Conan the Barbarian 55

Major Characters

 * Conan (Last appearance in CB-54; next appearance in CB-56).

Minor Characters

 * Tara and Yusef (Last appearance in CB-54; next appearance in CB-56).
 * Murilo (Last appearance in CB-54; next appearance in CB-123).
 * Vanni (Last appearance in CB-54; dies in this issue).
 * Belzamo, and Yvonne (Last appearance in CB-54; Yvonne appears next in CB-123).

Location

 * Ronnoco.

Time Frame

 * A few days.

Synopsis
Conan, Yusef, and Tara make their way back to Ronnoco, barely escaping the shadow creature as it rampages through the countryside. In the city, Lord Belzamo is failing to convince Yvonne to marry his son Vanni, but all is abandoned when Conan's report is given. Conan leaves the city, despite Murilo's objections, to check out a theory he has on defeating the shadow creature, and he returns to the nameless city where the ring was found. He finds the scorpion guardian that he had killed and plunges his sword back into its head, completing a mystical circuit and bringing the guardian back to life. The scorpion immediately heads in the direction of Ronnoco. While Murilo and his men utterly fail to stop the creature, Vanni sneaks away with an unwilling Yvonne, betraying his father. Outside the city walls, Vanni encounters and is killed by Conan, who brings Yvonne back to the city with him, riding past the shadow creature, who is now engaged in combat with the crystal scorpion. The scorpion absorbs the shadow, then falls dormant, as the forces of Pergona and Carnolla arrive. War is averted by Yvonne, who is tired of being a pawn in the political games of the three cities, and everyone returns to their proper home. Conan, aware that dreaded peace is breaking out, longs to travel the roads again, and Tara and Yusef choose to join him.

Reprinted

 * Conan Saga 84
 * The Chronicles of Conan Volume Eight: Brothers of the Blade and Other Stories