The Crimson Company has returned to Ronnoco with their prisoner Yvonne just in time to witness the arrival of Yusef, who reports on the shadow creature that decimated their comrades. Murilo sends Conan, Tara and Yusef to an oracle for information on how to defeat the shadow while Belzamo prepares to force Yvonne to marry his son Vanni in order to create an alliance between Ronnoco and Pergona. Conan meets and is forced to kill Mustapho, the oracle's high priest, and, after taking Mustapho's fine sword, comes face to face with the oracle. The living skeleton gives Conan cryptic advice on how to defeat the shadow, and when Conan flees, the hunchback Renquis, who is the true oracle and speaks through the skeleton, emerges from hiding to converse with hiself. As Conan tries to flee the cave, h