Book 1 - Section 1 - 'MARVELOUS THINGS' [re-done]

 “I have seen some marvelous things, but it is often the monstrous that really interests me.
   It started some time ago when I first encountered one of their kind. It was impressive to say the least. Though I knew of larger creatures, this was the largest I had ever seen do anything beside occupy a legend. I watched it match our strongest champion blow for blow, and cast its shadow over the Eternal City.
 I, Loki, Prince and future King of Asgard, set my mind to discovering where this beast had come from, how I could enthrall it to my will, and finally bring an end to the reign of Odin, and crush Thor.
   The things I discovered on my adventure would, well… they changed the world. All for the better I think, peace and quiet can be so wearisome. Especially for the master of trickery and deception.”


2200 HOURS
COAST OF TOKAI, JAPAN

   Blackout. The entire city of Tokai was deathly quite, and not a single light betrayed the stillness of the night. Even the city’s nuclear power plant hummed along as quietly as it possibly could. The moonlight bathed the district in an ethereal glow, the haunting tranquility providing an ominous atmosphere for the pilots.

 “Check 3, confirm evacuation?” The voice over the communication system asked, running through the Battle-Ready checklist.

   “Evacuation confirmed Inu 1, city is clear, free to proceed.”
  Japan Self-Defense Force Major Sho Kuroki, stood with his arms crossed inside the headquarters bunker in Tokyo, his eyes scanning the live feed of the city for the slightest sign of movement. Now was the time to put his plan to the test.

 “Good copy Alpha.” The same pilot responded. “Inu pack closing in, ready to engage.”

   Between Kuroki and the wall-spanning monitor, dozens of drone pilots sat at their individual stations, eyes glued to their own display screens.

   Over the city of Tokai, several Dogfighter drones banked towards the waterfront, plasma-firing chain guns folded out from compartments on the fore sides.

    Their squad leader looked over the data readings on the side window of his monitor. “Inu Pack, drop and pull on my mark.”
 
   The several pilots entered a series of commands into their controls, ending the sequence by flipping a red cover, revealing a flip switch.

   The bellies of the fighters opened, exposing a missile, waiting to be dropped into the water below.

“Inu Pack, DROP!”

   In perfect unison, the several fighters released their payloads over the water, and pulled up and away. The missiles sliced smoothly into the water, making no more a disturbance than a small splashing sound as they went under.
   Kuroki held his breath.
 A moment later, several huge explosions thundered underwater, causing the surface to roil and foam.

    The streams of data filtered up the monitor of another pilot, the reflecting off his interactive glasses in the darkness of the room. “Hits confirmed but ineffective Alpha, target is still moving forward.”

   Kuroki nodded, his prediction coming true. “He’ll surface now… Circle around and be ready to come in hot.”

 “YES SIR!” His crew called out in unison.

    Putting a finger to his ear, Kuroki switched his microphone transmitter to the other unit. “Maser groups move into position, and turn on the juice. He knows we’re here.”

   The other drone operators answered in the affirmative, and began their own work.

   On the streets of Tokai, several groups of MBT-92 Maser tanks rolled into a defensive position. A satellite feed showing them a thermal image of where the target was aiming to come ashore. The latest upgrade to the JXSDF’s favorite anti-monster vehicle, it could turn in place on its six spherical wheels, and run along at 85 kilometers an hour. With the removal of the crew cabin, the increased battery capacity gave it the most potent beam of any JXSDF weapon not attached to the Mechas.

Blue light danced along the length of the necks of the Masers, the power coils being warmed-up. Kuroki remembered how he had to plead and beg the defense council to get the funds to build his drone fighting force. He knew how much was riding on their performance tonight. He grit his teeth, because this would be trial by fire.

 “Group 1 in position!” The first group signaled.

 “Group 2 in position!” Said another right after.

“Group 3 in position!” Announced the final unit.

   The Masers formed a classic “horns of the bull” formation, using the buildings as added cover. Then they waited. Fingers were poised and eyes dared not blink as the seconds felt like minutes. Kuroki gripped a railing in front of him, growing more anxious by the heartbeat for the enemy to finally show himself.

The Inu captain’s eyes flinched with the sudden change in signal. “Target Surfacing!”

   With that pronouncement, several audible gulps could be heard in the room.
In Tokai harbor, the water steamed and boiled, underneath, a source of fantastic heat rising to the surface.

Kuroki steeled his gaze at the main monitor, playing out the phantom chess game in his head. “Don’t let-up on him for a moment.”

   A series of irregular, jagged spines broke the surface riding atop a charcoal grey body. The water driven before the massive form rocked the boats moored in their docks and waves crashed onto the land. Finally a head began to rise from the water, its face half-concealed in the night shadows. Shoulders as huge as city blocks followed upwards, tons of seawater running off its body. Claw like hands possessing indescribable power flexed and wavered as gently as feather in the wind. A thick ropy tail strong enough to topple sky-scrapers lifted out of the water in a wave motion, and splashed back down.

   Godzilla, despite his size, was a master of stealth and stood perfectly silent in the shallow waters. He knew the humans were about to attack him, he saw the flying machines and he felt the energy flowing through the ones within the city. He emitted a low grumble, scanning the darkened streets for signs of a challenge. Finding no movement other than the circling jets, Godzilla decided to pursue what he had come for. The Tokai power plant.
   Godzilla lifted one foot, and stepped forward.

Kuroki could hold himself back no longer. “FIRE!”

   The Dogfighter jets released another salvo of missiles, aimed directly for Godzilla’s left shoulder, then opened-up with fire from the plasma chain-guns. Kuroki hoped that enough fire power concentrated on a targeted area would be enough to make Godzilla retreat. The Inu squadron only had so much it could throw, it would be up to the Masers to complete the plan.
   The specially designed Full-Metal missiles sunk into Godzilla’s arm, blowing away chunks of armored skin. Godzilla roared in response to the pain, the sting of the plasma shots burning in the wound. Undaunted, he pressed forward, taking a step onto the land.
 
    Kuroki paced back and forth, imagining his defensive strategy going into action. This would not be another debacle like the Super-X2.
 “Maser units prepare to fire, stick to the battle plan.”

 “Yes sir!”

  The Dogfighters banked away, Godzilla reaching out to swipe at them with no success. Godzilla bristled at the planes, but moved on. He stepped into the city streets, knowing that another attack was imminent.

 “Unit 2, FIRE!” Kuroki ordered.

   The dozen Maser tanks to Godzilla’s left sparked to life and fired, the blue bolts of man-made lightning cutting into the leviathan’s shoulder. A shriek of pain filled the air and snarled lips exposed teeth capable of biting a ship in two. As suddenly as they started, the Masers stopped firing and retreated to cover.

Calling the shots for the play of his own design, the Major licked his lips before continuing to execute his meticulously crafted strategy. “Unit 3, FIRE!”

   Another barrage of lightning battered Godzilla in the back, forcing him to turn. An angry roar shattered windows, glass raining down on the asphalt.

   Kuroki grit his teeth, it was about now that he’d like to order a full scale artillery strike, but a hundred cannons lobbing indirect fire blocks away from a nuclear power plant was not authorized. If his drone-based strategy failed, he might not get this opportunity again.

   Godzilla’s hand removed the top third of a building that the Masers were using for cover. Behind him, his tail swung back and forth, slashing into the sides of other structures. Kuroki found himself distracted by the movement for a second. “Unit 1, FIRE!”

  The Maser group in the center of the formation opened fire directly into Godzilla’s exposed left flank. The experienced drone gunners landed their bolts perfectly into the targeted shoulder. Godzilla winced, the human’s attack finally starting to get to him. Another roar and a step forward sent the Maser group rolling backwards.
 
A female pilot watched as a thermal image of the monster began to spike. “Sir, his body temp is rising! He’s getting ready to use the beam!”

 “DAG Units, you are clear to roll in, open fire and keep him cool.”

   From behind the Maser tanks, their cold siblings rolled into position. Armed with beams that hit their target with ultra-low beams of almost -300° Fahrenheit, the DAG-MB96 was a formidable weapon against Kaiju. 

   Blue fire licked Godzilla’s lips, he felt the pressure growing along his throat. Then an intensely cold sensation struck him. The DAG units, a dozen strong and among the Masers began bombarding him with blasts of the frozen energy. He felt the fire in his throat dwindle as his body cooled, the humans and their weapons.

   The 2nd Maser unit now sent their bolts into the wound on Godzilla’s shoulder. As fast as his cells regenerated, the combined assault of the Masers and the freeze beams was slowing him down. Godzilla realized he needed a new strategy. Enduring the cold, he whipped around and slammed his tail into a building, toppling the debris among the machines to his left. The tanks scrambled to avoid the tons of falling concrete and steel, peeling backwards.
  
“Unit 1, cover fire!” Kuroki bellowed, striding to his right for a better angle on the screen.

   Bolts of ice and electricity lanced into his hide as Godzilla stepped behind a series of buildings beside the third Maser group, who wheeled in place to track his movements.

 “Units 1 and 3, pursue and assault! Inu fighters push him out of those streets!”

   Godzilla drove his battered shoulder into a building, pushing it over into a few others. This caused the 3rd unit to pull back and avoid damage. Several struck storefronts and crashed their tail-ends in the hurry to save themselves. Another swing of his arm sent thousands of tons of rubble raining among the tanks.
   In the command center, the drone operators were starting to panic. Hundreds of hours of training was being tested as they tried to reposition and gain a line of sight on Godzilla. The limitation of trying to do so by switching between video feeds was becoming more difficult. Sweat ran down the side of Kuroki’s face. The monster was trying to counter strategize, and it was working.

   The Dogfighters banked around the city block, onto a straight path with Godzilla. A third salvo of Full Metal missiles streaked forward and planted themselves into his chest. Godzilla roared as a volley of plasma fire peppered him from the front.

Checking his squad‘s payload count, “That’s it sir! We spent our FM’s!” The lead pilot warned.

 “Aim for his face!” Kuroki snarled. “Drive him back into the open!”

  The Dogfighters adjusted their aim, battering Godzilla’s head with the bright blasts. Tucking his face away he waited until the drones passed before opening his eyes. A gleam of contempt tracing their path. His attention was returned by a Maser bolt striking him, a few of the tanks had found a vantage point to hit him.
   If they wanted him they would get him. Godzilla charged the couple Masers taking shots at him, crashing through the buildings between them.

 “PULL BACK! PULL BACK!” The operators cried out.

   The Masers sped backwards, narrowly missing being crushed. But the shock of Godzilla’s footstep caused one tank to swerve into another. This delay was all Godzilla needed to land a kick, sending them both hurtling back, colliding into several other tanks, and disabling the arm of a DAG.

   Kuroki’s eyes burned in anger as he saw his plan falling apart.

Godzilla’s ear twitched at the sound of the Dogfighters coming back around. He used the low hum to plot their approach. The drones were at last betrayed by their opening fire on the back of Godzilla’s head. With a swift motion of his arm, the back of Godzilla’s hand smashed into a building and sent rubble flying upwards, directly into the path of the Dogfighters.

   Several were hit, and spiraled smoking and flaming downwards. A group of the Masers were trying to break out of the confined street, blocked from retreating by the disabled tanks. Godzilla raised his tail, and brought it down with enough force to rupture the avenue, causing several of the Maser tanks to bounce into the air and crash back down. Godzilla moved around to the right of the decimated Maser group, deeper into the city.

Slamming his hands on the railing, Kuroki bared his teeth. “He’s escaping the sector! Unit 1 CUT HIM OFF!”

   By now Godzilla felt the effects of the DAG beams wearing off, the nuclear furnace in his belly returning to its natural state.
 
  The middle unit of the Masers and DAGs were attempting to navigate around the mounds of rubble and pursue the monster.

   On the wall monitor in the command center, a high-flying drone watched Godzilla from above, the game of hunter and hunted being played out in the bird’s eye view. Kuroki watched Godzilla stop, turning his face towards the closing unit of tank drones. He tilted his head, wondering what kind of primeval battle plan could be forming in the creature’s mind. The Major’s eyes opened in shock when he saw Godzilla wrap his arms around the belly of a building, and rip it away from the lower half. With about as much effort as it would take Kuroki to toss an empty box, Godzilla hurled the portion of the structure directly into the middle of the Maser unit.

   Several drone operators exclaimed in shock, a dozen and more tanks destroyed in a single moment.

   Kuroki’s jaw hung in place, unable to speak after seeing such an event. A Lieutenant approached his side, holding a cell phone in her hand. “Sir? Major Yashiro is on the phone for you.”

   Kuroki looked to his aide, taking the phone in his hand slowly. “Yes Major?”

 “Major Kuroki, this is a courtesy call. The defense council is not satisfied with your drone program, they just gave me authorization to bring in the big gun.”

   “No no no! not yet! There was still a chance!” Kuroki thought, the fear of failure now a reality. “Just give me a little more time! I can push him back!”

 “I’m sorry Sho.” The Major’s firm tone apologized. “But the call has been made. Your drones simply aren’t able to keep up with a living target like Godzilla.”

  Kuroki removed his officer’s cap, putting a palm to his forehead. “How long do I have?”

 “Godzilla is already too close to the plant, our boy is already en route to the site.”

   Kuroki looked back to the monitor, Godzilla crushing a reeling DAG under his foot. He exhaled in defeat. “Fine, my remaining units will provide support.”

 “Thank you for your cooperation Major Kuroki. I’m sorry your strategy didn’t work out.” She sounded genuine, not that he noticed too much.

   The remaining Maser and DAG tanks were now the ones being hunted. Their numbers dwindling, the effectiveness of their individual beams was not enough to keep Godzilla at bay. The operators knew they were reduced to fighting a lost battle, their effort was now focused on being the last one to be destroyed.

“I bet 50 Yen that I last longer than you Goro.” One operator said, elbowing the man in the station next to him.

 “Shut-up.”

  With the human’s machines on the run, Godzilla felt his interest in them wane. He stopped chasing after them, and turned away, again searching out the source of energy he came for. But as he sensed the power of the nuclear plant, he felt a new presence, something familiar was coming towards him. Descending out of the night sky, he saw the source. He growled low, watching with narrowed eyes as a truly worthy foe touched down.

   its thrusters blowing aside the dust and lighter debris, Kiryu landed three hundred yards in front of Godzilla. Directly between him and the nuclear plant. Glowing yellow eyes analyzed the King of the Monsters, noting the injured shoulder, and the rising body heat.

   Godzilla saw the metal figure before him, the familiar face of the one who had beaten him a few years ago. He also felt what was inside the machine, he felt the kindred spirit dwelling beneath the armor.

  The White Herons detached their locking mechanisms, freeing Kiryu from their tether. JXSDF Lieutenant Azusa Kisaragi, lead Kiryu operator looked out from her cockpit window, seeing Godzilla for the first time in years. “No matter how many times we train for this, I’m still awed by him.”

 “Don’t get distracted Lieutenant, stay focused, stay alive.” Major Yashiro reminded her over the comms.

“Yes Ma’am.”

   Kiryu lifted its head. Godzilla flexed his hand. He was also the first to move. Godzilla strode forward, intent on dealing with his metal twin as fast as possible by tearing it apart. The missile battery resting atop Kiryu’s shoulders opened its panels. Godzilla saw the activity and readied for the assault. But it was the Hyper-Maser from its maw that struck first. Caught off guard, Godzilla wailed in pain, doubling over to fight-off the paralyzing effects. While its opponent was immobilized, Kiryu’s missiles were launched in volleys from the auxiliary weapons pack.

   The High Explosive Rockets rained down on the atomic titan. hitting in groups they sent Godzilla reeling. The sorrowful cry coming out of the cloud of fire and smoke told that the assault was working. Kiryu raised its arms, the gauntlets attached to its forearms carried twin plasma cannons. The cannons came to life with an unrelenting barrage of purple blasts that hammered Godzilla’s skin.

  Now was the time to close the distance and finish the fight. A long double-sided dagger extended from Kiryu’s right gauntlet as it approached the stunned monster. Kiryu drove the blade into the exposed wound on Godzilla’s shoulder, driving a sharp cry of agony from the monster. Yellow maser energy crackled along the length of the dagger and stung the injury. Comprised of a domestic version of the Space Titanium metal, the dagger had little trouble carving into Kaiju flesh.

   Reacting out of desperation, blue energy flared and popped along Godzilla’s dorsal plates, blue fire fuming out from between his fangs.

 “Oh no you don’t!” Azusa barked.

  Kiryu delivered an uppercut to Godzilla’s jaw with its other hand, and clamped its metal claws over the mouth. The radioactive energy shot out from various spots along Godzilla’s mouth, unable to be released at once. Kiryu forced Godzilla back step by step, a half-machine-half-monster roar filling the air.

   Godzilla bit through the pain and planted his tail, using it to stop the momentum. Yet more HE rockets shot out from the battery pack, the missiles curved downwards streaking with fury. Godzilla caught the motion of the rockets, and shifted his body. The rockets came down and Godzilla moved Kiryu’s arm into their path. The arm Kiryu used to hold Godzilla’s jaws shut was hammered by rockets, destroying the gauntlet, and breaking the hold.

   Dorsal plates glowed and fire danced in Godzilla’s mouth, but a thruster powered dropkick to the chest sent the titan reeling. Kiryu opened his chest panels, and exposed the Triple Hyper-Maser. The three points of power combined into one massive bolt and struck Godzilla in the chest. Nearly brought to his knees by the pain, Godzilla put his energy into one big push.

  A tremendous roar preceded torrent of blue flame that met the Maser beam head-on. The two forces raged against each other, neither side buckling, both trying to overcome the other in waves.

Azusa understood what was coming, and banked her craft away. “Kiryu squadron! EVAC the area NOW!”

  The point of conflict warped and pulsed, the unstable tension rising. Finally it gave out, the mass of energy expended outwards, flattening the weakened buildings, bowling over the Maser tanks, and knocking both Kiryu and Godzilla off their feet.

   The White Herons barely outran the blast, their back ends were thrown-up by the force and they lost control. Azusa’s copilot braced himself inside the cockpit.

“Hold on!” She yelled to him.

 “What do you think I’m doing?!” He cried from the back seat.

  Azusa’s craft hit a rooftop and skidded to a lop-sided halt, sparks flying from the control panel. She slammed a fist on the button that ejected the cockpit cover, and they both climbed out. Taking off their helmets, they looked around at the wreckage of the damaged city.

   Kiryu tried to stand, various parts of its body damaged by the blast, and its circuitry fried. A few blocks away, the rubble began to stir. Godzilla rose from the ground, dust and debris falling off his back. He staggered for a moment growling wearily, but the mechanical sounds of distress brought him back to focus. He grimaced, his face tightening and eyes gleaming with savage intent.

   Kiryu was almost to its feet when a tail slammed across its side, knocking the Mech back down. Godzilla snarled as he grabbed Kiryu’s tail with both hands and yanked on it. A weak roar was all it could manage as it was dragged along the street.

  Adjusting his grip, Godzilla slung Kiryu’s tail over his shoulder and with a single motion, lifted the machine into the air. Slamming Kiryu down with a thunderous impact, Godzilla waited for his opponent to react. But as Kiryu made no movement, Godzilla approached. With one hand Godzilla tore away the missile battery attached to Kiryu’s back, and wrapped an arm around the machine’s neck.

   Godzilla lifted his foe from the ground, the thousands of tons of dead weight resting against his body. In a sudden flash of attack Kiryu opened its maw and blasted Godzilla in the face with a Maser bolt. Godzilla shrieked and recoiled, letting Kiryu fall back down onto its hands and knees. Kiryu turned its face around, defiantly trying to meet the gaze of the victor.

   The city, drenched in the orange glow of the many fires burning came to a sudden stillness, a frightening quiet. Godzilla snapped his head back towards Kiryu, his back alight with the blue glow, and the atomic fire flickering between his teeth. One shot is all it would take, Godzilla’s mind primitively thought, watching as Kiryu struggled to mount some kind of defense.

  A trio of ULT beams hit Godzilla in the back, startling the beast. The last of the DAG units poured everything they had into one final charge. But it was not enough. Godzilla turned and the atomic fire spilled forth and demolished not just the DAG tanks, but also the three city blocks around them.

   The atomic fire was quenched, and the cityscape smoldered. Flames raged anew and the stars were blotted-out by the billowing smoke, News reports would later liken the imagery to the first attacks in ‘54 and ‘55.

   Turning back to Kiryu, Godzilla noticing that his metal foe was no longer moving, decided against expending the energy to destroy it. Besides, he was still mystified by the presence he felt from inside the thing. For now, another quest called to him.

  Stepping unopposed through the streets of Tokai, Godzilla felt his shoulder healing, growing stronger. The warmth of the fires around him were comforting, reminding him of a time and place long ago that was much different than today. At times he longed for the tranquility of those lost moments, before the confusion and pain his life had become, before the time of Man.

  The Tokai power plant lay defenseless before him, its core a beacon calling out to him. Crushing the auxiliary structures beneath his feet, Godzilla went straight for the epicenter of the base. Reaching down into the smoke stack, steam and flashes of light obscured Godzilla’s face as he plucked the reactor from its spot like it was a bit of fruit. He held the chamber in his hand, crushing it just enough to breach its integrity, allowing the radiation to flow out.

  For several minutes Godzilla soaked in the excess energy, the sensation a soothing one, like standing under a hot shower. His mind drifting to more pleasant thoughts, he closed his eyes and breathed softly.

  When the core was at last drained, he let it slip from his hand and fall tumbling into the facility, causing explosions and fires. Satisfied, it was time to return to the sea, return to his island. Godzilla turned and walked casually back to the shore, paying no mind to the wreckage of the drones that littered the city around him. A glance over to the still form of Kiryu was all the attention he paid to his mighty opponent.

  The waters of the Pacific shimmered in the combined light of the moon and fires, but he had no mind to contemplate the beauty of the scenery, there was only his next goal. But suddenly there was something else.

  Godzilla stopped in his tracks, his eyes scouring and his ears alert to the slightest strange noise. It was a faint spirit, almost to small for him to notice. It felt about the size of a human, but it was far more powerful, more concentrated than a being its size should be. It also felt, foreign, like it didn’t belong here, out of place.

   Even eyes as powerful and precise Godzilla’s could not locate the source of the queer energy. Usually he did not like to leave such strangeness alone, but despite the feeling, he decided that the humans should be the ones to deal with it.

  The water around his legs churned and steamed as he re-entered the bay, the familiar feeling of the ocean against his skin. In moments his body sunk into the deeper waters, even his massive form swallowed-up by the waves.

   Back in the city where the fires burned and the smoke blackened, a lone figure emerged gazing out over the hellish vista.

 “Oh my… And to think Asgard was spared this fate by the slimmest of margins.” Loki braced himself against the low wall of a building’s rooftop, glancing over the edge at the remains of the mortal’s weaponry. “And this world seems to be no stranger to his like, judging by the arms brought against him. I wonder… what other kind of colossal monsters might be employed in my army?”

“There are… many…”

   Now was Loki’s turn to be startled and search about for a mysterious entity. Not finding any sign of the raspy voices, Loki steeled his courage.
 “I am Loki, Prince of Asgard! And I demand you show yourself!”

“A prince?”
“He demands to us…”
“From Asgard…”

  “Fine!” Loki challenged. “Since you wish to keep yourselves hidden, I’ll just have to turn on the light!”

   Loki spiked the bottom of his spear into the rooftop, and from the tip a brilliant light pulsed. The white radiance washed over the area and revealed Loki’s strange company.

  When the light struck a flame beside a shadowed area beside a rooftop entry door, two figures were made visible. One body was formed of the fire, the other from the shade. Both specters however were possessed of glowing red eyes that shimmered in place. Loki was taken aback, not unfamiliar with wraith-like beings, this pair nonetheless unnerved him.

 “Who in the nine realms are you?” He asked the pair.

They spoke in brief statements, one interrupting the other.
“An odd question he should ask…”
“Not from this world he seems…”
“Yesss… a stranger…”

   Loki leveled his spear point at the two, its power point increasing in size.

“He wields a magic strange to us…”
“But his heart is corrupted…”
“There isss no better kind…”

Nervous in the company of the coy spirits, Loki grew restless. “Enough! What do you want?”

“We are the nameless shadows.”
“We watch from the darkness.”
“We are ageless and transcendent.”
“Weeeee… can help you.”

   Loki narrowed his eyes, still untrusting of the two. “How can you help me?”

“We sense a desire for power.”
“A desire to rule.”

    Stiffening his lip, Loki’s demeanor changed to indignant. “I am the rightful heir to the throne of Asgard, but it is occupied by an old man, and promised to a oaf.”

“They stand in your way.”
“They rob you of your claim.”
“If they are immortal as you are…”
“They can still be killed.”

   Loki lowered his weapon slightly, regarding the two now with more curiosity than fear. “Why would you offer to help me?”

“Because you can help us.”
“We can work… together.”

“I want Asgard.” Loki said his confusion growing. “What are you after?”

“We have lived for longer than most stars.”
“We are trapped here.”
“Give us the means to escape this prison.”
“And all you desire…”
“Shall be yours.”

 “All I desire huh?” Loki let his spear drop, the gears in his mind turning.
 “How about him?” Pointing his spear towards the water where Godzilla had disappeared. “He can help me overthrow Odin and put me on the throne.”

  The floating eyes stared at him for a moment.

“Is that all?”
“Are there no more enemies to crush?
“Is one all you need?”

  Loki pursed his lips, considering the full spectrum of what he wanted. “Well, Thor would undoubtedly find me and attempt to pummel me into submission again. He even might bring his little gang of super heroes to help him.”

“We have an idea.”
“It will take time.”
“But as a gesture of… goodwill-”
“We offer you the first step in your rise to glory.”

   Hands of shadow and smoke emerged from one of the specters, seeming to hold an invisible ball between them. They flexed and manipulated the ethereal vapor around them, condensing it into a form. From the mist a vial was created, jagged and dagger-like, the clear glass contained a dark green liquid.

“Slip this to the one who sits on your throne.”
“It is lethal to all.”
“Even to the immortals of your kind.”
“Once he is gone-”
“The endeavor can move forward.”

  Loki took the sinister vial, making it disappear into an unseen pocket. “So I poison Odin, then what happens?”

“Patience is what will win you your throne,”
“Bide your time.”
“Let your enemies think they are safe,”
“Then when they are asleep…”
“Slip the blade into their heart.”
“Complete your task…”
“Then watch for the arrival of the leviathan you covet.”
“He will herald the others.”
“Godzilla will bring the end.”

   The two dark forms twinkled into the shadows and faded. Their baleful eyes the last to go.

  Loki stayed still, lolling his tongue and mulling his thoughts. “Well… Godzilla, don’t make me wait too long.”

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  This is the first of many, MANY sections to come. And that just this first book alone! I've been working on this project for the past 5 years, and it'll probably be another 5 before it's all said and done.

If you'd like to learn more about the world I've established for this story, you can check out some bios for the EDF, Seatopia, Monster Island, and the Mutant Internment Act (X-Men)   With more to come in the future! Check a sneak-peak at the saga line-up here!

Big thanks to Tarbano for proofing and advising. Check out his own awesome fan-fic here!

  Obviously Marvel/Disney owns Loki, and Toho owns Godzilla and assorted characters, all rights reserved.