Rahan. Episode Seventy-Nine. By Roger Lecureux. The Island of the Living Dead.

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Rahan.

Episode Seventy-Nine.

By Roger Lecureux, drawn by Andre Cheret.

The Island of the Living Dead.

As if emerging from the sea, the skeletons ran towards the islet.
Carried away by one of them, a man screamed in terror.
And fear paralyzed the son of Crao.

The Living Dead!
Could the “Endless River” have thrown Rahan into the territory of shadows!?

It was at dusk that his raft broke apart.
But he had been able to reach this beach littered with human bones.

The skeletons had disappeared into the darkness and wild laughter rose from the top of the island.
The dead are happy to have captured a hunter!
But they will not take Rahan!
Rahan wants to live!

Page Two.

It was only at daybreak that he was able to abandon the islet that a rocky strip connected to the neighboring island.
This is where the living dead have gone! No. It is impossible. Rahan must have had a nightmare!

He was observed from the nearby shore.
He comes from the “Rock of the Dead”!
Let us run away, Jahang!
No Eloa! If this Dead Man took on the appearance of a hunter to deceive us, it will cost him!

A volley of fine sand blinded him.
The man's club did the rest!
Argh!
I, I think we were wrong, Jahang!

A little later.
No, Rahan is not a “Living Dead”!
It was the endless river that threw him onto the island!
You seem sincere!

Watch out Jahang! Ra-Konda is coming! If this hunter told the truth we cannot abandon him to this savage!
Men approached, probing the thickets with their spears.
Page Three.

Jahang returned Rahan's knife and rushed towards the forest.
His companion fled in another direction.
Rahan might do well to imitate them!

The men approached.
He came from the "Rock of the Dead."
His hair is the color of fire. Search! Search!
He must be hiding somewhere!

The son of Crao, in fact, was taking refuge in a cave.
It is strange! It looks like they do not dare approach this cave!
They are moving away!

Ra-Konda's small troop had just disappeared when screams arose.
At an arrow's distance a man was grappling with a sawfish.
Without weapons, he will not kill the "Nose of teeth"!
Rahan must come to his aid!

A remarkable swimmer, it only took him a moment to come to the aid of the stranger in difficulty.

Page Four.

Ten times the sawfish charged him, circled around him, and charged again.
Ten times, he avoided the dreaded “nose-of-teeth.”

Finally, he managed to grab onto this “Nose” to deliver the fatal blow.
You will never disembowel anyone again, "Nose-of-teeth"!

Oh! What? What?
The man Rahan had just saved had had his leg amputated.
He nevertheless swam decently.

I am Paoni, Chief of the River clan.
I hoped to bring back some fish to mine, but the "Nose-of-teeth" attacked me!
Who are you?

A little later.
Our clan will be happy to welcome you Rahan!
This is my daughter, Eloa.
The son of Crao was going to say that he had already seen Eloa and her companion Jahang.

Page Five.

But she discreetly assumed supplication.
If Eloa has a secret, Rahan will not betray her.

That night on this island, Rahan saw one thing.
Terrible.
Yes. The “Living Dead” kidnapped one of our old men.
But talking about them aroused their anger!
Never speak of them again!

Rahan did not insist, under the intrigued gaze of the clan he began a curious task.
You will soon be able to walk alone, Paoni.
Rahan is preparing a leg for you!
What?

The chief was enthusiastic when he was able to take a few steps on this pylon.
With a little practice, you will almost be able to run like you used to!

I will never forget what you did for my father!
How can I thank you?
By revealing your secret, Eloa. Who is Jahang? Why did you and him flee Ra-Konda?

Page Six.

Jahang is the son of Quiwah, the leader of the forest clan.
We love each other.
But Ra-Konda, the sorcerer of our two clans, forbids marriages between those from the shore and those from the forest!

If Ra-konda learned that Jahnag and I loved each other, He would order the great mountain to become angry!
That is stupid Eloa! No wizard can.

Rahan did not have time to acknowledge.
Ra-Konda!
If he captures you, he will have you thrown to the “blue-skins”!
Run away, Rahan, run away!

The son of Crao launched himself towards a water hole.
Clinging to a ledge, he heard the sorcerer and the hunters approach.

And suddenly.
Ah! A “Head-with-eight-arms”!
The archers of Ra-Konda.
The octopus.
Two dangers threatened Rahan!
Page Seven.

Between these two dangers Rahan chose the most immediate.
But barely had the ivory blade severed the tentacle.

A hunter silhouetted against the sky, his bow drawn.
He stared at the son of Crao for a moment. And.

No! “Hair of Fire” is not in this hole!
Let us look further!
Take refuge on the great mountain, Rahan.
Only there will you be safe!

The man who had come to his aid was none other than Jahang, Eloa's companion.
As the hunters moved away, Rahan followed his advice.

He reached the side of the volcano without being disturbed.
Very few fish.
Very little game.
Why do “Those-Who-Walk-Upright” not abandon this territory!?

Page Eight.

He soon dominated the island.
The sea had covered the rocky strip, isolating the islet of the “Living Dead.”
No! It is impossible!
The dead cannot live again!

The terrifying vision of skeletons kidnapping a man came back to him.
Rahan cannot believe it, and yet he saw these dead people move, jump, and leap!

A rustling in the thickets suddenly put him on alert.

But it was only Eloa and Jahang.
We were looking for you, Rahan.
My father decided that the shore clan would welcome you despite Ra-Konda's interdict!

So Paoni no longer fears that Ra-Konda will make the Great Mountain thunder?

Page Nine.

He soon became very serious.
Rahan will only stay with you for a few days.
As soon as he has built a new raft he will leave this island!

Ah! If we could run away with you!
Find a land where we would be free, Eloa and I, to meet as we please, to get married!

The man who was spying on the young people had lost nothing of what they said.
Well!
This is a project that Ra-konda will be delighted to learn about!

Eloa and Jahang separated sadly.
See you tomorrow, Eloa! Near the “Cave-of-the-Heads-with-eight-arms”!
But be careful!

What is this cave, Eloa?
This one, it is infested with monsters.
None of the men dare to approach it! This is where we find ourselves with Jahang!
Rahan will not betray your secret!

Page Ten.

They had barely arrived on the shore when La-Konda appeared.
The spirits told me that Eloa and Jahang met secretly, violating the law which prohibits marriages between those of the shore and those of the forest!

And they are preparing to abandon their clans with the complicity of Rahan!
Rahan must be delivered to the "Living Dead"!

Men threw themselves at the son of Crao. But he was on his guard.
Crack! Argh!

He rushed towards the cave of the “Heads-with-eight-arms.”
Stop! Do not kill Rahan! It was me who asked him to leave the island with him!

The men stayed cautiously away from the cave to which Rahan had just rushed.
But if Rahan comes out of here, he will be riddled with arrows.

Page Eleven.

Save Rahan Ra-Konda!
Spare him, and Jahang and I will give up our love!
No! Rahan will die!

The sorcerer looked at Paoni, the chief of the shore clan, and Quiwah, the chief of the forest clan.
Next night will be another full moon night.

The sea will recede and the “Living Dead” will start hunting!
Would you prefer that they kidnap one of yours, or would you prefer to deliver Rahan to them as an offering?

The son of Crao had heard.
The men remained on the lookout!
Rahan only had one more chance.
Discover another way out!

He went deeper into the darkness, and suddenly he understood why the clans never ventured there.
This cave was a huge den of octopuses!

Page Twelve.

Their tentacles shot out in all directions, lashing the rocks and the wall.
Rahan has never seen so many "Heads-with-eight-arms"!
Argh!

Cutting, slicing, sectioning, Rahan progressed painfully along the underground vein of the sea.
Ra-ha-ha!

Never had his ivory knife struck so much!
A light finally appeared at the end of the gully.
An issue! Rahan may be saved!

The octopuses became rarer and he soon found himself in a vast cavern.
Under the roof which fell from a gap in the vault, a lake spread out.

He was suddenly frozen in stupor.
What he saw in this cave was extraordinary.
Incredible.
Oh! What? What?

Page thirteen.

On the other side of the lake a gigantic skiff could be seen!
The first occupants of the island undoubtedly arrived on this Raft.

But the "Heads-with-eight-arms" have made the cave their lair, and this raft has become inaccessible!

The seasons have passed, more numerous than the leaves on a tree, and the memory of the raft has disappeared into the night of time.

Today, the shore clan and the forest clan are unaware of its existence!
The son of Crao soon reached the gap. And.

When he emerged into daylight it was halfway up the slope of the volcano.
The sea, over there, lashed the disturbing island of the “Living Dead.”
Rahan does not want to be handed over to the Undead!
He must flee this island as quickly as possible!

Page Fourteen.

At night he crept to shore and began building a raft.
Rahan will not have time to finish it.
He will have to come back next night!

He was camouflaging the unfinished skiff when screams of fear broke out.
The Living Dead!

The sea had receded and, coming to the islet, two skeletons jumped on the hard rocky strip.
If Rahan has not lost his mind, he must admit that these dead people really live!

Taking refuge on the slope of the volcano, he soon saw the undead return to the island.
This time, the men have made their escape! Rahan can get some sleep!

Clamors of rage awakened the son of Crao.
On the shore his raft was blazing!
Ra-Konda has discovered it, and he seems to be accusing Jahang and Eloa!

Page Fifteen.

And Indeed.
Rahan would not have dared to risk coming here!
These are the two traitors who were preparing their escape!
Let them be thrown to the “Blue skins”!

Rahan had not heard.
But he saw that the hands of Eloa and Jahang were tied, that they were pushed towards a cliff.
Rahan will save them!

We will die together, Eloa, as we would have liked to live!
Our love will not die, Jahang!
We will find each other in the territory of shadows!

Descending the rocks, the son of the fierce ages arrived at the foot of the cliff.
He dived at that very moment.

That the couple were thrown into the void by the sorcerer himself.

Page Sixteen.

Rahan saw the two bodies break the surface.
Sharks were already rising from the depths.

The ivory blade cut Jahang's bonds.
But he did not know how to swim!
And the sharks were coming!

If Eloa does not know how to "Crawl on water,"
Rahan will not be able to help them both and face the “Blue Skins!”

But Eloa, as a daughter of the shore clan, swam perfectly!
As soon as her hands were freed she went to Jahang's aid.
As she brought her companion back to shore.

The Son of Crao ensured their protection.

Page Seventeen.

From the top of the cliff, Ra-Konda had seen.
Rahan saved these two traitors! Chase them! Kill Them! Kill Them!

But Jahang and Eloa rushed towards the volcano.
No! We will not pursue them on the Grand-Mountain!
You always told us that those who risk it are lost!

Caught in his own lies, Ra-Konda raged
I will deal with these traitors myself!
You, you will capture Rahan!

Exhausted by his fight with the sharks, out of breath, the son of fierce ages had climbed onto the rocks.

He did not have the strength to resist the men of Ra-Konda.
Rahan saved our lives, But he is going to lose his own!

Page Eighteen.

A little later.
Last night the forest clan and the shore clan did not lose a single man.
But, tonight, the “Living Dead” will return!

May this offering that we make to them appease their anger!
Firmly tied up, Rahan had been abandoned on the shore, facing the islet of the living dead.

With the night, the sea retreated again, clearing the rocky strip.
All of Rahan's efforts to break his bonds had been in vain.

The two clans had taken refuge at the foot of the volcano.
And suddenly the son of Crao felt his health go cold while wild laughter rose from the island.

Two undead were advancing on the narrow tongue of rock!
Rahan had no chance of escaping these nightmare creatures!

Page Nineteen.

Your son will join you, Crao!
Rumbling strangely, the undead stared at Rahan.
Terrified, he knew he was lost!

And then there was the miracle.
Leaving this man to their mercy, the creatures rushed towards the forest.
Rahan was confused.

Another miracle followed.
We will never know why they spared you, Rahan!
But you have to flee the shore before they come back!

In the forest, there was panic.
Disabled by his wooden leg, Paoni was going to be caught by the Living dead!

Page Twenty.

Jahang and Eloa had just released Rahan when.
Oh! Look!
They captured my father!

Carrying away their inanimate victim, the creatures returned to their island.
Father! Father!

My Father!
Father!
Distraught, Eloa rushes onto the rocky causeway as the waves begin to whip again.

But she suddenly slipped on the rock, disappeared under a wave and reappeared.
Eloa!
I am coming, Eloa! I am coming!

The son of Crao had not had time to hold back Jahang who, although not knowing how to swim, was rushing to his companion's aid!

He was grabbing Eloa's hand when a strong wave overwhelmed the causeway, carrying them both towards the island of the Undead!

Page Twenty-one.

At that moment Ra-Konda appeared, followed by the two clans.
If the "Living Dead" spared Rahan, it is because he is one of them!
Kill him! Kill him!

Cornered, the son of fierce ages had only one chance to escape from these men.
The tongue of rock which accessed the island!

As he jumped into the rocks beaten by increasingly violent waves, the arrows whizzed around him.

Thrown back on the island, still panting, Eloa and Jahang had seen.
Why is Ra-Konda so cruel!
Why is he attacking Rahan like this!
Oh!

In his turn, Rahan had just been carried away by a wave, which carried him towards the sea!
No! You will not swallow Rahan, River-without-end!
He will fight with you!

Page Twenty-two.

He will fight as long as he has a breath of life left!
Anyone else would have given way in this unequal struggle against the raging waves.

But Rahan never gave up!
Unimaginable efforts allowed him to reach the island.
Ra-ha-ha!

Between this one, and the island now surged an impetuous current.
And it will be like this until the next round moon!
We are at the mercy of the “Living Dead”!

The situation of the trio, isolated in the very lair of the creatures, was dramatic!
And Ra-Konda was jubilant!
Eloa and Jahang want to be united despite my wishes.

They will be, but in the territory of shadows.
If The Sorcerer did not arouse any enthusiasm it was because of what the shore clan had lost.
That night, Paoni and Eloa, and those from the forest had lost Jahang, the son of his leader Quiwah!

Page Twenty-three.

Screams and wild laughter rose from the top of the island.
What strange rites did the “Living Dead” have to perform?
Perhaps they have already killed my poor father!?

Rahan will know soon, Eloa!
Rahan no longer wants to know fear and dread!
He wants to see these creatures closer, in their own lair!

I will go up there with you, Rahan!
No, Jahang.
Your duty is to watch over Eloa!
Stay with her.

A moment later, the son of Crao climbed up the rocks.
The cries and laughter that now reached him more clearly were not human.

It seems normal for the "Undead" to have another language!
What will Rahan discover in their lair?

Page Twenty-four

He suddenly noticed the sound of moaning.
They came from a niche that was carved out of a large rock.
To move such a heavy rock the undead must have ten times the strength of Rahan!

But Rahan had once discovered the way to overcome this kind of obstacle.
The rock moved, rolled.

Eloa's father lay in this cave, moaning as if coming out of a terrible nightmare.
Oh! Paoni!

Where are the “Undead” Paoni?
What did they do to you?
Speak Paoni! Speak!?

Still under the influence of fear, the chief of the shore clan could not respond!
And suddenly!

Page Twenty-Five.

In the darkness Rahan suddenly felt as if the claws of death were gripping his shoulder.
He struck the source!
Ra-ha-ha!

His blow was successful, because the “Living Dead” jumped back and fled the cave.
Let us run away from Paoni!
Let us flee before they come back in numbers!

Up above, the wild laughter had ceased.
But nothing happened as Paoni went back down towards the beach.

Father! Father! I thought they killed you! Who are they Father?
I do not know, Eloa.
Because I lost consciousness as soon as they captured me!

Who are they? No doubt the dead, Eola!
Dead people who have found life again and want revenge on the living!
No, Paoni! That is impossible!

Page Twenty-Six.

The son of Crao rejected this idea of a resurrection of the dead.
These scars that Rahan wears on his shoulder were not made by a dead man!

And we know that "Those who walk upright" after their death lose flesh and blood!
It is true.

Look, Rahan's knife!
When Rahan struck he felt flesh, and blood remains on his blade!

Which means that these creatures that frighten us are not "Dead."
But beings of flesh and blood!

Daylight returned and the mist dissipated around the island.
But the shore remained inaccessible.
Ra-Konda united the two clans.
He must, as always, threaten them with the thundering of the “Grand Mountain”!

Page Twenty-Seven.

The undead will not worry the clans for a long time, since Paoni, Eloa, Jahang and Rahan are at their disposal!

You forget that Jahang is my son, Ra-Konda!
He only made the mistake of loving Eloa, A Girl from the Shore!

The sorcerer must have felt the hostility rising, because he threatened.
Never speak such words again, Quiwah!
Otherwise, the fire from the great mountain will sweep over the island!
It will only spare Ra-Konda, your sorcerer to whom you owe respect and obedience!

However, on the island.
Oh! Look down there!
A “Four-hands”! This is the first one Rahan has seen on your island!
The very young monkey disappeared into the rocks.

As soon as daylight falls Rahan will go back up there!
If the undead surprise you, throw yourself into the water.
Since they seem to fear it!

Page Twenty-Eight.

Night found Rahan climbing the islet.
Jahang had, this time, been allowed to accompany him.
Listen Rahan!?
They do not laugh anymore!
They growl with anger!

“They” rage because you have been taken from them, Paoni!
Oh, Look!
Two living dead descended into the rocks, towards the strip barred by the sea.

A moment later they came and went, gesticulating in front of the waves.
Rahan was right! They would like to look for another victim on the island.
But they fear water!

There! Another!
A luminescent skeleton, strangely contorted, was about to emerge from a cave.

Do not move, Jahang!
Eloa will need you!
You must live. For her!
Knife in hand, the son of Crao rushed towards the cave.

Page Twenty-Nine.

At the very bottom of the cavern, the wall of phosphorus emitted an unreal, greenish light.
Oh!

Suddenly!
Greek!
The young monkey seen during the day burst out from a corner, and slipped between their legs.

Rahan and Jahang froze at the entrance to the cave.
The undead, coming up from the shore, rushed towards them.
You have to find out where he is going! Oh!

They are only men, Jahang! We will face them!
The strange creatures came bounding forwards.

They burst into the luminescent cavern.
And.
Oh!
Contrary to what Rahan had thought.
They were not men!

Page Thirty.

They were not men, but "Four-hands," of the most feared species!
Gorillas!

Argh!
Unaccustomed to fighting, Jahang was immediately disarmed, and thrown against the wall.

And the son of Crao found himself alone, facing the monsters!
The unequal fight was nevertheless fiercely contested.

His ivory knife opened a chest, but he could not resist the second gorilla.

Half unconscious he was dragged to another cave.
The one from which mysterious and wild laughter arose.

Page Thirty-One.

He discovered his spirits in this cave but thought he would faint again, so horrible was what he saw.
The ground was littered with the bones of humans.
The eaters of men!

Ominous beings stared at Rahan.
Ghark! Garok!
The gorilla obeyed, and it was stationed at the entrance to the cave.

These beings were undoubtedly the wildest and most primitive that the son of Crao had ever encountered.
Haork! Haork!

They do not know how to speak, but they knew how to train the "Four Hands"!
They never leave this cave but they send the "Four Hands" to hunt for them.
To hunt for men!

Rahan considered the countless bones at the foot of the cliff.
And he shuddered as he imagined the terrible events that took place in this den of wild men!

Page Thirty-Two.

However.
The “Undead” are just “Four-hands”, Paoni!
One of them knocked me out.
And Rahan is missing! Those monsters probably killed him!
Jahang's fears were not far from being justified!

If Rahan does not escape the wild men, he will be slaughtered, torn to pieces and devoured!

The beings had abandoned the ivory knife, the use of which they must have been ignorant of.
But the “Four hands” watched over the entrance!
Rahan only has one chance to escape.
The river without end!

Ra-ha-ha!
The son of Crao dived towards the weapon, and pushed back some beings who intervened.

And rushed towards the breach which opened onto the ocean.
If Rahan does not dive far enough, he will crash onto the shore!

Page Thirty-Three.

With prodigious suppleness, he projected himself forward.
Ra-ha-ha!
Rahan!
He has escaped from the “Living Dead”!

We need to get to the island!
What is happening there is too terrible!
Quickly. Quickly.
Rahan will explain later!

The sea was still rough.
But Rahan and Eloa supported Jahang and Paoni, and managed to reach the shore.

Tell us, Rahan.
What did you discover?
At the very top of the island lives a small clan of wild beasts who feed on human flesh!

These men-monsters have a sort of reverence for human bones, since they paint them in their caves.

Page Thirty-Four.

It is high time to put an end to it! Spare Paoni, But kill the other three!

Fleeing under the flights of arrows, Jahang led his companions towards the forest.

A little later.
We are safe here! No man from our two clans will dare to venture as far as the "Mouth of the great mountain”!

The surroundings of the crater were littered with trees felled by lightning.
We cannot live hunted until the end of time!
We must reconcile the clans, and convince them that Ra-Konda is deceiving them!

And Rahan knows what we are going to do!
If the face of the son of Crao lit up, it was because a magnificent idea had come to him.
A marvelous idea.

Page Thirty-Five.

Rahan let two days and two nights pass before acting.
Bring together those from the shore and those from the forest!
Tell them that Ra-Konda has decided to end things and is going to let them talk!

We will speak to them together, Ra-konda!
The sorcerer and his few followers believed that a demon was falling!
Oh!

Zlang!

Ra-ha-ha!

It only took the son of Crao a few seconds to take control of the situation!
Do not move, you people!
Otherwise Ra-konda will join the territory of shadows sooner than expected!

Page Thirty-Six.

Bring the two clans together on the beach!
Do as Ra-Konda said!
While Rahan restrained him, Ra-Konda struggled in vain.

A little later.
Kill Rahan! Kill this blasphemer who dares to humiliate your wizard!
Paoni's men and Quiwah's men came running.
Some brandished their assegais.
But Rahan used Ra-konda as a shield.

Do not listen to the orders of this false sorcerer anymore, brothers!

Ra-Konda was unable to clarify the mystery of the “Living Dead”!
So he is not a clairvoyant wizard!
And he always lied to you by claiming to dictate his will to the Grand-Mountain.

Here is the proof.
He does not even foresee that the great mountain would thunder just today!
A clamor of fear erupted.

Page Thirty-Seven.

The smoke rose, more and more dense.
The anger of the Grand-mountain will be terrible!
It will vomit its entrails on the forest, on this shore!
Everything will be destroyed! Everything!

But Rahan can still save you if you agree to follow him!
But keep your weapons! You will need them!
Rahan rushed towards the great mountain!

Rahan never deceived us!
You have to believe him! You have to follow him!
Overcoming their anxiety, the two clans undertook the expedition.

And Rahan guided them to the gap he had discovered.
And my daughter. Where is my daughter?
You will find her soon, Paoni!
Everyone, go down into this cave!

It was astonishment for everyone. To discover an underground lake and this immense raft on which Eloa and Jahang were already standing!
We will be able to flee the anger of the great mountain and this cursed island!
But we must face the “Heads-with-eight-arms”!
Page Thirty-eight.

It was safe and sound that your grandfathers' grandfathers arrived on this island!
They formed only one clan!

But bad beings like Ra-konda divided them to impose their will!
It is time to feel like you are part of the same clan, brothers!

I think it is done, Rahan!
Yes, it is done!

Paoni and Quiwah competed in earnest, each encouraging his men.

The big raft slid down the narrows, making its way through the horrifying mass of octopuses.
Be careful, Paoni.
Thank you, Quiwah!

And that was the great day.
The sea had calmed down but the great mountain exhaled ever denser smoke.

Page Thirty-nine.

Left alone on the shore the sorcerer shouted imprecations.

Let us go back and get him.
No! Ra-konda has divided us for too long!
Paoni is right!
From now on we will only be one clan!
We will discover a territory where life will be good!
And these young people will have the right to love each other, like Eloa and Jahang!

And to think that we would never have abandoned the island without the anger of the great mountain!

Rahan, Eloa and Jahang exchanged a mischievous look.

A few flames rose from the volcano, but it would not roar.
And they knew he would not growl!

This fire would undoubtedly burn until nightfall, but then the island would no longer be in sight.
And the two clans, reconciled, would never know.

Page Forty.

That over the course of two days, applying Rahan's idea, they had filled the crater with trunks of shrubs and brushwood.

As agreed, Jahan had lit this gigantic blaze at the very moment Rahan brought the two clans together on the shore!

And so, now, a sorcerer who had so often threatened others, was watching in terror for an eruption that would never take place!

And why would some wild men, forever deprived of human game, sooner or later give up cannibalism?

The island of the living dead, the island of nightmares disappeared on the horizon.
The son of Crao had already forgotten it.
He only thought of leading the reconciled clans to a new land and the happiness of Eloa and Jahang whose love had triumphed over all!

Because love could, even in these fierce times, triumph over everything!

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