Paju was an Axiom pilot who grew up alongside Treyst in the Kurung orphanage in Arkaster. He died in an aerodyne crash caused by a Leviathan attack and now exists as an Eidolon. Treyst’s failed attempt to revive him in an Automaton body inadvertently created Rossum.
Early Life in the Kurung
Paju and Treyst were two dreamers in the Kurung, the military barracks and orphanage of Arkaster - two nobodies with big ambitions. Like other wards of Asgartha, they woke at dawn to the sound of trumpets and watched Aegis cadets train in the courtyard as the sun rose. They passed by the Small Tribunal to go to the mess hall, wolfing down breakfast before starting their day of chores.
Like all residents of the orphanage, they hoped someone would come for them - a family or perhaps a Faction. But Paju and Treyst were not the ones to stand out in anything. They had no natural affinity for Alteration, were too puny for the Bravos or Ordis, and their artistic talents were close to nil.
They made a pact: if they left the orphanage, it would be together and no other way.
Dream of Flight
Paju’s dream was to fly. Perhaps he could become an airline pilot and roam Asgartha, or an airship pilot flying in tight formation against fearsome Leviathans. He and Treyst spent many hours watching zeppelins and aerodynes take off from the airfield, watching the parade of airships leaving the altiport for other regions of the peninsula. Sometimes they could see them taking off from the Arsenal, roaring at full speed.
Over the years, Paju’s dream had also become Treyst’s dream.
Joining the Axiom
Armed with their observations and limitations, Paju and Treyst set their sights on the Axiom, whose entrance exams were much more lenient than those of other Factions. When old enough to apply as apprentices, they were sent to the Foundry.
They had learned all they could at the orphanage about everything related to technical sciences. Working and learning within the Axiom Bastion was exhausting due to relentless pace - theoretical and practical classes in the mornings, rotations within teams of workers in afternoons and some evenings. When they returned to the dormitory at nightfall, they collapsed on their mats, exhausted.
They held on largely thanks to Paju’s constant enthusiasm. For him, every day was an adventure. Besides, they could sometimes take a detour to the hangar to see aerodynes and flying ships. To him, it was paradise.
Achieving the Dream
It was Paju’s constant enthusiasm that allowed them to achieve the goal they had set for themselves. Paju became a pilot while Treyst, rejected because of slightly faulty vision, secured a position as navigator.
When they took to the sky for the first time, they momentarily cut off communication lines - just for a brief moment, of course, but enough to exult with all their might and shout their joy to the world.
Everything then happened very quickly. They were selected to join the Axiom’s aeronaval contingent and incorporated into the Fulcrum, the Faction’s branch dedicated to the Expeditionary Corps.
The Fatal Crash
During a simple topographic reconnaissance mission, their aerodyne was tasked with flying over the coast to take measurements. Sudden fog caught them off guard as they were mapping the terrain.
As they turned back toward Asgartha, appendages emerged from the waters and sought to grab the aircraft mid-flight. Paju dodged the tentacles, trying to gain more altitude. But one of them struck the transport head-on, shattering the windshield and tearing the armored hull.
In desperate effort, Treyst managed to bring the aerodyne back to Asgarthan territory, but the plane crashed on a beach without being able to reach safety.
Paju did not survive the crash.
Existence as Eidolon
After his death, Paju became an Eidolon. Treyst, driven by determination to bring his friend back, began experimenting with Alteration. He collaborated with Ordis scholars and Yzmir sorcerers for many months to fashion a machine powerful enough to pair Paju’s Eidolon with an Automaton body.
When Treyst activated the machine, it did not work as expected. A Tumult Singularity germinated within the workshop. Instead of Paju taking possession of the Automaton, a Chimera was accidentally uprooted from the Tumult and trapped in the metal shell.
In a corner of the room after this failed experiment, Paju’s Eidolon smiled. Through Rossum, the Chimera that resulted from the accident, Treyst had found a new reason to live and a new reason to fight.
Personality
Paju was characterized by constant enthusiasm. Every day was an adventure for him. His enthusiasm was what allowed both him and Treyst to hold on during their exhausting training and achieve their goal of flying.
Relationships
- Treyst: Best friend and navigator, bonded by pact to leave orphanage together