The Infinite Story Volume 1

26. The stage is set now where do we begin

"The plan being?" Lumine asked with determination.

"You just need to hold them back for now. We mustn't let them breach the barrier," Jasha replied calmly.

Lumine recalled her previous conversation with Jasha. "You're the only hope I have..." The weight of those words stayed in her mind, but she pushed them aside, focusing on the task at hand. "Why...just why can't I get his words out of my head?!" She pulled out her sword, steeling herself. "It's fine, I can do this!"

 "...in defeating them..."

With a deep breath, Lumine activated her ability, feeling its newfound strength surge through her. Jasha had channeled all the magic from the stones into her, giving her a substantial power boost. She raised a signal high into the air, a beacon for all to see, marking her position and her readiness for the coming battle.

"We must get closer to the inner wall," Johan said, urgently.

"Yeah," Ema replied, rising from where she had managed to save herself from falling by creating yet another platform under her. Her expression shifted abruptly as she turned to Johan. "Do you have a plan or what?"

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"That's Lumine!" Camilo exclaimed as he flew through the air, his eye regenerating quickly before he disappeared.

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"What is she doing, revealing her location like that?!" Reginald thought to himself. Lumine's bold signal had inadvertently given Jenn and Albi yet another opportunity to land another successful hit on him.

"She seems stronger than before. I have hopes that she will be okay. I guess I'll have to go all out for the time being too," Reginald thought to himself. His thoughts getting clearer and clearer. After all he isnt just an old man.

Lukas, noticing Lumine's survival despite his earlier attack, braced himself for the incoming onslaught. A beam magic energy, an infinite sword, sliced through the very fabric of the Prestige itself. Lukas, without even turning his back, deftly dodged the lethal strike and swiftly took to the air, closing the distance between himself and Lumine.

With a sense of relief, Lumine deactivated her ability. "That should be enough..." she murmured, feeling the strain of her heightened power. But her rest was short-lived as she sensed another familiar presence closing in on her. Reacting with lightning reflexes, she managed to evade Nagget's sword, narrowly avoiding a fatal blow to her gut.

"She seems faster, should I wait for Lukas?" Nagget thought as she activated her own ability to push Lumine's sword away from hers. Lumine's sword was broken but still counted as a full sword because of her ability. As Lumine launched herself toward Nagget, Lukas appeared behind her with a gun, but her newfound power and reflexes allowed Lumine to turn just in time to cut the gun and block a swing of Nagget's sword.

Everything has been set in motion, with each person playing their designated role. Now, it's time to advance to the final stage.