SO THE PRINCESS...
HAS GOTTEN HERSELF TO THE MOUNTAIN.
THEY'RE ALL BARK AND NO BITE,
JUST BIG BODIES AND SCARY EYES.
SO DON’T BE INTIMIDATED.
IF YOU LOOK CLOSELY,
YOU’LL SEE THEY’RE SCARED OF YOU, TOO.
FIRST, I NEED TO MAKE THE CLAN SEE HER
AS JUST A KID WHO NEEDS HELP.
!
CHIN UP.
BE BOLD.
YOU HAVE TO MAKE YOUR OWN PLACE IN THIS WORLD.
LET'S GET GOING.
FIRST, YOU NEED TO DRESS FOR THE WEATHER.
THE BASIC RULE IS TO MAINTAIN YOUR BODY TEMPERATURE.
AND WHEN YOU'RE TRYING TO FIND YOUR WAY, USING THE SUN IS FASTEST.
WITH FORCE, FROM THE MIDDLE OF THE HILT, NOT THE END.
THAT'S IT.
RELAX A LITTLE MORE.
HEY.
HOLD FORMATION.
IF THE FORMATION BREAKS, WE'LL LOSE THE BEAST AND SOMEONE WILL GET HURT.
YOU WNAT TO COME BACK EMPTY-HANDED AND PLAN A FUNERAL?
GOT EYES IN THE BACK OF YOUR HEAD, DO YA?
AND HERE I THOUGHT HE WAS DISTRACTED BY THE KID.
WE GOT A BIG ONE!
BWAHAHA! YOU'RE NOT GETTING AWAY FROM US, YOU BEAST!
OINK
THE TRAP OVER THERE HASN'T BEEN SPRUNG...
HEY! WATCH YOUR STEP!
HEY,
KID!!
DAMN IT...!
!!!
I'M NOT EVEN SURPRISED BY YOUR BRUSHES WITH DEATH ANYMORE.
THAT'S IT.
WE NEED TO GIVE YOU A NAME FIRST.
Hmm... Cutie? Pipsqueak? How About Something Tough, Like... "ultra"?
EVER SEEN HIM FUSS OVER SOMEONE LIKE THAT BEFORE?
YOU'D THINK THE KID WAS MADE OF GOLD.
AND HE'S THE SAME GUY WHO BASICALLY RAISED HIS OWN BROTHER BY TOSSING HIM AROUND...
EVERYONE.
FOCUS ON THE HUNT AND HOLD YOUR TONGUES.
YOU ALL KNOW
EVEN IF THE CHILD DOESN'T LEAVE ON HER OWN...
DID YOU DUST ME OFF? THANKS.
...THE ELDERS WILL SEND HER AWAY.
HONESTLY, THIS ELDER...
SUMMONING ME IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT.
I COULD'VE COME UP WITH TEN MORE NAMES IN THIS TIME.
KAIYA... (SEA)
ENRA... (SKY)
SHAILA... (ROCK)
ALL RIGHT,
WHAT DID THEY CALL YOU WHERE YOU USED TO LIVE?
SURELY YOU HAD AT LEAST ONE NICKNAME.
SHE WAS SO YOUNG,
GONE FAR TOO SOON.
TO THINK THE PROPHECY WOULD ACTUALLY COME TRUE...
THE ONE ABOUT HER DYING BECAUSE OF THE CHILD SHE BORE—
SHH!
HAVE YOU LOST YOUR MIND? WHAT IF SOMEONE HEARS?
...ME.
"DESTROYER OF... OF PARADISE."
"B-BLOODY PRINCESS."
"CURSED S-SEED."
AND WHAT DOES ALL THAT MEAN?
I-I'M...
"A CH-CHILD WHO BRINGS D-DEATH."
TH-THEY SAY THAT WHEREVER I GO,
P-PEOPLE ALWAYS D-DIE.
WHO?
J-JUST...
PEOPLE...
WHAT KIND OF VILE NONSENSE
DID THOSE PALACE FOLK FILL THIS CHILD’S HEAD WITH?
TH-THIS IS THE PLACE, RIGHT?
YEP. THIS IS IT.
LET’S GO IN.
ELDER.
Why Do You Look So Grim Today?
...?
YOU MUST KILL.
The little princess who came to the mountain alone is taken in by the fearsome-looking border clan. She is taught to keep her chin up and be brave; she is shown how to dress for the weather, find direction, and keep hunting formation. During a dangerous hunt her name comes up and the cursed nicknames from her past are revealed. In the end, she is brought before the elder.
