The group of five carefully picked their way down the side of the mountain with Iam going before Savvy in case she fell. The five main leaders of each of the towns eagerly greeted them at the bottom.

"So, how was the trip?" One asked.

"Did it go alright?" Another wondered.

Tin glanced at the other four. They all looked back with large smiles. Tin looked toward the leaders.

"It is done. Everything went fine." Tin told them solemnly.

As they all cheered, Savvy and Iam gripped their hands together tightly and looked over at Tin. He glanced back then at the ground to sigh. Tin determinedly put a foot forward and the leaders turned to him.

"Is there a problem?" One questioned.

Tin breathed out another sigh before speaking. "Savvy, Iam, and I have talked about it, and we've decided to...leave and live elsewhere."

Lobo and Scar widened their eyes at each other. "You what?!"

Tin turned away from the leaders and towards them instead. "I'm sorry you two."

"No, no, it's not that..." Lobo whispered. "How could you have talked about that without us?"

Tin eyed him with curiosity. "You mean you want to go to?"

"Of course!" Lobo exclaimed.

Scar confidently stepped up beside him. Tin looked him over. Scar had changed a ton since the beginning of their journey. His original slouched posture and quiet personality were now straight and confident.

"Are you two sure?" Tin asked.

Lobo smiles and Scar tries to do the same, but the little purple spot prevented him from doing so.

Tin smiles back and turns to the leaders again. "*All* of us would like to go and live somewhere else."

Each of the leaders looked at their people before saluting them.

"If that is what you feel you need to do, then go and do it." The leader in front said.

Tin and the others saluted back to them. Savvy and Iam turn away and begin creeping back up the side of the mountain. Tin looked up at the sky and closed his eyes. Rain began to fall on his face.

A sharp, "Tin!" snapped him from his thoughts and Savvy motioned to him to come quickly. Tin rushed toward them and easily scaled the small part they were on. The leaders watched as the other four laughed and quickly followed him down the other side.

----------

Hand in hand, Iam and Savvy sprinted the rest of the way to the village. Tin, Lobo, and Scar stayed behind.

"Those two are a handful." Tin laughed.

"Definitely. I couldn't get Iam off my back when this journey first started! Savvy sure kicked some sense into his ass." Lobo replied.

Scar stayed silent, but by the look on his face, Tin knew he was ecstatic to be back in Stormville. Tin looked away from him and at the entrance gate. Savvy and Iam were greeted excitedly by the guards there. They hugged the heroes before opening the gate wide. Tin sighed at the sight. It was good to be back here. Lobo and Scar made like cheetahs and ran to the gate.

Tin slowly walked toward it. He was dreading meeting his father again. Fortunately...a young woman suddenly appeared by the guards looking frantic. One of them glanced at Tin and shook their head to the woman. The woman noticed the guard's glance, and looked the same way. She gasped and Tin stopped where he was. She started crying and Tin held his arms out. She quickly runs toward him, tears stream from her face. Eventually, she makes it to him and sobs into his shoulder.

"I've missed you, love." She whispered.

Tin kissed her head softly and hugged her back. "You too, dear."

----------

And lastly, here's something that happened before they started the journey back home...

Tin wiped a bead of sweat off his forehead and swiped again at the giant's leg. It bellowed in pain. Lobo and his wolf rushed forward right as its foot swung forward. It flew through the air and went right into the wolf. The wolf yelped as it was thrown into the air and landed a few feet away. Lobo screamed and ran away toward his wolf. Savvy and Iam hoisted themselves up the giant's back until they reached the head. Once they did, Savvy unsheathed her sword and dug it deep into the back of its head. It yelled and reached its hand up. Savvy tried to dodge, but it grabbed her.

"Put her the fuck down, dammit!" Iam screamed.

The giant brought her around to face him and tossed her away like the wolf. Her sword came with her and fell right under her body. When she came down, the sword burst through her chest and blood gushed from the wound. She gasped, then fell silent.

"You motherfucking asshole!" Iam shouted as she fell. He unsheathed his sword and brought it down hard into the giant's head, almost splitting it in half. The giant gave a last groan before its eyelids fluttered and it toppled down. Iam emerged from the dust around the head and sprinted toward Savvy. Tin stepped into his path and tried to stop him.

"Iam! You're not going to like it!" He shouted.

Iam pushed him away. "Get out of my way, dammit! I have to get to her." He starts for her again.

Some magical medics from the town, Stormville, rushed toward Savvy and one nodded toward Tin. She mouthed, 'Keep him away'.

Tin grabbed Iam's wrist and pulled him away so he couldn't see her. Iam tried to get past him again, but Tin wouldn't budge.

"Please...let me see her. It's my fault this happened." Iam cried.

Tin glanced into his eyes. Seeing the disparity there made him almost let Iam go, but he resisted the feeling.

"I'm sorry, Iam. Not yet." Tin whispered.

Iam beat his fist against Tin's chest and began sobbing.

Behind them, the medics performed their ritual. And it was soon over. Tin glanced over his shoulder. The same medic nodded again at him and mouthed, 'He can come now'.

Tin pulled Iam away from his chest to look into his eyes. Iam instantly brightened and sprinted out from behind Tin to go to Savvy.

Tin turned with him and stared at Iam as he hugged the healed Savvy tightly.

"Sweet, beautiful love." Tin sighed.

The medic woman dusted her hands off and walked toward Tin.

"What were you saying, dear?" She asked.

Tin pulled her in close and smiled. "Just saying how cute Savvy and Iam are."

"Are you saying we aren't cute?" The woman gasps.

Tin sighed. "Would I ever?"

"I was just teasing Tin. Why so serious?" The woman laughed.

Tin glanced down at her, and she stopped laughing.

"Right, of course. How could I forget your father..." She trailed off and looked to the grass.

"You two talkin about me?" A scruffy voice says.

Tin and the woman turn around. A man, about in his sixties, stands there. A strand of wheat is coming from his mouth. Tin's mouth drops open a bit.

"Whats it, son?" He shifts the wheat to the other side of his mouth.

Tin closes his mouth and shakes his head. "You expect me to believe that you're my father?"

"And you think I'm not? Son, it's truly me. I'm standin right 'ere." He holds his arms out.

Tin stays where he is. The woman looks up at him. His dad slowly starts putting his arms down. At the last second, Tin ran forward and hugged his dad. Tears dripped from his eyes.

"Why did you leave me, dad?" Tin pushed away from him. His eyes were furious now.

His dad sighed. "It was the only way..."

"The only way to what?" Tin asked irritably.

"The only way to make you a true man. To get you prepared for the hard life out there." His dad put his hands on his shoulders.

Tin sighed. "Understandable."

His dad glanced over his shoulder at the woman. "Dang," He said around the wheat. "With a woman as sexy as that, I better have grandkids soon."

Tin laughed once before pushing his father away. "Say that again, and I'll kill you myself."

The woman shifted uncomfortably behind them at Tin's father's words.

His father understood quickly. "I'm sorry, son. Words just slip out sometimes, ya know?"