I stumbled over uneven ground. Out of the dark woods came vicious growls. Looking out, I saw a mountain lion, a coyote, and a brown bear hemming me in. I heard a voice and saw a figure stretching out a radiant hand.

The brightness somehow increased through the thin layer of his eyelids. He did not open his eyes, but heard a man respond to the woman. There was a melody to their interaction that harmonized with the choir and the birdsong floating through the garden.

He still had time. The assembly would not convene for some hours yet, Ethan reassured himself. Master had given him ample time to complete all of his tasks. “He always does,” Ethan remarked, to himself and no one but the passing countryside.