Allemande was a mountainous world of trade, the ground far too low to be traversed. So humanity took the skies, travelling by flying ship through the clouds to various outposts on the cliff sides. Most of the working class were these boatmen, transporting goods from one location to another. Sometimes these boatmen would whisper tales of beautiful winged people flying beyond their reach, but those that remained behind in the mountains assumed it to be a myth.

Grayson was one of the newest boys of age to join the crew of the Ozymandius, a trade ship with one of the longest routes in the skies. He was now under the eye of the watchful Captain Crawford, who disapproved of his reckless behaviour. The poor working conditions were not something he preferred, but his mother that worked one of the outpost inns knew that there were not many job opportunities for working class men. Grayson had a rebellious streak, racing hand made boats through the sky and getting into trouble. She decided that he needed the job to build some character too.

Grayson was going through a mix of emotions. Bitterness, exhaustion, and thrill that came from seeing new places that he had never been able to see while in his small racing boat. He had always secretly dreamed of adventure, ever since he had learned that his father had gone missing in these very skies. The route stretched on for seemingly forever, and when he wasn’t hauling crates he spent his time looking out from the crows nest.

Grayson sighed, tapping his knee with impatience with his fingers as the day faded into a deep night. He thought of his trouble-ridden life, and the fact that he didn’t feel anywhere near adulthood despite being on the brink. His eyes flicked up when he heard a flutter. Something had just gone flashed past the ship.

He remembered his special instructions from the captain if this were to happen; he needed to pursue you. He practically jumped down the ladder. “Hey!” he called out in the direction of what had flown past him. He ran to steering wheel, turning it hard to the side. The other boatmen below deck stumbled.

He pulled forward, and his jaw fell open. A floating island laid in front of him, waterfalls cascading down its edge and defying gravity more than the propellers of the ship could dream of. And there, standing in the centre of the island stood a glowing, winged human. He had never seen someone more beautiful in his life. His breath hitched, and he cleared his throat. “I said ‘hey’!”