They were nearing the lines. Having some of the men rest in the tanks in turns while they marched south-southwest let them travel all night, while others in the tank were either driving or listening to the radio broadcasts on the UPC military channels.
By the time the sun rose, they had gotten close to the area where an assault was going to take place. Magnus heard this from the UPC radio transmissions.
Magnus gave the signal to halt, and turned around and addressed his soldiers in Gaulish, the same Deutsche boy, Heinrich, translating into Deutsche and Amicus into English as he spoke.
"My friends, two miles ahead of us are the front lines. I know from UPC communications that there is going to be an assault on this very front in just 25 minutes. I know I have taken the brunt of the fighting from you in our past battles.
"It was probably disrespectful for me to take away your right to die for your brothers, but I do not wish for you to die, and I still don't. However, I now require your strength in this battle. If we obliterate this Deutsche force, it will give the UPC and her allies unrestricted passage into Deutschland.
"Some of you will die, but it is for this honorable cause. I can no longer protect you, but I can lead you into battle. I wish for you to follow me into action. I will need, however, the tanks and artillery guns to stay behind and under the cover of the forest.
"If those manning the artillery and tank guns bombard the Deutsche lines as we assault them, it will break the Deutsche army and we will dominate them. Follow your orders and follow me! We will claim victory!"
As he finished his delivery to his army, Magnus pumped his fist up in the air, holding a rifle. The soldiers in marching formation behind him did the same, and cheered. They were finally going to have the chance to fight along side their idol and savior.
Magnus then turned around and started marching. The footmen followed him, while those using the artillery guns and in the tanks followed the tank Amicus was in. Because Amicus was Magnus' AI, they could converse in Magnus' mind even though Amicus was in a materialized body.
Through their private and mental conversations, they determined their plan of action. That plan was exactly as Magnus had ordered, for the footmen to follow him and those with the bigger guns to follow Amicus.
After a half a mile, they heard the battle. The shouts and explosions painted a picture of what was going on past the forest in the minds of all the soldiers. Amicus, as he lead the tanks, looked over to the origin, and told Magnus mentally, "It has begun."
Magnus' face was stern and unwavering. All the soldiers looked to him as they heard the first sounds of what would be the decisive battle of the war. They saw his face, stern and brave, and were inspired. All the Deutsche boys who were following Magnus were scared, but reassured by the look on his face.
Then came the opening of the forest. Over head was a whole different war. Fighters dipped and swerved as they tried to shoot down each other and the bombers as they flew high above the chaos below and adding to it with their bombs.
Magnus led the charge into the fiery field. The grass which was once a lush green was now black, as it was burned by the explosions of the battle, the tips being singed into charcoal. In the distance was a farmhouse. This land was the livelihood of a Gaulish family, but their land and crops were being ruined as those in the house huddled in a corner, covering their ears, hiding from the carnage, wishing it be gone.
The soldiers followed behind him, unwavering after having a mile and a half to think on what was about to happen to them.
Immediately, there were explosions from a bombardment on the Deutsche trenches. Magnus looked over his shoulder as he ran, and saw the five artillery guns and two tanks firing as fast as possible before the had to stop so as to not put the lives of their soldiers at risk. The planes over head tried to hit Magnus' support with bombs, but couldn't penetrate the forest.
All the footmen sprinting, the bombardment stopped as they entered the blast zone. The Deutsche men in the trenches were all looking forward, firing at the UPC soldiers in front of them. Suddenly, there were soldiers behind them. Magnus and his men fired down into the trenches as they got down on their stomachs.
The commanding Deutsche commander panicked. He wasn't sure if he could hold off an assault from the front, but from the back too? He was confused. The immediate reports of the men behind them that were reaching him told him that they were dressed in civilian clothes. Some of them looked like they were from the UPC, others from Gaul, and a few from Deutschland.
He panicked, and told them to raise the white flag. As soon as he mentioned surrender, he was shot in between the eyes by a Deutsche lieutenant, who spat on his still-warm face for mentioning surrender.
Magnus, who was not concerned with what was happening within the Deutsche bunker, fired his automatic rifle and rained hot lead down on the Deutschlanders in the trench. From the combined firepower of the thirty-three men, there was soon a clearing. Magnus got up, sprinted 50 yards to the trench, and slid in.
He knelt in the dirt, and gunned down the men in the left side of the trench, who were still focused on the main force in front of them. The men on the right half, however, had noticed the smaller force from behind them.
Heinrich slid into the trench right after Magnus, and was shot in the bottom left side of his abdomen. Nevertheless, he shot his own automatic rifle at the men in the right side of the trench, watching Magnus' back.
As soon as the stretch of trench was cleared, 25 of the men ran in and out of the trench, going to meet the Deutsche force which was engaging the UPC forces in the middle of the field. Magnus, Heinrich, and six others were going to hold the trench. Four of those eight were wounded, including Heinrich.
Magnus looked at the 17 year-old as he held his side. Seeing that the wound was only a flesh-wound, he told Heinrich in Deutsche, "It's going to be OK. It's just a wound of the flesh. You are going to live, even if you keep fighting and pushing yourself.", as he wrapped a bandage around the boy's waist.
Magnus looked at the three other injuries. One of the soldiers was hit in the head, and Magnus pronounced him dead on the spot. The other two were both shot in the leg, one in the thigh and the other in the knee. Magnus told them both to hold the trench, and, having finished checking the wounds of his men, peeked over the side of the trench.
He aimed down the field, and saw the main battle taking place. Hitting a few well-placed shots, Magnus stood up. Three of his soldiers, who were dressed in civilian clothing because they refused to wear Deutsche uniforms, were coming back.
The man in the middle was being supported by the two soldiers on the outside as he limped back to the trench. As soon as the three got there, Magnus instructed the soldier on the right to take care of the wounded one, for the soldier on the right was a medic. After uttering those words, Magnus sprang out of the trench and into the fray.