Author's Note

*Servo-Skull Scans Your Face* "Relaying Message"

Greetings and Salutations readers! I sincerely apologies for going so long without adding a new chapter. This story was originally an impulse for my extremely bored past self, but that is no excuse.

The reasoning behind my lack of updates is because I had to focus on university. I recently completed my final year in Greenwich and achieved my Bachelor's Degree with First Class Honors. IT FELT GREAT....For all of 2 hours. The process of achieving this was extremely stressful and took up all of my time in my attempt to achieve the highest grade I could. Thankfully I did, but now comes JOB HUNTING

From this point on I will try my best to add chapters more frequently IF this story does well. To be honest I kinda forgot about it for a while, but I hope you all still wish for me to continue Valerian's misadventures in Equestria.

In the next chapter, we take a look at our old enemies, the changeling cult!

May the Emperor's blessing be upon you all!

Chapter 4 - Ego Meditatio

Thunder and lightening filled the night sky as the rain continued to batter the lands below. All was going as planned, as the Shadows moved into position, just outside of the cave’s entrance. Captain Silent Edge and her crew had been stalking this monster for quite some time, observing it’s mannerisms, it’s reflexes and it’s weaponry. The creature boasted an arsenal unlike any she’d ever seen and armor that despite it’s terrifying owner, was most impressive and majestic. If they were to take this creature down, they would need to do this right the first time. Celestia knows, it won’t give them the luxury of a second.

Glancing into the cave, she spotted the supposed ‘minitour’, resting alongside it’s kill, seemingly still oblivious of her squad’s presence. Good. They’ll need the element of surprise for this to work.

Looking back at her squad, Silent Edge spoke quietly “Ready yourselves everypony. The crowns want it alive so they can figure out it’s motive. Needless to say that makes things a lot harder. Stick to the plan and don’t do anything stupid.....I’m looking at you Nightshade.”

“Oh come on, It was one time! Ugh...I can hear Veil’s smirk from here” Nightshade Bolt muttered, rolling her glowing eyes.

“Hey, I didn’t say anything. It was your genius plan to go AWOL and almost get yourself killed while scouting a changeling hive. Nopony told you to try and assassinate their general. It was a recon mission and you know it. Isn’t that right Iron?” Mystic Veil retorted, his smirk growing larger by the second.

“Yes, Exemplar.” Iron Hide, firmly answered.

If Nightshade’s eyes rolled any harder, they may have fallen out of her head. “It worked didn’t it? Sure they almost got me, but I definitely got their bucking general. Nightshade one, Changelings Zero.”

“Cut the chatter. Veil, Iron, stay at the entrance and be ready. Nightshade you’re with me. As soon as we get it in position, the real fight begins. Watch yourselves, this thing won’t go down quietly.” Silent ordered, before turning her gaze back to the cave.

Luna guide us...Here goes nothing.

Valerian sat in his thoughts, as one memory after the other flashed in his mind. The memories of the dragon felt like a wave of information, making it clear to him that his prey had lived for quite some time. They made him aware of a great many things, not just about the creature itself but the world it inhabited. Of those things there were a few that stood out most.

One, He is currently in the land of Equestria, more specifically, a place the locals called the ‘Everfree Forest’.

Two, Equestria is largely occupied by the creatures that summoned him here, although that part is a bit skewed as the dragon saw most other beings as too insignificant to remember. A sentiment that he mirrored at this current moment, but nonetheless he needed a proper plan.

Three, these equines were mostly peaceful, which contrasted greatly to what he had heard when he was first summoned. They had intended to use him as a weapon against this country’s leadership. Not only was it a foolish and naive decision to assume they could control him, but it didn’t add up to what he had now learned. Come to think of it, those that summoned him looked quite different to the rest in the settlement he destroyed. More bug like. Perhaps they are similar to the Tyranids of his realm.

Four, there is a large number of psykers within this nation’s populous, which is a concerning fact. Most concerning of all is that the very Leaders my summoners intended me kill are some of the most powerful psykers of this world. The dragon remembered that quite clearly. This planet is heavily touched by the warp and further justifies that it needs to be purged...or at least that’s what he would of thought a moment ago.

Looking over to the corpse of the slain dragon, he reflected on his prior behavior. Rage. Pure, uncontrolled rage. It was unbecoming of an Ultramarine. Justified, but unbecoming all the same. He did not regret his actions in the slightest, however it was clear to him that a change needed to made. His primary objective should be to return to his battle brothers, no matter the cost.

Breathing a sigh of frustration, Valerian reached over and took his helmet, placing it upon his head once more, glancing toward the opening of the cave.

“Emperor guide me, for the Inquisition would have me burned for what I am about to do.” Holstering his bolter and power axe he rose to his full height. A change was about to be made. By the throne, he hoped it will the right one.

Silent Edge and Nightshade rush into the cave, hoping to catch the armored monster’s attention, only to realize the red eyes of its helmet fixated on them. “When did it notice us? Did it already know we were here?” she whispered in confusion as she and her companion ran to opposite sides of the entrance. Any questions were quickly snuffed out as the Ultramarine sprinted toward her with shocking speed. Much faster than she though such a large creature could move. Her horn lit as she focused her magic. If she didn’t get this right, this would be the end for her....or so she thought. It was extremely subtle, but her armored assailant hesitated slightly, slowing down just enough for her to teleport in front of the entrance. That was more than odd. She just witnessed this creature massacre and consume a dragon. Why was it hesitating? Something’s off, she thought.

Her questions were halted once more as the feeling of Nightshade’s body colliding with her own, knocking her back and sending shockwaves of pain down her spine, right before a thunderous boom shook the ground they landed on. Gathering her bearings, her eyes settled to where she once was, the armored creature’s fist buried in a small crater that, she should have been buried under. SHOULD. Once again it hesitated to go for the kill. This was getting confusing.

Raising his fist from the ground, the Ultramarine began taking slow, heavy steps towards them.

Silent Edge staggered to her hooves, adrenaline dulling the ache in her back. Her mind raced with questions as she watched the Ultramarine approach, every step measured, calculating. She could sense that whatever this creature was, it had no intention of making this easy for them.

“Nightshade, are you alright?” she asked, barely glancing away from the towering figure before them.

Nightshade coughed and rolled her shoulder, a defiant gleam in her eye despite the close call. “Just a scratch, Captain. Let’s teach this thing not to mess with the Shadows.”

Silent Edge glanced at her companion, steeling herself. “Then stay sharp. If we’re going to bring it down, we’ll need every bit of skill—and luck—we have.”

The Ultramarine stood silently, his armored form towering over the two mares. His red gaze pierced the darkness like a burning brand, every inch of him exuding lethal purpose. “I commend your bravery, equines, but your efforts are misdirected. Withdraw before I am forced to act.”

“Funny, monster,” Nightshade retorted, wings flaring as her sharp, slitted eyes gleamed with a fierce challenge. “We were going to say the same to you.”

In a blur of motion, Nightshade took to the air, vanishing from sight in a shimmer of shadow, her form melding with the darkness. Silent Edge didn’t hesitate, her horn sparking with deep purple magic as she released a disorienting blast in the Ultramarine’s direction, filling the cave with blinding light. They needed to confuse him, throw him off balance if they had any chance of subduing him.

Valerian’s helmet filters compensated instantly for the flash, his vision clearing just in time to track Nightshade’s approach as she descended from above with wings tucked, her forehooves striking at the joints of his pauldron. His reflexes took over, his gauntlet rising with precision to intercept her strike mid-air. The impact sent a shockwave through her body, but Nightshade twisted, using the momentum to kick off his armor, sending herself spiraling back into the air.

Silent Edge launched another spell, this time focusing on his legs, wrapping thick coils of enchanted energy around his joints, pulling hard in an attempt to destabilize him.

For a moment, Valerian felt the pressure tighten around his knees, forcing him down slightly. Impressive, he thought. But nowhere near enough.

With a low growl, he flexed his leg muscles, the enchanted binds snapping in a burst of violet sparks. His gaze shifted to Silent Edge, who took a step back, her ears folding in brief alarm.

“Your magic is formidable, but this will not end in your favor,” he rumbled, taking a menacing step forward.

“Not with that attitude, it won’t,” Silent Edge muttered under her breath before signaling to Nightshade. With a nod, Nightshade dove again, but this time she wasn’t alone. Iron Hide and Mystic Veil had joined the fray, Veil’s horn casting a shimmering aura around Nightshade, amplifying her speed, while Iron Hide’s legs galloped powerfully behind him as he surged forward with a fierce battle cry.

Valerian’s HUD tracked the two new threats, their outlines bright and distinct. His instincts kicked in, and he calculated their trajectories instantly. As Iron Hide drew close, Valerian swung his fist forward with brutal speed. But this time, his strike met a force field—a brilliant, indigo barrier conjured by Mystic Veil just in the nick of time. Iron Hide dodged left, narrowly escaping what would have been a crushing blow, and reared up on his hind legs, delivering a swift double-kick to Valerian’s chest.

The force made Valerian’s armor vibrate, but it was barely enough to move him an inch. In response, he grabbed Iron Hide’s rear hoof and hurled him aside, sending him skidding across the stone floor.

Nightshade used the distraction to her advantage, looping around to strike at Valerian’s side, her hooves targeting the weak points between his armor plating. Her blows landed true, but it felt like striking iron, each impact reverberating painfully through her forelegs.

Valerian swung his arm wide, his open palm striking her mid-air. She was sent spinning, landing hard on the cave floor with a gasp. Mystic Veil rushed to her, his horn casting a protective barrier around them both as Valerian advanced.

“Stay close, Nightshade,” Veil whispered, struggling to keep the barrier steady as Valerian’s heavy bootsteps echoed closer. “If we don’t work together, we’re not going to hold him off.”

Nightshade wiped blood from her lip, defiance glinting in her eyes. “Then we go together.”

With a flash of his horn, Mystic Veil fired a concentrated bolt of arcane energy at Valerian’s helmet, hoping to disorient him. Valerian’s head tilted as he absorbed the impact, but he was prepared; with a quick swipe, he shattered the shield between them, forcing the two thestrals to scatter.

This game ends now, Valerian decided.

In one swift motion, he leapt forward, landing directly in front of Silent Edge. She barely had time to raise her defenses as his gauntlet shot out, grabbing her by the collar of her armor. She felt herself lifted from the ground, her hooves dangling helplessly as he held her in a grip that could crush steel.

“Stand down,” he commanded, his voice carrying a weight of authority that demanded compliance.

Silent Edge grit her teeth, her own magic sparking in defiance, even as she gasped for air. “We… don’t… surrender.”

In a last-ditch effort, she focused all her remaining magic into a burst of blinding light, dazzling even Valerian’s enhanced optics for a split second. She used the opportunity to twist out of his grip, dropping to the ground with a pained grunt.

Iron Hide, who had regained his footing, lunged at Valerian from behind, wrapping his powerful forelegs around the Ultramarine’s arm in an attempt to wrench it back. Valerian glanced over his shoulder, momentarily surprised by the raw tenacity of the equine soldier, but he would not be slowed. With a single jerk of his arm, he threw Iron Hide off, sending him tumbling once more.

Seeing her squad’s condition, Silent Edge’s breath came faster, her determination flickering under the sheer, unrelenting power of this warrior. She caught his eye, noting that same hesitation from before. Was he truly holding back?

Valerian loomed over them, contempt in his voice. “I have no more patience for this pointless struggle. Lead me to your leaders, equines, or face the Emperor’s wrath.”

“We’ll never betray our princesses,” Silent Edge spat, her teeth bared as she struggled to stand, her squad rallying behind her despite their injuries.

Valerian’s eyes narrowed behind his helmet, his contempt deepening. “You speak of loyalty, yet you waste your lives in futile resistance. You can barely stand. Surrender, or I will find my own way to your rulers, and none of you will stop me.”

Silent Edge looked back at her team, seeing the weariness in their eyes, their bruised bodies barely able to withstand another round with this giant. She met Valerian’s gaze, the weight of duty and the grim reality of their defeat sinking in.

“We… will take you,” she said reluctantly, her voice filled with bitterness. “But know that you will face the full might of Equestria.”

Valerian gave a slight nod, a grudging respect flickering in his gaze. “You may take comfort in the illusion of power, Captain, but your rulers are the ones I will judge.”

With a signal to Mystic Veil, Silent Edge and the unicorn channeled their combined magic, surrounding Valerian in a complex teleportation spell. The air crackled as the spell charged, Veil’s horn glowing with a brilliant aura. With a final burst, they disappeared from the cave, reappearing in the dark, reinforced depths of the dungeon beneath Canterlot Castle. Valerian stood alone in a cell as his surroundings shifted. Thick, stone walls rising around him, enchanted runes etched into every surface.

Silent Edge and her squad materialized in the throne room, where Princess Celestia and Princess Luna waited, their serene faces betraying no hint of surprise. Silent Edge took a deep breath, steadying herself, and stepped forward.

“Mission accomplished,” she reported crisply, bowing before the princesses.

Celestia’s eyes met hers, and a slight nod of approval passed over her expression, though her gaze flickered with curiosity. “You have done well, Captain.”

“Indeed,” Luna added, her gaze shifting to the squad with solemn pride. “To bring such a powerful being to Canterlot alive is a testament to your skill and resolve.”

But Silent Edge hesitated, her head lowering slightly as a look of shame crept into her eyes.

“About that…” she muttered, her voice carrying a hint of regret.