Cade walked out of the Darkwood Forest, the small grey lizard sitting calmly in his cupped hands. The warmth of the bond between them was a small, steady flame in his chest. He felt a surge of confidence. He had a secret. He had a plan. This little lizard was going to shock everyone.
The other teenagers were already gathered in the clearing, showing off their new partners. A boy named Liam strutted around with a sleek Forest Cat cub purring at his heels. Another girl, Anya, looked proud as a young Spotted Hawk clutched her leather arm guard.
The village elder moved among them, nodding with approval. "A fine Forest Cat. Bronze potential, I'd say. A good choice, Liam." The boy beamed with pride.
Cade stepped into the clearing. The chatter began to die down. All eyes turned to him. Then, they dropped to the creature in his hands.
A moment of silence was followed by a snicker. Then another. Soon, the clearing was full of laughter.
"Look! Cade found a rock!" someone yelled.
"Is that his beast? A lizard? A common Rock Lizard?" another voice jeered.
Liam smirked, scratching his cat behind the ears. "Did you trip and fall on it, Cade? Couldn't find anything with teeth?"
Cade felt his face grow hot. He held his head high, clutching the lizard a little tighter. "He's my partner," he said, his voice firm despite the embarrassment curling in his stomach.
The elder walked over, his bushy eyebrows drawn together in a deep frown. He looked at the lizard, then at Cade's determined face. He sighed, a sound of deep disappointment.
"Cade," the elder said, his voice low so the others wouldn't hear. "A Rock Lizard? Its potential is Copper. Maybe, if the stars align, it might reach Bronze one day. But that is all. You have chosen... poorly. This creature will not help you provide for your family. It will not help you protect them."
The words were like a physical blow. The elder's confirmation of what everyone else believed made Cade's confidence waver. But then he felt the lizard shift in his hands, a tiny, resilient movement. He remembered the words in his mind. Potential: Gold.
"The bond is made," the elder said, louder this time, ending the discussion. "What is done is done. Let the ceremony be completed."
One by one, the new Tamers placed a drop of their blood on a special stone, sealing the bond with their beast. When it was Cade's turn, he pricked his finger and let a single red drop fall onto the lizard's head. The bond flared warmer, stronger, for just a second. The lizard looked up at him, and Cade felt a wave of certainty. He was right. The elder was wrong.
The walk back to his home on the edge of the village was long and lonely. People pointed and whispered. He ignored them.
He pushed open the wooden door to his small house. Inside, it was warm and smelled of herbs. His mother, Sienna, was stirring a pot over the fire. She turned with a bright, hopeful smile that instantly faded when she saw his face and the small creature in his hands.
Her four sisters were there too, his aunts. Raven, the fierce hunter, was sharpening a knife by the window. Zara, who knew all about plants, was sorting herbs at the table. Eris and Vera, the quieter twins, were mending clothes together.
The room fell silent.
Sienna walked over, her eyes full of concern. "Cade? What is it? What happened?"
Cade held out his hands, showing them the lizard. "This is my beast," he said quietly.
Raven snorted, sheathing her knife. "A Rock Lizard? Boy, did you get lost? I could have caught you a better beast blindfolded."
"Raven, enough," Sienna said softly, but her own shoulders slumped with a sadness she couldn't hide. She reached out and gently stroked the lizard's head. "Oh, Cade. A Copper-rank beast... your life will be so hard."
The disappointment in the room was a heavy weight. It was worse than the laughter from the other kids. This was his family. He wanted to make them proud, and he had failed them.
He couldn't keep his secret anymore. He had to make them understand.
"Mom, Aunts... listen," he said, his voice gaining strength. "I know what you see. But I... I can see more."
They all looked at him, confused.
"I have... an ability," Cade explained, choosing his words carefully. "When I look at a beast, I can see its true potential. And I can see exactly what it needs to evolve."
Zara raised an eyebrow. "What are you talking about, Cade?"
"Look," he said, focusing on the lizard. The familiar words appeared in his mind. He recited them aloud. "Its name is Rock Lizard. Its rank is Copper 1-Star. But its potential... its potential is Gold."
A stunned silence filled the cottage.
"Gold?" Vera whispered, her eyes wide. "That's impossible."
"Show us," Raven said, her voice sharp with disbelief. "If you can see what it needs, what does it need?"
Cade didn't even need to look. He remembered the list perfectly. "For its first evolution, it needs five chunks of Grey Iron Ore, one Earth Root, and it needs to sun-bask for one full day."
Eris, the practical one, frowned. "Grey Iron Ore is common. Earth Root is a little rarer, but not impossible. Those are... oddly specific."
"They are the right things," Cade insisted, his gaze locking with his mother's. "I know it. I can feel it. This lizard... he can become a Stone Drake."
Sienna stared at her son. She saw the absolute certainty in his eyes, a fire she hadn't seen before. She looked at the humble lizard, then back at her son. A slow, proud smile spread across her face. She believed him.
"Then we will get them," Sienna said, her voice firm and decisive, leaving no room for argument. She looked at her sisters. "Zara, you know where the best Earth Roots grow. Raven, you can get the ore from the old mine. We will help Cade."
The aunts looked shocked, but seeing Sienna's belief, their doubt began to crack.
Raven shook her head, but a grudging smile touched her lips. "A Gold-rank beast from this little thing? Fine, boy. You've got my attention. And my help. This I have to see."
Hope, fragile but bright, flickered back to life in the small cottage. Cade wasn't alone. He had his family. And together, they were going to prove everyone wrong.