Author: Anthony James Velez | Banner: Matthew Freese

Nature didn’t know morality the way humans did. In a way, that’s what made humanity unique compared to the living beings around them, they weren’t restricted to their basic instincts. They acted out of principles, things one should and should not do. What was right, what was wrong, and why people thought the way they did. Animals in this regard were simpler creatures.

They had no such inhibitions because survival had no place for it. One had to do what needed to be done if they wanted to see another day. This sense of need created the natural order… and it could create living nightmares for those with the shorter end of the stick. Such was the case for the last of the Rodan line. The male had been in search of shelter alongside his mate for what felt like months.

A thunderstorm had loomed over their heads all the while, dark gray skies painted with shades of white from the lightning strikes. With the female being pregnant, they couldn’t afford to stay in the open. To make matters worse, she was going into labor and obviously couldn’t go on. They did have some form of luck as she found the cave alongside a beach. Taking the opportunity while it lay in front of them, the pair descended into the cave for much needed rest.

From that moment, the female let the process take its course. The male on the other hand needed to search; the beach was too close to the water. The egg would not be safe here for long. As such, he made sure she would be alright on her own before continuing to find a place for them. Eventually, he found a rather large hill.

For their situation, it was perfect. Their sizes meant they could survey the landscape without straining themselves. All the trees around them also meant they could build a nest. He just needed to carry the two of them back to it and they should be secure. With a sense of hope, he made his way back to the cave.

When he had his destination in sight, he called out to her to tell her the news. He would never get a response from her, something he found strange until he thought about it. It was likely she was asleep. It made sense given how much of her energy had to have been spent having their child. He descended to the cave where he saw bits of eggshell… and a sense of worry began to lodge itself in his throat.

She had just given birth, there was no way the egg hatched this early. When he turned to the cave, he saw a hideous sea creature releasing his mate from its clutches. It had olive green skin covering its body with a darker green for its carapace. Its face was peculiarly shaped, resembling cut up fruit with beady black eyes at the sides of its face. Lastly, it had two legs holding its body with multiple tentacles hanging out of its center.

His mate was covered in blood as well as a strange black substance, her body physically drained. The truth twisted something ugly inside him and he couldn’t handle it. His eyes were seeing red, boiling hatred threatened to burst out of his chest, and his screech releasing all of this pierced the heavens! C-Rex’s mind blared alarms as he turned to see the charging pterosaur. He should’ve been here; he should’ve protected them and yet he didn’t… the only thing left was to avenge them!

When the atomic flyer turned his feet toward the ocean beast and slammed into him, it felt like he had the strength of a tidal wave. With no room to run, the abyssal hunter let his carapace take the brunt of the tackle. That didn’t save him from the wild pecking that threatened to poke his eyes out. With Rodan pinning him down, there was little he could do. Squirming his way to his side, he slammed his leg into his chest.

Pushing back the relentless onslaught, C-Rex hurried to get off the cave walls and pushed against the monster of the skies. There was no way he was going to be able to defend himself against this kaiju in this small cave, he needed to get to the ocean. The flying reptile smacked him with his wings before grappling him with his feet. Talons dug into the flesh of the tentacled terror, the two of them pushing and shoving against each other. The mutant was shocked with just how strong the pterosaur was despite the being smaller.

The fury of the creature was clear as day and it was intimidating. The tentacles coming from its center began adding themselves into the fight, wrapping his face and limbs. Rodan thrashed to escape his grip, the crustacean tyrant slamming him into the cave walls to stop him. The male clawed against the left leg with his talons, gashes bleeding into the water. The sea monster bit down a cry as he tried to slam him into the wall again.

The pain pulsating from his leg wouldn’t let him use his full strength and that fact was something his captive could take advantage of. The vengeful widower ripped himself out of the mutant’s grip and lunged at him, thrusting his beak toward him. Before the biological spear could pierce him, the deep sea beast ducked under the swooping saurian. Backing away for a moment, the terror of the deep revealed what was covering the supersonic scourge’s mate as he spat a thick stream of tar all over his face. The massive Pteranodon cried out as he was blinded, the substance sticking to him.

The gangly sea monster rushed toward the pterosaur and pushed him away; now was his chance! Running as fast as his legs could carry him, he rushed out of the cave trapping him and reached the water as the crimson monster struggled to get the tar off. Raking his own face against the cave, he tore the worst of it off before turning back to the killer. Sprinting his own way out, the bird-like beast would’ve jetted off into the sky had it not been for his foe grabbing him from midair and swinging him back down. It was clear he was not getting out of here without a fight, so he needed to stay on top until he could find a way to escape.

Little did he know, Rodan had a few tricks up his metaphorical sleeves as well. The strength of his leathery wings were useful for more than just going from one place to another for starters. Tensing the muscles in his wings, he created a sonic boom against the mutant. The Caribbean apex predator cried out in surprise as it blew him away from him. Now with time to spare, the atomic monster took off into the sky as he originally intended.

C-Rex would’ve made for a tackle had it not been for his enemy grabbing him by his separated mouth and lifting him in the air. The speedster of Monster Island turned back toward the cave and swung him into the wall, the flower mouthed fiend crying out in pain as he crashed back into the Earth. He couldn’t even react to the vengeful aerial monster coming from him and raking across his face with the spikes lining his stomach, sonic booms worsening the situation by pinning him down. The crustacean stood back up, looking at the radioactive reptile circling him like a bird of prey. Spraying his tar would likely just get it blown right back at him with the strength of this creature’s flight.

There was an option open to him as he dashed toward the ocean, his enemy giving pursuit. Turning toward the vengeful kaiju, the theropod imitating arthropod clubbed the pursuing pterosaur with his left foot. Wasting no time with the kaiju descending, the abyssal horror slammed his body into him ensuring he’d crash land, before raising his other foot and stomped him into the ground, pinning the ancient creature under the water. Bubbles popped in rapid succession as the flying monster began to drown, thrashing in his grasp.

Brief moments of wrathful screeching rang out before C-Rex slammed him back down. Wings batted against him time and again, the mutant struggling to stay strong to keep his potential killer against the ground. It was time for his final attack, a gift bestowed upon him by his parents on their passing, as he channeled the energy within him and let it out in a pink beam that caught the sea monster in its tentacled chest. Not seeing it coming, the Uranium Heat Ray did what his body couldn’t and dislodged the crustacean.

The sea monster snapped out of his stupor, wrapping his tentacles around the potential father as he took a few flaps into the air. The crimson bird cried out from the arthropod refusing to let him go, but wouldn’t let the murderer stop him as he dragged it along with his flight. The deep sea creature tried to grab the ground with his elephant-like feet to anchor himself, but such biological design meant that wasn’t an option. He tried to hock more tar at him instead, but the atomic pterosaur fired at the messy substance before it could connect. What followed was the tar going alight, a screech sounding as the beast clamped his flowered mouth shut before it could burn him from the inside.

Leaving his enemy to take off into the sky, the tar eater plunged into the water to get rid of the flames. Luckily, while it did leave him with burns, it wasn’t enough to be debilitating thanks to his quick escape to the water. He looked up to the pterosaur, circling menacingly now that his enemy was back in his element. More Uranium Heat Rays shot one after another as he laid burning pain from above. C-Rex was luckily in his element as well, being able to evade his moves underwater.

The sea monster depended on his carapace to withstand the fearsome rays of energy as he swerved left and right away, waiting for an opening. As the aquatic apex predator ventured further out into the ocean, he realized there was a growing opportunity beneath him. The water was getting deeper the further they went, so he dove further down. Maybe he could get out of sight, and it’ll get that mad bird to stop firing. It was an effective strategy, the vengeful flyer beginning to lose sight of his hated adversary already.

Scanning the area, the only thing left to do was wait until he popped up. To incentivize him to come back, the primeval revenant flew just low enough to hover above the water. It worked as tentacles shot up at his spiked chest, only to flinch away as the magenta ray raked across them as its user flew down lower. With talons ready, he drove them into the ocean to grab his enemy’s split face and pull him out of his habitat. The ocean beast’s cries were music to the vengeance fueled pterosaur as he dragged him back to the island.

The mutant was so close to escaping that he got greedy and tried to take down his enemy. Well, a lot of good that did! He needed to think of something and fast! The crustacean hunter spat out a stream of tar, only for the beaked head of his foe to tilt away just enough to let it fly in the opposite direction. He was not going to let him out of his sight a second time. The unwilling passenger was amazed by his strength as they were indeed lifted all the way back to the island.

Looking straight toward the scene of where this all started, Rodan prepared to swing all the way back down. C-Rex panicked when he made the movement; he’d splatter all over the place if he were dropped there right now! In a moment of desperation, he sprayed his tar right at his foot, keeping them rooted onto him. The atomic flyer cried out in shock as he felt the abyss monster literally stick to him. The willing hostage gave him no time to get him off as he sprayed the other leg.

The monster of the skies knew he had to think of a way to get the tar off and finish off this killer, so he went to yank it off with his beak. Not only did this not work, but it made the situation even worse as now his beak was caught. This meant he couldn’t control his flight anymore as the monster bird tried to pull himself free. With no focus on his flight, they careened to their destination. The mutant predator cried out in horror; what had he just done?!

He hadn’t accomplished anything by doing what he just did! If anything, this was even worse than before! He made the tar too. Of all creatures, he knew just how fruitless trying to take it off was. All he could do was brace for impact… but he could control how he took the impact. Climbing up Rodan until they were eye level, he wrestled with the monstrous Pteranodon for his course of action.

Rodan cried out in confusion, not understanding just what he was trying to do as C-Rex turned them around. Now the tentacled terror was the one above the crimson monster as they continued their descent. The radioactive pterosaur turned around to see what was going on and his eyes shot open in alarm when he realized. He was so focused on killing his mate’s killer that it blinded him from the freefall! With a sense of urgency, the ancient beast pulled up with all his might to get himself out of the trap.

The terror of the skies screeched out his fury at the C-Rex for his cowardly actions leading to this situation. He went for a Uranium Heat Ray directly in his face, only for the split faced freak to keep his beak shut with his own mouth. There was no way he was going to let him use that beam on him, not when death was staring him right in the face. It didn’t matter what he had to do, he had to keep his weapon away from him until they hit the ground. The supersonic beast thrashed around, swallowing the energy down as tried to break himself free.

The tentacled terror wouldn’t give him that freedom, biting down harder no matter how much strength he put into breaking out. His mouth was not designed for biting, so there was no true pain beyond the squeezing, but it got the job done. The Caribbean super predator flinched when he felt something nick his foot. Taking a glance down, he saw it was the freed foot. He extended some of the tentacles in his chest to grab the attacking foot, knowing he couldn’t afford any distractions.

In frustration, Rodan drew his pair of wings back, tightening the muscles in them. The center tentacles went straight for the wings, grabbing them with all their might to keep the sonic boom from being created. The mutant wasn’t sure he could keep this up with the kaiju literally breathing down his neck. There were too many variables to have to think about all at once and one wrong move meant it was over. He looked down to the ground, seeing that they were getting way too close for comfort.

A rough estimate said just a few more minutes and they would crash-land. He just needed to hold out until they finally came down to earth and try to be in better shape than the pterosaur. While the mutant monster contemplated all of this, the flying monster broke out of the grip he had on his beak and screeched. Before he could let out the Uranium Heat Ray he was looking for, C-Rex let out a stream of tar into his throat. The saurian’s eyes widened in shock as he violently choked on the black gunk currently clogging his throat.

The crimson bird lost focus on anything that wasn’t the fact that he couldn’t breathe, rapidly thinking of what he should do. There and then, the cruel crustacean saw his plan of action. The pumping adrenaline of the monster of the skies meant the special effect of the tar wouldn’t drain him fast enough, but it would at least buy him some time. Biting his beak again and redirecting the pterosaur toward him, he spat more tar at him to keep his trap shut completely. In a fit of rage, the winged monster yanked his foot out of the tentacles’ grip and slammed both feet into him.

C-Rex cried out in terror as he was flung off, the tentacles wrapped around his foe’s wings the only thing keeping him up. The deep sea super predator wrapped his legs around the aerial ace and climbed up the pterosaur. With him so close, the sonic boom trick he went for before was completely worthless now. All the beast needed was one last push and-

*BOOM*

Before either of them knew it, terra firma had come for them. The only sign of them was the giant cloud of dust that shot out of the earth. Other than that, the only noises came from the rain and lightning up in the sky as well as the rocks flying into the ocean. As the dust cleared, the pair could be seen lying down in the remnants of the cave. Neither were unconscious, which meant the horrible pain was alive and well in them.

The cuts, bruises, and broken bones were clear. While Rodan wasn’t paralyzed as he could still try to stand up, he couldn’t move his legs without blinding pain. C-Rex too had trouble moving, cracks all over his exoskeleton. His plan did work somewhat, at least allowing him to stand up despite his wobbling legs from the excruciating aura surrounding him. A sense of relief came to the tentacled monster; there was no way the radioactive reptile was going to be able to keep up the fight after this.

The nuclear mutant got off his hunter and slowly but surely made his way back to the ocean, wanting to just put this mess behind him. Before he could make any distance away from the kaiju, a familiar ray of energy shot right into his face. For a moment, he stared wide eyed at the shooter in shock as half the world went into darkness. All he saw was the hatred he’d been staring at him all throughout the fight.

Even after all that, when he couldn’t stand, let alone fight, he still wanted to come after him?! C-Rex stomped back in his fury, wanting to put this demon from the skies down once and for all. Taking a labored breath, he spat as much tar as he could in one stream. It covered his wings, his damaged legs, and his neck as he made sure he couldn’t so much as move his head from the trap. When he was finished, the split faced beast began to violently cough, spraying small amounts of blood.

When he could see through the whiteness and floaters dancing around his eyes, he saw his drastic measures before him. The atomic terror wasn’t making a single move this time, not after what he just did. This fight was finally over, he could just go home. Letting out his aggressions, he made for the ocean and disappeared within it. The trapped pterosaur meanwhile could only lie there, having the nutrients in his body bleeding out of him now with no energy to keep pushing him forward.

His eyes scanned the cave hoping to find his mate one last time. She was still there… completely buried in rubble. The only thing he could recognize of her were her cracked and broken feet. The final male Rodan didn’t even bother to stop the tears rolling down his face as he let everything that had just transpired sink in. He was wrong… he couldn’t even avenge those close to his heart.

The only thing left for him in his last days on Earth before the tar consumed him was failure. He had closed his eyes, accepting his fate. He felt that the world was truly cruel for doing this to his kind… but the truth of the matter was this was not true. There was no cruelty at play here. While the sky had been hell for those who flew it, the same could be said for those who swam beneath the waves.

Maelstroms attacked those below the water and tidal waves swallowed those above it. Life had been completely unstable for those living underneath the oceans, especially for those like the C-Rex. Food was near unattainable with the waters in such turmoil. It was a desperate situation for him by the time he had reached the cave that kept the family. It was supposed to be simple; just take the egg and run.

The experienced hunter just saw that she gave birth from a safe distance, so there was no way she’d be in fighting shape… or so he thought. Just when he was able to grab the egg, she pounced on him before he realized what was even going on. In a panic, the sea monster fought for a chance to get her off… and ended up killing her as a result. That was what it was, there was no truly malicious intent. It was never meant to go this far; he was a desperate creature that meant to take food after months of starvation.

There was nothing that could be done about it now. The migrating mutant went his way out further into the turbulent oceans. Eventually, the mayhem that came from this mess would be forgotten as the past tended to be. It was time to move on to the rest of his life and not turn back. When tranquility returned to the world again, C-Rex would make sure this time was the last time something like this happened.

Winner: C-Rex