Saying that his ghost survived but he died wouldn't make sense either as the ghost is able to reconstitute dead guardians. Weapons of sorrow can drain the light of the ghosts and prevent the reviving process. If you read the thorn 1 it says he stole the weapon, and that he considers it a rose but doesn't say he uses it. It whispered to him from his possessions until he finally gave in and became Yor. Who else could Yor be if not Ward and why would Ward be referenced in thorn 2 as "associated" if he wasn't involved in the transcript actively? In thorn 1 it says the great man (who left inspired hope in all those left in his wake) walked off on his own at dusk and as the night progressed he finally transformed so as not to tarnish his legend and beat the weight of what was to come as a new entity without connection to his past. In TLW 3 it states they woke up during the night and Ward was gone with only his ghost and gun remaining. While I can see your points, I feel there is a stronger case for Ward actually being Yor. You don't have to agree, the lore is vague and we can each believe as we choose to.