fleets: I'm not sure I really count this as a chapter because it's just so short, but I wanted to close this story with a word from Vaati :)

Once again with the Linkin Park theme. Lyrics belong to them, not me.

Chapter 19: Concluding Words

High up on a cliff top, a sorcerer surveyed a small village at the foot of the mountain. It was out in the country, a little ways away from castle town, Hyrule. There was a pleasant breeze that was slightly nippy from the approaching winter, and he could see the villagers had begun to gather piles of logs to prepare for the coming cold. Vaati stretched, and then tilted his head when he saw a four-leaf-clover hiding between the grasses by his feet. Kneeling down, he picked it up and twirled it between his fingers before he let go and watched it flutter down to the ground.

This place was nothing like the Palace of Winds, but it had its nice points. It was quiet and peaceful in a homey way. He liked to come here to think about things, and recently he had taken to thinking.

He sometimes envied the little creatures that had nothing to think about.

XXXXXXXX

What good does thinking do me anyway, when all it results in is an hour of frustration and another hour of realizing how pitiful my dilemmas are? They aren't even dilemmas to begin with, but I manage to turn even the simplest questions into headaches. I must be bored.

What a trip down the memory lane that was. I'm surprised I even remembered that much, considering I had worked so hard to forget about my past.

Delta. I haven't even thought about that name in so long – it holds little significance to me now. What a fool he was. Did he really believe I was not the greatest, most powerful being on the face of the earth when I last confronted him? Pity I couldn't get him to see his mistake. Same with Ezlo, too. Fools, the both of them. Neither of them recognized greatness when they saw it. They deserved their fates, the bastards.

Looking at my life subjectively I know why I was after ultimate power. Why I'm still after ultimate power. Those people who couldn't see how great I had become – Delta, Ezlo – they were right in some respects. I could go farther. I have it in my ability to be what no mortal ever dared to be, and then I would be the greatest god who ever lived. No one would ever oppose me, and I would do whatever I liked.

Ugh, what a sour taste in my mouth. I refuse to believe I was ever so… so bloody innocent. I just might throw up. So damn cute and happy with his idiot friend. Stupid Vaati.

And how stupid he was. If he actually wanted to keep everything his own bloody happy way he could have avoided it by not being so stubborn about everything. He knows that. He committed suicide.

And I feel no remorse for him.

Because see, without him, I wouldn't have been able to be as great as I am now. Without him I wouldn't exist, as a matter of fact. In my stead there would have been some miserable boy with his miserable existence, following the orders of his miserable master and feeling depressed because of his miserable friend. What a miserable prospect. Ezlo didn't even notice me until I'd become a sorcerer. He never listened, and neither did Delta. Vaati actually became somebody when he died that day.

Vaati today has greater goals. I am the Sorcerer of Winds and the most powerful sorcerer who's ever lived. I strive for ultimate power – a glorious goal. Link and all his incarnations keep thwarting me, but one of these days I'm bound to succeed. When it comes to perseverance, I will prevail.

Yes, I will continue to search for the Golden Power. Though there have been times I began to doubt myself, I know now this is the way it should be. Alone I will be great. I will be powerful.

None will stand in my way.

…

What's this? A band of Bokoblins daring to trespass after I'd warned them about what consequences they would face if they wandered here? What a thick-skulled lot. I'll have to remind them whom they'll have to deal with if they don't heed my advice.

I will make them fear the wrath of the Sorcerer of Winds.

XXXXXXXXX

I don't know who to trust, no surprise
Everyone feels so far away from me
Heavy thoughts sift through dust and the lies

Trying not to break
But I'm so tired of this deceit
Every time I try to make myself
Get back up on my feet

All I ever think about is this
All the tiring time between
And how trying to put my trust in you
Just takes so much out of me

Take everything from the inside
And throw it all away
'Cause I swear for the last time
I won't trust myself with you

Tension is building inside, steadily
Everyone feels so far away from me
Heavy thoughts forcing their way out of me

Trying not to break
But I'm so tired of this deceit
Every time I try to make myself
Get back up on my feet

All I ever think about is this
All the tiring time between
And how trying to put my trust in you
Just takes so much out of me

Take everything from the inside
And throw it all away
'Cause I swear for the last time
I won't trust myself with you

I won't waste myself on you
You, you
Waste myself on you
You, you

I'll take everything from the inside
And throw it all away
'Cause I swear for the last time
I won't trust myself with you

fleets: That's it! Complete! For those of you who've read my other story The Unresolved, you might have noticed how this story leaves off where it picks up. Yes, Vaati's at Ruso. Yes, Vaati's gone power crazy once again after it seemed like he won't be the bad guy anymore after Beyond Centuries. Just a little cookie for readers.

Readers - thank you all very much once again for the wonderful support you've given me. Knowing that people are actually reading my stuff is what ultimately keeps me going. :)
Now that I am done with Tainted Heart, I will shift my focus back to my neglected story Recollections. It might take some time for me to get back into writing that one because it's been too long. I believe that story will be the story that will mercifully end everything for me for some time. I need a break XD

Shadow Blues: Thanks so much for the support since chapter 1. I hope you liked the story to the end (I don't think I will go into Minish Cap for this story arc). It's a little sad this is over, but that also means I get to start working on the story I'd kinda left hanging. :)

Death-Note-Zelda-Kitty: Yes, school isn't very fun with all the work. I hope you enjoyed my stories so far. Thank you for your kind support. :)

James Birdsong: :D

Reily96: You're right. I always end up liking villains, even OC ones, and I have the tendency to start seeing them in a not-so-bad light. After a while, I begin to realize just how wrong I was. xD Hey, thanks for all the encouragement you gave me both here and on devart. 'preciate it.

marium: I don't know about other stories as of yet, but I plan to revive my other story that I kinda left for dead. While I was working on this one, I just didn't have the time to update my other one. We'll see. ^^

Sue Axel: I LOVE BROWNIES. Hehe, it's ok Link, I'll share. I agree, I prefer Vaati as the sorcerer even though he's um... well... evil. Thank you, and I hope you enjoyed this. :)

DarkLinkvsRaineSagefan101: That chapter was sad to write as well. Glad to hear you liked it though, and thanks for being a fan :D