That had to be what Sombra had found there didn't it? The Alicorn Amulet. He was more powerful than he had ever been before. The amulet corrupts the user, but Sombra was far ahead of the amulet in terms of corruption. If anything Sombra would corrupt the amulet. Nexus didn't bother thinking up a plan. They had every disadvantage that could exist. They were expected for sure; they were beyond outnumbered and now out powered. Nexus had one hope, and that was to fight as hard as he could to kill him while his troops fought off the changelings. Pep talk time.

"Alright. This is the last stand we make here. If we fail, we die. But we'll die fighting and in glory. Sombra will fall today. Our names will be carved in history as the slayer of the Shadow King!"

The troops perked up a bit. This was all an act and Nexus knew it. He was done being upbeat about their situation. He was more likely to walk out of there than any of them. They were all trudging while he could stride powerfully into battle and still not be winded when he finished. But even if he killed Sombra, for what he's done he'd be slated for the gallows before Celestia could even bat an eye.

"We go in there; you're on your own. Working as a unit against a hive this big won't work in our favor. If you have to, retreat from the cave and try to make your way back to the ship. Understood?"

"Yes, Sir!"

Nexus turned back to the cave and shouted in rage as he led what would probably be the last charge in his career. They ran into the hive in full force with an entire army of changelings waiting on them. They were all ready for them, many even had weapons. Halberds were the main weapon of choice, others were empty handed and all were ready to kill. Nexus struck first; throwing himself into the hoard of waiting changelings guns blazing. After he expended his four shots, he drew his daggers and slashed as fast as he could go at anything that moved.

Everything turned to a blur of black green and red. He'd reload his pistols as he fired bolts of magic and lightning at anything that moved. The lightning would sometimes chain together and vaporize around fifty at a time, while other times it would be deflected the magical shield of a higher ranking changeling. Nexus didn't let that get in his way, he plowed through hundreds of them at a time but out of the trillions they seemed to have in the hive it wasn't going to be enough.

He couldn't waste his time with these things. He spread his wings and flew as fast as he could deeper and deeper into the hive, leaving his soldiers behind to fend for themselves. The next highest ranking was White Knight. There was no way any of them were making it out of there alive. Nexus glanced over his shoulder and saw at least half of the hoard chasing him down. He weaved around stalagmites with only inches to spare between each one. He kicked and slashed at changelings that were coming at him, and those still in their cocoons. He bucked as many stalagmites as he could on his way, dropping them into the still expanding hoard.

He had no idea how far in he was until one got lucky and body slammed him into a cocoon. The contents burst as Nexus spun out of control while wrestling the changeling that was bringing him down. The creature snapped its jaws at his neck as they fell further and further down. About half way down the massive cavern, the changeling stopped and pushed off of him. Nexus quickly shot it down and recovered his in air balance.

He looked around and saw crystals sticking out of the ground illuminating the cavern around him. He floated down to the ground for a closer look at the crystals. On the ground, the long forgotten stench of mold passed into his nostrils. He sighed and saw his breath catch the light of the crystals. He hadn't noticed until now how cold it was. He shook the new feeling from his metal clad coat and moved to the closest crystal. The light it emitted was light green and reached half way up the cavern.

Then it hit him, it was absolutely silent. No noise of the battle raging behind him had traveled as deep into the cave as he had. The twisting nature of the cave made it hard for him to remember if there were any turns or forks he hadn't seen. He hadn't seen any come to think of it and he wasn't sure if that was a good thing or not. From nowhere the lights around him quickly went black.

"You are a fool to face me alone." Sombra's voice called out from the darkness everywhere.

"Show yourself you coward!" Nexus shouted lighting his horn.

"You call me coward? Do you not remember who you are dealing with?"

Nexus didn't hear the whispers of the night. It must have still been daylight out. He was at more of a disadvantage then he thought. He would have been utterly blind if the sound of clanging armor didn't cause him to turn around and swing his right blade. From the darkness, a black scythe appeared bearing down on him. His swing deflected the gardening tool. The lights came back up and Sombra stood in a set of full black armor with his horn wrapped in a black aura. His scythe hovered in his grasp and the Alicorn Amulet hung around his neck. His purple energy makeup flowed in its nonexistent breeze.

"I was wondering when you would come for me." he said with a smile.

"It's over Sombra. I have you with no way out. Surrender now."

"I am far more powerful then you could ever hope to be Lunarus. Your ancestor couldn't defeat me without the aid of the Immortals. What makes you believe you can when you cannot see." He shut the lights off again and left Nexus blind.

Nexus slowly backed up, listening to the cave. But there was no sound. It was as if he'd gone def. Nexus' light didn't reach very far. The sound of a deep exhale came from his right and caused him to reflexively blast a lightning bolt in its direction. The light of the bolt created a tunnel in the shadows. Sombra took advantage of this and made a wide, powerful slash with his scythe. Nexus' light went out as the blade slammed into the back of his head and threw his helmet away from him. He got to his hoofs as fast as he could and lit his horn again.

Sombra chuckled deep in his throat as Nexus scanned around for him. "It is quite a site seeing you so flustered Lunarus. I would have expected you to be much more of a challenge."

"Stop hiding in your shadows and maybe you'll get a fight." Nexus said angrily.

"So naïve."

Nexus heard the rattle of his armor again from behind. He swiveled around in time to catch the blade on his own two that he crossed over his head. The force threw him to a knee and his metal forelegs strained to keep the scythe from entering his skull.

"What is it that you hope to accomplish Lunarus?" Sombra asked. "If the Princess' couldn't stop me then what makes you think you can? You are weak compared to them and your family."

"Don't…Call…Me…Lunarus!" Nexus shouted forcing Sombra's blade up long enough to put up a meek shield to deflect it.

The ebony blade bounced off and dug itself into the ground. Nexus lunged forward and buried his right blade into Sombra's chest. Sombra's eyes went wide as Nexus pushed his weight around and threw him into one of the light crystals.

"Nopony insults my family like that and lives!" Nexus shouted in his face.

Sombra started to laugh at Nexus as he shoved his blades in deeper. It wasn't until his eyes started to glow green that he tried pulling out. Some force held him firm as Sombra's laugh grew more and more powerful.

"So much anger for such a meek mortal. Why do you fight for your militarist views? To destroy an evil that you rarely see?"

"I'm looking at one right now!" Nexus told him as he twisted his blade in Sombra's chest. He pulled back with all his might and was thrown back by some kind of repelling force.

"Evil is a perception Lunarus. From another angle, it could be the only solution."

"I've seen your solution, and I'm going to make sure it doesn’t become a reality." Nexus said feeling his right leg starting to stiffen.

"But this is the reality young one. What makes you believe that things will change when you are the only one trying?"

"Stop trying to use your damn mind games Sombra."

"What have they given to you? They have taken everything from you. Everything you've ever loved has left you. The country you claim to protect has done nothing for you. Chivalry only goes but so far."

"If you think I fight out of some sense of duty to my country, you're wrong."

"Then what do you fight for? Goldenchord? He was strong compared to you Lunarus. You are as easily defeated at he was more than a thousand ago."

"I'm not Goldenchord."

"Humph, clearly. What do you have waiting for you back when you return? Your friends have abandoned you, your family is in shambles and even your little girlfriend have abandoned you."

"You leave my family out of this."

"Ah, that is your purpose isn't it? To uphold the family honor was it?"

Nexus was tired of this bullshit. Nexus' horn flashed and he launched a bolt of lightning at his foe. Sombra was ready, he dodged right and leapt over the bolt. He landed a solid kick to Nexus' jaw. The kick threw him to the ground. Nexus tried getting to his hoofs but was hit hard by a powerful and and heavy object from underneath him. The sound of the cave shuttering filled his ears as he was tossed into the air and suddenly intercepted by another equally powerful force.

He felt himself slam into the wall of the cavern and held there by an immovable object. His eyes opened and he saw a green glow coming from what was holding him in place. It was a crystal. Sombra had control over the crystals. He was the original Crystal King, why was he so surprised? He was held high above the floor. Sombra was standing on the crystal that pinned him to the walls.

"Your Royalist ideals are obsolete." Sombra said putting his scythe to Nexus' throat. "You are the pinnacle of their ideals. Blindly following orders of your princess' and holding them so high that they are Gods to you."

"They are immortal, not invulnerable."

"But I am. My rule would be eternal. The Princess squabble over power as we speak. Do you truly wish to pick sides, when you have none now? You abandoned them, they abandoned you as well. Even if you were to defeat me, you would only return to a country divided on the brink of civil war. You would either die as a traitor, or fight a losing war."

"How do you know this?"

"The ability Arctic possesses, to see the future, somepony had to teach him."

"Y-you taught him?"

"Before my queen vanished, yes. I see what will happen if you return. I see every outcome. In any way, you lose."

Nexus looked to the crystal in shame of what he heard. It wasn't hard to believe that Sombra had this power, but Nexus knew he was right even if he was lying about his power. Nexus didn't see this, but Sombra's curved horn glowed black and purple. Nexus' eyes started flowing the same violet aura that Sombra's did. Nexus shook as his thoughts started to fade.

Nexus' eyes shot open in blackness as Sombra's voice started calling to him from all around.

"You future is sealed unless you follow darkness. Give in to the shadows within. Let the sounds of hate and fear take you away."

"No. I'm not going to let that happen!" Nexus shouted back in anger.

"It is has already been written. No matter what you do you will die."

"Then kill me. Get me out of the way before I become an issue."

"Infect, project. Make it so. Let it go."

"Stop fooling around Sombra! You want to kill me? Do it now!"

"Infect, project. Make it so. Let it go."

"Get out of my head! Get out of my head you mascara wearing bastard!" Nexus could feel a sudden piercing pain shoots through his head. He put his hoofs to his ears as Sombra repeats the chant again. "Go away!"

"Lunar!" Dust called from the darkness.

Nexus' eyes open up outside the door to his room. "Dust?" Nexus asked. He then shook his head and looked "Sombra?"

"Lunar! Stop! Help!" Dust Strom's voice called again followed by a blood curdling scream. Nexus' instincts kick in instantly. "Dust!" he shouts frantically as he threw himself against the door. It doesn't budge as the sound of Dust's screaming was filled with more pain. "Hang on!"

Nexus turned around and bucked the door straight off its frame. The door flew across the room and out the balcony windows. Nexus rushed in and saw the living room in absolute disarray.

"Lunar, please! Help!" Dust pleaded in a weakened scream.

Her screams turns into a muffled choking as Nexus' heartbeat started going even harder. His thoughts shot between Dust and who was doing this to her. He sprinted as fast as he could up the spiral stairs to his room where the choking was coming from. He slammed into the door.

"Dust!" Nexus called. The choking suddenly stopped. "Dust!"

"You will be their downfall." Sombra taunted from the other side of the door.

"Sombra, let her go!" Nexus shouted slamming himself into the door again.

This time the door gave and he burst into his bedroom. The room was worse than the living room downstairs. The bed was broken in half, the dressers were over turned and caved in. The cloths were strewn across the white floor speckled in blood. He couldn't see the bathroom, but he assumed it was just as bad. He looked around for either Dust or Sombra. A corpse was strung up on the ceiling and nothing else. He turned his attention to the mutilated corpse and froze when he saw the face.

"Oh my God…" Nexus shuttered before gagging.

A light brown pegasus mare hung by her intestines. She'd been disemboweled. Her face was beaten and bruised but Nexus could still tell who it was. Not to anyone else's surprise but his, it was Dust Strom. Nexus stumbled back towards the bathroom. He followed the bloody entrails to the floor and shuttered at what lay in the pile of organs. A small, black foal with the umbilical chord attached to his belly. The little colt's eyes were wide with no color.

His whole body visibly shook from the sight. Not only was his fiancé dead at Sombra's hand, but he'd even gone as far as aborting his unborn child, his unborn son. Tears of pain welled up in his eyes and a look of anger contorted into his face. Nexus knew that Sombra was cruel, but not to this level. He turned to punch the mirror hoping it wasn't broken but stopped before he could when he saw it was whole.

Looking back at him was a cobalt unicorn with mechanical legs and wings covered in blood. He looked to his metal hoofs and saw it covered in blood. He drew his blades and saw them red with the fluid. It didn't take him long to put the dots together, he'd just murdered his fiancé and his own son. He couldn't stand what had just happened. He was broken in every measure of the word. He took another look at the blades and there was a strange golden tinge to the blood on the right blade.

He'd read something about golden blood a long time ago but… Oh Faust! He spread his wings and threw himself out of the bathroom and past the dead body of his fiancé. He flew out the balcony doors and followed the tower up one balcony. He burst into the room above and saw Princess Luna laying in her bed.

"Luna! Luna, wake-" He ran to her side and rolled her over. Her throat was slit and a golden liquid was dried to her dark blue coat.

Nexus shuttered again, what had he done? He'd killed his best friend, his fiancé and aborted his own child! What the hell was going on!?

"Infect, project. Make it so." Sombra changed again. "You believe me to be a monster? You are no better than I."

"I couldn't have done this, I couldn't have, I love her too much. I love them both too much to do this!"

"You are as much a monster as I."

"No I'm not! I'm not like you! I'm not a murderer!"

"Look at what you've done. This is not murder?"

"I love them too much to have done this... It has to be some kind of mistake."

"Think of what Celestia will do to you when she finds what you've done? Infect, project. Make it so."

A powerful knock came at the door and the sound of several ponies lining up against the wall. "Royal Guard, Captain Nexus, we know you're in there!"

"No, it's not my fault! I didn't do this. I'm not the one that did this!"

"Give in to it Lunarus, accept it. You killed them, the only way to live is to fight Celestia. I can help you. Infect…"

"Project. Make it so." Nexus and Sombra said in unison. They repeated the chant two more times and the aura absorbed itself into Nexus' eyes. When they opened, they were blood red and the pupils were elongated.

"I… I can't go back." Nexus said.

"You can Lunarus." Sombra consoled. "You can show them you're not going down without a fight. Join me in overthrowing Canterlot and you may change your fate."

"And Dust?"

"She will live and so shall your son."

Nexus looked down and thought it through for a moment. "How would you get to Equestria?"

"I will place myself inside of the Alicorn Amulet and once aboard a ship that I may return with you to Canterlot. Once aboard, release me and we shall take the ship in secret."

"I will need my troops to live."

Sombra chuckled. "Few live as it is."

"Call off the changelings for now then."

"They have captured fifteen of your soldiers."

"Only fifteen? I trained them well."

"Why must they live?"

"To allow me to have a stronger alibi. A victory well fought."

Sombra chuckled again and the crystal drew itself back enough for Nexus to fall to his metal hoofs.

"So it is agreed?" Sombra asked.

"Yes Lord Sombra."