As Conan makes his way to the Kushite capital of Meroe, Amboola awakens in a dungeon. He struggles to remember how he got there, and recalls Queen Tanada accusing him of treason and drugging him. He notices mists coalescing in the dungeon, and sees the snout of a pig form, then turn into a hulking humanoid pig who kills him. The next morning, minister Afari informs Lord Tuthmes that Amboola's partially devoured body has been found, and he suspects the work of a demon. Tuthmes thinks it more likely the Queen had Amboola slaughtered in a fit of rage and tells Afari to punish the guards at the cell for allowing this to happen on their watch. When the placated minister leaves, Tuthmes calls forth a Kordafan sorcerer, Muru, who summoned the beast on Tuthmes's command. Although he doesn't entire