Celestia exited the hall with Delta close behind. Boss jogged to get beside her.

"Permission to speak freely Ma'am?" He asked with a bit of unease coming through his helmet.

"Granted Delta lead." She sounded tired but regained a bit of herself.

"Princess, I have to ask was that part of the plan?" Celestia shook her head

"No Delta, Sombra has planned his moves expertly. But..." She levitated the blue gem. "He's given us what we need to make our next move."

Boss looked at the blue diamond "This Delta squad is an Element of Harmony Generosity to be exact."

"Oh-Five's?" Sev asked, and Celestia nodded.

"And with it, It'll lead us, right to Rarity; it's bearers location." They walked out onto a balcony where the familiar roar of an LA-AT came from above to meet them.

"Good timing." Fixer stated.

"I had Applejack send our coordinates before I lost my head..." Celestia trailed off

Sev stepped in "Slaver scum had it coming one way or another." He reassured in his way. But Celestia lowered her head.

"Perhaps Sev but not in that way, let us move on we have our next target Deltas." She hopped into the transport. After the Deltas were in, she used her magic to float the Element to Dece.

"Follow the trail pilot." She ordered, and the pilot scratched his helmet looking at the gem before a blue laser line shot out to the horizon.

"Um Pycho you seeing this?"

"You mean the blue magic light that's leading us into the great unknown?"

"Ya."

"Nope." Pycho let out before taking off in the pointed direction.

The LA-AT sped through the air at incredible speed as Delta double checked their gear. Celestia calmed herself watching a map that showed what they were flying over. Fixer leaned over fascinated.

"That's pretty impressive. Magic?" He asked, and she nodded with a nostalgic smile.

"It's a pegasus map, Starswirl the Bearded invented them to help him in his travels many centuries ago. But there only as good as the map they copy. If there's an error in the original, then it'll be stuck." Celestia explained.

"How up to date is this one?" Fixer asked.

Celestia looked wistfully for a moment before answering "It's not this is Starswirls original. More than a thousand years old little more than a nostalgia piece. A way for me to see how the land has changed over the millennia." Fixer watched the map according to it they were back near the crystal empire.

"How recently has this become Elk territory?" He asked, and Celestia scrunched her face up.

"No on most modern maps this is still part of the crystal empire. Elks have always been more cult than anything. Widely organized nomads that travel the northern territory." She had an edge of caution to her words. Scorch picked up on it,

"Something tells me not the type you'd like to run into by accident." Scorch joked, and Celestia nodded in agreement. Fixer remembered what he'd read.

"Honestly Deltas the Elk remind me of those bog witches." Fixer let out concerned. Sev growled his disapproval.

"There cruelty and blood magic earned them a mythical status until they attacked the Crystal Empire. All of this was before Sombra's first rule of the kingdom. That was when I had my first encounter with them. Elks were hunting and killing crystal ponies we later got reports they were torturing and eating those they dragged off." Celestia had a disgusted face, and she shook her head. "Equestria alongside the Empire did our best to disband these death cults. Unlike unicorns, Elk needs outside material to power their magic such as crystals and totems destroying such items should reduce the threat they pose."

"So smash anything that's glowing or spooky got it." Scorch nodded Sev banged his fist into the hull.

"If its blood they want, I'll make sure they drown in it!" He cracked his knuckles. Celestia stood and faced the Commando,

"As always I appreciate your enthusiasm. But I feel you might be taking this personally Sev." Celestia arched an eyebrow at the sniper.

"Slavers were bad enough. But cannibalistic sadists? for such a cute world you have some fucked up enemies Princess." He pointed an armored finger, and Celestia cracked a smile

"I don't know what to say Oh-Seven..." She called him by number, and he dropped the hand "Should I take the compliment or apologize that our cute world is so trying for you Sev." Sev stood down shaking his head.

Dece came over the comms "Either I'm holding this wrong, or we've reached our destination." The LA-AT descended and one side of the transport opened showing a crystal castle.

"Pilot give us a fly around keep us high. I want to see what these things have to offer." Boss ordered pulling out a viewer. Halfway through Boss noticed something. "You said these things were tribal Ma'am?"

"Normally yes why?" Celestia asked concerned, and Boss passed the Viewer.

"Someones organized them." Celestia could make out the two separate patrols, and a guards next full of Elk.

"They have definitely dug in harder then I've ever seen. This tells me that we're in the right place. But this suggests more Elk then I've ever seen gathered in one place." Celestia lowered the Viewer thinking of what this could mean for the mission.

Scorch put a hand on his helmets chin. "We're in a gunship we could blast our way in." He offered. "Naw to risky..." He corrected shaking the idea away. Sev, however, leaned closer using his sniper scope and good eyes.

"Boss there's a waterway running underneath the castle. I can make out a metal gate blocking it off. But a cutter would probably make quick work of it." Boss patted his shoulder

"Good eye Delta. Princess know enough architect to say whether or not there's an opening?" Boss asked.

"Yes, a wall or door for water access," Celestia affirmed, and Boss smiled under his helmet.

"Looks like we have our entry point men." All of Delta squad nodded.

Author's Note

wonder what awaits them?