chapter 17 - godlike

"It has chosen me. I don't understand," Tristin said, his voice tinged with confusion.

"The spirit of the leviathan is already within you. I can sense it. All you need to do is accept it," Zinhle's grandmother replied with unwavering confidence.

"But why me? Why is it in me?" Tristin's heart raced, and sweat formed on his forehead as he spoke.

"There are two reasons," she explained, raising two fingers in a peace sign.

Tristin and Zinhle leaned in, their eyes wide with anticipation.

"First," she raised one finger, pointing toward the ceiling, "your physique. You possess a pure water physic body type, ideal for a water spirit. Second, it likes you, or you treated it with kindness." She made the peace sign again.

"Body physique?" Tristin and Zinhle echoed, their voices overlapping in surprise.

"There are four types of body physiques: water, wind, earth, and fire. Each influences a person's character profoundly," Grandma Mnisi explained, her gaze steady and intense.

She paused briefly before continuing, "You embody the gentleness of water. Many rely on you for survival, just as we depend on water. Yet, you can be dangerous when angered, like raging water."

Grandma Mnisi glanced at Zinhle. "Zinhle has an earth body physique. She is shy but strong, capable of bearing much without complaint, just like the earth."

Tristin observed Zinhle for a moment, causing her face to flush. She averted her eyes, looking down.

Turning back to Grandma Mnisi, Tristin asked, "What is the leviathan, and how did it choose me?"

A hint of amusement flickered in Grandma Mnisi's eyes. "You were chosen and possess its power, yet you don't know what a leviathan is?"

Tristin nodded, feeling a bit sheepish. His upbringing had never included mythology or the Bible. His father, of mixed race and raised by a Dutch family, and his mother, raised by a nurse, had kept him in a world far removed from such beliefs.

"The first time I heard about the leviathan was from a homeless man I always buy dinner for in Bongsburg. After that, I dreamt of sinking deep into the ocean. When I told Zinhle, she mentioned the leviathan, so I asked her to contact you," Tristin explained, a hint of shame coloring his words.

"What did the homeless man say?" Grandma Mnisi's expression turned serious.

Tristin recounted the old man's strange questions and statements, leaving nothing out.

"When he tapped your forehead, he likely transferred his power to you. Leviathans often take human form but die if they stay on land too long," Grandma Mnisi speculated.

Tristin bit his thumbnail, lost in thought. "Grandma, can you tell me more about the leviathan?"

"The leviathan is a godlike creature, the spirit of water, the source of life. When God created the heavens and the earth, the earth was formless, and the spirit of God hovered above the waters. Deep in the depths lies the leviathan, which gave life to the earth," Grandma Mnisi explained.

Tristin's excitement grew. If he had the power of a godlike creature, his quest to avenge his parents might be possible. "How can I accept the power of the leviathan?"

"The power is already within you. To feel it, you must let go and allow the water to consume you, just like in your dream. Right now, you can only relax in your sleep, which is why you feel the power more clearly then but you keep fighting it, you should relax more," she instructed.

Grandma Mnisi took a bottle from a shelf full of traditional medicines. "Drink this before you sleep. It will help you relax and calm you down."

Tristin took the bottle, clear like water. "Thank—"

Zinhle interrupted, "Tristin, you don't say thank you after taking traditional medicine. It might lower its effect. Just take it."

Tristin, unfamiliar with traditional healer customs, nodded and slipped the bottle into his pocket.

Grandma Mnisi smiled. "After you accept the power, you need to be reborn. Your human body might not handle such power. We must perform a baptism ritual."

"Baptism?" Tristin's eyebrows knitted together in confusion.

"Yes, Tristin. Even Jesus couldn't use his full power before he was baptized," Grandma Mnisi said.

"This might be more complicated than I thought," Tristin muttered, worry evident in his tone.

"Don't overthink it. It will all make sense soon. For today, we are done. When you're ready to be baptized, let Zinhle know, and I will prepare. You can go now," Grandma Mnisi concluded.

Tristin hesitated, unsure if he should say thank you. "Grandma Mnisi, I'm off then," he said as he prepared to leave.

Zinhle stood up and walked him out.

As Tristin left, Grandma Mnisi thought, "When Tristin came to Bongsburg, he was already a king. His background makes him untouchable. Now he is blessed by a leviathan. His fate is far more powerful than anything I have ever seen."