Disclaimer: The characters and story are based on
the series BeastMaster are property of
Tribune Entertainment Company. There is no intent to infringe on their rights,
this is only for pure enjoyment.

The Last Sulaby Laurie Allen

Dedicated to the
last of a rare breed, Daniel Goddard

Part 4

Tao's eyelids
fluttered until they focused on the Terron tightening the rope around his
wrist. Although standing upright, he felt awkward because of the way his body
leaned backwards. In this position, his ribs ached where Ratax had kicked him.
He tried to wriggle free, but his feet were also bound. The guard snickered at
the prisoner's feeble attempt to free himself. Once the Terron departed to
join another warrior standing guard, the Eiron sensed he wasn't alone. Shan
was to his right and Dar to his left. The three of them created a human
pyramid tied securely to several posts.

Sharak had been
awake for some time staring at the clouds, wishing he was flying free in the
skies above. Life as an eagle wasn't bad compared to this. He heard a muffled
sound and realized Tao finally came to. "Tao, I can't wake the
Beastmaster. He's not responding."

Frantic, Tao
turned to his friend. "Dar?" he whispered hoarsely, his mouth dry.
"Dar?" he repeated. Tao worried when he noticed the dry blood matted
in his friend's hair on the side of his head. Tao waited and then noticed his
chest rise. "Oh, thank goodness, he's breathing."

A groan escaped
Dar's throat as he approached a semi-awakened state. His head throbbed but
when he tried to touch it, he couldn't move his hands. He slowly realized he
was a prisoner. He opened his eyes trying to focus, but everything was a blur.

"Dar? Are you
all right?" Tao asked

"Tao?"
Dar tilted his head back in the direction of his friend's voice. A fuzzy face
was all he could see. "What happened?"

Dar whipped his
head to the left, surprised by the Sorcerer's presence—a painful blunder.
His temple pounded and he became dizzy, provoking nausea. "Where's Gie?"
he asked already knowing the answer.

"Zad has
him."

"And Jame?"
Tao inquired.

"They're both
alive. I don't think he plans on killing them." Sharak hoped to convince
his two companions.

Dar grimaced.
"Zad wants to make Gie his son."

Surprised, Tao
asked, "He wants a son? Why he must have dozens the way he uses women.
Why Gie?"

"Because he's
a Sula, Zad thinks the boy will be able to control the animals. He believes
he'll be invincible."

"With an army
of beasts he just may be."

"A Sula only
communes with the animals, he won't have the powers of a beastmaster. When Zad
finds this out, Gie will be useless to him. We have to stop him!" Dar
yanked his arms, but the ropes encircling his wrists wouldn't give, cutting
flesh instead.

Tired of their
idle chitchat, Sharak cleared his throat. "I can stop Zad if each of you
promise not to interfere and allow me to take Jame and Gie someplace safe.
I'll gladly get us out of this mess—my way." Sharak soon regretted his
suggestion for Tao and Dar hollered simultaneously, refusing his proposal.

Dar continued to
struggle against the heavy twine. His telepathic plea to Sharak brought no
results. He frowned, concerned for his feathered friend. Dar then called for
Kodo and Podo. The ferrets responded, but being caged prevented them from
helping. They were safe and they let the Beastmaster know Gie and his mother
were safe as well. Dar relaxed until he heard Zad's gruff voice approaching.

"What a
pitiful triad of prisoners I have in my clutches." He stopped in front of
Sharak. "Just how do you fit in? The woman's lover perhaps? How does it
feel knowing the boy's a bastard of the Beastmaster?" Receiving only a
glare from the stranger, Zad shrugged and walked around closer to Tao.
"Ah, the faithful slave of the Beastmaster." The king leaned close
to Tao's face knowing it bothered the Eiron. Tao closed his eyes and turned
his head the instant he felt Zad's hot breath upon his cheek. Amused by his
captive's repulsion, Zad laughed. "What's this? Nothing witty to
say?" His eyes soon focused on the Beastmaster who stared back—eyes
filled with hatred. The king pushed away from Tao and deliberately took his
time to reach his last prisoner. "Beastmaster. I decided to keep you
alive long enough for you to hear your son call me father."

"That won't
happen!" Dar spat, wrestling against the constraints. "You'll never
be his father! He'll never call you by that name…never!" The
Beastmaster's chest heaved heavily troubled by the shenanigans Zad used to get
under his skin.

The evil king
longed for moments grand as this, even if they were staged. He nodded to Ratax.
The warlord disappeared in the tent. "Come here boy. You do what we told
you and your mother lives. Understand?" When the child nodded, Ratax
replied, "Good boy." Tear-stained eyes blurred Gie's vision as he
followed Ratax over to the king and waited for his cue.

Sharak reminded
the Beastmaster that his offer still stood, but Dar's concentration was
devoted only to his son. The boy quickly glanced at him and then diverted his
eyes, fearful of his mother's life. As instructed he gazed up at Zad. The
king, however, kept a watchful eye on the Beastmaster to witness his downfall.
"Oh, now who could this precious child be? Why, he's the spitting image
of his mother. Be a good boy and remind these pathetic souls who I am besides
the king of the Terrons. Son, I'm waiting!"

"Y-y-you're
my f-father," Gie barely spoke, his voice shaky. An unearthly cry from
the Beastmaster sent Gie running back to the tent to find safety in his
mother's arms. Zad relished in the anguish his captive now suffered. Hearing
Gie call him father sent the Beastmaster over the edge.

Tao begged Dar to
stay calm, but his pleas were futile. He had never seen Dar so enraged—never,
not even after Kyra's death. He turned to Shan. "Can you get us out of
this?" When the sorcerer nodded, Tao gave his word he wouldn't interfere
with his plans.

"You'll never
be his father! Never!" Dar vowed. He suddenly quit struggling when he
heard Zad order his men to kill them. With no other option, he pledged,
"Sorcerer, you also have my word!"

Zad started to
return to his tent, but upon hearing the Beastmaster call to a sorcerer, he
stopped. He turned around in time to witness the ropes bursting into flames,
the hostages untouched. Dar fell to his knees, still light-headed from his
injury. Tao rushed to his side while Sharak waved his hands, propelling each
of the approaching Terrons with the simple gesture. Zad couldn't budge; in
fact, his body was paralyzed, unyielding to his command. "What is
this?" he demanded. "Ratax! Stop them!"

The men guarding
the tent ran past their paralyzed king and comrade, but they, too, soared
backwards when they neared the prisoners. Awestruck by the wizard's powers,
Tao laughed nervously as he helped Dar to his feet. He thought he'd better be
friendlier to Shan in the future. Tao supported the Beastmaster until he
regained his balance, pushing free of his friend's hold to lunge towards Zad.
With both hands wrapped around the king's throat, Dar's fingers pressed firmly
hoping to crush his neck. Tao tried prying him off. "Dar, let go! He
can't defend himself. You'll kill him!" The Beastmaster wasn't listening
to Tao or Zad's pleas.

"Get…your…filthy
hands…off me!" Zad barely managed to utter the words. Dar's rage had
reached an all time high, leaving even Zad feeling a tinge of fear. It took
only one voice to soothe the beast within.

The Beastmaster
found it difficult to let go of Zad's neck wishing to suppress the evil grin
that gleamed back at him. Deep down Dar knew who the child was calling—it
wasn't Zad. He released the king just in time to catch Gie in his arms,
hugging him tightly. "I'm sorry. I'm so sorry you had to go through
this."

Jame ran straight
into Tao's arms and they held each other, grateful they were alive and now
free. Sharak reminded them of the danger they were in if they stayed. Dar
wasn't about to leave without his staff. Jame remembered it in the tent, so
the Beastmaster dashed off to retrieve it.

Feeling less
threatened, Zad warned his prisoners, "You won't get away with this! I'll
find the boy!" The king choked back his words when he realized the
Beastmaster was returning with his weapon.

Dar knelt, placing
his hand on Gie's shoulder and looked up at the Sorcerer. "You'll take
them somewhere safe?"

Sharak nodded and
moved towards Zad, taunting him with a self-satisfied grin. "They will be
under my wing, Beastmaster, at all times. A place where you, my good king,
will never find them."

When the travelers
reached a clearing away from the Terrons, Sharak turned to face them all.
"We must separate here. Say your good byes, but don't worry, you'll be
able to visit often. The eagle you communicate with—"

"Sharak?"
Dar asked, curious to what the Sorcerer knew of him.

"Yes, that's
the one. He'll let you know when it's safe to visit."

Eager to see Jame
again, Tao interrupted, "How will we know where to find them?"

"The eagle
will guide you." Sharak kept watch while the others bid their farewells.
Feelings never used to bother him when he was the Ancient One's apprentice.
However, living these thousands of years as an eagle and befriending the
Beastmaster, he felt melancholy that he had to be the one to take his friend's
son away.

Tao kissed Jame,
longing to hold her forever, but he knew it wasn't meant to be. His hands
embraced her face as their lips separated. 'I wish there was another
way."

Jame looked to her
son who was hugging the Beastmaster. She looked back into Tao's eyes—beautiful
eyes that glistened as he fought back tears. "I do too, Tao. I'll forever
hold you in my heart." She couldn't bear to say good bye, so she moved to
stand behind Shan.

Dar wasn't holding
back the tears…he didn't have the strength to. "This is for you,"
he said as he handed the boy the necklace he wore for Kyra. "If you
concentrate on the one you love, their image will appear."

Gie took it
carefully and closed his eyes, opening them to view the image of his father in
the huge pearl. He smiled and that's when Tao realized where he had seen that
smile before. It mimicked Dar's. The Eiron empathized for his friend when he
watched the Beastmaster hug his son good bye. Tao's sorrow could never equal
that which his friend now endured.

"I love you,
son. Always remember that." Dar's heart felt as though it were being
ripped from his chest when the Sorcerer led Gie away. In a glimmering flash,
the three vanished. Dar closed his eyes and remained silent. He reached for
the hand on his shoulder, squeezing it to affirm Tao he appreciated his
friendship. The Beastmaster could only shake his head when he heard Tao
suggest they leave.