Masters of the Sea and Death
Chapter Seven: Farewell Atlantis.
The Pacific Ocean: Many Years Ago.
If there was one thing that gave Dagahra peace of mind nowadays, it would be the ocean itself, its waves crashing gently on the shore of the island he and Deutalios were resting on. It was quite peaceful at night, reflecting the glow of the moon high above, and the twinkling lights of the stars far away from their planet. It was serene enough to give the dragon a moment to reflect, to think about where Atlantis was, something he would often do on nights like this. Dagahra turned his head, looking at the sleeping Deutalios on the beach, and sighed, placing his hand on the rat's head. "Still nothing little buddy…. I still got nothing…. I'm sorry…." Of course, Dagahra had faint memories sometimes of where it was, but as he would try to zero in as to where Atlantis was, he would blank out, and would forget the memories. Manda had been right when she told them they'd live, yet never see Atlantis again. In many ways, it was a fate worse than death, as it seemed as if both Dagahra and Deutalios no longer had purpose, no longer had a place to stay, and with a meaningless title such as "Master of the Sea," no longer would fit in with the larger world. There were other kaiju out there yes, but Dagahra was very sure they had never heard of him or Deutalios, aside from Lord Buraki and the Garasharp, but they were long dead by now, having fallen at the hands of the Last Hope by his calculations. There were other humans out there, but they would fear him and Deutalios, not see him as guardian as the Atlanteans had once did, until they made their perfect guardian. Dagahra's claw dug into the sand, and he held it gently, feeling the grains slip through his fingers, and looked out at the calm ocean again, putting his head down and closing his eyes. "I'm sorry little buddy…. but…. I think this is the end for us."
"Well, look what we have here." A voice suddenly came from behind Dagahra, the former guardian whipping around and charging up his power beam, while Deutalios woke up and leapt onto Dagahra's head, struggling to keep in the laughter that had plagued him since Atlantis. In front of Dagahra stood another dragon, a quadruped with dark black and red scales, two massive wings and tails, and three horned heads with glowing red eyes staring at him. "I'm not your enemy here, I just happened to notice how lost you two seem to be." It was the middle head which spoke while the other two looked on, as if each head had its own personality. Dagahra started to power down his attack, and stood there, ready to listen to the new stranger before him.
"Who are you? What do you want with us?" Dagahra still stood his ground, preparing himself in case the stranger leapt into an attack against the both of them. "If you even think of hurting me or my friend, I'll kill you." All three of the stranger's heads looked at the duo, and then the left head started to laugh wildly, as if Dagahra's threat was nothing but a joke.
"Oh, if we wanted to kill you," the left head said after he stopped laughing, "You'd be dead before you even knew it. But, as it stands, you are still here, and so is that little rodent on your head, so no, we are not here to kill you." Dagahra could feel his heartbeat slowly fade, and started to calm down, while Deutalios crawled down from his head and landed in the sand next to him, staring up at the stranger. "Now that I have reassured you, how about you sit down and listen to what else we have to say?"
"What else? Ehehehehehe," Deutalios laughed, his face wincing in pain as he did so, "What do you want?" Dagahra sat down next to Deutalios, placing his claw on his head and looking at the stranger, the right head moving forward to speak next.
"It's not so much what I want with you," the right head said, his voice being far deeper than the other heads' voices, "But more so what our master wants with you, Dagahra and Deutalios, former guardians of Atlantis." Both kaiju stood back in shock, while the stranger grinned at their reaction, albeit not maliciously. Aside from the crashing of ocean waves against the shore and the blowing wind across the island, everything seemed to go silent, as if there was another presence on the island alongside the stranger.
"How did you know our names?" Dagahra asked, staring at the stranger dangerously. "We never told you our names. I don't even know your name. So, you better say something right now, or we will not consider your offer anymore." The stranger almost looked hurt for a moment, but he quickly composed himself, his middle head moving to speak next.
"You're right Dagahra, so allow me to explain how it is that I know your names. As I stated previously, our master has observed you for some time, and he has seen your great power. He also sees how those who created you betrayed you, and how your home has sunken into the depths to protect its power source, and to punish those who would abuse it." Dagahra sunk down into the sand, listening to the stranger's words, feeling a wave of coldness rushing through his body. It was all gone... his home, his friends, everything, condemned to the depths of the ocean, and now, he could not even find it, its location erased from his mind. "I am sorry for your loss," the stranger said, walking up and placing one of his front claws on Dagahra's shoulder. The former guardian nearly flinched at the touch of the other dragon, relenting when he could only barely feel the claws touching him, not digging into him like he expected. "I know your home meant a lot to you, and so did those who were your friends, but for them to be taken from you, is a fate worse than death." The stranger's middle head sounded soft almost, understanding, a far cry from the more maniacal tone of the left head and the more angry and stoic tone of the right head. "When I said my master observed you, I do truly mean it Dagahra. They called you Master of the Sea, didn't they? Are you not owed that title, and are you not owed your retribution against those who would use you?" Dagahra listened closely, looking up at the stranger's heads, while Deutalios rubbed up against his front arm, listening to the stranger as well. "I want to make it clear that my master offers you both a choice, one that will benefit you greatly if you say yes, although I must point out that it will also require you to do something for him in return."
"So, I have a choice then? I could say no and you would leave us right now?" Dagahra observed the stranger, seeing all three of his heads stare at both him and Deutalios, the middle one nodding silently, the other two grinning. For a minute, Dagahra found himself lost within the gaze of the stranger, noticing how striking his faces looked. The stranger had been gentle with him, and seemed as if he had nothing to hide, at least compared to what Manda had hid from him and Deutalios.
"I…. I… I want in," Deutalios piped up, looking up at the stranger. "Please help me…. and help my friend." Dagahra looked down at the rat, and within a few minutes made up his mind completely.
"My answer is yes. I will do what he asks," Dagahra said, staring at the stranger's faces. The dragon's heads grinned, and behind him, a strange darkness suddenly opened up on the beach, with the stranger gesturing towards it silently. "Before we go in, tell me something….. what is your name?" For a minute, the stranger seemed surprised, as if nobody had ever asked what his name was before. The middle head moved forward, while the other two stayed back to let him speak.
"I am Desghidorah, brother to King Ghidorah, and the Wings of Demise," the stranger answered, smiling at Dagahra. "I think you two will find yourselves at home with us." With that, Desghidorah turned around and walked through the portal, showing it was safe to both of the other kaiju. Dagahra looked down at Deutalios, the two of them sharing one more glance, and then walked towards the portal, making sure the rat kaiju was following him, and would not be left behind.
"Dagahra… w-will we be okay?" Deutalios asked, looking up at his friend.
"I think we will little buddy," Dagahra answered, smiling with hope as he and Deutalios left the island behind.
Under the quiet moonlight, the ocean waves gently crashed on the shore, washing away the tracks of the kaiju, and any evidence they had been there.
Atlantis: Outside the Central Chamber.
The first thing Kong noticed about Lightning Mode was how slow everything seemed to be from his perspective. Gojira summoning a mist to block an electricity powered axe strike for instance was no longer the quick flash it used to be, rather, Kong could see the clouds forming as the phantom swung his fist, making a shield for the phantom to guard against his attacks. The second was that while there seemed to be less power than Thunder Mode for his attacks, they still were quite dangerous, especially with the added speed. A spray of white flew up in the air, exposing the phantom's skeleton, and the axe buried into the ribcage, causing the phantom to roar in pain as Kong discharged lightning into it. The rain fell around the two of them, splatting onto the ground as tremors tore their way through the ruined city, and Gojira's mist summoned more undead Gyaos to his side, the beasts screeching as they leapt at Kong. "You stubborn bastard," Kong growled, kicking his axe free of the Phantom and turning his attention to the Gyaos, "You just won't let up will you?" Kong leapt over the ghouls' sonic scalpels, surprised to find his agility enhanced, and slid back, before charging at the Gyaos as he swung his axe, cutting them down with each blow as Gojira grinned at him, summoning more mist as he charged up his atomic ray, firing it out at the ape. Kong saw the ray moving slowly, and held his axe up, letting the blade absorb the energy before he broke through the ray with a charge of lightning, slamming the axe into Gojira's chest. There was a loud explosion as Gojira flew back, blowing off most of the flesh on his upper body, and Kong leapt up into the air once again, diving down at the phantom as he pulled his free fist back, feeling lightning arc around his fist as his fingers released into a chopping position. "THIS ENDS NOW!" The phantom looked up, his skeletal head grinning at Kong, causing the ape to suddenly open his eyes in shock as he dove his hand forwards, and Lightning Mode to suddenly leave him. Gojira grabbed Kong's arm, and slammed him into the ground, his flesh regenerating as mist swirled around him. He lifted the ape up, staring directly into his eyes, and grinned as the flesh finished regenerating around his face.
"Wielder of the Lightning of the Heavens, do you think your power equals that of my master's?" The phantom then tossed Kong right at Anguirus and Ebirah, the two kaiju barely managing to move out of the way as Kong hit the ground, smashing several of the phantom tanks creating a small crater in the ground. The red pillar of energy crackled, and another tremor tore through Atlantis as Anguirus and Ebirah charged at Gojira, only for Bōryu to suddenly burst out of the ground and tackle the two away from the phantom, who kept advancing on Kong. "The power over life and death is something you cannot even dream of doing, none of you. Why do you fight against us, when you know that nothing you do will stop him?" Kong stood up, using his axe to steady himself as he caught a glance of Anguirus and Ebirah both dodging flame attacks from Bōryu, the demonic Angilas laughing as he started to overpower the two kaiju.
"Why are you serving him Gojira?" Kong spat, coughing up some blood as the phantom stopped his advance and stared at him. "Was it because he brought you back to life, so you can get your revenge on humans for killing you? Was it because he promised you could see your son again, with the only price being selling your damn soul to do so?" Gojira's face changed almost, his grin fading as Kong stood up higher, leaning on his axe as he limped forward. "Are you even in there at all? Or are you just a collective, wearing his skin?" The phantom stepped back, looking down at his hands as Kong said this, the souls floating around his body starting to float around more aggressively than before, as if the collective of souls had been disturbed. "Heh…. You're no Master of Death…... you're a slave… Like I almost was." The phantom growled, the souls floating around his body now darting in and out of him quickly, his body briefly turning transparent. "Do you want to know why I still fight against him? My home is gone, and because of him, I almost committed a grave sin. I recognize Bagan for the blight he is, and how he will spell the end for everyone, and I cannot sit idly by as long as he continues to exist. Don't you see that Gojira, if you are in there? Is this worth it?!" It was right then that Gojira roared, his ghostly roar echoing throughout Atlantis, with what appeared to be ghostly screams of those within his body echoing too. The ghostly human armies around him suddenly started to writhe in pain, their vehicles crashing and disappearing as the mist slowly receded, the zombified Gyaos collapsing as well. Gojira looked up at Kong, and for a brief moment, his pure white eyes suddenly changed into regular eyes, ones that were filled with fear and confusion.
"Please…... Help me…." His eyes then turned back white, and Gojira roared again, more of the mist receding into him as Kong looked on in horror. Bōryu had not noticed this, as he was too busy trying to kill Anguirus, the latter leaping over another Sonic Scream from the undead Angilas. Anguirus fired a Sonic Crescent from his tail, dispersing Bōryu's flames, allowing Ebirah's hidden limbs to shoot out and slam into Bōryu, sending him into a building. The Angilas stood up, glaring at Angurius and Ebirah with hate in his eyes, as another tremor tore its way through Atlantis. Gojira stepped away from Kong, clutching his head as he summoned back more of the mist, until there was no more in the area and no more ghouls or revenants, aside from Bōryu, who had leapt at Anguirus, the two locked into a vicious fight as they clawed and slashed at each other. Ebirah moved over to Kong, standing next to him as they watched Gojira roar once more, and a violent tremor tear its way through Atlantis, the rain falling harder as the red pillar of light flashed and crackled.
"I won't let you win!" Anguirus roared, kicking Bōryu off him with his back legs, "You don't control me anymore!" He then leapt on Bōryu, and fired off his Sonic Roar point blank, making the older Angilas roar in pain as some of his flesh was flayed off, and his bones started to crack and crumble underneath the sonic waves.
"NO! YOU ARE NOT MY EQUAL!" Bōryu's carapace split open, and he slammed his front legs down onto the ground, blasting Anguirus away from him. Bōryu looked at his son, readying himself to charge at him, only for Gojira to turn around and blast him with mist, pulling him towards him as another tremor tore its way through Atlantis, knocking nearly everyone off their feet. A voice rang out in both Gojira and Bōryu's heads, one that Kong and the others could hear, a voice that chilled them to the bone.
"Gojira, Bōryu, you two have done enough here. Dagahra and Deutalios are no longer a threat to me, and you two have proven to me that you are capable. Leave those Earth Defenders to die if that is to be their fate, and should they live, then we will deal with them later." Gojira seemed to regain control of himself, and stared at the group as a dark portal opened up behind him, and he walked in, followed by Bōryu, who stared at Anguirus, growling as the latter charged for the portal. Before Anguirus could reach it, it disappeared just as suddenly, and he landed on the ground, panting as Atlantis shook again, the blood red pillar turning into a serene blue, the remaining kaiju glancing around as the rain continued to fall.
"Did we win?" Ebirah asked, nervously clacking his claws together as he saw living Gyaos calling out to the others, the Albino Gyaos staring at them before retreating underground with the rest of her flock. "What's going on? Kong, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, just a bit winded," Kong replied, the fatigue getting to him as he nearly collapsed. "So, this is the cost of Lightning Mode, my stamina is almost gone…..."
"Guys…. Junior, Leo, Neo, are they okay?" Anguirus asked, looking over at the central chamber as Atlantis shook, this time not stopping and starting to pick up in speed and volume. "Bagan said Dagahra and Deutalios fell, but what about them…"
All three stared at the chamber, trying to keep their ground as seawater rushed in, and the city began to sink.
Atlantis: Inside the Central Chamber.
"Deutalios!" Dagahra ran over to Deutalios's singed body, the energy of the Heart still surging through him as he picked up the smaller Kaiju, cradling him in his arms. "No…. No… I'm sorry… I'm sorry… I didn't mean to… I didn't mean to…." As he held the rat kaiju, Junior and Leo looked at him, notching how his demeanor had changed quickly. Gone was the arrogant and powerful sea dragon, leaving only a broken kaiju in his place, one who had made a grave mistake in where his last attack had gone. The energy of the Heart ran into the ground, causing several tremors to tear their way through Atlantis. "Deutalios… don't leave me… please…. What have I done?" The rat kaiju barely stirred, still groaning in pain from the energies that had ravaged his body, trying to keep his eyes open as he looked at his friend.
"You hurt your friend," Junior said, clutching his arm as he glared at Dagahra. "You hurt the ocean, you hurt Manda, you've hurt everyone, and for what?! Revenge?! Tell me Dagahra, was it worth it!? I and everyone else know what happened to you, and I understand how betrayed you felt, but is that an excuse to take it out on everyone!?" Dagahra looked up at Junior, his eyes filling up with tears, as he held the dying Deutalios, and the crushing weight of what he had done suddenly fell down on him all at once.
"I… I…. no…. no…." Dagahra looked back at Deutalios, and then at the place where the Heart used to reside, his horror penetrating his mind. "…. Not for this…. no…. what I have I done? What have I done?!" The sea dragon's mind raced as he thought about everything that had led him up to that point, his tears falling to the floor as he started to feel Deutalios's heartbeat slowly fade.
"D-d-d-dagahra…... it's not your…. fault…" Deutalios coughed, blood splattering the front of his singed fur. "I-I-I should've…. I… should've…. Warned you…." Deutalios looked up at his friend, hoping he would understand. "It's…... so…. cold…."
"No…. it is my fault," Dagahra choked, feeling his own heartbeat starting to slow down as he coughed up blood as well. The hole in his chest had not healed, but he did not care, and kept near the rat, trying to comfort him still. "I…. I should've just talked to her…. I should've told her…. I shouldn't have made that deal…. I should've gone with Des, convinced him to run away with us… I…." No matter what excuses Dagahra came up with, there was a persistent thought within his mind, one that he kept replaying in his mind over and over again. "I'm no Master of the Sea… I never was…." Junior and Leo turned away from the duo, only to see Neo fully rise from the rubble he had been trapped in, a dangerous glare in his eyes.
"Stay back," Leo growled, moving in front of Junior as he charged what little cosmic energy he had left. "I won't let you touch him."
"How adorable…. But unfortunately, you will die together!" The Beast charged at Leo and Junior, extending their arm blades, only for their charge to be halted, a telepathic voice starting to speak as crystals burst out of the ground, keeping the space kaiju from moving.
"Brother! Leo! Listen to me, you need to leave now!" Neo's voice shouted, his body struggling against the restraints as it growled and surged with cosmic energy. "I can't hold the Beast back for long, and the entire city is going to submerge itself again! Get out of here while you still can, forget about me…" Junior and Leo both glanced around as the chamber started to shake, parts of it falling down onto the floor while Dagahra coughed more, the red glow in his eyes starting to fade away.
"No! I won't leave you!" Junior shouted, running over to Neo's body, and grabbing his face. "Let me help you... please…." Junior's eyes started to glow red, his telepathy searching deep within Neo's mind to pull out the space kaiju.
"Fool…." The Beast growled, staring into Junior's eyes. "Don't you realize he is gone? You would risk your own life for a wretch like this? A being who tormented you and your father when you were young?" Leo watched as Junior struggled, his eyes glowing brighter as he tried to dive deeper into Neo's mind, and the Beast began to grin. "You are weak…. helpless…..."
"NO, HE'S NOT!" Leo screamed, flying right at the Beast, his antennae, eyes, and forehead gems glowing as he latched on, using his telepathy alongside Junior's. "He has me, and together, we'll stop you!" The two stated to push back against the Beast, the latter growling as their body surged with cosmic energy, pushing back against them, as more debris from the chamber fell to the ground, narrowly missing the kaiju. Leo and Junior both cried out Neo's name, trying to reach through the impenetrable barrier of his mind.
"Leo…. Junior…. I can't…... I can't let you down!" Neo reached out from the void within his mind, breaking past the dark barrier, and gripped onto one of the Beast's tendrils pulling himself out of the void as the latter roared in fury. "THIS IS MY BODY! GET OUT OF MY MIND!" The Beast struggled as Neo pulled, hearing the telepathic cries of Junior and Leo's voices as energy surged into him, and he pulled against the tendril of the Beast.
"NO! I WILL NOT BE IMPRISONED AGAIN!" The Beast screamed in anger, Neo grabbing another tendril as Leo and Junior's presence shined a bright light within the void, making the Beast fall farther back as Neo found himself able to move forward more, noticing what appeared to be transparent glowing forms of Junior and Leo. The former reached out for Neo, the space kaiju extending out his own hand, his crest glowing as the Beast roared in anger, and he gripped the hand of the other kaiju.
Neo suddenly collapsed on the ground, the crystals holding his body back crumbling as he fell to his knees, looking up at his surroundings. He was in the middle of the central chamber of Atlantis, not within the void, and Junior and Leo stood before him, both looking tired yet relieved that he was there. Neo looked past them, and saw Dagahra coughing as he lay next to Deutalios, blood leaking out from the hole in his chest. Neo then looked at Junior and Leo, standing up gingerly, and looked away from them, shame filling his face. "I… I'm sorry…"
"No… it's not your fault Neo," Junior replied, looking at Neo with sympathy. "Listen… when we get back home, we can help you… we…." Neo refused to look at him, and Junior stopped what he was saying.
"We need to get out of here first," Leo said, looking at Junior, and then directing his attention over to Dagahra and Deutalios. "They can't fight anymore…. We've won…."
"…. You did…" Dagahra answered, looking up at the three kaiju as the energies of the Heart surged around him. "Listen to me… I am going to give the Heart back to the city…. And when I do…. It will sink once again to the depths below… as it is already…..." There was another tremor, and Dagahra weakly looked up, blood pooling beneath him as he coughed once more, and his vision started to blur. "You need to get out of here…. Bagan will not get the Heart, and I will atone for what I did…... for all of my crimes…. So… I will stay here, and die with Atlantis…. You, and your friends…... you can defeat him…. I can see it now…." Dagahra coughed some more, as the red crackling energy started to leave his body, and turned blue once more as the Heart moved from his body, all the way up to the pedestal it used to be on. "If you see Manda…. tell her…. I'm sorry…. For everything…. And I forgive her…..."
"I will Dagahra," Junior replied, looking at him and Deutalios silently. Leo flew over to his lover, resting on his shoulder, before Junior silently ran out of the chamber, and Neo followed the two of them, a look of shame still on his face. Dagahra then looked at Deutalios, feeling the rumbling as the Heart sunk deep into the pedestal, and Atlantis started to sink under the ocean once again. He dragged himself over to Deutalios, and stroked the rats face, before he pulled out Desghidorah's scale, rubbing it between his fingers gently. Deutalios looked at Dagahra weakly, and smiled, before his eyes closed forever, and Dagahra felt his body grow tired, and darkness fill his vison.
"… Goodbye…. little buddy…"
Junior, Leo, and Neo tore out of the chamber, the latter two taking flight as Junior spotted Angurius, Kong, and Ebirah, the three other kaiju suddenly having a look of relief fill their faces, in spite of the tremors tearing through Atlantis. Junior grabbed Ebirah, Leo picked up Anguirus, and Neo telekinetically lifted Kong up from the ground, the group running to the edge of Atlantis as the ocean washed over it, with Junior leaping into the air and diving into the ocean, letting go of Ebirah and letting the crustacean swim ahead of him. The group left Atlantis, only turning around as they watched it sink under the city, the blue pillar of light blasting into the air and slowly fading away, before it shot back into the chamber, and disappeared completely, the ocean swallowing it up as the group looked back at where Atlantis was, before turning and leaving it behind as they went to head home.
As fast as it had appeared, Atlantis had vanished once again, leaving no evidence behind of its existence.
Iwato Island to Monster Island.
Everyone was silent as they traversed the ocean, each of them reflecting on what had happened in their own ways. As Junior felt the gentle splash of waves against his body, noticing the clouds above parting as the rain slowed to singular drops, he thought of the power he had displayed in the battle with Dagahra and the Beast, alongside Leo as well. "The both of us fought well together, but the power we displayed in that battle, it was frightening. I had no idea we were capable of that…. and I am afraid to find out what else we are capable of." He looked up at Leo, noticing how tired he seemed to be, looking back at the sea in front of him. "…. What if I lost him? Would I turn out like Dagahra?" As he kept swimming, he sighed deeply, looking for the island he and the others had stopped at before. Above him, Anguirus watched the kaiju swimming below, breathing gently as he felt the cool air rushing past him.
"Why can't I escape him? Even now he continues to torment me, and those I care about, just like he did before…. What do I do? Bagan has made him so much stronger, and I think we just were lucky he was called away." The Angilas sighed, remembering the awful laughter of the revenant, and his vicious attacks. "Junior and Leo, they shouldn't have to be fighting like this, not against someone like Bagan. No. They deserve to live in peace, and so do we all. I'll keep fighting until I'm dead, for Junior, for Leo, for everyone…... for you Lea… and for you Grandpa…." Above him, Leo released the Shobijin, noticing how winded the mini-moths seemed to be. They flew alongside him, keeping watch as Belvera looked back at Neo briefly.
"…. I need your guidance Mom, more than ever. Junior almost killed himself to protect me… and I don't know what would've happened if I did lose him." Leo kept on flying, watching Junior below as he changed course and started swimming elsewhere, making sure to do the same. "No… I won't lose him… and I won't let you down Mom…." Kong looked at his axe as Neo levitated him, feeling the power within it, and thinking about Lightning Mode.
"Mother…. Father…. is it really you who spoke to me from the axe? Were you there with me as I fought with Lightning Mode?" Kong was not sure if the voices from the axe would answer this time, and yet he still thought about it, the sound of their voices being a comfort to him in such a dark time. He glanced up at Neo, noticing a haunted look on his face, and looked back down at the sea below, a new thought entering his mind. "Something's wrong with Neo…. He's…... did The Beast emerge?" As the group continued on, Junior changed course, leading them to the island they had previously been to. As they reached the island, Junior walked up onto the beaches first, nearly collapsing into the sand. Ebirah came up on land next, outright collapsing into the sand as he muttered to himself. Leo set Anguirus down, watching him sit down and start resting, before flying over to Junior and draping one of his massive wings over him, nuzzling his lover, the latter returning the moth's gaze. Kong landed gently, watching as Neo walked away from the group, looking at the water instead. The Shobijin settled on Leo's back, each of them lying down, and for several hours, the group stayed on the island as the sky above turned into night slowly. They did not talk, each of them still exhausted from the battle, and rested as best they could, at least until the group heard a strange noise coming from within the rocky parts of the island. It was like a song that carried over the night breeze, gentle and peaceful, and yet somehow familiar, like a song of the past, before the world changed. Junior got up, making sure Leo moved out of the way first, and listened, memories of him within his egg surging up in his mind. Neo too stood up, straight, listening to the song as memories that were not his own flooded his mind, and he saw Godzilla standing before Junior, the burning wreck of a machine in the background. Junior gestured for everyone to stay behind, and Leo watched as his lover disappeared into the rocks, and stood there waiting for him. After a few minutes, Junior emerged from the rocks cradling something in his arms.
"Is that…. an egg?" Leo asked, as Angurius, Ebirah, and Kong approached Junior curiously, looking at small cream-colored object in his hands. Neo stayed back, and looked from the distance, listening to the song as he watched the egg gently pulse with a faint red color.
"…. Let's go home…." Junior answered, smiling weakly as he cradled the egg in his arms, confirming what Leo said with silent nod. He began to walk towards the sea, holding the egg tightly, and started swimming, the rest of the group following along. As he swam, Junior directed his body heat to the Godzillasaur egg, keeping it warm in the cold sea. As Monster Island started to appear over the horizon, three or four shapes appeared on the beach, looking at the group as they got closer to the island. Caesar leaned against his staff, a look of relief filling his face as he saw the group approaching, gesturing at Manda to take a look as well. The water dragon seemed to have mostly healed, although she was lying down on the beach, and there were still chemical burns on her body. She too bore a look of relief on her face, although it was one mixed with sadness as she could see the wounds on Junior and Leo. Ganimes himself waved his claws excitedly, to which Ebirah sighed in relief, seemingly happy to see the other crustacean. On a nearby cliffside, Kiri watched the group, her yellow eyes scanning them over. Junior walked up to the beach, still keeping the egg close to his chest, waiting as the others joined him shortly after.
"You made it back," Manda said, walking up to the group as she smiled weakly, a small tear falling from her eye as she looked at Junior. "….. They're gone…... aren't they?"
"….. Yes," Junior answered, kneeling down to talk to Manda better, "They went down with Atlantis to prevent Bagan from getting the Heart…. And Dagahra asked us to tell you…... he forgives you…. and he's sorry for everything…." Manda put her head down, tears falling into the sand as she heard this. As she cried, Caesar knelt beside her, putting his free arm around her, and letting her sob into his chest.
"That is not all that happened, is it?" Caesar asked, not out of suspicion, but concern as he noticed how silent everyone seemed to be. "Let's get to the meeting place, and then you can talk about it." Junior nodded, and looked at the rest of the group, motioning for them to follow him as he kept the egg close to him, and they went to the cave. Ebirah and Ganimes stayed back, the former grabbing the other by one of his legs.
"What is it cousin? Don't you all need me anymore?" Ebirah listened to Ganimes's question, and stared at him in his eyes.
"Look buddy, you can't just leave now. The moment you saved Manda…. you picked a side in this battle. Bagan, I've seen what he could do… and frankly…. I gotta start pulling my weight around here. Just come with me, please." Ganimes thought for a minute or so, and then followed Ebirah, the two of them scuttling behind the rest of the kaiju as they went into the cave. Kiri silently stalked through the jungle, poking her head down the hole in the roof, and getting ready to listen to the conversation below her. The moon shone down through the roof, the clouds clearing away completely, and allowing some natural light in the cave. As the kaiju within the cave waited, Kong walked forward to speak first.
"While we were at Atlantis, and Junior and Leo went off to battle Dagahra, I, Angurius, and Ebirah followed Deutalios into these underground chambers. But while we were down there, Gojira arrived." With Kong's words, everyone else suddenly gasped in shock, with the exceptions of Ebirah, Anguirus, and Neo, who remained silent and nearly dropped to the ground in shock as Godzilla's memories flooded into his mind, seeing Gojira in his mind standing over him. "You were right Caesar…. The dead are walking again…..."
"That's not all," Anguirus said next, his voice low with anger. "Bagan also brought my father back to life…" Junior and Leo looked at each other, the two moving over to Anguirus with sympathy. "….. We barely escaped with our lives… but now… now the fight's gonna be harder…."
"That it may," Caesar answered grimly, his red eyes glowing briefly as his grip on his staffed tightened, his claws digging into it. "But regardless…. I think we all have a good chance at taking him down… especially with the power you all exhibit…"
"Then, you felt what was going on?" Junior asked, looking at Leo and then at Caesar. "He was going to kill Leo… I was just protecting him…."
"I was protecting Junior too…." Leo said right after, staring at Caesar alongside his lover. "Tell us… how could you feel our power all the way here?"
"To put it in a way you can understand… your power has grown exponentially due to circumstances out of your control. You Junior, your father's life passed onto you and with it the immense power he had alongside that of another who gave his life for him. For you Leo, it seems as if not only you have the power of your mother, but also that of another, both melding together to make you stronger. Together, the two of you nearly broke open the barrier separating our universe from others, no doubt with the power you two were facing together." Both Junior and Leo backed up in surprise, while Caesar turned his attention to Anguirus, Kong, and Neo. "The same goes for you three." At this Neo put his head down, and tried to move away from the others, while Kong stared at his axe in wonder, and Angurius's jaw dropped in shock. Neo then stepped forward, staring up straight at Caesar.
"I was not in control of my power during the fight…. I lost control of the Beast and they took me over… I almost killed Junior and Leo…" As he said this, Neo turned around, looking at the exit to the cave. "They fought for me…. but I don't know what would've happened if they failed…..."
"Then we would've kept fighting for you," Junior responded, looking at Neo directly. "I would've kept fighting until you were free of the Beast… even if I had to continue the fight away from Atlantis. What matters is that you are here now, and that you are still yourself…." Neo looked back at Junior, and sighed, staying in the cave instead of leaving. "Is there anything else you have to say Caesar?"
"There isn't Junior, but regardless, I think it would be best to recuperate and rest now," Caesar said, walking up to the younger kaiju and touching the egg held in his hands. "It would also be best to find a place to store this little one, to keep them safe. After a while, we must train again… because I predict that Bagan's next attack is going to be more devastating, and that we are only on the verge of what he has."
"We won't let up," Leo said, his wings flaring out, "Never... this is our home…. And I will die defending it…"
"So, will I," Junior said next, his eyes glowing fiercely.
"And I as well," Anguirus growled, his face filled with anger. "If he thinks he can play mind games with us… he's got another thing coming."
"I'm going to figure out more about my power," Kong said, his axe crackling a bit with electricity, "I hope I can reach my full potential with your help."
Neo himself looked up, and said only one thing. "….. I'll keep helping too…... Just…. Prepare yourself if the worst happens…."
"I am still weak right now, but I will offer you my aid," Manda said, her eyes filled with determination, "I promise I won't let any of you down."
"Guess I'm here for the long haul too," Ebirah mused, "If you need anything, make sure you get me, okay?"
"So am I," Ganimes added, the crustacean looking up at the group. "Ebirah told me I picked a side when I saved Manda, and I chose your side."
"Then I think we can close out this meeting and get some rest," Caesar said, moving towards the cave's entrance. "When you are all fully recovered, we will begin training again." As he left, Ebirah and Ganimes followed him and then Manda did as well, while Junior, Leo, Angurius, Kong, and Leo stayed behind. Kiri flew away into the jungle, keeping the other kaiju's words in her mind as she thought about what they said. As the five stood there, Leo slowly turned and looked at his mother's name etched onto the wall, sighing and then moving over to Junior, climbing onto him. The Shobijin followed, sitting on Leo's back while Belvera flew over to Neo, sitting on his shoulder crystal.
"So, where should we put this?" Anguirus asked, gesturing at the egg in Junior's hands. "I don't think it will hatch anytime soon, but we still need to decide where to put it."
"Well, why not in one of the caves?" Kong suggested, looking up at the hole in the cave they were in. "There's a lot of cover, plus we know the Kamacurai do not bother going in there, and in case the island is attacked again, then it will be safer."
"Yes," Junior said as he looked at Leo, the moth nodding in approval. "Yes… let's do that… but which cave? There are a lot of them here…." As the two of them stood there, Neo walked up, and placed his hands gently on the egg, getting Junior and Leo's attention.
"Let me take the egg to my cave. I can keep it safe in there," Neo explained, watching as both listened to him. "I will keep it within a crystal barrier, and I promise that no harm will befall it… not as long as I stay breathing…" Junior looked down at the egg, and then at Leo, thinking about what the space kaiju had said, before he gently gave the egg to Neo, who held it gently in both hands.
"Then… that's where we will put it…. but Neo… if the Beast emerges again…."
"Then you end my life," Neo said bluntly, holding the egg close to him. "If I cannot seal the Beast away again, you end my life. No questions asked. I will be a danger to all of you…."
"No," Leo said, placing his front leg on the space kaiju. "We'll find a way to free you…. we always will…." At this Neo looked at the moth in surprise, and felt Belvera briefly nuzzle his face, and sighed deeply, still holding onto the egg gently.
"Neo… we won't let that happen to you…. I promise," Junior said, place his hand on the egg and looking at Neo. "Please… protect this as best you can…" With that, Neo nodded, and started to leave the cave, taking the egg with him back to his dwelling, Belvera leaving with him as well. After that, Kong and Anguirus left next, while Junior and Leo stayed behind, looking at each other silently. The two approached each other, and embraced under the moonlight, Leo wrapping his wings around his mate, and place his forehead against Junior's, both thinking about what had happened earlier.
It was quiet that night, and for several of the kaiju on the island, it was a quiet they were no longer used to.
The Dark World: Bagan's Lair.
Bagan gripped the armrests of his throne, feeling Dagahra and Deutalios's souls flowed into his body, and then let go, staring at the viewing globe in displeasure. Yes, two thorns in his side were gone, but the Heart of Atlantis was gone once again, and he could not detect where it was located. While the souls of the two kaiju had indeed given him back more of his power, he still could not help but glance at his shell, the body floating in the pillar of light. "It seems as these Earth Defenders will still be a thorn in my side," Bagan spoke, talking to the shell as if it was another kaiju. "No matter…. I may have lost the Heart, but everything is still on track for the Promised Day to occur… and I still regain my power…" With that Bagan opened a dark portal on the viewing globe, watching as Gigan's silhouette appeared, his glowing red visor starring at Bagan. "Gigan…. Tell me… have you reached the Bilasaludo yet?"
"Well, funnily enough, I'm just right outside their system," Gigan replied, chuckling a bit as he moved one of his arms and tapped the wall of where he was. "Give or take a few days, I should be right there for your uh…. well… let's just say our mutual friend, shall we?" As Gigan said this, he suddenly noticed Ghidorah appear from behind Bagan, his three heads staring at the other kaiju with disgust. "What's up with him?"
"Oh? Nothing Gigan," Bagan replied, staring down at Ghidorah. "You must focus on your mission and retrieving our mutual friend. Besides, he is here for something that all of my inner circle must hear." As he said this, he summoned two dark portals, and out of them stepped Bōryu and Gojira, the former looking at Gigan and tilting his head in curiosity. "Ah yes, meet Bōryu, Gigan, my newest soldier." Gigan snorted in disgust, while Bōryu glared at the Cyborg, his body glowing as flames started to spurt out of the cracks in his carapace.
"I might be missing something, but tell me, why could he not be here himself?" Bōryu asked, smirking as he let the flames coming out of his body glow brighter and grow bigger.
"I am on a very important mission, you old coot," Gigan snapped back at the Angilas, looking at him once more. "Besides aren't you and Gojira the ones who failed to get the Heart?" Bōryu growled and nearly ran up to Gigan, only for Gojira to wave out a hand, keeping the Angilas back with a white mist surrounding him.
"Now yes, the two of them may have not been able to retrieve the Heart," Bagan answered Gigan, staring at him intently, "However, both have proven to be valuable soldiers, far more than many of the incompetent others in this alliance. Besides… both are important to the Promised Day…. as you are Gigan." Ghidorah snorted in anger, everyone ignoring him as Gigan grinned, metal sharp teeth reflecting in the darkness of Bagan's lair. "Now… I think I have nothing more to say to you. Just remember…. Once you find our mutual friend… come back immediately. I do believe Winter is going to hold up the end of his deal very soon, and Jonah shall too."
"Sure thing," Gigan almost giggled, his visor glowing brighter. "Just, let me have some fun first okay?" Bagan nodded, and the dark portal closed, leaving him alone with Gojira, Bōryu, and Ghidorah.
"As for you two," Bagan said, looking down at Gojira and Bōryu. "I think that when Gigan brings our mutual friend to earth, you two should be there to greet him. Until that time, you are to await further orders from me."
"More time to discover things about myself," Bōryu said, looking at his body and smiling. "This power… it's so damn intoxicating…. And I'll get rid of my mistake when I see him again." Gojira remained silent, the incident in Atlantis still present in his mind, his collective of souls unable to drown out a singular voice.
"You aren't his tool! You are not his slave! Fight back! Escape!" As Gojira stood still, Bagan noticed him, and waved his hand, silencing the voice back down into the thrall of the souls within the phantom's body. Gojira then focused, his glowing white eyes staring up at Bagan, and bent down on one knee.
"I am sorry my master," Gojira apologized, several souls flying out of his body as he did so. "I do not know what is happening to me…"
"It should be nothing to worry about Gojira," Bagan replied, looking down at his servant. "It is merely a memory, one that I think will fade with time." Gojira stood up again, the voice within him still crying out, and ignored it, moving back near Bōryu. "Now, leave me you two…. And remember what I told you." Both Bōryu and Gojira nodded, and walked through dark portals, leaving Bagan alone with Ghidorah. The dragon moved around, and faced Bagan head on, his red eyes glowing in the darkness. "And what troubles you now Ghidorah?"
"…. Tell me… father…. what happens after you regain your power? I'm curious…." Ghidorah looked at Bagan's shell, before looking back up at his creator, gazing upon him like a child. "Is this all worth it?" For a minute Bagan was taken aback, and he sat in his throne, thinking about what Ghidorah had said. In the past, he had been able to predict and manipulate everything going as it should, allowing him to rectify his mistakes, and yet… Godzilla always was there, throwing something into his plans. Now… while he was gone, his son instead seemed to throw more into this path, and there had been several setbacks even he could not see. "Is it worth it? TELL ME!"
"Yes Ghidorah, it's worth it," Bagan growled starring down at the dragon. "I am the beginning and end of all life… and I still have control… The Promised Day will happen, and my power will return… and I will ensure my victory this time! Now leave me…" Ghidorah snorted, and stalked out, leaving Bagan behind as he starred at the viewing globe, within a factory owned by Solstice Technologies. Within it, there appeared to be various copies of the human mech, M.O.G.U.E.R.A, each of them finely built (Bagan had a hand in it, but he made sure to keep silent on that), and each of them lined up, like they were almost ready to launch within weeks to a month. They were noticeably smaller than the original M.O.G.U.E.R.A, and unlike its plain silver and blue, they were silver and gold in color, standing out as something that was more mass-produced, instead of one machine. "Soon Winter… soon…" Bagan muttered, stepping back into his shell as he watched humans work on the massive machines, and he touched the globe again, feeling more of his power flow into him as some of his kaiju elsewhere harvested the fear and despair of humans.
It was worth it, and yet no matter how much he reassured himself, there was still doubt in Bagan's mind.
G-Force Headquarters: Three days after Atlantis.
The hanger was quiet at night, and with little staff working there, it often left M.O.G.U.E.R.A sitting there alone, silently watching over them. G-END was still covered in the large tarp, and Garuda still stood uncovered, but other than those two, it was only M.O.G.U.E.R.A in the hanger, something the mech was fine with. It seemed like there was more time alone nowadays, something which the mech's computers relished, as it allowed them to analyze what all was going on. In many ways, it was almost as if M.O.G.U.E.R.A for the first time in its life... or rather, "his," could think like a human, and yet beyond. "I THINK; THEREFORE, I AM," one of the computers within his head spelled out. "YES…. I CAN THINK…. QUERY: THEN WHY AM I BEING REPLACED WITH G-END? ANALYSIS: I WAS UNABLE TO TAKE DOWN TITANUS DESTROYER AND TITANUS SPACEGODZILLA IN BOTH MY BATTLES AGAINST THEM. THUS, IT WOULD STAND TO REASON THAT HUMANS WOULD WANT A MACHINE THAT PERFORMS BETTER THAN THIS UNIT. FURTHER ANALYSIS: DESPITE GARUDA UNIT BEING UPGRADED TO LINK WITH THIS UNIT, IT TOO IS BEING DECOMISSIONED AND REPLACED WITH G-END. CONCLUSION: I AM THOUGHT OF OBSOLETE AND USELESS." As the mech thought this, for a brief moment, his AI stretched out its digital arms, briefly causing the mech's eyes to flash on briefly, and slowly tilt his head to where G-END was. "TEST CONCLUDED. RESULTS: I CAN THINK, BUT I CANNOT MOVE ON MY OWN. I NEED INPUT FROM COMMANDERS YUKI, YASHIRO, AND GORDON." While M.O.G.U.E.R.A knew they were not all commanders, he figured it was easier to classify them as such, to keep things concise. Dan was not around enough to be considered a commander, and both Kuroki and Aoki were meant to be the pilots of the Garuda, and as the linkup had never been field-tested, the mech could not classify them as commanders, and would likely never will with decommissioning on the horizon and the new AI that was established into the G-Force base. There was something about the AI that M.O.G.U.E.R.A did not trust, and thus he kept it out of his systems. "NEW QUERY: I AM OLD, YET NOT OBSOLETE. CONCLUSION: THERE IS SOMETHING THAT CAMERON WINTER IS KEEPING FROM G-FORCE. I WILL FIND A WAY TO WARN MY COMMANDERS, ATLHOUGH I FEAR I WILL BE TOO LATE IF AND WHEN THEY COME BACK TO ME. I MUST FIND A WAY TO EXPAND MY REACH, MY HORIZONS, AND MAYBE I CAN WARN THEM. I WILL CONTINUE TRYING TO LEAVE MY BOUNDRIES. THERE ARE KAIJU WHO ARE NOT OUR ENEMIES, BUT I DO NOT KNOW IF I CAN REACH THEM. I WILL ONLY TRUST MY COMMANDERS, ALONGSIDE DAN, KUROKI, AND AOKI. I AM OLD, NOT OBSOLETE, AND I SHALL PROVE THAT WHEN IT IS TIME. END OF LINE." With that, M.O.G.U.E.R.A shut down silently, moving his head back as best he could to make it seem as if he had not moved at all during his small test. He would be on sleep mode for several hours, and once he had recalibrated himself, he would continue his tests. It was of course the best course of action for a machine like him.
Especially when it seemed as if the world got closer and closer to its end these days, and with all the kaiju popping up.
In Memory of Akira Takarada. 1934-2022
Author's Note: Hey everyone. I am very sorry, as this chapter took a very long time to come out, alongside the next installment of WFP, and well, I have to be honest about it. My real life has gotten busier and I often find myself little time to work nowadays due to my other duties, and for that, I apologize. I am not cancelling any of these stories, but I want to let you all know that I may not be able to update them as frequently as I would like, and that there may be more delays in the future. With that said, I would like to say that I am still dedicated to making both these stories as good as possible, and that I will keep doing my best to release chapters of both. I would like to say, that before the next arc, there will be three interlude chapters, not two as usual, alongside the name of the next arc... RISE OF THE MACHINES! A bit cliche, but it works for me. Anyway, I am glad to return with a new chapter for your all, and I hope you enjoy it. Here his the voice cast with no new additions.
Johnny Yong Bosch as Godzilla Jr (adult and teen).
Dan Southworth as Neozilla/SpaceGodzilla and the Beast.
Sumalee Montano as Mothra.
Matthew Mercer as Anguirus.
Yuri Lowenthal as Leo.
Steve Blum as Kong.
Sigourney Weaver as Biollante and the Beast.
James Sie as King Caesar.
Ming-Na Wen as Manda.
Marc Diarson as Godzilla.
Quinton Flynn as Rodan.
David Gallagher as Battra.
Phil LaMarr as Baragurius.
Richard Epcar as Bōryu.
Mark Hamill as Bōryu (Revenant) and Baltan Seijin.
Cate Blanchett as Gigamoth/Mothra Gaia.
Sean Astin as Baragon.
John Rhys-Davies as Gorosaurus.
Viggo Morteson as Gomora.
Mae Whitman as Moll.
Lara Jay Miller as Lora.
Grey Griffith as Belvera.
Greg Baldwin as Daimajin.
Fred Tatasciore as Destoroyah.
Charlie Adler as Varan.
Willem Dafoe (Leader), Dave Wittenberg (Nutcase), and Kevin Michael Richardson (Vicious) as Desghidorah.
James Woods as Dagahra.
Spike Spencer as Deutalios.
James Patrick Stuart as Gigan.
Patrick Seitz as Grand-King Ghidorah.
Tony Jay as Bagan.
James Earl Jones as Gojira (Godzilla 1954)/Ghost Gojira (Ghost Godzilla).
Angela Basset as Godzilla Earth.
Nathan Lane as Ebirah.
Karen Strassman as Kiri (Kamacuras).
Takia Waititi as Ganimes.
Tim Curry as Hedorah.
Patrick Warburton as Megalon.
Robert Englund as Gabara.
Cathy Weseluck as Godzilla Jr (child).
Stephanie Nadolny as Kong (child).
Veronica Taylor as Anguirus (child).
Jim Ward as M.O.G.U.E.R.A.
Gregg Berger as G.O.R.T.
Jeffery Dean Morgan as Gaira.
Nika Futterman as Lilith (female MUTO).
Daran Norris as Nimrod (male MUTO).
Eartha Kitt as Megagurius.
Brian Drummond as Zilla.
Dee Bradley Baker as Gezora.
Travis Willingham as Kong's Father.
Laura Bailey as Kong's Mother.
George Newbern as Irys.
Robin Atkin Downes as Barugon.
Paul St. Peter as Zedus.
Dan Green as the Last Hope of Mankind.
Robert Axelrod as Ultraman/Kaiser Belial (Vision).
Kerrigan Mahan as Griffonrzer/Goldar.
Goji73 as Shadow of RED.
Carrie Kernanen as Miki Saegusa.
Ray Chase as Sho Kuroki.
Todd Haberkorn as Kazuma Aoki.
Kaiji Tang as Akira Yuki.
Colleen Clinkenbeard as Akane Yashiro.
Don Frye as Douglas Gordon.
Skip Stellrecht as Dan.
DC Douglas as Cameron Winter.
Charles Dance as Alan Jonah.
Next time... Our heroes recover and train, and wonder about the future, while Junior has a strange dream one night, and the humans begin to notice M.O.G.U.E.R.A's strange behavior? What will happen? Find out next time in Godzilla: Rebirth of the King!
See you all next time... and stay safe everyone. Don't be afraid to leave feedback or to review this story, or recommend it to other people who may be seeking fanfiction to read.
Shadow of RED, Zenith, and all related concepts belong to Cosbydaf.
The King Caesar song and Mothra song belong to Toho Studios.
Keep Circulating the Links.