Conan the Barbarian 163

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous appearance in CB-162; next appearance in CB-165).

Minor Characters

 * Fafnir (Previous appearance in CB-162; next appearance in CB-165).
 * Krylxxa (First appearance; dies in this issue).
 * Vyllm Pt'aar (First and only appearance to date). Elder fungoid creature.

Locations

 * Border Kingdoms

Time Frame
A week

Synopsis
Conan and Fafnir into a Border Kingdom town just recovering from an earthquake and see a woman on a stake about to be burned to death. Fafnir charges in and saves the girl and they flee out of the town with her. The girl, Krylxxa, explains that she was falsely accused of murder when they stop at a stream, and she wanders off to stretch her legs after being bound to a stake for so long. Suddenly, she cries out as a bear approaches, Fafnir tries to step in but is swatted away by the bear and Conan manages to kill the beast. Krylxxa dotes on an embarrassed Fafnir, but when she tries to kiss him he becomes dizzy and disoriented, worrying him further. The next day they head towards a smith that Fafnir knows, but when they reach his hut, the smith and his sons don't recognize Fafnir. When Fafnir lifts up the box where they keep horseshoes he sees the bodies of the smith and his family. The smith attacks over Krylxxa's pleas, and Conan and Fafnir manage to slay them, although instead of blood a watery liquid gushes from the bodies when stabbed. The three ride away, Conan suspicious that Krylxxa knew the men, and head towards an underground cavern where Krylxxa says her people live. They are attacked by mossy, blob-like creatures but Krylxxa speaks to the creatures and they stop fighting. They are brought to the elder Vyllm Pt'aar who explains they are a race of fungoid creatures who retreated underground when the meteor that killed the dinosaurs covered the earth in soot and ash. They adapted to the underground environment but could no longer stand the sun, except when they drained the life-force of humans and, briefly, took their form. Krylxxa had done that to a young girl and felt so guilty about killing her she vowed never to leave the caverns again. Vyllm imprisons Conan and Fafnir while the elders debate what to do with them, but Conan breaks free, and with Krylxxa's help the three escape the caverns, though Krylxxa's time as a human has passed and she crumbles away in the sunlight.

Reprinted

 * The Chronicles of Conan 21 - Blood of the Titan and Other Stories