Author: Vincent Rodger | Banner: Keaton Johnson

What was this place?

A city hidden away under the waves of the Pacific Ocean, its foundation deep within the Baltic Sea’s floor. It was a strange sight, gigantic towers which almost reached the surface pointed towards the sky as cyan colored water flowed from parts of the massive series of structures. Each building looked to be covered in moss, which glowed as the ancient writing hidden across its form revealed itself. A language long dead and forgotten by humanity, catching the leviathan’s eye as he attempted to understand what was occurring.

Surrounding him were what looked to be stars within the sea, glowing blue dots sitting still as they stared at the ancient city, a sense of unease filling his mind with each passing second as images suddenly flashed within his mind. The ancient guardian of our world shook his head as he attempted to process everything coming to him, everything seeming to scream as voices began to grow louder.

“Gojira!”

“My king, my king…”

“Please help us!”

“Where were you!?”

“Save us!”

The voices screaming in agony appeared to be human in nature, growing louder and louder as the vision of the strange city began to fade into darkness. Flickers of embers sparked in random beats as a strange eerie sound came crashing in, the cries of death being aided by a tribal drum beating. The monster king looked in all directions as he attempted to move, only to be held in place by a mysterious force.

The city continued to fade away into the abyss, the stars being the only thing he could see around him as everything else turned to black and became silent. That was until one by one, far in the distance, red orbs began to brighten through the abyss. The stars were met with burning suns boiling the surrounding water with its sheer rage, his eyes widening when he realized what he was staring at. A gigantic form, perhaps even beyond the ancients that towered over the Titans. Something was staring directly at him and for the first time in the monster king’s existence… he felt small.

Lightning seemed to flash within the waters, for a moment illuminating the entity’s form towering before him, and just as suddenly, his eyes opened. He was standing near the colosseum within the human city that he had often found to be a resting place, water falling from his massive jaws as he took in heavy breaths. His lungs felt like they were on fire as water filled them, continuing to vomit out the element as he slightly collapsed onto his knees, some blood being mixed in with the liquid that filled the city’s streets. The nearby civilians all watched in shock and fear as they pulled their cameras out and began to record the strange occurrence. The strongest Titan of the planet awakening and suddenly having an ill reaction must have had something to do with the sky’s colorization.

The ancient alpha predator looked up into the sky as he forced himself to his feet, a low growl exiting his maw as yellow orbs saw the disturbance he had felt within his dream. The skies were a dark, putrid green as the signal he felt in his slumber pulsed across the world. Black clouds roiled as the surface’s alpha puffed in his chest before unleashing a defiant, booming roar into the sky. He declared a challenge to the entity that would dare invade his mind and his world, all the while calling the rest of the slumbering Titans across the planet.

Only to be met with silence.

Minutes passed and he heard nothing, the leviathan taking steps forward as he unleashed another bellow out to the world, his echoing voice demanding an answer from his subjects and allies. Only to be yet again met with an eerie silence.

How long had he slept? He thought as he stepped into the water, following a trail to the ocean as his mind began to race. Why would no one answer his call to war? Mothra had been revived recently and yet he did not feel her presence, Kong had gained the tyrannical ape’s kingdom after their victory and yet he did not hear an answer back from the King of the Great Apes. Every one of his subjects could not be felt across the world, his world had lost balance in an instant.

Had they all been slain? Had this creature kept him in a comatose state as it slaughtered everything he had ever fought to protect? Chaos rippled through his home in what seemed to be an instant, but whatever dared attempt to take his home would face death by atomic might. The life signs of millions caught his senses as he finally made it to the ocean, quickly sinking beneath the waves and heading straight towards the source of this strange occurrence. Whatever he was approaching, it felt like it was death itself.

If his life was required to save this world, then so be it, but the leviathan would make it suffer beyond anything it had ever felt.

Godzilla, the alpha titan, had evolved to his apex in the last confrontation and with this power, he would incinerate the demon’s heart.

***

Nothing seemed to sit right within his head, the ocean felt as if its very waters were poisoned. Its hue was not the dark aquatic blue that he had known his entire life, but a deep eerie emerald. It dyed the abyss just as much as it had consumed the sky, the vital parts of the planet’s very essence had drastically changed as he rested. It wasn’t just a visual change, something had shifted within the very energy of his home.

The unique connection that he had felt to the planet from devouring the star all those eons ago, the very power that granted him his almost unimaginable might, also gifted him with feeling the world around him.

It was something else entirely, something far more ancient than even the hydra from the stars. It was as if he felt the essence of malevolence, the sheer pressure of it also causing alarm within his mind. He would soon reach his destination, the unique signature being tracked to where he had first encountered modern man. A bomb created from the atom luring him to what they hoped to be his doom, and yet he had survived due to his unique biology.

The creatures that surrounded him barely resembled any life that he had seen in his many millennia of existence; they looked like a warped, deranged mimicry of the planet’s natural wildlife. Below him was a creature that made him want to lash out, while he couldn’t exactly get the clearest picture within his line of sight, the intruder brought rage at the mere size of it. Nearly as long as him, a sea serpent of dark green scales with fleshy tentacles bursting out from its underside. Numerous tiny, hollow eyes shined with a pallid light above a hideous maw of needle-like teeth and more tendrils. The problem was not just the being’s appearance, but the energy radiating off of it, a dense nodule of the same wretchedness coating the planet.

“Do you truly believe you can destroy him?” The creature asked as it swam beneath him, its gaze not leaving his own for even a moment.

The monster king growled a little, the vibrations from the water forming bubbles as the ancient predator snarled his lip.

“I have already grown aware of your accomplishments, your majesty, and yet all I see in your future is damnation.”

Godzilla once again snarled, sharp razor sharp fangs revealing themselves as the aquatic reptile grew angrier from the invader’s statement. He had defied death time and time again, restored balance to his home with swift vengeance as the planet’s arbiter. The nuclear leviathan had grown stronger since he had first awakened in the modern age, his power the strongest that his entire species had witnessed in their history. He would turn the invading force into nothing but ash as he released a defiant roar of victory into the sky, as he had always done.

“Arrogant monarch. It is unavoidable, the events that will transpire, and just as he predicted, you will be consumed as many others before you have.”

The way that this creature spoke of the oncoming threat interested him, the raw energy that he sensed from the beginning of this endeavor. It was confident that he would be slain by whatever commanded these changes to the world, that it was truly above and beyond his capabilities. He let out a soft roar at the entity, promising that he would end its master with glee in his heart.

“Fool.”

And just as the creature appeared within the emerald sea, it vanished without a trace before his very eyes. For a moment he considered pausing and trying to track it to then end its existence, but he had bigger problems to deal with. He continued to swim towards his destination, only to find himself already there.

He rose from the emerald depths, its putrid waters flowing off of his form, waterfalls traveling between his dorsal spines as he stood on the shore. The monster king was surrounded by a thick green fog, the smog covering all the eye could see as he stepped forward, only to notice something horrific. His eyes widened as he realized what was beneath his feet, the emerald waters hiding the horrors from him, but here on the surface he was able to see clearly.

Blood dyed the sands and top layer of the sea red, the corpses of thousands of various sea life floating in the water and covering the sand beneath his feet. A disgusted roar filled with hate emitted from his maw as he once again challenged the being that was responsible, his very being vibrating from the sheer power shaking within his body.

For a moment he was met with more silence, only for an answer to finally be given.

“Ancient predator on the prowl, through the night you will hear his mighty howl. Guardian of balance, will destroy all challenges to his throne for this planet he owns.”

Godzilla looked around him, attempting to spot whatever was speaking to him, taunting him. Confusion began to run through his mind, the leviathan standing in a defensive position as he took in his surroundings. Anticipation rose every second that the beast did not reveal itself, red bolts of lightning surrounding the dark puffing clouds before descending towards the ground. Thunder echoing through the island of death, a low growl exiting his maw as frustration forced its way to the surface.

“In the name of Azathoth, I will shred your soul, oh great ‘Godzilla’. Your home will be claimed just as many worlds have.”

Come out and face me! The leviathan demanded as he roared once more, the creature taunting him was nothing more than a coward that hid behind words of pompous pride. Until it revealed itself to the outside world, it was nothing more than an arrogant voice.

The serpent had come to claim this world, revealing a storm of death in the form of gold. When they had been revived within the mechanical doppelganger created by humanity’s worst aspects, he had managed to seal the demon away in the claws of death once and for all with Kong’s aid. When the ancient freezing goliath and her captor had returned after eons of being sealed away at the end of the war, they had finally managed to slay the Skar King and free the Great Apes.

This new entity was nothing but a coward compared to them, a voice promising death yet daring not to show itself. A chuckle exited Godzilla’s maw for a moment, not of arrogance, but to draw out the threat to his home. If the creature wished to taunt him, then he would do the same.

The thunder cracked once more as the fog that surrounded him began to retreat, the ancient alpha turning to see the hideous smog begin to accumulate near the water. The leviathan watched with a curious gaze, breathing in as rage began to build only for the truth to reveal itself and make fear slightly climb into his mind. The entity had been there the entire time in the form of smoke, slowly transforming into that of solid matter.

For a moment, Godzilla had considered simply devouring the challenger while within this form, but seeing the very scope of the situation made him give pause. This creature was unlike anything he had ever seen, the very world changed with its arrival, millions already perishing with it simply being awakened.

Then a realization emerged within his mind as to why his fellow Titans had not answered the call, either possibility being equally as horrific. Either they had all died fighting while he had slept, or they simply remained in hiding knowing what kind of power this was. Perhaps slaying Tiamat had given them pause to aid him against this eldritch being, even if it was necessary in his mission against the enslaved elder.

The creature’s form had finally revealed itself, its frame was much larger than Godzilla had anticipated, matching him in height with a blubberous form. Barnacle-like tumors covered the creature’s gigantic form, elephantine legs like tree trunks supporting it, each ending with four ivory talons. Twin arms raised into the sky as thunder echoed once more, four clawed fingers pointing towards the heavens themselves, as a tiny pair of shredded wings opened on the creature’s back. Dozens of tentacles hung on the creature’s face, protecting his maw as they began to move. Eight red orbs looked downward at the champion of the Earth, each filled with a burning hatred for life as we know it.

The high priest of the great old ones, Cthulhu, had arrived to do as he always did. Consume this world for his masters.

“Oh great arbiter of nature, I believe you deserve a warrior’s death. I will grant that to you before your world is consumed.” The great old one’s rumbling voice resonated like a storm.

For a moment Godzilla hesitated to charge forward, a brief fear before he gritted his teeth and beelined straight towards the elder god. The sand under his feet flew upward as he unleashed a roar at his opponent.

“It is unavoidable, Chosen One,” the high priest spoke as the leviathan was almost on top of him. “It is your destiny to fall on this day.” The eldritch cephalopod raised his arm high before swinging downward at Godzilla, the fist instantly making contact with the nuclear behemoth’s skull and sending him to the ground with a thud. Red bolts of electrical energy bounced between his fingers, the otherworldly goliath unleashing the energy across the rising Titan’s body, earning a roar of pain as Godzilla mustered the strength to keep going. Opening his jaws as he reached out and grabbed ahold of the limb, the guardian sank his fangs into the soft flesh, shaking his head side to side for a moment to cease the flowing stream of power. A futile effort, as Cthulhu simply raised his other hand into the air before striking downward, the ancient leviathan being pushed back once more before continuing the assault.

The monster king quickly turned, swinging his tail directly at the deity’s chest, the thagomizer slicing through flesh like butter. This earned a grunt of annoyance from the deity as he reached out, wrapping his hands around the spiked tail before he began to spin. Godzilla let loose a cry of surprise as he was lifted into the air with ease, the eldritch humanoid throwing him across the battlefield into a rock wall. An avalanche of boulders descended to cover the ancient predator’s body.

In between the cracks of the rocks that engulfed him, bright sapphire light emerged. It almost seemed to burn away the putrid emerald green that poisoned the sky for a moment as the vibrant color grew brighter, a loud hum echoing as energy built before Godzilla’s signature attack could be unleashed. The Atomic Breath broke through in an instant, the beam of radiation slamming directly into the entity’s chest, sending him backwards as his feet dragged into the earth below. “Most impressive,” the cephalopod spoke before simply disappearing, the beam of power slamming into a cliffside, destroying it completely as Godzilla emerged from the rubble. Shaking off the dust and boulders as he crawled out like a crocodile, he kept his guard up as he attempted to relocate the enemy.

The alpha Titan squealed as he was suddenly kicked in the stomach, sending him flying closer towards where the land met the sea. Sand flew into the air as he crashed with a loud thud, the leviathan letting loose another roar as he leapt at the enemy, only for him to disappear once again before his very eyes. Seemingly fading from existence, he effortlessly pushed his form through the nearby cliffside with no reaction to be made, the monster king’s eyes widening as he attempted to make note of what he was facing.

Another jerk caught him off guard as the entity emerged from the ground before him, his hand wrapping around the evolved predator’s throat as he rephased into our domain. Lifting him into the air before slamming him into the cliffside repeatedly, earth fell below to the poisoned sands, the elder one overpowering the world’s strongest protector in only a few well played moves.

Red lightning once again danced around his free hand before sending volts of energy across the guardian’s body, this time earning a roar of pain as the power amplified. In a risky move, Godzilla quickly wrapped both hands around Cthulhu’s own. While his mouth was still shut, that did not mean he could not act. The alpha pulled Cthulhu in for a moment, sapphire light once again glowing from his body, only this time across his entire form. Heat climbed rapidly, beginning to burn the sea creature’s flesh. Smoke rose from his limb as each crimson orb stared curiously, only to be met with power incarnate.

An Atomic Pulse unleashed from all across the leviathan’s form, burning the soft flesh as it sent the deity soaring into the water. He slammed into the waves before being consumed by them. Godzilla stumbled to his feet as he quickly regained his breath before taking the steps forward he needed to pursue the invader, quickly attempting to leap in after the deity.

A bright green emerald light slammed into Godzilla’s form, haunting him completely as the ghosts of his past wars emerged before him. Enemies across his life all roared with hatred in their hearts as they surrounded him, the group towering over him.

What was even occurring at this point? First the invader had disappeared and reappeared without even affecting the very world around him, and now his greatest adversaries had emerged before him. The MUTOs that he had slain quickly charged from the side as he was caught up in the train of thought, the leviathan attempting to prepare for their assault. Pain suddenly flared across his body as a blade quickly slashed across his chest. His gaze turned to see the wretched Skar King throwing his bladed whip at him, slicing the flesh across his leg, earning enough of a distraction for the couple of parasites to rush past. Their blades hooked into Godzilla’s flesh as they attempted to drag him away, the ancient monarch growling in frustration before he simply reached down to their necks and slammed them into the sands below.

He crushed their heads in with one swift action, which for some reason triggered a slight migraine as a rush of pain speared through his skull. The ancient protector of the planet shook his head, attempting to free himself of it before another whip slash made its way across his back. He cringed in pain as he turned and charged at the great ape. The evolved alpha roared with fury, before suddenly he felt an electrical surge and hellish cold wash over him. The elements engulfed him in pain as he saw the gigantic figures of King Ghidorah and Shimo stand above him.

The pair of world-enders chuckled as their powers combined at a center point, pushing Godzilla across the ground with a roar of anguish echoing through the “infected” valley. His body began to glow pink once again, radiation rising in power as a low growl exited his maw. Jaws parted and revealed a gateway of power wreathed in bright light. The charge took a bit longer just to draw out its true power and destroy all of the threats that stood in his way, unleashing the Sapphire Spiral Ray directly at the trio. Before they could react, they were all engulfed in pink and blue atomic fire, the beam completely devouring them and destroying the landscape behind them in one motion.

Godzilla quickly returned to his feet, surveying his surroundings as his adrenaline pumped to its max, putting him on edge. An all too familiar roar echoed from above him, his eyes widening in confusion and horror as the newly crowned king of the great apes dropped from the sky holding a large boulder. The massive rock formation shattered into shards across his skull as it threw him to the ground, earning a deep hate from the nuclear leviathan to see Kong aiding this new threat. Before he could act and take his vengeance against the one who betrayed him, he was suddenly taunted through the dust, a sinister laugh daring him to make a move…

Mechagodzilla rushed through the thick dust, one of the mechanical doppelgänger’s fists slamming into the monster king’s skull and sending him into the mountain itself. It broke apart under the Atomic Punch, rocks crashing on top of his form once again as a cry of surprise and pain exited his maw. The creation of Apex Cybernetics stood tall alongside Kong, energy building from within its core as the Proton Scream began to climb to the surface. Opening its metallic fangs, the crimson glow intensified, but Godzilla made the first move. Bursting out from the rock slide with a full sprint, wrath billowing in his heart, the goliath lunged forward. His talons sank deep into the midsection of the abomination’s torso, quickly pulling the top half of the entity away from the demon’s body with a swift motion, ending its return in one attack.

Godzilla roared into the skies as he let the victory sink in for a moment. He had just eliminated every foe that they had faced with swift action, even as… this made no sense. How had Mechagodzilla even returned in the first place? Had this entity far older than him possessed the ability to resurrect the dead? It would also explain why Skar King, King Ghidorah, and the Mutos had returned. But then, why would his ally that had helped him with the previous crisis be on the same side as the invaders? Even if they had disagreed with each other, he highly doubted that Kong would trade their home for something far worse.

Wait, where had Kong even gone?

Suddenly Godzilla’s vision began to blur. He fell to one knee as blood burst from his maw, pouring out like a waterfall past his fangs. The images of his previous foes all disappeared as he continued to blink, fading quickly into nothing as if they were never there in the first place.

The leviathan felt something falling down his chest, looking down and realizing that the attack that he had landed on Mechagodzilla had instead been on himself. A gigantic wound had been carved into him by his own hand. He snarled, realizing that his own mind had been used against him. The pain he felt from striking the MUTOs should have been his first clue.

He had been used.

“I can see why this world sees you as its savor,” A booming voice spoke as Godzilla turned to his side, seeing the eldritch entity tower over him. “However futile their hopes are that you will save them, you have my respect.” The defender of balance attempted to swipe at the looming evil, only for his hand to break with a single blow. A demonic cry of pain exited the king’s jaws as he stepped back, cringing as more blood exited the gaping gash across his chest. Attempting to fight past the pain, he quickly turned around, aiming the thagomizer to strike Cthulhu’s skull. This only resulted in the same agony his hand had, the bone shattered and the limb falling limp as Godzilla collapsed to the ground from the shock, fear building like a volcano ready to burst.

He quickly adapted, dropping onto his one good hand and running away on three limbs before turning. Atomic energy once again climbed up his dorsal plates, one by one glowing bright with power… when suddenly they began to die down in color. Blood erupted from his maw once more as his atomic flames failed to rise, only being met with an agonizing realization.

He was going to die here.

He could not even tell if this was reality or simply another mind altering illusion, but he knew this creature was far above even the world ender that has been freed from Skar King. His lungs felt as if they were about to burst, blood continued to pour out of his wounds, and multiple limbs were completely broken from simply landing blows on the creature. His strongest attacks could not be summoned, he couldn’t do a damn thing to save his world!

“It seems that you realize the truth, your world is doomed,” Cthulhu stated before entering a full sprint, breaking the very ground beneath his feet as he quickly closed the distance. Godzilla attempted to act, failing as the elder wrapped his hand around the leviathan’s throat, lifting him into the air before throwing him into the poisoned water that lined the beach. The monster king sank deeper into the waves with every second that passed.

For the first time in his entire existence, he had felt utterly helpless. Every foe that had emerged to bring ruin to his world had been slain by the vengeful arbiter of nature with swift action. Even if he required the aid of his fellow Titans or humanity, he had always been victorious.

Now he began to sink beneath the emerald poisoned waves as he felt the darkness engulf him, the light of the surface slowly disappearing, the world around him becoming pitch black.

“Countless worlds have been devoured by our shadow,” The leviathan attempted to scan his surroundings in an attempt to locate the voice’s source, hearing it louder than before while on the land. “And countless more will be consumed by our hand after yours, not a single world has gone unconquered by forces beyond your comprehension,” Godzilla’s eyes widened in pure fear as he realized the source, slowly looking below him to see gigantic red orbs staring at him just like the vision had shown before. “Your memory will be erased, every accomplishment going unnoticed by the cosmos as all life is extinguished, so declare my masters.”

A hideous maw revealed itself as the tentacles spread out, the monster king attempting to scream as the horror fully reached him, only for the demon of the stars to swallow him in one gulp.

Why wasn’t this the end?

He opened his eyes, finding himself in the ancient city that he had once called home. Every building was restored, birds flying high above him as the day’s rays fell down on him and the city. What was this? The foes of his past had emerged to weaken him before he had been consumed into another illusion, was this another way to break his spirit? Showing him his past failures, his damnation being determined in his life’s story?

It had seemed his questions were answered as he heard a honk from behind him, his eyes widening as he stared at the resurrected form of a past ally. Who he trusted more than anyone but Mothra in his long life, his general, his friend… it had seemed that Anguirus had come to haunt him in his final moments. Flames engulfed the city with every blink, his most trusted friend continuing to simply stare at him as one by one the bodies of those he had vowed to protect began to pile up in the environment. His subjects lining the battlefield completely, the ancient alpha roared at the returned form of his general, demanding the reason for this vision.

The figure simply continued to stare as he slowly opened his maw, the ankylosaur taking his time as his flesh began to melt away, revealing bone underneath the sludge as it fell onto the ground like mud. More bodies continued to line his sight, consuming the monster king in a sense of guilt as he spotted the remains of Kong’s new kingdom. The great ape lay on his back with the royal ax embedded into his chest, his adopted child’s only remains he could see being an arm hidden in the rubble, and the freed first alpha had been torn in half.

Then as the ashes fell from the sky, each little dot was not a dark gray as it naturally occurred, but seemed to resemble the wings of his symbiotic partner. Godzilla closed his eyes as he shook violently, grinding his fangs as rage began to consume him, feeling the immense pain that would occur if he could not destroy the invader once and for all. All life would be lost, every battle he had ever fought rendered meaningless as his name was never again uttered in this world.

His train of thought was cut off as a painful, warped scream rose from Anguirus’ maw, most of his form now fleshless as a skeleton stood within the sludge. The sound was like nails on a chalkboard, a haunting eerie cry of agony emerging from the deceased ankylosaur’s maw with only a few skips like that of a record player the longer that the cry went on.

The horror of his fallen general began to make his head spin, covering his ears as he let out a painful squeal from the loud noise echoing across the ruins of the lost city. The horror was all consuming, however, as he felt something grab ahold of his foot. Looking down, he saw it was the severed arm of Suko grasping his leg. He had no time to breathe before he felt something massive tackle him to the ground, its fish-like reptilian form pinning him as the scent of rotten flesh filled his nostrils. The alpha titan looked up at what would dare attack him and saw the fallen form of the Ion Dragon roaring in pain. One of the creature’s arms was completely severed from the mid section, only one limb holding the alpha down with strength he had not felt from their duel years ago. Half of its skull was removed as one glowing, milky eye looked down at Godzilla.

The demon of the Hollow Earth roared as it continued to pin him, the creature’s strength overcoming his own as he attempted to free himself, only screaming in agony as something stabbed through his side. Blood sprayed into the air as his hellish scream would reach the “stars” above, his glare looking towards what had injured him and once again bearing witness to a revived specter. Scylla, with her entrails hanging from her stomach, yellow gore continuing to pour from her body as the arachnid let out a drowned chuckle. More of her blood spilt out of her tentacles as she taunted the one responsible for her demise.

An electrical surge rushed through his body as he felt fangs puncture his tail, liquid iron once again entering the air as the creature shook her form back and forth in an attempt to remove the limb. Her beautiful form was ripped apart, the body flickering pink as her energy attempted to rise only to cease. The once bright blue scales of the serpent now dull gray, ripped asunder flesh revealing bone and organs as she continued to make him bleed. Tiamat’s form brought a great rage within his heart, if she had simply gotten out of the way when he demanded in order to stop Skar King’s reign from reaching the surface, then she would still be alive.

Through the sheer pain, Godzilla forced himself up. Even as Scylla pushed her bladed limb further down into his stomach, he rose to his feet. His entire body glowed pink as he let out a quiet growl, power building as his scales began to resemble that of a star being born within the illusion. With a booming roar of defiance, the monster king unleashed another Atomic Pulse, throwing the trio of monsters across the city’s landscape. Power once again began to build as the blood began to evaporate, smoke rising from the puncture wounds across his form as he looked down at the ground.

The trio of illusions quickly rose before charging at the recovering monarch, each unleashing a hellish cry of vengeance towards the one that had robbed them of their lives. They were not quick enough, as the alpha titan unleashed an Atomic Blast directly at his feet. The ground beneath shattered like glass as he forced himself through the illusion, escaping the torture that the divinity would sentence him too in one swift action.

He let out a cry of surprise as he felt what seemed to be an eternity within only a few seconds, spinning in circles as he attempted to regain composure or even a way to slow down.

“You are persistent, I will give you that,” the entity’s voice once again echoed throughout the area, giving the leviathan pause as he finally managed to catch himself. The goliath found himself caught within the moon’s gravity and landing on his feet, dust flying as he stood tall within the void. His eyes widened at the sight before him, his almost weightless body looking upon his home’s beautiful form from above for the first time in his life. Throughout the void, billions of little white dots filled his vision. Godzilla took in the moment of beauty within the horror he had found himself in. “But our goals are simply beyond your understanding and you will see the truth before you reach oblivion.”

Suddenly, a gigantic shadow cast itself over the Earth’s form, towering over Godzilla and his home as if they were mere insects. His hand wrapped around the small world as he stared down at the leviathan, the ancient monarch taking heavy breaths as panic began to cloud his judgment once more.

For every act of courage, he was met with an even greater horror. This creature was a God, a true divine above anything that had dared enter his domain.

Those red orbs filled with hate stared down at his floating form while the stars one by one in mass began to disappear. It started slowly within his sight, before picking up in pace, entire galaxies being eradicated within a single thought. All that was left was him, only able to stare at Cthulhu holding the Earth within his grasp, the rest of the solar system disappearing behind him as he continued to stare at the Elder God.

But even through the fear that filled his mind and heart, he was defiant. Even as he shook, his body glowed bright in the darkness, Cthulhu’s glare growing irritated as he continued to view the much smaller defender of the Earth. His iron will and rage-filled soul managed to finally show results within the illusion. Cracks began to spread across the void, letting in fragments of the real world once again as they fell and shattered like glass on the “floor”. The leviathan continued to stare as a low snarl exited his maw, smoke rising from his fangs as he took in a deep breath. Emerald-colored traces of the poisoned world that he was fighting shined through, giving him a push to free himself from this hell.

It was this that allowed her song to begin to reach his ears, his eyes widening as additional hope found him through the seemingly endless void.

Mosura ya Mosura
Dongan kasakuyan indo muu

Cthulhu turned behind him, watching helplessly as music notes of pure gold appeared through his abyss, the elder god letting out a frustrated growl as the song continued to reach into Godzilla’s form.

Dengan kesaktian indukmu
Rusuto uiraandoa, hanba hanbamuyan, randa banunradan
Restuilah doa hamba-hambamu yang rendah, Bangunlah dan

The notes one by one slowly began to surround his back, his dorsal spines glowing a radiant bright pink as he continued to heavily breathe, closing his eyes with each breath. While it was not granting him more power to free himself from the entity’s clutches, her “voice” reaching him made him stronger than the dark invader could ever understand. He was not alone, even as she was far away within the Hollow Earth, it was her that would grant him the push to finish this duel once and for all.

Tounjukanraa
Tunjukkanlah
Kasaku yaanmu
Kesaktianmu…

The notes took the form of twin gigantic wings behind his form, opening up to reveal their true form in resemblance to his better half. The wings of the divine guardian of the Iwi fluttered with power, the bright gold even forcing Cthulhu to cover his face from the blinding light. Godzilla let a cocky smile form across his face, opening his eyes to reveal a brightly glowing hollow pink as he opened his maw and let loose a hellish declaration of the invader’s demise. Her voice echoed his own as he freed himself once and for all, the illusion shattering into nothing as their roars overpowered it.

Cthulhu’s eyes widened as they returned to the beach, what this creature lacked in age and power, he had in faith and will tenfold. The monster king instantly entered a sprint, closing the gap at alarming speeds as he leapt forward at the deity’s throat. They collided and crashed to the sand below, his talons slicing through flesh with ease as rage became all consuming, red engulfing all senses as his claws matched in colorization.

Slashes across Cthulhu’s chest put the dark god in a wheezing fit as ichor spilled from his tentacled maw in coughs. The ancient destroyer roared with hate as he attempted to reach out and free himself, only for the leviathan’s stump-like foot to slam onto his arm and crush it. Blood and foul gasses spilled as the limb was mangled, like a grotesque balloon bursting, tendrils of matter flailing to reconnect. Opening his maw, Godzilla attempted to reach down towards the divine’s throat, only for the free arm to block the attempt on his life. Sharp fangs punctured soft skin as the monster king shook his head back and forth. Ichor, fouler than anything else, filled his maw as it poured down the limb which soon came free with a wet pop.

“Truly impressive, you have earned the title of ‘king’ of this world,” the elder commented as a chuckle rolled from his tentacled maw. “But it will not be enough.”

Red lightning bounced in between the creature’s fingers before releasing from his talons, the electricity burning across the might king’s scales. Smoke rose from his face as the energy continued to rip apart his flesh, but yet, Godzilla pressed onward. He mangled the reconstituting limb in his grasp further, the great old one gurgling in pain as the titan king stomped on his chest.

No more! It would end here! All the pain, all the hate! This world would be saved just as he had always done since he had devoured the star all those eons ago. This abomination would be nothing more than a bad dream in the past.

Like a pool filled with all the disgusting things in the world, Cthulhu’s torso rippled and split as Godzilla’s feet kept crashing into it. Acrid fumes, smelling like upturned graveyards baking in the harsh sun, assailed the guardian as he reached down and slashed at his foe. Hateful eyes met his determined gaze, which he plucked out and added to the mess of wretchedness being pounded into the already stained sand.

Energy began to build once more from deep within Godzilla’s core, a loud thump echoing in the air as he stared downward at the invader’s chest.

“Fools,” the creature spoke with arrogance within his voice, he had been defeated and yet he continued to spit in his face! Godzilla would ensure he died a worthless death!

Time seemed to slow down as the monarch unleashed a fully powered Sapphire Spiral Ray directly at his downed and butchered target. The killing blow became nothing more than a disappeared hope as the creature faded from his sight, returning to his gaseous form…

Only for it to spark.

Light consumed his form as his scream was silenced by the gigantic explosion. Burned scales were ripped away completely as the only thing one could see that resembled his form within the divine light was a shadowy replica for a split-second. The environment around them was torn through by an incredibly large shockwave and rolling waves of fire.

Entire cliffs were eradicated in the blast, the valley of death becoming nothing more than a crater as the very ocean was pushed back by miles. Godzilla had been consumed entirely by a mushroom cloud, a chain reaction occurring when the Elder God committed such a cowardly act and retreated into mist.

The air went silent as the gas began to return to a solid state, Cthulhu’s form returning to the broken body as the dust filled the air. It would seem that the prideful monarch had been vanquished from the explosion, the power of the atom turning against him in his most pivotal moment. His body would take time to heal, but with the death of this world’s guardian, he had given Azathoth tribute in the form of another collected world. The others that would dare defy him would soon cease to exist as the Star Spawn ravaged the inhabitants. Soon, he would journey to the Hollow Earth, and face the ape that was within the leviathan’s mind.

Black rain fell onto the sands below as the waves began to return in the form of a gigantic tsunami, the element rising high and swallowing all in its path in the form of a tsunami. A small annoyance at the worst for Cthulhu as he began to open various small portals across what remained on the land, preparing to summon horrors beyond mankind’s comprehension across the world… when he noticed something in the middle of the dust. He felt a sense of horror as through the haze, he saw that same beast who had actually harmed him still standing. What was worse was his body was now shining even more brightly than before.

Despite an encroaching tidal wave, far larger than both, neither moved as they stared the other down in waist deep water stained with blood and ichor.

What remained of sand beneath the leviathan’s feet became nothing but glass that shattered beneath his weight. It was as if Cthulhu was staring at a star incarnated into a goliath. Fear climbed through his ancient mind as Godzilla continued to approach from beyond the grave, the blast only giving him the necessary boost to finish the war once and for all.

The dark god would burn from evolved fury in the form of the mighty guardian of balance, the atomic blast only reawakening the sparks of Mothra’s power that she had gifted him to finish the golden hydra all those years ago.

The mortal granted divinity charged forward in a full sprint, once again closing the gap in an instant. Cthulhu did not even have a moment to process before blazing talons and teeth sank into his throat. The dark god silently took the agony as he felt flesh separate with hellish heat. Godzilla pulled with all of his might, the weaponized bones becoming burning knives. A grotesque squelching rang out as, to his satisfaction, Cthulhu’s head was completely removed from its body in one swift motion. Ash and smoke rose from the burning carcass as he quickly turned and slammed his thagomizer into the deceased god’s chest.

The corpse was sent flying for a moment as another gigantic gash finally tore the body in half, the heat and speed creating a blazing whip. The Burning king dropped the severed head from his maw into the waters below before raising his foot high and slamming it into what remained of the carcass, finally slaying Cthulhu in one swift motion.

The Evolved fury unleashed a bellow into the sky, declaring his victory over the invader as power once again climbed to his maw. His entire form glowing as another Sapphire Spiral Ray launched into the very sky and pushed away the poison to his home. The emerald clouds parted as he began to reverse the effect of the invader’s presence in mere moments, the ultimate sign of his victory.

He continued to unleash the beam for a few minutes before ceasing, the effects of the venom to his home disappearing quickly due to his efforts. There was no need to waste more energy with the threat eliminated. Godzilla turned away from the battlefield, slowly walking deeper into the ocean’s waters as the elder’s voice once again reached him.

“You have only delayed the inevitable. One day, I will return, and send you into eternal damnation for what you have done on this day.”

Godzilla snarled, puffing smoke out of his nostrils as he continued forward, giving the corpse a glance only to realize that the body had disappeared completely. The leviathan paid it no mind before simply submerging his body into the water. He let himself sink into the now dark blue waters, relieved at the familiar hue. If these invaders would dare return to his home, he would simply send them back to whatever place they had been birthed. For he was this world’s king, and he would defend it to his very last breath.

What he had faced today was unlike any horror that had dared bring ruin to his home, and he would never forget the feeling that Cthulhu had given him as fear climbed into his mind unlike any other.

The embers of Mothra’s temporary gift began to disappear as he continued his journey back to the colosseum, the place most like the kingdom that had been lost when humanity revived him with a bomb of nuclear might. Returning to his more natural form with each second that passed, the glowing bright pink fading into the dark black scales that covered his body.

After the hell that he had just survived, he would need to rest and hopefully while he slept this time, the world would not be brought to ruin. The ancient titan needed a much needed nap in order to recover from his ordeal. Humanity would leave him alone as long as nothing dared threaten him while he slept. The leviathan held onto his consciousness like grasping onto straws as his strength began to leave him with every movement.

Just once, he wished for his slumber to be a peaceful one. He had more than earned it.

Winner: Godzilla (Legendary)