Terrible Beast of Zor (13 page)

“I know that,” Reb said. “Do you think I don’t know that? What we do is make a cable of some kind. A
really
thick rope. Maybe out of metal. Anyway, we put a noose in it. We run through the noose through a pulley—”

“I got it!” Jake said. “It’s a work of art!”

“What’s a work of art?” Josh demanded.

“Don’t you see?” Jake asked. “We attach that cable to a bunch of horses. Then, when Reb drops that noose around the critter’s neck, we start those horses pulling. And
they’ll
haul him up, I’ll bet you.”

For a moment there was silence, and then Jake let out another yell. “It’ll work. I tell you it’ll work.” He leaped at Reb, almost knocking him over, and then everyone gathered around the tall Southerner, beating him on the back and praising him.

“Well, that’s one dream that came in handy,” Reb said. “Do you reckon Goél gave me that idea?”

Josh said. “That could be exactly where the idea came from. We’ve got to tell the prince right away.”

The Sleepers went at once to where the Council was meeting with Prince Alexander. King Alquin and Queen Lenore themselves were seated at the table, though the king looked pale and weak.

Josh had Reb explain his plan, and Jake broke in more than once with a refinement of the scheme. When the boys finished, the Council sat stunned.

“I’ve never heard of such tactics,” Alcindor said.

“We’ve never heard of a beast like this, either,” the
prince said grimly. He turned to Jake and Reb. “Could you two make such a device?”

“We sure could.”

“There’s only one problem left,” Josh said. “We can set up the trap that will snare the beast, but how can we be sure he will come through that particular pass?”

The prince thought for a moment, as all eyes were upon him. And then he smiled. “I will send a challenge to the Zorians. I will tell them that the prince of Madria himself will be at the west pass. That is the narrowest pass through the mountains. There will be barely room for the beast to get through, and there is an overhang where we can arrange your device, Jake and Reb.”

“I believe the scheme will work.” The speaker that time was King Alquin. “Go, my son,” the king said. “Uphold the honor of the royal family.”

“I will, Father.” The prince arose and said, “Alcindor, send a courier at once, challenging the Zorians. Tell them we will meet them at the west pass and that the prince of Madria himself will stand against the beast.”

A
ll night long and into the dawn hours, Reb and Jake directed the construction of the snare for the terrible beast of Zor. Jake seemed to be everywhere, shouting instructions, calling for material.

At one point, Alcindor, watching him, said to the prince, “I never saw such activity. That boy is exceptional.”

The prince, however, was staring at the pulley that Jake and his helpers were installing on a timber that had been placed across the pass. “Do you think this scheme will really work?” he asked with a worried look in his eye.

“I truly don’t know, but it’s the only hope we have.”

Then Alexander left him, to move among the soldiers and encourage them. And Alcindor thought that to be an admirable thing.

During his walking about, Prince Alexander came to where Lilith stood apart from a line of archers. He said, “Are you free? Walk with me, Lilith.”

“All right, my prince.”

He laughed. “Do you remember when I won our wager?”

“Yes, I do,” she said quietly. “But I never thought I’d be walking with the true prince of Madria.”

They walked up and down, cheering the troops. Finally they reached the end of the lines and started back. “I may not be able to say this later …” Alexander began.

* * *

Abbey stood off to one side with Dave, watching Lilith walking with the prince. “Isn’t love wonderful?” she sighed.

Dave gave her a disgusted look. “We’re about to get killed by a horrendous beast, and you think it’s all a movie! You think all the world is
Gone with the Wind
, Abbey.”

“I loved that film. How I would love to live in a house like that and come sweeping down that staircase …”

Josh and Sarah overheard what Abbey said, and Sarah smiled. “She’ll never change. She’s the world’s greatest romantic.”

“I guess she is.”

For a time, they watched the men working at completing the snare. Then they walked over to the horses that had been brought in to haul the beast into the air. They had great fuzzy hooves and were strongly built and looked totally capable.

“They’re beautiful horses,” Sarah said.

“Yes, they are. I hope they can do their job.”

Jake and Reb stood on the crest of the hill, talking. They studied the strong cable that they had constructed. There was no way to test it, nor was there time.

“Well, we’re as ready as we can be with Goél’s idea,” Reb said. He picked up the rope and, although it was much thicker than a lariat, he formed a noose with a slipknot.

“Do you think you can rope with that thing, Reb?” Jake asked worriedly.

“I ain’t never missed.”

“Oh yes you have,” Jake corrected him.

“Well, maybe a few times. But I couldn’t miss anything as big as that monster. All I have to do is spread a big noose and drop it over his head. And, Jake, when you see that noose tighten up, you drive those horses like crazy.”

“I wish we had elephants to pull up that critter.”

“Well, we don’t. And it’ll be up to the prince and the others down below to get in and spear the varmint. I hope I was right about that tender underbelly.”

“I hope so, too,” Jake said. “Well, here’s another fine mess we’ve gotten ourselves into.”

At the bottom of the hill, Alcindor was giving final instructions. “I want all of you archers to pepper the men on that platform on the beast’s back. Don’t give them a chance to get off a shot. Keep them thrown off balance.” Then he turned to Alexander. “Arrows will not do it, my prince. It will have to be these.” He picked up a spear made out of fine ash. It was eight feet long and was barbed with a keen tip. “I hope these will do it, and we won’t know until we have tried.”

The prince picked up one of the spears and balanced it in his hand. “It seems a good weapon,” he said.

Alcindor bit his lip. “My prince, I have to say something to you.”

“Say on, Alcindor. What is it?”

“I beg you. Do not go in with the spearmen. If I am lost, or if any other man is lost, it is only one life. But you are the heir to the throne. If you are lost, everyone will lose heart.”

But Prince Alex shook his head. “One cannot lead from behind. A king must be in the forefront of the battle. You know that, Alcindor. You saw my father do it.”

They had no time for further talk. A cry sounded from the sentry then, faint but clear enough for them to hear him.

“The beast—the beast is coming!”

“Everyone in position!” Prince Alex cried. He looked upward and asked, “Reb, are you ready?”

“Ready. Jake, get down there, and when you see that noose drop, drive those horses!”

Everyone got into place. Jake stood ready beside the men who were holding the ten horses. They had rigged a mighty hitch that would throw the weight of all the horses into action at once. The cable ran upward, hidden by the rise of the pass, and then went through a pulley.

The plan was for Reb not to go out yet on the timber that spanned the gap, for fear he would be seen. He would have to wait until the last minute to do that.

Then the sound of marching feet and the shouts of soldiers came toward the pass, growing stronger every minute. The prince watched and waited.

“Here they come!” He lifted his voice, shouting, “Every man stand fast for king, for country, and for family!”

A yell went up from the Madrian troops, and the prince’s eyes met those of Alcindor. “Our men are firm. They will stand and do all they can.”

“I think you’re right, my prince.”

Abruptly Alexander said, “Alcindor, quickly! I gathered a large number of volunteers. I want to send half of them around the ends of our lines.”

“But why would you do this?”

“They will do more good there. If we kill the beast here at the pass and then our volunteers come up behind
the Zorian troops, we will have them in a pincer. We can crush Zor once and for all.”

“That’s good strategy!” Alcindor exclaimed. “I will see to it at once.”

So half the army of Madria faded away to the flanks. They would circle around and make their way through the forest behind the Zorian lines. Zor would be taken by surprise. The Madrian army had never attacked before, and there was no reason to think they would now.

The beast of Zor came into view then, snorting and uttering hoarse cries. His huge claws dug into the path as he climbed upward. On his back stood the archers, poised and ready. It was a frightening sight.

Josh and Sarah watched the beast come toward them. “We’ve never fought anything like that before,” he murmured. “Never.”

“But we will,” she said and suddenly took his hand. “We’ve been through so much together, it can’t end here. Now Goél will show what he can do.”

Josh kept his eye on the beam that spanned the gap overhead. The beast’s head would pass no more than ten feet below it. It had occurred to him more than once that if Reb were seen, the soldiers might get the beast to rear up and attack him.

The monster came on, roaring, roaring, and behind it marched the Zorian soldiers, bearing spears and swords.

Close to the timber bridge, Reb remained hidden with the noose spread in his hand. His breath was coming short as he watched the Beast climb steadily upward through the pass. A few more steps now, and he would be underneath the beam.

He waited until the last moment, then walked swiftly but carefully out to the middle of the beam. The beast must have sensed the movement above, for it stopped and looked up. At that moment, Reb dropped the noose over the creature’s head and screamed, “Pull, Jake! Pull for all you’re worth!”

Jake saw the noose settle around the beast’s neck, and he cried, “Pull, you horses!” The horse handlers struck the draft horses lightly, and the mighty animals obediently threw themselves against their collars.

Jake was watching the noose tighten around the beast’s neck. Surely everyone was watching. Would the timber hold? Would the pulley do its job?

A terrible struggle ensued then, the horses pulling, their masters encouraging them, the rope stretching as tight as a rope could be stretched. The beast was powerful. It tried to bite the cable under its chin but could not get at it.

But the archers had seen Reb, and one of them cried, “Get him! Get him!”

Arrows flew through the air, but Reb flattened himself on the beam so that they went harmlessly by. “Pull, Jake—pull! We got him!” he yelled.

The titanic struggle went on, for the beast was monstrously strong. But the horses were strong, too, and suddenly the prince yelled, “Look at the beast’s front feet! They’re off the ground!”

A cheer went up. The horses, with their great combined strength, had indeed managed to get the creature’s front claws free from the ground. Their masters shouted, and the hooves of the mighty horses clawed at the dust as they strained against their collars.

* * *

Up—up—up went the beast, until the prince saw its yellow underside. “Forward, spearmen!” he cried and raced forward himself with Alcindor at his side.

The spearmen and the Seven Sleepers too, all themselves bearing spears, dashed toward the exposed belly of the beast. Its huge claws clawed the air, its hind claws dug into the earth, and the creature was uttering mighty bellows of pain and anger. There was now no chance for the archers on the beast’s back to use their bows and arrows, for they were being tilted backward. One man actually fell from the platform to the ground.

Alcindor drew back his spear and drove it with all of his might. Others hurled their spears. But the underside of the beast was plated, too. The plating was not as thick as that on the back and sides, but it was hard and slippery.

And then the hind claws of the beast caught the prince and threw him headlong. Alexander struggled to his feet and cried, “Try again!”

Zorian soldiers, archers with drawn bows, now were edging around the beast in order to attack. The Madrian archers moved closer and fought them off.

Surely none of them would ever forget the battle that took place that day. The huge beast kept swinging about on its hind legs and clawing at the cable.

But now the struggle swayed against the Madrians. The horses could not hold the heavy beast. It seemed to be gaining its footing again. And more Zorian infantry was pouring in from behind.

In desperation the prince looked up at the beast’s underside. “There!” he cried. “Just inside the front legs there is no armor! Lift me up. Quick!”

At once Alcindor and Dave seized the prince by the legs and boosted him upward. Alex drew back his spear and thrust it forward with all his strength.

The beast let out a mighty scream. It thrashed around. It gave a great shudder, making one last swing with its claws that knocked down all three of them.

But the terrible beast was no more.

Alcindor helped the prince to his feet, and Alexander yelled in triumph, “The beast is dead! Madria, attack!”

The prince and all who had fought against the beast were weary, but they pressed forward. The archers did their work, and then the volunteers the prince had gathered struck the Zorians from behind.

A cry of terror went up from the enemy troops, and the Zorians began to flee.

But one Zorian did not flee. Rondel stood tall, trying to rally the troops. He found himself suddenly face to face with the prince of Madria.

“Ah, Alexander,” he said. And he raised his sword.

The prince engaged him. They fought viciously, and then Alexander lost his balance on a slippery spot and fell.

Instantly Rondel was on him with his blade. “I win, and you lose!”

But the sword never descended. An arrow made a whizzing sound, and Rondel slumped to the ground, dropping his weapon.

The prince got to his feet and turned to see Lilith lowering her bow. He went to her, saying, “Your skills amaze me. It’s going to take a lifetime to learn how to deal with you.”