Conan and Red Sonja are being chased by bounty hunters after leaving the city of Arenjun with a suspicion of murder charge hanging over their heads. An arrow topples Sonja's mount, and Conan scoops her up as they make their way into a rocky, mountainous pass. They are forced to abandon their other horse as they reach a cavern in the cliffs, and Conan takes advantage of a loose boulder to topple on the pursuing bounty hunter, killing all but their leader, Mamnon, who flees to get more help. The two wander into the gigantic, red-misted cavern, and are attacked by a humanoid bat creature. They find a structure at the center of the fog, but are mystically attacked and rendered unconscious. Conan awakes first, to face Uathacht and her brother Morophla, immortal vampires cursed long ago by the stygian wizard Thoth-Amon, while the bat-creatures outside are creations called Afterlings. Morophla seems to have full power of Conan's actions, and forces him to carry Sonja to Dromek, a hideous creature who was used as a breeder for the brother and sister's food supply, but has since devolved into a monster. Uathacht pushes Sonja into Dromek's pit, but Conan jumps in and slays the creature. Conan and Sonja are brought to a cell where they await their fate.