Chapter Text
A long time ago, in the year 2227 B.C. in Ancient Egypt, a man ruled in Madinat Al'ajram—the City of Orbs. His name was Orbses, and he was the king of the land. He was an Egyptian Mau cat with a beautiful, spotted tabby coat pattern. He ruled his land with love and respect, and he was deeply loved and respected by his people in return because he was no ordinary ruler. He possessed a rare ability gifted to him directly by the gods: the power of inflation, capable of expanding bodies like massive balloons.
He would only use his abilities whenever they became absolutely necessary. He used them to punish those who harbored greed or attempted theft. He never wished to harm them or make them burst; he only wanted to teach them a valuable lesson when they chose greed over charity. He would also use his powers to help his citizens, such as reaching for items in high places. Of course, he preferred to ask for consent before using his powers on his people. Most of the time, he would simply use the ability on himself—letting his own body expand and float into the air to retrieve a ball stuck on a high ledge, grab a jar from the top shelf, or safely rescue a child’s pet from danger.
But at times, he would use his abilities for battle. Whenever enemies approached, he would gather his armies and prepare to defend their sovereign land. King Orbses would expand his own body, as well as the bodies of his soldiers, much to the initial laughter of the enemy forces, who thought they could simply pop them all. But to the invaders' absolute surprise, their swords, spears, daggers, or any sharp weapons they could dish out completely failed to penetrate the swollen defense. The soldiers' bodies were entirely indestructible, causing weapons to bounce right off on impact. Even the massive stones launched from enemy catapults bounced harmlessly off their round forms and were sent flying straight back, obliterating the catapults themselves. With no other choice, the terrified enemy fled. Orbses then reverted everyone back to normal, and they celebrated their victory.
He was a deeply selfless king, always thanking those who volunteered their services and remaining endlessly grateful to his citizens. For thirty years, he gave his time to help those in need, taught the greedy a lesson, and ruled with a positive attitude.
But one night, the enemy would not stand defeat.
Returning to his quarters, the now 50-year-old Orbses retired for the evening. He asked one of his guards for a simple drink of water before turning in. However, upon retrieving the water, that loyal guard was suddenly knocked unconscious. An assailant took the guard's clothes, impersonated him, and slipped a mysterious, volatile substance into the cup before presenting it to the king.
Moments after he drank the water, his body was violently affected. He knew instantly that his abilities were not being used by his own will; they were being forcefully manipulated from the inside. He let out a sharp gasp as his gut started expanding rapidly on its own. His arms were forced out to his sides, thickening by the second, alongside his legs, hips, and rear. His cheeks puffed out like taut water balloons, and he realized with growing horror that he wasn’t just getting bigger—the internal pressure was making him tighter.
His royal clothes and jewelry ripped and snapped cleanly off his growing form. The shattering ornaments set off echoing sounds that the guards outside immediately noticed. But when they rushed into the room, they stood in absolute awe and terror; their king's body was rapidly becoming a colossal sphere. The frantic guards asked what they could do to help, but the king, ever selfless, ordered them to evacuate the palace immediately, bring anyone else inside out to safety, and find the assailant. He chose the safety of his people over his own life.
Overcome with guilt, the guards did exactly what they were told. They evacuated everyone inside the palace before the king's expanding body could dismantle the structure. Parts of his swelling form began to press heavily through the windows and doorways. The citizens watched in utter shock from the streets as their king ballooned larger and larger. Eventually, the immense size of his body completely destroyed the building, but the expansion was nearing its absolute limit.
His small hands, feet, and head sank helplessly into the massive mass of his body, the tightness increasing as the internal pressure grew. The creaking sounds of his tightly stretched skin grew deafeningly loud. He shut his eyes tightly and gritted his teeth as his features completely sank into the surface of his gargantuan body, and then…
POP!
Scraps of his body flew everywhere into the night sky. The king was dead.
The citizens and guards deeply mourned the loss of their noble ruler. But when the real guard finally regained consciousness and revealed the deception, the kingdom rallied. They successfully tracked down the assailant and forced him to reveal exactly who had sent him. The perpetrator was his rival, King Kharis—a jackal who ruled Madinat Alshams, the City of the Sun. His kingdom bordered Orbses' land, and Kharis had long been consumed by jealousy over the noble cat’s popularity, selfless attitude, and immense wealth. When his defeated soldiers had returned from battle and told their king of Orbses’ incredible ballooning abilities, Kharis took the cowardly opportunity to weaponize those very powers against him.
Some days after the tragic passing of Orbses, a grand memorial was held for the fallen king. The high priests carefully handled the sacred sarcophagus, placing it deep within a tomb prepared especially for him, alongside the royal possessions that were to be buried with him according to his final will. But also included in his will was a specific decree he had carved himself, etched permanently into a stone slab placed directly upon his grave:
“For those who wish to visit my remains after the time of my death, may do so with love, respect, and dignity. However, those who steal from me for greed and exploitation shall suffer my curse.”
Even in death, Orbses intended to punish those who attempted to steal. However, this ancient warning did not scare King Kharis. Driven by sheer avarice, Kharis and his men broke into the tomb several days later. He believed that because Orbses was dead and gone forever, this was his golden chance to plunder the tomb and claim the former king's wealth for himself… or so he thought.
The exact instant Kharis and his men began to rob the grave and lift the sacred slab, the supernatural forces of the tomb were violently triggered. The candles the men had lit to see through the darkness suddenly blew out by themselves. A heavy, suffocating warmth filled the room, and soon, the thieves felt a terrifying tightness within their armor.
Without warning, they all started to expand. Kharis was struck with absolute horror. He turned on his heel and attempted to sprint for the exit, but his body rapidly ballooned outward as he ran. His thick, swelling legs rubbed together heavily, making every step an immense struggle. By the time he reached the threshold of the door, his widening girth got him hopelessly wedged in the frame. All around the room, his men's expanding bodies wedged tightly against themselves and the stone walls, trapping them completely.
Just as the sudden, rapid swelling stopped, the dark room was illuminated by a brilliant, ethereal white glow. The energy shifted, taking the unmistakable, towering shape of King Orbses himself. Kharis shook with pure terror at the sight of his rival’s vengeful ghost, his shivers intensifying as the phantom spoke with chilling authority:
King Orbses: “Return what you stole… or suffer my curse. Leave this place, or be trapped under my power… for all eternity.”
Terrified and completely defeated, Kharis frantically agreed. The supernatural pressure immediately subsided, reverting the thieves back to their normal sizes. They fled the tomb entirely empty-handed—only to be promptly captured by the waiting guards of Orbses’ kingdom.
Five thousand years later, in the year 2773, a group of modern archaeologists uncovered the lost tomb. As they stepped into the ancient chamber, a familiar, icy chill swept through the air, and the ghostly apparition of King Orbses materialized before them to deliver his warning. But just as he prepared to inflict his ancient curse, the spirit paused, noticing something genuinely different about these intruders.
The head of the archeology team stepped forward, respectfully explaining to the spirit that they had heard tales of King Orbses’ incredible power, kindness, and legendary abilities. They did not wish to rob him; they wished to share his magnificent legacy and honor his memory with the universe. The funding they would receive would go directly toward advanced research so the modern world could learn about his generous, helpful, and selfless personality.
To their surprise, King Orbses was deeply delighted by their noble intent. Recognizing their charity, he happily agreed to allow them to safely transport his tomb and belongings to their museum, entirely withholding his curse. He warmly thanked them for their generosity, and his crypt was safely moved to the Acme Museum.
There, it was put on magnificent display, looking as pristine as if nothing had ever happened to it, completely open for the citizens of Acmetropolis to enjoy. While some modern museum-goers playfully ignored the warnings of the curse, others proceeded through the exhibit with caution, wishing to respect King Orbses’ resting place. The sacred tomb remained entirely undisturbed for months after its grand arrival...
Until tonight.