Author: Andrew Sudomerski | Banner: Dao Zang Moua

[Continued from Match 275]

Off the coast of Vladivostok – Shin Earth

Gilded, golden wings flapped in the torrential snowstorm, gliding over the chilly sea. The wicked hurricane transmogrified into a blizzard, freezing the water vapors that were formed and converted into ice pellets. Golden lightning struck wildly with reckless abandon, accompanied by the wrathful gales that blustered the ocean beneath them. It became increasingly difficult to navigate through the icy haze, but for the hydra it was little more than a nuisance.

The golden demise sought the destruction of all life. Ever since that fateful, unfortunate day in San Francisco centuries ago, King Ghidorah had been on the hunt to exterminate all remaining life that existed on the planet. They knew that they were out there. The titans, the aliens, they were still here. Ghidorah scoured every square inch they came across, searching for them. Yet it felt like it was for naught. If they left one stone unturned, life would certainly flourish in their absence. That simply wasn’t an option. More importantly than that was one that it loathed and despised the most…

As the dragon arrived at the frozen tundra, they fired their Gravity Beams and scorched the icy earth. However, they noticed their electrical output had been dampened. Even the frequent lighting strikes were less severe than they were just moments ago. A hazy memory clicked as familiarity dawned on them. They ceased and observed the misty sheet that obscured their eyes. Fortunately for Ghidorah, they did not need eyes to track their target. So long as there was a secretion of radioactivity nearby, the hydra could pinpoint their location. From what their senses dictated, another kaiju lurked in the heart of the island—with two distinct radiation emissions.

The large, draconic shadow stretched across the landmass, churning the fallen snow from their resting place, and landed near the source. They stood above a nearby pit and peered in. Husks of the MUTO creatures they fought so long ago littered the crevice, but their shape was different. The molted shells lacked the wings of the one that challenged them and had a larger build compared to the small one. They weren’t corpses; their radiation signature indicated they were all from the same creature. For every shedding phase, the MUTO grew in size and girth, constantly changing. But what had caught Ghidorah’s attention was the outer skin that emitted nuclear steam—it was fresh. It had to have been sitting there for no more than a few days.

The MUTO molt was a pristine white exoskeleton infused with black flesh, which matched the surrounding husks. But there was one feature that differentiated it from the rest, and that was the scars it bore. Burns were seared into it, culminating in ashen armor that was brittle to the touch. And unlike the rest of the body, the radioactive imprint left behind was not from the MUTO. No, Ghidorah remembered this scent well.

It was from the Godzilla they had encountered centuries ago.

That day, when Ghidorah had been reduced to just the right head, was the first and last time the hydra saw that creature. They had tried to goad it to exterminate it many times after that encounter, but the monstrosity disappeared off the face of the Earth. Not even their senses could pinpoint where it had gone to. It seemed this pest had encountered the very creature they had sought to kill.

The right head screamed in frustration. It had yearned to consume the blood of this Godzilla. The left head chirped happily. This proved that the one they were looking for was still active. The center head snapped at them both, hissing irritably. Their ceaseless noise making would no doubt attract unwanted attention. Yet in that instant, the solid foundation collapsed beneath their feet. Ghidorah outspread their wings and took flight, but a large body leapt from the hole, pushing the debris aside. Four long curved claws hooked onto the airborne dragon’s thighs and tails; with a powerful yank, the parasitic lifeform slammed them to the ground and proceeded to drag the golden hydra into her underground lair.

The mammoth dragon felt their wings grind against the stone cold passageway. There wasn’t enough density in the rock formations to grievously injure them or shred their wings apart. It was little more than an annoyance to the terrible tyrant. But where the evolved female MUTO would take them to was something they weren’t keen on finding out. Ghidorah outstretched their wings and dug into the tunnel’s sides, slowing their descent into hell. As the membranes dug deeper into the walls, they finally found their grip to counter the MUTO’s pull. The two titans played tug of war, putting in everything they could.

The center head wedged between their breastbone and the burrow’s roof, its neck igniting with holy wrath. With a pump of electrical energy, Ghidorah unloaded a concentrated Gravity Beam that struck the Queen MUTO on the head. Culminating all of their power into one head forced the behemoth arthropod to release her grip, pushing her back. The left and right heads also discharged their Gravity Beams, but their target wasn’t the MUTO. Rather, they carved out the rock that enclosed their wings, with the loose gravel rolling down into the abysmal depths.

Ghidorah’s wings finally found breathing room, even if minimal. But it was just enough. Redirecting their electrical prowess, Ghidorah discharged lightning bolts from the wing-tips, weakening the channel’s infrastructure, even if they were hampered by the MUTO’s EMP field. The more they flapped, the more they were granted freedom to move. Because of this, the entranceway was clogged from the rubble and minerals. This wasn’t much of an issue for Ghidorah as they burrowed their way through with their triple lightning beams. From what they noticed, it seemed the hulking parasite was not in pursuit.

Soon enough, King Ghidorah eradicated the clogged hole with a burst of Gravity Beams, allowing them to snake their way out. The moment they were on surface level, they took flight upon their mighty wings and awaited their opponent.

Another pocket imploded and revealed the Queen MUTO in all her hideous glory. Her body was substantially larger than her last molt, with bulk that rivaled mountains. Her visor streaked with a crimson glow and released a screeching cry. She defied the golden dragon and sought to become more brutal, more powerful. Even from the air, Ghidorah retorted by rattling their tails. Her insolence was duly noted.

The wyvern took the initiative by gliding toward the monstrous creature. The MUTO raised her two enormous hooked claws and locked them in place, prepared to strike. Ghidorah brought their hind legs to the forefront and flexed their claws. The large behemoth used her other set of forelimbs to guard herself from what was to come next. And so it transpired; draconic feet clutched the beefy forearms that protected the MUTO’s body, which cracked under the immense pressure. She responded by swinging the extended hooked arms down and tore through the thick, golden membranes. The dragon furiously flapped their wings to keep afloat, subsequently following up by wrapping the bulky beast with their spiked tails.

Ghidorah’s forward momentum carried the two titans across the rugged ice sheet, with the MUTO bearing the brunt of it. She lost her footing, allowing the three-headed menace to take over. Uncoiling their tails, Ghidorah pressed their tremendous weight on the downed MUTO. Her armor cracked some more as she screeched. With every cry, she defied the harbinger of doom, she would not yield. Irritated, Ghidorah responded by pelting her face with weakened Gravity Beams and demanded her silence.

Even if her natural EMP dampened their full power, it still didn’t stop the fact that she would die if this continued. Lightning chipped away at her and would soon enough to snake their way into her skull. She persevered; she refused to surrender to death.

Her brain pumped adrenaline, alerting her of her imminent demise. Time slowed to a crawl as she felt her body shift. A chemical reaction was underway, one that would turn the tide of the battle. Her internal radioactive fuel converted into electromagnetic energy; from it, she directed all her internal power into the electric organ, amplifying the power of her sphere of influence.

The left head ceased fire and noticed it. They chirped at the others and tried to get their attention. Only the central head took heed as the right head pelted their enemy with lightning bolts. The middle saw what the left was referring to and hesitated. If they pursued this path, they could kill it before the titan could neutralize their electric prowess. The middle barked and commanded the left to continue firing until the MUTO was dead.

In that moment, the MUTO struck against the hydra’s side, mustering enough strength to hurl the demonic dragon off her. Ghidorah careened into a nearby cliffside and toppled the icy boulders on top of their fallen form. The wyvern writhed, recuperating from the surprise attack as they struggled to break free from their confinement.

The Queen MUTO propped herself to her feet, then observed her cracked claw. All that power, and for what? Her visor glanced at the fallen King Ghidorah. They were shifting out of the rubble that piled onto them and had yet to take flight. She continued to channel the energy, reducing the electrical prowess of the enemy. Charging amidst her mighty limbs, the Queen MUTO charged at the fallen ziz, shaking the earth beneath her.

Ghidorah was nearly free, yet their torn wings had delayed them by mere moments. Unable to fend for himself, the hulking beast rammed directly into the three-headed devil, cracking the crust beneath them and revealing a chasm. The two titans snipped and clawed at each other, tearing plated armor and glimmering scales from their respective forms. The left and right heads tried to regurgitate Gravity Beams from their maws, but fizzled and short-circuited before even leaving the orifice. Without mercy, the MUTO Queen pressed her entire mass against the cliff-face, fracturing Ghidorah’s aurum-laced armor.

The central head snapped with malice, clamping its jaws into the shoulder joint of the ancient parasite. The others were quick to follow suit. If they sapped the mighty foe of her strength, of her sole advantage she held over them, then certainly victory would be theirs for the taking! And lo, their actions bore fruit. Siphoned energy flowed into their body, feeling their electric energies being restored. Try as she might, the fearsome MUTO Queen could do little to shake off the vile serpents that stole her energy.

Light emanated from the golden snake’s body as their fangs released their grip. Before the MUTO could charge again, the great and mighty destroyer stood fully upright, wings outstretched.

And fired.

Their entire body flashed brighter than the sun, jagged bolts of lightning searing into her body. The pushback sent her tumbling down into the chasm that she had incidentally created, hollering as she fell into the black abyss. The ensuing destruction, too, carved the lonely island as an avalanche of boulders and ice chunks pelted the fallen queen. Rushing snow muffled her cries as she was buried alive, sealing her within her temporary confines.

Pleasure filled Ghidorah’s senses, content with their satisfaction. Having absorbed the MUTO’s essence, their regenerative factor accelerated as if nothing had ever happened. With powerful gales, the three-headed tyrant took flight into the stormy, snowbound skies. In spite of everything, Ghidorah had won. But the ultimate hunt had yet to come.

Hours later, after emerging from the hole of ice, snow, and rocks, the MUTO reclaimed her domain. She glanced at her broken claws. This strength was insufficient. Her journey would have to continue, one built upon a wrathful foundation. She would evolve and grow and do everything necessary to bring life to this lost world.

The MUTO’s head filled with distant ringing. Her beating heart was graced with warmth, yet she did not understand where it came from. It eluded her and her mind’s eye could only see a haze. The MUTO dismissed this thought and quickly returned to a familiar place; a frozen void, surrounded by an ocean of loneliness.

Winner: King Ghidorah (Legendary)

K.W.C. Kaiju War Chronicles