The walk to the stream was the best walk of Coker's life. He wasn't alone. The forest didn't feel scary and big anymore. It felt like a place of possibility. Bren talked almost the whole way, his words painting pictures of the future.
"Just imagine," Bren said, his eyes shining. "We find a cave. A good one, hidden. We make it our base. Then, we start small. Maybe we find some Grass-Hoppers. They're big, but not too tough. Apex eats one, and bam! He can jump really far! Then, we find a Swift-Feather bird. Then he can fly! Well, glide, maybe. Then, we get bigger things. A Shadow-Panther! Can you imagine? Apex, a panther! We'd be unstoppable!"
Coker listened, a smile on his face. He couldn't imagine half of it, but he loved listening to Bren imagine it. It made the impossible feel possible.
"And we'll need a plan for the Dragon Tamers, of course," Bren said, his voice dropping to a serious whisper.
Coker almost tripped over a root. "The what?"
Bren looked at him. "The Twelve Immortal Dragon Tamers. The guys who run everything. The most powerful summoners in the world. They're like kings. Or gods. Everyone knows about them."
Coker shook his head. He didn't know. In his village, the Hunters were the highest anyone dreamed of. The Dragon Tamers were just legends, like stories parents told their kids.
"They're real," Bren said, his face serious. "And they don't like anyone getting too powerful. My dad says they… remove anyone who might be a threat. That's why we have to be secret. If they find out about Apex…" He didn't finish the sentence. He didn't need to.
A new kind of fear settled in Coker's stomach, but it was mixed with something else. A purpose. His dream wasn't just to be a Hunter anymore. It was to be so strong that no one, not even immortal kings, could push him around.
Finally, Riley the badger grunted and pointed his nose. Through the trees, they could see the sparkle of water. They had found the stream. It was small and clear, bubbling over smooth stones. And just behind it, like a wall of grey rock, was a cliff face. And in the cliff face, partly hidden by hanging vines, was a dark opening. A cave.
"Perfect!" Bren whispered.
They pushed the vines aside. The cave was small, dry, and smelled of old dirt and cool stone. It was just big enough for the two of them to sleep in. Sunlight filtered through the vines, making dancing patterns on the floor.
"Home sweet home," Bren said, dropping his pack with a happy sigh.
For the rest of the day, they worked together. They gathered soft moss and dry leaves to make beds. They filled their waterskins from the fresh stream. Bren showed Coker how to set up a simple snare to catch rabbits for food. It felt good to work. It felt normal.
As the sun began to set, painting the sky in shades of orange and purple, they sat by a small, careful fire at the cave entrance, eating roasted rabbit. Apex sat between them, glowing softly, content.
This was the happiest Coker had been since before his summoning. But underneath the happiness, a nervous energy buzzed inside him. Tomorrow, they would hunt. Not for food, but for power. The thought was exciting and terrifying.
The next morning, the plan began.
"Okay," Bren said, business-like. "We start small and safe. Riley is great at tracking. He'll find us something good for a first hunt. Right, boy?"
Riley grunted and sniffed the ground. He trotted a little way into the woods, his nose to the earth, then looked back at them and grunted again.
"He's found a trail!" Bren said. "Let's go!"
Their first target was a Thorn-Beetle. It was as big as a dog, with a hard, spiky shell. It wasn't very fast, and it mostly ate plants. It was perfect.
They found it munching on a large bush. It looked clumsy and slow.
"Okay," Bren whispered. "You can do this. Just tell Apex to eat it."
Coker's mouth felt dry. This was it. His first real test as a summoner. The Rock-Tusk had been about survival. This was a choice.
He took a deep breath. He focused on the connection in his mind. He could feel Apex's simple consciousness, a feeling of waiting, of readiness.
*Go,* he thought. *Eat.*
He placed Apex on the ground. The slime quivered and then slid toward the beetle, much faster than its usual wobble.
The Thorn-Beetle didn't even see it coming. The blue light flashed, quick and bright. It was over in a second. The beetle was gone. Apex glowed, a little bigger, a little brighter.
"Yes!" Bren whispered, pumping his fist. "It worked! Now, make it change!"
Coker focused again. *Mimic. Become the beetle.*
Apex began to shift. Its form grew, forming a hard, blue, crystalline shell covered in glowing spikes. It was a beautiful, terrifying copy of the Thorn-Beetle.
"Amazing," Bren breathed. "It's perfect! Now, see if you can make it move. Make it walk."
Coker concentrated. *Walk forward.*
The Apex-Beetle took one clumsy step, then another. It was slow and awkward. Controlling this form was different from the dog or the boar. It was like trying to move a heavy rock.
*Stop,* Coker thought. The beetle stopped. *Return.*
The beetle form melted back into the familiar slime.
"It's hard," Coker said, feeling tired. "It's heavy."
"That's okay!" Bren said, clapping him on the back. "That's why we practice! You'll get better! One down! Who knows what we can do with a shell that tough!"
They spent the next few days like this. Riley would find a creature. They would approach carefully. Coker would send Apex. The blue light would flash. Apex would gain a new form.
They found a Swift-Feather, a bird with long, graceful wings. After Apex devoured it, Coker learned to make it glide from tree to tree. The feeling of seeing the world from above through his connection with Apex took Coker's breath away.
They found a creature called a Moss-Prowler, a cat-like animal that could blend into the shadows. When Apex mimicked it, they almost lost it in the dark of the cave because its blue glow dimmed to a soft shimmer.
With each new form, Coker's confidence grew. The connection in his mind felt stronger, clearer. He could feel Apex's simple joy in consuming, in becoming. He could feel its strength growing, and in turn, he felt his own strength growing too. He wasn't just giving commands anymore; he was working *with* Apex.
Bren was the perfect partner. He was always excited, always planning. He was like a proud older brother, cheering for every success.
But then, Riley found a different trail.
The badger was sniffing near the stream, his fur bristling. He let out a low, worried growl, not an excited grunt. He pawed at the ground nervously.
"What is it, boy?" Bren asked, his smile fading.
Riley didn't want to follow the trail. He backed away, his tail tucked between his legs.
"Whatever it is, it's big," Bren said, his face worried. "And it's scaring Riley. We should avoid it."
Coker looked into the dark part of the forest where the trail led. A few weeks ago, he would have agreed immediately. But now, he felt different. He felt the new power humming in his mind, the strength of the Rock-Tusk, the Thorn-Beetle, the Swift-Feather.
"What if we didn't avoid it?" Coker said, his voice quieter than he meant it to be.
Bren stared at him. "What? No. Coker, if it's scaring Riley, it's serious. We're not ready."
"But what if we are?" Coker insisted. The desire to be stronger, to push further, was a burning feeling in his chest. "We have the boar form. That's strong. And the beetle shell is tough. What if this creature has something amazing? Something that could really help us?"
"Or it could kill us," Bren said, his voice serious. "We have a good thing going. We're getting stronger every day. Why risk it?"
"Because I don't want to just be a little stronger," Coker said, and he realized it was true. He wanted more. He needed more. The memory of being laughed at, of being called Zero-Star, pushed him forward. "I want to be so strong that no one can ever look down on me again. Ever."
Bren saw the fire in his friend's eyes. He saw the pain and the determination there. He sighed, running a hand through his hair.
"Okay," he said finally. "But we are careful. We just look. We don't engage. If it looks too dangerous, we run. Promise me."
Coker nodded. "I promise."
Riley didn't want to lead them, so they followed the signs themselves—a large, broken branch, a track in the mud that was far too big. The forest got darker and quieter the deeper they went.
Then, they heard it. A low, rumbling sound. Like stones grinding together. It was coming from a dense thicket up ahead.
Bren put a hand on Coker's chest, stopping him. "That's enough," he whispered, his face pale. "Let's go back. Now."
But Coker's curiosity was too strong. He had to see. He crept forward, pushing a branch aside.
In a small clearing, a creature was sleeping.
It was a bear. But not a normal bear. Its fur was shaggy and grey like granite. Its claws looked like sharpened black stone. And its back was covered in rocky spikes. A Grizzleback Bear. It was known for its terrible strength and its thick, stone-like hide that could deflect most weapons. It was a monster Hunters would only attack in a large group.
And it was sleeping right there.
Coker's heart hammered. This was it. This was the kind of power he needed. If Apex could become *this*… they would be safe from almost anything.
He felt the hunger through the connection. Apex wanted it. It sensed the raw power in the creature and it yearned for it.
"No," Bren whispered, pulling on Coker's arm. "Coker, no. You promised. We look, and we leave. That thing is a tank. We can't beat that."
"Apex can," Coker whispered back, his eyes never leaving the bear. "If it can get close while it's sleeping…"
"Are you crazy?!" Bren hissed, his voice frantic. "If you wake it up, it will tear us apart! Your boar form is strong, but that thing is stronger! My badger is useless against it! We'll die!"
The fear in Bren's voice was real. It was the voice of reason. But the burning desire in Coker's heart was louder.
"I have to try," Coker said, his voice shaking but determined. "I have to know."
Before Bren could stop him, Coker took a step into the clearing. He focused on Apex. *The bear. Quietly.*
He placed the slime on the ground. It began to slide silently across the grass toward the sleeping giant.
Bren watched, his hand over his mouth, his eyes wide with terror. This was a mistake. He knew it.
Apex reached the bear's massive paw. It began to glow, ready to engulf it.
But the light, however soft, touched the bear's eyelids.
The Grizzleback's eyes snapped open. They were small, black, and filled with a sudden, furious intelligence.
It saw the glowing slime at its feet.
With a roar that shook the trees, the bear jerked its paw away and surged to its feet. It was enormous, towering over them. It swiped a claw at Apex.
The slime was fast. It darted back, but the claw caught the edge of it. Apex let out a high-pitched squeal that echoed in Coker's mind—a sound of pain and surprise. The slime flew through the air and hit a tree, splattering slightly before pulling itself together. Its glow was flickering weakly.
The bear turned. Its eyes locked not on the slime, but on the two boys standing at the edge of the clearing.
It roared again, a sound of pure rage, and charged.
"RUN!" Bren screamed.
They turned and ran. They crashed through bushes, not caring about the noise, only about putting distance between them and the monster. The bear was fast for its size, smashing through the trees behind them, its roars shaking the ground.
Coker's heart was pounding with fear and guilt. He had done this. He had broken his promise. He had put his friend in danger because of his own stupid pride.
They ran towards their cave, but the bear was gaining. They wouldn't make it.
"Split up!" Bren yelled. "It can't follow both of us!"
"No!" Coker yelled back. He wouldn't leave his friend.
The bear was right behind them. They could smell its earthy, foul breath.
Suddenly, Riley darted out from the bushes. The brave little badger ran right between the bear's legs, growling and nipping at its heels.
It was a distraction. A brave, stupid, wonderful distraction.
The bear stumbled, confused by the tiny creature annoying it. It slowed for just a second, swiping at Riley.
It was all the time they needed.
They reached the stream and leaped across, scrambling up the bank toward their cave. They dove through the vine curtain, collapsing on the cave floor, gasping for air.
Outside, the bear roared in frustration. They heard it crashing around near the stream, but after a few minutes, the sounds faded. It had given up.
The cave was silent except for their ragged breathing.
Bren sat up first. He wasn't looking at Coker. He was staring at the cave wall, his face pale, his body shaking.
Coker felt sick. "Bren… I'm… I'm so sorry. I didn't… I didn't think…"
"You didn't think at all!" Bren's voice was sharp, and it cut through the air. He turned to look at Coker, and his eyes were filled with tears of fear and anger. "You promised! You promised we would just look! You almost got us killed! You almost got Riley killed!"
Coker had never seen Bren angry before. He looked down, the shame washing over him like a cold wave. Bren was right.
"I was stupid," Coker whispered, his own eyes filling with tears. "I just… I wanted to be strong. I wanted us to be safe."
"We *were* safe!" Bren shouted, standing up. "We had a plan! A good plan! We were getting stronger every day! And you threw it away for a stupid bear!" He kicked a loose stone across the cave. "I trusted you!"
Those words hurt more than any physical pain. Coker felt them like a punch to the stomach.
"I know," he said, his voice breaking. "I'm sorry."
Bren didn't say anything. He just turned his back on Coker and walked to the other side of the small cave, sitting down with his knees pulled to his chest. The silence between them was worse than the bear's roar.
A few minutes later, Riley scurried back into the cave, unharmed but clearly shaken. He went straight to Bren, ignoring Coker completely.
Coker sat alone in the dark, the weight of what he had done crushing him. He had finally found a friend, the only person who ever believed in him, and he had broken his trust. For what? A chance at more power?
He looked at Apex. The slime had made its way back and was now sitting near his foot, its glow still dim and flickering from the bear's attack. It felt small and weak again.
Tears finally spilled down Coker's cheeks. He wasn't a hero. He was just a scared, stupid boy who had gotten too confident. He had let the power go to his head, and he had hurt the only person who cared about him.
He cried for a long time, until there were no tears left. The cave was dark and cold. The hopeful feeling from the last few days was completely gone, replaced by a loneliness deeper than any he had felt on the road alone.
He had everything he wanted, and he had ruined it.
He didn't know how to fix it. He didn't know if it could be fixed.
He just sat there in the dark, alone with his mistake, wondering if he would ever stop being a Zero-Star.