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Description
Alright guys, time for the final Gamera entry! I hope you all enjoy it.

-----

RYUSEICHO
AKA: “Irys”

Powers and Abilities:

* Bio-metal armor similar to Zigra’s. Lightweight, strong, and fireproof.

* Spear-like arms are deadly weapons, capable of piercing even Gamera’s shell.

* Large claws and muscular legs make the Ryuseicho an excellent jumper and kicker.

* Shoulder “wings” can release jets of energy to give the Ryuseicho a boost while airborne.

* Highly versatile tentacles. Strong enough to trip or constrict another monster, but capable of stretching to fantastic lengths. Their tips make fearsome spears and can fire deadly lasers. By generating a membrane of energy between two tentacles, the Ryuseicho can also form wings for flight.

* The Ryuseicho can drain the life force from other creatures by stabbing them with it’s claws or tentacles.

* The Ryuseicho’s skull can split open to reveal a giant, glowing eye. It fires a beam similar to the ones generated by it’s tentacles, but many times larger. Extremely powerful.

History:

[Guardian of the Universe]

The men in the JSDF platoon suddenly turned their heads and stared in disbelief as the armored red giant rose above the trees nearby. Wailing ominously, the Ryuseicho formed a pair of giant, luminous wings and launched into the sky. A frenzy of walkie-talkie and cell phone activity followed as the group notified the Prime Minister and the rest of the Defense Force; if this was truly what it looked like then Tokyo would need to be evacuated ASAP and the JSDF would need to assemble the greatest assault force they could.

Soaring through the clouds above the city limits, the Ryuseicho began to rake the earth with beams, casually tearing apart the offices and homes beneath it. The haphazard strike was far from it’s true potential: the Ryuseicho was not really attacking, it was provoking. And a moment later it got just the response it was looking for: spinning above the city like a giant flying saucer, Gamera was heading right toward it.

With a satisfied growl the crimson-skinned terror turned to face him: this was no longer a neutral act of destruction. The simpering human who’s protection he had taken advantage of had taught him something new. Something interesting. Hatred.

Hurtling toward the Extinction, Gamera prepared for war. Both consciously and instinctually he knew that this was the one enemy he could not yield to, in any way; if he fell in battle now there would be no second chance. Either he would kill the Ryuseicho or it would kill the entire planet. Mustering up all of his courage, Gamera flexed his claws and jetted into battle.

The monsters slammed into each other with a thunderous crash, instantly lighting up the darkened sky with their attacks. Raking beams and splattered blood rained down on the city as they fought, each monster tearing into the other with unshakable resolve. As their furious roars filled the air and the hilltop platoon mobilized, Ayana watched from the edge of the forest, utterly enthralled.

The monsters were caught in a savage deadlock, strength versus speed, one indomitable will against the other. Their battle took them deeper into the city, crashing through skyscrapers and panicking the evacuating crowds. Realizing that he would only put more at jeopardy by following his foe into the city, Gamera grounded the fight. He pulled into his shell and charged into the Ryuseicho, spinning sideways like a giant, flaming buzz saw and taking it down in a shower of embers and gore. Both monsters slammed into the top of an empty factory, disappearing in a ball of fire.

Dusty and covered in blood, Gamera stood above from the wreckage and released a powerful roar. The Ryuseicho was already up, silent and unfazed, its wings replaced by a myriad of squirming, spear-tipped tentacles.

Watching from below, the citizens of Tokyo took notice of the startling determination in Gamera’s eyes. They had seen the monster countless times before, on the news, on the internet, and for a few even in person… but never before had he appeared so focused, so intent on one goal. Though unaware of The Cycle and impending doom he was fighting to prevent, they couldn’t help but find themselves deeply unsettled.

A wild barrage of lasers streaked across the city as the Ryuseicho suddenly attacked. Gamera pulled into his shell, enduring the strike as several tall buildings crumbled around him. Before he could react the beast’s tentacles were at his heels, yanking his feet from under him; Gamera launched a desperate fireball as he fell, blasting the Ryuseicho square in the chest as he crashed into the street. The beast lurched back, delayed just long enough for Gamera to get to his feet. The monsters collided in a forceful grapple, shaking the entire city with their prolonged struggle.

Ayana scrambled through the wreckage, her attention fully devoted to the battle. Nothing would come between her and seeing her parents avenged.

The four segments of the Ryuseicho’s metal skull suddenly split open, revealing the glowing eye inside and unleashing a tremendous beam of energy. Gamera was hurled backward, skidding on his feet and sent crashing through several skyscrapers before being engulfed in a cloud of debris. The Ryuseicho cleared the gap in a single leap, nimbly landing in front of him and striking him across the face with its tentacles; before Gamera could react all four were stabbing into his stomach, wedged between the plates of his armor and pinning him against the crumbling building behind him.

Ayana ran closer, captivated. The Ryuseicho’s skull split open again as it drained Gamera’s energy, using his own life force to charge the final blast. Ayana’s eyes widened with excitement as Irys’ eye crackled with power: this was it, the moment she’d been waiting for, the vengeance she had dreamed of!

What she did not notice was the ledge beneath her starting to crumble. There was a crack, then a thunderous groan. The entire floor gave way, and with a high pitched scream Ayana fell.

Suddenly she stopped, dangling over a hundred foot drop, nothing beneath her but twisted rebar and a sea of fire. She stared down in horror, then looked up toward Irys… but it had not saved her. It had not even looked. Only Gamera’s gaze had averted toward her.

Clutching Ayana’s wrist was a young boy, grunting and struggling to hold her up. Though he was older now than when they had first met, Gamera recognized him immediately. It was Yoshiro. With a tremendous effort he pulled Ayana up, dragging her away from the edge. She shouted desperately to Irys, but the creature made no move to acknowledge her. With a look of solemn disbelief she realized the truth. It did not care. It never had.

Seeing the children safe, Gamera turned his attention back to the Ryuseicho with a determined glare. Reminded of his purpose, he ignored the blinding glare of the monster’s eye and bellowed defiantly. His hand suddenly rushed up in a ferocious right hook, punching the Ryuseicho’s square in the jaw just as the beam released. The white-hot column of energy jerked to the side, missing its mark and obliterating the corner of the building. The Ryuseicho furiously turned its head to fire again, but Gamera launched straight up on his jets; the second beam struck nothing but rubble and the Ryuseicho was yanked off its feet, pulled up by it’s tentacles- still embedded in Gamera’s stomach.

Yoshiro cheered as Gamera streaked across the sky, sharply pulled up, and sent the Ryuseicho hurtling off. The monster spread its wings mid-fall and took off after him, firing wildly with its beams. Standing next to Yoshiro, Ayana stared up at the battle with uncertainty.

Doing his best to weather the Ryuseicho’s assault, Gamera lead the fight back the way they’d came, away from human lives. He had nearly made it to the forest when an eyebeam caught him from behind; with a pained howl Gamera fell from the sky, broken pieces of shell trailing behind as he crashed into the trees. A barrage of lasers followed, hammering the spot. The Ryuseicho wailed with satisfaction and hovered to the ground.

Laying on his back in a smoldering crater, Gamera struggled to get up but was immediately shoved down by a heavy, taloned foot. Spears jabbed into his arms and legs as The Ryuseicho loomed overhead, regarding him with a cold, cycloptic eye. Gamera fought to move, but could not… this was the end. He had failed, and the human race was doomed. He laid back his head and braced for the inevitable… then spotted something behind him.

Glowing atop a nearby hill was something powerfully familiar. Gamera’s eyes widened as a new thought came to him… something he had never done before, never had the chance to try. Still laying down, Gamera launched a single fireball into the woods. It rushed off toward the mountains, nowhere near the Ryuseicho. The beast stared for a moment, confused, then lifted it’s scythe-like arms over Gamera’s chest.

Then there was a colossal bang, louder than any thunder, and a brilliant explosion shook the entire region. Every tree in the forest swayed as a surging, red wave spread across the area. It passed through the monsters in an instant, then faded on the horizon.

The Ryuseicho stumbled back, bewildered. The mysterious shockwave had not harmed it in any way… but something felt wrong. Something felt different. As it looked itself over, Gamera slowly pulled himself up. The Ryuseicho looked back to him, then at the smoking hill. Suddenly it understood: Gamera had destroyed the stone slab. The souls of all the monsters were free, and the ancient process had ended.

The Cycle was over… forever.

Grasping the consequences of his enemy’s action, the Ryuseicho immediately sprang forward, opening its face and charging a blast as quickly as it could. Unflinchingly, Gamera stood his ground and fired straight into Extinction’s maw. The Ryuseicho’s eye exploded in a terrific ball of light, blowing apart it’s entire head. Trailing crimson flames, the decapitated body fell backwards and crashed into the trees. Gamera slowly stepped forward, crushing one of the still-squirming tentacles underfoot, and roared triumphantly. The Ryuseicho was dead- forever.

Amid the smoke and embers, Yoshiro and Ayana cheered enthusiastically in the distance. The Friend of All Children’s best friend had never been so proud. In the time since the rescue he had explained everything to Ayana, and she had accepted that her parents’ death was an accident. It would take time, she said, but eventually she could forgive Gamera. In the mean time, she had a new friend to comfort her.

Suddenly something massive raced by, soaring over Yoshiro and Ayana’s heads and nearly knocking them over. They stumbled forward and stared, frozen by fear. Rushing forward by the dozens, then the hundreds, then the thousands, a titanic swarm of Gyaos filled the sky. Yoshiro’s eyes widened in horror as he realized the black “clouds” in the distance were even more of them. If the eclipse had begun to end he could not tell… the sky was pitch black with their beating wings.

Gamera, battered and soaking in blood, silently glared into the shrieking abyss. As the Gyaos descended from every direction, Yoshiro and Ayana saw that he was not alone. JSDF aircraft of every kind soared into the fray: bombers, carriers, helicopters, jets, even a fleet of Legnal warships. The sky flashed with orange as they opened fire on the swarm, illuminating the valley below and revealing even more monsters. A familiar blade rose above the mesas as Guiron lumbered into sight, bellowing to the swarm. Not far away, the Garasharp twins slithered into view, fully grown adults.

Gamera looked to his allies and nodded, then stared back into the endless horde. Yoshiro and Ayana watched in silence, holding hands, as he launched into the heart of the swarm.

History:

[Destroyer of Mankind]

The men in the JSDF platoon suddenly turned their heads and stared in disbelief as the armored red giant rose above the trees nearby. Wailing ominously, the Ryuseicho formed a pair of giant, luminous wings and launched into the sky. A frenzy of walkie-talkie and cell phone activity followed as the group notified the blockade; their worst fear had just come true… and then some.

Sirens blared as the citizens of Tokyo, already alerted, rushed for safety. The blockade prepared for Gamera mobilized, sending tanks and rocket launchers down designated streets. Helicopters and jets raced overhead, rising to meet the new monster as it descended. It assessed them with a cold, emotionless eye, then began it’s work.

Lasers streaked across the sky, evaporating the darkness in an instant and setting off a chain reaction of explosions. Flaming wrecks fell from the sky in droves as a myriad of beams shot out, effortlessly decimating everything in their paths. The entire squadron was gone in less than a minute. Moaning eerily, the Ryuseicho slowly landed in the heart of Tokyo, casually shrugging off the shells and missiles bombarding it’s body.

As the rate of fire increased the Ryuseicho turned to face the blockade, watching them for a moment, callous and unaffected. It’s face slowly opened, splitting into parts, and a massive column of energy suddenly released. The soldiers didn’t even have time to scream: in the blink of an eye several city blocks had been completely vaporized. Turning away from the wreckage, the Ryuseicho stomped through the city, plowing through entire buildings as it’s tentacles indifferently bathed everything in reach with beams.

Gamera’s eyes snapped open. A moment later he was blazing through the sky, leaving Yokohama behind.

The Ryuseicho continued to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, stomping through homes and pulling towers and skyscrapers to their knees. The Defense Force continued to desperately assail the beast, peppering it with long range bombers and directing their remaining ground troops to search for possible weak points. The Ryuseicho simply ignored them, wading through the explosions as it tore apart the city. Only the distant rumbling above seemed to catch it’s attention.

Gamera broke through the cloud cover with a boisterous snarl, tucking into his shell mid-descent and racing toward the Ryuseicho like an armor-plated meteor. Before the crimson terror could react the massive impact threw it back, throwing dust into the air and knocking down the surrounding buildings with a powerful shockwave. The Ryuseicho slowly pulled itself up, calmly, silently watching as it’s eternal foe did the same.

Gamera bellowed and stepped forward only to be shot down by a frenzy of beams. His blood splattered across the cratered earth as the Ryuseicho’s tentacles thrust forward like lances, stabbing into his chest and shoving him back. They drained energy as their owner marched forward, refusing to be caught off guard a second time. Gamera rumbled angrily and seized two of the tentacles in a single crushing fist, pulling his attacker closer. The Ryuseicho obliged, kicking off from the ground and slamming straight into Gamera.

The monsters fell back into the rubble, a frenzy of squirming tentacles and swiping claws. Gamera knocked his foe aside with a savage blow to the head, but the Ryuseicho gave no quarter, reaching out with it’s tendrils as he got to his feet and pulling him back down. As the monsters skirmished the JSDF began to retreat, hoping one would kill the other as they left to regroup and resupply.

Gamera pushed his enemy back with a vicious barrage of fireballs, buying himself enough time to rise again but doing no real damage. As soon as he stopped the tendrils launched out again, piercing his chest and arms and beginning to drain energy. Gamera grimaced and tore one of the spears from his arm, already feeling himself grow weaker. He threw himself at the Ryuseicho, shoving back it’s face in one hand and punching it’s side with the other. Immediately he felt the repercussion, a giant spike-like arm ramming into his gut. Blood and shards of carapace flew as Gamera flung back his head, roaring in agony.

His head swung back as he sunk his teeth into the side of the Ryuseicho’s neck and viciously shook; the beast moaned and lifted a leg to it’s chest, shoving Gamera away with a well-aimed kick. The Destroyer grimaced and crashed into the ground, thrown off his enemy’s claw. As he laid on his back he quickly pulled into his shell, avoiding the snaking tentacles and taking off in a flash of orange. The Ryuseicho silently watched from the ground, then spread it’s tendrils into a pair of shimmering wings and leapt after him.

Trailing black smoke from his mouth, Gamera let loose a frustrated roar and charged down at the Ryuseicho. Single-minded and unresponsive, it gave no response. They collided in a shower of sparks as the Extinction banked left and raked it’s metal claws against Gamera’s belly, sending him spiraling out of control. The turtle’s jets flared as he pulled away from the ground, but a shower of lasers threw him back into the rubble. Withdrawn in his shell, Gamera skidded far across the ruins of Tokyo. A moment later he wearily rose to his feet, tasting his own blood. This foe was stronger than he had remembered.

The Ryuseicho casually hovered to the ground, it’s tentacles writhing independently and firing lasers at the nearest still-standing structures. As it returned it’s eye to Gamera the tendrils immediately launched toward him. He repelled the first with a swipe of his spurred arm, then grabbed the second with his opposite hand; the remaining two plunged into his midsection with a violent splatter. In a single, furious gesture Gamera sliced through all three, sending them flailing back in a gory frenzy. The Ryuseicho’s howled in surprise, recoiling with it’s remaining tendril as it’s blood splattered across the sides of ruined buildings.

Before it could recover, The Destroyer was barreling into it full-force. The Ryuseicho reeled back, then swung out with it’s lone tendril, smacking Gamera across the face before opening it’s skull. In an instant the yellow beam exploded outward, hammering the hard-shelled monster as he lunged again and hurling him back thousands of feet. He disappeared inside a massive explosion, slammed into the side of a half-collapsed skyscraper. The Ryuseicho’s closed it’s skull without a sound, then kicked off with a colossal leap, landing in the smoke.

The fog of war languidly dispersed: rising from the rock and plaster, Gamera wobbled to his feet, caked head to toe in dried blood and ash. He lifted his head, silent. The Ryuseicho paused for a moment, coolly looked him over, then cast him aside with a violent backhand. Again and again it’s claws lashed out, savagely striking and stabbing, until finally it shoved the wounded monster to his knees with a forceful stab into the shoulder. Pinned down and defeated, Gamera hung his head and exhaled, weakly reaching up and grabbing his attacker’s throat. The Ryuseicho stared back, callous and unimpressed. It lifted the opposite scythe above Gamera’s skull.

He closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable. Claw and flesh collided, and a steady stream of blood trickled down his face. The Ryuseicho stared down without emotion.

And Gamera grinned.

The Ryuseicho shuddered, frozen in mid lunge… Gamera’s other hand was lodged elbow deep into it’s chest. The giant turtle lifted his head, not so weak as he had seemed, and looked haughtily into his opponent’s eye. He jerked loose his sanguine arm and lifted it for the Ryuseicho to see. Clutched in his fist was it’s own, beating heart. He paused to let the ramifications sink in, then hammered the defeated titan with a flooring left hook.

As the Ryuseicho slumped lifelessly to the ground Gamera stood up, still grinning from ear to ear, and shoved the beating heart straight into his mouth. His fangs crushed it to a pulp and the whole world stood still. Something big was happening.

Red suddenly splattered in every direction and an invisible shockwave riled the dust from the city streets. Miles away the stone slab trembled… a giant crack split down it’s front, and the runes representing Gamera and the Ryuseicho disappeared. A cold wind blew. The Destroyer closed his eyes, tiny red wisps seething from between his teeth. The slab shook again, and his rune reappeared. It was exactly where the Ryuseicho’s had once been.

Gamera’s eyes opened, glowing like flames. He had not simply killed the Ryuseicho… he had devoured it’s soul. Erased it from existence. Replaced it.

The survivors of Tokyo stared up in horror as the new Spirit of Extinction, the Eternal Destroyer of Mankind, towered over them and shattered all hope with his roar.

Description
Alright guys, time for the final Gamera entry! I hope you all enjoy it.

-----

RYUSEICHO
AKA: “Irys”

Powers and Abilities:

* Bio-metal armor similar to Zigra’s. Lightweight, strong, and fireproof.

* Spear-like arms are deadly weapons, capable of piercing even Gamera’s shell.

* Large claws and muscular legs make the Ryuseicho an excellent jumper and kicker.

* Shoulder “wings” can release jets of energy to give the Ryuseicho a boost while airborne.

* Highly versatile tentacles. Strong enough to trip or constrict another monster, but capable of stretching to fantastic lengths. Their tips make fearsome spears and can fire deadly lasers. By generating a membrane of energy between two tentacles, the Ryuseicho can also form wings for flight.

* The Ryuseicho can drain the life force from other creatures by stabbing them with it’s claws or tentacles.

* The Ryuseicho’s skull can split open to reveal a giant, glowing eye. It fires a beam similar to the ones generated by it’s tentacles, but many times larger. Extremely powerful.

History:

[Guardian of the Universe]

The men in the JSDF platoon suddenly turned their heads and stared in disbelief as the armored red giant rose above the trees nearby. Wailing ominously, the Ryuseicho formed a pair of giant, luminous wings and launched into the sky. A frenzy of walkie-talkie and cell phone activity followed as the group notified the Prime Minister and the rest of the Defense Force; if this was truly what it looked like then Tokyo would need to be evacuated ASAP and the JSDF would need to assemble the greatest assault force they could.

Soaring through the clouds above the city limits, the Ryuseicho began to rake the earth with beams, casually tearing apart the offices and homes beneath it. The haphazard strike was far from it’s true potential: the Ryuseicho was not really attacking, it was provoking. And a moment later it got just the response it was looking for: spinning above the city like a giant flying saucer, Gamera was heading right toward it.

With a satisfied growl the crimson-skinned terror turned to face him: this was no longer a neutral act of destruction. The simpering human who’s protection he had taken advantage of had taught him something new. Something interesting. Hatred.

Hurtling toward the Extinction, Gamera prepared for war. Both consciously and instinctually he knew that this was the one enemy he could not yield to, in any way; if he fell in battle now there would be no second chance. Either he would kill the Ryuseicho or it would kill the entire planet. Mustering up all of his courage, Gamera flexed his claws and jetted into battle.

The monsters slammed into each other with a thunderous crash, instantly lighting up the darkened sky with their attacks. Raking beams and splattered blood rained down on the city as they fought, each monster tearing into the other with unshakable resolve. As their furious roars filled the air and the hilltop platoon mobilized, Ayana watched from the edge of the forest, utterly enthralled.

The monsters were caught in a savage deadlock, strength versus speed, one indomitable will against the other. Their battle took them deeper into the city, crashing through skyscrapers and panicking the evacuating crowds. Realizing that he would only put more at jeopardy by following his foe into the city, Gamera grounded the fight. He pulled into his shell and charged into the Ryuseicho, spinning sideways like a giant, flaming buzz saw and taking it down in a shower of embers and gore. Both monsters slammed into the top of an empty factory, disappearing in a ball of fire.

Dusty and covered in blood, Gamera stood above from the wreckage and released a powerful roar. The Ryuseicho was already up, silent and unfazed, its wings replaced by a myriad of squirming, spear-tipped tentacles.

Watching from below, the citizens of Tokyo took notice of the startling determination in Gamera’s eyes. They had seen the monster countless times before, on the news, on the internet, and for a few even in person… but never before had he appeared so focused, so intent on one goal. Though unaware of The Cycle and impending doom he was fighting to prevent, they couldn’t help but find themselves deeply unsettled.

A wild barrage of lasers streaked across the city as the Ryuseicho suddenly attacked. Gamera pulled into his shell, enduring the strike as several tall buildings crumbled around him. Before he could react the beast’s tentacles were at his heels, yanking his feet from under him; Gamera launched a desperate fireball as he fell, blasting the Ryuseicho square in the chest as he crashed into the street. The beast lurched back, delayed just long enough for Gamera to get to his feet. The monsters collided in a forceful grapple, shaking the entire city with their prolonged struggle.

Ayana scrambled through the wreckage, her attention fully devoted to the battle. Nothing would come between her and seeing her parents avenged.

The four segments of the Ryuseicho’s metal skull suddenly split open, revealing the glowing eye inside and unleashing a tremendous beam of energy. Gamera was hurled backward, skidding on his feet and sent crashing through several skyscrapers before being engulfed in a cloud of debris. The Ryuseicho cleared the gap in a single leap, nimbly landing in front of him and striking him across the face with its tentacles; before Gamera could react all four were stabbing into his stomach, wedged between the plates of his armor and pinning him against the crumbling building behind him.

Ayana ran closer, captivated. The Ryuseicho’s skull split open again as it drained Gamera’s energy, using his own life force to charge the final blast. Ayana’s eyes widened with excitement as Irys’ eye crackled with power: this was it, the moment she’d been waiting for, the vengeance she had dreamed of!

What she did not notice was the ledge beneath her starting to crumble. There was a crack, then a thunderous groan. The entire floor gave way, and with a high pitched scream Ayana fell.

Suddenly she stopped, dangling over a hundred foot drop, nothing beneath her but twisted rebar and a sea of fire. She stared down in horror, then looked up toward Irys… but it had not saved her. It had not even looked. Only Gamera’s gaze had averted toward her.

Clutching Ayana’s wrist was a young boy, grunting and struggling to hold her up. Though he was older now than when they had first met, Gamera recognized him immediately. It was Yoshiro. With a tremendous effort he pulled Ayana up, dragging her away from the edge. She shouted desperately to Irys, but the creature made no move to acknowledge her. With a look of solemn disbelief she realized the truth. It did not care. It never had.

Seeing the children safe, Gamera turned his attention back to the Ryuseicho with a determined glare. Reminded of his purpose, he ignored the blinding glare of the monster’s eye and bellowed defiantly. His hand suddenly rushed up in a ferocious right hook, punching the Ryuseicho’s square in the jaw just as the beam released. The white-hot column of energy jerked to the side, missing its mark and obliterating the corner of the building. The Ryuseicho furiously turned its head to fire again, but Gamera launched straight up on his jets; the second beam struck nothing but rubble and the Ryuseicho was yanked off its feet, pulled up by it’s tentacles- still embedded in Gamera’s stomach.

Yoshiro cheered as Gamera streaked across the sky, sharply pulled up, and sent the Ryuseicho hurtling off. The monster spread its wings mid-fall and took off after him, firing wildly with its beams. Standing next to Yoshiro, Ayana stared up at the battle with uncertainty.

Doing his best to weather the Ryuseicho’s assault, Gamera lead the fight back the way they’d came, away from human lives. He had nearly made it to the forest when an eyebeam caught him from behind; with a pained howl Gamera fell from the sky, broken pieces of shell trailing behind as he crashed into the trees. A barrage of lasers followed, hammering the spot. The Ryuseicho wailed with satisfaction and hovered to the ground.

Laying on his back in a smoldering crater, Gamera struggled to get up but was immediately shoved down by a heavy, taloned foot. Spears jabbed into his arms and legs as The Ryuseicho loomed overhead, regarding him with a cold, cycloptic eye. Gamera fought to move, but could not… this was the end. He had failed, and the human race was doomed. He laid back his head and braced for the inevitable… then spotted something behind him.

Glowing atop a nearby hill was something powerfully familiar. Gamera’s eyes widened as a new thought came to him… something he had never done before, never had the chance to try. Still laying down, Gamera launched a single fireball into the woods. It rushed off toward the mountains, nowhere near the Ryuseicho. The beast stared for a moment, confused, then lifted it’s scythe-like arms over Gamera’s chest.

Then there was a colossal bang, louder than any thunder, and a brilliant explosion shook the entire region. Every tree in the forest swayed as a surging, red wave spread across the area. It passed through the monsters in an instant, then faded on the horizon.

The Ryuseicho stumbled back, bewildered. The mysterious shockwave had not harmed it in any way… but something felt wrong. Something felt different. As it looked itself over, Gamera slowly pulled himself up. The Ryuseicho looked back to him, then at the smoking hill. Suddenly it understood: Gamera had destroyed the stone slab. The souls of all the monsters were free, and the ancient process had ended.

The Cycle was over… forever.

Grasping the consequences of his enemy’s action, the Ryuseicho immediately sprang forward, opening its face and charging a blast as quickly as it could. Unflinchingly, Gamera stood his ground and fired straight into Extinction’s maw. The Ryuseicho’s eye exploded in a terrific ball of light, blowing apart it’s entire head. Trailing crimson flames, the decapitated body fell backwards and crashed into the trees. Gamera slowly stepped forward, crushing one of the still-squirming tentacles underfoot, and roared triumphantly. The Ryuseicho was dead- forever.

Amid the smoke and embers, Yoshiro and Ayana cheered enthusiastically in the distance. The Friend of All Children’s best friend had never been so proud. In the time since the rescue he had explained everything to Ayana, and she had accepted that her parents’ death was an accident. It would take time, she said, but eventually she could forgive Gamera. In the mean time, she had a new friend to comfort her.

Suddenly something massive raced by, soaring over Yoshiro and Ayana’s heads and nearly knocking them over. They stumbled forward and stared, frozen by fear. Rushing forward by the dozens, then the hundreds, then the thousands, a titanic swarm of Gyaos filled the sky. Yoshiro’s eyes widened in horror as he realized the black “clouds” in the distance were even more of them. If the eclipse had begun to end he could not tell… the sky was pitch black with their beating wings.

Gamera, battered and soaking in blood, silently glared into the shrieking abyss. As the Gyaos descended from every direction, Yoshiro and Ayana saw that he was not alone. JSDF aircraft of every kind soared into the fray: bombers, carriers, helicopters, jets, even a fleet of Legnal warships. The sky flashed with orange as they opened fire on the swarm, illuminating the valley below and revealing even more monsters. A familiar blade rose above the mesas as Guiron lumbered into sight, bellowing to the swarm. Not far away, the Garasharp twins slithered into view, fully grown adults.

Gamera looked to his allies and nodded, then stared back into the endless horde. Yoshiro and Ayana watched in silence, holding hands, as he launched into the heart of the swarm.

History:

[Destroyer of Mankind]

The men in the JSDF platoon suddenly turned their heads and stared in disbelief as the armored red giant rose above the trees nearby. Wailing ominously, the Ryuseicho formed a pair of giant, luminous wings and launched into the sky. A frenzy of walkie-talkie and cell phone activity followed as the group notified the blockade; their worst fear had just come true… and then some.

Sirens blared as the citizens of Tokyo, already alerted, rushed for safety. The blockade prepared for Gamera mobilized, sending tanks and rocket launchers down designated streets. Helicopters and jets raced overhead, rising to meet the new monster as it descended. It assessed them with a cold, emotionless eye, then began it’s work.

Lasers streaked across the sky, evaporating the darkness in an instant and setting off a chain reaction of explosions. Flaming wrecks fell from the sky in droves as a myriad of beams shot out, effortlessly decimating everything in their paths. The entire squadron was gone in less than a minute. Moaning eerily, the Ryuseicho slowly landed in the heart of Tokyo, casually shrugging off the shells and missiles bombarding it’s body.

As the rate of fire increased the Ryuseicho turned to face the blockade, watching them for a moment, callous and unaffected. It’s face slowly opened, splitting into parts, and a massive column of energy suddenly released. The soldiers didn’t even have time to scream: in the blink of an eye several city blocks had been completely vaporized. Turning away from the wreckage, the Ryuseicho stomped through the city, plowing through entire buildings as it’s tentacles indifferently bathed everything in reach with beams.

Gamera’s eyes snapped open. A moment later he was blazing through the sky, leaving Yokohama behind.

The Ryuseicho continued to cut a swath of destruction through Tokyo, stomping through homes and pulling towers and skyscrapers to their knees. The Defense Force continued to desperately assail the beast, peppering it with long range bombers and directing their remaining ground troops to search for possible weak points. The Ryuseicho simply ignored them, wading through the explosions as it tore apart the city. Only the distant rumbling above seemed to catch it’s attention.

Gamera broke through the cloud cover with a boisterous snarl, tucking into his shell mid-descent and racing toward the Ryuseicho like an armor-plated meteor. Before the crimson terror could react the massive impact threw it back, throwing dust into the air and knocking down the surrounding buildings with a powerful shockwave. The Ryuseicho slowly pulled itself up, calmly, silently watching as it’s eternal foe did the same.

Gamera bellowed and stepped forward only to be shot down by a frenzy of beams. His blood splattered across the cratered earth as the Ryuseicho’s tentacles thrust forward like lances, stabbing into his chest and shoving him back. They drained energy as their owner marched forward, refusing to be caught off guard a second time. Gamera rumbled angrily and seized two of the tentacles in a single crushing fist, pulling his attacker closer. The Ryuseicho obliged, kicking off from the ground and slamming straight into Gamera.

The monsters fell back into the rubble, a frenzy of squirming tentacles and swiping claws. Gamera knocked his foe aside with a savage blow to the head, but the Ryuseicho gave no quarter, reaching out with it’s tendrils as he got to his feet and pulling him back down. As the monsters skirmished the JSDF began to retreat, hoping one would kill the other as they left to regroup and resupply.

Gamera pushed his enemy back with a vicious barrage of fireballs, buying himself enough time to rise again but doing no real damage. As soon as he stopped the tendrils launched out again, piercing his chest and arms and beginning to drain energy. Gamera grimaced and tore one of the spears from his arm, already feeling himself grow weaker. He threw himself at the Ryuseicho, shoving back it’s face in one hand and punching it’s side with the other. Immediately he felt the repercussion, a giant spike-like arm ramming into his gut. Blood and shards of carapace flew as Gamera flung back his head, roaring in agony.

His head swung back as he sunk his teeth into the side of the Ryuseicho’s neck and viciously shook; the beast moaned and lifted a leg to it’s chest, shoving Gamera away with a well-aimed kick. The Destroyer grimaced and crashed into the ground, thrown off his enemy’s claw. As he laid on his back he quickly pulled into his shell, avoiding the snaking tentacles and taking off in a flash of orange. The Ryuseicho silently watched from the ground, then spread it’s tendrils into a pair of shimmering wings and leapt after him.

Trailing black smoke from his mouth, Gamera let loose a frustrated roar and charged down at the Ryuseicho. Single-minded and unresponsive, it gave no response. They collided in a shower of sparks as the Extinction banked left and raked it’s metal claws against Gamera’s belly, sending him spiraling out of control. The turtle’s jets flared as he pulled away from the ground, but a shower of lasers threw him back into the rubble. Withdrawn in his shell, Gamera skidded far across the ruins of Tokyo. A moment later he wearily rose to his feet, tasting his own blood. This foe was stronger than he had remembered.

The Ryuseicho casually hovered to the ground, it’s tentacles writhing independently and firing lasers at the nearest still-standing structures. As it returned it’s eye to Gamera the tendrils immediately launched toward him. He repelled the first with a swipe of his spurred arm, then grabbed the second with his opposite hand; the remaining two plunged into his midsection with a violent splatter. In a single, furious gesture Gamera sliced through all three, sending them flailing back in a gory frenzy. The Ryuseicho’s howled in surprise, recoiling with it’s remaining tendril as it’s blood splattered across the sides of ruined buildings.

Before it could recover, The Destroyer was barreling into it full-force. The Ryuseicho reeled back, then swung out with it’s lone tendril, smacking Gamera across the face before opening it’s skull. In an instant the yellow beam exploded outward, hammering the hard-shelled monster as he lunged again and hurling him back thousands of feet. He disappeared inside a massive explosion, slammed into the side of a half-collapsed skyscraper. The Ryuseicho’s closed it’s skull without a sound, then kicked off with a colossal leap, landing in the smoke.

The fog of war languidly dispersed: rising from the rock and plaster, Gamera wobbled to his feet, caked head to toe in dried blood and ash. He lifted his head, silent. The Ryuseicho paused for a moment, coolly looked him over, then cast him aside with a violent backhand. Again and again it’s claws lashed out, savagely striking and stabbing, until finally it shoved the wounded monster to his knees with a forceful stab into the shoulder. Pinned down and defeated, Gamera hung his head and exhaled, weakly reaching up and grabbing his attacker’s throat. The Ryuseicho stared back, callous and unimpressed. It lifted the opposite scythe above Gamera’s skull.

He closed his eyes and prepared for the inevitable. Claw and flesh collided, and a steady stream of blood trickled down his face. The Ryuseicho stared down without emotion.

And Gamera grinned.

The Ryuseicho shuddered, frozen in mid lunge… Gamera’s other hand was lodged elbow deep into it’s chest. The giant turtle lifted his head, not so weak as he had seemed, and looked haughtily into his opponent’s eye. He jerked loose his sanguine arm and lifted it for the Ryuseicho to see. Clutched in his fist was it’s own, beating heart. He paused to let the ramifications sink in, then hammered the defeated titan with a flooring left hook.

As the Ryuseicho slumped lifelessly to the ground Gamera stood up, still grinning from ear to ear, and shoved the beating heart straight into his mouth. His fangs crushed it to a pulp and the whole world stood still. Something big was happening.

Red suddenly splattered in every direction and an invisible shockwave riled the dust from the city streets. Miles away the stone slab trembled… a giant crack split down it’s front, and the runes representing Gamera and the Ryuseicho disappeared. A cold wind blew. The Destroyer closed his eyes, tiny red wisps seething from between his teeth. The slab shook again, and his rune reappeared. It was exactly where the Ryuseicho’s had once been.

Gamera’s eyes opened, glowing like flames. He had not simply killed the Ryuseicho… he had devoured it’s soul. Erased it from existence. Replaced it.

The survivors of Tokyo stared up in horror as the new Spirit of Extinction, the Eternal Destroyer of Mankind, towered over them and shattered all hope with his roar.