When All Flowers Burn to Ash - A Single Petal Still Clings to Life

“Turn end…”

Lisa’s eyes narrowed, staring at Amaya with clear, visible boredom.

“Now then…” she said, voice like a knife laced in disdain.

“Draw your last pathetic card.”

Amaya clenched her jaw, refusing to take the bait.

She knew better than anyone—her position was dire.

Her field was empty. Only one card remained in her hand, and there was no guarantee it would help.

Meanwhile, Lisa still had three powerful units on her board, even if her hand was empty.

Their LP were both in the red.

This draw… would decide everything.

“Draw!!!”

Amaya’s eyes widened the moment she saw the card.

This is it. This is what I needed!

Lisa caught that look—

That glimmer of hope.

Her thoughts raced.

What kind of card could change everything at this point?

“OP limit increase. I generate 5 OP!”

Amaya stood tall and met Lisa’s gaze.

“With the card I just drew…”

“…I’ll prove to you there’s no such thing as a ‘pathetic’ card in my deck!”

“I pay 1 OP!”

One of the glowing orbs burst into shimmering particles.

“I activate Heaven Blessing!”

“I add Divine Instrument – Stunning Triangle to my hand!”

Amaya took a deep breath—then shouted with unshakable confidence.

“GUIDE CALL!”

“Once again, let’s reach for a miracle—together!”

“Ever-Longing Prayer, Elana!”

Amaya seized her Guide card from the Guide Zone and slammed it onto the center tile.

Elana descended in a glow of soft golden light, her wings spreading wide as the connection between her and Amaya reawakened.

“Elana’s Skill activates!”

Amaya extended her hand forward, revealing a card to Lisa.

“I reveal Divine Instrument – Violence Violin!”

“And I activate Divine Instrument – Stunning Triangle!”

“When Stunning Triangle is activated, I can attach it to one of your units on the field.”

Amaya raised a single finger—calm, deliberate—

And pointed directly at Lisa’s most fearsome creature.

“I attach Stunning Triangle… to Ashendoom!”

Lisa blinked.

She looked genuinely confused for a moment, unsure of what Amaya had just done.

Attaching a card to my unit...? What could she possibly—

Then Amaya spoke, her voice sharp and clear:

“Any enemy unit attached with Stunning Triangle cannot attack, and its effects are negated!”

Lisa’s expression shifted.

“I see…”

She brought a hand to her chin, thinking aloud with a curious smile.

“So that’s your plan…”

From the viewing area, Nicholas squinted, visibly puzzled.

“Wait… what is she doing? That move makes no sense.”

“She’s stalling,” Liora replied calmly.

Nicholas turned to her, surprised.

“Stalling?”

Liora nodded, her eyes never leaving the battlefield.

“Right now, the Chalice Holder’s situation is far from ideal. Her LP is critically low. Her hand is empty. And there’s only one unit that could actually take down Elana in battle.”

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“Ashendoom.”

“He's a powerful threat—but he’s aggressive by design. He thrives on offense, not defense.”

“By locking Ashendoom down, the Lantern Holder’s chances of winning improve dramatically.”

Liora kept her tone neutral, masking any hint of personal connection. She couldn’t let Nicholas know she recognized either of the duelists—not yet.

Nicholas nodded slowly.

“I see… but still, isn’t stalling kind of a gamble?”

“If Lisa draws a single removal card or a strong attacker next turn…”

“True,” Liora said without hesitation.

“That’s why this next turn... is the real decider.”

Back in the arena, Amaya took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

“Turn end.”

She’d done all she could.

Lisa clapped her hands slowly, a sly grin on her lips.

“Impressive. I never thought I’d find myself in this kind of position.”

Then she rested her hand atop her deck and locked eyes with Amaya.

“But in the end… I’m the one who will win.”

Amaya’s voice rang out defiantly.

“No. I will be the one to reach the miracle!”

Lisa’s smile turned feral.

“Then let’s see—”

“—who fate loves more.”

“DRAW!!!”

She drew her card in one fluid motion. Her hand paused.

Then—

The corner of her lips twitched.

A soft, mad giggle slipped out.

Then more.

Until Lisa burst into wild, unhinged laughter—ecstatic and feverish. Her eyes gleamed like someone who’d just found salvation in destruction.

“OP Limit increase! I generate six OP!”

Six glowing orbs flared into existence around her.

Without losing the grin on her face, Lisa played the card she'd drawn. She placed it behind her units—it was a support card.

“I pay 5 OP!”

The orbs shattered, scattering blue-white particles like falling stars.

She raised her hand high—

“END OF THE WORLD!”

A deep hum filled the arena as the sky darkened overhead.

“Everything on the field is annihilated.”

“Units. Supports. Every trace of hope—erased.”

“Nothing will remain.”

“Not even the miracle you clung to.”

Lisa’s voice echoed with divine finality.

“All things… shall fall to ruin!”

All cards on both sides of the field were wiped out, leaving the arena in total silence.

Not a single unit remained.

Amaya could only clench her fists in frustration, teeth gritted.

Is this... the end?

Will I never see my sister’s smile again...?

Lisa extended her hand toward the battlefield, her voice rising in a crescendo of triumph.

“Inhale the scent—of the flowers that bloom at the end of all things!”

“Guide Call!”

“Ashendoom!”

With a defiant roar, Ashendoom crashed back onto the battlefield. Flames and smoke trailed behind its descent.

Lisa exhaled slowly.

This wasn’t quite the ending she’d hoped for… but it was satisfying enough.

“Battle.”

She raised her hand, palm open.

“Ashendoom—end this.”

Ashendoom roared in response, gathering energy in its blazing core.

Then—

“HELL DESTRUCTION BURST!!!”

A beam of molten flame surged across the field and struck Amaya directly.

She screamed.

The searing heat overwhelmed her senses, flooding every nerve in her body with pain.

Her knees buckled—and she collapsed to the ground.

From the observation area, Liora’s eyes widened.

“Amaya!!”

Without thinking, she bolted forward.

But—before she could get close—

SLAM!

She collided with something.

An invisible wall stopped her in her tracks.

Liora pounded against it with both fists, eyes filled with panic.

“Amaya!”

Her voice cracked.

“Amaya, answer me!”

Then—descending gracefully from above—Ursa landed beside her, folding her arms.

“I suggest you refrain from interfering in a battle,” she said coolly.

“Liora Vernhart.”

“Battle?!”

Liora spun toward her, furious.

“Amaya’s already lost!”

Ursa exhaled through her nose.

“If the invisible barrier is still active…”

“Then the second round of the Desire Battle isn't over.”

Liora froze.

“…What are you talking about?”

“Amaya’s been defeated. The duel should be finished—”

“Then see for yourself.”

Ursa raised her hand slightly and gestured toward the battlefield.

Liora turned.

What she saw…

would change everything.

Elana slowly approached Amaya’s collapsed body, her bare feet making no sound against the scorched earth.

She knelt beside her.

The moment her fingers touched Amaya’s hand—

—a radiant light burst forth from her palm.

And in the blink of an eye, Amaya's eyes fluttered open.

Elana gently helped her up to her feet.

Lisa’s expression twisted in disbelief.

“What...?”

She couldn’t comprehend what she was seeing.

“I won. That should’ve been the end!”

“Not yet.”

Amaya stood tall, despite her trembling legs.

Her voice was quiet but steady.

“This is Elana’s Frontier Protocol.”

“Impossible!” Lisa spat, her voice cracking.

Her expression twisted further with confusion and outrage.

“No, it’s real.” Amaya met her gaze.

“This is the miracle Elana earned.”

“You’re wrong.”

A soft voice—gentle as moonlight—cut through the air.

Both girls turned toward the source.

Elana.

She was standing beside Amaya, her golden eyes warm and kind.

“This is not my miracle,” she said softly, smiling as she turned to Amaya.

“It’s the miracle you will reach, Amaya.”

Amaya’s breath caught.

She was stunned. She hadn’t expected Elana to speak.

Not once during the entire battle had she uttered a word.

“Why...?”

The question barely escaped her lips.

But before she could finish, Elana raised two fingers—her index and middle—and gently pressed them against Amaya’s lips.

“That doesn’t matter right now.”

Her voice was serene, a whisper woven from calm resolve.

“You still have something to do.”

Amaya nodded, slowly.

She turned back toward Lisa, her breath steadying once more.

She couldn’t lose here.

Not now.

Not when she was this close.

She raised her voice.

“Frontier Protocol: Activated!”

Her words rang through the arena like a war cry.

“When my Life Points hit zero, the battle doesn’t end immediately.”

“Instead, I’m granted one final chance to draw!”

“If the card I draw is a unit—”

“—I recover LP equal to that unit’s power, and the opponent’s turn is forcibly ended!”

Lisa’s brows furrowed.

“So if your draw isn’t a unit…”

“Then I win, right?”

Amaya grinned.

“Of course!”

“But it’s not going to be you who wins, Lisa.”

She held her hand over her deck.

Closed her eyes.

And then—

“DRAW!!!”

The card slid out cleanly between her fingers.

Amaya looked at it slowly…

Her eyes widened.

And a smile—wide and radiant—spread across her face.

“Gotcha.”

It was a unit.

Amaya had drawn her miracle.