Ruth led Tommy and Maggie over to the place they hung out in before they swam in the water and got transported to some random cave. However, nobody showed up at the location. Only a gray laptop, a yellow backpack, and a blue backpack remained in the vicinity.

“So, is this the place?” Ruth asked, looking around.

“Yeah, it is!” Maggie replied, running close to the waters and examining it up close.

“Our stuff, oh no...” Tommy muttered as he examined the laptop and opened it up.

“Tommy, is that you?” Mandy’s voice echoed through the computer.

“Yeah, it is.”

“Did that box just talk?” Ruth jumped back and pointed at the device.

“Uh, huh.” Maggie nodded.

“Thank goodness nothing bad happened to you guys...” Mandy placed a hand on her chest and sighed in relief.

“Wait, do you know where Antonio went?” Tommy asked.

“You mean he’s not with you? Oh man, this is horrible!”

“What’s wrong?”

“Antonio dropped his stuff and got taken away!” Sam explained. “He went searching for you guys, but something grabbed and dragged him into the water!”

“All we saw was a hand coming out from the water...” Mandy added. “But we didn’t know what it was—”

“What? Oh no, not the Miletis!” Ruth gasped.

“The what?” Tommy asked, tilting his head.

“Miletis, strange beings from another world. Our tribes have been fighting with them for quite a while.”

“Tribe?”

“You need to save him before it’s too late! If you don’t, you might never see him again!”

“Where could he be?” Maggie turned to Ruth and inquired.

“You’re asking me?" Ruth pointed at himself. "Well, I don’t... I mean, I do know where it is,”

“Then what’s the problem?”

“My pop told me there’s a big fortress held over there, but I’m too scared to approach and go inside... but I guess I can at least take you to where the location is.”

“Sounds good.”

.-.-.-.

After walking and pushing some bushes aside, the group stumbled across a light-brown fortress with stairs that led to a passageway with a dark entrance far away.

“There it is...” Ruth gulped. A lump got stuck in his throat.

“All right, time to go get my friend back!” Tommy exclaimed as he was about to rush over to the stairs when Sam yelled for him to stop in his tracks.

“Tommy wait, I’ve analyzed that there are enemies inside. You’re better off going around the back.”

“Oh, all right, then.”

“And please be careful, you guys.”

“We will.”

“Wait, what about me?” Ruth asked.

“Didn’t you say that you were scared to go inside?” Maggie pointed out.

“Well, yeah but—”

She handed the bear her backpack.

“Here, hold on to this for me until I return.”

“But isn’t this your—?”

“It’s heavy, so it might hold me back. Just make sure nothing bad happens to it, ok?”

“All right.”

Tommy and Maggie went behind the wall, but found that there was no door or window to get inside. Maggie placed her hands over the block to search for a secret passage until the walls opened up, and the two headed inside.

Ruth watched Tommy and Maggie get in from the back of the fortress, as he wondered what to do while waiting.

Should I even be doing this? He thought to himself, staring at the red bag, They might get in trouble, but if I go there and end up making things worse for them, I—

The sounds of rustling from the trees made Ruth snap out of his thoughts. Stomping sounds connecting to the ground also occurred, making the ground shake a little. A large shadow covered him as he spun around to see the source.