CHAPTER 285: CELEBRATION

The courtyard outside the cave was alive with color and motion. The ceremonial robes of the crowd shone in crimson, gold, and forest green, embroidered with intricate symbols that seemed to shimmer as the dancers moved.

I was amazed, to say the least.

The dancers twisted and twirled to the rhythm of drums, flutes, and the occasional deep horn, their movements celebratory yet reverent, echoing against the stone walls like an ancient ritual come alive.

Incense curled through the air, earthy smoke intertwining with the faint metallic scent of the cave and torches, and even from a distance I could taste the tension and reverence on my tongue.

Was this what I had missed out on, all those years? I wondered, watching to my full, the beautiful sight before me.

You couldn’t come to the cave if you weren’t up to the wolf testing age. And even then, you were huddled to the inner part of the cave, through another passageway...

Long story short, you wouldn’t enjoy this spectacle unless you have been confirmed a certified member of the pack—one with a wolf.

And I wouldn’t have,if I wasn’t some esteemed member of the community, if the magic goddess hadn’t smiled on me—something the wolf goddess had been so reluctant to do.

I laughed at my unnecessary shade at the moon goddess. For all I knew, her benevolence might have been what had guaranteed me passage to the witches’ community.

Because think about it...

How had Peter seen me?

There was some sort of distance between the community and the pack, if we always needed to teleport here. Some sort of demarcation.

Or had Peter just teleported to get herbs?

El laughed in my mind. ’Just let the matter go.’

Diana’s hand found mine, the soft touch breaking my linkage to that train of thought, her small fingers pressing into mine with a mix of excitement and awe.

"It’s incredible," she whispered. "The colors, the music... it feels like it’s breathing."

I nodded, feeling it too. The energy of centuries, of traditions older than any living being here, hummed under my skin, a vibration that seemed almost alive. Magic stirred faintly, not in alarm, but like a warning, a heartbeat of anticipation. The air was electric.

I believed in that moment, that worship somehow created magic.

Adam nudging me softly reminded me of his presence with us this couple of hours. He had been a most attentive guide, even making sure light snacks were made available to us outside the cave, while we waited for his people.

He pointed at the mouth of the cave now, another mouth so to say—the cave had many mouths, his shadow stretching long across the stone floor. "Here," he said quietly, "is where the sixteen-year-olds are tested. Each child matches with their wolf. It is a rite of passage—a trial of strength, skill, and spirit."

I stepped closer, the cave yawning before me like the open jaws of a beast. Moss clung to the dark stone just like the others, and faint carvings shimmered when the late sunlight struck them.

We stepped in.

The interior was cool, carrying the scent of damp stone, incense, and something metallic—blood or old magic. Birds circled outside, their cries easy, but inside the cave, only the sound of bubbling pools, the murmurs of the crowd, and the soft shuffle of robes punctuated the silence.

Hands crossed against my chest, I watched as we took position by the wall, the first of the sixteen-year-olds approached the pools.

The boy’s hands trembled slightly as they hovered above the water. Sparks flared along his arms as he plunged them into the pool, the light reflecting in his determined eyes, determination increasing when an image of his wolf was reflected in the water. Dark brown.

This somewhat illusion-wolf responded instantly, energy pulsing between the two, a subtle magic threading them together. The crowd murmured, some whispering encouragement, others smiling at the faint glow that lit the chamber.

Diana leaned closer, eyes wide. "Does it... hurt?"

I shook my head, dislodging the sadness that whispered in my gut. "No. This is about control, balance, and harmony. They’re testing their bond with the wolf and themselves."

Adam gestured toward a larger pool, its surface dark and rippling. "The waters here reveal more than strength. They reveal spirit. Those who falter are guided, not punished. But the water does not lie. Watch carefully. Learn what it means to control power, restraint, and intent."

I said nothing. I faltered, and was punished severely for it.

I observed a young girl hesitate, trembling before the pool. She dipped her hands in; sparks shot up her arms like molten silver. Her eyes widened, reflecting not just a bonding but an awakening awareness of her own capabilities.

Her wolf’s ears flicked back, alert but calm, and for a heartbeat, the girl’s confidence radiated outward, visible to anyone watching.

She is a strong one. I thought. Good for her. Happy for her.

And then I turned away.

—

The worship segment began subtly. People approached the golden bowls placed before the largest statue of the goddess.

Coins clinked as they fell into the bowls, a delicate, musical note against the deeper hum of whispered prayers.

Some uttered words of devotion, others names, or hopes for the coming year.

Diana and I remained silent, merely observing. Each drop of coin seemed to reverberate through the cave, a physical heartbeat of faith.

The priest moved silently among the crowd, observing, guiding, but never intruding. He stopped briefly near the pools, touching a hand lightly to a participant’s shoulder, murmuring something inaudible.

Sparks from the pools leapt higher at his presence, the energy within the stones and water responding to him.

The Lycan King stepped forward then , his dark robe embroidered in gold catching the torchlight. His gaze met mine, piercing and steady.

"Dora," he said, his voice calm yet carrying across the cavern, "would you like to check your inner self?"

He gestured to the spot I had turned away from, eyes blank.

I shook my head firmly. "Not today." My fingers itched, responding to the pulse of magic, but I forced myself to remain still.

I watched as more sixteen-year-olds were tested. One boy even faltered, his hands trembling as sparks erupted uncontrollably. His wolf jumped nervously, but he took a deep breath and adjusted his posture. The sparks calmed, forming a perfect connection between them. A cheer rose from the observers, quiet but proud.

Diana whispered, awed,"It’s beautiful... they are so connected."

I nodded, feeling a pull toward the water myself. I could sense it—the calling. But why? I wasn’t a werewolf.

But five minutes later, the priest who I noticed had been watching me earlier met me, amidst stares.

His golden sigils glinted in the torchlight as he spoke. "Dora," he said softly, "be careful. The goddess has sent a message."

I swallowed, sensing the weight in his words. "A message?"

He inclined his head, unreadable, yet his eyes held gravity. "She watches those who touch her waters. She sees hearts and intentions. Take heed. Not all eyes upon you are benign."

Diana’s hand squeezed mine. "What does he mean?"

"I don’t know yet," I murmured, feeling the hum of power beneath the stone. "But we will see."

The bubbling of the pools grew more insistent then, a low murmur threading through the cave. The air vibrated subtly, brushing against my skin like whispered words I almost understood. Sparks of light flickered along the edges of the pools, responding to the young werewolves as they tested themselves.

"Do you want to see something else?"

I nodded to Adam’s question, immediately following as he led us further, gesturing to murals along walls we hadn’t checked out at first, scenes of warriors, wolves, and humans intertwined in battle and devotion. "These are the stories of those who came before," he whispered. "They guide the young, remind them of what it means to honor the goddess and the pack."

I traced the brushstrokes with my eyes, feeling the energy of countless generations of devotion, struggle, and triumph. Diana’s whispers beside me carried fascination. I was sure she would talk Laura’s ears out when we got home.

Finally, Adam gestured toward a deeper chamber where more worshippers lined up to drop coins into the bowls before a statue. The moon goddess, but a smaller one.

"Why is there diversity? Shouldn’t all be submitted under the largest statue?" Diana asked Adam, a notable frown on her face.

"Not really. There is freedom in the caves. If you noticed, there are bowls under each goddess statue. She listens from everywhere, and for everyone. And secondly, not everyone likes the crowd that comes with the testing. They prefer quietness as they go about their prayers."

Then suddenly, the priest was by my side again, voice low. "Remember, the goddess watches all who enter this space. Even those who do not act."

What?

I nodded still, letting the weight of his words settle into my thoughts somewhat. I was rather concerned with how I hadn’t noticed his presence, and why he was too insistent on his message?

Didn’t he notice that he was making me the center of unwanted attention? That his people here had super hearing? That the message wasn’t altogether private?