While Conan is being tracked by Corinthian soldiers at the request of Nemedia (because of events in CB-7). All but one of the soldiers is killed by an avalanche, but the remaining soldier, Captain Burgun, a survivor of the Battle of Venarium, is quickly knocked out by Conan, who heads deeper into Corinthia. He finds an abandoned city guarded by a giant gila monster. Conan scrambles up a ruined building and pitches rocks down on the creature until he weaked it enough to plunge his sword into its back. He begins to poke around the city, but is surprised by the reappearance of Burgun. The two decide the treasure of the city, and the possibility of more monsters, is more important than any feud they might have so they explore the city together. They find a vast reasure room stocked high with g