Chapter 1: First stirrings of the past and a dark evil..
Black Sea, Russia.
The nearly landlocked sea area was one of the former Soviet Union's major bases during the cold war and many ships and submarines with nuclear engines operated from the area in times of crisis with the Middle East. When the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991, many of them remained stranded and fell into disrepair. Despite the fact that most of the submarines were transferred back up to the Northern Fleet to be disassembled, many still remained at the Black Sea fleet base of Sevastopol and fell into a state of disrepair while Russia argued with the other nations in the area, especially the Ukraine about which ships belonged to who. Though radioactivity in the area was far less than up at the Northern Fleet base of Poliarny, it was still considerable enough to affect the sea life in the area.
In one of the nuclear powered Akula class submarines out on patrol, the captain looked over the map as the submarine glided under the waters of the black sea on its way to Istanbul. As the nuclear engines throbbed, he prayed that the submarine would have an uneventful voyage for the area in the past few years suddenly transformed the Black Sea into a graveyard due to the mysterious disappearance of several ships. Recently, several Russian warships from Sevastopol met the same fate as the others, but every time research aircraft scrambled to assist, they were too late, and by the time they arrived the hulls were devastated with huge claw marks similar to that of a crab and the rescue teams discovered no survivors.
Soon the sub passed onto the sight of the wrecked hulls and a moment of silence occurred before they got back to the job of navigating the area. Unfortunately, the sonar was acting up again and the captain swore and the sonar operator but it was to no effect as both men realized why the sonar was acting up again.
As they maneuvered around the area, the sonar operator suddenly spotted something and immediately switched to full power on the sonar to get confirmation. He soon paled before yelling, "Captain, I think you better see this".
The Akula's captain soon made his way over and grabbed some headphones to listen in for few minutes. He soon reinserted them back to the slot and the control room turned deathly silent for a few minutes before yelling out, "Battle stations". The alarm went out as his XO rushed up to find out what was wrong but the captain's face immediately told everything.
In the torpedo bays, the crews worked feverishly to load their deadly cargo into the tubes, knowing full well that their lives depended on it. Whether their wish to stay alive would be fulfilled, no one could say.
After looking at the sonar one more time, the captain was told that the torpedoes were ready. Turning to the sonar operator, who already had the sonar pinging away full blast, the captain yelled, "Order first four tubes to fire and go to flank speed away from the creature". He then turned to his communications officer, "Prepare to send a distress beacon the moment we surface".
The subs shook as four torpedoes, two 533 and two 650mm left their tubes and angled straight for the monster. For a few seconds, the crew waited as the target suddenly went into evasive maneuvers. Fortunately, the torpedoes kept on their target and they soon impacted on its orange-red skin with a savage force that blocked out the sonar. Everyone waited in fear as the seconds before the sonar cleared seemed to stretch to eternity.
Suddenly the sonar screen cleared, and the operator sweated as he struggled to find a clear picture of their target's status. A second later, his eyes widened and he said the words that signed their death warrant, "The target is still alive and is heading straight towards us". The captain immediately ordered evasive maneuvers but it was too late as a huge force slammed onto the titanium hull of the sub. Though the double-hull held under the weight, water leaks sprung up in several areas and the crew was thrown around like rag dolls. The crew immediately rushed to conduct emergency procedures but then another equally powerful force slammed into the sub, overwhelming the sub's double-hull system and flooding its compartments. The crew suffered a fortunately quick death as the unidentified object continued to pound the sub, as if searching for something, which it found a second later. It thrusted it's right claw into the submarine's core and began to feed.
When the rescue teams from Sevastopol and the surrounding areas arrived at the area, all they found was wreckage and dead bodies. Some cursed at whatever was playing a cruel trick on them as they continued the search. They soon found the nuclear reactor of the sub and found to their horror that it had been completely drained of energy.
Bonin Islands:
Despite being a part of Japan, only a few of its residents inhabited these islands due to the lack of usable land and the ghosts of war that haunted the islands. The Bonin Islands however were home to enormous amount of unique animals and plants of different types. The ocean around the area especially contained a large number of them.
Suddenly though, a dark shadow flew through the water with the speed of a torpedo. The shadow soon formed into the shape of a cross between a fish and a dinosaur. This creature had scaly-black skin fins all around it including a huge one that was capable of creating tornadoes. As the monster rushed up to the surface, it emitted a screeching roar that sometimes chilled the spines of the more superstitious residents of the islands. The monster then disappeared again into the deep waters without a trace.
Shanghai, China.
In the new century, the city of Shanghai competed with Hong Kong for the title of China's richest city. Though somewhat squalid in comparison to Hong Kong, Shanghai truly had the makings of a large metropolis with many large skyscrapers and streets jammed to the full.
As a result, an enormous subway system was being constructed in the area to help with the problem of transportation in the enormous in the city. Though construction had proceeded on schedule, it had recently been delayed due to several unexplained accidents, already sending the bill spiking ever higher.
Today, the boss of the construction, Zan Taishan was visiting the site to get a first hand look at the damage. While arriving at the site, Taishan grumbled at the sight of the protestors gathering around the construction site. While he understood that some had lost friends or family members due to the construction project, the protesters mainly complained about the fact that the tunnels were built in an area said to be cursed and should not be disturbed. Taishan, for his part, believed that the protestors were wasting their time since the project had been approved by Beijing and he feared for his own career. That was why he was in an angry mood today as he inspected the construction.
As the tour proceeded though, he started to become pensive for two reasons. One was the inspection of the live damage, which did not resemble sabotage or explosions but resembled the scene after a huge flood. The other reason came when the construction crew did a terrain survey with computers; they saw that large parts of the crust had been torn to pieces. Though he actually didn't believe it himself, Taishan's workers told him about the legends of the area and that the location of the construction zone and its distance to the disputed Taiwan Strait awakened a creature known as Manda.
After looking at the area for the last time, the Chinese man turned to the others, "I'll try to see if I can get some help from the military but as for now keep working on schedule". The others groaned at the thought and some bitterly remarked that their boss didn't have to stick his neck out every day. They turned to look at the tunnel again and some of the more superstitious ones shuddered.
Prime Minister's office, Tokyo Japan.
Prime Minister Hiragashi rubbed his tired eyes as he tried to catch up on some important work that he wanted completed for the cabinet the next day. He looked out the night sky and swore to himself that he should have finished hours ago but then again, politics always had a way of stacking work onto the backs of people and making them feel older beyond their years.
He was just about finished when suddenly his secretary called him with a notice that he had visitors. Grumbling he told her to let them in and to his shock, a mix of scientists and the Joint Chiefs of Staff entered, all of them solemn as if kami had presented onto Japan a very bad omen. He immediately said to his visitors, "Is there anything wrong"?
General Toma Kamiya, commander of the JASDF replied first, "I think we may have a problem in the Arctic area". He immediately pulled out the photos and handled them to the prime minister, who looked at them for a few minutes before turning back to the air force commander noting, "Do you have an idea of what is causing this disturbance".
One of the scientists replied, "We may have an idea of who is causing this disturbance". He paused before saying, "We programmed the satellite to take enhanced pictures once it orbited the Arctic area and I personally went over the image several times to ensure no mistakes and believe me, I wish it was a mistake". He then handed another photo of the shape of a dinosaur-like creature to Hiragashi.
After looking at it, the Prime Minister looked at his advisers for a moment before saying, "You all remember the prediction that the woman made in the aftermath of the war". His guests shuddered as many remembered witnessing it firsthand during the operation to annialate the last trace of a great horror, which unfortunately happened to be its heir. At the time, it felt necessary but those that were there remembered the sight of the most famous person of the conflict and the look in her eyes as she saw the monster in its death throes. The sight of the people around her cheering transformed her for one moment into a dark prophet, her voice chilling the heart of even the most bloodthirsty general there at the moment.
All remembered the look in her eyes as she saw what they considered an abomination and a threat in their eyes die right in front of her. What happened next stunned them all as she replied harshly, "For what you have done, Earth will forever be chained to the darkness and if humanity continues on this reckless path, in a time of its own choosing, it will return to the world and pass judgment on it for its sins". She immediately walked out before anyone could stop her.
Kamiya, who was there at the time, thought her words were foolish since the monster they had finally destroyed, killed so many of their own countrymen that they had no choice to resort to such a measure. He and others tried to reason with her but every time, she met them with a withering glare that had eyes as red as the devil. After a while, they immediately left her to wallow in her idiotic grief she soon vanished as the world moved inexorably forward towards the uncertain future.
It was not until after the infamous terrorist attacks in the United States and then former United States president George W. Bush made his declaration of war on terrorism was the words of the women taken seriously if only by a few. Soon, her words gained more weight as the US launched its ill-fated invasion of Iraq and then ethnic conflicts started to erupt and long-shimmering hatreds emerged into the open. Now, it seems that all that dammed women predicted would soon come horribly true.
Prime Minister Hiragashi also had the same thoughts and replied them, "Do we still have the original plans form the last conflict".
General Hikashi Nobeyama, chief of the army, replied, "We'll need some time to redevelop the plans and we're going to need the help of the other nations since if you recall what the woman said in her statement". All nodded and the prime minister nodded in assent of the general's proposal. With that, the guests departed, leaving the Prime Minister to consider his next course of action with the knowledge that the darkness would soon be returning and now the weight of the world seemed to be on his shoulders.
White House, Washington DC.
Though the president of the United States, Mathew Richardson didn't have anything important at the moment and was enjoying a rare free moment to him, he was annoyed when one of his secretaries called him as he was reading a book that several important people from NASA and the EPA agency arrived to see him and it was urgent. After a moment, the president nodded to send them in. as his visitors arrived, the president immediately asked, "Unless this is important, it had better be quick".
The lead man from the group adjusted his glasses as he opened his briefcase full of maps form the North Arctic near Alaska and Russia. He immediately said, "For the past few months, we've been detecting huge levels of radiation in the North Arctic and it has increased exponentially to the point that most of the icebergs in the areas are melting at an accelerated rate.
Though having some knowledge of the environment and the greenhouse gases and their effects on the Earth atmosphere, the Mathew immediately said, "But I thought the nuclear energy we and the Russians buried there during the cold war couldn't do such a thing". His visitor nodded and was about to speak but the president beaten him to it, "And you have no idea what it is up there". The visitor nodded grimly and the president asked, "How fast the icebergs are are melting".
The EPA official replied, "They're boiling if that is what you're asking". He immediately pulled out a thermal scan of the area and the moment the president saw the picture, he winced at the sight. The whole area, including a good part of the waters around Alaska seemed to have lit up with radiation. Fortunately, the area around Alaska had a lower level of radiation surrounding it, not that it mattered much. As they got closer to the source however, the color changed to dark red, signifying that to go into that zone without any protection from the radiation was pure suicide.
After looking at the photos and the eyes of his visitors, the president heaved a sigh and said, "I'll have to talk to the others about this but I do agree that we have to do something about this". He was about to call but then the telephone rang and the president immediately answered it, "Yes, what is it"?
The Secret Service officer replied, "Sir, the Japanese ambassador has just arrived and wishes to discuss with you a matter of grave importance". Richardson impatiently replied, "Can't it wait".
The voice on the other end of the line replied, "The ambassador here is quite insistent and he states that it relates to a certain matter in the North Arctic". Everyone froze at that moment as the statement sunk into their thoughts before the president, told the security officer, "Send him in".
A few minutes later, a gray-haired Japanese man arrived with a briefcase in hand followed by his aide and several others, including military officers. After they exchanged greetings with the president, the Japanese ambassador got down to the point.
"Mr. President, there is a situation developing up north that after it seems that your subordinates have already relayed you their own information about it as well" while handing the president satellite photographs that exactly matched the ones that the men from NASA presented to him before the Japanese arrived". He paused before going on, "Although my government has forbidden me from relaying to you the exact nature of the threat, they have given me permission to enlist your help in discovering the source of the disturbance up north".
To say that the Americans were incredulous was an understatement for the tone of the ambassador had a sense of fear and when one has a sense of fear it persuades the other to ask more. The NASA representative asked, "Why can't you tell us"? The ambassador took a deep breath, "I don't know the details myself but this is something my government had been keeping an eye on ever since 1996".
The room paused for a moment as the information sunk in before the president replied, "Alright, let me talk to my chiefs of staff before I submit a reply". The ambassador nodded in thanks and they left the room, leaving the president of the United States and the others to contemplate what their visitor had just said.
Space, near asteroid belt.
At around the same time the discoveries were being made on Earth, in space, several large objects suddenly appeared from opposite directions with both heading towards Earth. All three looked like asteroids but upon closer inspection, they were huge beasts flying at a speed much faster than that of asteroids and meteors.
The first two flew side by side as they headed for the blue green planet in front of them. One was a huge three-headed dragon with skin coated in gold. It wriggled its three heads and screamed an unearthly crackle as it glided on the solar winds of space.
Alongside it, a huge blue-gold creature hovered alongside it and though it seemed to have frozen in space, there were signs of life as the monster's beak opened with a screech and smoke came out from the rear, propelling the creature like a rocket through the stars. While it had arms, the claws at the end substituted for the monster's hands.
At the same time, the huge light blue crystal-like object approached in from the other side of Earth over North America. Within the crystal-like cocoon, a huge monster rested within the shell as it collected unlimited amounts of energy from the infinite number of stars that dotted the universe. Only a part of the creature itself was visible and the shape would have been enough to chill most men's spines.
The creature resembled a tyrannosaurus rex with mostly blue skin with an open orange stomach and an orange horn on its face. It bellowed a roar as it passed near Mars and then three crystals detached itself from the crystal shell and flew ahead towards Earth.
Tokyo Bay
Many people in the career of international business consider the port of Tokyo Bay to be one of the most well known in the world with business and trade rivaling that of Los Angeles, Shanghai, etc. While considered small in comparison to the Inland Sea, a large amount of commerce and merchandise flowed through the ports of Tokyo and Yokohama.
It is also the scene of much death in the last fifty plus years or so, starting with World War and then followed by wars that nearly wiped it and the city of Tokyo off the map. Every time such a disaster occurred, the Japanese managed to rebuild it but unfortunately, they couldn't take away the many scars, both large and small that dotted the landscape.
Just such a scar was reforming on the ocean floor where a great battle to stop a grand darkness occurred and a man sacrificed all to give the world a chance a peace. Unfortunately as before, his wish was unfulfilled and his fear about the weapon taken into battle against the darkness return once again to harm the people he sacrificed so much to spare. For the animals harboring the waters of the bay were already dead, their skins incinerated and their bones a sickly gray, though the people on the shores, didn't care about it at all.