DO NOT SKIP CHAPTERS. DO NOT SKIP CHAPTER TWENTY THREE TO ONWARD CHAPTERS (that didn't really make sense but you get the point) DO NOT SKIP!!!

(DON'T READ THIS CHAPTER IF YOU HAVEN'T READ THE LAST CHAPTER AND THE EPILOGUES!)

- - -

Zoron's POV

Victory. Triumph. They have won the battle.

He looked around and saw that everyone looked battered but a light of triumph was slowly filling their eyes. Those who were infected looked around in confusion which slowly turned to shame but relief. Zerif had disappeared with the Wyrm along with the blinding light of the Staff of Cycles.

"Z-Zoron," he heard a weak but familiar voice as he turned to see Hope limping towards him. Despite the limp, a small smile was on her face, "We won."

"Yeah..." Zoron replied, smiling back, as he took her hand, "We won."

They walked hand-in-hand towards the others who were gathering around Ivan. He had guilt and shame written all over his face and he avoided all eye-contact as they all approached. Everyone wore a guarded expression and Riley looked the most weary around him. Jef was the only one to look furious.

"Why did you give up, Ivan?" Jef asked, clearly trying to control the anger behind his words.

Ivan didn't look up and he could hear the guilt in his tone, "I'm sorry..."

"You're sorry," Jef scoffed, "After all that you expect us to forgive you easily?"

"I don't expect you to forgive me at all," Ivan mumbled, "I gave up and now I face the consequences of my decisions."

Jef growled and looked like he wanted to punch him but Riley held his arm to stop, "Jef, what's done is done. The battle has been won. There's no point."

But when she looked at him, Zoron could tell that she didn't entirely forgive him. No one did, not yet anyways.

"I'm...sorry as well," John spoke up, his eyes filling with guilt, "If it weren't for Eilene, I might've not been able to fight for control."

"It's my fault you got infected," Eilene spoke, "because if I haven't gotten us trapped down there, if I went up the rope last, maybe this wouldn't have happened."

"That was my decision," John argued, "I should've been more careful."

"I should've gone on my own instead of dragging you guys with me," Eilene countered.

"We wanted to save Erdas as well," John insisted, "I should've just left the moment I got infected. It was my fault for slowing you guys down."

"It was my fault that I betrayed you all in the first place," Eilene snapped.

They just looked at each other once before John let out a small chuckle. Eilene only looked at him in confusion, "What's so funny?"

"You're right," John replied, "We do argue for the stupidest reasons."

Eilene cracked a smile, "I'm always right."

Zoron glanced at Hope, exchanging a smile. The team really was back once more.

- - -

John's POV

"Sorry to interrupt," John turned and saw Olvan walking towards them.

His face seemed much older than the last time he saw him and like the others, his face was shaken from the affects of the Wyrm. Behind him walked another one of the Redcloaks he doesn't recognize.

"But I believe someone has to make a decision," Olvan went on as he glanced at Eilene.

That's when John remembered that she still wore the red cloak and his spirits fell a bit.

"So, Eilene?" The Redcloak asked, "We're leaving soon and we need an answer right now.

Eilene glanced at the each of the Keepers, her gaze staying a but longer on John before she turned to the Redcloak, "I would've hoped to thank Shane for the help he's given to me before he...died. The moment I took off my green cloak was the moment I thought would be the last time I would be wearing the cloak."

John looked down, not wanting to hear what she was going to say next. He wanted her to stay but he couldn't force her.

John braced himself for the pain as she went on, "I'd... I'd like to renew the Greencloak vows...that is if you'd let me back."

John's gaze quickly snapped to her as Olvan let out a sigh of relief, "For a second, I thought we were about to lose a Greencloak. You may join only if you pledge your loyalty fully to the Greencloaks."

"My loyalty isn't fully on the Greencloaks," Eilene replied, "My loyalty is on Erdas."

"That would do too," Olvan mumbled.

The Redcloak nodded to her, "Good luck then. It was an honor to fight beside all of you."

As the Redcloak and Olvan walked away, George spoke up cheerfully, "So, the team is really back, huh?"

"This calls for a celebration," Zoron announced as Haley and Vhon approached, "We didn't seem to have one after the last war."

"Well, Eilene?" Irene questioned, referring to her red cloak that still hung behind her, "Aren't you already a Greencloak?"

"Of course," Eilene replied, "but I think i'm going to keep this cloak with me and wear it till I have my green cloak."

"A souvenir from your experience as a Redcloak?" John asked.

"No," she simply replied, "Red is my favorite color."

"It is?" John exclaimed, "You never said anything about red being your favorite color."

"Was there really a right time for discussing favorites?" Eilene asked.

Everyone started having their own conversations with each other. John breathed in as he felt a huge weight lifted of his shoulders. Eilene stood closer beside him and he smiled softly at her.

Eilene sighed, "I'm glad you're back."

"Thanks to you," John told her, then hesitated before saying, "Are we back?"

Eilene didn't say anything for a moment before she slowly said, "Define we."

"I dunno," John replied, thinking, "What are we anyways? Cause i'm pretty sure friends don't just...you know, kiss."

Eilene coughed, avoiding his gaze and he could feel the awkwardness growing but he needed to know. Well, more like he wanted to know.

"I...don't really have the answer to that..." Eilene finally replied.

"Maybe I do," John murmured.

Eilene looked up with a questioning look but before she could speak and before John could have second thoughts, he quickly leaned in and kissed her. He felt her freeze, probably from shock but she soon kissed back. The last time they did this, John was still infected so he didn't have time to actually "savor" it.

They soon pulled away and just stared at each other for a while. Then Eilene leaned in and unexpectedly hugged him tightly, much to John's surprise. He quickly hugged her back, liking the closeness and the warm feeling for it made him smile.

"Never knew you liked hugging," John teased.

"I can make an exception," she replied but then pulled apart with a smirk, "For the great son of Lord Gaundor."

John sighed, "You're never going to stop calling me that, are you?"

"It fits you greatly."

- - -

No One's POV

"The final battle ends where all life begins," Hope murmured.

They were all on a ship headed back towards Greenhaven while the Redcloaks went back to their own base. All ten Keepers were at the railings as they watched the land of Nilo grow farther until it was out of sight.

"What does that mean?" Zoron asked.

No one spoke for a while before John replied quietly, "I guess it means that this was our final battle?"

"Well, in the end of the letter it does say 'Your journey is about to end'," Jef spoke up.

"That was Derek's interpretations," Eilene said, "We'll only know the real meaning when the prophecy has come true."

"But we defeated the Wyrm," Irene said, slightly confused, "Didn't the prophecy already come true? We fixed the talisman, found all compasses."

"I guess," Eilene shrugged, "but...maybe Derek meant that our job is done. Maybe it's time for others to take over."

"Even heroes aren't immortal," Riley nodded.

"What matters is that we're together at the end, right?" Zoey said, "If you ask me, I want a break from all these brain-crunching riddles."

Everyone slowly smiled at one another as Zoron nodded, "Yeah, let's go home."

- - -

Now, time for me to explain myself...