Subhash & Marmo

He's said to be temperamental. True. He's called dry and gruff. Guilty as charged. Somewhere, there's nothing illogical about it. Everyone born and raised in Suspira is known for having a bad temper. It might be because of the extreme living conditions that they have this reputation, but to be honest, he can't really argue against it. The island of Suspira, at the eastern end of Asgartha, is a desolate land, almost entirely covered in black sand and razor-sharp rocks. To that, add the harmful fumes: sulfur, methane, ammonia... A real paradise. So why settle there in the end? Because the soil is rich in Kelon and other rare elements, like Aerolithe.

But it could be different. The other peninsulas of Asgartha had benefited from the work of the Alterers, who had patiently stabilized and terraformed their biomes. In Suspira, however, the job had been left unfinished due to intensive exploitation. When he was a kid, his father often talked about the possibility that Suspira could become a paradise—a real one this time—instead of this rocky and austere desert. He said it with a bit of bitterness but also a lot of hope, struggling to maintain his plantations and shrubs amidst all this sand. As a kid, he imagined what his island could become if it were covered in forests, majestic lakes, and endless plains. And all he had were magazine illustrations to form a mental picture of this dream…

Born to a mom in construction management and a nurse father, Bash was the fourth child in a family of six. It was always hectic at home, and with his solitary temperament, it wasn't easy to grow up in that environment. But amidst the arguments and bickering, he had a happy childhood, even if it was far from everything and in a somewhat austere city. Well, "city" is a bit of a stretch. Utval was primarily a mining colony, constantly battered by winds and dust. To leave his house, he had to push hard on the door to clear the sand that piled up in front of it. To go to school, he had to hold his breath and put on welding goggles so his eyes wouldn't sting.

Fortunately, Utval was located on the coast, and the air there was more breathable. Elsewhere, acrid smoke rose from the ground above sulfur columns with a rotten egg smell. Not to mention the Tumult singularities, more frequent than anywhere else on the Peninsula since the island had been stabilized—another stretch of the truth—last. But life there still had its good sides. When the weather, generally dreadful, allowed it, he would sit on the rooftops of the platform city and watch the heavy vehicles leave in the morning for the mines. They left huge imprints in the sand where large pools formed at low tide. When they weren't in class, the children played there, fishing for crabs and shellfish.

Few Asgarthans are exposed to such a toxic environment—between harmful clouds and explosive materials—as Suspira miners. Every time he was on duty and went down into the underground quarries, Bash put on his heavy waterproof suit. He worked in the oppressive and muffled warmth of his metal suit, crossing his fingers that the ceiling wouldn't collapse, or that a chain reaction wouldn't set off the Kelon reserves. But it wasn't all black, quite the opposite. He loved the sense of camaraderie that bonded the miners, the companionship that reigned in the tavern when they returned to the surface.

You should know that Suspira miners are a fairly superstitious community. There was a whole ritual to be respected to avoid tempting fate. And it was clear that coal mine gas explosions were best avoided. But this trend could also take other forms. Many hoped to find solar Kelon nuggets, this legendary material imbued with inexhaustible energy. That, or other still unknown ores that could open the doors to fortune and fame. It was like a faint glimmer of hope in the darkness of the tunnels, which gave them the strength to dig deeper, to overcome fatigue and moments of dejection, in order to keep moving forward, and to drill…

But after eight years in the Suspira quarries, Subhash had to make a choice. This period was the maximum allowed for any mine worker. He could, of course, have stayed on the island, with his family and friends, finding a side job as a vehicle driver or construction equipment pilot. But something came along to completely upset his life trajectory. He had obviously heard of the promulgation of the Rediscovery Endeavor. Suspira was far from everything, but not as isolated as that. When he saw the first apprentice explorers training in the rocky expanses of the island, simulating hostile environments, he began to think that it was something he could himself aspire to.

So he enlisted, with the first step being the capital, Arkaster, and the Foundry, the Axiom's Bastion. The first time he set foot in an aerodyne was a memorable experience. He found out that: one, he had airsickness and didn't like flying at all; and two, how tiny Asgartha was from up there. As they flew above the clouds, he could see the vast southern sea, as well as the cities and countryside, the fjords and the unfathomable forests of the Peninsula. A whole world, and yet so closed in on itself... Fortunately, Marmo was there to reassure him and watch over him. He couldn't have left without him anyway.

Several hours after this feat, it was announced, after numerous tests, that Marmo was no ordinary dog. He was a Chimera, an entity from the Tumult. Bash raised his eyebrows, incredulous, casting a glance at his pet, who was quietly gnawing on a bone. That, a Chimera? But if nothing changed in the way he considered him, the attention they both received instantly increased by several notches. Through his proximity to a Tumult creature, Bash had suddenly become a serious candidate for the vanguard of the Expeditionary Corps.

Their lives were completely transformed by this. They were received by the Assembly of Axiom Masters, interviewed, examined... There were almost always people around them trying to convince them, whether through flattery or persuasion, to apply. It was as if they had suddenly been thrust into a whirlwind of praise, honors, and diplomatic negotiations. Well, there were appetizers and other delicacies. It was hard to say no to all this splendor he was unaccustomed to.

However, that's not why he accepted to join the Rediscovery Endeavor. He only had to think back to the mines of Suspira, to the condition of the workers... If there was a chance to find other veins in the Terra Incognita, wasn't it a risk worth taking to bring them a little hope and relief? And who knows, maybe Alterers could then completely stabilize the island to turn it into a paradise, instead of exploiting it for its mining potential alone? Subhash chuckled at the thought of his father retraining as a farmer.

This was followed by a long period of preparation. He had to get used to the great outdoors, he who was so used to confined spaces. He didn't mind sleeping under the stars, exploring new places, tasting unknown horizons. But it didn't stop him from feeling naked, sometimes, amidst the vast wild expanses. At the same time, he discovered the splendor—both social and technological—of the capital. He glimpsed what Asgartha could be like when these innovations spread across the peninsula... And there was reason to be confident given all the feats the Axiom was capable of achieving.

Today, it's been eight years since he started getting ready to leave, and it's starting to itch him. He's never been very patient, but this wait has been endless. But at the same time, he has a knot in his stomach when he thinks about the unknown and what it contains. Good stuff, inevitably. But there will surely be some less pleasant things in the mix. Yet, all he has to do is look at Marmo to realize that there's more good than bad to be found there. The proof is that the Tumult has given him a lifelong companion, always there to support him when he's feeling low... and to beg him for munchies.