The world fell black as he felt a nauseating pain ripped through his shoulder and his body hit the hard ground.

"Jak! Hang on big guy, I'm comin' for ya!" the red headed elf yelled as he ran towards the larger elf. Jak opened his eyes weakly, his vision was blurry as he tried to pinpoint where Daxter's voice was coming from. His eyes squeezed shut as he felt the pain in his shoulder throb. "Jak! You gotta stay awake!" Daxter's voice rang in his ears.

"I—I can't, Dax." He thought. His breathing became shallower as he felt his slim friend stop and crouch beside him.

"C'mon Jak, you can't die on us now!" Daxter sounded frantic as he knelt beside his friend. A lurker snarled loudly and maliciously as it hobbled over to the two young elves. "Get up Jak!" Daxter shook Jak's torso as the monster closed the gap between them. The lurker grabbed the petite red head by the neck and lifted him off the ground. "Ja-" Daxter managed to gurgle. Jak stirred, his blue eyes opening slightly. Through the blur he saw the red headed elf being lifted off the ground.

"Daxter!" Jak thought weakly as he stumbled to stand. He got to his knees and fell slightly, catching himself on his hands. He pushed himself up with every ounce of strength he could gather. Daxter kicked at the large lurker as he struggled for air. Jak pushed himself to his feet and took a staggering step towards the lurker and his small friend. The lurker's large arm shot out at him and knocked him back off his feet. He landed with a hard thud and a grunt as the pain in his left shoulder flared up.

"Help me!" Daxter felt the life draining slowly from him as he struggled in the monsters grip. Jak's eyes shut as the pain increased in his shoulder. His world was enveloped in blackness.

"Get up my boy." A heavenly echo filled his mind. "Daxter is in danger." The green blonde elf's eyes slowly opened just as Daxter fell limp.

"Daxter!" he growled in his thoughts as he jumped up. His vision took on a new blur of anger as he charged at the large lurker, knocking it back slightly. The large beast growled as Jak stood protectively in front of his slender pal. His mouth twisted into a vicious snarl as the lurker strode back to its prey. The beast swung at Jak, hitting his already injured left shoulder and causing it more damage. The green blonde elf grunted from the pain as he saw blood begin to cover the wounded area. He cursed internally before jumping on the lurker, sending them both backwards and over the edge of the cliff. Both Jak and the creature landed with a large splash in the deep sea that surrounded the island where Sandover Village was located. Daxter woke up as his best friend and the monster landed in the water. His eyes widened as he saw no sign of Jak.

"Jak?! Where are ya buddy?!" he yelled frantically before clumsily running to the edge of the cliff. The water had slowly begun to calm as Daxter peered down at it, looking for his green blonde friend. "Jak." He said solemnly as there was no movement in the water. The red head pushed himself to his feet and headed back to the Green Sage's hut with a heavy heart.

"Hey Daxter! What's wrong? Where's Jak?" Keira greeted Daxter with her natural bubbly tone.

"He-" the slim elf looked down at his sandal clad feet and kicked a small stone.

"He what? What happened Daxter?" Keira's voice became less bubbly. The red head sniffled.

"That ol' lurker took 'em both over the edge." He looked up, his blue eyes rimmed with tears. "I think Jak's dead, babe." A tear slid from one of his eyes. Keira's mouth gaped in shock as Daxter spoke.

"We have to go back! Maybe he crawled out!" her voice was shrill and hopeful. Daxter shook his head.

"It's no use; he sunk right to the bottom." Daxter sniffled. "I—I didn't see any sign of 'm." Keira went back to her workshop and sat on a stool.

"You mean he's really gone Dax?" her eyes had become glossy with sorrow. Daxter nodded before turning away.

"I think Imma go home." Daxter sighed, kicking another rock before leaving the hut. As he left he heard Keira's soft sobs. His sight was blurred from the tears in his own eyes as he found his way to the abandoned hut he called home. He crawled into the makeshift bed he had created out of old blankets from Jak and lay there wide awake and deep in thought over the loss of his best pal.

Jak's limp body washed up on the shore of Sentinel Beach. He felt the grainy sensation of the cool sand on his exposed skin and the waves of the tide lick the lower half of his legs as he came to. He coughed as he gasped for air. Pushing himself on to his back, he sat up weakly, using his elbows as support. It was dark and the beach was quite aside from the waves hitting the sand and rocks littered around. "How did I get here?" Jak wondered, slightly confused on how he had gotten from the far edge of the Forbidden Jungle to Sentinel Beach. With the little strength he had, Jak pulled himself out of the way of the rising tide. He collapsed and fell into a deep slumber not long after.

"Rest now my boy, you'll be safe by morning." An angelic white glow shone on him briefly before fading away forever.

"Stupid lurkers, what're they even doin' here?" Daxter paced back and forth in his hut. He kicked an old pail out of anger. "Ow! Ow! Ow! Bad idea!" he grabbed his foot and hopped around in pain. After the pain subsided, he slumped onto the floor and sighed sadly. "Stupid weakling, if it weren't for me Jak'd be alive still." He pulled his knees up, crossed his arms over them and rested his chin on top. Tears dripped silently from his eyes as he sat thinking about his best friend. The small red headed elf sat unmoving for twenty minutes, thinking of how the day could have turned out differently if he wasn't so weak. A light tap on the rickety door of his hut pulled him out of his deep thought. "Go away, 'm busy." He mumbled. Another soft tap replied. He groaned as he pulled himself up and opened the door. "Whaddya—JAK!" his eyes widen as he tackled Jak in a large hug, sending them both backwards onto the ground. Jak cringed as a pain shot through his shoulder. He'd forgotten about the injury. Jak smiled and placed his uninjured arm around his small pal.

"Jak? You're alive!"A familiar voice hit both their ears. A light blush spread across Daxter's face as he noticed Keira staring at the two boys, he pushed himself off of Jak and stood awkwardly beside the larger elf who was still laying on the ground with a large grin on his face.

"Hey baby, look who's alive!" Daxter laughed, covering up the awkward moment. Jak pushed himself up with his uninjured arm and wrapped it around Keira in a light embrace. She slapped him lightly after he let go.

"You idiot, why did you do that?" her voice was slightly filled with hurt. Jak frowned slightly as if apologizing.

"Im sorry Keira, both of you I didn't mean to make you panic." He thought as he looked from one best friend to the other.

"S'okay pal, you're alive! That's all that matters!" Daxter said happily. Keira looked at Jak's left shoulder and gasped.

"Jak, you're injured pretty bad, come on, Daddy will fix you up." She took Jak's right hand and pulled him along passed Daxter. As he passed his slim friend, he grabbed the red head's hand with his free hand and pulled him along as well.

"Woah!" the red head exclaimed.

"There you are Jak, healed it up the best I could." The old sage said.

"That's one big scar pal, a real conversation starter." Daxter remarked as he ran his fingers over the large scar on Jak's shoulder. Jak's skin became freckled with goose bumps as his friends fingers grazed gently over his scar. He laughed silently and nodded, ignoring the chill that raced through him. Keira stumbled into her father's hut with a metal plate.

"Here, I made this to cover your shoulder." She smiled as she placed the plate over the scar and tied it in place. Jak looked at the metal plate and smiled appreciatively.

"Where to now Jak?" the red head looked into his best friends deep, innocent blues with a desire for adventure. Jak shrugged.

"No more adventuring for now." Samos said looking disapprovingly at the slender elf. Daxter groaned.

"S'not fair ol' green!" he slumped back in the wooden chair he'd been sitting in. Jak looked at his pouting red headed friend and laughed silently. "What's so funny big guy?" Daxter asked. Jak shrugged with a smile.

"If you boys are done here, I would appreciate your absences." The green sage said before continuing his meditation. The boys left the sages hut and Keira returned to her workshop.

"See you later you two!" she waved at them as they crossed the bridge, heading back to the main village.

And so the boys continued on with their adventures and ignoring the sages wise words.