Everyone fell down on the ground. They were tired from the intense fighting. It was like they were fighting on steroids earlier and were exhausted when its effects ended. They were sweating, some were covered in blood and couldn't move even an inch. The four pullers fell down as well. They were not tired from rushing with ammunition but from the shock and awe of the battle they just witnessed. Eugen proceeded with a final checks on the troops that were wounded previously. Erika was tired as well. But she forced herself up. She was panting and gasping for breath. "Milady, please sit down and rest for a while." Bauer requested holding her right hand, exhausted and unable to stand as well. But Erika couldn't rest easy. She felt that they had to get out of the forest before nightfall. They had expanded almost 80% of the ammunition they had brought with them. "If another such intense battle breaks out we will die here." Erika shouted with her remaining strength. The soldiers could understand what she wanted to say but they were all too tired. "Frau Kommandant, we are all too tired and can't move anymore. Please let us rest for a bit more." Erika gazed at the tired soldier and all the other soldiers around the place. "If we stay here any longer we won't be able to return before night and the monsters will easily kill us then. Plus we are out of ammunition and have no foods with us. So we can't remain here." Erika was gasping. It was clear that she was tired as well. "But Frau Kommandant, you are tired as well. How can you move?" Asked the soldier. "It doesn't matter. We can rest as much we want once we return but we will be in eternal rest if we remain here." She stopped to catch her breath. Then she said, "A great General once said, 'How would you like to see your men tired or death?' if you ask me I think being tired is far better." Erika was quoting the famous German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel. "God has given me this second chance at life and I don't want to waste it in this god forsaken place." She thought. Emil intervened in the conversation. He supported himself up with his Mp40 holding its muzzle in his hand and butt on the ground, he looked at Erika "Lady Kommandant, lets rest for 5 minutes and then we will move. This way we can get some rest and be back before night." "Alright we will do as you suggest." Erika said and immediately lied on the ground. The soldiers also lay down quietly.
Five minutes passed like seconds. Erika got up by putting her weight on her gun and then said, "Alright rest time is over. We must leave now." The soldiers felt as if instead of gaining any strength the rest has taken away even the last drop of strength they had left. But still putting their body weight on their weapons as support they slowly got up. "Fill up both the carts with valuable items you find." Erika ordered. "Double time it, everyone." She shouted. The soldiers started to fill in the carts with the golds, gems and rubies lying around. Slowly but steadily the carts were filled. Once again Erika ordered, "Into formation. Forward march." The scouts moved ahead, rest of them formed up a defensive diamond shape around the carts and started to move through the game trail they followed here. She could now feel that the trail was not just any game trail. "Now that I think about it, how could this trail appear in this dark and dense forest where people never enter?" One soldier spoke. "Yeah, it feels weird. I have entered the forest before but never saw any trail not to mention that it is very deep in the forest." Erika clearly heard what they spoke. They continued, "Also did you hear that large roar? I've never heard anything like this." Hearing this conversation Erika couldn't help but frown. "It seems the dark forest is more mysterious than I thought." She whispered to herself. The troops were tired. Weariness was taking its toll on them. The soldiers were barely dragging themselves through the forest. They couldn't focus on anything. Their bodies stained by blood and sweat had a very bad smell. In normal time anyone would throw up from it. But they were too tired to do even that. Bang a sudden gunfire from the scouts ahead broke apart their conversations and tiredness. Their visions narrowed as they looked forward to what happened. Erika was scared. "If another ambush happens then we won't survive." There is no other way. She ordered the soldiers, "Silent. And be very careful. Don't lose focus. We are not out of danger yet." The soldiers understood the implications of the gunshots even before Erika ordered them. They stopped any chatter as soon as they heard the noise. Suddenly an urge for survival rushed into them. The almost torturous silence befell the forest again. The sun was setting and the dark forest was becoming even more darker. The soldiers forgot about their exhaustion and continued on. "The scouts reported sighting a small fox like monster, Frau Kommandant." Epps, the groups runner reported. He was amazed at himself about how despite being tired, he rushed to the scouts ahead. He couldn't help but wonder if everyone felt that way. Which weirdly enough seemed to be the case. Adrenaline rushed to all the troops and their exhaustion was gone. All they wanted was to get out of the forest alive. "Is this the power of the army lady Erika wants' to build?" Epps wondered and was glad that he himself was a part of this force. "Continue to march. We can't remain here." Erika ordered. The group started marching.
They didn't encounter much monsters after that. All they came across were few wandering smaller monsters who were shot by the scouts or ran away themselves. Erika was glad that there were no more well organised ambush or probes but rather stray monsters. But it was enough to keep soldiers in their guards. The four pullers were even more amused to see how the group of exhausted soldiers all kept themselves going and how they took out monsters which would have definitely killed even a well organised army of hundreds of knights. What's more curious was that they personally knew most of the soldiers and even a few months ago they were just like them. But it seemed they couldn't recognise their closest friends now. Erika looked at her troops with pride. Her sense of tiredness and fatigues were gone. She looked at Emil and Bauer and was amused to see them on the constant alert forgetting about the stress and fatigue. Bauer was getting more excited than tired. "Surviving the previous attacks was a miracle in itself. Who knows how many more miracles milady would show us." She thought with a smile. Emil was smiling as well. However the sun was setting down and they were being constantly slowed down by stray monsters. Erika's tensions were growing. The nightfall was getting closer and closer. "Is it also the monster's trick to keep us in the forest until night?" One soldier said wondering. This sent a chill down the spines of everyone present. Erika shrugged of her feelings and shouted, "Don't panic, don't stop. We will get out of here." The soldiers kept on marching. As the night came closer the forest was gradually waking up. The ghostly silence now turned into murmurs of trees and weird noises of unknown monsters. "Quick, pick up pace." Erika ordered. She was shivering from fear but didn't let it show in her face. The exhaustion was gone from the soldiers' face and body. They sense of urgency took in and they hurried towards the end of the forest.
With a little time remaining before sunset, the group crossed the barrier that separated the forest from the human world. This time the exhaustion really hit them hard and all of them broke down on the spot. The mission was successful they safely returned with a vast booty. Though it needed to be counted. But there was no space for celebration or even speaking. Their feets gave up. "Ah it's a pity," Erika couldn't help but gaze at the gradually darkening sky. The sun was gone and the darkness was setting in. Though they were safely out of the forest and could rest as much as they want. "There are no guys or girls or any family member standing to embrace the returning troops or kissing them or showering flowers on them." She thought and couldn't help but laugh. Emil and Bauer noticed it but were too tired to ask. After getting back their strengths, they left for home. But something else awaited for our little Erika there. Something no less troubling then the monsters in the forest or so she thought.