Author's Note

And with another update, as always let me know if you see any edits or errors I may have missed! Hopefully everyone is enjoying the story so far and is looking forward to where it goes in the future. I know it's a little short for a chapter but the next one will be much longer and will develop the world around John's Equestria more thoroughly and how much influence the world of warframe truly has on Equis as a whole.

Old Enemies Return

It is already the day of the Summer Sun Celebration, the day the 'Mare In The Moon' will be freed. So far everything has been following the first episode of the show, with Twilight currently in Ponyville and meeting the other bearers of the elements. Celestia's original plan for the elements remained unchanged as John decided to only make his a back up.

Over the last few days he worked with Glimmering Shield and Celestia to learn the layout of both the Everfree and the old castle of the Royal Family. Little had been discussed amongst them other than plans revolving around the Nightmare as there was little time for pleasantries.

And so with planning and preparations complete, John found himself in the upper branches of a tree overlooking the entrance to the Everfree forest. He was only in his operator suit as he had his warframe ready for transference hidden within the throne room of the ruined castle within. Now he just had to wait for the Element Bearers to arrive so he could protect them should things be worse than what the show revealed.

While John idly played with a plume of void energy amongst his fingers, the 'Mare In The Moon' vanished from the sky. Showtime...

Within ten minutes the girls all showed up and followed the show's chain of events up until they had finished crossing the old rope bridge. As they gathered to enter the castle ruins, shadows began to bleed from the rubble around them. They began to form nothing but pony shapes of darkness, however they had blades for arms and teeth that could only belong to something akin to a shark.

While the girls screamed and hugged each other in fear, two of the shadows leapt forward.

POV: Twilight

I screamed as I held my new friends tightly, fearing this was the end. I began to shed tears as the thought of losing those I just befriended as quickly as they had become my newfound friends.

However before the first of the shadowy monstrosities could reach us, a white beam of energy impacted it turning it into a wisp of ash in the wind. Within seconds the rest soon followed. My mouth hanged limply from its sockets as both the girls and myself looked upon the lack of monsters. Slowly my head turned towards the source of such power, somewhere that was directly behind us...

"Continue with your mission, the Void shall protect you..."

POV: John

John silently laughed as the girls tried to see where both the voice spoke from and where his void beams came from. They could try all they want but while he was hidden using his powers, nothing could see nor touch him. Continuing to internally chuckle, John suddenly felt a chill go through his spine. Focusing on the group of mares again, he noticed something that was both impossible and scary amongst them.

Pinkie Pie was staring right at him, and what her eyes said about how he couldn't hide even from her made him rethink how effective his void powers were...

Quickly John used transference to return to his warframe, finding comfort in the distance between him and the creature that made Discord seem sane and normal. He would simply wait for Twilight and the Nightmare to show up before his sanity was lost.

"Don't worry Johnny, we'll make sure you enjoy your 'Welcome To Ponyville Party'!~"

John didn't dare to turn towards the voice, he simply nodded and acted as if his mind was not a pile of shattered matter within his skull. As if accepting his fate to a party by the pink mare was enough, the foreboding feeling left him as the pink enigma known as Pinkie Pie returned to her friends.

Sighing in relief and comfort, John returned his attention to the room around him. His HUD's mini map was showing the six blue dots for the mane six quickly approaching the room with the elements not to far from the throne room. As a red marker appeared for Nightmare moon, it quickly vanished with one of the blue markers before both appeared within the throne room before him. While Twilight appeared by the entrance, Nightmare appeared before the thrones with the elements around her. As she began her evil monologue the first thing John took notice of from his meditative stance behind her was one thing he probably shouldn't have said out loud.

"Nice ass..."

The reactions of both mares was immediate, both being surprised by his presence before confusion took over Twilight and embarrassed rage took over Nightmare. "

"You dare speak of your Queen in such a way?"
"What?"

As Nightmare turned to face him, John noticed something that made his skin crawl... She was wielding War

The deadly weapon crafted by Hunhow himself, wielded by the deadly traitor and hunter The Stalker. If she wielded this weapon then what caused the corruption of Luna could only be one thing...

Hello Tenno, I see you've met my new right hand.

The voice was the one that belonged to Hunhow, the deadliest Sentient as well as their leader. If he had influence on this world then he was currently the only one who could keep it safe. For there is only one weakness that all Sentients share and will always have... the void... Within the blink of an eye both Nightmare and John were clashing blades, War being parried by his shield as he swung wide with the mace to force her back on the defensive. They both now stood within the center of the throne room, waiting for the other to make the next move. John was first as he raised his mace into the air, causing a blinding light to come forth. As Nightmare was disoriented from Radial Blind, he quickly rushed forth giving a strong shield bash to the head and a downward swing of his mace onto her sword arm. Sadly this did not give the desired effect of rendering her unconscious or disarming her. All it served to do was enrage the possessed alicorn further as she merely grunted from the minor bruising.

With a scream of fury Nightmare unleashed a blast of magic, forcing John back to where he started at the thrones. "If thou wishes to fight, then We shall deliver!" A wisp of shadow began forming in Nightmare's other hand, forming what he could only assume was her original blade. It was another great sword colored a midnight blue, with the cross guard reminiscent of a double crescent moon while the pommel looked like a full moon. As soon as the blade was in her hand she teleported before him, bringing one blade from above while the other from the side. While War clashed with John's shield, Luna's blade clashed with his mace. The blade seemed to let off an eery chill, a dense fog emanating from the blade.

Goddamn alicorn strength... Using transference John left his warframe, but it did not stop to fight without its operator. While Nightmare was busy fighting his armor that he was mentally operating from outside it, he quickly made his way to the paralyzed Twilight. During this whole time she was frozen in both awe and fear at the battle developing before her eyes. As John made himself tangible again, he did so in front of Twilight which thankfully knocked her out of her previous state of mind. "Listen to me Twilight Sparkle, I will do everything I can to distract Nightmare Moon. However it is up to you to obtain the elements and use them against her."

"SHE SHALL DO NO SUCH THING!!!" Quickly spinning around John unleashed a beam of void energy from his right palm, connecting with and stopping the magical beam sent from Nightmare. While they held a stalemate, Excalibur tackled Nightmare to once again engage her in melee.

Bringing his attention back to Twilight, John directed her towards the abandoned elements by the thrones. With that done he transferred back to Excalibur Prime, resuming physical control over the fight. As they continued to parry and bash one another, Twilight got a hold of herself and made her way to the elements. Of course this did not go unnoticed by Nightmare. "NOOO!!!" She quickly blasted John into the wall behind the thrones before teleporting before the young mare. As the elements began to glow she thrusted with war while slicing with Luna's great sword. Before either could harm the mare, John and Excalibur appeared between them. While Excalibur parried Luna's blade, John used his void energy to shove her back. However this did not stop her thrust attack, resulting in War embedding itself and through John's stomach. The force was enough to not only knock Nightmare back, but also caused her to fall and lose her grip on her blades.

Immediately taking advantage of the situation, Excalibur grabbed Nightmare from behind with both arms keeping her from physically retaliating. And to ensure she could not use magic until the elements could be used to cleanse her of Hunhow's corruption, John began channeling all he could of his void energy through a specific technique of one of the Great Tenno Schools. The energy seemed to gather around him within seconds before he raised slightly off the ground and unleashed a concentrated beam of void energy at Nightmare. The beam went through her and continued to do so as she began to slightly petrify before their eyes. When John stopped the release of energy he fell to his knees grasping the blade within him.

Finally the rest of the Mane Six arrived to stop in surprise at what was happening in the room. As they arrived Twilight turned to them as the elements shattered and a gem from each began to float around their respective bearers. "Quick! Before she breaks from the petrification!" The girls all looked at him with concern and worry as they saw the blade still through his stomach, his own blood starting to pool around him. Fluttershy began to rush towards him, but John quickly used void blast to push her back towards her friends. "Worry about me when there isn't a possessed alicorn twenty feet away!" With that last bit said the girls quickly gathered around Twilight as her own element appeared and they launched their rainbow beam at Nightmare Moon. When the elements were done cleansing the alicorn of Hunhow's corruption and influence only Luna remained in her weaker state. She laid there unpetrified and unconscious, as well as the element bearers.

As everypony around him began to come to, Celestia arrived via teleportation as the Sun began to rise once more. But before she could congratulate her faithful student and reunite with her long lost sister, she stopped dead before John with him kneeling in a pool of his own blood with War speared within him. She immediately rushed towards him as did the others as they came to, all of them attempting to help and save their new friend.

Hahahahahaaaahaaa... Everypony stopped as a dark chuckle echoed around them, the sword glowing as Hunhow enjoyed the despair they were feeling at losing their only chance at defeating him. It seems the Tenno has perished, how horrible. No matter, it only ensures my plans for yo- IMPOSSIBLE!!!

While everypony was stunned by the talking sword that was threatening them, they all gasped in both surprise and joy as John gripped the blade in him before pulling it out. "I'm not dead yet Hunhow, and until I am this world shall never be harmed by you like my own." Charging what little remained of his void energy into his hands, John incinerated War causing Hunhow to release a demonic cry of agony as the blade was connected to him. When the cry ceased. The ponies all removed their hands from their ears and focused their attention back on John. Excalibur was standing over him as he laid in his own blood, its hand held out as a green mist came from it. As the mist enveloped John his wound began to close before their eyes. Once the wound was fully closed, John tiredly looked towards the princesses. "I told you I'd help you free your sister..." And with that he closed his eyes as he fell unconscious, the last thing he saw being the ponies around him rushing towards him in fear and worry.

The moment John lost consciousness, his suit of armor he referred to as a warframe froze as if whatever will being exerted over it suddenly ceased. In fear of losing a new found friend that had not only entrusted her with much of his past, but also aided in the return of her dear sister, Celestia kneeled beside him. Using her extensive knowledge and experience with magic, she began to acquire scans of his injuries and stabilizing his condition. "I know there are many questions and things to be said but our dear friend here requires aid." Turning her attention back to her student and new found friends, Celestia gave them a warm and comforting smile as she hid her frantic and panicking mind from them. "I shall bring him back to Canterlot Castle along with my sister so that he may make a full recovery. Until then, enjoy your time with your new friends as I will contact you when he awakens."

And with a quick hug shared between student and teacher, Celestia gathered everypony and tenno before teleporting the mares to Ponyville while she brought John and Luna with her back to Canterlot. One thing was certain once John would return to the land of the conscious, he'd not know what he just got himself into...