Kino's Journey

Kino and Hermes stop in a town seemingly full of robots. Upon closer examination, however, they discover that there are people that live in this abandoned hamlet, but they are afraid of any human they come in contact with, save for one man who tells Kino the sad and tragic history of the town.

Kino runs across a group of men, traders they say, that have been stranded and snow in for days in the mountains. Kino decides to help the men get back on their feet and finds them food, but when they finally recover and are able to free their truck, Kino learns the truth about them.

The end is coming, or so claim the inhabitants of the next town that Kino and Hermes visit. The good news for Kino, though, is that with the end coming by the next morning, everything is free. But when the world doesn't end, the local priests claim there was an error in the translation of the prophecy.

The tale of how Kino and Hermes first met each other is told. A traveler risks his life for the sake of Kino and Hermes.

Kino and Hermes find themselves in the company of a man who has worked for the railroad most of his life, shinning the tracks without fail, as he had never been asked to stop. They then meet another who is tearing apart the same track, for the same reasons, and then another who is building the tracks for the same reason.

Kino has found her way into a city where a modernized form of gladiator combat is the norm, and the citizens' cheer with glee for the combatants. The winner becomes a citizen of the kingdom and gets the chance to make a new rule for the realm, and while Kino plans to surrender and be exiled, she changes her mind.

Kino has made it to the finals, but the combat becomes more fierce and the bloodshed more commonplace. Kino has it in mind to win; however there is that nagging in the back of her mind. She thinks about the king's son who wants revenge on his father, but it may be Kino that strikes the killing blow.

Kino and Hermes stop in a country where flying is all that is on one young lady's mind. Many of the residents think that she's a bit strange and some have complained about her antics. Yet she's got the will to take to the skies, and a little helpful advice from Kino may be just the thing to get her airborne.

Kino and Hermes visit a country that gathers all the books in the world but bans the ones it deems harmful.

While searching for a technologically advanced country, Kino and Hermes find an old woman who claims to be a maid. The lifelike android is more than happy to assist them, as are her creators and family, but the lines between what is truth and what is fiction have been blurred.

As Kino takes a boat downriver and enjoys a lazy fishing trip, she finds herself recalling the people she has met on her travels who were undertaking journeys of their own. As Kino recalls her past, she cannot help remembering an encounter with a dying wise man.

Kino and Hermes visit a land that prides itself on being a peaceful nation, but they soon realize that all is not as simple as it seems. Curious as to these contradictions, Kino visits the local museum to find out more about the history of this land, only to discover firsthand that this nation's definition of 'peace' is far more disturbing than she could have envisioned...

Kino hears of a land that shuns travelers and visits anyway to see the people's attitude for herself. To her surprise, the inhabitants are welcoming.