Copper Warhawk

-Crystal Fields, The Crystal Empire-

Pitch haphazardly reacquainted his clawed feet with the ground, folding his large wings slightly as he leered down at the equine he currently held in his hooves. "What King Sombra would want with you, I haven't the slightest clue," the dragon stated smugly, lifting Wolf Heart up in front of his face. "I imagine it has something to do with luring that troublesome pegasus here to finally finish off," he sneered.

Wolf Heart boldly glared back at him, squirming against his grasp. "Steam Shock would never... fall for such a cheap, imbecilic trick," she grunted with a grimace, freeing one of her arms and allowing her horn to take up a slight glow.

With a deep-throated chuckle, Pitch leaned back on his haunches and licked his thumb and index claw before casually dousing the growing energy on Wolf Heart's horn. "Don't be so sure of yourself, pony. Love is far more powerful than any magic is," the dragon smirked mischievously, lifting his clawed hand and patting her head.

Wolf Heart beat against his claws with a leer, eliciting a snicker from Pitch.

"So moody," he taunted, rising to his feet and advancing towards the Crystal Empire.

As he made his way through a large gate guarded by a few Shadow Troopers, Pitch nonchalantly flicked his tail, throwing one of them a few feet away and eliciting an amused chuckle from him that grated on Wolf Heart's ears. As he carried her into a large chamber, Wolf's ears fell flat as she thought back to Ponyville. Would Dapper Jolt come back for her? Part of her hoped not for his sake, and the other part of her hoped so, for the sake of proving what Pitch had previously stated about love.

The mare sighed before, without warning, Pitch roughly dropped her to the floor and trudged towards the corner of the darkened room that they had made their way towards and laid down, crossing his forearms and stretching his hind legs in a feline-like manner, a line of smoke rising from his nostrils.

Wolf Heart rose to her hooves and leered over at him. At this point, his torso, head, and neck were shrouded in shadow, only the pulsing light of his eyes visible in the dark in a way the elicited a shudder from the winged unicorn before she turned away,

Looking up, her line of sight was acquainted with a dark figure who also stood in the shadow, red and green eyes leering down at her and luminescent violet smoke trailing his sockets. In the low light, a pair of fangs gleamed before a deep baritone voice spoke. "You know who I am, yes?" it asked before advancing forward slightly.

Stepping into the light, Wolf Heart could see who else but Equestria's Lord of Darkness. A recurved, crimson horn pulsed slightly and a twisted sneer spread across his muzzle. As King Sombra approached her, a look of unbridled fear spread across the mare's face, her jaw lowering an inch or two and eyes wide.

"Yes, you are right to fear my presence," Sombra growled bestially, blood red cape flowing behind him as he slowly circled the mare. "No matter... I think that you may be able to help me, Shrapnel Fury," he stated, lifting his chin pridefully as he circled back around to face her again. "I was made aware that somepony that you know is not dead like I had intended."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Wolf Heart lied, glaring up at King Sombra in a disrespectful manner.

King Sombra rolled his eyes and leaned down slightly, staring her in the eyes. "The truth will come out, and for each time that you lie to me, I will proceed to remove one of your limbs... slowly... and painfully," he sneered, baring his fangs. "When you run out of limbs to remove, I will kill you, if the blood-loss or shock hasn't already."

With the words, a scythe materialized in his hoof with a puff of violet and green, the blade pulsing with a thirst for blood.

"Why don't we start with the wings?" he sneered, hefting the weapon and lifting it above Wolf Heart's head.

Pitch watched on with a flat expression, a forked tongue flicking between his jagged teeth as he shifted slightly, tail swaying. With a guttural grumble, he lowered his head between his forelegs and closed his eyes, giving in to sleep. The dragon sighed at the piercing sound of a painful scream that withheld agony and suffering.

-The Crystal Fields-

Steam Alan Shock looked down upon the ruined remnants of the Crystal Empire's fields, unpleasant memories of its gemstones being spattered with the blood of his allies flashing across his vision as he stared down. Abacus Oak stood alongside him with a solemn expression, a sigh leaking from his nose.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Abacus asked his friend. "There's no shame in backing down-"

"Yes... there is. It's my fault she's in there, Oak, and I'm not going to let that tyrant torture her," he retorted, shifting his good wing and feeling the forgotten feeling of wing blades shifting between his feathers.

Abacus nodded in understanding. "Well, we need a plan, then," he exclaimed, gesturing towards the Shadow Troopers that currently guarded the gates some distance away.

"I was never one for planning," Steam Shock grimaced, studying the situation.

The earth stallion sighed, shifting his gaze over to his friend, who hadn't noticed Abacus looking at him. A slight sense of guilt came to Oak at the realization that his last words during the Crystal War could have been the cause for Steam Shock's lack of a wing and limb. "He's made his decision."

"Dapper," he started, drawing the pegasi's attention away from the Troopers. "Try not to dwell on it... but I'm sorry. You probably could have been saved... but I held Wolf Heart back during the war," Oak explained, shifting his gaze down.

Shock's response was not what he expected. "I'm glad you held her back. I wouldn't be able to live with myself if what happened to me was brought upon her instead because she tried to save my life. I love that mare more than I've ever felt capable of loving, after all the shit we've been though," the stallion said through a shrug, gaze returning to the gates of the Crystal Empire. "You did the right thing."

Abacus looked over at him.

"I think I see a way in," Shock said before Oak could say anything more, pointing down to a trio of Shadow Troopers that walked up the path towards the fields.

-Crystal Throne Room-

"Tell me... where Shock is," King Sombra growled lowly, gritting his teeth as he lifted the blade of his scythe, hovering it inches from Wolf Heart's face. "Or you lose more than just your wings," he snarled bestially, pinning her to the floor with a sturdy hoof. Nearby, a pair of wings whose blue feathers reflected the low light was visible, blood spattering the beautiful colors with an ugly, dark crimson.

Wolf Heart sobbed, a cry that was equally a scream. Blood still dripped from the small stumps of her wings and stained her fur whilst Sombra awaited a response from his prisoner. The former winged unicorn shifted her view up to the large, dark grey unicorn, teeth clenched. Wolf's glare spoke volumes more than she was capable as the tyrant unicorn before her remained stoic.

"I'm getting tired of these damn games!" King Sombra roared suddenly. "You will tell me where Shock is or I will make you bathe in his blood when I find him!"

-Outside the Throne Room-

"Do what you want to me... You'll never find him," Steam Shock heard a weak voice shout as he pressed an ear to the large, double doors, holding the helmet of a Shadow Trooper.

The pegasus looked over at his friend, who still wore his helm. "She's in there," he whispered. "We have to go in after her, " he insisted, lifting his hoof to the doors' large handle.

Abacus stopped him, placing a hoof on his shoulder. "Hold on! We don't know what we're up against."

"I don't care, he's going to kill her if we don't go in, now," Steam Shock barked quietly, wearing a stern expression upon his face. Before Abacus had the chance to stop him following his words, the stallion heaved the doors open to see King Sombra holding a long scythe over Wolf Heart.

With a yell, Shock jerked his wing forward, sending several of his wing-blades hurling towards the large unicorn stallion.

Before any of the blades could make contact with flesh, King Sombra lifted his scythe and with perfect accuracy, deflected all but one of the steel blades, which scraped across his cheek. "Let her go!!" the pegasus roared as Abacus followed him in with a short sword in his teeth.

The demonic being cracked a toothy grin. "Why would I do that?" he said callously before promptly grabbing Wolf Heart by the throat without taking his gaze off of Shock, lifting her off of her hooves.

Wolf Heart choked for breath as a look of unbridled fear crossed Steam Shock's muzzle that transitioned to an equally unbridled fury, his eyes blazing before, with a surprising burst of speed, he lunged forward, prosthetic and armored wing spread out to propel him towards Sombra.

On cue, the massive unicorn released Wolf Heart long enough to lift his scythe and fling it forward like a boomerang.

Shock barely had enough time to dodge to the side, a wide eyed look of surprise upon his face as time seemed to slow to a crawl while the glowing, lime green flat of the blade reflected the stallion's face as it spun by. Before long, time returned to normal and the weapon's edge became buried in the opposite, crystal wall.

Sombra snarled bestially at noticing that his attack missed before he surged forward and threw a hoof, striking Shock in the chest. While the armor plating his ribs protected him from broken bones, the metal dented and he was flung back whilst ushering a pained yelp.

The unicorn snorted like a bull, turning towards Abacus Oak, armed with a short sword in his teeth. "You're going to pay for that," Abacus said menacingly whilst Shock stumbled to his hooves, shaking away the dizziness in his head.

"Then come on!" King Sombra roared, shifting to a battle stance.

On cue, Abacus rushed him, sliding underneath a swung hoof as he thrashed his head, sword clanging and sparking against Sombra's gauntlets before Steam Shock re-entered the fray with a battle cry. Shock beat his wings once before he fell into a dive, hind hooves angled down and towards Sombra in preparation to strike.

Just as he was ready for the impact, however, Sombra whipped his head over his shoulder and slammed his jaws down on Abacus Oak's ankle. Abacus shouted in pain as, with little effort, the tyrant whipped his head, using the earth stallion like a club to knock Steam Shock away from him.

Steam Shock tumbled through the air for a moment before he re-stabilized, noticing Abacus trying in vain to escape the vice grip that Sombra had on his leg. The pegasus stallion studied the situation momentarily before he dove again. "Sorry, Abacus! This isn't gonna feel nice though!"

Sure enough, as the stallion dove, King Sombra swung his friend a second time, drawing out a pained shout. However, Steam Shock dodged the swing, grabbing Abacus and tearing him from Sombra's jaws with his momentum before throwing a hind hoof at the unicorn's face, knocking loose a couple of his teeth with the blow. Snarling in pain, the demonic unicorn looked up just to see Shock diving forward again.

With a sneer, his horn crackled before he materialized from his location and turned into a cloud of eerie black fog.

Shock's eyes went wide momentarily as he struck the crystal floor rather than a massive stallion, where he was quick to shake off his pain and turn towards his first love.

As Sombra disappeared into a shadowy veil, Steam Shock rushed to Wolf Heart's side, falling to his knees beside her. Horror slipped across his face at seeing two bloody stumps where her wings once were. Slowly, Shock reached down, seeing a gentle, weak smile cross the mare's face as she shifted her gaze up to him. "Oh, Wolfie," he whispered, leaning forward and gingerly wrapping her into his arms, careful to avoid brushing against her wounds.

"H-he's behind y... you," Wolf Heart choked.

"What?" Shock asked, pulling away slightly and looking into her emerald green eyes.

"Shock!! Lookout!!" Abacus shouted.

Before he could respond, a bestial laugh echoed through the room as a black shape emerged from the shadow. Pitch roared out, splaying his claws and snatching Steam Shock by the back. The pegasus shouted in pain as the breath was knocked from his lungs by the force of the grab.

Abacus Oak shouted a war cry and barreled forward, swinging his blade at Pitch's tail with full force. The force of the strike sent a vibration down the sword and into the earth stallion's teeth, causing him to drop the weapon with a surprised yelp.

Pitch glared down at Abacus before he scoffed. "Cute," the large, black dragon snorted, flicking his tail and sending Abacus flying before he struck a wall, head first, and fell unconscious. Returning his attention to Shock, Pitch glared down at the pegasus, noticing him try in vain to escape. The Dragon Lord rolled his eyes. "Ponies," he sneered before pulling back his arm and throwing Steam Shock at a wall.

Wolf Heart cried out with fear as he struck the crystalline surface with a thud before falling with a groan.

"I knew you'd show up," Pitch laughed, slowly approaching the fallen stallion with a twisted grin. "It's about as obvious as the color of my scales!" he chortled before placing a strong claw on top of Shock and pinning him below his weight, crumpling the prosthetic wing like it was paper.

"And what color... Rhk!... are your scales?" Steam Shock gagged, glaring up at Pitch with clenched teeth. Out of the corner of his eye, the stallion could see, just below his chin, a tiny patch of silver to break up the ash black, the light reflecting off of it to where it bounced multiple different colors.

His thoughts were interrupted as Pitch snarled. "I don't know what your game is, pony, but I don't like games," he sneered, widening his jaws.

With a grunt, Shock freed his hoof from under Pitch and held it up in meek defense. "Wait! Waitwaitwait!" he spluttered with a grimace as the dragon's jaws neared his face.

Pitch stopped, closing his jaws slightly and pulling his large skull back about a foot. "What?" he snorted.

Steam Shock's mind raced as he thought frantically to work up a response. "Hhhow is it that a mighty being such as yourself ended up in this crippling dump that Sombra calls an empire?"

"Hey!" an echoing voice shouted before King Sombra materialized into the room with an offended expression.

Pitch lifted his head with a thoughtful frown. "Sombra promised me the Badlands in return for my aid," the large dragon replied in a voice that belied his typically callous, fear-inducing voice. "Come to think of it," he grunted, turning to look at the tyrannical unicorn. "Why am I not in control of the Badlands yet?"

Sombra groaned and rolled his eyes. "Why are you even listening to this fool! Kill him!" he shouted with wide eyes, pointing towards Steam Shock and practically jumping up and down in annoyance.

Pitch shrugged before looking back down and opening his mouth again.

"I know how you feel!" Shock shouted suddenly, stopping Pitch once again.

"What are you talking about?" the dragon scoffed, cocking a scaly brow.

Steam Shock's expression dulled. "I know what it's like to feel unwanted, to feel betrayed. I lost my family too," he sighed, struggling slightly to breathe with the weight on top of him. Slowly, he shifted his view over to Wolf Heart, who was on the floor with tears on her cheeks. "I know what it's like to hurt those you love! You loved somepony, dragon, whether you care to admit it or not!" Steam Shock shouted.

Pitch snarled. "Silence!" he roared. "You do not know the suffering I have seen! You and I are nothing alike. you can't possibly know my suffering, nor can you try!"

"Of course I know your suffering!!" Shock shouted, the words causing Pitch to relieve some of his weight to where the pegasus could slip free. His prosthetic crushed, the stallion hobbled to his three remaining hooves. "My oldest friend, my brother was killed in the war that you were a part of! I broke the hearts of my only remaining family, and I tried to cover it all up by pretending to be this big-bad-wolf who didn't give a damn about others!!" he belted, glaring up at Pitch with a newfound determination.

The dragon snarled, and before Shock could react, Pitch lifted his clawed hand and swung, striking him and tossing the pegasus away.

Wolf Heart gasped with incredulity etched upon her muzzle at the loud crack of ribs against a wall, watching Steam Shock fall with horror. "Dapper!" she cried out.

Pitch lifted his head with a heavy breath, a seemingly bewildered expression touching his own muzzle as he ran the words through his head once again. Shaking his skull with a snarl, the black dragon squeezed his eyes shut and lifted a claw to his head.

"Pitch," King Sombra belted. "Kill him," he ordered.

The firedrake swiveled his head to face the tyrannical unicorn at the words, lowering his claws and tilting his head with visible confusion.

"Pitch!" Sombra sneered. "I said kill him!"

He paused, flexing his wings, before turning and looking down at the unconscious pegasus. After another moment, Pitch's expression darkened as he swiveled his head to face Sombra. "You know, by your Equestrian laws, I'm a notorious murderer... And it's true. I've killed dozens of your kind, slaughtered without mercy, burnt to ash, and bathed in the blood of my victims," Pitch sneered, taking a few steps towards Sombra. "I've pillaged, overthrown, destroyed, and tore down many of your civilizations."

King Sombra took a nervous step back as Pitch advanced upon him. "What are you doing?" Sombra barked, looking up at the dragon with growing fear.

"I hunted down and killed my siblings as an act of sheer revenge for being pushed from the nest when I was old enough. I was once the runt of the clutch, and I killed them all... Killed them out of spite. I've spent my whole life killing." Pitch's voice grew loud, unwavering, and enraged as King Sombra's back pressed against a wall. "And in all that time, I called myself ally with the one who really deserved to be killed!"

"No... No!!" King Sombra shouted as Pitch leaned down slightly.

Wolf Heart looked away just as the massive dragon pulled his head back and opened his jaws, an orange glow emerging from the back of his throat. The mare listened as King Sombra screamed in fear before it became muffled and the crunch of bone, combined with the shredding of flesh, became all too audible.

Slowly, Wolf stumbled towards Steam Shock, falling by his side and placing a hoof on his ribcage before she heard heavy footfall, with the click of claws against the crystalline floor.

Swiveling her head, Wolf Heart gazed up and saw Pitch gazing down at her, interlocking teeth bloodied and nostrils flaring as he breathed. Slowly, the dragon lifted a clawed hand and wiped off his snout in an uncanny resemblance to a dog or cat before unfurling a wing and gingerly dropping the unconscious Abacus Oak by her side.

"Why did you help us?" Wolf whispered, shaking her head in slight disbelief.

"Every word of what I said was true," Pitch responded before he moved into a resting position. "I had a family, I was the runt, and decades after I was pushed from the nest for my differences I sought revenge. I killed my siblings without mercy and made a new name for myself."

The mare cocked a confused brow.

"My scales weren't always stained this ugly black," the dragon clarified. "I had an adoptive mother. Never knew my blood parents and never cared, but when I was pushed out of the nest, a kind young alicorn took me into her life."

Wolf Heart sat upright. "Celestia?" she inquired.

Pitch snorted with a grumble. "For the love of Luna, no. Don't be a fool. She hated dragons. It was her sister," the dragon explained before looking down at the unconscious form of Steam Shock. "Forgive me for my actions."

Wolf sighed and dipped her head, gazing down at Shock. "He was my best friend, and only recently did the brotherly love I felt for him move towards something more, something he desired. He's not just family, Dapp-- Steam Shock, he... I dunno... I love this dingus, as many times as we've had to make amends for past mistakes. If you want my advice, go back to your mother and try to make things right," the mare explained, looking back up at Pitch's orange eyes.

"I don't even know who my-"

Wolf Heart shook her head. "No... I mean Luna," the mare corrected.

The dragon looked down at her with slight doubt etched across his thick muzzle. "I never asked for your opinion, pony," he grumbled, eliciting slight fear upon Wolf's face. "I may not be particularly angry now, but I still don't like your kind and I am not a tame dragon," Pitch snorted.

Wolf Heart elected not to bring up Pitch's former alliance with Sombra, should she mistakingly provoke his wrath. Gazing down at Steam Shock and Abacus, the mare slowly leaned down. However, as she did so, a pain shot to the remnants of her wings before she cried out in pain, feeling something trickle down her back. Sitting upright, the mare looked over her shoulder to see the stumps of her wings bleeding, crimson ichor staining her blue fur.

Pitch stared down and furrowed a brow. "You need to get that cauterized," he grunted nonchalantly, causing a look of fear to cross Wolf Heart's face. Seeing this, the dragon rolled his eyes. "Do you want to die from an infection?" he said before reaching forward to pick her up.

"Don't touch me!" Wolf Heart shouted, her past experiences being picked up by a giant black dragon not particularly fond.

The giant creature grumbled. "Then lay down flat, hold your back straight, and clench your teeth, because this isn't going to feel pretty," Pitch explained as his eyes took up a fiery orange glow and the claws on his right hand began to glow red hot.

The mare hesitantly followed his instructions and laid down, fear lacing her expression as Pitch gingerly placed his left hand on her hip and lowered his smoking right hand to her wing stumps. Sweat touched her brow as she saw, from the corner of her eye, the pulsing orange of his claws.

"Look away," the dragon ordered in a calm, but the nevertheless unsettling tone as he moved the tip of his tail in front of her face. "Bite down on my tail as hard as you can," he said. "I'll not deny that this will hurt."

At that, she did as commanded, though tasting hints of soot. Another second, and Wolf felt an immense heat over her before a searing pain shot down her wounds, the sound of sizzling flesh audible as she bit down on Pitch's tail with full force, pain-filled tears running down her cheeks as she stifled a scream.

She felt the dragon's heated claws against her back for another moment before the pressure subsided, though the pain was still immense. She felt a soft, warm breath against her back as Pitch did his best to alleviate some of the pain, breathing on the wound in order to provide some semblance of comfort.

Reaching over, Pitch tore off a segment of what remained of King Sombra's cape and gently lifted the mare into the air, who, in her immense state of pain, was unable to object as the dragon gingerly wrapped the mare's torso in the crimson robes before setting her down. "There," Pitch exclaimed, pridefully lifting his chin. "Not bad for a dragon without medical training, eh?" he smirked. Looking down, his expression flatlined.

Steam Shock was now awake, glaring up at him and holding a wing blade up.

"Please," Pitch snorted. "I do believe I just saved your marefriend's life."

The reaction was instant. Shock's cheeks turned bright red for a moment before he looked down at Wolf Heart, noticing her torso wrapped in King Sombra's drapes. He could smell burning fur in the air before he looked back up at the dragon. Before Pitch could say anything more, the pegasus dropped his blade and rushed to her side. Slowly, Steam lifted her chin and looked into her emerald eyes, noticing the tears staining her cheeks.

"There's the Dapper I know," she murmured with a weak smile, the cauterization having drained much of her energy as her eyelids dropped slightly. "Charismatic and cute like you used to be," Wolf exclaimed as Steam Shock's lip trembled ever-so-slightly, a smile upon his face. "Don't cry," the mare said, her smile making way for a slight frown.

"It's not out of sadness," he explained, shaking his head as he leaned forward and wrapped the mare in his arms, avoiding her wound in the process. "I was afraid I'd lose the first pony I ever loved," he whispered into her ear.

As the two embraced for a moment, Pitch cleared his throat, the sound like a rasping growl. "Sorry to interrupt... whatever this is, but perhaps I can give you three a lift home. There's no way you're getting through the front gate in one piece. I'll take you as far as the outskirts of Ponyville, no further," he said.

Wolf Heart and Steam Shock looked up at the dragon. "O-okay," Steam Shock acknowledged hesitantly, only trusting him for saving his best friend's life.

Pitch nodded before swiveling his head and turning to look at the remnants of Shock's prosthetic wing. "Alright," he said finally, effortlessly lifting the still unconscious form of Abacus Oak into his large claws before lowering his large skull to the floor. "Climb on," he said.

"No, I thought I was gonna fly up," Shock grumbled sarcastically, gently pulling Wolf Heart to her hooves with the crook of his neck and allowing her to support her weight on his shoulders.

At the words, the dragon blew a line of concentrated smoke into the stallion's face. "Don't get sarcastic with me, I still don't like your kind," Pitch grumbled as the pegasus coughed for a moment, climbing up the dragon's face and pulling Wolf Heart up with him before shifting to a position between the spines that stopped near the base of his neck and started at the shoulders.

With his best behind him, Shock felt her wrap her arms around his waist and rest her cheek on his back before Pitch trudged from the room.

Before long, the dragon had reached the main gate, noticing that various equines were removing their helms to reveal crystalline earth ponies and unicorns. Shock looked down with a curious expression at seeing their terrified expressions at the sight of the large dragon. None of them ran, but they were afraid. "Pitch?" the stallion queried.

The dragon simply nodded. "Must be Sombra's slaves breaking out of his enchantment now that he's dead... Part of them remembers that I was with Sombra, so they're cautious, but they figure because I was with Sombra, I won't hurt his soldiers," he noted.

"Wait... the Shadow Troopers were just brainwashed slaves?" Shock asked with clear surprise etched across his face. A sudden wave of guilt washed over him, a pang of guilt that Pitch could sense.

The dragon chuckled as he used his large skull to push open the front gates. "Do not feel sorry for them. They knew what they were doing and the enchantment was just to make sure that any noncompliant soldiers stayed in line," he acknowledged, leaving the large castle. "Without a leader though... the Crystal Empire will fall into chaos. Pitch turned to face the empire. "Hopefully Cadenza is still alive," he grunted before unfolding his wings.

"Princess Cadenza? Sombra never killed her?" Wolf Heart questioned with a sense of surprise audible on her weak voice, much to Pitch's chagrin. "If that's the case, we need to save her," she said, lifting her head.

"No," Pitch growled authoritatively. "I'll not meddle in the affairs of this kingdom any longer," he snarled.

"And what about redemption?!" Wolf Heart retorted boldly.