Echoes of the Bond
The battle training had been a success, but the bond still had unexpected consequences.
It wasn’t just in combat.
It was in everything.
No More Secrets
Syaoran sat in the library, pretending to read. Yue was on the opposite side of the room, flipping through a book on advanced magic.
Neither of them spoke.
And yet—
You don’t have to act like you’re not staring.
Syaoran nearly slammed his book shut. I wasn’t staring.
You were. Yue’s mental voice was far too amused.
Syaoran gritted his teeth. You’re imagining things.
Yue turned a page. You do realize I can feel your emotions now, right?
Silence.
Syaoran stood up so fast his chair scraped against the floor. Yue didn’t look up, but Syaoran knew he was smirking.
The bond was annoying.
But it also meant there were no more walls between them.
A New Level of Understanding
Reiko was in the garden when she felt Tranquility’s presence behind her.
She didn’t turn around.
“Are you here to brood?” she asked.
Tranquility sat next to her, arms resting on his knees. “I don’t brood.”
“You do now.” She smirked. “Side effect of the bond, probably.”
He let out a small chuckle. But then he hesitated, looking at his hands.
“I… never used to worry like this,” he admitted. “Before, if something happened to you, I wouldn’t have known. Now, I feel it. Every flicker of fear. Every doubt.”
Reiko turned to him. “That’s not a bad thing.”
His golden eyes met hers, something raw in them. “It is when it makes me want to run to you every time you’re in danger.”
Her breath caught.
She hadn’t realized how much he’d been holding back.
The bond had made their feelings impossible to ignore. And for the first time, neither of them could hide from what had always been there.
She reached for his hand. “You don’t have to hold back, you know.”
Tranquility exhaled, his grip tightening around hers. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
Endymion’s Guardians Struggle
Unlike the others, Endymion’s four guardians had never shared a connection like this before.
Nephrite was overwhelmed by everyone’s emotions.
Zoisite couldn’t sleep without feeling Kunzite’s restlessness.
Jadeite had snapped at Endymion three times before realizing it was because he’d absorbed his frustration.
They were warriors, used to strategy and discipline. But emotions? That was something entirely new.
And yet, through all the chaos, there was something comforting about it.
For the first time, they understood each other completely.
They weren’t just a team.
They were family.
Clow’s Warning
At the end of the day, Clow gathered them all in the great hall.
“You’re adapting faster than I expected,” he admitted. “But don’t forget—this bond is permanent. Your souls are tied together now. That means if one of you falls—”
“We all do,” Endymion finished.
Clow nodded. “Exactly.” His eyes softened. “Be careful with each other.”
Reiko glanced at Tranquility.
Syaoran at Yue.
The four guardians at Endymion.
They weren’t just protecting themselves anymore.
They were protecting each other.
And that changed everything.