. The mutant stumbled back, surprised by his new enemy’s strength. Goliath then delivered another punch to Krystalak’s chest, knocking him onto his back. Krystalak snarled in annoyance as the shards on his back stabbed into the island soil, pinning him down. Goliath hammered his fists into Krystalak’s underbelly, each blow causing the beast to groan in pain while making his crystals sink deeper into the soil. Goliath brought his fists up to slam them down again. He yelped in surprise when Krystalak caught his fists with his own hands. Krystalak lifted his arms into the air and in one toss, sent Goliath crashing to the dirt. Goliath squealed while on his back, trying to right himself. Krystalak barked a vicious chuckle. After ripping himself free from the ground with all of his strength, he crept slowly toward his downed victim.

King Caesar leapt onto Krystalak’s back path and planted his foot into his cheek. The blow struck Krystalak hard enough to send him toppling down onto the ground. Krystalak stood up; a few crystals on his chin were broken off from the attack. King Caesar landed near Krystalak’s side. The golem let loose an ear-splitting roar before bashing his fists onto his opponent. Krystalak tried to stand, but another sharp kick to his side sent him crashing backward. King Caesar roared at his rolling foe before moving closer. Suddenly, he shrieked painfully when a lightning bolt struck him in the back. Small patches of his fur were burnt to a crisp. He turned around to see what attacked him; only to receive another lightning bolt to his chest. The golem stumbled backward before taking a second look.

Goliath laughed out loud from his foe’s agony. He took one more step before unleashing another lightning bolt. This time, the bolt was pointed toward King Caesar’s face. The blue-colored alien was in luck. His foe didn’t budge when his attack struck him in one of his eyes. But before Goliath could realize his mistake, his lightning bolt exited out King Caesar’s other eye and struck its owner directly in his chest. Goliath cried out loud before his own attack created an explosion of sparks strong enough to knock him on his hindquarters. Before he could stand, King Caesar took a giant leap and collided onto the fallen alien. King Caesar unleashed a blood-curling holler before hammering his fists onto Goliath. The space beast shrieked from the blows. One shot after another bruised his skin.

King Caesar threw his fists down, but this time, Goliath caught them. A wicked smile appeared on the alien’s face as bolts of electricity traveled from Goliath’s body and into King Caesar’s. The golem’s ears extended backward as he shrieked in pain. The intense voltage burned small portions of his fur. A swift kick from King Caesar’s foot to Goliath’s chin stunned the electric-powered beast. Goliath surrendered his grip on King Caesar, allowing the feline-styled monster to stand back. King Caesar stood for a moment. His body still rattled by the electric shocks.

Goliath started coming to. He stood up to glare at King Caesar. The two creatures glared at each other, daring one to attack again. Suddenly, a purple beam smashed into King Caesar’s back. The golem shrieked as the attack pushed him directly into Goliath. The two beasts smashed into one another before dropping to the ground. Both of them turned to see Krystalak was back. The bleach-skinned creature snarled before firing another blast at his two enemies. The ground exploded from the attack. Goliath and King Caesar cried out after being hit by the attack. King Caesar recovered and charged toward Krystalak. The mutated villain simply fired his Prism beam again. The blast hit King Caesar in his eyes. Instead of harming the golem, it simply redirected the Prism beam back at Krystalak. Krystalak snarled in agony and fury when his own method struck him in his chest and face. King Caesar stood by to watch Krystalak fall.

Krystalak noticed King Caesar heading toward him. King Caesar never took his eyes off of Krystalak. After the horrific destruction this foul-natured beast caused to his homeland, King Caesar would not stop until the island became Krystalak’s graveyard. Goliath stood up to see King Caesar jump up and kick Krystalak down. Krystalak was still under the minor shock from having his own attack redirected at him, so he wasn’t as quick as before. King Caesar wasn’t planning on waiting for Krystalak to recover. Another kick to his cheek and Krystalak soared across the horizon. The crystal-coated beast snarled after landing with a booming thud. Krystalak slowly stood back up. King Caesar’s ferocious bark caught him off-guard. In one swipe, Okinawa’s protector carved into the crystalline’s neck with his claws. An eruption of purple blood sprayed onto King Caesar’s body from the wound. Krystalak lashed out with his claws, keeping his attacker away. The mighty shisa dodged one swipe and seized Krystalak’s throat with his hands. Krystalak kicked and squirmed while in his enemy’s clutches. King Caesar tightened his grip, making Krystalak gasp for breath. Krystalak grabbed hold of King Caesar’s arms, trying to break free from the embrace. King Caesar groaned from Krystalak’s claws digging into his arms. Nevertheless, he used that pain to further strengthen his grip. King Caesar held Krystalak’s face close to his own. He expected to see a look of agony. What he got was a sinister smile.

King Caesar snorted. Why would his foe be smiling? King Caesar’s eyes widened in shock at what occurred next. A powerful shockwave erupted from Krystalak’s body, forcing King Caesar to open his hands. The freed Krystalak landed in time to watch King Caesar soar through the air from the blast. The screaming statue’s crash sounded like thunder. King Caesar groaned from the immense pain. His fur had been burned off. His body was shaken from the shockwave. Krystalak let loose another Prism beam. King Caesar cried out painfully as his chest and legs were struck by the blast. With a hurtful groan, King Caesar fell backward. He wasn’t dead, but was badly injured.

Krystalak let loose a vicious roar at the downed King Caesar, signaling his end was near. Goliath stood by; his presence unknown to the other monsters for the moment. Just then, a large mass rammed into the blue behemoth from behind. Goliath screamed before landing onto his face. Krystalak looked up in response to the noise, only to see the sky after the same object smashed into his face and bashed him down. All three monsters looked up at what entered the fray. It was a massive flying saucer. The inanimate object circled around the three grounded behemoths before turning around.

A mighty roar trembled across the battlefield. Goliath, King Caesar and Krystalak looked toward the beach. Their eyes widened at what was coming. A gray-colored behemoth marched its way from the sea. King Caesar couldn’t help, but felt disgusted by this new monster’s appearance. Its huge back and short legs made it slow and cumbersome. Its hands had three fingers like King Caesar, only much longer with sharper claws. Its head looked like a lizard’s with a stocky neck attached to its body.

Orga waded onto the shore with his eyes scanning the island. Like Krystalak, the creature had an insatiable appetite for power and adding the crystals’ energy to his own was on his mind. Krystalak glared at Orga. He could tell the massive brute was here for his crystals by the look on Orga’s face. Something the spawn of the minerals would not tolerate. King Caesar slowly rose up. Despite the injuries he received from Krystalak, the mighty statue’s determination in protecting his island kept him going. Goliath watched as Krystalak and King Caesar were preparing to fight Orga. He still had plenty of power to keep him going. Perhaps his foes will destroy themselves and he’ll have the island to himself.

Orga smashed his fists onto the ground, creating a minor earthquake. His strength rattled King Caesar and Goliath. It only enraged Krystalak more so. With a quick snarl, Krystalak performed a perfect backflip and flung his tail out in front. Orga’s brutish intelligence made the beast only stare curiously at his foe’s action. Curiosity soon turned into agony when a large chunk of crystal was fired out from Krystalak’s tail tip. The chunk struck the tremendous alien in his face, causing him to step backward with a painful scream. Krystalak seized the chance and dashed toward Orga. The alien shook his head. The first thing he saw was Krystalak’s clawed feet slashing into his face and neck. Krystalak then lashed out with an uppercut. Orga collapsed onto the ground from the attack. Krystalak watched over Orga with a growl. To his horror, the wounds that his claws gave his enemy were healing. Orga rose with a sharp bellow. Before Krystalak could move, Orga’s massive fist bashed into his side and sent him crashing back. Krystalak recovered and with a furious snarl, lunged forward with his claws. Orga’s fist was badly scratched by the attack. After emitting a painful wail, Orga’s jaws pressed forward. Krystalak couldn’t pull his arm away in time. He then screamed painfully when Orga’s fangs clamped down onto his limb. Krystalak tried to pull his arm free, but Orga’s jaw strength was too strong.

Orga snarled before biting down harder. Krystalak screamed louder from the bite. He opened his eyes to witness a horrifying sight. King Caesar and Goliath who watched the battle dropped their jaws at what was happening. Orga’s jaws extracted tiny samples of Krystalak’s DNA through the bite. Orga’s skin changed from gray to pristine white. His back from his neck to his tail sprouted tiny, crystal-like features. Krystalak, enraged by his foe’s morphing, channeled his energy into another shockwave. The attack proved successfully in removing his arm from Orga’s maw. The gargantuan freak wailed before crashing onto his back. The DNA he absorbed from Krystalak wasn’t enough, causing the features he gained from his host to fade away. He moved around, but Krystalak wasn’t through yet.

Krystalak’s mouth opened, shooting forth a Prism beam. Orga’s stomach was hit; pieces of flesh were violently blown off his body. Krystalak moved forward. Before he could advance on Orga, a lightning struck him in the side. He turned around in time to see Goliath swing his tail into his face. Krystalak toppled backward while Goliath advanced. In one leap, Goliath bashed his entire body into Krystalak and sent both beasts plummeting into the floor. Goliath grabbed hold a few of Krystalak’s back crystals and conducted his electric power. Krystalak thrashed around; the electricity coursing into every part of his body. He opened his mouth and spat a Prism beam. Goliath’s chin was hit hard enough for him to fall back. King Caesar rushed into the fray; round kicking Krystalak back. He then grabbed hold of Goliath by his tail and tossed him into Krystalak, flooring them. He roared out loud, only to shriek after being hit in the back by Orga’s saucer and nailing him down.

Orga got back up and charged into the fray. King Caesar rose onto his feet, but Orga pounded him with his fist. King Caesar rolled along the ground and recovered. A lightning bolt struck Orga in his right eye, destroying it. Goliath nailed King Caesar to the dirt with his tail before advancing onto Orga. The blinded brute squealed after an electric punch hit him in his chin. Goliath leaped up and tackled Orga, but the beast countered with a punch of his own. Goliath fell to the ground on his stomach. Orga lunged forward; his eye having regenerated. A swift kick from King Caesar forced Orga backward. King Caesar then leaped into the air and bashed his foot onto Orga’s head, flooring the cosmic menace down. Goliath returned to his feet and spotted Krystalak coming. He swung around and shot Goliath with another crystal chunk from his tail in the face. Krystalak then turned to see Orga’s ship coming back. He snarled as he had a plan.

Goliath was dazed from the blow. Krystalak grabbed Goliath by his orange horn and chunked him at the spaceship. Goliath grabbed hold of the saucer. His weight was too much for the spacecraft to carry. The two crashed back to the earth. Goliath survived, but the spaceship was now in pieces.

King Caesar punched the downed Orga numerous times until Orga’s eyes opened up. The Okinawa guardian shrieked when Orga leaped into the air. King Caesar fell onto his side from the blow. He tried to roll away, but Orga’s fist wrapped around his ankle. Orga swung his arm forward, sending King Caesar into the ground. A chunk of crystals crashed into Orga’s face. Krystalak then turned his attention to King Caesar. He raised his tail up like a scorpion. King Caesar dodged it just in time.

Krystalak fired another shot. King Caesar leaped up and kicked back it toward Krystalak’s chest. Krystalak couldn’t move until it was too late. The mutant groaned from having his own crystals impale his chest. Krystalak grabbed hold and tried to remove them, but another charge from King Caesar worsened his problem. He rammed his crown directly into the crystals, driving them deeper into Krystalak’s chest. Krystalak opened fire with his Prism beam, hoping to drive his foe back. King Caesar redirected the beam with his eyes back toward the shard. The object exploded into pieces from the blast.

When the dust cleared, Krystalak stumbled around in pain. The area where the shard had impaled him was now a giant hole that exposed his ribs and organs. Dozens of crystal fragments dug deep into his organs and skeleton, causing massive bleeding. Krystalak grabbed his bleeding chest; the pain was too intense for his growls to say it. King Caesar had no sympathy for the sinful mutant. He watched Krystalak bleed to death before falling in a pool of purple blood. He touched the beast in his cheek. He didn’t stir.

King Caesar roared victoriously at killing the ravager of his island home. An even louder roar broke him out of his victory cry. King Caesar turned around and snarled. Then shrieked after a yellow beam collided into his chest, knocking him backward. King Caesar glared at Orga with his shoulder cannon glowing. King Caesar returned onto his feet and charged. Orga defended himself by covering his face. King Caesar tried scratching his foe, but Orga’s hide was too thick. Orga opened his hands and bit into King Caesar’s shoulder. The golem growled painfully as he tried scratching his enemy away. Orga tried his best to absorb anything from his victim, but it was for naught. Unlike Krystalak who was flesh and crystal, King Caesar was made entirely of stone which harbored no genetic material to extract. Orga simply released King Caesar and batted him aside.

Orga then screamed in pain as electricity traveled through his body. Goliath had grabbed hold of his tail and was now conducting his electric power into Orga’s body. Orga circled around, trying to swat at Goliath. But Goliath was too quick. The electricity continued burning through Orga’s frame, frying pieces of flesh off. Goliath then used all of his strength and chunked Orga aside like a rag doll. Orga’s body sizzled from the bolts frying his body. His healing properties kicked in yet the pain persisted.
Having removed Orga from the picture, Goliath then roared toward King Caesar. The mammalian biped roared in response. Both monsters charged into each other. Goliath swung his tail, but King Caesar dodged it with ease. He landed down, striking Goliath with his claws. Goliath turned his head down; then fired a lightning bolt from his horn. King Caesar shrieked when his shoulder was hit by the bolt. Goliath moved in with his fists. King Caesar grabbed hold of the blue reptile’s hands and tossed him down. Goliath rolled along the floor before firing another bolt. King Caesar allowed the bolt to enter his eye and shot it back. The bolt struck Goliath in his back, emitting a hurtful cry from the creature. King Caesar ran closer and delivered a kick to Goliath’s side, making him roll further along the landscape.

Goliath lashed out with his tail, striking King Caesar in his knee. King Caesar bent over with a groan. Goliath then socked him in the chin with an electric fist. King Caesar crashed onto his back. Goliath leaped onto King Caesar and when he hit Caesar’s chest, the two grappled with each other. Both monsters rolled against the ground. King Caesar used his legs and tossed Goliath off of him. King Caesar stood upright while Goliath crashed onto the ground. With an enraged growl, King Caesar raced toward the downed Goliath. His fists pounded into the monster’s blue warty skin. Goliath rammed his head forward and forced Caesar backward. Another bolt to the chest knocked him back further. Goliath leaped into the air, but King Caesar caught him. With a grunt, Caesar threw Goliath away.

King Caesar took a moment to remain still. His energy was running low. He wasn’t sure how much longer he can keep fighting. Goliath was growing tired of being treated by like a beanbag. He rose to his feet to meet King Caesar. Both monsters charged into each other. King Caesar used his legs to strike, but Goliath grabbed them with his fists. With both legs in his grasp, Goliath slammed King Caesar down onto the ground. King Caesar tried to stand up. But Goliath bashed his tail onto his chest, pinning him. A second hit prompted a painful cry from King Caesar. A third hit silenced him after hitting him in the head. Goliath raised his tail up as high as he could.

Before he could attack, a Prism beam collided into his side. The space monster cried out before crashing down. Goliath and King Caesar looked to see what was responsible for the attack. Both creatures dropped their jaws. Orga was back and ready for action. To both of his enemies’ shock, the creature had devoured Krystalak’s carcass. His once grey body became yellow and purple. It also slimmed down, allowing him to move more graceful. His back from his neck to his tail was decorated in razor-sharp crystals. His massive fists and feet had purple sharper claws. The hybrid of two powerful kaiju bellowed to the earth. The island itself fell silent from the frightening roar.

King Caesar knew the danger this beast was. He had to defeat this creature or die trying. King Caesar rushed in blindly, lashing out with his feet. Orga simply ignored the hits. Orga snarled at his old foe. With no DNA to provide him, he’ll have to settle with destroying him. Orga swiped with his new claws, slashing into King Caesar’s legs. They were sharp enough to carve scars into King Caesar’s stone-like exterior. King Caesar shrieked from the pain. He stumbled back while touching his legs. King Caesar leaped into the air to kick Orga in the chest. The alien grunted as he backpedaled. King Caesar tried repeating the same routine. But a Prism beam to his chest knocked him down. He managed to use his hands to break his fall by flipping backward. When he landed, he had the displeasure of Goliath grabbing him by the neck. The merciless alien zapped him with electricity, singeing his ears and fur in the process. King Caesar stepped on his foot, prompting a scream from Goliath. He then knocked Goliath away with a kick.

Suddenly, a large crystal shard collided into his back. King Caesar screamed in agony as the chunk buried itself into his back. There was no way for him to dig it out. He turned around to have Orga press both hands around his head. The beast’s massive hands sent him flying into the air. King Caesar crashed into the ground, forming a giant crater where he lied in. He righted himself, catching Orga advancing onto Goliath. The crocodile-like monster fired another lightning into the hulking abomination’s face. Despite pieces of flesh dropping, Orga’s advancement didn’t cease. Goliath pounded his fists together before swiping his tail into Orga’s cheek; the mutated invader wailed painfully with his head reeling to the side. Goliath then pounced forward with his horn out in front. Orga’s chest was pierced by the object. Goliath tried his best to push his horn deeper into Orga’s body. The hybrid squealed before grabbing hold of Goliath by his sides. Goliath tried to stay in place, but was no match before Orga’s own physical strength. The beast roared furiously as he tore Goliath from his chest, spilling some blood along the way.

Goliath used his electric touch, forcing Orga to release him. Once freed, Goliath rammed both fists into Orga’s face, each bursting with electric might. Orga backpedaled from the shots with a shriek. Goliath then fired another lightning bolt; succeeding in only infuriating Orga. Without warning, Orga’s jaws opened and unleashed a Prism beam. It washed over Goliath’s chest, causing sparks to fly from the shrieking beast’s body. Orga then crouched down and fired his shoulder cannon. Goliath squealed when it hit his chest, knocking flat on his back. Goliath weakly squirmed along the ground. Taking both blasts at once took their toll on his body. Orga wandered toward the writhing monster, curious to feast upon him and gain his powers. Goliath tried to rise, but a smack from Orga’s fist forced him down. Orga then snarled before taking a bite into his throat.

Goliath screamed in agony from his enemy’s fangs penetrating his scales. Orga snarled as his foe’s blood touched his lips. Even sweeter was the precious genetic material that coursed into his body. Goliath’s skin color mixed with the yellow skin Orga acquired from Krystalak, turning it bright green. On top of his head was a large orange horn that grew within the crystals. Goliath conducted more electric power, zapping Orga’s mouth. Orga’s huge jaws widened to moan, allowing Goliath to escape. Orga’s green skin changed back into yellow while his orange horn disappeared. Goliath crawled away to safety. His neck was severely bleeding from the attack.

When Orga reopened his eyes, he watched Goliath scurrying away. The chimera slammed his fists on the ground before jumping in the air. Goliath squealed in terror when Orga landed in front of him. Orga’s mouth swirled with light purple energy. Goliath was too frightened to escape. The Prism beam spewed forward, striking Goliath in his neck wounds. The injuries allowed the energy beam to enter Goliath’s body. Every muscle and blood vessel in its path was cut to pieces. The beam didn’t stop until it completely destroyed Goliath’s neck vertebrate. With his enemy dead from decapitation, Orga started feasting on Goliath’s remains. His green skin returned. His tail grew longer while an orange horn grew out from his head. His snout became more crocodile-like. Orga was now a perfect hybrid of three kaiju known as Gorgalak.

King Caesar bellowed toward the chimerical nightmare. Orga responded by firing a lightning bolt from his new horn. The bolt traveled into King Caesar’s eye before traveling out of the other one, striking Orga in his chest and showering it in sparks. King Caesar charged toward the shrieking alien with a kick, pushing him back. Orga lashed out with his claws, sending King Caesar down into the turmoil. He opened fire with his Prism beam, only to have King Caesar redirect with his eye and strike Orga’s chest, forcing him backward. King Caesar leaped into the air and kicked Orga in his cheek, breaking a few teeth. Orga responded by firing his shoulder cannon, nailing King Caesar in the chest. The golem crashed into a few destroyed buildings. Orga fired another lightning bolt which King Caesar countered again with his eye. The bolt lanced into Orga’s left arm, burning off body tissue. King Caesar rose and leaped into the air. But Orga lowered his body and raised his tail up. The Okinawa protector couldn’t dodge the shard that struck him in the chest.

The rock-like lion smashed into the ground. Both sides of his body had crystal shards inside them. He did his best to rip the front one out. He chucked it at Orga’s face. The beast groaned as the shard shattered against his face. King Caesar swiped with his claws, scratching Orga in the face. Orga’s horn lit up and fired a bolt. King Caesar’s right ear was blown off, causing him to shriek while touching the injury. Then Orga’s two fists wrapped around his sides, conducting enormous amounts of electricity into the golem. King Caesar screamed from the electric currents coursing through his body. Orga was encouraged by his foe’s agony to apply more pressure to his fists. Tiny cracks formed inside his body. King Caesar couldn’t handle any more of this.

Slipping his arms out, he stabbed his claws into Orga’s eye sockets. The creature wailed in agony from his eyes’ destruction. King Caesar backed away once he was freed from Orga’s restrain. His body had cracks of various sizes all over his body. The electricity burned away most of his fur. He had to finish this fight before any more damage could happen. King Caesar charged into Orga’s chest with his hands out. He grabbed hold of the beast’s neck and torso before tossing the alien over his head. When Orga stood back up, his eyes had fully healed. King Caesar planted his foot into Orga’s face, making the beast reel back. Another kick hit him in his cheek, breaking more teeth. King Caesar bellowed before kicking again. When the third kick occurred, Orga refused to budge. King Caesar on the ground perfectly and lashed out with his teeth. They bit into Orga’s left arm. The alien squealed before firing another lightning bolt, striking King Caesar in his forehead.

When King Caesar reeled back with his head smoking, Orga’s body started to glow. King Caesar let loose a vicious bark and jumped up to kick Orga in the face. This time, Orga ignored the attack. When King Caesar landed, his remaining ear flopped in the air when a shockwave erupted from Orga’s body. He couldn’t escape in time and felt the whole effect. The shockwave’s energy traveled inside every crack on his body. Every piece of stone it touched shattered from the intense power. The golem shrieked as the shockwave ripped him apart. His left arm was blown off its socket. His feet exploded into dust. The remains of King Caesar crashed onto the ground and from the impact, his torso shattered to bits. His neck cracked easily, sending his head flying a few feet away. It cracked like an egg after hitting the ground.

Orga unleashed a bellow so powerful, even the sea quivered in fear from his power. His enemies were vanquished. He had acquired new-found power. He was ready to further his mission as the universe’s most powerful creature.

Winner: Orga

Author: Hayes A. Jones | Banner: Landon Soto

Rural Greece bustled quietly with life.

The landscape is dominated by rich, earthy colors. Lush grasses and shrubs blanket the steep, uneven ground, the occasional grove of trees dotting the rolling hills. Upon first glance, the area seemed to be empty and still. But a closer inspection revealed a plethora of movement. Insects zipped about in the air and crawled through the vegetation. Birds flittered to and fro among the trees or soared with energetic, almost frantic flapping. A few larger animals moved through the hills, like small herds of deer and tortoises. Taking a step back, there were also signs of human life. The remains of an ancient structure rose up from the soil, a collection of broken pillars and crumbled walls. A small, rough road cut through the hills, a single bus – certain to be filled with tourists – roaring toward the ruins. There was even a small marketplace nearby. There, sightseers struggled to find reasonable priced soft drinks or haggled with local venders for all sorts of antiques or novelty items.

It was beautiful. It was peaceful. It was… right.

Unfortunately, it wouldn’t last.

A shiver possessed the earth, gently rattling items in the market. The shuddering grew stronger, sellers now scrambling to protect their merchandise from the vibrations as they gained power. Whole shelves of objects were thrown to the ground, pots and other delicates shattering on the paved path. The shaking turned more and more violent, people, stands and tents alike toppled. The earth itself began to give way, cracks spiderwebbing across the ground. The cracks soon became deep crevasses and the crevasses became great furrows. Tons of rocks and soil were upturned as an enormous shape pushed forth from the bowls of the Earth – it was a drill, a massive, metallic drill. The drill continued to rise up, revealing that it was attached to two mighty arms. Soon, a living being, vast and terrible, steeped from the earth, leaving a seemingly endless tunnel behind it. Shaking dirt from itself, the creature flexed its arms. The drill split in two, separating into interlocking, spade-like claws. The gigantic monster was bipedal and insectoid. Its bulbous compact eyes were reflective and glowed dully in the bright sun. Pinchers guarded its mouth, twitching as the giant looked upon its new surroundings. A long horn rose from its forehead, crowned by an ornamental star shape. On its back, a pair of striped wing cases stretched out and repositioned themselves, showcasing its membranous wings for a moment. Rearing to its full size, the tremendous beat gave a horrible screech, shattering at the surviving glass items in the marketplace.

It was Megalon, the champion of Seatopia.

The tourist browsing the marketplace panicked, all rushing in the opposite direction with fearful cries. Most of the vendors chose to hide instead, huddling amongst their merchandise. None would be spared. The screaming and footfall attracted Megalon’s attention. The cockroach-like creature regarded the humans for a moment, with what appeared to be dim curiosity in its eyes. Then he grew bored. Shrieking, Megalon spat up a sticky blob of napalm from its gullet. The unstable lugi exploded when it hit the ground, flames flooding from the impact. The marketplace was instantly set ablaze, those who survived the explosion suffering the even worse fate of burning alive. Megalon cackled in amusement, clapping its spade-like forearms together. He was already having fun.

And he wasn’t alone.

A shaft of light split the heavens, streaking down toward the ground. The column of light engulfed a hilltop for a moment, transporting power surging through it. When the light faded, a second monster was left in its place. The new arrival was a savage sight. Its tough, artificial skin was pitch black. Tall, sharp spines rose from its back, a fine red webbing between them. Triangular, silver spikes ran up its neck and rose above its head, the same spines jutting from its long tail, which was tipped with a grasping claw. Instead of toes, it had a large claw curving up from each foot. Its arms ended in gleaming scythes, hooked and bright. Saw teeth were embedded in its abdomen, a working buzz saw built into its gut. Blade-like pincers curled out from either size of its beak-like jaws. It had a sole, electronic eye, glowing an evil red. Letting out a sharp shriek, the bizarre beast swung its claws together with a small shower of sparks.

It was the Nebula N Space Hunter cyborg Gigan.

Gigan called out to Megalon, stomping down from the top of the hill. Megalon immediately responded, jumping up and down like an excited child. The two were longtime partners in destruction and conquest. They were summoned here to give a warning to the people of Earth by demonstrating their prowess in chaos. Not that it was particularly needed. Gigan and Megalon were well known to Earth, having ravaged its cities many times in the past. Greeting each other with surprising affection, the two giant touched their forearms together with a metallic ring. Pulling away, the strange pair of creatures went to work. A wide, crimson beam burst from Gigan’s cyclopean eye. The thick ray broke off into smaller streak of energy, which exploded on contact with a patch of forest, setting it on fire. Megalon loosed a jagged streak of electricity from his horn, blowing apart the top off a hill. Gigan sliced and diced a mountain with his scythes, the razor-edged claws hacking through solid rock without too much trouble. Megalon joined him, bashing away at the mountain with his odd forearms. Between the two of them they easily leveled the mountain. As their violence triggered a small landslide that crushed what remained of the marketplace, Gigan and Megalon cackled together, enjoying the little exercise greatly. Separating yet again, the pair wrecked more havoc, Megalon’s beam raking the earth and Gigan’s claws cutting down small forests.

Just as he was about to unleash his cluster ray again, Gigan felt the ground shift beneath his feet. The robotic beast turned in search of his partner, wondering if he was the cause of the trembling. But the Seatopian demigod was still on the surface, smashing away at another mountain. Gigan suddenly grew worried. Then what was the source of the fierce vibrations? Megalon himself paused and cocked his head in confusion, wondering how he could be above ground and create the tremors at the same time.

The great beetle wasn’t the brightest of creatures.

Gigan and Megalon slowly backed up to stand back to back, ready to fight together. The ground beneath the two exploded, throwing the cyborg and the insect to the ground with cries of shock. Jumping from the earth with an aroused fighting spirit, another giant bellowed a barking challenge to the downed monsters. The challenger was reptilian in nature, its hefty body held up on powerful legs. At the end of muscular arms, huge, clawed, human-like fists clenched in eager anticipation. The beast had a horny beak at the end of its snout and a small horn rising from between its nostrils. Two large bull horns sprouted from the sides of its head. A long, energetic tail whipped the air behind the challenger as it leaned back in a tremendous roar. This new beast was just as infamous as Gigan and Megalon. But it was also much more loved, for it was a defender, a savior, not a destroyer. Among all of Earth’s guardian, it stood out for its strength, will and endurance. Its name was known to all, the name of…

Gomora!

The prehistoric creature stomped the ground happily, overjoyed at the chance to fight. Gigan and Megalon puffed themselves up and feinted charges and attacks, trying to intimidate Gomora. The dinosaur would have none of it. Smashing his fists together, the Ancient Monster Prince warned Gigan and Megalon to prepare for battle with a sharp, forceful roar. The two living weapons hesitated, the idea of facing the famous Gomora more than a bit daunting. Perhaps they should… Too late. Gomora felt no remorse as he crashed into the two and sent them sprawling. After all, he had warned then. Not waiting for the two to get up, the dinosaur charged again. Ready or not, here he comes! Gigan quickly leapt to his feet and slashed at Gomora with his scythes, successfully fending off the spirited beast. Megalon soon joined his partner and fired a napalm bomb, trying to set fire to Gomora. But the wily beast simply sidestepped and avoided the sticky projectile. As it exploded behind him, Gomora lunged forward and socked Megalon across the face with a potent punch, cracking some of the beetle’s pincers. Megalon jumped back with a pained scream, waving his spade-like arms in a small fit. Gigan stepped forward and loosed a cluster beam. Small explosions billowed from Gomora’s torso, pushing him back. Swiftly recovering, the dinosaur wheeled around and slammed his tail into the side of Gigan’s head, bowling over the alien. Megalon rushed back in, swinging his arms wildly. The slow-witted giant managed to catch Gomora in the face, almost downing the dinosaur. Snorting, Gomora lashed out and drove back Megalon with a powerful blow to the beetle’s chest. As Gigan rose to stand next to Megalon, fiery rings of energy ripped from Gomora’s horn, searing both the giants. The ancient brawler’s Super Oscillatory Wave sent the partners in destruction crashing to the ground, both shrieking in distress. Beating his chest, Gomora shook the air with a screech, empowering himself. Slowly rising, Gigan and Megalon hardened themselves, ready for the dinosaur’s next attack.

They didn’t notice the swell of violet energy rising from the earth behind them.

Gomora stiffened in alarm. He recognized this creature! Seeing their foe’s shock, Gigan and Megalon turned to look as well. A hulking started to take shape, billions of microscopic organism amassing. Slowly, a creature of unmatched dread and fear formed. A heavy body, covered in an intricate pattern of grooves, ridges and spikes; rose, flexing powerfully. Clawed hands appeared at the end of stout arms, talons grasping as if at flesh. Its thick legs dug into the ground, rows of large spikes pointing down from its knees. A flexible, segmented tail flattened the vegetation behind the terror, its crescent tip clenching. Two pairs of wings – one huge for power, one small for navigation – unfurled, churning the air with their might. The thing’s robust shoulders tapered into great spikes, like titanic, bloody thorns. The horror finally showed its face, letting out a terrible scream. Serrated frills framed the beast’s fearsome head and a straight, cylindrical horn graced its forehead. Its short jaws were lined by small tusks and brimmed with sharp teeth. Its eyes were yellow and soulless and hateful. The air grew stagnant just from the creature’s mere presence. Gomora, Gigan and Megalon all found themselves growing meek at the mere sight of the monstrosity. Only one being could instill such fear and possess such destructive power.

Destoroyah, the living Oxygen Destroyer, chaos incarnated, the Grim Reaper’s faithful companion… Death itself.

Destoroyah casted its sinister gaze upon its newfound victims. Its eyes locked on Gomora especially. It had a bone to pick with the reptile. Long ago, during a great battle between the forces of light and darkness, Gomora had attacked it from behind, striking the Precambrian horror down. Destoroyah could never forgive something like that. Only death was forgiveness. But the other two beast… they were between Destoroyah and its prey. They’d just have to die as well. Eyes narrowing, Gomora forced himself not to shrink back and met Destoroyah’s eyes with his own. As the two rivals glared furiously, Gigan motioned to Megalon subtly. He silently signaled to his partner that he would take Destoroyah and that the monster-god should deal with Gomora. Understanding, Megalon wheeled around to face the dinosaur with a screech, metallic arms slamming together. Gigan did the same to Destoroyah, clanging his scythes together. Destoroyah and Gomora both looked startled for a second before striking battle stances, each determined to reach the other. Crying out at the same time in a chorus of unearthly screams, all four giants attacked.

Gomora ducked under a spade-like claws as Megalon took a swipe at him. The spirited brawler thrust himself forward and rammed his shoulder into the insectoid beast. Megalon was pushed back, but quickly came back swinging. Jerking forward, the bipedal insect smashed Gomora’s head between his strange forearms. The prehistoric giant yelped in pain, dropping to a knee. Megalon squealed happily and slammed his bulk into Gomora, toppling the reptile. Gomora’s tail swung up and smacked the bug across the face. Megalon staggered, but countered by delivering a good kick to the dinosaur’s side, literally punting the beast. Gomora flew through the air, thrashing wildly, before striking a hill with a muffled crash, throwing up dirt and chunks of earth. Megalon hopped up and down, shrieking in glee. Gomora rose to his feet, eyes burning. One would think it was in anger, but it was really excitement. If their was anything that the ancient monster loved, it was a good fight! Giving a spirited roar, Gomora rushed forward. A volley of electrical bolts tore from Megalon’s horn, raking Gomora as he barreled toward the beetle-god. The dinosaur grimaced in pain, but kept coming. Megalon panicked and tried to nail the incoming beast with his napalm bombs. Stopping on a dime, Gomora loosed his Super Oscillatory Wave. The powerful energy pulses detonated the napalm bombs and washed over Megalon. Screaming, the dim-witted giant tried to escape the forceful vibrations, only to be thrown to the ground. The insectoid creature’s girth pancaked priceless ancient ruins with a bloom of dust. Grabbing Megalon’s horn, Gomora yanked the bug to his feet. Eyes bright and happy, the dinosaur landed a barrage of punches and kicks to the monster-god’s body, bruising and battering Megalon. The great beetle struggled, flailing his metallic arms. Judging that Megalon had taken enough of a beating, Gomora showcased his impressive muscle by hurling the Seatopian champion over his head. Megalon wailed, cartwheeling through the picturesque skyline. With one last screech, the titanic insect landed on his head, snapping off his horn.

Clumsily dragging himself up, the bug was filled with rage. His horn! His horn, his horn, his horn! Megalon threw a tantrum, stomping and swinging his spade-like forearms blindly. Gomora paused, stunned by the immature display. This monster was more child than devil. Shrieking in fury, Megalon sprinted at the dinosaur, attacking rashly. He was immediately floored by a bone-jarring punch. As he laid eagle spread on his back and due for another pummeling, Megalon groaned in misery. He was having a bad day…

Gigan’s day was even worse.

Again, the cyborg was bowled over by a blow from Destoroyah’s claws. Gigan slammed into the ground, cratering it. Screeching, the chicken-like giant lashed out vengefully. His scythes, sharper than razors and stronger than steel, barely scratched Destoroyah’s thick carapace. Gigan gritted his metal teeth. Changing tactics, the partially mechanical weapon unleashed his cluster beam. Small explosion peppered Destoroyah’s carapace. It didn’t even tickle. Howling in dark delight, the demonic beast rose one taloned foot and brought in down hard into Gigan’s gut. The bladed alien doubled over in agony, spitting up a mix of pale blood and dark oil. Destoroyah grinned evilly and prepared to smash Gigan’s skull beneath its foot. Thinking fast, the cyborg took off, ripping from the ground in flight. Wailing in anger, Destoroyah spread its satanic wings and followed, ragged membranes beating against the air noisily. Gigan easily outran and outmaneuvered his heavier foe, zipping and speeding through the clouds. Destoroyah screamed its frustration to the world, aimlessly firing off micro-oxygen rays. The purple lances of power slashed across the sky, few even coming close to Gigan. Becoming confident – perhaps overly so – Gigan pulled a sharp turn, buzz saw whirling to life. Destoroyah shrieked in surprise as Gigan clipped it, saw hacking into its shoulder. Far below, a few drops of yellow blood were soaked into the parched soil. Gigan gave a cry of laughter and circled around again. Before Destoroyah could even make a turn, Gigan struck again, almost sheering one of its wings in half. With one wing practically useless, Destoroyah began to plummet. But, the Precambrian horror managed to snatch Gigan from the air with its gripping tail, the cyborg emitting a surprised gurgle. Together, the two dueling giants plunged, both helpless. As they fell, Destoroyah and Gigan took vicious swipe and swings at each other. The cyborg slashed Destoroyah’s armor with its claws and the hyper-colony of microscopic creatures bashed Gigan with its fantastic strength. All the while, the rolling landscape below rushed upward, gravity certain to be the victory in the three-way squabble.

CRASH!

Stunned by the powerful impact, the two monsters struggled to pull themselves from the tangle of limbs and various appendages they landed in. Destoroyah was up first, eyes glowing with hate and bloodlust. Gigan didn’t fare as well as the crimson tank, lacking its thick exoskeleton. Slowly and painfully, the alien beast tried to rise. Blood dripped from deep gashed and oil leaked from numerous cracks. The cyborgs fins were crushed and broken, hanging limply from his back. One of his scythes was cracked, threatening to shatter, and the other was chipped and dulled. Cackling, Destoroyah whipped around, its tail shooting out and wrapping around one of Gigan’s arms. Spinning around with a horrible scream, the collective lifeform threw Gigan. The wounded cyborg landed heavily, its cracked blade breaking into nothing but shards of metal. Destructive energies poured from Destoroyah’s jaws. The blast of micro-oxygen exploded against Gigan’s broken body, eating away at both flesh and metal. The bladed giant wailed in pain. Destoroyah advanced, wanting more. With a burst of adrenaline, Gigan leapt to his feet. He thrust one of arms forward and fired a pair of grappling hooks. The weighted wires wrapped around Destoroyah’s neck and tangled together. Buzz saw activating, Gigan gave the line a good tug. Destoroyah was unfazed, still standing strong. Grabbing the tether in its claws, the winged terror gave its own tug. Gigan was ripped from his feet and sent hurtling toward Destoroyah. As the cyborg tumbled toward it, the hyper-colony cackled wickedly, cutting energy arcing from its horn as it swung its head down…

Gomora socked Megalon again, fist slamming into the beetle’s face. Shrieking, the monster-god decided enough was enough. Leaping back from Gomora, Megalon brought its spade-like arms together. Interlocking, the beast’s infamous drill was formed. Drill whirling with sudden energy, the insectoid leviathan lunged, intent on gutting Gomora. Mind working like lightning, Gomora waited until the last second and then sidestepped. Megalon’s drill stabbed into a mountainside, stopping dead. The great insect squawked, trying to pull his drill from the rock face. Grabbing Megalon’s arm and bracing them, Gomora brought his knee up with a barking bellow. Megalon wailed in agony as both his arms were broken at the elbows. Finally jerking his drill from the mountain, the crippled monster-god’s drill split apart and his arms fell limply to his sides. Megalon squealed and began to run, not willing to fight any longer.

Then Gigan’s death scream rose to the heavens.

Gomora and Megalon turned just in time to see Gigan’s corpse fall from Destoroyah’s grasps. The dead cyborg’s upper body was cleaved straight in two, a pool of blood and oil spreading out from the deceased giant. Gomora growled. Could he defeat Destoroyah without the element of surprise? Megalon screamed in horror. Forgetting his earlier plan to escape, the devastated beast ran to Gigan’s side. Murmuring pitifully, the Seatopian champion gently nudged his partner’s side with a foot, hoping for Gigan to response. He didn’t. Megalon stood, dumbstruck and miserable. His partner was gone. His friend was gone. Destoroyah stepped forward with a screech, warning Megalon that he would die next if he didn’t flee. The beetle refused to move, unwilling to leave Gigan. Gomora was saddened by the sight of the dumb bug mourning his partner’s death.

Destoroyah found it delicious.

The monstrosity lunged, knocking Megalon to the ground with a swing of its claws. Gomora found itself rushing in to try and help the bug, but Destoroyah tripped the dinosaur with its tail. Placing a heavy foot on Megalon’s chest, the hellish beast cackled darkly. Spewing a stream of micro-oxygen, the Precambrian demon blasted Megalon’s face. The beetle-god went into spasms as his face was eaten away, destructive energies liquifying his pincers and compound eyes. The pained insect tried to flee, but Destoroyah kept him pinned under its foot. Sprawled cross the ground, Gomora looked on in horror as Megalon’s exoskeleton melted away, revealing the soft flesh and slick innards beneath. Armor weakened, the cockroach-like monster’s chest caved in under Destoroyah’s talons, splattering his guts. Soon, there was nothing left of the beast but its spade-like claws and a few worn fragment of its outer shell. Destoroyah boasted of its victory with a terrible screech, shaking the air. Gomora rose to his feet, furious at the violent slaying of Megalon. Nothing, no matter how destructive, should be forced to suffer like that. Destoroyah turned to face the riled dinosaur, happy to clash with him. It would be a pleasure to kill him as well.

With an emotional cry of anger and hate, Gomora charged, ready to fight Death itself.

Gomora tackled Destoroyah, slamming all his weight into the crimson horror. The hyper-colony barely moved. Shrieking, Destoroyah retaliated. Gomora was thrown back by a blast of violet power. The micro-oxygen tried to eat away at him, but his think skin soon snuffed its destructive effect. Eyes glowing with all the foul feelings in the world, Destoroyah moved forward and swung at Gomora’s head. The ancient beast ducked and then made his own swipe, driving his fist straight up into the killer’s jaw. Destoroyah was pushed back by the uppercut, clawed feet gouging the ground. Encouraged, Gomora advanced, punching, kicking and headbutting. Destoroyah, unable to avoid the blows or land any of its own, was forced back, the giant locked in a dance of sorts. Under the great power of Gomora’s blow, even the tank-like Destoroyah was beginning to wear. Tiny flows of yellow blood ran down the Precambrian monster’s blood red armor. Destoroyah finally manged to launch a counterassault by snatching Gomora’s ankle with its gripping tail. Wheeling around with a scream of effort, the vengeful monstrosity tore Gomora off his feet and hurled him away. As the dinosaur soared – quite against his will – Destoroyah opened fire. Purple energy harpoons exploded against Gomora’s plunging body, blasting away bits of his flesh. The willful brawler yelped in pain. The cry was suddenly cut off as he hit the ground, leveling a hill. But Gomora was on his feet just as quickly, brushing off the impact and rushing Destoroyah again. Bellowing, the spirited giant grabbed the mutated predator’s horn in one hands and began whaling on it with the other. Destoroyah screeched as its carapace was cracked by blows that would cripple most other creatures. Clutching the killer’s horn in both hands now, Gomora wrenched it, trying to snap it off. Destoroyah lashed out, carving Gomora’s side with its savage claws. The dinosaur jumped back with a shriek of pain, blood gushing from the long, ugly wounds. Hissing, Destoroyah lunged, throwing Gomora to the ground by thundering into him. Pinning the prehistoric reptile under its much greater mass, Destoroyah viciously beat the smaller monster, claws ripping and tearing flesh with each blow. The winged terror cackled as its felt flesh give way under its clenched claws. Gomora cried out in outrage and pain, blood splashing across his face. Desperate, the dinosaur resorted to his Super Oscillatory Wave. Fiery pluses of power scalded Destoroyah’s face, peeling skin and burning its eyes. Even the Precambrian demon couldn’t take such an attack pointblank and swiftly rose, trying to escape. Hissing, Destoroyah flexed its claws, wanting to tear Gomora’s heart from his chest. Wailing, the crimson beast threw itself down to fulfill its wishes.

Instead, Gomora stabbed his nasal horn into the monstrosity’s throat.

Destoroyah gurgled pathetically, yellow blood pouring from its mouth and jugular. Gomora struggled to see through the blood dripping into his eyes. Summoning the last of his energy, the dinosaur called upon its Super Oscillatory Wave again. Only, this time, the fiery energy flowed directly into Destoroyah’s body. The predatory giant could feel the burning power run through it, scorching it from the inside. It would kill it, but it wasn’t the least bit uncomfortable. It did make Destoroyah extremely unstable however. And Gomora knew just how to use that to his advantage. With an enormous heave, the dinosaur lifted Destoroyah from the ground and hurled him over one shoulder. Ripping loosed from Gomora’s horn, Destoroyah tumbled through the air, blood still spewing from its throat. When the screaming beast hit the ground, it erupted into a massive fireball.

BOOM!

As bits of earth and boiled chunks of Destoroyah rained down upon the Greece countryside, Gomora nearly collapsed. He was exhausted. He had never been this bone tired in his entire life… At least the fight was over. He was victorious.

Gomora froze in absolute horror as violet power crackled across the landscape.

Every living thing around him perished instantly, plants wilting and animals dropping dead. Billions of microscopic predator feasted, multiplying and recovering. When their numbers were sufficient, they came together. Reappearing in a flash of purple, Destoroyah glared daggers at a Gomora. The usually bulky killer was now thin and scrawny. Its wings were ragged, mostly red shreds of skin. Many of its spikes and spines were missing. Its facial frills were only half formed. But it was no less terrifying than before. A shiver went down the dinosaur’s spine as cold fear engulfed him completely. It couldn’t be. A thousand questions ran through the ancient creature’s mind. How could the Precambrian horror have survived? Why wasn’t it dead? How could anything be so durable? Could he possible fight any longer?

Was he going to die?

Forcing himself to be bold, Gomora leapt forward and spun around, tail swinging out to strike Destoroyah. The wrathful demon hacked down, horn humming with deadly power. Gomora screamed in agony as his tail was sliced clean off at the base by Destoroyah’s horn katana, blood spurting from both stumps. Shock, blood loss, and pain all taking their toll, the once spirited warrior fell, unable to continue. Cackling darkly, Destoroyah advanced, eyes bright and hateful. It was going to kill this thing, it would make him suffer, it would make him pay!

Before the crimson beast could strike down Gomora once and for all, a humanoid figure dropped down in front of it. Ultraman! The silver being, noble and strong, warned off Destoroyah by striking a pose that clearly meant business. He wouldn’t let this monstrosity slay Gomora. The dinosaur once saved him from the hellish creature, and now it was his turn to do the same. Destoroyah didn’t mind. It craved revenge on Ultraman as well, simply for surviving an encounter with it. The Precambrian demon grinned as it gazed at the alien hero and Gomora, still bleeding profusely on the ground.

No one escapes Death!

Winner – Destoroyah

 

Author: Patrick Alan Green | Banner: Jackson Morris

This was it.

This was what he had been searching for.

Gigan’s visor flashed brightly red as his mandibles separated, allowing his beaked mouth to open, releasing a screeching roar. Gigan was relieved to finally be standing before what he had been ordered to destroy.

The alien cyborg raised his hooked hand high above its head and smashed it hard across the cliffside, sending an avalanche of dirt and rock cascading into the ocean’s waves. Gigan let out another screech as he brought his other claw down, sending more rocks exploding into the ocean.

From the beach, the Azumi royal princess and her grandfather watched in awe as the terrible alien slowly ripped apart their guardian’s sacred tomb.

Again and again, Gigan’s hooks tore into the cliffside, until finally he broke through. As dust settled, Gigan’s target slowly came into view. He stared at the beast, standing motionless inside the cave. The fabled demon-god, King Caesar, had been freed!

Or so it seemed…

What stood before Gigan appeared to be nothing more than an over-sized statue.
Gigan glared at the so-called “Guardian” of Okinawa. Dust and webs covered its entire body. Its eyes were dull and lifeless. There was no way this was the legendary beast he had been ordered to destroy.

Suddenly, the sound of crumbling rock echoed throughout the tomb, and King Caesar’s lifeless body fell from the cliffside and landed stiffly into the ocean with a tremendous splash. Gigan stared in bewilderment as the beast quickly sank to the bottom like a rock.

Back on the beach, Nami’s grandfather gasped. Tears slowly began to roll down his face.
That’s all the confirmation she needed. They had no hope…

King Caesar had failed to protect them this time, and now Okinawa would surely be next to fall.

Gigan shook the water off his back fins and jumped back.

He had been ordered to kill King Caesar, but it was obviously not a threat…

He turned his attention to the beach, where he noticed two humans kneeling on the sand. The cyborg monster let out a menacing roar and made his way inland, eager to start his rampage.

“Nami…” her grandfather said in a raspy voice. “We’ve got to get out of here, before it’s too late.”

Nami was silent, watching as Gigan quickly approached, his spiked foot finally stepping on land as his footsteps shook the entire beach around them.

Nami’s grandfather backed away slowly, begging his granddaughter to run.

His pleas fell on deaf ears.

Nami picked up her family’s sacred statue and held it high over her head. Its ruby eyes caught the sun’s radiant light, causing them to radiate a brilliant, red glow, a red glow that quickly caught Gigan’s attention.

Nami fearlessly walked toward the invader.

Gigan stopped and looked down, captivated by the pulsating, red glow that burned within the statue’s gem eyes. His hooks clapped together as the light amused him. Gigan let out a bellowing screech, then instantly stomped Nami into the Earth. Killing the poor girl.

The old man fell to his knees, calling her name over and over again, his fists pounding against the sand over and over as he cried.

Suddenly, the ocean waves began to churn. A geyser of bubbling foam exploded high into the sky, followed by a form erupting from the crashing waters. A furious roar echoed across the beach, and perhaps even all of Okinawa itself.

King Caesar had awakened!

Gigan quickly spun around to see the legendary beast quickly coming after him, his body cutting through the ocean’s turning waves. Gigan bellowed out a loud roar, accepting King Caesar’s challenge. Gigan anticipated the battle about to unfold and readied himself, clashing his hooks together as he glared at his enemy, taunting the legendary monster as he approached.

King Caesar’s clawed foot stomped onto dry land. His red eyes pierced through Gigan as the two fixated on one another.

Standing on opposite sides of the beach, both monsters readied for one another to strike first, both ready to kill each other… Or die trying.

King Caesar began to circle his opponent, claws bared and posed in front of his face.
Gigan screeched and kicked the ground, pelting King Caesar with a wave of sand. King Caesar shielded his face, lowering his guard, Gigan zoomed forward, tackling the ancient monster to the ground before springing to the sky.

The guardian monster quickly rolled to his feet and stood up. His long, fur-covered ears perked up as he looked around, scanning the beach for his foe.

Gigan suddenly came rushing in from behind, the sound of his buzz saw charging up filling the air. King Caesar quickly turned around, just in time to duck out of the way and miss Gigan’s spinning blade.

Gigan roared out in annoyance as he landed, quickly spinning around to meet King Caesar head on, and the two monsters clashed. Gigan swung his mighty hooked claw, only for King Caesar to duck under it and counter with a devastating roundhouse kick to Gigan’s temple. The cyborg monster cried out as he fell backward, body convulsing as his visor flashed wildly. King Caesar pounced on his foe, pummeling the alien creature’s golden scales without mercy. Gigan wildly thrashed, slamming his claws into the ribs and face of the stone monster until he forced his attacker off, sending King Caesar crashing to the ground below with a thud.

Gigan quickly rose to his feet and quickly made his way toward King Caesar’s fallen body. With tremendous force, Gigan kicked his spiked foot into King Caesar’s side, sending the monster flying through the air and crashing into a pit of jagged rocks.

Gigan let out a proud screech, slamming his hooks against one another.

This job was going to be too easy…

King Caesar shook the excess dirt and rock from his fur as he focused his attention back on Gigan, hastily marching forward. The sound of metal echoed for miles with every footstep.

King Caesar shook his head and hastily crawled out of the pit. Lowering his head, the ancient protector dashed forward, but Gigan was ready for him. The cyborg monster swung his powerful hooks, delivering a nasty blow to the back of King Caesar’s head, followed by a kick to the ribs. King Caesar backed away, trying to defend himself from the blows. Gigan spun around, slamming his spiked tail against the chest of the wobbling giant, sending the once great creature crashing to the ground.

Gigan was deriving pleasure with every blow he delivered. King Caesar fought to stand up, but Gigan slammed his foot into the ancient one’s side once again, knocking him back to the ground in a heap. Over and over, more kicks came. The sound of King Caesar’s cries of agony resonated throughout the entire area.

King Caesar kicked his feet into where the ribs of Gigan would be, knocking the alien backward and giving him the chance he needed to fight back.

King Caesar roared, shaking the sand from his fur as he stood to his full height. Gigan marched forward, looking to make King Caesar pay. He raised his hooked claw high into the air, but King Caesar quickly grabbed Gigan’s arm and flipped the alien over his shoulder, sending him flying into the Azumi shrine. The structure exploded like matchsticks under Gigan’s weight, enveloping the area in a cloud of dust. The alien monster cried out as he rolled on the ground. King Caesar marched forward, wrapping his clawed hands around Gigan’s tail and pulling the cyborg through the sand.

Suddenly, Gigan sprung into the air, looking to escape King Caesar’s grasp by flying into the sky, but King Caesar tightly held on, claws digging into Gigan’s flesh as he fought to hold on, unaware that his feet had begun to come off the ground.

Gigan’s boosters kicked into overdrive, blasting the alien creature into the sky with King Caesar still holding on!

The sounds of King Caesar’s roars echoed for miles as the two monsters rose higher and higher into the sky. The wind pelted King Caesar’s fur as he squeezed harder on Gigan’s tail, trying desperately to hold on for dear life.

Gigan cried out in rage, stomping King Caesar’s face without letup, trying to free himself with all his might.

Suddenly, a loud, ripping sound filled the air. Gigan let out an excruciating cry as King Caesar’s eyes widened. The tip of Gigan’s tail suddenly broke off! Gigan stopped to watch King Caesar’s decent, the panicked cries of the once great shisa amused him as the creature plummeted from thousands of feet in the air.

BOOM!

King Caesar struck the ground below. The beach shook, almost as if Okinawa had suddenly been hit with an earthquake.

Gigan let out another screeching roar as he zoomed back to the beach to inspect whatever was left of King Caesar. As he landed on the sand, his visor scanned the area before quickly locating the crater that had been left in the shisa’s wake. As the dust cleared, King Caesar’s body slowly came into view. His entire body was cracked, his glowing red eyes were now blackened and once again void of life.

Gigan reared his head back and let out a loud, victorious roar. The cyborg turned away and slowly began making his way toward the city of Okinawa, unaware of the clawed hand that had suddenly risen out of the crater.

Hoisting himself up, King Caesar feebly crawled out of his crater, shaking his body off as he let out a feeble roar, letting his enemy know he was nowhere close to being beat yet!

Gigan spun around to see King Caesar racing toward him on four legs like a rabid dog. Gigan let out a surprised cry and attempted to spring into the air to escape, but King Caesar pounced into the air, smacking Gigan out of the sky and pinning him to the ground. King Caesar leaned in to the cyborg’s visor, letting out a feral roar. Gigan squalled out in annoyance. King Caesar quickly grabbed the monsters metallic jaws and forced his beak open, then without mercy, bit down on Gigan’s tongue, ripping it out!

Gigan screamed in agony, blood gushing from his mouth as he thrashed wildly. Quickly, the cyborg managed to get a lucky shot in and kicked King Caesar to the side. Gigan’s boosters activated once again, and the alien monster quickly zoomed off into the sky, making a hasty retreat as he disappeared through the clouds.

King Caesar watched as the invader flew out of sight. He let out a weakened roar as his ears dropped. He tried to take a step forward, but felt his body beginning to stiffen up. He could feel whatever magic that kept him alive slowly seep away from every crack in his body. Before too long, he knew he’d be nothing more than a lifeless statue again. He turned his sights to the churning waves as his eyes began to dull, watching the sun as it set over the ocean. King Caesar let out one more grumbling roar, then finally, the monster felt silent.

Draw: Gigan, King Caesar 

Authors: Dao Zang Moua, Landon Soto, Joseph Steinard Jr., Andrew Sudomerski, Tyler Trieschock & Alex Williams | Banner: E.J. Su

[Continued from Match 263]

An endless stream of vibrant color. Mortal eyes briefly gazed upon the fragments of time which flashed from the past, present, and future. Like a river, the fragments of time flowed past the mortal, revealing thousands of instances in the span of seconds. The distortion ingrained itself into the memory of the seer, embedding so permanently into the mortal’s psyche it took moments for her to realize she no longer traveled within the snow-white anomaly. 

Audrey Tatopoulos clutched her head with her right arm, pressing upon her long, golden hair while she closed her eyes to gain focus, but the indistinguishable fragments of time still echoed within her mind. Over the span of a minute they faded into a rapid blur, continuing to pulsate like a stain of light within a person’s vision. Audrey’s head shook from side to side in response. Audrey struggled to think clearly, but no affliction would alter her goal, to retrieve the husband she cared for with all her heart and ensure his safe return to their world. Gradually, Audrey’s determined eyes opened to the new reality around her which was completely blanketed by a singular, dominant color, red.

Crimson light pierced dark clouds which choked the high atmosphere, illuminating a wasteland which humanity once resided in. Crumbling structures of man lined deserted streets. Cars slowly rusted upon the crumbling infrastructure, allowing orange brush to poke through the cracks and fall upon its surface in a state of near death. Piles of decayed rubble lay at the bottom of numerous hills which sprawled across the region while a double, gated bridge, as iconic and red as the skies which now shone upon her, allowed Audrey to pinpoint her location on the new Earth.

San Francisco, or at least, what was left of the city.

Audrey’s gaze shifted within the helicopter she resided within and looked upon the five inch tall figure of Moll, priestess of Mothra Leo. Standing atop the window of the co-pilot seat, Moll appeared transfixed on the destruction, gazing outside the craft with her back to Audrey.

“We’re in San Francisco,” Audrey noted to Moll as the member of H.E.A.T. shifted her gaze to the desolate city. And I can see why we didn’t get any replies from Elsie’s drones, place looks like hell, she thought. “So, can you sense Nick or something?”

The guardian turned around to reveal a smile while a single tear rolled down her cheek. “I can. Both are lacking strength, but they live. Mothra is taking us-”

Moll’s joy vanished as if a horrific comment was whispered into her ear. Her eyes shifted to concern, returning to gaze outside while she yelled, “Hold on! Lora says it’s coming for us!”

The craft shook within Mothra’s grasp as he prepared for battle, unleashing a chirp to deter the approaching creature, and shaking Audrey who braced herself atop her seat. Her eyes scanned the city, expecting a terrifying threat to emerge at any second. Worry was quickly replaced by frustration as nothing appeared. “I can’t see anything! Where is this thing?”

Beneath a cliffside, which at its top possessed a military compound that overlooked the outskirts of San Francisco, the earth upheaved violently. Pillars of smoke erupted from the cliffside’s basin as the soil jettisoned upward, masking a monstrous shadow which hid within the cloud. The dark shape shifted to face Mothra Leo’s approaching form. With a burst of speed, two crocodilian like jaws snapped through the haze. A long tail slithered behind the bipedal beast, its eyes wide with ravenous hunger. A Skullcrawler, the Big One, charged forward with unrelenting speed.

Leo’s body descended toward the approaching creature. Buildings beneath his wings shattered from the winds, overtaking Audrey’s yelling as the two beasts neared each other. The Big One’s mouth opened in ravenous glee, but before it could close upon the guardian of earth, a Triple Cross Heat Beam burst down its gullet. Leo veered right, allowing the helicopter it clutched to pass mere inches over the Skullcrawler as it crashed violently through a selection of decrepit structures.

The Big One rolled through the thick dust into clear, radioactive air merely to belch smoke and blood. His pointed nose pivoted to the right, allowing his right scarred eye to watch the moth disappear over the nearby, tall cliff. The Skullcrawler slammed his right foot down in rage, allowing himself to stand upright, and unleashed a gurgled roar before sprinting after his fleeing opponent. 

He would not be denied a meal so easily!

Audrey braced herself as the helicopter crashed upon rusted vehicles. Metal groaned from the transport’s weight while helicopter parts fell upon cracked pavement. After unstrapping herself from vehicle, Audrey stumbled out of the craft with Moll in her arms. A warning chirp echoed from Leo, attracting Audrey’s attention to the monstrous guardian before she watched Leo fly toward the Skullcrawler.

“So, on our own then, in a place teeming with monsters. Great…” Maybe bringing a weapon would’ve been a good idea. “Which way should we go?”

Moll turned around in Audrey’s right palm, her face seemingly glowing with positivity. “Nowhere.”

Audrey’s left brow raised in confusion until the sound of footsteps made her shift her gaze to her right. Standing next to a rusted SUV stood a man she missed with all her heart. Dropping Moll to the ground, Audrey bolted into the figure’s arms, embedding her right hand into his disheveled, brown hair. Her forehead brushed against his unshaven face while her left arm clutched the back of a shirt stained with dirt. Tears swelled within the woman’s eye sockets before she forced out a few simple words which took nearly all her strength to utter.

“I missed you Nick.” 

Nick remained silent in the embrace, allowing a few tears to fall upon the top of his wife’s head. 

“Why’d you come here in the first place Nick?” I shouldn’t be surprised after all these years, she thought. Especially if you said you thought it would be fun to research another realm…  world… dimension? Wherever we are.  

“No choice. Cameron grounded the Seeker and with the crystal’s antigravity properties it was taken airborne. I activated the distress beacon, but before I could figure out a way down, there was a flash and I was here.”

Audrey pulled away, glancing around the area in a panic. 

“Wait, is Cameron here too? No, don’t answer that, because he won’t be too much…”

Nick’s hands fell upon Audrey’s shoulders, taking her off guard as she looked up to see the joy vanish from Nick’s face. The anger Audrey felt slipped away as she noticed regret tear apart Nick’s demeanor. Immediately she embraced him once more, tightening her grip as much as she could. 

“You wouldn’t… he went too far this time. Its okay.”

A slight smile took shape but with a heavy heart, Nick pulled away and looked into Audrey’s tear filled eyes. “Is Monique okay? Last I saw there was a gunshot and she fell-”

“Yeah, she’s fine. It just grazed her. She and Randy are looking for Zilla in another anomaly. Elsie is making sure those things won’t disappear on us.”

Nick let loose a breath of relief. “Good, fill me in on the details later, but we need to go someplace safe while we can.”

Both nodded in unison and began their trek toward the nearby compound, leaving the Elias alone in their own embrace.  

Moll retracted from her sister, taking a deep breath to regain her composure. “I’m sorry you are here, that my actions put you in such a-”

Lora wrapped her sister once more in her arms. “I’m here because of our responsibility, not your mistake.” Lora gradually pulled away, concern replacing the joy in her eyes. 

“We need to warn Leo,” Lora asserted to her sister, shivering as her mind processed the terror.

“The beast?” Moll inquired. “Even weakened, such a creature is no match for Mothra.”

“The Skullcrawler, as its called, is not what I fear,” Lora retorted as she looked to the white anomaly and the towering collection of Earth beneath its radiance. 

Deep beneath the mountain of rubble under the anomalies’ glow, draconic wings twitched with life. A red hue returned to the eyes of the ancient, insectoid predator who sensed the energy of an enemy it loathed more than it hungered for. Fanged jaws parted to unleash a breath of putrid air accompanied by a screech comparable only to nails on a chalkboard. Time may have built the Queen a shallow grave, but Megaguirus would not be dying so easily. 

Only the moth would suffer such a fate. 

The echo of an explosion snapped the Skullcrawler and Leo’s attention away from the other, watching in awe a pillar of dust launch into the sky and blanket the white anomaly. The Skullcrawler tilted its head in curiosity. Leo chirped with concern, a familiar buzz returning to his ears but before he could move, a grey blur careened into him, slamming the guardian into the side of a decayed skyscraper. 

Leo cried out in sheer anguish. Yellow blood ran down its abdomen from a pincer embedded into his body while two red eyes glared with malicious intent.

Did her prey think it had won their previous fight? That it laid claim over its rightful terr-

Megaguirus confusingly scanned the landscape around her. The red sky, unrecognizable structures and lack of vegetation making it abundantly clear she no longer roamed any familiar island. Where was she?

A challenging roar echoed behind Megaguirus causing her to turn her head so her left eye could see what wished to gather her attention. A bipedal beast with rows of serrated teeth screeched with fury, slamming its foot on the ground in an act of intimidation. Megaguirus remained unamused.

Another foreign land. Another beast to kill. Megaguirus parted a screech of annoyance while snapping its right pincer in anticipation. No matter, she would at least enjoy killing this insignificant, powerless mo-

Mothra’s chest flashed with power and a Mineral Chest Beam of unrivaled energy burst forth, blasting Megaguirus away. The Queen’s sizzlingly body slammed against the destitute suburban homes of San Francisco and carved a clean path to the nearby ocean. Water burst into the air, allowing Megaguirus to sink beneath the waves.

The Skullcrawler watched in silence the ocean waves disperse, shocked at the display of power until a chirp attracted its gaze back to Mothra Leo. While the guardian’s eyes were less illuminated from the bloodloss, Mothra Leo still echoed a chirp of deterrence to the beast to leave or else it would face a similar fate. A hiss trembled from the reptile’s jaws at it thought, weighing its options merely for a grey blur to soar past him. 

Mothra’s form plowed through the crumbling skyscraper behind him, arching to the ground with a climactic explosion of earth while the destroyed city trembled. Heavy dust fell from the air, revealing golden blood which flowed from Leo’s mandibles. A muffled chirp escaped Leo, only for Megaguirus to stab the guardian in the upper chest cavity with her left arm, taking great pleasure as muscle tore as she opened her pincer. A shadow overtook Leo’s head as Megaguirus aimed its right arm over the beaten creature.

No more chasing, no more surprises! Her prey would understand its place, now!

The Queen plunged her right pincer through Mothra’s skull, unleashing a torrent of blood upon the city streets but as Megaguirus retracted her bladed appendage, the body of her enemy began to glow. Moths arose from the form of Leo and flew into the air, gradually peeling away Leo’s body as thousands took shape. Megaguirus’ screeched with intense ferocity, swiping at the insects and launching globs of yellow blood across the city. As the final moths took to the air, Megaguirus unleashed a primordial cry of hate. 

Her prey still lived! How? How could it live through impalement? How could it resist death? She would drain every molecule of energy from her prey once it reformed! 

A booming roar echoed from across the city, pivoting Megaguirus right eye to gaze upon the Skullcrawler which pathetically charged toward her. The queen’s eye winced in annoyance. The bipedal reptile lunged forward, but its jaws struck open air, passing through an afterimage and landing atop of the fallen skyscraper. The beast snarled in frustration before Megaguirus reappeared behind the Skullcrawler. The Big One whipped its tail, striking another afterimage before Megaguirus reappeared in front of the reptile, its eyes filled with apathy.

Did this creature think she would fight it? Why? It possessed no energy to siphon, no reward except warm flesh. Even her prey’s energy, dispersed across the city, emitted more radiant power than the rampant beast. No, she held no need to battle but to be patient, to wait until her true prey returned. 

Nick watched from the entrance of the military outpost as Megaguirus disappeared from sight, vanishing with a sonic boom while the Skullcrawler bellowed for the queen to return. Its two legs stomped on the ground, its tail whipped back and forth while its wails of ravenous ire echoed for the destroyed city to hear. With a slight sigh, Nick slowly turned around and walked into the interior of the complex, leaving the Big One to roar alone in gluttonous fury. 

The hallway Nick walked through seemed to stretch on for an inexplicable length. With the bodies removed, only the smell of mold and dust comforted Nick as he thought to himself. Should I tell her? Can I afford to-

Nick violently coughed, blocking the projectile with his right arm while he propped himself against the wall. Five painful convulsions rocked through Nick, ending only to reveal blood sprayed across his upper arm. Nick stared at the sight, thinking about the cause merely for specs of light to catch his attention. 

Dozens of abnormally large moths fluttered past him down the corridor, causing him to follow. Nick’s eyes shifted in amazement as he entered the main room, watching hundreds of the blue winged moths fill the enclosed space.

“What are these?” Nick inquired aloud, extending his right hand to catch a moth which landed atop his index finger.

With eyes once filled with tears but still red from their use, the twin fairies of Mothra Leo turned toward Nick in the distant corner of the room. Moll and Lora looked to the other, a smile forming as they sat next to a makeshift nursery for food, producing plants. 

“A miracle of our guardian,” Lora noted as she watched in amazement, attracting Nick over to them.

“Fascinating, can he reform?” Nick inquired merely for the moth to flutter away. His gaze shifted to the pair whose eyes now looked away in sorrow.

“He is very weak. It will take time for him to gather his remaining strength but,” Moll noted as she looked to the ceiling, gazing at the monster she knew flew just outside, “he won’t be able to fight her. There is so little life left in this world to draw mana from.”

Audrey’s hand rested on Nick, causing him to immediately spin and clutch her in his arms while she did the same. The two held each other close, remaining silent until Audrey stated,“Zone Fighter, the man you saved, he’ll be here when the portal opens again. We just have to stay here in the meantime.”

“No he won’t,” Moll corrected drawing Audrey’s and Nick’s attention, “when we entered this world, I felt his mind like Ultraseven’s fall out of consciousness. Their bodies, emanating such pain…” Moll took a second to compose herself, her remorseful eyes opening to gaze upon the pair. “Neither will be able to help us.”

Audrey’s eyes widened, flashing from tearful joy to rage. “You realize why that is right?!” Audrey rhetorically yelled as she walked past Nick, her shadow enveloping Moll. “You did this! If you would have helped us, helped Nick none…”

Nick’s hand rested upon Audrey’s shoulder, pulling her back into his embrace. Slowly the rage across Audrey’s face diminished into apathy while Nick kept his grip tight. 

“We’ll get out of this. We just need to come up with a plan, and then you can yell at me for coming here in the first place.” I’ll definitely have deserved it at this point. 

Audrey turned around to face Nick, lifting her head to reveal a slight smirk of amusement as her head leaned into his. As quickly as they embraced, Audrey reeled back and slammed her hands together, her index fingers extended as she walked around the room to gain inspiration.

“Can’t use the helicopter I came in on, but Nick,” Audrey asked aloud, “anything we can fly nearby? Instead of fighting, we could fly out while Mothra distracts the two.”

Nick shook his head side to side in response. “Nothing usable, and no sign of any other survivors. Radiation levels I assume ensured of that.”

“Maybe the city is affected more than rural areas. Have you tried contacting anyone?”

“I have. This compound is equipped with military grade radio equipment. Theoretically, I should be able to listen or contact others on another continent but… everything is dark. Either by interference of radiation or a lack of humanity.”

Nick’s eyes sparked with an idea, his gaze shifting to Moll and Lora. “Lora mentioned to me you have telepathic abilities. Is there a range to it?”

Lora looked to her sister, her face shifting from reluctance to worry. “With my sister, our power extends as far as the planet we were born to protect, but,” Lora noted as she turned to Nick and Audrey, “I have searched for other humans and I can find none on this continent. With my sister we can contact others if they live, but I fear they are too far to help or save.”

Audrey’s fingers snapped in epiphany. “Instead of looking for help, why not ask one of the two monsters not to try and kill us? Maybe you can convince them to eat the other.”

“Megaguirus’ lust for power is too great to negotiate with,” Moll countered.

Nick nodded in agreement. “From everything I’ve read on these computer’s dossiers, Skullcrawlers think with their stomachs, not-”

Nick paused mid sentence while his head turned to a computer in the corner of the room. With a fast walk, Nick burst over to the device, flicking it on as he accessed its storage drives. Before Audrey, Moll or Lora could inquire to his actions, Nick spun around to reveal a full-screened image.

A pair of cerulean wings illuminated a mesmerizing glow beneath a static waterfall. The reflection of the moon barely compared to the light reflected through the water while two insectoid eyes glowed beneath the rushing water at those in its presence.

“Instead of communicating with Megaguirus or the Skullcrawler, why don’t we try to contact her.”

*****

Tibetan Mountain Range – Shin Earth

An endless howl of the wind. 

An eternal void of frigid temperature.

A world devoid of life. 

These were the comforts the Legendary Titan known as Mothra dreaded as she huddled in silence. 

A gust of harsh wind blew snow across the insect’s face, partially awakening it from its self-imposed hibernation. Bulbous, insectoid eyes warily looked toward the cavern’s entrance which was nearly blocked from jagged teeth made of ice. Miniature beams of dull light passed through the cracks and acted as Mothra’s window into the world which life she failed to protect. With a hum of despair, Mothra’s eyes gradually dulled in brightness merely for a new sound to echo into her void. 

A whisper. It projected throughout the cavern from all directions. As time past the plea grew in strength, and even as it echoed in an incomprehensible language, Mothra felt the emotion pour through. Worry, doubt, terror… hope.

Mothra’s head peeled off the frozen floor and she unleashed a mighty chirp in solidarity of the echo, shaking the cavern she resided within. Wherever this life existed, wherever it called for help, she would be its ally and this time, she would not allow its destruction. 

Knife-like appendages smashed into the ice covered cavern’s floor while majestic wings unfolded, radiating tangerine light. The insect’s eyes narrowed, focusing on the cage she had allowed to form in her time in exile. With another mighty bellow, Mothra propelled itself forward, smashing through the ice cavern entrance and launching snow, ice as well as rock down the mountain side. Free of her prison, Mothra soared into the blizzard’s wrath, the harsh winds and frigid temperature failing to even slow her down.

Avian eyes watched Mothra’s form ascend into the snow filled sky from a distant mountain, the insect’s body acting like a beacon before clouds hid her sun-like glow. A caw of anticipation emanated from the beast’s beak, overpowering even the blizzard’s wail. Snow poured off the titan’s crimson wings, his molten blood boiling from excitement as the remaining snow steamed off his reptilian skin.

For years, Rodan’s shadow encompassed the Earth, its talons sinking into machine and flesh alike. Titans fell beneath his molten wings. Man ran in terror of its presence. Even the one-eyed alien hordes knew to flee or face destruction by the true ruler of the skies, but those years quickly faded like all life, leaving only a few Titans to challenge him and answer his lust for conflict; Mothra, Godzilla, the MUTO and Ghidorah.

Rodan’s steaming body shook slightly as he thought of the last Titan, but the volcanic creature quickly subsided those thoughts. It was not yet time to think of his own demise, but to focus on the battle to come, and the life he would take. 

*****

Tokyo – Shin Earth

Rage.

They carved through the countryside of Japan with every breath, slicing through rock, ruins and vegetation alike. Their insatiable appetite for carnage unmet even as the barren landscape showed no sign of previous activity. Lightning danced across the maelstrom, illuminating the swirling clouds of the endless storm which consumed all of Japan. With pristine scales lit by the typhoon’s erratic showcase, the wicked creature howled concentrated electricity and plasma to fill the ravaging hollow winds with ash and misery. Yet none of the latter was to be found.

Titan slayer. World destroyer. Golden demise. Monster Zero. They went by many names, all equally feared by the ghosts of those passed. Even the ones who lived knew, for the most part, to steer clear at all costs. Not did that stop the arrogant to challenge the dragon; nor did it stop the hydra from seeking them out and bereft them of life. Now all that was left was very little to offer. Their fury built up as another mountain collapsed in on itself from the wrath of their bioelectric beams. The surrounding forest burned with utmost intensity, so much so that not even the rain and gusts could put it out.

Deep within the depravity of their mind, Ghidorah yearned for fresh blood on their lips and teeth. This planet was destined for death, yet the tedium fueled their unfulfilled gratification, which in turn amplified their rage. If there were more Titans to oppose their presence, they would be welcomed to only add to their prolonged mission. As the mountainous dust poured over the flaming forest, Ghidorah stood upon their feet and wailed as one with the storm. It was a wrathful call, hoping to lure the boastful or paralyze the fearful.

For a moment, there were only the gusts that have long accompanied them. But carried in the wind was a response.

All three of Ghidorah’s heads pivoted toward the origin of this call. It was faint and distant, but it nipped at Ghidorah’s instincts. Where there was a call, life flourished. At the very least, it was worth looking into. Spreading their membranes wide open, casting a horrific shadow, Ghidorah flapped, creating a powerful gale of its own and was propelled into the air. Carried by wicked wings, they ventured off into the long-dead Pacific Ocean; with the storm following suit.

*****

Hawaii – Shin Earth 

Solitude had its benefits, yet it was a double edged sword of a lifestyle. For the living mountain that slept in the heart of an abandoned island, this was normal. His kind lived independent and lonely lives until they had found a life partner and produced offspring. This reduced any chance of internal backstabbing and betrayal among each other. The only cost was trust, or a lack thereof in most cases. Their hearts were hardened to the harsh environment they once thrived in, making breeding a rare commodity. But when they did, they produced promising descendants that would inherit the title of King. It was this genetically encoded lifestyle that wound up being their ultimate downfall. Because of it, there was only one last member of his species. However, Godzilla no longer had the luxury of being an isolated animal.

Parasite; an organism that depends on the host for survival. That meaning took on a whole new light for Godzilla in recent events. Rather than a nemesis species relishing in his blood for sustenance, the MUTO depended on Godzilla in a form of mutualism. It was hard to imagine that all it took to quell their eons of struggle and bloodshed was a common foe that threatened the entire planet. The male MUTO croaked and screeched endlessly, as if to perturb him from slumber. It was irritable, but Godzilla would heed to his ally’s request with a mighty yawn.

It had been a substantial amount of time since the fall of the abominable Shin Orga, even shorter since the emergence of the abnormal humanoids and the end of the world. Despite everything that transpired, the MUTO was filled with a youthful vibrancy. The thrill of the fight clearly satisfied his instinctual needs, and it would seem the young male sought for more. Once in a blue moon, Godzilla would accompany the winged parasite to test him against lesser tier Titans. These bouts were now non-existent, which left much to be desired for the parasitic lifeform after years of near solitude. The MUTO screeched urgently, informing the Alpha of a strange noise. Godzilla, attuned to bioacoustics and echolocation, heard the noise his smaller ally was referring to.

Something was calling. What it was, that was uncertain.

Whatever the case may be, it was distant. Even more so than any of the Titans they’ve fought in recent times. Now wasn’t the time to investigate for what ifs or happenstance. If they could hear it, certainly others would be drawn to it, too. Including… Them.

This world was a lost cause. And it was his failure that was the undoing of nature’s order. One that led to the birth of a new humanoid species with its destructive might and another that led to the revival of his greatest enemy. He was both feared and shunned among the table of the gods. So when Godzilla snarled at his companion, it was a strict, authoritarian order to stand down. They weren’t going anywhere.

They were outcasts.

But the MUTO was inclined to disagree.

Be it his eager naiveté or sheer determination, the young male disregarded Godzilla’s command. Growls of dissuasion emanated from the reptile’s snout, yet they fell on deaf ears. The MUTO flapped his wings and soared over the ocean, heading toward the signal’s source.

Godzilla was enraged, if only for a moment. As the monster king gazed at his flying ally growing more and more distant, he saw something… A familiar feeling he had thought lost to him. This nostalgic feeling formed into compliance. He knew what was happening, and knew what would happen if he let this go unabated. Lifting his massive weight from the ground, Godzilla found himself lumbering toward an ocean that had long been devoid of life. The MUTO was well ahead of him by this point; but knowing his destination, the MUTO would eventually come to a stop, giving him the time to catch up. What the future held made Godzilla uneasy, but it seemed it was inevitable.

 If all was lost here, then at least there would be nothing else to lose. At least, so he hoped.

*****

Somewhere under the Pacific Ocean – Earth

In a glistening cave beneath the waters of the pacific, a guardian of Earth slept in a near tranquil state with its long, exoskeleton covered body curled into a ball. Light glistened off the black armor of the insect while its pronounced horn randomly sparked from each breath the monster drew in. The insect’s normally crimson eyes showed only a hint of their natural glow until a voice echoed causing them illuminate once more.

“Hey! Battra! Wake up!”

Rocks shattered as Battra’s larval form uncurled creating a dust cloud beneath its dozens of legs. Battra’s horn illuminated as brightly as its eyes. Both turned to face the tiny priestess who flew a hundred meters away from him atop a dragon like creature she used as her companion. An annoyed growl echoed from Battra’s mandibles, its horn sparking with power as it considered vaporizing the dark Elias, Belvera, where she flew.

“Look, can we skip the whole blame thing?”

Battra’s horn discharged an orange bolt in response, arching right of Belvera as it blasted a chunk into the cave’s walls and sent Garu-Garu into a panic. The mechanical being screeched in surprise, its wings flapping chaotically until Belvera kicked the dimwitted android, bringing it back under her control. As she looked back at Battra, her eyes rolled with disdain.

“Okay, fine. I’m… sorry you took offense to me looking for another guardian.”

Another bolt arched left of Belvera from Battra’s horn, overtaking the pair in sparks and powerful winds. Garu-Garu spun in the air in confusion, its flight far more controlled yet still unable to stay composed while Battra’s monstrous laugh echoed.

“Okay, twice!” Belvera screamed in frustration while Garu-Garu leveled out. As she focused on Battra, a sinister smile appeared overtaking the annoyance she felt moments ago. “You know, I wouldn’t have to if someone wasn’t hiding for all those years. What, nearly dying to Godzilla make the great Battra chicken?”

A furious screech from Battra caused harsh winds to flow past Belvera, yet her smile remained intact. Her head tilted to the side, enjoying the moment for as long as she could.

“Recovering? So should I expect you’ll resurrect in a thousand years like when you were killed by a single Mothra?”

The ground shook as Battra slammed its front legs against the cavern floor. The vengeful guardian’s eyes burned with fury as its horn channeled immense energy. One bolt, Battra thought as it continued to stare at Belvera, one bolt would end eons of this relentless torture.

Belvera smirk grew while she rested her head in her hands as her elbows lay across Garu-Garu’s head. “Kill me and I’ll just reincarnate. And would you want one, maybe two of me that ask you routinely to,” Belvera’s hands lifted with her right as well as left index and middle fingers bending, “help the world?”

Battra’s horn diminished in brightness while its mandible parted to echo a low growl of irritation.

“Thought so. Now it pains me, but I need your help. Not sure… hey!”

The cavern shook as Battra’s elongated form retracted into a spherical shape with its legs pointed inward while its head rested upon his tail. Color diminished within its eyes as the yells of Belvera echoed around it.

“Wake up! You can’t ignore me! Battra! Ba-ttra! 

Belvera mercilessly kicked Garu-Garu as her calls fell on uncaring ears. The android squealed in pain until the priestess’ head fell into her right hand. Belvera’s fingers massaged her forehead as she thought for a second until she yelled, “Ok, don’t care! I don’t really either! Apparently, the world’s at risk, and I wouldn’t mind seeing it burn. What has it done for us?”

Battra’s head rose, turning once more to face Belvera.

“I can’t stand the usual pair of Mothra sheep. They’re all just one note, goody goodies. Nothing interesting about them or any of their past lives. But sure enough the two that are somewhat interesting and I can barely tolerate are in danger. And if they go, that means Leo goes and that means you might have to,” Belvera’s hands lifted once more with her index and middle finger bending on both hands, “protect the Earth again. So, you coming or not?”

*****

San Francisco – Shin Earth

The stars shone brightly upon the apocalyptic city under the night sky, illuminating a world in color that reminded Nick and Audrey of their own world. Nick lay stretched out on old cushions and fabric sprawled across the aging tile floor, the glass which once littered the space pushed into a pile to his left. Audrey’s head lay across Nick’s chest, her eyesight, like his, gazing through broken windows to the skies above.

“We’ll need to move back into the building at some point, can’t risk us staying out here in the open.”

“Way to be a buzzkill with such a great view. Know any constellations?” Audrey inquired.

A brief cough echoed from Nick before he wiped his lips and started to speak with a weaker than normal voice, “Two dippers. Can’t say where they are.”

Audrey’s left index finger pointed toward the sky. “I’d say somewhere in that direction.”

Nick chuckled briefly only for it to switch to a harsh cough. His head turned away, allowing blood to splatter across his arm. As his breathing steadied, Nick turned back toward Audrey, her face slightly pale with worry. 

“Is it worse?” Of course it is. He’s been in an irradiated city for a week. I should be thankful he’s not glowing.

Nick nodded in approval. “Yeah, but you shouldn’t be affected if we go back tomorrow.”

Audrey raised her head off of Nick’s chest, turning to face him directly. “I’m not worried about me. I’ll be fine but… how bad are you? And I want the summary, not a lecture.”

“Minor symptoms started three days after I arrived here. Unsure the exposure level, if its this location or maybe a contaminated area I passed while exploring the city. My guess is its early signs of  a contagion which is preying on my weakened immune system. Speaking of which, no noticeable symptoms on the radiation front.”

Audrey head fell upon Nick’s chest once more. “I guess you have Zilla to thank for such a high tolerance.”

“Actually I have a hypothesis that his body absorbs far more than it produces. Waters around New York are less radioactive than those in D.C., Boston, and Baltimore by at least ninety-nine percent. Couple this with…”

Audrey’s hand covered Nick’s mouth, her gaze squarely on her husband’s face. “Just let me enjoy the view.”

Nick’s muffled voice stopped as he sighed, forming a grin under Audrey’s palm, gently taking it off his face. “Alright, you win,” Nick lightly chuckled as he gazed back up to the stars. 

Not having to worry about what terrible beasts lurked outside, or even about his own health, Nick felt at peace, he was just glad to finally not be alone anymore. Soon Nick was struggling to keep his eyes open, he felt drained from the sickness, and decided to succumb to his exhaustion.

Audrey smirked as she heard her husband’s light snoring, it was music to her ears. She had missed this feeling of intimacy and comfort. She tried to stay awake, wanting to savor every little moment she had with Nick, but she too found it difficult to stay conscious, and slowly drifted into a calm rest.

*****

U.S.S. Cowpens – Earth

Elsie Chapman leaned off the railing of the U.S.S. Cowpens in anticipation of the anomalies’ awakening under the moonlit night, allowing her red hair to flow across her face from the winds of the sea. Her right hand’s fingers danced across the railing, her mind racing with worry, anticipation, and intrigue of her team’s return from both anomalies. A sudden clang reverberated to the biologist’s right. Elsie’s eyes looked to the men next to her, specifically an officer dancing across the deck in panic as he scanned the area for something. 

“Hey human!” a feminine voice yelled.

Elsie took a step backward in response. The biologist glanced around the walkway, watching male naval officers stuck on the night shift, patrol the deck or surround their speechless friend, but no female appeared in sight. With a slow forming grin, Elsie leaned against the railing once more and thought aloud, “Telepath I take it?”

“Stupid human, I’m speaking with you telep… Glad to see the females of your kind are smarter than you appear. Where is Moll?”

Elsie’s left eye twitched in annoyance. “Great, now I have to deal with this. And to whom am I speaking too?”

“The great and powerful Belvera. Elder sister of the Elias Moll and Lora. Grand priestess of Battra.”

“And most humble I take it,” Elsie snickered aloud so Belvera could not hear.

“So, where did my sister and Mothra go?”

“She ventured through the white anomaly yesterday. You should be careful…”

“Human!” Belvera yelled within Elsie’s mind causing the biologist to cover her ears via reflex. “Continue to scurry on your raft. I need nothing more of you.”

The sound of men running attracted Elsie’s attention as officers sprinted past her to their posts. Elsie’s head tilted slightly to the right in thought, thinking over her brief conversation before he eyes went wide and her head gradually tilted upward. Soaring through the pitch dark sky, the monstrous, illuminated wings of an insectoid creature soared a few miles above the ocean’s surface.

Oh right. Priestess of… Battra.

Battra’s wings of purple, orange and black turned vertical, revealing sharp, crimson eyes and a crown of golden horns as the dark Mothra plummeted toward the sea. At the last second, the guardian pulled up, unleashing a shockwave of monstrous winds across the U.S.S. Cowpens before Battra flew directly for the white anomaly. Faster and faster the creature propelled itself. Its eyes narrowed, its majestic wings created sonic booms from the sheer force of its flaps while its six legs curled beneath his abdomen. 

With a mighty screech Battra struck the white anomaly. 

A sickening crack followed. 

The white anomalies’ interior bent to Battra’s impact, sparking uncontrollably as the glass like fragments of its interior condensed. Echoing the sound of muffled thunder, Battra’s body rebounded off the tear and struck the outer edge of the caldera beneath it. A moment of silence took hold as a plume of the blackest dust shrouded the white and black anomalies, followed by the painful wails of Battra as it lay on its backside in a confused daze.

While men continued to run in panic across the vessel, Elsie remained still, showcasing a smirk she could only pray the priestess could see. 

“You knew, didn’t you?” Belvera’s bitter voice inquired. 

“Sorry, I assumed as an all powerful divine being you knew it wouldn’t open for another few hours. In the meantime, I think your god may have a concussion.”    

“How dare you! You will suffer for your… wait, is that… why is he here!”

Elsie continued to snicker before she finally inquired in thought, “Ahh, yes let’s make this a three way call. I don’t mind.”

Silence remained for a few moments, drawing Elsie’s gaze to the island. “You there, hello?” Elsie’s mind remained silent, drawing a sigh from the biologist before she took a few steps away from the railing and walked into the U.S.S. Cowpens to check on Major Anthony Hick’s medical status. 

*****

San Francisco – Shin Earth

Unconsciousness gradually faded, tempting Audrey to open her eyes and face the reality around her. Her eyes split for just a moment, gazing out the front of the compound’s shattered windows to see the sun splitting a few dark clouds in the distance. Her eyes quickly shut, letting loose an annoyed sigh before tightening her grip of Nick, digging her head deeper into his chest that was covered by a grey shirt.

How could she end such a peaceful moment? For every sunset at the edge of a carrier, kiss on her wedding day or quiet moment of reprieve with the one she loved with all her heart, a new terror would emerge and risk them both. Mutated birds from another age, imperious invaders of another world, egotistical enemies which longed for recognition; all tried to end them both and yet they survived another day. Audrey smiled as she felt her husband’s chest moving up and down as he breathed. The blonde woman kept her eyes shut, allowing her troubles to fade just for the moment while the sun reflected off her face.

Nothing else mattered.

The sun across her face faded, bringing with it a swift breeze with a foul smell. Audrey’s thoughts were quickly ruined with her face turning to disgust. Her eyes opened once more, bolting apart as she noticed a massive eye parallel to the window. Nick gradually awakened too, his eyes widened in fear as he took notice of the monolithic eye and the scars which surrounded it. 

Drool leaked from the monster’s maw. His pupil dilated in on the tiny scraps which registered his presence. For the Big One, it was time to feed.

“Run!” Nick yelled, bolting up with his wife, running with her into the facility at breakneck speed. 

Audrey glanced behind her as she turned the corner, watching the front half of the outpost vanish into the jaws of the creature. Steel, insulation, and wires flung into the air, falling from the Skullcrawler’s maw as he picked apart what he chewed on with his tongue.

Moll and Lora moved toward the couple as they bolted into the room.

“He’s here…” Audrey dreadfully said as another tremor rocked the structure, causing the humans and the Elias to tremble in place.

“We don’t have much further to run,” Nick stated with his breathing labored, “he’s consuming… the building.”

The Big One let out his trademark, grotesque sounding roar, spitting out the rubble in his jaws. His prey escaped his bite, but it mattered little, they couldn’t hide any longer! The Skullcrawler raised his head from the non-existent front of the building, placed his left longest claw on the roof of the compound, and pushed down on the building, going through it like a knife through butter.

Audrey let out a terrified gasp as the monster’s claw breached their hideout, landing not far from the group, crushing the computer Nick had used to research the kaiju who roamed this Earth. Hundreds of sapphire moths took to the air in response, fluttering through the hole from the beast’s claw and filling the airspace above the creature’s head.

Audrey repeatedly tapped on Nick’s arms in her own panic before grabbing one and hurriedly moving next to Lora and Moll, picking each up. Without hesitation Audrey bolted into another room. It, anywhere had to be safer than where they stood!

The Skullcrawler licked his maw with his lengthy tongue, unleashing a mighty roar which flung the moths away from his forehead. Clear to do as he pleased, he clutched the roof with his claw, beginning to peel it as if it were a can. His stomach ached as his unsustainable quest for food would be coming to an end for the moment, the reptile was more than excited to chomp down on the prey residing within the compound.

They would be his meal, no matter what.

Nick held Audrey tight in the corner of the furthest room within the facility, shaking as the beast’s claw smashed once more into the room they hid within. Metal groans resonated within the walls as the structure struggled to stay standing, creaking as the claw ripped a few floors away with ease. Nick’s mind raced with every second, he needed to find a way out. 

We can’t go outside. Any escape over open ground with its size and speed, impossible. Hide? The building shook, the claw piercing the structure’s roof once more. No, hiding inside will prolong the inevitable.  Either it will find us or the building will collapse on top of us. Maybe we could make it to the front, I can grab my gun and distract it long enough for–

Audrey jabbed her elbow into Nick’s abdomen. Nick brought his hand to his mouth as he coughed, blood pelted his skin as his head felt light. 

“Why did you…” Nick whined only for Audrey to retort, “Sorry Nick, you were in a daze. I needed to snap you out of it! Just listen!”

“She’s here,” Moll and Lora stated in unison. 

 

An ancient call reverberated through the city, shaking buildings and frightening the miniature Skullcrawlers into their burrows. The Big One’s eyes shifted focus and he removed his long claw from the man made burrow, turning to face the direction of the sound. A bright, red object appeared over the horizon, growing slowly in size as it neared the city. Squinting his reptilian eyes, the Skullcrawler took a few steps toward the object, distinguishing the shape of the approaching creature.

Too small to be the dragonfly from the previous day. Maybe the other bug, the one that disappeared into thousands of lights.. Had it returned? But the glow… only one monster glowed as it did; the MUTO.

Crimson did the parasite glow as he scurried away from certain death. His claws cutting into the Big One’s flesh as he retreated to the ice floating on the salt filled water, leading to the confrontation with… Godzilla.

The Skullcrawler’s tail slashed across the outpost in fury. His old wounds flared with pain.

It might have molted into a different evolutionary stage, but the reptile didn’t care. Whatever flew toward him would perish within his jaws. Once its blood satiated him, be it an old or new insect, he would return and consume the other pests in his domain.

Mothra soared across the cloud filled sky, flapping her illuminated wings as they turned from a fiery red to a cerulean blue. The call originated from the ravaged human settlement, and she needed to find the beings who uttered the unusual call. Standing menacingly in her way, a Titan of destruction awaited her arrival, an ancient monster that slayed the mighty King of Skull Island. Its name forgotten to all, but the few scattered Titans remaining across the planet. Ramarak. 

The gigantic moth heard the Skullcrawler bellow a challenge. She sensed rage in him. A lot of rage. Feelings of vengeance and hunger cluttered the Ramarak’s subconscious. It’s unnatural quest for hunger and revenge meant there was no avoiding the reptilian menace, it had to be disposed of else it could end the lives which called her, to end some of the very last life left on the planet. And to allow death to vanquish any more life was a line Mothra would not allow to be crossed.

This was her chance at redemption for failing this world.

This would be her moment of triumph.

Mothra shrieked back at Ramarak, accepting his challenge as her sharp pincers raised above her head, her wings flapping again as she gained speed, ready to plunge into the beast for the good of the Earth.

The two-legged lizard snarled with ravenous glee and quickly moved his front legs in the humongous bug’s direction, swaying his body back and forth as both Titans accelerated toward the other. This wasn’t the MUTO, no, it was Mothra. But did it really matter? In the end, a bug would die within its jaws!

 

Far above the nearing creatures, two malicious red eyes pierced through the clouds with curiosity. Megaguirus’ sensed some radiant power within the new arrival, far more than the lizard the moth currently engaged in combat. She might kill the victor and take their power for herself. She might wait to see if more prey arrived to investigate the echo. Either way, once her true prize reformed into its original form, unrivaled power and vengeance would be hers. 

 

Mothra grabbed Ramarak’s front legs as they nearly collided. The snake-like monster attempted to grab at the guardian, but her pincers got to his hands first, embedding them deep into the Big One’s hide. The serpentine creature tried to snap his jaws at Mothra’s face, but the insectoid maneuvered her relatively small body away, landing atop a decayed outlet mall with its wings extended. As the Skullcrawler shifted its gaze, it noticed two familiar eyes on the moth’s wings gazing down upon him. Eyes of the King of the Monsters, breaker of his body, and monster he loathed most in the world, even greater than starvation.

Mothra kept its wings fully extended, hoping the beast would retreat from the display across her wings, but as it charged in fury, a stinger gradually extended from her abdomen. 

If Ramarak would not flee, she would not hesitate to kill him.  

Mothra propelled herself forward at full speed with her thorax extended as she tried to stab the reptile with her stinger, which proved to be more difficult than she thought as its whip-like tail evaded swiftly. Mothra chirped in annoyance, spinning one-hundred and eighty degrees as she failed to get a killing blow into her opponent, but as the beast stopped next to a nearly fallen structure, Mothra noticed a perfect opportunity.

The guardian flapped her wings to get a burst of speed before ramming into the Skullcrawler. Air vented from Ramarak’s  jaws as it struck the structure behind him. Glass and debris flew across the desolate land, causing the reptile to bellow in pain as sharp pieces of glass and concrete stabbed into his back. 

Mothra let out a terrifying shriek as she readied her stinger, flying toward the reptile as he stayed in place. The Big One watched the gigantic moth getting closer to him, deciding for the right moment to strike.

With her foe immobile, Mothra reached her target and launched her thorax into the Skullcrawler… only to chirp in agony as she felt the jaws of the reptilian Titan clamp down on her lower half. 

Mothra’s stinger flailed next to the Big One’s left eye, but he cared little for the weapon as he tasted the insectoid’s blood for the first time. Warm, savory, he needed mor-

Mothra’s stinger curved and thrust forward, striking the left eye socket of Ramarak. The Big One cried out in horror as he felt his eyeball lose sight, allowing Mothra to retreat with the beast’s face hooked with her pincers. Mothra pulled herself off of the building, taking the Skullcrawler with her as she flapped her wings, and brought her secondary claws down upon the top Skullcrawler’s skull. The stubborn reptilian snarled as she cut and pierced the thick head he had, causing small amounts of red liquid to leak out, before the creature slammed into the man-made structures below. 

Dirt and concrete flew up as the Skullcrawler crashed onto the ground, causing him to howl in pain in his crater as he tried to see clearly with his only good eye, one covered by three scars of his previous engagement.

 

Megaguirus relished the wails of the Skullcrawler. It seemed like the reptilian Titan would soon perish. The opportunistic predator smirked in amusement. Of course, only after she drained the life out of him.

 

Ramarak growled as he arose, his front legs shaking in pain. Even with blood flowing down his body and his eye lost, he repressed any instinct to flee. If he could not defeat an insect, how could he kill the King? No, as the cyan glow of Mothra’s wings approached, the Big One unleashed an arrogant roar and charged.

The guardian screeched at the defiant reptile, warning him to leave, or else the results would be fatal, but the Big One snapped his jaws forward. Mothra evaded right, barely soaring over a few dozen rooftops before driving her pincers into a building and launching herself forward.

Ramarak’s tail smashed downward, but missed Mothra as she evaded underneath the strike and landed atop the beast’s back. Four pincers jabbed into the monster’s backside, eliciting a cry of pain, but before she could thrust her stinger, the Big One jumped backward. Mothra screeched in surprise before the city trembled as thirty thousand tons of reptilian flesh crashed down upon it.

The Big One gradually rolled off the fallen moth. Mothra desperately attempted to roll over, to ascend back into the sky, but Ramarak’s right arm kept her wing pinned to the ground. 

Wanting to feast upon its innards, the Skullcrawler moved its jaws close merely for Mothra’s stinger to graze his elongated jaws. Annoyed at the act of defiance, the Skullcrawler turned and smashed its tail down upon the guardian. Each hit shook the city while a cry of anguish echoed from Mothra. As a final hit embedded her head into the ground, Mothra remained silent.

 

Megaguirus tilted its head from side to side, deciding if it should intervene when a silent, black blur fell from the clouds beside her. Red eyes pivoted to the new creature, curious if it sensed her presence, but with its trajectory for the battling pair below, Megaguirus let loose a near silent screech of relief. 

Minimal power. 

Smaller in size. 

A new monster to add to the eventual slaughter. 

 

Mothra kept her head stagnant, waiting patiently for the drooling beast to make its move and attempt to bite her so she could spear its neck with her stinger. The Big One’s maw moved gradually toward her, as if to test if she was faking her apparent defeat, but a sudden, repetitive chittering echoed above the pair. Before the Skullcrawler could turn, two hooked appendages grabbed ahold of its head and violently yanked it backward. The reptilian terror stumbled off of Mothra’s wing, allowing the guardian to arise as the new creature plummeted in front of her. 

The winged arrival shook the dust off of its body, its red-visor like eye focused squarely on the Skullcrawler. At least twice Mothra’s size, excluding the wings, and coated with a black exoskeleton; the Male MUTO let loose an ominous growl, standing upon its two thin, back legs before extending its wings and screeching at the Skullcrawler of its demise. The Male pivoted its head to Mothra who cautiously backed away from the new arrival only to unleash a clicking noise of support as if to say, he came in peace. With no worry of the moth thinking he meant her harm, the Male glanced back to the Skullcrawler.

How many years had passed since the day they met in the subterranean tunnels of Russia? Since the Big One devoured the Female’s killer in a single gulp and attempted to make him its next meal. The battle felt like another lifetime, even if only a few short years and judging by the Big One’s increased size, the reptile had not spent it idly by. But then again, neither had he.

To the shock of Mothra, the Male burst forth, charging on all fours towards Ramarak. Accepting the Male’s suicidal charge, the Skullcrawler burst forth as well, its maw wide open to bite the parasite in half. As the duo neared the reptile’s jaws flung upward, expecting the Male to attempt to jump on its back, but as the last second the Male ducked and slammed his bulk into the beast. The Skullcrawler yelped in surprise, falling backward as the Male jumped atop him, slammings its dagger-like appendages into his exposed underbelly. 

After drawing blood, the Male tried to impale its left appendage through the beast’s jaws merely for a tail to smash into his cranium and launch him into a row of structures. The MUTO shook his head side to side, emitting a few high pitch noises as he gathered his focus before the Skullcrawler’s tongue wrapped around his neck. 

With a mighty heave, the Big One reeled the MUTO into his maw. The beast’s jaws snapped shut, but the claws of the MUTO kept the grip from becoming one with death. The Male struggled to breath and hold the Skullcrawler’s jaws open. Every second meant an inch closer to death as hot, saliva dropped atop the Male’s head. With a defiant screech, the Male clamped down upon the tongue with its own jaws, causing a booming screech to echo from the depths of the Big One. The Male tore flesh as he jettisoned backward, blood washing over him as he landed safely outside the beast’s grasp. As the Male steadied himself upon bloodsoaked arms, the Big One roared in frustration, slammed his right leg down and charged forward once more.

 

Audrey and Nick pushed with all their might, knocking down a door and allowing light to shine in on their sealed room. Each sucked down air as if inhaling it for the first time. Audrey stumbled onto the parking lot while Nick fell to his knees, shaking violently and attracting Audrey’s attention. 

Blood dripped out of Nick’s mouth. His hands shook even as he applied pressure on the ground. Audrey moved to pick him up, but the scientist swung his head in disapproval. He needed more time, a realization which scared him to his core.

Audrey knelt beside her husband, smiling and rubbing his back. She could feel the increased temperature of his body, the sweat, his skin even in the sun, a shade of pale she hardly recognized. A disease now held Nick in his clutches and Audrey was helpless to assist. Gradually, her gaze shifted to the Elias who stared off into the heavens at the new Mothra. 

“She is beautiful,” Lora stated in awe of the guardian’s radiance. “She reminds me of the Mothra of the old stories, the kind with skin as resilient as stone.”

Moll nodded. “Even if small, let us hope she is enough to defeat Megaguirus.”

“Hey!” Audrey yelled at the pair causing them to stare at her with confusion. “Enough staring, you need to get your moth back and we need to leave!” Audrey’s gaze shifted back to her husband. “Nick, we need to find a bus or something in town so Mothra can carry us out. Can you walk?”

Nick nodded, emitting sounds of pain as he pushed himself back to his feet. With his first step he fell, falling into Audrey’s support. 

“Thank you, Audrey,” Nick mumbled with a raspy voice. 

The Elias joined their hands in unison. A song of prayer began to echo into the heavens, one pleading for their god to arise one final time and defeat the evil that lurked around them. From all corners of the city, tiny moths began to take flight as their god prepared to battle once more.

 

Mothra circled the pair as the MUTO and Ramarak rolled across the man-made structures, awaiting an opening to make her move, but growing increasingly frustrated by the MUTO’s actions.

Why face Ramarak, a beast of incredible size, with sheer strength? Why not use its wings and keep to the sides. She remembered MUTOs over her hundreds of lifetimes, and this one fought unlike any before. To braziningly face a monster nearly three times its size without a second thought, it acted less like it’s kind and more like…

Mothra stopped its flight in mid-air, its head tilting to the left. 

Could he know, no… Godzilla’s reign ended when the world consumed itself in chaos and he allowed the other titans to fall. Why would he abandon the Earth and give protection to a MUTO of all…

The echo, the call which attracted Mothra to the city resonated through the heavens once more, capturing her as well as the other monsters’ attention. Ramarak hissed in rage. The Male MUTO chirped in awe. Skullcrawlers across the city screeched at the blinding light, but the legendary Mothra of their world remained silent, watching in amazement another of her kind take shape before her eyes. 

Far larger than her, this new Mothra with rainbow tinted wings materialized from light. Its gaze shifted to her, but instead of a welcome or introduction its chirped echoed only a single feeling, fear. 

A faint buzz filled the air and with it, Leo dodged right as a black blur slammed into the ground sending a plume of dust into the heavens. As the dirt fell, another monster took shape within the cloud, one that couldn’t take its crimson eyes off of Leo’s form. Megaguirus screeched into the air of its murderous intentions, and swept its gaze across the battlefield. 

It was time to hunt and all would become her prey. 

Megaguirus’s form became nothing more than a transparent afterimage. An all consuming buzzing sound drowned all other noise before Megaguirus reappeared behind Leo, slamming the guardian against a city block. Her stinger retracted to impale the insect, but the other Mothra slammed into her from the side. Megaguirus fell forward, but as Mothra launched her pincers outward, they passed through a fresh after image, stopping just above Leo’s head as a haunting screech echoed. 

A pincer nearly the size of her body grabbed ahold of Mothra’s wing from behind, dragging her backward at a speed she could not comprehend. A plume of dust engulfed Mothra’s body as she flattened a city block before Megaguirus turned to face the MUTO. The parasite screeched menacingly, flaring its wings in an intimidation as his claws began to glow crimson, but for the queen, she felt no fear from the meager creature as she once again fazed out of view. 

Energy built up with the MUTOs claws. His muscles tense to act whenever the strike would come. His gaze quickly scanned the horizon, noting the destroyed landscape, his allies and… The MUTO stopped a moment, searching for a specific, bipedal creature. With no sign of the beast, curiosity shifted to concern. Where was the Big One?

A plume of water exploded on the outskirts of San Francisco’s bay. Ramarak’s head burst to the surface, roaring in anger while it desperately tried to stay afloat merely to sink below the waves. Bubbles continued to rise to the surface where Megaguirus looked on with apathy at the struggling creature.  

Whether the monster would reach the beach or drowned under the water mattered little to the Queen. Its non-existent power reduced the hulking reptilian to a meager distraction, nothing more. With no worry of it attacking her, Megaguirus faded into an after-image once more.

The MUTO kept on guard with every step, warily waiting for Megaguirus or the Skullcrawler to appear. As a buzz filled its ears, the Male spun merely for a pincer to slam downward into its skull. A high pitched screech followed by a low growl echoed from the dazed MUTO as Megaguirus picked up the creature to drain it of its power. The ease of the action brought a prideful grin to Megaguirus’s twisted face. 

Speed. No other characteristic mattered more to Megaguirus. It gave her the edge in combat, to dodge every attack and surprise her opponents without even trying. This is what made her the dominant life form. The apex predator for all creatures foolish enough to harbor power. The true terror residing in the sk-

A plume of earth encompassed Megaguirus in an instant. The MUTO’s body flew away from the shockwave, rolling like a ragdoll until sense finally returned to the creature. The Male arose, shaking off dirt which caked his skin and looked where Megaguirus once resided. As concrete, rubble and dirt left the air, two forms gradually took shape amidst the impact zone in a growing sea of flames. 

Crimson wings lined with fire dripped molten residue upon the fractured earth, scorching the surface of the city. Avian eyes looked upon Megaguirus who hovered just above, her face overflowing with fury from his surprise attack. The reptile’s blood boiled with excitement, its head tilting from one side to another before a screech echoed from its beak. The Fire Demon of Earth, Rodan, was impressed by the bug’s agility. Without any further hesitation, Rodan propelled itself toward Megaguirus to begin their battle while she dodged to the left, apathy and rage coursing through its veins. 

Another monster! Another beast which lacked power to siphon to stop her from feeding! And a beast of somewhat decent speed as well… No matter, she would just kill or lure it away like the other dimwitted-

Rodan pivoted right, extending his talons so they could latch onto Megaguirus’s tail. The Fire Demon burst forth with his opponent in his grasp, allowing Megaguirus to barrel through a few ruined city blocks before Rodan swung his wings downward, forcing scalding winds to bath the Queen’s form while he jettisoned to a high altitude in a single move. 

Megaguirus bolted upward, screeching in rage, and watched the nuisance perform a loop so it could dive bomb her again. The draconic insect’s eyes twitched in furor. No more distractions! No more pests! This new demon of her sky would disappear with a display of her wrath!

Megaguirus summoned all the raw power she absorbed throughout the past day beneath her wings, shielding it from the Fire Demon’s view. Emerald energy swirled beneath her rapidly fluttering appendages while her eyes focused on Rodan’s quickly approaching form. Energy sparked across the sphere until Megaguirus tilted her frame upward and launched the ball of raw power toward the approaching saurian.

Rodan’s eyes focused on Megaguirus, ignoring the ball of energy she launched toward him and focused on how it was propelled. At the last second before the sphere reached impact, Rodan extended his wings and swung them downward with all his monstrous strength. A sonic boom, unrivaled in comparison, forced the sky to tremble in its presence. Superheated winds which could humble a hurricane tore through the city, catching any flammable materials alight, while Megaguirus and the city block around her smashed to the ground from the shockwave. The Queen moaned in frustration until her energy ball, redirected from the winds, collided and engulfed her body with an unparalleled explosion.

San Francisco quaked uncontrollably from the detonation. Skullcrawlers exited their burrows in fright as some of the underground tunnels collapsed. The subterranean creatures scattered in all directions, some retreating as the discovered either Mothras, the MUTO, or Rodan while others froze in shock at another sight. 

Within a smoking crater, Megaguirus’ body twitched with the faintest hint of life. The reptiles looked to one another, drool pouring from their mouths and ravenously lunged atop their new found prey. Claws slashed on the surface of the Queen’s exoskeleton, causing blood to slowly ooze out. Megaguirus growled at the constant fury of scratches and bites which hammered her weakened body. Despite her reign of terror and unquenchable lust for power, for once, the Queen felt vulnerable. 

She lost against her prey. 

She lost her remaining power.

She was no longer feared by them.

Megaguirus lost.

All she could do was run.

Megaguirus flapped her wings as fast as she could, launching the miniature creatures which covered her body high into the air even with her wings notably slower speed. With a plume of dust and Skullcrawlers, the defeated queen ascended toward the sky as her combatants watched her making her escape. Mothra Leo unleashed a rallying cry to his allies, knowing the danger of letting the Queen escape, while Rodan unleashed a screech of intrigue. 

The bug still lived? Then their skirmish was far from over. 

Rodan was the first to take to the skies, as he let out a high pitched roar and scorched the ruins beneath his wings with fiery winds. The Mothra of his universe sped off behind him, hoping to put down the threat once and for all, but she ensured a safe distance while Leo flew right behind her in support.

Watching the trio ascend into the sky, the MUTO pondered its actions for a moment. The thrill of battle gradually coursed through the young beast and while he felt no personal vendetta against the Meganula queen like the others, he wouldn’t sit idly by like he had for so many years, especially with the Big One missing for the moment. With a thunderous clap of its wings, the titan followed his allies into the aerial chase. 

Megaguirus flew through the ruined city, trying to outrun her aggressors, but she soon found them gaining on her. The Meganula queen knew if she were to survive, she would have to find someway to occupy them. Her huge red eyes scanned the ruined city, seeing if anything could be used as a tool to solve her predicament. 

After what felt like an eternity, the queen saw her opportunity. A large tower, nearly greyed out from the decay, with remnants of red and white color on it. Megaguirus made her way to the tower and stopped. As she then hovered in front of it, she unleashed a mocking screech to the four which pursued her. 

Rodan’s wings flapped ever faster as he prepared to tear the queen apart, Mothra separated her pincers and the Male’s appendages began to glow crimson; however, Leo’s flight slowed as he felt something was off. 

She was too smart to battle them all again. Why would his rival stop? 

Megaguirus watched as the flaming pterodactyl zoomed toward her, his eyes staring down at his future dead challenger. The Meganula queen kept track of the approaching Fire Demon, knowing her predatory rival’s lust for death would lead to his downfall. All she needed to do was wait… 

Leo observed the insect queen’s small movements, her wing’s increasing speed, and wondered what she was planning, but before he could even grasp the reality of the situation the embers on Rodan’s wings were creating an orangish-red glow on the ruined tower. Rodan propelled itself forward, its beak agape to devour the Queen merely for Megaguirus to fly almost instantaneously above the Fire Demon. Rodan smirked in amusement at the aerial maneuver, spinning one-hundred and eighty degrees just as fast so his talons could skewer the Queen. 

Did she think she could outmaneuver him, the fearsome Rodan, in the air? Foolish titan. 

Megaguirus’ eyes narrowed, her wings hundreds of afterimages condensing into one sweeping motion which propelled downward as Rodan’s talons neared her underbelly. A blinding shockwave erupted beneath the Queen before the pressure launched Rodan through the building beneath him. The tower lit up like a christmas tree as it erupted in flames, the rubble immediately collapsing on top of the Fire Demon, forcing Rodan to veer off into several buildings. All of which resulted in the charred remains to collapse on the flaming titan.

Mothra screeched in surprise, changing course at the last second, but falling for the same mistake as the Fire Demon. The agile moth hit the bottom half of the collapsing tower, completely annihilating it. As the guardian came to a sudden, climactic halt, Mothra collapsed onto the partially buried Rodan. Not even a second went by before she started screaming in anguish; the small insect’s right wing engulfed in flames as did her legs. 

Mothra Leo and the MUTO stopped in their tracks, noticing the city ruins set ablaze and the monsters buried under fire and rubble. They looked back at Megaguirus, seemingly giving them a devilish grin. Smiling at the screams of her victims were emitting. The two remaining combatants knew only one thing can be accomplished and that whatever happened, Megaguirus had won. 

Without even giving a moment to spare, Mothra Leo sped off to subdue the fire. He unleashed gusts of hurricane force winds on the pair, even if he hated the idea of letting Megaguirus go for a second. The new Mothra’s life mattered more than vendetta against the queen. The Male MUTO eyed the Meganula queen as Megaguirus seemingly kept her sadistic smile. The black and red titan knew that Leo’s choice was the right one, but he still wanted to tear the insect queen apart. However, that time wasn’t now.

The Male MUTO sped off to help rescue Mothra while the Queen once again took to the skies, leaving the ruined city behind. She felt safety running through her whole body, and even though the feeling comforted her, she still felt disgusted with herself for having to retreat from such primitive prey. 

Before she could ponder on her failure any further, her senses drew her to the horizon. Clouds dotted the red sky across the San Francisco bay area, but in the distance, the sky drew black until it phased into a solid wall. A hurricane neared, far larger than any the Queen ever experienced. But within its wrath, a power surged. Its energy unrivaled, its draw insatiable. With such power, she could kill the prey which mocked her and take vengeance on all the creatures, including the cursed moth. Without hesitation, Megaguirus zoomed forward to embrace the coming storm.  

Megaguirus passed through the storm’s wall which touched the ocean floor and entered a void of hellish fury. Every inch Megaguirus flew through, she was covered in water as if she were at the very bottom of the ocean. Winds battered the Queen to the point even she, a master of flight, struggled to stay airborne. Despite the new obstacles she faced, Megaguirus knew it was more bearable then going against the army that waited for her and worth the power she sensed nearby.

Megaguirus went to ascend through the pitch black clouds to fly above the hurricane, but a huge bolt of lighting zoomed right past her. The bolt made her flap her wings backward, seemingly terrifying her. Megaguirus growled at herself for being scared of a bolt of lighting that could have grazed her at best. 

Another bolt zoomed past her, with the queen narrowly dodging it. Megaguirus observed her surroundings as it was still pitch black, but the bolts of lighting were allowing her to see. However, not only to see the path that laid out in front of her, but a silhouette of an object shrouded in shadow, the power she sensed within the storm. 

Megaguirus eyed the shadowed figure. The Meganulon queen was weak, but if she could get even a fraction of whatever was generating the hurricane’s power, she could overpower any creature which dared to challenge her. No prey would rival her again!

Megaguirus zoomed toward the shadowed figure, as she noticed the bolts of lighting becoming more and more frequent. The Meganula queen no longer cared about the brief fear she had for them. All that mattered to her was the power that rightfully belonged to her. 

A bolt of lightning far larger than any which came before tore through her wing. Megaguirus screamed in excruciating pain the bolt caused her, leaving a gaping hole on the right side of her wing. The queen began to feel herself tilt to the right and start to plummet through the storm, but death found her first. 

Claws pierced her exoskeleton with little resistance. Megaguirus looked up to see the shadowy figure clinging onto her with its powerful feet. Six red eyes lit up in the darkness, glaring at her as if they could see her very soul. Megaguirus let out a low roar of defiance, but the being didn’t care as it observed her. 

Megaguirus continued to stare back at the group of red eyes, still not giving up with what little strength she had left. The Meganula queen used the entity’s grasp on her to her advantage, as she used her tail to move behind the being. The Meganula queen laughed at the entity and proceeded to impale it through the back with her stinger.

Prey! All would become this to the mighty queen even-.

SHRED! 

Megaguirus howled in unparalleled pain while a mocking cry echoed from the darkness. Blood erupted from the Queen’s stump of a tail which lacked its stinger and half its original size, acting as a waterfall as blood poured down through the dark clouds. Then, as if the entity was mocking her, the creature’s right head brought her severed tail to her, with it in its mouth. The two other heads of the creature made themselves known as they were cackling at her last ditch effort. 

The right head of the golden-brown monstrosity took a bite out of her removed tail, seemingly enjoying the taste. The middle head snarled at the right head to drop the body part, but it refused. It still wanted to enjoy its meal and to watch their victim suffer. Too long had they gone without the pure joy of shredding all hope from a monster.

Not wanting to waste anymore time, the middle head smacked the tail out of the right head’s grasp, forcing it to emit a loud growl. The center head backed by the left head roared in response, making the hungry head back down.

All three heads turned their attention back to their bloody captive, as it was still wailing in pain. With a final roar of victory, the multi-headed titan relinquished its grasp on Megaguirus, making her plummet through the skies. Electricity formed all around the golden hydra’s body, becoming a glowing beacon in the darkness. 

If the Titan wished for power, how could they let its request go unanswered?

For a second, things went silent, until a deafening boom echoed across the hurricane, making it tremble from its creator’s power. 

 

Rodan arose from the rubble, shaking off the random embers which ecompased his form. Angry screeches of the fire it created gradually attracted the Fire Demon to the MUTO for which it unleashed a shrill cry to silence the parasite. 

Why would he, the mighty Fire Demon, care about scorching the worthless insect beside the parasite? They were not allies and as Rodan eyes narrowed on the MUTO, he readied to lunge at the trio to quench his lust for conflict, but a high pitched scream attracted all eyes to the ocean.   

 One by one, the monsters took notice of the wall of clouds of a monstrous storm, which loomed thousands of meters tall, peaking over the horizon. A small fireball burst from the hurricane, its screams of terror rattling every monster’s core. After a few seconds of its petrifying wails, the burning corpse of Megaguirus fell into a freefall, gradually consumed by the darkness like a firefly overcome by a tsunami. Leo flew to his priests who stood on the shoulders of Audrey in the middle of a congested, rusted street. A field of pressure surrounded an entire city block to ensure his priests and the humans protection, but Leo shook as he maintained the field, struggling to maintain the power for such a simple ability. 

Mothra plummeted to the earth and embedded her pincers deep within the cities’ foundation before she called out for the MUTO to do the same. A series of clicks echoed from the parasite, unsure what was occurring but as Mothra screeched again, the MUTO complied and hunkered down beside her. 

Ramarak crawled out of the San Francisco bay, violently launching salt water from his gullet. Once he found that flying insect that threw him in the ocean, he would tear it in-

The hissing in the wind attracted his gaze to the ocean where he noticed hurricane walls concealing the incarnate of death approaching his domain. The reptile’s left eye narrowed, a hiss of concern following suit before he lowered his body. His ravenous hunger and desire for vengeance pushed him to fight many monsters, but what approached inside the storm made those desires cower in terror. 

Rodan cawed in excitement before he flew valiantly toward the approaching hurricane. Leo, Mothra, Ramarak and the MUTO watched Rodan vanish into the storm’s edge, a cry of agony from the Fire Demon following before the clouds overtook the desolate city of San Francisco, and for many, hope with it.

Water poured from the heavens like a waterfall. Wind lashed out with destructive fury, tearing most structures off their foundations and flinging them wildly through the air. Lightning increasingly struck the ruined city, burning great swaths of destruction. Then the Titan fell…

Rodan’s crimson body returned to the city with an earth shattering crash. With the Fire Demon’s return, the storm’s wall washed over the city taking the worst of the storm’s rampage with it. Rain, wind and lightning calmed substantially as the heart of the storm arrived.       

The sparks of lightning flashed as golden scales glinted brilliantly through the storm above. Those of this earth began to shudder as they witnessed the devil himself descending down upon the battlefield. Leo glared at the descending monstrosity, thoughts of several others of its kind coming to the forefront from his memories.

Twin spiked tails rattled menacingly as the golden hydra glided to Earth and landed with a city-trembling impact. Three golden heads lifted upward as they surveyed the monsters kneeling under the storm’s rage. 

They understood their place. Maybe, they would let the feeble monsters live?

Ghidorah extended their wings to reveal their monolithic size and squash any thought of resistance. Mothra, Ramarak, Rodan; these Titans Ghidorah recollected in their twisted mind, but the parasite and new Mothra brought a malevolent sense of curiosity. They’d ravaged the world dozens of times as it spiraled into decay, how did these Titans evade them? Their method of evasion mattered little now. Compared to them, they all were weaklings, meant to serve and entertain them over the eons or die cowering under their golden heel. Lifting their massive wings into the air, Ghidorah flared them outward as a show of power. All three heads turned skyward and cackled out a call of subjugation, sending a shiver through those still living.

Ramarak shook as he stared at the leviathan before him. This was a King. One who sought power and the destruction of those whom would go against him. His pride as the largest of his kind came to the forefront of his mind as did he drive to surpass even Godzilla, yet the pure power of this godly terror before him forced him to make his decision. Reluctantly, the Big One began to bow before the golden dragon.

Rodan arose from the waterlogged crater he found himself in, turning to face Ghidorah. In another lifetime, the fire demon would have flocked with the strongest titan. In another lifetime, the world would still be beautiful and filled with lush nature. Maybe he would have bowed before the golden dragon in either of these lives; however, the constant warfare and the current state of the world had changed him. What was left to live for other than the thrill of combat? No longer would he bow to the strongest Titan in this realm, for they did nothing to prevent the destruction of their world, nor did they ever showcase themselves stronger than he. Screeching, Rodan took to the skies as burning embers flaked off his molten flesh. It mattered not who he fought, the Fire Demon would kill off anything in his path.

 Both Mothras took a look at the giant dragon in front of them. For one, memories of past destroyers came to the forefront of his mind while the other wanted nothing more than to rid this world of the dragon. It seemed that no matter the dimension, as long as the Earth possessed a guardian to ensure peace, a King of Terror would appear to challenge that balance. Leo chittered in hate at the sight of the golden destroyer. The call of subjugation, to hunt and kill everything for the dragon’s amusement filled the pure being with rage. However, he had a job to do. His priests and the humans below were more important than his simple animosity.

On the other side of the spectrum, Mothra glared at the intergalactic invader. She remembered each and every time they had ever fought. Every single fight, all the lives lost to the wrath of the destroyer. In this age, there was nothing left to protect. However, she had found hope in this desolate world, and she wouldn’t relinquish her new purpose so easily. Mothra roared out as she took to the air, her wings flashing with bright light, emphasizing the massive eyes on her wings. 

Upon hearing the golden dragon’s call of subjugation, the MUTO reared down on his forelegs. The call was powerful, but he had heard one much stronger and far more impressive that this. He had fought the destroyer, Shin Orga, and dealt the mortal blow that weakened the mutated menace. Screeching out in rebellion to this call, the MUTO lunged forth with claws aimed outward.

 Sharp claws slammed into the golden scales of the world destroyer as the radioactive parasite crashed into the dragon. Surprise struck Ghidorah as its call was interrupted, nearly falling over from the sudden blow. Looking down, the golden hydra quickly snapped his powerful jaws into the hard flesh of the MUTO, dragging the smaller creature upward. A swift flap of his wings launched the two titans skyward as chaos broke loose. The MUTO flapped his wings trying to free himself from his bonds as Ghidorah seemed to grin gleefully. Very quickly, he lifted his lower body and grabbed the parasite, releasing his mouths and slamming it into the ground. With one Titan underfoot, Ghidorah center head roared out for the others to come forth if they dared. The left head began taunting the MUTO below while the right one seemed to be searching the skies.

Its search quickly came to an end as Rodan slammed his talons into the right head and clapped his burning wings together. The burning hot magma armor covering his wings slammed into the other two heads, dazing them momentarily as he started digging his curved beak into the center neck. The two toppled off the parasite below as the Fire Demon began clawing and biting at the golden destroyer. Golden light flickered and flowed through aurum laced scales as Ghidorah took aim. Twin gravity bolts struck the flaming pterosaur, knocking him off the right head. Ghidorah glared at the beast as he began to absorb the radiation in his surroundings. Lacerations and tears that leaked black blood quickly closed up, healing what little damage the Fire Demon had inflicted. 

Rodan shook his body as electricity coarsed around the molten armor covering his skin. As he righted himself onto his feet, he felt something begin to wrap around his body. Ramarak roared out as he wrapped his body around the grounded pterosaur. Immediately, he slithered his body around, trapping one of the titan’s powerful wings to his body while facing their faces together. The blistering heat seared the Big One’s unprotected flesh, yet he continued to constrict the avian monster in his grasp. If he could manage to kill the beast quickly, he might prove himself worthy of avoiding an imminent death from the great destroyer. 

Rodan cackled out as he struggled against the bonds of the subterranean devil. He had thought his volcanic armor would deter the reptile from attacking. Apparently, his body wasn’t hot enough for the creature. The Big One felt Rodan’s inner temperatures begin rapidly rising as flaming embers began to rapidly discharge from each wing. Bearing through the increasing heat, the skullcrawler went to strike its powerful jaws around Rodan’s neck when the creature flapped its one free wing. The resulting force of air flipped the two over allowing the Fire Demon to slam the Big One to the ground. Rodan then began to peck and cut at the reptile’s pale flesh, causing the creature’s blood to boil and steam. As the snake like reptile below cried out in pain, Rodan felt the hold on his body weakening. With it now uncoiling, Rodan acted quickly as he slammed his black beak into the head of the two legged reptile, dazing it long enough for him to grab hold of it and take to the sky.

Ghidorah glared over at the two battling monsters as they began building up electricity in their body. Staring around their surroundings, they noticed the ancient moth titan hovering protectively over what seemed to be humans. Those tiny creatures that once roamed these lands still lived? One head hungered as it thought back to the various others they had eaten before, another wanted to fight the moth hovering above them. The central head however, decided that their destruction came above all else. Golden energy pulsed toward each maw as Mothra took notice of the destroyer’s eyes. Moments before he could fire, several searing beams of energy slammed into his body causing the dragon to reel back slightly in pain. All three heads turned to find what had attacked him only for Mothra Leo to slam his body into the dragon’s three heads. Leo chirped out in rage as he fluttered above the golden destroyer. Though his energy was weakened, he would still reign hell upon any creature that would dare to threaten his priests. 

Monster Zero shook its heads as it turned to the moth above it. Well this Mothra seemed more capable than the other, but still… How dare this insignificant insect challenge him! Roaring out, the golden hydra lifted its wings and flapped up into the sky. Leo twisted through the skies as he went to slam into the three headed devil. He noticed a golden trail of light heading toward the dragon’s three heads and stopped in his path. Ghidorah unleashed golden bolts of lighting from each of his maws toward the moth as they continued his flight. The vanguard simply began vigorously flapping his wings sending a cloud of reflective scales into the air. The lightning struck the scales and began to course around each scale creating a storm of scales and lightning. The golden dragon flew directly through the cloud, thinking it was just for show, when the lightning and paralyzing scales began stinging his body. 

Mothra Leo continued his scale assault upon the dragon, forgetting a key law of motion. Ghidorah’s paralyzed body slammed into the unsuspecting moth causing the two to fall to the desolate ground below. Dust clouds burst outward as the two crashed to the ground. Ghidorah screeched out as it felt the stinging scales trying to restrict his movement as they writhed on the ground. One head managed to overcome the pain and turned to his moth attacker, seeing him struggling to get airborne. Electricity coursed over golden scales as Monster Zero fired their golden beam upon the downed insect. Bolts of lightning coursed through Leo’s body as he struggled to flip himself over. Concentrating his power, he managed to form a small shield against the oncoming lightning, forcing it to veer around the small barrier into the surroundings. 

Rodan dragged the writhing Skullcrawler into the air, slamming its body constantly into the ground as they flew. Each blow angered the serpentine monster as it attempted to thrash out of its hold. The Fire Demon’s grip was strong however, as the sharp burning talons hooked into the body of the underground devil. Rodan quickly flew upward into the storm as lightning and rain crackled around them. The massive trail of embers and the screeches of the skullcrawler echoed as Rodan suddenly twisted around, diving toward the ground. The ground grew nearer as the fire demon began to spin, dizzying the Big One as he did so. Just as it seemed they would slam into the ground, Rodan spread his wings out and dropped Ramarak, sending the beast into a chaotic spiral across the landscape.. 

Dust and debris shot into the air as the subterranean beast slammed into a line of decrepit buildings at high speeds. Dazed, the Big One attempted to get to its feet only for Rodan to slam into it. The Fire Demon screeched at the worm beneath him as he slammed the monster’s bony head into the debris. With one down, Rodan quickly began to search for a new fight. 

Mothra hovered protectively over the humans below her. Watching her surroundings, she searched for any threats that could come near. The smaller Skullcrawlers were of no importance, most having gone into hiding the moment Ghidorah appeared, others lying in wait to ambush their prey. As such, she searched around for any signs of the other titans, finding most downed around the battlefield, though the Fire Demon was nowhere to be seen. The only warning she received was the glowing embers falling in front of her eyes. 

Mothra quickly twisted her body around as burning talons slammed into her from above. Rodan tackled the majestic moth to the ground, screeching out for blood. Mothra chittered out in rage as she slammed one of her front legs into the molten dinosaur’s face, cutting into the rocklike hide of the creature. The blow knocked back Rodan’s head as Mothra quickly pried herself free from the demons burning grasp. Twisting his head back around, the fire demon lunged forth to tear into the insect’s body. A loud chirp shot from the moth titan’s mouth as a wad of silken webbing shot forth. The strong web pushed back Rodan’s attack as it burst open, trapping his face to his left wing. As the fire demon struggled with his bonds, Mothra quickly pulled herself out of the pterosaurs bulk and took to the skies The sheer heat of Rodan’s flesh soon burned away the strong webbing as he turned to his opponent, finding her flying into the sky. With a loud crack of his wings, the demon took off, not wanting his prey to leave so quickly. 

In the distance, the MUTO stood upright on its legs, shaking off the dust on its body. Light flickered through its eyes as it searched for the golden dragon. It saw it in the distance on the ground as one head fired a stream of lightning toward one of the moth titans. Flaring its wings, the parasitic mammal charged toward the two and slammed into the right head, stopping the gravity beam at the source. Ghidorah screeched out as the MUTO bit into the right head. Lifting his two claws upward, he stabbed them as deep as possible into the dragon’s chest to keep hold of the massive titan. Quickly, the MUTO began to flap its wings, trying to drag the paralyzed dragon into the sky. This was a mistake however, as the draft of wind created by the parasite’s wings blew off some of the paralyzing scales. 

The center head realized what a fool this young titan was as the stinging pain covering his head and neck quickly subsided. As the scales on the other heads subsided, the center one was quick to act, snapping at the left head that was about to lick at the scales still covering their body. With that, the center head shot forth and began wrapping itself around the MUTO’s body. Then, as though tensing like a snake ready to kill his prey, he snapped, biting into the parasite’s side. The MUTO screeched out as it felt the sharp teeth piercing his flesh as it was quickly joined by the left head tearing into his forelimb, trying to tear it out of the dragon’s body. The right head struggled as it felt the sharp beak of the parasite digging deeper into its neck just behind its head. 

Even with two heads biting into his body, the MUTO wouldn’t submit to this false king. As a show of strength, the smaller titan flipped his body and dove into the ground, dragging the dragon’s heads with him and by extension brought the rest of the hydra’s enormous form with it. Though dust obscured their view, the rattling of Ghidorah’s tails did little to comfort the others. Three lengthy heads lifted into the air, with them the bleeding body of the MUTO. With one powerful throw, the dragon sent the smaller titan careening across the battlefield. This did little to stop the parasite as he opened his wings, gliding around to face the dragon. The smaller parasite landed atop a demolished building as he glared defiantly at the devil before him. Lifting up his head, he began to taunt the golden dragon as he took to the air. Insulted, the right head wanted nothing more than to demolish this weakling, while the left head took notice that the other titans were nowhere to be seen. As golden wings unfolded once more, the golden destroyer took to the skies to give chase to the youngster that dared to insult their majesty. 

Seeing that the dragon was preoccupied, Leo righted himself as he no longer had to deal with blocking the electrical assault. Turning to the skies, he noticed the other of his kind in battle with Rodan. With what little knowledge he knew of this world, he knew that the other Mothra would be better suited to defending the humans from any threats. Lifting off into the air, Leo shot after the two battling titans. 

Mothra swerved as she evaded yet another swoop of Rodan’s burning body as they battled within the massive hurricane force storm. Lightning crackled in the skies above as she twisted through the dark clouds. Her God Rays may be able to clear most storms, but as long as Ghidorah was in the area, it would always return in full force. Instead, she utilized them to act as a form of barrier between her and the constant electrical forces scattering around her. Between her glowing wings and the flaming embers trailing behind the one born of fire, both knew exactly where the other was in the dark clouds. Seeing glowing embers beneath her, Mothra dove down and went to drive her sharp claws into the fire demon. As she passed through the clouds, her claws slammed not into Rodan’s burning hide as she thought, but struck the confines of a smoldering building the titan had perched on. With her claws stuck, she was left open as Rodan slammed into her from behind, pushing her through the smoldering ruins.

The fire demon roared out with glee as he readied to slam the supposed Queen of the Monsters into the desolation below. It was not to be however, as rainbow hued bolts of energy slammed into his chest. The searing beams sparked across the volcanic armor coating, forcing the bio-volcanic titan to release his prey. Rodan searched the skies to find the other moth titan charging him with more bolts of energy building up on his head.  

Mothra slammed into the pavement, thankful that the demon wasn’t there to continue its assault. Standing on her sharp limbs, she looked over at her wings finding small tears and burns along their frames. Flapping, she found that even with those tears, she would still be able to fly. She felt the ground rumble and hissing nearby as the Big One made its way out of the rubble it had been buried under. With determination filling her, the moth goddess readied for another bout with the subterranean devil. 

In the storm above, the MUTO quickly realized the folly of his plan. Though he was meant for the skies, this storm was the dragon’s domain. Lightning built up in the surrounding clouds as they all seemed to converge on one point. Twisting to the side, the parasite saw three streams of golden lightning tearing across the sky. The discharge of electricity in the storm attracted the opposing energy gathered in the clouds, lighting up the skies with a torrent of oppositely charged lightning. Said bolts slammed into the wings of the MUTO, searing the grey hide black and caused him to unleash a screech of pain. 

Ghidorah relished the sound as they took note of where the parasite resided in their storm. Lightning crashed down onto his scales and proceeded to course through the dragon’s body. With each strike, the golden titan could feel the power building up as golden light coursed through each of their three necks. Opening their maw, they unleashed his power one by one toward the parasite’s location, the storm’s ambient lightning building into each stream of golden electricity.

The avian parasite was quick to dodge the oncoming gravity bolts as he flew higher into the storm. With each consequent stream of lightning he dodged, he could feel scattering arcs searing into his body. Soon, he arrived above the thunderclouds and stared down below into the massive storm. Seeing the silhouette of the dragon beneath him, the parasite began to dive down toward the dragon, intending to slam Monster Zero into the ground at high speeds. 

The moment the center head breached the cloud layer, the MUTO slammed face first into the dragon before it began crawling around the beast with its four limbs. The dragon snaked its heads around trying to find the grey creature only for it to stab into the dragon’s wings, hooking them to its side. As the two began to fall, the MUTO continued to tear and slash at the dragon’s leathery wings trying to do as much damage as possible. With each tear, the dragon found it harder to keep itself airborne as a cone of flames began to build up around them. Lightning struck the dragon’s back triggering some regeneration in each of the wings as the right head twisted around to face the parasite. A gravity bolt struck the parasite in the back, forcing the grey titan off the dragon’s hide. Twisting their body around, Ghidorah slammed their spiked tails into the side of the MUTO’s body, leaving a gash in the parasite’s wing. 

The two continued to fall through the storm as a plan came to mind in the central head. Twisting their body, the dragon grabbed hold of the parasite in its sharp claws and pulled in their wings, pushing all their weight into the drop. Seeing the disadvantage of his position, the MUTO attempted to break free only for the side heads to snap onto his wings, using them as shields from the fall. The two then slammed into the ground sending a shockwave of air blasting through the radioactive wasteland. Moving off their broken foe, the three heads then leaned down, slamming their heads upward and sending the injured titan soaring across the land. The grey body crashed into the earth causing the dragon to roar out in triumph over the pathetic beast. Movement quickly stopped the roars as each head stared curiously at the twitching creature. 

In spite of his beatings, the MUTO forced his injured body to propel himself toward the golden god that stood before him. Ghidorah’s right head hissed, commanding the twin tails to rattle as an intimidation marker. The other two sneered at the lesser titan. The only reason this pest stood the same space as them was because there were so few monsters left that could fulfill their sadistic appetite. What the wicked devil didn’t appreciate was this foolish creature’s strong will. It was an annoyance rather than an admirable trait, at least with a kaiju as weak as this one. What would it be? To let the small creature live and beat it down until its spirit broke? Or to show mercy and bring an end to its meaningless existence?

In unison with the storm’s booming thunder, the central head of Monster Zero declared the verdict. Mercy.

The MUTO’s spine chilled upon hearing that screech, but persevered. If the mighty Shin Orga could fall to his claws, the Male knew he had a chance against the demonic hydra, no matter how insignificant. The demonic hydra’s necks radiated with a heavenly light, one that all present feared. Meanwhile, the parasite’s right hooked claw pulsated with red luminance. It was all or nothing.

With no time to bring his claws to the ground, the MUTO used his other long claw as a conductor. Slamming them together, a sonic burst of electromagnetism exploded upon impact, the strongest he had ever conducted in recent memory. Ghidorah discharged all three of their devastating bioelectric beams at once, ripping through the space that separated the two. However, upon entering the MUTO’s sphere of influence, the beams dampened significantly. This did not stop the concentrated lightning from searing into the young MUTO’s body, pushing the airborne parasite back into the ruins behind him. Even with beams as weak as these, they were still more than enough to render the smaller creature useless. Unable to power through the pain, the MUTO lost consciousness and let the beams carry him until they prematurely dissipated. The winged kaiju’s lifeless body sailed until he crashed into the ground.

The rest of the MUTO’s EMP shockwave washed over the gleaming dragon, and took a noticeable toll on the hydra’s electrical prowess. Their electric organ petered out, reducing the output of the gravity beams’ potency until they inevitably evaporated from Ghidorah’s maws. The left head tried to cough out another beam, but nothing came of it. The middle head snapped at the fool. Deep down, they could feel their organ trying to generate electricity. But to return to its former state, they needed time. Or, even better, an energy source. Though distant, the fallen MUTO was still in its range. Even if there wasn’t much to take, it would be enough to kick start their organ back into working order. With a single flap of their powerful wings, Ghidorah closed the gap.

Mothra felt the waning EMP wash over her. It had no effect, as her physiology didn’t depend on electrical sources. But she knew full well the small monster’s pulse wasn’t just meant to hamper with the golden monstrosity’s greatest strength. It was a distress call. She didn’t doubt that her otherworldly ally, the majestic Mothra Leo, felt it as well. But their hands were still tangled with these contenders.

As Leo dealt with Rodan high above them, Mothra spread her wings and brought her scythes closer to her small frame. The opposing Skullcralwer, Ramarak, impatiently slapped its tail from side to side. As it once more snapped at Mothra, and once more failed as her agility evaded the bony cretin’s clamp. Mothra dove in and slashed through the calcium-enriched anterior with two of her scythes. Had there been eyes in the hollow sockets on its face, she would have gouged them out. Even if that wasn’t the case, ripping open the flesh within would suffice. The Skullcrawler recoiled with an insatiable screech, giving Mothra a brief moment of levity to take a glance at the humans she was trying to protect.

Audrey and Nick, with the twins in hand, pushed themselves beyond their limits. Adrenaline pumped through their bodies as they tried to reach higher elevation through the city, away from the monsters which fought mere blocks from them. Out of the corner of her eye, Audrey caught the briefest glimpse of the aerial dogfight that was underway. Mothra Leo’s wings burst with divine lightning, dancing across the darkened sky and heavy rain and sought out their target. Rodan was quick to the draw, clapping his mighty wings with an all-encompassing sonic boom, propelling him higher up and eviscerating the energy bolts and clouds with it. However, her attention deviated from the terrifying spectacle when she heard her husband profusely vomit blood.

“Nick!” she cried out. She stopped, resting her knees in tandem with Nick’s. It was a heart-wrenching sight to see him like this, but the most she could do now was comfort him. Audrey supported Nick onto the ground, unable to carry himself for the moment. They had to rest, if only for the time being.

“W-we can’t,” Nick gasped weakly, “we have to keep moving.” But even he knew pushing onward like this would only make matters worse.

“No,” she reasoned, “let’s stay put. You’re in no condition to move!” Nick sighed and relented. He had reason not to doubt the Mothras and their capabilities, but the circumstances were escalating to the point where they couldn’t sit for just a moment. At the very least, this Earth’s Mothra held her own fairly against the hypervore that sought to consume them. His biggest concern was this dimension’s King Ghidorah far off in the distance. It was such a formidable creature, none of the surviving monsters could oppose it. He counted their blessings that the shining hydra hadn’t noticed them.

The pair noticed Mothra plant herself firmly into the rubble, her bioluminescent body building energy. With a commanding chirp, the moth goddess challenged the snake-like lizard. The Skullcrawler hesitated, but took the bait regardless.

“Cover your eyes!” Moll and Lora yelled in unison. And they were quick to take heed. In an instant, Mothra illuminated her entire body, becoming like that of the sun. The pure white light and violent winds overwhelmed the gargantuan reptile’s single eye to near blindness, forcing the Big One to turn heel and flee from the Monster Queen’s might, if only for the time being. As Mothra’s natural luminosity diminished, the leftover glow cleared up the darkness and allowed them to see everything more clearly.

They saw the Skullcrawler fleeing; Mothra resting for the time being; Leo and Rodan still battling in the clouds; finally, they noticed the massive frame of the golden dragon that was descending upon the motionless body of the winged creature. In wake of Mothra’s attack, there was no doubt her radiance also caught the dragon’s attention. They would focus on Mothra, but then the right and central heads returned to their primary target.

The left head, however, locked eyes and observed them with curiosity.

 “S-shit,” Audrey could only mumble as her body impulsively convulsed in sheer terror. Even the twins were fear struck by this, pale as ghosts. Nick had been in too many life-risking situations to count, but even this was nothing short of unsettling. The left head’s maw opened wide, and tried to cough something out. Graciously for them, to no avail. The central head bit down on the left’s head horns with assertion, redirecting it back to the winged titan.

As the afterglow slowly faded, Nick observed something else beyond the battleground. And it was this realization, combined with the terror Ghidorah instilled, that gave Nick the strength to regain his footing.

“Audrey, we have to go,” he said sternly, even if it was short of breath. “We don’t have any more time to spare.” At first glance, it seemed as if Nick was pointing at nothing. But Audrey was quick to notice that he wasn’t pointing at any one specific monster or landmark, but out to the open sea. It was then that she noticed that San Francisco Bay was pulling back.

“It can’t be,” Moll rhetorically stated. Lora agreed with a nod, their natural color returning to them. With no dispute or hesitation, Nick and Audrey returned to hiking up the slope to avoid the oncoming tsunami that was destined to arrive.

Ghidorah’s attention caught the rumbling of pulling waves, and the central head gritted its teeth. The right head scowled at the incoming intruder, whilst the left was hanging in confusion. Weren’t they going to drain this whelp of a titan? With an authoritative scream, the middle head ordered the left head to do the deed. It didn’t relent, chomping down onto the MUTO’s right wing bone. Energy channeled through the left neck, coursing into the main body. The young MUTO was siphoned dry, but left much to be desired from the three-headed menace. Ghidorah’s left head picked the husk up and discarded it into a nearby pile of rubble.

Tidal wave upon tidal wave coursed through the ravaged landscape, as if clearing a path. The intensity and sheer force cracked the foundation beneath where mankind’s dominion met nature, revealing hollow earth. Rough water quickly filled the vast array of tunnels, pushing through every occupied space. Hundreds of Skullcrawlers scurried through the elaborate cave system below San Francisco. The beasts searched frantically for tunnels to lead them deeper into the hollow Earth, to ensure their escape as the walls continued to tremble. Horrifying screams of distant Skullcrawlers echoed, petrifying those that heard from afar until the walls began to crack. Sea water burst from the outer walls in a wave as high as the ceiling. The wave overtook all in its path, starving those that clung to life of the precious oxygen they needed, instead; it provided in their final moments the sight of a leviathan with glowing, azure dorsal spines.

A god among monsters had come.

As the Skullcrawler nest compressed with pressure, the vents erupted with geysers all across the former San Francisco area. Skullcrawler corpses were filtered out, littering the streets with lifeless husks.

What remained of the tsunami that wasn’t trapped underground crawled upon the ruined asphalt, breaching the hollow cityscape. Ramarak, now the last of the Skullcrawlers, was still recovering from his blindness as he was suddenly slammed by the oncoming wave. The rest of the reptile bodies were dragged along with it. The unmoving MUTO, perhaps because of the elevation he happened to be at or the wall of rubble around him, was gently caressed by the mountainous waves with certain tenderness and barely moved from its original position. Mothra avoided the violent waves with beauty and grace, propelling off the ground with time to spare. She saw the distant silhouettes of her extra-dimensional counterpart struggling with the Fire Demon, both of them falling from the thunderclouds. However, she turned to also see that the humans weren’t going to make it; before long, they too would be caught up in the flood. So she went in.

With a loud chirp, Mothra alerted the humans and caught their attention. Without a moment to speak, Mothra landed next to them and regurgitated a sticky loogie from her mandibles, held by a sturdy thread.

“Ew,” they both remarked, Audrey clearly disgusted. But it was clear this was necessary for them to survive. Albeit with reluctance, Nick, Audrey, Moll, and Lora latched onto the moist silk. Mothra secreted more film from her mandibles, enough to encase their bodies and leave their heads exposed. Beating her mighty wings, the Monster Queen flew off, hoping to secure a safe location for the human survivors.

Coarse waves slammed into the digitigrades of the golden demise, yet they were not deterred. Monster Zero called out, rattling their tails violently, demanding their nemesis to show his face. Then the streets of San Francisco cracked open beside them. Glowing dorsal spines cut through the man-made structures with ease as a leviathan the dragon loathed dragged itself upon the solid earth. Broken asphalt, superheated dirt, steam vapors, and cascading ocean water rolled off the former Alpha’s body. The left head of Monster Zero opened its maw; even if the energy was minimal, it had intended to unleash destructive energy upon the rising titan. But the central head smacked it aside, cursing it to stay in line. Something was different.

Even in the midst of their skirmishes, there was a sudden moment of silence. Rodan and the battle-scarred Leo broke off their fight, if only for a moment, both observing the events unfolding beneath them. Mothra turned, even with the humans in tow, and saw that he had returned. Ramarak, recovering from the tsunami, caught the scent with its bloodied tongue, growing in fury. The Skullcrawler recognized it anywhere.

Godzilla exited the underground cavern, but instead of the titans’ witnessing the defiant, legendary beast arise to fight Ghidorah, the leviathan’s sorrowful gaze looked toward a fallen monster. The battlefield fell quiet as Godzilla mourned the Male MUTO’s corpse. The mocking screeches of Ghidorah gradually echoed for all to hear, capturing Godzilla’s attention and causing the leviathan to snarl with disgust.

Why? Why show sympathy for such a whelp? Its life should only bring pleasure from a foot placed on its throat, to remind it of its place in the world. All life deserved such a place. Bound to pathetic limits like mortality, why care for such creatures when they could be so easily taken away?

Rage coursed through every cell of Godzilla’s being. His eyes narrowed, nostrils flared, and his tail smashed into the ground with incredible force. A mighty roar boomed from Godzilla’s jaws, attracting the attention of every monster in the surrounding area. Nick and Audrey could feel the vibrations travel through the air. It proclaimed only one thing: Ghidorah was his to kill, alone.

Ghidorah cackled in amusement. If only it were so easy…

To heed Godzilla’s request, Ghidorah stood upon their feet and revealed the true enormity of their size. With rattling tails, the dragon outspread their gargantuan wings, casting a shadow over Godzilla. Only those worthy could lay eyes upon Ghidorah’s full being, and Godzilla was such a creature. The two stared down, ready to draw first blood in their inevitable rematch.

Simultaneously, Godzilla and Ghidorah dropped and began to charge at one another. Inevitably, they collided, kicking up dirt and debris beneath them, clawing each other with their claws and fangs. With speed that belied his size, Godzilla lashed out by clamping his powerful jaws onto Ghidorah’s center head and viciously buried his incisors into the hydra’s glimmery scales. Pumping what little electricity they could muster, Ghidorah returned the favor by gripping Godzilla’s shoulders and ribcage with electric infused daggers. Even so, the King of the Monsters continued to press on, giving it everything he had. For every step Godzilla took, Ghidorah’s feet carved a trail in an attempt to resist. With the exception of the middle head, the hydra released their toothy grip, opting for a more serpentine approach. Ghidorah’s flexible left and right necks wrapped around Godzilla’s arms and quickly followed up with a powerful flap from its mighty wings. This propelled Ghidorah forward, dominating the living mountain and turning the tables on him.

Even when crushed under Ghidorah’s massive weight, Godzilla persevered. The reptile king could feel the pressure built on his arms, tightening the more he moved. The blood flow was coming to a stop, and this became all the more evident as his armor cracked under Ghidorah’s powerful muscles. Godzilla relinquished his maw from Ghidorah’s neck, and the dragon just as quickly released the last mouth from the ribcage. Ghidorah’s neck channeled light and charged all it could muster; while it paled compared to its full power, funneling it through one head would be sufficient. In this time, Godzilla glimpsed at the MUTO’s corpse. He lost the last thing that mattered in this forgone world. Godzilla gritted his teeth. What else was there to lose but his life?

Godzilla’s sharp-tipped tail ignited with a radiant blue and a loud hum. The atomic glow traveled up his dorsal plates, his throat burning with fury. But Monster Zero was the first to pull the trigger, unleashing a singular stream of concentrated lightning upon Godzilla’s mug. Superheated plasma pelted over Godzilla, charring his face, yet not enough to break his armored body. As the gravity bolt faded, the central head grimaced in how little harm it did. And Godzilla responded in kind with a ferocious burst of atomic flames! The pushback against Ghidorah’s bare chest forcefully pulled Godzilla back up, his arms still bound by the constricting necks. Throttled by searing agony, all three of Ghidorah’s heads screeched and released their hold on the Monster King. Ghidorah heaved with their mighty wings, taking to the air to put distance between them. Even in the darkness of the thunderstorm, the two mighty titans stared with intense animosity. One would fall by the end of the night.

  

Rain did little to deter Mothra’s flight path, but the fierce winds caused troublesome turbulence. The longer Monster Zero held their presence here, the more destructive the storm became. She knew full well that the humans couldn’t stay here, lest they perish. Otherwise, there would be nothing left to salvage.

 As Mothra prepared a slow descent to the surface, her mind recollected of a forgone past. How she gave it her all to protect humanity from the alien threat or the wrathful reigns of Monster Zero. But she knew these memories weren’t hers, but a predecessor whose long passed. Out of the corner of her compound eyes, she glanced at the distant figure of Godzilla. Deep down, part of her resented him for his failings. But was she any different? She, too, was the guardian of Earth, and therefore had to carry the guilt of her failings. The day when the Earth fell, the world lost its King and Queen, and there was no certainty the eon-spanning relationship could be reestablished. She knew better than to interfere, even if it was for the greater good; this was Godzilla’s fight, a battle he would never allow her join. Likewise, she had a duty to fulfill.

 With a gentle thud, the Monster Queen planted herself onto the ground and lowered her head. The silk-loogie cushioned the human passengers as she snapped the rope, allowing them to break free from the moist bondage. During the flight, Mothra had instilled some of her purifying energies into the silk, soothing the body from the stresses of flight, which ensured the humans weren’t puking their guts out upon landing. They were surrounded by plains just outside San Francisco, which at one point housed towering trees that would have overshadowed them. But they were merely a shadow of what they were.

As the humans got their act together, a fearsome screech called out to Mothra, one she hoped not to hear. She pinned its source and found it to be the Fire Demon bee-lining toward them. Much to her dismay, she noticed the ragged body of her compatriot dropping from the sky, unmoving. Mothra Leo’s wings were torn to shreds, his abdominal region noticeably gushed with yellow paste, perhaps even missing a leg or two. Even Rodan had burns marked into his body, though how much of it was battle damage or simply his bio-volcanic, mahogany armor wasn’t immediately obvious. With her enemy fast approaching, the lepidopteran deity propelled herself off the ground and intercepted the one born of fire. Then, they clashed.

  

The golden god glided down on powerful wings, slamming their entire body mass onto the reptilian titan. Godzilla braced the body slam, his brute strength matching Ghidorah’s sheer mass. The hydra’s legs clamped onto the armored beast’s chest as the sleek shining tails wrapped around the enormity of Godzilla’s body, with the spikes acting as hooked anchors as they buried themselves beneath the plated scales. Ghidorah’s wing muscles flexed as they carried their combined masses, bringing Godzilla’s trunk-like legs off the wreckage that lay beneath them. Transferring all their physical strength into their wings, legs, and tails, both Godzilla and Ghidorah ascended high into the clouds, eventually disappearing from sight.

Soon enough, both their massive frames broke through the clouds, illuminated by the hellish red haze of the burning sun. Try as he might, Godzilla struggled to break free from the horrid titan’s abdominal grip with his entire physical prowess. Once again, he had to restore to his signature weapon, even if it depleted more of his reserves. Igniting from the tip, atomic energy crawled up dorsal plate by dorsal plate until his entire back contrasted against the red sky. However, Ghidorah had anticipated this. The central neck was adorned in divine light as weakened gravity beams pelted Godzilla’s snout. It wasn’t so much to hurt the mammoth titan as it was to keep him distracted while the other two heads did the work.

Snaking in, Ghidorah’s left and right heads clamped down on his shoulders. Like a leech, they sapped the raw atomic energy into their body, highlighted by the blue lights coursing through the necks. Every moment that passed, Godzilla’s dorsal plates flickered with exhaustion and Ghidorah’s onslaught grew in strength. The golden terror could feel the power returning to them. This excited the terrible dragon to no end. Then, with the brightest shimmering light from the middle neck, it unleashed the beam, forcing Godzilla to elicit an anguished scream.

Monster Zero grinned. Perfect.

The Alpha creature tried to exhale an atomic breath, but it only came out in a puff of blue smoke. He needed time to rejuvenate his reserves, but he also knew Monster Zero wouldn’t give him that chance. Unhinging their jaws, all three of Ghidorah’s necks began to illuminate like the sun. Uncoiling their tails and retracting their feet, King Ghidorah pushed all their efforts into a triple gravity beam that plunged into Godzilla’s upper torso. Superheated plasma and electricity scorched the Monster King, shoving him through an endless freefall. Friction encased Godzilla in a burning blaze of fire, resembling that of a meteor. Although the electric beams eventually dissipated by distance alone, the inevitable impact ensured Godzilla’s suffering hasn’t ended yet.

With a howling command, Monster Zero dove into the torrents of storm clouds beneath them. Dazzling lightning reflected off of Ghidorah’s scales as water vapor did little to derail their path. As soon as they broke through the clouds, the terrible king observed everything from lofty heights.

Godzilla closed the distance between him and the ground; the impact would be occurring soon enough. Ghidorah noticed the Fire Demon and the proclaimed ‘Monster Queen’ locked in combat, but that was a fight it wouldn’t sully their pride with, as they were but feeble creatures under their heel. The others weren’t even worth acknowledging. However, the last noteworthy sight it took notice of was the churning water off in the bay, tainted with an unusual yellow liquid. It had to have been the other moth, but it seemed they had been dealt with. Finally, flapping with powerful gales, Ghidorah halted their fall to the Earth below to savor what was to come.

Three… Two… One…

  

With a quick gulp, Ramarak swallowed another of its kind whole. The Skullcrawler no longer concerned itself with the others, for it only desired sustenance to restore its strength. Flicking its forked tongue, the lizard detected the MUTO’s husk nearby. It didn’t seem like much, but the skull lizard wasn’t a particularly picky eater. Yet before it could chow down on the corpse, a shrill boom caught its attention. The moment it turned, it was too late to do anything. The burning meteor that came careening down slammed into the surface, then followed even deeper into the former Skullcrawler cavern. A pillar of dirt, ocean water, flames, smoke, and steam erupted near them, reaching for the sky. The ensuing shockwave ripped from the impact crater with enough force to throw Ramarak off its feet. Perhaps because there wasn’t the natural muscle resistance to keep it grounded, the MUTO’s lifeless body was flung from its resting place and sailed across the sky, now out of the Skullcrawler’s range.

 

Rodan and Mothra stopped the moment they felt the shockwave pass by, its turbulence enough to force them to recalibrate. During the brief ceasefire, the guardian moth looked above where the impact crater was formed and noticed Ghidorah cackling in glee. Had Godzilla fallen? Perhaps he got what was coming to him, but she feared because he was the strongest among them. Her compound eyes also caught the winged parasite’s unresponsive form sailing the skies, noticing that it was…

 Mothra prepared for a hasty retreat, but a scorching squawk served as an unfortunate reminder. Sharp talons reached for the insect’s diminutive body; had she not turned with her scythes outstretched and caught Rodan’s feet, she would have been torn apart in a moment’s notice. To counter, Mothra spat globs of silk at the pterosaur’s face, temporarily blinding him. Using every ounce of her strength, Mothra pushed Rodan’s talons off of her and slipped by, hoping to intercept the MUTO’s body from crashing into the human survivors. Unfortunately…

 

Nick had to pause. His muscle spasms became more erratic, his head fogged with lightheadedness. He couldn’t hold back the forthcoming bile, even if he wanted to.

“Nick!” Audrey called out, rushing to his aid. She knew full well of his condition, but she couldn’t help calling his name. Perhaps it was an instinctual assurance to Nick that she was still here. His coughs became coarse and rash as he leaned his body against the charcoal bark that used to be lush trees. There was nothing he could say or what to say. The situation spoke for itself.

Meanwhile, the fairies that accompanied them were distraught. While it may have been possible for treatment on Infant Island, Nick’s sickness developed past the point of no return. At the very least, they prayed on behalf of Mothra for his soul’s readiness. It was at that point they were interrupted. While they would have left it unheeded in most cases, the rough noise of shattered wind was cause for concern. It was at that moment the twins alerted the couple, “Get out of the way!”

Moments after, the first made itself known. For a brief second, they all saw the same thing: a large kaiju husk barreling directly toward them. With everything she had, Audrey grabbed Nick and muttered an apology as she yanked him out of harm’s way. Moll and Lora spent their telekinetic powers to avoid the black body that came to a grinding halt. Ash and dust kicked into the air, washing over the survivors. By the time the dirt settled, the field of charred wood was blocked by an enormous dark mass.

“It’s one of the monsters,” Audrey presumed. 

“M-MUTO” Nick weakly stated. “Its actual name is….” Nick spat force a wad of vile. He sucked in air through his nostrils and exhaled through his mouth, trying to steady his breathing. But every breath he took hurt like hell. “It’s G-godzilla’s… ally.” At least when he was alive, Nick thought.

Nick recalled seeing the photographs and footage of their battle against Shin Orga, though swaths of the fight were lost in the wake of the MUTO’s successive EMPs. He recalled seeing Godzilla and the MUTO on many occasions after the battle in Vladivostok, fighting side by side. Nick’s vision shifted to the fresh crater where the rageful King of the Monsters lay, alone, while its rival glared at it from on high. 

And now, you’re just like me, Nick thought. 

Nick’s eyes lowered in disgust at himself, thinking of Cameron Winter’s escape from the facility. He could have let him go and ensured the safety of his team, and himself, but instead he pursued the arrogant mogul, alone, leading him on a path that now had him resting on death’s door.   

How foolish he was to believe he could do so-

It was then an idea clicked.

Nick opened his mouth to speak, but a gurgling mess of words came out. The pain in his chest exploded in agony, tightening like a vice around his heart, yet his limbs remained as rigid as stone. With a simple thud, Nick fell to the side, attracting Audrey, Moll and Lora’s attention. They encircled him, but Nick focused on Audrey’s gaze, the worry and panic in her eyes he wished to be able to make disappear until his vision became nothing but a void of darkness. 

“Nick… wake up, please, Nick!” Audrey cried aloud.

Audrey shook her husband, trying to get some activity out of him. She felt his heartbeat, weak but ever present, and drew the slightest breath of relief. 

I know you Nick, Audrey thought with tears swelling in her eyes. Just keep fighting. You’ll make it.  

“He thinks of you?” Moll said aloud, attracting Audrey’s attention. “And-”

Moll stopped, her head tilting in confusion. Lora looked to her sister as well, a similar look taking hold for her as well. 

“What, what’s the matter?” Audrey inquired. 

 “His mind is focused on nothing but Ghidorah, a way to defeat the great evil,” Moll explained, “an echo of thought without end. But when I look for the answer, all I see is the MUTO.”

  

Steam broiled from the depths of the pit as it slowly refilled with the ocean from the bay. Water brimmed at the entranceway and spilled over from the dark mass that rested at the bottom. Godzilla remained unmoving, refusing to muster the strength to return to the surface. Rather, he would use this time to absorb the radioactive reserves that lay deep in the Skullcrawler cavern. Even if it wasn’t enough to return him to his full strength, he would be at least enough for him to continue the fight. Unfortunately, the nearby vibrations made it painfully clear he wouldn’t have long.

The earth trembled as Monster Zero crashed onto the broken pavement with a resounding thud. The golden hydra hissed at their archnemesis’ resting place, demanding him to come out. They knew for certain a mere fall wouldn’t be enough to do him in. Quickly, Ghidorah noticed Ramarak nearby, regaining its footing after the shockwave. The right head barked at the lizard-like fiend, grabbing its attention. The skull-faced reptile didn’t offer resistance and listened inventively of what the golden king desired. When the mighty dragon pointed at the two airborne combatants, the Skullcrawler reluctantly complied. Turning heel, the lizard made a mad dash toward the one born of fire and the divine moth, each step propelled by fear.

The all-powerful dragon turned their gaze back to the waterhole and was satisfied with what was transpiring. A dark, sluggish form pulled itself unto the surface world, flowing liquid rolling off its mountainous body. Godzilla still displayed clear signs of exhaustion, but his trunk-like feet firmly planted themselves into the ruins that remained. Inhaling tremendous amounts of air through his nostrils, Godzilla boomed a powerful roar that breezed by Ghidorah.

He was ready to see this to the end.

And so was Ghidorah.

The extraterrestrial wyvern dropped and charged at the living mountain, eager to render him to shreds. Godzilla stood his ground, waiting for Ghidorah to close the gap. Putting all his remaining strength he could, he twisted his body and concentrated it into his tail. Ghidorah’s right wing was sandwiched between the brutal impact of the tail and their ribcage, both of which were crushed by the immense physical strength and the following air burst. The terrible tyrant shrieked in pure agony as the momentum flipped their enormity over, rolling farther inland until it stopped with their backside down. The exhausted Godzilla rushed over to the fallen Ghidorah to promptly wail on the hydra.

The xanthic demon’s left side was subjugated to Godzilla’s fury. First was the outspread wing trampled under Godzilla’s massive weight, pinning the dragon to the ground. Each step resulted in crunched bones, eliciting pained shrills from the three-headed abomination. The left head raised itself up to stop the oncoming beast, but it would be for naught. Godzilla reached out, grappling with the left head as he summoned his waning strength to pry its maw open. Though met with resistance, Godzilla succeeded in keeping the serpent’s mouth exposed. Its neck generated with pulsating light as the innards displayed the forthcoming Gravity Beam that was prepared to come out.

But Godzilla was first to the draw.

His spines quickly illuminated with a faint blue hue, then plunged his weakened atomic breath into Ghidorah’s mouth; an act that the former inhabitants often coined as ‘the Kiss of Death.’ Azure flames intercepted the incoming electricity, which combusted and severed the left head from the rest of its body. Godzilla poured atomic rage unto it until it was an irreversible, charred shell that barely resembled Ghidorah. He discarded the hollow head and pressed on his assault, even as fatigue weighed on his shoulders. However, he noticed Ghidorah lifted their damaged right wing, curving it until the wing tips were aimed at him.

With a commanding cackle, Monster Zero fired.

Coursing through its glistening membranes, powerful lightning bursts erupted from the wing tips with notable recoil. Electricity washed over the Monster King, each strike pushing him back. Compounded by the overbearing pressure, the continuous pelting succeeded in shoving Godzilla off the golden dragon until he lost his footing. The massive leviathan collapsed onto his back, but used the last ounce of his strength to flip onto his belly. Although he could not see, dread reigned over Godzilla as he heard the titanic hydra rise from the ground with mocking screeches.

As the space-faring giant returned to their feet, supported by their injured wings like that of a gorilla. It slumped toward the downed reptile, overshadowing the fallen king. Ghidorah inhaled through their remaining nostrils, intaking the contaminated air, and roared. They could feel the fractured bones within being repaired and shredded muscle tissue lacing back together. The stump of a left head wriggled with life, but the air didn’t provide enough radioactive or geothermal intakes to fully restore it. Had it been a nuclear reactor or a volcano, the presence of their energy would have accelerated the regeneration process exponentially. Unfortunately, with the situation as it was, Ghidorah had no such luxury.

The two remaining heads ignited with a burst of light that originated from their necks. Their scowls shot daggers upon the weary Godzilla, but the central head let a psychotic grin slip by.

Monster Zero had no doubt in their mind that they had won; and they wanted to hear the ‘King of the Monsters’ suffer.

Without remorse, Ghidorah screamed its malicious Gravity Beams upon the mountainous guardian. Electrical beams danced across Godzilla’s signature dorsal plates, each one igniting in ultramarine explosions. Godzilla writhed in pure agony during the brutal torture as he cried out. Ghidorah refused to let up. Two columns of light grazed across Godzilla’s back, with radioactive plumage tainting the skies. His suffering gave Ghidorah the incentive to continue mercilessly. The sadistic hydra found true and genuine joy, one that they thought was lost to them. They continued to dethrone Godzilla’s kingly title even further.

 And King Ghidorah enjoyed every second of it.

  

…Mothra couldn’t make it. She had already witnessed the MUTO’s corpse crash and roll over to where she left the humans, and now true horror overshadowed her at what was transpiring. Monster Zero asserted their dominance by torturing the fallen Godzilla, shredding his dorsal fins. She didn’t disregard on how she felt about him, but she knew full well of the implications of his death would mean for everything that she sought for. There was nothing she could do until now, as Mothra had glued Rodan with her sticky webbing. Even so, the silk was already wearing from the pterosaur’s bio-volcanic heat vents. She didn’t have long, and she needed to make it quick.

Speeding with all her might, the winged moth deity closed the distance. She kept her flight in balance in the midst of the powerful gales, as all her attention was focused on the sinister serpent. It was because of this she failed to notice the surprise attack that came her way. Although it initially played possum to blend in with the environment, the large Skullcrawler leapt from the city streets with its jaws agape. Its elongated snout wasn’t enough to clamp onto anything, but it still had a trick up its sleeve. Even though half of its tongue was lost in its earlier bout with the MUTO, there was still enough to do the deed. A bloodied stump that constituted as its tongue whipped out and entangled Mothra, with her diminutive body making it easy to ensnare her. Followed by a forceful tug, Ramarak yanked the moth goddess directly into its gullet, with only Mothra’s wings exposed to the outside world as the lizard fiend crashed onto its two limbs. With successive gulps, Mothra’s wings were gradually sucked into its throat, each guzzle shredding her wings from the rows of teeth lined within the skull lizard’s snout. She would soon be subjugated to the hypervore’s powerful stomach acids.

  

The gooey bondage that kept him down melted off his body. He could see again. Rodan quickly tore his restraints on his legs off, propping himself to his feet. With a quick glance, Rodan’s binocular vision pinpointed what was happening. Mothra, whom he was dueling with earlier, was ensnared by the Skullcrawler. All he saw was her fluttering wings sticking out of the ghoulish reptile’s mouth. He didn’t have any reason to care for either of them, because they got in the way of his true goal. Burning eyes shifted over to the bluish plumage that touched the reddened skies, where he saw his prize in the form of a golden titan. Ghidorah had bested Godzilla, therefore inheriting the crown of ‘King of the Monsters.’ Even he noticed, despite unleashing all of their fury, Ghidorah was battered and scarred. The hydra was powerful, yes, but fighting Godzilla took its toll. His eyes locked onto Ghidorah. It was now or never.

Flapping his molten wings, Rodan accelerated through the air, bypassing the ravenous lizard on his way. He ignored the starved cretin, as it was of no concern to him. He kept his focus steady as he shredded the howling hurricane winds with his supersonic aftershock. The downpour evaporated before it made contact with his mahogany armor. With a terrifying screech, Rodan challenged King Ghidorah. He saw that the call got his attention as the vile beast ceased their brutal torture. Its two remaining heads glared at him with contempt. The dragon turned its body to face Rodan, ready to confront him head-on. The Fire Demon gladly accepted.

Bringing his talons out, Rodan was more than ready to meet with the new ‘King of the Monsters.’ Although the prehistoric avian noticed that Ghidorah remained unmoving, this only incentivized Rodan to continue his reckless charge, eager to rake upon the remaining heads. At the last possible moment, the hydra ducked, entirely avoiding the collision. For Rodan, it was too late to evade what was coming next. Twin bulbous tails came into Rodan’s line of sight, each unsheathing sword-like spikes that made them comparable to clubs.

In an instant, Ghidorah’s tails were embedded in Rodan’s torso.

Magma poured from the freshly made wounds as the one from fire elicited an agonizing screech. The hooked curvatures ensured that Rodan wouldn’t be sent flying by a mere whisk. So when the twin tails slammed the pterosaur into the ground in sync, Rodan knew he was at Ghidorah’s mercy. The lithe extensions once more threw Rodan to Ghidorah’s left, then promptly to its right before the dust clouds could even settle. Rodan was pressed into the ground and dragged along the concrete surface, each passing second yielding pain.

The unscrupulous tyrant cackled with delight hearing the shrillish yells from the mortal fool.

  

For Mothra, only her natural bioluminescence allowed her to see the contracting filth she was pushed through. Slime coated her entire body, which made it difficult for her to keep her footing. Although she could slash the walls, every attempt she tried only forced her deeper with no chance to create an opening. She panicked, as it seemed her end drew closer to the boiling contents that lay within. There was one last weapon she could employ; if that failed, she was doomed.

She prepared her thorax and readied the insertion point.

The Skullcrawler felt his prey writing inside, struggling to break free. Ramarak noticed the vicious tears made within, but paid no heed. She would be nothing more than a digested carcass soon enough. However, its vision felt like it was being overtaken; it wasn’t sure what it was. Before it could comprehend it any further, a sudden jolt took over its senses. Just as quickly as it came, it numbed and the lizard could no longer feel it anymore. Its legs fumbled, unable to control its actions; its mind went too, unable to focus on anything. Before the ravenous predator knew it, it had been paralyzed as it slumped on its side.

The large blade that made Mothra’s stinger protruded from the Skullcrawler’s abdominal region. She retracted her stinger, then used the incision point to gut herself out of the Skullcrawler’s body, sliding out with ease. The slime weighed on her small body as she pulled her wings out from the inside. For once, the rain provided some relief as it washed the saliva off of her. She observed her tattered wings and cursed with a chirp. They weren’t in the most ideal conditions for flight, but she couldn’t sit it out and do nothing.

Mere minutes passed as Mothra discerned the fight that transpired before her compound eyes. The Fire Demon was slung around like a ragdoll, hooked by the blades of Ghidorah’s tails. The mighty dragon found itself amused by the pterosaur’s suffering. She flapped her wings, flicking chunks of goop off her. She had intended to fight to the bitter end, even if it killed her. Even though she struggled to sustain balance between the gusts and the holes in her wings, Mothra took flight and headed straight for King Ghidorah.

Claws and scythes readied, the winged goddess swooped in. Ghidorah lunged with their snake-like heads at her, failing each time as Mothra parried with her natural defenses. The necks burst with pristine judgment, flowing like a golden river. Mothra responded in kind with a sudden divine luminance and harsh winds of her own, forcing the demon to backpedal into the darkness of the storm. The body of light pushed on, embracing the vile beast in its warmth. Ghidorah’s retinas burned at the sight of it and wildly spat off Gravity Beam after Gravity Beam in the mere hope to diminish the purifying waves. The hydra could tell they were missing as the brimming light swayed from side to side, avoiding and diffusing the electric pillars.

Although he could only view it from ground level, Rodan’s eyes were irritated by the surging light. Ghidorah’s tails still kept him from moving, but their jerky movement indicated that Mothra’s distraction had the dragon’s attention. The mahogany pterosaur wriggled, trying to yank the spiked tails out of his chest. They were ingrained deep, though fortunately they didn’t latch onto any major organs or arteries. Even so, magma continued to pour from the wounds. He noticed the tails were aggravated from the heat. Why didn’t Ghidorah just release him if his own blood was hurting him?  Such thoughts passed over Rodan’s mind for only a moment. His priority was to escape, and that he was determined to follow through with.

 Rodan wrapped his wings around the twin tails and allowed his claws to sink into the golden scales that covered them. With a forceful tug, Rodan shrieked as he ripped the superheated blades out of his torso, unfurling his wings in the process. Magma spilled from his lacerated armor, but the pain that accompanied it was well worth it. Kicking and wriggling his way to freedom, Rodan flopped over onto his belly for flight preparations. Beating his gargantuan wings, he hoisted himself into the air and distanced himself from the golden hydra. He needed a moment to recuperate and let his searing blood cauterize the wounds by taking a quick dip in San Francisco Bay. With a steamy, explosive splash, the crimson firebird disappeared from sight.

Divinity faded, returning to the cerulean hue that accompanied her appearance. Her body began to wear, especially having to dodge with tattered wings. Ghidorah used this time to calibrate their eyesight, readjusting their vision accordingly. With no remorse, the heathen fired dual Gravity Beams in unison. One barely grazed Mothra as she avoided it, but the other struck her dead-on. The electrical pressure forced her to the ground, carving a path in her wake. Her durable armor barely held up in the attack, blackening her body.

Ghidorah stood in place, inhaling more of the radioactive air. They could feel their wings restored to what they once were, now repaired the damages inflicted by Godzilla. The tyrannical beast flexed their wings, prepared to go airborne at any given moment. But first, they had business to finish. Crawling along the rotted pavement, Monster Zero lurched over the fallen Mothra. The mere thought of slaying Mothra alone satiated their psychotic tendencies, but there was an even higher elevation to be achieved by doing the deed. Only the center neck illuminated with an ethereal power of divine punishment, the brightest Ghidorah had ever displayed.

In those final moments, a powerful burning wind rushed over King Ghidorah. The xanthic demon screeched as they felt their necks raked by sharp, deadly talons. The center head redirected its target from Mothra to the silhouette that flew past them. Its distinct pterosaur shape evaded the beam with a clap of its wings, propelling itself upward with a sonic boom that destroyed the Gravity Beam. Hissing with utmost bitterness, Ghidorah too unveiled their great and destructive wings and took flight. The all-powerful dragon swam through the skies, each beat throwing loose debris all over in pursuit of the enemy.

Surprised to be alive, Mothra used her strength to flip her body back to her insect legs. She doubted Rodan deliberately saved her, but part of her was thankful for it. There wasn’t much time to contemplate. She stabilized her wings to the best of her ability and followed the wind trail of the two mighty fliers. If they could stop Ghidorah here and now, then at least this lost world could rest in peace.

 

 

It foamed at the mouth, the numbing sensation permeated its prone form, but the Skullcrawler could vaguely feel itself hanging on to life. Seconds felt like minutes; minutes felt like hours; hours felt like days. Time was lost to the ghoul’s internal clock as events flew by before its one unfocused eye. Its brain tried to send a neural message to the rest of its body to move. The best Ramarak received were mild twitches from its fingertips. All it could do now was wait.

And wait… And wait…

Over time, Ramarak could rotate its ankle joints and flex its large fingers. Then followed the rest of its arm-like legs. The weight that bore on its shoulders lifted, no longer overcome with the dreary numbness. It slapped its tail against the ground, forcing it to wake up. The skull lizard stretched its jaws wide open, getting the blood flowing through its snout. Superheated saliva dripped from its maw as it shook its entire body, recovering from the dizziness. Even with blood pooling out from the open wound, this did not deter the fiend in the slightest.

The Skullcrawler peered around, yet saw nothing. The only indicator for the grounded fiend was the sparks and noises happening above. It looked up and got a much better grasp at what was happening. Its master—the new King of the Monsters—clashed with the other two titans in an aerial dogfight. The fiery pterosaur collided with the golden dragon, tearing their beautiful scales with sharp talons and a pointed beak. The injured moth provided support, be it a hit-and-run tactic or silken web she spat from her mandibles. There was nothing he could do to support his new King, but at least their distraction provided ample time for the Skullcrawler to do as it pleased. Out of its peripheral of its single eye, the bony lizard was reminded of the plumage that trailed back to its point of origin.

The one it yearned to kill the most.

With quick, colossal steps, Ramarak paced itself toward the former King. The leviathan’s back had been ravaged by Monster Zero, with the tinted smoke as a testament to the dragon’s power. Within the veil, fiery blue gunk popped out like raw magma. Godzilla’s back was akin to that of a dwindling volcano after a massive eruption. So when the large Skullcrawler initially approached the fallen titan, there was some hesitation. Immeasurable heat burned and evaporated the downpour, which made it hard to find the right approach to consume. But the starved creature disregarded the harm if digging through his back meant getting to the meatier parts faster. With mouth agape, Ramarak prepared for the ultimate feast that doubled as finally taking revenge after so many years.

Godzilla’s back ignited in a powerful neon blue that could be seen through the thick smoke.

Ramarak’s remaining eye widened. This was a mistake.

The dormant mountain channeled the last of his reserves he had been accumulating into a destructive nuclear pulse. The initial heat wave fried the looming head, scorching the very cells that kept its body together. The following aftershocks that followed effectively decapitated the head from the body, as the cellular structure of its flesh and bone couldn’t withstand the sheer force behind it. All this happened nearly simultaneously to each other. The heat cauterized the stump of a neck as the rest of the skull devil’s torched body was sent careening into the San Francisco ruins. Its head was charred beyond the point of recognition as it shot into high heaven. When it inevitably came back down, the anterior that was the most defensive part of its body was smashed open like a fragile rotten egg.

Godzilla groaned and cursed the gluttonous fiend under his breath. He anticipated using it against his nemesis upon their return. But to ensure his survival, the Skullcrawler had to be disposed of. With that, his atomic energies depleted back to nothing. Physically, he was too exhausted to even budge. The best he could manage was eyeing the conflict that took place high in the air. One he could not so easily keep track of.

Beams crossed through the black clouds and red sky. Rodan and Mothra danced around the golden devil, though their sluggishness indicated their stamina was petering out. Monster Zero, too, had sustained battle damage, proven by the gash marks and sticky web that latched onto their scales. Billowing clouds made it hard to see what was happening, but the screeches from the Fire Demon were the best hint at who had the advantage.

After a time, Godzilla lost focus and simply stared blankly at the distance. Being alone allowed everything sink in from the past events. Not once, but twice he had been bested by his sworn enemy and had his authority and power taken from him. He recalled their fight in the alien empire within the reconstructed Vladivostok. He remembered the MUTO who had flown out on his own accord, whom Godzilla was searching for. And finally, the fatal key decision that led to his utmost defeat. Those events wringed his conscious, but his heart was in deeper torment, one that had weighed on him ever since he arrived.

After he and Mothra took their separate paths, the MUTO was the last thing he could call family. His irrational anguish took control the moment he saw his companion had fallen in battle. Why did the world beret him of the last thing that kept him going? Regretful tears welled up in his eyes as he heard the MUTO’s defiant screeches from when they fought Shin Orga so long ago. He had to fight. He must, at least for his sake. But all he could do was mourn until his body restocked on his reserves.

  

One wrong move. That was all it took for Rodan to be thrown out of his domain. Pulverized by King Ghidorah’s wing lightning that lit the skies, the flaming pterosaur was hurled into the ground with nothing to ease his crash. Mothra tried to swoop in from behind, but Ghidorah anticipated this with a thwack of their clubbed tails. The blade tips ripped into her diminutive frame and tore her abdomen open, spilling yellow paste. She had been blessed that they didn’t dig into her body, but the pain was more than enough to derail her flight path. With her wings in ruin, she spiraled continuously until she made contact with the rubble below with a heavy thud. Though it was a much cozier landing compared to the Fire Demon’s, she was still wracked with agony.

Ghidorah emerged from the abysmal darkness above, their body displaying the scars and wounds sustained. There was no pride from this, and they despised it. Those Titans caught them while they were weak. Had they had the chance to drain the fallen king, they could have restored their strength. What vile creatures these oppressors were. With a resounding crash on his two feet, Ghidorah could at least put their minds at ease. If they drained from all lifeforms present, they could return to full strength in no time at all. The two sets of nostrils inhaled, taking in the radioactive contents to restore their stamina. While there was nothing more satisfying than feasting on Godzilla’s power, their defeated foes were in closer proximity. Both had defied them on many occasions, but it was Rodan’s stubbornness that raised their ire. First would be Rodan, then Mothra, and finally the full course meal with Godzilla.

With low hanging heads, King Ghidorah approached the downed warrior. Their mouths dribbled with ecstasy. But such excitement proved to be short-lived when an unnatural disturbance caught their attention. A shrillish rip echoed across the ruined cityscape. When the wyvern turned around to see what was happening, Ghidorah saw a tear in the fabric of reality, floating above a mound of rock as tall as him with white spear-like crystals jutting out of its basin. What was this?

From the tear, a winged figure emerged with a booming cry.

 

The key to beat Ghidorah is the dead MUTO? Audrey endlessly filled in the last portion of Nick’s unfinished statement in her mind. Moll and Lora looked to each other, each trying to understand Nick’s last thought before he fell into unconsciousness. 

“Are we sure its dead? Maybe it’s still barely alive?” Audrey said. 

Moll shook her head side to side. “Life no longer permeates.”

The trio continued their thoughts, trying to discern Nick’s message. Audrey became the first to break out of her trance-like state as she heard the rippling noise that sounded like shredded paper. When her mind found itself back in the world of the dead, she saw the Ghidorah’s massive figure off in the distance. But what she saw was the familiar portal she had used to enter the world with. And with it…

“There’s another Mothra!” Audrey called out. “That’s good right? Yeah, it has to be on our side!” Audrey cheered, pointing at the new arrival.

“Looks like Belvera really does have a heart! Shame she couldn’t have had one earlier!” Lora cried out.

“It seems her own words changed more than just my view,” Moll said, “hopefully this will all be over soon.”

They looked out at the horizon, their hearts hoping for the best.

 

The golden king could only gawk at the newcomer before them, but even then they did not have the time to let it all sink in. Purple lightning surged through Battra’s crown as indigo pillars erupted from his compound eyes. These beams seared and warped the air until they made contact with the two-headed dragon, eliciting desperate screams from the golden menace. It may have been exhaustion, it may have been endlessly fighting, or it may have been something else entirely. But for Ghidorah, this brought more concern than joy. True, the opponent brimmed with promising strength, but it was too much for them at the moment. For the time being, the mighty dragon took to the defensive and shielded their body with their gargantuan wings. 

Battra hadn’t expected anything to be on the other side. If there were others, he wouldn’t have even thought of seeing any hoarding around the interdimensional pathway, let alone a Ghidorah. Though it was his impulsive nature that triggered him to fire sporadically, for him it may have been a blessing in disguise. He cursed the humans. They were probably the ones responsible for bringing a Ghidorah to the only gateway between two worlds. Battra could at least take solace in the fact that this Ghidorah appeared to be worn and battle-scarred. He’d make it quick, retrieve the stupid humans, the goodie-good pair, and their fluffy moth god and get the hell out. Surging with confidence at the prospect of beating an enemy weaker than he, Battra continued the onslaught.

Belvera took delight in watching a Ghidorah suffer, but she couldn’t let it distract her too long. Sensing her sisters nearby, the priestess felt a slight bit of relief. 

“Destroy that two-headed dunce Battra! I’ll get my worthless sisters!”

A booming cry of confirmation echoed from the guardian as it continued its volley, allowing Belvera to fly away undetected. 

For as powerful as Ghidorah’s armor was, even they could not stand forever. Energy blasted and shredded the tough membranes that formed the wings. As Battra swooped in, he shifted tactics from the beam barrage to using his six jointed legs. Each of them acted independently as they minced the membranes and muscles, each strike charged with Prism energy. When the claws ripped through to the other side of the golden wall, the dark moth noticed a sudden surge of light.

And then, pain.

Unfurling their wings, King Ghidorah blasted two powerful lightning beams right into the aggressor’s face. Though it was not enough to utterly obliterate him on the spot, it was enough to send the dark Mothra careening into the city streets, where the roads collapsed from a happenstance pocket that led into the Skullcrawler lair. Battra vanished into the abyss, with an ensuing explosion further obscuring him. The golden dragon jeered and waited for this shadowy moth to reappear. Much to their surprise, he didn’t. Rather, the pit suddenly illuminated with an orange flash. A low rumble followed soon after.

This perplexed Ghidorah for only a moment. When they realized what was up, the hydra tried their damnedest to ascend to the skies. Unfortunately, the many gaping holes found within the wings prevented the xanthic demon from climbing any higher than slightly above ground level. The asphalt directly beneath Ghidorah erupted with tremendous force. A very different body emerged from beneath; the long worm-like being was adorned with crimson circles along its armored carapace. Fearsome tusks jutted out from besides the mandibles and possessed large true legs and many smaller spiny prolegs. Lastly, the sword that rested on its cranium surged with holy light.

Battra, having reverted to his larval state, leapt from the concrete earth and reached the golden wyvern. His lance pierced the base of the right neck, and with a quick energy burst, the dark warrior flung Ghidorah’s right head beyond reasonable sight. Black blood poured from the stump as the terrible hydra’s last head cried out in agony. Gritting its teeth, the central head commanded the rest of its body to do its bidding. Although Battra had been able to mortally wound Ghidorah, this left him wide open to what was about to happen next.

Golden legs clamped down on black armor. Twin tails coiled the caterpillar-like frame. The dragon’s enormous weight took hold as they both fell back on solid ground. The pressure tightened as Battra’s carapace began to crack. He could feel his innards separate as he struggled against the vile serpent. In a panic, Battra discharged purple bolts and orange lightning from his eyes and horn respectively. He tried pumping his body with conductive energy, but that proved to be futile as Ghidorah simply powered through the pain.

Out of options, Battra began to shine in a vermillion glow, breaking his body down into pure energy. The golden hydra lost its grip as the energy body slipped out of its grasp. In a moment’s notice and clear from Ghidorah’s reach, the energy being solidified back into the moth warrior in his flying form.

The one-headed serpent knew it wouldn’t do much good, but brought its damaged wings up regardless. As it anticipated, Battra immediately began the offense with a volley of Prism Beams. He cackled with glee! Time was drawing to a close for the draconic ziz!

Ghidorah’s sacred wings were torn asunder under the merciless assault. Battra closed in, hoping to utterly annihilate the last head with all of his raw power! The winged deity ceased, accumulating his natural energies into a destructive force that would certainly do the job.

That was a mistake.

Like a snake, the last head lunged from the burning smoke of its own body. Its teeth sunk into Battra’s collar and its own neck radiated electrical power.

And fired.

A singular Gravity Beam ripped through the neck and busted out from the other side with a splatter of yellow blood. Battra’s glowing crimson eyes dimmed in an instant. It fried his nervous system, separating his conscious from the rest of his body. The great divine moth clumsily crashed at the serpent’s feet. His body spontaneously twitched from post-mortem spasms. Ghidorah’s eyes gazed upon the fallen foe. Its body still radiated with incredible energy that supplied more than the others could ever offer.

With delight, Ghidorah’s center head chomped into Battra’s carcass. Purple energy coursed through Ghidorah’s neck, which converted it into the energy it needed to restore its strength. Sensational pleasure shot through the dragon’s wrecked and ravaged body. With great haste, Ghidorah’s body repaired itself; ribs cracked back into place, the charred holes patched themselves closed, adrenaline pumped through its body.

Or better yet, their body.

From the stumps, the heads wriggled with ecstatic life. Transparent globs formed around the stubs, with only forked tongues poking out. Only for a moment did the center head release the carcass, using the time to pull the gooey cloth off each of their heads. Upon resuming, the two heads began to reform. Sinew, muscle, bone, veins, teeth, horns, golden scales, eyeballs, brain matter… It all returned. The left head was the first to complete its process and immediately joined with the leader head in the feast. Energy channeled through the left neck, further accelerating their development. The right head soon followed and joined as well.

Battra’s color faded as his body shriveled into a prune of a corpse, even more so than the MUTO’s. His armor no longer felt like solid skin, but rather an ashen husk. Once it had been sapped of all of its value, Ghidorah threw the carcass into the city streets. Rather than a harsh crash, Battra’s body softly dissipated into a flurry of ash and dust, scattering his remains all across San Francisco.

They licked their chops, satisfied and satiated from the ordeal. Rising upon their feet, Monster Zero called out to the heavens in defiance of God with outstretched wings. The storm system brewed with utmost intensity, even more than before. As proof of their renewed strength, the devil discharged lightning from the wing tips and illuminated the darkened skies.

King Ghidorah had won the battle.

Yet their celebration proved to be short lived. A miniscule squawk caught their interest and all six eyes directed their attention at it. It seemed some just don’t know when to give up. The mahogany pterosaur stumbled and wobbled to keep his footing, outstretching his mighty wings as an intimidation display. He paled compared to the golden dragon, trembling at the mere sight of the destroyer god. However, he would persist unto the very end.

Mustering all of his strength, Rodan flapped his volcanic pennon and ascended. Ghidorah smirked, following suit with their restored wings. Even if Rodan had the will to stand up, that did not mean he had the energy to fight. What transpired next couldn’t even be called a battle.

The golden body rushed at the winged titan, with little effort on the Fire Demon’s part to evade. Serpentine mouths clamped on the avian’s hooked claws attached to his wings, forcing Rodan to utter a scream. He struggled to escape, but none was to be found. The center head was left to do as it pleased. It noticed the opened portal where the dark warrior emerged from was nearby. The tear still pulsated…

Urged by curiosity, the central neck burst with divine power, followed quickly by a scream that endowed agony. The Gravity Beam seared into Rodan’s chest, chipping away at him. Ghidorah released their hold and allowed the beam to carry the fiery bird the rest of the way. As Rodan’s prone form was forced in, the field reacted to the falling body and swallowed him whole.

The hydra continued to observe the tear in reality, even after it had consumed Rodan. One could come from it, but one could also venture into it. But where did it lead to? Was there land to destroy beyond this passageway? Or did it simply lead to a desolate earth much like the one they carved out now? They approached it, albeit reluctantly.

The gleaming light reacted with Ghidorah’s presence with a warm welcome. Its surface only displayed an array of unseen colors that no mortal creature could ever comprehend. What lied ahead was a world beyond Ghidorah’s preconceived views.

Suddenly, a booming chirp caught their attention. The serpentine triad veered their eyes toward their target, which was approaching from their side. It was the other moth, the one adorned with the rainbow patterned wings. Yet the injuries sustained from the battle plagued the moth god’s chitin. His chest charged with mineral energy, ready to unload his power in one blast.

Mothra Leo carried the weight of his burden. This universe’s Rodan had done a number on him, forcing him to lay low. He regretted not being able to help Godzilla, even if he didn’t want it, or assist the native Mothra in her struggles. Had he mustered his strength sooner, perhaps he and Battra could have finished the job for good. But it was too late. The best he could do, even if the chances were slim, was ensure that this Ghidorah didn’t cross into the threshold and destroy everything near and dear to him.

All three of Ghidorah’s neck ignited with holy rage, prepared to counter whatever Mothra Leo had planned to dish out. 

Mothra soared in front of the white anomaly, his wings fully illuminated as the white glow of the anomaly highlighted the vibrant hues of his appendages. Sparks cascaded to his legs as energy funneled through Leo’s chest cavity and with a chirp of defiance, the great guardian fired the Mineral Beam. The concentrated stream tore the air asunder as it headed straight for the winged devil. The Mineral Beam had reached the dragon’s many faces when Ghidorah discharged their Gravity Beams.

It was no contest.

Electrical power ripped through the Mineral Beam with minimal effort. Leo’s weakened state ensured that, no matter how much power he poured, it wouldn’t be enough to resist. Fate was a cruel mistress. As the electric pillars tore into Mothra Leo’s body, it triggered a multi-colored explosion. Swirling energy dispersed as Mothra Leo’s emerald flakes rained upon the ruined city before his mangled body crashed down with a colossal impact.

Ghidorah snorted. There was no opposition to stand in their way. Leo’s cry ensured them of one thing; whatever lied beyond the entranceway was something the former moth cherished. All three heads grinned. They would make sure it all perished. Beating their mighty wings, King Ghidorah was welcomed by the embrace of the portal as it, too, swallowed them whole.

Within the minutes that passed in Ghidorah’s absence, the sweltering thunderstorm began to soothe. Downpour became a drizzle; lightning ceased and thunder quieted; howling winds were reduced to a whisper; the heavy rain clouds broke apart, exposing the red sky after long last.

For the first time since this hell began, there was silence.

*****

U.S.S. Cowpens – Earth

Worried eyes looked upon a creature encased in fire that circled the two anomalies like a vulture above a rotting corpse. What worried the Captain of the U.S.S. Cowpens was not that he did not recognize the beast, but where it drew life from. His right hand slid across his disheveled chin, hoping the texture on his fingers would allow him to think until he heard footsteps in the chaos of the command room around him. Without removing his eyesight from circling beast, he inquired. “Doctor Chapman, tell me what I’m looking at.”

The biologist pulled a pair of binoculars to her face, studying the new creature with a sense of intrigue.

“It’s a Rodan, but I’ve never seen this subspecies. Hopefully he ignores us, but where did it come from? I was checking on the Major when I heard the news.”

“Emerged from the white anomaly a few minutes after the bat moth flew in. I’ll have my crew inform the 7th fleet to stay at a safe distance until this mess-” Cole paused a moment as his eyes pivoted to the anomaly. “Its glowing again, something’s coming through.”

Elsie pressed her pair of binoculars to her face. From the tear of ivory colored glass like fragments a golden titan emerged. Seemingly disoriented, the beast descended into the crater floor beneath the anomaly, out of Elsie’s sight. The scientist paused in fright, her mind racing over the monster’s features to confirm her findings. With fearful hesitation, Elsie removed the binoculars from her head. 

“Species: Ghidorah. Subspecies: Unknown.”

Cole shifted his gaze to Elsie, his left eyebrow raised. “So this Ghidorah, hostile or no?”

The deafening boom of thunder answered. 

The ocean waves gradually whipped into a frenzy. High winds rocked the U.S.S. Cowpens while clouds materialized out of the clear sky, hiding the rapidly decaying asteroid field in the upper atmosphere from Zone Fighter and Ultraseven’s fight. Lightning strikes bombarded the island in an endless fury before rain began to fall.  

Ghidorah shook their three heads to alleviate the blindness of traveling through the white anomaly. Sight returned to the draconic alien invader and with it, came disappointment. Charred, molten earth stretched across the caldera’s edges surrounding them with walls twice as high. With a twitch of the dragon’s wings, dozens of feet of ash blew out of the crater revealing more blackened earth. 

A familiar caw attracted Ghidorah’s attention to the sky where Rodan circled high above. Tired of their pointless battle, Ghidorah hailed the Fire Demon to end this pointless skirmish once and for all. Draconic eyes watched Rodan slow in mid-air before ascending above the clouds with unparalleled speed. Ghidorah smirked at the supposed prideful monster’s retreat, but his mind began to change focus to a desire to see more of the new world around him. 

Ghidorah swung his wings downward to rise above the caldera’s walls. The center head lifted as far as his elongated neck would allow to scan all in this foreign landscape as they ascended past the walls and began to glide. A now frenzied blue ocean surrounded the isle, but off in the distance, a human vessel battled against the increasingly hazardous waves. The center head bellowed forth for the others to join him in his findings, attracting the right head. Both growled in glee at the sign of life merely to turn and realize the left head was preoccupied with something else on the ground. 

The center head growled in contempt, landing back in the calera’s so it could more easily bite the disobedient head, but its eyes grew wide as he followed the left head’s gaze. A monstrous skeleton, not made of bone but white, translucent rock lay sprawled out, having been revealed by the removal of the ash. Ghidorah’s heads scanned the skeleton which somewhat resembled their old rival, unleashing cries of excitement at the discovery of the remains of monstrous life. With a monstrous wail, Ghidorah echoed into the heavens a wrathful call, alerting the monsters of this new world of their subjugation or to those boastful titans that challenged him, a prolonged excruciating death.

The steady impact of rain awakened Ultraseven from the depths of unconsciousness. The ache from a long, brutal battle with Zone Fighter was the first sensation the Ultra felt, before his eyes gazed upon a darkened sky unleashing its unrelenting fury. Bruised, battered, and still feeling every one of Hikaru’s strikes; Ultraseven rolled onto his arms and staggered sluggishly upright. 

Rain continued to pour against the crimson alien warrior as he drew long, excruciating breaths. How long had he been out? Where was Zone-

Resting a few dozen meters away, Ultraseven spotted Hikaru’s broken human body resting in a small crater of his own. His chest barely moved, yet life still clung to the beaten Peacelander, even if he was unconscious. A tyrannical cackle gradually drew Ultraseven’s attention to the island’s caldera where a golden hydra echoed its call of subjugation. Ultraseven’s fist clenched as a feeling of utter uselessness took hold.

“I hope you awaken Hikaru to see the consequences of your actions,” Ultraseven said aloud, ire in his voice. “Let us hope they do not doom us all.” 

With a mighty heave, Ultraseven tossed Hikaru over his shoulder and began his slow, but persistent march toward the golden hydra.  

*****

San Francisco – Shin Earth

Water logged fabric clung to Audrey as she stared off across the desolate city. The cold liquid that sent shivers down her spine, the husband she loved with all her heart dying a few feet beside her, the plan to escape the irradiated world she found herself in; none of it mattered now. Ghidorah would kill everything in sight on the opposite side of the portal and nothing remained to oppose him. 

“So, that’s it right?” Audrey stated aloud to the Elias beside her while she stared into the sky, allowing the red rays of light peering through the clouds to wash over her. “We’re stuck here?”

Moll remained quiet, barely holding in her grief, while Lora fell to her knees, ready to burst into tears as she felt the slow, but inevitable death of their god. A steady hand on Lora’s shoulder from her sister kept her breakdown on the edge.

“What remains to protect our Earth if our Mothra…” Lora gasped before Moll retorted, “There are other guardians, and the Shobijin have their own Mothra, even if it is youn-”

“There you are!”

The female voice attracted Moll, Lora and Audrey’s gaze to the air just above Ms. Tatopoulos where a small woman of equal stature to the Elias flew atop a small, draconic creature. The beast let loose a minor roar before Belvera kicked it in the sides to remain quiet. 

“About time I found you and I take it this human is…” Belvera stopped as she spotted Nick. “Eww, I think that one needs put down.”

Audrey’s face cracked. Her hand moved like lightning, snatching Belvera off her steed. Garu-Garu screamed in shock before Audrey smacked it to the ground with her other hand. Her undivided, wrathful gaze shifted to Belvea who appeared amused. Moll jumped atop Audrey’s shoulder, speaking directly into the human’s ear. 

“Please, ignore her. She is always abrasive and she just lost her own god.”

“You say god,” Belvera countered with her voice labored from the constriction, “I’d say lazy creature I was stuck with since creation.”

“Regardless, she is grieving in her own way.”

Belvera lifted her shoulders nonchalantly. “You say grieve, I say opportunity to find a guardian that doesn’t sleep for eons. Besides, he’ll resurrect in a few eons unlike…” Belvera relented before she said another word, catching the anguish hidden within Audrey’s eyes. The dark Elias bit her tongue, her eyes darting to the side as a repressed emotion bubbled to the surface within her cold heart. “If you want to save the human, I know a way. First things first though, we need to get out of here so let me down human!”

Audrey’s brow raised in doubt, but with a sigh, her hand opened up allowing Belevera to fall to the ground. The dark priestess smiled in accomplishment, knocking off the dust clinging to her clothing before Moll and Lora landed in front of her. Lora’s arms shot forward, encompassing Belvera whose confident demeanor wilted away. 

“Okay, enough!” Belvera yelled, but Lora kept her grip tight until strong winds flowed around the group. Six titanic, insect legs touched down while a bright glow encompassed all. The Mothra of the world they inhabited, badly damaged but still willing to press on, echoed a warm chirp to those beneath its faded cerulean light, which slowly reverted to a gentle orange hue. 

“Oh yeah, found her too,” Belvera quipped. 

Audrey’s shoulders sunk in despair. “She can carry us, but that doesn’t solve our problem with Ghidorah.”

Atop Audrey’s shoulder Moll looked over the scarce remains of the destroyed city. Across its rusted, charred and waterlogged surface the remaining, emerald scales of Mothra Leo sparkled against the clearing, crimson skies. Moll took in a breath, appreciating the beauty her god could create even in death before jumping next to Lora and Belvera on the ground. 

“This Mothra may not be enough, but our Mothra can still perform one final miracle.”

“How so?” Lora inquired inquisitively. 

Moll’s gaze shifted to the city. “While his life may have ended, his essence still remains. Faint, but ever present. If we disperse it to the creatures still willing to fight, it may be our best hope at stopping Ghidorah. There is no doubt that is what he would have wanted.”

Lora’s face morphed from despair into hope, nodding in approval while Belvera’s crossed her arms, thinking of her own deity. 

“Yeah, your Mothra would do that. Just skip over Battra. No doubt he’ll just wait until he is naturally resurrected in an eon or tw-” 

“So should we give it all to this Mothra,” Lora inquired as she gazed upon the glowing, sunshaded insect. “Leo’s essence would surely help heal some of her wounds.”

“Ha, of course not you fool. Tell him to give it all to that Godzilla over there, let him take care of Ghidorah. What Moll should have done all those years ago instead of time travel,” Belvera snickered as she looked over to Moll. “If we’re lucky, maybe he’ll even explode.”

Audrey switched her attention to her husband who lay on the edge of death’s door. “No, not just Godzilla.”

The trio of Elias looked up to Audrey, Belvera sighing from the outburst. “The human knows Leo’s power would fry him right? It would be interesting to watch a human melt though.”

Audrey ignored the comment and continued, “I think I finally get what Nick wanted to tell us. Godzilla can’t win.” Audrey paused a moment, looking to her husband, “Not alone. That’s why he was thinking of the MUTO.  He needs more than just power, he needs allies.”

Belvera’s eyes rolled.

“So we’re splitting Leo’s power with him and the other Mothra?”

Audrey smiled for a brief moment as she gazed upon the monstrous corpse near the group. 

“You think Leo can heal it too?”

Belvera turned her head, a devilish smile splitting her face from ear to ear. “First thing you said that I liked human. Well I’ll take care of this one, Lora you take care of the new Mothra. Moll, cover Godzilla, peptalk and power.”

“Me?” Moll inquired in shock.

“No way am I going to try and convince him to play nice with others,” Belvera retorted, “besides, talking him off his self-aggrandizing ego will take someone with experience and you have plenty to give.”

Moll remained quiet, her left eye twitching as she decided to respond or take the compliment. With a stifled breath, she chose the latter. 

The trio of priestess aligned themselves side by side, closing their eyes and concentrating on the radiant power across the city while Audrey took a few steps back and sat beside Nick’s unconscious body. In unison, the Elias of Earth began to sing a chant of hope, captivating the Mothra towering above them. The great insect’s eyes gradually shifted to the skyline as emerald flakes, escorted by the wind, coalesced above the desolate city. Crystals beneath the anomaly flickered before the cloud took shape in the form of a god escaping death one final time, its essence held together by the mere remnants of its life force. 

Mothra Leo’s corporeal form, appearing as he did when he first emerged from his cocoon to face Desghidorah all those years ago, gazed down upon his priestesses and the other-wordly Mothra beside them. He held no fear of the death that would greet him or regret at the loss of the world he cherished. All which remained in the great protector of Earth was trust in his Elias. While he may never witness the battle, he knew they would overcome Ghidorah. Like they did so many times with him, in his final moments, Mothra Leo possessed faith in those he would leave behind.

A final chirp from Mothra Leo echoed, drawing tears not of sadness but acceptance from Moll and Lora as their god announced his hope in them, his call fading as Leo’s body disappeared into three, separate clouds. The pools of sparkling energy washed over Godzilla, Mothra and the MUTO, but as their bodies began to glow, Moll remembered Audrey’s words.

A green glow pulsated beneath Godzilla’s rocky hide. New skin regenerated atop burned flesh while wounds closed across the leviathan’s battered body. This new, unexpected power gave renewed strength to the Alpha’s tired and battered muscles, but before Godzilla could arise, a tiny glow attracted his pupils to the road in front of him. A human, far smaller than any he’d ever witnessed since he first laid eyes on the species, appeared before him, covered in a golden glow.

Moll looked upon the colossal creature in her spiritual form, her words caught in her throat as she tried to address the leviathan. For a brief moment, the Elias’ eyes closed, allowing her to take a deep breath to calm her nerves. 

“I don’t know if you can understand me. Right now, all that I can do is have faith you do, but my world,” Moll noted as she pointed to the white anomaly without removing her gaze from Godzilla, “is under siege by Ghidorah. We need your help, but more so, we need…”

Moll froze for a brief moment, thinking of her words carefully before she continued, “I am unsure of the cause of your solidarity. I would assume fear of losing what little you have or a lifetime of loss which you wish to avoid repeating, but fighting Ghidorah alone will only lead to your ruin. Protecting all you care for is a risk you must share and with it, you will gain strength that your rival will never equal.”

Godzilla remained still, his pupils steady gaze peering down on the priestess. The human structures around him began to burn, the street Moll’s spirit stood upon beginning to melt. Through the cracking of the fires and the steam of the earth, Godzilla finally let loose a low growl. 

Moll looked up, unsure of its meaning, but gradually she began to smile. The Elias vanished without another word, allowing a growing inferno to swallow several city blocks.

The response would have to do. 

*****

Monster Island – Earth

Warm, embracing rays of the sun washed over the lumbering ankylosaur of Monster Island. Today, like most days, Anguirus held little care other than to rest. Unlike the King of the Monsters or his son, he lacked the luxury of a body which would rapidly regenerate and the wounds from his battle with the dagger-armed demon still throbbed unlike any he’d experienced in his long lifetime. A distant call gradually forced open the eyes of the ankylosaur. With a mighty heave, the dinosaur stood on all fours, growling from the pain of moving his ancient bones. 

Anguirus listened to the foreign roar reverberating through the atmosphere. The call wished subjugation on all those that heard its echo with a cackle Anguirus somewhat recognized. With a low growl, Anguirus prepared to unleash his own response, but another beast, far more quick tempered then him, hollered in defiance from thousands of miles away. 

The mighty King of Faro Island, defiant as always.  

Moments passed and more defiant roars echoed in response to the cackle. Anguirus lost track of the monsters which bellowed them, only signaling out Junior as he unleashed a roar from the other side of Monster Island. Anguirus shifted his focus to the sea, contemplating his next action, but gradually the dinosaur lowered itself back to the warm dirt.

Whatever let loose the cackle held little idea the world it wished to subjugate. A battle would surely come to meet this aggressor, but where or who was involved the ankylosaur did not know. All that Anguirus was certain of is that it would not involve him, at least not yet, and so he closed his eyes and returned to a deep sleep.

*****

Desolate Isle – Earth

Lightning danced around the three-headed terror who listened to the defiant, distant echoes of dozens if not hundreds of monsters atop the caldera’s perimeter. Their abject disregard for the dragon’s rule amused the great terror, causing it to cackle in devilish delight. Ghidorah would find great pleasure in the decades it would take to break the spirit of this insubordinate planet, but first-

Ghidorah’s six eyes gazed through the pouring rain toward a human vessel struggling within the raging storm. 

-they’d start off their conquest with an act of mercy.  

Golden wings swung downward, propelling Ghidorah skyward while the rock that rest beneath their feet cracked from the sheer force of the takeoff. Golden power surged through the dragon’s three necks. Malevolent eyes watched the tiny humans cower in terror, their deaths marking the start of Ghidorah’s reig-

An object slammed slammed into Ghidorah’s side at high speeds parting the dragon’s maws. Gravity bolts spewed over the open ocean, disintegrating large swaths of water which created voids of steam in their wake. Wings steadied Ghidorah’s descent, but the dragon just as quickly gave chase to the black creature whose flight now aimed back toward the caldera beneath the anomalies. Eyes wide with murderous intent, Ghidorah cried out for the attacker to face them head on. 

A courageous chirp answered him. 

The left head snapped right and watched Mothra, its wings glowing an emerald green with streaks of blue, strafe the dragon’s wings with her four pincers. Great tears split the dragon’s wings, sending it plummeting into the caldera’s center. Righting itself at the last second, Ghidorah landed on his hindlegs with a monumental thud. Cracks splintered out in all directions of the crater’s basin, striking the walls that surrounded its perimeter.

Ghidorah’s wing membranes snapped back together before the interstellar terror flapped its wings, launching a cloud of ash under the anomaly while cackling arrogantly into the air of their attackers’ folly. They should flee, die or bow before his power like Ramarak, Battra, the MUTO and even the mighty God-

The right head snapped right, watching an emerald blob fall from the anomaly and crash into the ash cloud Ghidorah created, gradually attracting the other two heads in curiosity. The caldera’s basin cracked once more, shaking as the object arose within the grey shroud around it and began to trot toward Ghidorah, flames piercing the cloud’s edges. A monstrous foot covered in emerald flames stepped out of the cloud and crushed the crystal skeleton’s skull beneath its heel, causing the anomalies above to flicker chaotically. Gradually, the full, legendary form of Godzilla peered through the haze, encompassed in emerald flames from head to toe. Large pillars of fire sprouted out his back where his spines once existed, but the most intense blaze existed around the leviathan’s eyes which focused on Ghidorah with a renewed drive for battle. 

Ghidorah growled, scanning the battlefield as they contemplated their next move. With a shrill warcry from the central head, Ghidorah decided upon its next course of action. A swift death, for all that opposed them on their new world.

Golden wings launched Ghidorah forward while Godzilla shook the island as he charged forward, melting the earth beneath his heels with every step. Godzilla roared in anticipation as they were about to collide, but Ghidorah became airborne at the last second, grabbing Godzilla’s shoulders with their heels and smashing the leviathan against the ground. While its heels burned, Ghidorah couldn’t help but cackle in amusement. 

Why continue to fight? Even with his renewed strength, Godzilla still could not hope to defeat th-

Mothra’s stinger pierced Ghidorah’s central head like a hot knife through butter, silencing the central head’s arrogant cackles. Ghidorah stumbled backward in agony, dragged by the monstrous insect until bone cracked violently. Four, mangled pieces of Ghidorah’s central snout blew in the wind, all that remained from the impalement but soon it writhed uncontrollably. A fresh head sprouted from Ghidorah’s middle neck, eyes wide with fury and anguish. Golden energy channeled through all three heads, their gaze locked on Mothra, until the left head noticed a green glow barreling toward them. The dragon changed targets, unleashing three bolts into the air merely for the blur to avoid them and slam into the ground, unleashing a pulse which rattled the storm around them. The gravity bolts within Ghidorah’s maws ceased as the electromagnetic pulse washed over them, allowing hisses of anger to follow as they recognized the parasite before them. 

The Male MUTO, its crimson glow replaced with an emerald hue, repetitively slammed his appendages into the ground, unleashing a flurry of chittering calls. It was time for their round of conflict. 

Ghidorah’s eyes narrowed. The dragon would ensure it would be their last encounter…

The MUTO lunged forward. Ghidorah’s heads followed suit, snapping forth with murderous intent, yet the parasite flew through their grasp. Fury coursed through Ghidorah, sparks dancing within their jaws as they watched the MUTO perform an aerial loop directly toward them. All six eyes awaited the parasite to near only for Godzilla to ram into Ghidorah and slam the dragon through the caldera’s inner wall into a hollow magma chamber. 

The MUTO circled high above, hearing the earth tremble as the two titans collided beneath the volcanic rock of the caldera’s perimeter. A friendly chirp alerted the Male to Mothra’s presence beside him before another section of the inner wall exploded outward. The two looked on as Ghidorah collapsed backward while green flames lined the void’s exit before Godzilla returned to the storm’s fury. 

Emerald and crimson sparks began to cascade across Godzilla’s body, generating clouds of steam as he approached Ghidorah. A generally increasing hum took hold of the environment, deafening thunder from the lightning crashing around the caldera before Godzilla warned his allies to stay away. As Godzilla prepared to unleash a devastating pulse, his shadow draped over Ghidorah’s fallen form, bolts of raw power exploded out of Godzilla where his spines once existed. In tremendous pain the leviathan fell forward, but remained upright, turning its attention to his back where pillars of fire plumed where his spines once existed. A roar of frustration vented from Godzilla’s jaws. 

He couldn’t perform his pulse at full power without his spines to channel the energy. Then how could he defe-

A mocking cackle gradually drew Godzilla’s gaze to his rival who stood upright with its wings fully extended and maws filled with golden power. The wind howled in anticipation. Lightning danced around the battlefield.  Sparks cascaded across the dragon’s wings nearly as bright as the sun while Ghidorah’s murderous eyes focused on Godzilla. 

It was time for the mighty Alpha to be granted a final act of mercy.

Unrivaled bolts of gravitonic energy burst from Ghidorah’s maws and body in a focused stream matching the size of the dragon. A wall of lightning flowed over Godzilla, causing the behemoth to vanish within the focused fury of the storm. The caldera wall behind Godzilla detonated as the torrent of energy destroyed all in its way, creating an arch in the perimeter and only ending as it impacted the sea creating a colossal cloud of steam. The ocean stirred chaotically from the strike, shockwaves in the air reaching as far as the U.S.S. Cowpens which struggled on the seas a few miles from the impact zone. The bolts continued to wash over the Alpha until Mothra and the MUTO dived onto the dragon. In the chaos of the three monster’s brawl, Godzilla gradually reappeared, a husk of his former self beneath the arch in the wall. 

Deep scars covered the thin layer of skin left on Godzilla while open flesh steamed as rain fell upon it. The green flames which once encompassed the behemoth’s body now appeared as nothing more than emerald embers. Atop scorched earth, Godzilla stood in a state of shock, catching his breath for a moment. 

If only he possessed it…

The archway above collapsed down upon the mighty Alpha. Baltic rock shattered over Godzilla’s hide, but the amount proved too much for the behemoth to stay standing or even stay in sight. With a painful growl, Godzilla’s legendary form disappeared beneath a mountain of basaltic rubble, leaving Mothra and the MUTO to fight alone. 

With Mothra in their left head’s maw and the MUTO in their right, Ghidorah slammed the pair into each other before tossing them into the water logged volcanic soil below. Ghidorah hissed in annoyance as the duo arose in defiance. With all the terror unleashed upon them, with Godzilla reduced to a shell of himself, they still continued to stand against him? 

How… boring.

Ghidorah swung his colossal wings downward. Hurricane force winds subdued the two insectoid creatures while the hydra ascended hundreds of meters in seconds. Ghidorah gazed upon the monsters below with a sense of regret. Their own wounds were meager compared to Mothra, MUTO, and especially their rival, but with a world to conquer, death for even those they despised seemed like a distant desire. Ghidorah would prolong their torment, killing them another day, until then they would remind them of their failures with a final cackle. The hydra parted his jaws, but another warcry boomed from above. The left head looked upward first followed by the rest to witness a phoenix in the shape of an arrowhead, covered head to talon in crimson flames, plunging toward them. The arrogant cackle morphed into a roar of surprise before the object smashed into Ghiodrah in mid-air.

Mothra and the MUTO scattered to evade the falling titans. The pair took flight just as Ghidorah’s body crashed upon the caldera’s center in a plume of fire amidst the storm. Through steam and ash, Rodan’s mighty wings outstretched over Ghidorah’s form, screeching into the heavens an unequal warcry. 

The great terror wished to flee? To retreat from a battle it clearly possessed the power to end. How could the mighty Fire Demon be afraid of such a cowardly creature? The hydra’s only purpose would now be to fall beneath its mighty talo-

Ghidorah’s central head snapped onto Rodan’s throat. Blood spurted into the air from Rodan’s beak; his avian eyes trained on the right’s heads maw filled with golden energy. Before it could fire, Mothra’s stinger burst from the back of its throat attracting the attention of the left head. It charged its own gravity beam merely for the MUTO to swoop in and clamped its jaws on the back of its head, pulling it upward so the beam cut through the clouds above. Ghidorah’s central head sneered in hate, releasing its grip on Rodan so it could slam its head against the MUTO. 

The Male struck the ground hard, denting the soft earth. A quick shake of its head eliminated its daze as he arose, but even with Rodan and Mothra fighting together, Ghidorah wouldn’t be distracted too long. The Male could only think of one way to end the battle. The taste would be dreadful, but if it bested Shin Orga, it would need to work again here.

With a quick call, the MUTO instructed Mothra and Rodan to hold Ghidorah in place. Mothra chirped in agreement, digging her dagger like appendages into the dragon while Rodan shifted its gaze to the parasite. A mocking screech escaped its beak at the demand before Ghidorah’s central and left head ensnared the Fire Demon causing it to yelp in surprise.

The MUTO immediately propelled itself skyward. Higher and higher the parasite ascended into the storm until it reached a half mile above the battling Titans and let gravity take hold. The Male’s two dagger like appendages became one. The parasite’s fall seemed almost silent until it screeched for his allies to move. Each moved to the side of Ghidorah, allowing the MUTO to impale its arms between the central and right head. 

Blood took to the water soaked air. The pouring rain visibly rippled from the hydra’s wails. Using all of its strength, the Male parted Ghidorah’s flesh to dive its head into its shoulder, yet something other than blood flooded the wound. An overwhelming golden light. 

Golden energy in the form of lightning discharged from the open wound. The Male let loose a screech of surprise as sparks overtook his form, blasting him to the volcanic soil below. Mothra and Rodan looked to their fallen ally merely for gravity bolts to strike them from Ghidorah’s maws. The two titans struck the caldera’s floor hard, skidding across the blackened earth until the hydra ceased his attack, allowing their stagnant, smoldering bodies to feel their fresh wounds. 

Ghidorah’s presence loomed over the fallen parasite, allowing its massive shadow to encompass the beast every time lightning crashed. Ghidorah’s right heel pressed upon the Male’s back left leg. Out of all the wounds it suffered over the day, out of all the pointless battles the hydra endured, the strike the MUTO performed achieved a level of pain Ghidorah hadn’t experienced in eons. For that, Ghidorah would grant no mercy for the MUTO. 

A sickening crack reverberated through the caldera followed by the MUTO’s cries. Ghidorah cackled in amusement merely for the ground to begin to quake. A crimson glow attracted the left head’s gaze, and gradually the other two heads, to the mountain of rubble atop Godzilla. Lava bubbled through the cracks and the pile trembled as behemoth melted all the material atop his body. Emerald flames re-ignited across the leviathan’s form while his eyes narrowed on Ghidorah, focused on the slowly healing gash the MUTO created between his central and right head. With a deep, earth shattering roar, Godzilla ordered his allies to do one simple thing with all their remaining strength: attack. The hydra took his heel off the MUTO, screeching at them to end this pointless struggle, but in unison the group launched skyward.

The MUTO lunged first merely for Ghidorah’s left tail to smash it back to the ground. By the time the right head shifted to Mothra, the guardian flipped her body around and embedded her pincers and stinger into the right head’s neck. No matter how much the right head contorted, Mothra refused to release her grip. Ghidorah’s central head chomped down onto Mothra’s thorax, but before its bite could fully tighten, molten talons from Rodan ripped the central head off and forced Ghidorah to backpedal into the caldera wall. The left head hissed, deciding which monster to attack, before jaws snapped around its head from the MUTO who desperately held on with all its strength. 

Godzilla’s muscles tensed. Reptilian eyes bolted open as he summoned all the power Leo bestowed to him. The great emerald fires raging across his back erupted furiously, melting any rock it touched. With an intense blaze burning within his jaws, Godzilla charged forward, turning rock into lava with every thunderous step.  

Ghidorah felt the ground tremble and the hydra moved into a frenzy. Its heads in unison slammed against the rock wall behind them, pounding their respective monsters against the volcanic earth, until Godzilla’s body careened into hydra, embedding it into blackened moldet rock. Pained cries echoed from all three of the dragon’s jaws. The tall obsidian walls fragmented yet remained standing while Godzilla pinned Ghidorah with all its strength. Golden scales sizzled from Godzilla’s fiery claws, subduing the great hydra’s movements as emerald atomic fire burned within Godzilla’s maw like a forming star. Each head moved to stop Godzilla, but Rodan, Mothra and MUTO held on with all their strength, allowing Godzilla to clamp his jaws over the grievous wound caused by the parasite. 

Atomic fire poured into Ghidorah’s body. Ghidorah screamed in fury and agony until its cries evolved into three, uncontrollable emerald geysers. The hydra’s body gradually expanded. Bolts of power ripped through Ghidorah’s softening flesh, signaling for Mothra, MUTO, and Rodan to retreat. The left head’s flesh melted away in a pool of golden ooze while the right neck detached entirely, allowing a steady stream of energy to pour out of its base. Enraged eyes of the central head forced itself to gaze down at Godzilla, bathing the reptile in its own radioactive weapon. 

Ghidorah’s primordial eyes gazed upon their ancient rival with unparalleled hatred. After so many confrontations, it would seem Godzilla finally defeated them, but if their rival thought death would embrace them so easily, he truly deserved the title of King amongst the foolish titans. 

An emerald explosion, overflowing with fire and plasma, consumed both Kings.

A blinding shockwave ripped through the atmosphere. Clouds parted violently from the force of the explosion while an emerald blaze with chaotic bolts of lightning filled all the space within the caldera and around the anomalies. From a high altitude Rodan and the MUTO awaited the victor to emerge, but as they allowed the great inferno to subside, Mothra traveled back into the white anomaly to retrieve the last remnants of life in her old world.

 

Ultraseven awaited the aftershocks of the explosion to subside so he could continue his journey up the slopes of the caldera. The storm seemed to be fading, light gradually piercing the dark layer of clouds above the island. With the sun’s rays he could regain some of his old power and finally end the chaos from the anom-

“Hey! Ultra-Eleven!”

Dark memories flooded Seven’s mind. Without hesitation, Seven dropped Hikaru onto the rocky terrain and took a defensive pose. His yellow eyes scanned his surroundings before he shifted his focus to discover the source of the voice, the same which called monsters from other worlds years ago to destroy the Earth for ‘fun’. The dark Elias, Belvera. 

“So you’re the cause of this?” Ultraseven yelled as he formed an L with his two hands. 

“Not even close, Eleven,” Belevera lethargically retorted as she slowly descended to eye level, her head resting in her hands.

“It’s Seven.”

“Good for you, but I need your help.”

Energy sparked across Seven’s hands as he summoned all of his energy reserves. “Why would I help a killer of innocents like you?”

“It was fifty years ago, and I honestly didn’t care so much back-”

A yellow energy streak discharged from Ultraseven’s hands merely for it to strike open air as Garu-Garu evaded right and countered with its own ray. The purple ray slammed Seven’s chest and flattened him against the rocky landscape. Pained gasps echoed from the alien warrior before Belvera and her mount hovered just above Seven’s head, a look of ire now across her face.

“As I was saying, I honestly didn’t care, back then. Second, if I remember correctly, while I killed a few, no one died that day thanks to you and your brothers. And now, I need your help to make sure it doesn’t happen again so you coming or not?”

 

Mothra touched down upon the charred landscape of the island as gently as possible, dropping Audrey, Nick, Moll, and Lora off with a wad of condensed webbing. Audrey pulled herself from the sticky substance before easing Nick’s unconscious body out of the webbing, laying him gently upon the charred earth. 

A blue tint encompassed the visible skin of Nick Tatopolous. A harsh wheezing escaped the unconscious man’s lips while his chest barely moved, but Audrey remained close, holding his left hand tightly.

“Found him!” Belvera yelled as she descended. 

Ultraseven touched down right behind her, placing Hikaru to his side as he kept a wary eye on the new Mothra which blanketed his form in shadow before he focused on Moll. “I see you had a change of heart?”

Moll nodded. “I did. Though it seems the battle has affected the tears. They seem to be fading, slowly, but more so with every moment.”

Ultrseven glanced passed the group to the two anomalies still floating above the caldera side by side. Their calm glass like exterior no longer flowed like water, but appeared as turbulent as the ocean during a hurricane. Their multi-hundred meter diameter seemed to be receding, bringing a sense of relief to Ultraseven. A hand on his shoulder quickly drew Seven’s attention to Audrey whose eyes were filled with hope and terror. 

“Please, my husband needs your help. You can save him, right?”

Ultraseven looked over the dying man and bent beside him, placing his hand atop Nick’s nearly stagnant chest.  

“The power of my garrison is far beyond what is possible on this planet. To save the life of this man, is something I can do, but it will take time.”

Tears swelled within Audrey’s eyes. “Please, will you?”

Ultraseven remained silent. His hand coursed over Nick’s body before he shifted his gaze to Hikaru’s unconscious form. I’m sure you would find this amusing if you were awake Peacelander, Seven contemplated. Especially after how hard you fought for the life of this man.

“With the Earth safe and a life at risk,” Ultraseven explained before glancing at Audrey, displaying a slight smile of compassion, “without question.”

*****

Infant Island – Earth –  Three Months Later

Warm winds accompanied with the scent of salt blew across the spiritual island of Earth’s guardians. Flowers of every color swayed back and forth, allowing the pedals to take to the air and flow around the Shobijin, Moll, Lora, and Belvera who stood at the entrance of the isle’s main cave. All eyes looked upward as they watched the Shobijin’s Mothra, the legendary Mothra of the other world and the MUTO perform aerial maneuvers high above the island in a test of skill, a friendly battle in the cloudless, sun filled sky.

“Is it still wise to allow the MUTO to stay here?” the Shobijin stated in unison causing Belvera’s eyes to twitch in annoyance. 

The dark Elias crossed her arms, tilting her head as she responded, “Gee, what a unique question to ask for the fiftieth time…”

“The Island has traditionally been reserved for Mothras and their worshippers.”

A look of false shook gripped. Belvera’s face. “But that would mean, I, I would need to leave!” Belvera’s face molded back to one of agitation. “Luckily, I have a better idea. Why don’t you two go shov-”

Moll immediately walked between Belvera’s left side and the Shobijin’s right. “Sisters, let us not argue amongst minor details. Besides, under our guidance they have proven to be reliable guardians of the Earth, and isn’t that our most prized goal?”

Belvera opened her mouth to retort merely for Lora to grab her right arm. With a pained sigh, Belvera let the argument go, turning her gaze back to the monsters with a content smile gradually growing across her face.     

Unimpressed, avian eyes watched the aerial dogfight from afar. His talons could easily shred the moths’ wings, tear apart the parasite’s body and prove the victor by the time their corpses broke the ocean’s surface, but… the drive for conflict which coursed through Rodan’s molten blood proved faint. He’d explored the new world, found monsters of varying shape and size, defeating a few unsuspecting titans along the way, yet upon every volcanic isle he declared to be his domain, he quickly departed. It lacked something the Fire Demon needed, something he could tell his old prey now possessed. 

A caw of annoyance echoed from the molten saurian before he turned away from Infant Island. Out of the corner of his right eye, Rodan noticed a row of familiar dorsal spines submerge into the water of the Pacific. It seemed he was not alone in his search for a place in the new world.     

*****

H.E.A.T. Headquarters – Earth – Three Months Later

Orange, violet, and blue rays cast down upon New York as the sun peeked over the cities’ horizon. The city which never slept roared to life with activity, but for Audrey Tatopolous, she remained frozen as she stood alone atop H.E.A.T. headquarters, awaiting an arrival three dreadfully long months in the making. 

It’s this morning right? Audrey contemplated. Of course, you checked the date way too many times this morning for you to be wrong. Seven said he would be back in ninety days with Nick and he would arrive in the morning. Should I run down and get my computer, work while I wait? Oh yeah, that’ll be a great look. Welcome back to Earth Nick. How was your trip, oh can you hold on, I need to finish responding to these ema-

“Hey Audrey.”

Audrey’s head spun nearly one-hundred and eighty degrees in a second. Standing a few feet away with tears in his eyes, Nick Tatouplos stood with Ultraseven, at the size of a human, by his side. Audrey bolted into Nick’s arms before he could move, digging her face into his chest as tears swelled in her eyes. The two embraced for a minute without letting go of one another before Audrey pulled away so she could look at Ultraseven who now stood with his back to the pair. 

“Thank you,” Audrey said with her voice nearly choking.

Without looking away from the city of New York, Ultraseven responded, “It is merely my duty. I’ve learned much about your husband in our travels, and I’m glad to have saved such a good man.”

“Do… you want to stay or-”

“There are things I must do, people I must speak to. I sadly can not stay any longer.”   

“Thank you, Dan!” Nick stated aloud.

Ultraseven nodded before he took off into the sky, leaving Audrey and Nick alone on the aging structure.

“Dan?” Audrey inquired as she put her arms around Nick’s waist. “Should I be worried about you two?”

Nick placed his right hand on Audrey’s shoulder. “Not a chance, but where is everyone else?”

“May have told them you were actually arriving tomorrow. Fun fact, I’m a bit of a selfish person.”

Nick tilted his head, resting it against his wife’s causing her to close her eyes. “For some reason, I think I’m okay with that.”

Traumatic and heartfelt memories flashed within Audrey’ mind of her husband. If she opened her eyes, they would have played out in front of her, but she suppressed the hauntings of her past and relished the moment that she pursued with all her heart. Her husband, finally safe in her arms. At long last, her mission: accomplished.  

 *****

San Francisco – Shin Earth – Three Months Later

Hateful eyes snapped open with utmost intensity.

Ghidorah’s head writhed in place in an attempt to reorient itself. It had lost consciousness not long after crashing, mostly from blood loss. It distinctly recalled the dark warrior that separated it from the rest of the body. And it seemed the natural toxicity of the radioactive air had assisted in its regeneration. At the very least, the little blood that remained provided circulation, even in the absence of its main heart chamber. Its eyes observed the nearby landscape, only to notice the broken city off in the distance. None of the opposing monsters were present; they all vanished. The portal, too, was nowhere in sight. How long had it been out for?

But the silver lining in all of this was the Skullcrawler’s rotted, headless body. Its jaws drooled with delight.

Inhaling with its nostrils, the former right head made the long and arduous trek to the ruined metropolis. The silence reminded Ghidorah of the long voyages through space. Except then, it had company; an adaptation that ensured their collective sanity was kept in check. Here was nothing more than bitter loneliness.

It slithered through the shallow waters and obstructing gravel that held throughout the confrontation. It inched ever closer to the Skullcrawler with nothing to fear from. However, there was a concern upon arrival.

The dead lizard’s abdominal region had been torn open. Next to the gap were a mixture of stomach acids and blood, with a dark mass sitting in the middle of it. It was like a tumor in the shape of an egg, with an extension reminiscent to an umbilical cord. The dome-like shape had a hole in it, no longer hosting the embryo that once dwelled in it. It was then that Ghidorah noticed the trail nearby. Whatever had emerged from the black tumor dragged itself along the broken pavement, steadily increasing in size as it did so. Steamy blood painted its path, leading Ghidorah’s eyes toward the Bay area.

Even without lungs to hold in air, the right head hissed at what it saw.

A large tan marine creature awkwardly fumbled over itself. It had a long body, over 120 meters from head to tail, that was adorned with rigid dorsal plates and had gill-like pouches on its neck that ejected superheated blood. What carried its weight was a large pair of digitigrade feet, each step pressing into the asphalt. Upon hearing Ghidorah’s hiss, Shin Godzilla turned its head to meet the wyrm’s gaze. Shin’s fish-like eyes remained unflinching and unfocused as its snout stood slack jawed.

Ghidorah waited for the opponent to make the next move. Knowing full well that it was a living organism, Ghidorah could not stand the thought of this thing thriving or propagating. But the lone head was in no shape to fight, and it knew that. Still, that would not stop it from killing if it had to come to that.

Shin Godzilla broke off eye contact and returned its attention to the ocean that stood before it. Before Ghidorah knew it, the marine animal dove into the salty seas and vanished from visible sight, with only a steamy trail to indicate the creature’s presence. Ghidorah wasn’t sure how to feel about letting life continue on. But if it is of any consolation, he would kill it one day.

Ghidorah veered back to the dead Skullcrawler, its jaws drooping with saliva. The wyrm tore into the deceased cretin’s flesh. With a jerk of its head, Ghidorah ripped the skin and muscle clean from the decomposing remains. There was no stomach for Ghidorah to digest it; rather, the wyrm let the rotted meat dissolve in its mouth. What it needed was not the contents of the meat, but the radiation that was packed within. As soon as the protein was nothing less than goop and its radioactive substance coursed through the neck, Ghidorah felt its body slowly regrowing itself. Then the dragon tore off another slab of disgusting skin.

Rinse and repeat.

*****

 Fifty miles off the coast of Vladivostok – Shin Earth

 A wave of hope washed over her.

Her razor thin eyes flickered with weak, pulsating red light. Her body was frozen stiff, yet she felt the faintest warmth coursing through her veins. She shuffled, struggling to free herself from the ice-covered wall that she was bound to. Mustering whatever strength she could, she tore free from her burden at the cost of her frost-bitten skin. Her tired eyes tried to scan her surroundings, but it was all pitch black. Raising her massive forelimbs, the Female MUTO struck against the nearby wall.

With a clink against a particular rock, a memory painfully sparked in her consciousness. Radiation. Element X. But it seemed the atomic minerals had been deprived of their energy, rendering it useless. But with it accompanied many other feelings, most of which she had a hard time recalling. It was all so fuzzy to her. There was suffering, there was pain… Yet she recalled warmth in the midst of it. It was beyond her comprehension.

She gazed above, seeing the harsh blizzard block out the night sky. For a moment, she had thought she heard a call; though perhaps the roaring winds were the cause of it. She tried moving her innermost arms, only to find that they were missing. It was also in that moment she noticed that her womb was hollow. Her eyes radiated, screeching a mournful cry. There was no memory that spurred this, only a feeling. Her sadness became anguish, and from that agony it became absolute fury. The MUTO tore into the earth with her gargantuan, hooked limbs, burrowing toward the deeper layers of the planet.

In her mind, there was little memory of her past and identity. But what she knew for sure was this; whatever ravaged her body only happened because she was weak. She would use this second chance at life to become stronger; become more terrifying; become an alpha predator that would trample all in her path.

*****

Shin Earth – Thousands of years later 

His life and death swirled in a vortex of endless dreams. There was little to recall from the events that paved to his death as it all passed by like a shimmering waterfall. It was an eternity before the nostalgic feelings came to a close, with his consciousness coming to. The flowing river of memories ceased as Battra realized that his conception was nearing. It seemed this Earth, despite him not being native to this world, accepted him as hers.

This new Earth gave him a shelter to dwell in as Battra was conceived for the first time since his original birth. The planet gave him the necessary nutrients to thrive in the egg-like space. Over time he grew, his hardened armor and fearsome jagged horn returned to him. Sounds of the outside world rang as he could only wonder what was going on. The pitter patter of tiny feet roused his curiosity, but something lingered deep in his soul. His only assumption was that the last of the humans he was mandated to protect had been trapped after he came out of the portal and repopulated. The more he contemplated on this idea, the more his anger stirred. Humans and Elias were responsible for all of this. So he would have his retribution by slaying every last one, ensuring their mistakes would never be repeated.

Mustering his god-like strength, Battra shattered the egg wall that confined him, surging with his mighty power. Yet in the moment he emerged, there was so much information he had to take in at once. It was clear he was in a cavern, yet one that seemed to be hewn and excavated as opposed to natural formation. His shell was attached with pulsating web of technorganic wires infused with Godzilla-like flesh, and around him more technology of a similar caliber. Battra’s horn crackled with his Prism power as he noticed the humanoids that directly opposed him. Heinous, disgusting creatures that were neither human or Elias. Their slender frames, charcoal black skin, lithe tentacles, protruding dorsal plates, and singular blue eyes made that blatantly evident. Before he could even have the chance to discharge his weapon, their hot red veins illuminated into a fiery purple.

From the core few humanoids that stood before him, the purple glow spread in a light display that brightened the entire chamber. In that moment, Battra recognized he was outclassed. Simultaneously, he came to another realization that terrified him beyond comparison. If he truly posed a threat to this society, he would have been terminated long ago. He hesitated for a split second, unsure if he would make it out of this alive.

That was until one of them called his name in the tongue of monsters.

Battra directed his attention on the sole humanoid who was not glowing like the rest of its kind. The humanoid identified their kind as the Millennians, who had been under the rule of monsters for thousands of years. They had sought to cultivate the planet and restore it to its prime, as to ensure its continued survival. Battra saw that these were only half-truths, and that they too were among the arrogant. But given the circumstances, he relented.

As Battra’s energy diminished, so too did the Millennians’. Immediately, the aliens closest to Battra plopped onto the carved earth and worshipped him fervently. Battra was unsure what to make of this. It was sudden, but a pleasant surprise nonetheless. He agreed to help, only under the stipulation that he would do so by his will and as long as he would be adored and praised for it. For the Millennians, they complied. At long last, Battra could have a planet of his own to defend and no longer needed to disregard any obnoxious requests from a certain fairy.

So long as these Millennians proved themselves worthy to be this Earth’s dominant inhabitants, he could get used to this.

Winner: Godzilla (Legendary), Mothra (Legendary), MUTO (Male), Rodan (Legendary) 

 

Author: Harley Jameson | Banner: Andrew Sudomerski

There was said to be a powerful and terrifying beast. A beast so horrible that it brought Japan to its knees and made it beg for mercy. Legend says that only a select few could ever defeat this creature, although their names were lost to time. This terrifying beast of legend, feared across the world, was known as Godzilla.

A man made monster, Godzilla mowed down foe after foe, some claiming that his power equated and even surpassed the gods. Nothing could stop his never-ending rampage, nothing could beat him. One would try.

There were even more ancient legends, of a dragon with bloodstained skin and a hunger for death. These two nightmares of humanity never once clashed in battle, but the ancient dragon awoke one ominios day, his mind set on such an encounter. The Yamata no Orochi was coming back.

Toyama Bay was beautiful during the winter. While it wasn’t a nightly occurrence, the firefly squid often washed up on shore, illuminating the sandy beaches with such an array of cerulean hues that the beauty of the sight couldn’t be put into words. The ocean waves rolled gently onto the cold shore as the moonless night made the blue hue even more beautiful. This peace was disturbed though, by the waves crashing down on one another more violently than the last. Soon, the ground quaked as Godzilla, bathed in the bioluminescent blue of the firefly squid, marched onto the shore.

Godzilla gave a mighty roar, his dorsal spines glowing as blue as his body. With a flash of blinding light, signature nuclear energy tore into the nearby forest, setting it ablaze and causing small explosions to rock the quiet of the night. As the King of the Monsters went further inland, engulfed in a blaze of his own making, the ground began to shake violently. Godzilla grunted in confusion, his eyes narrowing on the burning forest as it split open, swallowing trees like hell itself was opening its jaws. Flames licked the open air, and from its depth, a demonic roar echoed out. Godzilla stayed his ground, flexing his claws as he scanned the towering beast. Orochi’s eight heads roared into the night, its mind seeking only one thing: To kill Godzilla.

Jets of searing hot flames shot out of a couple of the hydra’s heads, dousing Godzilla and erecting a shriek of pain from the irradiated creature. The smell of burnt flesh filled the air while orange light of the fires illuminated the night sky. Godzilla roared in anger and discharged an overwhelming atomic ray at Orochi, causing the ground to explode as it hit the ancient evil’s body. The creature slid back a few meters from the monumental force, causing Orochi’s heads to cry in pain.

The heads quickly recovered, their vengeful glares transforming into crimson energy that sparked within their optical orbs. Bolts of red lightning shot out from each of Orochi’s eyes and maws. Godzilla screamed in agony as he was electrocuted, smoke curling from his skin. He snarled in anger and charged Orochi, getting in close and clawing at the hydra’s body, spilling its tainted blood upon charred earth. Orochi gave a wail of pain as Godzilla sank his teeth into one of the demon’s necks. Like a rabid animal, Godzilla shook his head side to side, aiming to rip out one of Orochi’s throats. Several other of Orochi’s heads grabbed Godzilla before he could complete the tear, biting down while the head being bitten bathed Godzilla’s back in flames. Moaning in anguish, Godzilla relinquished his grip to echo a roar of pain into the heavens.

Orochi tucked a few of his heads and smashed them against the saurian’s abdomen, launching Godzilla away. The Monster King soared a few hundred meters before crash landing on his back. His dorsal spines dug trenches in the sand as he skidded away from the demonic hydra. As he slowed to a crawl, Godzilla returned to his feet, sand clinging to his body as his burns already began healing. More red lightning crackled out of Orochi, slamming into Godzilla and piercing his skin, red blood splattering onto the blue shoreline. The ground thundered as Orochi advanced, using his bulk to slam into Godzilla, forcing him to the beach once more while hellish flames bathed him.

The flames gradually subsided, allowing Orochi to gaze upon Godzilla’s grevious wounds. His front skin was burnt and smoking, and Orochi cackled with malicious glee. This creature was pathetic to the mighty Orochi! He would defeat this stupid creature and the Earth would be his. Godzilla’s claws curled into fists, a snarl of pure fury echoed, attracting the heads to Godzilla’s fallen form. Even watching the saurian, they were too slow to react. Godzilla sprang up with frightening speed, launching an atomic ray at Orochi, blowing one of the heads clean off in a shower of gore. Orochi unleashed seven wails of pain, and Godzilla closed the gap between them, biting and grabbing at other heads.

Orochi had no way of stopping Godzilla without doing damage to himself, and Godzilla ripped and tore unabated, yellow blood coating the Kaiju King as he gave a bellowing roar through Orochi’s flesh. Two more draconic heads soared into the surrounding inferno and caused another loud shriek of pain to echo from Orochi. The bleeding hydra had enough of this, and fire spewed out of its five remaining heads. Godzilla’s face scored the brunt of the monumental blaze, forcing the irradiated creature to stagger back, wailing as his eyes and nose were burnt and sealed shut.

Unable to see or smell his foe, Godzilla staggered about, firing his atomic ray wildly. Not a single one touched Orochi as the dragon took to the air, firing bolts of lightning down upon their helpless foe and causing Godzilla to trip over the trench he dug earlier and fall to the ground, waving his arms wildly. Orochi gave another mocking cackle, his eyes glowing evilly as some of his heads shot lightning from their mouths and eyes, while others spat hot flames at the downed, pathetic creature. Smoke curled into the air as Godzilla wailed from the combined assault, his spines flashing blue as he tried to fire off his atomic beam, but Orochi’s continued assault shut it down.

Orochi slowly moved toward Godzilla, not letting up his relentless attacks. This pitiful creature would die shortly, by Orochi’s own doing no less! Where even mighty gods fell, Orochi would rise! What Orochi did not expect, was a sharp flash of blue which washed across his whole body. Pain, it consumed the draconic god, causing him to writhe and scream in agony. Godzilla had used his last ditch effort, his Nuclear Pulse, and from the god’s cries of agony, the saurian knew he hit his target. Godzilla’s regeneration wouldn’t heal all of this damage instantly, but a sense of satisfaction took hold of the partially blinded monster as he slowly stood up, his body still smoking in the cold, night air. Godzilla could barely see Orochi, but he knew that if this fight continued, he’d be dead. Mustering up what little energy he had left, Godzilla’s dorsal spines began flashing blue, before slowly turning red.

Orochi finally managed to right himself, the now five-headed hydra panting as he watched Godzilla charge up his Spiral Ray. At first the dragon’s eyes went wide, feeling terror for the first time in its hellish existence, but fear violently morphed into rage. No! He would not fall! Orochi roared of its defiant intent, frantically firing his lightning at Godzilla, but the monster king powered through the anguish. With a mighty roar, Godzilla fired his Spiral Ray at Orochi. Godzilla couldn’t see if his final attack hit home, but he heard Orochi’s wail of pain and the shockwave his ultimate move created, then nothing… He had won!

Godzilla panted, slumping back to the ground. It would take time to recharge his energy, but with Orochi dead, it was time he could afford as he fell into unconsciousness. Seconds turned to minutes, but an unmistakable shadow gradually loomed over Godzilla. While bloodied and now down to three heads and three legs, Orochi was far from dead, unlike his pathetic foe. Orochi had to admit Godzilla was a powerful foe, but he knew that this creature’s strength was legendary, but not unstoppable. A godlike strength drawn from others, but alone he was just as mortal as any creature. Orochi’s remaining heads poured everything they had at Godzilla’s head, waking the unconscious beast with unparalleled misery. A blood-curdling shriek consumed Toyama Bay as the continuous attacks began to take their toll, and when Orochi finally stopped, there was nothing but a charred husk where Godzilla’s head used to be.

Orochi had won, the legend of Godzilla was no more and soon Japan would suffer from a new, unending nightmare.

Winner: Orochi