Outside Motai City.
A large, scattered crowd of men and women, over a thousand strong, all had their hands bound.
Every twenty or so of them were tied to a single tree trunk. With twenty or thirty people lined up carrying one trunk, if one tried to escape, they would inevitably drag the others along. Any commotion, and escape would be impossible.
"Move faster!"
"All of you, line up over there!"
The escorts all carried whips and weapons. From time to time, they cracked their whips, herding the bound people like livestock and driving them into a makeshift camp beside the city wall.
Every man and woman wore a grief-stricken expression, their eyes filled with despair.
Only a few days ago, they had still been living happily in their own tribe, together with their families.
But now, the Black Hand Tribe had suddenly destroyed their homes. Everyone was to become a slave, awaiting an unknown fate.
Rumble, rumble, rumble~~~
A series of earth-shaking roars suddenly echoed from the distant wilderness.
"Out of the way!"
The soldiers escorting the male and female slaves changed expression. They hurriedly drove away the people crowded before the camp with whips and weapons, then split into two lines and stood respectfully on either side of the camp gate.
A large group of black-armored riders galloped over, trailing long plumes of dust. Their armor was thick, with spikes at the joints, while their mounts were all tall, long-haired, one-horned beasts with stout four-legged bodies.
There were only a hundred or so black-armored riders, yet each radiated a powerful aura. When they charged, they carried the momentum of an army of thousands.
Whoosh.
The black-armored riders did not slow until they reached the makeshift camp. At their head was a young man with a square face, riding