Into the Trio: The Crusaders Tale
Duty on one of the most well protected worlds in Dratali space was quiet. Very little happened here despite the high value targets. The heavy defenses meant the Alliance would have to spend more resources than they were willing, so it was unusual when a violet light appeared and passed through the shield. Confusion was quickly replaced by panic as they realized it was heading right for them. The object slammed into the communications array, smashing it to pieces and landing just in front of the building, leaving a crater and a cloud of dust in its wake.
Two of the braver Dratali approached with an Aviva and a human convert close behind. Unseen by anyone, a shadow shot along the ground with nothing to cast it. It moved along to far side of the assembled soldiers, behind a group of three wielding rocket launchers. The unnatural dark rose up from the ground, as if melting in reverse, taking on the form of an orange, blindfolded pegasus.
Meanwhile, the four brave souls had reached the edge of the dust cloud. In an instant, four lances of stone burst from the earth, impaling them as a hail of sharpened icicles rained into the front line. The three rocket bearers, before they could even respond, found their heads tumbling through the air, having been separated from their bodies with a single skilled swing from the long, curved blade.
“Scoots, you take the adepts,” Sweetie commanded over the communicator. “Bloom, take out the tank!”
“Way ahead a'ya,” Applebloom's country drawl sounded just as a pillar of earth propelled the farm mare out of the obscuring dust. In a flash of light, God Crusher appeared in her hooves. With a powerful swing of the mighty war hammer, the tank was sent crashing into the far wall, taking several enemies with it.
An adept, thinking he was in Scootaloo's blind spot, fired a bolt of corrosive magic at the back of her head. Unfortunately for him, that particular mare had no blind spot. In her unique sight, the eyeless pegasus saw the magic being pulled in and forming in the adept's hands. In a move that the adept would have thought was teleportation if not for the blurred trail she left, Scootaloo plunged her sword into his heart. Seeing the magic leave his body, she moved on, cutting down any who stood in her way with her blinding speed, supernatural agility, and magical flames.
Bolts of green plasma streaked across the battlefield, courtesy of Sweetie's MagiTool. Dot, the ancient pony tech's AI, streaming constant data to its wielder, giving her the data needed to instruct her friends.
Scootaloo's sword was complemented by the occasional burst of her fire, slicing and scorching her foes. Applebloom's titanic strength and command of the earth itself left craters in her wake. Sweetie's plasma caster dealt death alongside her unicorn and rune magic. Separate, the three were deadly, but together they were a force of nature, quickly causing the enemy number to dwindle until there was but one.
The three surrounded the poor, unfortunate survivor as he knelt on the ground, hands in the air. He flinched as Scootaloo's blade slid across his flesh, until it reached his neck. The Dratali squeezed his eyes shut, feeling the razor edge pressing against his throat.
“What should we do with this one?” the pegasus asked.
“P-po...leez, I not combat!,” the reptile said awkwardly. “I to live want!”
Sweetie looked at him critically, gauging how 'done' he really was.
“Applebloom. Make sure he can't cause us anymore trouble,” the unicorn said.
“Got'cha.” The earth pony's right hoof glowed with magical runes. A section of the ground rose up and bound the surrendering soldier around the wrists, ankles, and waist. “There we go. Now don't'cha go nowhere.”
“Alright,” Sweetie said. “Now let's get inside, get Curt, and get out.”
As the three approached the heavy blast door, Sweetie let out a long whistle, “Now that's a door. Scootaloo, what's on the other side?”
The blind pegasus looked past the gray natural magic of the door. Several auras were within the range of her 'sight', but most didn't matter. “There's only two right there. There's a few in a small room on the floor above, but the way they're huddled together... I'm guessing they're noncombatants.”
“Good.” Sweetie grinned, a plan forming in her mind. “Scoots, Give me their positions and a clearing.”
“Aww,” Applebloom said, fake-pouting. “But Ah wanted to rip the door off.”
“Quit your crying, ya muscle head,” Scootaloo said, laughing. “Okay, clearing, approximately nineteen hooves directly in front. The one behind the desk will be directly in front of that, another ten. The other will be seven hooves, thirty six degrees to your left.”
“Alright,” Sweetie said as both her horn and runes lit up. “I'll be right back.”
In a flash of light, the young unicorn mare appeared in the room just inside. Instantly she released her rune magic, a sparkling bolt struck the head of the one at the desk, rendering him unconscious. Before the shock could wear off, she leaped at the second, the rune on the bottom of her hoof glowing as it made contact with his head. Quickly, her vastly more powerful mind dominated his, subjugating him to her will. She despised using that rune, but in the end the number of lives it could save outweighed the evil of taking the free will of one.
With a simple command, her thrall sounded the all clear and opened the door. Applebloom looked at the Dratali warily, “Uh, Sweetie. Did you really need him just to open the door?”
“Nope,” she replied with her usual cheer. “But we do need him to take us prisoner.”
“Wha...” Scootaloo started until realization dawned on her, “Oh... I get it. Classic.”
“Well, what're we waitin' for,” Applebloom said. “Let's get this guided tour a'goin'.”
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- ---
Several minutes and a couple dozen stairs later, the 'prisoners' entered the detainment level. The four guards stationed there were obviously excited. They approached, intending to relieve the front door guard of his burden. In an orange blur, Scootaloo struck all four faster than the eye could follow, knocking them unconscious.
They dragged the four guards into an empty cell and locked them and their unwilling ally inside. As soon as the door shut, Sweetie released her spell. The Dratali soldier blinked in confusion, likely wondering why he was still alive. His confusion was compounded by the white unicorn mare letting out a series of barking, hissing sounds, apologizing for the horrible spell she had to use.
She turned back to the flat, deadpanned looks of her friends.
“You would speak Drak,” Scootaloo said.
“I just read a file on it on the way here,” replied Sweetie.
“Whatever, he's down here,” Scoots said, heading down an adjacent corridor. She lead them to a cell toward the end. “This one.”
Applebloom pushed the steel door open with little effort, the groaning of metal waking the human with a start.
“Uh... Am I hallucinating again?” he asked. “Cause the last one that started like this ended in rape.”
Sweetie's horn glowed, surrounding Curt in the teal glow of a scanning spell. “Eeyup, he's drugged. Give me a second.”
“Yeah, 'cause we got time to kill. It ain't like they gonna notice the front door and prison guards are missin',” the apple farmer said, mildly annoyed by the delay.
“Applebloom, you know-” Sweetie started, only to be interrupted by the earth pony.
“Ah know. Ah'm still just irritated that this idiot thought Ah needed savin'.”
“Oh, of course you didn't,” Scootaloo snarked. “You getting knocked out was all part of the plan, right?”
“Ah was playin' possum!”
“For three hours... after we got back to the ship.”
“Girls!” Sweetie interrupted her friends, as a now sober Curt sat up. “Shut up and get professional. We still represent the Dawn Shield.”
“Oh, Sweets, you're the best,” Curt said, throwing his hands around her neck. “You know I love you, right?”
“You know my husband is a fire breathing dragon, right?”
The hands pulled back quickly, much to the unicorn's amusement.
“Alright, ladies, get mobile,” Sweetie ordered. “Curt, grab a weapon from the riot locker at the desk. Scoots, you’re on look out. Bloom, charge shields.”
As the others moved to follow their orders, Sweetie made her way to the security console. She lifter her right hoof, activating her MagiTool's interface system. She slipped a wire into an interface and began the data transfer. The advanced AI made quick work of the security and quickly uploaded a virus, spreading through the planet-wide system and infecting the shield generators. They relied on the shields keeping out any threat, but once inside, the security was a joke.
“Alright, ready!” Curt called, tightening one last strap on some simple body armor.
Sweetie disengaged from the computer and met her teammates at the elevator. The four filed in and the lift rose back to the surface.
“Alright,” Sweetie said. “We’re going with the steel rhino maneuver, got it? Curt, keep up and hold your fire. No need to cause needless casualties.”
“You won't have time to shoot, anyway,” Scootaloo informed. “We're going to be hauling ass. Also, there's an ambush waiting.”
“It doesn't matter,” Sweetie said. “Get ready... Now!”
The second the elevator stopped Applebloom activated her shield runes, wrapping her in a cone of magical force. With a burst of speed, the elevator doors exploded outward as the yellow mare launched herself forward. The LMG set up in the corridor spit fire, only for its supersonic rounds to bounce harmlessly off Applebloom's shield as she barreled toward them.
Sweetie, Scootaloo, and Curt shielded themselves from small arms fire as the living juggernaut paved the road. She crashed through the walls as if they were paper, her incredible strength making short work of them, and any other obstacle foolish enough to try to slow the unstoppable force.
“Turn, twenty-six degrees to the right... Now!” Scootaloo called.
Trusting her friend's magical sight, the farmer turned. One last wall was destroyed and the thick, durasteel front door loomed ahead. Applebloom let out a battle cry as she focused more energy into her shields and put on all the speed she could muster. She winced, bracing herself for the impact. A resounding ka-boom echoed as the thick security door was blasted from its place, sending Applebloom toppling from the impact.
“I've been wai-” was all Xander could manage before Scootaloo's blade severed his head once again.
Curt picked up an unconscious Applebloom in his arms, not even stopping as he ran past. Before the undead unicorn's head could even reattach itself, Scootaloo was already forming an orb of shadow energy.
As she launched the orb at the lich, she shouted, “Suck my ball, bitch!”
“Scootaloo, language!” Sweetie called behind her.
The rune spell collided with its target, pulling him into its singularity.
“Alright,” Sweetie said into the communicator. “We're ready!”
“Roger that, Egghead,” replied Debby, using that accursed callsign.
A thousand feet away, a hole seemed to open in space, revealing a small hangar bay. In a flash, Curt and Applebloom appeared in the invisible ship. Sweetie, seeing the logic in the move, lit up her horn.
Scootaloo saw the magic envelop her and quickly voiced her disapproval, “Sweetie, don't you-” The concentrated magic was like a supernova in her vision. Without eyes to burn, the pain decided to just take up her entire head as she collapsed onto steel floor.
“Sorry, Scoots. It was the most efficient way.”
“Fuck... you... you... whore...” whimpered the pegasus as she clenched her head.