It took him awhile to get everything back in order in the Archives before he made his way up the tower. He knew as well as his mother that this was made for ponies that could fly. It made sense that the maids and guards here were predominantly pegasi; there were just so many stairs! Nexus always preferred walking when he could. He'd attached the Iron Icarus' around two years ago and was hardly use to it even now. They still felt unnatural, so he walked when he could. Flying was fun, but not his style. He liked being a unicorn over a pegasus. But here, he wished his pride for using his wings wasn't so high.

It took him about an hour to get up to the top of the tower, but seeing as it was only his upper hindlegs hurt after the climb, it wasn't much of a physical loss. He walked down a small hallway to the dark blue door with Luna's cutie mark painted on it. He knocked on her door and waited for a response.

"Enter." she said from the other side.

Nexus pushed open the door and slowly entered.

"Was your work eventful?" Luna asked without looking up from the documents she was levitating.

"No, but I have something to ask you."

"Whatever it is you will have to make it quick. Tia has given me more than enough work to deal with regarding the current state of things."

"I have to go to the Griffon Kingdom and then to Saddle Arabia." Nexus said not beating around the bush.

"What for?"

"If my trip to the Griffon Kingdom is eventful, I'll need to go across the East Sea and search through Saddle Arabia."

"I shall sign your leave when I have finished."

"I'm not going on leave."

Luna stopped what she was doing the second he said that. "What do you mean?"

"I mean I'm taking troops to Saddle Arabia. We've tracked the changelings going over the East Sea and we need to follow the trail while it's still fresh. But to be sure, we need to go to the Griffon Kingdom to get information."

"Why?" Luna said looking over her right shoulder.

"Because if we're wrong and Sombra isn't-"

"No. Why are you taking your troops instead of letting Celestia handle it?"

"If she learns that Sombra is behind this, she'll send everypony in her guard after him. And I have a feeling that's exactly what he wants."

"Then stay behind and watch over Canterlot instead of leaving it unprotected."

"I can't do that. We're spread too far over Equestria to pull back to Canterlot now. I only need fifty soldiers to kill Sombra."

"You cannot do this Lunarus."

"No disrespect; but I'm not asking for your blessing."

"Lunarus!"

"I'm not letting Sombra win this. I'm not letting Equestria fall. I'm leaving as soon as I can." Nexus told her before turning around to leave.

"Lunarus!" Luna called after him.

"You can't stop me Luna."

"Just listen to me for one second Lunarus."

Nexus sighed and stopped short of the stairs.

"If you wish to go after Sombra. Then it's time."

"Luna. I don’t know if-"

"You know as well as I that without them you won't stand a chance."

"I've fought him once, I'll fight him again."

"Then take them as a backup plan. If you are not successful in your attempts alone."

Nexus looked down to the ground knowing she had a point. "Alright. Show me where they are."

About an hour later, Nexus had followed Luna down to the Everfree Forest for the second time. They landed next to the bridge.

"Why are we stopping here? I thought they were inside the castle." Nexus asked.

"They are. Do you still have the metal you found?"

"Yes."

"Then come with me." Luna said starting down a stair case that was fairly hidden in fog.

Nexus followed close behind not wanting to get lost.

"I do wish you hadn't tried to lie to Celestia. She knows you know."

"It was more for Twilight's sake. She has enough on her shoulders now that she's a princess. Having as many questions that she has now; it'd make her life much harder if she had more questions."

"But she will know eventually."

"Eventually. But not now."

Luna spread her wings and the fog infront of them cleared in a rush of wind. Nexus saw a cave at the base of the chasm. From deep within, a light white emanated.

"Part of me wishes you hadn't told me you had found it." Luna sighed.

"Why's that?" Nexus replied.

"Because he'd hidden his instead of turning it over like he was told."

"Goldenchord might be a bit more like me then you want to admit."

The color left her face at the mention of his name once more. This unsettled Nexus deeply but now wasn't the time to press the subject. If he lived through this he'd half to ask just to help her get if off her chest. Nexus looked down the tunnel and was amazed by what he saw. A massive rock formation stood in the massive cavern inside the cave. The glowing rock made it look like a tree with no leaves. Instead, stone bobbles hung from blue, glowing vines, each one holding a colorless gem in its center. On the trunk, a sun and crescent moon are carved just above the roots. How they carved something into stone was beyond Nexus.

"This is-"

"The Tree of Harmony. Where all elements hold the world in balance."

"What about the Elements of Harmony? I saw them in the safe before they were shipped to Ponyville."

"Celestia said that even without the Elements of Harmony, the tree will still have enough power to bring balance to the world."

"So is it safe to do this?"

"It must be done. Without these, there is no hope for this mission."

"I don't need them to do this. I can take Sombra on my own."

"A failsafe, Lunarus. I only ask you to take them as a failsafe. Now, use the metal to free the elements."

"Are you sure I can wear this? I didn't really earn it. Knowing magic, it might just kill me outright if it's as powerful as you said."

"Put it on and focus your spark on the right branch. You should be fine."

"Okay if you say so. But I'm not liking the word should."

Nexus pulled Goldenchord's Metal of Honor and pinned it to his singed, right lapel. He sighed and focused his energy to his horn. A static charge started building throughout his body. Normally, he could cast this spell like it was nothing but that didn't have perfect accuracy. He'd need it from this distance, so he charged it up. But the instant the charge passed his chest, where the metal sat, it quadrupled in strength and shot straight from his horn with a powerful boom.

Nexus recoiled back as the aftershock from the spark shot up and down his spine like it was a cue ball going from wall to wall on a pool table. He shook his head to clear the confusion and he looked to the tree. At the top of the tree where the bolt hit, white lightning arced between five bobbles as connected to the end of a branch. The stone bobbles started to glow in a different color; orange, silver, white, purple and red. And from the bottom of each of them, a large gem of the color the bobble was glowing came through. Nexus watched with Princess Luna as they floated down the tree. At ground level, the gems hovered over to Nexus and started revolving around him.

"The Elements of Freedom have been awakened." Luna said.

Nexus was lost for words. He could feel the power inside of the gems as they circled around him.

"Unlike the Elements of Harmony, no one pony can wield them. If your search has been eventful, the spirits of these virtues should be under your watchful eye."

"I hope I don't have to use them." Nexus said opening his jacket pockets.

He used his horn to levitate the gems into each pocket. It was hard to get them all in, but it was possible.

"Lunarus, you must be aware that when you leave for the Griffon Kingdom, I cannot lie to my sister."

"I don't expect you to. When she asks, just tell her the truth. I left without your permission."

"And what of your return?"

"If I return at all, I'll take the consequences of my actions. I don't think of myself outside of the law of the land, no matter how much I disagree with it."

"But you may not be permitted back into Canterlot, back into Equestria should you fail!"

"I have to. Celestia will take far too much action and I need to break the trap before it snaps down on Brand. Rule 18?"

Luna looked back at the tree for a moment before answering. "Rule 18." she agreed.

Author's Notes:

Buckle up everypony. This is going to be a LONG one.