Planet of the Apes #123

Conan and his companions, Tara and Yusef, journey toward Messantia when they stumble upon a mysterious city that rises from the desert sands. Drawn in by the plight of a captured girl, Conan confronts a monstrous bat-thing guarding a towering fortress, only to see the entire city crumble into dust after his victory. As the ruins settle, Tara and Yusef reveal the truth: the city was a living illusion, born from the twisted will of its deformed creator, Mad Jakk, who sought to trap travelers to sustain his unnatural realm. Now, with the city gone, Mad Jakk’s fate remains sealed in the ashes.