Match 53: Zilla vs. Rodan

Match 53: Zilla vs. Rodan is the 53rd Match of the KWC and is written by Christian Salabert.

## Story

The mutant reptile known as Zilla trampled through what was left of Sydney.

The creature had caused a great deal of damage to the city, as per his alien commander’s instructions. But now night had fallen on the Australian city and Zilla was receiving no further orders. Left to his own devices, the beast began to wander the crushed streets of Sydney, slinking back and forth through what few buildings remained. But Zilla soon grew tired and laid down on the asphalt, resting as he awaited any further word from his master.

But Zilla’s rest was soon ruined as a high-pitched cackle pierced the night air. The lizard’s eyes opened and he snapped to attention. Hearing another cry, he marched out towards the ocean, seeking the noise’s source.

Zilla reached the land’s edge, turning his head from side to side. He saw nothing. He heard the cry again, but could still not see what was making the sound. Suddenly, he heard something else. He began to turn his head…

Something large slammed into Zilla, sending him flipping through the air and crashing to the ground. The reptile groaned as his face smashed into the pavement before he managed to get back to his feet. He turned and roared furiously, ready to tear whatever had attacked him apart. Unfortunately, the thing smashed into him again, this time from behind, again dropping Zilla to the ground.

Groggily and cautiously, Zilla returned to his feet once more. This time, he saw a large flying beast landing not too far away from him.

Rodan glared at Zilla and cackled a challenge. With any luck, this lizard would prove to be his next meal.

Zilla tilted his head in confusion. This creature… Wasn’t it one of his allies? Another of his commander’s warriors? But then he shook his head clear and growled. It didn’t matter. This beast had attacked him, and Zilla would make him pay for that. With a mighty roar, Zilla threw his arms open and charged.

Seconds before he would have reached his foe, Rodan flapped his wings and took to the sky.

Zilla looked up and stared at Rodan as he flew through the air, circling the mutant iguana. He was helpless to do anything except watch as the pterodactyl fly around him, sizing up the situation. Zilla screamed, demanding he come down to fight. Rodan obliged, diving down and striking Zilla with his beak, again flooring the reptile. As Zilla tried to get to his feet, Rodan struck him again, slamming him into the pavement. Zilla tried to rise again, but Rodan flew past and clutched Zilla’s head in his talons and pulled him into a building, smashing Zilla’s head into it and bringing it down on the lizard. Zilla cried out as the debris crashed down upon him.

Rodan, having flown a fair distance away, turned back and headed straight for its opponent, planning on goring Zilla with his beak. Unfortunately for him, Zilla had other plans. Pulling himself out of the rubble, he turned and faced Rodan. With a roar and a tremendous leap, he flew through the air and collided with the pteranodon, bringing his feet up against Rodan’s chest. The two hit the ground with a thunderous crash, Zilla atop Rodan.

With his foe finally at his mercy, Zilla began clawing and biting at Rodan’s face. Blood was drawn as Zilla’s claws raked Rodan’s flesh, causing the flying kaiju to cry out in panic. He tried to peck up at Zilla’s face with his beak, but the reptile responded by smacking his clawed hand across Rodan’s face. It was then that Rodan decided to bring out the big guns, and the horns on the top of his head began flashing with violet light. This caused Zilla to stop his assault momentarily, once again tilting his head in confusion. The cost him dearly, as seconds later Rodan pointed his beak right at Zilla and spewed forth a uranium heat beam, striking Zilla in the face and knocking him away. As Zilla clutched his face and screamed in pain, Rodan flapped his wings and got to his feet. He began flapping his wings, generating hurricane-like winds which began to batter his foe. Zilla roared in defiance, and Rodan responded with another blast of energy from his beak, striking Zilla’s legs and bringing him to the ground.

As Zilla rolled around on the ground, Rodan took to the skies once again. Again he attacked his foe from the air, but this time he would not risk getting close. He spit out another heat beam, slicing across Zilla’s tail. A second hit him square in the gut. A third and final blast hit Zilla directly in the head, causing the irradiated iguana to cry out in agony. Zilla shook and twitched as he reeled from Rodan’s attack. Rodan hovered in the air, watching gleefully as his soon-to-be prey suffered.

Zilla knew he was in trouble. This beast was proving to be much stronger than he had anticipated. He was too fast and his heat beam badly burned. He needed a plan. He quickly pulled himself up, sank his claws into the ground and began to dig. Within moments, a large tunnel was formed, which Zilla was already beginning to disappear down. Rodan realized what he was doing and swooped down to try and stop the lizard’s plan. But he was too late; his talons flew across the tunnel’s entrance mere seconds after the tip of Zilla’s tail disappeared within.

For a few moments, Rodan slowly circled the hole in the ground, waiting for Zilla to emerge. But soon it became apparent that he wasn’t going to… At least not without some encouragement. Rodan fired blast after blast of his heat beam, striking the edges of the tunnel, the ensuing explosions threatening to close it up. When Zilla still refused to come out, Rodan lowered himself, touching down outside the rim of the hole. He inspected the tunnel, then cackled into it, calling Zilla back to battle. A few more moments passed, and still no sign of Zilla was seen. Rodan lifted his head into the air and let loose a victory cry. He may not have claimed Zilla as a meal, but he still won the fight. He began to flap his wings so that he could return to the sky.

The ground exploded as Zilla leapt up out of the tunnel, tackling Rodan to the ground. Rodan tried to attack Zilla with his heat beam, but Zilla’s jaws instantly closed down on Rodan’s throat, stopping the beam and closing off the pterodactyl’s windpipe. Rodan struggled violently as he tried to dislodge his attacker, but Zilla was not about to let him snatch victory out of his claws a second time. Biting down hard, Zilla ripped a large chunk from Rodan’s neck, holding it in his mouth. Rodan screeched in terror as blood poured from his throat, but his struggling was already fading in intensity. Soon his limbs no longer moved at all. His eyes closed and his head fell to the ground.

Rodan was dead.

Zilla chewed the chunk of flesh in his mouth for a moment, then swallowed. He growled in contentment. It was so much better than fish.