"Black Tears" by L. Sprague de Camp & Lin Carter (1968)

Originally appeared in Conan the Wanderer, 1968.

Plot: Zardanes the Zamorian betrays Conan and his Zuagirs to a Turanian nobleman, Boghra Khan, setting up an ambush. The Turanians fail to kill Conan and most of his men and get slaughted or captured. Boghra Khan gives up the traitor without much fuss and Conan let's him live. He owes Khan an old gambling debt from his days as a Turanian mercenary. Conan and the Zuagirs go into the Red Wastes looking for the traitor. The Zuagirs abandon their chief because of superstitious fears about a lost city. Conan walks on, still searching for Zardanes, who arrives at the lost city of Akhlat the accursed and is taken by soldiers. Conan passes out from thirst but wakes to find himself in a tent and being tended by the young and beautiful Zillah. Zillah's father, Enosh, explains everything to Conan. Long ages ago a sorcerer brought a goddess/demon from the Outside to help him rule the people. The goddess killed the sorcerer and took over herself, first draining the land of its life, then its animals and finally its citizens. No one can flee Akhlat because of a curse that keeps them there. Enosh knows of a prophecy that says Conan will free them. Despite his doubts in the prophecy, Conan goes to the temple of the Gorgon and finds her draining Zardanes, who is now a living statue up to the knees. Conan kills him, partly out of revenge, partly mercy, before looking into the eyes of the Gorgon. He is able to look away after a long struggle and sees the golden face mask of the Gorgon that Zardanes tried to steal. Using the reflection he stabs the Gorgon in the third eye, making it drip black tears. The Gorgon crumbles to dust and all the souls she trapped in the statues are freed. Conan leaves Akhlat with Zardanes' 200 silver shekels, despite offers to stay, and heads for Zamboula.

Monsters:

The Gorgon of Akhlat - no snaky locks but she looks like a dried-up mummy when she's hungry. As she feeds her body replenishes to its curvy good looks. The third, black eye in her forehead is the source of her power.

History: This story is little more than a re-telling of the Medusa story with some Moses thrown in for back-up. The chapter"The Hand of Zillah" where Conan is revived by Enosh and his daughter should have borne a credit to Cecil B. deMille.

Conan the Heston?

The story was adapted by Roy Thomas and Ernie Chan for Savage Sword of Conan #38 (November 1978).

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