Headed by a Snake

Krysaos felt the rapier thrumming with power and he held it high above his head

"I have the powerrrrr!!"

It glowed almost blindingly blue, shrouding the whole of the inner sanctum in its light.

...It didn't shoot out a beam of energy like he'd hoped though.

More than a little disappointing.

"Krysaos," Lieutenant Tycon frowned.

"Yeah?"

"What, may I ask... are you doing?"

"The Master Sword's choosing me as its rightful owner," Krysaos grinned.

"That... does not answer my question, Brother-Captain."

"(The CHOSEN ONE has appeared!!)" A clear voice rang out in Aquan, echoing in the chamber... "(One with a pure heart, capable of saving all the Realm!!)"

It was a woman's voice... and it belonged to a girl that Krysaos and Tycon both knew.

"Sea god's socks..." "Stars and stones..."

They cursed simultaneously.

"(Hark, Chosen One, for--)" The blue-armored mermaid girl, Mina, cut her speech in the middle of it, her eyes wide in surprise.

Slowly... and still-keeping-it-together, she drifted down closer... "It... is you."

She was looking right at him.

"It's me," He smiled.

All at once, her usual kind and clueless face twisted with fury. Also, a spinning sword of volatile mana formed in her right hand-- because of course she would still be able to do that.

"Why are YOU here?!" She screamed.

"Hey, Mina," Krysaos waved. "Long time no see, girlie."

"UGHHH!!" Mina groaned, holding onto her head of purple hair, "I have complained to Priestess Atlantea, time and time again, that security is an utmost priority!!"

"Yeah..." Krysaos shrugged, "Security here kinda sucks, not gonna lie."

"The worst has happened..." Mina spun around, flipping her tail... "A human has entered the temple-- and one so... No, Mina, concentrate... you have to report this..."

Krysaos grit his teeth and mumbled to Tycon, "A plan, LT?"

This was why he brought Tycon. If Krysaos was at a loss, then Tycon was real good at making a Plan B.

Tycon placed his hand on Krysaos' shoulder, "I have full faith that you will survive."

...Krysaos gulped, feeling his chest tighten, "LT... what's that supposed ta--"

"I shall check with Atlantea. Farewell. ⌈Shadowfang.⌋"

In an explosion of black ink, Lieutenant Tycon, not-so-loyal Officer of the Neptune's Revenge, disappeared from sight.

Krysaos had his hand held out towards the double doors... which promptly closed.

Women.

They brought out the worst in people-- not that he could blame the guy.

The sound caused Mina to whirl around and stared like Krysaos had just shot her sea puppy, "Is... IS THAT THE HEART OF THE OCEAN?!?!"

Fury of a woman scorned flashed in her eyes as she pointed at the Master Sword. Before, Mina was definitely a pushover... but it seemed that in her home and taking what she called the Heart of the Ocean had turned her into an entirely different person.

Krysaos hid his new sword behind his back. He had a feeling if he surrendered it to her, she'd run him through-- "We uh... we saved your tribe, by the way."

"How did you do that?" Mina screamed.

"Oh, you know... we found their base. We charged in like badasses. Sadly, I was killed in battle-- but I lived."

"No! Not that!!" Mina shouted, "THAT!"

She pointed at the pedestal where Tycon pulled the thing out in the first place.

"Oh, haha. That. I uh... it just-- fell out, y'know? And I picked it up to... to look at it," He bared his teeth... cursing himself for having lost all his confidence.

"You are lying," Mina scowled. "The Heart of the Ocean did not *just* fall out. It was drawn from the pedestal... by a *Chosen One.*"

Ooh. Wrong answer.

"Okay, you got me," Krysaos took a deep breath... trying to stay calm. "I'm the guy! I pulled out. I'm the rightful wielder of the Master Sword, so uh... deal with it."

Krysaos never thought he'd have to admit to pulling out of anything. However, there was some sort of significance in being that guy... even though that guy was actually Tycon.

He was pretty sure he had to take the credit, though. He really didn't feel like dying anytime soon.

"Oh," Mina pursed her lips...

The mermaid girl's anger seemed to dissipate... much to Krysaos' relief. It meant he was safe from being stabbed to death for at least another few minutes.

"We uh... we good?" He asked hopefully.

"(Noble adventurer--)"

"Captain, actually."

"(Noble Captain... pure of heart by proxy... you have my thanks for completing my quest.)"

"Yeah, sure. No problem," Krysaos waved it off, "But really, I gotta go. So I'm gonna go ahead an--"

"Now, GIVE IT BACK!" Mina thrust her left palm out demandingly... the mana-sword in her right whirling with even more whirliness.

"Sure, sure. Fine..."

No one lives forever.

Krysaos offered the blue rapier, hilt forward, ready to accept his quick and painful death.

Mina snatched it away... and then tried to reinsert it into the pedestal.

It didn't stick... at all. Gravity was obviously pulling it back down to the temple floor.

"Mina..."

Krysaos whispered... trying not to make the girl mad, but... also trying to find a good opportunity to leave.

"GIVE IT A SECOND!" The girl shrieked, "Seven hecks, are all humans so impatient?!"

"Okay, okay! I'll wait."

Krysaos rocked back and forth on his feet as Mina kept trying to replace the sword... Unfortunately for her, no matter how much force she used and no matter the angle she tried to stick it-- the thing wasn't staying.

"The Heart of the Ocean..." She whimpered, "it's... it's a sacred sword. You shouldn't have been able to pull it out... not... not unless you have displayed the courage to save innocents... the power to defeat the minions of evil gods... the will over thousands of warriors of a hundred different tribes..."

She turned with a crying face... "Or... you're actually the Chosen One."

Krysaos wore his best Chosen One smile, "Maybe... I am?"

"CONFESS YOUR TRICK!!"

"I lifted with my legs and not my back?"