Gawaiyn's blade towered above the clouds glowing with a light so pure it could only come from Heaven itself. Gripping the hilt with both of his strong arms, he bared the full weight of heaven's judgment. Gawaiyn quickly swung the blade. The sword's massive edge left an enormous gash in the earth. Concrete melted, the rock that built the streets turned to ash, and buildings wholly incinerated. Gawaiyn readied another swing, The blade once again towering into the sky. The judgment of God was swift, even with a second strike. The edge struck true, digging deep into the earth. However, the blade faced a great deal of pushback. The same sensation one gets when digging with a shovel before hitting a rock. 

"My, that's a pretty impressive spell you got there," a mysterious voice called from the street below. Standing on the remains of buildings and the charred, ashen streets barely grazed by the judgemental blade, there was a man. He had long wavy orange hair. His hair seemed to stick out of all sides of his cap. Black suit, white shirt, and red tie. He looked as though he just came straight from upper-class society. He shook his head, clenching his fists, a proud, bright orange fire bloomed to life. with a cocky grin, he pointed a thumb to himself. "You have to have some goal" Gawaiyn didn't respond well immediately, at least. Lowering his blade and temporarily sheathing his rage, he allowed the firey figure audience. 

"My goals don't concern someone like you; if you know the location of Yamata-No-Orochi by order of the Baltic Coalition, I order you give it to me." 

The man squatted down and concentrated all his magical energy in his fists. His flames grew more extensive and more colorful. Like fireworks on the fourth of July, his flames went from Orange to Blue and then from that to Red. The man burned beautifully and brightly, flashing with flames of peerless heroics. He pointed at Gawaiyn and glared.

"About that, That's a big big problem. Unfortunately, I can't and won't do that." 

 Survivors crawled from where they had been hiding after the first devastating strike. They gathered around the burning man with joyful tears and resounding cheers. The flaming figure threw his suit into the air, loosened his tie, and squared up. He looked over his shoulder and, with a whisper, issued a command to the onlookers. 

"Flee," he uttered in a soft, barely audible tone, but like embers on the wind by god, everyone heard him. As if something had been programmed in their minds, they distanced themselves from the scene. Not by running, sprinting but by calming, walking away. 

"You said you're with the Baltic Coalition, didn't you? So answer me this why the actual hell would harm the innocent?" The man glared daggers at the young blonde paladin. His glare, not the typical icy stare one would feel peering into the back of their skull; his mighty gaze was sinister and firey. 

"I'm not gonna stand for this, such needless destruction" The man raised his dukes, and a large magic shockwave exploded into the sky. at first, transparent and translucent like a chrysalis gone vacant, it quickly became firey and powerful and shook the world. The man, no more extended human, stood in the skin of flames. Bright orange flames made up every cell of his entire body, every follicle of hair. Every tooth. Flame. 

Nathaniel stood at a window watching in silent awe as the pillar of flames shot into the air. He turned towards Bianca and grabbed her shoulders roughly, gripping them with a tight, almost vice-like grip. He looked her dead in the eyes. When he spoke, there wasn't his playful gentlemen's voice; there was only panic. 

"Bianca, listen to me. Tell Obi I'm going out; He'll keep all of you safe and make sure under no circumstances you let Haj outside" Nathaniel shook Bianca, a fire in his voice that wasn't there before. "Do You Understand!?" He asked with a stern voice. 

"Y-Yes, I understand; w-what's happening?" Bianca asked as tears welled in her eyes. 

"I wish my dear I could explain it all right now," he said, pulling Bianca into an embrace holding her to his chest. He soon released Bianca of his grip and sighed deeply. "Let's just say your Father's old enemies are looking for me." 

"And you're just going to give yourself up!??" Bianca asked, delivering an emotional shove into Nathaniel's chest. "is that what my father would have done" 

"You claim to know your father; you couldn't be more wrong" Nathaniel placed a hand on Bianca's shoulder before pushing her away. 

"Can't you use magic!" Bianca spat venomously; Nathaniel didn't reply. He held his head and stopped at the doorway. His face was breaking into a furiously saddened scowl. 

"C-Can I use magic?" he asked, his voice mere seconds from breaking into a mess of tears and screams. "I can, but I refuse to harm a human." 

"Whatever the hell sprouted, that pillar most definitely isn't human," Bianca counted with an indignant tone. 

"Look dear; it's all too complicated; I'll explain all later." 

"No! No! No!!! I refuse to watch another person slip away." 

"I'm not slipping away. I'm just doing something I need to do." Nathaniel stated, keeping his back turned. Nathaniel closed the door behind himself. Stepping out into the yard under the darkened sky, he felt somewhat relaxed, as if this was normal and something he was used to doing. 

"Memento Claria," he spoke softly to no one in particular. the words weren't just sound. They manifested in the physical and floated in the air before colliding with something not typically seen. A large pink, almost red neigh-invisible force shield started from the end of the driveway and met its conclusion at the logical end of the property. Nathaniel took a deep breath stepping down on the dry leaves under him. A memory played in his mind. 

"hey, Tsuki, when we're older, do you think I'll ever find a wife?" 

"I don't know, and honestly, I don't care, as long as she's nice!" Tsukiyomi, a much younger Tsukiyomi, smiled brightly. His white hair falling over his face obscuring his features. Nathaniel stepped outside the barrier and tapped a small, seemingly innocuous part of his neck. He was walking, slowly with a haunting weight to each footfall. After every other step, Nathaniel's hands worked tirelessly to loosen and pull off different parts of his suit. with one last tug, his once bright case was discarded in a puddle along with the shirt that accompanied it. On his back was a massive tattoo of a serpent or dragon with eight heads. However, this isn't to say the canvas wasn't damaged. His back was covered in scars, bruises, cuts, and other such abrasions that come with old age. Nathaniel pulled his hat over his eyes and chuckled softly. 

"Tsuki, remember that time we pulled that Lady's radishes, oh man. Was she ever mad!" Nathaniel spoke as he continued to stroll what remained of New York. Suddenly a massive serpentine familiar appeared. It reared up hissing and clanging its scales with a ferocious resound. 

"Aye, you there doth you know the location of the Dragon of Darkness?" Charon spoke, pointing down at Nathaniel from atop his familiar. "Silence is compliance, and you will be charged as an accomplice to evil." 

"I always thought you guys were nut jobs, but man, this takes the cake" Nathaniel's hat flew off his head, his voice now utterly different to the tone he used prior. With a push of his hand, he moved his aged grey hair from his face. "You think I'm the evil one." 

"I beg your pardon, Civilian?" Charon asked, cupping his ear. Nathaniel shook his head. 

"Oh, you should beg, You damn dirty Bastard!!" Nathaniel glared, his voice no longer human. Deeper incomprehensible as a shockwave blew the sound barrier to shreds. He was roaring with pride as it shot through the atmosphere. At first, one long draconic neck spiraled into the sky, soon followed by three more, then four more. Eight heads, all bearing their fangs, roared with an intimidating od of death and voraciousness. The central authority looked over its shoulder and shook before facing Charon and the serpentine beast known as Minos. Or what is now a massive eight-headed dragon, Nathaniel spoke its voice, both a sonorous shout and a soft echo-filled whisper. 

"You won't harm my brother's children, Nor will you lay another hand on this city," Its voice boomed with an absolute authority that only Gods occupy. Its heads opened their mouths. Eight large, ornately designed Black magical sigils appeared. 

"ULTRA MAGIC: ULTIMA DRACONIS!!!!!" 

Meanwhile... 

In a secluded cave, huddled in the back sat a man. He turned his head to the sky and smiled. He stood up and walked towards the front of the cave. Shadows obscuring his face and most of his body. 

"So It's begun," He spoke with a hearty laugh. "The Clock Strikes Midnight!" 

TO BE CONTINUED!!!!!!