Conan the Barbarian 90

Major Characters

 * Conan (Last appearance in CB-89; next appearance in CB-91).
 * Zula (Last appearance in CB-89; next appearance in CB-91).
 * Belit (Last appearance in CB-89; next appearance in CB-91).
 * Thoth-Amon (Last appearance in CB-74; next appearance in ??).

Minor Characters

 * Neftha/Ctesphon III (Last appearance in CB-88; next appearance in ??).
 * Ptor-Nubis (Last appearance in CB-72; next appearance in CB-91).
 * Ahtim, Stygian sailor. (First appearance; dies in this issue).
 * Three unnamed Stygian sailors. (First appearance; two die in this issue).

Location

 * The River Styx
 * Luxur
 * The Stygian planes between Harakht and Khemi

Time Frame

 * A week

Synopsis
Conan, Belit, and Zula sail on the River Styx, having commandeered a Stygian vessel and freed the slaces. They pass the hawk-city of Harakht and beach their ship, heading south overland towards Khemi, taking the four sailors as guides. Back in Luxur, Neftha and Thoth-Amon turn their attention away from the escapees, but magically warn the sorcerer Ptor-Nubis of Belit's coming. Days later, while passing through a rocky pass, the ground crumbles beneath them and the Stygian carrying the food pack falls into a chasm. The party scrambles down a rope to find a large cave and a fifteen foot skeleton with a missing leg and partially crushed skull. Belit finds an altar with a secret compartment that contains a jewel encrusted belt, which Conan realizes is the fabled Diadem of the Giant-Kings. Although the Stygians are wary of a curse, Belit dismisses their fears and continues to explore, finding a cavern offshoot with hundreds of sleeping bats. In the main chamer, the Stygians overpower Zula and one, Ahtim, grabs the diadem. To everyone's horror, the skeleton surges to life as skin begins to grow around the bones and the giant is reborn. The deformed giant grabs Zula and is about to devour him when Conan tricks the giant into thinking that Zula's black skin meant he was diseased and poisonous. The giant tosses Zula aside and places the diadem on his one-eyed head. Zula scrambles up the rope but the giant captures, kills, and eats three of the Stygians while Conan, Belit, and the third Stygian flee into a crevice. Conan intends to wait until dusk, and they manage to avoid the giant until then, as the bats within the cave awaken and attempt to exit, clawing and biting at the giant. Conan and his allies run for the rope, but the giant grasps Conan's leg. Conan tosses his sword at the giant's one good eye, blinding it, and the giant releases his leg. Conan, Zula, Belit, and the last Stygian continue their trek.

Reprinted

 * Conan Saga #93
 * The Chronicles of Conan 11 - The Dance and the Skull and Other Stories