I the depths of the Earth there existed a strangely luminescent stone. This stone held several strange qualities. It was pliant, almost squishy and would offer anyone who touched it a tactile sensation akin to rock mixed with leather. Strangely, if one were to touch it there would be a certain warmth to it that gave it the semblance of life.

The luminescence was a new aspect of the odd little stone, though the term little did not truly encompass its nature. Easily larger than a typical coffee table, it could easily have proven to be suitable for a chair or perhaps some other kind of furniture.

Glowing brighter, and brighter still, the luminescence given off by this odd bit of rock intensified by the second. The stone began to shift, to writhe. Soon, an odd knocking sound echoed dully from within it.

The stone began to shift, to rock in place. Though no one was around to hear it, music began to play in the background. It was a slow, somber song with a constantly rising instrumental string section intermixed with the tinkle of a bell and the ominous grind of an organ.

Jet black mist soon began to rise up all around the stone even as its luminescence shifted to a dangerous red hue. The unseen instruments increased in range and sophistication as the music took on an epic air, like some great battle might soon be underway.

Lightning skirled from the egg, red with a black after glow that seemed to defy the natural order of how even light might work. Thunder echoed within that small earthen chamber as drums began beat.

Then, suddenly and without warning all sound died away. A crack formed along the edge of the stone, and then another crack formed. Soon, this stone broke apart to reveal the wet and slippery form of a small child within.

Blazing red eyes peered out from the stone egg, their glow illuminating the darkness to reveal the hidden contents. Mucous slipping down his flesh, a small child peered outward from the darkness.

This child did not speak, instead it made a decidedly different and more primal noise. Its stomach growled intensely.

Though it was born from an egg akin to a leathery stone, the child could easily be mistaken for a five-year-old boy. Though, even that might only occur on Halloween, as the horns, claws, wings, and tail might tip someone off that he was out of the ordinary.

The boy scented the air then reached up and began to claw the earth. Much like an attempt to escape from a second, larger, egg, he rose every higher and soon broke free from his stony prison.

Daylight assaulted his eyes and made him hiss, though he was not yet out of the Earth. He stood at the entrance of a small naturally occurring caver.

The child knew nothing of himself save for one thing. He needed something. There was something that he must have at all costs.

The boy’s long black hair blew backwards gently as a breeze blew through the entrance of the cavern that he stood inside. With the breeze came a certain thing. He did not know what to consider it, but it was the thing he needed! He left the cave and its mountains of shit and bones. Jewels winked at him from the darkness, as did various other sundry items of high quality and obvious luxury. He knew nothing of their value, however. He knew only of his need.

The still wet child stumbled slightly as he walked for the first time, but soon he did so without restraint. The thing he needed; it was close!

He walked quickly toward the source of the thing and discovered a large creature. The child fearless tilted his head to the side to regard the thing.

The creature noticed his presence and it rose to its feet. Black feathers lined a blood red mane that sprouted from its otherwise hairless head and claws the size of small knives gleamed in the light of day. A massive scarvulf easily the size of a horse, and with scars that adorned its face and body glared at him with its one good eye. Saliva began to flow as the creature, stalked toward the newborn.

The newborn sniffed the air and then made a plaintive whine. It had discovered the thing it needed!

With a roar, the Red Maned Scarvulf lunged toward him. Killing intent in full display, it was thoroughly shocked to discover that its prey had disappeared. That shock turned to agonized surprise when tiny hand found purchase on his jaws.

Completely ignoring those razor-sharp fangs, the little boy pulled his hands apart in an almost gentle manner. The scarvulf’s lower jaw was ripped clean off. It could not even scream out in pain due to the suddenness of the attack. Soon teeth far deadlier than its own bite down on the back of its neck.

Spine severed; the great beast fell to the ground. Its immense strength now useless, all it could do is twitch weakly and wait to die. Its only consolation was that its severed spine prevented it from feeling pain below its missing jaw. Of course, that might be pain enough in some estimates.

The feral child tore chunks of flesh from the beast’s neck with his teeth. Mouth stained red with blood and gore; he finally enjoyed the thing he needed.

Strange things began to happen around the boy, not that he cared. Little windows of light appeared and mentioned things that had happened. Apparently, he had gained a level among other things.

Time passed. The child feasted. Some quirk of his biology allowed him to devour and digest meat almost as quickly as he devoured it. He did not become full, nor even satiated. Once the horse-sized beast was no more than cracked bones and hair, the child began to whimper.

He still needed something. This was not enough.

The child rose up, his nostrils twitching. However, before he could move toward another interesting something his little belly began to rumble.

Eyes wide due to a sudden sense of distress, the child ran around like a blood-stained fool for a moment. He stopped just on the other side of a bush then cried out in surprise. What manner of horrors took place behind that bush were not for mortal ears, nor even immortal eyes. Those terrible events would remain a secret promise between newborn child and violated bush.

Stained with more than blood and gore, the child moved on. He still needed something. He had not had enough of it.