Chapter 17

In the Dark of the Night

The next morning, Bentley was true to his word. He had a plan. With Blain awake and walking around, he and Rachel could deactivate the lanterns that guarded the outer parameter. Rachel and Blain would basically be Sly's shadows, following him into and out of the mansion to deactivate any magical security systems Sly couldn't get through on his own. After all, Sly didn't want it to be to easy.

The following night, with a full moon high over head, Murray began to drive Rachel, Blain, and Sly up to the manor. With the moon and star light, it was very easy to see. Sly would have to be extra careful he wasn't seen by a guard. In the moonlight, especially with the white snow everywhere, it would be much easier to spot the thieving raccoon then usual.

The team van pulled up to the west wall of the complex. With the van hidden in the trees Sly, Blain, and Rachel began to make there way up to the wall. All along the wall there were lanterns set about three feet apart. They all glowed with bright red fires, and added a strange, grizzly feeling to the manor. Sly stopped in front of the wall, looking over at Blain and Rachel, "Well, you two ready?"

Blain nodded his head, glancing at Rachel as they each moved over to a lantern. They waited a second before beginning their spell. Blain and Rachel's movements were identical as they made a variety of mystical hand symbols before reaching up and touching the lanterns. In a flash the two lanterns began to glow with a normal fire instead of the blood red one in the others.

Sly, Blain, and Rachel quickly moved up and over the wall, looking back in time to see the lanterns Rachel and Blain had tampered with returned to normal. The trio then began to move toward the manor, there feet echoing softly as they stepped through the snow. Then, they all froze when shouts began to ring out. Sly was sure they had been caught, but no guards ever came.

After a while, Blain spotted a guard running out of the castle and towards the entrance. The trio ran along the wall, careful to stay out of sight as they peered around the corner of the castle to see what was going on.

Several guards, and even more skeletons, were swarming around something in the center of the group. Whatever it was sent skeletons and guards flying every few seconds, making them land sever feet away. Then a lone, angry howl cut through the night air like a knife. Sly and Rachel glanced at each other, both of their minds wondering if Cye was at the center of the guards and skeletons.

Sly and Rachel's question was soon answered as Cye jumped out of the pack of guards, and began to run towards the castle gates. He was hunched over, and he had become far more muscular then before. His eyes were a blood red, and through his open mouth they could see that all of his teeth had become long and razor sharp.

Suddenly, Cye was sent flying back. Sly, Blain, and Rachel took a larger risk, stepping out from behind the corner of the castle to see Johannes walking down the manor steps. He was in his black tuxedo, his cane making a light tapping sound against the freshly shoveled walk. Cye was staring at the Doberman with a thirst for blood in his eyes.

Johannes looked at the feral Cye, smiling as he said, "So, you have found me again Cyprus. Well, I must applaud you. I thought you would never find your way here, to my home. Still, it seems you have chosen a bad time to attack. With your common sense lost, and your body under the control of feral instincts, you are in no state to do anything to me."

Cye growled before lunging at Johannes. His claws ripped through the necromancer, but it was just a mindless dummy Johannes had sent out to greet Cye. The wolf growled, his hands gripping around the tuxedo before he let out a long, mournful howl. The guards began to run back to their posts, a command coming through their radios that they were to leave the wolf, and pretend he wasn't there.

With the courtyard empty, Cye began to look around. He had told Sly and the other that when he saw the moon, he became a mindless killer. His body was in the control of some dark, demon creature that sought only to cause death, and destruction. He wanted to kill, and he was looking over in the direction of Sly, Blain, and Rachel.

Before the trio could duck back into cover, Cye had noticed them. He howled, and began to charge at them, running on all fours like a common beast. Sly, Blain, and Rachel first tried to flee from Cye, but he was moving to fast. Sooner or later, he would catch them. Realizing this, Blain stopped in his tracks. He raised his hand, the mystical sword Half-Breed appearing in his hand.

Cye was soon on top of the panther mystic. He was slashing, the long claws on his hands trying to leave deep cuts in Blain's flesh. Blain managed to dodge or block all of Cye's attacks, but he was getting no chance to attack the cursed wolf. Then, out of no where, a sword came spinning up and struck Cye in the head. Cye backed of, holding his head as Blain watched the sword return to its master's hand. It was the sword Crossroad, and Rachel was already running up to help Blain fight of Cye.

As Blain and Rachel fought side by side, Sly pulled out his binocucom and gave Bentley a call. The turtle was soon trying to figure out a way for the trio to get off the manor ground and back to the safe house. After a few minutes, the best Bentley could do was redirect Murray to pick them up at the front gate. Bentley sighed, "I am sorry Sly, but it is the only place where there isn't any security right now. You will have to make a run for it."

Sly nodded his head, "Thanks Bent." Sly then called over to Blain and Rachel, and with a few final attacks from the pair of mystics the group began to make a run for the gate. They reached the center of the compound when the bones beneath the stone began to move. They soon shot up, forming a great fence all the way around the front courtyard. Blain, Sly, and Rachel slid to a stop as they looked at the two story high stone fence. They then looked up at the manor, and saw Johannes looking down at them from a balcony near the top of his castle.

Cye continued to charge at Sly, Blain, and Rachel. Rachel glanced back at the fence of bone and said, "I could break the spell animating these bones, but I would need some time."

Blain nodded his head, "Sly, do what you can to help Rachel. I will hold of our wolf friend."

Rachel nodded her head, pulling Sly off to one corner. She would need his help. She would have to go into a meditative state to break the fence's spell, and Sly would have to act as a body guard incase Cye decided to turn his attention away from Blain. Blain rushed forward, Half-Breed clutched tightly in his hand as he began to go against the blood thirty Cye. Blain knew the wolf was not himself, but that didn't change the fact Blain would have to do what he could to stop his rampage.

The battle raged between Blain and Cye for several minutes as Rachel tried to break down the fence. However, her efforts were proving fruitless. Every time she got close to making the fence collapse, Johannes would replenish the spell and send Rachel back to square one.

Blain, however, was not fairing very well against Cye. In the closed conditions, Blain had suffered several hits from the rampaging wolf. Still, none of them had been enough to slow Blain down. That was until Cye rushed forward, his teeth bared. Blain raised his sword to block the assault, but Cye bite down on Half-Breed. With his mouth around the blade Cye pulled it out of Blain's hands, and quickly sliced Blain across the chest. Blain had reacted quickly enough to keep Cye's claws from catching his flesh. However, his shirt was officially torn to shred. Blain glanced down, seeing the mystical symbol that connected him to the Shadow Walkers that had once ruled over a great city of magic.

Blain looked up at Cye, who was now circling him slowly. Blain then looked over at Rachel and Sly. For there sakes, he would have to do it.

Rachel's concentration was broken when she felt a huge surge of magic. She turned her head, and saw that Blain had reached through the tattered cloth that had been his shirt, and touch the mystical symbol on his chest. The symbol then began to glow, the snow around Blain swirling as he invoked its magic.

Blain began to grunt, a pain shooting through his body. The mystical symbol marked him as a Shadow Walker, but it also proved a last defense, a powerful back up plan should he be on the verge of losing an important fight, or his very life. The glow from the mystical symbol began to glow red, and it began to pulse in tune with Blain's heartbeat. Blain began to cringe, but kept the spell going as its effects started to become apparent.

Both Sly and Rachel looked in awe as Blain began to transform. His body began to change, the sound of bones cracking as he began to hunch over. His arms began to change in shape as he lowered down onto the ground, and stood on all fours. His light frame started to become more muscular as his shoulders changed, and his eyes quickly shifted into a cat's eyes, with a diamond shaped iris.

Before Sly and Rachel knew it, Blain had changed into what looked like a feral panther, a true animal. There were still some differences. The biggest difference was he was much larger then a normal panther. He was easily as tall as a house, and longer then a bus from nose to the tip of his tail. Also, on his shoulder was the mystical symbol that was unique to Shadow Walkers. The diagram that had helped him undergo his recent change. Otherwise, there was no way to tell that the creature that now growled, and challenged Cye was once Blain.

Blain and Cye circled each other, waiting for the other to make a move. After a few moments, Cye charged at Blain with his teeth and claws ready for the kill. Blain however quickly lifted up his paw, and swatted Cye away. Rachel was surprised when she noticed that Blain had not extended his claws. He was still fighting to stop Cye, not to kill him. That meant that even though Blain looked like a very large feral animal, he was still the same Blain on the inside.

Cye lunged at Blain, and yet again Blain just swatted Cye away like a fly. Still, Cye continued to attack Blain, each time getting a little closer before Blain could swat him away. Eventually, Cye got by Blain and was able to dig his teeth into Blain's back. Blain yowled with pain, and quickly reached back and grabbed Cye's leg in his own mouth. With a great pull, Blain ripped Cye away from his back and threw him onto the ground. He then pounced on Cye, pinning him down with a single paw. Cye struggled under Blain's weight, but before he could get free Blain bent down and knocked his head up against Cye's.

The force of the head butt was enough to knock Cye out, and to stop the fight. Sly and Rachel ran up the Blain, who was slowly backing of Cye as he turned to look at Sly and Rachel. Rachel ran up, and quickly wrapped her arms around Blain's head as she asked, "Are you all right?"

Blain chuckled a bit, his voice much deeper, "I am fine."

Sly walked up, trailing a few steps behind Rachel, "You can still talk."

Blain waited for Rachel to release his head before he nodded back to Sly, "Yes, but I will explain more later. Right now, we need to be taking our leave."

Rachel glanced down at Cye, "What about him?"

Blain looked back, and sighed, "We better bring him along to. If we wish to get a hold of Carmelita's Diamond of Emotion, we have to work with him. Otherwise, I fear we will never be able to steal the jewel."

Sly and Rachel nodded their heads. Blain laid down, allowing Sly and Rachel to lay Cye across his back before he had them climb up. Blain then turned, and began to run at the fence. With a single great leap, he went over top of the fence and out the front gate. He paused a second, letting Sly and Rachel get in the van with Murray before they all began to head back to the safe house.

Johannes watched them disappear into the forest, a smile on his face, "Very interesting. I wonder what brings such a powerful mystic to my home. After all, it takes someone with true power to change into such a huge beast and still retain his more civilized mind. I shall need to keep my eye out for that mystic again. For, I am sure that he and those two other, the lioness and raccoon, will be coming around my manor again."

Johannes then turned, walking off the balcony and back into his manor. In another part of the forest, the Cooper Gang van was pulling up to the log cabin that served as the gang's safe house. Sly, Rachel, and Murray were hopping out of the van as Bentley and Sadie came running out of the cabin. They then froze when they saw Blain, looking at him as he gently slid the still unconscious Cye off his back. Bentley then looked at Sly and asked, "What happened?"

Sly smiled weakly, "Well, lets just say that Johannes knows were here now."

Bentley groaned, rubbing his eyes, "You know what, you can explain when were back in the cabin. Come on; let's get out of the cold."

The gang quickly began to walk into the cabin, all except for one. Blain walked up to the door, kneeling down so he could look through it. Even his head was too big to fit through the door at that point. Bentley and the others soon took a seat on the couch, and listened as Sly and Rachel explained what happened. After they finished, Bentley looked over the back of the chair at Blain, who was still watching them from outside, and asked, "So, why haven't you change back to normal yet?"

Blain looked over at Bentley and said, "I would if I could, but the spell is on a time release system. If will last as long as it does."

"Well then, how long does it last?" Bentley asked as he began to get agitated.

Blain smiled weakly, "A week, ten days at max."

Bentley's eyes widened, "WHAT? TEN DAYS? How are we supposed to do this heist when you are going to be like that for TEN DAYS?"

Blain's gaze quickly shifted to a glare, "Well I am sorry for inconveniencing you Bentley. Maybe you would have preferred I tried to fight Cye off with my bare hands once I lost-Half-Breed. Then, I would have been killed, Sly and Rachel would have been badly injured, and you would be lucky to ever see any of us alive again."

With that, Blain stood up and walked around to the side of the cabin. Bentley gulped, looking around the room. He met several angry glares from the others. He quickly raised his hands, shaking them as he said, "Don't look at me like that. I didn't mean to offend him. I was just stating the obvious."

Sly sighed, "Bentley, we understand. Still, you were being a little hard of Blain. He did transform to try and protect himself, not to mention me and Rachel."

Bentley groaned, realizing how ghastly he had just sounded. Rachel stood up, gently patting the Bentley on the shoulder, "Don't worry Bentley, I'll go talk to him. Still, I would be thinking of a way to apologize to him mister loud mouth."

Bentley nodded his head, watching Rachel step out the door before he groaned, hanging his head between his knees. Sly and Murray laughed at Bentley's dramatics while Sadie smiled, shaking her head, "Speaking without thinking is like shooting a gun without aiming. Something always goes wrong."

Rachel stepped out into the snow, shivering a bit since she had forgotten to grab her coat. Still, she decided she could live a few minutes with out it. She walked around the side of the cabin, following Blain's large paw prints until she found him. He had lain down near the left side of the house. He had stretched out, his head resting on his front paws as his tail swung back and forth behind him.

Rachel walked around Blain, her voice comforting as she said, "Blain, are you all right?"

Blain looked at Rachel out of the corner of his eye, "Yeah, I'm fine. I just am not in the mood to get yelled at by Bentley."

Rachel walked in front of Blain's face, putting her hands on her hips as she leaned forward, "Well, you did kind of lash out at him to."

"So, you are taking his side?"

Rachel shook her head, "No, just calling a spade a spade, nothing more."

Blain lifted his head a bit, "All right, we both were acting stupid. Are you happy now?"

Rachel stood up straight, "Yes, I am, but I would be even happier if you went back and told Bentley you were sorry. I know for a fact that if you do that, he will apologize for sounding so ungrateful."

Blain rolled his eyes, "Yes mother."

Rachel shook her head, "Well, someone has to keep you in check."

Blain lowered his head, bring it close to Rachel's as he said, "Oh, really. So you think you can keep me in check, even like this."

"With one hand tied behind my back."

Blain smiled, gently using his nose to push Rachel over. She landed in the snow, her fur becoming covered in the white fluff. She glared up at Blain, who was grinning from ear to ear as he began to walk back towards the front door. Before he could get too far, Rachel cast a quick spell and lifted up the snow from several trees. Then, with a soft plop she buried Blain under a mountain of snow. Blain broke his head free of the snow, shaking it as he said, "I guess I deserve that."

Rachel nodded her head, brushing the snow off her fur as she walked by, "Yes, you did. Now, let's go talk to Bentley. Then, I'll use my magic to make you an igloo or something. That should be enough a shelter, at least for tonight."

Blain nodded his head, freeing himself from the pile of snow as he followed Rachel back to the front door. After he and Bentley exchanged apologies, Rachel quickly used her magic to form a large igloo a few feet away from the cabin. She cut down several trees in the forest, and used them to make a floor inside the igloo so Blain would not have to sleep on the cold hard ground.

Back in the cabin, Cye was beginning to come around. With Murray's help, Bentley had secured the many chains that Cye wore around his neck, ankles, and wrists to the wall. Cye shook his head, looking around as he said, "What happened."

Bentley looked over from his seat on the couch, "You blew our heist, and then tried to kill Blain, Sly, and Rachel. It took Blain transforming into a huge, feral, panther to stop you. He knocked you out by literally butting his head against yours."

Cye groaned a bit, "I guess that is why my head hurts so much."

Bentley sighed, "Do you want me to let you down?"

Cye shook his head, "Not until morning. Then, I can be sure I won't try to attack anyone. At least not until tomorrow night." Bentley nodded his head, and soon everyone headed to bed. Cye hung his head, his eyes drooping. It would not be the first time he had fallen asleep chained to the wall. Still, it was the only way to make sure. That is why he had made the chains. It was so he could be stopped, could be contained, could be restrained when he became a grizzly beast.