FSE

Furry search engine

formerly SoFurry search engine

The beating sun hung high in its waterless ocean and let its everburning light wash over everything in sight. In the Namatok Forest, small rodents burrowed under trees, snakes slid under rocks, and birds nested deep in the treetops to escape the sun's fiery blessing. The only one to endure such intolerable heat was a lion by the name of Ander. The 160 pound feline had the typical get up of a hiker, a cloth hat with a 360 degree brim, long durable pants, a thin long-sleeved shirt, and a backpack. But the state he was in suggested he had been through much more than a hike. His clothes had holes and tears along with patches of dirt staining the ragged fabric. Sweat covered and dripped off his shirt, leaving dots on the ground that evaporated in seconds. He walked with a gait, his left leg awkwardly pushing against the crunching blanket of leaves. The lion trudged on.

Ander's feet moved with a steady, regular beat. His glazed eyes were focused forward, not bothering to take in any of the scenery around him. He was in autopilot, a state brought on by lack of food and increased exhaustion. A mosquito buzzed around Ander's ear. Unflinching, a hand came up to wave it off. Nothing could stop him. He couldn't allow anything to stop him.

Ander worked for Igneon Archaeology Services. Like most other companies in that field, this one dealt with the down-on-the-ground hammer/chisel/brush work that was commonly used to unearth ancient signs of past civilizations. But there was another section to Igneon, the one Ander worked in, the Artifact Preservation department. It was a smaller part of the company, designating fieldwork grunts to various sections of the Earth to scout areas for excavation. Ander liked to call his department "the Extraction Team".

Ander blinked. He looked up and saw the expansive blue sky. There was a distinct lack of trees leaning overhead and shade the leaves provided. Turning his body around slightly, he noticed that he had made it out of the forest. He looked forward again. The trail continued on, taunting his determination with its steepening incline and his destination nowhere in sight.

Despite the unfavorable situation he was in the lion enjoyed his work. Igneon covered his travel expenses, paid for his meals abroad, and had excellent health coverage. And for any artifact or potential excavation site reported, he got a hefty bonus. This assignment was particularly important. His wife Dorothy was pregnant with their second child. Pretty soon there would be another mouth to feed and Ander would need the money.

He slung his backpack around to let it hang in front of him. He unzipped the pocket and pulled out his canteen, taking a long swig to quench the insatiable thirst he had developed. Capping the canteen, he gave it a quick shake. The quiet splattering he heard was disheartening. With about two mouthfuls left, Ander knew he had to finish his task as quickly as possible. He swung the backpack to its rightful position. He cleared his throat with a small cough, and then continued on his journey.

Throughout his hike, Ander thought about two things. First, he had to keep his mind on the route he was trekking. He had no map and no compass so to reach his destination he had to repeat the directions the locals had given him. His second thought was the reason he didn't have his proper navigational tools. He had them just a couple days. Until he made a foolish mistake.

A lion stuck out like a sore thumb amongst weasels, shrews, and otters, the likes of which consisted of the majority of the population in Salavann, a small town in Laos. Despite the stares and awkward conversations with the locals, he was able to gather enough information for his search. He heard stories, myths, and legends, and with persistence and luck, Ander calculated an area in a distant mountain that could be the site of an ancient temple. A temple means there's a good chance religious relics or archaic items could be lost or abandoned, something his employers would be interested in.

During his investigation, he made his way to a bar, which is where he came across a fellow traveler, this one an alligator. His scales were dark green, yet they had a clean sheen to them. He was much taller and bulkier, at least 6 foot 5 and probably 220 pounds of muscle and fat. Trailing behind him was a long tail. From its thickness and scars Ander guessed the gator used the tail for more than swimming.

Meeting a foreigner, especially one who spoke English, was a welcome sight. So he made conversation with the gator, whom he learned went by the name Zresh. It wasn't anything too friendly, just two lonely people getting a chance to talk with another soul. They shared a few rounds of drinks, having a few laughs at each other's stories.

Ander didn't drink a lot that night, but he was a lightweight. His mind shrouded in drunken clouds. In his affected state, he had no filter and so his mouth ran off, telling Zresh information he normally kept privileged, including the reason for his stay. He talked about his job, about the artifacts that could be hidden if he is successful in locating them. The suddenly very interested reptile nodded and grinned when he heard about the value of these archaic objects, if they existed.

The next day, Ander woke up in a minor state of confusion. His body wasn't affected by a hangover, fortunately, but he had a sudden absence in awareness. His motel room's door was open and his room looked a lot emptier than it was.

It took him 3 seconds to realize he'd been robbed.

Some of his equipment was gone: machete, dry food, medical pack, and most importantly, his map and compass. Memories of last night slowly came back, awaking as if from their own sleep. Ander smacked his forehead, scolding himself for all the information he leaked to the gator. On the map he'd drawn a circle on the mountain where the artifacts were supposed to be. The only reason the map would be gone is if someone else was looking for them too.

Ander had no time to lose. He gathered all his remaining items and rushed to check out. He had to get to the site before Zresh. Whatever artifact was up there, he couldn't risk losing it, and the bonus commission, to this thief. He remembered there were two ways to his destination. One route was long though there weren't many obstacles in the way. The other way was rockier, sometimes literally, but it was shorter. It went through countryside known for dangerous animals and poisonous plants. There were rapid rivers he had to cross and some rock climbing involved as well. He didn't know which way Zresh went but he knew he had to take the shorter route.

Ander did his best to keep the journey so far out of his mind. He found himself in many scenarios where he could have been seriously injured. He'd escaped them all but he still received plenty of minor injuries. His mind was so focused on moving forward he didn't notice the towering structure to his right. Only when the trail he was following disappeared did he take a look at what he almost missed. When he turned around he saw the trail making a sharp turn. He followed the road with his eyes and saw the temple.

It was an old structure, as he expected. Its walls were made of faded orange-brown bricks and stained by dirt and dust that the wind picked up. Visually it was as unappealing as an abandoned warehouse. Nothing was painted, like the temples in Cambodia or Thailand. The only thing impressive about it was its architecture. From 100 meters away, Ander could tell the structure was large. As he approached its entrance, he could see that the temple was built to house a large volume. The side facing him stretched at least the width of two average corporate buildings side to side and it's length was probably even longer. The temple itself didn't seem very tall, at least two stories, maybe three. Sticking out from its roof was a long spire. It was a common sight among temples, but Ander still felt some amazement that this ancient one would have one still. At the very least, he'd have expected that time and weather would have broken the spire into a separate pieces.

He stepped in through the open doorway. Ander sighed in relief to see that no one was in the temple. Either Zresh hadn't made it here yet, or that he was already here and left. Whichever it was, he was glad he didn't have to see that deceptive reptile.

The inside of the temple was just as plain as the outside. The entire place consisted of just a single, though rather large, room. He could visualize hundreds of people filling up this space up during their times of worship, all facing the back of the temple. He walked to the back of the room, which took a good minute. He gave a breath of relief. There were the remains of a statue. It was broken, so only the legs remained, but it was still something Igneon might still be interested.

He felt himself collapse, his body finally giving out to get the rest it needed. It wasn't much, but there was bound to be more things around this area. He lied back on the ground. His body was exhausted and pleaded for sleep but his mind was too excited to even doze for a second. Things were finally going his way.

"Damn, finally! Something interesting to see."

Ander blinked. Did he just hear a voice?

"Shit, is there even anything left here?"

Ander sat up. He knew that voice. Though the figure was far away, the green scales and the long tail were easily noticeable from far away. Zresh.

"Ander?" Apparently, the gator noticed the feline. "When'd you get here?" he asked, an insincere warmth in his voice.

Ander got on his paws and trotted over to meet the gator halfway in the middle. "Screw you, Zresh. Give me back my things!" He wanted to slug the smug reptile across the maw but considering their size differences, a fight is one thing Ander didn't want to start.

"Now, now, that's no way to greet a fellow traveler," Zresh said innocently.

"It's how to greet a thief, you thief," Ander retorted. He was growling under his breath. He felt heat behind his neck, a sign of how hot tempered he was right now.

Now what do we have here?" The gator pushed past the fuming feline as he walked to the end of the temple.

"Hey!" Ander called out. "Give me back my stuff!" But his command fell upon deaf ears as the gator walked up to the broken statue. Cursing under his breath, he ran after Zresh. That statue was his discovery, and knowing the gator now, he couldn't let him steal his credit for finding it.

When he reached Zresh, Ander saw the gator was scowling.

"This is it?" he snarled. Ander wasn't sure if that question was directed at him or if he talking to himself, as the gator kept his gaze on the broken statue. "I doubt I would make much off of this, even if I could move it. I was expecting jewels or golden idols or something."

Ander couldn't help but laugh. "What do you think this is? A treasure hunt?"

Zresh ignored the lion and knelt down. Ander noticed that he was gazing at an object at the base of the statue. It was a spherical object, about the size of a softball. It was covered in dust, blending in with the statue, which is why Ander hadn't noticed it at first.

Zresh blew hard at the ball, removing some of the filth off. Though still caked with dust, it was easier to see that this sphere was very smooth, an odd cleanliness amidst the unevenly carved statues and temple. From the corner of his eye, Ander could see a grin form on the gator's face.

"Hey, hey," Ander called out, alarmed at what Zresh could be thinking, "I was here first. This is all mine."

The smile disappeared from the gator's face. He stood straight up and looked down on the lion.

Ander swallowed hard, but kept his composure in check. "Listen, you can't have anything here. I got here first, it's rightfully mine."

Zresh blinked. Ander felt a sweat broke out. He had been angry at the gator just moments ago, but that anger turned to fear when he saw how menacing the gator can look. Then to his surprise, the gator let out a chuckle.

"I suppose finder's keepers, right? You did beat me here. Without a map even. I think you deserve it." Ander let out a sigh of relief. It seems even the brutish of beasts can see reason. "Let me give you back your stuff." The gator knelt on one knee, unzipping his backpack.

Ander smiled. Turns out his mission was a success after all. He wiped the sweat that gathered on his brow.

He gasped when the backpack slammed into his chest. He lost his balance and fell onto the floor. He rolled a few times before coming to a stop. Confused, he looked up.

The gator was standing between him and the statue. He held a strap of his backpack in both hands. With a grunt, he reached into the pack and pull out his machete, tossing the used backpack aside.

Ander got back up on his feet, despite soreness across chest. He backed up as the gator walked forward, holding the machete in front of him. The lion huffed disapprovingly. That machete was his, before Zresh stole it. But a sword is only loyal to its handler, and right now Ander was on the wrong end of the machete.

"You think I care about whether you found it first?" Zresh spat, " All that matters is who leaves with the artifact. And if you want it, you have to come through me."

Ander felt cold sweat drip down his face. He didn't think the gator would get this violent.

"You're not really going to use that, are you? You're going to kill me for a piece of stone?" Ander tried his reasoning tactics again. Stealing is one thing. Bodily harm was a whole other thing.

"Not unless you have a good mind to leave right now."

All of Ander's being urged him to flee. He couldn't possibly hope to win a fight against an armed built gator. He took a few steps backward, toward the exit. The gator smirked, turning his back to the scared lion to look at the orb again.

As Ander stepped back, thoughts about his family sprung up. His smiling wife, her hands on her enlarged stomach. His son running around the park, playing with his toys. Assignments were scarce nowadays. He needed this artifact.

He narrowed his eyes. If this alligator wanted a fight, he'd get one. He took a step forward. Then broke into a full sprint. He winced as his left foot still ached but kept his focus on the gator. He saw Zresh turn around at the sound of his pattering footsteps. He saw an amused smile form on his lips. He brought his machete arm around his chest, ready to perform a backhand slash.

Ander knew he only had one chance. He got close to the gator. Once he saw Zresh's arm move to slice, he fell into a slide. He slid, right beside the gator. He heard a "what the" and the wind whoosh. Ander jumped back onto his feet and ran up to the statue. He grabbed the orb off the statue. He didn't have time to rest though. He darted to the left, hugging the walls to get around the gator.

"Get back here!" he heard Zresh bark.

Ander smiled. If there's something Ander could beat Zresh at, it was a foot race. He felt warmth emanate from the orb. It spread up his arm the way a sweater eased the cold out of the body. But he could tell something was wrong when he felt the warmth intensify into a blaze.

He felt his legs stop moving as all his focus was on his arm. What was going on?

"Alright, give it up" he heard panting behind him. "How about if we split the profits? No more of this back and forth bullshit." The reptile must not have known what was going on.

Ander felt the heat transfer into the rest of his body. For the second time that day, he felt fear. Did he accidentally unleash some ancient curse that was going to kill him? Whatever was happening was not natural which made the whole situation scarier.

Then in an instant, any discomfort was replaced by unbelievable pleasure. It was like someone pumped his body with drugs to make him high, though the drugs affected his body, not just his mind.

He felt his body capable of moving again. Though his tight clothing made it uncomfortable to move much. Wait, when were his clothing so tight? He looked down, his mouth open in silent gasp. Somehow his body filled out his entire clothes with bulk.

"Hey, what's going on?" Zresh asked behind him.

He tried to say that he didn't know, but another wave of pleasure hit and all that escaped was a low moan.

What the hell! What's going on with your body! Is-is it growing?" Zresh, who had stepped around to get a view of Ander's front side, exclaimed.

In response, the inflating lion flexed both his arms. With a loud rip, his sleeves ripped, unable to contain the massive power building in his biceps and triceps.

"Whatever's going on, it feels goo-oooood, ah!" He had trouble finishing his sentence as a growth wave hit. His arms ripped more of his shirt, his forearms soon visible in showing off the feline's new strength. He felt his hands thicken with sinew and expand until he could hold the artifact like a baseball.

His shoulders broadened, leading to a rip to trail from his collar down to his midback. His traps bulged out, surrounding his neck with muscle. His back widened, further tearing pulling the fabric of his clothes apart. He felt himself stretch, as his spine lengthened, giving his muscles even more room to grow.

With a mighty roar that shook Zresh to the core, he pulled at his shirt, easily coming off like ripping paper. Exposing his front body, two massive pillows sat at the top of his chest and they only continued to puff up larger with each breath. Below his chest, his abs were getting thicker. Deep ridges defined all eight impenetrable cobblestone.

His lower body wasn't being left behind. Beginning with a tear at the bottom of his pant leg, the seams of his pants split apart, a trail leading up past his ballooning calves. The trail continued, slowly ripping apart by the massive power of his thunder thighs. Annoyed by his loose pants, he ripped them off too, leaving himself in just his underwear, a very noticeable bulge hidden underneath. In his power hungry state he stamped his right foot on the ground, rumbling the temple while also ripping apart his shoe. He did the same with the left foot, which no longer pained him. He rubbed his feet against the ground, feeling the warm stone underneath.

Feeling the need to use his muscles, he flexed his entire body, showing off how thick and mighty each part of him. The sore, aching lion was no more and replaced with an energized, hulking bodybuilder.

A sudden sharp pain stung at his hand, like being poked by a sharp stick. He subsequently heard metal clattering and upon further investigation saw a machete on the ground. He looked back at his hand, expecting to find a cut. But he found none. His skin had grown thicker with his muscles. At least 10 feet tall and 200 hundred pounds heavier, nothing could stop him, not even the once mighty Zresh.

Ander turned to look for the suddenly quiet reptile. The green gator was running towards the exit. His posture was awkward; he wasn't using both his hands, his right arm hidden from view.

Ander looked down at his hands. His empty hands.

Cursing, the augmented lion looked back at Zresh. He had fallen onto his knees, slumped down as though gravity had more effect on his body.

Using his improved leg muscles, he dashed for the scaly thief. His tremendous power got him to Zresh in 3 seconds. But he was still too late.

Zresh was writhing uncomfortably, and Ander could see his clothes tightening around his scales. Ander could see his body pulse, absorbing the energy that was kept hidden inside this unassuming white orb. Heavy grunts filled his ears, the orb having similar effect on the alligator as it did with the lion.

Except it wasn't similar at all.

"Oh yes, give it to me!" Zresh cried out, holding the orb tightly in his hands. "Yes, yes!"

It was like filling a balloon with a leaf blower. Except the balloon didn't pop.

Zresh's shirt exploded off his shirt. His pecs jutted out in front, two mountains growing like trees. Each mound was already bigger than Ander's enlarged hand and continued filling out. His back broadened, adding more meat to his upper body. So much muscle packed on that the gator could have resembled a top. But his proportions started evening out as the lower half of his torso widened, including his abs. Eight mounds, as thick as bricks, punched forth from his stomach.

Zresh's growth wasn't steady at all like Ander's. Somehow the alligator was able to siphon the artifact's energy at a quicker rate.

"This is incredible! Yes, feed me, make me bigger!" Zresh demanded. The orb complied with Zresh's desire. His shoulders bulged into bowling balls and the magic travelled down to his already impressive arms. His biceps fed on the mysterious force, enlarging bigger than footballs, bigger than Ander's head! His forearms also thickened, toughening up to become harder than stone. His hands and fingers followed suit, getting so big Zresh had to continue holding the orb with just his left hand.

"Oh god, the power! Ah my legs, I can feel it, ohh!" What Zresh could feel, Ander could plainly see. It was like someone stuffed dynamite into the gator's pants because in one second, only fabrics remained, as both of Zresh's legs shredded his pants from growing alone. His calves and thighs emanated power, as his poor trousers got a taste of. Shaped sharply like diamonds, his legs could no doubt give and withstand numerous pounds of pressure. Even his feet were touched by the orb's magic, elongating its way out of its confining shoes. A single toe, as thick as a sausage, could have as much strength as an average man's finger. And the claws that lined at the end of his feet were probably sharper than broken glass and as tough as titanium. A kick with one foot, powered by the strength of his leg, could do more damage than SWAT's battering ram.

Saliva was spilling out of Zresh's mouth, the pleasure of the growth numbing his mind. He was taking deep, heavy breaths as he felt his body becoming the model for every bodybuilder.

Ander could only gawk as the gator continued filling up. How Zresh could summon this much power from the orb, he did not know. But Zresh just kept growing, way past 12 feet with hundreds and hundreds of pounds of muscle. But just when it seemed that Zresh would grow on limitlessly, he just stopped.

Once the growth finally slowed down, the open room was left with a silent gaping lion and a huffing sweaty beast.

Huff...huff...huff...

Nobody did anything. Ander, still on the floor, was hypnotized by the Zresh's awesome figure. Sure, the lion had the potential now to be a very successful bodybuilder, but the gator possessed the power to be the equivalent of a tank. And Ander's never seen anyone move a tank.

Zresh stood straight and firm, as thick and unmoving as a sequoia tree. His legs lined up unevenly, his left leg behind his right, showing off that powerful thigh. His arms hung loose against his body. His hands were curled into fists, ready to throw a punch with enough force to drive a nail into wood. His chest heaved in and out, upgraded lungs drawing in mass volumes of air. His head slanted down, his unfocused eyes looking straight at the ground. His mouth was open, his tongue sticking out just slightly as oxygen passed back and forth.

Zresh had a tight grip on the orb, though all of its power was spent. His thick, sharp claws guarded the artifact, making any thought of stealing the orb undesirable.

Huff...huff...huff...

Still nobody moved. Several thoughts ran through Ander's mind. How could he get the orb back? Can he take on someone who's a giant to a giant? Should he attempt a sneak attack and make a grab at the orb? His thoughts were interrupted as Zresh came back to his senses.

It was as though Zresh was coming off a deep sleep. He blinked, looking around a bit in momentary confusion. Then he looked down at himself.

"Oh yeah," Zresh boomed, stretching out the "oh". "Now this is some artifact." He flexed both his arms, examining the bulging sinew and the veins around them. He looked down, trying to give himself a thorough look over. He tried craning his neck to see his back, but his puffed up shoulders blocked his view. He lifted his tail, feeling its new weight. Satisfied, he let it drop with a resounding thump, startling the still gawking lion from his trance.

Ander came to his senses, and he knew he had to stop Zresh from getting any bigger. He thought about possibilities, different methods in retrieving the orb while taking the least amount of damage. It was difficult to figure out exactly how, though. A single swipe of Zresh's arm would probably hurt a lot.

Looking around, he spotted the machete Zresh had used. The machete's sharp edge would sting, so like what happened to Ander, Zresh could reflexively drop the orb as well. The machete's length would provide some distance from the gator's claws. Hopefully the artifact could at least withstand being dropped. Ander tried to think of another method, but nothing else came to mind.

Using his feline instincts, Ander quickly moved towards the machete. He kept his body low to the ground to avoid attracting attention. His quick movements contrasted the near silence his paws made. Upon reaching his stolen possession, he gripped the hilt and lifted it off the ground, tensing his arms to keep the machete parallel to the ground. Once comfortable in his hand, he crept towards Zresh. The gator must have been in his own world, as he hadn't even checked for the lion since his growth. Ander smiled at what would be Zresh's biggest mistake. He'd take the orb and get away as fast as possible. There would be no way for the gator to find him once he got to the forest.

He pulled back his arm to throw, aiming straight at the gator's hand. Then he relaxed his arm, letting the sword drop. Mentally, he redid his plans. Throwing would be risky, as the machete's shape and center of balance would make being accurate unlikely. So Ander decided to run and swing at Zresh's arm. He didn't want to risk hitting the ball if he aimed for the hand, plus he wouldn't mind giving the gator a scar to remember him by. The machete wasn't that sharp so it probably wouldn't cut through the gator's meaty arm.

Taking a deep breath, Ander ran as quickly as he could while maintaining a low profile. He did his best to keep his breath quiet. Once he was a few steps away from the orb, he went into a full sprint and leaped, machete overhead, poised to strike.

He may as well have been trying to split a rock.

The machete shattered, the blade breaking into two big pieces and several smaller ones. As Ander landed back on the ground, he stared dumbfounded at the broken hilt in his hands. The broken blade landed by his feet.

Zresh grunted in confusion, turning over his arm to inspect the damage. There was none.

He barked out laughing. "Was that suppose to do something, kitty? If you really want to hurt someone, you gotta do it like this!"

Ander froze in place when he saw the towering beast head his way. He felt empathy for all the prey at the bottom of food chain. He threw his broken machete at the beast, in a feeble attempt of defending himself, but the gator merely blocked it with his bare arm, not missing a stride.

In his final steps to the lion, Zresh lifted his right arm to his side, flexing his godly bicep in a show of the power that will be exerted on Ander. Grinning, he pulled back his arm, ready to fire down on the feline.

What followed was huge boom, like a cannonball hitting the side of a ship, followed by a downpour of bricks. Being unhumanly tall from the orb, Zresh hadn't realized how close to the ceiling he was. When he lifted his hand, it struck with enough force to add a sun roof to the temple.

Zresh and Ander both coughed at the dust that formed. Bricks had fallen on both of them, but their bulky bodies resisted any damage. Zresh looked down, ready to continue his interrupted pummeling, when the sound of bricks cracking got louder and louder. Zresh looked up just in time to see the temple's spire collapsing above. He dived away, falling onto his knees and covering his head.

Ander ran the moment Zresh's eyes left him. But even away from the demolition area, he still yelped from the impact the spire made. The temple's floor shook, causing Ander to misstep and trip on the floor.

He shielded his face as bricks slid around him, some even hitting his torso and his legs. Eventually the dust settled, and everything was still again.

Ander picked himself off the ground, patting his fur of dirt. Inspecting the damage, he saw that the temple was completely ruined. Seventy-five percent of the roof came undone, allowing sunlight to spread all around the temple. A mess of bricks covered the middle of the temple, like a child who poured Legos from a box onto a single point on the floor. The spire had shattered at multiple points, even taking out part of the western wall.

Ander walked towards the mountain of bricks. He couldn't see Zresh, who was probably buried underneath all the rubble. Ander wondered if he was okay.

Slowly, the bricks shifted, falling on each other. The scaly beast rose with heavy grunts. Rolling his shoulders and his neck, Zresh checked himself over.

"Ho ho, not a scratch on me!" Zresh laughed, seemingly to no one. Ander couldn't believe that the gator was unfazed. He's had hundreds of pounds of hard bricks drop on him. Zresh flexed his indestructible muscles, sunlight reflecting off the shiny scales.

"Hey, what? Where is it!" Ander wasn't sure what Zresh was talking about until he saw that the Zresh was checking his hands. His empty hands.

That big sack of meat dropped the orb.

Zresh immediately started digging through brick after brick, flinging them into the walls. Ander followed suit, searching through the perimeter of the mountain in case the orb somehow rolled away.

The next five minutes was full of shifting bricks, grunts, and disappointed sighs.

It has to be here, it has to be!" Zresh cried, stomping on a lone brick through sheer frustration. Only refined dust remained.

Ander felt anxious, too. He wanted to find the orb. First, to return to his company and get the bonus money. Second, to get bigger to stop the gator from stealing it from him. Maybe in reverse order. He had to admit to himself that he did not mind getting larger. Before, he never trained to build muscle mass but now, having a bodybuilder's physique and seeing Zresh resist any external forces changed his mind.

As Ander walked along a wall, he thought he saw something reflect in his eye. Instinctively he looked up toward the hole on the western wall. He squinted to get a good look at what it was. It was the artifact.

It took all he had not to just start running. He couldn't attract unwanted attention from the still searching gator. So he just walked across the room, his head down as though he was still looking for it.

Once he was just a few feet from the opening, he checked that Zresh was looking, and sprinted.

He didn't even get two steps when the side of his foot landed on a brick. It slipped out under him, and Ander sprawled out on the ground with an audible "oof".

Ander didn't bother checking if Zresh noticed and immediately got back on his feet.

"Hey, Ander!" Ander heard Zresh call out to him, as though he was in trouble. Ander ignored him and ran outside. He was about twenty feet from the artifact when he heard an explosion behind him. Ander looked over his shoulder. Zresh shouldered his way outside, adding another hole in the destruction of this ancient temple. "Get back here!" he yelled. Ander looked back forward and continued running.

Ander swung his arm down and grabbed the orb, feeling that all too familiar tingle through his arms. Ander smiled. Then he was sent flying into the air.

Ander wasn't sure what hurt more: the impact or the landing. Either way, they both did some damage. As his momentum stopped he stopped rolling across the ground. His entire right side stung. But he managed to keep the orb safe in his hands, and the pain was slowly dulling out from the sensation of growth.

Ander felt he could ignore the world. The feeling of his arms, his chest, his back, and his legs getting tougher and stronger was euphoric. In his haze he barely saw the angry alligator approaching him in his vision. It was mostly through instinct that his body reacted to Zresh's incoming punch. He rolled off to the side, getting up as Zresh gathered his balance back.

"Give it back!" Zresh snarled. He lunged again with both hands.

"I don't think so," Ander retorted, twisting to the side, allowing the gator to barely miss him. Ander felt that his growth was much slower than initial one, but still felt he was getting bigger at a good rate as the orb had a little time without use.

He was now only two feet shy from Zresh's height. But Ander could tell he would have to surpass it in order to get the same muscle mass that the alligator had. Zresh started out with muscle, and his original mass was multiplied greatly by the orb.

Ander concentrated on drawing as much energy from the orb as possible, to get match Zresh's size. But he didn't feel an increase in power. Well, half a loaf is better than none.

Zresh had fire in his eyes, his focus just on that orb. He ran towards the lion again. Ander moved to the side again, thinking that Zresh was acting like a bull reacting to a red cloth. But instead of a lunge, Zresh balled his fist and aimed to punch.

Ander only had a split second to react. He brought his arms up and he tried pulling his body back, away from the hand. He wasn't able to dodge quickly enough and Ander felt another wave of pain, this time through his arms.

The orb flew like a shooting star, streaking across the bright lit sky. It felt on a pile of small, loose rocks and rolled a few inches before coming to a stop.

Zresh tore off after it. Ander was still recovering from the hard hitting punch.

"Yes!" Zresh celebrated his win. But his elate expression turned into desperate confusion. "What? Why isn't it working?" He was shaking the orb like a snow globe.

Ander walked over to where Zresh was still scrutinizing the orb.

"Damn it!" Zresh tossed the orb to the side. "It's worthless, worthless!"

Ander walked over and picked it up. The orb was warm, but from the sun, not becauase of the energy it contained. Looking closer, Ander saw that there was a small crack in the orb. The orb must have lost its power.

Zresh walked around, fuming. His big feet leaving deep impressions in the dirt. Grunting but without saying a word, Zresh walked away aimlessly.

Ander was also disappointed from not growing anymore. He headed back to the temple, picking up his backpack. He dropped the orb in. Perfect or no, the company would still be interested in this artifact. He wasn't sure how he would explain his newfound bulk, especially to his wife, but at least they would have money to last a while.