Author's Note: I don't think that I have been more excited to write this than I have today. I feel bad that it's over, but I thank you all for the consistent support that you have given me. I hope that this meets your standards, for I give you the finale of Guardian of Time.

"Forgiveness is the final form of love."

~Reinhold Niebuhr~

Guardian of Time

A Hyrule Warriors FanFiction

Act V: Forgiveness

The Allied Forces arrived within the hour.

Cia had very little time to prepare herself and her own soldiers before the Allied Forces came knocking at her Base with more vigour that she had expected from them. While the surprise attack did not surprise her in any way, their ferocity alarmed her; forcing her hand to fight back harder than ever before. Within the hour, they had secured a base deep in the heart of the Valley of Seers and taken the three main Sanctums in the south, east, and west of the Valley. The Black Sorceress was far too focused on her own efforts to retain her Forces and Base to realise what her Lux Dimidium had called for her Forces to do, and only then it was done before she could come to terms with it.

Without the potent magic of the Sanctums there to seal it, Cia's power had been greatly depleted.

As the Allied Base grew in morale, their string of victories along with it, the Black Sorceress threw out everything that she could. Her breath was heavy from constant magic use, but mainly from anger. Extracting the depressing lack of Life Force from her body, Cia increased the power of her soldiers in order to gain some form of advantage, though even then there was very little from that which knocked the Allied Forces. While Lana was more and more concerned by this omen, the Allied Forces battled on, charging towards the only Great Fairy Fountain in the region for aid. Again, the Black Sorceress was too focused on her own efforts, therefore meaning that it was her second downfall.

By luring enemies over into the main part of the Valley, the Great Fairy used her extensive powers (ones that finally outmatched Cia's after all this time) to wipe out almost all Dark Forces in the northern settlements, allowing the Allied Forces to further take more of the Valley of Seers before Cia's eyes. Nonetheless, the Allied Forces were not about to give up, although neither was the Black Sorceress. It was a battle between light and darkness, nature and science, following the flow of fate and fighting it. No matter how it was put, it was necessary to be overcome. Becoming desperate, Cia deployed one of her only Commanders left: Volga, and imbued him with as much of her Life Forces that she could physically allow.

And yet, even with one of the strongest foes against the Allied Forces, they overcame Volga.

One Commander of the Allied Forces had barely managed to convince Volga into fighting with his own power, as using power from others was wrong and dishonest to the weapon that he used. With twisted words used against him, the Dragon Knight finally relinquished that power bestowed upon him, and the same Commander struck him down into submission. Overwhelmed with the lack of Forces on her side, as Wizzro would be quick to disown her as he had done mere hours before, the Black Sorceress was left with little to do.

She paced in the depths of her Base, one that no longer teemed with an infestation of her troops, hands shaking with fear and hatred at the exact same time. Her time was diminishing, rendering her near useless as the Allied Forces fought their way towards her, hemming her back into the cage of no hope; one that she was all too familiar with. The one she cared for did not feel the same, most likely wanting her dead, and her Lux Dimidium wanted her blood all over the floor, even if it was the last thing that she was ever to do. Hyrule was no longer in the palm of her hand.

So she waited, desperate to see hope, but it was not the Hero who did appear before the Black Sorceress, nor her Lux Dimidium. It was one that the Black Sorceress had not had the pleasure to meet properly outside of the mask of lies known as "Sheik", and turned to meet evenly with a triumphant grin.

The Princess of Hyrule raced into the Valley's summit, glittering rapier dancing across her balanced fingertips. Golden particles trailed straight from the magic based blade, spiralling out and onto the tainted ground beneath her. Her pale pink dress billowed out around her, golden insignias and other designs crafted deep into the beautifully soft material. However, main looks could be deceiving, for her weapon along with her masses of golden plated armour across her forearms, shoulders, hips, and breasts were nothing to brush off without hesitation, her golden plated boots clicking against the cobbles of the Valley at a high speed.

The Hyrulean banner hung between the hips of the Princess, proclaiming proudly to all who saw it, her golden circlet balanced atop her head elegantly; the pink hue of the gemstone embedded into the crown gleaming with joy and the very hopes of the Kingdom's prosperity, her Kingdom's prosperity. She raced forwards, eyes intent on the Black Sorceress before her. "Cia, Black Sorceress and previous Guardian of Time!" She announced without hesitation. "We have taken over the Valley of Seers, leaving you with nowhere else to go. Submit here and we shall organise what your future holds."

On her last defence, the Black Sorceress grinned, revealing her pearly white teeth as she laughing mockingly. "Ah, so the little Princess of Hyrule has graced me with her presence of "authority"." Cia placed a hand onto her hip, stretching her tanned leg out for all to see. "Had enough of prancing around as an Exile?" The Princess's eyes narrowed into pure, thin slits of sky blue orbs, never yielding to Cia's words. "And now you have come for me. I thought that you would have wanted to send someone else in your stead. Is that not your role, hmm?"

"I have come to atone for my sins from the past." The Princess replied shortly, tightening her grip around her rapier, ignoring the scoff from the Black Sorceress. "I have come to eradicate the darkness of the Demon King that has corrupted you, and continues to fester inside of you until nothing remains. I have come to make up for all that I have done to permit you into damaging the land of the Old Gods, and I will not cease until you pay for the crimes against humanity, and against the Three." She straightened fully, allowing Cia to take in her full height.

Cia's lips twisted upward into a cruel smile. "Very well then." She announced in a loud voice, one with a higher volume than to be expected by a Sorceress who was extremely weakened. "Let us dance as destiny intended for us to be, Princess, and we will see who wields the stronger blade and heart!" Within a fraction of a second, the Black Sorceress flicked her wrist, causing the gates into the summit to slam shut immediately; bringing back memories of the previous time that the Allied Forces were all in the Valley of Seers. She, determined to keep the Allied Forces preoccupied beneath her, deployed as many advances from her own Forces as possible, combining Dark Links into the mix as well.

The Princess of Hyrule ran at the Black Sorceress as soon as she heard the gates fall shut. She had no one else who could come to her aid, no one who could tend to the inevitable wounds that she was to take in the future, and no one to see her fight as any ruler should against a tyrant. With gritted teeth, the Princess twirled her rapier forwards, particles of light flowing from the blade with every movement and flick of her hand. The Black Sorceress was brisk to block every movement, transforming her Sceptre into a whip that coiled across the rapier in single movements.

With a single tug of her whip, Cia drew the Princess within inches of her face, the rapier held in a diagonal motion across both women's chests. "I had followed the Bloodline before Power freed me." The Black Sorceress sneered, recalling the times when her hurt and desire for the Hero caused her to spit in the image of the one with Hylia's Blood every time that Cia came to look at her. She despised everything that she did, though her lack of compassion to the ones who protected them was the most horrid of them all. "You never showed an ounce of care or love towards him, no matter what he sacrificed for you, and I am only here because of what you have done to him; what you all have done to him."

The Princess ripped her blade free from the whip, creating a Bow of Light from her rapier in order to shoot a Light Arrow towards Cia. She dodged the shot near instantly, however the radius of light managed to burn her skin slightly. "Yes, those following the Bloodline of Hylia have been known at certain points to use the affections of the Heroes to their advantage." The Princess clarified smartly, her extent of knowledge near limitless. "And yet, there is one specific twist in this time line that you were the harbinger of: I hold no affections for the Hero of this Era, nor do I wish to use him to my advantage. He is a soldier of my Army, and has faced too much War in such a short period of time that would match any veteran."

She stabbed forwards, however the Black Sorceress merely parried the shot immediately. "Even if it was his own will to join the Army." Cia droned, though the Princess was far from listening.

The Princess spun out of the way, dodging the sudden strike from the Black Sorceress with the grace of a Rosa Sister dancer. "Of course, but this War, this battle, is no longer about such ideas." Cia raised an eyebrow, strangely intent on Zelda's words. "This battle is about what you have done to the land of the Gods. You have destroyed the Golden Lands—" The Princess ignored the scoff of the Black Sorceress. "—you have decimated my kingdom, harmed its inhabitants, and most of all, you have taken Hyrule's seat illegitimately, you usurper, and I will punish you before the Golden Sisters strike you down themselves!"

The Black Sorceress cackled as she inhaled the Princess's words, leaping back so much in order to cry out a spell. It ripped every single molecule in her body apart, though she was too weak and burning with desire to care as her singular body was split into three carbon copies of the first. The Princess cried out in alarm, not understanding how Cia could do such a thing on such minimum Life Force, though tightened her grasp around her rapier as the Black Sorceresses spoke together in unison. "If you believe that I will allow you to roam free after all that you have done, then you are sorely mistaken, Princess. You will feel the pain that you have put them through, and what you have put me through!"

All three of the copies flung themselves at the Princess, who was encircled by all of them. Honing all of the power that she had gained throughout her life, she called upon Mother Nayru and leapt into the sky as the Black Sorceresses surged inward, transforming her rapier into the Bow of Light once more and sent five Light Arrows into the swirling chaos of clouds above with every ounce of might that she held. The Arrows flew with more power than ever, landing against the cobbles of the summit square and exploding into intensities of light that easily matched the sun effortlessly; throwing the copies backward immediately.

Screaming a battle cry, the Princess landing elegantly back against the ground, her Bow returning to its rapier form, and she threw herself at the closest copy before her; making sure that none of the Black Sorceresses around her could recover fully before they could block and of her attacks. She fought honourably, yet she also fought with a strange sense of power that had never hit her before. She had never wanted to kill, which is why she was not fully accustomed to the life and death that occurred during War time, though she had never felt so invigorated with life other than now.

She wanted to fight, and so she would.

Moments later did the copy before her recover from the deep light burns that danced across her body, singing away most of her revealing clothing all ready; all of the copies holding the same burns as the copy before the Princess. Cia's lips twisted upwards into a manic grin, pearly white teeth revealed for all to see. "So, I see that the Princess has as much fight in her then she did another Era." The Princess readied her grip on her blade, poised atop the balls of her feet as the other copies enclosed in and around her. "It's a shame to think that it won't last long..."

And then, miraculously, the battle soon turned in the favour of the Black Sorceress.

The Princess, acting upon her own instincts, jumped back into the air and readied her Bow, drawing back a Light Arrow that was to create an X formation on the floor, to then be followed up by two lines of Light Arrows before her. Of course, the Black Sorceress expected such an attack now that the Princess had revealed her tactics, but did not choose to attack directly. Instead, all of the copies disappeared as the rain of light spattered against the cobbles. She landed back down against the ground, and Cia (with her copies) returned immediately.

The Cia at the front threw herself at the Princess, causing the latter to block and parry wildly as the Black Sorceress battled furiously, the other copies holding themselves back; something that both confused and concerned the Princess, yet she did not have the time to explore such a thought. "Defensive, are we?" Cia mused as the Princess dived out of the way before she was hemmed against the wall; a fate that befell the Hero on their last attack on the Valley of Seers. "Only moments ago were you so intent on offensive behaviour..."

Zelda did not choose to respond, instead infusing her rapier with light energy and leaping backwards. As the Black Sorceresses began to circle her once more, the Princess used her depleting stocks of light and magical and poured them all into her blade, spinning and releasing the magic outward towards the copies. However, she heard nothing in reply from Cia, not even a cry of pain. Gritting her teeth, she raised her sword towards the sky in order to create a Skyward Strike. It was not like the one that the Hero of the Skies could use, though the Spirit of the Blade that accompanied the present Hero when he returned from closing the Gate of Souls in the Era of the Hero of the Skies had managed to alter the rapier that the Princess held to channel the same form of magic into her own weapons.

However, as the Princess raised her blade heavenward, the three Black Sorceresses transformed their Sceptres into three whips and threw those forwards, coiling themselves around the prone Princess's form and causing her to falter for the first and fatal time.

The Princess cried out as dark, electrified magic coursed through her veins, forcing her to drop her rapier. As soon as her weapon clattered against the ground, the three whips retreated, pushing the Princess down onto her knees in sheer defeat. She could not find the energy to rise, nor the energy to even reach out for the weapon that had spun too far out of her grip. Also, she did not have the time in order to do either of them before Cia (her copies pulling back) ripped her Sceptre brutally across her chest, drawing a scream from her lungs.

With the deep wound rendering her useless, she drew two more lines across the Princess's chest in order to create a mocking shape of the outline of the Triforce; the Golden Power that resonated between the two of them. The Black Sorceress kicked the Princess backward, placing her heeled boot against her throat and cut off whatever oxygen supply once flowed through her neck. Cia grinned as the Princess's blood seeped off of her chest and into her once perfect hair, permitting her a fraction of a second of air as she drew away her boot before replacing it with her hand, sinking her sharp nails into the Princess's neck. "Now do you understand my pain?"

Even if the Princess could not respond as she desperately prayed for air, Cia still asked the question. Through Zelda's eyes, the sight of Cia slicing up her oxygen supply until nothing remained before the glowing Gate of Souls was one of the most frightening sights that she had ever witness. She squirmed and thrashed in the Black Sorceress's grasp, however it was futile against Cia's cool grip, the bright intensity of the Gate behind her horrifying as it wrapped around her burnt clothing as skin. The Princess stretched out for her rapier, begging for something to save her, but both her lack of strength and Cia's ability to push the rapier away with her Sceptre was enough to halt her in all of her attempts for freedom.

The Black Sorceress leaned in close to the Princess, salvaging every glint of fear that danced in her sapphire orbs. "No..." She mused, sending the Princess's blood ice cold. "I don't think that you do understand yet. You continue to resist, hoping that your Hero will still protect you somehow, or your guardian will save you, but you don't understand. They will never be there in the end, because I won't let them! You will feel every type of pain that I have for these past millennia, and the solitude that I have been forced into, even after you beg for my mercy!" The Black Sorceress raised her Sceptre into the air, causing the Princess to whimper as her oxygen decayed and lulled her into death.

A lone arrow struck Cia's body, embedding itself through her heart.

Silence suddenly befell the area, even the clashing screams of battle halting for moments as the final spark of madness separated into a calming storm, one that had raged for months on end. While it had not been the longest War within Hyrule's prosperous vicinity, it was one filled with blood, sweat, tears, death, and the wrong distributions of power that the Princess was to see until the very end; her wish granted. The moon peeked through the mass of dark clouds, winking down upon the Allied Forces at their victory.

The Princess gasped in alarm as Cia released her, sputtering back into light and bolting upright, overcome with emotion at the sight of the arrow piercing Cia's heart. She whirled around, finding none other than the White Sorceress standing tall before them, eyes glinting with tears as she lowered her bow. "L-Lana...?" The White Sorceress did not respond, however, as she immediately dropped her beloved bow to the ground and rushed towards her Dimidium as she fell to the ground. The Black Sorceress staggered backwards, her violet eyes fluttered skywards before they faded deeply, causing Cia to slump to the ground.

Lana dashed forwards, catching her Dimidium with both hands; ones that paled in comparison to the Black Sorceress. The White Sorceress had been witness to the battle between her Dimidium and the Princess of Hyrule, heart cracking at every thrust and parry of their weapons. Lana had known long ago that there was no pardon for her Dimidium if they were able to claim victory in the War, and death was going to be Cia's only escape, but Lana was not one for killing in such a way and not one for permitting a pardon to one who had murdered so many.

There was no balance; therefore there was only so much that the White Sorceress could allow.

As Lana came to terms with what she had done, the Princess of Hyrule eased herself against the wall closest to her and used whatever magic that flowed through her veins to tend to her injuries. She had underestimated her stamina in battle, though it seemed that spending most of the time in the War as a Sheikah was what had actually caused it. She cast her eyes towards the now open gates, hearing the clanking of advancing Allied Forces, they were moving towards the summit, ready to reclaim what they had once lost; one of their only holy landmarks left to claim in Hyrule that hadn't been burnt or savagely destroyed until nothing but dust remained.

The White Sorceress allowed tears to slip down her pale cheeks, dissatisfied with how Cia's reign had to end. It was not the will of the Gods to take lives into their own hands, for they had paid the price for such a thing when they had previously raced across the land of Hyrule to save both Courage and Wisdom from the depths of despair that the Old Gods had bought upon their own land in the way of the Great Flood. Lana could not have done anything else, for she knew that it was the right thing to do since the Black Sorceress was so corrupted, however it still meant that the White Sorceress had taken her life; partially taking her own by her own accord.

Her guilt drew forth another voice, one that was incredibly familiar.

"Lana..." The White Sorceress snapped her head up with a sharp cry, the voice too perfect for her not to recognise it. The translucent figure of the Black Sorceress stood before Lana, towering tall over her Dimidium with a tiny smile, even if she stood behind her own corpse. The White Sorceress stared on at Cia's aura, knowing that her aura was to appear in such a way before falling into the hands of the Goddesses, though there was very little time in which the two could speak. "We both saw how this would end, and we knew that he wouldn't choose you..."

"Cia..."

The Black Sorceress ignored her Dimidium completely, continuing on with her final words. "How did you manage to do it?" She questioned quietly, kneeling down before Lana. "How did you do it, knowing that you were about to be left behind, no matter what you tried to do?" The White Sorceress let her head hang, closing her eyes when her eyes caught the body of the Black Sorceress, the arrow still in her heart. However, she could feel the Black Sorceress hold her finger underneath Lana's chin, forcing her to meet Cia's questioning gaze evenly.

The White Sorceress glanced back to the Princess before answering, noticing that the Hero was at her side as well. "I..." She began in a tight whisper, unsure of what to say or how to say it exactly. It took her minutes before she finally found her voice, lavender eyes meeting her mirror's opposite straight. "You don't always attain the affections of the one that you believe you deserve and I..." She sighed deeply, tightening her hold around Cia's body. "I understand. I can live with it. After all, duty and desire can never lock together perfectly."

Cia, finally free of her corruption from Ganondorf, allowed herself to release a small smile as she rose back onto her feet, dark eyes scanning each of Lana's companions before landing on the Hero; one who the White Sorceress did not want to look at in such a moment. They would be able to see her, however leaving her vulnerable and out in the open to the elements in such a way was something that Lana detested in every single way. However the Black Sorceress was unlike her Dimidium in that sense, yet the differences nearly ended there now that she was free once more.

"You deserve anyone better than myself." The Black Sorceress assured kindly, something that none of the Allied Forces were accustomed to. "I will face my punishment alone, as it should be." The Dimidiums finally met each other's gazes evenly, the Black Sorceress nodding simply to Lana with a tiny smile tugging at her plump, rosy lips. "You always were... my better half." Cia rose her head skywards, drinking in the flickering light of the moon before both her translucent figure and her body both faded away in a golden light; taken in by the Three with open arms. "I always blamed myself for what I had done to him."

Forgiveness; it was the final act of love.

The White Sorceress sniffed as she wiped away the droplets of tears away from her face in slow movements, slinging her bow over her shoulder and taking her Tome back into her hand, finally mustering up the energy and will to turn back around towards her companions. From the spirit of the Black Sorceress did a shard of light appear, shaped in a small triangle that was immediately drawn to Lana's prone form. Her lips curled downward into a deep frown as the Triforce of Power drifted towards her, finally free of Cia's dark and corrupted designs, the White Sorceress accepting the power that it held as it struck her heart; the insignia of the Triforce of Power appearing on the back of her hand.

The only part left of Cia.

By now, not only had the Hero arrived, but those who they had all helped in the three Eras that Cia had opened the way to. The leader of the Gorons and Zora in the Era of the Hero of Time, the Twilight Princess and Princess of the Insect Kingdom from the Era of the Hero of Twilight, and the Spirit of the Master Sword from the Era of the Hero of the Skies. They all watched as Lana wallowed in self inflicted guilt, unsure of what to say or do in hopes of comforting her.

She forced a smile to crease her face, clutching her Tome incredibly close to her chest. As minutes passed, she attempted numerous times to speak and reassure her companions that everything was all right and that the War had finally come to an end. And yet, it was none other than the ambiguous Twilight Princess, still trapped in her "imp form" until she returned to her own Era, that floated forwards to question Lana. "What did Cia mean?" Lana met the Princess's gaze evenly, her stomach twisting abnormally as she waited for Midna to elaborate. "Why did she blame herself for what she did to "him"? Which one did she mean?"

The White Sorceress swallowed thickly, twisting to stand tall before all of her own companions, though internally she couldn't have felt any smaller. "The last time she—the last time that we reigned through this world was when the Great Flood attacked Hyrule." Lana clarified softly, memories washing over her. "We were never allowed to leave our duty, but we felt that it was our duty to protect the Bearers of Wisdom and Courage from the inevitable death. That's why we both recognised Sheik, for it was a disguise that the Princess of that Time took."

The Princess of Hyrule avoided her gaze momentarily. "What did you both blame yourselves for? What happened?"

Lana shrank back a little. "Because we had gone against the Old Gods, we only managed to protect the Bearer of Wisdom because it follows a Bloodline, not a Spirit like the Bearer of Courage, before they had confined us eternally to watching over the balance of the Triforce. Still, we did not know whether the Spirit of the Hero had been incarnated until Cia ensued this War today." All gazed flickered between the White Sorceress and the Hero. "While the Hero was incarnated in this age, we believe that the Hero of Time, due to certain circumstances, had succumbed to the Great Flood soon after returning to Hyrule."

"He... died?" The leader of the Zoras questioned immediately, pressing for answers.

The White Sorceress took a long time before nodding. "Yes." She paused for a long time. "After that, Cia's self guilt became much more apparent, and I had trouble trying to hold it back from her so that she would not attempt to free herself once again. No matter what her conscience, what I, had told her, she did not listen. That was Power's—that was Ganondorf's moment to strike, and that is why this War began: because we had ultimately unbalanced the world that drowned in the Flood so much that we ended the Hero of Time." She turned away from them all suddenly, clenching her body. "And that is why I must restore order: to make up for what I did not prevent."

With a flick of her wrist, Lana created three separate Gates of Souls that lead back to the three Eras that the Black Sorceress had opened no more than a month ago. These Gates were golden in colour, no longer dyed with the colour of doom and destruction that followed Cia's hand. All companions present knew what this meant, and the goodbyes that would ensue, and began to quietly herding themselves towards each of their representative Gates. While the White Sorceress did not want her companions to leave, she knew that they had to return to their own Eras before they changed Time too much.

Then someone took Lana's hand, snapping her from her thoughts, causing her to whirl around and bore straight into the eyes of the Twilight Princess.

"I don't understand you." The imp said suddenly, twisting her lips up into a bemusing frown. "Back in the Twilight Realm, you weren't even close to how Cia was but..." She paused for a long time, unsure of how to phrase her wording. "After Cia spoke to you, I can see how you connect. But that doesn't matter—" Lana snapped her head up to meet Midna's gaze suddenly, surprised at her sudden change in tone. "—because no matter how alike and close you were, I will beat you if you blame yourself for what you "did" to him." Both sets of eyes, lavender and pumpkin, drifted towards the Hero; who took no notice of them.

"Midna, you don't understand, we—"

The Twilight Princess's glare was enough to completely halt the White Sorceress in her protests. "We have all done something to one of them over the Eras." Midna explained softly, crossing her arms sullenly. "Despite that, we can't think about it. Whatever happened was because of the Old Gods, and in your case, you can't blame yourself. He was going to be reincarnated anyway like you say, but he wasn't even there to be saved. If it was anyone's fault, then it certainly wasn't yours."

Lana sighed, thinking on the Twilight Princess's words. In a sense, the White Sorceress wanted to immediately object to her words; however it soon came apparent that Midna was correct. Sighing deeply, Lana stretched forwards and embraced the Twili tightly. "I guess you're right." She receded, though it was seconds later that Midna shoved the White Sorceress away in mock disgust, grinning impishly. Midna smiled, genuinely this time, before floating off towards where the Princess of the Insect Kingdom stood joyously before her respective Gate of Souls.

The Spirit of the Master Sword bowed deeply, elegantly, before all of them. "I hope that I was of assistance throughout your War efforts. There is a high change that we will never meet again, however there is equal chances that this Kingdom will be able to sustain itself once again if darkness chose to besiege it once again." She explained cryptically, though it was one of the sweetest parting words that she could allow herself due to her designation from the Goddess Hylia. "Master..." She nodded towards the Hero, then towards the rest of his friends. "Companions... may the light of the Goddesses shine over you all."

On that, Fi spun in a dance like fashion into her Gate, engulfed by the golden power that stimulated its presence. Within a fraction of a second, both the Spirit and the Gate disappeared from existence entirely. The central Gate, which Midna and Agitha stood before, glowed intensely; waiting for the party to step into it. The Twilight Princess jerked forwards suddenly, throwing her orange hair (one that had been transformed into an appendage at the Black Sorceress's hand) around her tiny body. "Well, I suppose that's our cue too. See you next crisis!"

"Indeed, the bugs will speak of our victories for the generations to come!" The Princess of the Insect Kingdom added with a sweet smile, twisting her parasol that rested against her shoulder. She rushed forwards and hugged Lana once, whispering into her ear: "Thank you for saving me." Before the White Sorceress could say anything else, Agitha ran off and joined Midna as the second Gate of Souls washed over them too; taking them from the land that they had aided valiantly to save.

The final Gate of Souls then flickered wildly, begging for the last allies from the Era of the Hero of Time to return to their own Time. Nodding, Ruto (who sat atop Darunia's bulky shoulder) smiled sadly. "Let us hope that peace will reign across this land for much longer this time, and that we survive the prophesised Flood for us to meet your ancestors or descendants in the future." At the word of the Great Flood, the one event that technically began the War Across the Ages, a solemn mood befell the summit of the Valley; even with the cheers of the Allied Forces from below at the diminishing number of Enemy Forces.

And yet, it was the leader of the Goron folk who released a hearty chuckle that startled everyone from their dire dazes. "No matter what happens, the saddest prospect is that we'll miss the celebrations that will follow." A murmur of a laugh was elicited from the party, though even Darunia's tone became deeper. "Though we won't see you again, to know that we won the War in the end will ease our hearts." The leaders of Goron and Zora folk nodded once more before the Gate finally transported them back to their own time.

Only the Princess of Hyrule, the Hero, the Sheikah guardian, and the White Sorceress remained. The Princess turned to her companions, holding out her hand; causing the Triforce of Wisdom to appear. "Let us set Hyrule back into the land of prosperity that was intended by the Three." The Hero and Sorceress both nodded silently, holding their hands out, in turn causing the other two separate pieces to join with Wisdom to create the whole Triforce – sending it high into the charcoal, churning skies above. In a burst of blinding light, the Golden Power set order upon Hyrule once more.

The three Eras that the Black Sorceress had opened up so long ago finally ceased in their existence across the current stature of Hyrule. From Skyloft and the Sealed Grounds, to Hyrule Field and the Twilight Realm, to Death Mountain and Lake Hylia, all faded away from the land that they had helped to form and returned to the time in which they were to stand in. The shadows that draped themselves across the Golden Land were eradicated by the explosive beacon of light and hope, purging the darkness that rested from the deepest valleys to the highest clouds that rested above them; Farore's courage, Nayru's wisdom, and Din's power finally reigning true once more.

As the pieces returned to their Bearers, the White Sorceress twisted her body so that she faced the final Gate of Souls that stood tall in the summit; the only Gate that was dyed with the purple and red of the Black Sorceress's corrupted power. "This is time were we must part as well." Lana remarked sadly, not daring to look at the people she classed as "friends". "I must continue onward with my duties, and must act alone in these." Her violet eyes glistened with tears, though she did not falter.

She stepped forwards, though it was the Sheikah guardian spoke up. "When there is a meeting, a parting is sure to follow. However that parting may last is up to you."

Lana smiled, recalling where those words originated from. "I-Indeed."

"Will we meet again, Lana?" The Princess queried politely, desperate not to let this parting that both her and Impa spoke of last forever. While they had not spent much time together, she felt partially responsible for the intentions that befell Cia, and the guilt that followed Lana throughout the rest of her life. No matter what, the Princess intended to make up for her apparent mistakes, for it was the wisdom of a true ruler that followed her instincts. And yet, the White Sorceress did not reply, judging the answer for herself. She took Lana's free hand. "I see." She paused for a long time. "May the Goddesses will your freedom to return to us... if only for one day."

The ruler of Hyrule released the White Sorceress's hand and swirled around, unsure of what else to say through her guilt. The Sheikah guardian, understanding that no words would alter the situation, turned around herself and left the vicinity. This only left Lana to push the Hero away, shuffling away from him as quickly as she could without daring to say a word. However, she was soon halted when he spun her around and embraced her tightly. "I'm sorry for all that I've done to you." He whispered softly into her ear, holding her close. "I hope to see you again soon."

As soon as he pulled away, his shadow was gone.

She watched as his figure disappeared into the dead of the night, darting away before he would say something that he would regret or she would feel upset by. A single tear flowed down her pale cheek, this time not in sadness, but a strange sensation of hope. Before both Sorceresses, as one, had saved the Bearer of Wisdom from the Great Flood, the very last words that she had heard from the Hero of Time were what the current Hero had told her. She could not understand his apology, though now it seemed as though he understood what would happen; even if that was impossible.

Swallowing thickly, Lana stood tall before the final Gate of Souls that currently existed within Hyrule, and hopefully the last one, although she felt smaller than ever after what she had witnessed. Shaking her head violently, the White Sorceress raised her hand, creating a simple ball of energy, one that glowed and sparkled in a sweet golden light across her palm. A singular tear streaked down her pale cheek as the ball of energy increased and multiplied into a sphere of pure light energy. "Finis..." As soon as the spell flowed from her tongue, the incantation sealed the War's end once and for all.

The spell collided into the Gate of Souls, eradicating it from the Golden Land of the living as it should have been a long time ago.

The White Sorceress watched with a sad smile as the Gate of Souls condensed into the ball of light that she had created, the portal between dimensions sealing shut and locked away into the power that only Lana could hold. A deep sense of longing and guilt flooded into the veins of the White Sorceress, though the way that the moon peeked through the clouds further created another emotion: hope. The way that the clouds then began to part created a strange sensation of hope, something that finally created a life that both Sorceresses had wanted to live.

It was the way of freedom.

As Lana turned back to her companions, her smile brightened ever so slightly, causing the Heroes to return the sweet gesture. "It's over." She said finally after a long, dramatic pause, the White Sorceress turning her head back down to where Cia's body had once lay. Her eyes welled with tears. "Without forgiveness, life is governed by an endless cycle of resentment and retaliation. Cia's heart was tainted, but she needed someone to forgive her so that she could forgive herself..." The Heroes were silent, and the Allied Forces roared from below with victory; the Dark Forces sealed away with their commander.

And the War across the Ages was finally quelled in Hyrule was in the name of this Huntress, this Guardian of Time; or so they thought.