Artsun stood fully formed before them.

"Sometimes this brush has a mind of its own," he apologized. "It must've wanted to keep on creating in my absence. I hope it didn't cause too much trouble."

The three of them told him their stories. They told him about Titan and the monsters that ravaged it. Powehi recounted how he lost his wife. Pluto and Xera told Artsun about their quest to return the stones to the temples and restore all of them.

"Those are quite some tales," he reflected. "Well, I think we should return to Sanctus Jungulus posthaste."

"I never mentioned anything about going anywhere," Powehi exclaimed. "I only showed up because I didn't want these two to get themselves killed."

"We were handling ourselves just fine," Xera huffed.

He laughed, "Sure you were! You were minutes away from being goners."

Xera crossed her arms and turned from him.

"I think you'd be a great help on our journey," Pluto said, stepping between them. "Plus, Titan is safe now. Maybe this is a way your light could carry on."

"That's worth thinking about," Powehi grunted.

"I have apologies to make to the town. Why don't you take some time to consider this before we return to Sanctus Jungulus? We can meet here at the tower."

The three of them agreed. They left the art room, shocked they weren't covered in paint anymore. Powehi returned home. Pluto and Xera relaxed by the tower. Pluto convinced her that having a third member on their team would make them stronger, not weaker.

"I didn't mean to be so cross," Xera said. "The journey we've been on is overwhelming, and now we're possibly going to travel with someone else. It's overwhelming to think about everything we've done so far."

She put her head in her hands and then took three deep breaths. After a short pause, Pluto patted her on the back.

"I'm sure Lady Thermina is taking care of Nevus. They're probably thankful for the supplies that Arren has been sending. They must be rebuilding the city as we speak. We've restored three guardians and messed with the cult. I agree that things have been overwhelming, but so much good has been birthed from our actions."

She peeked at him from inside her arms.

"You're right. How are you staying so optimistic?"

"It's all I've got, honestly. If I start thinking about home and everything I have lost, I don't think I'd be of any use moving forward. I've already learned so much. I'm thankful that you taught me fighting skills. My loss does not mean that others need to suffer as well. If we have the power to change what's wrong in the world, we should. It's kind of like Powehi said, 'light carries on.'"

Xera straightened her spine, used her arm to wipe her face, and stood up. She adjusted her garments and put a brave face on. As she offered her hand to Pluto, he kindly accepted and stood beside her.

"I'm ready for the fight ahead." She said, determined.

Within a moment, Artsun came walking up to the tower.

"I'd hoped to see one more of you, but it wasn't to be," Artsun sighed. "The town is taken care of; onward to the Jungulus!"

As he was about to teleport them, Xera shouted, "Wait!"

Powehi's face was red as he ran toward them. He was dressed for travel with a satchel across his chest. He wore a red headband that wrapped around his forehead and extended to his shoulders.

"So, you're joining us after all, " Xera joked.

"Titan is safe now," he huffed. "Perhaps it's time I started something new. I may not know a whole lot about stones or cults, but my hammer and I could be of use, if you'll have us."

"Of course, we will," Pluto smiled. The trio shook hands and looked at Artsun.

"Now, we can finally go."

With a wave of his hand, a familiar tugging sensation was felt. The four of them teleported from Titan to Sanctus Jungulus.

They arrived at the entrance. The jungle was still as it was before. Artsun took a deep breath before he led them through the structure.

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"Artsun!" Nevus stood up with joy. "Welcome back."

"It's good to see you, Nevus. And Bahruna, you as well." Pluto, Xera, and Powehi walked in behind him.

"I'm glad your journey was successful," Nevus told them.

"It wasn't without struggles," Xera admitted.

"As most journeys aren't. It looks like you've added another to your party."

Xera introduced Powehi to the group. The three guardians filled him in on the information Pluto and Xera missed.

"I'll do what I can to help," he claimed.

"Very good," Nevus said. "Bahruna and I were working on a set of gifts for you. We will have to accommodate one more. That shouldn't be a problem with Artsun returning to us."

Nevus whispered in Artsun's ear then he nodded.

"This is my gift for you, Xera."

Nevus took her stone off the table. She broke a modest piece off and then crouched before Xera. She touched the stone piece to Xera's boots. Instantly, a set of minuscule wings appeared on the collar of her boots. The wings shook to life then beat up and down quickly, lifting her off the ground.

She panicked as she rose. Nevus told her, "Relax. The wings will move with your thoughts. They should be able to give you better vantage points when needed."

Xera concentrated and steadied herself in the air. She flew left, then right. Almost instantly, she flew around the room with little effort.

"Wow!" She exclaimed. "This is amazing. Thank you!"

Bahruna was next. He took a piece of his stone and held it in his hand.

"Pluto, my gift is for your weapon. Can I see it, please?"

Pluto presented his spear to Bahruna. The stone piece combined with the weapon, transforming into a trident. A cool mist exuded from the prongs.

"I thought you may need to upgrade your fighting style. Your trident is equipped with an ice affinity for extra damage. Your enemies will feel the sting of the cold climates of Nix Berdra. Go on, give it a try."

Barhuna summoned a straw figure and motioned for Pluto to attack it. When the trident touched the straw, a line of frost formed along its body. Bahruna commended him on the attack as he removed the figure.

Artsun watched as the others came up with gifts for the trio. He mulled it over for a moment. When an idea hatched in him, he walked over to Powehi.

He took a piece of his stone and then said, "For the courage to make new friends, this is my gift to you."

He placed the stone over his chest when it grew into a breastplate, vambraces grew over his forearms, and greaves appeared over his legs. The armor was made of canvas and covered in paint splotches. The paint moved and formed until the armor matched the color of the parts it protected.

"This armor will give you to power to conceal your image. If you concentrate, you'll be invisible to the eye. This armor should help you, but still be cautious as it only disguises your form; any noise you make can still be heard."

To prove its worth, Powehi decided to try it out. He closed his eyes, concentrating as the armor became visible. Paint moved all over his body until he blended in with his surroundings. Pluto and Xera looked at him with mouths agape.

"That's incredible," Xera said.

Pluto was practicing with his trident and said, "We will make great use of these gifts."

"You have helped us immensely," Bahruna said. "It's a pleasure to return the favor."

“There is one more gift we have for you," Nevus announced. “Give us a moment to procure it for you.”

The three guardians worked at the table with their backs turned to the group. Before long, they returned to the trio with a metal box. They opened the box and handed out its contents.

"A ring for the princess," Nevus said. She placed a white ring on Xera's finger.

"A necklace for the one so far from home," Bahruna said. He gave Pluto a necklace shaped like an eight-sided star.

"And a bangle for the man whose light will carry on," Artsun said. He snapped a silver bangle around Powehi's wrist.

At the center of each piece of jewelry was a small blue gem attached to it.

"When you touch the gem," Bahruna told them. "These accessories will give you protection. The armor they give you won't fully protect you but will help you out of a sticky situation; use them wisely."

The three heroes stood before the three guardians, properly equipped for a fight.

"There are still more guardians to revive," Nevus spoke up. "Even though there are three of you now, we will still send you with only two stones at a time. There is no need for an unnecessary fight."

She gave each Pluto and Xera a stone wrapped in white cloth.

"These are the stones of M'sra and Ryum Cyr. My advice would be to start with M'sra's temple, as it is easier to access. When the task is finished, we will see you again. We have full faith in you."

Nevus led the group to the teleporter. They stood on it and she sent them on their way. Nevus, Bahruna, and Artsun sat with their stones at the table.

"Those three are pretty remarkable," Artsun pointed out.

"Really, they are." Bahruna this time.

"I am afraid that things will only get harder from here," Nevus said.

Bahruna gave her a quizzical look. He asked, "You don't believe they can do it?"

"I have faith in them. They have already proved themselves capable. But, if the cult is watching in any way, then I'm sure they will notice as our numbers increase."

"That is troubling, indeed," Artsun said.

"We have done what we could. Let us pray that the Song be with them."

Then, the three guardians prayed for Pluto, Xera, Powehi, and the journey ahead.