Conan the Savage 4

=The Wind from the Stars=

Creators
Writer: Chuck Dixon

Penciller: Alfredo Alcala

Inker: Paul Becton

Letterer: Vickie Williams

=Stalker of the Snows=

Creators
Writer: Roy Thomas

Penciller: Mike Doherty

Inker: Rudy Nebres

Letterer: Vickie Williams

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous appearance in the second story of CtS-3; next appearance in CtB-100
 * Belit (Previous appearance in the second story of CtS-3; next appearance in CtB-100

Minor Characters

 * N'Yaga, M'Gora and the Black Corsairs (Previous appearance in the second story of CtS-3; next appearance in CtB-100
 * Tekeli (Previous appearance in the second story of CtS-3; dies in this issue.
 * Ghomli (Previous appearance in the second story of CtS-3; dies in this issue.

Location

 * The Silver Isles

Synopsis
Tekeli's albin tribesman lead the captives from the Tigress down through the maze of tunnels for what seems like days into the mountain. Deep below the surface, they reach a city carved into the tunnels, and N'Yaga is able to tell from a mural that the city was created by an ancient winged, tentacled race and their blobish servants. The group is brought before the queen, who is Tekeli's mother, and sentenced to death. Tekeli (whose real name is revealed to be Ta-No, "Tekeli" actually meaning "death" begs to keep Conan as a mate, much to Belit's annoyance and anger, and Conan agrees in order to buy time for the crew, but when the queen immediately orders the executions of the others, Conan attacks, leaping up on a wall to pull down a stalactite causing everyone to scatter in the confusion. Suddenly, Ghomli and his men burst into the caverns, killing the queen and starting a massive battle during which the Tigress crew slips away. Conan grabs Tekeli and the group heads deeper into the caverns, ultimately finding another city, though this one in worse condition than the one closer to the surface. Carvings on the walls here suggest the blob-like worker-creatures slew their tentacled masters, although the corpse of one of the giant creatures with a star-shaped head is visible deep in the ice. After a bit of searching, and much to Tekeli's horror, the group finds a cache of jewels but before they can celebrate, they hear screams from down a cave were sentries were sent. Investigating they find the headless bodies of the sentries, their heads physically pulled from the necks. Before they can react, Ghomli's forces find them and attack. Conan orders the men to throw their jewels at Ghomli's soldiers, who in their greed stop their attack in order to scoop up the precious gems. The Tigress crew charge, but a rumbling sound causes Conan to tell his men to flatten themselves against the cavern walls as a monstrous tentacled and many-eyed blob rolls from the darkness, engulfing Ghomli's army. Conan's party flees while the creature is distracted with Ghomli's group. However, the creature begins to roll after them, and Conan tries the stalactite trick again. The creature is pierced, and in its thrashing starts a cave in. The humans run to out into the open as the creature is trapped inside the mountain. Before anyone can relax, though, Ghomli bursts from the cave and attacks Conan. Tekeli rushes Ghomli and the two of them fall off the cliff side to their death. The Tigress sails to its next adventure.