The morning after the evolution, the cottage was buzzing with a new kind of energy. The success was a tangible thing, a shared victory that made the air feel lighter. Cade woke up with a purpose so strong it was like a physical force pulling him from his bed.
He found his mother and aunts already in the main room. Sienna was humming softly while preparing breakfast. Raven was inspecting a set of practice swords. Zara and the twins were talking excitedly about the changes in the little drake, now named Rocky.
Cade went straight to the basket in the corner where Rocky was sleeping. The creature was already awake, its bright yellow eyes blinking slowly. It was bigger now, about the size of a large hunting dog, and its stone-like scales looked tougher in the morning light.
Cade focused, and the familiar words appeared in his mind.
Beast: Stone Drake
Rank:Bronze 1-Star
Potential:[Data Missing]
Evolution Path:→ [Data Missing] Materials Required for Evolution:???
A small flicker of frustration rose in him. He wanted to know the next step. He wanted to see the path to Gold and beyond. But as he looked at Rocky, who was clumsily trying to stand on his new, thicker legs, he understood. The drake was like a newborn. He had to learn to walk before he could run.
Sienna noticed his focused expression. She walked over, wiping her hands on her apron. "What do you see?"
Cade sighed. "Nothing new. It still says the materials are missing. And his potential is unknown now."
To his surprise, Sienna smiled. "That is a good thing, Cade."
"How is it good?" he asked, confused.
"It means you have not reached a limit. It means there is more to discover," she explained gently. "Your ability is wise. It will not show you how to build the roof before you have built the walls. Right now, you must build Rocky's foundation. You must make him strong within his Bronze rank."
Raven approached, tossing a practice sword from hand to hand. "She's right. Evolution is power, but control is just as important. A strong beast that doesn't listen is more dangerous to you than to your enemy. Today, we begin training."
After a quick breakfast, Raven led Cade and Rocky to a small, cleared field behind their cottage. It was their private training ground, worn smooth from years of use.
"First, see what he can do," Raven instructed, her arms crossed. "Command him. See if he understands."
Cade turned to Rocky. The drake looked at him, its yellow eyes intelligent and waiting.
"Rocky," Cade said, feeling a little silly. "Use your claws on that log." He pointed to a thick, fallen log at the edge of the field.
For a moment, nothing happened. Rocky just tilted his head. Then, he seemed to understand. He trotted over to the log, raised a front leg, and swiped. His black claws scraped against the wood, leaving deep gouges. It was a good, strong strike.
"Good!" Cade said, excitement bubbling up. "Now, use your tail!"
Rocky turned and whipped his heavy, stone-scaled tail against the log. It hit with a solid thwack, shaking the entire log.
Raven nodded, a glint of approval in her grey eyes. "Strong. But slow. He needs speed and control. He needs to react to your thoughts without delay."
She spent the next few hours drilling them. She would throw a small rock, and Cade would have to command Rocky to dodge. At first, Rocky was too slow, often getting hit. But with each try, the connection between them grew stronger. Cade could feel it—a thread of understanding that tightened between his mind and the drake's.
It was exhausting work. Sweat dripped down Cade's face, and Rocky's sides were heaving. But they didn't stop.
During a break, as Cade gulped down water from a skin, Zara approached. She had a small notebook in her hands, her coppery-red hair tied back neatly.
"Training the body is important," she said, her warm brown eyes serious. "But you must also train his spirit, his connection to the earth. That is his element now."
She led them to a corner of the garden where the soil was soft. "Have him dig. Not just for digging, but to feel the earth. To understand it. To draw strength from it."
Cade gave the command. Rocky began to dig, his powerful claws tearing into the soil. At first, it was just a hole. But then, something changed. Rocky seemed to settle into a rhythm. A faint, brownish energy seemed to glow around his claws for a moment. He wasn't just moving dirt; he was interacting with it.
Beast: Stone Drake
Rank:Bronze 1-Star -> Bronze 2-Star
The words flashed in Cade's mind so suddenly he almost jumped. He hadn't gathered any new materials. He hadn't done another evolution. He had just trained.
"Zara! Look!" he said, his voice full of awe. "He just ranked up! He's Bronze 2-Star!"
Zara's eyes widened. She looked from the panting drake to Cade's shocked face. A slow, knowing smile spread across her freckled face. "Of course. Evolution gives the potential, but effort unlocks it. You have strengthened your bond and his control. You have filled the new form with real power. This is how you build your foundation, Cade. One star at a time."
The rest of the day was a blur of activity. Eris and Vera took turns, using their quiet patience to help Cade practice fine control—having Rocky carefully lift a specific leaf or walk a narrow line without falling.
By evening, Cade and Rocky were both utterly exhausted but thrumming with a new kind of energy. The frustration from the morning was gone, replaced by a clear understanding.
Back inside the cottage, a new problem became obvious. Rocky, now the size of a small pony, tried to curl up in his usual corner. His thick, stony tail knocked over a wooden chair with a loud clatter.
Sienna laughed. "I think we have a problem. Our home is not made for a growing Drake."
Raven nodded. "It's time he got his own space." She walked to an old wooden chest and pulled out a smooth, grey stone attached to a leather cord. It had a faint, swirling pattern on its surface. "This is a Beast Stone. It's low-level, but it will hold him while he's Bronze rank."
She tossed it to Cade. "Focus on Rocky. Pour your will into the stone and picture him being drawn inside."
Cade did as he was told. He held the stone, looked at Rocky, and thought, Return.
The stone glowed with a soft grey light. A beam of the same light shot out and touched Rocky. The drake's form shimmered and then dissolved into energy, flowing into the stone. The stone felt warm in Cade's hand, and he could faintly feel Rocky's presence, sleepy and content.
"Now, to call him back," Zara said. "Focus on the stone and will him out."
Cade gripped the stone and thought, Come out!
The stone glowed again, and the beam of light shot out, materializing back into Rocky, who looked around, slightly confused but unharmed.
Cade grinned, slipping the leather cord over his neck. The stone rested coolly against his chest. It was the perfect solution.
As the sun set, Cade sat on the back step with the Beast Stone resting against his skin. He thought about the [Data Missing] on his ability screen. It didn't seem like a locked door anymore. It seemed like an open road, waiting for him to become strong enough to walk it.
He knew what the next step was. Not a new evolution, but a hundred more days of training. A thousand more commands. He had to make Rocky the strongest Bronze-rank beast anyone had ever seen. Only then would the next path be revealed.