TITAN ENGINE: Evolution of Man and Monsters

In this world, there were beings far bigger than the civilizations humans had built. The monsters told of in legends and fairy tales all held a bit of truth. And that truth is globally acknowledged by the world: When the monsters wake up, you listen. And you can either run from it, or fight it down.

…

It was a closing evening in the bustling city of Tokyo. The busy lives of countless people were overshadowed by the towering buildings and vibrant businesses that made them all seem as small as specks on the rain-slicked streets. There was a sharp, almost metallic tang in the air, carried by the heavy downpour. A storm was predicted to sweep through the country, rising from the south and slowing as it traveled north. But tonight, the winds brought more than just a storm.

Far out, the Japanese Navy cut through the turbulent waves, their searchlights scanning the horizon. They had been warned of something...a disturbance. Reports had filtered in of the unusual tides, echoes deep beneath the ocean. Yet despite preparations nothing could have prepared them for the shadows that now churned in the blackened depths of Tokyo Bay.

From the depths a colossal mass stirred, causing a great tide to swell in the rough waters.

A large sharp fin breaching the top as the beast swam towards the bright city…

As it threaded closer, it soon started running out of depth. Its size became more and more pronounced until all it had to do was to… stand. Breaking the surface of the water, a tide rises large enough to capsize a whole ship. Four deep-set eyes glowing through the pouring water of its weight. Its entire scale shrouded by the harsh downpour and mist.

The navy, stationed in a defensive formation around the coast, was the first to meet the beast. a fleet of vigilant vessels in the churning waters, immediately redirected their spotlight beams towards the disturbance. Warning sirens blared as the orders were barked to ready their weapons. But IT moved too fast.

With a sudden swipe of its massive tail, a towering wall of water surged toward them. The first ship, was struck broadside by the force, its hull groaning as it was lifted from the ocean, before capsizing entirely under the weight of the tidal wave...Before it can even get a shot off.

The next ship, managed to fire off a volley of, but it was futile. The projectiles collided and burst with minimal effect. Claws sliced through in response, cleaving the ship’s deck. Flames burst forth from the wreckage, illuminating the beast’s form as the water dragged what remained of the vessel beneath the waves.

The exchange was relentless, scattering the other vessels and wrecking what stood guard...Such a beast could have hunted whales or sharks in the deep waters to have its fill, yet, it chose to surface and make Tokyo its new hunting ground. Attracted by the warmth and light from its buildings and people, the collection of masses was akin to a large school of fish to its instinct.

Its jaw cracked open, expelling a thick, warm mist into the air. It released a thunderous roar that shook through the rain, extending towards to the city, matched only by its stomps imprinted on the earth like craters as it tore through till it reached shore... Breaking the foundations made by humanity.

**RRRROOOOOOAAAAARRRR**

Yoshiro was a boy half-asleep in the backseat of a civilian car stuck in slow traffic when it started. Tucked in his arms was a small plastic robotic toy, stiff in the boy's embrace. He abruptly woke up when he felt the telltale tremor that shook the car. His tired eyes widened as he looked out to find the crowd of people flooding the streets, running in one direction, like a panicked wave. The cars outside, all weighed down, shook on their wheels with rough creaking sounds caused by the ground quaking in heavy steps.

Confused and terrified by the mass panic, the child could only look at the front seat helplessly.

"Dad?" he cried.

He was startled when the door to his side swung open! His father reached in, tightly hugging their child and getting him out of his seat.

"It's okay, it's okay! I'm here. We need to go, alright? Just close your eyes and don't look."

His father scooped him up in his big strong arms, holding him securely close to his chest. The boy closed his eyes tightly, burying his head into his father's shoulder, clutching his toy even harder on his fingers. They moved through the crowd roughly, bumping into people after people. The boy felt the rain on his skin and the cool air against his cheeks, but he gripped his eyes shut. Hearing only the panicked exclaims of others as many hurried their boots echoing as it hit the soaked streets of Tokyo, the sirens blaring in alarm of the danger. The vibrations of the ground shaking… most of all was a growing roar reaching close.

Yoshiro squinted his eyes, daring to peek. At first, he saw the buildings, as numerous as trees in a forest, rising tier upon tier into the dark sky. Then these giants of concrete and light began to topple and fall. The sound of buildings breaking apart as they collapsed shook the city.

The impact was strong enough to cause Yoshiro’s father and the others around them to stop, nearly tripping as his knees buckled. Clutching his child tightly as he tried to get on balanced footing. Turning, he glimpsed the havoc behind them only to freeze at the monstrous sight. Through the thick rain and the smoke from the destruction, everyone could see the reptilian head peak out, encased in a thick layer of ivory plates, covering its four glowing eyes.

Stepping out of the settling debris, its robust, stocky body was armored in rocky scales, no different than the rough boulders found by the shoreline; a hunched biped creature with its large dorsal fin on its back. Its massive tail whipped at the stumps of buildings behind it, causing more to fall as it squeezed- no, broke through Tokyo. Everyone knew what it was…

A Kaiju.

From the panic, the screams erupted.

“What the hell! How did a Kaiju get this far into the city!”

“Quick we need to reach the Bunkers!”

“This can’t be happening, why tonight, why Tokyo…”

As hysteria spread, the multitude of voices summed up to one natural instinct in all humans: fear. Many broke into desperate, uneven sprints, clawing their feet to reach any shelter or safety they could find. Yoshiro and his father were no different. Still clutching his child despite the soaking rain, Yoshiro’s father ran to carry him away.

Suddenly, a deafening screech filled the air, not from behind but from above. Yoshiro still on his father's shoulder looked up to see a formation of planes streaking across the horizon, each plane pierced the sky like a roar almost matching the Kaiju's own.

They flew forward. It was a quick engagement as Yoshiro witnessed a quick release of missiles in a volley, leaving trails of smoke as they rocketed upon the Kaiju. Explosions erupted upon hitting it, lighting up the dark, rain-soaked sky with flashes of fire and light. However, the payload was too small to make a clear dent, only forcing the Kaiju back a mere step as its short thick arms anchored its massive body from the blows by grabbing onto one of the standing buildings. Seemingly unharmed.

The air remained filled with the whine of jet engines and the distant thuds of ongoing bombardment. The roar of the Kaiju reverberated through the city, a guttural sound that made the air tremble, as the attacks had only left superficial marks on its body.

Yoshiro’s father caught sight of the Kaiju’s massive head tilting upward, its four glowing eyes narrowing as it fixated on the circling jets rerouting for another volley. There was a sudden, ominous silence as the creature’s maw began to swell with a growing glow, its jaw opening like a jagged gate. From within its throat, a searing red light began to build, growing brighter. The air crackled with energy, reaching a blinding intensity. With a deafening roar, the Kaiju unleashed a beam; a blinding stream of energy that tore through the sky like a flare. The beam ripped across the horizon, slicing through the air with a hiss. It struck the formation of jets, obliterating the lead aircraft in an instant. The remaining crafts scrambled to evade, but the beam continued its destructive path, carving through the cityscape to swat the rest.

**BBBBZZZZOOOOMMMM-**

Buildings in its path were reduced to rubble, Buildings cut down, steel frames melting and collapsing as the beam sheared through. The city's tall structures continued to fall, one by one.

And the only thing Yoshiro's father could do was to run through the chaotic streets, his heart pounded not just from exertion but from the crushing weight of fear. Yoshiro’s father knew they had to reach the nearest bunker before the gates were sealed. Those jets wouldn't hold off the Kaiju for long; conventional weapons had rarely stopped the Kaijus, and even then, it came at a great cost.

He felt his feet grow heavy with each hurried step, just trying to make the distance. He had too…if not to keep himself safe, then Yoshiro.

Rumble!

The ground shook to a violent tremble under the weight of the beast’s steps, each footfall sending shockwaves through the crumbling city, tearing apart the already unstable streets.

Yoshiro’s father staggered, his balance faltering as the earth beneath his feet seemed to split apart. The pavement cracked, with a raspy gasp, he lost his footing and tumbled forward, instinctively twisting his body to shield Yoshiro from the harsh fall.

Thud!

his son clutched tightly to him, his small body trembling as he was pressed protectively against his father’s chest. The world around them was coming apart by the seams. Buildings crumbling, debris raining down, the chaotic march of the crowd nearly running them over, And the shadow of the Kaiju that looms over father and son.

They had hit the ground hard, the impact jarring, the breath knocked from his lungs. He couldn't stay down. Not now. Not when Yoshiro’s life depended on him.

Yoshiro’s father gritted his teeth, every muscle in his body screaming with the effort as he forced himself to rise, still cradling Yoshiro in his arms now crying.

“Daddy, I’m scared! I want to go home!”

He had to keep moving. They were so close. The bunker wasn’t far just a few more blocks, if only he could get back on his feet! But the shadow behind them was massive, no doubt just a step away from crushing them. He could only embrace his son, using whatever shield his body could provide to protect the boy.

They braced themselves, expecting the ground to shake once more beneath the beast's steps, but the tremor never came.

Yoshiro's father looked up, the fear thumping through his chest, as his breath is caught at his throat as he watched the Kaiju halt in its tracks. The beast's monstrous form, so vast it seemed to blot out the sky from where mere humans could stand.

The beast was stilled. It turned its massive head, four glowing eyes narrowing as it focused on something in the distance.

As their attentions also turns to the side

**CLU-THUNK! CLU-THUNK! CLU-THUNK!**

It was far but loud, the sound of heavy steel being grinded and sharply moved in a mechanical motion. Through the haze of the rain and smoke, from what remained of the standing landscape something else of massive scale has showed. A towering frame gleamed under a sporadic flash of lightning; cold white-iron plates reflected for just a moment under the light. A pair of glowing gray-optics flared, cutting through the vapor like a beacon. As approached, its whole frame became visible and recognizable…

A Titan.

Yoshiro's father released his held breath...They're saved.

It had had a sharp defined body, every surface honed to a precision that evoked the sleek profile like an imagined aircraft. The Titan moved quite deliberately; each step was heavy enough to crack the earth just as much as the Kaiju. But every motion it made with its pace was calculated to avoid the precariously standing structures around it. Two rear jet-thrusters built behind the center of its back, burning bright. Large sharp edges of iron, mounted under its wrists though the tip seems retracted behind the machinery’s fist

Massive pistons pumping its joints, before it comes to an abrupt halt just short of a few hundred meters near the Kaiju.

Both were at a standstill.

The Kaiju, slowly turning its body around to face the machine. The creature’s jagged maw opened slightly, emitting a deep, rumbling snarl as saltwater and drool oozed from its jaws. All its focus was on this new contender, its tail whipping with restrained aggression.

A low, humming wheeze reverberated through the Titan, a sound that felt almost alive. A mechanical growl that echoed like a deep exhaled breath. Slight modifications and motions from its mechanical parts that made its own separate noises, even as it stood idle.

Yoshiro still clinging to his father, his wide eyes awed at the sight before him. The child’s gaze flickered between the two giants. Captivated by the Titan's frame. He glanced down at the toy robot still clutched tightly in his small hands; it seemed so small and softer, a mere shadow of the real thing. In that moment Yoshiro was unable to take his eyes away from it.

This Titan was smaller…especially compared to the Kaiju, perhaps even lighter by a large margin. BUT it was still big enough to stand its ground, and most importantly big enough to fight it down. To a child, there was hope.

The tense silence between the two giants lingered. Rain dripped down their colossal forms, sizzling against metal and scale. Neither side was adamant to back down.

Then, without warning, both the Kaiju and the Titan took a step forward. The ground shuddered beneath the weight of their one motion, a tremor that rippled. And then, they charged!

The Kaiju lunged, its body barreling towards its foe with reckless abandon squeezing through what structure stood in its momentum. Its jagged maw gaped wide open, releasing a loud primal roar that echoed off the fractured buildings around it.

The Titan surged forward in response, the engines at its back whirred alive as it is propelled faster. Sharp hiss of hydraulics releasing in powerful bursts as it sped to close the distance.

Yoshiro barely had time to process what was happening. The Kaiju lunged, its massive jaws snapping forward in one violent bite.

But—Boom! As the Titan struck first. A powerful uppercut slamming into the Kaiju’s jaw, snapping it shut with a resounding crash. The Kaiju staggered and reeled backwards, caught off guard by the speed and force of the blow.

His father had just mustered enough strength to boost his legs up! And started running again, holding Yoshiro closely. Using the chance to keep going as the Giants fought.

“Hold on, Yoshiro! Just hold on!” he shouted, his voice trembling with urgency. The child clung to his father, eyes trying to gaze at the battle. The city trembled, the screams of both roar and iron still rang aloud, as father and son tried to make their distance.

Yoshiro's father didn’t stop, pushing forward, weaving through the debris strewn streets and passing around twisted metal and collapsed storefronts. The bunker was within sight! a massive reinforced door set into a concrete wall, framed by emergency lights that flashed red, cutting through the haze of dust and rain.

The crowd at the entrance was a churning mass of panic and desperation. People were shouting over one another, a mass of voices stumbling forward, all attempting to squeeze inside the little, diminishing opening between the massive doors. Armed guards were holding the line, blocking the path trying to prevent any further entry. The uniforms they wore marked them as JKSDF (Japan Kaiju Self-Defense Force), a stark contrast to the more traditional military attire of other branches of the JSDF.

"Everyone, we’re sorry but the bunker is nearing full capacity! It cannot accommodate more. You must all make your way to the other nearest bunkers! A JKSDF officer will accompany you on your way! Women, the elderly, and children will be taken as priority!" A leading officer stated, the tone was firm and adamant however laced with a weariness that came from repeating the same orders one too many times.

“Are you kidding!? None of us would make it to the others!”

“What if that titan loses? We would all be caught dead!”

“You can’t do this! You can’t just leave the rest of us to die while you all get to hide inside!”

Yoshiro’s father skidded to a stop in front of the bunker, gasping for air, his arms aching as he gently set his son down from his grip.

“Please, let us in!” The words tore from his throat. Rain soaked, drenched in sweat, and chest heaving.

One of the guards stepped forward, blocking their path with a raised hand, his expression was stoic as though hardened beneath the weight of the chaos around them.

“Sir, please stop! The bunker’s at full capacity!” The soldier's tone was firm.

“What? No, no, you can’t do this!” Yoshiro’s father pleaded. He took a step forward, frantic, his hands clutching Yoshiro tightly.

“My son! He’s just a child! Please, you have to let us in!” He tried to push past, but the guard held firm, his body rigid as stone, his face set in grim resolve.

The guard’s eyes flickered, his gaze lowering down to Yoshiro. For a moment, his expression wavered he wasn’t immune to the sight of a terrified child, clutching to his father’s leg, eyes wide with terror. But the sound of distant explosions and the earth-shaking blows of the Titan and Kaiju clashing grew louder, more immediate. The ground trembled with each impact, sending vibrations through the concrete beneath their feet. Time was running out.

“We’re sorry,” the guard said, his voice barely above a whisper,

“we can’t take you both… You either move with the others to the next bunker with the officer, or we take your son.” His words fell like a death sentence.

Yoshiro’s father held his breath, but before he can respond. Buildings in the distance crumbled, A bellowing roars shaking the very sky. silhouettes of both Kaiju and Titan, now visible through the smoke and chaos of the background, it was struggling to keep the monster at bay. A nearby skyscraper collapsed in a roaring cloud of dust and debris, crashing to the ground like the final toll of a death knell.

“No! Please!” Yoshiro cried, his small voice breaking through the roar of destruction. His tiny hands clung to his father’s clothes, pulling at him desperately.

“Don’t leave me! Don’t go!”

Yoshiro’s father dropped to his knees, grabbing his son’s face between his trembling hands, his eyes glassy with unshed tears.

“Yoshiro, listen to me,” he said, his voice thick with emotion.

“You have to go in. You’ll be safe in there. I promise. Daddy will just be going to a different bunker, okay? I’ll come find you after.” He forced the words out through his tears and own weariness.

"I don’t want to go!” Yoshiro whimpered, tears spilling down his cheeks as he tried to hold tighter.

“I want to stay with you! Please, don’t make me go!”

“I’m sorry…” his father whispered, his voice trembling.

“I’m so sorry.” He steeled himself, knowing their chances. The sounds of devastation behind them would leave the father no room for hesitation. The bunker doors were beginning to creak shut, the heavy metal scraping across the ground as they sealed the entrance from the growing chaos outside. As a handful of JKSDF were pushing the stubborn group out, even if they have to guide them to a separate bunker by force.

“Take my son!” he shouted, his voice cracking. He thrust Yoshiro toward the guard, his hands shaking, forcing himself to do what he knew he had to.

“Please, just keep him safe!”

“No! NO! DAD! PLEASE NO!” Yoshiro screamed, his small arms flailing as the guard grabbed him, pulling him away from his father’s grasp. He kicked and struggled, reaching out desperately as the man held him back...Pulling him inside.

The steel gates closing shut.

Beyond his father, the city lay in ruin. Buildings crumbled as the Kaiju and the Titan clashed in the distance, their massive forms tearing through the landscape.

Yoshiro’s father stood frozen for a moment, his eyes meeting his son’s one last time before the gates sealed shut with a deafening clang. All that was left was the faint, muffled sound of battle on the other side, and the sight of his father... gone...