Shadows of Sins Past

It had been several hours since Celestia had called for the dragon ruler to not only collect the prisoner, but also to explain their situation and why they attacked a town  not involved in combat. Celestia was growing impatient, her request had been sent in a manner that would be impossible to ignore yet the dragon's ruler had not even given a reply back to let them know that they knew what happened. The first thought that came to mind was that they had intended on feigning ignorance about the crimes the fire dragon had committed and this refusal to send a written confirmation was just another level of such ignorance.

Westwood had been standing by, his moment with Luna being short lived. The fire dragon was still in pain from the lingering effects of the force Celestia used in her anger. This may be the first time he experienced an instance like this in Equestria, but as a human he knew this experience far too well. The living shadow clung to Westwood's back with a snicker, "Come on Woody. Just save us all a minute and cut flame guy's head off. The pig headed drakes are just going to say they don't know anything. You know what happens after that. You've got a lot of blood on your hands because of moments like this. You know everything that's going to happen. Just save us all the misery of waiting." Nox spoke in a more sadistic tone than he had before.

Westwood kept himself from getting worked up from the shadow's words even if it was difficult to do so with the creature, his attention to the sentient shadow was broken when the fire dragon spoke, "He won't be here. He'll deny everything. He wants a war even if it means that some heads have to roll to do so." The drake spoke with a wide grin on his face.

This had given Westwood a good enough reason to scare that bound dragon with a longsword that formed from a shadow that stretched out from his feet to his hand, "It would serve you well to shut your mouth and stay quiet." He spoke to the red dragon going an inch from slicing the red dragon's head off his shoulders, "Go on and give me a reason." He spoke letting the sword change back into a cloud of smoke that drifted back to the ground and melded back with his shadow.

The dragon's eyes widened to twice the size of dinner plates when he saw the edge of the black, reflective blade nearly an inch from his throat. Of course he shut up as soon as that happened and watched the smaller dragon close to see if his fate was going to be death by a dragon species that should be extinct, "Alright. I'll keep quiet." The fire dragon spoke in response which was met by Westwood's blade vanishing.

In the distance, what looked like a small group of larger dragons and a few smaller reptiles could be seen in the horizon flying right at them. Westwood kept his eyes on the group counting their numbers. His count, minus the smaller dragons that he could not see, made up to ten drakes. This was more than likely an entourage or escort to ensure that the ruler or the envoy would not be hurt or killed should things go south.

Celestia and Luna both watched the dragons in the distance, Celestia's eyes still carried some anger for what the dragon behind her had done. Their explanation and plan of action would have to be impressive for the white alicorn to calm down enough to return to her normal and friendly demeanor. It was something that Luna was worried about, since this could evolve into the dragons they had a treaty of peace with declaring war against the ponies after over a century of peace. Of course she was still imprisoned in the moon as Nightmare Moon so she had no idea what the treaty between the two species was like.

Westwood's glance kept with the red dragon and the crowd that was quickly approaching. He was ready for a fight if that was what they had planned for the three standing with their prisoner.

After what seemed like an hour, but in reality was only a few minutes, the ten dragons were in front of the princesses and the small ones were much smaller in number at only three. The thing that made them different from the rest of the escort was that they were all pearl white scaled with golden colored horns and underbellies. Westwood was ready to form a weapon at the right moment if they would attempt to attack.

"You do not have to be aggressive shade." One of the pearl scaled dragons spoke as it walked forward, "This is supposed to be a diplomatic matter. And not to worry, the fire dragon will be dealt with for his actions." The dragon spoke in an older voice stopping in front of Celestia with the other two smaller dragons following close behind.

"It has been a long time Alabaster." Celestia spoke giving a bow which the gesture of respect was returned by the biped in front of her, "I wished that this could have been done in better circumstances than this however."

The older dragon shook his head, "I wish it could have as well. I personally have no qualms with your kind. Even if the shade is still alive." He spoke keeping his hands behind his back, "But seeing that he is actually in control of himself I will say whatever treatment you gave him has been working." The older dragon spoke giving a friendly chuckle.

Celestia returned the laugh seeming like she was talking with a friend, "I would take credit, but that is from his own actions. I had sent him into another world, it was so that I would not have to be responsible for extinguishing his species. It was his own experiences that gave him this level of control."

Westwood felt annoyed that they were talking about him like he was not there, but for the purpose of trying to avoid a war he would resist any urges of violence that he had or any potential outbursts that could lead to complications. He continued watching the proceeding while watching the fire dragon making sure this would go off without a hitch.

Alabaster could see the annoyance in Westwood's face and decided to switch the conversation back to the intended purpose, "I am truly sorry that things have lead to where they have. If it was up to me then I would give the fire dragon his punishment where he stands and beg your forgiveness. The reason why I cannot is because our king is hell bent on war because of your shade's existence. I wish that I could oppose him, but you know him. He is the war monger, he wants this war because he wants to see death. If it wasn't for the treaty that his father had set the previous generation then he would have attacked sooner." The elder dragon spoke giving a bow one last time, "I am truly sorry your majesty. He specifically ordered that I cannot avoid this no matter how much I wish I could." He spoke before rising.

Celestia felt rage once again, "I upheld my end of the treaty! I exterminated the entire race and sent the last child remaining into another world and even changed him into something that couldn't use true magic! His return was not of my choosing!" She shouted to Alabaster who she could see he had remorse.

Alabaster closed his eyes regretting the words that he had to speak according to his war monger king, "I cannot change the outcome. All I can do is give a warning. Prepare your soldiers. His first wave will come in a week. The destination is your small town of Ponyville. Our king wants to have bodies pile up, even if those bodies are civilians that have no place in this war." The elder dragon spoke, "I hope that your shade can fight as well as he controls his actions." He spoke, he took a nod to one of the other white scaled dragons that were behind him. Their scales covered by pearl colored armor that shined in the sunlight above.

The first of the military looking white dragons grabbed at the massive two handed sword that was sheathed to its back and drew the weapon. The action lead Westwood to react and his shadows formed two long knives that he held ready to attack. The white dragon slowly walked, passing the princesses with the weapon dragging on the ground before it was in front of the fire dragon, "Pyria. Your action to attack a civilian town before war has been declared has been noted, judged and your punishment is sentence." He spoke in a strong voice before easily picking up the blade that was easily his size and thrusting it through the fire dragon's stomach.

A sizzling sound could be heard as the wound cauterized and his insides began boiling beyond the fire dragon's tolerance. The fire dragon let out a loud howl that could be heard for nearly a mile as he began cooking. It seemed clear that the white scaled dragons carried weapons that flash boiled their victims as evident by the way the heat had been cooking the dragon's insides from the one stab. The howling pain ceased, Pyria's eyes were glazed over and his head hung limp. The heat from the blade had boiled the fire dragon's organs to the point they had turned to a cinder inside its body.

Celestia and Luna had turned to see what the armored dragon was doing. Luna was horrified by the punishment that was set in motion for the fire dragon. It seemed too cruel for her to bare even if he was classified as a war criminal. That howl of pain would never leave her mind, ever present and echoing in her ears. Even after the punishment had finished, she could still hear the anguish of the fire dragon. It horrified her that this race could be so cruel and unusual to their own kind.

The blade was pulled out and the fire dragon dropped, the white scaled dragon's blade was perfectly clean despite having been deeply buried in the war criminal's gut which should have bled out like a stuck pig. The massive weapon was sheathed behind the warrior's back once again. Two of the entourage had moved from their position and picked up the cooked corpse of their former ally, their gazes turned to the black scaled drake who was less than a quarter their size and it looked like they could have stepped on him to kill the drake.

Westwood's eyes met with the entourage, his stance remained until it was clear all they had intended was to remove the now dead prisoner from the visage of the two princesses.

The dragons went back into place, their positions returning aside from the decease fire drake that was being carried by the two much larger dragons. Alabaster gave a sigh, "Sentencing a fellow drake to death is never easy. Trust me when I say this." The older dragon spoke keeping his eyes shut like remorse had flowed over him. He looked to Westwood seeing that he was being defensive even after the punishment was over as though the black scaled dragon was expecting the same treatment, "I have no qualms with you shade. It was your people I could not stand. You are more of a dragon than they were, even if you have strengths that we do not." Alabaster spoke.

The elder dragon then looked to the princesses, "I wish you luck in the conflict ahead. May you train your warriors with the ferocity of a dragon, the agility of timberwolf and the cunning of a fox." He spoke giving the princesses a final bow. With that he turned, the other white scaled drakes following suite to depart from this place. The entourage of dragons had then flown away, their existence marked only by the massive foot prints that they had left behind.

Westwood had let his weapons fade back into his shadow. Shortly after he rushed to Luna who had promptly thrown herself into the young dragon. Her mind still haunted by the screams of agony that Pyria had sent out when he was being cooked alive by the white dragon soldier's sword. Westwood wrapped his arms comforting the alicorn and keeping her close as she cried from the sight and sound that would now haunt her like Westwood's dreams had haunted him for the past years.

Celestia felt regret for having Luna see what had happened. This was not the first time that she had seen such an act of punishment, but she wished that it would be her last. Celestia was desensitize to such actions, it was an experience that had much of the same reaction Luna was now having. Celestia closed her eyes and then spoke after Luna had cried most of her tears, "Westwood. Take Luna inside the castle, I will take care of things from here. I should not have let Luna stay to that meeting knowing what they were going to do with the criminal." She spoke.

Westwood nodded, "Yes your highness." He spoke letting Luna cry what she had left. When Luna had finished for the most part, Westwood let Luna down and walked back to her room so she could find some comfort after what she had witnessed from the dragon's ambassador. Even if the walk was only a few minutes, the experience was one of the longest things in his life. The shock in the princess's face and what must be running through her mind must have been lingering in her head. Westwood knew it would never get better, only it was worse for him since he was the one that conducted the executions when he was a human.

The two had made it back into Luna's room, the shades of black and dark colors made the room calming element easier for the dragon to ease the princess in her pain, "I know what it's like. I do. I was the same way you were when I had experienced that pain." Westwood spoke to Luna.

Luna looked away from Westwood, "Does it ever get easier? Seeing ponies and dragons die?" She asked keeping her eyes to the ground now wanting Westwood to see her like this even after what happened after the meeting.

Westwood shook his head and moved to wrap his strong, yet comforting arms around Luna's frame, "No. It never gets easier. No matter how much you see, it never gets easier." He spoke in a softer tone, "All you can do is get used to it. That is what I had to do." He said to her keeping the tone before.

Luna separated himself from the dragon, "How can you get used to taking a life? Or even watching somepony lose their life?" Luna asked with tears streaming down her cheeks, some anger present in her voice

Westwood could understand what Luna was feeling, he knew it after all, "All I can say is that you get used to it. The more it happens, the less you feel. The pain is still there, you just don't feel it because you know what that pain is. I have gotten used to it so much because I've killed so much. It's not easier, you just lose a part of yourself every time it happens." He said to Luna then moving to take a seat next to her mattress on the ground

Luna stayed where she was, "I know you've killed. I saw your dream, you used those claws to jam into that thing's eyes then sliced more into pieces. If it wasn't for you sitting here and talking with me I would assume you were a monster." Luna broke her concentration remembering her time as Nightmare Moon and how she possibly would have went through a similar route if Celestia had not beaten her a millennia before, "But, it might be better than I never known what that feeling is like. Otherwise I might have become a monster myself." She spoke. Slowly she approached Westwood and set herself completely down onto the floor next to Westwood.

Westwood glanced to Luna before letting out a soft sigh, "Yeah. Whatever you do, stay away from the fighting. I'm sure that the world would be better if we have one ruler that still had much of her innocence." He said to her looking to see the look in her eyes and the puffed look she had from her tears. That look nearly broke his heart, he inched his way completely beside the princess of the moon, "I'll try and have this done before you have to be involved Luna. Like a knight fighting for his princess." He spoke in a way to attempt to calm the princess.

Those words seemed to be the breaking point, Luna's face grew closer to Westwood's until finally she brought her lips to Westwoods. The tender feel seemed to make the moment melt away even if it was just for a moment. Luna's lips pulled from Westwood's first, a blush streaking across her face much like how the drake was, "I apologize." She paused trying to get what she had just done and why she did it, "I shouldn't have done that." Luna started and attempted to get up from the floor.

Westwood however kept her from leaving, "No. I liked it." He said to her which the two shared the same look before the two looked into each other's eyes, "That was the first kiss I've had. I-" Westwood let a pause come up while a smile started spreading, "I really liked it." He spoke gently moving forward and sharing one more tender moment with Luna.