The Rift Opens
The first wave of shadow crashed against them.
Endymion barely had time to react before a pulse of dark energy slammed into his barrier. He gritted his teeth, the Golden Crystal flaring with light as he forced the attack back. The weight of the energy pressed against him, heavy and unrelenting.
Syaoran and Reiko were already moving. The Earth Gem pulsed in their hands, their power merging in a brilliant display of gold and green. They struck together—Reiko's energy solidifying into jagged crystals while Syaoran channeled raw force, sending the ground splitting beneath the shadow’s form.
But the enemy did not shatter.
It twisted and reformed, tendrils of darkness lashing toward them.
Reiko dodged, flipping backward just in time to avoid being caught. “It’s not solid!” she called. “It’s adapting to our attacks.”
Clow’s expression darkened. “Then we’ll have to change tactics.”
The Earth’s Answer
Endymion’s breath came heavy as he pressed his palm to the ground, willing the Earth to respond. The Golden Crystal thrummed in his chest, and for a brief moment, he felt the world around him. The power beneath the soil, the ancient strength of Terra itself.
Guide me.
The Earth answered.
Golden veins of energy spread from his touch, racing toward the shadow. The darkness hissed, recoiling from the light, but it wasn’t enough to destroy it. It writhed, shifting again, trying to escape.
Syaoran and Reiko saw the opening.
They reached for the bond—Terra awakening within them once more. The Earth Gem flared in their hands, crystallizing fully for the first time.
Their magic pulsed outward.
The Earth responded.
With a roar, jagged walls of crystal erupted from the ground, encasing the shadow within an unbreakable cage of pure Terra energy.
Endymion lifted a hand. The Golden Crystal gleamed, and with one final surge of power—light and Earth collided.
The shadow let out a distorted scream before it was consumed by the energy.
And then—silence.
A Moment of Stillness
The battlefield was eerily quiet.
Endymion exhaled, lowering his hand. The Golden Crystal dimmed, but he could still feel its warmth against his chest. “It’s gone,” he murmured.
Reiko and Syaoran glanced at each other. The Earth Gem had changed—its surface gleamed with a new brilliance, its power now fully realized.
Clow studied them all carefully. “This was only the beginning.”
Kunzite stepped forward. “You think there will be more?”
Clow’s expression was unreadable. “Something is stirring, something tied to Terra itself. And whatever it is—it’s watching us.”
Syaoran clenched his fists. “Then we find it before it finds us.”
Endymion nodded. “Agreed. No more waiting. If this power is coming for us, we’ll be ready.”
The Earth had spoken.
And its heirs would answer.