The next day the small group woke to the sound of thunder and crackling lightning. Lazarus slept on the small hamlet of grass and dirt. Next to him was the large wolf. It was breathing heavily and staring up at the sky. The beast's dark brown felt looked as if was in disarray. The thunder pealed and a flash of lightning shot in the clouds.

Cindy was sitting across from him, wide awake. She lifted her hand and the wolf changed into a round orb and then disappeared. Cindy was so comfortable using her powers. He wished he could be like that. The clouds gathered around the area, dark and pregnant with moisture. Cindy held up her hands.

She said, "I can feel the forces of nature gathering."

Lazarus sensed something but it was not the same feeling Cindy was sensing. "Is it going to rain?"

"No. Touch your opal on your wrist."

"What?"

Lazarus had forgotten about the bracelet and didn't even remember it was fastened onto his wrist. He looked at it. The opal glowed with an intense light. He looked at Cindy with wonder and noticed her necklace was also illuminated. Grace and Matthew were awake, staring up at the lightning and thunder. Their stones glowed in their rings.

Lazarus said, "What is this?"

"We need to get to Pyramid Peak today," Matthew said. "Tonight it will be the full moon. We don't have enough time."

"Time for what?" Lazarus said.

Grace looked at him with a silly look. "Lazarus, we were brought together to do something. We don't know what it is. But it is something important. I can feel it. Can't you?"

Lazarus felt foolish. He was supposed to be their Leader, yet he felt more like a follower.

He shook his head. "I don't like that we don't know what we are supposed to do. We need to plan."

Matthew said, "I don't mean disrespect, Leader, but we cannot plan. We don't know what we are doing. It just feels right."

Lazarus nodded his head. The big man was correct. They didn't know what they were doing. They had worked well so far, but how long could they keep moving forward without creating some deadly mistake?

"You’re right, Matthew. I just don't like this one bit. I’m used to planning."

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Cindy came close to him. "I understand. Before, in the normal world, we had guides and procedures. Here, right now, in this world, chaos rules and we are not prepared."

Lazarus said, "What do we do?"

"You lead us. I have a feeling you are the person who will show us the way. Even though you don't believe it," Cindy said.

She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

"Alright," he said, "let's have some breakfast and then we’ll go to Pyramid Peak."

***

After a small breakfast Lazarus and Matthew decided to fly next to Cindy's familiar while Grace and Cindy rode on top of the animal. They would travel for a while and switch places riding the great beast to conserve their energy.

Lazarus liked the feel of soaring in the air, hearing the sound of thunder and watching lightning sear the sky. He was not terrified. The feeling of raw power from nature's elements gave him a sense of power and destiny. He knew their time was coming and a choice had to be made.

They traveled for most of the day, passing through Nevada and into Arizona. They skirted along route 93, but decided not to venture toward the large cities. They passed Bullhead City and then Kingman without stopping nor looking back. Lazarus noticed a flock of birds on the far horizon moving south away from them. He sensed something. It was like a deep, dark wave had hit him, chilling his skin and bones. He motioned for Cindy to land.

They touched ground. Cindy and Grace dismounted the giant falcon.

He said, "Did you see that flock of birds?"

"Yes, but you also felt something," Cindy said.

He nodded. "I don't know what it is. But I think I have felt this darkness before."

Matthew said, "Yes, something is coming for us. We have to hurry."

"If we all ride my falcon, we can reach there in less than an hour," Cindy said.

"Yes, but we might be spotted by unwanted creatures," Lazarus said.

Matthew said, "Leader, we have to get to Pyramid Peak before nightfall. We can outrun anything."

"I think we should all ride the falcon," Grace said. "It’s a chance we have to take."

"So be it," Lazarus said. "But if we have to stop and fight then Matthew and I can fend them off."

Cindy said, "If you are scared my falcon cannot fight them off, I will change my familiar to something scarier."

"That’s not what I meant. We just need to be more careful."

Cindy stalked away from him not looking back. She moved closer to her giant falcon and touched the animal's rump.

He walked toward her. "Cindy, you’re not listening to me."

He was about to say something else, but stopped himself. Shaking his head, he remembered seeing her act like this before. Cindy was stubborn and when she was mad would not listen to reason. He felt her magic coalescing around her. It was powerful and strong. The large falcon started to change and morph. The head of the bird changed into an eagle and the body transformed into a lion. It was the griffin again. The beast roared and it sounded like an eagle with the voice of the lion.

She turned to him. "Are you ready?"

The griffin looked at him with a quizzical look.

"Ok. You’re right. The time is short."

They all mounted the beast and with a flap of the creature's large wings they flew into the heavens.