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

3. The New Druid

Cal's voice brought him back.

"I'm a firm believer that if someone dabbles in poisons, they should dabble in antidotes. If they wish to kill, they should also know how to heal. Only those who can love with a passion, have any right to hate. But that is me. Seamus, what do you believe?"

Seamus looked at his left hand. "What do I believe?... I believe I am a failure." Seamus hung his head.

Cal placed a hand on Seamus's shoulder. "Son, it doesn't matter how many times you're knocked down, the true measure of a man lies in the amount of times he pulls himself back up. A real man always finds a way to stand back up."

"Master...?"

"For starters, you are going to heal this girl. Do you wish to walk the path of the guardian who heals and protects, who flows with the power of Gaia and has chosen to serve her creatures? Are you ready to walk the path of the Druid?"

Seamus nodded. He was ready, he no longer wanted to be weak. He wanted to be strong like Cal.

Cal placed something in his open left hand. It was a smooth grey stone with a rune inscribed in it.

Seamus looked at his palm and deduced a unique truth. "This is a rock. Ow!"

Cal chopped him in the head again. "Of course it's a rock, Gaia isn't a seashell."

Cal laughed.

He showed Seamus how to cast a simple healing spell by calling upon Gaia and pouring his magic through the stone. It glowed green and soon the girl began to stir.

"Master, I did it!"

Seamus's heart leapt, this was a completely different feeling than killing. This was... it felt good. And kind of squishy. But it was soft and warm. With one hand holding the stone on her forehead and the other on the center of her chest at the core of her being, his hands had glowed. But in his joy his hand had moved lower... and to the side. Currently it cupped a mound on the girl's chest.

Hmm soft.

Then he made eye contact with the girl whose face went a deep shade of red.

"EEEEEEEEEEEEK!" She screamed and rolled forward until she hit the counter at the far end of the room. She covered her chest with tears in her eyes and looked at Seamus in fear.

"Good job," Cal gave him a perverted grin that told him that he wasn't talking about the healing.

Seamus squeezed the air a few times remembering the feeling. He then looked up and several of the girls were covering their chests with a blushing appalling expression. The demonkin prince at the divide between the guild and tavern on the other hand gave Seamus a thumbs up.

Seamus felt his face heat up with embarrassment. "You made me do something weird again didn't you!"

Cal put another hand on Seamus's shoulder. "Nope, you did that all on your own. Our little man is growing up." Cal covered his eyes with his arm and cried proudly.

Two fire balls came from the bottom of the stairs and struck both Cal and Seamus until they were sent flying.

The source was a disgruntled maid with a two of diamonds playing card in her hand. "Don't encourage him! You're the guildmaster, for Gaia's sake. What if Ophelia is the next one he preys on!"

Seamus rubbed his head and then felt an overwhelming bloodlust standing over him.

"Ophelia is off limits." Cal cracked his knuckles. He punched Seamus, sending him flying through the wall into the bathroom. Seamus's head caught firmly in the toilet.