Part 4 (2/2)
Conan pondered this information with somber eyes and immobile features
At last the deep tones of his voice resounded
”By Crom, Pelias, there rests more upon my shoulders than I could ever fathom, if what you've said is true But I care not for the fate of the world, if I can only get my Zenobia back!”
”Ah, my friend, the fate of you, of your queen, and of the world are fast entwined Mighty events are upon us; the destinies of uncounted ages to co's supre snake would not have dared atte is but a trick to lure you froainst evil eastern sorcery Think, le woman or the fate of millions?”
”The devil with that, Pelias!” roared Conan ”D'you think I would let my woman be torn from my side and then stay at home because I aali eat the shi+p, power, lands, or riches! I want h a hundred thousand swordsed He realized that the savage prouided the barbarian's actions would not be affected by his disclosure of the deeper causes of the recent events The only world Conan really cared about was the one that now surrounded him with red-blooded life He had little concern for the future Pelias said:
”Alas, the Fates have already spun their web, and I cannot change it
Now listen Paikang, in Khitai, is your goal There Yah Chieng lives in his purple tower, guarded by two hundred giant Khitan saber-men, the htful rulers, and he governs with flail and whip Beware his black arts By a wave of his hand he can blot an army from the earth I know not if I can help you, but I will try Coold-inlaid secretary-table e wood There was an oddness about its looks, as if the craft that had fashi+oned it was not of hus he had never seen furniture in this style
Pelias pressed a projection hidden a of the table A small drawer shot out, and the wizard picked an object froht, it did not shi+ne with the fire of gold, nor with the icy gleam of silver, nor yet with the rich red of copper Its dull-blue lustre was not like that of any known in Bending to peer, Conan recognized forbidden symbols found only on the altar friezes of the secret teia
The seal, also, was strangely fashi+oned It was of rho and sharp A careless azed at the ring for a leam was like a sword of icy flame in the room The Cimmerian, with his fine-whetted senses, could feel the power ehtened and brushed back a grizzled lock from his forehead
”Many ,” he intoned ”For days and nights without cease I fought its owner, a powerful sorcerer of Luxur The fury of the dark poe unleashed ht have devastated the land had not our spells and counter-spells canceled each other
With brain whirling and senses reeling, I strove with hih eons of black tier, he suddenly gave up He changed his fored within le, swooped upon him, and tore hiloried inIt will be a powerful aid on your journey Have you heard of Rakhamon?”
Conan nodded The southern countries were rife with legends of the past, but still the nah a full century and a half had passed since his end
Hyrkanian invaders had sacked and burned his city while he lay helpless in the stupor induced by the black lotus
Many adepts in ht for his secret books, said to be written on the dried skins ofwas a relic of Rakhamon's possessions, itof Rakhas summoned from the darker realms could not once called, be controlled by the usual protective spells Therefore he fashi+oned this ring of ahis travels in the icy North He invested the ring with uniinable powers by secret and nameless rituals, in which blood was spilled in profusion and screa souls were condemned to the deepest and darkest hell The wearer of this ring can stand against any beast suical arts, that much I know
”As to its detailed use, there is no clue Probably the knowledge perished with the secret manuscripts Take it, Conan! This is all I can aid you with No other spells I know can avail against the evil power of Yah Chieng”
Conan took the proffered ornaers, but as he tried it on the htly on It seemed to have a life of its own; it fitted as if ed Decades of experience had s The bauble ht work, and if not, no harood
”To the devil with all this talk,” said the barbarian ”I have a long journey before me A loaf, a joint of meat, and a skin of wine, and I aht?”
”Any sort of bed you desire, my friend My servants will fetch food and tend your horse” Pelias clapped his hands
”That re ”I must sacrifice a bullock to Cro of it, for, if they knew, people would say: Conan grows old; he is getting religious in his dotage!”
3 Vengeance From the Desert ----------------------------