Writer: Larry Yakata
Artist: Gary Kwapisz
Conan is camping out in the Zamoran hills when a young boy that has been following him decides to make his move. Conan easily disarms him and finds out the boy is out for revenge. Conan killed his three brothers in battle. Conan tells the boy to leave and learn some skills. The boy wants Conan to teach him. In return he will help Conan recover the Jeweled Sword of Tem. He takes Conan to a sorcerer that is imprisoned in a castle and needs the sword to escape. Conan can have the jewels. He gives Conan directions to the Dark Angels tomb located far in the north.
Conan and the boy strike out. They battle wolves and snow apes. They reach the tomb and find it has two beautiful women, one blonde the other brunette trapped in ice. The boy gets the sword and turns on Conan. Yet the sword being active also frees the two women. They fry the boy and Conan manages to grab the fallen sword. It protects him and he defeats the women. He decides that the sword is too dangerous to leave, and it incinerates the bodies of the two women. The boy is dying and begging Conan to kill him, but Conan decides not to.
This was a fun change of pace. Having Yakata give us on of his stories. It had a cool quest for a sword and some beautiful but deadly women at the end. A bit uncharacteristic for Conan to kill women but his survival was at stake. Also, a fun idea to have this brat kid turn on Conan. I wasn’t getting good vibes from him in the beginning and his end was justified. A good solid story.
Comic book cave of awesome 