The soldiers of the two tribes surrounded the two young men, forming a ring in order to attest to the duel and provide enough space for them.

Rammah raised his hand, and one of his soldiers threw to him his long spear, famous for its weight and the pointed blade-tip and the severity of his sharpness. It was marked by a golden band attached to the blade, which was sometimes stained with red to tell of the blood of his enemies who had been defeated.

The struggle started.

Only the clash of the sword of Shaddad and the blade of Rammah was heard, biting into the air. The latter was adept at fighting with his spear and skilled in ways which no one else could master.

The battle between them intensified, and when Shaddad felt that his loss was near, he pulled his dagger out surreptitiously, and surprised his opponent with an attack that ended with a stab in his waist. Rammah fell to the ground groaning next to his spear, and Shaddad laughed slyly.

“Give up, Rammah. Don't you see that you are injured, and dropped your spear! Give up before I also cut your head.”

Rammah bit his lips and almost talked, but it was too late. Everyone was surprised by another young man running down with his sword towards them, screaming, “Won't you stop your habit, Shaddad!”

Shaddad did not need to turn around to know whose voice this was, but the distress clenched him. He had to turn around and pay attention and looked to the next one with a spiteful look.

“Oh, you, Mohab!”

Mohab approached him with his black horse, “Yes, Shaddad, Why did you stand still when you saw me?”

Shaddad raised his voice, “it is not your business! You are just passing here! Get lost before I—"

Mohab raised his sword, cutting off the words with the threat of slicing something else, “I will compete with you, and if I beat you, the oasis goes to Rammah.”

Shaddad shouted, “But it is unfair!”

Dirgham grabbed Mohab shoulder, trying to stop his rush. He said, “Do not interfere between them, sir. Why do you involve yourself in a duel that has nothing to do with you? Let's let them be.”

Mohab escapes the hand of Dirgham, and says, “I am not the one who retracts his words,” before shouting at Shaddad. “I will equal what you did just before! Or are you afraid to face me so as not to defeat you as usual.”

Shaddad grabbed his left hand's grip, and in a swift move. He kidnapped the spear of Rammah and pointed it firmly towards Mohab's belly, but the man was skilled, so he managed to jump, avoiding the spear. His feet landed as it settled on the trunk of a palm tree. At the same moment, he pulled his sword from his sheath and shouted, “you will see who fears who now, Mohab!”

Through the blows of the sword, the superior skill of Mohab in using the sword did not disappear from the audience. He swung with the sword as fast as lightning reaches the earth, but it was not fast enough. For Shaddad he was paying attention to simulating his movements and to hide his weakness, so that he could exhaust him and drain his energy.

Shaddad glimpsed the fatigue on Mohab's face and hurriedly pulled out the dagger, hidden in a pouch around his right leg, in order to surprise him with a treacherous stab.