Chapter 3: The First Attempt
Astraeus had been working for weeks, gathering materials from the village and experimenting with his designs. Now, he stood in a clearing at the edge of the forest, staring at the mechanical contraption he had built. It was rudimentary—an air-powered wing device—but he was certain it would work.
The contraption consisted of two large, leathery wings, attached to a frame made of light wood. A series of small gears and pulleys would allow him to adjust the wing angle, mimicking the movements of a bird's flight. Astraeus had calculated everything: the amount of air needed to create lift, the speed at which the wings should flap, and the amount of force required to keep the device airborne.
"Here goes nothing," he said, his voice a mix of excitement and nervousness.
He activated the mechanism, and the wings began to flap slowly at first. Astraeus felt a surge of hope—but it was short-lived. The wings flapped erratically, and the device lurched off the ground, only to fall back down with a thud.
"Damn," Astraeus muttered, quickly adjusting the settings and trying again. This time, the device rose higher, but it veered off course and crashed into a tree.
"This isn't right," Astraeus said, frustrated. "There's something I'm missing."
But then he noticed something. The device had made it farther than any of his previous attempts. It hadn't been perfect, but it had shown him a crucial truth—he was on the right path.