Savage Sword of Conan 90

=Devourer of Souls!=

Creators
Writer: Michael Fleisher

Pencils: John Buscema

Ink: Nestor Redondo

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous chronological appearance in first story of SSOC-91; next chronological appearance in  first story of SSOC-96).

Minor Characters

 * Wrarrl (First appearance; next appearance in first story of SSOC-96). Other-dimensional demon.
 * King Savarro (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue).
 * King Granak (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue).
 * Merldark (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue). Wizard

Location

 * Corinthian city-states

Time Frame

 * Several days

Synopsis
Conan commands King Savarro's mercenary legion as they lay siege to the castle of King Granak. Unlike many monarchs, Savarro fights in the midst of his men, though his chariot is damaged and Conan manages to drag him away as Granak's men flee back to the safety of their castle. Inside, King Granak laments his pact with the dark sorcerer Meldark and his demonic henchman Wrarrl which has caused good people to flee his city and encouraged his neighbors to attack. He visits Meldark, who tells him of the Jewel of Bhanjapur, which, ten years ago, summoned Wrarrl, and soon will be able to summon an entire army from Wrarrl's home plane. Back at Savarro's camp, the grateful king offers Conan two shield maidens to protect and serve him, even though Conan would prefer not to have their company. That night, Conan sneaks away from camp and scales a wall into the castle, looking for plunder, and steals the jewel. His nocturnal movements are witnessed by the shield maidens, who report back to Savarro, who now suspects Conan to be a spy. When the jewel is found in Conan's tent, Savarro believes his suspicions are confirmed and imprisons Conan. Meanwhile, Granak sends some soldiers to assassinate Meldark but Warrl's power knocks them unconscious, then the otherworldly Warrl devours the life essences of the men, shrinking them to worms and revealing that his people intend to migrate to Earth to feed on its population. Meldark sends Warrl to deal with Granak and then turns his attention to the ritual which will summon Warrl's people, but discovers to his horror the Jewel of Bhanjapur is missing. His magic reveals Conan stole it but Savarro currently holds it. Warrl brazenly marches into Savarro's camp and terrorizes the king into revealing where the jewel is. When Savarro fights back, Warrl kills him and spirits himself away when the rest of the camp bears down on him. The army prepares their siege machines to attack Granak's castle, which will not give Meldark enough time to complete the ritual, so he commands Warrl to take the army out the unassaulted rear and around to the undefended back of the late Savarro's army, routing them and destroying the siege engines. Conan's former shield maidens hastily free him, although Conan demonstrates he could have escaped any time he wanted. Conan rallies the army and the tide turns. Meldark and Warrl flee back to the castle to complete the summoning of Warrl's people. Meldark is cut down on their flight and abandoned by Warr, who comes face to face with Conan. The demon soundly defeats him but stopped from dealing the killing blow by the shield maidens. Warrl quickly kills the two women and returns to Conan but a vengeful Meldark casts one final spell that causes the worms in his pack to grow and crush him as the souls he has devoured sting him from within. Warrl dissolves into nothingness as Meldark dies and Conan crushes the jewel beneath a rock. Conan turns his attention to the castle to pillage, but only after he pays his respect to the shield maidens who fought valiantly at his side.