King Conan 3

Major Characters

 * Conan (Last appearance in KC-2; next appearance in KC-4).
 * General Pallantides (Last appearance in KC-2; next appearance in KC-4).
 * Conn (Last appearance in KC-2; next appearance in KC-4).
 * Thoth-amon (Last appearance in KC-2; next appearance in KC-4).
 * Prospero (Last appearance in KC-1; next appearance in ??).

Minor Characters

 * Trocero (Last appearance in KC-2; next appearance in KC-4).
 * Nenaunir (Last appearance in KC-1). Dies in this issue.
 * Mbega (First appearance; next appearance in KC-4). Twin of Nenauir.
 * Murzio (First appearance; next appearance in ??). Self-proclaimed Zingaran noble.

Locations

 * Swamps of Southern Punt
 * Zembabwei

Time Frame

 * Two weeks

Synopsis
The Aquilonian army trudges through the swamps of southern Punt on the way to Zembabwei. As they finally emerge, Pallantides and Trocero wish the druid Diviatix traveled with them instead of returning to Pictland. At camp that night, the troops are attacked by men riding winged wyverns, and though the arrows of the Aquilonians take their toll, one rider does manage to knock Conan out and his wyvern carries Conan and Conn off. The beasts fly through the night and drop the two off in a giant walled city where they are greeted by an army of Zembabwans and Thoth-Amon. The wizard is ready to kill the two but is stopped by Nenaunir. Thoth-Amon acquiesces to his partner, but is surprised when the shaman ends his alliance with Thoth-Amon, declaring he will the rule the world himself. Nenaunir declares the prisoners will be executed on the next Red Moon, twelve days hence and sends them to the dungeons where they meet Nenaunir's chained twin Mbega. Mbega explains that for generations, their people were ruled by twins until Nenaunir fell in with the demonic Damballah (also known as Set) cult, the country would have fallen into civil war if Mbega hadn't selflessly surrendered. Nenaunir could not kill his brother without triggering an unstoppable succession, so he flogged and imprisoned Mbega, though he still has loyalists in the city. Ten days later, Pallantides and Trocero spy on the walled city where their king was taken. They realize any type of frontal assault is impossible, and decide to send in Murzio, an acquaintance of Conan who had some training in the arts of thievery. Murzio successfully makes his ways into the city and after several days finds Conan's cell, but is unable to pick the possibly enchanted lock. Conan takes Murzio's knife and directs him to release Mbega, which he is able to do, and asks Mbega to have his followers rise up and throw open the south gates to Conan's army. Conan and Conn are taken to a deep pit in front of a giant marble carving of Damllah/Set in serpent form. As the moon begins to be covered with a red mist, Conan breaks free of his rusty shackles. None of the villagers react, to Conan's surprise, although he understands as the mists begin to coalesce into a serpent form - Damballah himself. Conan sets Conn free as the serpent embraces him, but attacks back with the secreted knife. He can't last long against a god, though, and soon finds himself being crushed in the coils of the serpent. Conn grabs the fallen knife, and attacks Nenaunir, while Thoth-Amon, who could have stopped the boy, stoically stands aside. Conn plunges the knife into Nenaunir's heart, breaking the summoning spell. Nenaunir's men grab Conn as Damballah fades back into mists, but at that moment Mbega's partisans and Conan's army bursts into the courtyard, quickly taking command while Thoth-Amon flies away on a wyvern. Conan, regaining his senses, already sets plan to chase him south.

Reprinted

 * King Conan Volume One - The Witch of the Mists and Other Stories