The next morning, John woke up with a strange feeling. For the first time in years, Emily hadn't come to wake him up. The silence felt unnatural. Usually, she would barge into his room, pull away his blanket, and complain about his laziness. But today, there was nothing. Curious, John got out of bed and searched the house before finding Emily in the kitchen, preparing breakfast with an unusual smile.
"Hey, are you okay? Why didn't you come to wake me up?" John asked suspiciously.
"I thought you needed some rest," Emily replied cheerfully.
"Aren't you worried I'll be late for work?"
"Forget about work. I just want you to feel special today."
John stared at her. Emily had always cared about him, but she was also strict about his schedule. Even stranger, she was cooking dishes she normally refused to eat. Something felt wrong, yet his cards showed no unusual activity. Eventually, he convinced himself he was overthinking and finished breakfast before leaving.
As John cycled toward the café, he panicked after realizing he was running late. He imagined Mr. Benjamin scolding him and threatening to cut his wages. However, when he arrived, he found Lucas and the other employees laughing with their usually strict manager. Mr. Benjamin even welcomed him warmly and announced that everyone had been given the day off. John couldn't understand the sudden change in everyone's behavior. First Emily, now his coworkers—everything felt strangely perfect.
Before he could question anything, a deafening explosion tore through the café's side wall. Windows shattered, furniture overturned, and smoke filled the room. John struggled to his feet, coughing as he searched for the source of the blast. Through the smoke, he spotted a familiar figure approaching. It was Mia, the cheerful girl he had met the previous day. But the warmth in her expression was gone. A glowing purple card rested in her hand, radiating dangerous energy.
"Mia? What are you doing?" John shouted.
She didn't answer. Instead, she unleashed another blast, destroying everything in her path. John watched helplessly as his manager and coworkers were caught in the attack. Desperate to protect himself, he summoned his card system, but his main card refused to respond. No matter how many times he tried, his powers remained inaccessible. With no way to fight back, John fled the ruined café on his bicycle.
Mia pursued him relentlessly, blasting through obstacles as he raced through the streets. John tried everything to escape, but she never fell behind. Then a terrible pain struck his chest, as though something were drilling directly into his heart. His strength drained rapidly, his vision blurred, and his breathing became labored. Somehow, he managed to reach his neighborhood and stumble toward his house, desperately hoping to get Emily to safety.
The door opened, revealing Emily smiling at him. "Dumbo! Where have you been? I was just about to—"
Before she could finish, John collapsed into her arms.
"John! What's wrong with you?" she cried, struggling to support him.
Then a familiar purple glow appeared at the doorway. John looked up in horror as Mia approached, her card shining brightly.
"Emily, get back!" he screamed, but his exhausted body refused to move.
Mia raised her hand, and a flash of purple light filled the doorway. John watched helplessly as Emily was struck down before his eyes. The sister who had teased him that morning, prepared his breakfast, and always worried about him was suddenly gone.
"Emily..."
Her name escaped his lips as he crawled toward her, tears streaming down his face. He had spent a month training to protect his loved ones, yet when it mattered most, he had been powerless. A desperate, anguished roar tore from his throat, echoing through the ruined entrance.