(Dutch: De Sluimerende Dood)
Art & script by Don Lawrence
Traveling through the jungle on the way to the place of the Manatecs, Storm comes to a gorge beneath an ancient dam. He makes a crude glider to fly across. It works more or less, but an attack by a giant condor brings him down into the reservoir--and into the hands of the Manatecs. They throw him in a cell with Yukan's son Huatl.
Meanwhile, Yukan's other son is still pining for Ember, despite his father forbidding him to marry her. Yukan has another bride in mind for his son, though Kai isn't interested. That night, Kai sneaks into his father's room to steal the amulet with the cure for Ember, but Yukan awakens and soon Kai is clapped in irons, Yukan plans to keep Kai that way until after the wedding.
Before the wedding, the "gods" rise and another challenge is issued against Yukan. He easily bests the first challenger, but then Kai chooses to challenge his father. Angry with his son, Yukan agrees. Kai is unable to stand against him, but before Yukan can deliver the killing blow he is distracted by Kai's wife to be begging for her groom's life. That distraction is enough for Kai to stab his father and kill him! Now he is the ruler and has the amulet--and Ember.
Back in the Manatec city, Storm has (incredibly) discovered a disassembled ancient laser pistol in a compartment behind a loose tile. He rebuilds it, but needs a piece of metal to make it active. Luckily, the guard that delivers their food as a silver amulet and Storm is able to scam it off him.
With the gun, Storm and Huatl are able to break out, though the gun doesn't have too many shots before it burns out. The escape into the forest, but they are pursued using reptillian creatures called mordillos:
They're treed by the creatures then the guards use a ram-horned mount called a battarax to knock them out of the tree. Storm manages to fight his way free again, but when Huatl is taken, he surrenders rather than leave him behind.
Elsewhere, Kai uses the antidote to cure Ember. As soon as she is awake, he demands she marry him. Her answer is predictable:
Kai's response is equally typical of villains like himself:
TO BE CONTINUED
It's rather funny that Ember, after being in a coma for days, and still half lying on the ground somehow is strong enough to throw Kai through the room.
ReplyDeleteOn a less funny note, in fact a very sad note: It's now December 29 already over here in Europe, which means it's 13 years since Don Lawrence died.