The Werebears of Adengaan - Chapter Twelve

 The Werebears of Adengaan - Chapter Twelve

By

MC

The troop flashed into existence in the middle of Carayorn - or simply ‘Home’ as most of the werebears called it. - startling the horse causing it to whinny. Bearish men all around stopped what they were doing to stare at the group arriving out of nowhere. Karn stood up taking a deep breath in through his nose, holding it a moment before exhaling loudly.

“Gods, coming home… it never gets old!” Karn said to no one in particular.

“I don't believe it!” Gaden said. “I don't believe it!” He repeated.

“I'm still hungry!”

The others stared at him, confused.

“I teleported, and I'M STILL HUNGRY!” He said excitedly as if it were a major triumph in life, “I'm not sick!”

His revelry was short lived as they heard a deep voice call from a crowd of werebears that was forming. It was a man calling out for Karn; a rotund, blocky man clothed only in shorts and shoes. Easily the biggest man Gaden had ever seen in his life. His incredibly dense furry brown body hair mingling with his beard had a reddish tinge. The man muscled his way through the crowd, his smile beaming head and shoulders above most, as he got to the cart and jumped on. He grabbed the other werebear in a rough embrace laughing, squeezing the air out of him with an ‘oof’ from Karn. Karn's head only came up to his chest, and his face was buried in the dense thicket of the other’s fur.

“KARN! So good to see you! Missed you by a day and thought you wouldn't be back again for a while,” the man said pushing him back a little to look him up and down.

Karn laughed, “Hello, Mit. Its good to see you too. You've eaten well I see.”

“Winter's coming. Have to get ready,” Mit joked and gave Karn a big, sloppy, mouth to mouth kiss. Other werebears seeing there was no threat returned to their own business. Mit turned his attention to Karn's other companions as Karn dismounted from the wagon. His gaze rested on Jamder. The smile never waned as he easily pulled the mage from a sitting to standing position and gave him a generous kiss on the cheek and a fond hug.

“Hey stranger,” Mit said, “welcome back! It’s wonderful to see you again. Been a while!”

“OOF! Easy, there grizzly,” Jamder pleaded as he was crushed in Mit's strong arms, “Eleven years, give or take. It has been a while. Hello Mit.”

Mit's attention turned to the other two.

“I know this little cub,” he squeezed Brunaulf hard and then nodding at Gaden, “but who's this?”

“This is Gaden,” Brunaulf offered. “He's been injured - long story - but he’s changing. Almost a week in.”

Mit's eyes twinkled. One of the things he loved to do was volunteer to help new werebears with their change.

“Good thing I was on my way home from some play then! I'll help take care of the cub. Going to your place, Brun?”

He nodded.

“Right.” Mit said. The huge bear jumped off the wagon. He slid the gurney halfway off the wagon before tucking the gurney under his arm just before the midpoint and used his other arm to steady it. Mit began walking down the road carrying the gurney when he inhaled deeply through his nose.

“Damn, cub,” Mit commented, “you smell tasty!”

“You're not the first person who's told me that,” Gaden replied, his own shorts starting to tent.

Karn and Jamder watched the trio for a few moments before turning to each other. Each wore a serious expression for they knew their paths would be diverging again. Karn tried to convince his former lover that he should stay for a while before leaving, but Jamder seemed adamant about relaying news of what he found to King Halben. The two stood facing each other for a moment before having a quick embrace. Karn broke the embrace and turned to catch up with the others. Jamder took a moment to watch his lover from behind and indulged in a look around the community from where he was standing. The old mage sighed while smiling softly. Gathering his concentration, he cast the teleportation and blinked out.

Mit was quick to get Gaden out of the gurney and into bed in Brunaulf's cottage. The cottage was a simple open plan design, but had the necessary accoutrements for an extended stay. Once Mit was sure the fledgling werebear was comfortable, he immediately took to the task of preparing a huge meal while singing a soft tune to himself. The huge bear was in his element and took the task of making sure new werebears were going to be fed well with passion and gusto. A short time later he carried a large tray to the bed loaded down with cooked meats, roasted vegetables, cheeses, breads, sweet cakes and ale.

"You can't be serious! That's enough food for five men!" Gaden exclaimed.

"Five men, or one growing werebear,” Mit countered, "dig in!"

Strong smells tickled Gaden's nostrils triggering his stomach to growl in hunger. That first tentative forkful of the cooked meat was all it took for him to abandon caution and eat what was before him like a starving man. Mit was an excellent cook and it took just about everything on the tray for Gaden to feel sated.

"That was delicious!" he said as he picked bits of bread off the loaf fragment and stuffed them into his mouth. Mit's smile beamed at the empty tray.

"An empty tray. The best compliment." He replied while getting up and heading to the door, "Ok, I'll leave you and Brunaulf to get fully settled in and I'll be back in a few hours to make you some supper." The big man closed the door behind him.

It only took two days in Carayorn before Gaden was able to walk under his own power, albiet slowly, and two weeks before he filled out enough he needed some new clothes. The large meals that Mit seemed to produce nonstop were having a tremendous effect on the soon to be werebear. He was taking on many of the characteristics of his lover with a broader, powerful frame that seemed to increase in size both in thickness and in height weekly. His beard, which he usually preferred to keep short, seemed to be growing faster than he could keep up with trimming. Swaths of body hair began to sprout on his chest, belly and back after the first month as patches at first but then merging and growing denser. While his body continued to grow and develop his magical abilities continued to diminish.

It was a week before the Ritual of the Change that he attempted magic for the last time. Sitting at the small table in the cottage, he stared at a small candle in the center. His muscular arm absently scratching his thick, hairy chest just below the pendant as he contemplated the candle before him. Lighting a candle was the first spell he ever learned under Jamder's guidance and thus was absolutely effortless to perform. Today, try as he might, the candle defied his desires for it to light. A meaty pair of hands rubbing his cannonball shoulders broke him out of his thoughts.

"Its finally gone, isn't it?" Brunaulf asked his lover softly.

Gaden sighed. ”Afraid so."

"So, what now?"

Gaden used his arms to hoist himself up from the table then turned to face his lover and brought him into a rough, tight embrace.

"Start my new life with the man I love."

Gaden and Brunaulf, two burly, strong werebears stood there embracing each other and enjoying the moment. Gaden knew this day would come that the door to magic would be closed to him forever, but his mental preparations did not fully prepare him for the note of finality he just experienced. He loved Brunaulf with every fibre of his being and looked forward to the love he would feel with this man and the werebear community at large. Still, he couldn't help himself as he stood there holding the man he loved. He contemplated the closure of his magical life in the strong embrace of his lover, several tears drifting down his cheek.

The Ritual of the Change is a community wide celebration. It's the day when a new werebear changes into bear form for the first time. Tonight would be the night that Gaden would go with Brunaulf and two witness into the Deific Caves and perform the Ritual. The new werebear decided on Karn and Mit to witness the event as both had helped him in many ways to get to this point. A giant feast including the entire community was planned ahead of time with lots of food, drink, music and revelry. To werebears, changing into full bear form for the first time was equivalent to Fealty Day in Adengaan and was always a happy occasion when a new werebear joined the brotherhood. Feasting tables were everywhere in the community, but the four had a place of honour in the town centre, eating and drinking before taking their place to begin the ritual.

Torches lined the path leading from the table of honour out of the community toward the cave entrance. From the outside it seemed a fairly nondescript entrance. As the four entered they were greeted with a short passageway that opened into a large room. Equispaced torches filled the room with flickering light and shadows. A small dais in the centre of the room had what appeared to be a throne constructed of wood and interwoven branches with gold accents. A simple crown was on the seat of the throne. On one side of the throne was a stand holding a necklace that was made of thin rectangular strips of silver and gold with a different image of a bear on each tile. On one side of the room is a large mattress area on the floor with many blankets and pillows at the ready with ample food and drink beside it. The room smelled of musk and masculinity. The scent of hundreds of bears permeated the room, and all four became aroused by this atmosphere.

"You ready, cub?" Karn asked, smiling.

Gaden nodded. Karn turned his attention to Brunaulf and broadened his smile.

"Take your position in the place of honour, son. It's time to do for Gaden what Garret did for you."

Brunaulf strode to the dais and reverently lifted the necklace and unclasped it. Standing in front of the throne and with his back to it, he raised the necklace and began to speak.

"Haran Mojkar, God and guardian of werebears, one of your cubs comes before you to help another through the change. May you find favour in my work as I act in your stead."

With those words, Brunaulf secured the necklace around his neck. He turned around to pick the crown up and seated himself on the throne. Holding the crown over his head, he continued the ritual and recited the following as the lowered the crown:

"Haran Mojkar,God and guardian of werebears, one of your cubs comes before you to consummate another into your family. May you find favour in my work as I act in your stead."

As the crown made contact with Brunaulf's head both the crown and necklace glowed fiercely. Brunaulf roared in pain as his entire body was enveloped in a blue-green hue and went rigid. Uncle Karn started to move to help but then stopped in his tracks as he saw the transformation before him. Brunaulf's hair, beard and body hair turned from black to white. His hair lengthened to below shoulder length as his beard grew down to his waist. His stature rose almost two feet in height as his body exploded outward in size. Brunaulf turned into what seemed to be an elder werebear giant in the span of thirty seconds. His already hugely muscular form thickened with impossible muscle. The small amount of neck he had virtually disappeared and the added brawn was encased with a layer of fat. His belly became beautifully round and taught. Finally opening his eyes, they glowed an iridescent blue-green as he took in his surroundings. Smiling warmly he rose to his full height and surveyed the room.

"My cubs!" His bass voice reverberated across the room, the sound of it was as if two voices spoke at once: Brunaulf’s, though deeper and more resonant, and another. He took a step forward, stretching as if trying to work out the kinks from being in one position too long.

"My dear, sweet cubs!"

The three men stood there in shock. Both Karn and Mit had been witnesses to the ritual a few times, but never had anything like this happened.

"Brunaulf?" Uncle Karn queried.

"He's here, don't worry," colossal bear reassured, "but considering the dedication, bravery, honour, and sacrifice the cubs before me are willing to make, I wanted to guide this cub through his first change personally."

Karn was the first to put two and two together.

"Haran Mojkar?" he asked.

Smiling the giant confirmed the guess, "Correct, cubby!” He turned his attention to both Karn and Mit.

“And please, no formalities from the two of you tonight. This is a celebration, not a royal audience in Adengaan." He took a step off the dais and moved toward Karn and continued speaking.

"I want you to know I've been watching you for years now. You're a steadfast, honourable man and a good cub. Your work pleases me to no end!"

Standing in front of Karn, he bent down slightly and putting a hand behind Karn's head pulled him in and kissed him hard. Karn felt a surge of energy flow through him as they kissed and his cock sprang to life instantly becoming painfully hard. Breaking the kiss, he strode over to Mit as he continued speaking.

"And you, Mit, my cub who was robbed of the ritual of the change yet always welcomes new cubs with enthusiasm and dedication. Your work pleases me!" With that, he bent his knees slightly to grab Mit in a rough bear hug. Despite Mit being one of the strongest werebears alive, he felt the air escape him as he was being hugged by a god. He returned Mit to the ground and turned his attention to Gaden.

"Gaden, my sweet cub Gaden. You risked your life to save one of my cubs and gave up who you are so you could be one of mine." His eyes glowed brightly for a moment.

"You have pleased me to no end, and before the night is over, you shall be rewarded. But now, the time has come to change into bear from for the first time." He reached out and put each of Gaden's hands in his. The new werebear felt a surge of energy and a strange type of connection with this god floating just below his level of consciousness. Haran Mojkar smiled approvingly as he looked down.

"Yes, my cub is ready! Ok, just follow me and do what I do. Visualize the change, then just make it happen. First, we'll start in the face. Visualize yourself growing a snout like a bear," the werebear god began transforming his own face, "feel yourself changing, growing outward, you can do it."

Mit and Uncle Karn came to each side of Gaden for support. Mit began changing his facial features as Karn continued to encourage Gaden. The new werebear concentrated and, with some effort, began changing his face to have a snout like a bear. A random thought flashed through his head that the concentration to do this seemed very similar to the mindset he had to be in to cast a new spell.

"Exactly right, cubby," a voice penetrated his thoughts, "exactly right. You can do it!" The werebear god spoke aloud again:

"Ok, now think about your eyes and ears. Feel your ears rising on your head, squaring out. Your eyes will change position. You can do it!" Slowly Mit and Haran Mojkar changed their entire heads to bear form. Karn began the transformation and caught up to the others.

"Very good cubby," the werebear God praised, "now let's go for your body. Feel your bones shift and pop. Feel your hands and feet become paws with claws. Embrace the fur that is going to sprout all over your body. Revel in how much bigger you will become in stature. Take your time and concentrate, it will come!"

With that, he let go of Gaden's hands as he completed the transformation to full bear form. His shape was that of a bear almost twice the size of the werebears around him with glistening white fur and his eyes maintained that iridescent blue-green hue. Gaden used all of his will to concentrate, to change, and slowly it began to happen. He felt himself becoming less and less human and more and more bear. Brown fur sprouted everywhere as his hands turned into paws with long sharp claws. His weight increased as his body filled out to bear proportions. It took about ten minutes to get it right, looking at the bears around him and concentrating his will to make the change, but managed to achieve a full bear form. The huge white bear came alongside his latest werebear and his two companions.

"Very good Gaden, my newest cub!" the god beamed with pride. You have done well for your first change. Tonight is the night for you to enjoy this form, relish in it! Burn the feeling of this form into your mind. Take note of how your heightened senses tell you about the world around you. These things will make it easier and easier to change form as time goes on."

Gaden stood there on all fours, drinking in what has unfolded before him. The former mage never felt so alive, so charged! Everything around him bombarded his senses with new information. What intrigued him the most was his sense of smell. The smell of the three bears next to him were so strong, so potent, he felt a primal need to breed. His new penis belied his excitement.

"All in good time, cub," Haran Mojkar chided gently, "all in good time. First, your reward." The werebear god went to Gadens hole and after a quick sniff, began licking and teasing it with his tongue, forcing himself in at times eliciting shivers throughout the body of his cub.

"You chose to sacrifice who you were so you could become one of us, and you saved the life of one of my cubs," the God said in between probing Gaden's hole, "I can feel the hole magic left behind, that emptiness in you. I cannot give you back magic as you know it, but I can give you something to help you feel whole again."

With that, the werebear god moved behind Gaden, and with a gentle push began to insert is cock into his cub's hole. He was extremely large and Gaden winced slightly at being penetrated, but healed quickly and was able to adjust. Satisfied his cub was okay, he began to push more of himself in until he was buried to the hilt. He held himself there for a second letting his cub get used to it before he started pistoning. Gaden felt a calming, blissful energy surge through him and his cock stiffened instantly in response. Waves of pleasure surged through him. It was slow and gentle at first but, seemed to increase both in frequency and intensity as the new werebear was being topped by a god. Both god and cub roared in unison as Gaden was filled with seed. As the seed entered his body he felt a strange energy permeate him, bind with him, and he felt like the void in his mind where magic energy once was had been filled by a new energy - a new knowledge, a new understanding. The new werebear could only describe it as energy and knowledge compressed into a few seconds of transfer and instantaneous understanding. It was not about the magic he knew of the arcane, but rather a sublime, gentle form of magic that worked in harmony with nature. It was a treasure trove of information mostly incomprehensible, as if an entire lifetime of knowledge was being stuffed into his head whether he was ready for it or not. A voice rang through his head as the werebear god pulled out.

"Its okay, cubby. You'll figure it out. Use my gift to you for your community and to help others."

Satisfied, the God of the werebears reverted to human form and with some coaching and guidance helped Gaden return to human form. Once Mit and Karn had transformed back, he spoke again.

"I must take my leave, my cubs. Containing my form is stressful even for a werebear, and Brunaulf has earned the honour of enjoying this night with his charge. Remember this night and bear witness that I am with you and protecting you, always."

With a wink, he lumbered over to the dais and sat down on the throne. As if on cue the electrical charges seemed to evaporate out of Brunaulf. Looking around with his own eyes, he stood up and turned to face his companions.

"THAT WAS INCREDIBLE!" Brunaulf exclaimed while standing up, "I felt him! He took over my body, but I could feel everything! That was amazing!" He looked at the three of them who had shocked looks on their faces.

"What's wrong?"

Karn was the first to speak up. "Your hair and beard, son… it’s all salt and pepper now!"

"What?!" Brunaulf asked reaching an arm up to his face reflexively. His arm felt tight as he reached up to feel his face.

"Yeah," Mit added, "I think you're bigger too!"

Brunaulf took a moment to assess himself. Looking down, he finally noticed just how much thicker he was. He walked over to his papa and his eyes were at Karn's forehead. He smiled.

"I guess Haran Mojkar really was pleased with me," Brunaulf confirmed, "I feel great!"

Gaden looked at his lover's transformation and was completely aroused. He walked over to him as his cock inflated and began to appraise him. He nudged him to turn around so he could admire him from all sides when his methodical attention to detail snapped him out of his admiration. He turned his now bigger lover around so he could study his back again.

"They're gone!" Gaden said.

"What's gone?" Brunaulf asked.

"Every trace of the beatings you took. Every scar. Not a single faint line or mark. They're completely gone!"

Brunaulf froze as his life from when the beatings began until now flashed before his eyes. He thought about all of his experiences, how his life started so harshly and yet found love and acceptance and thus learned to love and accept others. Karn and the werebear family had soothed the mental and emotional pain and now the last vestiges of the physical pain had been erased. He turned around to face Gaden, looked down on him and smiled. Picking up the smaller werebear in a hug, he carried him over to the large bed on the floor and placed him on it, back down, laughing in glee.

Brunaulf moved to cover Gaden, not only had he grown bigger but his now salt and pepper body hair seemed to be denser and longer. His chest a thick mat of fur extending down to his pelvis where it was met by a wide curly bush. He lowered himself atop Gaden, whose face now only reached his chest when their crotches were even. Gaden, wrapping his arms around his love, felt the pelt on his back was not as dense as the front, but was still much more than it had been. He nuzzled his bearded face into Branaulf’s musky chest fur and breathed in his scent. It was different - stronger but not a stink - more ursine. It was the only way Gaden could formulate the experience in his mind. Branaulf’s human scent was not as ‘human’. Gaden sought through the fur and latched on to Branaulf’s nipple, flicking it with his tongue. This elicited deep guttural moans from the bigger bear. His thick cock grew longer, indeed longer than it should, Gaden thought. His balls too seemed to grow larger and he was not imagining it, his God had left the last of his blessings upon Branaulf for the first mating with his newly transformed love. Branaulf grunted deeply as he thrust his larger cock through Gaden’s crotch and belly fur, smearing precum all over the smaller bear, growling through gritted teeth.

“I've been waiting for this moment, to be able to share myself completely with you! I want to push into you and ram as hard as I can with all I have, and I no longer have to hold back. I had to be so gentle before, so restrained! But now, you as a werebear and so powerfully remade, I don't have to!”

“Oh FUCK! YES!” Gaden almost whimpered as Brunaulf thrust into his lover’s pelvis. The larger Bear’s fangs had already begun to grow and with a savage growl he bent down and bit into Gaden’s shoulder, a cry of pain and a moan of pleasure from the smaller bear followed as Branaulf began humping at his belly, grinding his pelvis against his love.

The elder bears stood watching the lustful display, the scent in the room growing heady with arousal. They had stroked themselves hard as they viewed the beginnings of lovemaking. Taking the cry of passion from the bite as a cue for the beginning of round two of the festivities, Karn and Mit joined them on the large bed. Immediately Karn’s cock was engulfed by Branaulf’s bearded mouth as Mit fed his leaking member to Gaden. Soon all four were in a tangle mingled in pleasure.

Branaulf took a bottle of mint oil and poured some out onto his fingers, the scent was refreshing and invigorating. He rubbed it on Gaden’s hole and the effect was immediate. Gaden felt a cooling sensation and a tingle as Branaulf’s finger penetrated. Mit grinned, “This is special. Our herbalist brothers 'collaborated' with the Mage's Guild in Adenggan to have a bit of magic woven into the oil. It will make the sensations more… intense... and to help the top hold off as long as possible before shooting”.

Mit chuckled, “It's also honey sweetened, but not sticky. You're welcome by the way. How about you thank me by passing me that bottle for your hole?” Mit took it from Branaulf's paw to rub a double finger full on the bear's hole. He massaged it in and Branaulf growled lowly, “Oh now you're gonna have to eat my ass!”

Slowly but surely, the four of them transformed to full bear form, Karn taking the lead and shifting first with Mit not far behind. “Way ahead of you boy!” Karn said and Branaulf felt his ass spread and a bear’s muzzle pushed into the crack, a long, nimble, muscular tongue lapped at and then penetrated him.

Mitt rubbed Branaulf’s back as he began to shift form and lined up his cock on Gaden’s hole, now relaxed and fully opened thanks to the magical properties of the oil. In one swift move, Branaulf buried himself inside Gaden to the hilt taking the younger bear’s breath. The newest werebear had belt this man inside him before, but never had he felt so full. Branaulf had been large by human standards, but now his cock was truly enormous and growing longer and thicker as he shifted shape. He remained still for several moments, grunting at the twin pleasures of engulfing his love and having Karn’s long bear tongue work his loosening hole. Gaden gave little cries of pleasure as Branaulf grew inside of him. It wasn’t long before Karn’s own hole was being anointed with the minty oil. He took that as a sign that he needed to line up on his boy’s pucker and like him, he hilted in one move. This was a favorite game among the Bears. The last to penetrate, in this case, Mit, would begin fucking while the others remained hard and horny, but still within their lover, caressing, kissing, nibbling, biting but not fucking. As soon as the last bear to penetrate shot his load, he would pull out and the one beneath him would begin fucking, until the last couple, the first to be coupled, would fuck.

And so it went, all four bears in their most natural shape, Mit fucked Karn hard, so hard that even with the mass of two other bear’s between them, Gaden could feel Branaulf’s cock gently thrusting within him. Were it not for the effects of the special unguent both Karn and Branaulf would shoot prematurely. The huge bear pounded Karn savagely, lustfully. A half hour later there was a thunderous roar and Mit shot a thick, sticky, bounteous load into Karn who felt every shot as it filled his gut. After minutes of panting, Mit lying on Karn’s back coming down from his orgasmic high, he withdrew and smacked Karn hard on the ass. “Your turn daddy bear!”

Each of the bears in turn performed much the same. This was bear sex, ancient, animalistic, no holding back. There was no gentleness in the primal need to rut. Soft caressing, tender words, loving kisses... those things were for later. This moment was about breeding the bears you loved.

When Branaulf finally came, he’d been inside of Gaden for a good two hours. He was near his limit of what he could endure and not shoot by the time Karn had finished in him and now, even the magic of the oil was unravelling. Releasing his load was like a dam bursting, at first a trickle, then a flow, and finally a flood that ripped through his cock and burst into Gaden. It was so powerful that the impending orgasm brought Gaden to his own. In near simultaneous climax the two roared, shuddered and cursed together as they fulfilled their most basic drive to mate. The climax lasted at least a minute, maybe more. Time seemed frozen by the dizzying effect of the combined pheromones of the four werebears. As the pair came down from ecstasy they kissed and slowly separated only to be embraced in the arms of one of the elder bears. Karn cuddled Gaden to his chest, kissing him, licking him, caressing him as the other two looked on in satisfied contentment.

“Welcome to the family,” Karn said.

Mit, cuddled up against Branaulf’s back, reached over and patted Gaden’s shoulder.

“Yes, welcome little brother.” Mit added.

The kissing, licking, nibbling, cuddling and caressing went on for hours as Gaden felt the bonds of family deepen within him. Eventually, one by one, sleep claimed them all and they slept in a pile together.

Gaden was the first to stir and open his eyes. The torches had gone out hours ago, the only light being a thin sliver of sunbeam making its way into the room from the entrance. The newest werebear took a moment to get on all fours and give himself a stretch and a shake before padding over to the cave entrance. It was a sunny, cloudless morning outside as he surveyed the path down to the cottages below. Several men and bears were on the ground still sleeping enjoying the lazy calm of the cool morning. His ears picked up noise coming from inside the cave so he returned to the bed to find Brunaulf stretching himself awake. His lover went over to nuzzle him in a morning greeting.

"Morning Brunaulf"

"Morning Gaden," Brunaulf slowly transformed back to human form. The other two bears began to stir, stretch, and come back to human form. Gaden, though very slow also managed to return to human form without any coaching.

"What an amazing night," Gaden said, "I cannot believe what happened. How often does he make an appearance?"

Mit looked like he wanted to say something, but hesitated giving Karn the opportunity to speak up.

"Never since I went through the change," Karn said, "that's why the ritual is framed the way it is. We honour Haran Mojkar and the way he created the original werebears by acting in his stead when a new one comes into the fold. The lore says that he was among us during the Great Expulsion in Adengaan's 233rd year, but that's all I'm aware of. I would have to ask the elders if they've witnessed such an event at a ritual such as this, but before last night I haven't."

Gaden was shocked and in awe. "I'll never forget last night. Ever” he said quietly.

The others shared that sentiment.