Random Happenstance

Like many Conan comics from this time, this one definitely falls under the 'bought three times' rule, so better get to it! From 1984 , Conan #163, "Cavern of the Vines of Doom!" Written by Michael Fleisher, pencils by John Buscema, inks by Charles Vess. Great cover by Ernie Chan!

Conan and his one-armed pal Fafnir are riding through the countryside after a recent earthquake, when they come across a village about to burn an innocent-looking blonde at the stake. Usually Conan would rush right in, but he was slightly older and wiser here, leaving that to Fafnir; perhaps feeling his friend had lost some sense with his arm. The rescue goes well enough, although Fafnir is a little groggy afterwards, and they stop at a stream. Conan notices, but can't quite believe, that as the girl Krylxxa (obviously a millennial...) wades in the water, the water level seems to go down? There's no time to consider that, as Krylxxa is then attacked by a bear: Fafnir leaps in but gets swatted away, while Conan has to wrestle it and snap its neck. Krylxxa still only has eyes for Fafnir, though. That night, Conan excuses himself to "get some firewood," somehow not giving Fafnir the Hyperborean thumbs-up; but while Krylxxa makes her move, Fafnir gets groggy again, and worries that in losing his arm he's also lost his...ahem...virility.

On their way to return Krylxxa to her village, they pass a smith owned by a family Fafnir knew. The blacksmith and his sons greet him cooly, claiming not to know him, or even have horseshoes. Thinking it a joke, Fafnir checks the chest for horseshoes--and finds the bodies of the smith and his sons! The replacements attack, although Krylxxa implores them not to hurt her love: Conan and Fafnir defeat them, but they don't bleed blood, but...water? Conan had heard Krylxxa, and suspects she knows more than she was letting on, but Fafnir defends her. Then, in the caverns, they were attacked by her 'people,' green potato-like lumps! Conan and Fafnir are captured, and are subjected to an exposition drop: The lumps were an intelligent race that existed alongside the dinosaurs, but had retreated underground when the climate changed. Centuries later, most avoided sunlight, but some had taken to the surface with an old power: to kill something or someone, and take its form. Krylxxa had killed a serving girl, but felt so bad about it she never wanted to take another life. She also explains her 'exhalations' were good for plants but bad for people, explaining Fafnir's groggy spells.

The lumps don't have any grudge against Conan or Fafnir, but can't have them tell anyone about them, and tie them up with vines. Conan manages to break free, and Krylxxa joins their escape: she won't leave Fafnir, even though leaving the caverns would mean her death if she didn't suck the life out of something else. She asks Fafnir to look away, as she dies and wilts into her true form. Fafnir says she isn't really dead, as long as his heart is beating; Conan seems less sentimental. 

Weirdly, we've seen Conan vs. body snatcher-types before; and I'd almost wager you could probably find some more like that if you read a ton of issues. Better get started!