Conan the Barbarian 125

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous appearance in CB-124; next appearance in CB-126).

Minor Characters

 * Jonnwalli (Previous appearance in CB-124; no further appearances to date).
 * Dukenrik (Previous appearance in CB-124; no further appearances to date).
 * Murilo (Previous appearance in CB-124; no further appearances to date).
 * Yvonna (Previous appearance in CB-124; no further appearances to date).
 * A Waif (Previous appearance in CB-124; no further appearances to date). In reality a witch named Greemoir.
 * Kreenan (First and only appearance to date). Witch.
 * Greemoir (First and only appearance to date). Witch
 * Liirix (First appearance; next appearance in CB-126). Caretaker of Nexx's Temple

Locations

 * Pergona, Ophir
 * Stygia

Synopsis
Murillo chooses to lead the band of soldiers as a new wandering company rather than return to Pergona and Yvonna. Conan, Jonnwalli, and Dukenrik return with Atreah's burned and crushed body, claiming it is Murillo's, but Yvonna pays more attention to the waif girl than her dead husband; in fact the whole town seems subdued. When Jonwalli is approached by a beautiful handmaiden, he goes off with her, but she turns into an ancient crone. When the waif turns into a crone, Greemoir, as well, Jonnwalli and Dukenrik are terrified - the witches of Nexxx have found them. Conan grabs Greemoir by the throat but she holds dolls that control the boys and they writhe in pain. When Conan releases her she reveals that the boys are actually children of the dark god Nexxx, who raped and impregnated to women and gave the children to a sorcerer to raise in the ways of darkness. The boys escaped, though, and the witches have been tracking them in order to bring out their evil nature to take over the world. Horrified, the boys try to attack the witches but find they cannot. The witches are disappointed in the boys' lack of darkness and agree to give up their claim if Conan retrieves two jade statues of power from Stygia with which they can challenge Nexx himself. The witches summon a skeletal boatman on a flying raft to fly Conan, Jonnwalli, and Dukenrik to a desert keep in Stygia. The door to the keep opens and a dwarfish caretaker, Liirix, welcomes them and reveals this keep is the spot where Nexx and Set first met, and is thus empowered by both evil gods. They are pointed down a long hallway where illusions tempt the three and portals to other worlds call to them, but ultimately make their way to a treasure chest that contains the jade frogs they were sent for. Unfortunately, it is guarded by a tentacled blob that ensnares Conan. The two boys attack and kill it, while growing frighteningly bloodthirsty. The two boys reach for the statues but are instead bitten by them, and they transform into their true, evil selves...their time with Conan was merely a test to enable them to learn how to kill. The two lunge for Conan but he manages to push Jonnwalli into a dimensional portal and Dukenrik leaps after his brother. As Conan ponders the loss of innocence and friends, Liirix reveals that perhaps leaving Nexx's realm and influence, the boys' good nature will return.

Reprinted

 * The Chronicles of Conan 16 - The Eternity War and Other Stories