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@Lmpkio

Apophis heard another bellow echo across the desolate landscape as he silently glided across it. Twisting through the air as he went, Apophis climbed higher and higher, until his shadow blotted out most of the sunlight that would have normally been illuminating the ground below. As he drew closer to Giza, to his old foe and his so called subjects, he craned his head down and to the right as his misty gray eye searched for any sign of the crimson titan. He glided overhead for several minutes, causing a small sandstorm to start engulfing the small human settlements hundreds of feet below, until he finally spotted the large hulking shape of his old foe standing on one of the Egyptians precious monuments. Landmarks which had since become worn by time and sand, their marble white polish and color now a distant memory. Much like the age it was once part of. Letting out another bellow to get his opponents attention, Apophis proceeded to sweep down and to the left, letting the harsh sunlight through once again. The old serpent hoped that it would be enough light to temporarily blind Horus so he could more easily approach. The last thing Apophis wanted was to have to deal with his heat based beam. Especially after this long in hibernation.

While his muscles were less stiff than they were earlier, the serpent knew that they were not yet loose enough for him to perform overly complex aerial maneuvers in order to avoid Horus's beam attack should he use it.

Tucking his wings into the sides of his long body, Apophis allowed himself to plummet towards the ground before quickly unfurling them once more and soaring round towards Horus from his right at an angle that would allow him to bite into his unprotected underbelly if executed correctly. And after finding a purchase in the gods flesh, he would proceed to coil his long serpentine body around him, before slowly crushing the air from his lungs.

Apophis's lips curled upwards in anticipation of the strike as he opened his maw, revealing two rows of sharp fangs.

Horus would not escape from his clutches this time.

(A collaboration, with thanks to and courtesy of @Lmpkio)

"FORGET THE DOCUMENTS! THEY'RE BACKED UP!" Elena was prepared as she had with her a 256 GB flash drive as well has cloud storage. As she was evacuating, she tried to do so orderly and without attracting the monsters' attention. Ahklut and Wechuge were already keeping each other occupied. Exploiting the mess, she used the moment to help some others too, including the doctor.

Ms. Henderson will have a lot of paperwork to fill out. But that's the least of her worries and her priorities. The after-action reports will be quite detailed too. Memos after memos are things she'll have to do to prevent repeat incidents.

Jacqui rolled her eyes at Elena’s response as she picked up most of the documents that were closest to her. There were some written research that hadn’t been typed and scanned onto the computer - a foolish choice for a young marine biologist like herself. This, along with illustrations of various other titans, had to be saved for the sake of research.

But as she turned to consider retrieving the last few pages, several huge chunks of debris fell from the roof and right on top of them, ultimately burying them for good. Jacqui gasped as she staggered backwards, narrowly avoiding being buried alive as her face sunk into her stomach.

"Shit!" she cursed under her breath, before getting back up and moving on. She had little idea as to what written info was lost, but hopefully it wouldn’t be too valuable. She could only hope that it won’t come back to bite her in the ass later.

Elena made sure not to be crushed by the debris and scanned her environment to ensure the safest path to the choppers. She was anticipating which chunks were going to fall, similarly to leading a target. The intel officer was evading where the hazards will be rather than just where they are. She learned from the fate of her dead lover and strived to avoid that. While she was outwardly unflappable, Elena was worried that it was never about if the megafauna would break out, but when.

The fact that two broke out spoke how woefully unprepared TERRA was at handling multiple escaping kaiju at once. Weapons development is the first department she’ll hope for, as current military technology were no more effective than squirt guns. As Ms. Henderson knew that foul language would protect her better than firearms against especially Wechuge, she still was antsy about attracting attention. She hushedly whispered to Jacqui, “Keep your head down or the megafauna will keep it down for you.” Elena knew how to be quiet, but she wasn’t sure if the young marine biologist knew too.

Jacqui simply nodded as she struggled to keep up. She could hear the sounds of the rest of the personnel screaming their lungs out, with some being crushed by the surrounding debris. If they were to survive, they would have to keep calm and move in an organized matter. It would be just like the practice drills that she had been apart of multiple times…

Still didn’t fully prepare her for when the real thing happened.



Wechuge countered the water blast with another trick up his sleeve: Ice Breath! Wechuge wasn't restricted to melee as the ice breath enveloped across the water shot at him and upon Akhlut. Breaking the column shooting at him with a swipe, the ice breath allowed Wechuge to close the distance. Akhlut may be enveloped in ice, but the ice will only hold for so long. Though of course, it'll give Wechuge time to close in and pin Akhlut down.

Realizing the situation, Akhlut had only seconds to react. Yet as he attempted to cease his fire, the frost was faster to reach him. It encapsulated the mammalian titan’s blubbery form as it seemed to completely freeze him in place. Still, the beast’s eyes were still able to move around, allowing him to track his opponent even through his frozen prison. He would suddenly vibrate within the ice, causing multiple cracks to form before he could break himself out and taste the chilled air once more.

The giant bear was now closing on him, in which Akhlut didn’t hesitate but to proceed in diving back into the frozen depths. Once underwater, his sonar would be put to work as he proceeded to locate the exact location of Wechuge. His lumbering footsteps alone would be enough to track him, but the whale beast needed pinpoint accuracy if he was to guarantee a successful hit. Rapidly circling around his opponent, Akhlut would suddenly rush upwards as he attempted to catch the bear off guard by breaking the ice right underneath him!

Wechuge wasn’t stupid. Because the bear had the intelligence of a primate, he was able to predict some of Akhlut’s maneuvers. Using his opposable thumbs, he was able to grapple with the giant whale-wolf just as it leaped upon Wechuge’s chest. While Akhlut successfully pounced on Wechuge, the bear was able to dig in a few claws into the whale-wolf’s sides. Both enemies felt pain, but the thick hair, skin, and fat was able to mitigate some of the damage. The embedded claws allowed the bear to bear-hug Akhlut, spin the enemy around, and then throw him directly to Outpost 4! With the jagged edges and possible spikes, Wechuge attempted to deal heavy damage against the rival.

The whale-wolf’s gargantuan form was thrown with incredible force as it found itself crashing onto the ice. Yet it supported its weight just enough to have him slide straight into the outpost, colliding into the southern compound with heavy force. Both Jacqui and Elena would’ve undoubtedly felt the impact as the violent tremor threatened to put them off their feet. The former struggled to hold onto a nearby rail before she gathered her bearings.

Akhlut issued a guttural growl as he struggled back to his feet. He was somewhat shakened, but not out of the fight yet. He still had plenty of strength and pure malice left to spare. As he watched his opponent slowly walk towards his position, he looked around at his surroundings before seeing a broken radio antennae near him. Quickly glancing over at the lumbering bear, he’d proceed to sink his teeth into the metallic structure, ripping it from its base. And before the bear could attempt to grab hold of him, Akhlut would swiftly swipe his makeshift weapon straight at Wechuge’s face before attempting to tackle him with this sharp claws and gleaming white teeth.

Elena managed to recover from the tremor, doing so by taking cover as she would do during an earthquake. The intel officer dropped, took cover, and held on to minimize chances of being injured or killed. She observed the two monsters duking it out, surprised that Akhlut was using improvised weaponry against Wechuge. Not wanting to stick around to see who’d win, she continued to evacuate in an orderly fashion.

Wechuge was pushed back as Akhlut used an impromptu sword. Giving a painful cut across the snout, Wechuge wildly swiped at its opponent. The bear was as mad as it would be if it was shot in the rump. Yet while Akhlut’s opponent became hyperly aggressive, it would seem that his swipes were unorganized and sporadic - lacking focus on the target at hand. This would give Akhlut a potential opening to capitalize on his lack of vision. He slid upon the ice as if he was a professional ice skater, dodging the rather predictable strikes, but not before getting a surprise swipe upon his back. He would be swiftly able to parry behind Wechuge and proceeded to pounce on the bear’s back, biting and scratching it with ferocious vigor.

Wechuge stood up in an attempt to get the smaller monster off his back. While the lupine cetacean was able to get a few good hits past the fur, Wechuge was not backing down despite the barrage. Seeing a weak spot on one of Akhlut’s fins, the bear once again grabbed Akhlut and bit down on the dorsal fin. Wechuge aimed to deliver as much pain as possible to deter Akhlut.

When the bear’s teeth sunk into the beast’s proud fin, Akhlut would issue an ear-piercing screech of pain. He shook around violently to get free, however Wechuge’s teeth were firmly planted into him. Sensing no other option, the cetacean’s blowhole would open and out came another jet of water straight into the bear’s face, perhaps providing Akhlut time to escape his grasp.

Wechuge, blasted directly in the face, was forced to let go of Akhlut, but not without a few teeth scraping the fin. 36,000 pounds per square inch provided quite a crunch. At this point, the two combatants were battered, but not down and out. The brawny bear was determined to drive off the distraction until Akhlut yielded or retreated away. A bellow of anger echoed throughout the damaged base as Wechuge was ready to throw Akhlut far away for all the trouble. While the tussling giants were a blessing in disguise for humanity, the giant bear was more than annoyed at the overgrown whale-wolf. In one of the ultimate attempts to clobber Akhult, Wechuge got up and unleashed a drop-kick on Akhlut.



Elena fancied herself as unflappable. But she was regardlessly surprised by what happened next. The screech of pain did give her quite a ringing pain too, but it also gave her the notion that the monsters could be hurt and repelled if killing them was impractical. As she saw that the beasts were wounded, she planned on adding something to her memos once they evacuated: If it bleeds, we can kill it. Checking on the emergency exit and Jacqui, she felt justified that staying calm was the best approach. Ms. Henderson was somewhat grateful that Akhlut provided a much needed distraction. Anchorage could have become Wechuge’s all-you-can-eat buffet. Her only hope was the speed of the vehicles she and Jacqui will board. While choppers aren’t renowned to be speedy, recent advances allowed them to exceed 160 mph.

Following her fellow intel officer’s lead was probably the best decision that Jacqui had ever made in her time with TERRA. Now as they exit the staircase room, they’ve finally reach salvation and it appeared that they were just in time. A lone helicopter stood motionlessly in the middle of the pad. Yet as they took a closer look, no pilots or passengers seemed to be onboard. Dread overtook the young marine biologist as she looked over to Elena.

"You know how to fly one of these things?" she asked concerningly as she proceeded to enter the front left passenger seat.

“Yes. It’s easy enough.” With her background, she was knowledgeable and capable of using the vehicles her parents used. Readying the chopper, it seemed easy to Elena like a walk in the park. “We’re ascending. Stay calm and we won’t crash.” Ascending up, she ensured that there any weapons systems were offline. Elena felt that these peashooters would do nothing on either of the kaiju. If Jacqui was to ask, the blonde intel officer would clarify that profanity was more effective on the monsters than the weapons systems onboard. As she was smoothly going up in the air, she exhaled, “Made in America.”

Suddenly, there was a violent thud as the entire platform was hit by a huge blubbery mass. Akhlut was thrown back by the bear’s powerful drop-kick, sending him flying straight into the landing path at nearly full force. Jacqui jumped as the copter was pushed back considerably by the sheer force of said impact. The landing path swayed dangerously to its east side as objects began to slide down its face.

The cetecean meanwhile would emerge from the rubble as his tail unintentionally swiped at the base of the metal structure, assuring the structure’s fate. With a terrible metallic creak, the entire structure proceeded to finally tip over and crash into the snowy surface below. Had the helicopter stayed in place for only a few seconds longer, it would’ve surely fell with it.

"Jeezus christ!" she blurted out suddenly as she gripped to the edge of her seat, "Those two are really going at one another."

Elena reacted quickly by stabilizing the chopper as best as she could and going full throttle on the ascension once stability is ensured. Once the two were well out of reach of the freakish fracas, she accelerated away from the base and was ready to rendezvous with other TERRA personnel as part of the evacuation procedure. Elena then assumed that the two megafauna would go at each other for quite some time.

Once they were out of range from the beastly slaughter below, Jacqui’s release would lessen before she turned to Elena. "So uh," she stammered briefly before gathering her words, "Where exactly are we going now? I’m guessing back to HQ?"

“That’s right. Mind the assholes once you get there.” Elena affirmed that the HQ in Boston was the destination. Luckily for both of them, the gas tank was full to the brim. “This will take a while. Get comfy.”

Jacqui would sigh a breath of uneasy relief as she sunk into her seat. She began to reflect on the battle they’d just narrowly escaped, noting the intense rivalry that the two titans had. They were literally at each other’s throats, no doubt signifying that the two had history with one another. Her primary research specimen, Akhlut, seemed to be on roughly equal footing with the bear titan, although he seemed to have more of the high ground in that situation. Where would the two travel next after one kills the other? Or perhaps more likely, once the two give up and part ways?

But soon she will realize that they weren’t the only two titans unleashed into the world. And sooner or later, these two gargantuan forces of nature will be in combat with others of their kind, testing their mettle as to who will live and who will perish…

It was only a matter of time.

The ground throughout northern Italy and eastern France shook violently as the mountainous Alps began to crumble. A secretive facility had existed deep within the Alps for decades. This facility was one of the many that served the simple but yet, vital mission of containing one of the world's most dangerous monstrosities. In a mysterious connection with the simultaneous failures of Outposts around the world, this facility's security and containment is in the midst of complete collapse.

Sirens screeched and red lights beamed radiantly within the facility as personnels raced for the exit. Security and staff alike could be seen scrambling for the doors as they shouted in terror. Those brave enough to return to the containment area would find the monitors flashing a crimson red color with the following warnings:

<\\:TERRA_ALERT_:_OUTPOST_26_ HAS_BEEN_BREACHED://>

<\\:CODENAME_DEVOURER_CAN_NO_LONGER_BE_CONTAINED://>

"No..this can't be happening!" One of the female scientists could be heard shouting in disbelief. Her eyes glued tightly on the monitors as she feared for the fate of humanity if this abomination were to escape. One could only imagine the wave of true horror that she would feel if she realized that these containment failures were occurring throughout the whole world. Dozens of Outposts are in the midst of collapse as she speaks, as creatures of all shapes and sizes emerge from the shadows of the Earth.

"We have to reinforce the containm..."

Her words were interrupted by the shaking of the ground below her as it slowly ruptured. Massive pounding could be heard towards the enormous steel gates behind the glass pane. The scientist stared intently, her heart beating with each sound of the pounding before a massive tail broke through the center of the gates, impaling one of the scientists attempting to find cover. The unfortunate soul screamed in terror and fright as his very body was slammed repeatedly on to the cold hardened ground. His body, which had struggled with life seconds earlier, were now as idle as a corpse.

A massive roar could be heard echoing throughout the entire compound as the ceiling of the facility started to crumble. It didn't take anyone of intelligence to understand that the entire area was in the midst of collapse. Shouts could be heard again as large falling boulders blocked the exits out of the underground outpost. People can be seen running in every direction imaginable as they desperately tried to escape. Some could even be spotted trying to desperately remove the boulders with their very hands to little avail.

As the ceiling above the female scientist cracked, her eyes closed shut as she simply accepted her fate. Within minutes, the place formally known as Outpost 26 was no more. The scientist along with all those who had been trapped were buried along with the facility.

The mountains sitting above the outpost turned into rubble as another roar could be heard vibrating through the mountain passes. From deep within the Alps, a beast of monstrous size erupted from the Earth. The creature stood at over 100 meters and measured nearly 350 meters in length. First came its head, followed by its large torso, and last, its long tail which served as replacement for its missing legs. With an Earth trembling cry, the beast wrapped its tail around a nearby mountain. Its irongrip combined with its strength created shattered the center, sending it tumbling down.

After being in captivity for decades and being forced to use alternatives to its food source, the beast was filled with a desire for destruction and vengeance against its human captors. From the rays of the morning sun, the creature began to absorb its energy as it slowly moved west towards the French civilization.

The scientists all sat watching the screens turning red before them, failed containment warnings pouring forth from other outposts scattered around the globe. More alarming was the number of reports of titans appearing beyond those known about in the outposts. Of the group of five sat watching in Outpost #8, Dr Warren Moss was the one to break the silence. "This is sheer madness," he said out loud to his colleagues. For years Dr Moss had studied the titans and in particular a large part of his study had been about the one beneath his feet, Draig.

"Why are they all waking up?" Dr stepped forward towards the monitors away from the other scientists. He scratched at his head before turning sharply to face the others. "Gary I need you to check on the status of Draig. If everyone is waking up we need to understand how long we have before he cuts short his nap." The man he had addressed pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose before scurrying over to a nearby workstation. He hurriedly tapped away at the keyboard before turning with look of reassurance on his face. "Everything's looking good. We're picking up an odd few signals but there is no sign or indication that he's going to be waking up any time soon." There was a collective sigh amongst the group. Given the position of Outpost #8 in relation to Draig, anyone around when Draig awoke would likely be at risk of being thrown a great distance with the Outpost itself.

Dr Moss scratched at his chin for a moment before addressing the room once more. "Even if the readings say that, I'm inclined to believe otherwise. These things are waking up everywhere and it can only be a matter of time before Draig does to. We have all put a lot of time into our research here but I think it is time we evacuate." The group looked on in disbelief. Dr Moss had put his life into his work, never marrying or having children, his work always came first. They never believed for a second he would call an evacuation even if everything was to go south quickly.

"But Warren..." Before Gary could continue Dr Moss interrupted with a forceful cry. "No Gary! Outpost #8 is to be evacuated. This entire situation is beyond our control now, no amount of technology or weaponry we have will be able to take on these creatures. We need to let nature take it's course and just hope that once it's all done...there's still some of us left." Dr Moss took off his glasses and rubbed at them with a handkercheif from his pocket. A sigh escaped his mouth filling the silence his brief speech had left behind. "You all need to get to the evac station now. It may not be today, it may not be tomorrow...but Draig will be waking up soon. Turning to the monitors behind him Dr Moss eyes a large red button sat beneath a plastic cover. With a flick of his wrist he raised the cover without a second thought, pressed the button. Sirens began to sound in the Outpost, echoing through out.

"Please...all of you get to the station. Dr Moss placed his hands on the console before him and hung his head. Moments later he heard the door open at the back of the room, several muted goodbye's followed before the door shut. Dr Moss slowly returned to standing upright and placed his hands on the back of his head. "At least i'll have the best seat in the house..." A wry smile crossed his face as he turned to take a seat. The smile was short lived as his eyes caught glimpse of Gary. "Jesus Gar..." The roles had quickly reversed from moments before as Gary spoke with authority. "Listen here Warren. I may be younger than you but I care about this just as much as you. This is what my life has led to. Having a family and a house with the picket fence is not something i've ever wanted. To be there when something monumental happens, something truly amazing...that's all I've wanted. There is absolutely no way i'm running, especially if Red is going to wake up...no way." Dr Moss stood silent before giving a solemn nod of acceptance to Gary's wish.

Time rolled on and the pair had made their way to the surface, sat in an observation post disguised as a farmhouse. They had several monitors to watch. One had a direct feed to the sleeping Draig, next to it was a live feed on sensors while a third had live news footage of what looked like a fight between a large polar bear and am amphibious wolf. Even with such a titanic fight going on, the pair could only watch on as Draig slept. The focal point of their research for the last decade was on the verge of awakening and it was all that mattered to them.

As Dr Moss took a sip of tea an unsual beeping caused him to choke, arching over as he coughed heavily. Gary leant forward quickly to the monitor with the sensor information. The beeping signalled a massive shift in the readings. "Holy shit Warren I think this is it." Gary turned to Dr Moss to see him sat, mouth wide open, staring at the live feed to Draig. A giant, yellow eye peered straight at the camera. Gary stood up from his chair, knocking it over in the excitement. "Come on! We need to get outside!" Gary took Dr Moss by the collar and dragged him towards the front door.

Before they had left their room the ground began to tremble violently. The monitors they had just been watching tumbled to the floor, plates in the kitchen could be heard smashing against the tiled floor. Gary was right...it was time. Managing to get the front door open Gary and Warren emerged into the chilly air of the National Park. They stopped at the end path that led from the farmhouse, overlooking where Outpost #8 was hidden below. Gary turned to the man who had become a close friend and put his arm around his shoulder.

Then they heard it, the noise they had waited a decade to hear. Even from beneath the masses of soil and dirt that seperated the pair from Draig, the giant's roar could be heard. Dr Moss' eyes began to well up, everything he had waited for was about to reveal itself. It was then Gary raised his free arm to point. The ground he gestured towards began to curve upwards, moving further and further upwards until eventually a giant red claw emerged. The roar became intensely louder and much clearer. Soon a second claw erupted from the Earth, sending masses of rock and dirt in every direction. Several large boulders fell within a hundred metres of the scientists as they continued to watch on.

"Y Ddraig Goch..." Dr Moss whispered as the full glory of Draig was revealed. With a large thurst Draig emerged from the ground, it's deep red scales leaving the scientists in awe. It's wings quickly spread outwards and began to drive the titan high into the air. Beneath it, the Earth it had displaced erupted outwards like a tidal wave. Warren and Gary looked up as Draig flew up into the clouds before the mass of dirt and rock crushed them and the farmhouse into nothingness.

Draig had awoken...

The vibrations resulting from the collapse of Outpost 26 was something felt by nearly all of western and central Europe. From the ashes of several crumbled mountains, rose a terrifying and horrendous abomination. The escape of the being known as the Grand King had sent the European governments into a frenzy. Their fears were only augmented further upon hearing that the outpost's failure wasn't an isolated incident. Nearly all the outposts throughout the world had been breached and destroyed simultaneously. Creatures of all shapes and sizes now roamed the Earth, their release heralding a new and dark age of human civilization.

Less than a day upon the release of the Grand King, the French government had received news that the beast was heading west directly for the French city of Nice. With a population of nearly 350,000, the government could not afford for the creature to get close to the settlement. Dozens of fighters and bombers along with ground personnels were scrambled in an attempt to stop the creature or at least redirect its movements away from the city. However, the military soon found that none of their weapons had any effect on the creature. Bullets and explosives were futile against the thick armor like skin of the creature. Casualties soon skyrocketed as the French failed in even delaying the beast's advance.

Becoming aware of the creature's impending arrival, orders were issued to Nice's residents to immediately evacuate. However, due to the stubbornness of some as well as the little amount of time given to prepare, many of the citizen's fates were sealed. Within less than a day, the double horned skull of the creature was spotted in the city's arrival. Several smaller towns and cities had already been destroyed due to the monster's advances but Nice was to be the biggest yet. The city and its people immediately fell into absolute discord and anarchy as people tried desperately to escape. The roads were jammed in minutes, forcing many to abandon their vehicles and escape on foot.

A last ditch military effort was launched to save Nice's citizens. And just like the first, it proved futile as the creature seemed untouched with whatever they threw at it. The King's arrival was herald by a collision of its body against a tall building. The creature's weight and size easily decimated the structure as pieces and debris fell on to the bystanders below. With a loud menacing roar, the creature charged with its horns into a nearby building, causing it to nearly break in half.

Its powerful tail swung through buildings one by one before all that laid before it was rubble. With its sights set on the horizon, the creature opened its mouth as a series of glowing plasma like beat was released into the buildings before him. The atomic blast triggered a series of chain explosions as all structures that stood before it crumbled within seconds.

Reports indicated that the creature had also delved into a feeding frenzy, grabbing people off the ground with its hands and tails as they were all devoured alive. Tank divisions were deployed to stall the creature long enough for all to evacuate but it took but one blast from its mouth to eliminate the threat. The vehicles and iron and steel melted within seconds like butter on a hot pan.

With the military unable to do anything, the King simply continued on with its rampage. By nightfall, the once populated city of Nice had been transformed into ruins. Nearly 75% of the city had been transformed into rubble with 80% of it being aflame. Among the hundreds of thousands of people who had resided in the once bustling urban giant, nearly 35% of them had been killed in the creature's attacks with another 25% being injured or in critical condition. Military casualties had been classified but media estimates them to be anywhere from three hundred to five hundred deaths.

The French government was only able to dispatch aid upon news that the creature had departed the city. However, their relief was subsided when they received news that the beast was making its way towards Antibes and Cannes. Both cities had a population of nearly 150,000 combined and still, the military could do nothing. Within just several short days, both cities had fell to the same fate as Nice, with over 2/3 of infrastructure in both being completely annihilated. Total civilian casualties were now innumerable, marking the most devastating destruction France has ever had since WWII.

Despite the government's assurance that everything will soon be under control, the French people have already lost trust in their leaders. Many began to evacuate eastern France for its western parts while some had simply left the country for its neighbors. The French would only catch relief upon receiving news that the beast had entered into the sea upon finishing its destruction of Cannes. Within a week since its release, the monstrosity had managed to leave behind a trail of destruction that would forever be ingrained in the minds of the French.

While they aren't sure as to where the creature is headed to now, warnings have been sent to all countries surrounding the Mediterranean to make preparations for the worse.

Ain't No Rest For The Wicked
Interactions/Mentions: @NorthernKraken || Location: Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan

Tsurukame Sushi.
Raiden stood there taking in the sign on the front door. The sushi restaurant was a very cozy spot. Intimate and affordable. That's what Raiden was looking for. As he pulled out the stolen wallet, he slipped around inside, trying to account for how much money he had acquired. Enough for a decent meal and some sake! He couldn't keep the grin from his face.

As he walked in, he was mat with a long bar with a glass display, showcasing the ingredients and the food they offered. Raiden nonchalantly places his order, grabbed his meal and played his tab before deciding upon a table. No matter where he was, he always felt the need to be facing an exit. Today was no exception. As he took his seat, he kept the entrance door in view at all times. You never knew when you'd need to make a quick break for it. Simultaneously, you always want to know what new element had just entered your environment.

As he took some chopsticks in his hand and prepared to assault his meal, the entrance doors swung open. He beheld a young skinny guy with a bracelet that almost looked lost. Anything that seemed out of place was automatically categorized as suspicious in Raiden;s eyes. Hesitating at first, Raiden ultimately decided to return the chopsticks to the table and spectate for at least a moment, trying to get a read on this strange man in a strange land.

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The space that Kappakami displaced with each movement underwater was enough to alert all the sealife in the surrounding area that the King was awake. Sharks in the middle of their hunt abandoned their quest to seek safety. Whales chasing krill immediately switched gears and began flailing their fins with a sense of urgency as the the shelled reptilian embodiment of corrosive destruction shot past them, seemingly headed toward the shore of Japan, not far from breaching the water's surface.

There was something about that tremor from before. King Kap was in a state of panic and furiously so. He moved with tactical precision and purpose, trying to confront the world above as quickly as possible. Tsunamic waves rolled off his sides as his shall was the first to touch the air above the water. His nostrils and eyes were next. As the structures of man came into view in the distance, the King called out with fury.

Sounding like symphony of tubas simultaneously hitting the lowest note that possibly could in unison, the King's arrival was announced to the world. In just a few moment more, they'd get the chance to behold him with their own eyes, an opportunity they surely would come to regret having.

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A collaboration between @KaiserElectric, @Metatrooper, and @Ubermensch

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“I don’t like this, Gates. I don’t like this one bit…”

Commander Jarvin Gates gave a curt little nod in response to Captain Farraday, sitting at the helm of the heavy cruiser Galloway, speeding ahead of the rest of the American Carrier group, with orders to pin down the unidentified creature until the bulk of the fleet and air support can be deployed.

“We ain’t never faced anything like this before,” Farraday pointed out. “Hell I don’t even know if we can face it…”

“You don’t share the high command’s confidence, sir?”

“Son, I didn’t get to this chair by being blindly obedient to my superiors,” the Captain admonished his second-in-command. “We’re good, but I ain’t gonna count my chickens til they’re hatched. Would really love to hear from these fancy pants organizations like TERRA who’ve been looking at these things.”

Commander Gates bristled slightly, the wire pressing against his arm itching at the skin under his sleeve. He’d gotten used to wearing it after all this time, but whenever someone got close to mentioning an organization that studied these monsters, it couldn’t help but give him a nervous itch. It made him wonder how many other officers in this fleet were wearing wires on behalf of the VKBT, and how close they might have come to exposing the whole operation. A lot of nations tied to the VKBT weren’t exactly friends of the United States, after all.

“Sir, we’re coming in visual range of the target. Weapons range in a few minutes.”

Captain Farraday nearly jumped to his feet and strode to the window to get a look, with Commander Gates following right behind, subtly adjusting the pinpoint camera on his lapel.

From the bridge of the Galloway, the hulking silhouette of their target could be seen. As the ship moved closer, more details could be made out. The titan's skin was a dark gray, with all sorts of scratches, marks and dents spread throughout its exterior. Many of the crew would soon realize that this creature was not biological in nature as it was composed of what appeared to be rocks and bits of metal. The humanoid figure continued to slowly lumber forward, its colossal arms swaying along, matching its movement. Despite the American cruisers closing in on it, it didn't seem to acknowledge their presence at all. What appeared to be its head did not move, and it simply continued moving forward.

“Doesn’t seem to think we’re here,” Gates commented. “Or it doesn’t care.”

“I’m fine with that,” Farraday said grimly. “Bring us around, take firing positions and wait for my signal…”

Elsewhere, after Elena and her passenger successfully evacuated the area, she proceeded to give a report to HQ. Settling in, she was able to get a hold on communication equipment for intelligence analysis. Detecting and confirming a rumor of a guardian golem, Sentinel, she saw further data of how benevolent the giant was. “Don’t hurt him, he’s friendly!” Ms. Henderson was exactly talking about the bluish giant golem. The guardian of mankind. She was willing to give it all to vouch for one of humanity’s only hopes.

Farrady frowned as the voice echoed from the radio. “Who is this? Are you supposed to be on this frequency?”

“Yes, this is Elena Henderson of TERRA. I have intel reports confirming the behavior of the giant.”

Farraday didn’t look convinced, which worried Gates. He had been briefed on several American TERRA operatives, and Henderson had definitely come up on the list, so he knew that she could be trusted.

“Sir, I think she may have a point,” Gates said diplomatically. “The creature has behaved neutrally towards us, despite maneuvering to attack it. At the very least, we shouldn’t try to provoke it.” Gates internally breathed a sigh of relief as the Captain seemed to relent.

“I hope you’re right about this, Henderson,” Farraday said over the comm system. “Helmsman, abort that last order. Bring us back and tail this thing to the mainland. Someone get the carrier on the horn!”

“I have evidence of the creature’s behavior too. Let me send it.” Elena was ready to send reports and proof electronically. Using satellite imagery and connection, she was ready to upload it directly. With the click of a mouse, she did.

“Well it’ll convince the higher ups at least,” Farraday admitted, looking over the maps and evidence popping up on his viewscreen. “The Admiral will want eyes on this, anyone have him on call yet?”

“No sir, but the carrier looks like it’s headed here.”

“What?”

The adjunct pointed out his radar screen. “Have a carrier signature, closing in fast.”

“I don’t see anything out there, what’s the signature telling you?”

Commander Gates winced as something buzzed painfully in his ear. The emergency communicator? The VKBT never needed to use that before. Stepping backwards and out of sight, he pressed against his ear and heard an electronic voice read out a warning.

“Entity approaching. Hostile. Andrew Jackson.”

“Captain, it has the same radar signature as the Andrew Jackson…”

Gates’ face went pale as he approached Farraday. “Sir, we need to get out of here, quickly. I suspect…”

A slow rumble echoed through the ship. At first Gates thought the engine had stopped, but then the whole vessel lurched to the side.

“Shit, starboard, starboard! Something’s out there!”

Gates and the rest of the bridge crew turned to look at a titanic figure, rising from the water like a great sea serpent. But it wasn’t a sea serpent; it looked human, but it had branches around its head like antlers, and as it rose, similar spikes appeared on its shoulders. It looked to be made of metal and stone, fused together into the elegant shape before them, and the whole time, the eyes...its eyes burned through Gates like a white-hot blade of iron. It filled him with a fear that he’d never felt before, a terror that scratched at the back of his mind and refused to go away.

And he knew it was out for blood.

As the figure stood there menacingly, facing the rest of the fleet, Sentinel stopped dead in its tracks. Its head then rotated to face the newcomer, followed by the rest of its body as the yellow light emanating from its body turned into a shade of orange. Sentinel had detected a new challenger, a potential threat to itself and the humans around it, and it was time for Sentinel to fulfill its purpose.

Before Farraday could give the order, an escort destroyer opened fire, slamming missiles into the side of the metal beast’s head. It recoiled from the blast, only to raise an arm out of the water and bring it down on top of the vessel, smashing it to pieces and scattering it into the wind. As it turned, Gates saw something truly unbelievable; runway stripes down its side.

“Where the fuck is the Carrier?” someone yelled in a panic.

“It is the carrier…” Gates realized. “It’s built itself from the metal of an aircraft carrier…”

The exact moment that the beast's arm hit the vessel, Sentinel charged forward with newfound speed. It unleashed a mechanical bellow as it plowed through the water, making its way past the cruisers and towards the newcomer. Sentinel's eyes then started glowing brighter and brighter as it slowed down before stopping a good distance away from the beast. Two gleaming orange rays then shot out from Sentinel's eyes, aimed at the beast. Green light flashed against orange as the rays blasted the newcomer back, creating waves that threatened to sink the ships in the fleet. When it turned to look at its opponent, the beast already looked battle-scarred, its face marred and its crown broken in two places.

The sailors on the deck of the Galloway cheered, but then the metal creature reached back and grabbed onto the deck of one of the escort destroyers with its hand. As the crew evacuated the deck, the vessel seemed to shrivel up in its grip, while at the same time the titan’s face healed, the damage repairing itself and the metal of the crown growing up out of the creature’s head. Releasing the ship, which slowly began sinking into the ocean, a long, deadly looking blade suddenly erupted from the wrist of the creature, and it lurched forward with surprising speed, crashing into Sentinel with righteous fury.

“Did...did that thing just heal itself?” Farraday said in amazement. “Henderson, what’s this one supposed to be?”

“It’s called Zeruel, sir.”

“How….how do you know that, Gates?”

“Long story, Captain, but if we want to survive this battle we need to pull the fleet away from here.”

The golem stumbled backwards a few steps, as pieces of rock started to fall and crumble from where Zeurel hit it, forming another gash on its chest. After recovering from the attack, panels on its back opened up, with 5 of its mechanical constructs flying out onto the battlefield. They then swiftly sped towards the beast, firing blasts of energy as they did so. Sentinel itself also charged at Zeurel along with his constructs, preparing to land a massive hit on its chest. Zeurel retreated, colliding with another ship as it threw an arm up to defend itself. A stray energy blast struck the blade on its arm, which snapped and fell into the ocean with a tremendous splash. The ship it collided with listed as it too began to buckle and warp, and it got both repaired arms raised in time to catch Sentinel mid-attack, turning the massive hit into a desperate grapple.

“Looks like the situation is handled,” Captain Farraday announced. “All ships, full retreat! I want Trafalgar rescuing the survivors of the damaged ships, everyone else get out of here.” Galloway’s engines roared to life as the ship began to turn, but one vessel undamaged thus far broke formation.

“Sir, Bull Run isn’t responding to our messages.”

“Then get the Captain on the horn and tell him I gave him an order!” Before any action could be taken, however, the rebelling vessel launched a missile at Zeurel. The blast created a massive fireball, prompting a few cheers from the deck crew, but when the smoke cleared, Zeurel was looking directly at the offending vessel, its eyes beginning to burn brighter. Shoving its opponent backwards, it spun around and…

Gates had never heard a noise like that before. It sounded so inhuman, but he could still tell, somehow, that it was the sound of someone...something...screaming. It was the sound of a beam, fired from the eyes of Zeurel, that tore through the Bull Run before the rebel ship was torn into pieces by an unearthly blast of energy.

“FUCK!” Farraday swore, gripping his seat as the shockwave rocked his own ship violently. “GET US THE HELL OUT OF HERE!”

As Sentinel recomposed itself from the shove, it rotated its head to face the remains of the Bull Run. Seemingly further angered by this action, it let out another bellow as it attempted to tackle Zeurel with all of its gargantuan mass. Caught off guard, Zeurel buckled underneath the tackle, and the sound of straining metal from the titan could be heard as it renewed the grapple. It fired off its eye-beams again, but Sentinel’s grip on its neck managed to direct it harmlessly into the ocean, which boiled where the energy struck it. Sentinel's eyes then started glowing bright orange once again as it attempted to blast the beast's chest with its energy beams. Something stirred within Zeurel’s eyes, however, and seconds before Sentinel’s energy beams shot out, it released its grip again and it dropped low enough for the beam to pierce through its shoulder. The joint melted in a shower of slag metal as the titan, freed from its opponents grip, dropped away and splashed into the ocean. Sentinel however, merely held its position, choosing not to chase down its retreating opponent. It then turned to face the fleet once again, before walking towards nearby downed ships and rescuing any of the crewmen it could find by scooping them up in its hand. Sentinel's drone constructs also helped out, as they flew in and grabbed other crew members before dropping them on the remaining ships.

“Son of a bitch! I think it killed it!”

“Sir, the Andrew Jackson’s signal just came on briefly. It was rapidly moving away from this position before it petered out,” a radioman mentioned.

“So it’s falling fast, all the better,” Farraday concluded.”Two giants battle and the winner is the one who likes us. I’m fine with that outcome. Move in to help it gather survivors, have Ardennes salvage that thing’s arm if we can.

Gates quietly relayed a morse code broadcast to his other employers as the fleet sprung back into action. That thing was not human, he realized, but it was no dumb animal. It sacrificed an arm to escape, an arm that it could most likely get back again.

Something told him that Zeurel wasn’t out of the game just yet.

After rescuing the human survivors, the golem reverted to its original course as its drones retreated into the panels that they came from. Sentinel's journey was far from over, and its next stop? Hakata-ku, Fukuoka, Japan.

Emiko woke with a start. Her headphones had slipped off her ears. Shit! she thought. Fell asleep! She looked out the window. When had it gotten dark out? She checked her phone. Shit! Mr. Watanabe's gonna be pissed!

She stopped, her brain slowly spinning up. It was after closing time. Even if he'd be mad, the boss would have woken her up to chew her out.

Where is he? thought Emiko. She turned her music off, dialled Mr. Watanabe's number…

She could hear a shrill, electronic rendition of "Ode to Joy" coming from the garage. The hell? Emiko stood, moving slowly. "Mister Watanabe?" she called. "Are you there? Are you okay?"

Emiko fumbled for the light switch to illuminate the room. She stopped, feeling something warm and sticky on her hand. She held it up to examine it. Dark red, and from a brief sniff, coppery.

Blood.