The air outside the labyrinth felt impossibly fresh, sharp against their lungs after weeks of recycled, metallic confinement. Sunlight streamed through cracks in the abandoned facility, painting golden streaks across the scorched ground.
Ash took Ayin's hand in hers, guiding her forward. "You made it. You're really free now," she whispered, voice trembling with relief.
Ayin's eyes glistened, tears forming at the corners. "I… I can't believe it… I thought I'd never… see this… see the sky again…"
Haru walked beside them, vigilant but with a faint smile tugging at his lips. "It's real, Ayin. You're alive. You survived. And now, nothing can touch you."
Ayin turned toward him, her voice small but sincere. "Thank you… for staying with us… for not leaving me behind…"
Ash pressed a hand to her chest, her own emotions threatening to spill over. "We couldn't. You're family. No one gets left behind. Ever."
Haru's hand brushed Ash's briefly, a silent bond of reassurance. "And now we get to go home. Step by step, together."
The three of them walked slowly, careful over the rubble and twisted metal. The labyrinth lay behind them like a nightmare, its hum fading into silence. For the first time in years, Ash allowed herself to breathe freely, to let the weight of survival slip just enough for hope to peek through.
Ayin stopped, looking around with wide eyes. "It… it's beautiful. I forgot… how the world looks… without wires… without machines… without everything controlling you…"
Ash smiled softly, squeezing her hand. "You can see it again. All of it. And we'll make sure nothing takes it from you."
Haru's gaze shifted toward the horizon, muscles tense but relaxed in contrast to the past weeks' constant alertness. "It's strange… walking out alive. Free. I didn't think we'd get here."
Ash leaned closer, whispering to him. "We've earned it. Every step, every fight… it brought us here. And now we protect what's left of the world—and each other."
Ayin's hand squeezed Ash's. "I… I never thought I'd feel normal again. But… with you both… maybe I can… maybe I can try."
Ash's lips curved faintly. "You're not just trying, Ayin. You're living. Step by step, we move forward together."
Haru glanced at Ash, voice soft. "You've carried so much, Ash. I've seen the weight. Now… maybe it's time you let us carry some of it too."
Ash's eyes met his, warmth and gratitude mingling. "I… I will. We're in this together. Always."
Ayin's laugh, fragile but genuine, broke the heaviness of the moment. "Always… I like that. Always sounds… safe. Like home."
Ash pressed a hand over Ayin's heart. "Home isn't a place. It's who you're with. And right now, we're home."
The sunlight grew warmer, illuminating the trio as they stepped farther from the facility. Broken remnants of the labyrinth lay behind them, silent witnesses to the horrors they had survived. But ahead… ahead was a new beginning.
Haru's hand brushed Ash's again, a subtle, grounding gesture. "We're not just free… we have a future now. Together."
Ash nodded, feeling the weight of everything lift slightly from her shoulders. "Together," she echoed, glancing at Ayin. "We take it one step at a time. No rushing. No fear. Only us."
Ayin's small smile held both exhaustion and hope. "One step… at a time."
The three of them continued walking, the wind carrying away the shadows of the past. For the first time in what felt like forever, Ash let herself relax. They were free. Ayin was safe. And with Haru at her side and her sister beside her, she finally believed that the darkness of Seraph could not reach them here.
Ash exhaled, shoulders loosening. "We're finally home… and it's ours."
Haru's hand brushed hers once more. "Home isn't just where we rest. It's where we fight, survive, and protect each other. And I'm not letting go."
Ayin's voice, soft but steady, echoed beside them. "I'm not letting go either… not ever."
The three of them walked into the horizon together, the shadows of Seraph shrinking behind them. For the first time, Ash felt it fully—freedom, hope, and the unbreakable bond that would guide them through whatever came next.