Warning: The scene of Godzilla emerging from the ice might be a little scary. The ship is blown up. Makoto shows some reluctance to looking for a mutant but is chastised for it.
As the ship passed through the icy waters of Antarctica the sailor looked at the massive sheets of ice they passed. He remembered how these impressive formations had caused ships to sink before, and hoped that global warming wouldn’t cause one of them to fall on top of them. It would destroy his son if he couldn’t make it home for his birthday.
“Nealson? Joel Nealson!” A voice called out to him. Turning, Nealson saw his commanding officer approaching him and immediately saluted him. “At ease. Enjoying the scenery?”
“Sir, yes, sir.” The sailor confirmed. “I was just thinking about how something so beautiful and magnificent could also be deadly.”
“Indeed.” The officer said as he looked at the stars. Taking off his hat, he let the wind blow through his red hair. “You know, I find it impressive that the most beautiful things Mother Nature created can also be the deadliest. Kind of ironic when you think about it.”
“And it can be the most hideous of things that can be the most beneficial,” Another voice spoke up. The two of them turned to see another member of their crew, a woman of Japanese descent, approaching them. Her hair was trimmed down to regulation length, and she carried an air of confidence about her. “At least that’s what they taught me growing up on Infant Island.”
“Oh, that’s right. You’re from the World’s Most Beautiful Island,” Nealson averted his blue eyes as she always made him feel nervous. “I find it incredible that your home has a garden for every house, Makoto Ejima.”
“It’s only natural. Nature is the world, and are we not all part of the world? How can we deny that which we are a part of, and is, in turn, part of us?”
The officer rolled his eyes at that. “There’s a reason why tree-hugging hasn’t solved the problems of the world. Because it doesn’t do any good. It sounds all fine and dandy for fairy tales and kids films, but it can’t be applied in the real world.”
“Now, now, Colonel Robertson. Just because you haven’t found a way to make it work doesn’t mean it can’t work. Look how effective diseases are in changing society as a whole. I think the problem is that our society tries to dominate nature instead of working alongside it. Doesn’t your faith teach that your deity created the entire universe? I ask because it seems you don’t respect the work of His hand.”
“My faith has nothing to do with this,” Robertson said as he looked away. “Why are we even discussing man’s relationship with nature? What does that have to do with Antarctica?”
With a shrug, the sailor suggested, “Maybe because although this ice is beautiful, it can be deadly to a ship and its crew. Remember what happened with the Titanic?”
“… I see your point, but don’t expect me to go around planting flowers at senior centers when we get shore leave.” Looking up at the night sky, the officer told them, “We’ll soon be coming up at Monster’s Fall. Do either of you know why it is called that?”
Nealson just shrugged in response. “Afraid not, sir.”
“Let me give you a hint: The Tokyo Fire of Fifty-Four.”
The sailor had to think about that for a few minutes before he responded. “Wait. The disaster that burned the city like Chicago? Didn’t they claim that was caused by terrorists or something like that?”
“The priestesses of my island say that was just a cover-up,” The nature-loving woman interjected. “I was told that what caused that fire was the return of a legend.”
“Just a conspiracy theory.” Her colonel told her. “Made up by some dumb kids on the internet looking for attention.”
“Once upon a time we would’ve said aliens were a conspiracy theory. Unless you’re saying the Battle of New York was all staged.”
Robertson opened his mouth to make a comeback but shut it when he didn’t have anything. He muttered under his breath something that could’ve been an insult.
Smiling, she continued, “My mother said that Tokyo was attacked that night by the legendary deity of Lagos Island. The natives called him Gojira, a mystical sea dragon that protected the island from invaders. He wasn’t always the safest god to work with, as they claimed when they hurt the island he would rise and attack their settlements.
“Anyway, I was taught that during World War II a garrison was stationed at the island when they were attacked by American soldiers. They would’ve taken the island if Gojira hadn’t risen from the sea and attacked their ships. His intervention protected the island and its people that day, even though we know the outcome of the war.”
Nealson found himself hanging onto Makoto’s every word. Listening to her go on about god-like dragons just sounded interesting to him, and he wanted to know more about this mysterious deity. There was one question nagging at him. “If Gojira is the god of Lagos Island, then why are your people crediting him for the Tokyo Fire?”
She rubbed her chin for a few seconds before she answered, “To be honest, I’m not entirely sure. Everyone on Infant Island has a different theory. Some say Gojira became angry with the people of Japan for losing to America. Others claim the rebuilding and the technological advances were an abomination in his eyes, and he punished them for it. The priestesses insist that Gojira sensed a great evil in Tokyo, and went to destroy it.”
“Why would they say that?”
“Because they claim that our island’s goddess, Mosura, sensed the same thing, and almost rose to join him.”
“Mosura? Who’s Mosura?”
“As I said, the deity of my island.”
Rolling his eyes, their commanding officer said, “That is the legend around the incident. According to the legend, they lured this Gojira to Antarctica and then caused the ice to collapse on the monster, burying it underneath. I still think it’s a pile of crap, but it makes a nice ghost story on a cold night like tonight.”
The islander then looked at him. “It is believed that one day Gojira will return, and if nothing changes the world will feel his wrath for their treachery.”
“Oh, that’s right. You turned an island deity into the actual boogeyman!”
“With all due respect, sir, I think it would be wise to not be so disrespectful to her story,” Nealson spoke up. “If someone had told me that we’d face an actual alien invasion, and it’d be stopped by gods and superheroes, I’d have blown it off.”
The colonel glared at him. “Watch yourself, or you’d be peeling potatoes from now until we return to base. Am I clear?” When he received a nod from the sailor, Robertson turned and headed back inside the ship leaving the other two alone on deck.
As he relaxed he found Makoto looking at him. “Thank you for that. It was really brave of you.”
“I just did what anyone would’ve done. Besides, I thought your story was interesting,” Nealson admitted. “Your home and what you’ve been taught means a lot to you, so I wanted to hear more.”
She smiled at him. “That’s sweet of you to say. You would’ve loved Infant Island during the summer. We have all sorts of festivals.”
“Maybe sometime I’ll take a leave of absence and vacation there,” He smiled back before looking at the cliffs. “I wasn’t sure anything could survive being frozen for decades, but what happened last month in New York has made me reconsider so many things. Maybe I’m willing to believe someone really tricked a dragon into being frozen.”
“And what about believing in divine powers?”
“If the Norse pantheon can be real, who’s to say others aren’t real as well?”
“It is good to have an open mind about these things. It helps us find answers to the most complicated of questions.”
Nealson was about to say something, but that thought was pushed from his mind as the wind changed and presented something odd. “Do you feel that?”
Makoto looked at him. “I did. The air… it’s gotten warm. It’s too warm here. It’s like a summer breeze.”
Indeed, the air had gotten so warm that the sailor was ready to take off his jacket to cool off. The change was so drastic that he was starting to think global warming was proving to be real as well. That’s when he saw it. The orange glow inside the ice. As the ship sailed closer, it seemed the heat was increasing.
Other sailors who had wandered on deck were approaching the bough as if trying to figure out what was going on. Several conversations started up among the crew as they debated on what this meant. Was it a previously undiscovered power source? A new threat that Earth’s Mightiest Heroes would have to deal with? What was it?
Then came the growl. A deep, ancient sound that vibrated through their bones and shook their very souls. It caused all of them to go silent as they watched the pulsating glow in the ice, dread gnawing at them like the day of judgement was coming for them all. Some of the sailors began to look around as if they expected to see the Reaper standing beside them.
Then, without warning, a stream of fire erupted from the ice and blasted into the night sky. Everyone ducked down as the ice cracked and groaned, falling away from the heat and whatever was inside. The waves from the resulting ice rocked the ship, and everyone had to hold on for dear life. A roar then echoed through the air that filled everyone with awe and terror as the source of the glow stepped out of the ice.
Nealson stared up at a massive prehistoric titan, a beast that screamed power with every fiber of its being. Tons of muscle shielded by thick, green, scaly skin illuminated by the glow from its back. Before the orange light dimmed everyone managed to glimpse that this thing had three rows of serrated dorsal plates on its back. The sailor had to do a double-take because for a moment he was sure he saw some of the plates had been broken off as a testimony to this monster’s strength.
He felt someone grab his arm and pull him back. “Mosura, guard us! It’s him. The god of Lagos Island, Gojira!”
The alarms began to shriek their siren calls as the announcement was made for everyone to take battle positions. While the massive beast began to walk forward, each step sending waves of water at the ship, the ship began to point its guns at the draconian mass. The air echoed with the booms of each turret as they opened fire on the newly liberated titan in a desperate attempt to halt its advance.
“Our weapons are not going to do anything to that thing!” Makoto warned her compatriot as she looked at him.
“I believe you,” Nealson admitted as he looked back. He couldn’t see well in the night sky, but he was certain the outline that could’ve been the head of the three-hundred-foot monster turned to look at them. He heard his new friend uttering some sort of prayer in her native language, and though he couldn’t understand the words he was certain he heard her say “Mosura” several times.
The lights then returned on the creature’s back, starting from under the sea and racing up to the top of the titan’s head. Wait. Were flames appearing in between the fangs… The sailor’s eyes widened as he instinctively threw himself between his friend and the imminent danger. A searing heat blasted the two of them from the ship into the icy black waters of the ocean as screams cried out around them. Grabbing hold of Makoto, the sailor broke the surface with her, the two souls gasping for breath as they looked to see the ship they were on in flames that were quickly extinguished as the craft vanished beneath the waves.
Grabbing some of the wreckage, Nealson helped Makoto onto it before a wave from another footstep washed over them. The sailor felt himself tumbling around in the black water’s merciless grasp, and he felt himself praying to whoever was in heaven that they would save his friends. Before darkness overtook him, Nealson was sure he saw something glowing in the sky that came towards them.
***
Nealson awoke to feel something cool pressing against his forehead, which was a relief after what… wait a minute! Jerking up, he looked around to find him in a wooden room resting on what appeared to be a large blanket. His sudden movement caused some people who were tending to him to jerk back in shock, gasping at his recovery. Looking around, he saw Makoto lying on a similar blanket next to him, and she was starting to come to.
“You have awakened,” A new voice said. Turning, the sailor saw two women standing before him. They were so similar in appearance that they could’ve passed as each other’s reflections. Both were dressed in attire that was a combination of Polynesian dresses and Japanese ceremonial kimonos, and both wore elaborate headdresses that seemed to take the shape of spreading wings. “We were afraid Gojira’s flames would’ve killed you.”
Gasping at the sight, Makoto moved to prostrate herself. “High Priestesses! I am not worthy of–”
The other woman held a hand up. “There’s no need for formality. We know that your hearts are pure, otherwise, Mosura would not have brought you to Infant Island.”
Nealson’s jaw dropped. “We’re on Infant Island?! And Mosura is real too?” He couldn’t help but think that name sounded weird to say.
The first to speak nodded at him. “Yes, though she is sorry she was unable to save the rest of the crew. The radiation as you call it sank too deep into their bodies, and they died from it. Mosura was able to rescue you two in time, and pulled the radiation you two were exposed to from your bodies.”
“The Tokyo Fire of Fifty-Four was caused by a monster. No. The king of all monsters. But why now? Why wait until now to break free?”
“We believe it’s for the same reason Mosura has awakened from her rest. Something is threatening the planet, and all who live on her.”
Makoto furrowed her brows at that. “What evil?”
“One that has been hiding among the people for over half a century. That is what she’s been telling us. The stones are what this evil seeks, and will use them to bend life itself to his will. Gojira sensed one of the stones used in Tokyo, and in the hands of the evil, so he left Lagos Island to try and stop it. Mosura says she almost joined him, but his methods of trying to stop the evil were too much for her. Then the evil lured Gojira to Antarctica where he was frozen in the ice for all these years.”
“What happened to the stone? Where is it now?” Nealson asked.
“It vanished from the world until last month when it was used to bring a war to New York.” The priestesses answered. “Mosura says the danger that its misuse brought to the planet that day stirred Gojira in his prison, and he’s determined to stop the evil by finding the stone and destroying it.”
Nealson’s jaw dropped. The portal that allowed those aliens to invade New York was caused by a stone?! And it was still out there? Now he wasn’t so upset about Gojira turning out to be real and breaking free of his imprisonment. Yes, he was still saddened about the loss of his other friends, but knowing that the tool responsible for so much pain and destruction was that monster’s target made him feel better.
“Is there anything we can do to help?” Makoto asked. “Is there a place where we can find the stone and make sure it gets destroyed by Gojira?”
The two priestesses shook their heads. “The stone is beyond you, in a place of darkness. However, Mosura says there is something else you two can do.”
“What? What can we do?” The sailor asked them.
“There is someone who is part of a line that was exposed to the radiation of Gojira when he attacked Tokyo years ago. It’s caused the current descendants of that bloodline to develop new abilities to help them survive. Mosura wishes to see the one who’s working to develop her new powers so she can mentor her.”
“A-a mutant?” The islander asked. “N-no, there must be some mistake. Why would Mosura want the help of a mutant?”
The first priestess to speak looked at her. “Whether you like it or not, mutants are still a part of the planet as all of us are, and they have every right to live too. This person could be crucial in the struggle that is to come, and if the planet is to survive then you must put aside your prejudices.”
“Is this the only way?”
“Mosura says it is. The Earth has entered a new era when mighty heroes would walk among people again, and many dangers shall rise in the coming years. No matter how some may wish it, the world will never go back to the way things were. Mosura wants to help humanity to survive the changes that are coming, but to do so you must be willing to change yourself. You must learn to let go of the darknesses and share the light with others. Now, you must ask if you are willing to do what needs to be done to save the planet and your species?”
With a nod, Nealson gave his answer. “It doesn’t matter what comes our way. My answer is, and always will be, yes.”