Guntic rubbed the back of his neck; face flushed under the salt-streaked beard. "Sorry; kid. Should've asked proper instead of jumping to blades."
Garnet sheathed her dagger fully; her tall frame slumping a bit as she adjusted her glasses. "Me too. Didn't mean to corner you like that."
Uzi waved it off; sinking back onto the bench. "It's fine. Simple accident."
He wanted to ponder for a second; let the sea air clear his head. Guntic and Garnet exchanged awkward glances; then sat down across from each other; murmuring low about the mistake; voices embarrassed; faces turned away from him.
Uzi stared at the waves; thoughts churning deeper than the water. When I was god; I would never just think about killing people to get what I want; or even kidnapping. Why did I think that? Also; I've been thinking; why this body? It's strange; the holy magic flows through me; but it's like it's being limited; and these things in my brain; starting to care what people think. I think that's what it was; but to follow it by wanting to hurt people I care about; just to get what I want; what is happening to me?
He noticed his hand shaking; faint tremors running from wrist to fingertips.
Then a voice behind him; low and echoing: "Why are you here."
Uzi darted around; heart slamming. Nobody there. The deck empty except for Guntic and Garnet; still chatting quietly. The voice; he didn't recognize it; but it felt familiar; he couldn't explain it.
Garnet glanced up; brow furrowed behind her glasses. "Anything wrong?"
Uzi swallowed; forced a nod. "I'm okay."
Then he jumped back; falling onto the floor with a thud that jarred his scars. He saw it; a face in the water; rippling just off the boat's side. His face; not the one from his old body; this new one; staring up blank and unblinking.
Uzi yelled; "What the fuck!" as Guntic and Garnet raced to help him up; hands grabbing his arms.
Uzi thought to himself; what the hell was that.
Garnet crouched beside him, her voice low but urgent. "Uzi, what the hell happened? Talk to me."
Guntic scooped the dropped cane off the deck and pressed it back into Uzi's hand. "Easy, kid. Breathe."
Uzi sat heavily, legs shaky, cane clutched like a lifeline. His words came out sloppy, half-mumbled. "I-I saw something. A face. My face. In the water. Staring up. And that voice... like we're not alone on this boat."
He stared at his own trembling fingers, the teardrop brand pulsing faintly under the skin. "I'm seeing things. I almost feel like we're not alone."
Garnet and Guntic exchanged a quick look. Uzi caught it, but his mind was too scrambled to care. Something deep in his gut whispered that this body was to blame; the mark, the limits, the sudden flood of fear and anger and doubt that had never belonged to him before.
After a minute of forced small talk (weather, the boat's speed, anything safe), Uzi's breathing evened out. He leaned his head back against the rail, eyes half-closed, trying to shove the image of that blank, staring face back under the waves.
Garnet waited until she was sure Uzi wasn't listening, then edged closer to Guntic, voice barely above the wind. "Old man... are we sure this boy's beneficial right now? He looks half a step from cracking. Hallucinations on open water aren't exactly reassuring."
Guntic scratched his beard, eyes never leaving Uzi's pale, shaken profile. "I know what I saw back in the forest, Garnet. That light of his melted poison like sunrise on snow. Cracked or not, we need him if Rowan's still breathing. Besides... something's riding him hard. I've seen cursed marks before. That teardrop ain't decoration."
Garnet exhaled through her nose, arms folding tight. "Fine. But if he starts screaming at the ocean again, you're tying him down, not me."
Uzi didn't hear them. He just stared at his shaking hand, the reflection in the water now nothing but blue ripples, and wondered how much of him was still him at all.
What the fuck?
Garnet sat down, just thinking about that kid.
The day went by pretty normal after that, Uzi recovered himself, as he started to help the 2 do chores around the boat.
Later....
"Wait... Why am I helping like this?" Uzi started.
"Im a god, but its like i have a slightly difrent personailty now. I mean its not like I was not kind or nice, its just that id never do something like this, offerin to clean the floors..." Uzi just simply questioned himself.
I wonder.....