The world was silent.
No wind. No sound. Just stillness.
Sbu floated in a vast space that shimmered like water and burned like fire. The air was thick with light — not sunlight, but the glow of something older, wiser, and terrifyingly alive. He tried to breathe, but the air itself hummed, vibrating through his lungs.
> "So… you finally arrived," a deep voice said.
The light parted, revealing an endless plain of white sand beneath a sky split by two silver moons. Figures began to appear — shadows that grew clearer with every heartbeat.
Men and women dressed in traditional Swazi warrior garb stood in a wide circle. Their eyes blazed like embers, their forms half-translucent, their presence heavy with power.
And at the center sat an old man on a throne made of bone and glowing stones. His face was carved with age, but his eyes burned with unending fire.
> "Sibusiso Mthembu," the old man said, his voice echoing like thunder. "Blood of our blood. The earth trembles again, and the name of our clan shall not fade into dust."
Sbu fell to one knee instinctively. "A-are you… my ancestors?"
> "All of us," said a tall woman with white tattoos covering her skin. "The hunters, the warriors, the healers. We have watched your world change. We have watched this 'qi' invade your skies. And now… we have found a way to make it ours."
Lungelo appeared beside him, tail flicking lazily. "They've been waiting for this, kid. I told you they were dramatic."
> "Silence, lion," the old man said without looking at him.
Lungelo grinned. "See? Dramatic."
Sbu tried not to laugh, but his nerves betrayed him. "I—I don't understand. You're saying… you can make me stronger?"
The old man nodded.
> "We can make you different."
Another ancestor stepped forward — a man with smoke swirling around his arms.
> "Qi is chaos — raw energy from the heavens. Humans are weak because they absorb it without refinement. But we…"
He reached his hand into the air. The entire world seemed to tremble as wisps of light — red, blue, green, gold — swirled around him.
> "We have plundered the qi from this realm and the next, purified it, and shaped it. What remains are the purest molecules — essence threads — carrying the roots of all the ancestors- light"
Another voice joined in, this one soft but commanding.
> "These threads will not flow through your meridians like others. They will merge with your bones, seep into your marrow, and turn your blood into a living conduit of creation."
Sbu's breath caught. "You mean… you're giving me—"
> "A divine bloodline," the old man finished. "Born from purity, anchored in our lineage. You will not wield qi as others do. It will obey you."
The circle of ancestors began to chant — deep, rhythmic words that shook the very air. The ground beneath Sbu cracked open, glowing veins of color spreading like rivers.
Lungelo yawned.
> "Just don't scream too much, kid. It's supposed to sting."
Sbu barely had time to glare at him before pain slammed into his chest. It wasn't like being burned or cut — it was being remade.
His bones turned molten. His blood glowed. Every heartbeat sent a shockwave through his body as energy drilled into his marrow, layer by layer, rewriting his very existence.
He screamed — once, twice — then everything exploded in light.
The ancestors' voices merged into one, rising above the chaos:
> "Rise, child of the Mthembu bloodline. Bear the divine core of our heritage."
And then, silence again.
When Sbu opened his eyes, he was lying on the sand. His veins pulsed faintly with light — gold mixed with deep blue. His body felt weightless, alive, and terrifyingly powerful.
Lungelo padded up beside him and smirked.
> "Well, congratulations. You're officially a walking energy drink. The fancy kind."
Sbu laughed weakly. "What… what did they do to me?"
> "They gave you what no one else on Earth has," Lungelo said proudly. "A divine bloodline… and a massive headache."
The old man's voice echoed one last time before fading.
> "Remember, child — divinity means nothing if your heart strays from the path. Power without balance destroys its wielder. Find your balance, and you will lead the new era."
As the light faded, Sbu felt himself being pulled back. The sands dissolved beneath him, and the voices of the ancestors faded into whispers.