Vauban fired his Hek shotgun over a large rock that provided him cover.

"Why don't we recap the fearless leaders plan hm. Volts down," The Blue and Red frame laid on the ground bleeding out near Nidus's feet.
"Are healer is down to her last revive." Trinity(Nyx) was hiding behind Frost inside the snow globe currently being shot to pieces by Nidus's Soma Prime. "We have a useless Nekros." A bony black and white hand rose to flip off Vauban from behind another rock across the field on the other side of Nidus. The sound of an Exalted Blade made Vauban sigh. Cal rushed in throwing his energy blades at Nidus while rushing forward. Nidus flinched at the damage throwing out a Larva which latched onto Cal before he reached the Infected Frame. Nidus pulled out his scythe and cut into Cal repeatedly. "An Excalibur who doesn't understand how Life-Strike works." Ember ran around the area quickly burning away any Infection that grew before it spread. "Ember's about out of ammo."

He stated then threw out a concussion mine. The mine went off with a bang stunning Nidus as Vauban and Nekros popped from there cover to fire in unison. Phagy's corrosive beams ate through Nidus's armor, and Vauban's Hek dropped him in four shots. The infected Frame fell to the floor then fizzled out. Only for an Infected scream to come from the crippled Liset. "Not to mention this thing is immortal!" Vauban shouted in frustration. Cal freed from the Larva revived Volt. "So I gotta ask you Red was your intro worth it?" He looked at the Red Frost through his snow globe.

"My Intro worked like a charm! Asshole we disabled the Liset!" Frost shouted back indignant. "How's the shoot it till it dies plans going oh brilliant strategist." Frost sassed back.

"Well it's died hasn't! Just need to figure out the staying dead part.." Vauban grumbled throwing out a Bastion field right as Nidus jumped out of his ship. Leaving the snarling, and hissing infected frame floating there. Every Tenno lined up to shoot the now easy target. Nidus fell fast, then revived using the invulnerability to lung at them. Striking Red's Snowglobe with his scythe, then jumping away when Red's Boltor bolts started flying.

"Void Dammit leave that alone I just fixed it!" Frost shouted Nidus threw out his Virulence erupting an infected path right in Volts way tripping up the speedy frame. Nidus did a spin swinging his full scythe into Volts chest the Wave of acid washed over his frame eating into his shields. Nekros soul-punched Nidus knocking him to the floor. Nekros jumped from cover and focused all six beams on the infected monstrosity devouring away his armor again. Nidus flinched and looked at the bony frame throwing out a Parasitic link covering the Nekros in grey and pink goo. Vauban popped up unaware and shot Nidus head-on with his Hek. Nekros dropped dead, and Vauban winced.

"Oh shit sorry Nekros" Vauban apologized before Nidus laid into him with the Soma. Dropping his shields rapidly. A slash on his arm started bleeding his health as he ran for cover. Trinity(Nyx) cast Well Of Life making Nidus glow green and Vauban shot him repeatedly regaining life but running out of Ammo.

"Dammit!" He cursed reloading as Volt whizzed past him.

"You got anything that doesn't run out of ammo in a frikken second?" He taunted spinning his Guandao cutting into Nidus stealing back life. Nidus swung his scythe making Volt retreat with a backflip recasting Speed he zipped away. Nidus turned to follow Volt to turn into Cal's Radial Blind. With a bright blue flash Nidus stubbled holding his head. Cal set to revive Nekros while the opportunity was there. Nidus started swinging blindly, managing to clip Cal, but the Excalibur powered through the pain to revive the Nekros. But the time Nekros was revived, Cal was half dead but still running. They sprinted away from the Nidus as it regained its vision. Nidus howled searching for its targets seeing them all in front of him he unfurled fully glowed as energy surged through his body.

"You fight and struggle against us!" IT's voice almost sounded normal like a Tenno. "WHY DO YOU REJECT US!" IT threw its anger and confusion at them like a physical attack.

Red stepped forward to the edge of his Snow Globe. "Because there are things we must protect!"

"WHY DO YOU PROTECT THE PONIES FROM OUR GIFT?" The multitude of voices shouted. Some of them recognized the sounds of the Relay agents mixed in there. Red gripped his sword hilt tighter in anger.

"Your party doesn't sound that fun." Cal chuckled the sound of Vauban's shotgun going off and Nidus dropped again.

"Honestly you give me the creeps, and any gifts are going to be politely returned." Vauban taunted,

Red looked at him "Guess plan shoot it till it dies is still in effect."

Vauban reloaded "Its always in effect partner."

"Wait didn't he have three revives left till he returned to the ship?" Volt asked watching Nidus fizzle out.

"Yes... yes he did Volt," Red commented dryly watching the ship wondering what the crazy frame was up to when a blue charger ran out of the ship right at them.

"Of course he'd have a Helmith charger! Duh fits his theme at least." Trinity commented when four more came rushing towards them.

"This guy is changing his loadout on us!" Vauban realized using his hammer to swat one of the infected dogs out of the way. "He's using these mutts to keep us busy."

"Wait to change strategies I didn't think the infected could do that!" Volt wondered sounding unnerved.

"It would seem this one is smart enough to do so," Nekros commented dryly spinning and twirling his Either Reaper focusing on one of the mutts to widdle down. Another approached from the side, and he used Terrify to drive it into the waiting flames of Ember. Something fell out of the Liset like a rock shaking the ground drawing everyone's attention.

"By the void!" Volt shouted at seeing it

"It's the biggest I've ever seen before," Frost commented in awe.

Nekros buried his Either Reaper into the charger then looked to see "That is the fattest Kavat I've ever seen in my life."

Trinity squealed so high one of the chargers fell to the ground trying to cover its ears from the sonic attack. "OH MY GOD THAT IS THE CUTEST KAVAT EVER!"

The Kavat in question was a bowling ball with legs his whiskers were crooked, and his fan-like tail was lifted proudly in the air. Pink with a grey underbelly. The cat lets out a lazy MRRR then flopped on his side deciding it wasn't worth the effort. Everyone looked at Trinity like she was crazy. But she was to far gone for anyone to save her. "OH MY GOD I'M GONNA STEAL IT, AND IT'S NAME WILL BE MR. TUBBY!" She swayed her hips back and forth with her hands together on her chest as she giggled.

A Larva Tendril snapped to her chest, and her dancing promptly stopped as she got flung towards Nidus freshly emerged from his ship.

"Dammit, Trin!" Red yelled pulling up his Bolter to see Nidus had already linked himself to her. He hesitated knowing Trinity was on her last revive.

"Operator Infected are moving away from the battle into the forest!" Ordis flashed red, and the Frost cursed.

"Ember!" He called out, and she nodded.

"Already on it Frosty!" She sped the opposite direction circling the battlefield to chase down the infected.

Trinity perked up in her infected chains. "Guys I have an Idea! Trust me." Then she left the mission fizzling out of the bond. Nidus hissed at the empty link and threw out a wave of acid making Frost jump back. Nidus closed the distance with a feral jump on all fours Red held him at bay with his gun between them.

"Nyx I hope you know what you're doing!" he grumbled punching the infected frame with an ice-covered fist.

***

On Nyx's orbiter.

Trinity appeared near the Nav console, and Fluttershy ran up worried. "Are you hurt? Did you win? Is it over?" she asked rapidly, and Trinity shook her head.

"No the battles still going on I ran out of revives and returned here." She admitted, and Fluttershy hung her head "But I have a plan." Trin said hopefully. "I need your help." She looked at Fluttershy who whimpered at what that might entail. "Ordis take us to the nearest Orokin derelict please! Were going kitty farming." Fluttershy's ears perked up at the word kitty, and Ordis took off.

***

Frost was all that remained in the primary fight everyone else was downed or dead on there way back to the battle from there orbiters. Nidus shot at his last layer of Snow Globe, and Frost was almost out of energy. His Boltor was out of rounds, and he gripped his Dragon Nikanna and jumped through his Snow Globe to meet the infested terror head-on. With fluid reverse grip swings, he knocked the Soma away and slashed into Nidus. The Nikanna's blade was cutting cleanly through Nidus's armor leaving a deep gash. The infected Frame responded in kind dragging the ragged scythe across Red's leg.

The battle turned into a battle of Life-Strike builds as they cut and slashed at each other in an endless frenzy of lost and regained health. Each was getting energy back from there Rage mods only to use it to channel energy into their weapons for more damage and health back. A battle of giving and taking, when they crossed weapons trying to overpower the over. Hundreds of small cuts bled freely on Nidus while the corroded and burning green patches on Frost's coat gave an ugly contrast to the royal red and gold. Nidus pulled back to unleash a tide of acid Red knew his armor could not take.

Swinging his Nikanna, he performed the Guiding Light move. Using the momentum letting his Nikanna part the sea of acid with its blade. There he spun into Destined Path in a fury of blood stumbling Nidus over and over as the Nikanna blade cut through him smoothly letting Red finish as he rushed past with all his channeled might he sheathed then drew the sword for a finishing slash. Both Frames stood perfectly still. Red fell to a knee feeling the corrosive proc eating away at him. Nidus fell in half at the waistline with a final spray of pink.

Red the Frost gripped his Nikanan putting the bloodied edge into the ground to support him measly hundred health was all that remained as his Rejuvenation mod kicked in making the numbers climb slowly. Red barely had time to react when Nidus Revived. The infected Frame kicked his Nikanna out from under him and buried both heads of the scythe through the Frost's chest. Nidus gripped the long grizzled handle firmly in both hands picking it and Red up and flung him off the end. To roll onto the floor bleeding out Red pulled out his Vastos and laid into Nidus for all it was worth. The twin revolvers barked again, and again Nidus did not attempt to dodge or block as he strode towards the downed Frame.

Knocking the guns out of his hands with a swipe of his scythe. He kneeled on top of the Frost and opened fully revealing the infested pink innards. Like a giant pair of teeth in his chest, "YOU WILL BE US!"

Red raised his arms bent to catch the jaws stopping them from getting any closer with his elbows. Even if the effort made him bleed faster. Just a little more time he begged to resist the demon. To let his Squad mates arrive again. When the sound of a Liset flying over answered his pleads, he was ready to kiss whoever dropped down at that moment. When the ship landed and the hatch opened Nidus's attention was caught rising off the Frame to see.

At first, there were one glowing set of eyes. Then ten, then a hundred! Fluttershy flew out of the Liset, and Nidus hissed.
"PONY."

Fluttershy took a deep breath. "Can you kindly leave our planet and never ever come back Mr.?" She begged with the sweetest voice and a flutter of her eyes. Nidus drooled hungrily at the butter colored pegasus standing up off of Red to approach her. She dropped the sweet act "Guess not. Get this meany!" She pointed, and hundreds of feral Kavats poured from the Liset to swarm Nidus. The Infested Frame let out a screech as they drowned in a sea of scales and claws all at the command of a yellow pegasus.

Nyx now back in her main Frame ran over to Revive Frost.
"This was your Idea? Let loose hundred of Kavats into an ecosystem!" Red asked bewildered.

"Kavats eat infected material; they'll clean up anything that we might miss, And they love Fluttershy." She pointed to the yellow Pegasus who seemed to be grinning at the destruction her army was causing at the moment.

Nidus Revived and threw a tendril at the Pegasus who eeped and dropped to avoid it. "Get back on the ship Shy!" Nyx shouted, and the pony nodded and flew towards the Liset only stopping when the Infested Frame kicked several Kavats out of the way trying to reach her. She growled feeling her anger rise at the abuse. Flying back inside the Liset.

The Kavats dispersed once Nidus started focusing on them. Leaving Red and Nyx to face the monster. When more Lisets came flying in, and the rest of the squad dropped down. Red thought about something cool to say someway to reason with this beast. When Vauban ran in threw down a bastion and shot Nidus till he died again. Red looked at the trapper Frame with annoyance.

"What do you have a better plan?" Vauban threw back with his arms outstretched. The Frost shook his head when another roar came from inside the ship, and they all knew what was happening again.

"Spread out don't make yourself an easy target." Red started to plan when Nidus bullet jumped right at them throwing out a Parasitic Link at Red. On instinct, he threw up a Snow Globe. The grey and pink tendril touched the sphere and froze shattering.

"HA!" Red laughed which quickly turned into an "OH SHIT!" when Nidus flung himself through the frozen barrier to land in the middle of them. Casting his ultimate Nidus threw out a large patch of infected material that covered well around the edges of the Snow Globe causing everyone to leap out of range when the maggots started swarming them. Volt rolled on the ground to get the maggots off of him in a comedic manner as he squealed.

"Ah there everywhere!"

Vauban fired at Nidus only to hit the Snow Globe. "That's a design flaw!" He shouted at Red

"Ya, I know! Don't have to point it out!" The Frost shouted back shaking a fist at him. Everyone focused there fire knocking the Snow Globe's health down.

"The little apples on my shoulder tell me to be honest, and honestly this is getting old," Vauban complained when a Helmuth Charger knocked him out of the way dragging something. "What the is that a..." In the infected mutts jaws was a Hydroid warframe and it was running towards the Nidus.

"Was that a Hydroid?" Volt asked, and Reds blood went colder than usual.

"Focus on that Charger don't let it reach Nidus!" He shouted. Everyone changed focus firing at the Infected dog. The thing didn't even pause as it bled. Red jumped in front arms out to stop it only to get bowled out of the way. "Dammit!" He slammed his fist into the ground causing an Ice Wave to erupt putting a cold Proc on it. Slowing it down slightly, Nyx reached out with her mind and stopped the dog.

"That's a good boy bring the Warframe to me." She mentally coerced the dog who complied slowly turning around to run to her. When Nidus's Tendril snatched the lifeless frame from the dog's jaws pulling it into the globe.

"Whats it doing?" Volt asked

"That thing tried to, full on eat me! IT said that I would become IT," Red explained when the horrific sounds of tearing meat and metal come through the Snow Globe. Nidus had opened up tore the Hydroid to pieces and was eating them absorbing them.

"When I said this was getting old. THAT WASN"T AN INVITATION TO DO THIS!" Vauban shouted angrily reloading. The globe fell but too late, and Nidus looked different. Aspects of Hydroid had mixed into his monstrous form. Nidus's head now had the three points of Hydroids alt helmet. Tentacles hung off his body squirming then worse of all Nidus glowed blue as shields started to fill,

"Oh, that's not even FAIR!" Volt shouted stomping his foot. Then raised a Tenno sub-machine gun and unloaded pinging off the new shields. Pink infected water started pouring off of Nidus, and he formed a Tidal Wave of infection that crashed towards them. Sweeping the dog and Nyx into its path slamming them onto the ground and covering them in Infected mucus holding them there. Nyx struggled to feel some of it break and loosen when the sound of her Liset came roaring overhead. A yellow and pink shape was riding the front of it.

"Fluttershy what are you..." Her answer came with the sound of a Rubico being fired and Nidus taking a shot through the shoulder. The Liset flew in a tight circle giving Fluttershy ample chance to rain bullets. "So that's what happened to my sniper..." Nyx stated plainly.

When Shy's six shots were gone the Liset retreated leaving Nidus missing a good chunk of his health with the Frame's attention on the sky, the other Tenno stepped in to finish the rest of it. Vauban shot it earning a hiss from the Frame. He rolled and got down on one knee to stabilize the shotgun when a tendril came out and ripped it right of his hands.

"Son of a-" He was cut off by being blasted in the face with his gun dropping him to bleed out unloading his Twin Wraith Vipers every three seconds in a bullet storm of cursing and ammunition. The ground rumbled and grew damp until a flood of pinkish water rose from the field. Rising pink tentacles burst from the water grabbing any Frame close enough. Red felt the infected water curl around his midsection before being flung into the air and rattled like a child's toy. Nyx, Nekros, and Cal faired no better in the Tentacle Storms flailing grip. Volt and Ember ran around the edges of the ability trying to fire at Nidus, but swirling tendrils blocked every opening.

The tentacle holding Red started lowering him towards Nidus who opened fully. Chest like a gaping mouth full of long bony teeth. Firing his boltor and getting a lucky shot inside Nidus chest rewarded him with slamming into the ground hard enough to knock the golden spined weapon from his grip. Disoriented from the blow Red watched the world spin for a moment before Nidus was almost upon him. A feral female scream sounded like an angel to the Frost. A pissed off angel with a rough voice but an angel no less to the Frame. As Valkyr slammed into Nidus full hysteria mode beating him relentlessly with her firey claws.

The Tentacle Storm timed out, and Frost fell to the floor on his hands and knees. A warm hand found his shoulder, and he looked up to the horned deer Oberon.

"You're not alone my friend." He encouraged, and Red chuckled

"Never thought that for a moment."

Oberon nodded and pulled his Gram taking a definite step forward as he pulsed with green light sending out pulses of restorative energy. Oberon's Renewal surged through them all Seeing Valkyr start to lose her grip on the infected Frame he threw out Hollowed Ground in a blanket of warm grass. Nidus squirmed as the Radiation bled into him. Valkyr in a brutal move put both claws on either side of Nidus's head and gave a bone-splitting twist killing the frame once again.

The sound of mighty hooves drew every Frames attention as Celestia herself approached the fight wings out with a stern face.

"Princess what are you doing here it's not safe," Red warned and was met with a scolding look.

"Equestria is in real danger, and you expect its Princesses to stand back?" She looked at the deranged and distorted Frame under Valkyr. "Kaylee step back and prepare." She ordered, and the Valkyr nodded and jumped away. Red's Squad looked at the Princess in confusion and worry.

"What are you planning?" Red asked, and Celestia opened a magic portal with golden runes flowing around it a sword handle bathed in gold and white presented itself and she accepted its steel once again. Each Frame watched in awe as she drew a War sized blade from the portals shimmering depths. Once her magic touched the edge, its whole length combusted in golden fire radiating heat as if the sun's heart had transferred into its blade. Nidus revived, and Celestia marched forward.

"Equestria must stand strong!" She declared before charging forward.

Author's Note

Cue epic music!