Eve was moving fast and cautious, watching for everything that moved. Surprisingly, aside from the weird pulsing organelles that filled the place, it didn’t seem like anything was alive around us—no puppet soldiers or drone forms I could see.

  Same as the outside, the palace interior had been completely consumed; anything that existed before was either melted away or covered in Predazoan biomass. Pulsing tentacles and organelles, chitinous spikes and ridges, it was all chaotic with no sense of design or organization I could discern; I wondered if the mess fit the Predazoan aesthetic, or if the arrangement of biomass was simply the most optimal way to create a nest.

  It was my first time seeing a real Predazoan biomass nest, like an actually complete one, and I didn’t know if that was because we were confronting a Beta generation Predazoan or if she simply had more time to set things up from the safety of her capital shielding, but I wondered if heading into the heart of Predazoan nests was going to be more common from now on.

  Eve slowed down when she approached a doorway that looked like it was covered by some dark red mess of spiraling organs and tentacles. Eve once more placed me safely behind her, then raised her leg ready to kick it all in, when suddenly the tentacles receded, opening the doorway for us—as though we were expected.

  “Stay close to me, Adam, and obey my every instruction—not a word of protest from you, understood?” Eve said seriously, her voice a low growl.

  I nodded and stayed right behind Eve, but just to make sure, she wrapped her tail around me, holding me close while leading me forward—keeping me on a fucking leash to make sure I was behaving.

  We walked forward slowly, keeping our eyes and ears open for any sign of attack—any indication the pulsing mass on the walls might lash out at us. We appeared to be in some grand assembly hall, a huge room with a high ceiling, with every available inch covered in oozing biomass, all pointed towards the center where a massive red orb stood 20 feet tall, looking like a spider egg sac combined with a flower bulb.

  We continued down the walkway closer to the pulsing orb, and when we were just a few dozen feet away, it seemed to stretch up and then peel open—like a gnarly flower blooming.

  The petals or mass of the flower settled down, melting into the tentacle netting on the ground, and in the center of the bulb was a huge, hulking figure, looking like a cross between a spider and a caterpillar, all engorged and rotund, with a dozen long spindly legs randomly breaking through its flesh, with a face that looked like six crab faces and mandibles meshed together in a circle.

  It was a total abomination, almost hard to look at; reminded me of the old Lovecraftian stories how people would go mad just looking at Cthulhu, I felt like this form right here could’ve inspired that work easily.

  The abomination before us hissed, then growled and warbled for a few seconds before it seemed to solidify its vocal cords to speak.

  “Sisterrrrr…” It rumbled, sounding like a dozen voices all speaking together, most of them low and inhuman, a few high and screeching, with one clear, elegant voice in the middle that sounded powerful.

  Eve crossed her arms and looked down at the main body of her sister, “Beta-09, you ugly bitch.” She waved at the biomass around her, “Lovely nest you’ve created for yourself.”

  “Why are you heeerrreee?” Beta-09 demanded in a hoarse roar.

  Eve gestured to herself delicately, “What, I can’t check in on my little sister?” She asked, as though offended.

  Beta-09 chittered to herself for a few moments, and I could see her crab face mandibles working together almost anxiously, and in that moment I realized she was nervous before Eve—scared of her big sister. Forgetting the fact Eve was contained for now, it seemed like all the Predazoans knew the proper pecking order, and there was no denying the Alphas stood at the top.

  Unfortunately, we didn’t know how much difference the inhibitor field would make once the fighting started; hopefully it wouldn’t be enough to change the order around.

  “Have you come for a tribuuuuute?” Beta-09 inquired, sounding softer now—more submissive.

  Eve laughed at that, sounding shrill, “You want to keep this pathetic planet so badly you wish to bribe me away?”

  Beta-09 chittered to herself, her dozen eyes looking around quickly, clearly planning something.

  “Yeeesssss, I have nearly reached perfectiooonnnnn.” Beta-09 admitted.

  Eve crossed her arms again, and I could just barely see she was smiling wildly, “How much biomass would you be willing to part with?”

  Beta-09 sounded like she was debating herself now—multiple voices talking low to each other, as though the dominant parts of her hivemind were talking out loud and arguing.

  “I could offeeerrrrr twenty percent.” Beta-09 confirmed.

  Holy shit, just for being an Alpha Predazoan, Eve could take twenty percent of all the biomass Beta-09 accumulated? She’d been fighting for over a year to take over the planet, and just like that she would be willing to give up a fifth of it.

  It made me wonder how truly terrifying the Alpha Predazoans were to inspire fear in their little sisters, or if this Beta-09 was just cowardly compared to the others. Although Gamma-17 and Gamma-12 tried to entreat with Eve too, but she wasn’t really willing to even entertain their offers.

  So, was Eve just fucking around now, or was she planning something?

  Eve scoffed and shook her head, “Twenty? After I traveled all this way? I should think half would be more than reasonable.” She countered, sounding incredibly haughty.

  Several voices screeched out together accompanied by high-pitched hissing, “Half! That’s preposssterousssss!”

  I could see Eve’s smile turned vicious, and she held her arms out in a presenting manner as her claws elongated to match the huge scything blades on her forearms, “Well, I guess I’ll just have to take all of it!” Eve declared.

  Beta-09 roared and wailed and stood up on her spindly spider legs, lifting her grotesque body in the middle of the biomass netting. But before Beta-09 could even make a move, Eve let go of me with her tail and rushed forward—disappearing from my sight, and when she reappeared, she was on the other side of Beta-09, and then suddenly a massive stream of black ooze erupted along her body from the wound Eve created.

  ~Adam, leave the nest now!~ Eve demanded in my inner-ear.

  Following her orders, I turned away from the biomass nest and started running for the exit of the palace. I activated my superspeed just in time to avoid the tentacles on the ground and walls as they started to come alive, curling up as though they were being summoned by Beta-09. I had to jump and dodge as the palace started to collapse in on itself, and I made it out just in time so I could see Eve flying through the air.

  From the way she was spinning around, it looked like she’d been thrown out, rather than flying around herself. Was Eve actually hit by something for once? Did she take any damage?

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  I started rushing off towards Eve, but before I could even get close, she righted herself and dove back down towards the collapsing palace.

  I felt helpless and useless out there as I listened to the two titans screeching at each other, the sounds of their battle echoing all across the capital. I knew I would probably just get in the way, but I wished I could at least see what was happening on the off-chance I could assist Eve in some way.

  It appeared my wish was to be granted though; the palace completely collapsed before me as a huge mass of black biomass started rising out of the mess, slowly solidifying into a single form as biomass from all over the capital started coiling up together.

  The form continued to grow until it was over a hundred feet tall, standing on four thick legs like a rhino’s, with its main body still that of a bulbous spider’s abdomen, with six arms on its upper-body; two huge crab pincers, with the other four long, spindly spider legs that braced its huge form. Its head had elongated like a worm but still had those crab faces in a circle on the end, with spikes and ridges all along its long neck. It also had an incredibly long, sweeping tail at the end of its spider abdomen to help stabilize its body, looking like the other end of the worm.

  Beta-09 had grown to Kaiju proportions now, and while it seemed shaky at first, it continued to solidify and darken as an armored carapace covered its body, until it seemed like a perfectly complete form, menacing and alien and nightmarish.

  Beta-09 reared her head back and let out a terrible, screeching roar of challenge, her dozens of glowing yellow eyes blazing with hate, all staring down Eve.

  Eve had taken to the air once more, manifesting her six wings, her own form solidified and condensed with black armor. She flew around Beta-09 with impossible speed, but Beta-09 moved faster than should be possible for anything that large—faster than any of the Gamma Predazoans we’d fought before, and she was actually doing a good job of keeping up with Eve.

  I looked around to see the tentacles all around the capital were slowly coiling into themselves, snaking over towards Beta-09’s main body, ready to be used against Eve. The assimilated soldier sacs also started bursting all over, and I could see the bodies inside started melting into useable biomass, merging with the nearby tentacles.

  Beta-09 was pitting her entire store and nest of biomass against Eve, using whatever means necessary to fight against her. Meanwhile, Eve’s own kit had been drastically limited in what she could do; in a war of attrition, I didn’t see how Eve could win.

  I watched as Eve darted around the massive form of Beta-09, sweeping her claws and tentacles against her sister, splashing ooze all over the ground, but it didn’t seem like it was doing anything substantial, hardly even damaging her.

  I know I talked about being the fly to distract the titan, but now it seemed like Eve was just a fly herself.

  I started running after the two Predazoans, getting closer to the fight in case Eve needed me.

  Beta-09 was relentless in her assault; her giant claws had no right to be that fast, but what was worse was how defensive Eve needed to be, diving and dodging in the air, only able to scratch Beta-09 occasionally, and the damage was healed immediately.

  Once I was close enough to the fight, I was able to use the inner-ear bone to communicate so Eve could hear me no matter how loud the battle was.

  ~Eve, do you have a plan at all?~ I asked.

  Eve flew around Beta-09’s claw, then shot forward into her torso, but could barely make a dent against the thick armor.

  ~Adam, what the fuck are you doing so close? Get out of here!~ Eve demanded.

  It didn’t matter how close I was, Beta-09’s attention was totally focused on Eve.

  ~It looks like you’re having some trouble; do you need my help?~

  Eve screeched loudly, and I was pretty sure it was directed at me, then flew straight into Beta-09’s claw, trying to push it back, but was repelled and sent flying in the opposite direction.

  ~What I need is for you to stop distracting me! Let me focus and take care of this!~ Eve responded.

  Despite Eve’s insistence she didn’t need any help, it looked like she wasn’t really able to do much on her own right now. I assumed it was due to her limitations, but if Eve didn’t change it up, I didn’t see how she could win.

  ~What about your biothermal lasers?~ I pressed.

  Despite being over a hundred feet away, Eve flashed me a quick glare, then turned back to Beta-09 and puffed up her chest, and unleashed her screaming red laser—

  Only for her head to explode, sending her body reeling as she started falling out of the sky.

  “Eve!” I screamed, rushing over towards where she was falling.

  A moment later Eve recovered and I saw her head had regenerated and she was back to flying around in the air.

  ~The inhibitor field prevents me from unleashing my lasers, duh; it just reflects them right back at me~ Eve explained, fully back in the fight in a matter of seconds.

  Damn, so she was really limited in what she could do. Honestly, I knew Eve’s pride would never allow her to admit otherwise, but how the hell was she ever going to kill another Predazoan like this?

  I watched as Eve flew around the massive, abominable form of Beta-09, causing long wounds that immediately healed. She tried breaking into her armored abdomen, but by the time any damage was done, Beta-09 was already regenerating.

  Eve flew around onto her back and latched on, digging into Beta-09 with her claws, but she was in the same spot for too long, so Beta-09 was able to swat her away easily with some randomly manifested tentacles on her back.

  It almost seemed like just a question of size now; Eve was simply too small to do any kind of significant damage with how armored Beta-09 was. It was probably because she was so afraid of Eve Beta-09 took that heavily armored form, and it turns out it was a hard-counter to Eve now that her heavy offensive abilities were sealed.

  ~Can’t you increase your size to match Beta-09?~ I asked.

  Eve flew back into the fray, trying to slash her tentacles into Beta-09’s exposed eyes.

  ~Since I’m cut off from my void energy, I can’t duplicate my cells in the same physics-breaking way I normally could; right now, I’m much more limited in the shapes I can take, I could probably only triple my current size~ Eve explained.

  ~Could you consume some of Beta-09’s excess biomass? It’s all over the fucking place~ I reasoned, waving to the writhing mass of tentacles all over the ground even though Eve was too preoccupied to see my gesture.

  ~That trash? It would burn away in a matter of seconds; I would need some full-fledged, pure Predazoan biomass to make it worthwhile~ Eve countered.

  I looked up to see Beta-09 was growing bolder in her attacks, gaining confidence since she was doing so well against an Alpha Predazoan. I was sure she had no idea why Eve hadn’t been able to do more damage, maybe she just believed she’d been able to make a really powerful form to counter Eve’s assault. Either way, she kept her focus solely on Eve, leaving herself wide open everywhere else.

  ~Eve, I have an idea; get ready to consume some biomass off Beta-09~ I told her.

  ~What? No! Adam, what are you thinking?~ Eve demanded.

  ~You need my help Eve, so I’m going to help whether you like it or not~ I insisted as I started running away from the battle.

  ~I don’t need any help! You better now put yourself in—

  Eve’s voice in the humming vibrations abruptly trailed away once I was too far for us to remain connected, and I just kept on running, pushing all my focus into tightening that crazy new organ that enhanced my speed to superhuman levels.

  Once I was a few miles away from all the action, I turned and blasted off towards Beta-09 as fast as I could, easily reaching that top speed of some couple thousand miles per hour.

  I didn’t know that much about the magic of the Predazoans, didn’t really know much about biology, and I knew shit about physics, but the one thing I understood was speed versus mass. As a medic, we were always told with car crashes speed was the real danger factor; while doubling mass would double the kinetic energy, doubling speed would quadruple kinetic energy.

  I knew I would never be strong enough to fight against a Predazoan, but with my maxed-out speed rushing after Beta-09, I was betting all my chips I would be able to do something against her mass.

  With her attention solely focused on Eve, I was able to race by completely unnoticed—like a fly in the middle of a battle of titans. I continued forward, pushing myself as hard as I could, my muscles burning with the effort. With my target in sight, I jumped high into the air with my proton swords out and ready and—praying this would work—I slashed at the base of Beta-09’s tail, severing it completely.

  Like Yajirobe against Great Ape Vegeta.

  Beta-09 roared and hissed in pain and looked down at me, seeing the fly that had interrupted her fight. I continued racing along, hoping I could avoid the danger, but as though I’d been moving in slow-motion, Beta-09 swatted me with one of her spider legs, sending me skipping along the ground like a stone.

  I was grateful for my enhanced durability, but I definitely felt a few things break anyways. I broke through the remains of trees and walls, continuing along the ground for probably over a thousand feet before I finally came crashing to a sudden stop.

  The wind was totally knocked out of me, and my legs felt like jelly and refused to respond, and my vision was more than doubled at this point as the world all spun around me, made me totally nauseous.

  I heard a screech and a rumble, and even though I couldn’t rightly see what was going on, I felt some lumbering mass making its way towards me—Beta-09 coming to finish me off.

  But then the rumbling suddenly stopped, and I heard another screech—a disastrous cry of challenge. Slowly, my vision righted itself, and I could see another dark form behind Beta-09 slowly grow as her severed tail was quickly disappearing inside the new form.

  Eve was devouring the tail and consumed the pure Predazoan biomass and was using it to turn things around.

  Round two; battle of the Predazoan Kaijus.