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

123. Lessons of Friendship

Seamus thought about it. She made a point. He had listened to Cal's lectures to his daughter... Seamus's little sister, being a pirate meant using every advantage. He remembered that Ophelia had been able to 'Defeat' a Sylvan Knight. The Sylvan Knights were next to the Great Ones in terms of power. They wouldn't go all out against a child... but Ophelia had used that to her advantage when she fought.

Not only did she use her precognitive abilities, she used her dryad magic, her sword skills, and her pure tenacity. Cal made no show of identifying any of his abilities as different from each other. He used Flash step, Dawn Way martial arts, Hifumi's illusion magic, healing hands, and buffing techniques when he trained everyone during 'Hell Training'. Seamus realized what she was saying was exactly right. When he had put his sword away he had locked away all of his assassin abilities as his dark past.

But that wasn't who Cal was at all. Seamus thought back to when Cal formally welcomed him into his family. The words echoed in his mind. I said I'd give you a new name. But never forget where you came from, and never lose sight of where you're going. Besides, a name only has as much power as you give it. What will you do with that one?

His name, T. Seamus Calphius. Timid. His past was part of him and being a druid was now also a part of him. He had to decide what to do with his past.

Disregarding everything he'd ever learned before about Brother Calloway, Seamus looked toward what he knew of Cal. When Cal learned about the Cursed Sea he didn't run away from it, and he never swore to abandon that malevolent power. He charged right into that fight with the same power that caused it, to fix it. Cal has never denied that part of himself no matter how evil it is. It is part of him. Yes! There were many abilities that he had that could make him a better druid.

If he used certain things in combination with his druidic powers. NO! Even better, some of his skills were targetable, meaning he could cast it on someone other than himself. He always wondered what he would ever use some of them for when he got them, but as he searched his mind he realized that even some of the skills that he could only use on himself now extended to Yamamoto as an option. He even had untouched Debuffs that he had forgotten about in his pursuit for attack damage. Everything started to make sense. Not only that, [Friend of Nature] extended to these skills as well, and even the negative aspect of it could be avoided if he cast a 'self' targeted skill on Yamamoto. If he strengthened Yamamoto that improved his ability to be an effective Druid.

He had unarmed skills he'd neglected, movement skills that he thought were off limits, and subterfuge skills that could help direct the attention of an enemy. [Friend of Nature] took away some of his lethality as an assassin but more than made up for it as it increased his Druidic potential in a party. The realization of it hit him like a ton of brick as the info dump of possibilities made him realize just how bad of a Druid he had been, and how good of a Druid he could become.

The most important aspect of all of these epiphanies came to a head as he realized just who was really to thank for the new direction of his Druidic career. Yamamoto. [Friend of Nature] felt like a token annoying ability that Yamamoto tagged on to spite Seamus. That wasn't the case at all. He was trying to teach him something vital that he had never understood before.

What a friend was supposed to be like.

It was someone who uplifted the other, they sacrificed what they could have gained for some else who could gain more. Selflessness was the word to define that, but now it held an all new meaning. This power, these possibilities they weren't to be used for himself.

Seamus looked at Vera who still had her hands tied behind her back.

This power was to help her. This power was to help Ophelia. This power was to help his friends and family. This power was... it was to help Cal... he could actually help Cal.

This was a portion of Cal's power, his true power. The power of who he was rather than what he could do.

To be selfless. Yes, that felt right. That's what Cal and Yamamoto were trying to tell him this entire time. Cal rose him up from just being a tool, and Yamamoto showed him what was next. To be a friend.

He unconsciously turned to Yamamoto, as if to ask, 'is this the lesson you were trying to teach me?'

Yamamoto stood on his hind legs and clapped.

Yamamoto had chosen to give Seamus four unique spells. They must all be some lesson, to be a friend was the first. This was how Seamus needed to learn how to be a Druid. Cal had given him a foundation and a path, Yamamoto had given him lessons to learn so he could walk beside him.

"You're right, I understand." Seamus twirled is staff and held it with his right hand, then he aimed his left shoulder at Anastasia while he formulated a plan.

Anastasia smiled. "Hm. Excellent, other than keeping my hands behind my back I won't hold back. Come at me like you mean to kill me or you won't survive."

Seamus nodded. "Yamamoto." He called with a simple breath. A lightning bolt flashed to Seamus's left shoulder, and Yamamoto perched on his shoulder. It was the first time they ever looked like a unified front.

Vera watched as the three of them squared off. Her natural senses had sharpened with the battle high and in a moment, everything changed. None of them moved but she instantly felt a surge of fear cause the bristles on the back of her neck stand on end. She unconsciously took a step back and then noticed the change in the crowd. Tiki, Alea, Joltiana, Kadoka, Dakota, Calico, and Peter instantly surrounded the training ring.

"Dear heavens, you two. You can't just let off that much bloodlust inside the guild without warning anyone." Wendy approached the encirclement.

The room was quiet and tense as the springs of tension ran nerves up to ten on a scale that only went to five. When Cal's office opened everyone but those in the encirclement flinched.

"Really...? I was just starting to get some work done." Cal raised his eyebrow as he took in the situation and sighed.

"Cal, thank Gaia you're here-" Wendy started but she was cut off by a simple wave of Cal's hand and the sharp look in his eye.

"Thank you, Wendy. Joltiana, report." Cal said lacking any of his lackadaisical attitude.

"Boss. Anastasia was helping Vera and Seamus train. She seemed very focused on Vera learning to use her wings and she encouraged Seamus to his other skill along with his Druidic training." Joltiana was concise.

"Is this still training?" Cal asked.

"I believe so, after she compelled him, his attitude completely changed. She said that if he didn't try and kill her, he might die." Joltiana never took her eyes of the three in the center of the ring.

"I see." Cal stepped forward with his thumbs in his sash. "Then I will officiate this match. Anastasia don't kill my son, you can't use [Saber Wing], Or any of THOSE skills."

"You can't be serious?" Wendy asked.

"Understood." Anastasia smiled.

"Anastasia, I'm going to trust your judgement on this one. If you have a point to make I hope it is a good one." Cal said. He nodded, and Tiki put up a barrier around the ring. Everyone waited for the moment Cal would begin the match.