Authors: Patrick Alan Green & Connor Clennell | Banner: Landon Soto

San Francisco was sent into a panicked frenzy as the once beautiful city suddenly became a primal warzone between two of the most savage beasts to ever walk the Earth…

The thunderous roars of the mighty King Kong shook the metropolis to its very core as he fought for his life atop the city’s landmark bridge.

Citizens evacuated their vehicles, looking to flee the swaying bridge as fast as they could. Kong loomed overhead, wrestling against a horrible winged-beast, a ferocious griffon, known to some as the dreaded Black Moth.

A wake of cars and trucks were slung all across the bridge as Kong shoved his opponent backward through the vacant traffic, making his way to the edge. Black Moth let out a defiant roar, her eyes fixed on Kong as she sank her fangs deep into Kong’s shoulder, halting the great ape’s push. Kong let out a shriek before grabbing the beast by her front legs and tossed the hybrid animal over his shoulder with a powerful judo-like throw, slamming the predator to the pavement with tremendous force. The entire bridge swayed from the impact.

Kong fought to keep his balance as he carefully watched Black Moth crawl back to her feet. Kong beat his chest and lunged forward, grabbing the feral beast by her snout and bottom jaw and forcing her back to the ground. Kong was on top, pinning the griffon beneath his weight and battering the feline’s face as she struggled to escape his clutches.

For a split moment, it seemed the fight was to be finished instantly. Kong grabbed her gnashing jaws, pulling them apart with his incredible strength. Black Moth thrashed wildly, sensing she was inches away from death, she dragged her claws down Kong’s face, causing the Faro deity to lose his grip for a moment. That was all she needed.

Black Moth shook her head violently, sending the beast-god flipping head over heels backward, crashing into a series of vacant vehicles. The sound of crushed steel echoed as Kong crawled to his feet, scratching his backside as he dislodged hundreds of tiny metal splinters from his flesh. Kong fought through the pain, which only enraged him more. Pounding his chest boldly, he attempted to intimidate an enemy that would not be terrified.

Black Moth leapt forward as Kong moved back promptly. He cautiously circled the mix-mash creature, waiting for her guard to lower. His eyes glared at his opponent’s throat, and in a second, he sprung forward. His arm shot forward like a bullet, striking Black Moth in the throat, which took her by surprise. She stumbled backward, choking and gagging loudly. Kong did not pause in his assault, lunging again he caught the lion-beast’s rear left leg. Mustering up his strength, he twisted it violently as Black Moth let out an annoyed squall. Kong tried dragging the Frankensteined monster backward, but her hooked claws dug into the concrete, halting Kong’s game of tug-of-war.

In Kong’s confusion, she managed to pull her leg free, whipping backward, she pounced, biting Kong’s shoulder. Kong wailed out in pain, but kept his composure, he lunged again, grabbing her head and rolling the griffon to the ground and on her side. With a furious roar, Kong hammered his mighty fists into the screeching lion’s ribs with acute accuracy. Beating fist after fist in the same spot as his foe helplessly cried out in pain, gnashing her teeth wildly as she tried to end the assault.

As the two titans clashed, the bridge trembled beneath them. Each strike of their powerful fists and paws shook the pride of San Francisco like one of its famous earthquakes. Its steel supports groaned in protest as they were bent beyond their capabilities. Tensions cables went taut and snapped as the structure sagged, briefly whipping wildly like venomous serpents. If the battle continued, the bridge would not last much longer…

Black Moth hissed through gritted teeth. The pain of bruised ribs sent her into a frenzy, seeking an end to Kong’s fury, she pushed against the beast’s stomach. The great ape’s stamina was not infinite. The speed of his strikes waned, granting Black Moth the mercy she required to retaliate.

Her front clawed paws moved with unbelievable speed as they swiped Kong’s hairless, toned chest. Countless bloody rips instantly shredded the beast-god’s flesh, painting his light tan tone with streaks of crimson red. Kong howled out and clutched his chest. Black Moth moved like lightning, lashing out, slicing her claws into the ape’s sternum. Kong’s voice was drowned in agony as it boomed across the bay, sending a flock of seagulls flying into the horizon.

Both mammalian titans moved back, determining their next course of action. Both sported scars as proof of their animalistic war. Of the two, Black Moth fared for the worse. She winced and moaned with each breath she took. She vowed to make Kong repay her bruises with more than what he delivered.

Behind each shoulder, a brown feathered wing spread out to its full length. Her eyes narrowed and a sinister grin formed. They beat the asphalt with powerful winds, knocking away abandoned vehicles in a brisk windstorm.

Kong raised his thick arms, protecting his face from the blinding hailstorm of automobiles. By sacrificing his sight for defense, he was not able to see Black Moth take off from the bridge and to the air. She flew straight at the towering deity, paws outstretched and pushing him down onto his back.

Kong stared blankly at the sky above, seeking an answer for the surprise attack. A shadow fell over the fallen king, the roar of a lion echoing from above as Black Moth soared through the air. Kong’s rage intensified, but behind that, a tinge of curiosity about the arcane creature’s tactics formed.

At first glance, Kong had assumed her as nothing but a mere mindless animal, driven by its instincts to survive. The fact that she could formulate calculated plans intrigued him. It had been a long time since he had encountered a beast with an intelligence that mimicked, or even rivaled, his. On his far away home of Mondo Island, he had only the likes of Gorosaurus and dangerous serpents, and the occasional migrating monster like a giant octopus or Ebirah, to defend himself from. They all lacked the intellect to match his, but perhaps Black Moth would be the true rival to test his status as a god.

The thought worried him.

He pulled himself to his feet and scanned the skies, mouth agape, awaiting the griffon’s next move. His large eyes locked onto her flying form as she circled overhead like a giant buzzard, waiting for the opportunity to attack. With a loud ferocious roar, she suddenly descended, taking Kong by surprise. The massive gorilla reacted too late to stop Black Moth from slicing her claws across his back. Kong’s hand moved to cover his wounds as he grunted in pain.

Black Moth banked around for another pass. She soared toward the godly creature from behind, green feline eyes locked onto their target, forearms outstretched and claws unsheathed. Before her claws could find their mark, Kong spun around, his massive hands clenched together. Her eyes widened and she let out a surprised shriek, unable to stop. Kong’s hammer-locked fists bashed the side of her head, driving her into the asphalt with immense force. The bridge squalled and shook. Black Moth convulsed, her bruised brain running the last moments over and over.

Kong grunted, proud of himself as he beat his breasts, roaring into the heavens. Black Moth clumsily crawled to her feet and with a single flap of her wings, she took off. Kong slammed his fists against his chest, roaring in a rage for the chimera to come back down and face him. Black Moth did not comply, and roared back at the ancient ape, her head stinging from her own cry.

Snorting loudly in exasperation, Kong searched for a means to reach her. He looked over the supports for the bridge, a plan formed in his head. He walked over, placing his hands on the structure, then his feet, and began to climb. The metal groaned in protest under his weight, but Kong didn’t care. Before he could reach the top, the tower gave out and collapsed. Kong screamed as he fell and smashed into the tarmac, pinned under the mangled mass of steel. He pushed the twisted support off, grunting in exertion as he did. Before he had a chance to stand, Black Moth was on him.

The lion-condor chimera lunged for Kong’s throat. Kong’s hands caught her jaws mere inches from his windpipe. He tried to shove the feline away, but Black Moth’s determination gave her the strength to resist the ape’s god-like might. Against Kong’s struggles, her jaws moved closer to his throat. Kong roared in panic as Black Moth resisted his efforts to deter her. If he could not repel her, it would be over for him soon.

The two continued to struggle for dominance, unaware of the creaking and snapping coming from the bridge as their battle continued to destabilize the structure. In the midst of their struggle, their eyes met. Feline and simian orbs stared into one another, peering into the soul of their rivals. Kong couldn’t help but be entrapped by Black Moth’s eyes. There was something familiar about them. In the ape’s mind, it clicked.

She reminded him of “her”…

Kong’s eyes narrowed angrily, and he let loose a deafening cry of rage. Sorrow and anguish came flooding out as he remembered how she had left. He had played the memory back over and over until it had made him sick in the past. Why did this beast remind him of her?

His gaze locked with Black Moth’s once more. He looked into her eyes, seeing the familiar sparkle that her eyes had had. But it paled in comparison. Black Moth’s eyes were filled with nothing but coldness. There was the sparkle of intelligence in them, but it was very faint. It was like this creature once had a consciousness, but it had been lost to time, and only a feral beast remained. In a way, Kong found himself sympathizing with her. But sympathy was not enough to spare her from his wrath. He had sought out to find what he had lost long ago, and this demon dared to stand in his way.

With a defiant, deafening howl, Kong shoved Black Moth away. He got to his feet with astounding speed and smashed his fist across the hybrid’s head. Black Moth growled and backed away, preparing to take flight. Before she could leave the bridge, Kong grabbed hold of her left wing. Her eyes widened, and she cried out in agony as Kong ripped the appendage from her body. Tossing the spasming limb away, he pounded his fists against his chest in a display of dominance. Beneath him, the bridge buckled, causing the ape to stumble. He looked down, feeling the structure tremble beneath his weight.

Black Moth pounced, sinking her teeth into the ape’s chest while Kong smashed his fists atop the beast’s back. The bridge swayed from the hectic combat. Wires broke. Metal creaked like a dying animal before the structure began to give. Black Moth realized it and released her grip, ready to take flight to escape the chaos, but Kong’s fury wouldn’t allow it.

The ape raised his bloody right fist and smashed it against the back of Black Moth’s cranium. The impact buried the chimera in metal, trapping the beast as Kong ran to the center of the crumbling bridge. Kong wrapped his arms around the two main suspension cables and channeled all the rage he could muster. Then, Kong pulled.

The muscles on Kong’s arms expanded and the beast yanked the human cables with all his might. His feet sunk into metal, his eyes expanded with adrenaline and a furious roar echoed demanding the human creation to kneel to the King. A final roar broke all resistance sending the Golden Gate Bridge tower falling forward. The structure smashed into Black Moth then continued through the bridge, taking the entire man-made icon into the ocean. Kong and Black Moth disappeared, allowing silence to encompass San Francisco.

The water bubbled violently as the sun began to set. Helicopters swarmed the bay, scanning the rumbling waters for movement. There was none. A message came in over a base set up in the city. “No sign of targets, both are presumed dead.”

As the waters settled, a cumbersome feeling swept over all the residents who watched the events on the news.

As the sun finally set over the sea and dusk set in, Susan Watson took a moment of silence, she gripped Jiro’s hand, tears ran down her face as she stared out to sea. She had watched the whole thing. She covered her mouth as Jiro escorted her back to his car, sobbing as he opened the door for her. She stepped inside and the two silently left the scene. Head hung low, she whispered, “Goodbye, my King.”

The two drove out of sight.

Draw: Black Moth, King Kong (Showa)

K.W.C. Kaiju War Chronicles