Squeezing in one last chapter before the new year. Had a great time visiting family for Christmas, though the 10 hour drive was exhausting. But it's good to be home. Also good to be back to writing. Admittedly, it was a little hard to get started after taking some time off, but I'm excited for what's ahead. 2023 is gonna have a lot of exciting arcs that I've been dying to get to.
Kuchinashi.
Adam could feel his heart race at the name. The shadowy city tucked within the foreboding mountains haunted his dreams that night. Dark tendrils seemed to sneak their way through the deep valleys to grasp at him. When morning finally came, the dimmed glow of the sun struggled to break through the heavy fog, creating an uneasy haze that hid Kuchinashi from view. But out of sight wasn't out of mind. Adam knew it lurked somewhere in that fog, waiting for them to find it.
Adam had never been near Kuchinashi, but he knew it well enough. Passing merchants sometimes talked about the seedy city and the horrors that happened in the dank alleyways that wove through the place like some sort of maze. It was said you could find anything in Kuchinashi and lose it just as easily. Madam de Thom once called it a den of thieves, murderers, and scum. Given what he'd heard since, she'd undersold the terribleness.
But Adam didn't fear Kuchinashi because his lien might slip away into the dark. He wasn't overly worried about them robbing him. The drug and weapon trades weren't the reason he found himself sinking into the wagon for cover as they pushed ever closer to their next destination. His fear had less to do with what might happen than what already had.
Because Kuchinashi was where Mazarin had died.
It seemed like a lifetime ago. In a way, it was. Adam had been a completely different person back then. After the death of Father Bernard, Mazarin had been the closest thing he had to family. Even before death claimed his father, Mazarin had become a fixture at their house, bringing a vibrant liveliness to their meager existence that he'd never known he'd been missing. Father Bernard had never been happier than when she was around. Had fate not intervened, Adam felt confident she'd have become a more permanent member of their little family.
But fate had intervened. One cruel morning turned his entire world upside down. In no time at all, he'd been torn from his home and thrust into the world with no one and nothing. He could vaguely remember the handful of people that tried to encourage him or wish him well, but not a one had done anything to help. A simple "what a pity" and they all moved on with their lives, eager to forget his existence and pretend nothing had happened. Even Brother Wilde had wasted little time dragging him to Katai and dumping him in that blasted orphanage the first chance he got. After all, the people of Shizukana didn't have time for a pathetic orphan and his problems. They needed to get rid of him to make room for whoever replaced his dead dad. None of them had even taken the time to talk to him.
Except Mazarin.
Mazarin had come back for him. She'd been the only one to actually care for him. Where everyone else offered a pat on his shoulder, she'd offered hers to cry on. She didn't just promise things would be okay when his world was burning. Instead, she'd given him hope of an actual future - one where she'd take him in and they'd figure life out together. He'd get to train and travel with her. It sounded like a dream.
And then Kuchinashi stole that dream from him.
He'd never found out much about her death. She'd done her job and protected one of the merchants, only to earn a knife in the back. Whoever it was didn't even have the decency to face her in those final moments. They'd killed more than just Mazarin that day - they'd murdered his childhood. The old Adam with hopes and dreams of grandeur died that night, too.
He had nothing left of that life now. Father Bernard. Mazarin. Eve. Even his most cherished possession - the photo of the three of them together - had been lost when he fled Katai. Nothing remained except the deep scars left behind by the vicious claws of fate as it tore his heart to pieces.
Soji sensed his trepidation and did his best to break the uneasy silence hovering over them. "Fret not, Adam. Even a place like Kuchinashi cannot survive without trade, though most come by airship nowadays. Still, these roads have been traveled long before us and will still pave the way for future caravans long after we are gone."
Adam wasn't worried about the trail - though now that Soji mentioned it, a winding path along the edge of a cliff in the middle of a thick fog didn't exactly sound ideal. He could still see well enough to keep an eye on Jean at the front of their procession, but not much further. Still, the path was more than wide enough for their wagons and the horses weren't eager to jump off a cliff, so they should be fine. If anything, their destination might be more dangerous than the journey.
"Do we have to stop in Kuchinashi?" Adam asked, eager to avoid the ominous city. "Isn't it, like, super dangerous or something?"
"Few walls are less welcoming than those of the viper's nest," Soji opined. "But even fewer are better protected from the Grimm, for which the vileness within must seem like a smorgasbord of negativity. Besides, this is not my first time to this wretched place. They may not follow the laws we are used to, but every place has its own system. You just have to know how to play it properly."
"Wouldn't it be faster to keep going, though?" The most compelling argument for a merchant was one that came with a price tag. "We could get to Mistral a lot faster if we kept going."
"True, but we could starve long before we get there," Soji countered. "There are no settlements for days, especially at our overburdened pace. Our rations may hold out, but why risk it when we can simply resupply and be on our way?" Adam recognized the resolution in Soji's voice and knew there'd be no convincing him at this point. Soji sighed before pressing on. "I am not eager to visit Kuchinashi, either. We shall endeavor to spend as little time as possible within, but we cannot avoid it entirely. You have my word that we shall leave first thing in the morning."
One night. One night too long, but it could be worse. At least they didn't have any business deals in Kuchinashi. He dreaded to imagine spending multiple days there. How anyone could live in such a horrid place was beyond him. Then again, a viper's nest probably wasn't too bad for vipers. He doubted it was just a few bad apples that gave Kuchinashi a bad name.
Still, hearing that Soji had been to Kuchinashi before helped a little. He wouldn't go back if he didn't feel safe. Or safe enough. Whatever "system" Soji relied on, Adam hoped it would work again this time. He really didn't fancy their chances of fighting their way out of the city if things went wrong.
Then again, fighting their way to Kuchinashi wouldn't be ideal either.
"Grimm," Soji said needlessly as a deep roar echoed off the rocks around them. As distant as it sounded, it was still too close for comfort.
"Let's move!" Jean yelled from the front, dashing what little hope Adam had held that the fog would conceal them from the beasts. Then again, if they could sense negativity, then maybe the fog wouldn't have done much, anyways. Regardless, the wagon shifted as Soji urged the horses on faster, closing ranks with the rest of the caravan as they started the life or death race to Kuchinashi.
Adam trusted Jean knew where they were going, given he couldn't see very far ahead. As they pushed higher, the fog finally began to lessen, but Kuchinashi still remained hidden, refusing to show itself despite their predicament. The sun still tried in vain to pierce through, only serving to brighten the haze and mask the lights of their destination further. All they could do was push forward and hope for the best.
A loud crash sounded behind them somewhere, as if the mountain itself was falling apart. "What the heck was that?!" Adam cried out. He slapped a hand over his mouth a second later before realizing just how pointless the action was. Whatever was hunting them clearly knew where they were.
"Not good," Soji said as another roar came from somewhere in the fog. "Beringels."
"Beringels?" Adam didn't know a lot about the Grimm beyond a few basic types. What sort of new terror was chasing them now? And what was all that noise?
"Not something we want to tangle with, especially out here."
The fog behind them bulged and exploded as Adam found out exactly what Soji meant. A boulder almost as big as him smashed against the trail where they had been only a few seconds shattered against the stone path and scattered against the slope beyond like shrapnel. Another crash sounded somewhere below as the barrage continued. A smaller projectile bounced between two wagons, luckily missing everyone but helping the group realize the predicament they were in.
"Run!"
Jean put action to his words as he charged ahead on his horse. The wagons followed as best they could. Losing the path and careening off the side was a death sentence, but so was getting caught by the Bernigels' artillery. Taking their time wasn't an option anymore.
Adam still wasn't sure what exactly a Beringel was, but seeing this new form of attack proved Soji's warning true enough. If a Beringel could hurl something so large repeatedly, then it had to be massive. Worse, Grimm didn't usually have such cunning tactics. At worst, an Alpha might pull an ambush or lead a pack. Grimm normally just charged in and attacked in melee. Breaking off and throwing boulders already made them smarter than any Grimm Adam had ever encountered. And their shots weren't too far off, either, even with fog blocking their view. Suddenly, the murky shroud around them felt like a blessing.
And then it parted.
"There!" Soji pointed ahead to their destination. Adam looked ahead and felt his hope rise.
Only for his heart to drop off faster than the cliff edge ahead.
Adam could see Kuchinashi easily enough, but if dodging the boulder attack on the mountain trail had been hard, avoiding it on the next bit would be impossible. Adam looked around, hoping for some sort of path, but between them and the gates of Kuchinashi was a series of ledges and rope bridges that looked worn and weathered with age. The first bridge ended at a massive gate atop a pillar of stone that rose out of the deep. Another bridge stretched beyond, promising a treacherous journey even at the best of times.
And these were not the best of times.
"What do we do?"
"Abandon the wagons!" Jean ordered. "Leave them clear of the bridge and head for the gate!"
"We can't just leave everything!" Soji protested. "It'll bankrupt us!"
A boulder sailed over them into the ravine. "Unless you plan on selling it to the Grimm, I suggest you get moving!" Jean practically pulled Rikyu from his wagon and shoved him toward the bridge. "The Grimm won't care about the wagons. We'll come back once it's safe, but if we don't hurry, there won't be any of us to worry about it later." Jesse ran up with his sword drawn but seemed unsure what to do. Jean had no such hesitation. "You and Adam take point. I'll cover the rear and buy us some time."
"Don't you go dying on us," Jesse ordered with as much bravado as he could muster.
"First round of drinks says I make it," Jean said, slapping Jesse on the back and pushing him away before grabbing Adam by the shoulder. "Keep an eye on the old windbags. Last thing I need is Soji coming back to fight the Grimm over a few lien." Jean snatched Adam's sword from the wagon and shoved it into his hand before leaning close and hurriedly adding in a quieter voice, "Keep calm or they'll start to panic. They need someone to look to. Someone to rely on. Keep them moving and don't let them get bogged down." A firm shake of Adam's shoulder ended the message before Jean yelled out, "Let's go! Get your keisters across that bridge!"
"What about you?" Soji asked in concern.
A stone half as tall as Adam arced from behind toward them. Jean turned, planting a foot before rearing back and unleashing a devastating punch to the boulder, shattering it against his aura-infused fist with a roar. It shattered against him, crumbling into dust around him as he looked back with a grin. "I'll be fine. Get to the city. I'll be right behind you."
Soji nodded once before moving to join the others. Adam whispered a "stay safe" before running to catch up as well. Jesse had already started across the bridge, so Adam hurried to join him. Seeing the two of them hustle forward spurred the rest of the group to follow. Their only chance would be to reach the gate ahead before the Beringels caught them. Adam just hoped a stray boulder didn't strike the bridge.
"Why hasn't anyone raised the alarm yet?" Jesse quietly wondered in exasperation, keeping his voice low so the merchants behind didn't overhear. The gate ahead stood shut without any sign of movement nearby. With an annoyed grunt, Jesse instructed, "When we get to the gate, we need to let them know what's coming. Let them handle the Grimm. Our job is to get everyone inside safely. Got it?"
"Got it," Adam responded without hesitation. He had zero interest in fighting whatever was coming after them. If Kuchinashi was as well defended as Soji claimed, then a couple of Grimm should be no problem for them. "How do we get their attention?"
Jesse responded by pulling a pistol from his hip and firing into the air. Adam recognized it right away. Jean must've given it to him before they started across. "Any way we can." If the gunshots didn't work, the boulders smashing against the cliffs below had to be loud enough to draw attention.
While Jesse focused on getting help, Adam remembered Jean's instructions and called back over his shoulder, "We're almost there! Keep pushing! Help will be here soon!"
At least, he hoped so.
The bridge swayed slightly with all of them rushing across it. Adam did his best to keep moving, catching himself on the rope railing a few times. Tripping and falling off the edge would be a rather pathetic way to go. He was just grateful the wind was calm at the moment. One strong gust would spell doom for all of them.
The bridge rippled suddenly as they neared the other side. Adam didn't dare look back until his feet were firmly planted on solid ground once more. When he did, he regretted it immediately.
Bounding across the bridge behind them was a gargantuan creature that made Jean look small in comparison, despite running on all fours. Adam remembered seeing a picture of a gorilla before, but this looked way worse. The telltale glowing, red eyes and white bone plating of a Grimm didn't help. Its face looked like someone had peeled back the skin to reveal a terrifying skull. Another appeared along the cliff edge and rose up on two feet, furiously pounding its fists against its chest with a series of thuds that echoed all around them before it leapt for the bridge. Boards snapped and toppled into the mist below as it grabbed the edge of the bridge and began swinging along the bottom. The sudden impact sent the bridge careening sideways, hurling the first pursuer off entirely and buying them time, but the second Beringel was wasting no time closing the gap.
"Help!" Adam screamed as he pounded on the gate, praying that someone would hear. Soji joined beside him, slamming his fist against the unrelenting barrier as Jesse fired more shots in the air. "Let us in!"
"Jesse!" Jean yelled as he joined them, thankfully clearing the bridge before it could send any of them following the first Beringel.
"What's the plan?"
Adam kept pounding against the gate but listened in as best he could, eager to hear how they'd get out of this in one piece.
"I'll buy us time," Jean answered, edging away toward the bridge once more. "If anything happens, cut the ropes."
Cut the-
"You can't!" Adam reached for Jean, but the larger man stayed out of reach. "You'll die!"
"Have a little faith," Jean laughed, but Adam could hear how strained it was. They both knew it would take more than faith to stop the monster coming after them, not to mention the other two who had just reached the other cliff. "There's not much room on the bridge. If I make it fight me out there, it can only attack from one side and it'll block the others. Once the gate opens, get everyone inside and I'll join you."
"And if the gates don't open?" Adam had already heard the answer, but that didn't stop him from asking.
"Then Jean cuts the ropes and keeps them from reaching you." Sending the Beringels and Jean to their deaths.
"Why can't we just cut them now?"
One of the new Beringels chucked a boulder from the other side. It crashed against the gate but didn't break it. "We need them focused on me, not using you all for target practice. I'll draw them in and retreat if it gets to be too much. The moment I do, cut the ropes and send those demons back to hell." And just like that, Jean was gone. He charged almost a quarter of the way across the bridge before stopping. "C'mon, you mangy baboons! Come and get me!"
"Jean!"
"Focus, Adam!" Jesse yelled, turning him away from the spectacle on the bridge before shoving Jean's pistol in his hand. "Fire this until it's empty. The moment those gates open, you holler out and let me know, then get everyone inside. Understand?"
"But Jean needs-"
"Do you understand?" Jesse demanded.
"I…I understand." Jean was doing everything he could to protect them, even at the cost of his own life. All three of them knew his chances were slim. Even if the gates opened now, how could he retreat with Beringels bearing down on him? Whatever reinforcements came couldn't get past him to the Grimm, either. He'd have to fall back while fighting all the way to their side. A single, strong hit could send him over the edge.
He wasn't buying time for them all to escape. He was sacrificing himself to give them a slightly better chance at surviving. He'd die a hero, but he'd still die. A martyr for the cause of greatness, doing what no one else could in order to protect those close to him until the bitter end.
Condemning himself to greatness.
If so, then Adam would be spitting on Jean's sacrifice if he didn't give his all to make sure everyone else made it. He didn't fire Jean's gun into the air. Instead, he aimed for the top of the main wall beyond the next gate and squeezed off round after round. The gun barked angrily as he feebly attacked the stone fortifications, dust rounds sparking off the cold wall as punishment for their lack of care. He doubted the extra sound would do anything for them, but it still helped him focus on something other than Jean, so he kept it up.
Until he heard the groaning of a gate.
"It's opening!" It must've been one further on, as theirs didn't move, but it meant someone was coming. Less than a minute later - a time that felt like an eternity to Adam, he heard another gate take up the labored song as it began to open. "They're coming!"
"It's about time!" Soji hollered, more out of relief than any real anger as even the sun seemed to retreat. Adam had no idea what time it was, but darkness had slowly begun to creep up on their scenic perch.
"Get everyone inside. I'll let them know." Adam figured the merchants wouldn't need much urging to flee to safety. He needed to make sure Jesse made it back. And Jean, if he could manage it. Adam hurried to the bridge where Jesse waited with his sword touching the rope bridge. "Jesse!"
"I told you to get them inside."
"Someone's coming," Adam told him excitedly. "Help will be here soon!"
"Not soon enough," Jesse responded grimly. Ahead, the first Beringel swung up and around to land on the bridge in front of Jean, the bridge shuddering under the landing. Jean managed to hold on, knowing it was coming, but he barely had time to recover before the Beringel swung for him.
Jean ducked a massive hand as it sailed above his head, then sliced upwards with his axe for the overextended limb. A blow that should've carved through a tree trunk barely seemed to scrape the Grimm, angering it further as it reared both fists up and slammed them down. Jean jumped back, stumbling as the tremors sent waves along the flimsy walkway and splintered the wood where he'd been standing only a second before.
"Jean!" Adam yelled, even if he knew Jean was a little busy at the moment. "They're coming!"
"Tell them to hurry!" Jean gave ground wherever he could, but with only one direction to dodge, his options were limited. The closer he got to them, the less the bridge swayed underneath, but he still couldn't seem to shake his opponent as the Beringel kept charging. It was a miracle he'd held out so long.
And then the miracle ended.
"Ah!" The mix of shock and pain in Jean's voice mixed with Adam's sudden scream as the Beringel backhanded him, sending him cartwheeling through the air briefly. He sailed over the railing, just managing to snag the rope before he could plummet to the darkness below.
"Hold on!" Adam shouted needlessly, as if Jean planned to take a dive and end it unceremoniously. But dangling from a rope wasn't a great place for fighting Grimm. The Beringel seemed to smile as it stalked forward before letting out a triumphant roar.
"Cut it!" Jean ordered.
"But-"
"Cut the ropes!"
Jesse hesitated for only a moment before turning to his grim task, his face darkened against the fleeting light around them.
"Jesse, you can't-"
"I have no choice," Jesse said with sad determination. He gripped his sword tightly and held it against the railing Jean wasn't attached to before taking a deep breath. "I'm sorry."
"I wouldn't do that if I were you."
"Huh?" Jesse and Adam both turned to find no one behind them. Not even the merchants. In fact, even the gate had been swallowed up by a creeping shadow that wrapped around them and plunged them into night. Adam stepped closer to Jesse as he began to lose sight of the man right in front of him.
Another roar pierced the air, but this one sounded more pained than the last. Then another. And another. The clash of steel against something solid echoed. Something shot by Adam, sounding like a rope being pulled from a coil too quickly.
And then, a short, thin man appeared between him and Jesse. Adam could barely see anything other than his pale face in the darkness as the man smiled cockily at them while grasping Jesse's sword by the blade. "The Wave wouldn't appreciate you taking out the bridge like that. It ain't cheap building these out here."
"But our friend…"
"Don't worry. We've got this." The man pushed them both behind him as the thick shadow around them seemed to lessen. "Get your butts inside and leave this to the real Huntsmen."
"Huntsmen?"
"Oh, and tell the Sheriff he owes us. Again." The strange man disappeared into the darkness, which seemed to move with him.
"Jesse! Adam!" Adam turned to see Soji waving for them from beyond the now open gate. A darker-skinned man with long, dirty blond hair stood next to them, a large club resting against his shoulder. "You're okay!"
"Who's your new friend?" Jesse asked as they both hurried to join the group. Jesse kept his sword held loosely beside him.
"Marton," came the answer. "Sil said to keep an eye on the civvies."
"Sil?" Marton ignored Adam's question, already bored with his babysitter duties. His eyes were hidden behind a pair of thick goggles, but Adam had the distinct impression he wasn't looking at their group. Instead, Marton wiped some dust off the small cape draped over his shoulder, smoothing over the red coat that stretched over the large man's belly as he waited for the fight to end as if a Beringel attack on a bridge was nothing but an inconvenience to him.
As the sounds of combat faded, Adam realized just how true that was.
"Any of you lose a would-be hero?" a woman's voice asked from behind a silvery helmet as she gently nudged a stunned Jean forward.
"Jean!" Adam rushed to catch him, but Jean didn't fall. Instead he just turned to eye his rescuer. "You're alive!"
"You don't have to play damsel in distress to get this girl's attention," the woman joked as two more people emerged from the darkness. Or rather, the darkness parted for them.
Sil - or who Adam had to assume was Sil given the other was another woman - walked forward with his teammate close behind. His black leather clothing made him seem to blend in with the shadow as it swirled behind him and vanished. "More Beringels. You'd think they'd get bored of dying eventually."
"At least they're a challenge," the woman behind him offered, adjusting her tan aviator jacket. "More fun than those freakin' wasps last time."
"I hate Lancers," the armored woman complained.
"Who do we have to thank for our rescue?" Soji asked, ever the tactful one of their group.
"We're Team Smoke," Sil answered.
"Fssssh." Adam wasn't the only one confused by the strange sound from the woman behind Sil as she waved her hands in front of her. He'd give them a two out of ten for presentation at best.
Sil seemed unfazed by the strange behavior. "I'm Sil. The big guy's Marton." Their guard only nodded. "And over there you've got Mina and Khaki." Sil pointed to the armored woman and Miss Aviator in turn.
"Are you the ones who guard Kuchinashi?"
"We're just here to do a job," Sil answered discreetly. "We go where there's lien. Saving you was just a bonus." By the sounds of it, he was planning for it to be a monetary bonus.
Jean looked annoyed, but he did his best to smile. "Well thanks for the help. Base jumping wasn't on the agenda for today."
"I doubt doing the whole last stand routine against a Beringel was either," Sil said with a sly smile. "Not bad for a caravan guard. You Huntsman trained?"
"I know the basics," Jean said, keeping his answers as short and cloaked as their new friend's.
"Well, I'd say you've earned yourself a drink. Care to join us?"
"I really should look after my friends," Jean tried.
"Oh, c'mon," Mina insisted. "We didn't leave you hanging."
"I insist," Sil added, his eyes glancing past them. "But first, let me deal with this." Sil pushed through them to meet an approaching group of armed men coming from Kuchinashi. "A little late, Sheriff! Not sure what Kuchinashi's paying you for if we can beat you to the punch like this again."
"What happened?" the man at the head of the group demanded. His face was worn and wrinkled, but he carried himself with the confidence of someone much younger.
"Another Beringel attack," Mina answered, quickly proving herself the more friendly face of the group. Considering her face was hidden behind a helmet, that was really saying something. "Chased these merchants across the bridge."
"Merchants, you say?" The sheriff eyed them for a moment before locking onto Rikyu, sensing he was their leader. "What sort of merchants travel without merchandise?"
"We ditched the wagons on the other side," Soji cut in. "We hoped we could come back after the attack and retrieve our wares."
"We can handle that," Sil said, sliding between Soji and the sheriff. "Marton. Khaki. See about getting those wagons across. Maybe the sheriff and his men can make themselves useful and cover those gaps for you."
The sheriff made no move to interfere, though his scowl made it clear just how he felt about the casual dismissal. Still, he ordered a few men to go gather some planks to bridge the new gaps and assist as needed before marching back to town.
"See? Everything's sorted. So how about that drink?" Mina nodded in Adam's direction. "You can even bring the kid along, if you want."
"We should get-"
"Really?" Adam blurted out the word before he could stop himself. They wanted him to come along? A team of Huntsmen were gonna let him hang out with them at a bar instead of transporting wagons across a rickety bridge? Adam wasn't gonna let Jean ruin the opportunity for him.
"Why not?" Sil shrugged.
"It's settled then," Mina declared, though Jean probably didn't agree. "To the Skillful!"
Jean really didn't have a way to disagree as Mina started to march toward the gate. Instead, he waved Adam to follow and gave a meaningful nod to Jesse as they parted. Mina chattered on in a friendly tone about some recent city news as they made their way through a series of bridges and gates before arriving at a large cave entrance. The approach was decorated with various displays of Grimm that almost seemed alive. A Boarbatusk's head sat proudly atop a pole near the entrance, its eyes watching them as they drew near. Adam marveled at how realistic it looked.
And then it blinked.
"Neat trick, eh?" Mina asked as Adam jumped back. "They're real, you know. Actual Grimm on display."
"But why?"
Mina shrugged. "Call it a monument to our superiority over the beasts. Or a warning to any that try to attack. Either way, it's kinda cool."
Adam watched the decapitated head closely, wondering how it could still be alive without the rest of its body. The glowing eyes glared back at him, tracing his every move until they passed and arrived on the main street of the damp city.
"Welcome to Kuchinashi."
For anyone who hasn't watched the Grimm Campaign (RWBY DnD) on Rooster Teeth, I really enjoyed the first season and was excited to include Kuchinashi in this story. Team SMMK is from it as well. Tried to capture some of the impressions I got from them in the series, even if they are more active in Season 2, which I haven't watched yet (no First membership). But on the plus side, Episode 1 is available now, so I'm hoping they'll be unlocking the rest of Season 2 soon. Also, the Beringel behavior is mostly from that series (with some of the Volume 4 character short thrown in as well).
Figured I'd throw up some death flags for Jean before saving him, just for fun. We'll learn more about his rescuers next chapter, but our stay in Kuchinashi will be brief. The real fun comes elsewhere.
Anyways, not a whole lot to say here. They get to Kuchinashi safely. We meet some new characters. Life moves on. I'll probably gush more about the coming year in next week's chapter, but thank you all who have come along for this first year of Scarred Steps. We're not even halfway (which is crazy to think about). There's still a lot to cover before we even reach canon, so hold onto your butts and get ready for more in 2023!
Next chapter: Jean and Adam visit The Skillful with Sil and Mina.