Crystal Raid

You keep low as you and your squad maneuver through the crystal streets, avoiding fleeing ponies and moving closer to the towering structure that houses your target. Gunshots continue to pierce your eardrums, some closer than others. The last of your XH9 aircraft are leaving the AO, although one of them doesn't make it. Offensive beams of magic rocket out of various parts of the city, bringing down the aforementioned VTOL in an orange and yellow blaze. Smoke begins billowing into the sky halfway across the city.

Turning to your squad leader at the head of the formation, you ask, "What are we going to do about that one, sir? Let the ponies get their hands on that technology? Let's retrieve what remains," but he dismisses you.

"Somebody will take care of it. I'm sure they're being radioed orders as we speak. We have our job, and they have their's. Let's focus."

You shrug, turning your attention back to the rooftops and alleyways. Staring down the sights of your firearm, observing the alley in front of you, you see it. A crystal inhabitant is fleeing down the street when a bullet crushes her skull into pieces, spraying a red mist into the air. You flinch slightly and watch as a fellow mercenary enters your view, turning in your direction with his weapon up before lowering it upon noticing you, giving a thumbs up, and continuing down the street. You get an uneasy feeling from it, but you shake your head and blink a few times, catching up with the rest of your squad.

Soon your leader holds his closed fist up, bringing all of you to a halt. You inch forward and peer around the corner of the building you're up against and in front of you is an open street leading to beneath the palace. In a clearing sits your target; the Crystal Heart. The entire underside of the structure is protected by a shield, reaching up and covering the exterior of it as well.

"Well? What are we going to do about that?" you ask. A merc in the back speaks up, "Dig under it?" You smirk at that.

"No, no, that won't do. Some well-placed explosives might shatter it, but maybe not. We might have to kill whoever is casting it, but they're likely inside the castle." your squad leader finishes with a sigh.

"How about some air support? There might be another Warbird in the AO we can call." the same merc suggests. Your squad leader finally nods at that.

"I think that's about as good as we can do." You then nod, putting two fingers up to your earpiece to do the honors.

"Attention all units, this is Shark 4-6, are there any remaining XH9's in the area of the Crystal Empire? Over," you speak into your radio. You take your fingers off of the transmitter button and wait. Shortly after, a reply comes in.

"Shark 4-6, this is Fox 4-2, we're here. What do you need, over?" a voice comes from your earpiece. You press it again.

"Fox 4-2, we need air support. You think you can lob as many missiles as you can at that crystal castle? It's got a magic shield over it, we need to get past it to get to the objective, over."

It's about thirty seconds before you get a response. "Shark 4-6, that sounds good. Standby, over." You smile at your squad leader and he nods, turning his attention back to the streets. Suddenly, the tell-tale burst of static indicating somebody is about to talk comes from all of your radios.

"Attention all units operating in the area of the Crystal Empire, this is Fox 4-2, we're coming in for a bombing run on the Crystal Palace. Clear that zone and take cover, over," the Warbird pilot says. You and your squad begin backing up and hunkering down along the back of the building you've been hugging. Still scanning your surroundings, you hear a hum from the sky that slowly grows louder. The aforementioned VTOL enters your field of view, roaring towards the palace. Several pods along its wings begin spitting out dumb rockets towards the structure, pounding its shield to oblivion. Cracks begin forming in the shield, growing in number and size, before the barrage stops and the aircraft pulls up and back into the clouds. The ground begins to shake as the shield crumbles, its glass-like shards spreading over the ground.

Taking that as your cue, your squad gets up and starts running for the palace. Approaching the clearing, your squadmates form a perimeter around the Crystal Heart. You keep walking towards it, unslinging your backpack and opening it up. You raise your arms and go to grab the object before a blast of magic narrowly misses your appendages and causes you to jump back in panic. Your squadmates all turn towards the direction of the blast, weapons raised. In the middle of the empty street stands a muscular stallion clad in purple and gold armor with a white coat, blue mane, and smoking horn.

"Step away from the Crystal Heart and lay down your arms, creatures!" the stallion speaks through clenched teeth, putting emphasis on the last word. You and your squadmates exchange glances before bursting into laughter. Well, they do. Not you, though. You recognize this stallion. Prince Shining Armor of the Crystal Empire. Not somebody to underestimate. In your distracted state, pegasus guards swoop down from the ceiling, tackling all of you and disarming you. Shining Armor grins.

"If only you had obeyed my instructions. Not like that would've helped you, though. You're already going to be locked away for a long time, or worse, for the things that you've done."

You struggle under the heavy stallion keeping you pinned. In response, he puts more pressure on you, suppressing your movements What? Trying to steal the Crystal Heart? Whatever, it's probably happened before. Images of the crystal pony's brain matter bring splattered over the street appear in your mind. Oh, that. That probably wasn't good.

Speaking of which, what were your teammates doing? This was supposed to be a theft if anything, and the only ponies dying should be guards who put your life at risk. This isn't right. Those civilians died for nothing. What were they thinking? Suddenly you're ripped from your thoughts by a voice being transmitted over your radio.

"Good thing your radio's being accidentally broadcasted by the ground you're being squashed into, because you're about to be rescued."

Gunshots pierce the air as bullets whip down the street, connecting with the guards atop your squad. As the pressure on your back fades, you raise your head just in time to see Shining Armor collapse onto the ground, holes in his armor beginning to leak a dark red liquid. As your squadmates get up off the ground and begin to cheer, your eyes widen and you run over to Shining.

You kneel beside him, but before you can do anything, it's already too late. His eyes roll into the back of his head and he breathes his last breath. This is totally not good.

"What the fuck are you doing, man? Get the Crystal Heart and let's get the fuck out of here!" shouts one of your squadmates, already running for an extraction Warbird landing in the street outside the palace. You operate on autopilot, thoughtlessly bagging the Crystal Heart and getting onboard the aircraft. You're too preoccupied with your thoughts to notice anything that's actually going on.

As your VTOL ascends into the sky, you peer out the window and look down to the scene you just left behind. A pink alicorn races out to the prince's body, collapsing beside it and lowering its head.

Was this part of the plan?