-Chapter Ten-
A group of Iron Warriors, and one of the Minotaur Astartes, searched around the temple, shifting through the corpses of both their brothers and the Emperor's Children. "Found him!" One yelled, the others rushing over to discover the fallen Terminator, his armor covered in burns.
"Is the Warsmith…?" One asked, an apothecary scanning him.
"No. He is alive, barely." The Apothecary announced, looking at the fallen warsmith. "He'll have to be entombed."
"Good, we have questions for him." A Terminator, wearing crimson armor with a winged blood drop on his shoulder, said. Both he, and his four brother Terminators, looked around. "Where is the Traitor Captain?"
"There is no trace of him… Probably vaporized by the explosion." The Minotaur said, the Blood Angels nodding to him.
"Then let us leave. This world is now cursed." The group nodded, and left the temple.
-Aboard the Irongarde-
The Battle-Barge was severely damaged from its void battle, and was nearly destroyed… Had it not been for the seven Blood Angels Battle-Barges that entered the system, just as the Irongarde was on her last leg. Now, the ancient warship, being escorted by loyalist warships, is on her way to a repair station. Aboard the bridge, the acting commander is speaking with the Blood Angel's own commander.
"I must thank you again, Captain Marillius… Your timely arrival saved our forces." The Captain said, nodding to the screen.
"When we received your message, and your Warsmith's speech, I brought what relief forces I could, Captian Gallex." Captain Marillius said, returning the nod. "Have they woken him yet? I do have questions about the 'Emperor blessed girls' he spoke of."
"Unfortunately, Captain, he has not. The Techmarines can't seem to wake him from his slumber." Captain Gallex said, giving a light sigh. "Though, I can try to tell you what I am able to… I can also assure you that our Warsmith managed to get them to safety. Many were relieved he was able to do that, in those last few moments."
"That lightens much of the burden on my shoulders, Captain Gallex. Please, tell me about them." Captain Marillius asked.
"It will be my pleasure, to regale you about Princess Twilight Sparkle, who helped our Warsmith realize who he truly was."
-Within the Mechanicus Sanctorum-
Zarrix continued to slumber, despite the constant calls to wake. Why would he? His dreams were of Twilight Sparkle, of him actually seeing her and spending more time with the Princess. If he wished, the Warsmith would never wake… Until a voice called to him.
"Warsmith Zarrix… Why have you sided with the Imperium?" The voice asked, it was familiar to him… Zarrix knew this voice.
"M-My lord?" His mind asked, weakly. The warsmith was tired, his body weakened by the battle and entombment.
"Yes, Warsmith Zarrix, it is I. Now, answer my question." Perturabo replied.
"It was because of her, and her friends, I remained the Iron Warrior you wanted us to be… Also, because I became attached to her." Zarrix answered, pondering the actions he took. "I wanted to ensure her safety. If that meant turning to the Imperium, then so be it. I longed to be what we once were, before the Long War."
"So… Do you renounce me, then?" Perturabo asked.
"Never, my lord… No matter what, you will always be my Primarch." Zarrix answered.
"Then I will use another portion, of those souls, to send your new body to her world." Perturabo said, Zarrix's tomb glowing all of a sudden, Techmarines trying to figure out what was happening. "Narious will appear, on their world, in five years. He will wreak havoc; the likes their world cannot stop… You will sleep, for those five years, and wake when she calls. Then, you will bring my wrath upon the III Legion once more, and stop Narious before he can destroy their world."
"My lord? Why are you willing to do this?" Zarrix asked, earning a soft laugh from his lord.
"Because, a father should reward a worthy son. That, and this Princess Twilight Sparkle is rather special. My brother, Fulgrim, now wants her… I will deny him such a claim." With that, Zarrix disappeared from the Irongarde. His tomb reappearing within the Everfree Forest's edge, close to Ponyville but concealed enough to go unnoticed. "Now sleeeeep, my son. Wait for her call."
With that, Zarrix slipped into his slumber once more… Waiting.
-Equestria, a couple of weeks later-
Celestia had given the Iron Warriors, who arrived to their world, pony forms of their own. It physically drained her, but she was able to do it. Anlerion was now an upcoming unicorn doctor, in Canterlot. Sergeant Malk and Alor became Royal Pegasi Guards for Celestia, one of the fiercest tag teams she had. While Kalex became one of Twilight's unicorn guards, staying close to her and keeping his promise to Zarrix. They each had become renowned for their abnormal skills, and quick thinking… Twilight believed Zarrix would have been proud of the four.
Speaking of Twilight, she had felt absolutely horrible right now. She has been for the past couple of weeks, and was at her follow up appointment with the doctor. When the doctor walked in, the medical mare sat down in front of her. "Alright, Princess Sparkle… Shall we go over your symptoms again?" She asked.
"Yes, ma'am… I've had soreness, nausea, heart problems, headaches, indigestion, along with congestion…" Twilight listed, the doctor checking a few things off on her clipboard. "I've felt horrible, but I know I'm not dying or anything… Dr. Bone Saw practically had to force me to come see you."
"I still can't believe you know him, he's a genius in the medical field." The doctor said, Twilight smiling.
"Family friend, he's also single… Want me to set up a date for the two of you?" Twilight suggested, the two mares sharing a giggle.
"Jokes aside, thank you by the way, I have your test results from your last appointment. This visit confirms them." The doctor said, setting her clipboard to the side, giving Twilight the biggest smile. "Congratulations, Princess! You're going to be a mother!"
Twilight's pupils shrunk to the size of pen pricks, her eyes wide as dinner plates. "I-I'm w-what?" She asked, hoping to Celestia she heard wrong.
"I said you're pregnant, Princess…" The doctor looking at her strangely. "Um, Princess, are you alright? You look pale?"
"I-I think… I'm going to be sick." She blurted out, starting to hyperventilate. The doctor quickly levitated a trash can over to the young alicorn mare… Right before she threw up into it.
"What is it, Princess? Nervous to tell the father? If so, that is perfectly fine, all new mothers have the same reaction." The doctor tried to comfort her, smiling while rubbing her back.
"T-That's the thing… I knew of one per-… Pony it could be… Which couldn't be him, because we didn't do anything." Twilight suddenly blushed, a memory resurfacing. "Well… He and I did sleep together, but I know nothing happened!" Granted, she remembered the bliss of the moment, though she was sure nothing happened.
"Then why not talk to him? Granted, around these times, a mare's memory may sometimes get fuzzy. I'm sure he'll rem-…" The doctor suddenly noticed Twilight had gone silent, a single tear falling down her muzzle. "O-Oh, dear… I'm sorry!" The doctor levitated a tissue to her. "Would you like to talk about it? It usually helps."
"He told me that once…" Twilight whispered, hesitating for a moment, then nodded. "He died, protecting me, and my friends, from a monster… Taking it down with him." She explained, remembering how heroic Zarrix was. "I have his old helmet back home."
"Seems like the foal will have somepony to look up to… Along with a famous mother." The doctor said, smiling at Twilight. "May I make a suggestion?" Twilight nodded. "When you get a crib, and a room for the foal… How about placing his helmet in it, on the wall? Let them think daddy is watching over them… Like the hero he was?"
Twilight nodded, smiling at the thought. "Yeah… Though, I better let his brothers know." She got up, and walked towards the door, suddenly stopping and looking back at the doctor, a grin on her face. "Looks like Dr. Bone Saw will be in town." The doctor blushed.
-Three Days Later-
A trio of stallions walked out on to the Ponyville Train Station. One was a tan unicorn with brown hair, his cutie mark being a sword with a red cross in front of it. He was standing between two rather well built pegasi. One was dark brown, with a gray mane, his cutie mark being a shield with a sword behind it. The other being his opposite, cutie mark included. All three of them had a strange gray crystal around their necks, attached to some metal chain. They were a strange group, two out of the three were smiling about something.
"Ponyville… This rustic village would be quite the place to move to." The unicorn said, the three heading towards the small town.
The gray pegasus gave a sigh. "Anlerion, please, Princess Sparkle summoned us for an emergency, from what I could tell."
"Sergeant Alor… Enjoy yourself for once, we are on leave at the moment." The unicorn laughed a bit. "Something I could get used to."
"Anlerion has a point, Alor… We have earned a bit of rest." The dark brown pegasus agreed. "I could also get used to these leave days, not having to constantly worry about the next battle."
Before either of them could say another word, a squeal was heard. The three turned to see a group of mares staring, right at them. "I-I-It's three of the Iron Brothers! Bone Saw, Storm Shield, and Sky Sword! H-Here… In Ponyville!"
"This will be an interesting walk…" Storm Shield said, the three heading to Twilight's castle, while trying to traverse through a crowd of mares.
-Friendship Castle-
"Sorry, ladies… But we have urgent business with the Princess!" Dr. Bone Saw said, apologetically, while waving a hoof. Within seconds, he quickly shot the doors, and gave a deadpanned look. "This is getting old…"
"And here I thought you were loving the attention, Anlerion." A golden unicorn, with a fiery orange mane, a sword being displayed with a blazing star as his cutie mark; said, smiling at the three. Like the others, he had a gray crystal around his neck. Star Saber.
"Kalex!" The trio yelled, walking up to their forth brother. "How is life treating you, Champion? Any idea why we've been summoned?" Alor asked the younger stallion, laughing a bit.
"Good, as a peaceful town will get me, brother." His smile turned into a frown. "To be honest, I don't have the faintest idea… Princess Twilight has been avoiding the question until you've all arrived." He looked between the three, and nodded. "She is waiting for us in the map room, best we not keep her waiting." They nodded, and followed the stallion to the map room.
When they arrived, Twilight was sitting in her chair, a look of distress written across her face. "Lady Sparkle." The four said, bowing their heads to her.
She turned towards the four, and gave a weak smile. "Guys, you can just call me Twilight…. No need to be formal, for you." The mare said, not budging from her chair.
"We do it out of respect, to our Warsmith, Lady Sparkle… Please, bear with us." Malk said, smiling at her. "What did you need to see all four of us about? Has something happened, in which you require us to deal with?"
"Well… No. But this will give you even more reason not to call me Lady Sparkle or Princess either…" Twilight said, placing a hoof over her stomach. "I-I am pregnant… The time line matching to my stay aboard the Irongarde… With Zarrix."
At that moment, all four sets of eyes went wide, as dinner plates! The three looking straight at Anlerion. "How could that even be possible!?" They asked, at the exact same time.
"I-I-I don't now!" The former apothecary said, looking at his brothers. "I have never heard of this happening!" Twilight instantly regretted mentioning this, though… She couldn't help but touch the necklace that Zarrix gave her, smiling. At the moment, she was trying to ignore the arguments about who will have the honor of watching her. "Hey, I'm an apothecary not a doc-… Wait… Never mind." The whole began to laugh at Anlerion's forgetfulness, due to the shock.
As time went on, the three guard ponies kept watch on Twilight, rotating shifts weekly. Anlerion, on the other hand, made sure she had an appointment with him every two. At this point, it all annoyed the alicorn mare, constantly having someone watching her. Though, her friends found it admirable that the father's brothers are protecting her, and the foal, in his place.
When several months passed, along with strange food cravings and mood swings, Twilight had bloated like a blimp. Anlerion gave her an ultrasound, revealing the healthy alicorn foal… The alicorn filly. Twilight couldn't believe it. Her eyes teared up, wishing Zarrix was there at the time, to see something rather rare… She had only heard of Princess Celestia and Luna being born, as alicorns. Yet, here she is, staring at her daughter who was one.
Another month passed, Twilight getting close to giving birth, the four brothers took her to parenting classes. Many found it strange, as well exciting to see, her with the four Iron Brothers. She explained to them that they were doing it for the fifth, older, brother who wasn't there. It was all worth it, to watch the four struggle with foalcare, none having any experience in the field…
On the last month, Anlerion arranged for Twilight to stay with him, in Canterlot. The other three agreed, making sure they were on guard at the Canterlot Castle. None of them were going to risk her going into labor, without one of the four nearby. Anlerion actually having his appointments shifted to another doctor, claiming family matters. Once again, Twilight was on constant watch.
The moment her water broke, Twilight was embarrassed. She was on a walk with Malk and Anlerion, down a busy Canterlot street… Though, it was great to find out how fast Malk could fly, and how much Anlerion could teleport. Twilight spent hours in the delivery room, with Anlerion and a few nurses. Kalex doing what he can. Her family, friends, and the other two brothers; waited for permission to visit… Her screams of bloody murder being signs she was still delivering. Both Malk and Alor happy they weren't there, praying for their younger brother, while the Elements of Harmony were talking about what the filly would look like.
Twilight let out a final scream, and push, the sounds of a foal crying filled her ears. Anlerion wrapped the newborn in a pink blanket, smiling, before levitated her over to Twilight's waiting hooves. The alicorn mare couldn't believe her eyes… Right there, laying in her hooves, was her newborn daughter.
The foal had a silver coat, her mane and tail matching her mother's but was gold with a white highlight. When she opened her eyes, Twilight saw Zarrix's green eyes, shining like a deep emerald in the light. Her daughter, Twilight had to admit, was the most beautiful filly. When the filly yawned, the room let out a burst of 'awwwh'. As Twilight's friends and family entered, they rushed over to see the foal. Malk and Alor walking in after.
"Princess Sparkle?" A nurse called out, gaining the mare's attention. "What will her name be? We need to write it down on the birth certificate, along with add it to the royal records."
Twilight thought about it… She wanted to give her something both she and Zarrix would be proud of. Smart, like her, but strong, like Zarrix. Then, the name suddenly came to her. "Silver Star." She said, nuzzling her daughter happily.