Chapter 35

When the day finally arrived, I was prepared to perform the ceremony. All the men we were to join had been found. I had learned what to do, what to say, and what to think.

A few months prior, I had established a connection with the remaining five spirits. For Arstone and Rangmer, I simply instructed them to bring their vessels into the cave. Since they already had forms here, the vessels they returned with were copies of their current selves.

****

I recalled that day vividly.

“Arstone, from now on you will be called Stone.” His eyes sparkled with joy.

“Thank you, Master. I am no longer Arstone; my name is Stone forever.”

“And you, Rangmer, will now be called Roan. Let this renaming mark the beginning of your transformation into new spirits. I was once suspicious of both of you, but you have proven me wrong. You have only helped us grow. If the other three from your group of ten are like you and the first five, I believe we will make swift progress toward our common goal.”

Roan fell to the ground and prostrated himself at my feet. “Oh Master, thank you. Being allowed to stay here is what Stone, and I have hoped for, but being named by you is beyond my dreams.”

Both Stone and Roan appeared to change, not drastically, but they had grown larger and more muscular. “Are you ascending?” I asked.

“Not like your first four, Master, but we have gained more power from the names you gave us!” Stone replied in amazement.

*****

The other three spirits arrived in their formless state, and their vessels looked quite peculiar. After consulting with Omega, I learned that if I instructed the three to bring back their vessels and then shaped them as I wished, their vessels would take that form.

“You three will return your vessels and then present yourselves before me,” I commanded.

They complied. ‘We have followed your orders, Master,’ they said in unison, appearing as formless blobs on the ground, which I assumed was their way of bowing.

“Katus, when you first revealed your form, I was not pleased. Do you know why?”

‘I have learned much during my time here. Yes, Master, I understand.’ The words sounded like all three were speaking at the same time.

“Then show me your form and address its flaws, please.”

Katus transformed into a massive gorilla, his chest, and belly bare, furless, with very short black fur and longer arms than a human’s. He stood upright like a man rather than hunching over. As he looked at me, he sensed that his choice was appealing. Smiling, he revealed his sharp fangs and turned, flexing as he showcased his entire body, the silver coloring prominent on his back. “I hope this pleases you, Master,” he said in a deep, guttural voice.

“Your name will be Gor. The name Katus suggests a cat, but you are a gorilla—a formidable one at that,” I stated.

“Thank you, Master. Gor suits me perfectly. Yes, I am GOR,” he growled. “I will serve you always, Master.”

“Elasmoth, your form did not please me, primarily for one reason, though there are other areas where improvements could be made. Have you learned anything during your time on this planet?”

‘Oh yes, Master, I have learned much. May I demonstrate, Master?’ His voice had a dual quality, as if two were speaking simultaneously.

“Please do.”

Elasmoth transformed into a bipedal rhinoceros. He had almost no hair, except for some on his genitals, which were very large, a patch on his chest, and a mohawk on his head. His skin remained leathery, but it shifted as he moved. When he turned around, I noticed there were no wrinkles or folds in his skin. The mohawk extended down his neck, ending at his upper back. He posed with a double biceps flex, accentuating his pecs and abs, with his skin smoothly conforming to the shape of his muscles. Although his skin was thick, the muscle definition was so pronounced that, unless touched, one would think it was paper thin. He kept his head down, remaining in his flexed pose as if awaiting my response.

“You have done well. Your name will be Cero. I do not know the origin or meaning of your previous name. You make a fine rhinoceros.

“I would call you ‘Rine,’ but it sounds like the skin of a fruit, which you definitely are not, so from now on, I will call you Cero.”

“Thank you, Master. My name is now Cero. Cero the rhinoceros. I will be Cero from now until the end of time.” He finally looked at me and smiled. I hadn’t noticed before, but now I could see his horn—it was quite short.

“Can your horn be made bigger?”

“Yes, Master, but I thought it might be a hindrance if I... if I were ever fortunate enough to serve you.”

“Well, we may need to experiment with its size one day.”

“Yes, yes, Master. It would delight me; to bring you pleasure.” His voice was pleasant, perfectly balanced—not too deep, yet not too high.

“Orgonier, your previous form was not just unpleasing; it was nightmarish. Have you learned anything during your time in this world?”

‘Yes, Master, I have. Although I’m unsure which species would be to your liking. I have a unique form that I hope will please you, Master.’

“Show me then.”

Orgonier transformed into a type of reptile. His extremely fine scales were distinct, appearing to move like skin. His head resembled both a lizard’s and a man’s. Two short yet broad horns protruded from his head, curving back and touching the nape of his neck, giving him the illusion of having hair—though none adorned his body. He stood upright on webbed feet. His muscular arms ended in human hands, equipped with long, pointed claws that extended and retracted with his flexing muscles. Although he displayed no genitals, a slit was visible at the front. When he turned around, a long, prehensile tail emerged, wide at the base and tapering to the diameter of a large finger. As he faced me again, flexing in a muscular pose, the slit opened, revealing an impressively long and pointed cock and large balls. “Do you like it, Master? I can be penetrated from both the front and the back; my member can also dock with yours. My tail can enter and pleasure you, even if you are entering me from behind. His tail coiled around his waist, the tip in front it looked like he had two cocks, but one was his tail. If this form isn’t to your liking, I have another one, Master. Do I not please you?” His voice, tinged with fear, resembled that of Cobra’s, but was slightly deeper.

“No, you look very pleasing. I recognize you’re a reptile, but which one?” I asked.

“I am many, not confined to a single species, but the best of various types. I can do this too.” His upper body swelled in size, reminiscent of a frog’s inflation when croaking. His skin remained muscular rather than becoming thin; he simply grew more robust and smoothly. “I sound like this now—it’s all muscle, Master.” His voice, now deep and resonant, reminded me of a foghorn. “I’m also warm-blooded, so if you snuggle up to me, you’ll stay warm.”

“I don’t know what I should call you because your name isn’t pleasing to hear. You will be called Ogre.”

“Thank you, Master. I will cherish my name as it comes from you. I will be called Ogre.”

“Now, go to your world and bring back your vessels.”

“Yes, Master.” The three responded in unison, but this time I could hear each of them distinctly. They vanished—not fading away, but simply disappearing. Almost immediately, they reappeared.

“Was there a problem?” I asked.

“No, Master. We are back. Our vessels are in the vessel display area of your cave.”

I drew upon my memories when Stone’s voice pulled me back to reality. “We are ready to bond with you and Jesse, Master.”

I rose and approached them. “Hold out one hand and place it on each other’s hand.” They complied, creating a large pile of five hands. I placed one of my hands on either side of the pile simultaneously. At first, my fingers passed through their hands as if they lacked solid form, but then they became firm, forcing my hands away. Changes occurred among them all. The three newcomers became surprisingly more muscular, if that was even possible, and they all seemed to emit a glowing quality. Unsure of what to do, I glanced at Ursus. He stood next to the other four spirits, and they all appeared the same; their muscles were definitely larger, and they shared that same glowing effect as the ones I was holding.

I turned to Jesse, hoping he had an answer, but he, too, was growing and glowing. The spirits transformed into their spirit forms, and then two omegas appeared, one larger than the other. “We are ascending. We combine,” they proclaimed. I couldn’t see Jesse anywhere. Then, looking at the two dragons, I noticed Jesse floating up between them. I called out to him, but either he couldn’t hear me or was lost in a trance.

All three vanished, and a man stood before me. His face was Jesse’s, but otherwise, he was a massive, glowing figure. Golden flames seemed to emanate from his body. “Is that you, Jesse?” I asked.

“Yes, but more. We are one. We serve only you. To call us is to summon power; all copies of the first five are within this form. As are the newer five, calling on me will increase our strength. Remember, call us only when all else fails.”

“How do I call you? What’s your name?”

“You must name us.”

The only name that came to mind was Prime. I tried to think of something better but ended up saying, “Prime.”

Jesse looked at me, and then everything reversed. The figure of Jesse vanished, and the two dragons, along with Jesse, floated in the air. Then the ten spirits appeared as the dragons disappeared. Jesse stood before me, no longer glowing but still in his huge form, and everything came to a halt. I remember hitting something hard and then I saw was the ground approaching.

*****

I awoke with a start, pain coursing through me, and I fell back onto a soft cushion.

“Finally awake! Don’t move; the contact with my other self-caused you a lot of pain. You’re not quite back to normal.”

‘Was that Jesse’s voice?’ I looked up as best I could and saw Jesse’s face above and to the side of my head. I was lying on one of his pecs, mistaking it for a plush cushion. Although I couldn’t see much of him, his pecs were enormous—bigger than they’d been in his grizzly bear form. Jesse noticed the shock in my eyes.

“Don’t worry, I’m slowly returning to my normal self. The omegas have said that we’ll both be back to normal at the same time. It’s linked to the moment I caught you before you hit the ground. I wasn’t completely separated from the omegas; some of their energy transferred to you.

I finally regained some sensation and shifted my feet to lift myself closer to Jesse’s chest. However, I hit something hard—a rock. Why was there a rock on the bed?

“Sorry, I should have warned you. I can relax every part of myself except my cock and balls. You’re not on the bed; you’re on top of me. You actually hit one of my balls, even though I felt almost nothing from your kick.” Jesse explained, “The omegas advised me not to move you, so we’ve been on the floor for a few days, waiting for you to wake up.”

“You feel so soft. I can’t believe I’m not using your chest as a plush pillow,” I said, almost in a whisper. Suddenly, Jesse flexed his abs, and I was lifted against them, which felt like smoothed rocks. His dick must have flexed too, because my foot got caught between his abs and his pole. Thankfully, his abs relaxed and created a pocket, so I wasn’t hurt, but his dick remained in place. Looking down, I saw the slit of Jesse’s cock pointing at my face, just below the crevasse between his pecs. When Jesse noticed my discomfort, he relaxed again, and I found myself back on a very comfy bed.”

Fen entered, and I realized we were the only ones in this part of the cave. “Master, you’re finally awake! I’m here to tend to your needs—um, both of your needs. Are you hungry, thirsty, or would you like a bed to lie on?” Fen asked.

“I’ve told you all that I can make Keith more comfortable than any bed you could provide. Do you want anything, my love?” Jesse’s demeanor shifted from slight anger to a puppy-like eagerness.

“I want some information. First, how long will I be in this state? Second, what happened to all of you, and what are the consequences?” I asked Fen.

“Now that you’re awake, you should be back to normal in a few hours, which will also restore Jesse. The second part is more than I can answer satisfactorily on my own,” Fen said as the other nine spirits appeared.

Ursus spoke first, cutting in before Arstone had a chance. “Master, as you know, omega has ascended again. This occurred partly because we ascended while the other five were bound to you and Jesse. It happened so quickly that our ascension caused Omega to ascend before we could merge with the other five spirits. The others also ascended, but did so after us, reaching the same level as our omega, although it took longer for them. Two omegas were created, unable to meld into one more powerful omega. Jesse, not use to the merging, could not merge with either of our omegas, which caused him to transform into part of the new Prime.”

Arstone interjected while Ursus was still gathering his thoughts. “The ramifications are not dire. You were injured, and we couldn’t heal you. It’s the excess power within Jesse causing this. If you ever call upon Prime, Jesse will be part of that entity. Jesse will remain unharmed and return to his normal state, though he will gain slight enhancements each time Prime is summoned. Prime is a being unlike any seen before; his powers are nearly limitless, allowing him to manipulate time to some extent. We’re still trying to comprehend that aspect. Since Jesse is part of Prime, we Spirits are struggling to fully grasp Prime’s true abilities. Summoning Prime should only be done as a last resort. For this reason, we won’t ask you to call upon his form. As you’ve observed, your First Five spirits are distinct from your Second. We see no possibility of merging into one now that Prime has been established. Each of us possesses more power than when you had only the Five, more than enough to fulfill your wishes while still caring for the Pack and the Spirit World.”

“It’s caring for the Den,” Ursus responded.

“It’s currently the Den/Pack or Pack/Den until the Oasis is complete, and we have enough members to vote!” I retorted. “You’re acting like children. Is this one of the negative ramifications?”

“It seems so, Master. However, we can now allow members to bond with the new spirits, effectively splitting the men into two factions: the Bear Camp and the Pack Camp. Our new power makes this possible,” Ursus replied.

“The two camps will unite when necessary, doing what is best for their own, which may cause different changes for each camp. Your word, or your lieutenant’s, will always take precedence over the will of the camp. There will be no descent in morals or actions,” Arstone clarified.

“That raises the question: When do we hold the ceremony now that all of this has happened?”

“Whenever you want, but I would recommend waiting until you feel your best. You know how difficult it will be,” Jesse advised.

By late afternoon, I had fully recovered, and Jesse had returned to his normal size. As we exited our section of the cave, we were greeted by a cheering crowd. Karl, James, Grey, and even Joshua stood at the front, each giving me and Jesse hugs and hearty pats on the back—Jesse’s being more vigorous than mine. Thankfully, mine were just light pats. As the crowd parted for us, I heard many expressions of relief at my recovery, with some men shedding tears of joy as I walked by. Notably, some of the larger men in the den/pack were among those crying. One man fell to his knees, so overwhelmed with joy that he inadvertently brought a few others down with him in the thick crowd.

Later that evening, Jesse and I called the soon-to-be inner circle to our cave. Karl, James, Grey and Joshua were already there, having refused to leave until they knew we were fully recovered. James, Grey and Joshua were assisting Karl with his struggle to transform into a better version of himself, whether as a bear man or simply a larger man. I was confident he could do it; he just feared the consequences of getting it wrong. Although he understood the transformation was possible, that underlying fear lingered in his mind.

Finally, James spoke up. “You never take that last step. Sir, can you please make him do it?”

“I will if you’re willing, Karl. I know you think you’re trying, but deep down, you’re holding yourself back. Once you transform and truly feel it, you’ll do it all the time—at least until you understand you can change at will.”

Karl looked at me. “James is probably right; I am stopping myself from changing. Okay, I can visualize my new body. Order me to change.”

“Karl, I want you to change into the form you see in your mind. Do it now,” I commanded.

Karl grew taller, and his briefs adjusted to fit his new physique. The transformation started slowly, then speed up. Before long, Karl had become a tall, muscular Santa Claus. White hair sprouted on his head, curling down to his shoulders, while his beard grew thick, cascading down to his chest. By the end, he had all the features of Santa, except he lacked a belly, standing instead at about six feet tall. “It felt great to change,” he remarked.

Ursus created a mirror so Karl could admire his new appearance. Instead of flexing like most men would, Karl simply stood there, gazing at himself in awe.

“I wish you had a shorter beard. You’re hiding one of your best features,” James said.

As he spoke, Karl’s beard braided into two long, thick cords.

“Wow, this is more like it. Your body is perfect now; you look more like a Viking,” James congratulated Karl on his decision.

Soon, men entered the area, each one a muscular bear, bull or boar-man. More followed, including some rhino-men and a gorilla-men. “It looks like the spirits have allowed the men to change leaders,” I announced for everyone to hear.

The other spirits soon appeared. “Master, we have decided that your inner circle should represent the Co-op as a whole, not just the original five,” Ursus said.

“I only see the larger types; didn’t I choose other types?” I asked, a bit confused.

“You did, Master, but a few of them have transformed into the larger forms from the new five,” Ursus replied.

As more men arrived and everyone was present, Jesse instructed them to form a line so I could see them all.

I noticed a few werewolves: one slim and another massive, resembling a monster alongside a badger man. There were also two reptile men with slender bodies, but I knew Ogre could become very top-heavy with muscles. The rest were all big beasts from the original five, even the cobra was a brute. “Can those who are changing leaders please take a slimmer form, except for the reptilian men?” I requested. They complied, and now I could see that about a third of them had slimmer bodies. “I want these body types to be visible when they give orders or engage with others. If you can’t manage that, return to the forms you had when I chose you for the circle. This is to show that all body types should be accepted. Some of you larger members could also shift to a slimmer physique when you’re out and about. I’m not suggesting you stay in that shape; I simply want to show the members that every body type is valid.”

“Let’s get down to business. The ceremony will take place in three days. Thanks to the new power granted to us by the ten spirits, we don’t need all of you to accomplish our current goals. However, we still want each of you to be our lieutenants, which means your workload will be lighter, at least for the foreseeable future,” Jesse explained.

“Remember, we need to adhere strictly to the ceremony; there can be dire consequences if things go wrong. For this reason, there will be no one present other than those involved in the ceremony. Since we—and I mean us and the spirits—don’t fully know what will happen, even if everything goes perfectly. No matter what happens, let it be,” Jesse concluded.

“If you have questions, please ask one of the ten spirits; they have a link to their omegas. Yes, we have two now, so they can provide you with the best answers,” I added.