Conan the Barbarian #123 – “Horror Beneath the Hills” – J.M. DeMatteis/John Buscema/Bob McLeod
This one continues from last issue with Conan in the dungeons of Pergona after being blamed for Nareobbo’s chaos. Conan lets the guards know he won’t be pushed around, but does go to see the city’s lord, who turns out to be Murilo (who we last saw in issue 55). Murilo is still with Yvonna (although she’s not aged well) and Conan introduces his companions from last issue’s adventure: Jonwalli, Dukenrik, Atreah, and the nameless child they picked up along the way. Murilo’s servants take care of the guests and we learn that Jonwalli and Dukenrik are fleeing from someone (or something) very powerful, although
they haven’t told Conan about it. Conan talks to Murilo and fids out he’s restless in his settled life and wants to get back to something exciting, with Conan’s help of course. The mines in the Ophirean borderlands have stopped sending their ores to Pergona and none of the me Murilo has sent to investigate have returned. Conan and the others accompany Murilo to the mines and find everyone dead, with hideous wounds on their bodies. Conan and Murilo lead a company of men into the mines, climbing don into a huge cavern below. They’re attacked by strange little troglodytic creatures with deadly claws who overwhelm them by sheer numbers. Conan wakes up (his wounds healed) in a cell with Atreah and some other prisoners, who tell him he may 
as well be in hell. Conan meets his captor, a darkly beautiful woman called Eilaynia, Princess of Mists. This is a pretty good issue, with the return of Murilo and Yvonna. It’s interesting to see how Murilo and his once-comely bride have both aged and become soft from living a luxurious life. But Murilo hasn’t just lost his old shape and swagger, he seems to have lost his will, his taste for adventure and danger. It kinda looked like he died in the troglodyte attack, but I’m hoping he survived and finds enough courage to help Conan.
Conan the Barbarian #124 – “The Eternity War” – J.M. DeMatteis/John Buscema/Bob McLeod
This one continues from above, with Conan vowing never to serve Eilaynia’s whims, but a fellow prisoner (Petroccia) points out that Eilaynia’s castle pumps out some kind of mist that saps the will from everyone there. Conan tries to break out of the cage, but the mist does just as Petroccio said, draining his will and strength. Eilaynia comes to invite Conan to dine with her (not giving him much choice) and it’s obvious she has the hots for him. She tells him how she was once queen of an ancient land who had an affair with a visiting wizard (Mayella), who taught her the arts of alchemy.
But Mayella was a spy for an invading army and even though he switched sides (claiming he truly loved Eilaynia), her people were wiped out and now she wages an endless war with Mayella, the two of them living so long thanks to their alchemical talents. Conan quickly realizes he and the other captives are to be used as pawns in this war, but he’s powerless to resist the magical mist. He ends up banging Eilaynia, although I’m not sure if that’s due to the mist or just Conan’s libido. Outside the mines, Jonwalli and Dukenrik wonder if they should go look for Conan and the others, but they’re interrupted by a shadowy figure emerging from the mine. Back in Pergona, Yvonna is caring 
for the child that was hanging around with Conan’s group when she gets a shock … the child (who everyone thought mute) can talk and gives Yvonna an eerie warning. Back in the caverns, Conan leads Eilaynia’s force against Mayella’s, which turns out to be led by Murilo. Conan’s men triumph (with him personally killing Murilo) and approach Mayella’s castle. Mayella tosses alchemical bombs at the invaders and Conan scales the wall to confront him. Mayella ends up tumbling over the wall to his death but instead of being happy, Eilaynia is pissed off because she still loved Mayella. She orders Conan to kill himself and he’s powerless to resist until Eilaynia’s tower blows up, freeing everyone from the effects of the mist. Murilo (who Conan apparently spared during the fight) shows up along with Jonwalli and Dukenrik. They tell
Conan how Atreah went into the tower to smash the brazier that was giving of the mists, but died when the tower collapsed. Conan is ready to kill Eilaynia to avenge Atreah’s death, but she’s already drunk a potion to take away her immortality and she ages to death to be reunited with Mayella. This is a pretty good conclusion to the story begun last issue. I’m glad Murilo lived and it was cool to see Atreah save Conan, repaying him for saving Atreah’s life a couple issues back. Eilaynia was an interesting villain … if she’d just admitted her feelings for Mayella, all the centuries of bloodshed and pain would’ve been avoided.