Assarah rode at the front of the Golden Company as they marched through the sun baked desert terrain, having landed just recently with the other several battalions; though unlike many of them she wasn't there to be a hero or to fight for the peoples rights under Gargth's rule. No the Golden Company came to fight on both the promise of gold and prepayment by Kings and Queens, the companies skill in battle well known and highly sought after; especially after the group acquired several thousand muskets weapons that most humans had never seen much less used before. The company marched in straight well organized rows, as volleys of fire were the most effective method in an open space like the desert they found themselves in, each man armored differently than the one beside him; most having bits and pieces of armor as opposed to the heavier full suits typical of warfare. Their muskets leaned against the right shoulder of each fighter, the buttstock firmly planted into the palms of those whom carried them; each man also carried a powder horn and several dozen spare musket balls the extra firearms, ammo, and other such supplies being watched over by young lads not fit to fight yet hauled by heavy set pack mules on wooden ski's for the sand. 

As the company marched Assarah called for a full stop at the top of a large sand dune overlooking Sandbrick, an excellent vantage point for the ranged experts the hill leading down to Sandbrick was steep at a near forty five degree angle; and extended over ninety yards down the company halted over two hundred yards from the city walls themselves. It was at this time the unnatural lightning began to impact the loose ground, heat scorching the sand black and occasionally turning it into patches of glass; Assarah swung her body down from the great stallion she sat upon a young boy taking the beasts reigns and leading it back to the rear of the battalion. As the Shadow warriors formed their rigid battle lines around their commander Assarah looked to her Dwarvish captain whom was seated upon the back of his boar a beast near the size of a pony but with far more muscle and a desire to thrash anything and everything in its path. She nodded at Aktun and he nodded back Assarah inhaled deeply as she took up her own musket, pouring powder into the barrel of the firearm and quickly following it with a .40 caliber lead minne ball; using the long iron ram rod to pack the ball tightly into the rifled barrel. Shouting the first of many verbal commands as she sank back a step to stand in line with the first row of riflemen. 

"Company load! First row kneel!"

As soon as she shouted the command was repeated down the line, loudest by Aktun whom like most dwarves had a hardy deep voice with quite a lot of volume behind it; and each man loaded his weapon the shadow warriors now charging up the steep dune showing little difficulty in climbing the sand the front line of troops including Assarah dropping onto one knee. Her second command bellowed out even louder than the first; the aiming command only allowed to sit for a few seconds as the battalion was highly trained and disciplined in the use of the muskets.

"Take aim! Fire!!!!"

As she gave the order to fire the line erupted with the crack of black powder popping, the noise comparable to that of thunder from the first three rows; a huge tuft of white smoke blown away by the heated desert wind the large volley of several hundred lead balls ripping into the shadow warriors and decimating their center the tightly packed unit quite vulnerable to the deadly range and power of the firearms. No sooner than the first three rows had fired did they drop backwards allowing the last two rows to advance already loaded and primed to fire; Aktun shouting loudly for the two ready rows to aim and fire throwing another volley of metal into the still advancing horde. During this time the three front rows returned to their original positions, reloaded and ready Assarah quickly standing upright as the Shadow warriors despite heavy losses were 15 yards from the top of the dunes their lack of fear or self preservation taking a bit of the muskets psychological advantage away. 

"Fix bayonets!! Second, third row fire!! Prepare to charge!!"

As she shouted the rows behind herself opened up for a third volley buying the time for the men to fix long steel bayonets to the ends of their rifles; Assarah letting loose a fierce scream as she barreled down the hill her musket raised at chest level the buttstock beneath her left arm. The first row of men numbering around a hundred and fifty following their leader in the berserk charge, their armor clinking and shifting as they barreled into the shadow warriors; Aktun quickly calling for the second row to fix bayonets and charge after Assarah; unhappily remaining with the reserve lines which were quickly reloading to supply covering fire if a retreat occurred. Assarah shoved her bayonet deep into one of the warriors, her eyes fierce and alight with determination, quickly pulling her blade free to engage another target using the buttstock of the rifle. Though within the next few minutes the warriors suddenly dissipated back into harmless earth around them, The Golden company men cheering loudly only to be cut off by the appearance of the large hand and the accompanying giant; Assarah staring wide eyed at the towering beast. 

"Full stop!! Reform the lines!!! Reform the lines!!! Reload and fire on my command! Aktun advance!!!" 

As she shouted the men hurriedly reformed close packed lines, loading their rifles as they were ordered their position half way down the dune around a hundred yards from the giant; an advantage which Assarah knew would be critical to the alliance defeating the behemoth. As she prepared to give the command to aim and fire, she lifted her own rifle upwards pressing it firm into her shoulder. 

"Aim and fire!! Reload!" 

The loud crackle of the musket's once again rang out, the company mages lending their arcane prowess to give each shot a bit of magical energy to add impact power for more umph; the thick white smoke thrown away once more across the desert sands. Her troops well drilled already began to reload before the smoke had even cleared, all in all numbering only eleven dead and six wounded at this point; her aim to keep losses low and plunder high as no matter how strong the bond they were all Sellswords whom never tended to stay on the losing side of a battle.