Headed by a Snake

"Ah, yeah," The Orcish god of death and the dead scratched at his mangy head of oily hair. "Probably should let you know that if you like living and breathing... don't die."

"...Well, I wasn't planning on it," Krysaos shrugged.

"I might be the god of death," Hades explained-- "and I can turn you *un*dead, if you want. But if you're too far gone, I gotta let a Reaper take you... or guide you to the beyond, myself."

"Good enough deal," Krysaos nodded. "But uh... am I goin' to one of the seven hells for sure? Or can you take me to someplace where there's nothin' but whores and drugs for the rest of my eternal suns?"

"Eh, yeah," Hades nodded hesitantly. "My place is kinda a mess, though-- so I hope you don't care about that too much."

Krysaos felt pretty good about securing a decent place in the afterlife. All he had to worry about, then, was living his best life in the present.

"Appreciate it, big guy," He grinned. "Now how 'bout you tell me about the stuff you and the boys picked up."

"It seemed like the Sea God was runnin' some sorta super-armory, down there," Hades smirked, his long tusks jutting out and making him look like an actual bad guy. "We pretty much crashed the place. The boys beat up and crippled a bunch o' sahuagin blacksmiths, ruined their forges, graffiti'd their walls..."

"Some of the Coral Boys know how to write?" Krysaos raised his eyebrows.

"Nah. They just drew pictures of wangs everywhere."

That made more sense.

...It also explained why there were so many wang carvings in random places on the ship.

"We couldn't take everything," Hades continued, "Didn't think we'd head back, though, so we f*cked up everything we couldn't steal. The Sea God's gonna be pissed."

"Hells yeah," Krysaos smirked.

It was great news that that shite god's forces got so busted.

...But then a strange thought occurred to him.

Krysaos twisted his lips to the side-- "This uh... you gonna be alright? Didn't you kinda just declare war against the sea god?"

"Psh. I ain't worried about it," The large orc scoffed, "No one likes that guy-- the current him, anyroad. And even though I was there, the crew did all the actual work."

"Alright. That'll do, big guy," Krysaos offered his fist forward.

Hades tapped his knuckles to Krysaos', "They got what was comin' to 'em."

"CAP'N!!!" From high above, the Coral Boy in the crow's nest was pointing and shouting, "We'z spotted an ENEMY SHIP!!!"

"That so?" Krysaos grinned. "Come on, Hades. Let's show a few more sons of b*tches what's comin' to 'em."

"Keh hehehe..." Hades rumbled a deep laugh, "Death, destruction..."

"Total annihilation."

...

Tycon grabbed a Coral Boy's lower jaw and pulled him close to shout into his auditory hole.

"Utilize the proper BREATHING TECHNIQUE!! That's why you're WASTING my gods-damned AMMUNITION" He shouted, just before he slammed the gentleman's head into the deck. "Yes, SIR?!?!"

"Yessir," The Coral Boy winced as he curled up defensively, "We'z sorry, sir."

"Now reload," Tycon demanded through clenched teeth, "And do it. properly."

"Aye aye, sir," The boy muttered, "We'll do it good-er, sir."

"Take your gods-damned time," Tycon seethed. "Breathe..."

"Aye, sir," The fellow whispered.

Despite the clangs of weaponry, thunks of firing crossbows, and the rumbling roars of cannonfire... the Coral Boy took a deep breath... and exhaled as he lined up his shot.

Good.

The crew operated well under pressure. In high-stress combat situations, they performed admirably, heeding his battle commands.

If only they were so obedient in non-combat zones, they'd be perfect Marines.

Still, it would do. He'd instructed groups of students, far less astute.

"Lieutenant Tycon!!" Krysaos walked over at a rapid pace, "Report."

"Privateers hailing from the Sleeping Country, Captain," Tycon gestured his hand at the black flag ship nigh-adjacent to the Neptune's Revenge. "The boys are proving... so-so at ranged combat, but the figurative hailstorm of crossbow bolts have dissuaded our enemies from meaningful retaliation."

"Nemayans?" Fear flashed through the Captain's eyes, "Then we're fighting undead?"

"Negative," Tycon shook his head. "The Nemayans have yet to field their undead elites, if they have any."

"Oh, they got 'em, alright," Hades chuckled. He shifted his warscythe, its blade blocking a crossbow bolt that would have found the Captain's neck. "I sense two squads in that ship-- lesser necromancers too. What'cha wanna do 'bout 'em?"

"Sea god's f*ckin piss pot," Krysaos cursed. "They're... they're f*ckin' Navy? We're fightin' actual Nemayan sailors?"

Tycon furrowed his eyebrows.

It was rare to see Captain Krysaos so lost for words, especially since the situation concerned his expertise: a naval engagement.

On the Haunted Isle, the human Ship Captain had acted with bravery-- bordering on recklessness against the Free Nation Titanblood zombies. He didn't flinch when they were assailed by multiple Leviathans. Even surrounded by hostile, armed sahuagin forces, he acted as if he were untouchable.

Tycon recalled what High-Captain Ho Byul said about the man... that the Captain of the Sugar-Titted Siren was known for fleeing from any ships with even a modicum of military might.

"Captain, make the call," Tycon urged. "Us against the gods-damned world-- and your crew stands with you."

"R-right... I... we should..." Krysaos gulped and clenched his fists, "Hades... Tycon... I want that ship. Take no prisoners."

Tycon stepped forward, "CORAL BOY MARINES!!!!"

"""WE'Z HEAR YOU, BOSUNNN!!!!"""

"We have our orders! Take that gods-damned ship!! Slaughter ALL Who stand before you! BLOOD! AND! THUNDERRRR!!!!"

"""VICT'RY AT SEAAAAAAA!!!!"

Tycon hoped that his example was something his companion could learn from.

It wasn't difficult. He chuckled to himself as he patted Krysaos on the shoulder.

"Thanks, LT," Krysaos grinned sheepishly.

"You're not done yet, Brother-Captain," Tycon smirked.

"I'm not? I uh... the Coral Boys got it, though? And Hades can take care of the undead?"

Tycon shook his head, still smiling, and gestured to the rapier the man wore on his side, "A good leader leads from the front."

"You're tellin'... me? To go out there? Against fully trained Nemayan sailors?"

"Basically trained sailors," Tycon corrected, "but yes. That is what I am strongly advising you to do."

"I uh... Well-- I know it... it sounds like an excuse, LT," The Captain stammered... "but you know..? I don't have any combat spells-- that means I shouldn't... have to... y'know?"

"This information does not change your duty, Brother-Captain," Tycon chided. "And besides, would it not lengthen our voyage considerably, if we were to be routed?"

"Can we talk about this?"

Tycon raised an eyebrow, "Were you, perhaps, thinking of a different course of action?"

"...We could... sail away?" Krysaos wrung his hands, "Maybe get the Coral Boys to push the ship again?"

Tycon shook his head, wishing he had not asked, "We will not be doing that."

"Well, f*ck."

...

⟬ Below deck, present time. ⟭

"There we are..."

Mina tied another seashell to the wall of her cabin using the twine that Sir Tycon provided her.

Using her magic to levitate, she swished her tail to move backward, distancing herself from the decorated wall for a better view.

She didn't have any personal effects... and her clothes were just mana creations, but collecting gadgets and gizmos aplenty was her coping mechanism.

But even though she had collected who'sits and what'sits galore, she still felt... empty inside.

She was the Heart of the Ocean. Though she had a mana-created mermaid form, separate from the rapier, itself... she was bound to it.

She... was a weapon... one made of precious bluesteel... of astounding beauty and craftsmanship... and blessed with a touch of divinity from the Lake Goddess.

It was why she needed its wielder to be a man or woman with a pure heart. She had hoped for a hero of a sort. She expected, at the very least, a logical, even-tempered person.

Instead, the Chosen One who came for her was... Krysaos.

Mina was not stupid.

She conversed at length to the Coral Boys. She spoke amicably to Lord Hades. Sir Tycon was surprisingly helpful when he wasn't performing his duties as a quartermaster-- but there were more than a few questions he dodged or outright refused to answer.

All the evidence she gathered indicated that Krysaos... was not pure of heart. He wasn't even a good person.

When she requested their help, she did not think much of the fact that he was human.

The concept was not something that deserved her consideration.

Humans can be pure of heart. From what she knew, the occurrence was rare... but humans were people too. Just as sahuagin and their allies are prone to vice and selfishness, goodly humans must exist.

Krysaos was a liar, a cheat, and a scoundrel. He drank in excess. He played with women's bodies and hearts.

He was a coward.

Why the Coral Boys heeded his commands... Mina could not understand.

She could not convince them to do otherwise... but she could refuse Krysaos until his bitter end... or hers.