The bombs were falling on his home, on his city. He could hear the sirens, here the screams and explosions. Above allt hat he heard the discordant sounds of at least 1000 different country music songs being broadcast by the zeppelins. He had lived for seven years in relative peace, and now someone had attacked his homeland. It ignited a fire in him, one that hardly needed the spurring on that the blinking light on his help provided. Nippontai was calling, asking him to fulfill his promise. He took up his sword, the one he'd found so long ago in Bagdad and sighed. The books remained locked away in the bunker, not even atomic weapons could harm them there. He strapped on five of the batteries he'd kept filled over the yeras and prepared for a long night. He walked out into the hell that had become the outskirts of Tokyo and was truly amazed at the grand fleet assembled in the skies. He spoke, the mic that was held in place by a small black collar picking up his words. "Kou, help the people, I'll handle the skies."

"That's a negative Ryu, we need to stay together, there's so much mayhem and damage..." "I know that, your team is suited to crowd control and protection, I am suited to destruction and war. I will prosecute this my way, Out." With that the connection went dead and Long took to the skies.He studied the Zeppelins looking for seamss and imperfections.

His barrier field reacted just in time as a half dowen rockets impacted against it sending a shower of blue sparks across the sky. "That was your freebie, now it's my turn." light glowed at his fingertips and then a single azure lance struck out at the offending Zepplin. The beam lit it into an explosion that rocked the night and lit the sky even brighter. This drew attention from a fleet of two dozen ships. Long's hands spread and from the tips of each finger a single glowing orb of energy coalesced. then he swung his arms around at the same time as two score of missiles were launched. the projectiles passed each other in air, the missiles either whizing past him or exploding against his barrier.. Small shards of mettal imbedded into his fur, but failed to do any real damage. the entire micro fleet of Zeppelins vanished in similar explosions.

So the night went on, Long expending energy to keep on killing, drawing from his batteries as needed, cutting a huge swath of destruction through their numbers. It wasn't enough. Eight hours later and still at least half of the assault force remained. several JSDF planes streaked through the skies, sending missiles into the huge zeps, but they were easily swatted from the sky by the anti aircraft guns of the Zeppelins. Long had long given up dodging laser blasts, instead deflecting them into the shooter or another Zeppelin. He stayed in close to them, so that they'd rik friendly fire every time they shot at him. Still, it wasn't enough. For each one he destroyed two seemed to take it's place. Ever since its intial use he'd hoarded away his most powerful attack, fearful of what many would think of one who posessed it. Now was not the time for half measures, he'd made headway, but the skies over Japan demanded to be clear. His power reserves were low, as were those of most of Nippontai.

"Everyone pull back from the skies I'm gonna end this. Kou, it's been an honor. try to be there to catch me if you can." He saw the plains retreat and all the other novas take to the ground. He tore the collar from his neck and the two bands on his wrists snapped off. "Restraints released. Omega countermeasures are now enabled. Commencinging Pillar of Awakening."

Blue energy whirled around him in a vortex, the massive drawing on his own quantum and any nearby novas sucking up all the power. Then the world shone blue as a giant pillar of light over two miles high spread from him to the ground and upwards. The pillar faded away leaving him standing in his final form, Snow white and black fur, and a nearly unrivaled aptitude for death and destruction. His outstretched hands began to glow and crackle with quantum fires. "I had hoped to be free of this life. I only wanted peace. I dreamed of a world at peace. You have destroyed my home, attacked my nation and shattered my Dream!" His voice rose into a roar as he spoke to no one and everyone. The energy pulsed from his hands over his body as he started to spin, slowly then building up speed. A hundred score of missiles reached out for him. "I CANNOT FORGIVE YOU!!" The energy burst forth in twin beams that cast a blue haze over the sky. They washed over the missiles, simply vaporizing them. The two hundred Kilometer long beams destroyed everything the touched. In an instant ninety percent of the remaining fleet was totally obliterated and rent to particles. In the next three seconds the remainder followed as Long angled the beams to get them. Slowly the blue wortex slowed, the beams of death ceasing once the last Zeppelin had been removed from the sky.

When it finally stopped, Long was left floating there in his white form. Hisblue field faded and then unceremoniously the five hundred pound nova plummeted to the ground. Kou was there immediately, grasping him telekinteiclly and easing him to the ground. He had removed his power restraints, something he could face death for if the council wished it. His breathing was haggard and his white pelt was stained with blood. It was the price of expelling so much power, both in the transformation and in the prolonged beam attack. She'd been fighting as long as he had, but by far he'd been in much harder and thicker fighting. The Medical team attached to the team quickly took up Long and prepped the exhausted nova for treatment. "You got them all Old man, you got them all." Kou held his hand on the way to the ergency center East of Tokyo. the only one that survived the bombings."

Long's eyes opened and he coughed. "Casualties?"

Kou looked down. "The team lost eighteen auxillary members and Kiyojin and Tenshi. We just weren't ready for this sort of attack. Not on a scale like this."

"The civilian casualties?" Kou looked at him confused.

"When did you.."

He cut her off. ""Japan is my home, its people, my people. I must know what sort of Vengence I am to exact."

Kou smiled for a moment at his words then teared up. "The figures are still coming in but we're well over a million casualties at this point." Long nodded and laid back. "You help the survivors, I'll rest, and recover my power. Once I'm back to full power, I'll go out and find the person who did this and see justice done for our homeland." With that the massive nova drifted into sleep, his breathing deep and steady now.

"Rest well old man, I don't thinkt hey're done with us yet, I just pray we can give you the time you need."