Lazarus flew around the grocery store and saw his friends petrified on the street. The elemental creature was roaming the area. He recalled the creature didn't show until they entered the structure. He knew as soon as Grace destroyed the homes and buildings on the ground the creature would come forth.

He said, "I am going to distract the creature. You have to find the person controlling it."

"Wait," she said.

Lazarus hovered over the street.

"I don't know what to look for," Grace said.

He felt the breeze start to pick up and push against them. The creature screeched and came at them.

"Go now," he said.

Grace soared away. The elemental creature saw Grace leave. Lazarus focused and sent a lightning bolt at it. The spell bounced harmlessly through the beast. It turned toward him and charged. Lazarus anticipated this and swooped far away, circling the area. Behind him, he heard the sounds of buildings and walls crashing.

Dusk settled in and it was getting dark along the street. The creature blew a blast of wind and he steered away from the spell. It barely missed him and he felt a tingling sensation pass close to him. He checked his body. None of his limbs were stone. He darted up higher. The creature followed, but then stopped.

He quickly scanned the buildings looking for somebody who could be controlling this creature, but all he saw was abandoned homes and offices. Deciding on a course of action he looked where Grace was flying. She was several feet away from him. Using her magic, she flung pieces of earth, stone and building walls all over creating a large explosion of noise. The creature, alerted to the sounds and havoc, rushed toward her.

"No, you will not."

Lazarus’s anger swelled. His body burned with desperation. He would not have another one of his friends become stone. Magic coalesced. He felt more powerful. Placing his hands before him, Lazarus shot a water funnel tornado out of his hands. The spell came out of him like a roaring lion. It pounded down, spraying the air elemental. It pushed the creature backwards as if it was solid. He concentrated and long, sharp icicles fell upon the air beast, hitting it in multiple places.

The creature roared in pain and turned toward him. Lazarus rushed backwards. The beast spewed another lethal spray of its breath. Luckily, he moved away before it hit him. He flew upwards into the sky. The creature didn't stay on the ground but soared up to him. Lazarus smiled. He had anticipated this. He realized the creature, like all animals, had a vulnerability. The creature became weakened when struck by water magic. He wondered why he didn't see this before. Cindy, before she was turned into stone, hit the creature with a water spell which caused it to stagger. He shook his head. The time for reflection was not now. The creature was gaining momentum, pushing up towards him.

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Lazarus kept flying up, almost reaching the highest strata but stopped. He was not sure he could do this and everything counted on it. He would not have another shot. Summoning his magic, he sought power he had never used to its full potential. Clouds gathered around him, dark and fluffy things that moved in unison, surrounding him in such a frenzy he thought the clouds were alive.

The creature, not understanding or noticing its predicament came after him, intent on destroying. It didn't merely look like a tornado but it sprouted hands with razor claws six feet long. Thunder rolled and lightning sparked along the surface of the nebulous fog. Rain poured forth.

The creature still came at him, until the water pummeled the elemental. Before his eyes, Lazarus saw the wind creature shrink and change into a man. This person still had rage in his eyes, but stripped of his monster garb he looked harmless. The man was older than him with glowing white hair. His face had the countenance of pure hate. It almost stopped Lazarus from defending himself. He lifted his hands and lightning split the air from the clouds and struck the man repeatedly.

The spell pierced the man and lit him up like fireworks, then he fell to the ground. Lazarus should have known the person controlling the creature was inside it. He couldn't let the man fall, even though he was probably dead.

Lazarus focused his magic and the rain stopped. He flew down and caught the man by grabbing him from behind, but the ground rushed too close to him. He focused and an invisible shield surrounded them before they hit the roof of a large warehouse. They bounced when they touched the ground. The sound of explosions and booming came from the walls and cement they hit. The man's body flopped to the side and then struck Lazarus. They bounced back and forth until they finally stopped moving after a few minutes. He had been on a roller coaster before but this was worse. He knew the man next to him was dead. Lazarus could tell by his burnt skin and slackened facial features, as if he was sleeping. This was in marked contrast to the diabolical hatred he displayed when attacking. Lazarus stood after a few minutes. The world spun.

He focused and the magical barrier disappeared. Looking around, he saw they were inside an old dilapidated warehouse. The smell of rot and mold assailed his senses. The sun shone from the hole he created in the rooftop. He moved away, walking into the empty interior.

"You will die."

Lazarus turned and looked at the man. His eyes were open but bloodshot. Lazarus held up his hand, anticipating an attack.

"Who are you?" he asked.

"Nobody. He sent me to kill you."

"That didn't happen."

"I know. But he will find you."

The man started to cough up blood. His eyes glazed over and he fell to his side. Lazarus shook his head. He wondered who this man was talking about.

"Lazarus!"

He turned to see Grace running inside the building with Cindy and Matthew following close behind.

"What?"

Grace said, "I don't have time to explain. Something is coming and we have to leave now!"

They all rushed out of the warehouse. Outside, he saw large Grog wolves waiting for them. The beasts growled and moved to attack.

"Go!" he said and launched himself into the air.

Before they left the city, Lazarus saw the biggest Grog saunter out of the crowd of beasts. It looked at him and smiled a wicked grin.