The sunlight hit them like a wave, its warmth a stark contrast to the cold, damp air of the tower. Luke and Ava stepped out into the open, their eyes adjusting to the brightness after the long hours spent in darkness. They stood at the edge of a cliff, high above a vast expanse of rugged terrain. Beyond the cliff stretched a dense forest, its canopy of green swaying gently in the breeze. The towering structure they had just escaped loomed behind them, its shadow casting a long, eerie shape over the landscape.
Luke took a deep breath, his chest rising and falling as he tried to steady his racing heart. The air here smelled fresher, cleaner, free from the staleness and decay that had permeated the tower. His entire body ached, his muscles protesting from the battle with the beast and the constant tension of their escape. But for the first time in what felt like an eternity, he allowed himself to hope.
