Colossus By Choice: Book 1 Verse 13

3001 P.G.E. (Post-Godzilla Era)

[Universal Date: Day 118]
[Planet: Pyrestar]
[Capital: Silver Sun City]
[Location: Silver Sun City – eastern business district]

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“Rodan”

[Height]: 240 metres
[Wingspan]: 1350 metres

[Category]: Kaiju
[Title]: The Fire Demon, The One Born of Fire, A Titan of Winged Fury
[Threat Rating]: Deity

[Appearance]:
> Has a general body shape like an ancient Bird Wyvern, possessing 2 wings, 2 hind-legs, and a small tail
> Skin is rocky in texture and a reddish-brown colour, mimicking shingled layers of volcanic rock, that are noticeably more spike-like across the chest
> Has muscular arms that have wing appendages protruding from the wrists with wing membrane connected to the short tail
> Has proportionately smaller digitigrade feet like Bird Wyverns with 3 forward-facing claws, a backward-facing claw, and a dew claw
> Head has a large triangular beak with jagged tooth-like protrusions along the sides, 2 curved horns protruding from the top of the head, and yellow eyes with black pupils
> Bright crimson, orange, and yellow glow flowing through the lower half of the wings between the rocky scale plates

[Observed Characteristics]:
> Is immensely strong and durable, effectively making him invulnerable to conventional means of damage
> Has a great degree of intelligence that’s tempered by short-sightedness and high aggression
> Can fly at speeds eclipsing any Monster or space-faring vessel and can even Tear Warp across space at a rate far beyond said space-faring vessels
> Is bio-volcanic in nature, able to heat his wings up to temperatures beyond compare and is able to take such levels of heat from other Kaiju without damage
> Tends to fight via aerial manoeuvring for close-quarters combat with his talons and beak mixed with wing heating to burn opponents up close, though he’s also capable of spewing magma from his mouth and the edges of his wing membranes directly

==
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Rodan, the Fire Demon.

Through the ashes and smoke from the explosion that levelled Silver Sun Mountain’s summit, this ancient winged giant born of fire perches on his wing arms and feet atop the blasted rocky outcrop. He looks down at the city below; he narrows his eyes upon meeting eyes with the Oozaru that stands in between some of Silver Sun City’s eastern districts. The Great Ape roars louder and beats his chest harder than ever before after finally awakening the challenge he has sought out.

The Titan of Winged Fury stands up on his hind-legs and unfurls his wings, exposing the truly ludicrous wingspan that is easily the length of an entire city district and far outstrips even the Great Ape of the Moon in sheer size many times over. Rodan straightens himself out and fully extends his wings as wide as he can, making himself look as large and imposing as possible. While the giant Kaiju is doing this, the flocks of Monsters that had previously fled from the mountain due to the Oozaru blasting it with his destructive Thunder beam have suddenly started flying back; they’re congregating in the airspace around the Fire Demon like Scoutflies to a Monster’s tracks.

Taum and the other survivors of the Iwi-ki warrior’s transformation into the Oozaru are left utterly in awe of this standoff between 2 genuine and physically present gods.


(Taum): Rodan…. the Fire Demon. I remember reading about him. Part of why Pyrestar got its name was because the Kaiju champion is the source of all its heat

(Cpt. Gairi): By the True Titans, it’s just as large as that Oozaru! It seems to command the Monsters that were roosting in Silver Sun Mountain.

(Taum): A show of force to the invader, perhaps?

(Cpt. Gairi): Maybe. But I don’t want any of us heading out there yet until we see what those 2 do next. Am I understood?

(Taum): Yes sir.


Rodan lets out an immensely loud screeching roar that echoes across the entirety of the city and causes the active volcanic summit to spew huge quantities of volcanic ash and cinders into the sky, drowning out the clouds and clear blue in a sea of blackened ashes and smouldering red cinders; the Monsters that were flying around him scatter in all directions soon after. In response, the Oozaru vocalizes a similarly massive roar that shakes the very earth beneath his feet and causes the dark soot clouds to spark up and develop golden streaks of lightning.

The Fire Demon wings become aglow with fiery red veins of pulsing bio-volcanic blood; the Great Ape’s muscles start to periodically release golden sparks of bio-electricity. After their intimidation displays reach their climax and neither Kaiju shows any signs of backing down, they charge at one another.

The fire-born god swoops down from the mountaintop with wings spread out while the giant monkey sprints a few steps before making a huge leap at his winged opponent. Unfortunately for the Iwi-ki turned Oozaru, Rodan manages to strike him in the chest with open talons and crashes him out past Silver Sun City’s main walls into the outer city limits several kilometres away from; Rodan ends up scraping the Oozaru across almost half of the entire width of the outer city limits. As these 2 Kaiju continue to tussle, the group finally comes out from their cover to assess the situation.


(Cpt. Gairi): Good news is, they cleared the main city walls and have crashed into the outer city limits. Bad news is, they’ve crashed into the outer city limits. We’ll have to send up signal flares for impromptu evacuation of the farmlands there. Let’s go, people!


The group prepares to head back to the Defence Watch Eastern Command Centre, but their route is suddenly blocked off by a Silver Rathalos landing in front of them, the Silver Sun himself.

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Silver Rathalos

[Height]: 568 centimetres (average)
[Length]: 1704 centimetres (head to tail) (average)

[Category]: Flying Wyvern
[Title]: "Silver Fire Wyvern", "The Silver Sun"
[Threat Rating]: Elder

[Appearance]:
> Is identical in appearance to Rathalos aside from a dark metallic sheen to the silver colouration of its shell and scales compared to the normal species’ crimson
> The back of his mouth and chest glow a bright blue when in Hellfire Mode

[Observed Characteristics]:
> Is a highly aggressive and territorial Elder-tier Rare Species of Rathalos that is only sighted in obscure locations that are either filled with high quantities of Bioenergy or are former Human structures
> Possesses identical physical, Fire, and Poison abilities to normal Rathalos, only far more advanced and powerful even in its normal state
> Forms a strong bond with a Gold Rathian as mates for life, even calling upon her for aid if necessary
> Has much stronger scales and shell that can resist greater degrees and amounts of damage
> Can enter Hellfire Mode, increasing the heat and potency of his flames to truly Elder Dragon levels that turns them a bright blue

==
==

The Silver Fire Wyvern stares down Taum, Skrill, Yun-Tao, and the Defence Watch knights standing before him; he growls at them constantly, snarling at them every time one of them makes a move. This is highly unusual, as the Metal Raths almost never come down into the city of their own volition; something must be compelling this individual to confront the group specifically.

Due to this vigilant watch, the group is at a standstill. Captain Gairi in particular is left gripping the Longsword on his back, unable to draw it out for fear of incurring the Elder-tier Monster’s ire. While he has the group locked down, the Silver Rathalos lumbers forward, pushing aside the Defence Watch knights with care so as to not harm them; he still knocks them over easily due to his sheer size compared to them. The Silver Sun comes face to face with Taum and stares him down intently, not showing anywhere near the previous aggression he had shown.

This behaviour is completely unexpected and takes the Draconi youth by surprise. His initial confusion is soon replaced by realization; he immediately rummages through his old backpack and pulls out the flash pods he had scavenged from the battlefield left desolate by the Iwi-ki invasion.


(Taum): You know of our plan, don’t you? That’s why you confronted us down here.


At this confirmation, the Silver Rathalos spreads his wings, raises his head and neck upward, and roars loudly; he then lowers his head and neck down enough for Taum to climb on.


(Taum): Guess we’re doing this then.


The former apprentice to the City Scouts clambers up the Flying Wyvern’s head and sits down on his neck right behind that fearsome maw. As he balances himself, he looks down at the others; they’re all stunned and speechless at this unforeseen turn of events.


(Taum): Well come on, saddle up! I’ll need your help to get those flash pods and smoke bombs to full capacity. Yun-Tao, you in?

(Yun-Tao): I suppose my technical expertise is needed to modify those tools.


The Oxbul widow climbs up the Silver Rathalos’s neck and sits down behind Taum. The Monster’s head sags down a little from the greatly increased weight before he adjusts; Taum then extends his hand out to Skrill.


(Taum): Come on, we need you too, Skrill!

(Skrill): Youngling, all you need is my Thunder Element ammo for my compact.


The elderly Radent smuggler walks up to Taum with the ammunition in hand and plops it down on the Draconi youth’s outstretched hand. Before Skrill can even pull his hand away, however, Taum suddenly clamps his own hand around Skrill’s and hoists him onto his lap against the man’s will; the Silver Fire Wyvern starts flapping his wings and slowly lifts himself up off the ground. While Skrill begins to mumble numerous insults and profanities beneath his breath at Taum, the youngling Draconi and Oxbul forge-wife wave to the Defence Watch knights down below.


(Taum): Captain, after you’ve gotten warning out to the outer city limits, try and join us!

(Cpt. Gairi): Will do! Good luck on your hunt!


The Defence Watch knights down below quickly head back to the eastern command centre and main eastern gate to prepare the warning flares for civilians and local militia out in the outer city limits. After just a few seconds of flapping his wings, the Silver Rathalos has ascended high enough that Silver Sun City’s highest towers start to become small points on the ground; the Silver Sun then glides toward the east in the direction where Rodan and the Oozaru crashed down at great speed. While the 4 of them cruise through the air, several other flying Monsters of all kinds that were roosting in Silver Sun Mountain can be seen in the airspace around them; they seem united in the same cause as the Silver Rathalos.

Skrill rights himself up and properly positions his body into a seated position in front of Taum. He’s most certainly not enthused about this whole situation, but he can’t exactly back up now that he’s several hundred metres above the ground.


(Skrill): Why did you drag me into this? You only needed my ammo.

(Taum): I saw the way you expertly shot those oil tanks when that group of Iwi-ki rolled up on our position. You’re a better shot than both of us. I want you to make the shots.

(Skrill): Great. I’m getting too old for this. Yun-Tao, just do your thing.

(Yun-Tao): On it!


Skrill tosses his Thunder Element ammo and smoke bombs to Yun-Tao; Taum hands her his flash pods. The Oxbul forge-widow quickly gets to work tinkering with the materials on her lap. After only a few seconds, she finishes her modifications; she tosses the modified smoke bombs to Skrill and hands the flash pods to Taum. The elderly Radent simply puts them into his ammo pouch along his thigh and loads one of them into his Slinger; meanwhile, Taum takes several good long looks at the modified flash pods.

He seems quite intrigued at these additions.


(Taum): What’d you do to these, Yun-Tao?

(Yun-Tao): A little of this, a little of that. Those flash pods have some extra charge to increase the brightness of the light, and they can be charged up further if you got some Thunder magic to spare.

(Taum): Awesome! What about the smoke bombs?

(Yun-Tao): Increased the radius and added some pepper to the mix for increased irritation. They should help to irritate the senses a bit.

(Taum): Nice. Alright, looks like we’re approaching the 2 Kaiju now. Let’s head in!


The Silver Rathalos roars loudly and starts flapping more vigorously, increasing his speed as he soars through the air to reach his intended destination. True to the Draconi youth’s observation, the battle between the 2 Kaiju can be seen clearly as the trio flies in atop their Silver Rathalos mount. Even after such a short period of downtime and travel, the level of destruction these gods have wrought in their wake is extraordinary to say the least.

Vast swathes of farmlands have been torn up from the footsteps and crashing of the giants; there are great scars scattered around for hundreds of metres due to intense heat-based attacks being thrown around. Luckily for the civilians living in the outer city limits, Captain Gairi seems to have gotten the message out; there are signs of large-scale evacuations of the small towns and communities, and few bodies can be made out.

The fight between the Oozaru and Rodan has gone so far out that they’ve reached the very edge of the city’s limits, very close to the wall separating Silver Sun City’s territory from the untamed wilds.