The ship had left about an hour past noon without Ephialtes and Hestaria. Knight wasn't so sure that that was a wise move on Nexus' part, but unlike Ephi, he knew better then to back talk the Commander. Nexus was the unstoppable force and the immovable object. Ephilates was an unstoppable force as well but not to the severity the Commander seemed to be bringing lately. He was much more violent and blunt to the crew. He'd tried to talk to him, but her threatened to tie his wings and throw him overboard if he asked anymore questions.

Knight sat with his canteen on the bow and played solitaire as the day turned to night. The door to the Captain's Quarters opened once in a while and he could see Nexus leaning on his open back window. He couldn't tell if he was asleep or not from here, but he had heard his bird screech a few hours ago so he might just be waiting for him to come back. He put down a jack from his hand as Thunder Clap came up to him with a smile.

"Hey." he said.

"That's for horses." Knight replied out of reflex.

"What?"

"Sorry. My dad said that whenever somepony said hey to him. What's up kid?"

"Just got some time to myself. Work down bellow is pretty basic. I got it all done but no pony down there really cares. You wanna turn that solitaire into Texas Hold 'em?"

"Sure." Knight replied picking up all the cards and starting to shuffle them. "Ace's go both ways, no jokers most winning hands wins."

"What, no money?"

"I don't have any."

"Gamble ship chores. Loser does the chores of the winner."

"I don't want to do your chores. I'd likely get my head cut off or brunt to a crisp."

"I mean like scrubbing the deck or basic patch work."

"Fine. Now shut up and play."

White Knight dealt the cards and put out the river. (first three cards)

"You ever wonder what Commander Nexus writes in those letters he sends his phoenix off with?"

"Not really. They're his business, not ours. I bet a week of deck detail."

"Call. But what do you think they are anyways?"

"I think they're just reports to Luna. After all, we lost eight soldiers today. Show 'em."

"Anyways. That might be part of it."

"What'd you mean?"

"I think he adds a little something something to 'em when he sends them to Luna. The kinds of things that are just for her."

"You think he's sending Luna love letters?"

"Yeah. Is it that hard to believe?"

"We're talking about the same Captain right? The guy that's an unwavering force of power and respect sending love letters to Princess Luna?"

"Yeah. Why else would he send his fastest carrier pigeon to do it."

"Did it ever occur to you that Nexus just isn't a romantic."

"You'd be amazed. My boss looks all nice a trim, but I read his letters before he sends them out and he's got a big soft spot for this mare out in the Manehatten plant. Come on, deal 'em."

Knight put down another card and weighted his possibilities. "Two weeks of guard duty."

"Call."

"That's your boss though. Nexus doesn't have a soft spot on him. His eyes are knifes, and the rest of him is metal."

"But think about it. He's the closest pony to Princess Luna, spends the most time around her other than Celestia and she trusts him to run the military for her. You can't say that you don't think that there isn't even the SLIGHTEST possibility that they could be a thing."

"About as likely as him being a colt cuddler."

"You never know. Next card."

Knight put down the next one and held back a grin seeing he had a straight.

"Stock taking for a week." White said trying to keep from showing his good hand.

"I'll see that and raise you a month of taste testing."

Knight was taken aback by the bet. Taste testing wasn't a hard job, it just wasn't fun. A lot of food in the back would spoil before it'd get eaten so somepony had to go back and taste all of it at the cost of their lunch.

"Call."

Knight put down the last card and hopped Thunder didn't get exactly what he wanted.

"What'd ya got?" Thunder asked.

"Straight." Knight replied putting down his two cards.

"Ace low straight."

"Damn it!"

"Anyways, you're next few months of labor aside, do you think the Captain has a capacity for love?"

"Everypony does. But he's never acted like a man in love. He acts like a man with a cause."

"He's a bit too excessive with that cause if you ask me. He threw that unicorn into a crate and nearly killed him just because he spoke out of turn. Now he's sitting in the desert."

"It was Ephi's decision, not Nexus'. I don't know why he wanted to."

"Maybe he likes the heat."

"I don't know."

"Hey, you alright?"

"I guess. Never been outside of Equestria before. This heat is killing me. I don't even think Nexus knows why we're out here anymore. I know I said he's heavy on a cause, but I'm not sure if he can remember it. I know I can't."

"What the hell do you mean?"

"I mean I don't know what I'm fighting for. I've always had something behind my fighting but now it just seems Nexus is measuring his mechanical dick against Firebrand's blazing crotch. I'm about inclined to give up on this whole thing and sit in med bay until we get home."

"Knight, we're out here for Equestria."

"That's not enough. Lots of countries used that excuse to invade."

"We're not invading anything. As soon as we're done here we leave, simple as that."

"Yeah, no world superpower has ever said that before."

"Look, like it or not, we signed up for this. And we're going to do this to the best of our abilities. Just have faith in Nexus."

"Again, he threw one of his officers across the ship after throwing him off of it. Sorry if my trust in him isn't exactly stellar at this point."

"Knight, you were in the clock tower that day right?"

"Yeah, so?"

"You know what Sombra's capable of. I've never been one to be the one following the pack. But with Nexus as our leader, I think we can the world a service. You just have to keep your head on what you believe and never let something get in the way of it. You want Sombra dead as much as I do. So that's your goal."

"It's the leader I'm worried about, not the plan."

"Okay, here's a deal." Thunder put the deck down on the table. "Let's make one last bet. If I win, you fight for Nexus until the job's done. You win, you claim heat stroke and spend the rest of the time in med bay."

"What's the game?"

"High card. You draw, then I draw. High card wins. Deal?"

"Deal."

Thunder reached down to the cards and was about to draw the top card when Knight took the deck and shuffled it. He set it back down and told Thunder to cut the cards.

"You don't trust me do you?"

"About as far as I can throw ya."

"Fine."

Thunder split the decks and put the top half on the bottom. He then drew the top card and laid it face up. It was a Queen of Moons. Knight drew and put his next to Thunder's. Ten of Suns. Two cards away from winning.

"Just keep your eye on your objective and the world will never steer you wrong. Alright?"

"Yeah, alright. Get some sleep Kid. It's going to be a long time before we get home."

"It's going to be longer for you. I had the next shift for taste tester. Looks like you'll be getting that time in sick bay after all."

Thunder clapped him on the back and walked off to the stairs to below decks. Knight cursed himself and stacked the playing cards before looking out of the light blue and blackness the was the desert below.

The whispers of the night were little to no comfort to Nexus. He kept his window open and watched the horizon for the flash that was Raven Wing. In the mean time, he'd open up Goldenchord's log and start where he left off. It hadn't told him much. Goldenchord said he was doing everything he could to start a revolt. He was quiet about it, not giving anything away to the guards.

It was commendable, but obviously not going to go well. Sombra wouldn't take any kind of rebellion sitting down. But seeing as Goldenchord was depicted as an alicorn in the book and there were still hundreds of pages of text to go, there had to be more to the story then what was showing now.

"You really think you're going to learn something from that book Nex?" Vince asked as he finished another draft.

"I don't know. I guess I should be." Nexus looked over to him as he walked over and was about to open the box with the Elements in it. "I told you not to touch that box."

"Why?"

"Because, we may be family, but I don't trust that box to anypony right now."

"Alright, I'll put them in my bag. I figured it's the safest place on ship for 'em."

"If you want somewhere safe, put them in the middle drawer. If anypony values their lives, they'll know not to open it."

"Thanks coz. I owe you."

"Don't mention it. Get some shut eye kid."

"Why?"

"Because we still got a long war ahead of us."

Nexus read for a few more hours before his eyes started to get heavy. He did everything in his power to stay awake but it was no use, he was out like a light.

Back in the slave camp mines, Goldenchord picked away at the stone walls as they continued. This time, they were going in a downward spiral. The guards walked by with their whips as the sounds of the picks echoed up and out of the mine. Nexus looked around for anypony that he'd heard about before, but none were present. Goldenchord never bothered to learn names, he only asked for support. He'd gotten it graciously from the slaves that were with him.

As the guard passed over Goldenchord's left shoulder, he nodded to the mare next to him and she ducked down. The guard turned around just in time to see tip of Goldenchord's pickax just before it went into his skull in between his eyes. The slaves around him started using their picks to either break the chains around their ankles or kill the closest guard. After the mare next to him broke the chains, Goldenchord started to make his way to the top of the mine.

The ponies started to holler as loud as they could. They were free now, even if it meant death, they were going to make this a spectacle to behold. Goldenchord found an officer and took the cavalry sword off of his side. At the top of the mine, Goldenchord looked back at his ragtag army.

"My fellow Crystal Ponies, today is the day we say, as one, that we will not stand for the tyranny of King Sombra any longer. Outside of this mine, you will be remembered, whether as a hero, or a slave, make your presence known. For if you die, you will die free. May Celestia guide us, Luna give us strength and Faust take us to salvation!" This was met with a resounding applause and the roar of cheers as Goldenchord smiled. "For the freedom of the Crystal Empire, to war!"

Goldenchord began a fast march up the mine with around fifty ponies wielding pickaxes and whips following his example. The thunderous drum of their hoofs played like a metronome. Goldenchord started singing in griffon again. Nexus didn't understand much other than freedom from tyranny and honor for all. The slaves sang along with him as they marched up to the entrance. Nexus tried his best to follow, but with the logic of dreams, he's just along for the ride. He kept slipping up on the rocks and eventually had a pickax turn him to mist. He reformed at the top of the mien where lines upon lines of troops prepared for the onslaught of slaves charging their way up the mineshaft. They were ready for anything, except what they saw. They heard the marching first. The hoofs shook the ground like Faust was trying to rip open the earth beneath them. Then the singing came. They looked at one another wondering what what going on.

The slaves sang with a mighty roar as the approached the light outside of the cave. Goldenchord was the first to be seen, his black coat shimmering. Then the first line of slaves; their coats now shimmering with the pearly sheen they were known for. As the final chores finished, Goldenchord stopped at the mouth with a look of determination on his face.

"All of you are to return to the mine and resume your work." the lead soldier said. "Do so and your punishment will be lenient."

"By Faust and her daughters, we rise above your corrupt king of shadows and bring forth the light. Attack!" Goldenchord shouted wielding the sword in his right hoof.

He sprinted forward on two legs while the rest followed with their pickaxes in their mouths and magical grips. The soldiers braced themselves as Goldenchord was the first to hit them. He swung the sword recklessly with no technique or fines, either having the blade bounce off of the their armor or hitting one of the chinks in their armor. By an estimation, the camp's entire staff of what seemed like a hundred were here trying to fend off this attack. The best weapons they had were three ponies with swords and the rest with whips.

The pain and sting of a whip was nothing to the adrenaline fueled rebellion. The clash of metal and angry war cries of the oppressed echoed within the walls. The troops started to scatter as their numbers started to drop. From the looks of things, Goldenchord had lost ten troops while the Crystal Guard took much heavier losses. Goldenchord looked off to the cell blocks and saw several guards making their way there. He didn't hesitate, putting the sword in his teeth, he ran as fast as he could to catch them.

Nexus had blinked and he was back in the cell where Purala sat curled up in the corner. The shouting seemed to frighten her. Suddenly, guards stormed in and started securing prisoners that hadn't started to riot. Purala tried asking one of the guards what was happening but was met with a stern slap to the face that threw her to the ground crying. That was when, not just hell, but all Tartarus broke open.

Crystal shards shot out of the walls and stuck in the guard that had slapped Purala. He didn't get a chance to shout, he was dead on arrival. Outside, guards shouted in terror as the walls started to shake. Goldenchord suddenly burst into the cell panting heavily with his horn glowing Silver.

"Goldie!" Purala said amazed. His coat had several dark streaks and splatters. No doubt blood but Purala couldn't see anything different. "What's happening?"

"I'm getting you out of here right now. No pony's going to hurt you again." Goldenchord said levitating her onto his back. "Stay down and hold on tight."

"Where are we going?"

"Anywhere but here."

As the two escaped, Goldenchord tried his best to not kill anypony on his way to the gate. He threw many to the side and told Purala to close her eyes when he had to kill. The guards now started quickly retreat, going to their offices as a few slaves followed them. The rest stood around the gate trying to push it open.

"They locked us in! The whole Guard will be here any second!" A stallion panicked.

"Calm down, you five, get the rest of the prisoners out of their cells and out here quickly. The rest of you stand back."

Nexus was surprised that his language had degraded so much. His sentences sounded less proper and more of what could be considered modern. His horn glowed a bright white instead of gray or sliver and the crystal wall that was the gate began to vibrate. The sound of a bass playing the lowest not it possibly could resonated off of the walls, but the gate seemed to be the only thing vibrating. Small chunks of crystallized stone feel into the court yard as Goldenchord started to cringe in pain.

Purala didn't know what was going on, but her horn lit up with a light spell. She might have thought she was helping, but in reality, everything rested on Goldenchord as a massive crack formed in the wall. The bass went up an octave as the crack expanded into a tree of openings that extended out to the edge of the wall. Then all at once, the entire wall shattered into massive shards and day light poured into the camp. Nexus hadn't really noticed that the camp was covered up. By all means it was to keep pegasi from escaping but he always assumed it was dark out when he came to see Goldenchord.

Goldenchord was the first through, he stood tall and let the sunlight reflect off of his pearly coat. He looked back to the troops as they stared at him in awe of the God like form in front of them.

"Don't bask in it yet my fellow cast offs." He shouted. "To be free of his reign, we must storm the castle. Those who wish to flee now will not be thought of as cowards. All with me, say I."

The whole crowed of prisoners, both from the mines and the ones recently freed replied in unison. Goldenchord smiled at the sound and set Purala down.

"Listen to me, I want you to do something very important. Do you think you can handle it?"

"Y-yes. What is it?"

"Do you remember where your house is?"

"Yes."

"Run there as fast as you can. Don't let anypony stop you. When you get there, lock yourself away until I come and get you. Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes Goldie. If bad men come after me-"

"I'll send someone with you to keep you safe. Okay? You can pick them."

"What about Mommy? Isn't she still inside?" Her eyes were starting to well up with tears.

"Purala, you're mother isn't coming back. I'm sorry."

"Is Mommy dead?"

Goldenchord paused, then looked over his shoulder. "You there, unicorn. Follow this little girl to her home. When you get there don't let anypony come and get her until I come to see her. That understood?"

"Yes, Sir."

"Don't call me Sir. The lot of you, our time of glory is now upon us. The Shadow King shall fall today!"

Purala started to run to the city's east side while Goldenchord lead the now bolstered slaves towards the shining tower in the distance. A slave passed through him again and turned him to mist. As he reformed, the battle was already in full swing. Nexus watched from a roof top as the slaves fought the guard as best they could. But they were vastly outnumbered. Nexus was surprised, for somepony praised for his wisdom in combat ability to fight; he hadn't shown much of either.

This was a move that was amateur at best. Run in and hope for the best? Where was the strategy? Nexus found Goldenchord quickly, he'd been faring better. He shouted orders, mostly to stay strong and keep fighting. He swung the cavalry sword back and forth with everything he had. The Guard seemed to be awaiting a revolutionary to use advanced moves that they couldn't protect against that they were never prepared for the fast, powerful and untrained attacks that came from him. Goldenchord slashed through another guard and saw a path straight to the castle.

Goldenchord looked up to the lowest balcony and an angry scowl. Over the roar of the battle, Nexus heard him shout, "Show no mercy to them! They are no longer our brothers! Their King will fall!" He pointed to the balcony and felt his heart pound angrily as Sombra stood in full battle armor.

Goldenchord put the sword in his mouth, and sprinted as fast as he possibly could. Nothing stood in his way. If a soldier got in his way, he slashed at them with the sword in his mouth. Eventually, the soldiers thinned out. It seemed to be too easy. Nexus could see Sombra no longer stood in the gleaming tower's balcony. Nexus was about to run to catch up, but when he blinked and was in the foyer as Goldenchord burst in.

"King Sombra! You tyranny ends here, show yourself!" Goldenchord shouted taking the sword from his teeth.

The sound of clanking armor emanated from behind him as the doors shut.

"I am nothing but merciful-"

"You know no mercy you get none. Whatever you wish to offer me, I refuse. I would rather die free then live under your rule."

"Very well, but if it makes you feel any batter, either way you would have died." Sombra's curved horn flashed and an ebony scythe appeared in his telekinetic grasp.

Goldenchord didn't need any more conversation, he dashed at Sombra ready to rip him to pieces. He slashed from right to left and Sombra blocked quickly.

"Your determination is admirable, but you will die a slave. Just as you have always lived." Sombra taunted.

Goldenchord spun and slashed again. Sombra knew that Goldenchord wasn't a skilled fighter. It seemed like he was now playing with his food, waiting to slay him out of pure pleasure. Sombra ducked and spun around and landed a powerful roundhouse kick to Goldenchord's jaw. He shouted a pain and stumbled back. Goldenchord lunched with his sword out in front of him in an attempt to stab Sombra. Sombra sidestepped Goldenchord's attack and slammed the back end of his scythe into the back of his head. Goldenchord dropped the cavalry sword and fell to the ground.

"Your so called resistance is no more Goldenchord. You have failed." Sombra said standing over his victim.

"I…I promised to protect…I don't break my promises."

Sombra grabbed him by the mane and dragged him to the balcony. "Look upon your promise. All of your soldiers are dead."

Out in the main street of the Crystal Empire, soldiers rounded up bodies and dragged them out by carts. Goldenchord's silver eyes glazed over the blood that ran through the streets. A whisper of his voice came in the back of Nexus' head.

'Purala. I promised her…' "I'm not dead."

"Not yet. You are to be an example. Guards!" Two soldiers came from a door at the other end of the room and stood at attention. "This traitor is to be executed on the morrow."

"Yes Lord Sombra. We shall prepare the ax." the right one said.

"No. I shall kill him myself. He believes himself better than the rest, then he shall have the honor of having his vocal chords ripped out by the Lord of Equestria himself. What an honor you have received."

"If I die, you'll only spark the embers I have already lit. This will not quell anything."

"It will do more than quell it, it shall end it long before it could ever start." Sombra threw Goldenchord to the ground at his guard's hoofs. "Take him away."

The guards took a foreleg each, and started to drag him out. Sombra turned and looked right at Nexus.

"Your rebellion will end with your death Lunarus. And there is nothing you can do to stop it."

Sombra swept his scythe across Nexus and turned him to mist with a loud and powerful boom.

Nexus awoke as the entire ship shuttered with a loud explosion. He got up and threw on his chest plate as he ran out of the captain's quarters to find his ship trailing smoke from the right side. Soldiers ran across the deck in a panic. Looking out over the east, the sun was just starting to rise over the horizon. The smell of burning flesh and wood filled his nostrils as he stopped Thunder Clap coming up from the smoking lower decks along with the injured.

"Thunder!" Nexus shouted over the chaos. "What's going on!?"

"There was a changeling spy on board, he just detonated in the engine room! We're going down!"

Nexus looked at the chaos unfolding before him. He only had seconds to give his orders.

He shouted, "We're going down, shut down the engines and throw the ammo overboard now! As soon as you're done, get to the stern and brace for impact!"

Author's Notes:

Nexus: This is STILL going?! How long is this thing going to be!?
Vince: Over Seventy thousand words.
Nexus: WHAT!?
Vince: We do have to develop Goldenchord man.
Nexus: Whatever. If you die soon, I won't be sad.
Vince: Well....