It had been nearly a week since Lina, Gourry, Amelia, and Zelgadis had arrived in Catsai's world, and they still had no idea how to get back. They were currently staying in the headquarters of the Black Cloaks, Catsai's gang of thieves. It was a small group, with only seven members. Catsai, Kain, and Marcia had been transformed by Jason. Anna, who was Marcia's twin sister, and Darien, Kain's little brother and a sorcerer, had joined the group shortly after Marcia and Kain. The others were friends of Kain and Marcia: Thea, Darien's girlfriend who was struggling to learn magic, and Sabre, a former assassin.
During their stay with the thieves, both Gourry and Zelgadis had fallen in love - or at least aquired would-be lovers - much to Amelia's disappointment. Gourry shared Anna's small room - and bed - and while Catsai shared her room with Zelgadis, he didn't seem to notice her attempts at a relationship.
"Jason's here!" Darien cried as he jumped down the ladder into the main room.
"What?! That's impossible, how did he get here so fast?" Catsai called to the young boy.
Darien shrugged. "Don't know. I saw him in town today; he was renting a room in an inn."
Catsai swore under her breath. "Then he knows we're here. Hey!" she called, waking the others; it was several hours until dawn. "Jason's here! Come on, let's move!"
"What's going on?" Gourry asked as Anna jumped out of bed, snatched up her tunic, and dressed hurriedly, then started packing her few possessions into a small bag.
"Jason's here," she explained. "He's trying to kill Catsai, Kain, and Marcia. He's totally insane."
"Oh." Gourry started to fall asleep, then sat up again. "Is he trying to kill us?"
"No," Anna told him, glancing at him over her shoulder, "but he's got lousy aim, and usually takes out a few civilians with his spells."
"Oh." Gourry fell asleep. Anna finished packing and started to climb up the ladder to the main room, when she realized that Gourry was still in bed. "Gourry, get up!" she cried, dragging him out of bed and handing him his sword. "Come on, let's go!"
The group of thieves - and other-worlders - ran silently through the city. Catsai, Lina, and Zelgadis were leaping across the rooftops, while Kain was flying high above them. Marcia and Sabre guided the others through the maze of streets to the town walls.
Catsai leaped down from the wall, landed in a crouch, and glanced around, making sure everyone had made it. "Marcia?" she called in a loud whisper.
"Right here." The were-wolf-like woman stood up, wrapping her cloak closer around her and shivering. A few seconds later, Kain landed and folded his wings, taking his cloak from the sack attached to his belt and slinging it across his shoulders. The mute birdman nodded to Catsai.
Catsai nodded back and stood up. "Good. All right, this road should take us back to Atlas City. Jason won't expect us to move to a place we just left. Everyone agree?" She glanced around. "All right, let's go."
"Not so fast!" a voice cried, then erupted into a fit of giggling.
Catsai paused, turning slowly. "Jason."
"Hello, my dear," the man greeted her. He looked almost exactly like Rezo, but with his eyes open and his face hideously scarred, apparently by claws. "I see you've found another friend." He paused, thinking. "Or did I transform him, too?"
Catsai dropped her gloves, extended her claws, and went into a crouch. "Jason, I don't want to kill anybody, but I will if I have to," she said quietly.
Jason laughed at that. "Oh, that's funny. Don't want to kill anybody? You destroyed half of Atlas City, as I recall."
"That was you, Jason. You remember. The Fireballs?" Catsai sighed.
Jason laughed again. "Oh, yes. Well, what do you say we do it again? Fire...Ball!"
Catsai sighed and dodged easily, then watched as the Fireball burned a hole through the town wall. "Jason, go away! You're going to hurt innocent people who have nothing to do with this."
Jason shrugged. "Diem Wing!"
Kain easily flew above the blast of wind, then drew his longsword, obviously ready to kill Jason. Catsai shrugged as Marcia dropped her cloak - the wolf-woman always fought better without it. "All right," Catsai agreed. "If that's the way you want it, we'll fight."
"Freeze Arrow!" Jason shouted.
"Flare Arrow!" Lina shouted back, throwing the Flare Arrow at the sorcerer, who ducked and let the arrow crash into the trees behind him.
Catsai and Gourry raced forward, claws extended and sword drawn, while Kain swooped down from above. Jason shrugged and let loose five fireballs, forcing the three warriors to stop their attack and dodge out of the way.
Sabre had come up behind Jason, and was reaching for the poisoned dagger at his belt when the sorcerer whirled around. "Fireball!" Jason shouted. Sabre, surprised, was too close to dodge.
"Sabre!" Catsai cried. She swore under her breath. Jason had never managed to take out any of the Black Cloaks before!
"Ray Wing!" Zelgadis shouted, taking to the air as Jason hurled a Freeze Arrow at him.
Jason frowned. "Not fair. Stand still!" he pouted.
Catsai rolled her eyes. "Everybody, let's go!"
"Flare..." Darien began.
"Freeze..." Thea started.
"...Arrow!" they both cried, hurling their spells at the sorcerer, who quickly cast a levitation spell and flew out of the way. Jason frowned at them.
"Well, if you insist on fighting..." he began.
"We didn't, Jason, you did," Catsai reminded him, annoyed.
"...than I'll just have to take you out," Jason finished, ignoring Catsai. "Darkness beyond twilight, crimson beyond blood that flows..."
"What? The Dragon Slave?" Lina cried.
"The Dragon Slave?" Catsai repeated. "Move it, everybody! Retreat!" She whirled, grabbed Anna, and raced down the road to Atlas City. Zelgadis grabbed Gourry and headed after them, while Lina and Amelia cast Levitation and flew after them. Darien cast Ray Wing, grabbed Thea, and floated into the sky, followed quickly by Kain, while Marcia transformed completely into a wolf and headed into the forest.
"....DRAGON SLAVE!!!"
The beam of energy hit the town wall and exploded, taking half the town and half the forest out as the fiery sphere expanded. Thea glanced down, gulped, and shouted something to Darien as they were engulfed by the sphere. Kain flew higher, but not high enough to escape the Dragon Slave.
Catsai slowed and glanced back as the sphere of fire faded. She glanced around to see who had survived, and was shocked to see only she and Anna were left of the Black Cloaks. Lina and the rest of the otherworlders had also survived. Slowly, the thief turned away from the village, and started walking along the road to Atlas City in silence.