The clash of forged iron erupted across the limestone basin as night closed over the western canyon, swallowing the last embers of twilight in a single breath.
Down from the dark ridge lines poured hundreds of Tsanka shock troops and Kafika skirmishers, kicking up thick clouds of white gravel as they converged on the southern perimeter.
They advanced in the authentic hunting formations of the Sawaka wilderness, dropping into low quad-pedal beast-crawls to present minimal targets against the dim starlight.
Dense clouds of weighted hemp nets and barbed grappling chains whistled through the freezing air, hurled from leather slings to tangle the crescent blades of the ten Sandshades.
The southern warriors held their ground in an unbroken diamond formation, their gray cloaks billowing as they sand-glided across the bedrock to slice through taut ropes before the iron hooks could bite.
