Part Three: Godblood
Tokyo Bay. The Present.
Godzilla stood upon the shore, the surf breaking against his scaly legs. The flow of the waves reminded him of something, of the liquid beast he had come here to slay. That beast was gone now, along with the memory of the battle. No matter. It had surely been defeated, as are all who stand against him.
Another memory soon overpowered any remaining thoughts of the H-Man, the memory of a voice that called to him. It was the voice of the Spiritfire; the strange force that had aided him in defeating the alien Astro-Quasars, then stood against him, allying itself with a pair of humans instead. Now that force had aided him again. He could feel its power lingering within him, calling him to stand against a common enemy. To Godzilla, the Spiritfire was a mystery, but the enemy it showed him was something he could easily understand.
On shore, he spied one of the tiny menthings creeping closer. It had the metal skin of a warrior, like the ones who had recently driven him from Ogasawara. Then Godzilla saw the creature's goal; another of its kind lay wounded at his feet, one of their females. The dregs of the Spiritfire burned dimly around her. Godzilla roared at the pair, angered by the insolence of their proximity. Yet something urged him not to strike. Although he knew their kind could only be enemies, they made no move against him, and so he mearly watched as the warrior lifted the female and carried her away.
Then from somewhere out amongst the waves there came a great hissing roar, like the cry of some Wild God gone mad. A foul stink assailed his flaring nostrils, triggering another memory. It was the spoor of the beast he had glimpsed within the haunted Temple that had risen from the depths of his island. The thing he had seen being trapped behind the golden slab was now free, free and screaming for a fight. Godzilla roared in response and waded into the churning sea...
With his people now safely away from the shore, Tanaka watched as the spirit of Mikki somehow revived Godzilla. Then he saw Miname fall, and his heart spurred him to action! She was close to the giant beast, too close, and he knew he had to save her.
Shiro's blood froze as he crept closer to the daikaiju, hoping to escape its notice. He found that hope in vain as the monster turned and roared directly at him. His Fireshield ready, Shiro forced himself onward, lifting Miname from the sand and backing quickly away as Godzilla towered above them, watching. Then the creature turned away, its attention now drawn by the sound of a monstrous, raging scream coming from somewhere in the ocean. Quickly, Tanaka escaped.
A gunshot rang from the wreckage of the surrounding warehouses, and Shiro hit the dirt, shielding Miname's unconscious form. "Tanaka!" screamed a familiar voice.
"Munabe," slowly, Shiro rose to his feet. "Still as poor a shot as ever, I see."
"You think I want you dead, Tanaka? That would be too easy. I want you to suffer," the soldier seethed, glaring at his former commander.
"What is it exactly, Munabe? What makes you hate me so?"
"Don't sicken me by pretending you care. You were G-Force's Golden Boy, rising through the ranks so fast you made the rest of us look like slackers. Then Nakano was killed, and they just handed you his command. Even old Iwa thought you were some kind of Saint. He made you his protege, then you stood by and let the H-Man kill him! I always knew you were a phony, Tanaka. Now you've given me everything I need to prove it," a wild look came over Munabe's face, consumed by an unrelenting anger. "Take off the weapons rig, I'm placing you under arrest."
"Munabe, you fool," spat Shiro, slowly beginning to strip off his Markalite harness. "General Iwa was as good as dead already, and his sacrifice helped save Sato from his mutant condition. You would have known that if you weren't always so self absorbed, and in my opinion incompetent to serve in G-Force. At least you're consistant. You've been blaming others for your own inadequacies for as long as I've known you."
Munabe's face twisted into a burning scowl. "Maybe you are right, Tanaka. Maybe my judgement never has been as good as your own. In fact, I've decided to rethink our current situation. Instead of putting you in jail, killing you now might just be the smartest move I'll ever make..."
***
Godzilla moved slowly through the choppy bay. Somewhere ahead the beast from the Temple awaited him. He could not see the creature, he was not even sure what to look for, but he could smell the monster's presence close by. A smell of great age and greater power, tinged with a vile reptilian musk worse even than the stink of Man. Far, far worse.
Then, an unholy scream echoed through the air, and the beast appeared! Great spiked horns jutted from its brow and cheeks, framing its burning yellow eyes. Tufts of matted fur hung from its jowls, a wild mane ran the length of its serpentine neck, flowing over its shoulders. The snake reared high above the bay, extending its vestigial forelimbs and clawing at the air in a signal of attack.
Godzilla roared, his own claws flashing in response, and bore down upon the beast. The Hellsnake moved, shifting from side to side like some huge cobra before a charmer's flute. Godzilla watched the dance, matching its motions with his own. He circled the coiling snake, moved by some ancient instinct, a natural defense mechanism keeping him just out of range of the monster's strike.
Manda stretched its jaws wide, hissing and baring its fangs. Its facial spikes seemed to expand outward, framed by its fur-covered jowls in a threat display meant to warn off its attacker. The King of Monsters snarled back, thrashing his tail in anticipation. Then the serpent struck!
With a snap of its head, lightning fast, Manda spit at its foe. Twin streams of venom, thick and black, struck Godzilla in the eyes. The foul liquid burned like acid and Godzilla screamed at its touch. Manda took the cue and lunged.
The Atomfire flashed along Godzilla's spine, and the beam burst from his jaws. The nuclear bolt caught the serpent head-on, burning into its scaly flesh and driving its strike aside. Enraged, Godzilla followed through, grabbing the monster and holding it fast, targeting it for another blast.
The Templebeast thrashed wildly against its opponent's monstrous grip, screaming and twisting to escape. Again the Atomfire flared, blasting at the serpent's hide. Again Manda screamed, and coiled its tremendous length around its enemy's nuclear powered form.
Pure reflex drove the injured beasts. Manda's snakelike body squeezed tighter as Godzilla snapped and clawed at his opponent's flowing length. Then Manda lunged once more, finding his target and sinking his fangs deep into Godzilla's arm. The Godbeast gripped the mutant saurian in an unbreakable stranglehold of death, toppling them both into the churning bay.
***
Kunashirashima, 6000 B.C.
The Koshida rushed past Kyoko and Kalen as they drew nearer the village, fleeing the titanic struggle now raging through their homes. They watched from the brush as the Mu invaders made their way inland, while beyond, a pair of gigantic beasts could be seen fighting on the horizon. The entire area had become a war zone, one they could not hope to cross and survive.
"Kalen, we must find Mardsoon," said Kyo. "I'm sure this potion can help us, but I have never actually used it. He may be the only person on this island who could make the plan work."
"I still don't understand. The Selga islanders you speak of are unknown to us, what makes you think Mardsoon might know how to use their magic?"
"Because Matsu...I mean Mardsoon, spoke of being in commune with a Seaspirit. The Selgans regard this elixir as the blood of their own SeaGod, Mikki. I know the Koshida pantheon differs greatly from the Selgans', but there are universal elements in nearly every Earthly culture I've studied. I'm hoping this is one of them."
"So you think our Seaspirit and theirs might be the same?"
"Exactly! You're pretty sharp for a jungle boy."
"Kalen!" Came a cry from the trees. It was Noga, one of the followers of Mardsoon. He was covered in blood, clutching at a wound in his side. He ran toward them, and collapsed.
"Noga, you are safe now. Let me see that wound..." said Kalen.
"Never mind about me, the invaders have captured Mardsoon. He is being held at the temple. We must gather our spearmen, Kalen, before they kill him!"
"That wound was not caused by a stone-tipped weapon," Kyo remarked. "That is the cut of a sword blade forged of metal."
"Their weapons are strange. They shine like water, but are as hard as rock," Noga confirmed.
"As I thought. Kalen, if I could get my hands on one of their blades, I could free Mardsoon."
"You know how to use such a weapon?"
"I am near expert in the art."
Kalen shook his head. "The Koshida do not allow women to touch weapons. I cannot permit it."
Kyoko strove against her rising anger. "Kalen, I am Japanese not Koshida, and I'm not asking for your permission. You can help me get a sword or you can stay out of my way. Either way, I'm getting Mardsoon out of there."
Kalen was speechless, then Noga gripped his arm and whispered; "I think you should help her."
"Alright, Kyoko. I will help you, but this future you come from must be a very strange place."
Kyo mearly sighed, wondering just how far back into the Stone Age she had come.
***
Beyond the village, a battle of a vastly different nature was being waged as the behemoths known as Varan and Manda grappled in mortal combat. The Obake had managed to capsize a number of Mu ships, swooping in low and catching them by surprise. Few of the landing parties made it ashore before Varan confronted them, then the Hellsnake emerged hissing from the waves, calling the Obake to battle!
Driven by both its predatory instincts as well as the commensalistic bond it shares with its worshippers, Manda slunk onto the sands of Kunashira and reared above the Obake, coiling itself to strike. Varan's own territoriality combined with the influence of the stellar alignment, compelling the Lakebeast to stand its ground, assuming its own attack posture before the invading serpent.
The Mu war parties raced inland as the monsters circled each other. The beasts were sizing each other up, looking for an opening to attack.
Varan moved first, sinking to all fours and spinning his crystal-spiked back toward his enemy. His great whiplash tail swung in a deadly arc aimed right at Manda's skull. The snake shifted quickly aside, avoiding the crushing blow, then lunged for the Obake's flank. At the last possible second Varan launched himself from the sand, rising above Manda's strike, then came crashing down on top of the beast.
Varan siezed the invader in his webbed claws and roared. His jaws opened wide for a strike as the serpent twisted below him, coiling itself around Varan's massive form and sending the fight rolling into the jungle. The landscape shook as the battle raged, carrying the beasts deeper into the brush.
Suddenly, Manda's great serpentine neck rose high above the trees, blood pouring from a jagged gash in its throat. The Hellsnake hissed with rage, and with fangs bared, it lunged. A piercing shriek rang from the jungle, its source unseen. The sound of it echoed across the island, sending chills through the blood of Koshida and Mu alike. All who heard it knew; It was the Obake's scream.
***
"This is not good," Kyoko whispered. "The Mu are guarding the perimeter too closely. We'd need a war party to infiltrate that shrine."
From the trees came the sound of soft trilling, like the call of some jungle bird. Kalen turned at the sound, then motioned for Kyo to look as well. Around them, the brush was alive with Koshida warriors. A group of camouflaged spearmen now surrounded the shrine, ready to launch an assault.
Kyoko looked at Kalen and smiled. "You people are incredible. I may not have intended to arrive here at this point in your history, but somehow I'm glad I did." The look on the native's face as he listened to her words was so primal, so pure. The embodiment of all the qualitites she admired in these people. She took hold of his strong hand and grasped it tight. "Among my people, we do this for good luck," she said, bending close to kiss him. "Wait for my signal. I'm going in."
"Kyoko..." A passion burned in Kalen's eyes, one Kyoko feared she too might feel as well.
"No, Kalen," came her simple, firm denial. Her heart belonged to Kenji, no matter how many centuries might keep them apart.
Slowly, the islander released her hand. "Good luck," he said with a smile. Kyoko nodded, and stepped out into the clearing.
"Okay, Kyoko," she thought to herself. "As Kenji would say, it is time to rock and roll." The young woman strode confidently into the village, making it clear that she was looking for trouble. She picked up a hefty, clublike stick and yelled; "Hey, Mu!"
A pair of guards snapped to attention at her cry, drawing their swords. With their language and culture lost to recorded history, Kyo was forced to improvise, drawing upon a concept she had found to be universal in nearly every culture she had studied. She insulted their mothers.
The guards exchanged a glance and some unintelligible words, then came running angrily toward her. "Well, THAT was an inspired strategy!" She thought, signaling the Koshida and trying to move out of the path of any incoming spears. The closer of the guards came at her swinging. Kyo ducked beneath the flashing blade and struck the man's kneecap with her club. The guardsman screamed, feeling bone shatter at the impact. Quickly, Kyo came up with a palm strike to the chin and a kick to the sword arm. The guard was disarmed and out cold in all of seven seconds.
Kyo grabbed the fallen sword and rolled into a defense stance, but found the other guard was already down, taken out without a scream by a spear through his throat. The man had not even come close to her. Kyoko hung her head in regret. This was war, she told herself. One that took place long before she was born, but one she must help win if she wished to see home again. Then Kalen was beside her. "Are you all right?" He asked.
"Hai, Kalen-san. Only, my house truly is one of peace. I fight now only out of the most desperate of neccesities, and I enjoy it not at all."
"I understand, Kyoko. I have never before killed a man, until today."
Kyo looked at the dead guard, then back to her native friend. A single tear flowed down his grim-set face. "You continue to impress me. That was quite a shot."
Stealthily, the spearmen joined them. "You two, get into these Mu clothes," Kyo pointed to a pair of the men. "We will trick them. They may not discover the attack until we have left."
The natives complied, and together they crept closer to the shrine. Kyoko found herself leading this war party, a role she had never imagined for herself. No, she thought, that was wrong. Perhaps she had envisioned herself like this once, long ago. A strange sort of dream for just another demure little schoolgirl, and an old saying sprung into her thoughts; "Be careful what you wish for."
Sword in hand, Kyo sent her own "Mu" guardsmen around to the shrine's entrance. The sound of bodies hitting the ground swiftly followed, and she and Kalen slipped inside, pulling the true sentries unconscious bodies after them. There on the floor lay old Mardsoon. his face swollen with the marks of a beating. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth and his eyes. Kyo ran to him and cradled him against her.
"Mardsoon, it's Kyoko. Kalen and I have come to free you!" There was no response.
Kalen layed his hands upon the old man. "His bones have been broken, here and here," the native pronounced. "I believe he will soon be dead."
"But he is not dead yet,"Kyo replied. From her vest she drew the flask, and put it gently to the old man's lips. "Matsu," she called him, as he said the Seaspirit had. "The SeaGod calls you. Your work is not yet done."
The strange elixir flowed into Mardsoon, and his eyes flashed open wide! "Kyoko. Kalen," the old man spoke. "I knew I would see you troublemakers again."
"Can you walk?" Asked Kalen. "We must leave here quickly. Kyoko has a potion she believes might end this war, but we need you to use it."
"Kyoko is right," said Mardsoon, rising slowly to his feet. "The Godblood is the only magic that can stop the beasts and drive the Mu away. But first, there is one final thing I must do here." Mardsoon reached for his tools and began scribing something into the base of the Obake icon. Kalen and Kyoko watched as the steady glow of Spiritfire began to rise, filling the shrine. The light faded, and Mardsoon rose from his work. His bruises had all but vanished, and he seemed to move again with ease. They looked, and there upon the idol was now graven the symbol of Mikki.
"Should the Obake survive, that will serve to hold it within the confines of the lake. At least until the coming of the next stellar conjunction," Mardsoon explained.
"I understand", said Kyoko, caught in the wonder of watching the birth of a prophecy she had already lived to see fulfilled. "Let's get to the lake."
***
The jungle shook as Varan screamed, launching himself and his enemy into the sky! The monsters fought with savage fury, still locked tooth and claw as they rose ever higher above the earth. A rain of blood and venom spattered down upon the land as the beasts struggled to decide which one would survive, and claim its place as the true Prince of the Wild Gods.
Koshida and Mu alike stared in awe at the mythic battle raging high above them. The beasts' struggles grew weaker as their injuries took their tolls, and slowly, they began to fall. Soon the monsters were decending quickly, their trajectory sending them right into Obake Lake. Kyo screamed as the beasts hit the water, sending massive waves rushing at the shore.
"Get to that high ground!" Shouted Kalen, indicating a tree-lined rise. The refugees watched as the rushing liquid wall smashed into the earth. Trees were uprooted and rocks torn away to be swept into the jungle. The enormous wave drew closer, pushing a small mountain of debris before it.
"Kyoko, give me the flask," said Mardsoon.
"Don't use it all," she warned him.
The old man agreed, and unstoppered the small clay vessel. The great wave rushed closer. "Seaspirit guide me." He sipped, then spit the fluid out onto the wall of trees standing before them.
The great wave struck. Diminished by distance, yet still strong enough to wash out the hillside, the wave flowed around them instead. The piles of rock and trees it carried built up quickly, then slammed into the small grove they hid behind. The water passed, and the wall of trees held.
"Lord that was close," Kyo gasped. Around them, the wave had reached its limits and begun flowing back to its source. "We've got to get down there while they are both still in the water."
"I know," replied Mardsoon."Let's go," he shouted. "Everyone, let's go!"
The lake's surface tossed and foamed as the battle raged. Together, Mardsoon, Kalen and Kyoko made their way to the water's edge, the flask now shining in the old man's hands. Then another strange glow began to burn in the air above the lake, blinding them. "What is that?" Kalen called above the sound of the churning water.
"I don't know!" Kyo screamed. "Mardsoon! Use it, use the potion!"
The man once called Mad Mardsoon looked sadly at the water. "To think I once prayed to you," he whispered. "Now I know exactly what you are." Mardsoon threw the open bottle into the lake.
Above the water, the strange alien glow took shape, forming a small, shining sphere. "Kyoko, look, it is your ship!" Shouted Kalen.
"It is!" She cried with relief. "The Sphere has returned!"
With a deafening roar the Hellsnake broke the surface of the lake. The creature was covered in a shifting sheath of Spiritfire. It was driving the serpent mad, and Manda writhed wildly as the SeaGod's blood worked its magics against him. The monster Varan was nowhere to be found.
The Timespace Sphere floated swiftly over to land in Kyoko's grasp. Behind her, the Koshida refugees had fled as the MuGod rose. Now only Kalen and Mardsoon remained. The serpent flexed its monstrous jaws, and fixed its gaze upon them.
"I can't leave you here," Kyo realized, looking at her prehistoric friends. "Give me your hands, hang on to the Sphere!" The beast was coiling now, preparing to strike. The trio huddled close together, and hung on. "Kenji," Kyo concentrated as hard as she could. "Take us to Kenji!" The monster loomed above them, and then they disappeared.
Tokyo Bay. The Present.
Godzilla stood upon the shore, the surf breaking against his scaly legs. The flow of the waves reminded him of something, of the liquid beast he had come here to slay. That beast was gone now, along with the memory of the battle. No matter. It had surely been defeated, as are all who stand against him.
Another memory soon overpowered any remaining thoughts of the H-Man, the memory of a voice that called to him. It was the voice of the Spiritfire; the strange force that had aided him in defeating the alien Astro-Quasars, then stood against him, allying itself with a pair of humans instead. Now that force had aided him again. He could feel its power lingering within him, calling him to stand against a common enemy. To Godzilla, the Spiritfire was a mystery, but the enemy it showed him was something he could easily understand.
On shore, he spied one of the tiny menthings creeping closer. It had the metal skin of a warrior, like the ones who had recently driven him from Ogasawara. Then Godzilla saw the creature's goal; another of its kind lay wounded at his feet, one of their females. The dregs of the Spiritfire burned dimly around her. Godzilla roared at the pair, angered by the insolence of their proximity. Yet something urged him not to strike. Although he knew their kind could only be enemies, they made no move against him, and so he mearly watched as the warrior lifted the female and carried her away.
Then from somewhere out amongst the waves there came a great hissing roar, like the cry of some Wild God gone mad. A foul stink assailed his flaring nostrils, triggering another memory. It was the spoor of the beast he had glimpsed within the haunted Temple that had risen from the depths of his island. The thing he had seen being trapped behind the golden slab was now free, free and screaming for a fight. Godzilla roared in response and waded into the churning sea...
With his people now safely away from the shore, Tanaka watched as the spirit of Mikki somehow revived Godzilla. Then he saw Miname fall, and his heart spurred him to action! She was close to the giant beast, too close, and he knew he had to save her.
Shiro's blood froze as he crept closer to the daikaiju, hoping to escape its notice. He found that hope in vain as the monster turned and roared directly at him. His Fireshield ready, Shiro forced himself onward, lifting Miname from the sand and backing quickly away as Godzilla towered above them, watching. Then the creature turned away, its attention now drawn by the sound of a monstrous, raging scream coming from somewhere in the ocean. Quickly, Tanaka escaped.
A gunshot rang from the wreckage of the surrounding warehouses, and Shiro hit the dirt, shielding Miname's unconscious form. "Tanaka!" screamed a familiar voice.
"Munabe," slowly, Shiro rose to his feet. "Still as poor a shot as ever, I see."
"You think I want you dead, Tanaka? That would be too easy. I want you to suffer," the soldier seethed, glaring at his former commander.
"What is it exactly, Munabe? What makes you hate me so?"
"Don't sicken me by pretending you care. You were G-Force's Golden Boy, rising through the ranks so fast you made the rest of us look like slackers. Then Nakano was killed, and they just handed you his command. Even old Iwa thought you were some kind of Saint. He made you his protege, then you stood by and let the H-Man kill him! I always knew you were a phony, Tanaka. Now you've given me everything I need to prove it," a wild look came over Munabe's face, consumed by an unrelenting anger. "Take off the weapons rig, I'm placing you under arrest."
"Munabe, you fool," spat Shiro, slowly beginning to strip off his Markalite harness. "General Iwa was as good as dead already, and his sacrifice helped save Sato from his mutant condition. You would have known that if you weren't always so self absorbed, and in my opinion incompetent to serve in G-Force. At least you're consistant. You've been blaming others for your own inadequacies for as long as I've known you."
Munabe's face twisted into a burning scowl. "Maybe you are right, Tanaka. Maybe my judgement never has been as good as your own. In fact, I've decided to rethink our current situation. Instead of putting you in jail, killing you now might just be the smartest move I'll ever make..."
***
Godzilla moved slowly through the choppy bay. Somewhere ahead the beast from the Temple awaited him. He could not see the creature, he was not even sure what to look for, but he could smell the monster's presence close by. A smell of great age and greater power, tinged with a vile reptilian musk worse even than the stink of Man. Far, far worse.
Then, an unholy scream echoed through the air, and the beast appeared! Great spiked horns jutted from its brow and cheeks, framing its burning yellow eyes. Tufts of matted fur hung from its jowls, a wild mane ran the length of its serpentine neck, flowing over its shoulders. The snake reared high above the bay, extending its vestigial forelimbs and clawing at the air in a signal of attack.
Godzilla roared, his own claws flashing in response, and bore down upon the beast. The Hellsnake moved, shifting from side to side like some huge cobra before a charmer's flute. Godzilla watched the dance, matching its motions with his own. He circled the coiling snake, moved by some ancient instinct, a natural defense mechanism keeping him just out of range of the monster's strike.
Manda stretched its jaws wide, hissing and baring its fangs. Its facial spikes seemed to expand outward, framed by its fur-covered jowls in a threat display meant to warn off its attacker. The King of Monsters snarled back, thrashing his tail in anticipation. Then the serpent struck!
With a snap of its head, lightning fast, Manda spit at its foe. Twin streams of venom, thick and black, struck Godzilla in the eyes. The foul liquid burned like acid and Godzilla screamed at its touch. Manda took the cue and lunged.
The Atomfire flashed along Godzilla's spine, and the beam burst from his jaws. The nuclear bolt caught the serpent head-on, burning into its scaly flesh and driving its strike aside. Enraged, Godzilla followed through, grabbing the monster and holding it fast, targeting it for another blast.
The Templebeast thrashed wildly against its opponent's monstrous grip, screaming and twisting to escape. Again the Atomfire flared, blasting at the serpent's hide. Again Manda screamed, and coiled its tremendous length around its enemy's nuclear powered form.
Pure reflex drove the injured beasts. Manda's snakelike body squeezed tighter as Godzilla snapped and clawed at his opponent's flowing length. Then Manda lunged once more, finding his target and sinking his fangs deep into Godzilla's arm. The Godbeast gripped the mutant saurian in an unbreakable stranglehold of death, toppling them both into the churning bay.
***
Kunashirashima, 6000 B.C.
The Koshida rushed past Kyoko and Kalen as they drew nearer the village, fleeing the titanic struggle now raging through their homes. They watched from the brush as the Mu invaders made their way inland, while beyond, a pair of gigantic beasts could be seen fighting on the horizon. The entire area had become a war zone, one they could not hope to cross and survive.
"Kalen, we must find Mardsoon," said Kyo. "I'm sure this potion can help us, but I have never actually used it. He may be the only person on this island who could make the plan work."
"I still don't understand. The Selga islanders you speak of are unknown to us, what makes you think Mardsoon might know how to use their magic?"
"Because Matsu...I mean Mardsoon, spoke of being in commune with a Seaspirit. The Selgans regard this elixir as the blood of their own SeaGod, Mikki. I know the Koshida pantheon differs greatly from the Selgans', but there are universal elements in nearly every Earthly culture I've studied. I'm hoping this is one of them."
"So you think our Seaspirit and theirs might be the same?"
"Exactly! You're pretty sharp for a jungle boy."
"Kalen!" Came a cry from the trees. It was Noga, one of the followers of Mardsoon. He was covered in blood, clutching at a wound in his side. He ran toward them, and collapsed.
"Noga, you are safe now. Let me see that wound..." said Kalen.
"Never mind about me, the invaders have captured Mardsoon. He is being held at the temple. We must gather our spearmen, Kalen, before they kill him!"
"That wound was not caused by a stone-tipped weapon," Kyo remarked. "That is the cut of a sword blade forged of metal."
"Their weapons are strange. They shine like water, but are as hard as rock," Noga confirmed.
"As I thought. Kalen, if I could get my hands on one of their blades, I could free Mardsoon."
"You know how to use such a weapon?"
"I am near expert in the art."
Kalen shook his head. "The Koshida do not allow women to touch weapons. I cannot permit it."
Kyoko strove against her rising anger. "Kalen, I am Japanese not Koshida, and I'm not asking for your permission. You can help me get a sword or you can stay out of my way. Either way, I'm getting Mardsoon out of there."
Kalen was speechless, then Noga gripped his arm and whispered; "I think you should help her."
"Alright, Kyoko. I will help you, but this future you come from must be a very strange place."
Kyo mearly sighed, wondering just how far back into the Stone Age she had come.
***
Beyond the village, a battle of a vastly different nature was being waged as the behemoths known as Varan and Manda grappled in mortal combat. The Obake had managed to capsize a number of Mu ships, swooping in low and catching them by surprise. Few of the landing parties made it ashore before Varan confronted them, then the Hellsnake emerged hissing from the waves, calling the Obake to battle!
Driven by both its predatory instincts as well as the commensalistic bond it shares with its worshippers, Manda slunk onto the sands of Kunashira and reared above the Obake, coiling itself to strike. Varan's own territoriality combined with the influence of the stellar alignment, compelling the Lakebeast to stand its ground, assuming its own attack posture before the invading serpent.
The Mu war parties raced inland as the monsters circled each other. The beasts were sizing each other up, looking for an opening to attack.
Varan moved first, sinking to all fours and spinning his crystal-spiked back toward his enemy. His great whiplash tail swung in a deadly arc aimed right at Manda's skull. The snake shifted quickly aside, avoiding the crushing blow, then lunged for the Obake's flank. At the last possible second Varan launched himself from the sand, rising above Manda's strike, then came crashing down on top of the beast.
Varan siezed the invader in his webbed claws and roared. His jaws opened wide for a strike as the serpent twisted below him, coiling itself around Varan's massive form and sending the fight rolling into the jungle. The landscape shook as the battle raged, carrying the beasts deeper into the brush.
Suddenly, Manda's great serpentine neck rose high above the trees, blood pouring from a jagged gash in its throat. The Hellsnake hissed with rage, and with fangs bared, it lunged. A piercing shriek rang from the jungle, its source unseen. The sound of it echoed across the island, sending chills through the blood of Koshida and Mu alike. All who heard it knew; It was the Obake's scream.
***
"This is not good," Kyoko whispered. "The Mu are guarding the perimeter too closely. We'd need a war party to infiltrate that shrine."
From the trees came the sound of soft trilling, like the call of some jungle bird. Kalen turned at the sound, then motioned for Kyo to look as well. Around them, the brush was alive with Koshida warriors. A group of camouflaged spearmen now surrounded the shrine, ready to launch an assault.
Kyoko looked at Kalen and smiled. "You people are incredible. I may not have intended to arrive here at this point in your history, but somehow I'm glad I did." The look on the native's face as he listened to her words was so primal, so pure. The embodiment of all the qualitites she admired in these people. She took hold of his strong hand and grasped it tight. "Among my people, we do this for good luck," she said, bending close to kiss him. "Wait for my signal. I'm going in."
"Kyoko..." A passion burned in Kalen's eyes, one Kyoko feared she too might feel as well.
"No, Kalen," came her simple, firm denial. Her heart belonged to Kenji, no matter how many centuries might keep them apart.
Slowly, the islander released her hand. "Good luck," he said with a smile. Kyoko nodded, and stepped out into the clearing.
"Okay, Kyoko," she thought to herself. "As Kenji would say, it is time to rock and roll." The young woman strode confidently into the village, making it clear that she was looking for trouble. She picked up a hefty, clublike stick and yelled; "Hey, Mu!"
A pair of guards snapped to attention at her cry, drawing their swords. With their language and culture lost to recorded history, Kyo was forced to improvise, drawing upon a concept she had found to be universal in nearly every culture she had studied. She insulted their mothers.
The guards exchanged a glance and some unintelligible words, then came running angrily toward her. "Well, THAT was an inspired strategy!" She thought, signaling the Koshida and trying to move out of the path of any incoming spears. The closer of the guards came at her swinging. Kyo ducked beneath the flashing blade and struck the man's kneecap with her club. The guardsman screamed, feeling bone shatter at the impact. Quickly, Kyo came up with a palm strike to the chin and a kick to the sword arm. The guard was disarmed and out cold in all of seven seconds.
Kyo grabbed the fallen sword and rolled into a defense stance, but found the other guard was already down, taken out without a scream by a spear through his throat. The man had not even come close to her. Kyoko hung her head in regret. This was war, she told herself. One that took place long before she was born, but one she must help win if she wished to see home again. Then Kalen was beside her. "Are you all right?" He asked.
"Hai, Kalen-san. Only, my house truly is one of peace. I fight now only out of the most desperate of neccesities, and I enjoy it not at all."
"I understand, Kyoko. I have never before killed a man, until today."
Kyo looked at the dead guard, then back to her native friend. A single tear flowed down his grim-set face. "You continue to impress me. That was quite a shot."
Stealthily, the spearmen joined them. "You two, get into these Mu clothes," Kyo pointed to a pair of the men. "We will trick them. They may not discover the attack until we have left."
The natives complied, and together they crept closer to the shrine. Kyoko found herself leading this war party, a role she had never imagined for herself. No, she thought, that was wrong. Perhaps she had envisioned herself like this once, long ago. A strange sort of dream for just another demure little schoolgirl, and an old saying sprung into her thoughts; "Be careful what you wish for."
Sword in hand, Kyo sent her own "Mu" guardsmen around to the shrine's entrance. The sound of bodies hitting the ground swiftly followed, and she and Kalen slipped inside, pulling the true sentries unconscious bodies after them. There on the floor lay old Mardsoon. his face swollen with the marks of a beating. Blood trickled from the corners of his mouth and his eyes. Kyo ran to him and cradled him against her.
"Mardsoon, it's Kyoko. Kalen and I have come to free you!" There was no response.
Kalen layed his hands upon the old man. "His bones have been broken, here and here," the native pronounced. "I believe he will soon be dead."
"But he is not dead yet,"Kyo replied. From her vest she drew the flask, and put it gently to the old man's lips. "Matsu," she called him, as he said the Seaspirit had. "The SeaGod calls you. Your work is not yet done."
The strange elixir flowed into Mardsoon, and his eyes flashed open wide! "Kyoko. Kalen," the old man spoke. "I knew I would see you troublemakers again."
"Can you walk?" Asked Kalen. "We must leave here quickly. Kyoko has a potion she believes might end this war, but we need you to use it."
"Kyoko is right," said Mardsoon, rising slowly to his feet. "The Godblood is the only magic that can stop the beasts and drive the Mu away. But first, there is one final thing I must do here." Mardsoon reached for his tools and began scribing something into the base of the Obake icon. Kalen and Kyoko watched as the steady glow of Spiritfire began to rise, filling the shrine. The light faded, and Mardsoon rose from his work. His bruises had all but vanished, and he seemed to move again with ease. They looked, and there upon the idol was now graven the symbol of Mikki.
"Should the Obake survive, that will serve to hold it within the confines of the lake. At least until the coming of the next stellar conjunction," Mardsoon explained.
"I understand", said Kyoko, caught in the wonder of watching the birth of a prophecy she had already lived to see fulfilled. "Let's get to the lake."
***
The jungle shook as Varan screamed, launching himself and his enemy into the sky! The monsters fought with savage fury, still locked tooth and claw as they rose ever higher above the earth. A rain of blood and venom spattered down upon the land as the beasts struggled to decide which one would survive, and claim its place as the true Prince of the Wild Gods.
Koshida and Mu alike stared in awe at the mythic battle raging high above them. The beasts' struggles grew weaker as their injuries took their tolls, and slowly, they began to fall. Soon the monsters were decending quickly, their trajectory sending them right into Obake Lake. Kyo screamed as the beasts hit the water, sending massive waves rushing at the shore.
"Get to that high ground!" Shouted Kalen, indicating a tree-lined rise. The refugees watched as the rushing liquid wall smashed into the earth. Trees were uprooted and rocks torn away to be swept into the jungle. The enormous wave drew closer, pushing a small mountain of debris before it.
"Kyoko, give me the flask," said Mardsoon.
"Don't use it all," she warned him.
The old man agreed, and unstoppered the small clay vessel. The great wave rushed closer. "Seaspirit guide me." He sipped, then spit the fluid out onto the wall of trees standing before them.
The great wave struck. Diminished by distance, yet still strong enough to wash out the hillside, the wave flowed around them instead. The piles of rock and trees it carried built up quickly, then slammed into the small grove they hid behind. The water passed, and the wall of trees held.
"Lord that was close," Kyo gasped. Around them, the wave had reached its limits and begun flowing back to its source. "We've got to get down there while they are both still in the water."
"I know," replied Mardsoon."Let's go," he shouted. "Everyone, let's go!"
The lake's surface tossed and foamed as the battle raged. Together, Mardsoon, Kalen and Kyoko made their way to the water's edge, the flask now shining in the old man's hands. Then another strange glow began to burn in the air above the lake, blinding them. "What is that?" Kalen called above the sound of the churning water.
"I don't know!" Kyo screamed. "Mardsoon! Use it, use the potion!"
The man once called Mad Mardsoon looked sadly at the water. "To think I once prayed to you," he whispered. "Now I know exactly what you are." Mardsoon threw the open bottle into the lake.
Above the water, the strange alien glow took shape, forming a small, shining sphere. "Kyoko, look, it is your ship!" Shouted Kalen.
"It is!" She cried with relief. "The Sphere has returned!"
With a deafening roar the Hellsnake broke the surface of the lake. The creature was covered in a shifting sheath of Spiritfire. It was driving the serpent mad, and Manda writhed wildly as the SeaGod's blood worked its magics against him. The monster Varan was nowhere to be found.
The Timespace Sphere floated swiftly over to land in Kyoko's grasp. Behind her, the Koshida refugees had fled as the MuGod rose. Now only Kalen and Mardsoon remained. The serpent flexed its monstrous jaws, and fixed its gaze upon them.
"I can't leave you here," Kyo realized, looking at her prehistoric friends. "Give me your hands, hang on to the Sphere!" The beast was coiling now, preparing to strike. The trio huddled close together, and hung on. "Kenji," Kyo concentrated as hard as she could. "Take us to Kenji!" The monster loomed above them, and then they disappeared.