Conan, Shimata-Kawa, Welyn, Daedikaron, and Tros trek closer to the Citadel of Yondo and its powerful Patriarch. They soon encounter Moru and Ixastophanis locked in deadly combat with a sand creature. Conan and Shimata-Kawa assist the two new Seekers and all the participants soon begin bickering about Talisman shards. Meanwhile, Andamo, the seventh and final Seeker, has allied himself with the red-skinned Patriarch and his hand puppet, Little Shadow. The uniting of Andamo's shard with the Patriarch's created the Desert of Yondo, and now the scheming pair has Welyn's shard as well. Little Shadow sings a song about Tolometh suggesting Tolometh was a demonic god and the Talisman itself alien in origin, and that the black god will return. Andamo is ignorant of the subtleties. Outside, the part