Demon's Delights

Demon’s Delights

Long ago in the East beyond the templed mountains Where large Folk Dwell, peace was taken for granted. Goliaths lived and prospered, hunting large Animals and Rare Creatures for food and game. These people were simple. Hunt, Eat, Sleep. There was no worry for the outside world as no one could size up to their strength. Winters were breezy and cool and summers were warm and tender. Anyone would love to live in their lands if they did not fear being stomped on by beings double if not triple their size. Their land was fruitful for crops though the Goliaths did not farm, The weather was timid so no storms lay waste to any homes built. Almost a Paradise.

“LOOK OUT LITTLE ONE” said with a roar of a Goliath. A giant wingless birdlike beast 13 feet tall was barreling toward our young Chef, though at this time he was not known by that name or any name for that matter.

“HELP!” screamed the young Chef taking cover behind a rock as the beast approached.

As if on queue a Giant Spear with a massive Obsidian head pierced through the neck of the Beast. The force of the throw overthrew the beast’s trajectory bringing it down to the ground. Massive footsteps came barreling in. “You almost got eaten there little gol” chuckled the goliath that threw the spear. Young chef looked up from his hiding spot to see his savior of the day, Beartough. A Female Goliath that stood 14 feet tall and was actually his same age and yet the young Chef was still a mere 6 feet tall.

“Can you stop calling me gol, we are the same age” gol was a name for Goliath children. those that were named would address their children as such until the children earned their own name. Sadly, Little Chef had not yet earned his own name but his best friend had; Beartough. She earned her name just a year prior. When little chef and her were collecting obsidian for spears in the land south, a Giant bear encountered them. Beartough wrestled the Giant bear for almost 2 hours until the Bear had no energy left and finally she slew the bear with the edge of an obsidian rock and thus earned her name Beartough for she was as tough as a bear.

“Well little gol, what should I call you? No name? You haven’t done much other than collect obsidian for us and smell the flowers along the way” Beartough crouched down to little chef’s height. She always teased him for being so short. It was common knowledge that the young chef was not a full Goliath of their village. His Father, Magislay was a great warrior in their village but not much was made known of the young chef’s mother. Magislay earned his name for slaying a wizard that wandered into the plains 5 years ago and on the trip back brought young Chef. The other Warriors in the raiding party would not speak of the origin of where chef came from but accepted him as kin all the same.

“I dont know…” young Chef muttered quietly, still not knowing what he could do to earn a name.

“Well help me haul this Tyrannosaur back, maybe I can call you bait for the week”. Little chef did not like this but helped Beartough haul the Beast.

While venturing back to the village a mysterious scent floated on wind. The smell of burning flesh.

“Beartough, you smell that?”

“What is it Bait? I don’t smell anything.”

“Its coming from the rock crags. I think someone is cooking over there. Maybe an intruder on our lands?”

Beartough turned sniffing harder getting a faint small of the burning and nodding in agreement. “Lets go this wont stand.”

The two of them creeped to the rocky outcropping known as the rock crags. Giant spikes of stone piercing through the earth hinting of an ancient battle with an earth mage but now a stone outcropping with many caves sprawling throughout.

The two of them followed the scent all the way to a den where a winged red devil looking beast crouched over a purple fire with a pot over top.

Beartough scrunched her face, angry that such a beast would intrude on their land. Little chef placed a hand on her shoulder to calm her.

“Shhh lets watch.” said the little chef intrigued in what the devilish creature could be up to.

As they waited spying into the den the devil pulled out the skinned flesh of a dire wolf from the pot but the meat was discolored like it was doing something weird to it.

“Eeew, why is it spoiling the meat like that” Said Beartough in disgust.

“Well its a devil I bet it likes foul smelling things.” Said little chef intrigued in the way in which it was prepped. Boiling the flesh in some weird substance is a weird way to cook.

The devil arose leaving the flesh on a rock and disappeared behind a stone pillar in the den.

“Hello my little goliath friends he he he” A snarly voice crept out from behind them.

Beartough and little chef shuffled back on the ground turning to see the same devil now behind them prowling on all fours looking at them like they were prey.

“Trying to spy on me will you?” The devil continued.

“You are not welcome here, demon!” Beartough stood up towering over the demon.

“Oh what will you do then? Stomp on me? You goliaths are all the same. Hunt, kill, eat. But this little one doesn’t look like a goliath…” the devil approached little chef.

Beartough stood in front. “You will not touch this little gol. You are to leave this land or be skewered on my spear.”

“Hmmm, how about a third option. You will be my guests.” The devil snapped its claw like fingers and a poof of smoke exploded around them and they found themselves in the den they were just looking at. Between them was the tainted flesh of the dire wolf.

“Will you join me in my feast?” The devil spoke as it tore some flesh off the boiled corpse in front of them.

Beartough turned away gagging at the foul smell of the flesh in front of them. Little chef sat there watching, curious about the devil and its methods of preparing the flesh of the beast.

“Why do you cook it that way?” The little chef asked.

“Oh how else would I cook it. Us devils just love the flesh foul and writhing with death.” the devil chuckled back taking another claw full of flesh into its fangy mouth.

“Wouldn’t you rather want it cooked over a fire instead of water?”

Beartough spoke up “Gol don’t reason with the devil it’s a tainted being of our world.”

The demon smiled at the insult “Oh but just like the crows and vultures someone has to eat of the remains left behind of death else the world would be full of it.”

“So you enjoy eating dead things like this?” the little chef sat up listening to the devils thoughtful words.

“Boy, everything you eat is death. Us devils… we just enjoy the taste of it more often.”

“But why don’t you make dead things taste better at least. Just like we cook our meat?” the little chef learned in, enjoying the discussion of cooking. He had always helped the goliath tribe prepare the food and always enjoyed dressing and preparing the variety of meats they eat.

“Oh you little one are interesting. Here have some flesh and taste of the cooking us devils enjoy.” The devil pinched a bit of the flesh off and held out the ragged moist flesh to the little chef.

Beartough leaped away throwing herself on the ground throwing up at the sight then continued to gag at the smell.

The little chef carefully grabbed the meat from the devil and curiously took a bite letting the meat fester in his mouth. The foul smells enveloped his sinuses. Burning sensation tingled on his nose hairs as if someone stuffed a match up his nose.

Little chef leaned to the side coughing at the sensations filling his head. Though painful it wasnt horrible tasting. It smelled awful but the taste was more like the spiciest pepper he had ever tasted mixed with charcoal.

The Devil chuckled at the sight of beartough throwing up and the little chef coughing. “You actually ate it. Wow you little one are a brave one I must admit. I don’t think anyone but us devils have been able to eat of this delight.”

Little chef regained his composure, swallowing down what he could and sat up trying to act all tough though the burning sensation lingered. “That… was… brutal…” he managed to get out his face scrunching at the pain he still felt in his nose.

“You know what little one… I like you. What if we made a deal…” the devil leaned back pondering on a clever deal for the little goliath.

Beartough finally regained her composure. “Don’t make deals with devils gol. They only mean to take your soul and bring you down to hell.”

“Oh we devils arnt that crude” the devil chuckled. “How about this little one? I will grant you the power to use demon magic… and in return… Since you’re so curious about our cuisine then in 10 years time, you must cook me a meal that a devil can eat that surpasses the sensations you felt today.”

The little chef looked at the devil intrigued. “And what if I don’t fulfill that?”

“Well then you get to be eaten he he he. Your body and soul will be mine. But don’t fret. 10 years to use demon magic will make you a very powerful being.

Beartough leaped up ready to strike the devil at the threat of eating the little chef. But before she could touch the devil. He snapped his fingers and beartough vanished in smoke.

“See how powerful us demons can be…” The devil grinned mischievously

The little chef looked in fear as beartough vanished. He looked around but no trace was found of her.

“Don’t worry she is over by your hunt. So how about it, do we have a deal?”

Little chef sat a moment longer intrigued at the magic the devil had to offer and what it could mean to cook something so intriguing that it could make a demon stutter.

“Deal. but only if…” and before he could finish his thought the devil snapped his fingers and he vanished falling on his arse next to beartough and the corpse of their hunt earlier. He looked down at his hands and found purple runes engraved on his skin but they soon faded away and he felt a weird mystic power inside himself.

“Bait! You didn’t make the deal, did you? little gol?”

“I think I did…”