The battle raged on. Crashes of magic, thunderous impacts, and dazzling light lit up the Carnival grounds. Amidst the chaos, one fight burned brighter than the rest—
Karen vs Euclita… with mind-controlled Lily standing in her way.
---
Karen's Struggle
Karen twirled, her Attraction Spell drawing in streams of light and bending Euclita's attacks just enough to avoid lethal blows. Lily, however, stood between them—eyes blank, face cold, her hands controlling wilting flower vines that lashed at Karen with brutal precision.
"Lily…" Karen whispered, dodging a whip of thorned stems that nearly grazed her cheek. She refused to attack full force, every strike carefully redirected so as not to harm her friend.
But Euclita grinned wickedly. Her movements slowed as Karen gained an edge—until she sneered and snapped her fingers.
Suddenly, Lily was shoved forward like a shield, her body forced into Euclita's defense.
Karen froze, her blade of light mere inches from Lily's chest.
That pause was all Euclita needed—her fist cracked into Karen's ribs from behind, enhanced with brute force magic. Karen staggered, coughing, but still refused to fight back.
"Pathetic," Euclita mocked. "Your hesitation is your weakness."
Karen clenched her fist—but then her eyes caught it.
Lily's flowers… they were crying.
The petals shriveled, turning brittle, crumbling like tears of nature itself.
---
Flashback: The Garden Promise
A softer memory surfaced in Karen's heart.
She and Lily had been sitting by the Academy's garden, gossiping about classmates, laughter ringing as sunlight filtered through. Lily was weaving flowers together when Karen, half-joking, asked:
> "But what if, one day, we had to fight each other?"
The question drained the color from Lily's face.
Her flowers wilted instantly, petals falling one by one.
"Don't say that…" Lily whispered, trembling. "My flowers… they react like me. I hate hurting my friends. It's the worst thing I could imagine. If that day comes, I… I wouldn't be able to…"
Her voice broke, and she wept quietly.
Karen, shocked, stepped forward and hugged her. The warmth of her mana wrapped around Lily like sunlight breaking through clouds.
> "Then I'll promise you," Karen said firmly, "I will never turn my back on anyone. And I'll never let you cry because of me."
At that, Lily's flowers bloomed again, glowing brilliantly under the sky.
---
Karen's Resolve
The memory burned inside Karen as she steadied herself in the present.
"No more holding back," she whispered. "Lily, I made a promise. I won't let you break because of this."
She thrust her hands forward—Attraction Magic flaring—and pulled Lily toward her with unstoppable force.
Instead of attacking—Karen hugged her.
"Lily!!"
The collision wasn't of pain—but of heart. Karen's embrace overflowed with her entire mana, flooding with warmth, love, and an unshakable bond.
Lily screamed, her flowers thrashing violently, torn between Euclita's mind control and her own heart. The battlefield froze as the clash of souls unfolded.
Karen held tighter, whispering through grit teeth:
> "I won't fight you. I won't let you suffer. I promised to never turn my back on you! Return to me, Lily! Return my friend back!!!"
Her mana burst outward like a tidal wave. 🌸✨
---
The Bloom
Suddenly—BOOM.
A shockwave of blooming energy erupted across the battlefield.
Petals of radiant flowers scattered through the air, glowing like tiny stars.
Lily gasped, her eyes flickering back to life. The vines around them dissolved into shimmering light. She fell into Karen's arms, tears running down her cheeks—this time, not of pain, but relief.
"I… I'm back… Karen…" Lily whispered weakly, clutching her.
Karen smiled through tears of her own. "Welcome back, my flower girl."
---
The Finisher
Euclita scowled. "Disgusting sentimentality. Worthless." She charged, her blade ignited with malicious energy—
But now it wasn't just Karen. Lily stood at her side, her flowers radiant with renewed life.
They clasped hands. Mana surged between them, combining light and nature in a perfect harmony.
> "Fusion Spell: Blossom Krutium!!" 🌸⚡
From the ground erupted a storm of radiant petals, binding Euclita's movements. Karen's attraction force hurled her into the storm while Lily's flowers detonated in a luminous explosion.
KRAKOOM!!!
When the dust settled, Euclita lay defeated, her body unconscious beneath the carpet of glowing blossoms.
Karen and Lily stood tall, side by side, victorious...
To Be Continued…