A few days later, the United Planets soldiers stood together in a cemetery on the jungle planet. They stood victorious, but after paying a mighty cost. They gazed at the graves of legions of their comrades teary-eyed.

  Orion walked before the crowd of his soldiers."We come here today to bid farewell to our comrades. This war has cost us all lovers, family, and friends. But we must not let these hardships break us. For our loved ones, we must soldier on to the dream. A peaceful and free galaxy!"

  The soldiers clapped at Orion's speech as he turned his back to them, staring at Everton’s grave, his dearest friend.

  Later, Daisy walked alone with Orion, Sarah, and Lucas.

  "Your speech was beautiful, Orion. But still, Everton is gone!"

  "He will outlive us all, Daisy. For his sacrifice has ensured the longevity of freedom!"

  "I hate to leave things like this, but I want to go home now! I want to find my loved ones, hug them, and never let go. Especially now, Carter must be returning from the siege on darkhold!"

  Shock and horror swept Orion's face."Is there a darkhold fortress on Earth?"

  "Yes, why?"

  "You humans wouldn't know this, but a darkhold fortress is a nearly indestructible doomsday device. If it becomes fully functional, that entire part of space will belong to Mavor!"

  "Carter,” Daisy said, terrified!

  Daisy ran off to get home at top speed, but as Sarah saw her, she ran over to Orion.

  "Oh my gods! Boss, if this is true, we should back her up!"

  "Sarah, we're in no shape for another battle! The generals are still busy. And we haven't fully treated our mental and physical wounds, " Lucas said.

  The group quickly noticed that Daisy had stopped running as light surrounded her. It flew off her body, taking the form of a noble stallion before her. The stallion had pure white fur, large bird-like wings, and a mane that quickly became red flames.

  "I-I can hear your voice in my head! You're here to help me," Daisy said.

  Daisy swiftly spotted a mount on the stallion and jumped onto him. The stallion flew Daisy up, carrying her away from the planet. But as she pulled on his reigns, she stopped him and waved goodbye to Orion, Lucas, and Sarah. And they reciprocated as she left.

  "Farewell, Damara, and safe travels," Orion said.

  In space, Daisy flew from the planet. But she stopped, looking back at it teary-eyed."Goodbye, Everton!" Forcibly turning her gaze away, she continued her journey, leaving a trail of tears.

  A red streak raced through the galaxy, cutting across the stars with nearly unparalleled urgency! Daisy traveled at light speed on the back of the stallion, approaching her world with the determination of a hardened warrior!

  The Grand Army of Earth and the Nemesis continued their brutal conflict. But the massive Nemesis battleships bombarded the humans, guarding the construction of the darkhold fortress. Morana watched the human soldiers from the control center with a sinister smile. The ships in her fleet rained heavy plasma bombardment on the humans, tearing their forces apart!

  Daisy swiftly flew into the sky over the war zone, seeing the carnage. She grew her shield to a giant size and tossed it at one of the Nemesis ships, a vessel eight hundred and sixty-three feet long, cleaving it in two. Daisy guided her shield through the air, cutting through the rest of the nemesis fleet like paper, and the sky was a blaze from their destruction like a sun went supernova!

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  Morana watched the destruction of her army in disbelief. But as she spotted Daisy on the security screen, it turned to pure hatred.

  “Who the chaos is that?”

  Outside, Daisy quickly landed, forcing the nemesis soldiers to retreat. But as she approached the humans, they brandished their weapons for trouble.

  "Please, don't be afraid! My name is Damara, and I'm here to help!"

  "And why should we believe that?"

  As Daisy heard a familiar voice, her heart skipped a beat as her eyes confirmed her beloved Carter.

  "Carter! You don't recognize me either, do you?" Daisy thought.

  "Well, answer the question, you freakish dame! You may be an enemy of the Nemesis, but that doesn't guarantee you're a friend of ours. I won't risk more casualties on some savior from the sky!"

  "I am a friend! And I know about you, C-captain Barnes!"

  "How exactly?"

  "T-that doesn't matter right now! What does is you're a good man! One that would make sure every soldier in your command got home safe. So I beg you to let me help!"

  Carter looked around at his soldiers, seeing them bloody, bruised, and missing limbs. And he let off a mountain of stress in a sigh. "I'm going to regret this!" Signaling his acceptance of Damara’s offer.

  "No, you won't! I swear on my life!"

  In a flash, Carter drew his sword, placing it inches away from decapitating Daisy. And he looked at her with a cold, dead gaze."Remember your words!" He removed his sword from her neck.

  "Okay, Damara, let's talk Strategy!"

  A few minutes later, in the control center, there was chaos! The Nemesis ran frantically, trying to complete their jobs with Morana's cold, ruthless gaze as motivation.

  "I want this fortress at full power now. The emperor believes this part of space will make a valuable, strategic asset. Make me fail him at your peril!"

  A soldier ran to Morana.

  "General, we have a progress report. The fortress will be fully functional in ten minutes!"

  "Finally something going r-"

  Two massive explosions went off and shook the room! Morana grew a look of bewilderment as she felt the shockwaves, but it quickly turned to rage, directing it at her personnel.

  "I have a hundred people here! One of you better tell me what that was!"

  "General, we have confirmation. The enemy has caused a massive escape in the slave barracks and is making their way to the power conduit!"

  "What? The humans don't have enough soldiers left to attack both! Get me a visual of the power conduit!"

  At her beck and call, a massive holophone panel appeared in midair. The panel showed the room the battle at the power conduit. The nemesis soldiers charged Daisy and Carter by the thousands with murderous drive. But the two’s combined fighting powers decimated their opponents in seconds! Morana gazed at the act, enraged, releasing a burst of cold so chilling it could frostbite the soul!

  Meanwhile, Daisy readied her shield to attack the enemy, but Carter signaled her to stop. He walked to the approaching hoard, drawing his sword. Carter's walk swiftly became a run, hurrying to the Nemesis. He met their numbers with the rapid glimmer of his blade, cutting through them like paper. Carter swung his sword with such speed and intensity the glimmer reflected off his weapon and appeared as if it was from thirty swordsmen, not one!

  Daisy watched the army fall to ruin in shock, for even she was ignorant of her beloved's true strength! However, she came to her senses as a squad of armored soldiers appeared, unleashing a salvo at Carter. Daisy summoned her giant shield in front of him, blocking the attack, and she launched it at them, knocking them away!

  A Nemesis soldier came behind Daisy to shoot her dead, but Carter cut him down in an instant."Thanks, Damara!"

  "Same to you!"

  Later, Daisy and Carter reached their destination. And Carter pointed to the control panel in front of them.

  "There it is, Damara. All we have to do is enter a code and press the big green button. And boom!"

  "Please let it work this time!" Daisy thought.

  "This operation demands split-second timing. Carter, do you think your soldiers will be able to evacuate all the slaves?" Daisy asked out loud.

  "With luck!"

  "You ran out of luck when you challenged my emperor, vermin!" Morana descended upon Daisy and Carter, hovering just above them.

  "Morana Blight! Where's the strike squad?" Carter asked.

  "I thought about that, but then I realized I wanted to exterminate you myself! You have impeded emperor Mavor's utopic vision for too long! No one will have the pleasure of ending your lives but me!"

  As she heard Morana, Daisy didn't waste a second, tossing her giant shield at her, but Morana caught it effortlessly! Shock covered Daisy's face as she saw it, but she quickly summoned back her shield, readying for any assault. Daisy realized a battle unlike any she had endured stood before her. And the lives of her lover, her family, her planet, and perhaps the galaxy hung in the balance! Would she dare fail?