Whispers of the Sun
The tension from the encounter in the tower still lingered as the group made their way back through the ruins. Tranquility kept his pace steady, but his mind churned with questions. The Sun Peridot was still pulsing within his chest, reacting to something he couldn’t quite grasp.
Reiko was the first to break the silence. “That thing wasn’t just a shadow.” Her voice was firm, but there was an edge of unease. “It spoke like it was waiting for us.”
“It was waiting for us,” Clow confirmed. His eyes were distant, thoughtful. “And it wasn’t just testing your strength. It was measuring your resolve.”
Endymion exhaled sharply. “Then it knows exactly how we fight. Which means next time, it will be prepared.” His Golden Crystal flickered slightly, reacting to his unease.
Kunzite crossed his arms. “What I don’t understand is why it left. If it wanted to strike, that was the perfect chance.”
Syaoran frowned. “Maybe it couldn’t.”
Tranquility slowed his steps, feeling a strange pull from within. It was as if something unseen was calling to him.
Reiko caught the shift in his expression. “What’s wrong?”
“I’m not sure.” He placed a hand over the Sun Peridot, the warmth intensifying under his touch. “But... I think there’s something I need to see.”
The others exchanged glances but followed as Tranquility turned off the main path, moving toward a clearing just beyond the ruins. The air was thick with energy—ancient, heavy, expectant.
Then the ground beneath him shifted. A sudden wave of heat radiated outward, causing everyone to step back.
A pillar of golden light erupted from the earth.
Tranquility stood at the center of it, but the warmth did not burn him. Instead, it filled him, threading through his veins like liquid fire. Visions flickered in his mind—glimpses of a forgotten past, a presence that felt both familiar and distant.
A voice, deep and resonant, echoed within him.
“You have awakened the light of the sun, but you have yet to understand its burden.”
Tranquility’s breath caught. “Who are you?”
The voice did not answer directly. Instead, the light coalesced, forming the outline of a grand figure—a being cloaked in golden flames, its presence overwhelming.
“The Sun Peridot is more than power. It is a responsibility. You are its keeper now.”
The vision shifted, and suddenly, Tranquility saw flashes of battles long past. The Sun Peridot burning through the darkness, healing the wounded, bringing devastation to those who sought to corrupt its light. It was a force of creation and destruction, meant to be wielded with wisdom.
As quickly as it had begun, the vision faded.
Tranquility staggered slightly, catching himself as the golden glow dimmed.
The others were watching him carefully.
“What just happened?” Syaoran asked.
Tranquility met his gaze. “The Sun Peridot... it’s not just a source of power. It’s alive. It remembers.”
Clow nodded slowly, as if he had suspected as much. “Then it seems your journey is far from over.”
Tranquility exhaled, steadying himself. Whatever the Sun Peridot had shown him, it was clear that he had only begun to uncover its true potential.
And with the enemy watching, he would have no choice but to master it—before it was too late.