“Fuck, it’s a nice day! Perfect for camping!” Jordan declared, not for the first time during their drive. Robbie had to admit, he wasn’t wrong. Though they had planned their camping trip to a famous highland grounds months in advance, they couldn’t ask for better weather. A chance to cut loose and finish the cases of beer in the trunk, a reward for their semester of school.
Robbie had been a little cautious at first, though in the end figured it would turn out OK. Jordan was not the most respectable of people, and there was every chance he might wreck the site with beer cans and the like. Robbie decided in the end to go along if only to make sure Jordan didn’t get too out of hand with his fun. He didn’t want to say anything, though was well aware they would be camping on grounds designated as a conservation area, and they would get in trouble for leaving a mess. Not to mention he was a little bit of a stickler for nature, wanting to do his part not to damage the natural world further. Still, figuring he would be lambasted for bringing it up again, he decided to keep his concerns under wraps, cleaning up after his friends quietly in the background.
“Dude, get over yourself and relax!” Jordan had told him one night during a drunken planning session for the trip. It was obvious Jordan wouldn’t give a shit, just as likely to trash the place as much as they had their dorm room, after all. Even if it was subject to fines, Jordan’s family was loaded, and he often felt such rules did not apply to him. So, in the end, Robbie decided to go along with him, albeit a little apprehensive about his disrespect. Hardly the first time, and, in truth, they had been good friends since starting their courses, so he decided to let it go.
Myles was inclined to sit quietly in the back, usually going along with whatever Jordan had in mind and complacent in doing so. If his buddy was down to party, so was Myles, though he had no inclination to clean up after him. He didn’t want to get fined, of course, but he didn’t really see any problem making a mess, at least to the degree it bothered Robbie. After all, the rich were killing the planet in their endless quest for higher profits, so what was the point in worrying about a single weekend’s worth of trash?
Naturally, no sooner did the three set up camp than Jordan cracked his first can, getting suds all over his shirt and shorts. Laughing like a fool, he sat down by a pre-made fire pit, pulling out some hotdogs and looking for a pot to cook them in. Already, he was inclined to toss the wrapper into the bushes, and neither of his friends bothered to pick it up, thinking it to be a fruitless endeavor. And just the start of the mess Jordan was to leave, looking to let off some steam and party harder than was healthy for either him or the surrounding campsite…
It started out as another later afternoon for Callum McGregor’s rounds, something he felt was more necessary as of late. It was not something he did out of financial obligation, given his day job at a local tourist information center. But as he had been compelled to do so often since his coming of age. Callum drove his Toyota Land Cruiser around the campgrounds, looking for anything out of place, though perhaps not things he could always put into words.
If he didn’t know any better, Callum might think his compulsions were in part due to his druidic heritage, the last in a long line of practitioners that had resided in these lands since even before the days of the Picts. He had no compulsion to raise children of his own, though it might have been nice to have someone to pass along his beliefs to. Still, they were as much a part of him as anything else in his life, and Callum was diligent in his practices of the old ways and the ancient rituals as his family had done for generations since time immemorial. He was generally quiet about his beliefs, save for the unique pendant worn around his neck in a simple leather strip. It was a roughly carved wooden stag’s head, antlers forming a cage-like network of twigs containing a bundle of herbs and other oddments, meant to be a sort of protection against malign forces.
Though he was often unsure where his drives would take him, his inclinations frequently allowed him to wind up somewhere his services might be needed. This time was no different as the sight of smoke rose up from one of the campsites, far thicker than a simple fire would denote. Stepping on it, Callum was thankfully in time to drive into a clearing, where a trio of twenty-somethings were frantically trying to put out a fire. Given the way they were stumbling in the late afternoon sun, it was obvious they were intoxicated, barely able to manage to walk let alone put water on the fire. Quickly, Callum pulled out his fire blanket, throwing it on the fire. With a heavy plume of smoke that left everyone coughing, the crisis was averted.
Given the ire he felt toward another irresponsible group of campers, it was a wonder Callum was able to keep his composure. The place was already trashed, refuse and food thrown carelessly around, some of it blown into the trees by the wind. Yet, his practices taught him to remain peaceful, and in the end, Callum decided to educate them. After all, it was more important to implore safer practices and the respect that came with living in harmony with nature.
“I know you couldn’t have meant the fire to get out of control, though watching it carefully is just as much for your safety as for the forest. And all your food will attract the local fauna, disrupting the balance and causing their forage toward human habitation, which will-”
“What the fuck are you on about? You a ranger or something?” Jordan challenged, not having been shown a badge or jacket to denote the presence of an authority figure.
“What he means is, thanks for putting out the fire! We’re really sorry-” Robbie started, though Jordan moved to cut him off. “Well? Who the hell are you to come out here with this hippy shit? This land is free, man. You don’t fucking own it!”
Callum went to speak but found he did not have the words. The arrogance of the man was beyond what he had been prepared for. He was obviously drunk and mad at himself for almost catching their camp ablaze. But as with many insecure men, he could not place blame on himself, to the point of abusing all those that might insinuate such. Given his friends seemed used to such reactions, they stayed silent, Jordan’s eyes ablaze at what the man might do.
“I’m not-I don’t represent these woods in a legal sense but am rather a caretaker at the behest of my ancestors-” Callum began, trying to compose himself.
“So, a fucking hippy. Glad you put out the fire. Now piss off!” Jordan responded, pulling out another can from the cooler and taking a long swig before belching and throwing the still half-full can into a nearby tree, hitting it with a splash of booze.
“Look man, what business is it of yours? You going to knark or something?” Myles demanded, taking the lead from his friend. There was nothing the man could do against the three of them, even though he was not threatening them directly. Still, he was killing their buzz, and worse, pissing Jordan off to the point he might do something they would all regret.
“Look man, just get out of here, and take that hippy shit to someone who cares,” Robbie added, getting the idea that Jordan was losing his patience. The last thing they needed was a fight, after all.
“And don’t fucking show back up with any Rangers. We’ll fuck your shit up!” Jordan cursed, turning around and whipping out his dick to take a piss over the ashes of the fire.
Feeling his rage building, Callum decided it was best to leave, not wanting to waste more time here. Even if they had been sober, it was likely he wouldn’t be able to get through to them. Hell, the Rangers were tired of Callum enough as it was, not the first time he’d tried to request their assistance, though generally not with a crowd so aggressive. It was all he could do not to weep for the callous disregard for his family’s sacred land. With that, he got into his jeep and took off, not back home but to somewhere a little more important.
“Dudes, do you think he’s going to call the Rangers?” Robbie asked, legitimately concerned about getting a fine.
“Naw, fucker’s a coward. Stupid tree hugger. BUZZ KILLER!” Jordan yelled into the evening air, going for another beer. He was far too intoxicated to be reasoned with, Robbie figured. Besides, it was best to leave him alone, the chances of being fined low besides. They could pick up a little in the morning just in case, but with all the campsites out here, surely, they couldn’t fine everyone. Myles was of the same mind, already sitting down and cracking another brew, mellow compared to his two friends as he normally was.
Though the sun had set and the woods were obscured with oncoming shadows, Callum knew them like the back of his hand, especially to get to his goal. He always felt as though this particular location was hard to find, usually getting lost himself before winding up in the familiar grove, a place that only his family knew of. It was a natural spring, sacred to their order, and where he would occasionally go to pray or meditate. Though given his overall despair over the state of mankind and the affirmation of such given to him by the young men, he had a different goal in mind. Callum would speak to the old gods directly, asking for their aid and guidance. After making the appropriate offering, of course. It was a ritual he was quite practiced with, though never for such a wide request at this. While he believed in the magic and power that protected these holy spaces, his deities did not influence human matters directly, as best he understood. Still, Callum was compelled to beg, tears running down his face as he lamented the years of pain for mankind’s negligence. Surely, his gods had not forsaken their sacred lands!
As he finally rose and turned to leave, something out of the corner of his eye gave him pause. He almost swore that a tall figure was standing in the shadows, looking down from a nearby hillside, its features obscured by the clouded sky. The most remarkable thing was the pronounced antlers almost as large as its body, something Callum had only seen in illustrations. Yet, the moment Callum tried to gaze further, a stirring of the wind caused his eyes to tear up, and by the time he was able to clear them, only a tall tree remained.
The events of the night before went largely forgotten as Callum took his shift the next morning. Still, no sooner had he finished for the day than that compulsion to drive around the grounds came over him, something he’d learned to trust. As much as he’d been fatigued by his encounter the day before, Callum decided it was best to follow that instinct as he drove up the mountain once more, with no discernable goal in mind. It was a decision he would come to regret.
Once more, the sight of black smoke caused him to slam on the accelerator, fearful it was coming from a spot he knew well. A forest clearing, well away from the normal campgrounds. If he wasn’t mistaken, the clearing in question was one where his ancient ancestors had erected a small circle of standing stones. Something that meant little to most people but one that Callum held in reverence. And if something was to happen there, then…
Driving up the backroads, it was clear Callum’s fears would be realized, though he was thankful to have seen the smoke before any irreparable damage could be done. Still, he could not believe the familiar sight of the three students from the day before, once more fighting to keep down a blaze having erupted from a makeshift fireplace rather than the preconstructed pits for public use. Already exasperated with the young men from the night prior, Callum felt his rage grow beyond fathomable levels, filling him with an energy that made him almost shake. There was little he could actually do, without the authorities, but in his moment of rage, something clicked in his mind. It was as though a voice was telling him to confront the interlopers and perhaps exact the proper retribution for defiling their sacred lands…
Robbie, having been concerned about being reported, had urged Jordan to move camp the next morning, and the hungover man reluctantly agreed. They were still here one more night, after all, and it wouldn’t do to have someone intrude on their fun, be it that annoying hippy or someone with the authority to fine them. So, leaving most of their mess behind, Jordan drove them off-site, something that Robbie protested at first. “What, you said you didn’t want to get caught! So let’s not fucking get caught! If we do, we fucking say we got lost! Best excuse in the book!” Jordan insisted, and with Myles in agreement, there was little Robbie could do to protest.
After a few drinks, even Robbie had calmed down somewhat and was inclined not to care about his trash. He even joined them in etching their initials on a stone tablet in the middle of the clearing. It had obviously been there for some time, likely put there intentionally. But as the area looked rather vacant, Robbie was left to wonder who had left it here, and for what purpose. Surely, they wouldn’t see it, and it felt significant to leave his mark in a place like this, even though they would never be back.
Yet, Robbie came to regret relaxing, as much as he tried not to make babysitting Jordan his primary responsibility. Once more, Jordan had neglected the fire, even worse without an obvious pit for it to be safely contained. He even had the gall to stop Robbie from putting it out right away, telling him not to worry about it. He was either an idiot, or blackout drunk, but whatever the reason, Jordan had delayed them from putting the fire out before it was too much out of control. What they were not expecting was for the same truck to drive up into the clearing, the man from before getting out with an enraged expression. Furious, he screamed at them, a power in his words that made even Jordan stop in his tracks. He was about to protest, but the man’s voice gave him pause. He didn’t know what language he was speaking, clearly not English, like something lost to time.
In Callum’s mind, the words he was trying to yell were a combination of things he’d learned from his teachings and English, but the curses he hurled were in a language he did not know fluently. There was no way for Callum to understand the words he was speaking, as though through a translator in real-time. Still, his rage was so great that he stormed toward the students, the flames starting to diminish as though he was controlling them himself. Yet, Callum was unable to muster any concern over the fact, rather focused with single-minded intent on the targets of his wrath.
In a panic, the loud-mouthed youth from before picked up a screwdriver beside him and threw it at Callum, in an obvious attempt to scare him away. Yet, Callum only stared at the threat with indifference, the object stopping in mid-air as it crumbled, becoming rapidly weathered and worn before drifting into the wind with a cloud of rust and ash. Such should have shocked even Callum, though something in the air gave him pause. The energy from his anger had reached a tipping point, leaving him to clutch the ward around his neck, as though seeking an answer.
Jordan, terrified though transfixed, could only fall on his ass as something around the man’s neck started to glow with dark energy, pulsating outward in waves as the sky began to darken. What had been a cloudless day soon erupted forth with rain clouds, winds whipping up and blowing sheets of rain directly at the trio. The rest of the fire was quenched, though that was the least of their concerns as a greater darkness than even the sky could summon enveloped them all, leaving them frozen in fear.
A steady light seemed to emanate from the darkness, however, soon wreathed in a glowing emerald energy. To their shock, it was originating from the center stones they had carved their names into. It soon burst into the earth, coiling around the man’s legs and torso, all the way up to his neck and head. The man simply stood there, bathing in the greenish glow as arches of energy seemed to erupt from either side of his forehead. They quickly branched out and entwined together so that they gave a semblance of antlers. His glowing pendant was quickly grasped by darkening hands, pulled outward, and enlarged to the shape of something akin to a staff or wand, likely something from which he could enact his will.
Suddenly, the deluge stopped, the dry ground becoming damp and moist beyond what even that amount of rain could supply. A musty, earthy smell enveloped the trio as moss and foliage rose from the damp ground until it appeared almost like a bog. What remained seemed to suck in their shoes, making escape all but impossible. As shocked as they were by the display of power, it only now occurred to Jordan that he should have run away. Every step sucked their feet further down with a disgusting squelching sound, leaving them at the mercy of whatever the being would do to them.
Callum, for his part, could do naught but revel in the surge of energy, mind and reason overwhelmed by the power flowing through him. Yet, he was not afraid but rather heralded back to his teachings. There was no denying that Cernunnos himself had answered his pleas, and was using his body as a vessel. Perhaps his intention was to finally restore the imbalance from centuries of encroachment into the natural world by mankind. And at this moment, Callum was eager to allow his god to use him as seen fit, to tip the scales back into nature’s favor, starting with these three interlopers.
Drunk with power, Callum reached out a finger toward Jordan, cracking with energy as he did so. It seemed as if another voice had taken over his own, and Callum did not bother to resist as he pronounced, “I see the beast within you…now bow before me and reveal your true form…” With that, the glow soon enveloped Jordan, before he fell to his hands and knees, calling out as though in pain.
“Yes, on all fours…like the beast you are…” Callum declared, and the youth could only struggle in vain, hating being in the mud but unable to pull his arms out if the man did not allow it.
“Now, remove your clothing. A beast like you has no need for them…show us your natural form…” Callum commanded. The being working through him cemented the words as soon as Callum spoke them. It seemed right to do so, to slowly strip the man of everything, and perhaps return him to nature in a more desirable form.
It seemed that so far, Jordan was compelled to obey, even as he struggled against the commands. Wrenching his hands from the mud, Jordan removed his shirt, pulling it over his head and leaving it to sink into the bog. It was more of a struggle to get his pants off without standing, but he did so, belt and pants shuckled off and left behind. As much as he wanted to resist, even his underwear was removed, leaving his modest maleness on full display. What frightened him more was not that his clothes were sinking into the mud, but rather dissolving, the fabrics unraveling into their key components in much the same way as his screwdriver had.
“I won’t leave you naked, however. A beast like you should bear the pelt of your new brethren.” Callum continued, and Jordan groaned as what felt like a million insects started biting his skin.
Scratching furiously, Jordan was terrified to feel the pricking of hair against his touch, not his modest own but far more hair that had ever adorned his skin. His entire body was slowly being coated in spreading patches of hair all at once. The process was slow and steady, small circles of black erupting from parts of his skin and obscuring it in some places as they thickened steadily. Even through the mud caked between his fingers, Jordan was able to brush his fingers through it, finding it almost silky to the touch. It truly terrified him, something that could not be accounted for no matter what sort of ailment was afflicting him. Yet, its spread was relentless, the patches growing so vast that they connected to their neighbors, leaving more and more of the skin untouched. It seemed as though his beard, face, and hair were to be left intact for now, but it was of little consolation when his back, chest, arms, legs, and groin were now coated in a silky black pelt.
“I see you’re enjoying your new pelt. Though rubbing it is unbecoming of the beast you are…” Callum was compelled to say. Even with the power flowing through him, Callum couldn’t deny how elated he felt over the man’s fate. Such was much better for the natural world, and he would surely repent for his deeds with his life forfeited to serve the same deities as he.
The words made little sense to Jordan until a heat settled into his hands. Jordan could only stare down with terror as both his hands started to tremble in tandem, the fingers shifting and shrinking before his eyes. In vain, he tried to move them, though their tendons and joints seemed unresponsive, and a series of pops and cracks rendered them lost to his form. All he could do was stare in despair as his fingers, and his motility were robbed from him, Jordan whimpering his fright for his inevitable fate.
Little remained of his fingers, save the tips of them, longer than might persist on a dog or other carnivore. His thumbs, to Jordan’s surprise, pushed upward until their remnants matched the same shape as his remaining digits. Yet, he was not expecting the spark of pain as his nails started to thicken, burrowing into the tips of his digits and forming lengthy claws. While relatively blunt, they say heavy on his fingers, and Jordan was tempted to place them into the mud. Though a part of him wanted to view his humanity once more before it was lost to him, possibly forever. What remained of his fingertips and palms soon blackened, swelling painlessly as the skin firmed and gave him a set of pads, spade-shaped over his palms and covering any places devoid of fur.
A cry of panic escaped Jordan’s lips as a similar pressure started in his feet. Scrambling onto a bed of moss, Jordan was in time to view the same compression of his toes, pulling toward the base of his foot. His large toes, in particular, shrank to match the girth of his other toes, losing their primate flexibility for something flat and ursine. The same claws painfully merged with his toe tips, as now-familiar pads swelled from their bottoms. Rather than the spade-shaped pads that adorned his front paws, the entire lower surface of his foot swelled out with firm black skin, the bones within flattening and allowing a wider plantigrade stance. As his heels rounded into the rest of the foot, Jordan was left to lament the fact he was left with largely functionless bear paws, never to touch the world in human fashion again.
A growl of frustration escaped his lips before Jordan stopped, the sound more animal than he was prepared for. He whimpered, looking up at the Druid as though begging for mercy. Yet, the deity controlling Callum’s body was not inclined to grant it. “Yes, that sound suits you. Now give in and embrace your true nature.”
Jordan could barely repress a growl as his entire body shuddered before heating up, likely to change all at once. The muscles under the skin started stretching and tearing, making him unable to suppress his deep growls. His body was expanding in all the wrong places, in particular his hips, ass, and shoulders. Jordan remained down on his hands and knees, alarmed as the stance seemed to solidify somewhat. It was becoming more and more natural as his front and hind legs thickened, gradually damning him to all fours.
Even through the ache of change, a warmth soon engulfed his groin, and with it, his penis. A powerful sense of embarrassment flushed through him. Jordan was finally reminded that his friends were still there, still trapped in the bog, and left to watch Jordan’s fall from humanity. He wanted to call to them but only a series of ursine grunts escaped his lips. Still, there was no denying that his member was burning erect, despite himself. The warm waves of pleasure playing through him made him grunt excitedly, a welcome reprieve from the terror of change, whether he wanted it or not.
“Yes, that’s it. Act like it like the beast you are…in body, and soon to be in mind. Benefitting an animal like you…”
Jordan could hardly understand the words, however, over the growls of lust escaping his throat. His cock was harder than at any point he could recall, and even without the ability to touch himself, it was nearing orgasmic release. It was as though phantom hands were stroking his rod, knowing his pleasures more than even Jordan’s own hands. And with no resistance against their orgasmic touch, he soon felt his testicles throb and his cock pulse with semen. With impressive force, the changing bear shot a load over his groin and belly as he growled his satisfaction.
“Only a beast could enjoy such pleasures in the time of change…you’re not worthy of a human form,” Callum declared, though Jordan didn’t even react this time, body shivering with orgasmic release.
Yet, his cock was hardly to retreat, the warmth of change keeping his erection at its apex. A hand seemed to grip his foreskin, pulling it down to merge with the skin of his groin and forcing his member to hitch toward his belly. Cum still bubbling from the head, it started to thicken, glans flattening as the head formed a tapered point. The shaft was thicker, and easily several inches longer as befit the bear he was becoming. Jordan growled out, surprised to feel a stiffening as though an added bone had formed within. Despite his concern over the changes and what they meant for his future, there was no denying how amazing they felt. Not even the entity’s taunts could deter his lust, as though he really was an animal, and changing into one was his natural state of being.
With most of his focus on his erection, Jordan found it harder to remain aware of the other persistent changes to his body. Yet, still, they continued their relentless march over his form. His ass was getting larger and rounded all the while, exposing his backside to his friends, though Jordan could not bring himself to care. The sensation of something poking from his spine was rather alarming, though as he focused on it, the tingling finally ceased and it started to wriggle of its own accord. It quickly erupted with its own coat of fur, moving to cover his exposed anus as his hips receded and committed him to a four-legged form forever.
A steady warmth enveloped his chest and belly, forcing him to add hundreds of pounds of muscle and fat in mere moments. It was almost too much for his spine, though as elemental forces warped his being, it grew to compensate, keeping him alive and well. It was akin to all his vitals being plugged into the earth, keeping him functional as his organs shifted, heart enlarging, intestines lengthening, and meat and muscle expanding all over. As his chest barreled and his shoulders sunk into his torso, his stance became comfortable enough that he could not only walk on all fours but run at considerable speeds.
Only his face retained any semblance of humanity, though with the ancient magics flowing through him, such was soon to be irrelevant. A sudden twitching in his ears made him aware the muscles underneath had been altered, allowing them a modicum of movement. He flicked them in delight, his fear over the changes hard to grasp with the pleasure his bestial prick provided him. With it, he was free to feel the warmth engulf his ears, the cartilage remolding and reshaping them into rounded half-moons. They were large on his still-human head, though felt natural all the same. Not only was he able to hear all around him, but it seemed like the lifeblood of the forest was awoken to him, as though he’d been plugged into it, which only made him crave more.
A sudden sneeze caused his nostrils to flare, expanding rapidly against his lips as he roared with power. Pressure in his jaw forced it outward just slightly, and Jordan breathed in deeply, inhaling the world in the way only an animal could. The power in this glen was truly made known to him, Jordan able to smell the intricacies of the magic which defied his understanding. Yet, it felt peaceful, right, its mere state of existence able to relax him. The stink of his garbage and his booze were repugnant to him now, and Jordan was left to wonder why they had appealed to him in the first place. Yet, soon, they faded from the space, dissolved as had everything else not part of the natural world.
“Yes, that’s better, isn’t it…see the world through feral eyes…” Callum encouraged, sensing his victim was susceptible to giving himself back to the land and embracing his true nature as a beast.
As Jordan was forced to blink a few times and his eyes adjusted to the brightly lit grove, a sudden sense of shock ran through him. Everything was so dimly lit, faded, and fuzzy as though he was looking through static. His awareness of the world was no different, given the enhancement of his other senses. Yet, with colors missing and his surroundings bathed in different shades than what he had known in his humanity, Jordan was awakened to the reality that he was once more losing all he was. Worse, he was allowing it to happen, giving into bestial pleasures as he humiliated himself in front of his friends!
Yet, with the constant pressure against his ursine prick, Jordan could hardly manage to stem the urges playing over his mind, wanting to get off and growl his release. All of his fear, his concerns, and his negligence over nature were lost in the simplistic pleasures of the here and now. It felt so natural that even being naked and cumming in front of his friends was no longer shameful, but rather his right and privilege. All of those other concerns faded in the background, as much as Jordan felt he should fight against them. His reasons were fleeting, leaving him to fall into bestial desires as his changes reached their natural conclusions.
“Yes, why not give into bestial servitude…be granted the release you so desperately desire,” Cernunnos suggested through his vessel. Callum was barely aware of the words, drunk on the power and energy that was coursing through him. It was the ultimate privilege to have his god enacting divine retribution with him as the vessel. It was everything he’d ever wanted and more, right?
Jordan, meanwhile, could only growl as his jaw started to jut forward, the muscles parting around the bones before they expanded rapidly from his human form. He could see his nose in front of his face, dim vision or not, but that only served to increase his olfactory abilities ten-fold, further distracting him from the reality of the situation. His head felt massive, neck thickening to provide the necessary muscle for the bite power he would come to take advantage of in his new life. It also gave room for a thick tongue, able to reach into close spaces and lick at a variety of treats that his ursine form would enjoy. With that came an alteration within his dentation, sharper edges that allowed for a more predatory diet, though such a beast as he could persist on a variety of food.
The bones within his skull, too, were starting to expand, sloping within his muzzle and forcing it further forward. Like the rest of the changes, they did not carry with them any pain. However, his skull started to burn as his brain was pressed tightly, and Jordan roared out, struggling against the pressure. His ability to think, to enjoy the changes, and memories of his former life were being robbed from him. All he was, all his human thoughts and dreams and desires were fading, replaced with new memories and drives. It was powerfully frightening, though, at this point in the process, there was little for Jordan to hold onto, having lost so much. Perhaps if he had fought harder, he might have resisted the temptations and the words of the deity that was changing him. But those words held true, and there was so little left of him that it was akin to a candle about to be snuffed out at any moment.
“Nothing left but a simple beast. Now you’ve become your true form, one far more suited to your ignorance,” Callum declared, the magic starting to fade from his body as the changes in his victim cemented.
It took all Jordan had to focus and think like the human he had been. However, his skull soon fully compressed on his brain, reshaping it into that of a bear with no ability to hold on to conscious thought. The last threads of human awareness were robbed from him as his ursine cock went into orgasm. He bellowed like the bear he was, human thoughts spilling out like semen as Jordan gave way to a new beast of the glen.
“What the…Jordan?” Myles called out, though there was nothing there but a bear, one that absent-mindedly shuffled off, his coat now clean of the mud. He slowly ambled into the forest, soon out of sight as Callum’s energy dissipated, his spell carried out to fruition.
Yet, the moment Cernunnos left his mind, a pang of guilt rushed over him. Callum had not carried out revenge or justice but had rather robbed a young man of the opportunity to learn and freely make amends for his disrespect. This was not a fate for any mortal man, despite his stupidity and callousness for his destruction. In truth, it was the few men at the top of society that did the most damage, and changing helpless students was but a fleeting revenge that would have no effect on truly reclaiming the world for the old gods that guarded it.
Yet…Callum knew his initial draw for Cernunnos’s presence was to invoke punishment on those who had damaged the land directly. There was likely no escape for the students, as much as he was starting to understand. That being the case, there was still a chance he could offer the youths a choice. That, at least, might appeal to the old god and repurpose the students into something suited for nature other than mindless beasts. Callum still felt some shame in that there was no going back for the first of them, even if he had been the most confrontational. Still, there was no denying the need to use the power that had been bestowed upon him in the moment. And, at least he could work to make things right now.
“Your friend has been given back to nature by becoming one with it, but the same fate does not have to befall you two. You cannot leave having witnessed my power, though rather than become a mindless beast, I offer you the choice to become a guardian of the glen of your own free will. Should you say yes, you will be granted a form of your choosing. Think wisely, however, for your only other fate is to join your friend, becoming nothing more than a beast of the wilds, a highland creature driven by need and instinct.”
It took Robbie a few moments to realize he was the target of the man’s words and that he was to be the next one to change. He didn’t want to lose himself, to become an animal as much as had happened to his friend. Yet, he didn’t want to lose his humanity at all, least of all living here as a guardian. Was there no escape for him? Anything he did would likely piss off the god or whatever it was that had them under its power. And that made the only logical choice the one of least resistance, as much as he found it abhorrent.
“I-I’ll do it! Be a guardian!” Robbie called out, not sure what that entailed but unable to comprehend losing himself as had happened to Jordan. He would certainly find out, one way or another.
Callum gave a sorrowful grin at that, about to ask the man what form he would take on. It was a modest reprieve, though all he could give with the old god’s power flowing through him. Yet, no sooner did he open his mouth than the energy emanating from his pendant pulsated even stronger, and all control over his body was removed from him. The energy radiating through him started to swirl wildly, using the antlers on his head as a focus. They continued to glow brighter and brighter, and no amount of struggle could force Callum’s body from the being using him as a host.
Against his inclinations, Callum felt himself starting to speak in a voice that was not his own. It was older, deeper, and more powerful than anything he had ever imagined emanating from his own throat. “You are not worthy of being a guardian creature, lacking the strength or courage. You shall pay with your body for such disrespect, though your fate was to be the same regardless of your hubris. For I see the beast within you…” Callum felt himself being forced to say and knew it was too late.
Robbie felt himself tense up at those words, wanting to run away lest he met the same fate as Jordan. Yet, a tension in his throat soon came to a head, and with something welling up within, Robbie had no choice but to open his throat and let out a cry that made him shiver to the core. “Wwwweeeeeeerrtttt!” Came from his mouth, sounding all the more like a pig than anything a human could make.
To his horror, a tingling in his jaw caused him to groan, though he was unwilling to talk given the state of his voice. Two of his teeth started to rapidly thicken, pushing at their neighbors in an effort that should have caused extreme pain. Yet, all he felt was a tingling numbness as his lips were parted to allow them to push through as though they belonged there. Reaching up with trembling fingers, he was alarmed to find a pair of pointed, curved tusks, which continued to grow large enough to be seen out of his peripheral. He called out again, a swine’s panic all that escaped his lips and scaring him to the core at what his fate would be.
Yet, as terrified as he was, there was no denying the memory of what happened to Jordan and how he had come to love the changes toward the end. At the mere thought of such overwhelming arousal, Robbie felt his cock coming to an erection, pounding at his pants and making him moan. Part of him had the idea of reaching down and covering his shame from the being or Myles, who was still standing silently beside him, too afraid to move lest he come to the attention of the god. Yet, the moment he did so, his fingers brushed again his confined cock, sealing his fate.
“You are much more a beast than even your friend. Such is not fit for a guardian but rather a mindless beast of the forest. Embrace this new truth…”
At that, Robbie felt his entire body shuttering, cock pulsating as he blew a load in his pants. His hands were still there to hide his shame, though he found they had reflexively pressed against his jeans, rubbing his cock head through his pants to accentuate his pleasure. He was powerfully embarrassed, but even with all the self-control he could muster, Robbie knew there would be no resisting the power of a god. Jordan, or whatever was left of him, was a perfect example, and it was just as likely the same would befall him.
His fate was to come quicker than he wished as a tingling started overwhelming both his hands in tandem. Not sure what else to do, Robbie lifted them in front of his face, despairing that he was to lose them forever. Each digit started twitching of their own accord, the middle two especially before starting to swell. The two remaining began diminishing in size, drawn to the sides as they shrank. It was his thumbs to underwent the most drastic change, however, as a persistent numbing overtook them, and they dwindled rapidly along slightly stretching wrists. In desperation, Robbie tried to flex them once more, though it was too late, and what remained was pulled within his wrists, nothing left of them down to the bone as his anatomy changed, likely forever.
The loss of his hands was hardly to stop there as the tension in his middle fingers continued to grow. Tthe tingling focused on his nails, and they soon swelled beyond even the tips of the digits. Their bases encompassed the tips of his fingers, the flesh merging within the layers of keratin that would soon make up porcine trotters. The nails soon expanded larger than even his thicker fingers could manage, their tips pointing and forming a flattened bottom as the rest of the new hooves swelled up the length of his diminished digits. The bones within his palms, in response, broke apart and reconfigured, still present though much more restrictive for his new anatomy.
While much of the girth of his trotters was confined to those new digits, the two remaining ones were relegated behind what remained. They were much smaller, though possessed nails in their own right, numbing the tips and forcing them to thicken with their inevitable keratin. In vain, Robbie tried to struggle to move them once more, though was alarmed to feel the joints required to do so were no longer present. A pig’s squeal escaped his lips as he cried out his anguish, though there was nothing to be done against the will of a literal old god.
“A beast like you does not need to touch the world,” the voice within Callum compelled him to say. Callum had little control of his body, though was conflicted over what was being done and his own morality. He had wanted revenge on them, sure, but what good did it do to condemn these particular young men to a bestial fate?
“No, a pig…” Robbie managed to say, finding it harder to articulate through his puffy lips and protruding tusks.
“Indeed, not a pig. A wild boar. A fearsome creature to protect the glen…such is the fate of you and those who defy these sacred grounds.”
“But I’m a wwwrrrttt human! You can do this to meewwwweeeerrrttt!” Robbie tried to call out, but it took everything he had to form human words, much less distinguishable ones.
“I do as I desire to preserve my lands. Your protestations are no concern of mine,” Callum said in that deep voice, Cernunnos using his body to exert his dominion. And Callum had asked him to, hadn’t he?
A pain in the back of his pants caused Robbie to yelp out, as though something had grown from his spine and was confined within. Part of him wished he had been commanded to remove his clothing, something he had no control over now without proper hands. He had to conclude it was a tail, and the moment it sprouted, it started to move in frustration at its entrapment. He longed to reach back and try to pull it out, though, with his trotters, he was forced to feel it there, hoping that the deity would at least allow him the reprieve of having his clothes tear from his form. He didn’t want to be naked and exposed, but the more he changed, the more the necessity of such was obvious.
At least his feet were already removed from his shoes, Robbie barely able to keep them on with the thickened mud around him. With all the other changes, it wasn’t a surprise to feel his big toes start to pull back along his feet. This time, he didn’t even bother to try to twitch his toes, knowing they would soon be forfeited. It was uncomfortable to feel his toenails thickening, growing beyond the scope of his toes. As they thickened, Robbie figured it was unlikely he was able to stand on two legs for much longer. Still, he needed to try, wobbling a little before falling on his face, letting out a squeal of panic as he landed in the mud.
“Yes, on all fours, as befitting of a creature of your stature. You will live in service for the rest of your days, a beast in mind with nothing of your humanity intact. Something no longer needed for this world,” Callum affirmed, and a growing part of him wanted to protest against the words leaving his mouth. Yet, afraid for his own fate and surely unable to challenge the power of a god, he was forced to watch, conflicted over what he had done in his rage.
Robbie, meanwhile, was forced to feel an intense tingling over his chest and stomach, groaning in a porcine cadence from the discomfort against his shirt. It was as though his nipples were on fire, and a similar series of welts forming on his chest gave credence to the fact he was growing more. They were far too sensitive against his clothing, and he wanted desperately to rub them, only reminded that he had no ability to with his trotters. Worse, perhaps, was the intense itching that started playing over his chest and arms, as though his hairs were thickening against their roots. It was as though ants were crawling all over his skin, hairs poking through and steadily covering him in a thickening coat. Their persistent encroachment was set to consume his skin, and part of Robbie wished he had been rid of his clothes once more to alleviate the discomfort. He could even see some of the bristly hair poking from his chest and arms, becoming more obvious as it continued to thicken over his body.
The heat of being confined within his clothing was starting to become unbearable, especially as his fur coat took form. Robbie was left panting, though it seemed as though his skin no longer had the ability to sweat, and Robbie called out with a squeal in frustration. However, the heat was soon to burn through his skin and into his muscles, forcing them to expand rapidly. Though he was already on the chubby side, Robbie was a little surprised when much of the fat from his form was burned away for the packed muscle of a wild boar. He was still larger than his humanity, and as his chest started to barrel, his belly distended and his clothing became precariously tight against his skin. All he could do was grunt and wince as the back of his pants burst from the force of his ass, tail wriggling with its freedom from confinement. Squirming out of them, his tightening shirt was soon to follow suit, and Robbie was able to wrench himself out of it, tearing it along the way. He would never wear such again, though, in the irritation of change, Robbie could think of no reason to keep them on his form.
A twitching in his ears made him squeal out his panic at their newfound ability. A heat encompassed them, and Robbie could feel them expanding, the canals widening as they itched with their own hair growth. Their edges warped as well, and Robbie desperately wished he could feel them, perhaps rubbing out the discomfort from their change. Yet, he was soon distracted by the sound waves crashing against them, bringing him far more information about the natural world than he was used to. Part of him was sad not to hear the bear crashing through the woods beyond, the last remaining memory of his friend. However, he was made aware of the rapid heartbeats and slow breathing from his other companion, whom he had forgotten about in his panic over the change. More than that, he could hear roots pushing through the soil, blossoming branches reaching toward the sky. It was as though the deity’s power was reclaiming what Robbie was starting to understand was a sacred space. It was one they should not have entered and one they would never leave, at least not with their humanity.
Snorting in frustration, the tingling heat soon burned into his nose, and Robbie felt it twitching of its own accord. It was almost heavy on the front of his face, and squinting, he could see it stretching in front of him. The tip started to expand rapidly, forming a flattened, rounded protrusion as his widening nostrils took place within the center. Breathing in heavily, Robbie was overwhelmed with the odors all around him, the bog truly being opened up to him and momentarily erasing the fear of what the changes meant to him. Rather than disgust, the bog carried with it arousing scents, ones that attracted his attention and made his bestial devolution almost tempting, if Robbie could ever imagine it being such.
As his expanding ass pushed precariously against his underwear, the snapping band soon loosened them against his frame. The force caused them to flop over on his erection before falling into the bog, dissolving into their base components. Robbie hardly had a moment to reflect on it, his erection straining at his groin and begging for stimulation. With no way to get off, Robbie could only squeal his frustrations, thrusting forward and feeling his fat cock slapping against his fattening belly. It was hardly enough to grant him release, but it was better than nothing, and Robbie looked up at his assailant, panic and desperation in his eyes as though begging for a reprieve.
Yet, mercy would not come for him. Mind awash in power, Callum’s previous regret was swept away, only contempt for the trespasser remaining, wanting to humiliate him into his new life. A growing part of him seemed to view Robbie as an avatar of man’s world, and all the greed, corruption, and ignorance of the domain of nature. Any such being was deserving of this punishment, to give back to the natural world by becoming part of it. All traces of his previous life were a small price to pay for such a punishment, rather giving the man a higher purpose by becoming a part of the greater whole.
And, like all men, this one’s baser instincts were more suited to his new form than his constructed moral facade. “If you were meant to be more than a beast, perhaps you could avoid such a fate and remain an enlightened being. Yet, there is nothing in your eyes but a baser animal, and soon your form will be suited to one of your new station.”
Robbie could only squeal in a fit of lust as his cock was gripped by an ethereal glove, being pulled outward and thinned into something inhuman. Unable to tear his eyes from it, Robbie watched the foreskin pulling back along his penis, the peeling skin sticking to his groin and aiming his cock toward his fat, muscled belly. A sense of nausea played over him as his cock was twisted around itself, bobbing up and down as the flesh turned pink and the cleft faded into the shaft while the glans grew pointed. Robbie’s eyes fluttered from the barrage of sensations, especially as his testicles descended and swelled far beyond their human counterparts. It was almost too much, though placed behind his muscled legs and ass, Robbie was able to stand them comfortably enough. It was the phantom hands gripping his cock that drew all his attention, and all Robbie could do was squeal as the final changes encroached over him.
“WWWRRRETETETTTT!” Robbie belted out as his face started to crack forward and his nose stuck further out in front of his face. He hated the sight of it, though as his skull warped, he found it difficult to keep his eyes closed. With his eye sockets compressing and his eyeballs squeezed tight, he was forced to watch his face push further forward. It was discomforting to feel his jaw extend bit by bit, tongue lolling out of his mouth as the rest of his teeth altered. Almost overwhelmed by the scents of the bog as his rostrum extended, Robbie was barely able to hold onto his mind.
It was all to be in vain. As his hair thinned and his skull continued to compress, Robbie found his thoughts fleeting, and every attempt to hold onto them was met with failure. It was simply too overwhelming as his cock was stroked toward release and his mind altered toward more primal pursuits. All Robbie could do was surrender himself, no longer having the mental facilities to fight. Closing his eyes, the pressure in his testicles grew to the point of no return, and he let out another porcine squeal as his cock went into orgasm, draining the rest of his mind away.
The new boar was left with the longest orgasm of his life, balls churring as a seminal plug sat within his cock, pounding pleasure through his being as was his new species’ heritage. It was enough to keep him rooted to the spot for several minutes, ignorant of the glowing being before him or the cowering human off to the side. His entire being was bathed in pleasure, even after he regained himself enough to leave the glen. Scents and sounds in the forest beckoned him, not least of all the urge to locate a mate and exert his sexual prowess as a virile male.
Once again, the steady glow of energy started to dissipate, and Callum looked at the boar rolling in the mud before shaking it from the skin and trotting off into the bush, sniffing for his first meal. A pang of regret burned through his mind, Callum ashamed over what he had allowed to happen. It was powerfully conflicting, not only the fate of the man but allowing the power of his god to work through him. Cernunnos was indifferent to the plights of man, as much as Callum had researched, not caring for human reason, emotion, or morality. There was no negotiating with such a being, seeing all as transgressors to his domain. Hell, even as a practitioner, Callum was unsure how his own morality would be viewed. After all, unlike his ancestors, he didn’t even hunt his own food, bringing his god store-bought offerings, driving a jeep, and wearing garments made by factories. It was a wonder Cernunnos found him worthy to be an avatar at all!
As the power within him started to swell once more, Callum this time held his ground, trying to channel the energy back to the earth rather than allowing the being to transform the final youth. Yet, such was futile, not only due to the desires of the being using his body. Rather, it simply felt uncomfortable to rechannel the energy, Callum feeling he needed more. It was so intoxicating that the more he tried to fight it, the more it rose around it, tempting tendrils dancing in the air and beckoning him to reach out and take them within him. The sheer scope of power flowing into him was arousing on its own, and his erection came to his apex, former human garb dissolving from his body and returning to its core components to rejoin the earth.
Intoxicated by the force of the earth itself flowing through him, Callum was largely ignorant of the changes remolding his form. His bare toes started to twist and crack, their nails engulfing the circumference and forming pointed tips that dug into the earth below. He was content to feel their neighbors dwindling away, no longer required for his new body and inefficient for walking in nature besides. The remnant digits extended into their keratin beds as his pointed hooves took shape, bending at an angle to allow him to stand on them. Thinning ankles drew them upward as his heels stretched and he stood erect, agile on his feet as befit a being in commune with nature.
Lost in the revere from such power, Callum was not at all bothered as his skin took on a mossy twinge before darkening toward a forest green, covering him in a pleasure wave. He was changing, clearly, though not into an animal form as he had transformed the others. He was an avatar of a god, after all, and was taking on qualities of the glen as his skin continued to warp in shade as well as in texture, more bark-like and firm to the touch. The changes left Callum’s own cock at its apex, though he did not tend to it for now. Still, it was powerfully arousing to feel his muscles expanding as they were, leaving him to grow taller, thicker, and bulky in inhuman proportions. Callum welcomed whatever changes his god saw fit to enact on him. Especially if they allowed him to better handle such power and responsibility to punish these transgressors!
Turning toward the final human in the glen to enact his bestial devolution, Callum was steadily distracted by the tempest around him waning, as though his god’s influence was wearing thin. A calm descended over the glen, the wind and rain dying down as the clouds overhead parted. To his surprise, a shaft of light moved toward the outside of the circle, landing on the figure of a beautiful, naked young man just beyond Callum’s reach. Silently, he made eye contact with Callum, and with a sudden flash of light, the power emanating from Callum’s wand dissipated, the wood splitting as the pulsations slowed. While the flow of energy around Callum was weakened, it had not broken entirely. Still, Callum felt a shudder running through him, and he came down from his high, realizing he now had control over both his voice and his body once more.
The energy keeping the other being out seemed to wane enough that the young man was able to cross the boundary, albeit with some struggle. Eventually, with a thunderous crack, he pushed through, approaching Callum over the mud and moss without stepping in it directly.
“Who are you?” Callum asked, though, through his years of study, he had a fairly good idea, even if he would never have expected to see this being in person.
“Why do you ask such a question when the answer is so obvious to one of your heritage?” Was the reply, and Callum’s mind recalled all he’d studied of Belenos, god of youth, foresight, healing, sunlight, and natural springs.
“I had heard your plea to Cernunnos the night before at his place of power, and I am here to free you of his influence. I have watched you for some time, and even in your rage, it was unlikely your intention was to become his Avatar. Such anguish from a mortal man was needed to establish a connection, though such is taboo even among the gods. And now that the link has been established, he will continue to channel his power through you to bend your kind to his will. He will not be satisfied with these three, but will take his wrath out upon mankind, subsuming them and making them slaves or reducing them to beasts as his power grows through his influence.”
“He lies to you…” Whispered a voice in his mind directly, something on the fringes of his mind that had gone unheard before now. “Do you not recall their transgressions against my land? They are not the first, you know this, but the latest humans to draw your rage and compel you to request my aid. My will is just, taking their lives to return them to the lands they so callously defiled!”
Not sure what to do, Callum stood there, torn between the truth of his feelings and the consequences of indulgence. He had wanted to punish those who had defiled these lands, right? Not only that but to return the land to the proper ways, those of his people long ago. In his effort to assimilate with mankind at large, had he lost his true path as his teachings required of him?
“You asked for my help in a moment of passion. Their transgressions, while not the first, were the last you could tolerate before you besecched my aid. Now, with your help, we can enact everything that you’ve wished for, if only you allow me to weild your body now…”
“Ignore his false whispers,” Belenos said, as though he, too, could hear the god’s voice in his mind. “Do nothing. Keep him at bay, and his influence will wane. I can set right what he has done, and restore the forms of those two he had exacted his wrath upon.”
“You know this goes well beyond the fate of three youths,” Cernunnos responded, pulling at Callum’s mind in his attempt to make him listen. “Or even those who had defiled this glen. Mankind has been steadily destroying the entire planet for their own selfish purposes. It is time for one of the old gods to take drastic action to restore the balance and prevent the decline of the natural world.”
At that, a flash of light erupted in Callum’s mind, a vision of the very glen they stood in barren, devoid of all natural life. The landscape was dotted with hunks of dead trees, the bones of the glen’s protectors, and the ruins of mankind’s creations. Crumbling buildings, rusting husks of vehicles, and rubble was strewn everywhere as storm clouds spread across the sky, raining acid and blood.
A cry of anger from his other shoulder drew Callum from the vision, Belenos trying to convince him such was not inevitable. “Humanity once lived in harmony with nature and the gods that protected it. In time the balance can be restored peacefully if those in power are convinced of their corrupt ways. There is no need to enact revenge on an entire species and tip the scales to the opposite end.”
Struggling as he was against the two gods in his head, Callum was barely aware that they were not alone, and that Myles had been watching in stunned silence the entire time. Yet, a flash of movement was enough for Callum to see a stone flying toward him, smacking him in the head in an effect to stem his power. Attempting to escape with the distraction, Myles took off toward the edge of the glen, only to trip and go sprawling in the mud. It was a vain effort regardless, given his mortal form could not pass through such a barrier. But his attempt was to be his damnation, and perhaps that of all mankind as Callum’s inclinations finally swayed.
Turning to him in fury, the sound of Belenos calling for him to stop went unheeded as darkness crossed Callum’s eyes. With no warning, a blast of darkness emanated from his changed body, throwing the god’s visage back beyond the clearing and out of sight. Even if he had not been wounded from the assault, it had taken much of Belenos’s energy to penetrate the barrier in the first place, and he was left helpless as Cernunnos did as he would with the poor man’s body. Callum did not know it, but his own mind was corrupt in the eyes of the old god and would be burned away in the fires of rage as Cernunnos remade him into his avatar. The husk that remained would be the first worthy being in centuries through which Cernunnos would enact his vengeance.
Myles could only stare up in terror as the creature, formerly a human man, stood over him, body pulsating as muscle pushed wildly at his skin and burst his former human clothing from his frame. The green shade of his skin had hardened into a thick hide, covering him from head to toe as energy flowed freely through his body, coursing from his forehead around the two great anthers. Before, their appearance was ethereal, as though made of the energy surrounding them. Now, however, they seemed comprised of bone and tissue, real and tangible if Myles had thought to reach up and touch them. Yet, he would soon no longer be capable of such ever again.
The pulsations of lust returned in full force and had Callum the thought for it, he might have thought such hypocritical to give in to baser desires. But his desire came from his god, as much a part of the natural order as a beast in rut, and he allowed himself to revel in the full force of lust pounding through his loins. He was barely aware that his penis was warping, twice the length of his human member as the foreskin peeled back to form the basis of a bestial sheath. With the sheer force of lust and power enveloping him. Callum could not be brought to care, willing the changes to his prick to fruition as his heavy testicles swelled and swayed underneath him. His build continued to warp, towering over the youth now as his cervine cock tensed and sent an orgasmic shiver through his entire being. Cernunnos allowed the man’s semen to mark the glen, planting the seeds of his influence and allowing it to be spread so that all mankind would eventually be judged.
With that, Callum’s face twisted into a bestial sneer, eyes glowing that now-familiar emerald fury as his lips opened and spoke the commanding words that would send the young man to his damnation. “I see the beast within you…”