Chapter 175: The Sacrifice

"I'll do it. I'll take the powers. I'll sacrifice myself." I stepped forward. Decided.

"No. You're not dying. Not for this." Sarah grabbed my arm. "I'll do it instead."

"Neither of you. I'm youngest. I'll do it." Maya argued.

Through the bond we fought. Each wanting to save the others. Each willing to die.

"Stop. None of you are dying. I am." Luna spoke. Firm. Commanding.

"What? No. Absolutely not." I refused. Mother protecting daughter.

"I'm strongest. I can handle it longer. Maybe survive." Luna was calm. Wrong.

"You have two babies. Thomas and Margaret need their mother." I was desperate.

"And you have me. And everyone. We all need you." Luna looked at me. "But this is my choice."

Then Aria moved. Barely alive. Bleeding. Struggling.

"Wait. There's another option. Someone already dying. Already ready." Aria coughed blood. "Me."

"You're hurt. You're weak. You can't." I knelt beside her.

"I can. For a few seconds. Long enough to take the powers. Release them. Save everyone." Aria smiled weakly. "I'm a Guardian. This is what we do."

"You'll die. Definitely die." Rebecca warned.

"I know. But I've lived three hundred years. I'm tired. I'm ready." Aria looked peaceful. "Let me save the child I couldn't save before. Let me be Guardian one final time."

Young Thomas appeared. Had followed us. Climbed the mountain.

"You don't have to do this. We'll find another way." Thomas was crying.

"You'll continue the legacy. You'll be the Guardian I couldn't be." Aria touched his face. "This is my choice. My perfect ending."

She looked at me. At Luna Triad.

"Do it. Transfer the powers to me. Now." Aria commanded.

Rebecca nodded. "Allison. Touch Aria. Channel the powers through you."

Allison put her hands on Aria. The transfer began.

Powers flowing. From Allison to Aria. All fifty stolen powers. Moving. Combining.

Allison screamed. Pain. But she held on. Kept transferring.

Aria glowed. Burning. Too much power. Body breaking. But holding.

Three minutes. Endless pain. Endless suffering.

Then done. All powers transferred. Allison collapsed. Powerless. Human. Free.

Aria stood. Filled with fifty powers. Glowing. Dying. Smiling.

"Now. I release them. Back to their owners." Aria raised her hands. Power exploding outward. Massive. Beautiful.

The powers dispersed. Shooting across the world. Finding owners. Returning. Restoring.

Young Thomas gasped. "My Guardian power. It's back."

Across the world thousands felt the same. Powers returning. Everything fixed.

Aria collapsed. Empty. Dying. We ran to her. Held her.

"Thank you. For being my friends. For letting me save everyone." Aria was fading. "Tell the Guardians. Being good matters. Being kind matters. Being willing to sacrifice matters."

"We will. We promise." I held her hand. Crying.

"And tell the Council. They were wrong. About me. About my child. Guardians can love. Can have families." Aria looked at Thomas. "Change the laws. Make it better."

"I will. I swear." Thomas was sobbing.

Aria smiled. Peaceful. Then closed her eyes. Died.

Guardian Aria. Gone. Sacrificed. Heroic.

We sat on Mount Blanc. Holding her. Grieving.

"She saved us all. Saved my daughter." Rebecca was broken.

"And now you face justice." I stood. "You're going to prison. For a long time."

"I know. I deserve it." Rebecca looked at Allison. "I'm sorry. For everything."

We brought Aria's body down. Buried her with honors. Guardian funeral.

The Council apologized. Publicly.

"We were wrong. About Aria. Guardian laws change today. Guardians can love. Can have families. This is Aria's legacy." The Elder spoke.

Young Thomas stood. Spoke.

"Aria taught me everything. She died saving a child. Protecting the innocent. That's what Guardians do. That's what I'll do. For her. Forever." Thomas cried.

Rebecca was sentenced. Thirty years. She accepted it.

Allison went to live with her aunt. Normal life. Happy.

All stolen powers returned. Everyone restored. Everything fixed.

Luna Triad retired. Again. For real.

"No more missions. No more fights. Ever." I was firm. Done.

"Agreed. This was the last one. Really." Sarah was exhausted.

"We mean it. We're done. Forever." Maya added.

We went home. To California. To peace.

I was forty eight. Tired. Gray. But alive.

Done. Really done. Finally.

No more wars. No more battles.

Just life. Family. Peace.

For however long I had left.

I'd live it. Enjoy it. Treasure it.

We'd earned it. Luna Triad had earned it.

Finally. After everything.

We were done.