A tall young man stepped out of one of the many spires of the temple onto a small balcony. “I’ll be fine, stop pestering me!” He called out, throwing his hands in the air to signify his frustration. This was David Greyson, the last in a long line of brilliant men living in the northern air temple. Or the northern orphanage, if you wanted to be literal about it. The place had long since ceased being a home to the air nomads, and most of the population was children.
“I just want to be sure you’re safe.” Came the voice of a much older man, quickly followed by another body stepping out the door. This man also appeared to have once been tall, but his back had long since gone crooked, and he hardly reached David’s shoulder height anymore. He was Harold Greyson, David’s father and the man in charge of the temple.
“And I will be.” David replied with a sigh, they had been going back and forth on this ever since he announced he was leaving a week ago. Harold wanted him safe, and he understood that, but he wanted to explore, have some fun. All his life he had felt the freedom of the skies, and he was beginning to feel contained within the temple. “I’ll be back eventually, I just want to see the world.” He said gesturing outwards. From the edge of the balcony where the were, on a good clear day, you could see for miles. Of course, most of it was the mountains where they lived, but it was still amazing.
“Yes, I know.” Harold nodded, solemnity in his voice and on his face. “And I know I can’t stop you either.” he sighed. He had known this day was coming for a long time, and when his son had made the announcement on his eighteenth birthday, it had come as no surprise. David had always been a free spirit, more so than any other in his family line. Some even suspected the boy had air bending in his blood. “Just take care of yourself.” Harold said, eyes pleading as he stepped closer to his son, placing his hand on the boy’s shoulder.”
“I will dad” David whispered, grasping his father’s other hand. “I’ll see the world and be back to tell you about it.” He said, a grin stretching across his face and a spark in his eyes. Turning back to the balcony railing, he picked up his pack, which he had left there earlier and slung it over his shoulder. He then turned to his glider, which lay open against the rail. It had taken him years, but he had perfected it. A small engine was built into the workings of the glider, powerful enough to carry both the glider and himself, even without the help of the temple’s air vents. He smiled fondly and ran a hand across the wing, all the time he had put into her flowed through his mind, the care with which he had crafted it and all the tests he had run. It was time well spent.
Harold smiled, for the first time since that fateful announcement as he watched his son. That love for machines ran deep in their blood, and this machine in particular, he knew, would be his son’s closest friend for all time. Stepping over to his son and coughing to get his attention, he un-strapped his tool belt, and held it out to the boy. “Take this with you, you’ll need it if you want to keep her flying.” He said. The belt was filled with tools of every kind, though most were simply for small machine work.
David looked up at his fathers voice, and nodded solemnly as he accepted the gift. “Thank you.” He said, placing it in his bag. He suddenly lunged forward, grasping his father in a hug. “Goodbye father.” He whispered into the man’s ear. Releasing his grip he turned around, and without another word he picked up his glider and jumped off the balcony, gliding away held aloft by the hot air pumped through the temple.
Harold sighed as he watched his son fly away. “Like a bird, off into the clouds.” He whispered. Things weren’t going to be the same with him gone, but he would survive. Taking one last look at David, he turned and walked back into the temple. He didn’t want to see the boy leaving. If anyone had been there, they would have seen tears running down the man’s face. Schooling his features into a happy look, despite the tears flowing nonstop from his face, he walked away towards his lab.
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