Soul Link

The Soul Link is a phenomenon shared by all yoki-users, where 2 or more Observers temporarily intersect/bond/merge, enabling access to a specific or entire portion of both beings' Mind, Soul, and Body. Soul link is, like everything with yoki, a process of mutual give and take, holding and receiving.

This is applied by in twins or triplets to create warriors that don't mentally awaken even when their bodies do. This can also be used to remotely control a body through a detached brain (Omen) or awaken corrupted claymores (Leigia).

Soul link is synonymous with yoki-synchronization, and can occur on many different levels and strengths, and between beings with no yoki and beings with yoki. Soul links, the sharing of the will of the soul and sometimes mind, with another being, is what is needed to control any shade (the degree of linkage determines how much the shade becomes an extension of the controller's existence). Any soul-linked shade will be influenced by the will of the mind or soul, and in the case of mindless/soulless shades, can be used to completely control the shade. Healing via yoki-synchronization is a weak form of soul-link, which links the yokis/souls of the healer and the injured. Eyes are more capable at this, and can perform a variety of techniques through soul-links, confusing enemies, synchronizing and controlling weak-minded fragments of yoki (or individuals), or coordinating and soothing others. Users of this level of synchronization can glean emotions and thoughts from others. Soul links of the traditional kind, soul links between twins and relatives that the Organization creates, are very strong, and the partner of each individual holds so much of the other individual that there is very little difference in ego between each individual. This allows them to Awaken their bodies without awakening mentally. A lack of difference in ego is not necessary for such a soul link to occur, as individuals like Ceres and Irayna are able to do slightly worse while still maintaining individuality. Silver Reserves hold this degree of soul-link in the highest regard and save it for one single, irreplaceable person. If this degree of soul-link is reached, the bodies and minds of separate individuals can begin to meld together. The strongest soul links are those of ascended angels, links of pure love, and of the greatest quality. These links are links between either the being and its yoki fragments (either placed in another body to form remote bodies, or contained in the same body as a skill or technique) or between two beings (the Destroyer was created from the perfect merge between two individuals).

Soul links are also synonymous with contracts. When a soul-link is established, a bond is formed between the two parties, a contract. Regardless if the existence of such a contract is realized, a contract must exist for a link to be created. Contracts can range from having no real terms, simply an exchange between two beings, to having very specific terms that must be carried out. A being under such a contract must carry out the specific terms, or the link will not function or worse. Often, ignorance to the existence of the contract causes a willing or unwilling abuse of one of the parties. Claymores are unaware of their contracts to their personalized shades, and abuse them, thinking the shades are evil although their particular contract is one that demands unity between the two parties. Conversely, beings that are aware of contracts can trick those unaware into a one-sided contract or even force a contract to be created against one party's will.

Soul links do not necessarily need to be performed between two separate individuals, but can be performed by a being unto itself. Since all beings are alter-egos of yoki of some source, soul-links with 2 or more unique beings is the same as soul-linking within a single being, as each being can be considered the culmination of fragments of yoki. Alter egos can exist separate of each other, yet still be in perfect sync with each other through a soul link. Since alter egos aren't what a being is (as a being is determined by its soul), soul links between different alter egos is the same as linking a being to itself.

The greater the quality of a soul-link, the greater the amount of strength that can be used through it. Individuals with strong soul-links with themselves are very powerful, and have great quality, enabling them to perform extremely powerful skills, thus making them strong. The strength of a soul-link between a soul, and a shade created from a particular individual, is what creates the shade's characteristics, including the passing on of the soul's will, the mind's memories and thoughts, and the body's form and characteristics. Strong soul links between different beings maintains, in some cases, individuality (separate alter-egos), but enables each receiving member of the interaction to take control over some part of the giving individual.

The engraving of a skill or technique is the perfect soul-link between a soul and a fragment of another being. However, seasoning itself works in the same way to give new Skills and Techniques. The seasoning, when injected into a being, causes the being's hate to destroy itself, allowing for the formation and/or strengthening of soul links to individual pieces of yoki: a being's skills and techniques. Previously, these skills were unusable due to the being's very soul rejecting their existence as part of its own.

Soul links, through love, fill in what each being is lacking, and enables each being to receive what its soul desires (which is love, but interpreted through the mind, is a dream). Since soul links are based on love, any type of love (including self-love) sets the foundation for a soul link, the more powerful the love, the greater the link possible.

Soul links cannot be forced, and are a result of a being's willing admission to recognize something else as shared between them and another party. Soul links can be stopped by one or more parties closing off and refusing to link (a hateful rejection of the other party's existence), and be broken by willful disconnection and more powerful soul links. Special Skills can break soul-links, including Messire's.

For identical twins that can soul link, the older twin is significantly stronger than the younger twin, both in awakened and human form.

See soul link for a list of individuals with this trait.