"The Hand of Nergal!"
Conan fights now in the service of King Yildiz, and is to put down a band of Turanian rebels, but the battlefield is overcome by giant, sorcerous bat creatures. Only an amulet that Conan had donned just that day fends off the beasts.
The seeming lone survivor of the battle field, he finds a girl, Hildico, who had been sent there on a mission to find him by her master, Atalis the Far-Seeing. With the offer of much gold, Conan returns with Hildico to see Atalis and his associate, Prince Thann.
The two tell Conan that Munthassem Khan, who controls Yaralet, has cursed Atalis and Thann. Once a merciful ruler, Khan was once visited by a messenger from Stygia, and presented a gift, the Hand of Nergal, and since has been possessed. Conan's amulet is the only counter talisman known.
They sneak into the palace and confront Munthassem Khan, and a battle between the two mystic forces ensues, ending with Conan's amulet defeating the Hand of Nergal. Conan takes Hildico as his reward. 19 pages.