TITAN SNEAK PEAK: WORLD TOUR

BE ON THE LOOK OUT!! 

THE TITANS ARE COMING 

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

TITAN PREVIEW: 016 and UPDATE

TITAN 

Teaser Image 

"016" 

Sorry for the delay in the series for Part 2 of Episode 2 "PROJECT: STOKER". Things got very hectic as I was busy getting ready to live my one year of teaching in South Korea. Its been almost 12 days since arriving here and I'm finally getting settled in...so TITAN updates should be starting  to come back regularly. Also I have three artists lined up to do some cover art for TITAN RISING, PROJECT: STOKER, and CAVE OF THE WURM (Episode 3!!) so be on the look out for those! 

Also I'm going to get about finding an editor to help me focus and maintain a work schedule so I can be on task for my TITAN release dates. Hopefully I can get new episodes in by Sunday starting next week. No promises though sadly. 

But for those who do check the blog thank you for the interest. For now, enjoy this little page of TITAN concepts which will continue to make their way through the blog. 

And don't forget to show support on the Facebook page! 

https://www.facebook.com/heretherebeTITANS

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

Some Updates

Okay folks! I'm back from England and working diligently on PROJECT: STOKER's second part featuring the Bram Squad hunting Target:004---the last "chupacabra." This story in TITAN is one of my personal favorites because I feel like its such an interesting way to explore more into the world of TITAN.

Hopefully I'll have the next part up and ready by the end of the weekend and it will come along a new art piece.

Also, there are in the works some really cool "surprises" to help illustrate the world of TITAN(c) itself that should be very cool to see if they work out.


Also I think I might be starting to show "teaser" images of the upcoming menagerie of what I call Season 1 of TITAN: TITAN RISING

Yes. There will be Seasons to this series. TITAN RISING will feature twenty one episodes. With one completed (Titan Rising featuring Tyrannus and Stegoros), it will be a while till we get to the season finale of TITAN RISING that will lead to the first TITAN EVENT.

What's a Titan Event? You'll have to wait and find out.

Also expect and more throughly edited version of PROJECT:STOKER Part 1. My usual editor is out of town so I had to rely on my own proofreads, which are a lot better than usual but I know there are some issues and I will update it very very soon.

Also, if you are a reader please follow the facebook page as well!
https://www.facebook.com/heretherebeTITANS

Big things are coming to the world of TITAN....very big things!

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

PROJECT: STOKER----Part 1

"In all secrets there is a kind of guilt, however beautiful or joyful they may be, or for what good end they may set to serve. Secrecy means evasion, and evasion means a problem to the moral mind" 
-Gilbert Parker-
*Episode Subject to Edits in the next 48hours--please pardon any errors till then*

------------------------

Hacienda Ganadera

Tapanti, Costa Rica, Central America 

April 12, 2013----12:00 am 

            The vast cascade of stars painted a calm night sky over the herd of cows that grazed quietly in the open and hilly spaces of Costa Rica. It had been a scorcher during the day-light hours, so the farmhands thought it would be okay to allow the cattle to feed in the evening with the cooler temperatures the evening brought. Though usually there was nothing to fear lurking in the nocturne shadows. The cows instinctually knew that it was rare for the jaguars of the forest to come down into the more sparsely open farmland that laid across the fertile valley born between the jungle covered mountains of the Tapanti area; despite this though, the herd was on edge. Every night, less and less calls and melodies of wildlife from the forest; stray the song of the wind that would blows through the leaves. 

          The herd started to move closer to the patches of grass that bordered the thick forest; the rich volcanic soil allowing even at night the plants to show off their green by starlight. It was peaceful. Calm. An evening that lingered in the twilight of a world where the giant creatures called Titans have yet to appear in the most unlikely of places. 

         With the events of Singapore and Salt Lake City still mustering else where in the world; the docile life of a little calf turns for one of adventure. With a proud but little “moo,” the calf shook with excitement as he feels for once he is big enough to stray from his mother. Wiggling his small rear as the calf bounded for a patch of crisp grass from under the darker shades of the tree. To humans, it was just a tree. To the calf, it was a risk that he wanted to take; unknowing that hormonal instincts where preparing him to be able to venture out and become a powerful bull in his later years. But for now, it was just fun. He ran off away from the herd and towards the tree, his dark fur hid it from view under the night shadows casted by the tree. He looked up and couldn’t see the stars that hung over head from the thick branches and leaves. His youthful excitement of venturing on his own made the calf bleat triumphantly. He was on his own for the first time. 

           His mother soon called out for him to come back and the adrenaline of adventure faded into wanting the shelter that only a mother could provide. The calf began his scurry back to mother, his stomachs suddenly groaned. Sure it could come back in the morning for the grass, but it wouldn’t hurt him or his mother if he took his time to wander back to her. The calf lowered his head as he began to chow down on the grass at the base of the tree. The crisp taste of the plants made the calf complacent. Satisfied even with his self reward of independence. 

              The satisfaction was interrupted as a small splat of something wet dropped down onto the calf’s head. He looked up only to see the leaves and the branches of the tree casted in shadow. The calf’s thought was maybe rain? But it wasn’t raining. He kept chewing as he continued to look up at the tree. He couldn’t see the thing, blanketed in the shadows of the dark night and dark leaves watching hungrily back. 

             In a flurry of shadow and muscle, the calf saw giant clawed hand extend towards him, grabbing his small skull and instantly pulling the two hundred pound calf back into the dark confines of branches. He couldn’t even scream through the thick and rank smelling skin that covered the clawed paw as two sharp objects suddenly plunged painfully in his neck. The silence in his dying moments made the calf try and fight for except, but weakness started to numb his body as a sickening tongue lapped up the fountain of blood pour from his now punctured neck. The calf let out a weak plea for help, his dark doll-like eyes made contact to his attacker’s own soulless eyes. The glistening white orbs hung in a shadow mess of muscle and hair opened a window into the soul of a creature that the calf couldn’t even fathom. 

            

              Those eyes. 

              Those white eyes full of hunger, solidarity, and unbridled rage. 

---------------------

2 Miles Northeast of Hacienda Ganadera 

Tapanti, Costa Rica, Central America 

April 12, 2013-----11:50 am 

           “So you a naturalist?” the old Costa Rican cattle farmer said as he drove the thirty year old American wearing a black tee shirt and khaki pants down the dirt road that snaked its way through the Costa Rican rainforest that lay at the base of the mountain peaks that rose in the distance.

            The American man, neatly shaven smiled from behind his aviator sunglasses, “Yeah man. Studying the ecology of the area.” 

            “Right,” the driver said as they made a turn into another dirt road that lead into the forest itself, “Not about the things?” 

            “The things?” the American smiled, “You have to be more specific than that.” 

            “So you aren’t here about the disappearing cattle?” 

            “Disappearing?” 

            “At night. Cattle have been disappearing. We find some blood near trees, but its like the cow just up and vanishes.” 

            “Sounds like you got aliens.” 

           “Que?” 

           “A joke compadre,” the American laughed, “it is properly some rustler trying to make it look like jaguars are taking your cattle.” 

            The Costa Rican man looked at the American briefly before returning his eyes onto the road. Something about this American made him uneasy. He didn’t look like a naturalist. Almost like one of those action heroes you see in the cinema. Not even his name had been given to him, just that he was some university naturalist doing some private research. That fact alone made him suspicious. There was little traffic in this area except for tourists who wanted to stay near the farm to explore the natural park close by. Even naturalists came through here too, but never in the odd manner this man has gone. He just showed up and asked to be driven out to this specific part of the rainforest. The driver had questions about him, but this boss said to do what the man asked. He wondered if it had something to do with the phone call the boss got before the man appeared on the farm. 

          The whole situation didn’t feel right as he started to notice he was getting close to the foot trail where the man wanted to do his “research.”  

        “Here we go senor,” the man said as the truck came to a stop, “Do you know when you should expect a pick up.” 

“I will let you know.” The man said as he adjusted his sunglasses and got out of the truck’s passenger seat, “Gracias!” Slamming the door behind him, the driver watched as the American went to the bed of the truck to grab his black duffel, putting the bag onto his bag before going back to the trunk again to carry a large silver briefcase before heading back to the side window. He then gave a polite small salute of the forehead to acknowledge a “thank you” before turning towards the almost hidden path into the forest. The man watched the American disappear into the almost hidden footpath that lead deeper into the mountain’s jungles. The driver clutched the cross that hung around his neck, for whatever the truth behind the man and his  being in that jungle, he prayed for safety. 

        It wasn’t aliens, or jaguars, or bandits that were attacking the cattle. 

        It was a devil. 

       And for some reason, he felt that the man was tied to it. 

----------------------------

-Undisclosed Location- (2 Miles into the forest) 

Tapanti, Costa Rica, Central America 

April 12th, 12:20pm------Local Time 

             Jordan Blevins walked through the jungle with nothing but a smile on his face. Despite the little info in the briefing he had in Washington DC yesterday, the odd way the US government sent him to Costa Rica shortly after, and the new order he was supposed to relay to the commander of the special forces unit that lay hidden in the forest; it seemed to out of the norm form US Special Forces procedure. The briefing made that his new mission was a sort of man hunt, something he was especially good at while doing his duty with the US Rangers in the Middle East. Despite the grin he bore in the blistering sun, his gut gave him a feelings of dread.  The protocol was so different from what he had learned in training and trying to figure out the purpose of the mission through the odd order he was to give to the commander left him stumped. Was he joining a task force to hunt down terrorists? Drug lords? Or both? He didn’t know at all. 

             But orders were orders, and he knew better than to question them. 

             He continued to on the path when he noticed something in the trees. He would have missed if if not for the sliver of sunlight that shot through the canopy, illuminating a flash of light of something reflective, something not of the canopy originally.  He stopped to look, lowering his aviators to his nose to better without the tint. Amongst the jaded leaves and gnarled branches, a network of what looked like tripwires were set up all around the forest’s canopy. It was a strange sight because it looked like all the defensive measures for this squad’s location seemed to be more in preparation from an arboreal attack then one from the forest floor.  

           “What are they doing?” he thought to himself, “fighting the monkeys?” 

            He stopped and took a look at his surroundings. He could barely fit on the small little jungle path, which was more like a game trail than an actual tourist’s walkthrough. He kept trekking though until he came across a small little clearing where the five men that were their, wearing a type of black gear that covered most of their bodied held their guns at him. He could tell that this was the group that he was to meet up with, but they didn’t seem like the Delta Force squad he was expecting. Nor was he expecting such a warm reception of the toughest SOBs he had ever seen with an arsenal of oddly black but familiar cache of weapons pointed at him.  

              One of the men, holding a black but apparently standard issued looking pistol aimed for Jordan’s head stepped forward. He was an older man, Jordan guessed about somewhere in the early forties. He had a thick brimmed mustache and unlike the other men in the squad, wasn’t wearing the almost bicycle helmet-like head gear that covered their ears with a set of what almost looked like padded earmuffs. The helps also looked like they had some kind of night vision visor that at the moment was up, making them soldiers look like some kind of science fiction space marine from video games. 

              “You’ve to about less then a minute before we shoot,” the man said in a distinct southern twang behind the cold visage of his strange but familiar pistol. 

              Jordan raised his arms up in the air, “Jordan Blevins. Army Rangers. I’ve been sent by the Pentagon to replace Jefferson.” 

             “The Pentagon?” the man said, confusion in his voice, “Why didn’t they go through the regular channels they use to contact us.” 

            “Because of the information I have in this case,” Jordan smiled as he quickly knelt down and quickly went right back up showing the silver case in hand, “and the information would have been easier to send with myself. Especially with your new order for the mission.” 

           “You’ve got an extension on your minute,”the man said as he cocked his gun,“What is the new order?” 

Jordan tried to keep his cool, though the heat and the pressure of five guns aimed for him was allowing small streaks of sweat to drip slow down his freckled face. 

          “You and your squad need to capture Target 004 alive.” 

           The squad leader lowed his gun with an expression of horrific shock than confusion, “What?” 

          “Target 004 needs to be captured alive.” 

          “Why?” 

          “Classified.” 

         The squad and Jordan seemed at stand off until the squad leader holstered his pistol, “At ease lads. Lets see what the Pentagon has for us.” 

         Jordan lowed his hands and walked over the group, “Was I unannounced, I was told you were to expect me.” 

        The squad leader looked at Jordan with a look that seemed like he was already fed up as he with the Ranger; or maybe he was fed up with the orders? Jordan felt that this wasn’t any old special forces group and from the look of the squad leader and their men, they have been doing this for a while. Though from the files that the Pentagon did have for him to read, the squad should have been ten men, not five. 

       The leader continued to bear a scowl, but Jordan wondered if it was the orders and not directly at him, “Come over here. Let me hear these orders.” 

       “Yes sir!” Jordan said as he followed the squad leader as the other four men went their ways around the camp. Jordan thought it was odd because it seemed like almost everything they had as equipment was covered in what looked like the black armor on their body gear. 

       “What is that gear by the way?” Jordan asked the man in front of him. 

        “Its specially for us. No one else needs use for it.” 

       “What does it do? You seem to have everything coated in it.” 

       “It absorbs sound. It makes things a little easier for us. We call it ‘whisper frames.’” 

       “Whisper frames? What are you trying to get down here?” 

       “What did they tell you at the Pentagon?” 

       “Its some kind of hush-hush manhunt, sir.” 

       “You can drop the ‘sir’ here boy.” 

       “Just doing orders.”

       The man turned and shook his head, “You have no idea what the mission is and who we are.” 

      “No,” Jordan said, almost letting a sir slip through his lips. 

     “Well for starters,” the man said, “I’m the squad leader, James Benson.” 

     “Benson?” Jordan asked.

     “Heard of me?” Benson grinned which evaporated his scowl.

     “Yeah,” Jordan said, “I thought you had retired.” 

     “I haven’t been retired since ’98” Benson replied, “This mission is to be my last.” 

     “Wait, 1998? This mission has been happening since 1998?” 

     “Boy, the Pentagon really doesn’t like talking about this operation.” 

      The two of them were around an ashen fire pit where they sat on cases that were also covered in the black whisper frames. “Take a seat in my office.” 

      “A joke?” 

      “Just because I appear as a hard ass, I can tell a joke son.” 

      “Apparently. There was little paper work on this operation,” Jordan said and looked around the camp. He then realized they didn’t even have tents. Just a black sheet (which he also assumed was whisper framing) tied between two trees that covered their computers and what looked like a tracking system. There were five sleeping bags near the fire, though he noticed that it may have been six due to drag marks of a missing sleeping bag that lead into the jungle. It was the strangest home base for a squad he had seen and looked like it was an operation that didn’t even fit anything he had seen before. Outposts in the Middle East made more sense in order than this small little five man team did. 

      “Not surprising. We are cleaning up one of America’s best kept secrets,” Bensen shook his head, “The case please soldier.” 

     “Clean-up?” Jordan said as he passed the silver brief case to Bensen. The squad leader opened it up and began to look through the paper contents. Jordan hadn’t open the case himself and saw from over its rim that it looked like there where ten bullet-like object in the case. 

       “Hmm,” Bensen muttered to himself, “Orders checked out. I don’t know why the hell they would want him alive though?” 

       “Him?” Jordan asked, “I’m sorry. This doesn’t make sense to me. Its way to hush hush and I can’t be 100% useful to you without knowing the facts. The Pentagon obviously didn’t want me knowing till I was here in this freaking jungle.” 

Bensen laughed and closed the case and its paper, “McBailey!” 

        One of the four other members of the squad looked up from his gun cleaning, “Yeah Bensen?” 

      “Our new orders are legit. See that you prepare the weapons with this new ammo. Then we will rework the maneuver for capture instead of kill.” 

        McBailey walked over and Jordan was at awe, “McBailey? I thought---” 

       “Retired?” Bensen laughed as he handed the tall man around Jordan’s age who, despite the whisper frame armor, Jordan could see his scarred face of the African American man. It looked like something had cut his right side of his face with a razor blade. The man gave off a serious demeanor and took the the case without question; walking back to his almost finished gun as the other men came over to check out the case for themselves. 

        “What is going on?” 

        Bensen smirked, “Welcome to Operation: Bloodstalker ” 

        “Operation: Bloodstalker?” 

       “Yep, we are the clean crew to a US Military project from the 80s. We’ve been doing this operation since ’98 during the Clinton Administration. Target: 004 is the last of the original nine targets from what was known as Project: Stoker.” 

       “Project: Stoker?” Jordan asked.  

      “Son,” Bensen smiled, “We hunt chupacabras.” 

End of Part 1 

Next time on PROJECT: STOKER: 

       Jordan joins the Bram Squad to help carry out its final mission to Operation: Bram. As they prepare for their encounter with mysterious Target: 004, Jordan learns of what is known of the dark history behind Project: Stoker and the terrifying truths that were born from it..........

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

1000+ Pageview Special -TYRANNUS-

Check it out! For the 1000+ pageviews "woohoo!" I went on one of my old DA accounts and pulled out what I have on record as the earliest drawing I ever did of the main Titan in this series, TYRANNUS. I probably drew the drawing on the left in my middle school days, unaware of the herald that it would evolve into for an age of giant TITANS! Now eight years later of working TITAN (then Titan Wars), Tyrannus is now finalized in all his glory! Thanks for supporting me for the first 1000! Can't wait to see were we are at 2000! :)

All the best! 

~Henry Winston Ball 

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

TITAN is now on FACEBOOK

https://www.facebook.com/heretherebeTITANS

TITAN is now on Facebook! Like the Page and check out updates for the blog there! 

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

Coming Soon: PROJECT: STOKER

PROJECT: STOKER 

~Coming Soon~ 

Part 1 Estimated Release 

September 24, 2013 

Deep in the jungles of Costa Rica, a top secret mission to recover a US military secret is underway.

Who or what is Target: 004? 

Why the urgency to find it? 

Why do they want Target: 004.......alive? 

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

What else is planned to come out of the wood work?

Okay, just a little author's note that I'll be out of the country for the next two weeks while visiting relatives in England, but never fear! I will be continuing to work on continuing to show you the world of TITAN. Here are upcoming episodes to look forward to!

Next Episodes:

PROJECT: STOKER (estimated to be in 3-4 parts)
A secret US project is reactivated in the wake of Tyrannus and Stegoros' appearances. It is believe that "Project: Stoker" might be a powerful weapon to use against the Titans. But is the risk of what the weapon is capable of worth it? Or is mankind setting itself up to release something far worse into the world? 

*Features a New TITAN 

----------------------------------

CAVES OF THE WURM (estimated to be in 1-2 parts)
Deep in the underground caves of Solvania, strange seismic activity is detected. These light tremors are investigated a group of biologists and soon make an unlikely, and potentially dangerous discovery. 

*Features a New TITAN 

Also, I'll be working on some special bonuses for the 1000 page views celebration! They might appear after my trip to England, but I think you guys will enjoy them!

Part one of PROJECT: STOKER hopefully will be published by this weekend! So hold on tight! The world of TITAN is going to get a little bit bigger!


---Henry

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

Episode 1C: TITAN RISING

"The beginnings and ends of shadow lie between the light and the darkness and may be infinitely diminished and infinitely increased. Shadow is the means by which bodies display their form. The forms of bodies could not be understood in detail but for shadow."
-Leonardo DaVinci- 

Part 3 

-------------------------

Fullerton Hotel 

Singapore, Republic of Singapore 

April 27th, 2013------2:30am 

           The news came in on the second attack, showing the movement of the giant stegosaur-like behemoth making its way deeper into Salt Lake City. Its blue scaled body with giant red plates, marching through buildings and streets as destruction rippled in its wake; Rick and his friends watched in disbelief at the sight that now a second creature had appeared.
          “Two of them?” Lilly said in fear, “There are two giant monsters running around now?” 

          “Where the hell did that one come from?” Sean said as he turned back to the bar, “I’m going to need another beer.” 

            Zach looked at Rick and shook his head, “How is this possible? Your Tyrannus is already enough to put rational science on its head. How can there be another dinosaur monster out there? Especially with it popping up in the middle of the USA?” 

           “I don’t know,” Rick said, curiosity drawing him closer to the television. The creature was massive but not as big as Tyrannus. It was at least about thirty meters at the shoulders and towered over the city’s streets, but with its giant red dorsal plates, the creature could very well be as big as Tyrannus himself. Two spikes, one much larger and longer on top a stubbier one below it, projected themselves out of the beast’s shoulder blades. The stegosaur walked through buildings like they were a child’s building blocks, just small and breakable constructs built by youth to only be knocked down by a much larger and older being. The news reporter covering the scene half way around the world did his best to describe the incident, but he kept losing his words as he just observed the spectacle. The reporter claimed that military action was being called upon and the people of Salt Lake had started to evacuate. As the camera moved away from the hulking mass to reveal the damage left in its wake from the mountainside and onto the Salt Lake University, where it had taken its first devastating steps into the Salt Lake area. The reporter claimed that at present, there was no information of where the animal came from, just that it hadn’t strayed from its path and is believed to be heading to the city’s salt lake.

           “It’s the apocalypse isn’t it?” Lilly said as she curled herself into Rick’s shirt, “like, this isn’t natural.” 

            The three men looked at her and couldn’t think of anything to say as the sounds of the chaos outside matched the chaos they were witnessing playing out on the other side of the globe. As the reporters on the screen continued to just spout out words to try and retain some sort of calm, their hotel room suddenly shook as a loud “BAM” erupted in the distance. As the noise faded, the lights of the city flickered into darkness. The TV went dead as Rick walked quickly to a nearby light switch and flicked it rapidly to try and escape the sudden darkness. 

            “The power’s out?” Sean question, “What could cause that?” 

             Before Rick could respond, a light washed away the shadows of the darken room and he turned around. The others got up and watched as the greenish blue light illuminated through the pitch black shadows that was Singapore’s downtown core. 

            “You gotta be shitting me,” Zach said with disbelief. 

----------------------

Downtown Core 

Singapore, Republic of Singapore 

April 27th, 2013-----2:15 AM 

            Tyrannus roared again as the jets passed over him; their bombardment started to anger the dinosaur even more. While his skin was strong enough for the bombs to not harm him terribly, he was reaching his limits to the pressure they where inflicting. Tyrannus growled as he saw the jets get into a tight formation in the night sky and lowering close to the illuminated city of Singapore. Tensing for the attack, Tyrannus stood his ground as he saw the small objects launched from the passing jets. Their sonic booms went over, the noise screeching into Tyrannus’ eardrum causing him to howl in pain. The powerful noise hindered Tyrannus and caught the dinosaur off guard; opening his eyes again from the pain, the missiles slammed into his head and upper chest. Howling in agony, the dinosaur fell backwards into the skyscraper that he had dug into; rubble began to fall all around him as the several stories of man made structures collapsed all around him. The towering monument to humanity’s ability to build was brought down under the falling behemoth. Several stories of glass, office gear, and steel beams collapsed onto Tyrannus’ fallen body. The citizens of Singapore left on the streets where enveloped in a storm of dust and debris; Tyrannus was now under the remains of one of Singapore’s towers. 

The jets’ sonic path circled around the crumbled remains asTyrannus stirred from the attack, his consciousness told him that he was weakening. He grumbled as fatigue seemed to over take his mind. Tyrannus suddenly sensed a familiar presence, shaking his head and feeling the nictating lens furl back over his eyes. The light that attracted him to the building was now so close , pulsing quickly and rapidly as if it was trying to escape the metal container that was connected to strange and rubbery tentacles. Tyrannus did what instinct commanded and with powerful fluid movement, he bit down hard onto what was left of the building’s power station. Electricity sparked and danced into Tyrannus’ body, the giant dinosaur could feel the line of muscles that surround his spine begun to pulse as electricity charged into the once dormant muscles, bringing new found energy to Tyrannus’ body. 

               The jets passed one more time over the debris of the tower when the scattered ruins violently shook in the wake of the emerging jagged spines of Tyrannus. The smaller blue spines suddenly illuminated with electrical energy; dancing and sparking to the peaks of the dinosaur’s large grey spines. Tyrannus roared another challenge as his electricity streaked rapidly across the spines, gathering into a greenish blue hue that illuminated a darken city, glittering onto the shattered glass as like starlight reflections. The jets came closer for another attack and Tyrannus’ opened his mouth which was frizzing with sparks as the noise like low thunder gargled in Tyrannus’ throat. In an instant, a flash erupted from the mouth of the beast as the jets veered in the sky; trying to avoid the apparent bolt of greenish-blue lighting thundered its way from Tyrannus’ toothy maw. The lighting bolt danced and arched in the dark night as it went straight for one of the passing F-16. The bolt it one of the F-16 and caused it to fry its circuits before jet erupted into shrapnel falling from the sky. Tyrannus watched the jet’s remain fall, smashing into buildings and littering the already chaotic streets with more life-crushing debris. Slamming his foot down onto the ground as the creature felt his body pulsing with new found energy. He bellowed a new challenge to the jets. Tyrannus was now primed and ready for round two. 

------------------

Fullerton Hotel 

Singapore----Republic of Singapore 

April 27th, 2013--------3:00am 

             The four humans stared in silence as they watched from their window the fifty-five meter tall dinosaur continued to fire his lighting attacks as the jets were being blasted out the sky. Tyrannus’ roars and attacks echoed through the shadows of a dying Singapore, Lilly walked next to Rick and held on his arm.  

        “Rick,” Lilly whispered, “I want to leave.” 

        “Leave where?” Rick said, “Its not like we are leaving anytime soon.” 

        “I don’t feel safe.” 

        “I agree with Lilly,” Sean replied, looking at the couple, “This isn’t good Rick.” 

        “I mean,” Zach said as he took a sip of his beer, “Singapore’s down town is a blacked-out burning land of destruction as a giant green dinosaur is shooting jets down with lighting.” 

         The three looked at Zach as he finished his beer. He looked back at his friends and shrugged, “What. Its the truth. That’s the world we live in now.”
     

        A knock at the door echoed into their room. Sean went to open it as one of the workers of the hotel stood there. He was a scrawny local man with jet black hair and even though it was dark, he held a flashlight that irradiated a face of grim unease. 

         “Sorry to interrupt, but we ask that you to collect your belongings and evacuate the building. We are worried that the,” the man took a breath as he prepared to say the impossible sentence, “the threat of the giant monster and black outs may put our hotel and guests at risks.” 

          “Where are we being sent?” Lilly asked. 

          The man shined the light at her, “I believe it is in the main lobby miss. A military convoy should be coming to our rescue.” 

          The man then left the doorway as he went to the next room to alert more weary and terrified guests.
         “Well. We better get going,” Sean said as he went to grab his bag. 

         “To where though?!” Lilly exclaimed. Rick grabbed Lilly and turned her towards him. 

         “Lilly, go upstairs. Get some proper pants on. We’ll be safe. Don’t worry.” 

          As his friends then went to prepare to leave the room, Rick took a moment and looked out at the sight that Zach had so elegantly described. The one thing that he failed to mention, was that not just Tyrannus was roaming through a city; there was another giant dinosaur doing the same thing at the exact same time. 

           Something was happening in the world, and Rick wanted to know why?

---------------------

Lincoln Highway (Bangerton Highway) 

Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) 

April 27th, 2013---3:00pm 

            It had been two hours since the giant stegosaur came down from the Rockies and into Salt Lake City. Its unresisted path of destruction created a straight path as it continued to head west, following what was known as the Lincoln Highway. It seemed unknowing of the damage it was causing as each titanic step crushed anything and all things under its weight. Its spines and long tail armed with eight red thagomizers, its spiky array of defensive powers impaling and smashing anything in their path as the stegosaur continued to move west. 

             The giant dinosaur was weary of the buzzing flying objects that hovered around it. They were like white metal bugs that whirred around its massive red dorsal plates. The creature continued walking to the outskirts of Salt Lake and noticed when suddenly the white objects that to humans where helicopters retreated away from the behemoth’s path. A curious grumble escaped its beak-like snout and saw ahead of him where strange brown objects appeared before the stegosaur. Fifteen of these metal objects with long protruding horns were much larger than the other little metal objects that the stegosaur had trampled. It stopped and smelled the air, grunting cautiously at the foreign objects. 

              Something didn’t feel right for the animal and began to go into a more defensive position. Protective instincts triggered in the brain of the titanic animal and it turned its side to face the strange objects. The defensive spike on his shoulder shimmered in the sun as blood began to pump into the dorsal plates, flustering the red plates into a deeper and more fiery red that bleed into the dark parts of the plates, creating this cascade of ashen looking flame that shone even in the light of the sun; waving its tail side to side and then slamming in it down onto the ground, the intimidating performance made the once almost docile creature look fearsome. The stegosaur stomped the ground and tried to ward the objects as its grumblings grew louder; its protests where then answered by a loud “boom” as smoke quickly shrouded the end of the metal horns as in the same second the stegosaur felt the barrage of tank fire etch its thick skin. An agonizing bellow echoed across the city as the stegosaur was taken back from the pain of the artillery fire biting through its hard blue scales, leaving charred scales and aches in the muscles. Rage bubbled into the brain as the stegosaur roared and thundered across the landscape at the quickly retreating tanks. The tanks tried to maneuver out of the surprisingly speedy demon but before any evasive actions could be taken, the stegosaur was already upon them; trampling the tanks underfoot with a terrible and beastly tenacity. With the last tank shattering into broken metals and flames, the stegosaur paused as it surveyed the area around it. The giant monster still felt uneasy and that this attack maybe the first of many if it stuck around feelings. Trumpeting its small victory, the creature began to move in a southernly direction away from the city.  

------------ 

Fullerton Hotel 

Singapore, Republic of Singapore 

April 27th, 2013------5:00am  

            Two hours had passed since Rick, Lilly, Sean, and Zach left their room and sat amongst the sea of guests who filled the Fullerton’s lobby like refugees in some god forsaken war. With the military still unable to reach them for pick-up, all they could do is wait in fear as Tyrannus’s roars of a time long past collided with modern day explosions of steel and flames. 

The staff did their best to be brave and tried to make the cramped space of the filled lobby as humanly comfortable. Water and food were being distributed to the mass of people and they kept a general, if not uneasy, state of calm. A woman did her best to smile despite her make up smeared with tears. Her hand riddled with anxiety shakes gave Rick a bottle of water and bowed politely, “Again, we are sorry for the inconvenience. The military should be hear soon to take you to a safe zone.” 

            “Alright,” Rick said as he twisted off the top of his bottle, “Thank you.” 

She proceeded to do the same to Lilly, Sean, and Zach before heading to the next group of huddled guests as the static of fear clung to the air. Another explosion sounded in the distance followed closely by the thunder of Tyrannus’s prehistoric roar. 

             “Its getting closer,” Zach said as he took a sip of his water, “I bet the military convoy has their hand full with trying to get past the bastard.” 

               “I wonder why Tyrannus is still around?” Sean added, “Do you thin he is trying to defend his territory?”

               “But he’s the invader!” Lilly said, “We were here first!” 

               “True,” Rick said, “But maybe Tyrannus lived here when there wasn’t really a city? I mean, the animal did come straight here after leaving the trench. Since he is so big, this very well could be part of what he feels is his territory.” 

               “I can’t believe they haven’t killed it yet,” Lilly muttered as she took a drink of her water. 

              “Lilly,” Rick said, The fact they haven’t makes him an evolutionary marvel! Exciting even!” 

               “Exciting?” Sean replied in disgust, “The destruction that thing is causing; imagine the death toll this thing has probably brought onto the city so far. You think its exciting?” 

                Rick was silent at the fact; he couldn’t deny it. The creature was responsible for ending countless lives. He could hardly fathom the damage half way around the world with the second giant monster. There was still no news about the other giant dinosaur in the States after the power outage. Rick couldn’t believe that not one, but two dinosaurs where alive and well and marching around cities unresisted. Such titanic creatures existing put everything that Rick ever learned from science to religion meant nothing. 

          “Titanic creatures,” Rick thought, “Titans?” 

           

           Rick’s train of thought about the situation was interrupted as the whole building shook as  the remains of a jet crashed outside, smashing the once pristine street with jet parts and the wreckage of the now destroyed parked cars that still lined the street into a horrifying storm of fiery metal confetti. Lilly joined in the screams as the group realized that Tyrannus was now closer than ever. Rick shivered as the unbelievable roar of the animal could be heard; Tyrannus’ thunderous footsteps shook everything around them as he drew closer and closer to the waterfront area that surrounded Fullerton. Rick turned to face his friends, his face showing the signs that his next actions will cause regret, “Guys, I’m sorry, but I have to see him.” 

            Before the three could do anything to stop him, Rick ran to the doors of the hotel that were unguarded as distracted hotel workers tried to keep the others calm and collected. Going through the luxurious front doors, Rick was now in the battlefield between man and beast. The smells and sounds of continued destruction lingered in the air as he could see the wreckage of the destroyed jet. The fires of the city began to drown out the shadows of the light deprived buildings. Rick tried to see where Tyrannus was, but he couldn’t see the giant dinosaur.  “Did I miss him?”, Rick thought as he cautiously moved to the corner of the street. Tyrannus’ roar suddenly erupted all around him as the earth shattering tremors of his footsteps caused the remaining and functioning cars’ to sound off their alarms. The force of the footsteps were so strong, Rick was knocked down as the sheer force the giant footstep. 

           Rick slowly got up as the crackling growls of the dinosaur seemed to be all around him. Trying to find the source, he turned to his left and went wide eyed. Above the smoke and debris of the skeletal remains of what once was Singapore, Rick could see the face of the emerald dinosaur. Tyrannus in all his prehistoric glory was on the other side of the hotel, which he towered over as the beast growled again. Rick could see the animal was keeping his eyes on the skies for more oncoming jets. It was hard to tell if the behavior was one for hunting or being cautious in its escape from the city. Regardless, Rick was just a loss for words at the sight of this evolutionary monstrosity. 

           It was a true leviathan; Rick recalled the words that Captain William Bates said before his father went down into the trench and met this thing face to face at the bottom of the ocean. A quote from the Bible that finally clicked for Rick, filling him with guilt and fear: 

“May those curse the days curse that day, those who are ready to rouse Leviathan.” 

           Tyrannus groaned as the smell of the thick smoke of the wreckage began to cloud his senses. The jets had disappeared for the time being and that made Tyrannus uneasy; despite having recharged his electrical stores to battle capacity, he would prefer to be out of the area and back to the deep and sheltering ocean. Taking a step forward and feeling the cool waters of the bay engulf his foot, Tyrannus’ slowly started to wade back into the murk of the dark ocean. The water was still shallow and he wandered past the ship that he had destroyed when he first surfaced; its flames still were dancing around in the water as the last of the ship’s oil began to burn up into the now blurring sky. Tyrannus saw the sunrise starting to illuminate the charred remains of the area around him. The destroyed remains, corpses of steel, rose from the ground as smoke wafted like storm clouds. Tyrannus turned back to the sea, wondering at what kind of world he had arisen to. It was much different from what he can remember and the smaller beings that screamed underfoot seemed to be everywhere now. He wondered if everywhere he knew was now like this. His wonder bubbled into anger; his territory, his home was now invaded and he was unsure what to make of the so far violent creatures now dwell on the land. Tyrannus unleashed a terrible and powerful roar into the sunrise bleached sky, signaling that he had surfaced and was ready to explore this changed world. He began to rush into the water and as his spines faded into the murk. Soon only a faint wake of the leviathan could be seen on the surface. 

         And then nothing. 

         

         Tyrannus returned to the sea. 

---------------------

Washington Dulles International Airport 

Washington DC, USA 

April 29th, 2013-----1:00pm 

               “We are now on approach into the Washington Dulles International Airport. Please fasten your seat belts as we begin to move around the cabin for our pre-landing checks. Again, thank you for flying with-----”the intercom crackled as Rick woke up on the plane, Lilly asleep on his shoulder. He couldn’t believe that it was only two days ago when he had watched Tyrannus fade back into the ocean from whence he came. Rick then had returned to the hotel where the military had finally arrived to the hotel’s aid, transporting the tourists, businessmen, and staff to shelters that were deeper in the heart of Singapore and away from the waterfront. Rick and his group were noticed by local military and then brought to base for questioning on what they knew of Tyrannus.  After Rick’s talks with the Singapore military, he and his friends were soon taken straight to the airport and sent back to the States where the American government also wanted to debrief Rick about the events that had taken place as well.

               Rick adjusted himself in his seat and moving the newspaper he had gotten in San Diego’s airport which had headlined more about the two giant monster attacks. Tyrannus’s whereabouts were still unknown and the death toll of Singapore was starting to climb into the thousands. The second creature that had been dubbed as “Stegoros” by some creative news writer who fiddled around with the all too familiar dinosaur; was being tracked by the US government as it continued its mysterious march through uninhabited areas of the American West. 

               The world had no idea how to handle the situation as it seemed that conventional weapons had no effect on the creatures. Already though, there were people doubting the creatures’ existence and calling for a reevaluation of the situation as there was limited footage of the Singapore attack except for some stray cell phone and camera documentation and the US government had screened most of Stegoros’ attack to prevent a panic. People where thinking this must have been a giant publicity stunt for an upcoming giant monster flick, liking the radio broadcasts to the infamous George Orwell stunt with H.G Wells’ War of the Worlds. 

                 

                The plane shifted and began its downward arch to the airport’s runway, waking Lilly up from her restless sleep, for she was still quite shaken from the whole debacle. Rick had gotten only a few words out from her, but as she clutched his hand and squeezed, he knew she was relived to be back in the States and far from monsters. 

            “Sweetie,” Rick whispered, “We are landing.” 

            “I can tell,” she replied as she began to stretch out her back, “I just want to go back to the apartment and just stay in bed all day with a Hepburn movies and tea.” 

            “I’m with you there. I think we both could use a break from the craziness.” 

            “I wish,” Lilly said, “But I bet you won’t get any of it.”  

            “Why’s that?”  

             “The press will want to interview the hell out of you. With Tyrannus and Stegoros now out there, all eyes are on you.” 

             “You mean ‘us’?” 

            Lilly was silent, “I’m not going to talk about it. I can’t.” 

           “Lilly,” Rick said as he gave her hand a comforting squeeze, “We are now far away from both of those monsters. We are safe.” 

           “Safe?” Lilly laughed as the fasten seatbelt sign went off and she stood up, “for how long Rick? How long are we safe from those horrors!” 

             Rick was silent as he watched Lilly grabbed her things and join the waiting line to get off the plane. Rick looked at the beautiful woman and felt that she was right. How long were they truly safe? Where Tyrannus and Stegoros the only ones that would appear or were they just the tip of the iceberg? God knows what other kind of these Titans could exist and being laying dormant, waiting to awaken and be discovered with the probability of the same destructive results that Tyrannus and Stegoros had demonstrated days before. 

                  

                 Rick took a look out the window of the plane as he grabbed his carry-on from underneath the seat in front of him and took a breath. Washington DC came into view as the sun showed the well built city that lasted for hundreds of years. For all he knew though, Lilly was right. Tyrannus could appear or some other unknown creature could come down from no where and in less than a few hours leave this city as a scar on the Earth with humanity as a tombstone. When they would land this plane, Rick realized that the world he knew was gone; cast out by the shadows of a world where Titans walked amongst them.  

End of TITAN RISING 

--------------------------

Next Time on TITAN:

              On the island of Andros in the Bahamas,a dark secret is from days long past is activated in hopes that it will aid in battling the Titans. What is Project Stoker? Is it the weapon humanity is looking? Or is it something best left in a dark cage? Find out in the next compelling TITAN story: PROJECT: STOKER 

all content unless otherwise stated is (c) Henry Winston Ball 

TITAN FILE 002-STEGOROS

The second Titan to appear in public, Stegoros is viewed as an American icon as well as a scientific glimpse into prehistory.

Name: Stegoros"Stegosaurus titanus" 
Size:
>Height: 34 meters (112 feet) -at shoulder-
>Length: 75 meters (246 feet) 
>Weight: 700 tons 
Titan Threat Level:
Beta Yellow
Class: 
Natural Guardian 
Date of Discovery:
N/A
Date of Appearance: 
April 27, 2013 
Location of Appearance: 
Salt Lake City, Utah (USA) 

Biology: 
~Coming Soon~ 

History: 
~Coming Soon~ 

All content unless otherwise stated is (c) of Henry Winston Ball