Hermes was a small kid born in a very big city, a metropolis of smoke and silt. The city was large yet separate; there wasn’t anything outside of it for many days' travel in any direction, making it like an island—or to Hermes, like a cage. Hermes never knew his father, and his mother died in a factory accident when he was a child. Without a home or any form of money, he quickly learned how to have light fingers and fast feet. He stole everything he needed, and after some time, he stole more than that. As he took more and made more daring escapes, his confidence grew until he got sloppy. He was caught by one of his marks, who pulled their firearm and shot at Hermes' head. 

From his perspective, it took a full twelve seconds for the bullet to reach the end of the barrel after the firing pin struck the primer. What was Hermes' first thought? The many days' travel in any direction would only be a few minutes at this rate. And like that, the key to his cage appeared in his pocket, and he ran. He started running parcels for the Alamar Knot before bounties were placed on his head by other delivery runners who were worried they’d be out of a job. Hermes became quite infamous before Ares heard about him through his contacts in the bounty hunters guild and reached out with an offer to join the rebellion, which the ever-restless Hermes accepted.