Mark was having the strangest dream. He was a large glob of dough being kneaded by invisible hands, stretched and pulled in all directions. Then he was placed in a large kiln. A bellows was used to stoke the fire. Mark felt his body getting warmer and warmer. The spout of the bellows was shoved in his mouth and Mark felt his body expand as it was filled with warm air. Mark's heart raced as he struggled to get out of the oven and the rising heat.
He woke to the sound of shouts of fear and terror. He was confused when he saw several frightened sailors backing away from him. Mark reached up to rub his sore head. His whole body still ached. Then he felt the familiar horns resting on top of his head. He looked down at his hands and saw the claws of dragon.
No, this can't be happening, thought Mark. I haven't used the vials. Could someone have drugged me?
Mark looked to the sailors for help, still cowering in fear.
"Please, help me. I don't understand... Blargh!!"
Mark belched a large burst of flame, singeing the clothes of the nearest sailor. Mark clapped his hands over his mouth. He could feel another cloud of flame slowly building in his expanding gut. The sailors turned tail and ran, some diving over the side of the ship.
"Wait! Don't .... go... don't ... leave ....merrrr," grunted Mark.
The words were hard to form in his mouth as his snout expanded. He tried to follow them, but the pain in his back forced him to walk on all fours. The changes were worse this time. He was not becoming an anthropomorphic dragon again - he was becoming a full feral dragon!
The ship creaked and groaned under the expanding weight of his body. It sank low in the stormy sea, taking on a little water each time a wave crashed across the deck. The ship seemed to be moving erratically in the water. Mark didn't know if that was because the unexpected weight of its growing passenger was affecting its steering or if the captain had simply given up on directing the ship and abandoned it.
Mark stomped across the deck as his body continued to change and grow. His direction was almost as aimless as the ship. The sensations of his body as it changed overwhelmed his rational mind. He could feel the spines erupting from his back, the bones of his neck cracking and groaning as they multiplied and grew larger, the ache in his chest as it barreled larger with each breath, the sharp pinch as his the long sharp fangs lining his snout punctured his lip, the pressure as the wind rising off the sea pushed against his slowly enlarging wings, and the tingle in his groin as his penis disappeared into his developing cloaca. Mark roared in pain, fear and frustration as he looked around the ship for help.
The ship lurched to a stop as it struck a reef. It shortly tore in half, due in part to Mark's ever increasing weight. Through the hazy sea mist, Mark could see a small island off in the distance. He flapped his wings and took to the air, heading in the direction of the island.
Mark did not know what had happened to him: why he was dragon again or how he ended up on the ship. And he had no idea what awaited him on the island. All Mark knew was that he was tired, hungry and sore. And the island offered him at least temporary shelter and relief.