Author: Matthew Freese | Banner: Christian Gonzalez

Colossal legs tread through a broken metropolis, reducing the structures of man to countless shards of glass and steel. A tail ending in a wicked pincer waved through the air behind it, lazily shattering a row of windows as it scraped a building.

On any other day, its yellow eyes would behold as it wreaked endless havoc and destroyed all in its path, rejoicing in wanton death and carnage. But right now, the dark purple and crimson nightmare was focused. Its malevolent gaze was upon the shimmering crater in the center of what mankind had named New York City, the dent in the earth lined with alien crystal. The same gemstones that currently protruded out of the ground in clusters all across the abandoned settlement, humming with cosmic radiation.

The world was infected with these crystals like cancer, asteroids falling upon the Earth and releasing the seeds of these constructs. Cities were afflicted with freakish, unnatural weather, kaiju were awakened en masse and put into frenzies, and disasters of even stranger and grander proportions continued wracking up. The apocalypse was here, the end of days finally arrived.

Yet in New York, eerie silence was all there was. Destoroyah had been reveling in the madness like a looter in a hurricane, making an awful situation even worse just to satiate its foul desires. But now the spawn of the Oxygen Destroyer found itself drawn to something here, something in that shining crater where one of the asteroids had directly impacted.

A mist that poisoned the air was exhaled between needle-like teeth as the demonic colossus reached the crater’s rim. A circular array of crystals was erected around the very nadir of the indent, which shifted rhythmically back and forth. Destoroyah stared, transfixed. There was something here, something unseen yet very much present.

Energy crackled across Destoroyah’s head crest, before the Precambrian menace opened its maw and unleashed a ray of violet energy. The Oxygen Destroyer Ray tore the crystals apart, sending cascades of glittering dust falling to the ground. A gash was carved into the ground, releasing a brilliant luminance from within. Destoroyah found itself staring once more, awed.

Suddenly, the light intensified greatly, making the demon stumble back a step. The brilliance began to swirl, taking on numerous colors to form a twisting kaleidoscope. The crack in the earth widened, a dark shape arising from it.

Destoroyah snarled as it recognized the shape of Godzilla, but the fiend could also tell something was off. Crystals protruded from this one’s shoulders and ran down its back instead of the bone spines of the monster king. An immensely long tail trailed behind it, ending in a wicked mace. Finally, the portal’s shine faded, revealing the being in full, an orange crown on his head. Piercing red eyes met the Precambrian beast’s own.

SpaceGodzilla announced his new found freedom with a triumphant shriek, his crystals glowing brightly. All he had needed was another boost of energy to finally form the portal to claw his way into the realm he had once tried to conquer. And now, here he was, ready to enact his vengeance. All would weep as he ascended to the divinity he deserved, becoming this universe’s overlord.

A growl before him drew him out of his stupor, turning his gaze on the one who had freed him. Destoroyah tilted its head, letting loose another hiss. The cosmic saurian called out, congratulating the demon for releasing him. Another roar, this time promising splendid rewards as his servant.

The Oxygen Destroyer’s child did not hesitate for a moment to reject the offer.

Destoroyah flew forth with the beat of its demonic wings, tackling SpaceGodzilla out of the air. The crystal tyrant roared in shock as he smashed into the wall of the crater, the gemstone ground cracking beneath their combined bulk. The demon of a bygone age shrieked madly as it clawed at its foe’s chest, ripping away scales and tearing skin. SpaceGodzilla cried out in wrath, before shoving out with his arms. His crystals flashed, the limbs sparking with conducted energy as they hit Destoroyah’s chest, causing miniature explosions. This only made the antithesis of life more hateful, prompting a punch across the hybrid’s face, tearing open bleeding grooves.

SpaceGodzilla’s crystals hummed with emerald energy, before ensnaring his attacker with the Gravity Tornado, lifting Destoroyah off of him and into the air. He rose as well, snarling bitterly. This savage did not deserve the honor of having freed this cosmos’ king. Death is all it would receive, the first victim of a rampage that would extinguish the stars in blood.

Even frozen in place by telekinetic power, the nightmarish crustacean’s expression was one of endless hate and bloodlust. Such delusions of grandeur this one had, thinking it was anything other than another life to be snuffed out. Destoroyah would take a particular pleasure in seeing the crystal tyrant’s expression twist in despair and agony.

SpaceGodzilla twisted in place, cutting off power to his psychic hold and sending the demon flying out of the crater, crashing into the ruins of a building. Dust arose from the impact, billowing outwards. Floating higher up, he felt the countless crystals in the city shining. This was his domain, the throne of his endless kingdom.

An Oxygen Destroyer Ray burnt into his side, forcing a cry of pain from him as he nearly fell out of the sky. Destoroyah was back on its feet, flexing its claws in anticipation of bloodying them further. SpaceGodzilla sneered, channeling his own power once more. From his maw came an orange stream of twisting energy, tipped with a white spearhead. It twirled and flailed through the air until crashing into Destoroyah’s chest, tearing into the carapace and exploding. New York City was filled with an anguished screech, which only grew worse as another one was already spearing into the demon’s stomach.

A third one came down, but this time the gestalt being endured as it took off into the sky. Firing another ray of violet toxin, Destoroyah carved a valley into SpaceGodzilla’s stomach, ceasing the tyrant’s assault as he cringed at the blazing pain. These were not mere energy beams, he could tell with how they still burned and sizzled even after the attack itself was done.

The Precambrian destroyer collided with the spaceborne menace, sending both spinning through the air as they clashed. SpaceGodzilla whipped his tail against Destoroyah’s armor, scraping the mace at its end against the hardened carapace. The crustacean clawed at the saurian’s chest yet again, taking note that the slash marks from before had healed. Twin bolts of energy shot out from the cosmic clone’s shoulder crystals, searing dark marks into their target.

Destoroyah moved back, swinging both legs up in a kick to SpaceGodzilla’s gut. Doubled over, the narcissistic colossus crashed into a skyscraper’s peak, sending both it and him tumbling to the ground. Sending a corrosive beam into the immense smoke cloud, the fiend relished in the cry of pain that echoed out.

The dust parted as the demon landed, scanning the environment for its target. Suddenly, a nearby cluster of crystals began to shake. The movement caught Destoroyah’s gaze for a moment, letting it see the shocking sight of sparks erupting from the gemstones bases as they rose into the air.

Rubble erupted as SpaceGodzilla lunged out, swinging his sparking claws across Destoroyah’s side, leaving marks on the carapace. With a shriek, the Precambrian terror swung back, only for the tyrant to fly back and avoid the retaliation. The hybrid stuck a hand out, letting loose a howl of his own, sending the group of floating crystals rocketing towards Destoroyah.

Its purple ray tore through one of the gemstones, shattering it into a cloud of glowing particles, but the others continued on unopposed. Before Destoroyah could fire again, the first one crashed into its stomach, detonating. Crying out, the gestalt entity was unable to stop the other three from doing the same. It doubled over, examining the black scorches upon its form.

SpaceGodzilla rushed forward, intent on slamming a dual kick into his foe’s side, only for the demon to whip around, the horn suddenly extending into a crimson saber of light. The crystal tyrant screeched in fear as he halted, but it was not enough to stop a brutal gash being carved into his gut. Flesh and muscle parted as foul foam coated the edges of the wound.

He turned and began to move away, only for Destoroyah to grip his tail. With a demonic war cry, the demon slammed its foe into the soil. Before it could do much more, the limb in its grip surged with energy, blasting the hands away and forcing Destoroyah back a step. SpaceGodzilla was back in the air, firing a Corona Beam which curved around and went past his side, crashing into Destoroyah and forcing the demon of a bygone age even further back.

Landing on his feet, the cosmic clone twisted in place. The crustacean fired its ray once more, only for a shield of translucent crystal to form in the air before him, blocking the beam and sending it flying in numerous directions. The soil stripped away, distant buildings having chunks taken out of them by the stray strands of the attack. He grinned at his foe, only to receive a foul smile in return.

The hole in his chest was still not healed, the regeneration taking far longer than it should have to seal the wound. SpaceGodzilla growled, knowing it had to be some trick of his foe’s that was responsible.

At speeds that a beast of its bulk should never achieve, Destoroyah charged forth. Feet cracking apart concrete with each tremendous stomp, the distance was soon closed, the hive mind swinging its claws. SpaceGodzilla braced himself, wincing as they tore away ribbons of crystal-infused skin. He lunged forward, crashing his bulk against his foe, pushing the fiend back slightly. Destoroyah let loose a foul exhale of laughter before bashing its own hulking body into the tyrant’s. SpaceGodzilla nearly hit the ground as he was shoved away hard, catching himself with his psychic powers before fully losing his footing. Skin bruised on his torso from the tackle, a subtle hiss leaving his maw between his teeth.

The crystal hybrid’s tail shot forth, spraying sparks as it crashed against his foe. Destoroyah staggered back in shock, giving SpaceGodzilla the opportunity to activate his Gravity Tornado once again. Destoroyah shrieked in hatred as it was lifted high once more, unable to move.

A cluster of crystals was reduced to countless shards as the demon’s body was slammed into them. Before it could get back up, Corona Beams tore into its back, splitting the carapace apart in bursts of energy. Yellow blood began to leak from the cracks, staining the dirt beneath. More of the orange rays crashed into the Precambrian terror’s body, but they failed to keep it down as Destoroyah got to its feet with rage burning in its vile heart.

The spikes on its abdomen, resembling a flower with how they were arranged, suddenly splayed open to reveal an orifice. SpaceGodzilla hesitated for a moment, intrigued.

A mistake.

Crimson light suddenly filled the gorge, a harsh glow. A thick pillar of energy was discharged, banishing the darkness as it raced forth. SpaceGodzilla panicked, activating his photon shield. The Stomach Beam smashed into the barrier, eradicating it in a colossal blast which sent the tyrant skidding back across the ground, crying out in shock and pain from the burns now coating his front. Destoroyah let loose a raspy, foul cackle before unleashing another shot of the attack, the force behind it pushing its user back. SpaceGodzilla could not manifest a shield in time before the attack blazed into his chest, vaporizing flesh before detonating in an explosion that dwarfed the cosmic hybrid’s torso.

His body crashed to the ground, letting out a low groan. The world was blurred, his vision swimming from the anguish wracking his form. A dark shape filled the fog of his sight, then solidified into Destoroyah as the gestalt entity slammed its foot into SpaceGodzilla’s burnt gut. If the tyrant subsisted off of physical food like most lifeforms, a tide of vomit would have left his mouth.

The demon’s tail snaked forward, wrapping around the cosmic saurian’s throat and then squeezing tightly. SpaceGodzilla felt his energy being sapped, being absorbed into the limb ensnaring him and flowing into Destoroyah’s body. The hivemind entity quivered in delight at the power it was gaining, such a mighty energy becoming its instead of the tyrant’s.

SpaceGodzilla’s shoulder crystals sparked with power as bolts shot forth from them, burning holes into the restraining limb. The tyrant hoisted himself up, hand which now shimmered with conducted power locking onto his foe’s throat and burning it. Destoroyah screeched in pain before swatting it away, then shoved its other hand forth to imbed three holes into its foe’s flesh. SpaceGodzilla grit his teeth before activating his shoulder bolts once more, the streaks blazing into Destoroyah’s carapace.

The gestalt destroyer’s horn suddenly extended into a crimson saber once more, prompting SpaceGodzilla to swiftly back away lest he recieve another horrid wound. The one he had received before was almost healed by this point, but it still leaked of pus.

Swinging down, the Variable Slicer approached its target. SpaceGodzilla barely avoided it, feeling the heat. His tail lashed out, striking Destoroyah across the face, but it only drew another swing from the deadly blade. The swiftness of SpaceGodzilla’s limb kept it from being severed, only receiving a grazing blow. The tyrant unleashed a Corona Beam, which Destoroyah attempted to intercept with a third strike. The orange ray split apart before hitting the Variable Slicer, both halves blazing into the crustacean’s back.

Doubling over, the gestalt being thrust its energized horn straight forward several times, punching holes into SpaceGodzilla’s stomach and earning a wail of agony from him. He activated his crystalline barrier, intercepting a strike from the Variable Slicer. The Photon Shield shattered in a brilliant light show, sending both combatants staggering back as Destoroyah’s laser horn was disrupted and dissolved.

The instant his head was clear, SpaceGodzilla immediately opened fire with several Corona Beams. He had underestimated this being, and every moment it continued to exist was dangerous to his well-being. The still reeling Destoroyah was torn into, the cosmic spears aimed at its chest pattern. The bone spikes were torn asunder and sent flying, forcing a cry of agony from the Precambrian terror.

When the smoke cleared, Destoroyah found the orifice on its stomach exposed, a foul crater filled with pus-like fluid. SpaceGodzilla rushed forth through the air, psychically tearing crystals out of the ground and hurling them forth like spears. Destoroyah fired its ray at the gemstones, tearing through some of them, yet others still carried on and crashed into the ground around it. They kicked up vast clouds of dust and sparkling lights.

They were soon parted by SpaceGodzilla’s tail, the cluster of spikes at its tip driving forth into the cavern of Destoroyah’s torn open torso. A grotesque squelch echoed as they pierced, driving a bloody scream from the demon’s jaws. Electricity surged through the limb, increasing Destoroyah’s agony.

Pain became wrath, and wrath became power. The Precambrian beast fought past the anguish to stare SpaceGodzilla in the eyes, before thrusting its own tail up to wrap the claw around the tyrant’s limb. The pincer burned and sizzled, but Destoroyah found the strength to channel its own energy through it.

The conducted energies collided, creating a shower of sparks at the point of contact. A small but potent explosion tore a hole into SpaceGodzilla’s tail, forcing him to pull it away and wail in anguish. But his pain faded into the back of his mind when he looked upon his foe.

Gore flowed like a river from Destoroyah’s chest, falling to the dirt and staining it yellow. The soil tainted by the toxic blood would never bear life in ten millennia. The demon’s maw similarly poured ichor, adding to the grotesque pool forming. SpaceGodzilla grinned devilishly, before beginning to cackle.

Suddenly, the gestalt being fell over, bursting in a colossal cloud of white mist.

Tilting his head, the crystalline tyrant drew closer. He has certainly not expected a reaction like that. Landing where his foe had just stood, SpaceGodzilla began to grow crystals from the earth. Something about the Precambrian crustacean’s disappearance was causing an itch in the back of his brain, an unexplainable concern.

Until the ground all around him burst open, knocking the freshly sprouted crystals down as dozens of hellacious screeches rang out.

More arachnoid crustaceans had suddenly surrounded him, reaching his knees in height. They still had Destoroyah’s unmistakable head, but walked upon a myriad of spindly limbs.

Leaping upon their target, the Aggregates immediately began to bash their appendages against SpaceGodzilla as they sprayed micro-oxygen out from their jaws. The tyrant shrieked in both shock and rage, his claws sparking as he tore out one of the fiends’ throats. It fell to the dirt and burst apart, soon reorganizing into another Aggregate which extended secondary jaws from between its mandibles.

Three of the Precambrian terrors leapt upon his chest, trying to push him down. SpaceGodzilla opened his maw and tore them asunder with a Corona Beam, sending body parts flying. Any joy that could be derived from the display of power was robbed when his body was pierced in several spots. The Aggregates began to pump the foul concoction that gave them life into the cosmic tyrant’s form, hoping to corrode him from the inside out. Others still bashed and slashed away at him, trying to break through his crystal-infused flesh.

SpaceGodzilla would have none of it. Rising into the air, his crystals shone brilliantly as he focused through all the anguish ripping into him. He felt his energy being drained, but he cared not, for his crystals could always just grant him more. The saurian from the stars energized his entire body, coating it in a crackling hue. Screams filled New York City as the Aggregates were cast off, their bodies cracked and burnt. Explosions rang out as they impacted the earth, dissolving once more.

SpaceGodzilla got lower to the ground, his gemstone extensions humming and pulsing much more calmly. He was replenishing his energy, building it high for one grand attack. He knew that his foe still existed, and was rebuilding itself below.

Trillions of microbes connected to one another, crafting the colossal form of Destoroyah. The agony that the tyrant had inflicted upon it only made it further desire his demise. Once more whole, the components destroyed by SpaceGodzilla’s assault replaced with the siphoned energy, Destoroyah burst forth from the Earth, only to be greeted by a frightening sight.

Crystals now sparking and shimmering to an insane degree, SpaceGodzilla opened his maw to discharge a Corona Beam which resembled a star stretched into a filament with how intensely it glowed. It raced forth, shredding into Destoroyah’s throat. Any cry the gestalt being was going to release was lost in a choked sound as the head and body became separated in a burst of energy. The crystal tyrant watched in rapturous joy as he watched the cranium of his foe twirl through the air.

Suddenly, as its face was towards him, the mouth opened and discharged an Oxygen Destroyer Ray. The force behind it sent the skull skyrocketing away, the body finally slamming into the ground at this time as well, but it was too late. SpaceGodzilla was completely caught off guard by the beam, letting it crash into his eyes and lacerate them into useless globs of gelatinous matter.

He shrieked in agony as he fell back, completely blinded. He flailed upon the ground, in too much distress to activate his telekinetic flight.

Destoroyah’s severed head dissolved into a mist. A small horde of horse sized crustaceans took its place as they emerged from the earth, skittering about on their myriad limbs towards the monolithic main body. They crawled over it, all converging upon the cauterized stump of the neck, dissolving once more as a cluster of lights obscured the gaping cavern leading into the throat.

Its claws twitched, muscles spasming as wretched life flowed back into them. The wings, which had curled up lifelessly, extended once more. With a fully reconstructed head, skull and brain included, Destoroyah climbed back to its feet, letting loose that hellacious screech to the heavens once again.

SpaceGodzilla’s hazy mind was instantly cleared at the sound of it, immediately prompting him to hover back up to his feet, his eyes by this point having reconstructed enough to give him a blurred vision.

But it was still too late.

Destoroyah’s chest-spikes were opened wide, the chasm within filled with that harsh luminance. The Precambrian menace’s jaws were parted as well, shining with the energy of the Oxygen Destroyer Ray. The crackling bolts surrounding Destoroyah’s head and torso nearly obscured the living nightmare. The Stomach Beam was joined by the violet stream, resulting in a crimson pillar of deadly power that was wrapped in a purple spiral. SpaceGodzilla erected his Photon Shield, briefly stopping the ultimate attack of his foe. In a matter of seconds, the crystalline barrier began to crack apart, sending the tyrant’s heart plunging into despair.

The absolute might of humanity’s greatest sin tore into SpaceGodzilla’s abdomen, erasing skin and muscle like fire to tissue paper. Bones shattered from the force, sending crystal ribs spearing into organs. A torrent of blood spewed from the cosmic terror’s mouth. He hit the dirt once more, spasming and going into shock. A steaming crater in his torso pulsed with the movement of ravaged organs beneath. Flesh sloughed off, pooling in disgusting puddles on the ground and inside the colossal wound.

SpaceGodzilla’s heart rapidly beat, his mind racing to come up with any way to get out of this alive. A shadow fell over him, the beating of colossal wings pounding against his eardrums, and he knew he was doomed.

Destoroyah’s feet smashed into his shoulder crystals, shattering them into glowing dust which flowed over the hive mind’s body. Turning around and stepping back, the crustacean leaned down, looking upon its prey’s face. It took a moment to admire the anguish and hopelessness embedded upon it, the narcissistic mind of SpaceGodzilla refusing to accept the inevitable. The demon felt its power climbing from the energy leaving SpaceGodzilla’s body, climbing to an ever closer tipping point. It had felt this same thing while absorbing his energy before, until being so rudely interrupted.

Wrapping its tail around its foe one last time, Destoroyah began to drain the life out of the dying tyrant. It took little time for the gestalt being to suddenly feel a burning in its veins, a surge of energy that started in the heart and raced out throughout the entirety of its form.

SpaceGodzilla watched as his soon to be killer began to glow like magma, veins of molten power lining its demonic body. Muscles expanded and bulked out, making Destoroyah look even larger than it had before. The already dark carapace became like charcoal in appearance. Unfurling its tail from around the saurian’s throat, the child of the Oxygen Destroyer announced its ascension to the world with a roar that would make the Devil retreat into the deepest, darkest pit he could find.

Wreathed in the power of Critical Mass, Destoroyah tilted its head down, before activating the Variable Slicer. The saber went straight into SpaceGodzilla’s heart, searing the organ and everything else in its path into nothingness. Face now locked in an expression of unceasing agony, the crystal overlord just begged for the end to come swiftly.

The molten bringer of end times sensed something approaching, numerous kaiju all moving en masse to this location. It seemed the clash of dark gods had drawn quite a bit of attention. The victorious destroyer laughed, the already horrid sound becoming even further warped by its transformation.

SpaceGodzilla’s head was reduced to crystal shards and a liquified brain with a heavy stomp, before Destoroyah beat its glowing wings to take off and meet the approaching armies head on.

Winner: Destoroyah

A very special thanks to Christian Gonzalez for creating the wonderful artwork for the K.W.C. By all accounts, follow him on his DeviantART, ArtStation, Twitter, and Instagram to name a few.

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