A/N: I GOT IT FIGURED IT OUT! Well, kinda. I just uploaded on a different computer, but I'll try my laptop again for the next chapter and see what happens with that. But onto official business! I got a review that asked about Kelsey and Kishan not needing to have their eyes cooled/opened/whatever you want to call it. A guest (in the first review, I might add, so you're kinda my best friend) brought it to my attention that the film peeled off of their eyes once they left Shangri-La. I did think of that, and I decided that a person becoming enlightened in a sort of way would be permanent, like Mr Kadam not needing it in Tiger's Quest. Feel free to disagree, but that's how I see it. And sorry for the short chapter, but I think this is going to be the standard chapter length now, just because of school and life and mess. Hopefully they'll get a little longer, but who knows? I DON'T! So yeah, R&R!

The beginning of the climb up the mountain is similar to how it was before in regards to the terrain and such, but it was much easier. We don't have to carry tents on our backs because we have the Scarf and we don't have to carry food or water because of the Fruit and the Necklace. Plus I have Ren by my side, not being tortured by Lokesh in some far away compound. That helps too. We don't run into any bears this time around, but that could be because we have two were-tigers, both intent on protecting their loves, and we have two fully trained ninja warriors. I've picked up a little bit more from Ren over the last few years, but I'm still definitely the least useful in a fight.

"Are you okay, rajkumari?" Ren asks as we climb through the snow for the sixth day.

"Yeah, just cold. And afraid of bears," I laugh nervously, cupping my hands around my mouth and blowing to warm my nose. "You okay?"

"I'm fine. I can't believe I wasn't here to protect you the first time. You shouldn't have had to go through this without both of us," he grimaces.

"Oh please," I roll my eyes. "The only reason you weren't here is because you sacrificed yourself for me before. Which," I say, feigning anger, "not only nearly got you killed, but cause me an unending amount of emotional pain. So cut it out," I tell him, nudging his ribs to show that I'm teasing.

"I'm not being that bad," he grumbles.

"I know, I know," I smile. "I'm just teasing."

"Hey, lovebirds!" Kishan calls back, and I notice that we've fallen a little behind.

"Sorry!" I call forward and hurry through the snow, but trip on the thickness of it.

"Kells!" Ren says, hurriedly dropping to his knees beside me. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Ren," I say, quickly standing to my feet. "What on Earth?" I say under my breath as I notice a carved stone underneath where I had fallen.

Ren notices what I'm staring at and waves the others over to us. As we all crowd around the object, we brush snow away from it as best as we can with our gloves.

Soon, a perfect circle of sandstone is revealed beneath our fingers. There are Hindi carvings circling the edge, with the strange yin-yang/ tiger amulet symbol from the Ocean Teacher carved in the middle. There are red stones, possibly rubies but more likely garnets, set both around the edge and in a circle around the symbol in the center.

"Well?" I ask impatiently, knowing that this had to have been meant for us. "What does it say?"

"Hmm," Ren muses. "It doesn't really say anything that we don't already know. The Chosen One shall lead the charge to save what matters most flanked by four warriors; the Husband, the Sister, the Brother, and the Friend, et cetera."

"It's odd that it's here and doesn't say anything important though," I say, perplexed. "Maybe it's just encouragement?"

Kishan rubs his chin thoughtfully. "What if… Kells, what if we were supposed to find it when we were here last time, and the bear changed our path?"

"Huh…" I muse. "That would make sense."

The other three agree and we cover the stone with snow again, but not before taking a few pictures, and move on.

~TR~

The climb is surprisingly uneventful. We sleep in the warmest sleeping bags the Scarf can possibly conjure, wear the thickest clothes, and drink the hottest drinks we can possibly drink as we hike. In a few days, we reach the Spirit Gate.

Sunil stands in awe.

"I-It-How-It's amazing."

I smile as Nilima stands close to him, takes his hand, and leans her head on his shoulder.

I look at Kishan, who nods. I walk up to the side of the post where the handprint has waited for us.

"Ren," I call. "I need your help. I want this to be strong so we can get in quickly?"

Ren quickly trots to my side and takes my biceps in his large hands. I fall back against his chest and close my eyes in contentment as I channel the beam of light into the worn handprint on the pole. With Nik, I haven't had the chance to just lie in my husband's arms in a while, so I choose to melt a little instead of watching the colors change and pop as the magic travels around the Spirit Gate, though I remember how beautiful it was the last time we were here.

"Are we ready?" I ask everyone as Sunil, Ren, and Nilima stand in awe. I giggle, bringing Ren's attention back to me.

"Something wrong, iadala?" Ren asks me cheekily, and I lightly elbow him in the side.

"Nothing, I just forgot that you haven't done this yet. It's cute."

"Okay!" Kishan says loudly. "Let's get a move on, so we can get this done with!"

I grin at Ren and take his hand as we walk through the Spirit Gate and the chill from the snow melts away.