Let's Read - Conan the Avenger
Jun 13, 2016 16:19:21 GMT -5
Post by lordyam on Jun 13, 2016 16:19:21 GMT -5
Issue #25: A Witch Shall Be Born Part 6
Recap: Salome summons another priest and tells him that Constantius is beaten. They're doomed. Conan will be crashing through and Salome has no illusions of what to expect. But if she dies she will ensure that er dear sister never regains the throne. Either way, Thaug will feed. As Salome descends down the stairs, she hears the people's cries as they realize Constantius is beaten. In her cell Valerius and his crew have found Taramis, and they thank Ishtar they found her. Valerius takes his hood off and asks if she remembers praising him after the battle of Korveka. Taramis can't believe it, certain that it's just a trick of Salome to torture her. Valerius carries her into his arms and says that no her vassals have come to save her. However they must be quick. Constantius fights Conan in the plains, and Conan has the Zuagir with him across the river. 300 Shemites still hold the city though. They slew the jailer and took the keys and have seen no guards but their interests are best served fleeing quickly. Salome enters and comes across the dead jailer, her minion lurking behind her. She curses, but hearing Valerius and the others approach she forces her minion to wait with her. As they pass Salome banks the guy holding a torch, causing everything to be bathed in darkness. As everyone is confused Salome summons hideous wolf monsters via magic that tear most of the men to shreds. The minion grabs Taramis from Valerius's arms and Valerius is knocked down. He collapses to the ground certain he failed. Ivga shows up and hugs him. Valerius thinks she's mad for coming but Ivga said she had to. She says she followed him and hid in an arch in the outer court. Just a moment ago she saw Salome emerge with a brute holding Taramis in her arms. Realizing it was Taramis, she understood Valerius failed. She notices he's hurt, but he brushes it off as a scratch. He asks Ivga to tell him where they went. She tells him they went to the temple. Valerius realizes they mean to sacrifice Taramis to the demon within and orders Ivga to head to where everyone is watching the battle; to alert them that their real queen has been found and the imposter has dragged her to the temple.
Valerius races to the temple, where Taramis struggles. She refuses to live any longer as a pawn; she will die on her own terms. Valerius shots for her to live as Taramis; live for her Khauran. Salome sicks her goon on him, but Valerius overpowers him very quickly. Salome raises her dagger to kill Taramis when Valerius (having gotten behind her) impales her through her heart, piercing the birthmark. Salome falls to the ground stammering "no...you...."weakly. Carrying Taramis in his arms, Valerius walks down the steps to see the people gathered. Some answered Iva's calls; others didn't but were scared of the desert hordes and so fled to the center. The survivors of the Shelties ride up, and Valerius presents Taramis in his arms. People are confused at first (some even think he's hurting her) and Valerius shouts "CURSE YOU, LISTEN! I SAY THIS IS TARAMIS...." Suddenly Taramis comes to the entrance, horrifying the onlookers, who notice that she looks just like Taramis. She keeps screaming THAUG! over and over again, and son enough there is a rumble The Shemite commander tries to say that Salome is Taramis and gives orders to shoot Valerius and Taramis, but the people finally realize what Ivga was saying and pull down the survivors, declaring that Constantius can't tyrannize them anymore. Salome says "Thaug...." once more and tunnels down the steps as Valerius and Taramis hide behind a pillar. Suddenly, the temple explodes as a massive beast emerges from it.
Conan and his desert wolves show up, as Conan's name is shouted. Conan orders his meant o open fire. They do so....and Thaug promptly falls over dead. Well. That was lame. Conan gets off his horse and notices Taramis with Valerius, who has gotten clear. Valerius explains that the person he sees over there is Salome. Conan has his cape taken off and placed on Taramis. Taramis is amazed to see Conan; Salome told her he was dead. Conan says no she's not dreaming. Constantius was broken and most of his forces never made it to the walls; he gave the order that only Constantius was to be captured. She is queen again. Taramis declares it to have been a nightmare and stands up. She says they need her help and asks Conan to help her help them as a Counciller rather than just a captain. Conan declines; he's chieftain of the Zuagir and he promised to lead them to plunder Turan as promised. He recommends Valerius as a better captain. Also, he wasn't meant to dwell among marble walls. He gets on his horse and says he will leave and complete what he's begun.
Outside the sun is rising, and Conan addresses Constantius, who has been crucified on the cross. Conan mocks him, saying that the positions are different from seven months ago. He lived thanks to circumstances and stamina that is unique to barbarians. Constantius and other civilized men are soft; their lives aren't nailed to their spines like that of a barbarian. He's better at inflicting pain rather than enduring it. He'll be dead before sun down. "And so, Falcon of the desert I leave you to the companionship of another bird of the desert. Conan and the Zuagir ride off into the desert.
Review: This was a rushed issue (Thaug goes down absurdly quickly) but it was a nice conclusion. Salome's ambush of the men was cool, and her appearance after Valerius ganks her was positively demonic looking. Some of the best art in this run (though given how sketchy it is not a ringing endorsement.) Constantius.......I was hoping to see him scream in despair like he did in Howard's text but oh well. Conan got his revenge and is off for new adventures. 8.5 out of 10.
Recap: Salome summons another priest and tells him that Constantius is beaten. They're doomed. Conan will be crashing through and Salome has no illusions of what to expect. But if she dies she will ensure that er dear sister never regains the throne. Either way, Thaug will feed. As Salome descends down the stairs, she hears the people's cries as they realize Constantius is beaten. In her cell Valerius and his crew have found Taramis, and they thank Ishtar they found her. Valerius takes his hood off and asks if she remembers praising him after the battle of Korveka. Taramis can't believe it, certain that it's just a trick of Salome to torture her. Valerius carries her into his arms and says that no her vassals have come to save her. However they must be quick. Constantius fights Conan in the plains, and Conan has the Zuagir with him across the river. 300 Shemites still hold the city though. They slew the jailer and took the keys and have seen no guards but their interests are best served fleeing quickly. Salome enters and comes across the dead jailer, her minion lurking behind her. She curses, but hearing Valerius and the others approach she forces her minion to wait with her. As they pass Salome banks the guy holding a torch, causing everything to be bathed in darkness. As everyone is confused Salome summons hideous wolf monsters via magic that tear most of the men to shreds. The minion grabs Taramis from Valerius's arms and Valerius is knocked down. He collapses to the ground certain he failed. Ivga shows up and hugs him. Valerius thinks she's mad for coming but Ivga said she had to. She says she followed him and hid in an arch in the outer court. Just a moment ago she saw Salome emerge with a brute holding Taramis in her arms. Realizing it was Taramis, she understood Valerius failed. She notices he's hurt, but he brushes it off as a scratch. He asks Ivga to tell him where they went. She tells him they went to the temple. Valerius realizes they mean to sacrifice Taramis to the demon within and orders Ivga to head to where everyone is watching the battle; to alert them that their real queen has been found and the imposter has dragged her to the temple.
Valerius races to the temple, where Taramis struggles. She refuses to live any longer as a pawn; she will die on her own terms. Valerius shots for her to live as Taramis; live for her Khauran. Salome sicks her goon on him, but Valerius overpowers him very quickly. Salome raises her dagger to kill Taramis when Valerius (having gotten behind her) impales her through her heart, piercing the birthmark. Salome falls to the ground stammering "no...you...."weakly. Carrying Taramis in his arms, Valerius walks down the steps to see the people gathered. Some answered Iva's calls; others didn't but were scared of the desert hordes and so fled to the center. The survivors of the Shelties ride up, and Valerius presents Taramis in his arms. People are confused at first (some even think he's hurting her) and Valerius shouts "CURSE YOU, LISTEN! I SAY THIS IS TARAMIS...." Suddenly Taramis comes to the entrance, horrifying the onlookers, who notice that she looks just like Taramis. She keeps screaming THAUG! over and over again, and son enough there is a rumble The Shemite commander tries to say that Salome is Taramis and gives orders to shoot Valerius and Taramis, but the people finally realize what Ivga was saying and pull down the survivors, declaring that Constantius can't tyrannize them anymore. Salome says "Thaug...." once more and tunnels down the steps as Valerius and Taramis hide behind a pillar. Suddenly, the temple explodes as a massive beast emerges from it.
Conan and his desert wolves show up, as Conan's name is shouted. Conan orders his meant o open fire. They do so....and Thaug promptly falls over dead. Well. That was lame. Conan gets off his horse and notices Taramis with Valerius, who has gotten clear. Valerius explains that the person he sees over there is Salome. Conan has his cape taken off and placed on Taramis. Taramis is amazed to see Conan; Salome told her he was dead. Conan says no she's not dreaming. Constantius was broken and most of his forces never made it to the walls; he gave the order that only Constantius was to be captured. She is queen again. Taramis declares it to have been a nightmare and stands up. She says they need her help and asks Conan to help her help them as a Counciller rather than just a captain. Conan declines; he's chieftain of the Zuagir and he promised to lead them to plunder Turan as promised. He recommends Valerius as a better captain. Also, he wasn't meant to dwell among marble walls. He gets on his horse and says he will leave and complete what he's begun.
Outside the sun is rising, and Conan addresses Constantius, who has been crucified on the cross. Conan mocks him, saying that the positions are different from seven months ago. He lived thanks to circumstances and stamina that is unique to barbarians. Constantius and other civilized men are soft; their lives aren't nailed to their spines like that of a barbarian. He's better at inflicting pain rather than enduring it. He'll be dead before sun down. "And so, Falcon of the desert I leave you to the companionship of another bird of the desert. Conan and the Zuagir ride off into the desert.
Review: This was a rushed issue (Thaug goes down absurdly quickly) but it was a nice conclusion. Salome's ambush of the men was cool, and her appearance after Valerius ganks her was positively demonic looking. Some of the best art in this run (though given how sketchy it is not a ringing endorsement.) Constantius.......I was hoping to see him scream in despair like he did in Howard's text but oh well. Conan got his revenge and is off for new adventures. 8.5 out of 10.