Forging Their Path
The dust settled, lingering energy crackling in the air. Endymion, Reiko, and Syaoran stood at the center of the battlefield, their respective artifacts still pulsing with power.
Clow lowered his hand, studying them with an unreadable expression. Then, he nodded.
“That is the beginning,” he said. “But you are far from mastery.”
Reiko exhaled sharply, running a hand through her hair. “No kidding.”
Syaoran flexed his fingers, feeling the residual hum of the Earth Gem beneath his skin. “It’s different now. Before, it was just power. Now, it’s…”
“Instinct,” Endymion finished. He looked down at the Golden Crystal in his hand. The energy within it no longer felt like a wildfire threatening to consume him. Instead, it felt responsive, like an extension of his will.
Clow’s expression remained neutral, but there was something almost approving in his gaze. “That is how it should be. Power is not something you wield—it is something you guide.”
Kunzite crossed his arms. “So what’s next?”
A New Challenge
Clow gestured, and the air around them shimmered. The training grounds faded, replaced by a vast, endless plane of golden sand. The sudden shift made Reiko and Syaoran tense, their instincts immediately sharpening.
Tranquility frowned. “An illusion?”
Clow shook his head. “No. A realm.”
Endymion narrowed his eyes. “We’re… somewhere else?”
“Yes. A space between realities.” Clow turned, facing them fully. “It is time to test your limits outside of controlled environments. Here, there are no safety measures. If you cannot wield your powers properly, you will be consumed by them.”
Reiko clicked her tongue. “Great. No pressure.”
Yue, who had been quiet until now, stepped forward, his silver eyes sharp. “Then let’s not waste time.”
Trial by Fire
The ground beneath them shifted.
Without warning, a pulse of magic erupted from below. The sand split apart, revealing a massive, serpentine creature formed from raw energy. Its body shimmered with golden light, its eyes glowing with an intense, unrelenting hunger.
Syaoran’s stance shifted immediately. “Of course there’s a monster.”
Reiko’s hands crackled with green energy. “Wouldn’t be a proper training session without one.”
Endymion didn’t hesitate. He stepped forward, the Golden Crystal flaring to life in his palm. “Then let’s take it down.”
The serpent struck.
Faster than expected.
Reiko and Syaoran moved as one, their magic forming a defensive barrier just in time to absorb the impact. Endymion dove forward, the Golden Crystal’s light forming a blade in his hand as he struck at the creature’s side.
The blow connected—
But instead of harming the serpent, the energy rebounded, sending a shockwave back at him.
Endymion barely managed to brace before being sent flying.
Tranquility cursed, moving to intervene, but Kunzite held out an arm. “Wait.”
Tranquility glared. “He just got thrown halfway across the battlefield—”
“He needs to figure it out.”
And he did.
Endymion rolled mid-air, twisting his body to absorb the impact. He landed in a crouch, sand scattering around him. The Golden Crystal pulsed in his grasp, responding to his will.
And suddenly, he understood.
The serpent wasn’t an enemy.
It was a test.
He could feel it now—the way the energy flowed around the creature instead of against it. The Golden Crystal wasn’t meant to be used as a weapon in this fight.
It was meant to redirect.
Endymion rose to his feet, exhaling slowly. “I get it now.”
Reiko and Syaoran glanced at each other. “What?”
Endymion lifted his hand, golden energy swirling around him. “We’re not supposed to fight it. We’re supposed to guide it.”
The serpent struck again—but this time, Endymion didn’t resist.
He stepped into the attack, letting the energy move through him. The Golden Crystal pulsed in response, shifting the force, redirecting it harmlessly into the sand.
Syaoran’s eyes widened. “That’s—”
Reiko smirked. “Oh. That’s smart.”
She and Syaoran moved in sync, their Earth Gem glowing in response. They followed Endymion’s lead, channeling their power not to destroy, but to stabilize.
The serpent’s form began to shift. The wild, untamed energy started to calm, the golden light settling into something harmonious.
And then—
The serpent vanished.
In its place, the sands stilled, the air returning to silence.
Mastery Begins
Clow watched them, his gaze unreadable.
Finally, he spoke.
“You are beginning to understand.”
Reiko huffed, crossing her arms. “That was an annoying lesson.”
Syaoran exhaled, shaking his head. “But an important one.”
Endymion glanced at the Golden Crystal in his hand. The connection was clearer now. He wasn’t fighting against his power anymore.
He was guiding it.
Yue approached him, his silver gaze lingering on the crystal. “…You’ve grown.”
Endymion smirked. “Had to, or I’d be dead by now.”
Tranquility stepped closer, studying him carefully. “And you think you can keep this control?”
Endymion closed his fist around the Golden Crystal, feeling its warmth.
“…Yeah.” He met Tranquility’s gaze, his expression steady. “I do.”
Clow nodded approvingly. “Then we continue.”
The training wasn’t over yet.
But this was a turning point.
They were no longer struggling to control their power.
They were mastering it.