Conan and his Aesir allies are taken to Castle Haloga as prisoners of Vammatar. Thror Ironhand attempts to escape but is killed by the zombie army. Conan is chosen by Vammatar to be her consort. The next day the remaining Aesir are placed in an arena to fight zombies to certain death, and Conan leaps in to help his allies. As the undead close in, including the deceased chief Njal, the castle comes under seige by Njal's daughter, Rann. As the Hyperboareans try to return the Aesir and Conan to their cages, Conan kills their guard Kavula and escapes with Gorm to the caverns beneath the castle. Meanwhile, Rann is startled by the zombie body of her father attacking, and only Conan's slap rouses her senses. Conan and Gorm had found a cache of magical swords and have brought them to the Aesir to