The sun filtered through the thin curtains of Caius Ward's small bedroom, casting pale golden streaks across the floor. He stretched lazily, eyes tracing the familiar cracks in the ceiling. His room, though modest, held the essence of his world: worn sneakers tossed in the corner, a skateboard leaning against the wall, and a few motivational posters stuck unevenly to the walls. This place was his refuge, but it often felt too small—too restrictive.
Caius was restless by nature, always pushing against the boundaries set before him. His parents, both hardworking individuals, wanted nothing more than for him to follow a stable path. His father, a construction worker, believed in the value of honest labor, while his mother, a nurse, preached discipline and security. Caius respected them deeply, but every piece of advice they offered felt like another layer of weight tying him down. He craved something more, something his routine life couldn't offer.
From a young age, Caius had been different. While most kids played video games or hung out at the mall, he preferred being outside—climbing fences, running across uneven terrains, and balancing on whatever he could find. It wasn't that he disliked rules; he just found them too limiting. His body, fueled by restless energy, longed to break free of restrictions.
It was during one of his afternoon excursions that Caius met Elian Vale and his younger brother, Rivan. They had moved to his neighborhood a few years back, but their paths hadn't really crossed until the day Caius spotted Elian scaling a tree in the local park.
"What are you doing up there?" Caius had called, squinting up into the branches.
Elian, always the cool-headed thinker, peered down with a calm smile. "Just testing the limits. You should try it."
Caius didn't need a second invitation. He joined Elian, making his way up the tree with ease. That was the moment it clicked—the beginning of an unshakable bond. Caius found in Elian someone who didn't just push limits but thought deeply about them. Elian analyzed everything, from the angle of a jump to the safest landing spot, always thinking two steps ahead. He was precise, careful—everything Caius was not.
And then there was Rivan, the youngest of the trio, who was the glue between them. His easygoing nature and infectious enthusiasm bridged the gap between Caius' daredevil spirit and Elian's methodical approach. Rivan wasn't afraid to try anything, often diving headfirst into challenges without a second thought. He lacked Elian's precision and Caius' raw energy, but his optimism made them all believe that, together, they could achieve anything.
Over time, the three became inseparable. In the quiet afternoons after school, they would roam the streets, climbing whatever they could find, challenging each other to new feats. Caius was always the first to suggest something daring—a leap between rooftops, a climb up a sketchy drainpipe—but it was Elian who calculated the risks, ensuring they survived each stunt. Rivan followed with unwavering confidence, trusting his older brother's judgment and Caius' courage.
Despite the freedom Caius found with his friends, home life remained a constant pull back to reality. His parents, though supportive in their own way, didn't quite understand the fire that burned within him. His father, while proud of his athleticism, often reminded Caius of the need for a steady job—something to rely on, like the construction work he had done for years. His mother, always practical, worried about Caius' obsession with "dangerous stunts" and reminded him constantly of the risks involved.
Yet, it was his older sister, Selene, who got it. She had left home a few years back to pursue a career in photography, traveling the world and chasing her dreams despite their parents' protests. She was the rebel, and in many ways, Caius felt like he was following in her footsteps. Selene's letters and occasional visits only fueled his desire to escape the confines of his current life. She introduced him to a world where chasing your passion was a worthy pursuit, not just a pipe dream.
One day, after one of Selene's visits, Caius stumbled across a video online—a group of parkour practitioners running through city streets, vaulting over obstacles, and defying gravity with every jump. It was the spark he didn't know he was waiting for. Caius shared it with Elian and Rivan immediately, and the trio sat in awe as the athletes in the video moved with fluidity and grace, like nothing could hold them back.
"This… this is what we've been looking for," Caius said, eyes wide with excitement.
Elian leaned in, intrigued. "That could be dangerous, though. We'd need to practice safely. But… it sounds exhilarating! I'm in."
Rivan, as always, was the first to stand up, already mimicking one of the moves they'd seen. "Let's go try it now!" he grinned, brimming with excitement.
But Elian, the ever-thoughtful one, insisted on researching first. Over the next few days, he dove into the details, studying techniques and the fundamentals of parkour. He printed out diagrams, watched tutorials, and even mapped out safe places they could start practicing.
They started small, with the park serving as their makeshift training ground. To others, it was just a rundown playground with cracked pavement and faded benches. But to them, it was perfect—a world waiting to be explored.
Concrete walls lined the park's edges, each about three feet high—ideal for practicing vaults and jumps. A series of benches stretched along the path, each bench two feet wide and spaced five feet apart. At the park's center was a dried-up fountain, surrounded by raised platforms about two feet high and three feet apart. Beyond the fountain, trees with thick, low-hanging branches offered perfect spots for practicing balance and upper-body strength.
That first day, Elian laid out the plan. "We start with the fundamentals. The first rule of parkour: efficiency. Every move has to be calculated, nothing wasted. We learn to jump, but more importantly, we learn to land without getting hurt."
He demonstrated first, his movements slow and precise. He jogged toward the wall, his body moving fluidly as he vaulted over it with grace. His feet hit the ground, and he rolled into the landing, his momentum carrying him forward without a hitch.
"It's all about conserving energy," Elian explained. "If you land and stop dead, you're wasting motion. Roll with it. Your momentum should carry you forward, not slam you into the ground."
One by one, they took turns vaulting over the wall. Caius struggled at first, landing too hard on his feet and feeling the jolt in his knees. But after a few tries, his body began to adapt, his movements becoming smoother, more controlled. Rivan, always the daredevil, launched himself at the wall with reckless enthusiasm. He hit the ground hard more than once, but his grin never faded, each fall only fueling his determination.
After mastering the basics of vaulting, they moved on to precision jumps. The benches, spaced five feet apart, provided the perfect challenge. Caius crouched, feeling the tension coil in his legs before springing forward. His feet hit the edge of the bench, but his landing was shaky, arms flailing for balance. Rivan leapt next, landing with a heavy thud and almost toppling over.
Elian, ever patient, offered tips after each jump, pointing out small adjustments to their form. Slowly but surely, they improved. They spent hours jumping between the benches, honing their skills until they could leap from one to the other without stumbling.
By the time they reached the fountain, their muscles were burning, but their spirits were high. The platforms around the fountain presented their next challenge, the gaps slightly wider at three feet apart.
Caius sat on one of the platforms, wiping sweat from his brow. "We'll nail these jumps, and then move on to higher walls. But this… this feels right."
Elian, smiling, gazed at the rooftops looming beyond the park. "It's a process. But the more we do this, the more we'll see the world differently. This park, these walls—they're just the beginning."
They all looked up at the buildings, their shadows stretching long over the park. The idea of jumping across those rooftops seemed impossible now, but deep down, they knew it was only a matter of time. With every step, every jump, they were getting closer.
One leap at a time.
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