Chapter 3- The marks
"I have never seen anything like this" Kane said as I showed him the strange markings the next day. They have yet to vanish and were really starting to worry me. Jeff too was also concerned. "I think you need to see Princess Kitana, she knows more about this than me" Kane suggested. My other concern was the realm job I did a while ago. I did have a few kinks, yet they weren't going away.
"When did you try that?" Kane asked. When I explained just last night, he suggested I wait 24 hours before trying again. Everyone's metabolism seems to have slowed down as of late and a day usually clears it all up.
I nodded to him and went to the realm after breakfast, just a glass of OJ for me today. I opted to go topless so the markings would be the first thing she notices… that and my gut… Damn pig.
I just appeared in the court when Kitana approached. "Matt!" she called, yet paused as he eyes came to my belly. Her fingers traced along the edges and strokes. She gave a gasp to it before her eyes looked into mine.
"So, you know what this means?" I asked of her.
She said nothing until she summoned her sorcerer Emac. Once he appeared and he too saw the odd symbols on my flesh, he nodded to the princess and went into a temple close by. She said nothing and yet he knew what needed to be done, I was worried. "Uh… what do you know?" I asked of her.
"There is nothing wrong with you" Kitana explain. Normally when someone tells you nothing is wrong with you, when you never asked what was wrong in the first place… something is defiantly wrong!
Emac returned a short time later with a jeweled urn. He spoke an odd incantation to open the container and passed it over to me. This was something special to them, why else would you need a spell to open it? I looked between Kitana and Emac. "What is it?" I asked.
Kitana explained it is royal jelly from the bees of Edina. So rare that it's made once every thousand years and never spoils. The thing felt like it weighed a ton of bricks, such a small container and yet heavy! "It's sacred to my people, but it is meant to be consumed by a dragon" she whispered lowly.
"But why me?" I asked.
"Because you need it most" Emac explained.
Gee, for someone who said nothing was wrong with me, there sure must be something wrong!
Reluctantly, I drank down the jelly. It was thicker than frozen peanut butter! Slowly it tricked out, as one massive glob. It stuffed into my mouth and felt like tar. I tried to chew it, but there was no give to it and it nearly sealed my jaw shut! I swallowed it whole and endured the bitter taste and horrible aftershock of it. Kitana smiled as he her my stomach churn and rumble oddly at first, but them it began to sound muffled. I felt full! Very full.
"You best go home and rest that swine off Matt" Kitana announced.
I nodded to her with uncertainty. Something stunk here, and it involved me! Well, I went home and told the others Kitana said nothing about the markings. It was Morrison who pointed out that the markings have vanished! Looking down, and in a mirror, they did disappear! But, why wasn't I at ease with it?
"Perhaps it was just dirt?" Miz questioned.
If it were, it would have come off as I tossed and turned at night. My stomach bubbled aloud, the sound was so massive, the whole hallway heard! Vince in particular! He quickly approached me and asked if I was ok. "Did you have anything odd to eat?" was one of the questions.
Now that he mentions it….
Vince wasn't certain and sent me to the trainer's room for a check up. I got the full physical as the doctor was rather disturbed by the bowel sounds, he was worried that I had a stomach flu or something. But then he noticed swelling. Grabbing a durable tape measure he brought it around my waist and held it. After every grumble, my stomach would expand! "Oh God, not this again!" I pleaded.
The trainer said to tell Kane, our doctor was familiar with our little misadventures. Especially ones including swine men, a full stomach and me!
I sought out Kane and told him what happened on Kitana's realm, he was startled to the news but to be safe, a clone was made of me. Kane remained with me for the rest of the night to see what was wrong.
Bluntly, I was getting fat… AGAIN!
Kane tried to figure out what would cause this, the jelly Kitana gave me could be an allergic reaction. If that's the case than my inner beast is a squirrel! "I can't be allergic Kane, I would be dead it that was the case!" I protested.
He saw no other reasoning for it, he suggested I sleep on it and we try to figure out where it goes from here.
Let me make one thing clear to anyone out there, if you feel something is wrong… DON'T EVER SLEEP ON IT!
I awoke the next morning, worst off than before!