Early the next morning we gather in the command tent to listen to the reports of the scouts. As expected the enemy marched through the night and hit the edge of the forest just as the sun was rising. As soon as they entered the forest the traps and ambushes started.

Knowing the nature of the enemy the ambushers are all archers, they attack from range. They also make sure to have traps in front of them so when the controlled soldiers blindly charge them they fall into the traps. Then the ambushers fall back to the next set of traps and repeat the process.

This allows us to wear down the enemy numbers without taking any losses on our side. This is important since the enemy outnumbers us a little over two to one. If we don't wear them down enough before the main fight our side will be overwhelmed.

The ambushes and traps also serve to slow down the enemy, at the current rate they won't reach the clearing until around noon. As soon as they are in the open Zamart and the other mages will attack them with fire spells. That will be my signal to attack the shadow demons in the back.

Once the enemy's attention shifts to me the main force will charge and then it is all up to fate. My hope is that Drog and I can kill all the shadow demons, if we can then the army will fall apart. The controlled soldiers have been pushed so hard they may just die once the control is released.

Mercy says "It's time, Hawk will guide you to your position. The rest of your people will fight beside me."

"Alright! Let's go Hawk!"

Hawk says "Yes, sir!"

Hawk leads me out of camp and through the forest towards the north. Again I feel eyes on me but no matter how much I look around I can't spot anything. Considering I am heading towards a battle it is a very creepy feeling.

Eventually we cross a large clearing and then Hawk points to a specific tree. Climbing the tree is easy, but the enemy is getting close so I have to do it quietly. That makes it a bit more challenging, especially since I can't grip anything too hard or it will break.

Due to my increased weight Hawk had to choose the biggest tree on the edge of the clearing. From the top of the tree I will have a good view of the clearing which will become the battlefield. As I near the top I almost fall, because Drog suddenly pops his head out from above me.

'Drog! You shouldn't startle me like that!'

Drog 'Sorry, master.'

'No you are not, I can feel you laughing! How'd you even get up here?'

Drog 'Don't ask!'

'Haha! Hawk had to carry you up didn't he!'

Drog stays silent which means I am right. I finish climbing up and settle on a branch next to the one Drog is on. Now we just have to wait for the army to pass below us, but we have to hide our presence so the rank five doesn't detect us.

Soon I start hearing the sounds of soldiers running below us, that should be the ambushers retreating. Because of all the branches and leaves I can't see the ground below us, but I can see the clearing. After a minute it goes quiet, the last rebels have entered the clearing where I can see them running hard for the far side.

The mages should be preparing their spells right now, spell casting takes a bit especially for higher level spells. Once all the enemies are in the clearing the spells will fly, and I will jump down over two hundred feet into the enemy. I may have sounded confident, but jumping into the middle of two thousand shadow demons worries me quite a bit.

The most I have ever pulled into the soulscape was two demons at once, now I am going to try two thousand. If this doesn't work I don't really have a back up plan. I guess I will just make it up as I go like usual, if Ruby was around I would get smacked for this.

Who am I kidding, when I finally get her back and the others tell her about it I will still end up getting smacked. Probably several times in fact, but even so I still can't wait to see her again. First though I have to survive this insane plan of mine.

Now I can hear soldiers marching below me, a lot of soldiers. This is the enemy army, things will be starting really soon now. I slow my breathing and focus on hiding my presence, I don't move a muscle until the sounds of marching pass beneath us.

After a few more minutes I look towards the clearing, the enemy is moving into formation. A quick count shows a little under eight thousand controlled troops and two thousand shadow demons. The controlled troops have spread out to form a long line, but the shadow demons are still grouped up behind them.

To reach the middle of them is going to be a very long jump but I think I can make it. Now I just have to wait for the signal, it should start any minute now. I carefully get to my feet and plan my run along the branch to build up speed.

Suddenly, the light fades and I look up to see clouds gathering, it was sunny with not a cloud in the sky a minute ago. This must be a major spell, I just hope it is from our side and not from the rank five. The clouds continue to gather and darken as the enemy army starts marching across the clearing.

Before the soldiers advance more than twenty feet a dozen or so fireballs fly from the far side of the clearing. Where the fireballs hit the ground is torn and soldier's bodies fly high into the air. This should be my signal to make my jump but those clouds still worry me so I decide to wait a little longer.

A minute later when fire starts to rain from the sky I am really glad I waited. From my height I can see it is not really rain so much as small fireballs. When they hit the ground they explode, the explosions aren't as big as the normal fireballs but there are a lot more of them.

They are focused on the line of soldiers and none of them hit the shadow demons. Even so the shadow demons still move back away from the soldiers moving them closer to my tree. The controlled soldiers don't even flinch as the explosions continue, they just keep marching forward.

When the explosions from the rain of fire end it looks like there are less than five thousand of the controlled soldiers left. If that was all there was to the army the rebels could probably win without any help. So if I can take care of the shadow demons this should be a done deal.

The dark clouds start to break up and here and there I can see sunlight again. Deciding that the spell is over I tense up my muscles and prepare to make the jump. I make a quick run along the branch to build up speed then I launch myself with everything I have, I feel the branch shatter as I push off.