Conan the Barbarian 154

Major Characters

 * Conan (Previous appearance in CB-153; next appearance in CBA-8).

Minor Characters

 * Alahambra (Previous appearance in CB-153; next appearance in CB-168).
 * Raskos B'Quen (Previous appearance in CB-153; no further appearances to date).
 * Durzzak (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue). Soldier of the bat people.
 * Lyzala (First and only appearance to date; dies in this issue). Princess of the bat people.

Locations

 * Akah Ma'at
 * Ur Xanarrh

Time Frame

 * One day

Synopsis
Raskos flees carrying the cylinder of power and Conan gives chase. Both take to the air on the giant insects, but Conan is captured by hidden Akah Ma'atians while Raskos makes his way to Ur Xannarh where he tries to give the cylinder to the bat-people but is slain by Princess Lyzala for his troubles. Conan is taken to the king of Akah Ma'at, Alhambra's father, and pledges to help the bird people retrieve the cylinder. They give him a hawk mount and he flies toward the city of Ur Xanarrh. Upon approach, he is attacked by the bat people but manages to leap to safety onto the floating city, though he is captured and brought before the king. The king sends Conan off to get tortured, but Princess Lyzala takes a shine to him and sends the torturer, Durzzak away, giving Conan enough time to collect his strength and break his bonds, taking Lyzala captive. Meanwhile, the hawk people, believing Conan likely dead and having their energy powers drained by the loss of the cylinder, decide to attack. Back in Ur Xanarrh, Conan is trying to make his way to the treasure room with Lyzala in tow, but is confronted by Durzzak. He throws the princess at Durzzak and continues his search, finally finding the cylinder and stealing an insect flier. He escapes and makes it to Akah Ma'at just in time, but even with the power of the cylinder returned, the hark people are vastly outnumbered so the fight is nearly even. Conan slays Durzzak but is knocked unconscious and almost killed by Lyzala, who is slain by a healed Alhambra at the last minute. Alhambra takes the sleeping Conan back to the ground and leaves him outside a farm house to recover, then flies away.

Reprinted

 * The Chronicles of Conan 20 - Night of the Wolf and Other Stories