(The Giant with a Hammer)

*October 22nd, 1905*

*Land of Ev*

The next morning had arrived as Dorothy and her friends has waken up from their slumbers as the ate freshen themselves up, washed their clothes, ate breakfast, and they was finally able to depart from the palace.

"I wish everyone but the very best on the journey, the Nome King is quite formidable but I have a feeling that everyone is gonna pull it off" Langwidere had spoken out while waving her hand as she saw Dorothy and the others getting into their transportation while Lion and Tiger were harnessed to the golden chariot.

First rode Ozma, with Dorothy beside her in the golden chariot and holding Billina fast in her arms. Then came the Scarecrow on the Sawhorse, with the Tin Woodman and Tiktok marching side by side just behind him.

"Next, stop, Nome King's palace!" Ozma had commanded to the chariot as the object had finally begun to move as it went towards the valley.

"Goodbye Langwidere! We'll come back with the royal family in hand! I'll give you my word!" Dorothy had shouted out in hopes of Langwidere hearing her word as she sat back down on the chariot with eyes filled with wonder and anticipation on how could they save the Ev family.

"Friend, did you get a good night's rest last night? You've seemed to have been tossing and turning throughout the night? Is it perhaps you are fearful of the Nome King?" Ozma had asked her friend in a tone of concern while Dorothy had shaken her head in denial as she began to explain the situation to her.

"It's not the Nome King but I've been struggling to get proper sleep for the past five years, It's likely due to my insomnia and it's where I have trouble or lack of sleep which means I usually have trouble concentrating doing things but I'm fine so don't worry about me" Dorothy had explained to Ozma as this made the girl look back with concern as she began to speak once more.

"I see, It must have been your previous adventure in Oz, right? You was pretty young at the time so having to fend off Kalidahs, accidentally killing two Wicked Witches and seeing Scarecrow and Tin Woodman nearly get killed must had done quite a number on your wellbeing but if you need someone to talk to than I'm here for you.." Ozma had spoken back while letting out a warm smile which made Dorothy smile back as she looked over at the beautiful valley.

"I guess you are right but thanks for the offer, I'll take that into consideration but, how exactly do you know about my previous adventures in Oz? I don't remember telling you all of that?" Dorothy had asked Ozma once more as the young princess giggled for a bit before pointing at Scarecrow.

"You see, Scarecrow would visit me from time to time and he was the one to tell me all about your adventure in Oz and it was pretty sweet hearing how much you've changed their lives" Ozma had answered back as this made Dorothy smile quite warmly before speaking to her friend once more.

"I see, well, I'm glad to have made a positive influence on their lives and it makes me more motivated to free the Ev family from the Nome King.." Dorothy had spoken out while Ozma nodded her head in agreement as she spoke out once more.

"I wholeheartedly agree with you." Ozma simply spoke out to her friend as both girls shared a warm smile together as the chariot which was holding them continued to make its way towards their destination.

The road led for a time through a pretty farm country, and then past a picnic grove that was very inviting. But the procession continued to steadily advance until Billina began to cry out.

"Stop! Stop!" Billina cried out as this forced Ozma to halt the entire moving process which nearly led to Scarecrow and Sawhorse to crash into the chariot while Tin Woodman was confused by this chain of events.

"What seems to be the trouble? Are you sick or hurt somewhere?" Tin Woodman had asked Billina in a tone of curiosity while the red hen had shaken her head in denial before speaking the truth.

"NO! I gotta lay an egg! It's only this one time than we can go!" Billina had spoken out as this surprised everyone but Dorothy.

"Lay an egg?! I must confide in you and say that this isn't the right time to lay an egg and we have an important mission" Tin Woodman had spoken out in a rather annoyed tone of voice while Dorothy quickly began to step in for Billina.

"It's a habit of Billina's and she can't break herself of it but I'm sure she won't take long." Dorothy had spoken out to her friend while Tin Woodman nodded his head in understandment.

"Then she must hurry up" Tin Woodman simply responded back as he had seen Dorothy gently placing Billina on the ground so she could do her business as the red hen quickly went into the bushes.

"How strange? The hens back at the palace only lays eggs once every two years, how very strange.." Ozma had thought to herself as she and the others watched Billina doing her business in the bushes.

"I'm laying an egg! Ba-do-da! I'm laying an egg woo-hoo!" Billina had sunged out quite loudly as after a few minutes, she was finished laying her egg as she came out from the bushes.

"Alright, we're all ready to go now!" Dorothy had spoken out to everyone as she quickly went back inside of the chariot while Scarecrow hopped back on Sawhorse.

"Forward, march!" Tin Woodman cried out while pointing his ax at the direction where they was going at as the chariot and Sawhorse had finally began to move; however, something wasn't right, at least in Billina's eyes.

"Now wait just a darn minute! Is someone gonna get my egg?!" Billina had spoken out in a rather annoyed tone of voice as this prompted Scarecrow to retrieve the item.

"I'll get it, you just hang tight, okay?" Scarecrow had responded as he and Sawhorse quickly went back to the bushes to retrieve the egg and luckily, It was sitting perfectly.

"That must be the egg, That Dorothy girl sure seems to have quite the odd companion" Sawhorse had spoken out while seeing Scarecrow placing the egg in his pocket.

"But very spunky ones at that! Let's head back to the others before we lose them!" Scarecrow had spoken back to his friend as he and Sawhorse quickly had catched up to the others with no trouble at all.

"Billina! I've gotten your egg but I'm gonna hold on to it, is that okay with you?!" Scarecrow had spoken out to Billina while the red hen nodded her head in understandment.

"It's okay! And you better not drop it! I have a feeling we might just need that egg.." Billina had spoken out to Scarecrow as the small ordeal was officially over meaning that the journey could resume as planned.

*Edge of Ev*

Two hours had passed since that incident and The path was becoming rocky and difficult for the wheels of the chariot to pass over, and presently a deep gulf appeared at their feet which was too wide for them to leap.

So Ozma took a small square of green cloth from her pocket and threw it upon the ground. At once it became the magic carpet, and unrolled itself far enough for Dorothy and the rest of the gang to walk upon. The chariot now advanced, and the green carpet unrolled before it, crossing the gulf on a level with its banks, so that all passed over in safety.

"I guess this is the edge of Ev, right? It's awfully cold and it looks quite lifeless.." Dorothy had spoken out to Ozma in a serious tone of voice as she observed the rocky mountains and terrains while also hearing the sounds of the wind.

"Correct, we must cross this path if we want to reach our destination.." Ozma had responded back while Dorothy nodded her head as she and Ozma continued on their journey while Lion and the others followed suit.

"It's freezing! Not even my fur won't help! I hope we reach the kingdom in time.." Lion had spoken out while shuddering to himself while Hungry Tiger nodded his head in agreement as the pair and everyone else continued to walk across the valley UNTIL!

"Stop, right there! Everyone here are trespassers! Leave once or suffer the wrath of the Iron Giant!" Iron Giant had spoken out in a booming and robotic voice.

The form was that of a gigantic man built out of plates of cast iron, and it stood with one foot on either side of the narrow road and swung over its right shoulder an immense iron mallet.

"I-It's the Iron Giant?!" Scarecrow had spoken out in shock as he saw the Iron Giant swing its giant hammer with such speed; luckily, Ozma quickly grabbed Dorothy and brought her out of harm's way as the impact of the hammer managed to cause a huge crack to appear on the pavement.

"He's fast! He may be huge yet his speed is truly marvelous.." Ozma had thought to herself as she stared at the Iron Giant.

"My orders were to ensure that nobody enters the Nome Kingdom no matter who! Leave or else!" Iron Giant had commanded while Dorothy had slowly gotten up with fierce determination in her eyes.

"No! We have a mission and it's to save the Royal Family of Ev! No way we're ever gonna give up! Not a chance in Hell!" Dorothy had spoken out while getting back up.

"M-Maybe we should do what he says! We can't defeat him nor get past him! I mean! If they're really orimenets or whatever then it's quite peaceful, right?!" Hungry Tiger had spoken out in a nervous tone of voice; however it was no avail as he had seen Scarecrow, Tin Woodman, Lion, Dorothy, and even Ozma banding together in hopes of beating Iron Giant which surprised him.

"Well, I guess we'll have to fight and don't think I'm the same weak scarecrow from five years prior! I've been learning ways to defend myself!" Scarecrow had spoken out while holding out a confident smile.

"I'm on the same boat! If I have to use my ax to defend those I love and care about then I won't hesitate!" Tin Woodman had spoken out as well while Lion looked very proudly at the Iron Giant.

"Normally I would be scared out of my wits but here I am, fighting against this giant! Quite amazing, isn't it?" Lion had spoken out as he let out a mighty roar which could be heard across the barren wasteland and finally, Dorothy stood alongside her friends with Ozma holding her hand.

"Alright, Iron Giant! You are going down, today! We will defeat you and we will save our friends!" Dorothy had spoken out in sheer motivation while the Iron Giant simply stared back at them.

"Oh, well, time to die" Iron Giant had simply spoken back as he lifted his giant hammer and swung it down at our heroes thus beginning the battle between Team Ozma and the Iron Giant; however, will our heroes succeed or fall to the terrible giant?!