Chaos erupted in the cave. The assassin king let out a scream and rushed over to grab his kid’s butts from the cave floor. Their asses had completely separated from their bodies - all that had been holding them in place was the piece of diamond string.

Sparrow’s eyes jumped to the green crystal that shone from the cave floor. He rushed over and scooped it up, brushed the dirt from it, and threw it into his mouth.

The crystal felt cold and smooth as it slid down his throat. But the moment it hit his stomach a lightness blossomed in his belly.

His feet rose from the ground and his hands brushed the roof of the cave. He looked down at the king furiously trying to reattach his sons’ asses.

Sparrow decided he was done with the mountain of the flying assassins. He nodded in the king’s direction and tossed the diamond scissors to the cave floor.

Sparrow crawled out of the cave upside down - he immediately began to float upwards.

Assasins whizzed around him, rushing to assist the king. The diamond smith was telling some poor villager about his missing scissors, and a group of young assassins were practising their craft.

He could hear the king raging - cursing the mountain spirit and sending his assassins out to find him.

Sparrow rose higher and higher until the mountain and the desert looked like a map spread out in front of him.

‘Okay,’ Sparrow gulped as his palms grew sweaty, ‘That’s probably high enough.’

But that didn’t stop him from floating higher. He passed through a thin cloud and came out with damp skin.

His body shook as the air around him grew colder.

He twisted, and turned, flipping over and over, trying to go down. Yet still, he rose over the cloud. He began to struggle to breathe. The air was thin and didn't fill his lungs the way it had lower down. Sparrow felt his feet grow heavy. He focused on that feeling. Imagining his feet as blocks of stone. He found himself beginning to float down towards the earth.

He imagined his feet were lighter than the air around him and he began to rise again. He tried the same for his hands and his upper body. By the time the mountain returned into sight, he was able to whoosh through the air like a hawk.

Sparrow soared down the side of the mountain, then picked a river and followed it away from the mountain and into the desert. Bit by bit, Sparrow lost altitude and gained speed. He soared over the dunes, causing a ripple of sand to blow up behind him.

He found that if he was just an arm's length away from the ground, he could increase his speed and decrease the effort that went into flying. The river carried on and on, and Sparrow kept on following it to the end of the day and on into the night until his arms started to shake and his energy levels grew so low that he collapsed onto the ground exhausted but exhilarated by the feeling of rushing air around him.

Sparrow crawled onto a flat patch of sand beside the river, curled up into a small ball and fell to sleep.

****

The morning was tranquil. The sound of water bubbled up to Sparrow as he woke. He stretched, his arms were limp and sore from the workout he’d given them the day before. His shoulders clicked as he bent to the river and scooped up a handful of water.

He washed his face, then scooped up another handful of water and gulped it down.

The sun was just beginning to rise in the east and Sparrow decided to enjoy it for a while.

He picked up a rock and skimmed it across the surface of the water. Eight skims, then the rock sank below the surface.

He’d made it off the mountain alive, could now fly, and had spotted a mountain range in the distance.

He picked up a lumpy grey rock and bent his arm back to throw it. He felt something move in his hand.

‘Congratulations,’ the rock said.

‘What?’ Sparrow dropped the rock which spun, then sprouted tiny rock arms, tiny rock legs, and a tiny head.

‘Congratulations,’ the rock-creature repeated, ‘I am Megarock.’

‘Megarock?’ Sparrow eyed the rock’s tiny frame.

‘Yes, Megarock… I been travelling down river for five million years. I just waiting for someone to pick me up.’

‘That’s a long time,’ Sparrow said.

The rock shrugged his tiny shoulders, ‘Not for me. I am unstoppable. I help you now.’

‘Umm, help me?’

‘Yes. We are companions. Best adventurers together. You have found me so I will help you on your quests. No matter where.’

‘Listen little buddy, I appreciate the help. But I’m-’

‘Not little - I am Megarock.’

Sparrow smiled and patted the tiny rock’s head, ‘Okay Megarock. Listen buddy I really appreciate the thought but to be honest, I’m enjoying just travelling solo. Plus, you kind of came on a bit strong with the whole best adventurers together thing.’ He picked up the tiny rock-creature and arched his arm back.

‘No wait-’ Megarock yelled but it was too late, Sparrow threw the rock creature as hard as he could. Megarock skimmed across the water and then sank into the centre.

Megarock tumbled and fell, landing on the riverbed. Little sandy tears flowed from Megarock’s eyes. He was not looking forward to the years of bouncing along the riverbed - being continually pounded by sticks, other rocks and blizzards of sand and mud.

He thought about the adventurer - pictured his face in his mind. Megarock slowly rose to his feet. Stood on the river bottom and clenched his tiny fists in anger, and rage. He was about to yell a curse when a surge of water caught him and pushed him along the river bottom.