Chapter 49: The Message of the Iwi

The wind from the helicopter's blades stirred the leaves around Kong's great den, whipping them into the air like a swarm of startled birds. I had followed it from above, alone, wings half-extended in the clouds. My eyes locked onto the insignia on the side of the aircraft: MONARCH.

That name sent a chill down my spine.

I remembered it. I remembered everything.

My past life.

The theater.

The fire.

Godzilla vs. Kong playing on the big screen.

This moment—it was the beginning of the movie. The one I watched in my human life, right before I died and awoke as a dragon.

And that meant…

This was it.

The start of the war.

I dropped lower and hid in the shadows of the cliffside. Below, the helicopter landed, and the hatch hissed open. Out stepped a group of humans, some in familiar Monarch uniforms. But then, between them, a much smaller figure appeared.

A young girl.

She was dressed in the style of the Iwi tribe, traditional and ceremonial, yet she moved confidently toward Kong. No fear in her steps. I watched her reach out and place a hand against Kong's massive finger as he lowered it to her.

She said something to him—something I couldn't hear from here.

But I didn't need to.

I knew exactly what she was telling him.

Godzilla is coming.

She was warning Kong. The same way she had in the film. The same events I had watched unfold from a plush movie theater seat—popcorn in hand, not knowing I'd be dead by the time the credits rolled.

It was a surreal thing—watching a memory from my human life come to life in front of me as a dragon.

I felt the weight of it now, far more than I ever did then.

This wasn't entertainment.

This was real.

Kong's face grew tense. He turned toward the ocean, his expression grim. I knew what he was thinking, because I'd seen it play out once before. Godzilla was already on the move. They were going to clash. And if history repeated itself, it wouldn't be pretty.

I flew back immediately.

No hesitation.

Back toward the Dragon Clan.

Back toward my family.

Back to the world I had helped build from the dirt up.

We had created life here. A true society. Food, shelter, water, protection. But none of that would matter if Skull Island became the battlefield for titans.

When I arrived at the dens, I let out a sharp, powerful roar—one that echoed through every peak and tree. Every dragon froze and turned toward me. Within minutes, the elders gathered.

"Close the ponds. Hide the cubs. Shut down the sky paths. No dragon flies tonight."

They obeyed without question.

Even now, as their leader, I could feel the old human fear inside me. But this time, I wasn't powerless. I had claws, wings, and fire. And I had a family to protect.

The others didn't understand what was happening yet.

But I did.

Because I'd seen this story before.

And it was just beginning.