Prologue
The Himalayas, Tibet, 1944.
The thunder of war rang through the village of the mountains. The snow on the roofs of houses skuttled onto the ground. The villagers stayed in their homes fearing what was to come. However, two guards stood their ground at a mountain, but this wasn't any mountain. At the foot of this mountain were two massive red doors covered in enormous iron spikes. An old holy man ran up to the guards, panting as met up with them. "Has he awoken yet", he asked in between deep, ragged breaths. "No, Xu", one of the guards affirmed. "I'll believe it when I see it. Let me in." The two guards quickly glanced at each other, almost unsure. After a few hesitant moments, they uncrossed their axes and left open a path for Xu. "Open the doors", the other guard barked. Soon after he gave the order, the massive doors opened just enough for Xu to squeeze his way in and closed behind him.
Xu lit a torch and walked his way through the cave within the mountain. This wasn't just any cave, though. This cave had a stone stairway winding down within the mountain, which Xu walked alongside. As he made his way down, the sound of planes and gunfire grew closer. As he made his way another set of massive doors at the bottom of the stairs, an explosion was heard piercing through the mountain, followed by Japanese yells. The mountain had been breached. "Oh no," Xu muttered in fear. It wouldn't be long until the Japanese Army cornered him and awoke whoever, or whatever, was slumbering within the mountain. He closed his eyes and prepared for the worst. Japanese soldiers rushed down to meet him as they forced him onto his knees and put their guns on him, barking at him in Japanese. Just as several of the soldiers cocked their guns, a new voice was heard. "Hold your fire", a collected, suave, German voice ordered. Footsteps drew closer as Xu opened his eyes and lifted his head. As the footsteps grew closer, Xu's eyes finally met the man who may have very well saved his life.
The man was an older one, perhaps in his forties or fifties. Despite his age, he still appeared to be a shining example of the German Übermensch, with piercing blue eyes peering through his glasses and blond hair, albeit graying blond hair. He was clad in a black leather trench coat reminiscent of the German Nazi high command, but on his chest was a crimson skull with tentacles beneath it. Behind him were several soldiers clad in black, with black helmets and goggled masks obscuring their faces. They were all armed with guns that looked as they came from the future. They too had the symbol of the tentacled skull on their arms.
The German knelt down to Xu, with almost a sort of compassion in his eyes. "My apologies for our… theatrical entrance", the German apologized before chuckling. "Where are my manners? I've not even asked your name!" The German extended his hand towards Xu. Xu didn't take the German's hand, nor did he even bother making eye contact with him. "Xu", he tiredly muttered. "Hm… Xu." The German calmly through his nose as he got to his feet. "Pleasure to meet your acquaintance." He looked around at his soldiers and nodded. The men in black turned to the Japanese and fired on them, vaporizing them with their artillery as Xu looked on in horror. A few moments after the carnage transpired, the German finally spoke again. "I am Dr. Wolfgang Brenner. I am with a European organization called HYDRA. You'll have to excuse me for excusing my Japanese colleagues as you saw. I assumed their presence made you nervous. Do you find yourself relaxed now?" Xu stared on at the pile of ashes that were once a pull of their fingers away from killing him just moments ago. "Your silence speaks for you, Xu. Now, tell me, do you know what lies behind those doors, hmm?" Xu shook his hand. Wolfgang smirked at his lack of cooperation and quietly scoffed. "No matter. Allow me.
"There are tales of old within this part of the world", Brenner continued. "…speaking of a great beast that descended from the heavens, and offered sanctuary and protection to the people of these mountains. A vengeful, immense beast. One said to have the very power of the sun in his mouth. What do the people of these mountains call him again?" Xu exhaled shakily. "He Whose Limbs Shatter Mountains and Whose Back Scrapes the Sun", he replied. Brenner quietly scoffed yet again. "Yes. However, I believe you have a much shorter name for him, yes? What is his real name?" Xu gulped. "Fin Fang Foom", he nervously answered. "Ah, yes", Brenner said with dignified pride. "Fin Fang Foom. A much more efficient name, if you ask me." Brenner put his hand on Xu's shoulder, who almost winced in fear at his touch. "Open the doors, Xu", Brenner coolly suggested.
Xu looked in horror at Brenner and his maddening request. "What?" "You see, Xu", Brenner began. "HYDRA typically does not travel this far east. However, our resources for turning the tides of this war are being disposed of by the Allies. We have been driven to desperate measures in a desperate time. If you were to open these doors now, many more people of this village would live to see tomorrow. If you were to say no, many more would perish, but it would solve nothing. These doors will be opened with or without your cooperation. However, I am rather merciful today. So, I am asking you… to open the doors. Yes?" Xu looked around the room at the soldiers, then back at Brenner. If he and his men turned the Japanese to ash, what was stopping him from the doing the same to the villagers? Xu hung his head in defeat and nodded. "Very good," Brenner replied. "On you go."
Xu walked up to the doors and removed the beam that kept it closed. He then struggled to open the immense doors, but after a few moments of toiling, they made way and opened. Xu collapsed on the ground in exhaustion. Brenner walked up to him. "Thank you, Xu", Brenner acknowledged the exhausted elder. "I know longer require your services." Brenner removed a Luger pistol from a holster on his belt and shot Xu in the head, killing him instantly. "Liquidate the village", Brenner ordered as he put his pistol back in its holster. "Leave no survivors. Bring the team down here to transport the acquisition. We have a long road ahead of us." Several of the soldiers nodded and rushed upstairs. Brenner lit a torch and walked into the new room as screams and gunfire from outside echoed into the mountain.
Brenner could see a hulking mass breathe deeply and heard the breaths he saw passing through something's nostrils. He brought his torch closer to the mass, illuminating an immense mass of green scaly skin. "Herr Schmidt," he said to himself. "We have finally found a weapon that the simpleton with a shield will be unable to dismantle."
