Author: Thomas Fairchild | Banner: Landon Soto

Tokyo was silent.

Black skies clung to the heavens, skyscrapers stood without power, vehicles clogged up the vacant streets, smoldering neighborhoods burned unspoiled. Behold, the largest city on Earth, once teeming with a population of 8 million, now nothing more than a ghost town. Throughout the years, Tokyo had endured the most disasters ever recorded in history. Had it at last faced a disaster it could not bear? Most of its people believed so, which is why they evacuated weeks prior, and with good reason.

Four giants ran amok.

Sleeping on the ground, its claws curled around the Japanese Diet, rested the monster Orga. At first glance, it resembled a gorilla, but its grayish flesh and alien origin dispelled any relations to the primate. It had bulking shoulders and a useless thin tail, one shoulder which housed a massive hole. Its wedge shaped head bore a mouth filled with sharp teeth. Orga’s hideous features mirrored the tragedy of its past; it was destined to become the perfect organism, but instead became an abomination.

Dagahra, the four-legged winged dragon, plowed through the murky waters of Tokyo Bay. Its emerald hide helped it blend in with its underwater surroundings. Layers of yellow flesh interlaced its underbelly and throat. Atop the dragon’s head, three horns poked out. Hidden black sacs nestled in its shoulders, while its long tail swished the waves. It had not yet come ashore, but if it did, it knew it’d clash with the other monsters. Sooner or later, Dagahra knew it’d come down to that. Until then, it’d conserve its strength by feeding off the Bay’s pollution.

Aquariums harbored schools of skeletons. No aquatic creatures lurked beyond the glass walls. Not a single soul witnessed the travesty that befell these poor animals. If any had, then they too would’ve died. Gleaming yellow eyes floated within the dark waters, listening to the monstrous wails beyond the walls. To Destoroyah, the sounds were a challenge, one it’d answer.

Dozens of crystal spires erupted from the ground, gleaming with cosmic lust. Not long ago, Tokyo Tower received a makeover, and now acted as an energy conduit for the cosmic saurian, SpaceGodzilla. Dark blue flesh weaved most of his body, but the frontal arc of his chest was blood red. His shoulder crystals pulsated, casting its light over the eerie environment. An arrow shaped horn sparkled on top of his forehead, and at the tip of his tail resided several crystallized spikes. His red eyes glared with malice. Hovering above its crystal fortress, the cosmic tyrant shrieked once more. He had long grown tired of the other monsters lumbering beyond his crystal borders. Should his challenge go unanswered, then he would seek them out.

Buildings shuddered

Piercing eyes turned to the source and spotted Orga charging at him, running on all fours like a gorilla. Tokyo Tower crackled, instilling cosmic power into his shoulder crystals. He opened his mouth, unleashing the Corona Beam, twisting in midair as if it had a mind of its own. Orga stopped, taken aback by SpaceGodzilla’s primary weapon. The scarlet beam encircled the alien mutant before striking its neck and detonating, the abominable creature howling in pain as burnt flesh dangled from its ruptured throat. Seconds later, mounds of healthy flesh bulged out of the wound, replacing it. SpaceGodzilla stared at his foe, surprised. This disgusting creature could heal its wounds in seconds! But what else could it do?

Orga charged. The crystalline warlord levitated higher, bending gravity to his will. Beneath him, the gargantuan brute leapt upward, trying in vain in swiping the air with its claws. SpaceGodzilla mocked his foe with an ear-piercing laugh. Not even the strong legs of the misshapen fiend could help it jump high enough to attack its opponent! His narrow jaws parted, spewing his signature weapon once more. At first, it was but a single projectile, then it branched off into many. Several Corona Beams ravaged the thick hide, the alien’s painful cries drowned out by SpaceGodzilla’s howls of pleasure. But his happiness faded when the extraterrestrial repaired the damage in seconds.

To prevent further abuse, the deformed beast jumped back. It appeared to be smarter than it looked, much to the space beast’s dismay. But his disappointment subsided when it saw Orga kneeling forward, bowing its head! Descending to the ground, the cosmic saurian accepted the surrender with his screeching wail. Indeed, it was pain that brought obedience to this wretched beast. Throughout history, kings and warlords alike understood one simple concept: fear aspired control, and pain was its instrument. Tonight, that instrument was used well.

Unbeknownst to SpaceGodzilla, the large hole in Orga’s left shoulder was not a deformity. As orange-yellowish light gathered inside, the space-fairing conqueror soon learned its true purpose. A streak of concussive light shot out of the shoulder cannon and slammed into his chest, the kinetic force alone sent the cosmic tyrant reeling back, crushing several of his crystal spires beneath his bulk. Before the stunned cosmic saurian could regain its composure, the alien abomination pounced on top of him, battering SpaceGodzilla wildly. The reptile’s clubbed tail flailed in the air, reflecting his situation. Orga buried its teeth into dark blue flesh, assimilating the saurian’s DNA. He watched in horror as a single shimmering crystal poked out of the beast’s shoulder. Before long, the single shoulder crystal started summoning cosmic energies from Tokyo Tower.

SpaceGodzilla bellowed in rage.

His body radiated a reddish aura. Crimson bolts flared out of his flesh, mincing the oblong maw. Orga gurgled a vicious snarl as SpaceGodzilla unleashed a shockwave of blistering heat, the concussive force and sweltering temperatures blowing the monstrosity away. Smoke sizzled off flayed flesh, clouding the air around it. SpaceGodzilla levitated to his feet, drawing more power from Tokyo Tower.

There would be no mercy for Orga. SpaceGodzilla would kill it. Tomorrow, when the Sun rose, there would be nothing but a smoldering, mutilated corpse.

Orga rose to its feet, its charred skin not yet healed. It spotted SpaceGodzilla hovering toward it. No matter the injuries, Orga knew it was stronger. With graceful elegance, the crystalline clone of the king of the monsters floated closer, convinced of its impending victory. Orga’s shoulder crystal sparkled. The spatial overlord stopped, recognizing the situation. The mutant readied its primary weapon, using its newly constructed shoulder crystal to supply it extra juice. The cosmic tyrant descended to the ground, reserving his strength. Yellow-reddish hued energy stormed out of the shoulder cannon, twisting in midair, proving to be as malleable as SpaceGodzilla’s Corona Beam!

SpaceGodzilla growled, cursing Orga’s existence.

Before the beam could crash into SpaceGodzilla, a barrier of light impeded its advance. Behind the shield, arcane eyes focused on Orga. The alien imitation returned the gesture, knowing it could do nothing more. Tokyo Tower flashed, implanting cosmic energy into its master. Orga snarled in defiance, not fearing the cosmic saurian in the least. The energy-enforced shield faded, making way for an offensive strike. But a Corona Beam was never fired. Instead, lavender hued energies stabbed the darkness, cutting a gaping hole into the alien’s backside. Horrific, painful cries escaped Orga’s mouth, as the tyrant watched the gray behemoth fall to its side, its injury obscured by steam.

SpaceGodzilla searched for Orga’s attacker, wary but intrigued by its identity.

A leviathan crashed its feet into the ground. Its exoskeleton was dark red and blended in with the backdrop. At the tip of its tail, a pair of horns branched out. Claws sharp enough to render titanium wiggled in excitement. Batlike wings flapped, billowing strong winds. Its chest was guarded by a thick yellow carapace. SpaceGodzilla marveled at the fearsome giant before it. But not even its terrifying size could compare to its demented head. Its skull had a demonic shape, designed to instill fear. Rows of needle-like teeth harbored its mouth. Six spikes jutted out of its cheeks. An elongated horn stood out of the forehead.

Destoroyah’s crimson eyes found SpaceGodzilla’s own. Diplomacy was not an option. Neither titan understood the pretense of peace. All they knew was power and death. Nothing else mattered.

Destructive energies sprayed out of the demon’s serrated maw. SpaceGodzilla felt its sweltering essence slice into his flesh, screaming as his painful cries reverberated off skyscrapers miles away. Never before had the cosmic saurian felt such pain! This unholy creature would pay for its transgressions. Jagged scarlet beams lashed out, harpooning Destoroyah’s hide, shredding it. The devil-beast hollered in protest, ignoring the pain. The crystalline monstrosity gaped at the green blood oozing out of his foe’s splintered flesh.

It could bleed. That meant it could die!

SpaceGodzilla fired a barrage of Corona Beams, with the vile spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer feeling the cosmic energies flay its hide, its putrid blood spurting onto the landscape. Destoroyah howled, flapping its wings, and launched itself at SpaceGodzilla. His genetics were derived from Godzilla, the most savage creature to ever stalk the Earth. Even then, he could not retain his balance after the hulking crustacean tackled him to the ground. For the moment, the devil-beast loomed over the cosmic saurian, yet didn’t attack.

It was an insult. One SpaceGodzilla did not take kindly.

Having already dealt with Orga, the cosmic tyrant sought to rid himself of Destoroyah in the same manner. Before he could discharge his burning energies, an eerie orange glow embroiled Destoroyah’s horn. An energetic dagger shot out, rendering his deep-red sternum. He felt his flesh burn, organs dissolve, and crystal bones melt. As a side effect, milky white substances developed to thwart his regeneration. Amplified Corona Beams departed from SpaceGodzilla’s stricken maw, disemboweling Destoroyah’s skull.

Green blood sprayed out, smearing the conqueror. Destoroyah stood erect, most of its face disintegrated. SpaceGodzilla levitated to his feet. Never before had he seen such a sadistic beast. Tokyo Tower fed its master more cosmic energy. Corona Beams pelted the mutant crustacean, mincing its carapace. Once more, greenish blood spewed into the air.

Destoroyah ignored the pain and retaliated.

Dagahra flew above the wrecked city, masked in darkness. After consuming a large amount of pollution, the sea dragon was at last eager to fight. His eyes befell two dueling giants. Miles above Tokyo Tower, dark clouds parted. The cosmos shined down its essence, empowering the warped structure. Dagahra deduced its purpose, knowing it acted as an energy source. The sea dragon proceeded to focus on the brawling monsters. It watched as the winged kaiju hooked its tail to the other’s neck. To showcase its strength, it yanked the crystal beast off its feet. Suddenly, its tail flashed.

Destoroyah roared. Though its eyes were useless, it could still sense its menacing opponent. And now, it had SpaceGodzilla where it wanted him. Its tail flashed, as Micro-Oxygen corroded the scaly blue neck to siphon his energy. In desperation, telekinetic prowess ripped the crystal spires out of the ground and launched them at Destoroyah. Sharp crystals struck the demon’s thick carapace, shattering on impact. Confused by the futile crystal bombardment, Destoroyah unraveled its tail. No longer helpless, SpaceGodzilla levitated to his feet, carving Corona Beams into crimson bulk. Unable to take any more punishment, Destoroyah slumped to the ground.

Moving to strike his downed opponent, SpaceGodzilla replenished his energy. Before the cosmic saurian could unleash his onslaught, a white cloud shot out of Destoroyah’s pores, and enveloped its damaged shape. SpaceGodzilla growled, recognizing its retreating strategy. He fired a Corona Beam into the cloud, striking nothing. SpaceGodzilla surveyed the landscape, acknowledging its destruction with mild interest. His wounds, however horrible, paled in comparison to the damages done to Tokyo. The horn atop his head sparkled, heralding the growth of more crystals. But neither the crystals nor Tokyo Tower could relay cosmic energy to him.

It had been diverted to empower Orga.

Jagged beams twirled and tore into Orga. The gray behemoth charged the cosmic saurian, ignoring the damages the Corona Beams dealt. Using its momentum, the Millennian deformity bashed the conqueror in the face with its large claw. SpaceGodzilla crashed into the ground, rendered unconscious. Orga loomed over its fallen adversary, studying its motionless figure. It bore its gluttonous teeth, eager to bury it deep into SpaceGodzilla’s flesh and unlock the secrets of his DNA. Suddenly, a fearsome beast dove from the dark sky, blasting Orga with its oral beam. Taken aback by the unexpected attack, the brute struggled to locate its new attacker. Dagahra aimed for the eyes, blinding the extraterrestrial menace.

The emerald beast flew hundreds of feet above the abandoned streets, using the skyscrapers as cover. But the alien never returned fire, smoke sizzling out of its charred eyes. Dagahra peaked around the corner of an office building, cautious. Orga stood next to the fallen SpaceGodzilla, waiting for its eyes to heal. Dagahra prepared to strike, until the ground beneath him rumbled. Several Destoroyah Aggregates, crablike creatures smaller than the monstrous leviathan, burst out of the streets of Tokyo.

The artificial titan spotted them crawling up the gray behemoth, spraying destructive energies out of their mandibles. The hulking brute thrashed around, trying to throw them off. But their sharp legs and claws helped keep them anchored to rough flesh. Dagahra opened his mouth, preparing to fire his primary weapon. Two Aggregates jumped onto him, pinning him to the street. As their sharp appendages injected Micro-Oxygen into his veins, Dagahra groaned. It wouldn’t be long before the sea dragon’s energy was no more.

Orga clasped its claw around an Aggregate’s skull and squeezed. Other Aggregates fired their fiery projectiles, scalding Orga’s hide. Yet the ravenous alien was not deterred, crushing the Aggregate’s skull. It proceeded to annihilate the others with its shoulder cannon, charred remnants of the Destoroyah Aggregates lay scattered around the battlefield. Though burnt beyond recognition, Destoroyah was not dead. It’d require more Micro-Oxygen to return to its full stature. Meanwhile, Orga was busy sinking its teeth into the motionless SpaceGodzilla.

Dagahra clamped his jaws around a Destoroyah Aggregate’s leg. He yanked it off of his back and blew it to shreds with his oral beam. Pillars of fire and reddish particles blinded the sea dragon. The other Destoroyah Aggregate bonded with the shimmering cloud and transformed into a winged monstrosity. Unlike its previous forms, Destoroyah’s body was slender. It resembled its final state, yet was a smaller and quicker creature. Dagahra watched it fly above the city, blasting buildings to cinders.

The airborne demon spotted Orga standing over SpaceGodzilla, leeching off its life force. Destoroyah witnessed a second shoulder crystal sprout out of Orga’s skin. It moved to strike, but Dagahra flew at it, and knocked it out of the sky. Destoroyah slammed into the earth so hard it formed an impact crater, with Dagahra proceeding to bombard the prone devil with its oral beam.

As the sea dragon circled around the impact crater like a bird of prey, Orga siphoned the cosmic energies out of SpaceGodzilla’s crystal spires. Dagahra prepared to unleash another volley, until Orga’s shoulder cannon blasted him out of the sky. He landed next to Destoroyah, taken aback by the sudden attack. But the sea dragon was even more surprised when Orga’s falling mass came crashing down on top of him. Whether out of mercy or sheer luck, Dagahra wasn’t awake to feel the bone shattering blows.

Tokyo Tower summoned energy from the cosmos. It relayed its energy to its fallen master. Tokyo Tower’s crackling form glinted off SpaceGodzilla’s opening eyes. Shoulder crystals flashed cosmic radiance.

Pain flooded the mind of the sea dragon as he regained consciousness. Orga bent down, closing his jaws around Dagahra’s neck. Earlier, the alien succeeded in uncovering the secrets of SpaceGodzilla; and now, it would add Dagahra’s DNA to its own. Orga felt a tingling sensation befall its backside. Crystallized wings sprouted out of its back, a second hole morphing on Orga’s right shoulder, harboring an unseen menace. Dagahra couldn’t believe it; the vile foe was mixing its stolen genes with SpaceGodzilla’s!

In desperation, the ocean demon opened its shoulder sacs and fired a payload of Barem. Designed to immobilize any living creature, Dagahra made sure to cover Orga head-to-toe. The brute felt the Barem secrete acid hot enough to burn the outer layer of his skin, and was also depleting the alien’s energy supply. In retaliation, Orga’s right shoulder fired its own Barem! The black and purple oral beam shot past the enemy Barem, grazing the behemoth’s abdomen. It wasn’t enough; Orga fired a shoulder cannon and Barem combo, successfully neutralizing the sea dragon.

Orga turned, focusing on Destoroyah. Though it was the spawn of a glorious alien empire, Orga never inherited the intelligence of its predecessors. But even its primitive mind could understand the necessity of tapping into the power of Destoroyah. It approached the fallen crustacean, intent on harvesting its power. Waves of energy emanated out of Destoroyah’s still form, disemboweling the land around it.

Cascades of fire heralded the malevolent shape of Destoroyah’s final state, replenished once more. Orga stopped, casting a worried glance at the resurrected destroyer. Destoroyah glowered at the frightened creature, challenging it to make the first move. Orga faced its fears by lashing out, impaling its claws and teeth deep into the body of the Precambrian horror, absorbing its life essence.

Destoroyah’s laughter mocked the fiend’s efforts. The mutant alien felt its skin dissolve off its bones, and before long, the brutish creature writhed on the ground, consumed by agony. Demonic snickering relished in the suffering. Energy beams blindsided the cackling beast, torching its scarlet hide. Piercing yellow eyes spotted Dagahra standing on all fours, unaffected by Orga’s Barem; it appeared the sea dragon was immune. Nevertheless, it just picked a fight with a beast unlike any other. Destoroyah charged the diminutive creature, wishing to crush the life out of it. Dagahra proved faster by flapping its wings and soaring out of the impact crater. Destoroyah followed in hot pursuit, no longer interested in Orga.

But another creature was.

A dark shadow loomed above the ravaged alien. Orga’s weak eyes ascended upwards to gape at the levitating warlord. Piercing red eyes glared at the false shoulder crystals, disgusted. In a flash, Orga’s cosmic energy departed its shoulder crystals, empowering SpaceGodzilla. The once hulking brute fell to its knees, a shadow of its former self. Had it known Destoroyah’s essence was the very blight of life, it would’ve never tried to absorb it. Soon, a skeleton would be all that remained. SpaceGodzilla swung his tail, shattering the imposter shoulder crystals. Orga would die, but it would be by his hand.

Flying above Tokyo Bay, its demented shadow glided across the murky surface, Destoroyah closed in on its quarry. Destructive energies blazed out of its jaws, grazing Dagahra’s speeding figure. The aquatic dragon felt his skin sizzle and burn, yet he did not stop. If he did, he knew he’d fall prey to Destoroyah’s wrath. But he could try a different approach.

Dagahra reduced its speed, allowing Destoroyah to catch up. The horn flashed as it forged a hot blade of energy. The winged beast avoided the energy katana, but just barely. He positioned himself underneath Destoroyah and attacked, bolts of energy rippling out of Dagahra’s spines, pelting the underbelly of the demon. Dagahra roared in despair, for his projectiles could not breach the thick carapace. Before the sea dragon could despair further, the red devil dropped down onto the back of the giant.

Dagahra struggled to support the enormous bulk that pressed against him. Destoroyah, however, had other plans. Once again, the horn gave life to an energy blade. It swiped down, slicing deep into the bulbous shoulder. Dagahra cried out, his painful roars could be heard for miles, but Destoroyah wasn’t finished. It sliced the other shoulder off, blood spraying out of the lost limb. The loss of blood and Destoroyah’s weight brought Dagahra down.

Both crashed into the frigid waters. Relieved to be in his habitat once more, Dagahra swam circles around Destoroyah, blasting it with his oral beam and Barem. However, Destoroyah did not return fire. Dagahra watched the vile creature float. The sea dragon roared, its ferocity rivaled by none. It plowed through the dark waves, heading straight for the vulnerable target. To Dagahra’s surprise, Destoroyah’s body dissolved, its insidious shape lost in the ocean depths. He stopped, believing it had won… Until it felt its insides squirm. Billions of microscopic organisms flooded the dragon’s veins, liquefying his atoms and dissolving it.

Dagahra’s skeleton sank to the bottom of the sea.

On land, skyscrapers served as Orga’s witness. The dying alien crawled toward the Bay, no longer wishing to fight. SpaceGodzilla landed in front of him. Corona Beams scourged the alien’s frail body, dismembering its bones. In a valiant last stand, Orga struggled to rise, only to fall after its ankles splintered beneath the massive weight.

It was born an abomination, a disgrace to its great empire. Today, it would prove its worth by not giving up. SpaceGodzilla rewarded its foolish bravery by impaling its chest with his tail, which served as a bridge for his cosmic energies to cross. Alien innards were vaporized by electricity, as the clubbed tail lifted Orga’s fried corpse and chucked it aside. SpaceGodzilla raised his head to the heavens, roaring in triumph.

A dark mass rose out of Tokyo Bay. It stomped its way to the heart of Tokyo. There it met SpaceGodzilla once more. There were no roars of intimidation. There was only carnage. Destoroyah spewed destructive energies out of its maw, only for a barrier of light to appear in front of SpaceGodzilla, deflecting the projectile. Seethed with hatred, the gargantuan demon charged the cosmic saurian. It would maul SpaceGodzilla the old fashion way.

SpaceGodzilla fired his Corona Beams, bombarding the nefarious monster. Destoroyah felt its green blood spurt out of its grisly wounds, yet it did not delay its stride. An emerald glow embroiled his shoulder crystals, green bolts entangling the flying devil. SpaceGodzilla elevated Destoroyah into the sky before dropping it into a cloister of buildings. Amidst the thick smoke, the rotuned tyrant emerged, flapping its wings and propelling it through the air. He could not stop the juggernaut from crashing into him. A helpless SpaceGodzilla watched the horn disappear in a blade of light.

He remembered it all too well.

Destoroyah bent down, hacking off one of his shoulder crystals. And like that, half of his energy was gone. SpaceGodzilla cried out, blasting the vile brute in the face. Destoroyah empowered his horn once more, aiming for the last shoulder crystal. In desperation, SpaceGodzilla discharged a reddish aura, flaying the fiend’s putrid hide. It was enough to break free as the space-fairing tyrant flew high above Tokyo Tower, summoning all of the energy he could. Livid eyes glowered at the cosmic titan. What power the warlord conjured mattered little to the demon, for it would meet death this night. He transformed his backside into a spiky, crystal shell, and in a true display of power, he fired three glowing spheres of light.

All three spheres struck Destoroyah, engulfing the titanic beast in a blinding explosion. Crystals burst out of the crustacean’s exoskeleton, sapping it of its strength. The demon hissed in irritation, for it could no longer move. Most of its body had been vaporized. SpaceGodzilla landed close by, knowing the battle had been won. Through its crystal prison, Destoroyah scowled at its opponent. It may have lost the battle, but its escape was inevitable. Indeed, there would come a time when Destoroyah broke free of its shackles.

Until then, the fruits of victory belonged to SpaceGodzilla.

Winner: SpaceGodzilla