After about one month of craziness, this story has come to an end. Thank you so much for reading and supporting this story! Now, let's dive into the final chapter of "Free from the Maze".

It was cold… so cold and dark. Haru wanted to hug himself as he floated through the water, the water suffocating him as he drowned. Why does the water hate him so much? He tried to thrust his arms out and create an opening but nothing was happening. The light was fading as well. "Haru-chan," Makoto's voice whispered as his friend appeared before him. Haru couldn't let out anymore tears as he whispered, "Makoto… I'm sorry." "Its not your fault. I'm happy here now with my family." Makoto smiled, his green eyes filled with joy as he placed a hand on Haru's cheek. "Now, return to our friends. They're waiting for you."

Haru's eyes slowly adjusted to the low light in the room as he winced, the wound on his stomach just starting to heal as he got up. He clutched his stomach a little as a squeak came from nearby. "Haruka-kun! You're awake!" Amakata-sensei gasped as she came over, examining him before he managed to get a word out of himself. "No buts! You've been out for a few days and everyone is worried about you!" she scolded so he just sat down and let her do her thing until she was satisfied.

"Go say hi to the others! They've been worried sick about you! Especially Rin-kun. He's been crying his eyes out every day and sitting at your bedside. I told him to man up a bit," she pouted but there was a cheeky gleam in her eyes as she shooed him out of the hut. As Haru looked around, the sound of water hitting the sand made him turn his gaze and his eyes widened as he came face to face with the ocean. "What…" he whispered as he gazed into the ocean, the scene so beautiful tears nearly came to his eyes.

He walked along the coast, the grassy plains dotted with tents and huts that had been set up. Kids strolled around, some of them hand in hand as they said hi to him. He just gave them an awkward smile as a yell came from the other side of a tent before someone with red hair barreled into him. "Haru! You're alive!" RIn howled as he hugged him tightly, nearly knocking the breath out of him. "Rin-san! You're killing him again!" Rei howled as he adjusted his glasses. "Haruka-senpai! You're alive!" he howled as he himself barreled into him.

"Ouch," Haru groaned as Sousuke came over with Momo and Nitori, who hugged him tightly while Sousuke just gave him a brofist. "Welcome back," he grinned as Haru nodded. "Come on, kids! If you finish all your work by tonight, we can begin the welcome campfire!" Goro shouted as everyone hollered, getting back to their tasks. Haru joined in building a hut as Rin explained the situation. "Its an island off the coast of Iwatobi. Goro said he knew about this place when he came for a swimming training camp during the summer when he was a kid so he brought us here." The name Iwatobi sent warm feelings through him as he worked. Maybe that had bee his old home…

That night, all the kids gathered around the fire, the flames roaring into the sky as Goro held up a glass into the air. "We may have lost many people to get to where we are today, but we have nothing to fear now! WICKED has been destroyed and we won't be bothered by them anytime soon! To the New Glade!" he shouted as everyone cheered, the shouts filling the air as everyone drank and partied the night away. Every once in a while, someone would carve a name of a fallen comrade onto the stone propped at the campfire as a sign of those who couldn't join them that night.

"Yo, you had this with you," Rin murmured as he pressed a small scroll into Haru's hand. He didn't recall anything about getting it but he guessed who the sender must have been as Rin left him to chat with some girls nearby. Haru gulped as he slowly unraveled the scroll to reveal neat handwriting, the kanji a bit hard to read but Haru managed to read them anyway as he read the final letter Makoto had ever written to anyone.

Dear Haru-chan,

I don't know if I wrote before, but I think, sitting there trying to compose this letter to you, I might have actually been okay at this. Haha. Sorry, Haru. If you have received this letter, that means I have passed on. Tell Rin I'm sorry as well but… I had been given a longer chance at living than others and I think its only fair that I went as well.

Ever since I went to the Maze, I thought I was in hell. Then Rin and Seijirou were there and they helped me so much and I thought we had a chance. Then you came and you just brightened up the world around you by showing me a sight I had never seen before. Every time I saw you running, I could imagine the water parting for you as you dove into the Maze, running for everyone's freedom. I will follow you to the very end of the line, and now that you are reading this, you now know that I have.

Don't be sad Haru. Death isn't the end for everything. I know you will miss me, but I promise you. One day, in another life, we will meet once more. And I never told you this before, but I love you, Haru. But not as a lover or anything, but as a best friend. Oh man, now I'm blushing…

Sayonara, Haru. And be free.

Yours faithfully,

Makoto

Haru gripped the paper in his hands, tears dripping onto it as he clutched it to his chest. He imagined Makoto sitting next to him now, how he would react at certain lines on the paper as he sobbed, "I know… I love you too, my best friend." That night, he stared at the sky, watching the stars as he thought of Makoto, Nagisa… all the others who had died. And for some reason, Ikuya and even Hiyori crossed his mind as well.

The next morning, Haru found himself carving Ikuya's name onto the stone, the green headed boy still fresh in his mind as he wrote his name. He didn't know if the kanji was right but he tried his best anyway. Makoto's name was carved below his and when he was done, he touched the surface of the stone before clapping his hands together and bowing low in respect. "Rest in peace, Makoto. Ikuya." As he straightened his back, Rin called out, dressed in swimming trunks.

"Oi, Haru! We have to go catch some fish for dinner! Have a lot of mouths to feed!" he called as Haru jogged over. Rei was dressed in swimming pants as well, shivering in the cold morning air as Momo decked a pretty colorful one. Nitori was shifting in his, trying to stop Momo from diving in immediately without a proper warmup while Sousuke and Asahi stood in the swimming pants like they had worn them forever. "Come on, Haru. Let's see the sight we have never seen before!" Rin smiled as he held out a hand for him to take. Haru smiled as Rin shouted, "Come on, guys! Let's swim!"

Everyone dove into the ocean and Haru's eyes cleared to see the bottom of it, fish swimming around in schools and living out their lives, unaware that a bunch of teenaged boys were going to cook them for dinner anytime soon. Haru kicked his legs as he propelled himself forward, enjoying the coolness of the water and watching the others swimming and having fun together. Rin and Sousuke were racing each other while Nitori and Momo did their best to catch fish. "Oi, Haru! Don't space out and help us catch some dinner!" Asahi called and for a moment, Haru saw Makoto and Ikuya standing on either side of him, beckoning him to join them. "Come, let's go!' all of them said as one as Haru smiled. Now, he felt truly free from the Maze.