While Mohab accepted the loss of the oasis, Shaddad could not forget the insult he received from his worst enemies. While he was walking with his soldiers, sparks flew from his eyes.

Attares approached him, saying, “Sir, don't get angry. If you like, we will kill him treacherously without anyone noticing.”

“And whoever said that I do not yearn for that would be wrong, but this is difficult now.”

And that was the end of it, for then.

On their return, a severe sandstorm struck, turning the daylight into darkness in a matter of moments. His men were forced to slow down and stand up.

He soon found himself covering his face and telling his soldiers how to shield best.

“Cover your faces well, we will not be able to see. Get closer and hold on to each other.”

The intensity of the wind was so much that everyone felt that they were about to fly, but they sought to calm their horses and cling to each other with all that they could muster of their strength. What a strong storm it was that it would bury everyone facing it! Because the desert tribes were used to dealing with these storms, they had only had to wait for it to calm down.

It took much time, but finally, the storm subsided. Shaddad and his men got up and started to inspect their horses and shake the grit from their bodies and faces.

Turning around they searched the horizon for a sign, anything to help locate the current location so that they could return.

One of his soldiers shouted, “Sir! Sir! Please look to that side.”

He looked curiously to where the soldier pointed, thus he was amazed and his eyes expanded, then he spoke.

“I can't believe what I am seeing! Is it dream or true? What do you think, Attaris?”

Attaris was talking to a man of greater body and strength; famous for his red head covering and his blurred, hidden face. He was deliberately concealing his arm under his shield with the long sleeve of his shirt indifferent to heat, insteafd protecting his limbs was more important to him than the weight of the shield, and because of that, he acquired his title, Attaris.

He looked closely at as Shaddad pointed to him, answering coldly: “I don’t know, sir, but let’s get close slowly.”

Shaddad and his men advanced and realized that what they saw was not an illusion.

It was a strange miracle.

He chanted, “is this an oasis? For the first time I see a walled oasis with an impenetrable fortress! Look at the height of these walls.” He drew in a breath in awe. “They are very tall and yet, I see traces of palm fronds behind them, and I think I hear birds singing from here!”

The Taris answered, “this is evidence of the origin and untouched nature of this oasis, but who built this strange wall? Does it have a door?”

“Yes, look to the right, there is a huge closed gate. But, I wonder, does this place have guards?”

He approached the gate, shouting loudly, “is there anyone here?”