Chapter Fourteen

"Take him down, now!" Narious yelled, panicked as Warsmith started to charge.

"Yes, Captain!" The Havoc replied, stepping in the Dreadnought's path. Despite firing so many rounds at him, the juggernaut just kept charging. "I will return you to death's embrace!" Those were the Havoc's last words, before Warsmith stomped down on top of him! Blood splattered all over the ground, the metal of his armor crunching.

"Then, there was one." Warsmith said, in his monotone voice, walking straight for the III Legion Captain. In a panic, the Captain rushed towards the two ponies.

The moment he raised his sword, to strike one of them, Narious was suddenly caught by a four pronged power claw, and pulled back. "W-Who are you!?" He demanded, the claw slowly crushing him. Being so close, Twilight got a good look at the silver skull on the Dreadnought's chest, her eyes wide.

"I understand how you don't remember me, Captain Narious. It has been fire years, since we last met." Warsmith said, turning the Astartes to face his helmet. "But I still feel the sting of your blade, in my back, from before I destroy that portal."

Narious became shocked, his face stricken with fear. "W-Warsmith… Z-Zarrix…" He blurted out.

Everyone, including Silver Star, became surprised at what was just said. Zarrix pulled the frighten Captain closer to him. "Back from the dead, and ready to protect my Twilight, and little Silver…. Also, Narious?" By now, all color had drained from Narious' face. "I come to destroy you."

The power claw tightened even further around Narious' body, the III Legion Astartes screaming in agony. "H-Have… Mer-AGGH!" Zarrix didn't let him finish, the claw ripping into Narious' body, and blood started to spray everywhere.

The Dreadnought slammed the remains on to the ground, before stomping on to it. "No mercy is found, within the IV Legion." He bellowed, turning his attention to both Twilight and Silver Star. Just as the mare flew up to him, her body recovering from the Noise Marine's blast.

"Z-Zarrix? I-Is that r-really you?" She asked, her eyes already tearing up.

The Dreadnought lifted his power claw up, allowing Twilight to rest on it. "I will answer that with a statement." He pulled her closer to the helmet. "I will always come for you, Twilight… And, like I told you twice before, I would do anything for you."

With that, Twilight somehow leapt over and hugged the Dreadnought's helmet, nuzzling it the best she possibly could. After a few moments, the mare turned to face Silver Star. "Silver… Come and say hello to your father…"

Hearing those words, Silver Star started to tear up. She flew up to the helmet, joining her mother. "W-Warsmith… Are you s-saying that… This whole time, y-you were…" She tried her best to hold back the tears, but the filly couldn't fight it. "You w-were my daddy? Are you Iron Warrior?"

A static chuckle left the Dreadnought. "Iron Warrior was the IV Legion's title… But yes, I am the one your mother told you of." He said, a smile creeping on to her face. "I am Warsmith Zarrix, the Unbreakable, Commander of the Sixty-Seventh Grand Company, of the IV Astartes Legion, the Iron Warriors." The filly started to sniffle at his words, the Iron Warriors walking up, and kneeling before the venerable Dreadnought. "Your father."

"Daddy!" Silver Star screamed, hugging on to the Dreadnought's helmet, crying into it.

"I am happy to hear you call me that, Silver." Zarrix said, both alicorns hugging on to him.

-After a few moments-

The entire group stood around the Contemptor Dreadnought, allowing both Twilight and Silver Star their time to collect themselves. "So… How are we going to make this work?" Twilight asked, looking at the others… Who were just as confused. "I don't know if Princess Celestia could do anything for him…." She added, looking up at the Dreadnought. "I mean, he's not like the others."

"It is true, I cannot." In a flash of golden light, the white alicorn appeared. "I feared arriving too late… But it seems like things were handled."

The Dreadnought, attempted to, bow. "It is an honor, to meet you, Princess." Zarrix said, forcing a smile on the elder princess' face.

"It is also an honor to meet you, Warsmith Zarrix." Celestai smiled, before frowning. "Though, I am truly sorry that I cannot do anything to help, like I did for the others."

Before the Dreadnought could respond, an emotionless voice boomed around them. "You may not, but I can." The Dreadnought was suddenly engulfed in a purple glow. "I shall use up the last of those souls, and renew your body, my son." The Dreadnought's body began to shrink, Zarrix's helmet returning to normal and floated over into the aura. "Along with something for my granddaughter."

A flash of light appeared around Silver Star's flank, the moment it died down… The whole group gasped, to see that she had gained her cutie mark! It was a brightly shining star, a silver icon of the Iron Warrior Symbol within its blaze, laid upon some sort of iron shield… The shield itself was silver, outlined in black to bring it out more. "M-My cutie mark!" The filly squealed, when her attention returned to where the Dreadnought stood, Silver Star became wide eyed. "D-Daddy?"

Now, standing in the spot, was the very Terminator most of the group remembered from five years ago… Standing tall, with his power claws out and chain linked cape draped over his back. "Take care of them, my son… This will be the last time we speak." With that, the aura dispersed, Perturabo's voice disappearing.

The Terminator eyed his power claws, laughing a bit. "Five years have passed, since I last saw this form." Zarrix said, looking to Celestia. "Princess? One last change, please." He asked, the other Iron Warriors returning to their pony forms.

"With pleasure, Warsmith Zarrix." Celestia said, her horn glowing gold. She then shot a bolt of magic, which splashed over the Terminator's body, like water. He was soon engulfed within the light, blinding those around them, as Celestia became weakened by the use of such a spell.

When the light died down, they all saw a large alicorn stallion, a head taller than even Big Macintosh, twice the wing span of a pegasus. His coat was an iron gray, while his mane and tail were a caution yellow, streaks of black within the hair. The moment his eyes opened, the group saw the emerald green of his irises. "Well then…" He said, his voice rough but calm and gentle, eyeing his wings and dark gray armor. "This will take some getting used to."

Both Twilight and Silver Star flew over, and hugged him. By this time, those within Ponyville started to come out of their homes. "Everypony! Everypony! Come meet my daddy!" Silver Star squealed, flying around, as Twilight and Zarrix stood together.

Mayor Mare slowly walked up to the alicorn stallion, wide eyed at his size and thick armor. "W-Who are you? And were you the one who defeated those strange attackers?" She asked.

"I did, yes." He answered, the groups starting to cheer, the stallion looked at Twilight, then back to Mayor Mare. "And I am Iron Warrior, Twilight's love and Silver Star's father…" The alicorn mare blushed, the filly cheering, as he looked around. "Now then, where is this Sapphire Crown? I have a few words for her, about bullying others."

The earth pony filly's ears fell down, into her mane, and slowly started to back away from the crowd.