Chapter 5: Finding the Fortress of Doom and Returning Allies [Co-written by: Tempest_Flare]

Doom Slayer Reborn: Fall of Equestria

Chapter 5: Finding the Fortress of Doom and Returning Allies.

Aaron looked around the large battleground that the Town square had become, luckily the final attack had been directed in the path of the main road so no buildings had been destroyed, other than that most of the bodies still on the ground quickly began to dissolve into hellish embers.

"We were really really lucky that the Cyberdemon decided to open his portal on the main Street. Our final attack that nearly vaporized him only carved out a path on that street." He commented. "While the bodies dissipate we should check the rest of Ponyville and you all should explain how the hell you got here!" He demanded of the humane 8. "Especially you Rarity Belle you have an argent weapon, something that shouldn't be possible on our side."

"That would be because of our benefactor darling." Rarity said, spinning the weapon rapidly, showing just how skilled she had become in using the spear in its staff and bladed form. "They contacted us after detecting the first signs of demonic corruption in this world. They brought us into their ship and used their dimensional drives to bring us to this world without the need of the mirror. Although it could not prevent our transformation into our pony forms. In truth it has become beneficial to learn how to use all of our powers as ponies instead of just the ones bestowed upon us by our geodes. I also love how luxurious my coat is, and the tail! Don't get me started on my tail!"

"Believe me darling I understand just how beautiful we can be in our base form, but ever since realizing just how strong I became with the power nightmare left within me, I myself have come to appreciate the looks she also bestowed upon me during her brief inhabitance in my body." Nightmarity said revealing to the unaware that it was her using the power of nightmare that gave her this somewhat familiar form. "Becoming an Alicorn was just a bonus, one that I am glad for with all of my heart."

"After meeting you in that other world I tried to aim my leap this time." Ayumi said as she looked over each of the fighters. "Don't ask about it, time works weird between worlds. I met you when this group was trained and wearing armor."

"Well then I guess I won't ask." Aaron said recognizing the idea of temporal distortion through the multiverse. "Besides I think we have so much more to talk about just concerning the two of us."

"White fire healing!" Ayumi shouted as a white burning aura engulfed her and everyone else, even Aaron. He felt the imperceptible ache within him lessened as those flames burned through him. "That should help, my white fire burns through corruption, whether that be physical ailments or any other kind of corruption. My black flame is not purely destruction based but its most useful trait is the fact that it burns through anything and burns forever as a literal godfire."

That did help something in my own body, it probably removed stress aches built up over the millenia. Maybe I should, if we can find Aloe and Lotus in sound enough mind, see if they and both can help with what is probably hundreds of thousands of knotted muscles if not my whole body knotted to the point it's near about to tear itself apart if not for my regeneration and immortality. Aaron thought as the fire dissipated

"Ayumi…" Aaron said, said dimensional Alicorn turning to him. "When you said you met me in the other world, it didn't happen to be Artie, did it?"

"Two words: Harmonic Elysium." Ayumi said in confirmation. "Don't think too hard about the multiverse mechanics like I said earlier. It's pretty much trying to make sense of Pinkie Sense, seriously bad for your health and can kill you if you're not careful."

"Heh, yeah, while I was training with my former life, William, we both stopped training when you unleashed that attack. Felt it all the way to Taras Nabad, the Night Sentinel homeworld." Aaron said, chuckling. "Even though he was a ghost who could interact with me physically for training, even Will shivered as did I when we felt that all the way over there."

"Whoa." the young Rainbow Dash and Scootaloo said inadvertently quoting a certain digital hacker and Chosen One.

This caused Ayumi to burst out laughing. "T-that was perfect!" She said in between outbursts. "You two don't even know what you just did but trust me it was perfect!" After regaining control of her breathing Ayumi continued and explained, "That wasn't even my strongest variation of that attack, you probably saw my pure energy form. I can perform that attack in that form as well in viewing it with multiversal levels of power to the point where I could destroy an entire galaxy as easily as breathing and a whole universe with barely a modicum of effort. I call that my Godly Ascended Harmonic Elysium. Never had to use that power though I'm glad because fighting on that scale can cause me to forget about the little guy. That's why I rarely ever use my pure energy form to its fullest."

"Yeesh, that's beyond OP!" Aaron said, chuckling. "Though I'm one to talk. I bet Artemis told you the attack I taught him when you unleashed that attack on Unicron, didn't he?"

"Heh, I can perform that attack as well." Ayumi said, chuckling again. "Before you ask no I can't use that kind of power willy-nilly for one I don't like basically hijacking another's story for two you've seen what collateral damage me and Aaron can cause with just one shared attack now imagine that attack but with the whole power of the planet behind it there would be no planet left even my basic punches can do that thanks to learning the fighting style of a certain 'abominable fist that turned against God'." She did heavy air quotes to emphasize that she was making a direct quote. "I hate my power because outside my universe or a ONE based crossover universe I can solo it for the most part."

"Damn. That's… okay I got nothing." Aaron said, shrugging his shoulders and weakly chuckling. All of a sudden, Aaron's pony ears perked up as he heard crying from nearby. He slammed his helmet back on and looked at his mini-map. Two life signatures were in the Town Hall, with a third fading fast. He kicked off the ground and flew as fast as he could toward Town Hall. After he busted through the doors, his eyes widened in shock.

Aloe and Lotus were crying next to a body that was lying in a pool of blood, like the mare was stabbed. Aaron was shocked as he recognized the third mare as Vera, Aloe and Lotus's identical sister.

"AYUMI, WE HAVE WOUNDED! GET OVER HERE NOW!" Aaron screamed in the Royal Canterlot Voice.

"TRUE FLAME REJUVENATION!!" Was her response startling him that it came from his shadow. A near imperceptible flame surrounded Vera quickly and rapidly healing her, literally making it look like time was reversing as all the blood flowed back into her as her wounds stitched themselves together.

"Don't forget I can see a lot through shadow and become unnoticeable when still I literally held on to you allowing the conditions to be met while still moving. Your own nightmarish abilities also have connected with the shadows just to let you know." She mentioned through his shadow and from his back at the same time.

"Next time, warn me before you do that." Aaron said before he turned towards the triplets. "Are you two okay?"

"That bastard got away when he saw the big demon get defeated by you and your friend." Aloe said in a distinct Prench accent.

"He was about to have his way with Vera until you showed up and took down the… Cyberdemon, was it?" Lotus said, finishing her sister's comment.

"Who?" Aaron asked as his eyes narrowed dangerously, having a huge gut feeling as to who they were referring to. He was going to rip the traitorous prick's junk off and shove it down his throat for his next meal if it was who he thought it was.

"Prince Blueblood." Came Vera's weak response, cementing Aaron's gut feeling.

The group was rushing to the Town Hall when they felt more than heard the BOOM from Ayumi's rage-filled roar.

"BLUEBALLS!!!!!!!!!" Was heard before a sonic blast wave knocked the group on their ass.

"Oh-" Tempest started.

After which Twilight finished, "Crapbaskets."

Uh mom, Mary signed to Twily smiling. I heard that! I actually heard that!

"Ah don't think the wounded are with us anymore. That shout had to have destroyed the town hall, if not the people inside it." AJ said sadly right before the group of four including Aaron appeared next to Mary and Twily perfectly fine thanks to that same near imperceptible fire covering all of them in a protective sphere which disappeared with a "POP!".

"You were saying, AJ?" Aaron said with a smile as he held Vera in his arms. She passed out from the blood loss after Ayumi healed her. "AJ, is your farmhouse still intact? If so, we need somewhere where Vera here can recuperate. Can you manage that?"

"Mah farmhouse is still there." AJ said, nodding her head. "Ah'll take you there. Follow me."

"Twilight, Tempest, oversee the search for survivors." Aaron said, looking at Tempest especially. "I want updates every hour on the hour. Understood?"

"Of course, Aaron." Twilight said, walking up to Aaron and kissing him on the cheek and hugging him around his neck. "Be careful." Twilight whispered in his ear before she let go of the hug and turned to walk with the others.

"I won't let you down, boss." Tempest said with a salute.

"I know you won't, you're my apprentice after all. Dismissed, soldier." Aaron said after returning the salute and turning to follow AJ to her farmhouse with Vera in his arms, Aloe and Lotus right behind him.

Aaron laid Vera in the bed of the guestroom of AJ's house, covering her up to her neck with the blanket. His ears twitched as he heard Aloe and Lotus crying. He smiled gently as he hugged them both in a friendly manner.

"She'll be okay." Aaron told them. "She just needs to rest."

"Thank you." Aloe said between sobs.

"Ouí, mercí beaucoup." Lotus responded in Prench.

"Hey, it's what I do." Aaron said, chuckling. "Go get some rest. I'll stay with her until she wakes up. I'll let you know when she is awake. I give you my word."

Aloe and Lotus nodded as AJ led the two of them to a couple of more guest rooms where they could sleep. Aaron closed the door, pulled up a chair, and sat down next to Vera's bed to keep vigil over her as she recovered.

Ayumi hovered in the sky raging at the audacity of Blueblood. But instead of flying off to track down the bastard immediately she remembered that he was almost definitely affected by the Crystal Cock and its twisted magics. Meaning that no matter how bad he was normally he was made far worse after the Caribou took over. Until she learned enough about this version of Blueblood she wouldn't pursue him for what he did in Ponyville. At least not in anger, not unless she learned that he was this bad normally and the magics only made it easier for him to act. That way she would track him down after being calm and knock him out, possibly feminize him to reduce the effects of the cock and also remove the traumatic association Vera surely had with the male image of Blueblood. Even though she healed the physical ailments, her magic, even the true flame can't truly wipe the trauma away.

"Damn she roared so loud that Mary was able to actually hear it?!" Aaron said in surprise to Twily. She, Mary, Sunset, and Sci had decided to keep Aaron company while they waited for Vera to wake up. Aaron turned to Mary with a smile and said, "I hope my fortress is still around. Maybe we can make some actual cybernetic hearing implants for you Mary. Considering we now know that you have at least some function of hearing we can maybe make it sensitive to normal sounds again."

"Wait your fortress?!" Sci and Sunset said at the same time.

"Your the Unchained Predator?! The one who walks the dimensions?! The Hell's Bane, that's you?!" Sci said excitedly. Aaron nodded in response. "Vega told us you would find us!" Aaron was suddenly hugged by a mare with similar proportions to Twily considering she was just a slightly younger alternate version of said princess, except she wore glasses and her hair was done up in a bun. "Thank you!"

"So Vega is your benefactor?" Aaron asked, earning a nod from SciTwi. "Why doesn't that surprise me? I knew he was somewhere. But when I arrived, all I had was a dumb AI in my Praetor Suit."

There was a crackle as Aaron's exterior speakers went active. "That is because I am no longer merely an AI nor am I just an observer, a role you relegated me to though I do agree with what you did back then. I have returned to my old position as an overlooker of every world and regained some agency by building a body similar to the way Hayden did. We will meet soon but like Hayden my body is bigger than normal meaning I cannot visit you directly as I currently am."

"If it's what I think it is based on by what you say about its size, I think I can take a wild guess on what kind of body you have now, Vega." Aaron said with a sly smile. "Transform and roll out much, Vega?"

"I have no idea what that means." Vega said in a deadpan.

"It was an expression from an old cartoon of my youth, Vega." Aaron said, laughing. "The leader of the Autobots would say 'Transform and roll out' when he and the other Autobots went out on missions against the Decepticons."

"We have no time to reminisce about either of your childhood memories. Demonic corruption is still growing. It is far slower than it was on Earth thanks to there not being any hell priests to anchor the spread but something is still causing the portals to open. I can open a portal to the fortress but be prepared. I did move some of your stuff to make room for the girls when I transported them to this world and to manufacture the few argent weapons I've been able to produce without all the files in your Praetor Suit."

"We'll see about that after Vera is fully recovered, Vega." Aaron said, looking down at Vera with his helmet on. "Can you track her vitals for me through my helmet?"

"I can." Came the reply. "I'm surprised you are taking time to help civilians. Typically you just march forward, no word said, destroying all the demons in your path, civilians never really being of concern to you." Vega paused before continuing with audible sorrow in his voice. "For the longest time I thought that you were heartless. Not caring for anything except for the destruction of your enemies. That was until you installed me in the fortress of Doom and I saw your heart for lack of a better term and saw what drove you to those depths of inhuman rage."

"Losing the last of your family does that to a person. That and it was for my only friend in ARC who wasn't afraid of me as I went against Davoth." Aaron commented, smiling at the memory of the ARC intern who was in control of the slipstream portal on the ARC ship. "It was never just about my rabbit. But just like a certain puppy avenger, it was about the last shred of my innocence left, now I have a new family. New people to protect and I swear on my pride as a warrior, on my reputation as a Blazkowicz, on my role as the destroyer of hell that they will not be lost as my old family was this time. I won't just train myself to fight as my forefathers did, no, everyone here will be just as strong as the Night Sentinels in fact they will be the Neo Night Sentinels as stated by the once and forever King of the Night Sentinels, ME! May Novak rest in peace, we shall carry on the legacy of the Night Sentinel race and bring them to Glory once more!"

With those words spoken something changed. Those that were sensitive to it could feel it, a new law of reality being written, a new fundamental truth being formed as Aaron unknowingly used the power of the creator to cement this into the very fabric of the universe, making it so immutable as to be a pillar of creation itself. Celestia, Luna, Cadence and even the bastard King of the Caribou Danin all felt this change. The mares became slightly more clear of mind with this declaration and Danin knew for certain that a great power had emerged… someone to challenge him.

The change even resonated into the dreamscape where a single person was continuing to fight against the demons on their own, somehow their power being increased by this as a familiar set of armor transformed into something far more intimidating. Covering them completely instead of only being partially decorative. "Interesting. Whoever has emerged on the other side of the realm of dreams has given all of us new hope and new strength. This armor I'm now wearing, it feels safe, as if someone I love is constantly holding me and protecting me no matter what. I hope to meet this mysterious newcomer once they finally rest." The individual said as they drew their blade once more it was now glowing a hellish blue, having transformed from a pure metal blade into a familiar shape of argent plasma. "Have at thee! You will never harm my ponies no matter if they hate me or not. I will protect them because the dream realm is MINE!!" The individual shouted as they jumped into the fray once more.

Aaron's words were felt elsewhere, in a dimension similar to where he was born before he trained as the Doom Slayer Reborn. This individual was watching as someone was projecting the event in real-time and showed it to the individual, who was wearing Ancient Egyptian-like clothing unlike the usual clothing he was best known for.

"It seems you were right to help that world out by infusing his old keepsake replicas of the Earth Dragon Balls with a portion of Shenron's power, my lord."

"I owed it to him, Whis." The one called Whis's Master said with a carefree smile. "He looked up to me for all those years, and yet I was oblivious. So when I felt the plight of those ponies and the other inhabitants of that world asking for help in their prayers, I knew who would be up for the job. He always wanted to redeem himself for his past mistakes, I just gave him the opportunity." Whis's master looked up to the sky, saying, "Let's see how this plays out. Just because this is his fight now doesn't mean I will not help him. He will have a difficult battle ahead, and I know some old friends who would be more than willing to help him when the time comes, even though they are long gone now. King Yemma still owes me a couple of favors for saving Universe 7 from Cell and Kid Buu. When the time comes to help Aaron out, I plan to collect on those favors."

Ayumi felt reality shift as she flew on following the trail of Blueblood. "So he used his power. Good." She thought as she continued onward. "Sorry that I can't help during this time but there are a few things that I need to make sure of before I return. And no one wants to see me when I'm this mad, even calmed down, my anger is on a simmer." She said the evidence of this in her fiery aura which still covered her making her look like a burning black meteorite in the sky.

"Take your time, Ayumi." Aaron said, chuckling. "If what I'm feeling is correct from this gut feeling, he did it of his own volition in exchange for power. So definitely take him out… for Vera. And remember, Rip…" Aaron trailed off, hoping Ayumi would get where he was going with that.

"That's what I'm hoping to find out about." Ayumi said before roaring out. "AND TEAR!"