Luke's mind buzzed with strategy as he and the others prepared for what was to come. Lily's warning echoed in his head, filling him with urgency. She had always been his rock, and even now, her message had reawakened the leader in him, the part of himself he'd kept buried under the weight of grief and guilt. For the first time in years, he felt not only a purpose but a deep responsibility to protect his friends and finish what had begun so long ago.
As they broke from their hastily devised plan, each person moved with the intensity of purpose that only desperation could spark. Ava, her eyes gleaming with a newfound determination, pulled Luke aside, her voice hushed yet firm.
"Luke, I need to know," she said, searching his face, "how real was it? Lily's… presence. Was it really her, or is this just… you know, some kind of wishful thinking?"
