he story marks an important stage in the career of Conan. Due to the direct intervention of Mitra, Conan - who had never hitherto commanded more than a "company of cut-throats" - gets the chance to become a general and emerge victorious from a major battle involving tens of thousands of soldiers and affecting the future of the whole world. Though Conan's career would know many more ups and downs, this was an important step towards his eventually becoming a King - which is hinted in the story itself, and which Howard and his readers already knew since "The Phoenix on the Sword" was already published half a year earlier.