Difference between revisions of "The Beast (Genghis Rex)"

Revision as of 02:56, 15 July 2015

Genghis Rex plummeted helplessly through through the inky black ash cloud that billowed from Lavadome's burning crater. He'd been hurled downward into the deadly churning lake of fire by the Saiyan Emperor, Kakarot, and now faced certain destruction. A hundred tiny fires erupted along his clothing as he punched face first through stream after stream of vaporized sulfur and gas, while the roiling caldera below rushed upwards at him hungrily.

His scales curled from the heat, biting into his skin and tightening around his face, while he his fingers fumbled desperately at his Dracovolver. This was his only chance at survival and even that was in question. The intense heat wrapped around him, melting the plastic portions of his clothing and igniting the rest; he clenched his eyes and teeth as searing pain devoured him entirely and chased every thought from his mind, except one ... he MUST activate the Dracovolver. NOTHING else mattered.

He felt the metal badge in his claw click, and then suddenly everything went silent. The pain and heat stopped instantly and, slowly, his consciousness slowly crept back into the forefront of his mind. He took a breath. The air was cool and clean. He opened his eyes, only to quickly shut them again as he seemed to be surrounded by blinding white nothingness. He kicked his feet, but found no floor beneath him, his arms, however were spread wide and he felt something biting into both wrists.

The Tyranno King decided to risk another look and opened his eyes just a sliver, wincing as they slowly adjusted to the brilliant light that surrounded him. When his focus returned, he glanced at his arms. He was hanging in a great white nothing, suspended ... no ... crucified by thick iron shackles that stretched in either direction as far as he could see.

Confusion and despair began to overtake the mighty Tyrannosaur as he had no idea what was going on, but his suspicions were alarming.

"WHAT IS THE MEANING OF THIS!?" Rex cried out as loud as he could, but the words evaporated as they left his mouth.

He was the only thing here. Just Genghis Rex and his chains ... without even an echo to keep him company.

"You were thrown face-first into a volcano, Genghis Rex. What meaning would YOU derive from this?" an elderly feminine familiar voice broke through the silence.

Rex lifted his head and found the face of the Dinosorceress staring back at him; her bright eyes staring at him like they always did - judging him in that kindly, yet condescending, manner one gives to a particularly impetuous hatchling.

The Tyrannosaur dropped his head back down, staring at the white void below, "It would figure that I would have to spend all of eternity with the likes of you. I am dead then?"

"Nearly so." A male voice, that of the Dinosorcerer, chimed in, "Much like our beloved Reptilon, your destiny had been decided. Little can be done to change that now.."

Rex glanced to the elderly male Brontosaurus, processing the words in his mind, "Little can be done? So this CAN be changed?"

"Did you honestly think that we would allow you to unleash that Beast upon Reptilon? Do you even know what would happen if you did that?" The Dinosorcerer spoke in a stern tone that still had a bizarre air of kindness behind it.

"The dragon?" Rex queried.

"The BEAST, Genghis Rex" The Dinosorceress corrected, "Look at yourself. See the shackles that bind you? Your left is shackled by hate. Your right is shackled by rage. These shackles were forged by YOU in your lifetime. The Beast you seek to awaken will use these weapons in their full fury and burn Reptilon and everything on it to a cinder! I know your heart is in the right place, my boy, but even YOU cannot control this Beast once it is unleashed."

Rex lowered his head, his mind whirred as his anger began to grow. They were standing in his way again. He couldn't even die decently without these two fossils there to render him impotent.

"Let go, young Rex" the Sorceress said gently, placing a claw on the side of his face, "Your work is done now. You did admirably. Kakarot will die, as will Reptilon, but our people will go on and no one will fault you for the sacrifice you've made."

The Red Prince hung silently, his anger boiling inside him like the belly of the volcano that devoured him. Then he began to chuckle ... then laugh ... then the laugh began to grow in strength to an uproarious guffaw as realization suddenly came over him.

The Dinosorcerer and Dinosorceress drew back, their expressions slipped into trouble concern, "My boy, I know ..."

"Enough!" Rex shouted with derision, "I'm TIRED of hearing about everything YOU know. You don't know as much as you THINK you know!"

The elderly pair fell silent.

"YOU have ALWAYS stood in my way. ALWAYS! Two wretched shadows always saying 'Do this! Don't do that!' Never allowing ANY of us to make the mistakes we're SUPPOSED to make! The mistakes that we can learn from! It's called GROWING, you holier-than-thou HYPOCRITES! It's not just ME either. It's ALL of us! Especially me and Allo! It's all out of fear. Fear of change, fear of the unknown! You're a pair of cowards, clinging jealously to old ways and ideas because you FEAR US!"

Rex paused, allowing his words to sink in before continuing, "If *I* forged these chains that bind me, then YOU ... BOTH OF YOU ... helped swing the hammer! I didn't do this myself. I wonder. I truly wonder what your nephew's shackles look like? They would likely put these to shame!"

"I understand your feelings, Genghis, but ..."

"YOU UNDERSTAND NOTHING! IF THIS IS MY ETERNITY, GIVE ME A CHANCE TO CHANGE IT! ONE LAST CHANCE TO FIGHT FOR REPTILON! IF REPTILON IS TO DIE. LET ME DIE FIGHTING FOR IT!"

"There is nothing left to save, Rex. Reptilon is lost ... to allow you to unleash this Beast would only endanger the lives of those who are trying to flee ..." The Dinosorceress pleaded.

"That will NOT happen!" Rex roared, "If this Beast feeds off my rage, then I will control it! You have to let me try!"

"We would NOT trade one tyrant for another, Genghis Rex!" the Dinosorcerer roared, all kindness bleeding away from his voice.

"The do something you've never done before in your miserable lives! Trust me!" Rex countered.

The two elderly Brontosaurus looked at one another skeptically.

"Trust me ..." Rex pleaded

"... please."

In the darkness of his hospital room, Rex bolted upright, gasping for air. His mighty heart pounding in his chest like a jackhammer. That was weeks ago. Reptilon was safe. Rex was alive, but the dreams of what he'd become that day continued to haunt him.

It wasn't clear whether the exchange with the Dinosorcerer and Dinosorceress actually happened or was just a product of his overactive imagination and frayed nerves. What was clear was the intensity of the rage and hate that fueled him while he took the form of the Draconic Beast that helped end Kakarot's reign of terror. As he promised, Rex did contain the Beast, but it took everything he had to keep it from devouring Kakarot then the entirety of the world around him.

Rex sighed and poured himself a glass of water, trying to regain his composure. Then he looked into the mirror across from his bed. Staring back at him, through eyeless flaming sockets was the face of the Beast - the Beast he'd become to save his world - the Beast that now lived somewhere inside him.

"NO!" Rex shouted, hurling his glass at the mirror and shattering it.

"No ..."