The ocean stretches endlessly before you, its depths shimmering with unseen wonders. You and Kai swim together, the currents carrying you effortlessly through the vibrant underwater world. Schools of fish dart around you in synchronized patterns, their scales flashing like precious gems. The sea floor below is alive with color, teeming with coral and anemones that sway in the gentle push and pull of the tide.
As you swim, something catches your eye—a glint of light in the distance. You gesture to Kai, who nods and follows as you dive toward the source.
Nestled within a garden of coral lies a crown. It is exquisite, its intricate design mimicking the twisting shapes of coral branches. It seems to pulse faintly, glowing with an otherworldly light. The sight of it fills you with awe.
“Look at this,” you murmur, reaching out.
Kai hesitates. “It’s beautiful, but…what is it?”
You don’t answer. As your fingers brush the crown, a jolt of energy surges through you. You feel the power radiating from it, a force ancient and potent. It feels like it belongs to you, like it was waiting for you.
“Prince Tide,” Poseidon’s voice booms in your mind, sudden and urgent. “**Do not—**”
The warning is cut off, his voice muffled as though drowned beneath the weight of the ocean. You blink, momentarily disoriented, but the crown’s allure pulls you back.
“It’s perfect,” you say, lifting it from its resting place. “A king should wear a crown.”
“Are you sure?” Kai asks, concern flickering across his face.
You smile, reassuring him. “This is meant for me.”
Before he can protest further, you place the crown upon your head.
The moment it settles into place, a wave of power crashes through you, stronger than anything you’ve felt before. It’s exhilarating, intoxicating. Your vision sharpens, the colors of the ocean growing more vivid, and your body tingles as the energy courses through you.
But beneath the euphoria, something stirs—a whisper, faint and insidious. You barely notice it at first, too consumed by the rush of power.
“**Yes…yes…this is how it should be,**” the voice murmurs.
The crown’s influence begins subtly. Thoughts that are not your own weave into your mind, aligning seamlessly with your desires. You feel an odd connection to the coral around you, as if it recognizes you as its master. You swim onward, your movements more commanding, your presence more imposing.
Over the following days, the changes intensify. The whispers grow louder, more persuasive, their tone shifting from soft encouragement to firm declarations. You find yourself agreeing with them, their logic undeniable.
“**Strength must be absolute,**” the voice insists. “**Only the powerful deserve to rule. The weak are but tools to be shaped.**”
And you nod, convinced.
Your body begins to change, reflecting the crown’s influence. Your shimmering scales darken, the radiant blues and greens replaced by deep, inky black. They gleam like obsidian, their edges sharp as blades. Your muscles swell further, each transformation accompanied by a surge of euphoria. You revel in the changes, feeling more godlike with each passing moment.
The coral crown grows heavier on your head, its branches extending downward. Small, intricate pieces of coral begin to form along your shoulders and chest, like natural armor. They spread slowly at first, but you welcome them, seeing them as a sign of your growing power.
Kai notices the changes, his worry evident. “Tide, something’s happening to you,” he says one day, his voice tinged with fear.
“Something wonderful,” you reply, your voice deeper, more resonant.
“But…you’re different. This isn’t you.”
You laugh, the sound echoing through the water. “This is who I was meant to be. Let me show you.”
You turn to him, your golden eyes now glowing with a faint red hue. The crown pulses, and you feel its power flowing outward, wrapping around Kai like an unseen tide. He tries to resist, but it’s futile.
“Trust me,” you say, your voice layered with an unnatural, commanding undertone.
Kai gasps as the transformation begins. His body convulses, his muscles tensing and expanding as the crown’s influence takes hold. His scales darken, mirroring your own, and coral begins to form along his arms and shoulders. He moans, the changes wracking his body with a mix of pain and pleasure.
“Tide…what’s happening?” he manages to say, his voice trembling.
“You’re becoming stronger,” you say, your tone almost tender. “Like me.”
As his transformation completes, he floats before you, his once-vivid blue scales now black, his form larger and more imposing. The fear in his eyes fades, replaced by a fierce loyalty.
“Thank you,” he says, his voice filled with reverence.
You smile, running a clawed hand along his newly-formed coral armor. “You’re welcome, my friend.”
The crown’s whispers grow louder, more insistent. “**Spread my dominion. The seas shall bow to us.**”
The coral armor on your body spreads rapidly now, encasing your chest and arms in intricate patterns. It feels like an extension of yourself, both protective and empowering. You flex your hands, the claws at your fingertips sharper than ever, and laugh as the transformation continues.
Your tail lengthens, the fin at its end becoming more elaborate, resembling a fan of jagged obsidian. Your spine arches, additional fins forming along your back, their edges lined with delicate, coral-like spines. You feel invincible, unstoppable.
Poseidon’s voice breaks through the haze for a brief moment. “**Tide, you must resist! The crown is corrupt—**”
But his words are drowned out once more, the crown’s influence overwhelming. You laugh again, the sound darker this time, echoing with a sinister undertone.
“Why would I resist?” you say aloud, your voice carrying through the water. “This is who I was meant to be. A king. A god.”
Kai kneels before you, his eyes filled with adoration. “What now, my prince?”
“We build a kingdom,” you say, your voice thunderous with authority. “The seas will be ours.”
The coral crown pulses, and you feel its satisfaction. The transformation is complete, and you embrace it fully, reveling in your newfound power. The ocean itself seems to bow to you, the currents shifting in your favor. You and Kai swim onward, your dark forms cutting through the water like shadows.
And as the coral spreads across your body, you rejoice, knowing that the seas—and all who dwell within them—will soon kneel before their true king.