Chapter Text
"So, twenty diamonds?"
"Do you think that's a fair price? When we had a shop a season ago, that's about what they sold for."
Grian laughed. "I've never used one of these before. You could tell me it's worth a stack and I'd just be like 'yup, here you go!'"
Jevin smiled. "I'm not that kind of guy. Twenty diamonds, and the elytra is yours."
"Alright, cool." Grian counted the diamonds out of his enderchest and handed them over. Jevin passed him the small bundle. Grian unfolded it and held it up. Two large ovals, nearly his height, made from a gently shimmering, scaly, thin material. They joined at the top, where a harness had been added, loops of leather and cloth.
"Can I ask what you want it for?" Jevin asked. "You didn't seem like the flying everywhere type."
"I'm not, normally. I probably won't use them after this." Grian had removed his chestplate and was working on strapping on the elytra. "I've got the tag right now, and people are catching on to the game, so I need to be able to move quick. I'm hoping I can swoop in, tag someone, and rocket out before they know what's happened."
Jevin whistledin surprise, his eyebrows shooting up. "You'll need some practice to pull that off. Do you want a flying lesson?"
Grian shook his head. "I'll work it out. Thanks, Jevin."
"Hey, no problem. I'd hook you up with the rockets, too, but gunpowder's at a bit of a shortage right now."
"You're telling me," he said. "See you around."
"Later, Grian."
* * *
Grian stood on top of the rocks, facing his base on the horizon. The harness of the elytra dug into his back, aches deep in muscles he hadn't used in years.
Breathe. It's simple. He forced a shuddering breath, took a running start, and jumped from the top of the rocks. He tensed his flight muscles and-
He dropped, falling hard. He scraped his knee and was thankful for the enchantments on his armor - he might have ended up with a broken leg if they hadn't cushioned his fall.
Right, he thought. Not part of my muscles. How do I spread them?
He climbed back to the top of the rock, feeling along the harness as he went. There had to be a mechanism somewhere for controlling the elytra.
Eventually he found a pulley set up so he could loop his arm through it. By pulling away from his body, it put tension on it, spreading the wings. He'd have to get used to that.
Take two.
He spread the wings as he jumped and glided a few meters, but the air current caught him - a sudden downdraft, back towards the rocks. He chirped in surprise, twisting to try and escape the wind, but in his panic he forgot the controls for angling the wings, and crashed again. He landed hard on his shoulder this time, the wind almost knocked out of him.
He sat up, rubbing his sore shoulder. I feel like I'm a chick again, he thought miserably. Except there were others there to help me. And my flight muscles actually worked back then. He was starting to regret turning down Jevin's offer to help teach him.
One more try. If I still don't get it, I'll message him and see if he's still up for it.
He climbed back to the top of the rocks and closed his eyes. He hadn't really used his sense of the air currents in a while - and without his wings, it was substantially weaker, leaving him feeling blind - but he knew he'd need it now. He took a long moment, letting the wind rush past him, until he was sure he understand what the air was doing.
Then he leaped and activated the elytra.
He banked to the left, around the downdraft that had caught him out before, and made for an updraft near the shore. As he felt it catch the elytra, he twisted to the side, letting himself ride the corkscrew of air to the top. As it leveled out, he spread the elytra back to its full length and soared.
He was so high. He hadn't been this high up since... since before. It felt good. He found that even with the wind in his face, his eyes didn't sting like he thought they might, and he wasn't cold , either. It was natural.
He angled himself lower, letting gravity up his speed. He laughed wildly as the wind rushed past him, through his hair, across his limbs. He grinned as he approached his base, starting to draw his wings in and-
-he came in hotter than he anticipated, rolling a short distance. He could feel himself bruised and scraped up, but he couldn't find it in himself to care.