The Book of Forbidden Spells: Come to Light

ANNOUNCEMENT

Whimsical didn't breeze past the situation like his instructors. Entirely through the next day he'd been purposely pissed off and snappy at his peers and teachers. Especially Sheephead. There was no way he was letting everything that happened slide. Between his friends not trusting him, Sheep snitching, and his teachers lying.

Still, the teachers tried to ignore it. Even through their uneasy lessons they wouldn't attempt to acknowledge the elephant trooping the school. Lunch was even mute.

Whimsical wouldn't apologize for what happened, though. The others knew they were at fault.

The comment Seahorse made troubled them all. Suspense for whatever they were supposed to "be worried about" clutched them. After so much time, Whimsy doubted that the announcement existed. Seahorse could've been lying to get them to drop the prophecy.

Most of Whimsy's faith had decayed once last hour begun, and the four were sat at their desks. Northstar was late as always, so Whimsy quietly zoned out towards the map of the continents plastered on the wall.

"Hey guys," North spoke as leisurely as he strolled in. "I bet you've been waiting for the big news all day. I actually don't know why they had you wait," he plopped behind his desk in the front.

Instantly, all attention secured onto the Nightwing instructor.

"Finally!" Whimsy declared. "What is it?!"

"Okay, this isn't easy to say," North fiddled with a tiny moon phase carving on his desk. "Kind of a bombshell. So, everyone take deep breaths, or something."

Most of the room, except Sheep, seemed undisturbed. What was more grave than the prophecy bombshell, anyways?

"Oh come on!" Whimsical pounded his talons on his desk. "Tell us already!"

"Okay, okay," Northstar sighed. "We get to go on a field trip. Outside. Like, out of the caves outside. In the real world. In a real town."

Shock hit them at once. Sheep inhaled, while Insight let go of his breath. Even Spongy's face lost its placidness.

Stomach knots and numb limbs curbed Whimsy.

"You're kidding," he expired.

Sheep struggled out an "Oh my god."

"Mmhm," Northstar nodded, serene against their daze. "It's a secret little trip for the students about to graduate. And you all are. So you all get to go together."

"You're kidding!" Blood zipped through Whimsical's veins with a pulse of staggering ecstasy. "Where?!"

A forest extended across a border of the Skywing kingdom. That's where Northstar tapped on the map of Pyrrhia.

"It's right up in here," he explained. "A little town called Welcomewood. You'll all get to roam around and meet dragons. You'll finally be outside."

Whimsical didn't want to smile. It was embarrassing to show he had a bone in his body without bitterness. But that's all he did. He beamed with all his light.

Sixteen years, he'd been caged in the school.

"We'll be packing over the weekend, and staying for the week," North continued.

Three days was all it would take to free him.

"I can't- it's- this is- wow. Holy shit," Sheep pressed his quivering palms over his snout.

Northstar sported a soft smile.

"Just take it all in. It's a really cool place full of shops and diverse dragons. Gelid is coming with me to take you."

Weeks worth of energy erupted through Whimsical's body. They were going with North, which meant he wouldn't get picked on or nagged.

"Why are we doing this?" Insight spoke up.

It was alarming, how calm he sounded. Calmness just meant he was thinking, which was never good.

Whimsy replayed Insight's excuses in his head. Insight could see upcoming events clearest. If that was the case, why wasn't he breaking down, like before? This event was earth-shattering.

He received a side glance from Insight and forced the thoughts out of his mind.

"It's mainly to get some inspiration for what you guys want to do after graduating," Northstar answered. "Oh! Speaking of, we'll be meeting with some animi. They'll be giving speeches about it, and you'll be able to talk to them about career things."

Sheep was twitching so avidly he was jolting his desk around.

"This is- wow. Wow!" He squeaked.

Spongy had still failed to react. A calcified stare still held her expression in place.

Insight, on the other hand, kept his gaze low.

"It'll be great," Northstar assured. "I'll be there for anything you need, and so will Gelid. All you guys need to worry about is how much fun you're going to have."

The breaks North took between speaking allowed Whimsical to bask in the news. This was happening. It was real. School was ending.

"I decided not to do a lesson today. That's just too much for even my brain to handle," North said. "You all can go and start packing and processing everything early. Go ahead and relax. I'll stop by your rooms to help from now until we leave."

Turning to his classmates was relief. The tension still lingered, but a new thrill drifted with it.

They exchanged glances, hopeful eyes passing silent understanding.

Soon, they would truly fly together.