As Daisy cleaned her eyes of the debris, she spotted the flurry of plasma bolts heading towards her. Hastily, she blocked the barrage with her shield as it was inches away, but the shockwaves still knocked her off flaremane. A group of nemesis ships flew after her and prepared their guns to land the killing blow. But as they descended upon the falling Daisy, Lucas shot at them. The nemesis quickly broke off from their attack, trying to evade the bombardment, but Lucas, skillfully flying, destroyed them all before they could!

As flaremane recovered Daisy, Lucas shot her a big thumbs up from his cockpit.”You okay, Damara?”

“Thanks to you, my friend!”

Meanwhile, back at the base, the war room was overflowing with anxiety. The personnel monitored the battle closely as the casualties increased. The United Planets ships had a transmitter that told their location on the chaotic battlefield. Carter and the others looked intensely at the giant holophone panel displaying the numbers. As they decreased faster and faster, he knew another pilot was slayed, shot out of the sky. And as a loud alarm rang, he couldn’t help but draw his sword, instinctively ready to defend his remaining soldiers!

”What the hell does that sound mean?”

“General Carter, it means we’re dead! Darkhold is about to reach full power,” Eugene said.

“No!”

Carter turned his gaze to the holophone panel, and the image made his face pale white. Darkhold began to emit dazzling purple light that bathed over the battlefield for miles. Its guns launched a titanic salvo of plasma in the blink of an eye! The assault was not only immensely devastating but also precise. Hitting the United Planets with near-perfect accuracy as the nemesis retreated. The energy attack covered the sky from left to right, decimating the United Planets except for one pocket of ships. Using all her strength, Daisy protected her comrades from the assault with her giant shield, fighting against the herculean strength of the shock waves!

"Damara, if you can hear me. We're going into full retreat from the planet!”

“But General Carter, they could still shoot us! The fortress’s range is the entire sector!”

“We still have to try! If we stay here, we’re dead! There’s no choice but to cut our losses and save as many civilians as possible," Carter said.

"Sir, yes, sir. I'll cover your exit while you start evacuating. They'll want me dead above everyone else!"

With no time to lose, the remaining ships went into full retreat. Daisy hung behind to cover their rear from the assault, blocking the plasma. But as they flew, Lucas spotted something invaluable with his eagle eyes, honed from years of aerial combat. Through the seemingly impenetrable wall of light, he deciphered an attack pattern. From that came a narrow path to assault the mighty fortress!

A grim decision quickly plagued his mind. Would he dare fly to it by himself? He was his mother’s world. What would become of her if he perished? But Lucas couldn’t ask his fellow soldiers to go back. The path was too narrow and treacherous. Carter would never allow it. However, retaking the planet would be a near-impossible task if they retreated now! So his choice was clear!

"Mother, Sarah, Daisy, I'm so sorry," Lucas said.

Swiftly, Lucas broke away from the other ships, diving into the bombardment!

"Pilot, why are you heading toward the fortress? I ordered a full retreat," Carter said over the communicator.

"General Carter, I spotted a weakness in their attack pattern. We can't lose this part of space. I know I can do this!"

"All you'll do is end up dead! Turn around now, and that's a direct order! Fortis, do h-"

Lucas turned off his communications and focused on the task at hand. With his skillful flying, Lucas narrowly dodged several shots, making it into the narrow path. As the shots fired, certain death surrounded him at every corner, but he continued towards the fortress, undeterred.

This story has been stolen from Royal Road. If you read it on Amazon, please report it

As he made it through the barrage, he flew through the fortress, shooting everything in sight. Quickly, cyber troopers and ships gave chase, trying to shoot him dead. But as Lucas attempted to evade, he spotted a structure surging with incredible power. He hastily realized the structure must have been one of its power conduits, flying toward it at top speed. Lucas unleashed a salvo at it, starting a massive explosion. However, unleashing his ship’s turbo boosters, he jetted from the fortress, narrowly escaping the monstrous blaze!

The explosion sent shock waves for miles away from the fortress. And quickly, its systems lost power, going dark. Cymbeline released a scream of pure rage as the plasma fire subsided. But as he saw Lucas's ship, he typed away on a holographic control panel. And he summoned a giant targeting system, immediately locking Lucas!

"Blacken and burn!"

Three circles of increasing size appeared before Cymbeline. He shot a jet of fire from the palm of his hand into them. The targeting system guided it right toward Lucas. And before he could dodge, it hit him, blowing up his jets. The explosion knocked him unconscious, and he fell helplessly through the air! But as Daisy saw the attack, she rushed towards her friend's aid!

Morana spotted Daisy in the air, and she immediately sprouted her wings to give chase. But Cymbeline grabbed her, pulling her back down.

”Morana, please stay here! You’ll be a hindrance if you go after Damara!”

Morana Swiftly grabbed Cymbeline by the neck, crushing his windpipe!"What did you say to me?”

“Calm down! I have a plan, and I don't want you hurt!”Cymbeline pointed towards Daisy.

As Morana looked at her, she released Cymbeline, seeing a group of cyber troopers attacking her. Daisy sped through the air, dodging their shots, trying to get to Lucas before he crashed. Quickly, Daisy reached Lucas and ripped open his cockpit. But as she attempted to get him out, one of the troopers shot her hand. As Daisy reeled in pain, she tossed her shield at the enemies, but they dodged her attack.

Daisy prepared to attack again, but she stopped as she saw a giant tree in the path of the falling ship! She had to grab Lucas before it was too late! But the enemies bombarded her more, keeping her from reaching out her hand to him. However, she soon took the risk, focusing on attack and flying away from Lucas, tossing her shield at them.

Lucas fell further away, but the moment the enemy took to dodge, Daisy pulled on flaremane's reigns, summoning the stallion's speed to catch up. The collision neared, but Daisy ripped Lucas out of the ship. And she flew away with Lucas as the ship collided with the tree, exploding in a brilliant inferno! The troopers continued their attack, but Flaremane carried the two to safety.

"Your plan failed!” Morana pointed to her angry face. “Note the lack of surprise!"

"I-"

"I'm in charge now! I now know why the emperor wanted me to come. He knew you would make a mess of things, and someone would have to clean it up!" Morana interrupted.

Morana's words cut Cymbeline deep like a knife. But as he looked at her condescending, a rare emotion towards her surged in him. The purest rage quickly incarnated as intense flames around his body!

"No, I am the commander of this mission! I will set fire to our enemies!” Cymbeline angrily shoved Morana, forcing her onto a wall! “You will do what I say to aid that cause, but until then, remain silent!"

Morana looked at Cymbeline in shock. Never before had he or anyone other than Mavor stood their ground against her. With his rage and devotion to the cause on display, something started within Morana. She gripped her chest as her icy heart went into overdrive, and her cheeks blushed red. She realized she was lovestruck by the deathly thin Cymbeline.

"O-okay, you're in charge!” Morana walked forward, pressing her breast against Cymbeline. “Give the word, and I'll do anything!"

"Good! Now, we have to push on with the invasion!"

To his shock, Morana kissed Cymbeline on the cheek."Yes, sir, please keep the orders coming!"

A few minutes later, Daisy and the others returned to their crumbling base. Hastily, she dismounted from flaremane and carried Lucas to some doctors, treating the injured.

As she saw the Generals, she dashed over to them."Sirs, what's the plan now? Lucas bought us some time, but we need another attack!"

"Isn't it obvious? We need to call reinforcements to attack the enemy while they're down! I hope they can get here in time," Carter said.

"I'm not even sure that's the right choice. Without the guardian barrier, calling in reinforcements means pulling them away from vital sectors. And now, the enemy's retreat from earlier stinks of a trap," Favian said.

Unanticipatedly, the ground shook like an earthquake! In a heartbeat, Daisy prepared for another battle. But she turned pale white as she saw the source was a massive explosion from Palus urbs. Hastily, she gave the generals a look of worriment for the city.

Favian gave her a nod of acceptance."Tend to the civilians, Damara. We'll be here when you return!"

"Thank you!"

Swiftly, Daisy hurried to flaremane and flew off like the wind. She quickly arrived over the sky at Palus Urbs to look in dread at its disastrous state. The fire covered the great metropolis as tall buildings lay in pieces, and screams of pain filled the air. But she hastily landed to aid the decimated city.

As she dismounted from flaremane, she stared up close at a horrid sight. Numerous dead bodies littered the ground. And amongst the graveyard, a little aquis boy cried a river as he stood solitary in a sea of death. With her superhuman speed, Daisy dashed to the boy. She consoled him with a hug. And he slowly stopped crying. She soothed the boy’s misery, enveloping him in her kindness.

“Please, forgive me!”