Conan the Barbarian #48 (Marvel Comics, 1975)

Conan and Stefanya continue their journey to Phalkar, which began in Conan the Barbarian #46. Stefanya asks Conan about his youth, and he begins to tell her a story about when he was 15 years old...

He was hunting in the snowy wilderness one day, and after slaying wolves and marching through snow-swept mountain passes, he happened across a beautiful woman flanked by two gigantic white bears. Conan was smitten with her. Ursla was her name, and she led Conan into her cabin in the woods. She tells Conan that she is a Priestess of the Wild and her servitors are bears. Then, after admitting that she found Conan quite alluring, she undressed and turned boy Conan into a man.

Conan thinks that maybe he is talking too much, and camps for the night with Stefanya. He asks her about her past.

Stefanya says that she doesn't remember much except working for the wizard, Zoqqanor. She says she liked him as a father, and then dozes off mid-conversation. Conan covers her with a blanket, and they sleep.

Three days later, however, things get exciting when Conan and Stefanya (and Zoqqanor being dragged behind them) encounter armed soldiers in the mountains who demand that tribute be paid for Torkal Moh, the Baron of Ravengard. Conan can't charge them like usual because of Zoqqanor's litter attached to his horse, so Stefanya slides off and runs away, and then he attacks, but there are more soldiers than he expects.

Conan is hit in the head during the battle and knocked unconscious. When he awakens, he is held prisoner by Torkal Moh, who has him tied to stakes in the ground. Torkal Moh, who threatens to defile Stefanya, laughs as they leave Conan to die with a cup of water out of reach. Giant rats approach slowly, and Conan appears to be doomed.

But wait, there's more! If you remember, in Conan the Barbarian #47, the story was cut short because half of the artwork was lost in the mail before publication. This issue completes that issue, and then adds a bonus feature with Red Sonja called "Episode", also illustrated by John Buscema.

Red Sonja rides her horse through the woods and gets tangled in a gigantic spider web! An enormous spider lives in the web, but a pair of men drag her off as their prisoner. Sonja is taken to a castle and locked in a room where she finds a pitcher full of ale (so, not a bad day, after all)! The ale was good until she realized that it contained a sleeping potion. When she awakens, Sonja finds herself tied to an altar while an old wizard cackles above her.

A man lies on an altar next to her, and the wizard says that he is going to sacrifice them both to his gods. He moves to stab Red Sonja with a knife, but she frees her legs and grapples with the crazy wizard. The wizard fights poorly and dies. Sonja frees the man whose name is Hunwolf.

Hunwolf seems super suspicious, and as he flirts with Red Sonja, he moves to stab her in the back. She beats him to it and stabs him in the side, killing him. Then, Red Sonja walks away...