I clung to Fizzgig as I had clung to Ydra when I was a baby. I lay with Jen in the glow of all that was good for what might have been minutes, or hours, or days, and then I felt my legs moving of their own accord, and I was standing and leading Jen out of the castle.

The hallways and corridors were empty. I saw no signs of my podling family, only the broken husks of Garthim soldiers. I wondered if we had indeed lingered longer than we realized, and hoped that my family had begun to make their way home.

We stopped at the gate through which the UrRu had entered, staring out at the vast plain before us, green and flowing with water where once it had been barren and black. Jen finally spoke.

"Where will we go?"

It fell to me to make the decision. "Home."

"But where is our home now?

"The podling village."

Jen looked away. I knew that he would not disagree with me out of love, but I sensed his doubt.

"It could be your home too. Not only mine."

He smiled. "Yes. But how do we make a world of our own when we already have a home?"

I laughed. "We will make a home with my family first. Then we will make our own world."

"How?"

"I don't know."