The trees started to move quicker. Eto could clearly see something moving towards them. The wind set up and clouds started to gather in the sky.

‘Make everyone get to shelter. I feel this is gonna end badly,’ he said seriously without taking his eyes off the movement.

‘Wait a minute. What is it?’ Lowe asked who also looked at the movement of the trees.

Gongarza stepped in and stood beside them.

‘I don’t know but I have a feeling it has something to do with the battle that you guys have been keeping going.’

Eto stepped forward, turning his head to look at both Lowe and Gongarza with a serious gaze.

‘Move. Shelter,’ he said almost demanding and from behind Lowe and Gongarza, the rest looked at Eto.

Hawk hadn’t seen Eto seriously that much, but there was something about the boy that had changed. The happy and smiley boy had disappeared for someone who was ready to give it all.

‘We better start listening,’ Djon said, interrupting the silence.

‘I guess so,’ Lowe said, looking at Eto.

Cloud began to appear more and more and from somewhere in the distance, thunder could be heard.

‘You heard them, let’s get everyone to shelter. Help the Kojo!’ Lowe yelled at his soldiers.

They all looked at him, confused how the thoughts of battle had changed so quickly. Lowe noticed their troubled minds but he kept to his command.

‘Now!’

The tortoise flew around the tree, dropping water on the bigger fires.

Vanessa sat in the cockpit, overlooking the tree and Veronica, who had been at the back to open the gates with water, had appeared next to her.

‘What is happening?’ she asked, confused about the scene down below.

‘I don’t know,’ Vanessa answered, also looking at the scene.

‘The battle stopped when those Ricu creatures came to the scene. And now they are all running, trying to hide.’

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Vanessa looked down, seeing Ricu warriors helping the tree creatures get to safety. They even helped the soldiers, who also started to help the others. As if they all became allies in a short time.

‘I can’t believe this,’ Veronica said and she grabbed a communicator.

‘Djon, Djon. Can you hear me?’ she asked through the device.

Some cracks and a few silent seconds before her call was answered.

‘Djon here,’ he said with some noise in the background.

‘What is happening?’ Veronica asked, starting to see if she could spot Djon.

‘I don’t know. Something is approaching and the kid has a strange vibe to him,’ he answered.

The kid, Veronica thought to herself and she quickly realized he meant Eto.

She looked around, hoping to find him and when the large groups started to move to the giant tree to hide, she could see Eto standing at the edge overlooking the jungle.

‘What can we do?’ she asked with more panic in her voice.

‘What we agreed to do,’ Djon answered and the answer surprised Veronica.

‘We all have our job to do, and you guys have yours. Keep putting those fires out and maybe we are in luck, seeing the weather.’

Both Vanessa and Veronica looked up to the gray clouds, hinting that it could start to rain soon.

‘And Eto?’ she asked quickly, concerned for him.

‘The boy will do fine,’ Djon answered and she could hear him laugh.

‘When was the last time he didn’t get out of a situation?’

Eto overlooked the jungle with the wind blowing through his black curly hair.

Whatever it was that was approaching them, it was almost near.

Eto turned around, walking back over the tops of the trees until he was some distance away from the edge.

Princess Morinojo came running towards him, with Gongarza yelling at her.

‘Eto, come with us. Something dangerous is approaching.’

She reached him, grabbing his arm and looking at the serious eyes of the boy.

‘I know. But if I don’t stop it, it will only attack you and everybody else. Running and hiding is no option for me. I have to protect everyone and end this useless battle between your kind and the others.’

His gaze turned to the edge, hearing the rumbling, something climbing up the tree where they were.

‘Hold this for me,’ Eto said and he pulled his scarf from his neck.

Princess Morinojo looked at the red scarf, moving in the wind as she grabbed it.

‘Now run,’ Eto said as he pushed her gently towards Gongarza.

Behind him, something had reached the edge.

Eto turned to see, and he couldn’t quite understand what he saw.

A large creature, almost four times the size of Eto, came climbing up the trees.

Two arms, two legs and a body, completely made of sand, leaves and branches, moving around like a storm in the shape of a monster.

In the middle, a purple light emitted from deep within the body.

‘Oh no,’ Princess Morinojo said and sadness could be heard from her voice.

‘That is my brother,’ she squeaked.