Atomic Rex_The Conquest of Chimera

by Matthew Dennion

  Allison rolled her eyes at her brother. “Don’t be so dramatic. We can easily escape with the children to another dimension and even the monster if we need too.” She pointed back to the portal. “Look all three sides of this a war and the wild card that is Atomic Rex are engaging in battle. Our enemies are destroying each other for us. As these battles play out, we shall be provided with opportunities to strengthen our position. We will not attack anytime soon but will act at the conclusion of these battles in some fashion.”

  Chapter 12

  Chimera Base

  General Parsons clenched his fists in anger as he stared at two separate scenes on the large screen before him. The first part of the split screen was showing a satellite video of Chimera as he charged toward Surtr. The second screen showed the now giant Odin standing before Atomic Rex. The helicopter that was following Atomic Rex was sending the video feedback to Chimera Base. Parsons screamed, “I want audio from Odin! Now!”

  The soldier controlling the feed brought up the audio. Parsons heard Odin declaring that he would control Atomic Rex and use him to defeat the Dark Ones as well as the humans. Parsons cursed, “Goddamn traitors.” He watched the feed for a few more seconds as Atomic Rex’s body took on a blue hue. There was a bright flash and Parsons saw a dome of blue light coming toward the screen and then the feed turned to static.

  Parsons screamed, “What the hell happened to the feed?”

  A soldier called back, “We’re not sure, sir. Whatever that flash was that Atomic Rex gave off either knocked out the feed or totally destroyed the helicopter.”

  Parsons continued to bark orders. “There has to be a dozen more news helicopters on the way to cover this. Find one with audio and get the visual feed, back online! I want to know what’s going on with Atomic Rex and Odin!”

  He yelled, “I also want a satellite feed from the North Pole and recon planes flying over it. We need to know what’s going on up there.” Parsons took a look at Chimera squaring off with Surtr. He looked toward Diana. “What do you know about Surtr? Can Chimera defeat him?”

  Diana’s eyes were wide as she shook her head. “In the story of Ragnarok, Surtr is said to be able to battle Odin, Thor, and the rest of the Asgardians to a draw or to outright defeat them. Surtr could be more powerful than all of the gods Chimera has faced so far combined.”

  Yellowstone National Park

  Chimera was only a few steps away from Surtr and he reached out his arms to grab the demon. Surtr smiled at the charging Chimera and then he leapt into the air. Surtr was leaping over Chimera when he opened his wings and started flapping them. Chimera looked up, expecting Surtr to attack him from above, but to his surprise, the demonic creature simply flew past him.

  Luke was doing his best to refrain from coughing as he yelled once more into his megaphone, “Chimera, attack!” Chimera roared and then he started following the flying demon as he made his way deeper into Yellowstone Park.

  As Surtr glided over the forest, the very heat that his body was giving off caused the trees that he passed over to catch fire. Chimera was running on all fours as he pursued the Dark One. Luke was doing his best to keep up with the hybrid but with the fire burning around him and smoke filling his lungs and eyes, the best that he could manage was a quick walk. Luke watched as both Surtr and Chimera pulled away from him and within a few minutes, he could no longer see them through the thick black smoke that was filling the air. Two thoughts filled his mind as he looked at the fire raging around him. The first thought once more took him back to his childhood and Sunday school when the teachers told him about Hell. Luke looked at the inferno raging around him, and he thought that this was probably the closest thing to Hell on Earth that someone could imagine. He shifted his gaze to the wide path of trees that had been crushed in front of him as he voiced his second thought, “Well, on the bright side, at least Chimera’s path will be easy to follow.”

  Sweat was pouring off Chimera’s body as the kaiju chased the Dark One through the ever-growing forest fire. Despite Chimera’s considerable speed, Surtr was slowing pulling away from him. Chimera was starting to think that Surtr might escape from him when the Dark One suddenly landed on the ground. The demon laughed loudly as he lifted his sword over his head and drove it into the ground. Lava erupted from the ground on the spot that Surtr’s sword had touched.

  Surtr pulled his sword out of the ground which caused even more lava to erupt from beneath the earth. He screamed, “Only a few more blows and my sword shall pierce deep enough into the ground to ignite the flames that will cover this world in ash!”

  The Dark One was lifting his sword over his head to once more drive it into the ground when Chimera rammed his head into Surtr’s back. The blow knocked Surtr to the ground and sent his sword flying off into the woods. Chimera shook his head in pain as the very act of touching Surtr had scorched his flesh where he made contact with the demon.

  Surtr stood up and he screamed, “Pathetic beast! Do you truly think that you have the strength to challenge me? I am the destroyer of worlds and you are but a mockery of life created by the puny creatures whose meaningless lives shall soon end to sustain me!”

  Chimera responded by throwing his arms out at his sides and roaring at the demonic Surtr. Chimera then charged the Dark One again. This time, instead of trying to avoid Chimera, Surtr stood his ground. When Chimera reached Surtr, the kaiju wrapped his arms around the demon. Every inch of Chimera’s skin that was touching Surtr burned from the heat coming off of the Dark One. Chimera blocked out the searing pain as he tried to throw Surtr to the ground. Chimera pushed Surtr hard to the side, but the Dark One did not move.

  Surtr laughed at Chimera and then with a shift of his weight, he threw Chimera to the ground and sent him rolling through the burning trees that surrounded them. Chimera rolled over twice before he was able to stop his momentum and stand up. The kaiju had no sooner reached his feet than Surtr flew over to him and punched him in the face. The blow staggered Chimera, causing the monster to lose his balance. Surtr then kicked Chimera in the stomach, once more knocking the kaiju to the ground. Chimera landed hard on his back directly on top of a group of burning trees. The hybrid tried to stand up only to have Surtr kick him in the face once more. Chimera’s head snapped backward as blood trickled out of his nostrils. Surtr then kicked Chimera in the ribs with such force that blood spurted out of the monster’s mouth. With his opponent down, Surtr turned away from Chimera and began walking back toward his flaming sword.

  Chimera looked over to see Surtr pick up his sword and walk back to the point he had previously struck with the weapon. The demon lifted the sword and drove it into the ground for a second time. Surtr drove the entire top half of the sword into the ground and it caused multiple geysers of lava to shoot into the air. One of the geysers opened up near Chimera and showered the monster in the scoring liquid.

  The kaiju rolled around, and he could see Luke stumbling through the woods toward him. Luke was holding up his megaphone and yelling to Chimera, but the between the heat, smoke, and the beating he had taken, Chimera was unable to hear what his trainer was saying.

  Luke could see that Chimera was stunned if not injured beyond the point of being able to carry on. The former teacher was doing his best to keep moving forward through the flaming, trees, blistering heat, and geysers of lava shooting into the air. Luke had seen Chimera like this before where the monster seemed defeated. He had also witnessed what happened when the monster received an adrenaline surge through his body. Most importantly, Luke was aware that one of the things that was sure to trigger an adrenaline surge in Chimera was when he saw his trainer in danger.

  Luke watched as Surtr pulled his flaming sword out of the earth and lifted it over his head to drive it through the ground. Luke wasn’t a professor of mythology like Diana, and he sure as hell wasn’t a geologist, but he was pretty sure that if Surtr struck the ground one more time, he would ignite the super-volcano that would end the world. Luke pushed aside his fear o
f Surtr and of death. He pushed aside the thoughts that he was trying to save the world. He pushed every other thought aside and he focused on his loved ones. He thought of his best friend Diana and how much he enjoyed spending time with her. He focused on Parsons, a man that he admired and respected more than any other person he had ever met. He thought of the bloody and beaten Chimera. The monster who he had trained and who he had fought countless battles with. The monster whose love and loyalty to him was beyond question. Most of all, he focused on his family. He thought of Melissa, his wife and the love his life. He thought of his girls who were the wonder, awe, and joy of his existence.

  Luke focused on these things and what a great life he had lived. He didn’t know what happened to people when they died, and he didn’t care. He knew that he had lived his life in a state as close to Heaven as any man had a right to. If giving up his life even provided the smallest chance of saving all those people, he thought that dying was a small price to pay.

  Luke ran up to Surtr with his megaphone in hand. As he stood in front of the monster, he could feel his skin starting to blister from the heat being given off by the Dark One. Luke held his megaphone to his mouth and he screamed, “Stop! You can’t do this! I won’t let you!”

  Surtr looked down at the mortal standing at his feet and he laughed. “You won’t let me! Mortal, I shall drive my sword through you and ignite the flames of doom with your bones!”

  Chimera watched as Surtr aimed his sword at Luke. When he saw that the Dark One was about to hurt Luke, rage ran through the kaiju like a river shattering a dam. The monster felt the strength return to his body as he sat up and fired a sonic blast at Surtr. Surtr’s body convulsed as Chimera’s blast disrupted the horror’s central nervous system, causing him to drop his sword. Chimera stood and he fired a second sonic blast at Surtr that caused the Dark One to fall to the ground with his limbs and head twitching and shaking. The kaiju threw his arms out to his sides and he roared. He then dropped to all fours and charged the demon.

  Luke ran to the side to clear out of Chimera’s way but he took the time to yell, “Good boy, Chimera!” as the monster sprinted past him.

  Chimera climbed on top of the flaming creature and he unsheathed his claws. The monster raked his claws across the demon’s face and chest, causing an orange lava-like substance to seep out of the fresh wounds.

  Surtr roared in pain and then he flapped his wings, creating a wall of flames that pushed Chimera off his chest. The moment that the Dark One regained his feet, Chimera drove his head into Surtr’s midsection. The blow knocked the demon back several steps and as he was trying to regain his balance, Chimera stepped forward and delivered another slash across Surtr’s face. The boiling yellow liquid that spurted from the new wound landed on Chimera’s chin and burned the monster, causing him to grab his face.

  While Chimera was grabbing his face, Surtr struck the monster in the jaw, knocking him to the ground. Rather than pressing his advantage on the kaiju, Surtr ran after his burning sword. The demon grabbed his sword and he turned around to see the seething face of Chimera standing between him and the area where he needed to drive his sword into to ignite the super-volcano. Surtr screamed, “Enough, beast! You have kept me from my goal for too long! Die like the animal you are!” Surtr swung his sword at Chimera but the monster ducked under the swing, charged forward, and wrapped his arms around Surtr. The very act of grabbing Surtr burned Chimera’s flesh. The kaiju roared in both pain and anger as he lifted Surtr into the air and then slammed him into the ground.

  Surtr was attempting to stand up when Chimera spun around and used his tail to strike the demon in the face. The blow knocked Surtr onto his side and caused him to drop his sword.

  Seeing a possible chance to end the battle, Luke ran as close to the giant flaming sword as he could. He then grabbed his megaphone and yelled, “Chimera, watch me!” He then picked up a burning tree branch and made a stabbing motion toward Surtr. He then pointed at the sword and again made a stabbing motion toward the Dark One.

  Chimera was reaching down to pick up the sword when Luke saw Surtr stand up behind him. Luke screamed into the megaphone, “Chimera, tail swipe!”

  Following his master’s command, Chimera bent low to the ground and swung his tail behind him. The blow struck Surtr in the ribcage and knocked him to the ground. The kaiju then wrapped his hand around the flaming sword and as he did so, he screeched in pain. Luke had never heard a sound like this one come from Chimera before. For a brief moment, Luke wondered if Chimera did indeed have a soul. He also wondered if Chimera’s soul was burning at that moment from grasping the demon’s sword.

  With the burning tree branch still in his hand, Luke pointed at Surtr and again made a stabbing motion. Chimera turned around to see Surtr standing up behind him. The hybrid roared and then he drove Surtr’s own sword into his chest. The Dark One screamed as he grabbed at the sword. Luke and Chimera watched as the area around where the sword had entered the demon’s chest turned a bright white color. The white color quickly spread across the demon’s body, cracking his skin as it moved.

  Luke shook his head. “Is his fire sword turning him into ice?” He had no sooner finished his sentence than the dead, rigid body of Surtr fell to the ground. When the icy form of Surtr hit the ground, it shattered into a large cloud of ice particles that blanketed the immediate area. As the ice particles fell onto the raging forest fire, it doused the flames caused by Surtr. Luke looked over toward the area where Surtr was trying to ignite the super-volcano. He noticed that as the ice particles fell onto the geysers of lava, they slowly died down as well. Luke then a felt a strange cooling sensation on his face and hands. He looked at his hands to see that the ice particles were healing the burns he had suffered. Luke shifted his gaze to Chimera to see that the monster’s burns seemed to be healing as well.

  He shrugged at the kaiju and said, “I guess this is some kind of magic thing we are going have to ask Diana about. I am also guessing that the lack of Odin being here means something went wrong and we can’t expect Zeus to teleport us. So that means we’re walking out of here.” Luke then grabbed his megaphone, pointed at himself, and yelled, “Chimera, pick up!” The kaiju gently reached down and placed his open hand on the ground for Luke to climb into. Luke made his way into Chimera’s hand and once he was in the middle of it, Chimera lifted Luke up to his face. Luke looked down at Surtr’s sword which seemed to have lost its flames. Luke shrugged. “We can’t just leave the sword here either.” He then directed Chimera to pick up the sword as well. Chimera was hesitant at first but when he felt that the blade was no longer giving off heat, the monster grabbed the hilt and lifted the weapon.

  Luke then lifted his radio to his mouth. “Parsons, come in. Chimera has defeated Surtr. It seems as if the super-volcano has subsided as well.” When only static came back over the radio Luke said “Okay, I guess that we are a bit out a range with this thing. Let’s find a ranger station, get in touch with Parsons, and get you a well-deserved meal.” He then pointed to the east of the forest and told Chimera to walk.

  Through a portal to the Dark Dimension, Cronus watched as his brother Dark One’s life force left his body. The titan could see the essence of what had once been Surtr starting to become one with the cosmos. Before Surtr’s life essence could finish its transition, Cronus reached out across time and space and grasped the life essence in his hand. In his mind, Cronus could hear Surtr’s life energy yearning to return to the multiverse. Cronus smiled. “No, brother, your part in this war is far from over. I told you that you will have the life energy from this world and you shall still have it, as part of me.” Cronus then absorbed Surtr’s life force into himself and vastly increased his already immense power.

  Chapter 13

  Adrar

  Atomic Rex could feel the giant’s consciousness entering his brain. This was not like the will that had tried to influence him earlier. This giant was trying to completely take over Atomic Rex’s mind. The nuclear theropod co
uld feel that his control over his own body was slipping away. The monster’s consciousness was being forced into the back of his mind. While the kaiju could not fully comprehend what was occurring to him, he knew that if he did not act quickly, he would be a prisoner in his own body and a slave to the giant’s will. Rage welled with Atomic Rex and he used that emotion to tap into the now unlimited supply of nuclear energy stored within his cells. The nuclear theropod lifted his leg into the air and roared in defiance at the giant. The monster slammed his leg into the ground and in doing so, he unleashed his Atomic Wave attack.

  The blue dome of energy burst out of Atomic Rex’s body and slammed into Odin. The heat from the blast scorched the god king’s skin and the force of it sent him flying through the air. Odin was pushed several hundred feet before he crashed down into the desert. The Asgardian sat up and saw Atomic Rex roaring at him in defiance. Odin knew at that moment he would never be able to control the monster. He also realized that if left unchecked with his newly acquired power, this monster was more than capable of doing exactly what he was trying to prevent. Atomic Rex had the ability to end all life on Earth!

  The god king stood and yelled, “You think you possess power, monster? Odin is power!” Odin then stretched out his hand and fired a bolt of bright yellow energy at Atomic Rex. The blast hit the kaiju in the chest and left a dark black burn mark on his scales. Odin sneered at the creature when he saw that Atomic Rex was still standing. The Asgardian took a step forward, yelled, and threw out both hands in front of himself. Twin blasts shot out of the god king’s hands and this time, the blast was so large that it enveloped Atomic Rex’s entire upper body. The blast knocked the kaiju backward and caused him to stumble and fall on his back.