Magnus woke up to the sound of men working. He rose from his spot on the wet grass, as he had fallen asleep outside, next to the fire. He meandered over to where all the 63 soldiers were working. They had scavenged all they could from the camp, and they had been working all night. The Deutsche boys had not slept a wink. That's what Amicus told Magnus, at least.
Finding many broken guns, the soldiers were working on taking the firearms apart and using all the usable parts in an effort to get as many guns as possible.
They had taken apart all the broken guns already. Now, they were putting together new guns.
"With these guns, Magnus will lead us to victory!", they all thought.
Magnus was now a figure of hope for the Allies. He was reported as missing in action after the bombers made it back to Britannia, and Benny made sure that he was not reported as dead, because he knew Magnus was still alive.
Being the bulwark of the world's Democracy now, at least among the soldiers he was leading, he felt a twinge of pride. Magnus had never really amounted to anything before. He had never made any real progress with his fiancée before he had gotten his conscription notice.
In fact, he hadn't even done anything worthwhile with his life. He just worked at a barber shop and lived with his parents, not really helping out with chores.
Magnus felt a purpose in his life, and this war was going to be the defining moment in his life. Magnus did not know that his life would get messier after the war was over in Europa.
With boosted morale, Magnus called to attention his personal army. They all stood at attention, with Magnus standing at the front of the group of multi-nationality soldiers standing in formation. Amicus came up to him.
"Report?", Magnus asked Amicus.
Amicus pulled forth two of the Deutsche boys and they spoke to Magnus in Deutsche. Magnus, now knowing Gaulish, as he had learned it before he dozed off next to the fire last night, understood the boys who were speaking Deutsche.
The boys, starting to see Magnus as an idol, only having met him yesterday, were rather shy in his presence. Nonetheless, Magnus still understood what they were telling him. They had found enough fuel to run the four tanks for a whole day, or the small tank for five days. They had also found enough ammunition to supply thirty soldiers with a full magazine and enough gun parts to supply each man with a gun.
Magnus was proud of the boys, and dismissed them. He told the group that they were going to move out in 30 minutes and dismissed the rest to pack up 10 tents, put them on one of the big tanks, and group up again, as he had decided they were going to take the small tank and one big.
Magnus then went and got some food in him. Being an Administrator, he didn't need to eat, but he preferred to, and so he did. He then approached Amicus, who was getting the ten tents on the big tank.
"What's going on?", Magnus asked Amicus.
Amicus replied, "We are all eager to get on the road. You should know that all the soldiers worship you as an idol, no matter their nationality. They really look up to you, so be confident in what you do."
"OK, can do. Are we going to be ready to leave in 20?", Magnus asked, having eaten only 10 minutes worth of food.
"We'll be ready to leave in 10. I think the best course of action would be to let them rest for 3 minutes, though."
"Alright, Amicus. Then let's do that. Have all the soldiers formed up by the front gate in 13.", Magnus said back to Amicus, and went to a table and sat down on a bench. He pulled out a map and decided where to go.
If he was right in his assumptions, there was munitions storage facility not too far from where he was. Thus, Magnus determined they would head southwest. Not only was that the fastest way to the Gaul, but also the way to the storage facility.
Pulling out his compass as he walked, he looked at which way was north from the front gate. Coincidentally, the front gate faced directly east, so they would have to take a right from the front gate and veer right once past it. They would have to go back into the fir forest.
Magnus, having determined their course, stood as he watched the two tanks pull up to him. As the tanks stopped, the soldiers filed into place, to the left of the tanks from Magnus' perspective.
They were ready, so Magnus addressed the group, in Gaulish, as that was the majority language of the group, and a Deutsche boy translated it into Deutsche and Amicus into English.
He said, "Mine fellow soldiers and friends, I know we have suffered. I know we have lost friends and brothers. But now is the time. Now is the time to avenge the fallen and retake Gaul from the Deutsche. Deutschland has expanded far beyond its rightful borders, and so we must take up arms.
"So, friends, you yourselves have been wounded by Schmitler's greed for land and power. What are you going to do? Are you going to take it, lying on your back like a dog? Or will you follow me, into the mouth of hell, and fight the Deutsche menace?
"I am going to go on my own. It is up you alone to follow me or not. My brothers, do not be forced to follow me, but choose. Will you follow me to victory? If you will, let us go, for as we speak others are being oppressed because we have not acted. Forwards! And let us never look back!"
When he finished, he turned, and started walking to their planned destination. Magnus knew not whether he would be followed by his men, but he did not look back, as he needed to deliver on what he had said. Then, as he was walking, the two tanks pulled up to both of his sides and they chugged along next to him.
The soldiers were all cheering as they followed Magnus, inspired by him, ready to die for his cause. Magnus was reassured by their loyalty to his cause, so he grinned, and walk forwards, into the Deutsche forest.