Trial by Shadow
The moment Noctis moved, the fire between them was snuffed out, plunging the clearing into unnatural darkness. A chill seeped into the ground, and the air grew heavy, as if the very night itself had gained weight.
Tranquility reacted instinctively. The Sun Peridot flared to life, golden light bursting from his core, pushing back the darkness. His heart pounded as the artifact’s power surged through him, casting flickering beams into the void.
Noctis laughed, the sound hollow and distant. “Light and fire… let’s see if it can withstand the abyss.”
A shadow lashed out like a living whip, slamming toward Tranquility. He barely had time to raise a barrier of searing sunlight before the attack struck, sending sparks flying. The impact rattled his bones. This wasn’t just darkness—it was something deeper, something ancient.
Syaoran and Reiko moved in tandem. The Earth Gem pulsed as they summoned a wall of stone between Noctis and Tranquility. It barely held. Noctis simply walked forward, their presence causing the stone to crack and crumble.
Endymion stepped beside Tranquility, the Golden Crystal glowing in his palm. “You’re not facing this alone.” With a twist of his wrist, a golden shield formed in front of them, reinforcing Tranquility’s barrier. “Focus. The Sun Peridot is reacting to you—don’t fight against it. Use it.”
Tranquility gritted his teeth. The power inside him was wild, untamed, but he reached for it anyway. Flames burst from his fingertips, forming a searing arc of fire that shot toward Noctis.
For a moment, the attack seemed to connect—until the shadows swallowed it whole.
“Not bad,” Noctis murmured. Then, they raised a hand. The darkness coiled, forming a massive claw that struck downward.
Clow moved in an instant. With a flick of his fingers, glowing sigils appeared in the air, intercepting the blow. The sigils shuddered under the pressure, but they held. “Enough games,” Clow said, his voice sharp. “Tell us why you’re here.”
Noctis tilted their head, as if considering. “Very well.” The shadows rippled, withdrawing just enough to reveal their shape more clearly—a figure draped in midnight, their features obscured by the ever-shifting darkness. “I did not come to kill you. Not yet. I came to test you.”
Tranquility clenched his fists. “Test us for what?”
“For what’s to come.” Noctis’s form flickered. “The darkness that lingers in this world is far greater than you realize. You may have defeated Metallia’s shade, but that was merely a remnant. The true threat has yet to awaken.”
Endymion’s grip on the Golden Crystal tightened. “And what do you gain from warning us?”
Noctis chuckled. “Consider it… an investment. If you are to stand against what’s coming, you will need to be much stronger.” They turned their gaze to Tranquility. “And you, Sun’s heir—you will have to decide what you are willing to sacrifice.”
A cold weight settled in Tranquility’s chest. “What do you mean?”
But Noctis was already stepping back into the shadows. “You’ll see.”
And with that, they vanished, the darkness retreating as if it had never been there.
The fire reignited, crackling softly, as if nothing had happened. But the tension in the air remained.
Syaoran exhaled. “That was… unsettling.”
Reiko crossed her arms. “They knew too much.”
Clow’s expression was unreadable. “This was only a warning. We should assume they’ll be watching us from now on.”
Tranquility looked down at his hands, feeling the warmth of the Sun Peridot still burning beneath his skin. The battle had been brief, but it had exposed a terrible truth—he still wasn’t strong enough.
And whatever was coming… he would have to be ready.