Fly Pharos fly!

"So what's the story with you and Harmony?" Lee teases you as the two of you plus Brice make your way back to the main academics hall. "You do something to piss her off?"

"Story? She's crazy, that's the story!" You exclaim.

"Oh come on." Brice joins in. "She's a bitch for sure but that was next level."

"Yeah, you had to have done something. What was it? Did you cop a feel or something?" Lee chimes in again while flexing his fingers in a grabbing motion.

"What? No!" You insist.

"I don't know man." Lee stares up at the ceiling in contemplation. "Might be worth it." He laughs.

"Maybe she was frustrated about something else and just decided to take it out on whoever she got paired with?" You put forth with a shrug. "And I just happened to be the lucky winner."

"Yeahhh." Lee draws the word out with skepticism.

All of the sudden, your conversation is interrupted as Parisa comes jogging up. "Hey, guys." She says with a warm smile. "Glad I caught up with you."

"What's going on Parisa?" Lee says coolly with a smirk.

"Hey." Brice adds.

"Thought I would see what my boys had planned for the rest of the day." Parisa's statement is more of a question.

"I promised Pharos I would take him out for some breathing room." You answer.

"Pharos?" Brice asks

"Oh, he's my familiar." You answer. "He has been cooped up in my room for a couple days now and needs to get out to spread his wings."

"Ah." Brice acknowledges.

"What about your familiar?" You ask Lee.

"He's rather small and seems perfectly content to sit guarding my room." He shrugs. "That's apparently what rock golems do. I tried taking him out a couple times but he didn't want to go."

"They are rocks, you know." Brice jokes.

"Yeah. Yeah. My familiar is lame. Whatever." Lee rolls his eyes.

"Aww. Don't say that Lee." Parisa says comfortingly.

"How is Ginger doing anyway?" You inquire about Parisa's fox

"She's doing good. Thanks for asking." She beams.

"What about you Brice? You got a familiar?" You ask.

"Nah. Haven't taken that class yet." He admits.

Reaching a side hallway, you stop before turning. "I'm going to head off to Seven Winds and practice summoning Pharos from there if you guys want to come along." You inform them.

"Nah, we told Noah we would meet up with him after practice. He said he's been cooking up something new for the weekend." Lee tells you.

"I'll come along." Parisa jumps at the invitation. "Ginger would love to run around in the gardens there."

"Ok. Maybe we'll see you guys later." You wave bye to the two and turn towards the exit leading Parisa to the Seven Winds Courtyard.

A short walk down the hall you push your way through the simple wooden door that opens to the courtyard. Its lush gardens brimming with colorful flowers arranged in elaborate patterns while imported trees from all over the world spread their branches across the skyline. The gravel crunches softly beneath your feet as you make your way into the first open area with benches situated beneath the tall stone torches that line the large circular area in the center. From here, multiple pathways branch off leading to other sensational arboretums, each more exotic than the last.

Deciding this is as good of a place as any, you take a seat on one of the benches and Parisa slides in next to you. "Innuo adsignatos." You mutter to yourself and suddenly you find Pharos standing at your feet. "Hey boy." You greet the majestic bird. "Ready to spread those wings?"

"Aww. He's even more handsome than I remember." She compliments.

Pharos dips his head repeatedly in affirmation, his bright crest of feathers bobbing with his movements.

"Go on then." You tell him. "Let's see what you can do."

Without hesitation, Pharos spreads his wings and leaps into the air, darting for the treetops at breakneck speed. He doesn't stop but instead clips the uppermost branches to scatter a handful of leaves to the wind before banking hard to the left. Pharos extends his wings out to their limits and holds them there, gracefully gliding under the late afternoon sun. Occasionally dipping down in a rush only to loop back up to the heavens.

"Innuo adsignatos." Parisa repeats the incantation and suddenly the red fox seems to tumble in from the aether. You and Parisa both laugh at the confused look Ginger displays before running of to pounce in the flowers.

As you lean back on the bench to watch Pharos soar, Parisa cuddles up next to you, resting her head on your shoulder.