After my speech, a small army of roughly a few hundred able bodied men joined me along with a few women.
"Althea, you will be the leader of the group since you have the most military experience out of all of us." I said with a stern expression.
"Understood," she said with a bow.
"Sophia, I want you to lead the few mages we have with us."
"Yes, Creator," Sophia said with yet another bow.
"Arron, you will be our scout. Stay ahead of the main fighting force. Kyran, and the rest of the warriors will make up the vanguard of the army."
"Yes, Lord Thomas," Althea and the rest of the soldiers said in unison.
"RAH! Time for an epic battle of legendary proportions!" Kyran yelled.
I looked around to see the conditions of the men and women who would join us in a potential battle and found that they were lacking in armor and weapons. Most were dressed in the simple clothing that the average elf would wear and only a few had proper equipment.
'I have to create weapons and armor for these elves. It's the least I could do for them. Not to mention, they're going to need them if we are going to have any chance of defeating the Great Tree and its army of demons,' I thought.
I used Imagination Amplification to conjure up weapons fit for battle and was met with the biggest headache so far. 'Damn, I'm really reaching my limits. If only I could exit the Box of Dimensions and pause time. Doing so would more than likely take everything I had and I risked passing out. If only Cyrus was here. He'd be a valuable asset.'
I handed the gear to the elves, and they were beyond grateful.
"Thank you, Lord Thomas," the elves said. "With these weapons, we will surely defeat the demons."
I turned to look at the elven warriors and said, "everyone, feel free to spend time with your families. We march for the Great Tree tomorrow. It will be a long and arduous journey but I know we will succeed. Many of you may die but know that your sacrifice will not be in vain."
The elves hugged their loved ones, and they spoke softly to each other. They were worried about their future, and they were afraid of the unknown. But they were also determined and courageous.
'Tomorrow will be a hard day,' I thought. 'Many lives will be lost. But we will not give up. We will not surrender. We will fight for our kingdom. We will fight for our home. We will fight for our people.'
"I am confident that we will be victorious," I said.
"Lord Thomas," an elderly man with a long white beard and a walking cane spoke up. "If I may have a word with you in private?"
"What is it?"
"I am here to fight with you. My name is Egon, and I am the last surviving mage of the royal guard."
"Egon," I said. "I appreciate the offer, but you're old and frail. I can't put you at risk."
"Nonsense," Egon replied. "I may be old, but I am not dead. I still have some life left in me. And I will not sit idly by while my comrades march off to war. I may not be much help, but I can at least heal the wounded. I can provide support."
I hesitated for a brief moment and with reluctance I said, "Very well, Egon. You can join us. But please stay behind the ranks. Do not go rushing into danger."
"Thank you, Lord Thomas," Egon said.
'He's stubborn and foolish. But I suppose every bit of help is appreciated. Still, I have a bad feeling about this,' I thought.
While the warriors went to spend time with their families, I retreated into the forest.
I had a lot on my mind, and I needed some time alone. I sat in the lotus position and began to meditate.
As I meditated, I could hear the sounds of the forest. I could hear the rustling of leaves. I could hear the chirping of birds. I could hear the buzzing of insects.
I could feel the cool breeze against my skin. I could smell the earthy aroma of the dirt beneath me.
I could sense the life all around me. I felt slightly alleviated from my lethargic state but not fully.
'We are facing a tremendous threat. But the elves are not alone. They have me. I created them, and I will protect them. Even if it means giving my own life. For that is my duty as their creator. That is my purpose. That is my destiny.'
"Benny," I called out. "How much longer do you think I will be able to last?"
"You are reaching your limit," Benny replied.
"I know. But I can't stop. Not now. Not when my creations are in danger. Not when the kingdom is in peril. Not when the Great Tree has rebelled against me."
"Thomas," Benny said. "There is nothing wrong with wanting to help the people you care about. But you must remember, you are only one man. You are not invincible. You are not fully omnipotent. You are not immortal. You have limits. And if you push yourself too far, you will break. And if you break, the world will fall with you."
"I know," I said. "But I can't abandon them. I can't let the Great Tree destroy everything I and Cyrus have built. Then there's Amber. How could she betray her own people?"
"It is difficult to understand the motives of others," Benny said. "But I believe Amber may have had her own reasons for betraying the elves. She is not necessarily evil. She is merely misguided. She more than likely believes she is doing what is best for her people."
I sighed, "This is so frustrating. Well whatever the motive is, I will put a stop to it." After finishing my meditation and conversation with Benny, I returned to the refugee camp. The sun had set and the world descended into darkness. I found a soft patch of grass, laid on it, and fell asleep.