An unnatural darkness began to fill the room. Though the air was still, the candles scattered around the space sputtered and flickered as they might in a strong wind. The electric bulbs in the ceiling began to fade as well. Their light dimmed slowly, deliberately, as though an opaque cloth were being gently pulled over them. Even the moonlight entering through the window seemed to be weakening. It was an oppressive darkness. It felt physical and stifling.


It took only a few more seconds for the lights to fade entirely. Eric the deer stood on trembling legs in the complete blackness, not daring to move. Even if he’d wanted to flee, he doubted he would find the door in time. The chances of successfully navigating to the other side of the dark room seemed slim, considering he couldn’t even see the end of his own snout. Besides, to get outside, he’d have to walk past the pentacle chalked into the floor. And he had NO desire to go anywhere near that thing.


As though right on que, a searing yellow light burst forth from the chalk outline. Eric threw up his hands in surprise, trying to shield his eyes. In his haste, he dropped the heavy, leather-bound book he had been holding. The pentacle’s glow pulsed rhythmically, beating almost perfectly in time with Eric’s hammering heart. The deer had spent the previous hour carefully chalking the shape onto the bedroom floor, making sure to depict it precisely as instructed in the book. And once he’d read aloud the incantation printed inside, the effect had been immediate. Now here he was, watching in shock as the pentacle began to shine brighter and brighter with each passing moment.


Eric dropped to his hands and knees as the light increased to an uncomfortable level. He averted his gaze and screwed his eyes shut, though even his eyelids couldn’t completely block out the yellow glow. A heat radiated from the pentacle, warming his fur and causing a bead of sweat to trickle down his brow. Soon the room was filled with so much light and heat that Eric feared he might burst into flame. Not knowing what else to do, he cried out in shock.
And then, in an instant, everything returned to normal. The yellow glow was gone. The searing heat was absent. The lightbulbs in the ceiling were back on. The space was quiet and calm. Still crouched on the floor, Eric opened his eyes and looked up. The room seemed completely fine. No furniture was out of place. The bizarre lights and temperature shifts hadn’t done any noticeable damage. Chalk pentacle and all, the bedroom looked exactly as it had before the deer had performed his incantation. Everything was the same. Well, ALMOST everything. Because now, Eric was no longer alone.


A small red demon hovered before him, floating in the air above the pentacle. The creature was distinctly goat-like in appearance, particularly around the face and cloven hooves. He was sporting a long, spiked tail and a pair of wickedly-sharp curved horns. His fur was red and his blonde hair was slicked back suavely. Two small wings protruded from his back, though the appendages weren’t flapping. Eric suspected the demon was being suspended in the air by some other means. The goat-creature was small - probably no more than three feet tall - and extremely plump. The chubby face was split into a wide, wicked grin.


“Hello,” the demon crooned, still smiling. His voice was smooth and rich. Eric didn’t say anything in response. He just continued to stare.


The deer’s silence seemed to amuse the demon, whose smile got - if anything - a bit bigger. “What, were you not expecting me? I mean, you went through all the trouble of putting this nice summoning circle together.”


At this, the demon began to move about the space, floating gracefully through the air as though suspended in water. He hovered over various sections of the chalk pentacle, looking over the carefully-drawn lines with interest.


“Very well done, by the way. I DO appreciate mortals putting a bit of care into their work. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been summoned into a sloppily-crafted pentacle. It leaves a bad first impression, you know. But this? This is nice.” The demon’s head snapped back up and he fixed Eric with a piercing gaze.


Eric stared into the bright yellow eyes, still speechless, still stunned, still crouched down on his hands and knees. Truth be told, he HADN’T been expecting this to work! Deep down, he’d been hoping it would. But he hadn’t prepared himself for the event that an actual demon might be flying around his bedroom and offering pleasant small-talk. And yet, here he was.


Still fixing Eric with an intense stare, the goat-demon floated a bit closer.


“Now, let’s start with you. Tell me your name.” The voice remained as smooth as ever. Eric was still scared, but he was growing less so with each passing moment. After all, the incantation he had used would prevent the demon from harming him.


Still, he thought, best to remain cautious.


“I’m Eric,” the deer responded, getting slowly back onto his feet. Despite his best efforts, his voice still betrayed a hint of fright.


The demon’s eyes flicked down for a moment as he took in all of Eric’s appearance. He quickly returned to full eye contact.


“Eric, what a pleasure! My name is-” At this, the demon let out a long series of bizarre sounds; a strange mix of growls, screeches, hisses, and guttural rumblings. Most of the noises would have been impossible for Eric to reproduce, even if he’d cared to try.


“- but you can call me Syc,” he finished with a small chuckle.


As before, the demon’s tone was casual and lighthearted. But Eric noticed that Syc’s yellow eyes did not display the same friendliness as his wide smile and his polite conversation - the gaze remained intense and calculating.


Syc continued to lead the exchange. “So, Eric. Let’s get to business. I know you didn’t just summon me here for my charming small-talk.” As he spoke, the demon drifted lazily in a circle around the deer. Eric slowly turned on the spot, not wanted to let the little creature out of his sight. “I’ve been doing this long enough to know when a mortal has a burning desire in their heart. You want something. And fortunately, I’m here to help.”


Eric gulped. Now was the moment of truth. He HAD, in fact, done all of this for a reason. Despite his doubts, the incantation and summoning circle had worked. The demon was here. And Eric was now closer than ever to getting his wish.


“I want to be bigger and I want to be stronger.” He blurted. He wished he’d practiced a more elegant way of wording his request. But the statement was, at least, sincere. He was tired of being a small and scrawny deer. He wanted to be tall. He wanted to be muscular. He wanted to possess the type of impressive and attractive physique that breeds confidence and charisma. All of these things he desired badly - badly enough to ask the assistance of a demon.


Syc returned to the center of the room and stopped, floating in place in front of Eric. The goat-demon looked the deer up and down with a practiced stare, the wide grin replaced with an expression of contemplation. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. Eric simply stood still as Syc appraised him. Seeming satisfied, he finally cracked a small smirk and once again returned Eric’s eye contact.


“Well, well, well,” the demon crooned, “Today IS your lucky day. It just so happens you’ve stumbled across one of my … specialities. Bestowing mortals with better bodies is always a great deal of fun. So, let’s make this happen, shall we?” The wide smile returned as Syc offered out a chubby hand.


For several seconds, Eric hesitated. It was now or never. He was certain he had done the incantations correctly. Syc wouldn’t be able to hurt him. The spells meant the demon was magically-bound, obligated to fulfill the summoner’s request. Despite all of the odds and despite all of the doubts, this was working. Eric was mere moments away from fulfilling his heart’s desire. And all he had to do was shake Syc’s hand.


So he did.


Immediately, a bright yellow flame burst into being around the pair’s clasped palms. The fire didn’t burn, but it engulfed Eric’s hand with a pleasant warmth. The feeling began to spread, moving up his arm, blossoming through his torso, and distributing to his remaining limbs and head. It was a nice sensation and Eric relinquished his handshake with Syc so as to fully enjoy the feeling. His trepidation was gone, replaced with giddy excitement. He was ready to transform.


A tightness manifested around his chest and midriff. He looked down at himself and saw, with a thrill of horror, that his once scrawny and flat stomach was being replaced with a rapidly-expanding plump belly. The tight feeling was coming from his shirt, which was beginning to strain against him as his stomach continued to expand.


In a panic, Eric lifted his arms out to each side to get a better look at himself. It wasn’t just his belly. Seemingly every part of his body was becoming steadily fatter. His chest - previously flat and firm - was now expanding, blossoming out into a pair of soft moobs.


This only exacerbated the strain on his shirt, which was beginning to feel uncomfortably snug. His shorts, too, were exhibiting strain. His legs and rump ballooned out, covering themselves in ever-thicker layers of adipose. Even his wristwatch and bracelet were paining him, their bands digging deeply into his thick, flabby arms. He reached up and touched his face, feeling plump cheeks, a soft neck, and the beginnings of a double chin.


The growth continued unabated. No longer a small and scrawny deer, Eric was now a fat, chubby buck. His clothes appeared several sizes too small and were now starting to rip at the seams. And he continued to expand, slowly but surely getting fatter and fatter.


The initial shock wearing off, Eric tore his gaze away from himself to see that Syc was intently observing him. The demon’s smile was as big as ever and he seemed to be getting great joy from watching his victim’s struggle. He appraised the deer with the same appreciative stare that a sculptor might at a favorite work of art.


“What have you done!” Eric exploded. He winced as he felt his shirt and shorts continue to tear, losing the battle to contain his ever-expanding body.


Syc’s reply came with the same friendly and casual tone he’d maintained all along. “Well clearly I’ve done exactly what you asked. I mean, you are MUCH bigger than you were a few minutes ago.”


“That’s OBVIOUSLY not what I meant! I said I wanted to be bigger AND stronger!”


“Oh, come now, Eric. I doubt anyone would look at a blubbery buck like yourself and conclude that your appetite was anything BUT strong. A body like THAT typically goes hand-in-hand with a STRONG love of food. Wouldn’t you agree?” This question was accompanied by a smug, satisfied chuckle. The demon was very much enjoying this.


Before he could muster more complaints, Eric was suddenly struck with another strange feeling. This new sensation was not physical, but mental. It washed over him, drowning out his other thoughts and filling him with a single, all-encompassing desire: a desire to eat. His shock, panic, and anger were instantly gone. Syc had replaced them with an insatiable and ravenous hunger. Now, Eric desired nothing more than to fill up his still-expanding body.


Syc, of course, was more than happy to encourage this newly-acquired appetite. With a snap of hooved fingers, food began to materialize. Burgers, chicken, pizza, corn dogs, and many other varieties of fattening and greasy morsels appeared all around the deer, floating calmly in place as though waiting to be eaten.


Eric wasted no time in responding. Dropping to his knees, he flung out his adipose-laden arms and began grabbing at the hovering food. One by one, he plucked the treats from the air and brought them into his mouth. He chewed greedily, his cheeks full and bulging, as he binged at an impressive pace. Using both hands, Eric made sure to supply his hungry maw with a steady stream of calories to consume.


Eric’s monstrous appetite seemed insatiable. Nothing was more important to him than pigging out - certainly not manners or courtesy. He didn’t care that his cheeks were stuffed full. He didn’t care that his front was being littered with crumbs and dripped condiments. He didn’t care that grease and sauces were beginning to dribble down his (now fully-formed) double chin. He only cared about satisfying the demands of his stomach.


And he continued to grow. Syc’s magic was still in effect, aided by the sudden influx of sustenance. By now, Eric’s clothes were completely torn off. They had lost the battle with his expanding body and now hung off his frame in limp tatters. Still stuffing himself, the deer grunted appreciatively, glad to be rid of the restricting fabric. No longer just fat, Eric had passed firmly into the realm of “obese.” Layers of soft, heavy flesh covered him all over. His plump face was framed by a flabby neck and multiple chins. His arms and legs were swollen and lacked all definition. His chest sagged with excess weight. Most impressive was his belly. Massive and round, it bulged out from his frame, sagging ponderously under its own mass and dominating his silhouette. He was completely unrecognizable as the small, scrawny deer from before.


As he continued to eat and expand, Eric couldn’t help but begin to ENJOY himself. There was something strangely freeing about dropping his typical inhibitions and simply revelling in the pleasure of gluttony. Syc’s conjured food was delicious and the deer was thrilled that he could savor it without worrying about manners or polite norms. This whole situation had come about because Eric wanted a new body to instill self-confidence. And while the results weren’t what he had expected, the effect was the same. What did it matter what others thought of him? He was big. He was fat. And if he wanted to pig out and stuff himself silly, who was going to stop him? It was confidence of a different type - but confidence nonetheless. A satisfied grin spread across his plump face.


He wasn’t the only one appreciating the new size. Syc hovered close by, keeping up a steady stream of food for the ravenous deer. The demon continued to smirk, though his smile was less malicious than before. Instead, he wore an expression of delight. He hadn’t lied; this sort of this WAS his speciality and he was indeed having a great deal of fun!


By now, Eric had adjusted himself to sitting on the floor, his generously-sized rump functioning as a soft cushion. The expanding deer had grown to the point where mobility was becoming more and more unlikely. His thighs and legs were swaddled with thick layers of soft blubber. His massive belly sagged in front of him, resting heavily on the floor and continuing to spread out as it grew. His flabby arms jiggled and his multiple chins wobbled as he continued to eat with reckless abandon.


Syc’s devilish heart swelled with pride at the site of his creation. Though he had done this many times before, the demon was quickly beginning to suspect that Eric might be his greatest work yet. The deer was bloating out magnificently, his appetite was incredible, and - judging from the dopey grin - he was actually taking the unexpected events in good spirits.


Deciding that such a positive reception deserved reward, Syc began to summon forth an even wider variety of foods, including desserts. Muffins, cookies, pies, and cakes joined the assortment of other dishes. To Syc’s absolute delight, the appearance of these sugary treats seemed only to increase Eric’s enthusiasm. With a grunt of approval, the deer licked his lips and continued with redoubled effort, gorging himself mightily, spilling crumbs and dripping frosting all down his front. Even before this transformation, he had possessed something of a sweet tooth. And like his body, his love of sweets had only grown.


Emboldened by Eric’s gusto, Syc moved in to lend a hand. Floating closer, the red goat grabbed hold of a nearby slice of chocolate cake. Almost as big as the demon’s head, the confection was massive - a slab of layered frosting and gooey filling. Rushing forward, Syc shoved the dessert into the deer’s open mouth. Eric’s eyes widened in surprise and he gagged momentarily. Distracted by his binging, he had almost forgotten all about the demon. He quickly recovered, widening his jaw as far as he could and taking a generous bite. Half of the cake disappeared down his throat and the rest quickly followed. The taste was heavenly!


For the next hour, this continued. A combination of calories and magic ensured that Eric kept gaining. He consumed as though on autopilot, taking joy in the simple act of gorging himself and feeling his body expand. Syc stayed busy, making sure to summon food as often as needed and occasionally feeding items into the deer’s waiting maw. But eventually, the pace of consumption began to slow as Eric was struck with a sensation he had not yet felt all night: fullness. It had taken several hundred thousand calories, but his belly was now nearly sated.


BWAAAAAAAAAAAAARP!!!


A thunderous and prolonged belch signalled that the gorging was finally over. Coming off of his eating high, Eric smacked his lips and groaned. He had never felt so completely stuffed in his entire life. His stomach grumbled audibly, struggling to begin the process of digesting the enormous meal. It seemed as though Syc had halted the flow of magic, as Eric had FINALLY ceased growing. With the mind-numbing hunger no longer consuming him, the deer was able to take a moment and appreciate just how much he had changed.


He was now nothing more than a mountainous blob of fat. His face was round and chubby, the bloated cheeks partially obscuring his peripheral vision. His multiple chins and neck melded together into a series of soft rolls. So chunky were his arms that he could barely reach his pudgy fingers up to his mouth. His thighs and legs were next to useless, covered in so much heavy weight that they would never be able to support him. His calves were so swollen that his feet weren’t even touching the ground anymore. His moobs drooped and sagged like a pair of over-filled water balloons. The rump he sat on was gargantuan, each cheek the size of a small sofa.


But Eric’s belly was the most impressive sight - spilling out across the floor several feet in front of him, the gut was round and incredibly soft, despite the recent stuffing. The deer could have easily fit five of his previous selves inside his new stomach, with room to spare. Eric hardly even resembled a normally sized or shaped person - he was now a mountain of blubbery skin, fatty rolls, and adipose-covered curves. Crumbs and food stains littered his chins, chest, and the upper portion of his belly - evidence of his messy and voracious feasting.


Seeing all of this filled Erc with a sense of - well, there was no other word for it - pride. The euphoria and confidence from before was still present. No longer was he a small, timid, and shy deer. He was big and imposing, his new massive body able to dominate any space and attract all nearby attention. His wish had been met, and beyond what he could have ever hoped for. Eric was now a true embodiment of hedonism and gluttony. The thought brought a smile to his face and a blush to his cheeks. He hadn’t expected any of this, but he was DEFINITELY growing to like it.


This contentment wasn’t lost on Syc either. The chubby goat-demon landed atop the vast curve of Eric’s stomach, treating the adipose like a plush cushion. His wide grin betrayed smug satisfaction as he appraised the results of his work.


“So Eric, how are we feeling? Was this not everything you’d ever dreamed it would be?” He cooed, his tone sickly sweet.


The fat deer burped again and nodded sluggishly. His dopey smile was bigger than ever and his face continued to glow with satisfaction.


Syc cackled happily in response, as he settled himself comfortably into the soft bed of blubber that was Eric’s belly.


Another happy mortal. Another deal well made!


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Accompanying artwork commissioned from  syc. Huge thanks to him for inspiring this story and for letting me use his character!


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View and download a PDF copy that includes full illustrations by  syc!

> > > CLICK HERE < < <


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