Atomic Rex: Challenge of Gurral

by Matthew Dennion

  A wall of wind moving at nearly three hundred kilometers per hour slammed into the nuclear theropod, bringing the monster’s sprint to a slow but steady walk forward. Millions of drops of rain per second propelled at an incredible speed struck Atomic Rex’s body. Each drop of water felt as if it were a bullet fired from a high-powered machine gun. While the pelting rain caused Atomic Rex some pain, it was not enough to deter him, rather the attack only served to anger him.

  Atomic Rex opened his mouth to unleash his anger in an earth-shattering roar but as the beast opened his jaws, his mouth was filled with a deluge of not only water but flying trees that had been uprooted by the harpy eagle’s flapping wings. A maelstrom of wind, rain, trees, soil, and rock hit the nuclear theropod with enough force to shatter a brick wall with every impact. Atomic Rex tensed his muscles and dug his clawed feet into the ground in an attempt to steady himself as he felt the eagle’s attack slowly forcing him backward.

  When he had finally managed to stand in one spot, Atomic Rex closed his eyes. The nuclear theropod then reached deep into himself to access the unlimited power of the phoenix that resided in his very cells. Atomic Rex’s body began to take on a light blue hue as he lifted his right leg slightly off the ground.

  As the reptilian horror lifted his foot into the air, the light blue glow emanating from his body continued to grow in intensity. The monster was being pushed back farther by the gale force winds assaulting him when he brought his foot crashing back to the ground. As the theropod’s foot struck the ground, a dome of superheated blue energy known as the Atomic Wave cascaded off his body in a three-hundred-and-sixty-degree radius. The blast cut through the super hurricane destroying all vegetation in its path.

  The mutated harpy eagle’s eyes went wide when she saw the Atomic Wave coming toward her. The bird of prey only had the briefest instant to look down at her nest and the chicks within it before the Atomic Wave slammed into her and knocked her backwards.

  When the blast struck the mighty eagle, it sent her crashing into the ground and tumbling through the trees all while searing her feathers and burning her flesh. The avian beast crashed through nearly a half a kilometer of forest, before she finally rolled to a stop. The eagle lifted her head off the ground as the still pounding rain helped to sooth the burns that now covered her wings and torso. As she stood, she heard several low chirping sounds coming from her nest. She turned her head to see her three chicks rolling around in what was left of their nest. The harpy eagle leaped toward her nest to see her chicks in agony as the Atomic Wave had burned off their down-like feathers and badly charred the soft skin below them.

  The giant bird was reaching down with her beak to tend to her offspring when the ground started to shake around her. The mother bird had just enough time to take to the air before Atomic Rex’s open jaws appeared above her nest.

  The radioactive leviathan was reaching down to devour the injured chicks when the harpy eagle attacked the saurian’s face in a blur of beak, feathers, and claws. The avian creature sliced into Atomic Rex’s head, sending spurts of the reptile’s radioactive blood cascading over the treetops below them. Each time that Atomic Rex reached up to grab the attacking eagle, the bird would back out of the monster’s reach and then attack again when he dropped his arms. Between the bird’s speed and the pounding rain and wind, Atomic Rex was unable to land a blow on his attacker.

  As the frenzied mother continued her attack, Atomic Rex was forced to step back from the dying chicks in the nest. Enraged at the thought of losing his meal, the nuclear theropod quickly changed his approach. The monster bent his legs slightly and then quickly darted forward causing the eagle to lift its body higher into the sky to avoid his attack.

  With the bird now floating above his back and his front end bent down, Atomic Rex used his tail to strike the harpy eagle in the chest causing it to come crashing down into the muddy terrain below. The winged giant was trying to pull itself out of the mud when Atomic Rex’s foot came crashing down on her chest, crushing her ribcage. The dying bird tried to look toward her nest to see her chicks one more time but before she could turn her head around to see it, Atomic Rex’s jaws closed around her neck and decapitated her.

  Atomic Rex let the blood draining out of his prey’s mouth saturate his tongue so that he could savor the liquid before swallowing it. The saurian creature then used his teeth to crack the bird’s skull open so that he could taste its brain before swallowing what remained of the monster’s head.

  After swallowing the harpy eagle’s head, Atomic Rex tore into the dead creature’s body, devouring bones, blood, and organs. The kaiju fed on the giant bird until there was nothing left but a pile of feathers and pool of blood that was quickly being swept away by the storm.

  When he finished eating the mother bird, Atomic Rex heard the pain-filled chirps of the chicks in the nest behind him. The nuclear theropod lifted his head into the sky and roared out his victory over their mother before walking over to devour the dying infants.

  Once he had finished his meal, Atomic Rex knew that he needed to rest to digest his food. Resting would also allow the accelerated cell regeneration ability granted to him by his nuclear powers to heal the damage inflicted on him by the mother harpy eagle during their battle. The monster turned and started heading back toward the banks of the Amazon. The highly territorial kaiju decided that he would once more rest on the river bank and then head back to the Pacific Ocean, where he would survey his aquatic domain. The kaiju was aware that a new super predator had been hunting in his domain and he sought to end this creature's forays into his waters.

  Chapter 5

  Arena World

  Gurral’s mouth was watering and his body was shaking as he grabbed the pinch of Impervium dust he’d been given for his most recent victory and sprinkled it over the giant boar that had been prepared for his meal. The Smasher’s mouth filled with saliva as he held the leg of pork in his hand and stared at the Impervium dust he had sprinkled on it. His body was still sore from the battle with Mutt. His wounds were healing and his body was fighting off the poison from the serpent heads. Gurral was confident that his body would be fully healed in a day or two but for now he needed to eat, rest, and then let the dust soothe him as his body recovered.

  The gladiator smiled as he smelled the leg before eating, inhaling some of the Impervium dust in the process. He said through his grin, “I’ve been looking forward to this all day.” The monster brought the meat up to his jaws and tore a huge chunk of it off the bone. As the blood from the boar landed on his tongue, the Impervium dust was absorbed into his gums. As the dust entered his system Gurral felt both the pain of withdrawal and the soreness from his injuries begin to slip away.

  The arena champion took another bite of the leg, this time tearing off a piece of the bone itself to taste the marrow within it. Gurral threw his head back in ecstasy as more of the dust he craved washed over his senses. The Smasher ravenously tore into the rest of the large carcass in a fog of joy, only realizing he was finished when he looked down and saw that he was reaching hungrily towards a pile of broken bones. It wasn’t enough. It never was, but it would hold him until the next time.

  With his meal finished abruptly as ever, he rolled back, laid down on the floor, and let the dust take his mind away. The gladiator stared at the walls of his med-bay enclosure. The walls were bare with nothing but the green lighting system that was used throughout the arena. Gurral didn’t concern himself over the lack of decor. As the Impervium dust made its way into the Smasher’s mind it would provide all of the mental stimulation that he needed. Gurral watched as the lights around him took different forms and shapes as he slowly drifted off to sleep.

  The colossal combatant woke up several hours later to find one of the Arena Lords in the enclosure with him. He shook his head to make sure the Arena Lord was really there and not just a hallucination brought on by the dust. The giant then stood up and took a few steps toward the bluish-gray alien.

  The Arena
Lord made his way around the gladiator, examining the monster’s body. Gurral gave the Arena Lord a confused look. They usually communicated with him through hologram, so this personal visit was something of interest. “Is there something you want from me? Because I’m pretty sure I’ve got at least another day before I’m needed back in the arena, right?”

  The Arena Lord shook his head. “There is something I want from you.” The Newcomer looked over to the empty platter that hours before had been laden with enough pork to feed every Arena Lord for the day. “I also know there is something you need from me.”

  The Arena Lord continued to walk around Gurral and examine him. The arena champion sighed, “Can we get to the point or are you going to keep looking me over?”

  The Arena Lord slowed down his pace. “I am checking to see how well your injuries have healed.” He nodded his head. “I must say, your healing capabilities are even more impressive than I had thought they were.”

  Gurral rolled his eyes and shrugged. “Yeah I heal quickly, especially with the med-bots stitching the worst of it. Now back to my question. Is it time for me to fight again already?” Gurral sighed, “Sometimes I lose track of time in here.”

  The Arena Lord tilted his head, giving Gurral a sly look. “Indeed, I’m sure it’s the monotony of your surroundings that causes this.” The Newcomer finished circling Gurral and was standing in front of him. “To answer your question, it has barely been a day since your last fight.”

  Gurral took a deep breath and sat down on the floor. “All right then, I’m just going to go back to sleep. Wake me up tomorrow for my next fight.”

  The Newcomer shook his head. “That’s what I’ve come here to talk to you about. There is no fight scheduled for you tomorrow. In fact, there is no fight scheduled for you at all right now.”

  Gurral shrugged as he laid back down, causing echoing rumbles. “That's fine, I’ve earned a vacation.”

  The Arena Lord took a step closer to Gurral. “A vacation? Are you sure that you can really enjoy yourself sitting in here ...without your Impervium dust?”

  Gurral shot up to a standing position and he glared down at the Arena Lord as he growled. “What do you mean, without my dust?” Gurral slammed his fist onto the ground next to the Arena Lord, leaving a deep dent. “I get my dust every two days! That’s the deal!”

  The Arena Lord didn’t move when Gurral’s fist came crashing down next to him. He simply shook his head as he stared into the Smasher’s burning red eyes. “I believe you’re mistaken. The deal is, you get the Impervium dust after every fight you win.” A deep, guttural growl formed deep within Gurral’s chest. The Arena Lord continued, “You’ve been winning a lot lately... Do you know what that means?”

  Gurral nodded and leaned forward, “Yeah, it means I get my dust!”

  The unfazed Arena Lord turned and began walking away from the gladiator. “When you are slaying opponents at that pace it also means you are reducing the number of possible combatants to face you. In addition to that, when you destroy gladiators as convincingly as you have, it also makes it difficult for us Arena Lords to find creatures for you to battle that the paying and wagering public think will actually present a challenge to you.” The Arena Lord had nearly reached the door when he looked over his shoulder and back at the gladiator. “Our best estimate is that it will take at least a week to bring an opponent to the arena for you to fight.”

  He looked at the few grains of the Impervium dust that had fallen to the floor. “I hope you can make do with what dust you have in here until then.”

  Gurral’s body was shaking and his voice was seething with anger. “I can’t go that long without dust! Wait, you guys have sent me to other planets to fight opponents in the past. Can’t you do that again?”

  The Newcomer shrugged. “You seem to be missing the point. We can send you to another world but first we need to find something that can present you with a challenge. As far as we can tell, there is nothing in the solar systems near us that would last more than a minute against you in a battle.”

  Gurral stormed over to where the Arena Lord was standing. “You and your friends had better find something for me to fight so that I can get my dust because if you don’t, you’ll see a fight you weren’t planning for.”

  The Arena Lord looked at the massively muscled body of Gurral towering above him, shaking with both anger and fear of withdrawal. He smiled as he looked up into the red eyes of the Smasher. “Even if we do, what happens when you beat that opponent, and it takes us even longer to find you another creature battle? How will you handle the time in between dust sessions then?”

  Gurral took a step back as the expression in his eyes changed from a look of anger to a look of concern.

  Seeing that he had manipulated the conversation to the point that he wanted, the Arena Lord pressed his advantage. “You are a victim of your own success. You have won so many battles and accrued so much dust that you have made it difficult for us to adhere to the terms of your own deal.”

  After a brief moment of concern, anger flared back in Gurral’s eyes. “Then like I said, we had better work out a new deal, or else you and your friends are going to have a major problem.”

  The Newcomer nodded. “None of us want that.” He walked back over to Gurral. “What if I could offer you a new deal that would give you unlimited access to dust and allow you to retire from the arena as champion? A deal that would allow you to spend the rest of your days eating and indulging yourself with Impervium dust?”

  The anger faded from Gurral’s voice as he looked at the Arena Lord. “I’d say that sounds great. Then I’d ask what’s the catch because a deal that good doesn’t happen.”

  The gray skinned alien nodded. “Indeed, there is a catch. You have said you would be interested in going to another planet but what about going to another universe?”

  Gurral tilted his head in a mix of confusion and intrigue. “Another universe? How does that work?”

  The Arena Lord shrugged. “We’re not really sure how it works but we do know that it works. Rifts have been appearing in space that lead to other universes. Universes filled with monsters that you can battle. There is even one universe that has a monster that can take your place as the main attraction in the arena allowing you to retire and live out the remainder of your life with no concern other than dust, food, and rest.” The Arena Lord brought up images on the wall that showed numerous kaiju and giant mutated animals and bugs.

  Gurral shook his head. “You want me to become a hunter? You want me to trap these monsters and bring them back here?” The Smasher held up his fist to show sharp bony spikes extending from them. “These fists are made for killing, not catching.”

  The Newcomer smiled. “Indeed they are, and you shall use them for killing. The planet we would like to send you to is populated by numerous monsters and there is only one creature we would like you to subdue and bring back here. We can drop you off at a location that will be some distance away from our primary target. As you make your way to your objective, you can fight and potentially kill every beast you come across. We can have some of our remote cameras follow you and transmit your battles back to us and our patrons. As for the primary target, there is no hunter in existence that is capable of capturing him. Only you possess the strength and resilience to subdue this creature. I can supply you with a device that will give off a burst of electricity which should render the beast unconscious, so that you can bring him back here. I can also provide you with a device that will allow you to communicate with the more intelligent creatures on the planet.”

  The Arena Lord smiled. “If you are able to complete this task, you will retire in a blaze of glory! You’ll run through a gauntlet of monsters as you make your way toward the most powerful creature this planet has to offer! When you subdue him, you will have proven yourself a true champion who has earned the reward of retirement and all the dust you can imagine!”

  Gurral began to calm down. “All right, this sounds li
ke a deal I can live with. Now what’s this monster I need to catch?”

  The Newcomer changed the image on the wall to reveal a green scaled theropod dinosaur with long powerful primate-like arms and a protective carapace on his back. The Arena Lord gestured toward the image. “This is Atomic Rex.”

  Gurral shrugged. “He doesn’t look so tough.”

  The Newcomer laughed. “Looks can be deceiving. Atomic Rex is as large as you, and has slain dozens of monsters, destroyed gigantic robots, and even toppled gods. He will be the greatest challenge you have ever faced.”

  Gurral shrugged, “We’ll see about that. When do I leave?”

  The Arena Lord shook his head. “As soon as you are healed enough and ready to go.”

  Gurral cracked his neck. “Let me grab a bag’s worth of traveling dust and I’ll be ready to go universe hopping.”

  The Newcomer smiled one last time. “Very well, allow me to procure the weapon I promised you and acquire the cameras to record your journey.”

  Gurral nodded in reply.

  A short time later, Gurral had a massive taser-like weapon that still looked small compared to his sheer bulk and the universal communicator attached to a strap that wrapped around his torso. He and the Newcomer were standing in front of a purple rift in time and space.

  The Arena Lord pointed at the rift. “Here is the doorway on your first step to acquiring all you desire.” He then had a large warehouse mech hand Gurral another device to attach to the strap that held the taser to his chest. “This device will allow you to access the energy that is creating these portals and open one of your own. I have already programmed the device to bring you back to the arena when you activate it. Subdue Atomic Rex, access the portal, and then bring him to the arena. At that point, our bargain shall be complete and you will have everything you desire.”