Amal briefly considered denying the challenge so as to sneak into wherever they were going later and take Emmaline away in the darkness, but he dismissed it. She could be dead by then, or he could find no other route within. So he beat his chest in acceptance and crouched, ready to fight this monster. He did his best to hide his apprehension, because his fighting instincts screamed at him. He honestly would have rather fought the brute Emmaline still sat upon, at least with him he could outpace him. The thing in front of him seemed purpose bred to be the perfect killing machine. Well, Amal had fought worse before. 

The other four warrior lizards began to stomp, incanting the word. "Saurus!" before stomping twice and repeating "Saurus!" He had the inkling that was their 'type' of breed and not the thing's name, judging by the sounds they emitted. He didn't have time to ponder as the Saurus charged him, moving so rapidly he knew then and there he had little to no chance of outpacing it. The lizardman leaped eight feet in the air and swung his axe down to smash into the dirt, Amal having rolled out of the way. The thief kicked at the thing's shin, but it barely brunted and attempted to snap Amal's leg in half. Quickly he curled the appendage away and rolled backward. Once upright, he threw the dagger at the Saurus, who to his horror was quick enough to knock aside it with his shield midflight. 

"Damn!" 

The Saurus spun, its tail whipping out and slicing a razor line across Amal's abdomen as the man had risen. He expelled air out of his lungs in surprise, but he didn't cry out. Instead he took the initiative, hoping to bewilder the thing with some acrobatics. He pulled out the second dagger and leaped, flipping in a cartwheel and pressing off the soft ground, launching to the left to clean a vicious swipe of the thing's axe. Handily, he caught the shield in the Saurus' grip as he flew, nearly yanking it out of the thing's hand with the pull of Amal's body weight. When that didn't work, he used the reverse momentum to kick the beast in the face. It's head snapped to the side for a moment, a small trickle of blood seeping out of its maw before it hissed and pushed back. Amal lost his balance and hit the dirt two meters away, winded and nearly out of tricks. All he'd managed to do was crack a tooth or two. 

He regained his feet swiftly, but the Saurus was already upon him. It sliced it axe horizontally, and for one terrifying moment it seemed as if he had cut Amal clean in half. But the cunning Arabyan had arched his back and dodged the blow, now inside the thing's defenses. He jumped up and sent his short sword into the warrior's neck, piercing scales as it dug into its flesh. The Saurus stopped midmovement, paralyzed as Amal tore his sword out of it and backpedeled so it didn't take advantage and tear his neck open with its teeth. 

Amal, bleeding and tired, had the horrible realization the thing wasn't dead. In fact, after a few moments it straightened and regained its posture. If these things gathered in an army, they could sweep over Araby without much difficulty! Emmaline gasped, and the Arabyan was ready to die fighting when the Saurus dropped its axe and shield, and knelt humbly.  

"Zalleecha inacta! Zalleecha inacta!" T'krit cried. 

"You're worthy!" Emmaline called in relief.