Kojo & Booda

Even as a little child, Kojo was known as a daredevil, a Kelon battery always buzzing with energy and ready to somersault. His mother, Tehea, was a skilled woodworker from the Wood Guild, specializing in luxury marquetry. His father, Yawo, owned a small convenience store under the Cornucoopia brand. His older sister, Gulrang, was his opposite, so stern, so devoid of humor. Early on, his father asked him to deliver certain groceries to address emergencies or help the elderly who had difficulty moving. And that suited him just fine. He took the opportunity to meet his friends and explore the sprawling alleys of the capital.

So, it was only natural for him to apply, when he was old enough, to the Talaria, Asgartha's postal network. As a courier, he spent his days traversing the streets, climbing the steep paths of Arkaster. And most importantly, meeting people, talking, and exchanging with them, as he had done as a child. He was often entrusted with urgent parcels, and he enjoyed setting time limits, beating his own records. And at noon, he had the habit of eating a sandwich while watching the sparkling sea, imagining what lay beyond, far beyond the First City. And not just Asgartha, but well beyond what its borders could contain…

Like many kids, Kojo's hero was Rune, the first High-King of Asgartha. He was the first Kuningas, the one who founded their civilization. He was the greatest warrior in the history of the peninsula, the most intrepid explorer. He had heard Venka, a customer and friend of his father, talk about the prophecy he had decreed before his disappearance centuries ago. Whoever found him would be considered his heir. Whoever managed to reach him in the Tumult would be his successor. During his breaks, he imagined being that chosen one who would lead Asgartha even further, to the four corners of the globe... But of course, for now, it was beyond his reach. When he finished daydreaming, he would set off again, sometimes until nightfall, storing that dream in a corner of his mind.

One sunny afternoon, as he climbed the long slope connecting the maritime districts to the heights of the city, he saw shadows jumping over his head. Intrigued, he climbed onto a parapet to watch the acrobats descend from roof to roof with mad agility toward the bottom of the city. That's when his heart started pounding loudly in his chest. Enchanted, he watched them perform somersaults, slide on the scorching tiles, cling to the gutters... He also saw that they used Alteration to perform improbable feats and create all sorts of things out of nothing — stone pylons, wooden gangways, glass slides — to serve as holds, supports, or shortcuts.

Heading back up, he saw that other runners had gathered on a rooftop and were warming up. He observed them, fascinated and envious, but he didn't dare approach them that day. In the evening, as he lay in his bed, trying to ignore his father's snores, he began to think about the graceful silhouettes of those acrobats, dreaming of doing what they did. In the morning, before his siblings woke up, he would leave the house and run through the deserted streets. There was no chance they would accept him as he was. He needed to prove himself worthy of talking to them... And so, Kojo discovered Altrun, the discipline that would become his unwavering passion.

After a few weeks of training, he felt that his physical condition was good enough to prove to the Altrunners that he was ready to join them. He went to the library to consult the archives of Altrun competitions, watched old matches to soak up the captured memories of those encounters... He initiated himself into Alteration by asking his mother to show him how she used it to work wood, self-trained to manifest ideas in the world, with a few mishaps along the way. Then, by questioning his neighbors, he learned that runners frequently changed locations to vary their routes, and he began investigating their different spots and haunts.

That same evening, they all celebrated together his first victory. They spent the night talking, sharing their dreams. Carmela was the first to say her goodbyes, followed shortly by Cathal in the early morning. Uju, on the other hand, had been sleeping on the couch for a long time. Kojo was still under the influence of adrenaline. Gault stayed with him for a long time, then he brought his face close to Kojo's and kissed the winner on the lips. Kojo found himself returning the kiss, snuggling into his embrace, letting himself be carried away by the intoxication of the moment.

Months and years passed in the blink of an eye, through competitions — official or not — victories and defeats. Kojo was happy, simply happy. Matches followed one another, and the team's reputation only grew with time. Even though they failed to win the cup, they still reached the finals of the Omnium, the annual championship of their discipline. Carmela talked about potential sponsors, about becoming a top-tier team... but the more successful they were, the more Kojo's happiness turned into an incomprehensible kind of anxiety.

Some evenings, he was having dinner with his parents on the balcony of their new house, watching the ballet of seabirds in the sky, his eyes always drawn to the horizon. He confided in his father about this feeling he couldn't grasp. His father listened attentively and told him what Kojo used to say as a child: that he would be an explorer, that he would participate in the Rediscovery Endeavor when he grew up. Excusing himself, Kojo then went out for some fresh air and walked on the heights of the city. He looked at the starry sky for a long time, lying in the tall and dense grass.

That's when he saw a shimmering a little further away, like a prismatic mist dissipating. Kojo approached the rainbow-colored mist, aware that he had to stay away from this small Tumult Singularity. As the iridescent cloud disappeared, and he was about to turn away, he heard a faint meow, a thin lament almost inaudible due to the wind. Kojo discovered, in a circle of flattened grass, a small cheetah whose fur was made of cold flames. He looked around to see if the mother of this Chimera was nearby. Since nothing seemed to come to retrieve the baby, Kojo took in the altered animal, determined to take care of it.

But that didn't stop Gault from going to great lengths to ensure Kojo's application was accepted. He approached the instructors of the Kurung, the capital's barracks. He went to the Monolith to stand in line and make sure Kojo's file was being processed. Finally, he took the time to reassure him: of course, he would come back, and he would be there waiting for him. Kojo shouldn't give up on his dream. It was important for him to see it through, and it was important for his friends too. Carmela promised to bring back the cup. Once that was done, maybe they could volunteer and join the Expeditionary Corps to get closer to him…

When Kojo told his sister that he also planned to join the Corps, Gulrang tried to dissuade him. According to her, the Tumult was not a place for someone like him. But his friends defended him, even managing to sway the opinion of the Aegis captain. Kojo wiped away a few tears, so happy to have such friends. He was lucky to have them and that they believed in him so much. Of course, Carmela gave him a "good riddance", emphasizing that he didn't have the makings of an Altrun champion anyway. But when saying goodbye that night, she revealed that she had always known he had the potential to be much more than just a runner.

The following year, Kojo and Booda bonded through the Musubi ceremony. While his friends competed in the Omnium during the summer, he trained relentlessly to be ready for the big departure. On the day of the final, however, Kojo was among the spectators. He wouldn't have missed this moment for anything in the world. That day, when Carmela lifted the Altrun cup, Kojo rejoiced, and tears of joy ran down his cheeks. And deep down, he vowed to show as much determination when he would be in the wild expanses. He knew he wouldn't be alone in those vast lands. All his friends would be there to encourage him, and to run by his side...