Author: Tyler Trieschock | Banner: Tyler Trieschock
Table of Contents:
Chapter 1: The Psychic
Chapter 2: The One Below All
Chapter 3: Premonition
Chapter 4: Hellfire
Chapter 5: The Girl Who Lived
Chapter 6: Unanswered Prayers
Chapter 7: King Caesar vs. Kumasogami
Chapter 8: Who Guards the Guardians?
Chapter 9: King Caesar vs. Kumasogami – Round 2
Chapter 10: A Perfect World
Chapter 11: One Final Hope
United Nations Japanese Institute for the Psychically Gifted, Tokyo
“Morning Chikao,” Miki Yamane said cheerfully, her arm stretching out to hand the stunned gentleman in front of her a container filled to the brim with steaming coffee. The military official was slow to accept the drink, looking at it like it was contaminated with some noxious sewage.
“Thanks, but I’m… rather particular with my coffee,” Chikao replied.
Miki waved off his protest, remarking with a simple line. “Trust me.”
Sighing, Chikao gave in, taking a sip of the drink with the same hesitation as a child eating their most hated vegetable. But the moment the liquid passed his lips, the man’s repulsion dispersed, replaced by a sudden euphoria. “Wow that’s… when did I tell you my favorite coffee?”
“Two years ago.” Miki brought her right fingers to her chin. “I meant to bring you it on your last two visits, but on the second, I had just returned from Okinawa, while the third I lacked time. A student wished to see me on short notice.”
Chikao’s eyes fluttered in shock. “Oh, wow. Well… thank you and I envy your memory.” Any further compliments were quickly drowned out as the man gulped another mouthful of warm, caramel scented liquid.
Miki bit her lip, subduing her joy at the reaction. If someone needed her help or she could improve someone’s life, how could she not make time? It quite possibly was an emotional addiction, but even if the drive to better others had its costs, Miki clung to the life goal without hesitation. Even if desire ran her crazy on occasion, the joy she received from trivial things, like an acquaintance receiving his favorite morning drink, was something she wouldn’t trade away.
Finally, Miki broke the silence and kept her lack of sleep to herself. “Shall we begin our bi-yearly talk? If you’d like, I can give you a tour of the campus while we discuss. Truthfully, I promised to shadow a class and-”
“Hey yeah look…” he interrupted while gulping down another fresh mouthful of caramel scented joy. “I know you’re busy. I’ll run through my questions while we walk, and I’ll finish the rest myself. Fifteen minutes at most. My superiors aren’t expecting much from me here, and I don’t think they care too much about the results.”
“I’ve worn you down that quickly?” Miki laughed.
Chikao gave a conciliatory head nod then reached into his back pocket. “As a recruiter, it pains me to not come out a winner, but I know when to accept defeat. Especially after-” he shivered with disgust, pulling out a digital tablet from his back pocket. “You should have seen the guy that my bosses were so keen on me hiring no matter what. Thankfully, I won’t ever hear him call me Carl again, so I’ll take a loss here over… that hell.” A scowl almost crept across the recruiter before he brushed it aside with a shake of his head. “Anyway, ready to start?”
Miki gave a nod and motioned for Chikao to come with her, beginning the barrage of questions.
“Lucky everything is electronic now,” Chikao remarked, balancing the pad in his left hand while securing the coffee with his right elbow. With both prized possessions secured, he tapped the screen with an electronic pen from his right hand. “So let me ask you, is there any change in stance on rejoining the Self Defense Force?”
Miki swayed her head side to side, allowing her long, black hair to unravel like a flowing river. Her mind thought back to the simpler times of her youth when she first joined the J.S.D.F. How could she turn down helping her country with her gift? Nevertheless, years of orders and disregarded personal views caused her feelings towards the J.S.D.F. to sour. Besides, why would she return when her needs were better suited helping the psychically gifted youths adjust and cope with their telekinetic powers? If they wished to serve their country, it was their right, but-
“Any students of Japanese residency show any interest?”
“None to my knowledge,” Miki responded, a proud smile forming outside of Chikao’s view.
The military official tapped his screen a few times, passing unnecessary questions to Miki’s best guess. As a group of elementary level students walked past led by their instructor, Chikao continued.
“Which professions do your students tend to be interested in?”
Miki rubbed her chin while she thought it over. “I can’t go too much into detail, but our goal is to help our students lead normal lives while still being able to control their gifts.”
Chikao tapped his screen. “So nothing stands out?”
“Actually there is one I’ve heard more and more students mention, something about mass entertainment…” Her fingers snapped as she acquired the title. “Content creator, that’s it.”
“Oh, ugh-” Chikao slid his pen over his pad in a panic. “Don’t have that. Only option is, ugh…”
Miki glanced over her shoulder, the officer’s face now flustered red.
“Something wrong?” Miki inquired.
Chikao’s blushed face somehow grew redder upon realization he was under her view. “I’ll answer that one later. Only have one thing close to that pick, and god I hope your kids aren’t making those kinds of videos. Anyway, any changes that would help sway you or your students’ minds to consider military service?”
“More independence and an increased willingness from commanding officers to accept our advice,” Miki responded.
Chikao jotted down the request. “Can you give me an example?”
Miki paused mid-step, turning back to the officer. “You asked me this question on your last visit. I gave the example of one of my students foretelling SpaceGodzilla’s return. I spoke to General Aso directly, but nothing came of the warning until SpaceGodzilla arrived. Afterward, my institute was raided, without my consent.”
Realizing her naturally cheery persona had eroded, Miki forced a smile, turned around, and re-started her walk down the hallway.
“Wow, I… don’t know how I missed that,” Chikao noted sheepishly. “I’m sorry that happened, and it shouldn’t have. I gotta say, your memory is amazing.”
Miki paused in front of a door, her smile far more genuine than the one she forced moments ago. “Thank you Chikao. If you wouldn’t mind, this is a telekinesis lesson I’ve been asked to shadow. Simply speak your questions in your mind, and I’ll reply openly via telepathy so as to not interrupt the session.”
A familiar look of shock plastered itself upon the officer’s face. As if riding on instinct, Chikao took a large swig of his gifted drink, placed it back at his side and thought, ‘Sure, why not. Am I coming in fine?’
‘Quite clear,’ Miki telepathically replied.
Feminine fingers clutched the door’s metal handle. With a click, the barrier swung wide, accompanied by a high pitched yelp. A black sphere jettisoned out of the room, its trajectory flying directly toward Chikao’s head.
“Oh sh-” was the internal scream of the officer in the half second he processed the blur, before the sphere struck Miki’s extended hand mere centimeters from his nose. As if the black, basketball sized sphere was glued to her hand, it remained stationary, defying gravity before the psychic lowered her right hand away from her acquaintance’s stunned face.
’Sorry, one moment,’ Miki casually assured the recruiter and then entered the room.
Stunned eyes were locked on Miki from every direction, but she needed to speak to the one set whose stare beamed with guilt. Blood dripped from the young man’s nose while he mouthed apologetic words that carried no sound. Placing her left hand reassuringly on the young man’s shoulder, Miki projected her thoughts with confidence and sincerity.
‘Please, be mindful of your gift. Control is necessary, and not just for your own self interest. The well being of others should always be thought of.’ Miki lifted the black sphere between her and the student. ‘Can you carefully place this back with the other weights?’
The young man swayed his head side to side. “Too heavy for… me now. I wanted to test my limits.”
Miki patted the young man’s shoulder, doing her best to remove the lingering guilt he felt. ‘Control should always supersede risk.’ Spinning around, Miki walked through the other students while Chikao raced to the psychic’s side.
‘Thank you, but what is that-’ Miki noticed the officer’s irises became pinpricks, hyper focused on near invisible writing coating the sphere. ‘One hundred kilograms?’
‘A custom weight. It was an accident,’ Miki telepathically responded, glancing at the instructor who looked markedly embarrassed. After placing the sphere alongside its six increasingly smaller sister weights, Miki thought of the next few minutes. She’d need to calm Chikao, speak with the instructor, and try to get the class back into a normal session, but a buzz pulled her attention to her phone.
Miki’s gaze was hypnotized by the text, her usual enthusiasm and serenity instantly gone as a desperate plea drowned out all other obligations:
I need your help Miki – Tatsunari Moribe.
Unknown
Sitting upon a throne made of solidified volcanic stone, Kumasogami heard its name echo through fiery winds. Crimson eyes parted, awakening the molten demon from a nightmare to gaze upon his primordial hellscape. In the farthest reaches of the horizon, volcanoes erupted their molten fury while in the volcanic basin the demon called home, a collection of skeletons from an inconceivable amount of species littered the malevolent being’s open-top throne room.
Great tremors shook the realm, drawing the molten demon’s gaze to the sky. An igneous cap lay over his fiery domain, sealing the demon and all the natural damned souls in his realm. Shifting his attention to the valleys below, yellow cracks marked a familiar change Kumasogami relished more than any other.
The call of duty rolled through the air like thunder, like a plea for assistance directed to the underworld. The whispers hissed and echoed, demanding the vilest acts of destruction – the murder of foes, the burning of once-lush lands to a crisp, a massacre of all inhabitants in their path. The bloodthirsty outcry resonated through the realm with an intensity that could not be ignored.
The roar that emerged from Kumasogami shook the air, a deafening scream that warned all who dwelled in the fiery depths of this perpetual hell that their leader was leaving for battle and he would soon return in all his wrathful glory.
Knees bent. Leg muscle tensed. Then in a display of raw physical power, Kumasogami launched off his stone-covered throne, sailing effortlessly toward the growing portal to wherever the voices derived from. Molten fingers transformed mid-flight, extending into knife-like blades that upon contact with the black earth, sank effortlessly and kept Kumasogami attached to the tunnel’s walls.
For miles the demon descended until Kumasogami felt the shift of his realm’s low gravity replace itself with the immense gravitational forces of whatever world was now connected to his own. Crimson eyes looked down, wishing to see the sky of the planet he would soon visit. As a blue speck took shape, a sinister smile crept across the demon’s face and his heart filled with pleasure.
Sharp claws tore into browning dirt. The demon spun one-hundred and eighty degrees and raced up the inconceivably long chamber, the increased gravity unable to halt the molten giant’s ascent. With a final pull, Kumasogami launched skyward, bathing itself in unnatural, yellow light as the earth sealed the gateway to his realm.
Crimson eyes swept over a familiar landscape of greens and blues. The chill air stung his molten skin, but not enough to hurt, merely a nuisance to overcome. The alien landscape’s features quickly lost interest for the demon who landed his gargantuan body and bent down next to an outcropping of trees. Beneath the alien foliage’s shadow, a robed man radiating a familiar presence drew in Kumasogami’s attention. The miniature being began to speak yet even with its foreign words, the demon grasped his orders with divine clarity.
“I am Hyaku go-bu, servant of Orochi,” the hooded figure declared as he menacingly raised his arm to the East. “Go forth. Reduce all in that direction to ash. A guardian by the name of King Caesar will awaken. Kill it like the rest.”
Kumasogami rose up and peered to the East, where his gaze was met by a monstrous, red structure against the blazing blue sky. His orders were clear and unmistakable, as they were with most of his summonings. The land and life before him was to be annihilated, a great boon for the summoner and in return, the demon would add another trophy to his personal collection.
A worthwhile endeavor indeed.
Asakusa District, Tokyo
Putting her life on hold to urgently vacate her institute and rush to a public park miles from her place of work was not how Miki expected the day to unfold. The multiple phone calls, online research, and evasion of traffic while walking twice as fast as the average pedestrian caused her heart to feel like it’d beat out of her chest, but Miki persisted onward, subduing the discomfort with a lifetime of practice. Eyes darted from tree trunk to tree trunk, searching for Tatsunari before a black silhouette in the distance matched her memories. With a cordial wave, the man drew her to his position beneath a vibrant maple tree, face beaming with gratitude upon her approach.
“It’s good to see you Miki,” Tatsunari remarked before embracing the psychic in an air tight embrace. “Thank you for seeing me so quickly.”
Miki nodded and then pulled away, hoping to not rattle her friend with her intense breathing. “I… just called Hina… on the way here…” Miki paused, drawing in a deep breath to subdue her breathlessness before relinquishing the captured exhaustion. “I caught her before her next flight. She filled me in on the details your texts left out.”
“So she told you, about… about the prophecy?”
Miki nodded, her smile fading away. “Yes, and where she’s going. I’ve pulled strings at my other facility, so I’m sure she will be safe there, but you are right to worry. Her family’s foresight can’t be taken lightly.”
Tatsunari’s shoulders dropped in relief as he heard her words. “You have no idea how much I wanted to hear you say that. With you, we may have a chance to prevent this from happening.”
Miki’s eyebrows rose in surprise. “What do you mean?”
“I’ve told every Airman and Sergeant I know, but I’m not getting anywhere through my chain of command,” the pilot replied.
“Will the family not support your claims?” Miki inquired.
“Not with Hina as the primary beneficiary of Nina’s passing.” Tatsunari’s face twisted in anger. “Most of the family claims Nami was mentally unsound, and the moment anyone I tell hears that, there goes any credibility I have, but you-” he gestured towards her, “you have credibility, an institute. You worked with the Self Defense Force for years. They have to listen to you. Then we can get Asagi and Ayana into some real protection.”
Miki looked away, thinking of her conversation with Hina on the way there. “Hina did not mention them.”
“No I’ve-” Tatsunari interrupted himself and rummaged through his back pocket until he pulled out a piece of paper. The parchment was haphazardly marked with circles, question marks, and names – Nami’s final words scribbled hastily across the page.
“It’s rough, but I think I pieced out some of what she said.” Tatsunari turned the paper around, showing Miki two particular circles. “Now the eight-headed thing was easy. I know he’s just a legend but- Orochi. It has to be him. These two, the heart of the guardian and rage of the demon, it has to be Asagi and Ayana.” He slid his fingers down the page, tapping a few more words vigorously. “If Ayana is the rage of the demon, then the demon mentioned later is Iris. It’s coming back, I don’t know how but-”
Miki leaned forward to study the page in detail.
“No idea on the titan of death, but here,” the pilot continued as he pointed to the final paragraph, “If Iris is the demon, then Gamera is the guardian. It’s possible he survived what happened in ninety-nine.”
Miki looked up for a moment, unable to hide her uncertainty. “I’ve never been able to sense him. Neither have my students… Have you considered it being a reference to Mothra?”
A shake of his head supplemented the gleam of defiance in the pilot’s eyes. “No way. Why then would Nami tell me the prophecy? There has to be a reason, a connection. And if there is-” Tatsunari’s head fell forward in defeat. “I.. I just want Ayana to be safe. And every fiber of me is telling me she isn’t. What if I don’t do everything…”
“My terms of departure were not amicable,” Miki responded sadly, before her face lit up with hope. “But, I have friends who may help.”
Tatsunari grinned at the remark, standing upright once more. “Thanks, but were you able to make any sense of the prophecy?”
Miki shook her head as she reexamined the pilot’s notes. “You seem to have come to similar conclusions as me with my brief exposure,” she said, pointing at ‘King.’ “Most likely referring to Godzilla. Maybe King Caesar? ‘The heart of Japan’ surely must point to Tokyo.”
“And then there’s the last monster, the warrior of the stars – Utsuno Ikusagami, I think,” Tatsunari answered. He pointed to the word in his notes. “All the legends of Orochi have him there, and he’s a god of the sun, which technically is a star. It’s hard to do any research when most of this stuff is myth and legend.”
Miki’s eyes widened ever so slightly before she looked at Tatsunari with a grin. “My friends may have the answers we seek. I’ll go speak with them, see what help I can get-” The pilot’s right hand grasped her own. She looked back to Tatsunari who seemed to be fighting back his own sorrowful demons.
“I’m leaving Tokyo after this. Don’t expect either Ayana or me to reach out. Not that I don’t trust you or want to help further, you’ll know where we are, I just-” He became silent, and Miki could feel her hopeful expression fading. She remembered Ayana’s sessions, her internal struggle, and the plans made in case Iris were to ever return. She also knew the love and devotion Tatsunari possessed for her. The love and trust Ayana possessed in him. When Tatsunari departed today, no evidence would remain for anyone tracking them.
“I understand,” Miki said gently, trying to ease any guilt he was feeling. “I’ll get the help we need. You’ve done so much already.”
The sound of her phone ringing from her bag snapped Miki back to attention. She saw the urgent headline on the screen and tried to warn Tatsunari, but no words came to her lips. The spot beneath the tree where he had been just moments ago was now empty, only leaves falling silently in his place.
Regaining strength with a deep breath, Miki’s composure solidified. Tatsunari had either read the news about Okinawa from afar or deduced it from her expression; either way, his mission was clear – he had someone to protect. Now, all that remained was for Miki to find a faint spark of hope amidst a future filled with possible doom.
Okinawa, Japan
Molten heels passed over freshly blackened earth. Smoke choked the air, but for the one hundred meter tall giant, Kumasogami possessed no difficulty in finding targets through the haze. With his left arm transformed into a group of arrows and his right a medieval style bow, the demon let loose a volley of explosive ordinance rivaling a missile barrage. Fire blossomed into the sky, consuming any and all life in a violent fireball. Trees withered to black husks while any living animals caught in the blast were vaporized to the bone. The dominant species of the land – humanity, proved no exception to the carnage and quickly perished within the blaze like its animalistic brethren.
The demon swept his gaze left to right, surveying the ash covered land for any misses, took a few steps forward then repeated the process. A fresh fireball ascended skyward, reducing the human constructs in its wake to fragments of their original design, and in the glorious display of destruction, Kumasogami groaned in apathy.
He possessed his mission. Blood would be spilled and ash would cover the land, there was no changing his directive, but enjoying the carnage was, at this point in the demon’s life, an impossible endeavor. The same events played out no matter the world or the species suffering his apathetic wrath. What joy could be had by besting creatures a fraction of his size? They possessed no power, no ability to retaliate. All they could do was flee, hide, or die.
Crimson eyes spotted a mass of humanity fleeing toward the red structure by the cliffs. With every other construct destroyed, the wave of people must have assumed it could act as a place of refuge from the molten demon.
A misguided conclusion.
Arrows swept over the land, reducing the remaining forest to ash and blanketing the fleeing mobs in fire. His final target was all that remained standing, excluding the death of the island’s guardian which had yet to appear… unless-
Kumasogami glanced toward his feet, trying to discern anything special from the blackened earth’s endless variety of charred husks. The demon’s gaze then shifted back to the miles of destruction behind him. He hadn’t destroyed much of the island, but his mind raced, trying to remember anything special about the countless lives he’d taken.
Had he already killed the guardian?
In the end, whether he accidentally killed the protector or not wouldn’t matter. The bond which tethered him to the current world would end with a gateway splitting open the earth. If he’d killed Okinawa’s guardian without realizing it, the portal would act as confirmation. Switching his focus back to the red-tiled mansion of the Azumi family, Kumasogami aimed his arrows and paused upon seeing a group of humanity next to the structure.
The humans weren’t trying to hide or flee, but kneeling in reverence. Some cried out in anger. Others sang choral chants in a rhythmic pattern, but every human’s attention was focused squarely on an outcropping of uplifted land by the sea.
Was the protector hiding within?
Kumasogami allowed the pleas to continue a few moments, watching for any sign from the isolated section of island, but as the seconds continued to press on without any significant action, the demon vented an apathetic growl and let loose his barrage. The humans and the crimson-tiled mansion vanished in an instant, the thunderous explosion which marked their vaporization followed by a monotonous, aggravating silence.
The lack of a gateway home meant the guardian still lived, but why would it not appear? Its land was a graveyard of ash, the cries of its people silenced forever. What more needed to be done to draw out the Okinawan Legend?
O’Hare International Airport, Chicago
“Boarding A, one through thirty.”
The announcer’s voice drew Hina Azumi momentarily off her phone to the man at the counter making the statement. Hina weighed walking up and explaining her royal heritage as Princess of Okinawa. Perhaps then, the announcer would be awestruck enough by her connection to Okinawan royalty to give her a spot in first class to avoid the wait for her cramped, economy class seat. Then she would fly to France in luxury.
The dream lasted a moment before a sigh of defeat followed.
Raising a scene could easily remove her from the flight as much as it could get her face smeared across social media, bringing about attention that could lead to harm if Nami’s warnings held true.
‘And they will,’ Hina reassured herself internally. ‘Just have to stay out of sight and out of mind. Just another face at the European Psychic Institute in France for a semester, maybe two. Then I can dive into my petrology studies. And Miki probably has a nice room already set up so, what’s the harm with boarding in group D?’
The intercom blared to life. “Boarding A, one through thirty. Last call.”
Hina audibly exhaled, unable to stay focused on her phone.
‘Wonder if Nami would have given it a go?’
The thought caused Hina to chuckle before she looked back down at her phone to continue her gacha game.
“Boarding A, thirty through- oh shit!”
Hina’s eyes went wide. Her attention, like the overweight man to her right and the child to her left, snapped immediately to the young man at the terminal’s desk who seemed in a trance, unaware of the profanity he just uttered for hundreds to hear. Scattered laughter from amused passengers boomed in unison and gradually petered out as a growing unease filled the terminal. Feeling the sense of dread, Hina swept her gaze across the airport’s numerous hubs.
No one seemed in danger, the sadly obvious first thought in an American airport, but tracing the frozen announcer’s gaze to the television above her meant some horrible news just broke. As the large individual next to her arose with great effort and took a look at the screen, expression twisting with disbelief, Hina hopped up and took notice of the headline.
The charred scenery Hina recognized before the news anchor spoke of the location. The hills she’d walked, and tourist traps she’d visited, all remnants of their former selves. The Azumi lands of Okinawa were in ruin, and the helicopter filming was following from a great distance the molten giant responsible for the needless slaughter.
Hina snapped her phone to her ear, frantically calling the first family member on speed dial to warn them, but as the footage seemingly sped up and the destruction of her family home replayed on the screen, Hina realized the footage wasn’t live.
She was too late.
Tears streamed down Hina’s face as a wave of intense anguish washed over her. She hated them all for the way they had treated her, for how they treated Tatsunari and Miki, but not even their malice could deserve such a gruesome end. Not even the cruelest soul among her family deserved this dark fate.
The newscaster’s announcement of up-to-date footage came with a live display. The unidentified demonic creature stood over Hina’s family home, desecrating the bodies of the family she knew would never abandon their prized mansion. They believed too much in the legacy it represented. Convinced he would always protect them.
“So where are you?” Hina whispered to the screen before the emotional gut punch of losing her family finally made the young girl lose whatever cool remained. “CAESAR! Where are you?!”
The scream of anguish reverberated through the room, touching each and every soul as her tears rolled like a river down her face. Hina stumbled backwards, desperate to escape the unwanted attention, before collapsing back into her chair. She curled her fingers into a tight fist, struggling to quell the chaotic turmoil living inside her chest.
‘What do I need to do? What can I do?’
The urge to use her gift of foresight was overwhelming, but she knew it would do no good. In her fragile state, she was unable to focus enough for her power to be of any use. Even if it had worked, her power allowed her to see brief glimpses in her future and given her distance and removal from the conflict, she doubted any tangible benefit could be gleaned with her retreat to Europe.
‘I’ll call Tatsunari, he’ll-‘
As a hand touched her arm, Hina sprawled back in her seat merely to find the large man that once sat beside her extending a black bandana. The middle-aged man beamed a calming smile desperately trying to free itself of the black beard and dense mustache surrounding it.
“Sorry to scare yah,” the man noted with a hint of a Southern American twang before shifting his focus to the black fabric. “Take it. Place it on my head to sleep fer long flights, but I reckon you could use it more. And I swear it’s clean. Washed it yesterdee.”
Momentary caution was thrown away as Hina reached for the item and patted her face. “Th-thank you.”
“Of course miss. Don’t know who you lost, but if it makes you feel better, sure them boys in red and blue will start raining hell on that devil. Unless that gold rabbit lookin’ monster don’t rip him to pieces.”
“Golden rabbit?” Hina gasped as she leaped to her feet, her entire body quivering in disbelief. Her gaze shot upwards toward the television, and the tears that had been welling in her eyes overflowed, spilling down her cheeks.
“King Caesar,” she uttered in a choked whisper, her face flush with realization and awe. “Tear… tear that thing apart.”
Anti-Kaiju Division Headquarters, Japanese Self Defense Force, Tokyo
Miki’s heart sank as she stepped away from the sliding glass door. While she did not possess the rare gift of foresight, she could see the metaphorical door slamming in her face the moment she urgently called to set up a meeting with the Anti-Kaiju Division. So many old favors pulled, favors used to pass along Tatsunari’s prophecy merely for it to go-
“Nowhere,” she said to herself, her voice tinged with frustration and helplessness. She knew this would be the outcome all along, yet she had still dared to hope for something better. Still, there was a faint glimmer of optimism in her heart that maybe, just maybe, the military would one day cease their bias toward those with gifts.
Strolling down the endless granite stairs that led to the multi-story headquarters, Miki banished any further thought of trying to sway the division and instead, focused upon a trump card greater than any government.
All Miki needed was a place to relax.
The short walk past rows of finely trimmed flowers and trees was as nostalgic as the view proved gorgeous. A familiar bench appeared as the psychic turned the corner, and sitting upon its wooden construct brought back waves of fond memories. Dispensing the nostalgic lunches of her youth, the psychic opened her mind to the world and five voices replied back in unison.
A quintet of golf ball-sized spheres of light took shape, floating perfectly in line with Miki’s eye level. Hovering a few feet away, the spheres of golden light morphed into miniature humanoids, gaining detail with every passing second. When the astral projected group finished forming, she found herself speechless before the set of five separate eyes, of which only two she recognized.
Had the two Shobijin she knew suddenly become five? To her knowledge only two Shobijin existed. Who were the others?
Floating side by side, the Shobijin bowed in perfect unison, calming her strained nerves to a more manageable level. “We appreciate your warning, Miki. We thought it best to bring our sisters along for this discussion.” The familiar duo’s right hands outstretched to the other pair. “On your far right is Lora and Moll is on the left.”
Miki shifted her attention to the other duo, taking in the substantial differences. If the Shobijin were perfect mirrors of one another, then Moll and Lora were clearly separate beings, each with their own wardrobe, hairstyle, and facial ticks.
“We’ve heard many tales of your service to the Earth,” Lora beamed, her enthusiasm radiating into the air. Miki could see the admiration in the woman’s eyes, but she couldn’t help but feel a bit undeserving. Lora was eager to welcome her, while her companion remained quiet, nodding with a reserved smile.
Miki did her best to return the warm greetings with a large smile of her own, but questions flooded her mind over the pair. ‘They must have their own Mothra. Surely they can help King Caesar-’
‘Like I thought, no different than any other human.’
Miki felt a chill in the air as a separate voice interrupted her inner monologue. Someone was, albeit haphazardly, penetrating her mind, picking apart her every thought. Based on the openness of the Shobijin, Lora, and Moll, Miki focused in on the final Elias.
Draped in a sinister black leather dress, the Elias’ arrogant smirk chilled Miki to the core. Elias, Shobijin, Cosmos; the near-magical beings that acted as Mothra’s guardians were meant to be the benign protectors of the planet. How could this Elias be one of them?
“I did not wish to assume your help,” Miki countered, trying to remain cordial, but as the Dark Elias raised the back of her tiny hand toward the psychic, she knew any niceties would be wasted.
“Save it human,” the venom-spitting Elias said with a sneer. “Nothing you say will-”
“Belvera!”
The unified scolding words of Moll and Lora acted like a slap across Belvera’s face, launching any arrogance she once possessed away with ease. The Dark Elias rolled her eyes at her sisters, sighing as her hands fell to her hips, fingers tapping across fabric.
“Fine. I’ll play nice. So… human,” Belvera clicked her tongue, focusing entirely on Miki. The voice which followed possessed no disdain, merely apathy like an announcer over an intercom, “We’ve heard your warning. It will eventually be taken care of.”
The Dark Elias gazed apprehensively at the Shobijin, her gaze locked in a challenge to prompt an answer. After a long search for the help she needed, the hesitant response of the Shobijin only intensified Miki’s worst fears.
“Orochi should not be of your concern,” they affirmed.
Miki’s tense muscles relaxed slightly, although her apprehension still lingered in the air. After a long search for a solution, this small gesture gave her some relief – but it was not enough to alleviate all of her fears.
“Thank you,” Miki responded, feeling the weight of responsibility on her shoulders lessening. “What of the demon on Okinawa? Can you help King Caesar if he needs it?”
Unyielding optimism and relief fluttered away with every second of palpable silence. In the growing void of emotion, a sense of bewilderment festered. Surely she missed something? As the protectors of Earth, how could they not see the danger the giant possessed not only to humanity, but all life. And yet-
“We appreciate your guidance, but only Orochi is of our concern,” the Shobijin clarified to Miki’s dismay.
Her jaw fell forward slightly, mouth open in disbelief. Feelings of belittlement and irrelevance were not foreign concepts, she expected it of the S.D.F., but to hear the rejection of her view from the guardians of Earth, especially guardians she knew for decades, plunged a personal dagger into the psychic’s heart.
“Surely we can help.” Lora’s words captured Miki’s full attention while Moll’s placement of her hand on her sister’s shoulder in support fostered ever more hope.
“Allowing others to perform our duties,” Moll’s eyes closed, a vibrant memory no doubt playing within her mind, “is something we can not idly stand by.”
The meeting to discuss the security of the world began to crumble as tension rose between the five guardians. Uncaring of the ramifications of such a change, Miki readied to spout her argument merely for all five guardians to fade away like dwindling flames, taking their internal division away from their human contact.
Eyes hung open in disbelief. Feelings of betrayal swirled into a torrent of fury that desired to be unleashed. As the rage began to spark ideas in Miki’s mind, hurricane force winds squelched the anger, returning Miki’s thoughts to a sense of calm.
“Control,” Miki murmured to herself. “Always in control.”
With her emotional dilemma buried, the familiar weight of the crisis at hand made itself known once more. Miki was out of allies to call, to unite against a growing threat. Maybe in time those she reached out to would turn to her, but what atrocities lay between then and now Miki dare not fathom. All that remained to protect Tatsunari, Asagi, Ayanam and all others Orochi would surely target was her. Such a premise, a prophecy intermingled with her darkest nightmare, terrified the psychic to her very core.
The familiar buzz of Miki’s cellular device drew fresh ire, then hope. Retrieving her phone, a plethora of old contacts raced through her mind that seemed somewhat likely to respond to her pleas. Instead of the list of old acquaintances from decades past, Miki’s gaze found an unidentified text accompanied by cryptic guidance.
Locate Shinichi Ozaki. Kitamura Apartments, Kabukicho District.
Chapter 7: King Caesar vs. Kumasogami
Okinawa – A few minutes earlier
A shockwave of unnatural thunder reverberated beneath Kumasogami. Scarlet eyes shifted towards the source of the tremor and were met with an eruption of dust, blanketing the desolate land that the humans had reverently called out to. It appeared as if the land had awoken from a slumber, violently erupting like a raging volcano that would not be silenced, though the molten demon was not naive enough to believe this was a mere coincidence.
The Okinawan Legend drew life beneath the dusty shroud and a paralyzing roar made clear its appetite for vengeance.
A golden blur surged from the haze. A half mile of open ground covered in mere seconds by the charging beast. If unprepared, the shocking speed on display would prove Kumasogami’s doom, but experience birthed a response the moment the molten demon felt the guardian’s awakening.
What was once a bow and set of arrows were now two hardy shields, ready to parry the monstrous rage surging forward. The guardian’s right appendage swung out, three golden claws reflecting the light of the sun, ready to skewer molten flesh, but they never reached their intended target. Sparks burned to life as claws deflected off Kumasogami’s right shield. A cascade of embers followed and then the guardian twisted its body, left arm extended to rake its other set of claws over the molten barrier.
Kumasogami’s right shield shifted to perfectly deflect the second strike while his left hand began to contort into an offensive tool. The guardian’s speed was impressive. If the golden beast’s claws were to strike solid flesh, they would be no doubt destructive, but the guardian was too aggressive for its own good, leaving it open for a swift counter.
Obsidian muscle thrummed with energy as the seconds to Kumasogami’s impending strike stretched on. Just as he was about to surge forward with his dual blade, the guardian’s left arm jolted back, knocking away any chance of victory.
Crimson eyes parted in disbelief. He’d been played.
Continuing its spin, the guardian plowed its left leg into Kumasogami’s unprotected side. What felt like a limb composed of muscle as dense as stone launched the demon away, tumbling amidst the ash like a ragdoll. Nearly a dozen rotations after launch, Kumasogami finally came to a crashing halt.
Whispers of the summoner echoed as clearly as his own thoughts, telling him of the Okinawa Legend, its name, and other worthless information. In response, Kumasogami banished the foreign presence from his thoughts, ascending to a battle-ready stance. He possessed a few seconds before his enemy was on top of him, and all the information he truly needed he’d discover himself by finally getting a good look at his target.
Jewel-like eyes, blazing with rage. Golden fur bristling atop a thick brown hide. A formidable bipedal beast with long ears, razor sharp claws, and a thin, menacing tail. The Okinawan Legend, King Caesar, charged forth with murderous intent.
Kumasogami felt the painful strain of his summoner’s words clawing at his consciousness, but with a fierce determination he shrugged them off. His sole goal burned in his mind like wildfire: Destroy King Caesar.
Parrying the first of many slashes, Kumasogami entered a frenetic close quarter duel. Every shockwave-inducing crash of claws upon his molten shield was countered with his specialized blade thrusting forward. The dual blade’s incredibly deadly, curved-triangular design would ensure an instant kill if it pierced the guardian’s abdominal flesh, but even with the molten demon’s countless years of experience, King Caesar proved his incredible agility with every evasive shift.
Experience wouldn’t be enough to ensure the kill. A change of tactics was needed.
The dual blade receded into a spherical, molten mass then fell upon the ground, still attached to Kumasogami thanks to a slowly growing molten chain. In one earth-shattering leap, Kumasogami flew backwards, dodging the vengeful punch of King Caesar who roared in rage at his foe’s hasty evasion. A menacing growl escaped from the molten giant, taunting the king and challenging his dominance. As King Caesar accepted the challenge, palms raised with his claws visibly extended, Kumasogami yanked his left arm back, pulling the inauspicious molten sphere behind the guardian.
The spiked ball careened toward the demon, striking the back of King Caesar’s left leg and sending the beast careening forward onto his upper paws. Whatever rage the beast felt surely multiplied with another whip of Kumasogami’s arm, plowing the ball across the guardian’s face. A crack signaled the break of some internal bone and with malicious glee, Kumasogami whipped the sailing projectile one final time toward the beast’s head, sending the golden beast sprawling back. Yanking back the sphere, Kumasogami retracted the excess molten material and reformed his dual molten sword across both limbs.
The time to complete his mission had come!
Kumasogami sprinted and thrust his curved, molten swords deep into King Caesar’s chest, ensuring to space out the blades for maximum internal damage. Six claws sunk into the demon’s shoulders in retaliation, causing the fiend to writhe in silent anguish, but the canyon between both attack’s lethality was too vast. Surely, his foe knew he’d lost-
King Caesar pulled himself up, his claws rending deep into his molten flesh as the guardian pushed the demon’s blades further into his own brown hide. Kumasogami was then thrown off balance as the beast delivered a vicious headbutt, sending his head snapping back, blades retracting from King Caesar’s punctured body. A haze encompassed the fiery giant’s sight and through the disorienting vision, he watched King Caesar propel himself forward. Only when the beast’s right heel impacted Kumasogami’s upper chest, compressing the demon’s internal makeup, did the high-jump kick become painfully clear.
Kumasogami landed with a thunderous crash, shattering the green bed of unburned trees and creating a crater in the untouched forest. Pain, like daggers of fire, coursed through his form and froze him in place. No matter how much he desired to remain still, to minimize the anguish that would surely come if he stood, his will to survive drove him forward, and with a roar of anguish, Kumasogami slowly rose from the ground and staggered to his feet, shaking from the intensity of the agony.
Scarlet eyes honed in on the nearing silhouette then cracked wide in awe.
Miraculously, no blood dripped from the charging goliath’s brown hide despite four gaping wounds carved into his abdomen. Kumasogami immediately understood what was at play – this wasn’t regeneration keeping the body alive nor was it pure tenacity overcoming a killing blow, something else safeguarded the brute.
King Caesar wasn’t stopping, nor was he dying. The end of the pair’s titanic struggle was nowhere in sight.
Chapter 8: Who Guards the Guardians?
Chamber of the Shobijin, Infant Island
“How could you be so cold?” Lora asked, her voice thick with disappointment.
“Belvera, answer us!” Moll demanded.
Relinquishing a built up breath of annoyance, Belvera paused in the dark, underground catacombs of Infant Island. She’d hoped to find her way to her study; maybe work on her draconic steed’s cybernetic upgrades or sleep a day or two to pass the time; instead, she found herself returning in the eyes of her sisters to the role of antagonist, a role she played in all fairness for eons until her immovable perspective of the world shifted ever so slightly.
‘Of course the Shobijin voted with me, but I’m the bad guy.’
Belvera felt the draw of her old life tempt her icy heart. Her instinct was to lash out; to mock her sisters’ emotions. To turn her back on them and retreat off the island to her old lair, but even if she couldn’t admit it to herself, she was attached to them. Unlike the hundreds of re-incarnated Elias which came before, like the Shobijin she despised and voted with, Moll and Lora were unique, similar to her in so many ways that it got under her pale skin.
Belvera craned her head back, refusing to look directly at Moll or Lora. If her sisters wished for her to return to her old ways as an antagonistic viper, then she would play the part. But unlike her usual demeanor, she needed to do so with tact and intelligence instead of sarcasm and anger.
“Tell me sisters, what’s our job?” Belvera asked, her words tinged with just a hint of superiority.
“Are you trying to play games Belvera?” Moll snapped.
Belvera maintained her stare toward the ceiling, closing her eyes in disappointment. “Not this time.”
The sound of shuffling feet, of uncertainty, gave Belvera’s inner demons fuel to mock her sisters’ refusal to answer, but every ounce of the Dark Elias strength channeled against the urge, remaining composed until Lora finally answered, “To protect all life.”
Belvera spun around, the line she was waiting for finally spoken.
“From threats which endanger the world,” a twist of her right hand elevated the last word, “right, sisters?”
The crack of Moll’s negative expression was all that Belvera needed to see. She understood the destination the conversation was channeling them towards, which only left-
“But the demon is a threat,” Lora interrupted. “Hundreds are dead.”
Belvera smirked, her usual icy persona bleeding through as she rolled her shoulders nonchalantly. “A few hundred dead humans in a world of billions doesn’t really matter. And even if King Caesar falls, do you really think that demon can conquer the world?”
“We can’t just sit on the sidelines!” Lora snapped, beaming with uncharacteristically self-righteous anger. Moll’s defeated hand on Lora’s shoulder proved ineffective in calming the guardian, forcing Belvera to sigh.
‘She’s going to hate me,’ Belvera’s inner voice assured her. ‘No question.’ Poison covered the Dark Elias tongue and crippling truth accompanied her words. “Then why did you not interfere with Legion in the past and recently? Your Mothra could’ve vaporized them all, but you didn’t. Because the humans and Gamera didn’t need your help, right sister?”
It was like all the energy had been sucked out of her. Lora could only look at her sister with pained eyes and a voice filled with sorrow.
“Miki… she asked us for help,” Lora begged, her words choked in despair. “How… how can it be right to turn away?”
Lora’s desperate plea for help slashed deep into Belvera’s core, a sensation as sharp as a sword. Unfamiliar and unwelcome, the Dark Elias wondered if she was experiencing guilt. If so, she needed to suppress it only a few moments longer.
“That thing on Okinawa doesn’t concern us. Those other goodie-goodies get the memo, but we aren’t here to protect humans. We serve the planet.”
Belvera placed a hand on each sisters’ shoulder, comforting Lora’s grief and subduing Moll’s reserved disdain. “Orochi’s going to be a pain for us all, but I watched him lose last time. We’ll help when he shows up, probably. Until then, it’s simply not our concern.”
Tapping her sisters’ shoulders, Belvera spun around, hoping the topic would be fully resolved.
“Until then, I guess we’ll follow your lead, right sister?” Moll snapped. “We can ignore what is right, ignore the cries for help, and do what you excel at more than any of us: nothing.”
The anguish of guilt and the cold chill of hate roared to life once more inside Belvera, converting her arrogant stride into a mere hobble. A few more steps was all the Dark Elias could take, her head dropping so low her shoulders were in parity. Fingers danced over her thigh in thought and then she continued forward, without unleashing all the vile things building up within her or addressing her resentment, knowing that if she dared to break free of the villainous role, her sisters would realize the truth.
That more than anything else, Belvera truly cared for them and even if they thought her a monster, she would not maliciously unsheathe her claws against them.
Chapter 9: King Caesar vs. Kumasogami – Round 2
Okinawa, Japan
Consecutive bone-breaking blows battered Kumasogami who staggered back without much recourse. Compared to the demon’s dwindling stamina, King Caesar proved absolutely relentless in his assault. While the lava giant’s obsidian-laced body could heal from the devastating strikes, replenishing cracked or broken flesh with fresh molten material, he doubted his reserves could sustain much more. Hoping to break the current cycle of thrashing, a molten blade swung toward King Caesar’s head and from the desperate action, success birthed a guttural roar.
King Caesar’s right ear sailed away, freshly cut from the screaming goliath whose glistening, red eyes honed in on Kumasogami’s weapon. Before Kumasogami could retract the extended medieval blade, teeth sunk where the blade met softer flesh. With a single movement, the guardian’s sharp teeth tore through the demon’s molten appendage. The force of the bite propelled Kumasogami into the air, while the limb was no more than a memory, having been cleanly cleaved in two by the guardian’s powerful jaws.
Wailing in absolute pain, Kumasogami’s cry fell silent upon impact. Lava-like blood flowed out of the crudely torn stump of a left arm, igniting the surrounding forest into a fanatical blaze. Wrapped in the soothing torrential fire, Kumasogami exerted all his strength upon the crippled appendage, depleting his molten reserves to restore the missing hand which grew violently from the torn flesh and flexed into a fist.
Momentary relief abruptly vanished at the thunderous crack of heels, pounding closer and closer like an unstoppable force. King Caesar was on his way. Taking his focus off his regenerated arm, Kumasogami spotted the incoming defender and all the wrath he radiated, but as his crimson eyes spotted where his blade severed the beast’s ear, curiosity matched the demon’s renewed drive.
Twin heels crashed into King Caesar’s gut, jettisoning the goliath away with an all or nothing two prong kick. Kumasogami knew he could not waste the momentary reprieve and recovered upright. Molten arms shifted once more into the shape of a bow and arrow, but the death of his enemy was not the goal of the transformation. Crimson eyes glanced at the golden beast who was already plowing through the surrounding burning forest to rip him to shreds. Hopefully, that unwavering tenacity of the beast would finally bring about clarification.
Sparks engulfed Kumasogami’s hellish weapon and fiery bolts were let loose. A seemingly unending barrage detonated over King Caesar’s form, washing him in an aura of fire. Every detonation reverberated through the air like thunder, the increasing bass confirming Kumasogami’s gut instinct that even dozens of arrows would do little to halt, let alone kill, the nearing goliath. But, purified by fire, the true identity of King Caesar would be revealed.
A brown blur surged out of the monstrous fireball. Claws swiped down, meeting a shield still in the midst of creation. Molten flesh was cleaved away, nearly splitting in two the defensive bulwark, but it held amidst the onslaught and in the face of King Caesar’s true form.
Burning pieces of fur turned to ash over the boiling, stone figure which composed the goliath’s interior. The inner stone mimicked muscle, bonding organic flesh of the beast’s exterior to the gold skeleton beneath. Shining crystals poked through sizzling abdominal stone, mimicking organs and explaining the lack of blood from all the previous stabbings. Kumasogami thought of the numerous skeletons of his collection, the past crusades on numerous worlds and came to an unsettling conclusion.
He was not fighting a mere beast nor one enhanced or molded by technology. King Caesar was never alive to begin with. It was an artificial being, so how could he kill it?
The heavens quaked from the unveiled golem’s roar. King Caesar’s smoldering body pulled back and thrust a kick into Kumasogami’s meager shield, snapping it in two and breaking the molten giant’s arm in half. Unrivaled anguish caused the demon to scream and from the agony, a fiery left hook crashed into the golem’s stone jaws.
Kumasogami’s eyes narrowed. He’d find a way!
A burst of molten material jettisoned out of Kumasogami’s right stump of an arm, reforming the appendage into a trident. The weapon surged forth to plunge into the revealed crystals across the golem, yet it struck open air, glowing just above the golem who crouched on all fours. A tremor from King Caesar launching its body like a missile alerted Kumasogami to the incoming pain and then as the golem’s head slammed into the demon’s chest, fiery blood streamed from the demon’s jaws.
Internal organs compressed. Molten bone snapped. All the force launched Kumasogami like a toy, sending him sailing for an eternity before he crashed down upon the edges of human civilization. There the demon lay in abject pain, his body not responding to the dire need to arise.
He’d die if he didn’t move, and by the increasing quakes rattling his thoroughly beaten body, it would only be a few seconds. All that momentum King Caesar was building would crash-
Kumasogami’s three scarlet eyes glowed with renewed life. Molten material pulsated over both arms. Lying on the ground perfectly still, the demon awaited to perform his final act.
A booming war cry trembled still earth and the sound of an explosion allowed Kumasogami to finally gaze upon King Caesar who had launched itself skyward. While no longer appearing like an animal, the golem was sailing through the air, arms and legs stretched out like a cat to ensure as it landed that it would crush wherever it landed on Kumasogami.
Gravity pulled King Caesar toward its prey. A menacing growl rattled the air, yet Kumasogami remained stationary, awaiting the golem’s shadow to blanket his body fully and then, with a hellish scream, the demon swung his transforming arms upward.
Flesh twisted and flattened. Twin greatswords stretching out in excess of fifty meters burst forth from both appendages. King Caesar’s hip contorted up as the right blade skewered its rocky hide, while the other slipped into the golem’s open maw and burst from the back of its throat. Eighty thousand tons of artificial creation still crashed upon Kumasogami, left thigh and knee cracking under the brunt of the impact, but the trade in lethality was clear.
The mission was finally at an-
King Caesar’s arms shot forward. Claws buried themselves in molten shoulders. Teeth snapped upon Kumasogami’s left greatsword, drawing molten blood from stone as King Caesar forcibly dragged its head downward. Genuine shock traveled throughout the demon as the artificial construction forced its impaled head down the greatsword’s blade, clenching its mechanical jaws shut with every pull until another loud crack echoed.
Unable to compete any further with its own vengeful spirit, King Caesar’s body finally reached its limit. Golden limbs loosened their hold as cracks splintered from the back of the goliath’s throat to its open maw. Using what paltry strength he possessed, Kumasogami cleaved the head in two, covering his body in specialized gems and stone. Whatever remained of the Okinawan Legend fell limp, the construct’s relentless tenacity finally conquered.
Rising through the rubble onto a shaky upright stance, Kumasogami withheld any instinct to celebrate the bittersweet victory. The battle was close, too close for the molten giant’s own liking, and the feeling of disbelief which ravaged his body just moments ago was something the demon wished to forget. As the ground began to separate, indicating his task was finally at an end, a mechanical whine and high pitch roar tore through the skies.
Far above, nearly a half dozen silver birds soared in an uncontested sky. Kumasogami’s eyes narrowed, trying to discern their threat level merely for glistening droppings to befall his position. In the moment before the droppings made impact, Kumasogami’s beaten gut twisted, realizing the true purpose of the silver craft.
Eons of raiding worlds came with the wisdom that speed was a necessity. Species of low development were easy to raze and required no such limit, but those of higher technological level would eventually return the slaughter of their denizens with their own weapons of war. From beams which mimicked the rays of the sun to explosive shells, Kumasogami had seen it all, and as high-explosive bombs rained over his body, blanketing the demon and King Caesar’s corpse in a torrential blaze, the molten giant understood the level of development humanity currently possessed and the direness of his retreat.
Spinning through the fire, Kumasogami snatched a red jewel that once acted as an eye from the burning golem’s corpse as an addition to his collection, then faced the completed portal. Bombs continued to rain and just as the demon readied to lunge, a silver juggernaut entered the corner of his eye.
If King Caesar’s fur and fake skin were meant to hide its artificial nature, the yellow-eyed monstrosity soaring toward him possessed no illusions to its constructed origin. Replicating some bipedal, reptilian juggernaut, multi-colored light mimicking the intensity of the sun swirled in its parted maw. Every instinct within Kumasogami urged it to beat a hasty retreat to which the demon agreed with a pain-filled jump.
Streaks of light struck the edges of the portal. Sparks ascended upward from detonations of yellow and rainbow colored energy, but they were shrinking distractions for the demon who was in a state of freefall. Glancing at the ruby which once acted as King Caesar’s eye, Kumasogami let loose a gurgle of hellish intent as he exited the tunnel between worlds and sailed into the sky of his volcanic realm, announcing his glorious return to his tormented subjects.
Inner Catacombs, Mt. Fuji
Bathed in shadow, beneath the surface of Japan’s national landmark, Tsukuyomi arose from his session of meditation, sensing the retreat of Kumasogami back to its hellish realm. The molten demon accomplished its task without mercy or folly, and yet-
‘He fled,’ Tsukuyomi bitterly thought, passing along the disdain he felt to every creation connected to him telepathically.
The anger which blossomed deep within was not of the demon’s retreat, for a dead pawn was worthless. Kumasogami had performed amicably, and living to fight another day was the correct choice. What riled Tsukuyomi’s core was the fact he could not deny the strength which humanity possessed, and persistent hopes that the minions he commanded, Kumasogami and Kaishin Muba, would be enough to carry out his orders of worldwide annihilation were nothing short of misplaced hopes of a quick genocide. Monsters which protected humanity like King Caesar, or that mankind created to shelter itself like Mechagodzilla, would need to be eliminated or recruited.
A herculean task; a riddle to end the world.
Tsukuyomi contorted a malicious grin and summoned a fit of laughter.
‘Questions I’ve long since solved.’
Eyes burned white. Sparks danced from the depths of black pupils. Beams of energized light erupted from Tsukuyomi’s gaze, detonating the rock which sheltered him for months. Collapsing stone rained upon the fallen god, but as he strolled through the rubble-filled precipitation toward the cavern’s exit, Tsukuyomi recited his desire within his mind, beaming it to all his children.
‘Juu-Go,’ a moment passed, allowing the progeny to usher a prayer of thanks for being chosen. ‘Resurrect the being of death that lays silent in Tokyo. Awaken the Demon Sea God, Kaishin Muba. He shall blacken the skies and ensure your success.’
Twin beams of lightning detonated across the falling cavern once more while a faint light shone upon Tsukuyomi.
The other monster that suited his needs would also need to be resurrected using his power, but without the key to the creature’s heart, the tentacled monstrosity would surely rebel. Therefore, only by acquiring the monster’s priestess, Ayana Moribe, would he have any hope of controlling the Ryuseicho’s will.
As Tsukuyomi entered the light of day, he held off on giving the order.
For months, he remained in a state of seclusion, growing his influence beneath the virulent masses which thought the world their own. The isolation brought back memories as frigid as the darkest depths of space and from that frozen anguish, a burning desire to step into the light channeled through Tsukuyomi.
‘Find Ayana Moribe. I will question the priestess of Gamera, Asagi Kusanagi.’ Then like a pastor to his choir, the fallen god reminded all his spawn of their divine mission.
‘A barren Earth; a perfect world.’
Dozens of minds recited the euphoric words and through the echo of worship reverberating within his own mind, Tsukuyomi continued into the realm of man, eager of all the conflict to befall mankind.
Kabukicho District, Tokyo
Entering the Kitamura apartment entrance filled Miki’s senses with a foul mold-like smell. Instinct told her to turn away, just as the guttural warning did when she entered the decrepit roadways of the district or was passing the numerous gang related groups, but she couldn’t turn back. Desperation kept her focused and pressed her toward the help she urgently required. All that remained between her and locating her hopeful ally was discovering in which room Shinichi resided within the multi-story apartment complex.
Miki wandered over to the cluttered postal room, glancing at each name plate posted and the packages surrounding it. Looking over the broken mail slots gave Miki no clue to go on for Shinichi’s location as the gold plated boxes were in various states of disrepair. Hoping to find a name on the inside, revulsion surged through Miki as a cockroach, larger than any she’d seen in her life, scurried from an open slot, launching her back in a panic. A few calm breaths stabilized her breathing, but her racing mind searched for some clue to follow. Without anything else to gleam from the cramped common area, Miki weighed her options until the opening door brought with it a fresh opportunity.
“Pardon me!” Miki squeezed between the resident entering the apartment complex and the stairs behind her, doing her best impression of a lost tourist. “May I trouble you for a moment? I’m searching for someone who lives here.”
The sunglasses-wearing man paused in front of Miki, taking an extra second to look up and down her body. A suggestive smile crept upon the young man’s face as his head tilted up, eyebrows dancing in excitement.
“Of course, of course. No trouble at all, miss. But why look for someone else when you have me right here?”
Miki nearly cracked a smile, quickly pushing down on the urge to laugh as she spoke. “Shinichi Ozaki lives here, I think. Do you know which room?”
Color drained from the man instantly, fear beaming through his black shades. “Room two-oh-four. Don’t you mention I said anything!”
He hurriedly pushed past Miki, sprinting up the stairs in sheer terror. Moments later, a distant door slammed shut, stirring questions of uncertainty in Miki’s mind yet again. Despite all the setbacks she had faced that day, she was determined to see this through. Taking the stairs two at a time, she raced up to the second floor and thrust her clenched right hand forward to knock.
Her hand never reached the door.
Pulling back away from Miki’s closed digits, the door opened to reveal the tenant inside and the steam rolling off his shoulders.
A tiny towel wrapped tightly around Shinichi’s waist, the only piece of fabric that caressed his chiseled physique. Miki found herself inexplicably mimicking the shaded man she met earlier, her wandering eyes moving down and then up the man’s body before she regained her composure and felt her face heat up. Immediately she snapped her gaze up to the top of the doorframe, where Shinichi’s wet, spiked hair was all that was visible.
“I’m… here to talk to you,” Miki forced out, her voice quivering as she fought against her blushing cheeks.
“Can see that,” Shinichi said, his lips no doubt curled into a playful smirk by the sound of his voice. “More so interested in the why?”
Any hesitancy within Miki vanished with a calming breath. Without skipping a beat, Miki lowered her gaze back to Shinichi and dove into the dire set of events which compelled her to visit. She refrained from mentioning the prophecy or how the information was obtained, hoping not to scare away the help like the military officials she spoke to mere hours ago, but the psychic held no punches back on all the details which forewarned doom.
Lives were in danger, the attack on Okinawa merely the first of many to come. Behind all of the destruction was a being described only in legend, the fallen god and eight-headed dragon, Orochi. As Miki finished her summation, her eyes looked to Shinichi for any clue to what he might say, but the man’s grin had long since vanished, replaced by a look devoid of emotion as he presumably thought over the offer.
‘Maybe I should have told him about the prophecy?’ Miki thought, internally grappling with what to reveal. ‘Maybe he’d take me more seriously if I mentioned my role at the institute, showed him what I can do.’ Anxiety started to bubble as realization hit her. ‘Wait, have I even said my name? I haven’t… no wonder he isn’t saying anything. I must seem mad-’
“Count me in.”
Miki’s internal dialogue ceased. Eyes snapped to Shinichi, partially out of disbelief.
“I assume you need me to kill Orochi? I’m lacking most of my old Earth Defense Force gear, minus the armor and a handgun,” Shinichi affirmed, the confident smile returning in force. “Shouldn’t be an issue. Do you have a strategy?”
“Why?” Miki’s question slipped out through reflex, but every part of her genuinely wanted to know. Throughout the day she’d been driven away from allies either due to their desire for self-preservation, unwillingness to believe in the coming danger, or belief in their own superiority. Yet, Shinichi was seemingly willing to risk his life to help her fight the impending danger.
“You need help and- I trust you,” Shinichi replied without hesitation. “Besides, I don’t run from a fight.” The man’s eyes glanced at his own half-naked body then looked to Miki while raising his right hand, all five digits extended. “I’ll be back in five. We can leave after.”
Before Miki could place a counter argument, the door slammed shut. A sudden wet impact indicated Ozaki’s miniscule towel was no longer around his hips and a chorus of intense running followed. The older walls allowed the inhuman speed of the tenant to echo across the floor, reminding Miki of the scarce details she was able to glean of Shinichi Ozaki, prior to her phone’s death by depleted battery.
Unlike her naturally-born, psychically gifted students, the genetically enhanced humans which comprised Shinichi’s kind were artificial beings planted among humanity. Their superhuman senses, reflexes, and strength were crafted by their alien creators to be the perfect tools to strike humanity from within, but the human spirit proved harder to control. Shinichi, and other mutants, rebelled against the artificial programming when it was activated during the Invasion of ‘04, but by the alien raid’s conclusion, he was the last of his kind.
Room 204 swung open with a minute to spare from Shinichi’s initial estimate. A confident smile accompanied the man, now clad in a smooth, black Kevlar bodysuit. Above the surely bulletproof fabric, patches of light gray armor covered vital areas across the body including his chest, joints, thighs, and back. The patches looked like specialized plastic, yet the creaking floor from Shinichi’s immense weight screamed what he wore was dense and authentic.
“We’ll need to move. Doubt the floor boards can take my weight too long,” Shinichi said to Miki as he passed, his focus entirely on the stairs.
“Wait, Shinichi,” Miki hurried to the fighter’s side, “I realize I never fully introduced myself. My name is Miki Yamane.”
Shinichi paused, then looked back at her, right eye twitching with visible agitation. “Just call me Ozaki. What’s the plan?”
Miki’s fingers rubbed the bottom of her chin as she thought. If Tatsunari’s theories on the prophecy held true, the next two targets would be Asagi Kusanagi and Tokyo itself. Ozaki’s skills, no matter how impressive, lacked the scope to cover a city, leaving only the obvious choice.
“Orochi is after a dear friend of mine, Asagi Kusanagi,” Miki replied gravely.
“Consider her safe,” Ozaki affirmed with all the confidence in the world. “Any idea what to expect?”
Miki shook her head in despair. “No,” she finally replied, before being interrupted by the creaking of the stairs beneath them.
The uncertainty of Miki failed to alter Ozaki’s almost cheerful mood. “Not a problem. Here’s hoping it’s a challenge.” He propped open the door into the warm night air and turned back to Miki. “And you, what will you do?”
Reaching the bottom of the staircase, Miki let out an exhausted breath a day in the making. “I’ll ask for help one final time.”
“If you’re always asking for help, you’ll never know how strong you really are.” His words of encouragement stopped Miki in her tracks. “Besides, thought you were out of people to ask?”
Regaining control Miki affirmed with a dire voice, “I am,” before she walked into the night, thinking of a young protector that might answer her pleas.
Winner: Kumasogami
