Tales of the Pearly Kingdom (Pearly Tales Vol. 2)

Prologue: Kingdom in Peril

Darkness. For years upon years he only knew darkness.

Suspended by chains Calloway Calphius hung like a marionette. He hung for so long his entire body was numb. He wasn't delusional anymore, he really had been forsaken by everyone. The city's fate was undetermined. His elementals were gone, his guild members were dead, his fiancé... his ex, had long since forgotten him. Who even knew where his so-called adopted daughter was.

Some father he had been.

The three-month's worth of escapades by Cal the Guildmaster were a debacle. Maybe if he hadn't kept so many secrets, maybe if he had brought more help from the western shore? Like a priestess, maybe her and Shayley together could have done something?

But as it stands, even Shayley hated him, and who could blame her? After everything he had gone through to protect them, he had finally pushed them away when they found out his many dark secrets.

As long as they were alive though, he would regret nothing.

His perfect darkness was broken by a sliver of light that cracked in the door that hadn't opened in more time than he had dared to count. Slowly, the sliver grew into a column, and he could just barely make out some voices coming from beyond the light. 

"I can't believe we finally found it, 500 years and we finally found him." A woman's voice said straining against the door.

Cal looked up to see three dark blotches straining against the heavy door for the other side. The blotches bobbed against the blinding white light.  The smell of fresh air assailed his nose, it was so crisp it actually hurt his senses. 

"PAPA!" The first blotch turned into a recognizable woman shape and she ran into the room. With a flick of her wrist, vines shot out of the ground and began cradling his body softly. Their roots destroyed the magic circle under him that had sealed his magic, and clawed through the chains above him finally shattering his restraints.

A soothing green light emanated from the vines and returned a semblance of feeling to his decrepit and emaciated limbs

"Master, by Gaia's mercy, you sure are a sight for sore eyes." The second blotch had a masculine shape as he pushed the door open enough to squeeze through.

When his eyes adjusted to the lights he finally recognized the two blotches-turned-people. 

Ophelia and Seamus were both full-ground adults now. 

After 500 years it was only natural.

Tears welled up in his eyes at the sight of them. A mix of bittersweet joy at the memory of his sins and the joy of finally seeing his family again.

"Come quick we found him!" Ophelia turned to the third figure, the tears in Cal's eyes prevented him from being able to see all but their crimson hair.

The person clicked their tongue and turned around, they didn't enter the prison. Even Cal had to admit the smell was terrible and couldn't blame them. 

Seamus and Ophelia helped Cal into the light. It was the first time he'd seen the outside in centuries and had to squint his eyes. He couldn't make out the face of the third but their red hair was all too familiar now.

"Papa, let me introduce you to-"

"Don't Phelia, you may be my sister, but after what he did to our mother, he is no father of mine." The third figure walked up to him and spit in his face. "That's a message from my mom."

Despite himself Cal smiled.

Ophelia protested until she saw Cal's face. "So Shayley's alive, and everyone else?" He asked.

"Dead! The entire kingdom is gone thanks to you!" The third figure spat.

"That's enough, it's not all his fault!" Ophelia protested. "There is no way he could hav-"

"Known? He didn't have to, he just had to do it better, he could have tried harder!" The third person obviously wasn't his biggest fan. 

"No, they're right." Cal said standing on his own strength.

"You and Shayley are still alive. That's all that matters." Cal patted Ophelia's head.

"Papa?" Ophelia looked concerned when Cal began taking a step back.

"Seamus, do you have a family?" Cal turned to Seamus while leaning weakly on the wall. He noticed that Seamus had a wedding ring and Ophelia did not. 

"I do, I have my sister Ophelia, who has stuck with me. I also met someone and then even got married. I- I couldn't have made it this far without you." Seamus began crying.

"Seamus, Papa, what are you talking about why does it sound like you are saying goodbye?" Ophelia asked.

"And what happened to everyone?" Cal asked.

Seamus's eyes darkened. "The Fiends came, the deists weren't prepared after everything and fell first. The council and the knights fought to the bitter end. Only a handful of us were able to make it across the sea before it was too late."

"The Crystal Shrine?"

"Smashed. The foxes fell protecting it."

"I see." Cal turned to Ophelia. "You've turned into a beautiful woman, Ophelia. I wish I could have been a better father." Cal squeezed her hand.

"You're running away again? Good riddance." The third figure spat.

"No, papa..." Ophelia pleaded.

Cal let go and stepped back toward the darkness.

"I played my role, there is no more place for Calloway Calphius in this world." He said with a smile as he closed the door. "I'm glad I was able to meet you all long enough to know that I wasn't a total failure."

"Papa, PAPA!" Ophelia cried but it was too late. Her father was gone forever as the steel prison door closed and the entire structure collapsed on top of itself. 

** ** **

"Papa, Papa!"  A squeaky young voice struggled to reach out to a figure she cared deeply about. 

"Ophelia." Cal sat up in his bed in the guild building. His small adopted daughter was having a nightmare and was screaming for him.

He was used to this. Even though she had been alive for a few decades, she had only reached 6-years old in maturity and size. Ophelia was an Oracle, but life experiences had left her with some dark traumas and with it frequent night terrors.

"Papa?" Ophelia opened her big eyes and looked at him with tears in her eyes. "You need to stop!"

"Stop what? Name it." Cal knew Ophelia's nightmares weren't just childhood fictions. He was also ready to do anything it took to make her sleep better at night.

"Doing bad things. Whatever you are doing behind mommy's back it's bad. She's not going to like it." Ophelia cried as she debated how much she should reveal.

"I see, I'll work on it. I might be time to recruit more help. Is that enough?"

Ophelia nuzzled her tiny head into his chest and sobbed for moment before she finally calmed down enough to speak. "It's enough for now, just don't make mommy hate you."

"I'm going to do my best." He kissed her on her head and petted her head until her small body stopped shaking.

"Come on. Let's see if we can't get away with sleeping in this morning. Sound good?" Cal said when her breathing finally steadied.

Ophelia nodded, and they laid back down and hid from the sun with the blanket.

*****

A/N Merry Christmas Eve Crew,

Thank you all for your support. Without all of you, I never would have made it this far. Pearly City was a great adventure and I hope you enjoy the Pearly Kingdom. Leave you support with a read, a vote, and a comment if you can. 

I hope you enjoy the next chapter in this adventure. And my the winds of fortune ever fill your sails.