Celestia smiled then got back on the com.

"Oh-Seven most of the prisoners will be from local villages. Deltas finding Oh-Five is still our top priority. Oh-Seven find those prisoners once we have a number and Oh-Five is rescued. Regroup and save as many survivors as you can."

"Copy that Advisor," Boss and Sev confirmed

"Oh and Sev, Happy hunting." The Princess's voice had a cool edge to it that brought a smile to the Commando hunter.

"With pleasure Ma'am." He sounded pleased, and Celestia refocused on the rest of Delta as they positioned themselves outside a large double door. Fixer and Boss were stacked up on the right side and Scorch was on the left like they were prepared to breach. Fixer put a hand on the door and gave it a push. It opened with a small groan, but it was enough for each Delta to freeze. Fixer leaned in checking both sides staying low.

"All Clear."
Boss gave the signal to move, and they filed in. They stepped into a corridor lined with empty armor racks and shelves.

"Don't know much about pony standards but this is one empty armory..." Scorch commented sweeping the left side Fixer swept the right finding more of the same. Boss covered the rear. "Wonder what happened to the guards in this post?" Scorch continued to think out loud.

Fixer replied without looking at him. "This post stopped reporting only a couple weeks ago maybe we'll find survivors." Coming to the end of the hall they prepped to enter the next room. Once inside they found a large banquet hall. In the middle stood something that made each Delta pause.

A large shrine stood dead center of the hall. It was taller than a clone by a couple inchs. Made entirely of bones and multi-Colored pelts. Most concerning was the ring of pony skulls that stared in each direction. Some were cleaned bleach white, others were still fleshy there eyes staring endlessly. Most wore Equestrian guard helmets.

Scorch swallowed "I'm going to stop asking questions now..." He looked at the base to see a blood stained alter made of bowled stone. It seemed to be about average pony size.

"Must be where they recharge their magic." Fixer guessed, and Scorch crouched in front of it. He pulled two things out of his pack.

"Let's leave them an offering of our own Delta." He held up a proximity mine and a Det pack. "What do you think fearless leader we have enough time to watch the fireworks?" Boss smiled and pointed to the Det pack.

"Use the Det bigger charge to take out as many as we can. Worse case scenario we detonate when we Evac." Boss reasoned

"What if some poor sobs already on the stone?" Fixer asked, and Boss shook his helmet.

"It'll be a quicker death then the Elk are offering. Whatever the case I want this Particular piece of architect gone. Being able to hit the button personally is just perks of the rank." Boss let out coldly,

"Yes, sir." Scorch sang as he prepped the charge. Boss pulled out the Element out of the pack on his hip to recheck. It pulsed powerfully. The magic urging him to hurry. It painted a blue line to the doors on the other side of the hall. Scorch gave a thumbs up, and they prepared door breach maneuvers. Muffled sounds could be heard behind the door. The Element burned cold enough Boss could feel it through it's case. Rarity had to be on the other side. Boss nodded, and Scorch pushed on the door. Locked he moved aside for his more technical brother who punched his Vibroblade through the lock and pushed the door open.

The hinges groaned but a loud pained female shout drowned it out, and Delta double-timed it into a well-lit room. The Commandos dropped to firing position but held their fire seeing an Elk standing in front of Rarity who hung from the ceiling with her hooves over her head. She was taking exaggerated breaths glaring at the Elk who held a knife with fresh blood to match the cut on her side just above her cutie-mark.

"Careful you ruffian that'll scar, and I'll be cross." The Elk got angry and put the knife to her throat. Delta held their breath, But Rarity smirked of all things her eyes flicked from the Deltas to the Elk.

"Oh please kill me. and your boss will tear your shriveled heart beating from your dirty chest." She taunted, But all bravado drained from her face as he whipped around angrily seeing the Deltas. The Elk barely got his shield up in time before Boss pulled the trigger. They watched the shield extend all around the Elk and Rarity cutting them off from flanking shots. The Deltas opened fire hoping to drain his energy.

"Ok! Plan B!." Rarity shouted over the blaster fire. "Yellow Darling knock over that crystal for me." Scorch looked to his left and found an orb in a holder. Shrugging he pushed it over like a cat watching it shatter. The Elk cursed but couldn't take his focus off the shield. The shards glowed in a blue aura and floated into the smoke and dust kicked up by the Blaster fire. Boss heard a gargled cry of pain that sounded male, and he gave the cease-fire. Once the smoke cleared a grizzly scene awaited them, but it was also a pretty clear scene of what had happened.

The Elk laid dead on the floor where a razor shower of crystal shards had shotgunned half his face to bits of antler, Bone, and Brains. The red puddle grew steadily as it twitched. With a chink, Rarity fell from her chains stretching and working her tired joints

Several pops and a satisfied groan later she spoke. "I know it's rude to keep my rescuers waiting, but I am simply parched." She trotted over to the pool of water then plunged her face into the slightly glowing water. After several unladylike gulps, she withdrew smacking her lips pleased. The Delta watched her wounds heal.

"I don't want to know what those barbarians did to enchant water in such a way, but I appreciate it's effect none the less." She looked at her flank and nodded with approval "I'd rather not slow you down with an injury."

She looked into their unmoving helmets. She counted three vaguely remembering a forth. When the Yellow one put the black thing on his hip and began miming several exaggerated gestures between the unicorn and the corpse then the others in his team. Unfortunately for Delta squad the string of one-word question and multi-language cursing wasn't much more coherent than the clones body languages.

"My your friend's rather animated aren't they?" Rarity smiled uneasily, but this got an audible response at least.

"You have no idea..." Fixer sounded tired. Rarity perked up.

"You can speak!" She let out. Happily, the green one looked back at the yellow one

"Some of us too much..."

The orange one raised a fist and the other Two straightened up.

"That's enough Deltas Priority target Oh-Fives been found Begin secondary objective." He said this all open air so Rarity could hear him. Boss looked at her, and she stood a little straighter under his authority. "Stay close, Keep your head down, and stay quiet. Questions can be asked later for right now all you need to know that the princess sent us. I'm Delta lead Three-Eight."

"Four-Oh" Fixer responded.

"Six-Two and we're your rescue for the night." Scorch said, and Rarity smirked.

"Your most certainly my knight in armor where would I be without your tipping skills Six-Two." Scorch chuckled not sure what to make of this mare.

"Three-Eight sir? Do you think we'll encounter more of these brutes on the way out?" She asked stepping over her kill like it was a mere puddle and she simply couldn't be bothered to get her hooves dirty. Boss's eyes drifted between her and the corpse.

"Probably more than a few, Ma'am."

"Hmm," Her horn lit up and the crystal shards, The Elks severed antler, and the little sling pack the Elk carried floated to her. She unceremoniously dumped it, but her magic piled it nice and neat in a corner. Boss's eye was brought back to the unicorn when she snapped the Elks antler in half and curled her hair into a functional bun and used the antler as a pin to hold it all together. She put the shards into the bag and put it on her back.

"Then I may need more ammunition darling." She walked into the next room

Scorch looked at Boss "Boss I'm confused and a little worried at the moment..." Three-Eight didn't answer, this world continued to find ways to baffle them all.

"Four-Oh I'm starting to see what you meant about more to these six." He let out plainly, and Fixer shrugged. Rarity poked her head back through the door.

"Not to be rude, but it's not much of a rescue if we never leave the room you found me in darlings."

Author's Note

Rarity always did strike me as the rescue herself kind of girl...