"Boom!"
Flames erupted from Moltres' beak, forming a colossal fireball that exploded outward to meet the high-pressure Hydro Pumps bearing down on it.
The collision of fire and water unleashed a deafening roar, sending shockwaves rippling through the air as a massive cloud of steam engulfed the battlefield.
The heavens seemed to tremble under the sheer force of the clash.
For a moment, all was obscured. Both Moltres and its adversaries were lost in the swirling mist.
Moltres grimaced, the pain and exhaustion evident in its ancient, fiery eyes. As the legendary bird responsible for maintaining balance in the volatile oceanic currents, Moltres relied on its immense strength, which was now compromised.
This time of year marked its dormant period, when its powers were at their weakest, a mere fraction of their peak capacity.
It had avoided conflict for centuries during such times to conserve its divine flame. But Lawrence had forced its hand.
The relentless assault of technological arms wielded by the hunter's ship now rivaled the deities themselves.
Weapons capable of incredible destruction, crafted with cold precision by man's ambition, had turned the balance of power against even beings like Moltres.
These artificial creations stripped away the invincibility that legends once embodied.
"Continue," Lawrence commanded dryly, his sharp, calculating eyes focused on the control panel before him.
Through the instruments aboard his gleaming spacecraft, the rising steam did nothing to hinder his analysis.
Moltres' energy signatures flickered faintly, but its reserves were dwindling far too slowly for his liking.
"Yes, Commander," the artificial intelligence onboard responded promptly, ever obedient to its master.
With the mechanical efficiency Lawrence so prized, it fired another salvo of high-pressure Hydro Pumps.
Over twenty jets of pressurized water streaked forward, each attack identical, weaving effortlessly through the fog of steam toward the fiery avian.
The ammunition was infinite; Lawrence had designed his ship with redundancy in mind. Failure was not an option.
His weapons deployed endlessly as if the heavens themselves were raining destruction down upon Moltres, leaving no time for reprieve.
Moltres' wings flexed, and it attempted to evade. Spiraling upward into the air with a grace that belied the pounding fatigue racking its body, it narrowly dodged the glistening jets of water.
Flame trailed faintly behind it, dimmer than it should have been. For all its power, Moltres realized the futility of defense. It wasn't a matter of bravery or pride. Its only option now was clear: attack the origin.
Moltres' blazing eyes fixed on the spacecraft hovering above the battlefield, and determination burned anew.
If the source of the assault could be destroyed, the relentless barrage would end.
With a shriek, Moltres accelerated, dodging Hydro Pumps as they hurtled past it and crashed into the ocean below, creating towering columns of water that surged toward the heavens.
The boiling heat from the clashing forces began to modify the environment itself. Dark clouds gathered in the sky, laced with lightning that lanced across their surfaces like flickering veins.
It was as though the weather had shifted to imitate the bird's inner turmoil.
But Lawrence was ready. He had prepared for every eventuality.
"No matter how you dodge, Moltres, you will not succeed," his voice was cold, almost bored, as he watched the legendary bird with detached fascination. "You're fighting the inevitable."
"General…" he muttered under his breath, leaning back in his chair and snapping his fingers. His smirk widened.
The outcome was certain. Moltres was caught in circumstances it had no means of escaping. Soon, it would belong to his collection, like everything else.
As if responding to his silent command, the weapon systems intensified. Within seconds, dozens of Hydro Pumps saturated the air around the fiery bird, forcing Moltres into a tighter circuit of evasive maneuvers.
It unleashed a guttural, piercing cry. The sound resonated through the clouds like the call of an enraged god.
Summoning the fire that burned deep within the core of its being, Moltres began to retaliate. Its wings spread wide as it inhaled, drawing in the heat of its surroundings. Flames coalesced at its beak in the form of a massive, swirling inferno.
"Fire Blast!" came the shrieking cry of Moltres, and with it, the enormous fiery symbol exploded forward, tearing its way through the night.
It was colossal, three times the size of its usual manifestation. Rivaling the fury of the sun, it barreled forward toward the encroaching Hydro Pumps.
When fire and water met, the explosion was apocalyptic. The concussive shockwave roared into the sea, sending enormous waves rippling outward.
Fierce winds tore through the battlefield, and lightning screamed across the sky, seemingly summoned by the primal ferocity of the clash below. The heavens burned and roared like the last moments of an unraveling world.
But victory was fleeting for Moltres. It hovered momentarily, struggling to recover its breath. The glow of its body began to dim as its energy waned further. Even with all its might, the relentless onslaught was too much. It had reached its limit.
And Lawrence, too, knew it.
"Proceed," he said softly but firmly, as if commanding a predator to close its jaws around its prey. Satisfaction flickered in his icy eyes as he watched on.
The artificial intelligence responded promptly, opening the ship's lower weapons bay like a lotus flower unfurling.
From within were released four energy-infused rings, each crackling ominously with magnetic energy.
These deceptively unassuming rings cut through the air in perfect synchronization. Each one was nearly three meters in diameter, humming with the power of confinement.
This was no ordinary weapon. It was a device Lawrence himself had branded the "Forbidden God Cage".
Its purpose was simple: to trap gods and render their divine power useless.
The rings raced toward their target, slicing through the chaotic battlefield. Even knowing the gravity of the threat they posed, Moltres had few options.
With the last remnants of its strength, it blasted a stream of Flamethrower toward the rings. The fire engulfed the air in front of it, scorching hot enough to melt steel.
And yet, the rings were agile, weaving around the flames with mechanical precision.
The first two rings encircled Moltres, forming a horizontal, glowing loop that immediately began emitting a fierce magnetic field.
Moltres screeched and flailed desperately against it, summoning one last burst of speed. It flipped its body mid-air, trying to break free, attempting to flee in the direction of its fellow legendary birds on distant islands.
But escape was impossible.
The remaining two rings darted toward it, merging with the first in a fluid flash of motion. Together, they created a cross-shaped cage that bound the great bird.
The magnetic field strengthened, sapping the final remnants of Moltres' energy.
Its wings, once blazing and brilliant, shrank to faint embers as its divine energy was sealed. A mournful cry filled the skies, the sound fading as the Forbidden God Cage carried its prize back toward the spacecraft.
The base of the ship closed once again, sealing Moltres within the collector's hold.
"Finally," Lawrence murmured, his posture relaxing as he watched the data confirm the capture. "My collection grows."
He rose from his seat, heading toward the lower deck where his trophies were kept. His excitement faded quickly; this was only the first step in his grand plan. Moltres was but one piece of a much larger puzzle.
"Moltres, god of fire... just another tool," he remarked quietly, his tone devoid of emotion. Yet, a glimmer of anticipation burned in his eyes.
As the collection bay lowered, his gaze hardened, his voice dropping to a fanatic whisper. "Zapdos is next... But my true prize isn't you, nor Articuno."
He paused, hands tightening into fists.
"No..." he said, a zealot's conviction lighting his features. "My ultimate goal has always been the true god of the seas... Lugia!"
______________
Join my Patreon for more advance chapters