The sun peeked over the Patola Mountains, bathing the sky in light colors. The rays seeped into Roku's bedroom, waking him. He was the only person in the Southern Air Temple that stirred; the monks remained fast asleep. He stepped out of bed and stretched, glancing out the window and seeing a glimpse of the sunrise. Wishing to see it in its full glory, he stepped outside into the cold air and shivered. It would take some time to get used to the climate; the high altitude of the temple made the weather quite cold, which conflicted with the hot climate of the Fire Nation. The airbender robes offered some protection, but not much; Roku marveled that anyone could get used to this weather.
Rubbing his hands together, he walked away from his room and to a staircase on the outer side of the temple. There, he could see the breathtaking sunrise, and found it just as lovely as the sunset from the day before. The yellow, orange, and purple in the sky reflected in the stones of the temple, bathing the whole temple in color. Roku stood there, taking it all in…and then, his eyes wandered down to his dragon. It was curled up on the edge of a cliff, fast asleep, and as Roku looked at him, he got an idea. He started down the staircase and made his way to his dragon. As he came closer, he could already feel the heat from the creature's body. All dragons had a higher body heat than other creatures, a fact that Roku was most thankful for in this cold climate. He lightly ran his hands over the scaly skin, not wanting to startle him. Never surprise a sleeping dragon, he thought with a smile.
"Good morning, Fang," he said softly, hands stroking the beast's neck. Fang stirred, a low growl rumbling in his throat. "Sorry to wake you, buddy. I need a ride." The dragon's big yellow eyes slowly opened, giving Roku an annoyed look. Another grunt escaped from his throat. "Yes, yes, I know it's early," Roku answered, reading his mind. "But you can't sleep all day, you know. Besides, you need some exercise."
Fang finally rolled over with a groan, allowing Roku to mount. Roku sat directly behind his head, holding on to the white horns to steady himself. "Okay, Fang," he said. The dragon stretched out his wings and took off, his long, lean body flying majestically into the morning sky. Nothing like a brisk morning flight, Roku thought as he observed the scenery. The distant mountains rose out of the ground like jagged spikes, steep and sharp. Clouds dotted the sky and enveloped the mountains, and the sparse vegetation glistened with morning dew. Roku turned around to look back at the temple. On the first day, when he had flown in, he had been far too nervous to closely observe the temple's beauty, and he hadn't had a chance until now. "Fang," he shouted above the roar of the wind, "turn around! I want to get a good look at the temple!"
Fang twisted sharply, circling around the temple. For the first time, Roku noticed that the temple was not built on top of a mountain as he had originally thought; rather, much of the temple seemed to be carved out of the mountain itself. Many of the walkways and plazas were just smoothed out sections of rock from the peak, and many paths led to tunnels that led deeper into the mountain. Towering above the peak, though, were the swirling spires. They were cut out of white stone and topped with tall blue spikes. The sunlight reflected off the blue tops, making them sparkle. The biggest tower, the one in the center, was the temple sanctuary. Roku had never been inside, but the monks had told him that he would someday…when he was ready.
Do the airbenders always live like this? he wondered as he circled lazily in the sky. He couldn't help but smile at the majestic view. He breathed in the cold mountain air, inhaling deeply and feeling refreshed. Gliding along in the sky, he now understood the peaceful nature of the Air Nomads. So this is what it means to be an airbender, he thought. It is the element of freedom.
Gyatso stirred awake when he heard people running past his door. Rubbing his eyes and putting on his tunic, he went outside to see what the fuss was all about. "It's Avatar Roku!" he heard someone shout. For a moment, he was concerned. Did something happen to him? But when he reached the outer part of the temple, his breath was taken away by what he saw.
Roku had noticed the young monks running out to watch him fly. They cheered and waved, equally awed by both the mount and the rider. Roku smiled and waved back, leaning forward to talk to his dragon. "Fang," he said, "why don't we give them a little show?" The dragon needed no other words. He immediately dove straight down into the valley, and the monks cried out in surprise at his sudden change in direction. But before they had the chance to recover, Fang twisted around and soared back upward, letting out a screech as he passed the monks on the cliffsides. The children and teenagers were enchanted by the display; they could pull tricks like this on their gliders, but certainly not on their bison. Fang spiraled upwards and dove back down, doing a somersault as he righted himself again.
It was all Roku could do to keep his seat, but he grinned at the monks' gasps and cheers, as well as the thrill of the ride. His complaining stomach finally made him order Fang to land, and both were greeted by thunderous applause. Gyatso ran up to Roku, giving him a friendly punch on the arm. "Looks like the Avatar is finally breaking out of his shell!" he said, laughing. "That was incredible, Roku!"
All the commotion quieted down when the head monks approached. The younger monks bowed in respect and allowed them to pass. Gyatso did the same, slightly irritated that he couldn't talk to Roku anymore. I've just got to see that trick again! he thought. Maybe I can try it on my glider…
"Avatar Roku," Monk Nashi said, smiling, "I trust that you had a refreshing flight this morning?"
Roku could not wipe the smile off his face; adrenaline pumped through his veins, and he had never felt more alive. To call the flight "refreshing" was a gross understatement. "Yes, sir," he answered, bowing. "And now, I think I finally know what Monk Shika meant…I am ready to adopt the mindset of an airbender."
