Whispers in the Dark
Night had fallen, draping the land in a veil of quiet unease. The battle was over, but the tension had not faded. Around the campfire, the group sat in silence, each lost in their own thoughts. The Sun Peridot, the Golden Crystal, and the Earth Gem—all had been tested, and though they had prevailed, the fight had revealed an unsettling truth.
Something—or someone—was pulling the strings from the shadows.
Tranquility stared into the flames, feeling the Sun Peridot pulse in rhythm with his heartbeat. The power still thrummed beneath his skin, raw and untamed. He had acted on instinct before, but he couldn’t shake the feeling that he had only begun to scratch the surface of what it could do.
Clow broke the silence. “The shard we destroyed—it was just a fragment. The true source of this corruption is still out there.” His gaze flickered to Endymion. “And I suspect you have felt it too.”
Endymion’s grip tightened around the Golden Crystal. “Yes. Ever since the battle, the shadows have been... restless.” He exhaled, his expression unreadable. “I can feel them watching.”
Reiko frowned. “Watching? From where?”
“I don’t know,” Endymion admitted. “But I can feel their presence. Like whispers at the edge of my mind.”
A chill settled over the group. Syaoran exchanged a look with his sister, then turned to Clow. “Could it be Metallia’s lingering influence?”
Clow shook his head. “No. This is something else. Something older.”
A branch snapped in the distance. Instantly, the group was on guard.
Kunzite was the first to move, his blade drawn in an instant. Zoisite followed, his eyes scanning the darkened trees. “We’re not alone.”
The fire flickered violently, casting eerie shadows around them. Then, from the darkness, a voice slithered through the air.
“You are more resilient than I expected.”
The figure that stepped into the firelight was cloaked in shadows, their form shifting as if not entirely bound to this world. Their presence sent a shiver through the earth, and even the flames seemed to recoil.
Endymion narrowed his eyes. “Who are you?”
The figure chuckled. “Names hold power, prince. But for now, you may call me Noctis.” Their gaze flicked to Tranquility. “And you... the Sun’s chosen heir. How fascinating.”
Tranquility felt the Sun Peridot react, heat building in his core. “What do you want?”
Noctis tilted their head. “To see if you are worthy.”
Without warning, the shadows surged forward.