Author: Landon Soto | Banner: Matthew Williams

Monster Island. A place like no other, the landmass served as home to many of Earth’s famous monsters, hence the name. The large island was the center of an archipelago, nestled amidst clusters of smaller islands, inhabited by monsters that preferred the comfort of isolation, leaving Monster Island as the hub and home to the majority of the monstrous population.

The mighty Gorosaurus trudged along the grassy fields, passing a snoozing Baragon on his search for his favorite of the native prey. From his perch atop the towering mountainside, Varan the unbelievable watched Anguirus and Daigoro sunbathe on the warm, white sands that boarded the ocean. Rodan kept his distance, feasting greedily on the innards of a Kamacuras once foolish enough to challenge him. Gabara took a dip in the ocean to cool off, hot and exhausted from his cruel and petty activities from the morning. In spite of their nature as vicious beasts and terrible destroyers, the residents of Monster Island had a sense of humanity in their moments of relaxation. Like the humans, they wanted peace, not violence, but each of the giants would not hesitate to act in retaliation.

There was one monster that had trouble adjusting to his new home though. Up on one of the high cliffs overlooking the island, a giant humanoid sat, staring out to the horizon. The sun bathed the ‘man’ in its warmth, but he could not relax. The human team on Monster Island knew who this beast was, the famous monster of Doctor Frankenstein that took the name of his dead creator, and the story of his origins.

In 1965, Frankenstein rampaged through Hiroshima and fought with the first Baragon, confused but determined to save the humans that had showed him kindness. During their fight, the ground was torn asunder by an unexpected earthquake, and the two giants fell into the belly of the Earth. It was unknown if the Baragon survived, or if it possessed some relation to the second generation Baragon on the island, but there was no mistaking that Frankenstein was the same beast from 1965.

Frankenstein sat, pondering. He knew he didn’t quite belong, and struggled to find a place among the other monsters that populated the isle. He recalled attempting to kill the younger Baragon, acting on instinct and memories of the dinosaur’s image, but to his surprise, it showed fear over aggression in his presence, and all he remembered after that encounter was a mean kangaroo kick from the large, blue dinosaur. He was the closest thing to human on the island, which sparked up debate on whether he should stay, or be relocated to a more suitable facility. Either way, the goliath understood that if this was to be his new home, he would have to try to comply with the rules.

The troubled humanoid was broken out of his thoughts when he heard a rustling in the foliage behind him. Out from the dense plant life, a small, gray monster trotted up to the wild man. Frankenstein stared at him with interest, for he had yet to see this creature up close, hesitant to make direct contact with the others after the poor stunt he pulled with Baragon. But this young creature didn’t seem to be afraid like Baragon. Instead, he approached with apparent curiosity, perhaps just as eager to learn about Frankenstein as much as he wanted to know more about it.

Minilla cleared his throat and let out an immature version of his father’s famous roar, happily taking a seat next to the nervous hominid. Frankenstein held his ground and assessed the small monster, noting how confident and content it seemed in his presence. Slowly, his guard dropped and he began to finally relax, glad to find some hospitality after his rocky start on the island.

Frankenstein, who hadn’t quite learnt to communicate with other monsters himself, had a decent understanding of what others were trying to convey to him. He let out a gruff sound, like a bear, and nodded his head, accepting the infant’s company.

Minilla grinned, putting a clawed hand on Frankenstein as reassurance. The mountain man was surprised, for he did not expect a show of empathy like this from a creature so distant to himself. This little gray monster was the most human-like creature he had encountered, and now he sought more of his company. Minilla beamed up at the humanoid, and Frankenstein returned it with a toothy grin.

The mismatched pair relaxed on the ledge for hours, watching as the sky turned from blue and orange, and the sun dropped toward the horizon. Frankenstein wished that the moment could last forever. As the thought passed his mind, he was startled by a loud and commanding roar, echoing in the distance. He jumped and turned, letting out a started grunt and high on alert for whatever had made the call. But the little monster showed no fear of the terrifying call. Instead, he hopped to his feet and let out a sigh of disappointment, which caught the eye of Frankenstein.

Minilla looked up at Frankenstein with a less cheery expression, which earned a look of confusion across the mutated man’s features in return. He grabbed and tugged at the furs that clothed his naked form, looking not at Frankenstein, but out into the distance, toward the source of the call. The humanoid understood now.

It was a call of summons, demanding the presence of Minilla and Frankenstein both. Whoever ruled this land appeared to want to meet its mysterious new resident, and from the little monster’s urging, it was not an order to be ignored. Climbing up onto his feet, the primal human allowed Minilla to lead him on, and his new companion complied. He now knew what the call meant. He understood that he would have to prove himself soon.

The two walked through trees, valleys and bushes, higher and higher as the vegetation began to thin. On the slopes of the tallest mountain, as the pair exited the jungle, the thinning air took its toll, reducing their ability to take breath. For what seemed like hours, they trekked on up the steep path, until finally, the terrain flattened out into an open field. On the walls of the surrounding mountains, Frankenstein noticed the gathered denizens of Monster Island already waiting, watching their every move. Like him, they had answered the call, but it seemed that something else lay in store for him.

Minilla stopped and Frankenstein came to a halt behind him. Not a second later, the fierce, animalistic roar from before bellowed throughout the island. Minilla immediately ran to the source as it stepped into the valley from the opposite end, letting out a high, excited roar and hugging a bulging, toned leg of the king of the monsters himself, Godzilla.

Frankenstein took a long look at the ‘King of the Monsters’. His feet felt numb and frozen to the spot, blood running cold in the presence of this towering, terrifying monster. Godzilla was a bulky titan with charcoal black skin, big, ivory dorsal fins, and a long tail that seemed to shake the mountains whenever it smacked the ground. He was a creature, an entity, far outside the ability of the shivering human.

Godzilla eyed the new addition to Monster Island. His nostrils flared and he gritted his fangs, enraged by the creature’s resemblance to the humans that sought to bind or kill him, his family and his companions. However, it was humans that also gave the monsters a beautiful home, and even saved his life on rare occasions. He should not judge on appearances, and tempered his anger. Actions would be what determined the fate of Frankenstein, as was the law of the kingdom of monsters. The trial of combat.

The mighty saurian let out a low roar, calling out the fighters he had chosen to test the newcomer’s ability. From the valley’s entrance, three monsters emerged, one after the other; the spiked angilosaurus Anguirus, the first and most loyal of Godzilla’s friends, the irradiated pteranodon Rodan, Godzilla’s rival but trusted ally, and the adopted godzillasaurus Godzilla Junior, the eldest child and heir to the throne.

Frankenstein understood what was about to transpire, no matter of his choice on the matter. He stepped forward to stand a fair distance from the trio, accepting the terms of the trail. Without hesitation, Godzilla roared to the sky, summoning the first combatant forward. Anguirus took his place in the area, locking his eyes on Frankenstein as he assessed and prepared. He let out a sharp bark dragging his hand in the dirt, ready to charge. Frankenstein assumed his fighting stance, meeting the eyes of the spine-covered dinosaur in spite of his shaking nerves.

The spectators held their monstrous breathes, waiting to see who would strike first. They did not have to wait long.

Anguirus couldn’t contain his excitement and charged the humanoid, lowering his head with the hope to gore Frankenstein with his nasal horn. The humanoid titan reacted swiftly as he picked up a large boulder and threw it like a bowling ball at his charging adversary. Anguirus, unable to stop himself, was struck dead center on the top of his skull, sending spasms of agony pulsing through his nervous system. As he skidded across the ground, Frankenstein jumped out of his path before he came to a stop, growling deep from his chest as he brought a trembling paw to the throbbing bump protruding from his forehead.

Frankenstein saw the opportunity and took it. Quickly, he maneuvered around the dazed dinosaur, clutching Anguirus by the tail. Although he looked frail, Frankenstein possessed incredible strength of his own, and Anguirus was quick to discover this. With a surprised honk, the quadruped was dragged back and swung into the air, spinning faster and faster within the clutches of the modified man. But while his strength was great, Frankenstein was lacking in the stamina to harness it. Fatigue kicked in, and with a few last spins, he had to release his grip, sending Anguirus flying away with a shriek of terror. With a powerful crash, he slammed into the mountainside, vanishing within a thick cloud of grey dust.

The monster spectators cheered and growled at Frankenstein’s show of strength, which bolstered the hominid’s uncertain ego. He knew he had to gain their trust, and this seemed to be the best option. Focusing back on the mountain, he was met by the shape of Anguirus, snarling in anger and charging down the steep terrain. Frankenstein grabbed another boulder, but Anguirus had a way of dealing with that trick.

Charging head first again, Anguirus kept his eyes on the humanoid, barking as he came closer and closer. Like before, Frankenstein hurled the boulder across the ground, hoping lightning would strike twice in the same place. As the boulder barreled forward, Anguirus leapt into the air, curling his head toward his tail and tucking his limbs within to transform into a rolling ball of spikes. His new shape bounced on the ground, flying harmlessly over the rock, and right into the path of Frankenstein.

The mountain man tried to throw himself out of harm’s way, but his legs were caught by the rolling dinosaur, throwing the wild man into the air like a ragdoll. Anguirus rolled to a halt and uncurled from his ball, groaning and rubbing his aching neck. The new technique had much room for improvement, but he got what needed to be done. From behind him came the heavy thud of Frankenstein hitting the ground, turning around to witness as the winded titan dragged himself out of the dirt, coughing and spitting out the mud that clogged his mouth and gums. The exercise, unfortunately, distracted him from the imminent threat, as Anguirus slowly stalked closer to the distracted beast-man…

The air was knocked from Frankenstein’s lungs as Anguirus slammed his bulk upon the colossal man. Pinning the arms of his opponent down against the dirt with his toned claws, the horned beast opened his maw and clamped down onto the left shoulder of Frankenstein. The giant man howled in pain, his cries echoing across the battlefield.

Minilla chewed on his nails as he watched the intensifying battle. His knees trembled at the sight of Frankenstein hollering and bleeding across the landscape, unable to watch as his new friend was ripped apart in front of his eyes. He needed to do something. He had to stop this!

Godzilla’s deep voice halted his young son’s intentions. Meeting Minilla’s eyes, the King of the Monsters discovered any attempts to intervene with a warning growl, and the monster prince subsided immediately. Though Godzilla could partly understand the feelings of his youngest child, the rules of the challenge could not be ignored, even by their writer. Until one fell, the fighting would continue.

Blood flowed down Frankenstein’s shoulder as Anguirus shook his head violently, almost ripping the arm from the socket. With the beast’s ferocity, the limb would be torn off at this rate, unless the wild man intervened. He lashed out with his right hand, gritting his teeth against the pain flooding him and raked down the side of Anguirus’ face, catching the dinosaur’s left eye with his sharp, unclean fingernails. Anguirus’ jaws released their grip, yelping at the horrible, excruciating pain that flooded half of his vision. It gave Frankenstein the chance to ram a knee upward into the beast’s ribs, furthering the torment experienced by his adversary. With a load and shrill roar, Anguirus rolled off of Frankenstein and crashed upon his side, squirming and wheezing.

The titanic man immediately struggled up to his feet, covering the ravaged bite mark across his shoulder with a grunt of discomfort. Even with his advanced regenerative ability, it would take significant time to regain full use of the limb.

Anguirus struggled to rise onto his own four feet, snorting away the collected dust in his nostrils and shook away the cobwebs inside his skull. He charged toward the blurry shape of Frankenstein in spite of its disoriented senses. In response, Frankenstein sprinted forward and leaped over the dinosaur, planting his palms upon the spiny shell to vault over the stampeding giant. The sting of his injury surged across the feral titan’s shoulder as he touched the ground, directing an irritated groan from his lips, but with the regenerative cells kicking in now, it was no longer a concern at the moment. Frankenstein twisted around and held his hands up in his signature fighting stance as Anguirus turned around and snarled at the goliath.

The spiked monster knew that he needed another new strategy to overcome the challenger. He turned and barred his back to Frankenstein, bewildering the colossal man for the brief moment before he began to claw up the dirt beneath him. Anguirus’ toned leg muscles ripped up tons of earth with each stroke and kicked it away in the direction of Frankenstein, engulfing the giant’s form in plumes of heavy dust. He coughed and wheezed upon the clouds, swinging his arms frantically through watering vision in order to dispel the blinding veil.

It took several moments for enough of the dust to settle that he could see once again. Clapping down his arms, Frankenstein wiped his dirtied face clean with his forearm as best that he could, blinking away the last of the irritating particles. Once he could see clearly, he realized the intentions of his foe’s trick, for they had vanished from the battleground, with the obvious clue to their whereabouts a gigantic burrow, leading deep into the lightless depths of the earth.

Uprooting a tree, the human behemoth carefully stepped across the area, trying to feel the vibrations from Anguirus through the soles of his feet. The monster spectators held their breath, waiting for the next move to be made in anticipation. Anguirus’ strategy was smart, and Frankenstein would admit that, but unfortunately, the tenacious dinosaur had no knowledge of the primitive man’s history. The first Baragon had been a burrower just like him, and Frankenstein could recount that creature’s behavior in precise detail, letting him use those memories to construct a counter-strategy. A textbook case of brain over brawn.

The dirt beneath Frankenstein began to tremble, but the proto-Gargantua was prepared. He rolled out of the way, albeit awkwardly, landing with a hard thud on his rear. Anguirus exploded out of the dirt leaping upon and pinning the humanoid, snapping his jaws at the giant man in search of his face and throat. Frankenstein moved his head to avoid being mauled, thrusting his arm forward to stuff the uprooted tree into the maw of the rapid beast. Anguirus’ eyes bulged in surprise, primeval growls turning to muffled gags around the leaves and branches that clogged his maw. With his main weapon disabled, Frankenstein clamped the dinosaur’s mouth shut, pulling his own legs in to place his feet against the quadruped’s belly and, with excruciating effort, launched the ancient beast into the air.

Dirt and trees erupted into the air as Anguirus slammed into the earth, groaning in discomfort. It took a moment for the horned titan to rise up and gather himself, huffing clouds of steam from his nostrils. He spat out the tree lodged in his gums, picking at his teeth to dig out the branches and vines stuck between them.

Frankenstein ripped up a second, larger tree, hefting it with hands while he tested the weight and sturdiness, grunting in satisfaction. He raised and aimed it toward Anguirus with his extended arm as a challenge before firmly grasping it with both hands, the weapon pulled to his chest.

From Anguirus’ maw, saliva and plant matter splattered across the dry ground as he howled in fury. He charged the German beast and, with his powerful legs, leaped into the air. The dinosaur’s jaws opened wide, sharp teeth and drool glistening in the light of the sun as he flew forth at his target. The monster spectators leaned forward in anticipation and awe.

Time seemed to run at a crawl. Frankenstein swung his tree as hard as he could, and Anguirus snapped forward with teeth and claws. The clashing titans met face to face, determined to land their decisive blow against the other. There was a tense silence… followed by a sharp crack.

The ancient predator felt wood shatter into splinters against his cheek for a brief second before his face squished and his eyes slammed shut. Anguirus spun in the air for a brief moment before he skidded along the ground, carving a shallow trench in the land for several meters. He came to a stop, completely unconscious, head lolling to the side as the dazed monster’s tongue split across the grass. The broken top half of Frankenstein’s tree, broken off in the strike, impacted near Anguirus’ head, imbedded into the ground.

Frankenstein tossed the broken remains of his weapon aside. He slouched over, his chest heaving with deep breaths and sweat pooling upon his hairy brow. From around, the locals began to cheer and groan in their own trademark sounds, roaring in unison, slamming their tails on the ground, and stomping their feet. The titan has impressed them, and awakened a hunger to see more of his cunning and ferocity. The crowd grew longer in volume and their cheering intensified. They demanded an encore.

Godzilla silenced the crowd with his thunderous roar. At once, silence fell upon the valley, obeying the king’s command without resistance. A low purr of contentment rumbled from the throat of Godzilla before he motioned with a wave of his arm and a grunt for the next fighter to step forward. Junior, the eldest of the king’s spawn, stepped up to the challenge. His orange, fiery eyes stared down the humanoid and he issued a roar at the goliath, flexing his claws with audible pops of the loosened joints.

Frankenstein grunted, taking a battle stance. With the wound inflicted by Anguirus now healed over, on physical terms, he appeared fine, but the weight of fatigue was building on the colossal titan’s shoulders. He could win this battle as well, if he was quick and smart enough.

Junior charged Frankenstein and quickly closed the gap between himself and the giant man. The monster prince snapped his jaws at Frankenstein, but the humanoid evaded each attack, stepping backward frantically in wake of the green goliath’s advance. Acting on the spot, the mountain man swung his arm upward and his fist slammed into the underside of Junior’s jaw, jerking the young monster’s head upward sharply. Frankenstein swiftly acted again, throwing his left fist toward the temple of Godzilla Junior, impacting with so much force that the scales where he struck rippled like waves. Squealing in pain, Junior stumbled to the side, desperate for space away from his ferocious foe.

Frankenstein scanned the ground in search of the right tool. Grabbing a boulder half-buried in the earth, he tore it free and chucked it at the juvenile Godzilla, bouncing off the snout of Junior, who yelped in discomfort. He curled his head and neck to his chest, soothing the bruised bump tenderly with his hands and whimpered from the overbearing stinging sensation. In front of the dinosaur’s gaze, Frankenstein fell victim to the primeval urge to gloat and mock his adversary, hollering and raising both arms as he taunted the young heir and his suffering.

That was a mistake.

The monster prince grunted, lifting his head and barring twin pairs of fangs. His dorsal fins flashed vividly with a bright blue radiance, and blue vapors escaped from the corners of his snarling maw. Frankenstein paused, turning from offensive to defensive with the presence of the lights dancing along the back of Junior, watching with curiosity and caution, for a similar display was familiar within his sub-consciousness.

Junior opened his mouth and fired his lethal atomic ray. The blue blast of energy carved into the ground around Frankenstein, blasting waves of rock and soil across the wild titan’s front. Frankenstein howled in shock, stumbling backward at the surprise of the attack, using his forearms to cover himself from the pelting debris. He cried out, but clumps of dirt slammed into his open maw and clogged his crooked gums, silencing the cry almost as it started. Tears flowed down his cheeks from the tiny particles that irritated the giant’s eyes, struggling to clean them with equally filthy hands while he hacked and spat out the soil that clung to his pallet.

Out of the smoke and dust, Junior marched forth, releasing his battle cry. Frankenstein turned in the direction of his cry and spotted him through blurred vision, wiping the last few specks of earth clean from his eyes. With a clumsy start, he charged the juvenile monster, tackling into the monster prince, but struggled to push him down and wrestle him against the ground. Junior held strong and firm against the mutation’s strength. He clutched Frankenstein’s waist and broke the grasp upon, tossing the humanoid aside.

Frankenstein stumbled and fell upon his knee, scuffing it as he fell upon the roughed-up terrain. Once more, he would need to harness the intellect he was gifted with in order to match the raw power of the monster heir. He looked around for what may help, and in the corner of his right eye, he spotted an object he had grown familiar with. He grabbed the thick tree with both hands, tugging it loose with three strong pulls, wielding it as if it were the deadliest weapon to exist in history. Staring at the uprooted plant with narrowed orbs, Godzilla Junior found himself unimpressed with the strategy the beast man had chosen, and that was what Frankenstein wanted.

He lunged at the emerald saurian, closing in with great, wide bounds across the broken landscape. Before his rival could make his move, Frankenstein rammed his fist into Junior’s gut, forcing the prince to open his maw as the breath was knocked out of him. Capitalizing on the attack, he shoved the tree deep into Junior’s mouth, tangling its leaves and branches within the dinosaur’s tremendous fangs. It had worked with Anguirus, and here, the technique was just as effective. From afar, Godzilla winced at the sight of his own son, gagging on the tree’s thick canopy while he struggled to extract it.

While he was distracted, Frankenstein stepped behind. Wrapping his arms around the sub-adult godzillasaur, he managed to heft him off the ground in his clutches, albeit with a heavy strain. He huffed and puffed heavily, gritting his teeth hard against each other, fighting to maintain the strength to lift Junior high enough while he kicked and squirmed in the grasp of the giant. Summoning a final burst of energy, the fur-clothed Gargantua suddenly bent backward to the ground. Junior let out a muffled cry of alarm before he was slammed into the earth cranium-first, rattling every bone in the youngster’s head. His jaw snapped shut with a crunch, reducing the tree trunk to mere splinters, though the cost came at the loss of several fangs.

Crawling out from beneath the dazed prince, Frankenstein lunged onto the fallen Junior and began pummeling the juvenile. Godzilla Junior clawed at the humanoid as he spat out chunks of tree from his mouth, raking his talons down the soft flesh of Frankenstein’s forearm, splitting open the mountain man’s flesh with a horrifying yell in response. Junior’s tail lifted and slammed into the back of Frankenstein, forcing him to yelp in pain and slump off the prince. The young monster flipped over and rose upward, standing at full height, as Frankenstein did the same, clutching the regenerating slashes across his arm. Scanning the environment, he whipped up another scheme in his head, one that may result in victory this time…

He turned and bolted in the opposite direction, kicking a wave of dust into the face of the adopted heir as he spirited toward the steep slope of the valley’s wall. Junior quickly followed pursuit, but the emerald teen’s pursuit was hindered by the fine particles that clogged his eyes and nostrils, igniting fierce fits of sneezing as he tried to match the speed of Frankenstein. The humanoid made it to the slope first, and scaled its surface swiftly with no trouble. Godzilla Junior arrived only seconds later, spilling tears of irritation from the grooves of his scales, shaking his head with frustration in order to clear the clogging dust. As he tried to follow Frankenstein upward, his claws sank into the soft earth and slipped away, unable to find a grip. He shrieked angrily and clawed desperately at the ground in search of more firm earth, but to no avail. With every attempt, the monster prince simply slid back down to the bottom. He stepped back from the foot of the mountain and glared up its slopes at the humanoid high above, his spines flashing blue and his rage burning hot.

He had fallen into the trap, as Frankenstein predicted.

The mighty man grabbed a boulder and waited, holding it out of sight for the right moment to appear. Moments later, Junior opened his maw and let out a stream of blue atomic energy, prompting Frankenstein to throw the boulder at the same time. The ray and boulder collided only meters from the young reptile’s face, detonating in a small explosion of flames and dust that clouded Junior’s vision.

Junior was too surprised to react against the blast. He coughed and wheezed, squeezing his sensitive eyes shut for protection and blindly backpedaled. Engrossed in escaping the suffocating, blinding cloud, he forgot what was truly important.

Frankenstein leapt from his perch and extended his left elbow outward, connecting it with the blinded saurian’s forehead. The momentum toppled both titans over, slamming into the hard ground with a tremendous tremor.

The crowd awaited with baited breath for the results of the challenger’s stratagem. It took only moments for the victor to emerge, as a dark mass rose from the veil of dust. Stepping out into the light, wiping the accumulated dirt from his sleeves, Frankenstein limped over the unconscious body of Junior toward the center of the arena. Almost at once, the gathered monsters rumbled into a deafening chorus, shouting their praise and demanding for more. The tired Gargantua heard their calls, for it was the only thing that he would with the booming volume produced, letting out an exhausted sign. He had no wish for this brutality, and favored peace. But the second encore was inevitable as he looked to the final trail, waiting in the king’s shade.

Godzilla growled angrily toward the giant man. Not only had he managed to overcome his best friend, but his eldest son too? Silently, he shifted his gaze to Rodan, who returned the look, understanding the instruction without argument. This was the aspect of his life that he held no qualms in performing, feeling his blood pumping in anticipation for battle. No. For domination.

As Frankenstein watched his new foe prepare, he felt a surge of energy course through him, welcoming it gratefully, for he knew he would need it more than ever. In spite of his regenerative abilities, Frankenstein’s stamina was only finite, and with the back-to-back battles, it was running low. And to push the odds further against his favor was an adversary skilled in the element that the wild colossus held no power in. Could he compete with the power of the skies?

He tensed himself, ready to sprint toward Rodan on a moment’s notice. Before said moment could pass, with a beat of his wings, Rodan was already on the offensive, speeding toward Frankenstein like a bullet. Frankenstein’s eyes widened, only able to screech in shock as the pterodactyl suddenly became a blur. He couldn’t have expected such supernatural speed, and for that, he grew anxious.

Then, sharp talons suddenly pierced his shoulders and gripped tight. Frankenstein screeched in shock as he was lifted into the air through the flying creature’s impressive hidden strength. Higher and higher the pair rose, climbing into the thick vapor clouds that gathered overhead, leaving the committee of monsters and the lush green jungle far beneath them.

Instead, Frankenstein was left in awe at the beauty of the open sky. At this altitude, it was all but an alien environment to the eyes of a ground-dwelling creature like himself, a sight unforgettable in the memories of any living soul. As he appreciated the bright horizon, Rodan reminded the humanoid of the circumstances that he was now in. Jerking forward, at the same time, the radioactive pterosaur freed Frankenstein from his clutches, leaving him suspended in the air as he looked into the red predator’s cold eyes.

Hurtling toward the ground at an increasing speed, Frankenstein hollered as he approached the distant ground. Anything he could think of was useless here, for he lacked any mastery over the elements of air, leaving the mutated goliath doomed to his fate.

Except, no. Even as he fell at hundreds of kilometers per second, the resurrected creation of Doctor Frankenstein would not yield to the will of his opponent and continued to search for a solution. If he could not reach Rodan, then perhaps, he could make his attacker reach him.

In spite of his lack of experience and against the instincts of his terrified body, Frankenstein managed to twist himself around, presenting his back to the approaching ground, searching for the form of his adversary. To no surprise, Rodan was not far behind, diving down behind the freefalling titan in order to ensure his demise. When their gazes met, it seemed to ignite a wave of anger within the prehistoric kaiju, perhaps by Frankenstein’s ability to find some control in the domain that he claimed mastery of. The pterodactyl tucked his wings closer to increase velocity, growing closer and closer to his freefalling target so that he might rip them apart before they even touched the ground. Too blinded by his rage and bloodlust, the master of the skies made the mistake of approaching too quickly.

The armored reptile slammed into Frankenstein’s chest by complete accident. Taking the blunt of the impact with his skull, the pterosaur squawked dizzily in surprise, flailing uselessly in the air like a fish would out of the water. Frankenstein took advantage before Rodan could recover, wrapping his arms around the crimson monster’s neck and left wing to put him taut against the primal giant’s own body. Together, the pair wrested and thrashed, fighting for control while they spiraled down faster and faster.

The other monsters watched in suspense as the two fighters came ever closer to the ground. Rodan struggled to free himself from Frankenstein’s grasp in his restrained position. He refused to lose, not in his own domain, where he would forever be forced to live with the humiliation. The pterosaur’s panic brought a crooked grin across Frankenstein’s features, already relishing in the coming victory. Three victories in one day, back to back, would be an achievement few could contest, and sure to earn him his spot amongst the ranks of Monster Island, as well as the deserved respect from the indomitable King of the Monsters. In this moment, hurtling toward what appeared to be sudden death, the scientific wonder of the world felt more alive than ever, as if he found the power to conquer the whole world.

Ego. Confidence. Spirit. From his constrained position, Rodan could still read the abomination’s thoughts, plastered clear to see across the colossal man’s distorted features rippling in the wind. From his previous victories, the seed of pride had blossomed and taken over Frankenstein’s heart and mind. It reminded Rodan too much of himself before Godzilla’s power had tempered his wild ego. The sapling needed to be culled before it could bear fruit and cause problems not only for Monster Island, but Frankenstein himself.

The two were now moments from hitting the ground. With a sudden burst of energy and magnificent, rapid wing beats, Rodan broke free of the humanoid’s clutches. With another clap, he produced a sonic boom that knocked Frankenstein clear, whose eyes grew wide and howled in anger. Rodan avoided catastrophe as he pulled himself upward before hitting the ground, allowing him to perch atop a larger mountain. Frankenstein held no such fortune.

The humanoid slammed into the ground with a sickening thud, cracking the earth for yards with a thunderous tremor. The walls of the valley shook with the powerful vibration, spilling loose stone down their slopes into the valley basin, pelting the distressed monsters in their panic over the impact.

When the chaos settled and the dust cleared, Rodan looked down at the sprawled form of his opponent. Deep within his crater, Frankenstein lay slumped across the ground in a puddle of blood, no longer strong and mighty, but a shell of himself. He put up a good fight, but to Rodan, he was not yet on the level to challenge a creature such as him, and certainly no one like Godzilla. Still, he had not experienced such an intense battle for a long time, and had experienced the latent potential and power within the newcomer firsthand. He relished the opportunity for them to fight again someday.

Minilla ran up to Frankenstein and checked for a pulse. To his relief, the mountain man’s heart was beating, slowly but certainly, and his chest rose softly with breath. Groggily, Frankenstein turned his head to Minilla and cracked a smile, wincing in pain immediately. The agony was excruciating, only comparable to the pain he felt submerged in that volcano so many years ago.

The youngest son of Godzilla looked up to his father as he approached, looking down at the wild titan in judgment. From his sides, the awakened Anguirus and Godzilla Junior stepped up, stumbling and moaning, still feeling the injuries inflicted upon them. Stepping up, Minilla spread his arms and cried out to his father, begging him to let Frankenstein stay on the main island with them. Even if he had lost, he had found a friendship with him. The youngster refused to lose his newest companion so quickly. Godzilla glared down at his son, turned his gaze to Anguirus, Junior and Rodan in search of their own thoughts and feelings, and then looked back at Frankenstein, watching as he struggled to drag himself up, the air filled with the sound of bones snapping back into place.

The monster king’s warriors all nodded their heads. With their opinions recognized, Godzilla did the same with a low growl and turned away. Minya’s eyes lit up and he danced around in joy. The King of the Monsters had spoken. Frankenstein would be allowed to stay on the main island with his fellow monsters.

Minilla helped Frankenstein to his feet, supporting him as the damages sustained in the impact regenerated. Either could understand why Godzilla had allowed the abnormal monster to stay in spite of his loss, but there was no reason to complain. Minilla had a friend, and Frankenstein had a home, so to the concern of both, all was right with the world. Together, the bizarre duo walked off into the dense jungle of Monster Island for a much deserved rest, and Frankenstein hoped, after the events of today, it would be a while before he was demanded to do battle again.

Godzilla watched the other denizens head to their respective homes, along with Anguirus and Junior groggily looking for a place to relax. He would no doubt be questioned on his decision, accused of weakness in the face of his own son’s request, but that was not the cause. Godzilla didn’t need a victory to see the potential Frankenstein had as an ally, with his analytic mind and use of tools. It was not a test of just worthiness, but also talent and loyalty. For these three elements, Frankenstein had only passed the trial for two. In the future, Godzilla hoped to dispel the roots of pride that grew within the living throwback to mankind’s primeval past, and was interested to see what else the Gargantua could bring to the table, should an aggressor ever arrive to threaten the Earth again.

When the time came, he felt that he could rely on Frankenstein to do his part.

Winner: Rodan (Universal)

K.W.C. Kaiju War Chronicles