Chapter Eleven
"Mummy! I'm going out to play!" The sweet voice of a filly called out.
Twilight smiled, giggling a bit. "Alright, Silver! Just don't be out too late, or go near the Everfree Forest!" She replied, the filly flying out of their house. The mare moving to the open door and watched the filly fly away, smiling. She was happy that the Castle suited her adventurous daughter, but knew her curiosity will make her want to explore more… Twilight just hopes that the filly hadn't inherited her over the top, and considered dangerous, inquisitive mind.
Unfortunately, the alicorn filly had indeed so. Silver Star flew through the Everfree Forest, carefully moving past trees, and examining anything that seemed interesting to her. Giggling, the young Silver Star was having quite the learning experience, pushing her glasses up every now and then. "I don't see why mummy is so worried." She said, looking at a bushel of flowers, examining them for a few seconds before moving on. "This is my third trip here, and I have yet to run into anything-!"
WHAM!
Silver Star ran face first into a, drooling, Timberwolf. The wooden beast growling at her. "Oh… Uh…" She smiled at it, gently petting its muzzle. "THAT'S WHY!" She screamed, trying to escape the Timberwolf. Before she knew it, two more had joined in the chase.
To say Silver Star had a lot of her mother in her, was an understatement. When frantic, the filly barely dodged any of the low hanging branch, those falling off luckily hitting the Timberwolves and slowing them down some to shake off the daze. Though, Silver Star was still just a filly, and nowhere near a full grown mare's speed.
"Do these things ever give up!?" She asked herself, narrowly escaping a snapping jaw. "I need to-!" Once again, not paying attention, Silver Star slammed right into something, hard. She pulled her face from it, and tapped the surface of what she ran into. It was some sort of metal, she could tell by the feel of it, the color was dark gray. When she scanned it, the object was wider than a column back in her mother's castle. Then, something came across her mind. "Why haven't the Timberwolves attacked?" She asked herself.
The filly turned around, and saw all three Timberwolves. They were looking up, terrified and their tails between their legs. Silver Star followed what the wooden beasts were looking at, and had a miniature shock of her own… The object was just the foot of a fifteen foot bipedal, metal, creature! The left arm was a four pronged claw. Its right arm stood straight out, like two long barreled tubes and had a blade at the very end. The chest was a large body, a strange helmet at the top. Though, at the center of the being's chest, was a silver skull… For some reason, it looked familiar to the filly.
It didn't move, until Silver Star tapped the left arm, and caused the claw to move a little. The Timberwolves all yelped, and bolted, running away from the slumbering giant. The filly ignored their terror and flew up to the helmet, its garget reminding her of a train's front. She tapped on the red visor. "H-Hello?" She said, barely making out the silhouette of something inside. "Um… Thank you for the… Help?"
"Silver!" She heard her mother call, making the filly jump.
"Sorry! I have to go!" Silver Star said, flying off, thinking of a way to make her mother think she wasn't playing in the Everfree Forest.
-That Night, in the Friendship Castle-
The two sat at the table, enjoying food that Spike had prepared for them and Kalex ensured was alright for the two to eat. Silver Star ate her food, her mind still on the thing she found in the forest. Not to mention that skull thing on its chest… Silver Star knew she saw it before. "Is something wrong, silly filly?" Twilight asked, smiling at the rather concentration filled look on the filly's face.
"Just thinking…" She said, looking up and noticed that her mother's necklace had the same skull, as the giant metal thing. "Mummy?"
"Yes?" She said, taking a bit of her food.
"Where did you get that necklace?" Silver Star asked, tilting her head.
Twilight stopped, about to take another bite, her eyes wide. "You mean this?" She asked, placing a hoof on the Iron Warrior insignia, Silver Star nodding. "It was a gift, from your father, before he died. A way for him to always be there when I need him." She explained.
"What was daddy like, Mummy?" Silver Star asked, smiling. She always liked hearing about her father and didn't know that he gave her mother the necklace.
"He was the strongest pony I ever knew, not even your uncle Macintosh could match him." Twilight explained, being somewhat truthful. "He was brave, commanding, loved, and the most skilled in his unit. During the time we knew each other, I always felt safe around him."
"What was daddy's name?" The filly asked.
Twilight smiled, she needed to put a name on Silver Star's birth certificate, and Anlerion gave her permission to use it. "His name was Iron Warrior… The helmet, in your room, belonged to him." Celestia used her magic to turn Zarrix's helmet into a more pony-like one, so no pony would ask any questions about it.
Silver Star smiled, the filly always put the helmet on, despite it being so big compared to her. "Thank you, mummy." She said, Twilight nodding, before the filly started to finish her food. Tomorrow, she plans to somehow wake that giant up. It shares the same symbol, as her father… It must know more about him. She could tell there was something her mother wasn't saying.
"By the way, your father's brothers will be here, from Canterlot. They got time off." Twilight added, making the filly fly up in excitement.
"Uncle Bone Saw, Storm Shield, and Sky Sword; are coming to Ponyville!?" Silver Star squealed.
Twilight giggled at her daughter's excitement. "They will be here, sometime in the next few weeks." She confirmed, nodding a few times. "They wanted to visit their favorite niece."
"But I'm their only niece." Silver Star noted, tilting her head.
"Truuuue… But that doesn't mean you can't be their favorite niece." Twilight pointed out, Silver Star sitting back in her chair. "Now, finish eating and then go finish your homework. Tomorrow may not be a school day, but it is better than waiting until the last minute… Your uncle Bone Saw agrees with me that one must always finish their work before having fun."
Silver Star nodded, and started to eat her food, quickly. She didn't have much homework, which meant that the filly could play a few games with her mother, before bed. Though, she couldn't get strange creature out of her mind, or why her mother's necklace had the same symbol.
-Next Day-
It was late in the morning, and Silver Star had finished her chores for the day. After packing her saddle bags, the filly flew up to the door. "Ok, mummy! I'm going out to play!" She announced.
"Alright! Becareful!" Twilight called back.
The filly nodded, and flew out the door. Silver Star flew straight into the Everfree Forest, remembering exactly where she saw the metal creature. After she rounded a pair of large trees, the creature came into view, and hadn't moved an inch. "Right where I left you." She muttered, flying over to its feet and put her saddle bags down. She flew up to the symbol, and eyed it carefully. "What do you know…?"
Silver Star, carefully, placed her right front hoof on to the symbol. The moment she did, her entire body locked up, eyes going bright, and some strange language rushed through her mind. The filly had no idea what the language was, none of her mother's books had it, but she could understand every word. The strangest thing, were the images she was seeing!
They were of great battles, against strange, bipedal creatures. Explosions, cracking sounds, and screams of pain; echoed within her ears… Until a sweet voice said 'I love you' and the images changed. Silver Star started to see a woman, who looked almost like her mother! Only difference being that this woman was one of the bipedal creatures. The filly could feel the love within what she saw, causing her to smile at that warm feeling within her chest… Then, a male's voice, rough but gentle, echoed a prayer into her mind.
"Iron Within, Iron Without.
From Iron, cometh Strength.
From Strength, cometh Will.
From Will, cometh Faith.
From Faith, cometh Honor.
From Honor, cometh Iron.
This is the Unbreakable Litany, may it forever be so."
The images suddenly stopped, the filly flew back and shook her head, trying to shake off the effect it caused. "Whoa… What was that-!" Silver Star stopped herself, mid-sentence, when the creature started to buzz, hum, and click; in front of her.
The visor flashed red, for a mere second, before a groan roared from the helmet. "Where… Am I?" A thunderous, monotone, voice boomed. "And why can I not move?"
Silver Star 'eeped' and flew behind the tree, surprised at what happened. "Oh no, oh no, oh no… I woke it up!" She muttered, shaking like a leaf. "I actually woke it up, and it's going to kill me… It's going to kill me!"
"Whoever you are, come out… I will not hurt you." The voice boomed, making Silver Star lock up. "Besides, I couldn't even if I wanted to. I can't seem to move my body."
Silver Star slowly poked her head out. "P-Promise?" She asked, like it was going to help her.
"I promise, now come out." The creature said, as Silver Star flew out and up to his helmet. "An alicorn filly? Strange… Mind telling me where I am? It is obvious I am entombed, but not on board my ship… Within the Mechanicus Sanctorum."
"You're… You're in Equestria, E-Everfree Forest, to be exact." Silver Star said, nervous about talking to it.
"Equestria? So, I really am here…" It said, taking a moment before continuing. "And if this is the Everfree Forest, what are you doing here? It is far too dangerous for a filly."
"That is what my mother says… I didn't believe her, until I was chased by some Timberwolves yesterday." Silver Star admitted, suddenly smiling at the creature. "Then I ran into you, and your mere presence scared them off!"
"I see… What is your name, and what brought you back here?" It asked.
"I'm Silver Star… And I was curious about you, because of the symbol on your chest, my mom has the same one on her necklace." Silver Star answered, flying closer to the helmet. "What is your name?"
The comment about her mother having the same symbol confused him for a moment. Deciding that using his real name isn't the wisest choice, at the moment, he mentally nodded. "It is good to meet you, Silver Star. I am Warsmith, Dreadnought of the IV Imperial Astartes Legion." He answered, making the filly smile even wider. "Who is your mother?"
"Princess Twilight Sparkle! The Princess of Friendship and Element of Magic!" Silver Star exclaimed, flying up then back down…. Warsmith not believing what he just heard. "But, you can also call me Silver, everyone does."
"So, she now has a beautiful filly… I am happy for her." He thought, smiling behind the helmet. "And your father? I bet he must be just as great." Warsmith asked, suddenly seeing the filly frown.
"I didn't know him, mummy said he died before I was born…. Protecting her from a monster." Silver Star said, still frowning.
"What was his name?" Warsmith asked, curious who saved his Twilight.
"She told me his name was 'Iron Warrior'. The bravest, and strongest, pony she knew. The helmet in my room belonged to him!" She answered, smiling again. The filly loved hearing and talking about her father.
Warsmith mentally froze at that name. The name, and mentioning of a helmet, made him think of one solution. "H-How?" He mentally asked, before shaking his head. "Sounds like you are the offspring of two great ponies… You must be proud."
"I am! Which is why I am trying my hardest in school! I'm good at math, everyone asks me to help, and I'm really good at problem solving along with building things… Mummy said I got that from daddy." Silver Star said, Warsmith smiling. "Everyone says I will make a great Princess, like mummy… But I am also thinking about maybe being part of the Royal Guard, and try to be like my dad."
Warsmith could not help but smile at the filly's thoughts. "Push yourself hard enough, in everything you do… Then anything becomes possible." He said, the filly nodding.
"My uncle Storm Shield tells me that too. While uncle Sky Sword teaches me how to fight with my wings, and uncle Star Saber shows me combat spells. Even uncle Bone Saw teaches me medical spells, for just in case situations!" Silver Star noted, Warsmith connecting the dots at who those two could be. When the boom of thunder echoed overhead, the filly flew into the Dreadnought's helmet cover to hide. "A-A storm? But the weather team said it'll be a clear day…"
Warsmith couldn't look up, but he was able to see some of the sky. "This is not a normal storm… Best stay here, with me, until it is over. You will be safe."
"O-Okay." The filly agreed, flying down to grab her saddle bags. Once they were on her back, she quickly returned to her safe haven, which was the Dreadnought's helmet cover. "T-Thank you." For some reason, Silver Star felt safe around Warsmith, like she could trust him.
"I will return to my slumber. When the storm passes, best go home." Warsmith told her, the filly nodded. "If she truly is my daughter… I must do what I can for her." He thought, slowly returning to his sleep.
-Not far off from Ponyville-
A flash of chaotic light appeared on top of a hill, revealing four III Legion Astartes. "Where are we? How did we get here!?" Narious demanded, looking around before he eyed his brothers.
"We do not know, Captain…" The Havoc said, checking his heavy bolter.
"Last I remember, that Warsmith destroyed the portal and I was blinded… Then, here we are." The Noise Marine said, rubbing his head.
"Same here… Something tells me, we suffered a black lash from its destruction." Narious agreed.
"Captain! Over here!" The tactical marine motioned for the group, the others three joining him quickly. "There is a village, filled with equine-like xenos up ahead… Should we attack them, in Slaanesh's name?" He asked.
"No, brother… We are in unknown territory here. Right now, it would be best to observe and stay hidden." Narious said, suddenly grinning. "We will strike, when the time comes." The other three Astartes began to laugh, in a twisted manner, before Narious joined in.