Svaina was sitting in her crow form on a branch of a try, high above the ground. She was observing the scenery in front of her. The slaves and the caravan with the plunder from Auenfries had formed a large circle around several campfires and the slaves were sitting at the fire or already sleeping on the ground. Lot´s of them were women, most of them between the age of 12 and 20. Angrily she admits that older women will not be worth a lot on the slave market and therefore be not worse the hussle to bring them all over the desert to kenzobaran. They got probably killed on the spot. Like most men. That was the human derivate of wealth which Auenfries had offered to the slavers. It were probably hundred or hundred fifty women and some men. Most certainly some expert crafters which would also be well worth selling. There were only a few guards. The slaves had been walking a whole day and were chained all together. An attempt to flee was unprobable. Svaina had recognized the three Djinn summoners. Like all desert magicians they were highly adorned with magical signs and tatoos and could not be mistaken as normal soldiers. They had a large tent among the slave caravan. Good. They would not help their raiders in the upcoming battle.
Svaina had followed the horse tracks south to river which came from uhlheim and will deplete some kilometers later in the desert. The armed raiders were camping there. It was wise to keep them away from the women. Also when she would stir the knights to crush the raiders the slaves would not be in danger and it was even far away enough that the battle sound would not be heard. Well those raiders were a simple tribe. They rest and eat and tomorrow morning they would probably close up back to the caravan and escort them into the desert. But that would not happen.
Svaina flew the few kilometers to the raiders and sat on a branch besides the river. She took position on the other side than from where her fellow knight would attack. Once the raiders would recognize the knights charging they would turn towards them and she was all unrecognized in their back. It were about 150 raiders. Mounted on open field it would have been a challenging battle for the knights. But in this situation it will be pure slaughter. Then Svaina patiently waited and then s whisper in her mind sounded "Svaina? We are at the path which heads south from the road to Kenzobaran." Svaina answered the telepathic link to Lurian. "Leave the horses there and head down the path. Encircle the camp but leave the way east along the river. The horses of the raiders will flee that way. I don´t want them to mess up the battle." "Agreed, good plan Svaina. Wait for my sign." Svaina got excited and she flew down to a small bush waiting to change back to her human form. She was used to be naked in battle. Robes don´t protect a lot in a fight and cloth did not keep on her when shape shifting. It also had brought her the momentum of surprise once in a dangerous situation and her fellow knights had more serious things to focus on than to stare at her. Then Lurian´s voice sounded in her head. "We are ready. Begin, the sound suppression will be discovered at some time."
Alragash, stood up, lightly swaying. He had drunken an amphore of that sweet empire wine. Those useless heathens from the west were worth nothing but they know to make a good wine, that was for sure. Most of his fellow raiders were already sleeping on their blankets. He saw the guards patrolling around the camp. Useless, he thought, spitting to the ground. Who would come here? There was no large cavalry force of the empire close, their leader had said. It was a child´s play. The small village was feasting when they arrived, all unsuspecting and fell into their hand like an orange. He had secured himself a fine share of some fine fabrics, some gold coins and he will get a percentage of the slaves price. While he was swaying to a tree to piss he was grinning foolishly. Maybe he could buy a girl for himself to make some kids and have a warm tent to return too. He had been on several raids and it has not always been as easy as this one. When he will return to the tribe he would check out which girls were free to marry. Why buy a slave whore if you can have a pure and faithful woman. As he was releasing the water to the ground he heard a roaring, softly at first, but getting louder. He turned around looking towards the desert where it came from. Desert lions? In the middle of the night? Here? So many? His dull mind laughed at this impossible idea and he giggled and thought ´boy you are more drunk than you want to admid` Then with a loud crackle a deep and agonising roar of a desert lion sounded from the east. And as he turns his head again he heared the horses neighing and as they tore themselves of the wooden pegs a loud battle cry as from one mouth sounded around him. "Torqua demands their death!" And in the same moment a steel plated person with full helmet and two short swords in her hand darted towards him, piercing his stomach with one blade and cutting his head off with a swirling swing.
As the righteous wrath of the knights came over the slowly awakening raiders the sun starts to rise behind the hills of the desert in the east. Mera led the attack to the center of the camp, guarded by her two sworn brethern. Their towering shields proteced her fierce harvest and as she cut through the confused raiders the Topaz adorning the silver shining battle mask at her forehead started to shine brighter and brighter. Her two longswords mowed through the slowly forming raiders. The group of three was perfect trained and the shields of her wardens protected her every single moment from all angles. Even arrows couldn´t find their way to her. Her power increase with every killed heathen and her movements became more and more acrobatic, her jumps more powerful, her strikes dismembered limbs and heads as she moved merciless forward, her sword blood stained and vibrating from increasing power.
From the west side Priest Wainan lead the knights. His symbol of light blinding enemies, his mumbled prayers send beams of light from the holy symbol of torqua, piercing the eyes like arrows, leaving only black burned holes. His knights advanced with a towering shield wall, their spears piercing down everyone who dared to try to attack the priest which was encircled by his knights. The wrath of torqua unleashed from his holy symbol struck down the raiders close and far and the flashing light was so painful that they could not look into it. And each time he finished his pray with the shout "be condemned", the holy beams flashed out of the symbol and pierced the eyes and heads of the surrounding raiders.
The other flank of Rittmaster Mera was leaded by Lurian the battle mage. He flew over his army of knights and balls of fire left his hand in short intervalls tracking down the fleeing raiders. And when he clenched his fist in the air and pulled it agressively down a pillar of flame errupted bellow a raider and consumed him, while the knights protecting him advanced and cut down the burning and crying raiders. As unfair the battle looked in the beginning, only 40 knights attacking 150 raiders as unfair it looked like after a few minutes, just the other way around. And as the three leaders moved closer to the center, annihilating the raider force the leader of the raiders had formed a small group around him with big shields and grim faces. His most skilled and experienced warriors formed a half circle around him and he shouted in agony "Protect me! Form a wall! shields up! Cover your eyes! Fend of the fireballs with the shields!" And then in an instant, a naked woman appeared behind him, a dagger in her hand and cut his throat, quick and silently. The leader collapsed with a death cry and his soldiers turned around looking at the naked woman with big eyes and the last words they heard were "Be condemned!".