Game of Death -- Episode #220

EXTENDED SYNOPSIS:
In the city of Chalka, criminals are being sentenced to a cruel Game of Death, in which they are let loose in an arena and mauled by tigers before a cheering crowd. Nomar (Christopher Morris), Queen Lyoka's (Anja Coleby) Steward, is disgusted by this game, and releases the city's sacred tigers. He also sabotages an attempt to capture Ruh as a replacement for the missing tigers, an act that brings Dar (Daniel Goddard) and Tao (Jackson Raine) to Chalka to find the man who saved their friend. With the help of a street vendor named Barzo (Steven Grives), they infiltrate the palace and make their way into the courtyard that houses the tiger cages.

Meanwhile, Dagan (Jerome Ehlers), the Queen's advisor, hauls Nomar up before Lyoka. Lyoka secretly embraces Nomar's compassionate motives, but feels powerless to help him. Feeling agitated, she goes to visit the tigers. Dar and Tao duck out of sight and watch as Dagan comes to her side. At that moment, one of the cage doors opens and a freed tigress advances menacingly on Lyoka. When Dar emerges from his hiding place and tempts the tigress back into her cage, Dagan orders Dar to be seized and sentences him to the Game of Death. Lyoka argues that he saved her life. She insists that he stay in Chalka as her guest. Crossed, Dagan tries to convince Lyoka that Dar and Tao have come to free the tigers and seize the throne. Troubled by the accusations, Lyoka looks to Dar for reassurance, but Dagan silences him with a poisonous dart and hauls him away to a cell. When Lyoka demands that Dar tell her the truth about his presence in Chalka, he admits that he's come to free Nomar. He also tells her that it was Dagan who freed the tigress from her cage, and that the tigress told him she'd heard Dagan plotting against her. As they talk, Dar quietly frees himself from his shackles and guides Lyoka to the tigers' cages. When the animals meet her look with gentleness, Lyoka's inner turmoil surfaces. She lashes out at Dar, slapping him, and then breaks down sobbing.

In the meantime, Tao makes his way toward Dar, armed with a knife that Barzo insists he carry for protection. Suddenly, he is surrounded by guards who confiscate his knife. Barzo appears and orders the guards to "seize the assassin". Dagan bursts in on Dar and Lyoka, charging that the BeastMaster and his friend are surely part of a plot to murder the Queen and he has a witness who can vouch for his accusations. Shockingly, Barzo reveals himself to be Zad in disguise. He claims that he masked himself in order to save Nyoka from the BeastMaster.

It seems that Dagan and Zad conspired together for their own personal reasons. Zad vowed to win Lyoka's trust so she would consent to his conscripting the young men of Chalka as soldiers in his war against Voden. In turn, Dagan wants Zad's help to overthrow Lyoka. But first, they must eliminate Dar, who surely stands in their way.

The next day, Dar and Tao are among the prisoners being led into the arena, but Dar manages to create such chaos on the playing field that the game ends prematurely. In turn, Dagan orders all the players killed, but Lyoka demands a stop to the madness. In a fit of rage, Dagan shoves the Queen and takes her hostage, dragging her off the podium, unaware that he is perilously close to the tigress' cage. Dar "speaks" to the animal whose roar creates a diversion that allows Dar to free Lyoka. In the ensuing altercation, Dagan falls to the floor near the tigress' cage. She pulls him toward her, and rips at him with her fangs.

Realizing the gods have truly spoken, Lyoka promises to free the tigers. With a look, the tigress forgives Lyoka before fleeing into the forest. Not only have Dar and Tao helped to free the tigers, but they've also freed Lyoka from the cage she built for herself.