Authors: Matthew Freese | Banner: Matthew Freese

Humankind was terrified. Just recently, they had discovered that they were no longer on top of the food chain. The whole world witnessed the aftermath of a clash between titans, unable to see the actual battle due to the EMP waves output by the two fallen giants. They saw an absolute behemoth dip into the waters, its size making all other known animals look puny in comparison. But that wasn’t all. Leaks were released onto the internet, revealing a whole island filled with megafauna, ruled over by a bipedal ape almost as tall as Godzilla. Humanity’s greatest minds raced to figure out how to deal with the situation, how to calm the people down.

Any plans they had were dashed to pieces when flying saucers descended, capturing the two in tractor beams and pulling them away to unknown places. There were expectations of broadcasts being taken over and replaced with a declaration of invasion. But none came, leaving humanity in the dark as to the fate of the titans. To many, this silence was almost worse than the alternative.

But the aliens who had stolen Earth’s champions had not come to invade, not yet at least. Perhaps soon in the future, but they had other plans for now.

The Vortaak mothership was a colossal vessel, a black and green saucer large enough to hold an entire city within its walls. Streamlined buildings filled the interior of the ship, jutting up in perfect uniformity, some ending with pointed tops. It accommodated the millions of inhabitants upon it well as it sailed toward whatever planets its masters deemed fit to conquer. There was only one major setback it encountered, boredom. The same scenery every day with barely any change was almost oppressive. So, the rulers of the intergalactic conquerors saw fit to put up entertainment to keep the masses from plunging into ennui-induced chaos.

And what else would entertain a war-obsessed culture than blood sport?

Grand crowds gathered near the center of the city, surrounding a circular zone with no buildings aside from several evenly distributed across the edges of the space. Thin pillars supported blocky dishes with arrays of lights within. These controlled the force field surrounding the arena, ensuring that the battle would not spill out into the crowd.

Displays explaining the two combatants were scattered across the crowd’s gathering area. This fed into the fervor of the event, igniting many arguments throughout the masses about who would win between the two kings.

“Kong is a thinking animal, doesn’t matter what fancy crap Godzilla’s got!”

“One atomic breath and the ape’s dead!”

“Better reach, better upper body strength, better strategy!”

“Kong’s gonna get torn apart. Godzilla’s got claws, and armor that Kong can’t break!”

“Wrong!”

“No, you’re wrong!”

The endless bickering of the crowd revealed their long-withheld desire for conflict, spilling forth in an earsplitting echo of pent-up aggression. These conversations only made things more annoying for those few who wished to just see the fight, uncaring of who stood victorious at the end. Then all took notice as one of royal blood made herself known as speakers buzzed with life.

“My loyal subjects,” intoned the feminine voice of Vorticia, the queen of the pale skinned aliens. “It is time for the show!”

A beam of light shone down from the ceiling of the mothership, transporting in the first combatant. “Feast your eyes upon Godzilla, the alpha predator of the primitive planet Earth!”

Cheers and jeers echoed at the sight of the scaly colossus. He looked around, his tail dragging across the steel as he tried to understand what was happening. The leviathan shook his head, confused. One moment he had been sleeping peacefully in the ocean, the next he was in this strange, cold place.

“And his foe, the ruler of Skull Island, Kong!”

Another beam of light descended opposite Godzilla, making him stumble back, eyes widening. A gigantic, bipedal ape was there when the glow faded, looking just as confused as his “foe”.

Kong jolted his head from side to side, scratching his head with his long, fur coated right arm. Where was he? This wasn’t his beautiful home! Where were his people?

The giants kept their distance, scanning the area as they slowly began to walk around the arena. Murmurs filled the crowd, some yells rising. “Well, it appears as if our combatants aren’t in the mood to fight.” Both titans were startled by the voice, frantically searching for the source as it had come from all directions. “It appears as if they’ll need some motivation,” Vorticia added with a sinister tone to her voice.

The gloved finger of the queen pressed down on a button on the panel before her, which lit up with a harsh green.

Suddenly, the two tensed up, locking eyes with each other. Kong started pounding his chest, roaring in intimidation. Godzilla sucked in air, rearing back before leaning forward and letting loose a powerful bellow which made many of the Vortaak cover their ears. They charged, sending tremors through the metallic floor.

Godzilla lunged forward, jaws open. The guardian of Skull Island ducked beneath the bite, then jabbed the alpha-predator in the chest several times. The king of the monsters swung his claws at Kong, landing only a glancing blow. Despite this, it still tore open flesh and stained the mighty ape’s fur with his own blood. Roaring in pain and rage, Kong swung a haymaker into the side of Godzilla’s face, knocking out several teeth and cracking some others. The alpha-predator spit out a glob of blood, glaring at his foe. Godzilla slammed his massive, elephantine foot against Kong’s stomach, sending the ape reeling back.

Using the brief respite, Kong looked around the arena for anything he could use to gain an advantage. Nothing within the arena itself could be used as a weapon, nor was the flat, neutral terrain favorable to him. But if he could escape into the city, he might be able to…

The ape’s train of thought was cut off as Godzilla shoulder tackled him hard, sending the ape rolling end over end. The guardian of Skull Island gasped for breath, the impact having knocked the wind out of him. The booming thud of his reptilian foe’s footsteps motivated him to climb to his feet, then run in the opposite direction. Getting to the arena’s bounds, Kong reached out toward the crowd. The ape’s fingers hit a previously invisible barrier, now glowing bright green where he touched it. Kong roared in pain as his hands were assaulted by powerful shocks, sending him reeling back as smoke curled off his fingers. Unfortunately for him, he did not feel any stronger, meaning his ability to absorb electricity was not compatible with whatever this was.

Godzilla lunged forward again; claws outstretched. The mighty ape ignored the pain in his chest and fingers as he locked grips with his foe. Both fighters pushed against the other, their feet scraping against the ground. They were both locked in a stalemate, neither budging. Kong opened his mouth, baring his sharp canine teeth, before lunging forward. Godzilla roared in agony as the ape’s teeth tore into his left gills, the pain throwing off his focus enough for Kong to overpower the alpha-predator and throw him forward.

The guardian of Skull Island spat out a chunk of bloody meat as his foe hit the ground, denting the cold steel beneath. Kong took a second to catch his breath, before bending down to grab the saurian’s tail. Pulling hard and straining, Kong lifted his foe off the ground. The guardian of Skull Island swung Godzilla’s body into the wall of invisible energy, sending a pulse of light flying along the perimeter. The alpha predator bounced off, slamming into the floor once again. Kong tried to lift him once more, but the saurian flicked his tail out of the ape’s grip.

Godzilla got to his feet, deeply growling. Kong took up a fighting pose, beckoning the alpha-predator to come at him. The king of the monsters noticed the blood still staining Kong teeth, causing his snarl to intensify the more time passed. Godzilla charged forward, causing the mighty ape to brace himself for another clash of strength.

Godzilla stopped, turning swiftly. Kong had barely any time to react as his foe’s whip-like tail came toward his shoulder. Kong shot his right hand up to catch the appendage. The eighth wonder of the world screamed in agony as the end of the alpha-predator’s armored extremity tore into his palm, the force behind it nearly shattering the bones in his hand. Blood poured from the ape’s palm, staining the black metal and the saurian’s tail as it retreated.

Godzilla’s hand slammed shut around Kong’s throat, before the saurian lifted his foe into the air. The king of the monsters locked gazes with the guardian of Skull Island, his eyes narrowing. Godzilla roared at the top of his lungs, causing Kong to flinch as his ears were assaulted by the noise. As the guardian of Skull Island’s ears rang, Godzilla slammed him into the ground back-first. Kong was unable to focus on anything, the world becoming a blur and his ears still overcome by the noise. His surroundings solidified when something heavy pressed down on his chest, now revealed to be Godzilla’s foot. The alpha-predator grunted as he raised his leg, before stomping on Kong’s sternum. The mighty ape roared as he felt his ribs cracking from the blow. Godzilla raised his foot again, ready to break Kong’s ribs this time. The eighth wonder of the world swiftly rolled out of the way, leaving the monster king’s foot to harmlessly hit the ground. The king of Skull Island sprung up, jabbing his fingers at the saurian’s eyes, causing the leviathan to stumble back, howling.

Kong ran to the opposite side of the arena, then stopped to catch his breath and recover as best he could. Godzilla’s eyes shot open, his sight returning to him. The guardian of Skull Island roared and taunted his foe, beckoning him to attack. The king of the monsters prepared to charge, but stopped. He had lived more than long enough to know when he was being lured into a trap. So, he stood in place, staring. He silently dared Kong to make the first move, but the ape refused to budge from his place as well.

The audience watched, baffled. Some waited with baited breath for what the two colossi would do next, others slowly grew more angered as time went on. It hadn’t even been a full minute, but for the more impatient members of the audience, it was an eternity. They began booing, and even though they weren’t even a majority of the crowd, the sound of displeasure still echoed across the stadium. Both monsters tried to ignore the incessant noise, focusing on the other. But the annoying whining got to one combatant before the other.

Kong roared at the crowd, but they still booed and booed. The guardian of Skull Island began pounding at the floor, releasing a great, clattering racket. Noticing his foe was distracted, Godzilla began rampaging toward the mighty ape. The crowd’s whining stopped, leaving Kong to hear the booming sounds of his foe’s charge. The eighth wonder of the world reacted quickly, preparing himself. Godzilla groaned, why had they stopped the moment he began running?

The king of the monsters closed the distance between the titans, his claws bared and ready to shred. The guardian of Skull Island lunged forward, dodging his foe’s claw swipes. Kong wrapped his arms around Godzilla’s waist, shocking the alpha-predator, before heaving him upward with all his might.

The audience cheered and shouted as Kong lifted Godzilla above his head, before stepping backward to the wall. The mighty ape thrust his foe back, earning a cry of agony from the alpha-predator as his back was slammed into the forcefield. Powerful shocks rocked Godzilla’s body as he was forced against the shield, the barrier unbreaking. Kong held with all his might, fearing the consequences if he let go. The king of the monsters spasmed and writhed as alien energies flowed through his form, a tortured scream leaving his ancient jaws. Fighting through the pain, Godzilla moved his claws to where he believed his foe to be, his own vision too blurry from agony to be certain.

Godzilla felt fur, then felt flesh as he moved a little further down. Squeezing, he dug his claws into the flesh, drawing blood. Kong roared as his shoulders were shredded, the pain causing him to drop his foe. The booming sound of all ninety thousand tons of alpha-predator hitting the ground followed. The guardian of Skull Island backed away, clutching his shoulders to halt blood loss. Godzilla climbed to his feet, groaning in pain. Neither he nor Kong could see it, but the audience behind him could see the full extent of the damage dealt.

His lower back was charred, scales and skin peeling off from the heat. Smoke curled off him, and the alpha-predator shook from the suffering. Not a single spine was broken, but some appeared to have light cracks in them. Pain wracked his form, but pain soon turned to burning rage.

A loud crackling sound hit Kong’s ears, sending chills down the ape’s spine. The audience oohed and awed as brilliant azure light started gathering in the jagged spikes on the alpha-predator’s back. The light began travelling up the spines, more and more slowly filling with the omen of destruction. Wisps of atomic power leaked from the cracks, poisoning the air. Unfortunately for Kong, this wasn’t nearly enough to stem the tide of toxic doom about to come his way.

Kong lunged forward, his hands aiming for Godzilla’s jaws. Before he could grab and shut them, a violent geyser of azure radiation poured from the maw of the alpha-predator, the mighty ape barely keeping his fingers from getting burned off. The audience screamed as a blue glow was cast over them, some in terror, others in excitement. Godzilla swung his head toward Kong, aiming the atomic breath at him. The eighth wonder of the world tried to roll out of the way, and though he avoided it, Kong fell on his back prone. Before he could get up, the alpha-predator stood over his body, staring at him. If looks could kill, Kong would have died then and there.

Godzilla unleashed his atomic breath straight down toward Kong.

The guardian of Skull Island threw up his arms and crossed them, the nuclear geyser crashing against his makeshift shield. The ape’s screams of anguish were drowned out by the deafening roar of the atomic breath, the fur on his arms being vaporized on contact, his flesh not faring much better. The blast ended as soon as it had begun, leaving Kong to writhe. Most of the hair on the front of his torso was gone, leaving burnt skin visible. His left arm, the one which he had put in front, had visible muscle charred pitch black where the beam’s epicenter had been. His other arm had horrific third-degree burns scarring it.

The azure glow faded from Godzilla’s spines. Pulling a foot back, he crashed a kick into the ape’s side, sending the still writhing ape rolling away. Coming to rest at the base of one of the towers, Kong breathed in and out rapidly as he tried to regain equilibrium. A heavy drum beat echoed, snapping him back into reality as Godzilla approached. The island king’s mind raced to come up with a plan to survive.

The alpha predator loomed over his foe, the corners of his mouth curling up. Kong noticed the structure beside him and smacked his fist against the base of the tower, sending cracks crawling across the steel. Chunks of it fell as the tower shuddered, leaning toward the two.

There was an odd, electrical sound which echoed, like something being shut off.

Godzilla observed the structure, tilting his head. Kong grabbed it, lifting it up and hammering the wide top of the tower into the leviathan’s face. It exploded on impact, forcing a cry of pain from the alpha predator.

Kong got to his feet as Godzilla stumbled backward. The guardian of Skull Island paused, realizing that he had slipped his fingers past the point of the barrier to grab the tower.

He stepped out of the arena’s boundary, unopposed. Scores of aliens were crushed beneath the ape’s feet, causing a mass panic. The screams of terror shook Godzilla out of his stupor, now surprised as everyone else at Kong’s escape. King Kong tore off the top of a building, tossing it at the alpha-predator. The chunk of alien metal broke as it crashed against his face, causing Godzilla to groan in pain. Growling in rage, the king of the monsters charged toward his foe, trampling the rubble.

Massive dents formed with each footfall as the alpha-predator rampaged toward the guardian of Skull Island. Extraterrestrials not already trampled to death were reduced to paste. A booming roar left his maw as he closed the distance, Godzilla swinging his claws at Kong. He reared back, but the talons still scraped away flesh. Both colossi stumbled slightly from the uneven terrain, but they kept balance. The mighty ape swung a haymaker at his foe’s gills, the result being a choked sound of agony as the wound from the earlier bite bled further. Using his foe’s pain to his advantage, Kong circled around, spotting a particularly cracked dorsal spine. Gripping it with one hand, the ape began punching it with his other. Godzilla was still dazed by the punch to his gills, snapping out of it due to a great snapping noise.

He swiftly turned around, only to scream once again when his own jagged scute was rammed into his chest, the make-shift shank going between his armor plates. Kong ripped it out, ready to stab the king of the monsters again. Godzilla punched Kong across the face with all his might, sending the ape flying back into the arena. Blood poured from the wound, staining the saurian’s scales.

Kong groaned as he laid on his back, the sounds of panicked crowds still ever present. Godzilla stared at his foe, waiting for the ape’s next move. The guardian of Skull Island searched his surroundings, for anything he could use to win. His eyes drifted further into the city, seeing a massive, blocky building.

That would work.

Forcing himself to get up, Kong ran into the city. Godzilla waited for his foe to approach, only to grow irritated as the ape ran past him. Turning to face his running opponent, the alpha-predator’s spines began glowing.

The ape reached a structure as tall as him, with a width that nearly matched. He crouched, grabbing it near the base. He strained and grunted, feeling it shift, but the foundation held strong. He growled, trying to move his hands to get a better grip, but stopped when a familiar noise sounded. Turning, Kong barely rolled out of the way when a stream of atomic fire raced toward him. The blue energy seared through the base of the building, then swept over the ground chasing Kong.

As the structure fell forward, the nuclear beam faded. Godzilla stomped forward, claws swinging. The ape barely dodged the strikes, then shoved both hands out. As the leviathan stumbled back, the ape turned and grabbed the fallen building, straining to lift it up.

Godzilla shook his head side to side, eyes shut. When he opened them, he was greeted by Kong leaping toward him, swinging the colossal structure over his head. The panel-like building cracked in half as it smashed into the leviathan’s skull, massive chunks of it falling upon impact. Red liquid poured down the leviathan’s body. Azure light began to climb up Godzilla’s spines as he grabbed the halves of the building, pulling it out of Kong’s grip and tossing them aside.

The mighty ape lunged forward, his hands grabbing the king of the monsters’ jaws. He could now see the gaping wound on the saurian’s skull, blood flowing from it like a river, bone being visible. Instead of trying to shut his foe’s maw, the guardian of Skull Island instead pulled it further open. Godzilla’s atomic breath continued climbing to the surface, ready to finish this battle once and for all.

Godzilla’s jaws broke, causing twin flows of blood to leave the outskirts of his mouth. The alpha-predator’s atomic ray followed, firing above Kong’s head. The ray hit the eighth wonder of the world’s fingers, burning them to the bone. The pain made both colossi go unconscious, limply collapsing. Neither was dead, but neither was in any condition to fight.

Far away, massively safer than her people, Vorticia and her parliament watched. Instead of aggravation and hatred at the destruction and death, she smiled. People could be replaced, buildings rebuilt. But creatures with such power and ferocity were invaluable. Pushing a button, she spoke to her military commanders.

“Remove Godzilla and Kong’s implanted devices and replace them with the mind control devices.” She released the button, leaning back. They would serve as excellent attack beasts, practically unstoppable. She pushed another button when a new idea came to mind. “Chart a course for Earth once the two are under control. Let’s see what else the planet has on it for us.”

Draw: Godzilla (Legendary), King Kong (Showa)