Post by Deraj on Feb 26, 2014 21:24:35 GMT -5
The commotion and life of the tavern seemed to drift away into a blurry otherworld as the two cakes were set before Tserim. Beginning the first cake without delay, he ate, slice by slice, each bite another step down a stairway into the depths of ecstasy, or perhaps up a stairway into a heavenly wonderland. Every so once in awhile a noise or buzzing from the otherworld commanded his attention, tempting him away briefly from delicious cake to contribute a pithy comment or an absolutely hilarious joke. Ale washed down cake. Cake washed down ale. At some point, self-awareness started to kick back in as he realized the first cake had been finished, and without a second thought, Tserim started on the second cake. Bite by bite, he travelled once again into another dimension of delight and delicacy, lost in the swirls of concentrated goodness. Yet, as the slices progressed, the lines of his picture perfect world seemed to tremble. The paint began to slightly melt. Some ale should fix that right up.
The commotion of the tavern came back to him just a creeping sense of doubt came to his stomach. Soon only a few more bites he remained. Tserim stopped momentarily, contemplating the remaining morsels, his stomach sending clear signals that it was full. Suddenly, a voice spoke to him. "Don't you think you have had enough, Tserim?" He looked over to see, to his surprise, a tiny man, bearing his own resemblance, standing upon his shoulder. Donned in a white garb, and looking on with an expression of solemn serenity, the tiny Tserim smiled gently and gestured to the remaining piece of cake. "If you eat anymore, you'll be sick!" Another voice responded, "What rubbish!" Tserim looked to his other shoulder, seeing this time a small likeness of him, wearing red armor and bearing red skin, and tiny little horns (how charming!) gesturing to the cake in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're not going to finish that delicious cake! It was baked just for you!"
The good Tserim replied. "I'm sure the baker will understand. She wouldn't want you to get sick, after all!"
Said the devil Tserim, "Sickness is temporary. Wasted cake is never coming back."
"I think there are more important things in life than cake, Tserim. Don't you?"
The devil Tserim, holding his arms outward, merely arched a brow and smirked. No words were necessary.
A hint of desperation entered the good Tserim's words. "But what of discipline? What of moderation? What of health and maturity?"
Devil Tserim gestured again to the cake, his expression of earnest concern. "But... cake!"
"What of sacrifice? Of duty? Of inner strength??"
"But... CAAAAKE!"
The two Tserim's seemed to disappear, leaving only the real Tserim. He made his choice. Grabbing the fork, Tserim sealed his fate with the last few bites. Only a few moments later and he was laying on the bench, a terrible pain in his stomach and the world tumbling about on a sea of ale. What I have done?? he thought. The pain only grew worse and worse, and just to make matters more humiliating, he was carried back to the outpost over Elerich's shoulder and dropped unceremoniously onto a bench, and then continued to lay in total agony. But as the hours grew late, in the warmth and quietness of the outpost, Tserim's simple serenity began to return under Katalin's gentle care. When he decided to rest, Katalin helped him upstairs and assisted him into his bunk.
Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she quietly walked away as he drifted away into the dreamy realms, filled not with cake but with a sense of serenity.
Tserim made the right decision after all.
The commotion of the tavern came back to him just a creeping sense of doubt came to his stomach. Soon only a few more bites he remained. Tserim stopped momentarily, contemplating the remaining morsels, his stomach sending clear signals that it was full. Suddenly, a voice spoke to him. "Don't you think you have had enough, Tserim?" He looked over to see, to his surprise, a tiny man, bearing his own resemblance, standing upon his shoulder. Donned in a white garb, and looking on with an expression of solemn serenity, the tiny Tserim smiled gently and gestured to the remaining piece of cake. "If you eat anymore, you'll be sick!" Another voice responded, "What rubbish!" Tserim looked to his other shoulder, seeing this time a small likeness of him, wearing red armor and bearing red skin, and tiny little horns (how charming!) gesturing to the cake in disbelief. "Don't tell me you're not going to finish that delicious cake! It was baked just for you!"
The good Tserim replied. "I'm sure the baker will understand. She wouldn't want you to get sick, after all!"
Said the devil Tserim, "Sickness is temporary. Wasted cake is never coming back."
"I think there are more important things in life than cake, Tserim. Don't you?"
The devil Tserim, holding his arms outward, merely arched a brow and smirked. No words were necessary.
A hint of desperation entered the good Tserim's words. "But what of discipline? What of moderation? What of health and maturity?"
Devil Tserim gestured again to the cake, his expression of earnest concern. "But... cake!"
"What of sacrifice? Of duty? Of inner strength??"
"But... CAAAAKE!"
The two Tserim's seemed to disappear, leaving only the real Tserim. He made his choice. Grabbing the fork, Tserim sealed his fate with the last few bites. Only a few moments later and he was laying on the bench, a terrible pain in his stomach and the world tumbling about on a sea of ale. What I have done?? he thought. The pain only grew worse and worse, and just to make matters more humiliating, he was carried back to the outpost over Elerich's shoulder and dropped unceremoniously onto a bench, and then continued to lay in total agony. But as the hours grew late, in the warmth and quietness of the outpost, Tserim's simple serenity began to return under Katalin's gentle care. When he decided to rest, Katalin helped him upstairs and assisted him into his bunk.
Giving him a kiss on the cheek, she quietly walked away as he drifted away into the dreamy realms, filled not with cake but with a sense of serenity.
Tserim made the right decision after all.