Title: The Monster They Made
Part 2: The Feeding
The ocean churned as Quest's massive, mutated form cut through the waves. His dorsal plates glowed faintly, pulsing in rhythm with his weakening energy. Deep within, he felt the emptiness—the dwindling reserves of power that drove his rage, his strength.
He slowed his pace, the glow from his plates dimming further. Beneath the water's surface, he could sense everything—the vibrations of marine life, the distant hum of ships, and the faint, tantalizing pull of something stronger. Radiation.
Quest angled upward, his monstrous head breaking the surface. The horizon stretched endlessly before him, but in the distance, he spotted the familiar shape of a nuclear power plant. Its twin domes gleamed under the setting sun, a beacon of the energy he craved.
Without hesitation, he swam toward it, his movements cutting through the water like a torpedo. The coastline rose before him, rocky and desolate. He climbed ashore, water cascading off his scaly body as his massive frame loomed over the landscape. His glowing eyes scanned the facility.
No alarms. No people. Perfect.
Not that he cared.
Quest stomped forward, each step sending tremors through the ground. The chain-link fence surrounding the plant crumpled beneath his weight as he approached the towering domes housing the reactors.
Standing before the first dome, Quest reached out with clawed hands, tearing into its reinforced concrete shell as if it were paper. The structure groaned in protest before yielding, revealing the core within. A faint greenish glow emanated from the exposed reactor, a feast waiting for him.
Quest lowered his head to the breach, opening his massive mouth wide. He inhaled deeply, sucking in the radiation like a starving beast devouring its prey. The energy surged through him, filling the emptiness inside. His dorsal plates glowed brighter, pulsing with renewed life.
He could feel it—his strength returning, his body expanding.
His tail lashed against the ground as he grew taller, the sheer force of his transformation shaking the earth. His claws sank into the ground to steady himself as his feet stretched, his body surging with power. By the time he had drained the first reactor dry, his head nearly brushed the clouds.
But it wasn't enough.
Quest turned toward the second dome, his glowing eyes narrowing. He lumbered forward, each step crushing cars and machinery beneath his feet. Reaching the second dome, he tore it open with the same ruthless efficiency.
The second feast was even sweeter.
As he drained the radiation, his transformation continued. His dorsal plates grew larger, sharper, and brighter. His tail extended, its spikes glinting like obsidian in the fading light. His scales shimmered, their texture thick and impenetrable. When he finally pulled away from the second reactor, Quest was unrecognizable—a towering titan, radiating power and destruction.
The ground beneath him trembled as he let out a low growl, a sound that echoed for miles. But the surge of energy had left him weary. He had pushed his body to its limits, attacking ships and feeding on radiation without pause.
It was time to rest.
Quest turned away from the ruined power plant, his massive form casting a long shadow over the coastline. He waded back into the ocean, the waves parting around him as he disappeared beneath the surface.
The waters welcomed him, cool and quiet, a sanctuary where he could recover. For now, the world would have a brief reprieve from his wrath.
But it wouldn't last.
Quest knew that his hunger would return, as insatiable as the hatred burning inside him. And when it did, there would be no hiding from the monster they had created.
End of Part 2.