Prelude – When Worlds Collide

The battle for Haven had been a long and bloody one. Jak staggered back as another Stinger scored a hit, stabbing him in the calf. He growled and kicked out, taking out the Stinger and stealing the Dark Eco that ran through its veins. The hairs on his neck rose, and he ducked as Metal Kor's massive claw cleaved through the air a hairsbreadth above his head. Daxter yelled out and dug his claws in Jak's shoulder. The hero rolled himself forward and broke into a run, putting distance between him and the Metal Head Leader. He cursed as Kor roared out. His gun had fallen into the chasm in the middle of the chamber when Kor came crashing down, leaving him weaponless and vulnerable to the colossal Metal Head. He had used the last of the ammo strewn about the cavern as crude grenades, but now they were all gone.

"JAK!" Daxter yelled as Kor swiped at them again. "What are we gonna do!? That Metal Menace is gonna make us inta Ottsel-Elf Stew at this rate! You gotta do something, buddy!" Jak grit his teeth as his mind went into overdrive. Daxter was right; he couldn't keep dodging. He was already exhausted, and the adrenaline rushing through his veins wouldn't last much longer. He saw more Stingers come rushing at him, and he knew what to do. "Daxter, go find shelter."

Daxter opened his mouth to argue and stopped at the look in Jak's eye. He gulped and nodded before leaping to the ground and scampering towards the wall. "You better not get yourself killed, Jak, or I'll never forgive you!" He yelled over his shoulder as he climbed up the wall and out of the tiny Metal Heads' reach.

Jak smirked and started running towards the Stingers. He took them out quickly, absorbing their Dark Eco as he went. Kor stopped and fired shots of energy after him. One clipped his shoulder before exploding on the ground. Jak fell clutching his arm as fire burst through his veins. He was down only a second before getting up and running again. 'Only a few more…' One scored a sting on his chest, and another one his leg. Finally, he felt the unpleasant tingle down his spine that signaled that he had enough eco to transform. He heard a menacing growl in his head and smiled darkly. He and his demon agreed: Kor must die. He turned and leapt across the pit in the middle, putting him across from Kor and his Stingers. He crouched down and concentrated. He drew the eco into a ball in his belly. It sat for a second, and then exploded through his veins. His skin tightened painfully and turned a dead, ashy gray; he clenched his fists until his claws ripped through his fingertips and dug into his flesh. He flexed them, extending them to an extraordinary length. He felt horns tear through his skull, and his eyes burned as eco flooded them and turned every bit black as pits. Even his hair was alight with pain as it aged and changed to a pale purple. A yell ripped through his throat, and eco burned under his skin as the demon took control.

'Get bigger.' Jak told it. The demon growled and crouched, and then pain tore up and down his nerves. His bones split and shredded his muscles before reforming. His skin stretched to its limits, turning white. Eco spread and crackled around him as Jak tripled in size. With another yell, the demon opened his eyes and growled as he faced Kor. He wasted no time for taunts. Dark Jak charged Kor with a yell, lashing out with his claws and slashing Kor's chest. Kor groaned and countered with a gut-wrenching punch. Dark Jak slid back, but he came back instantly, his claws a whirlwind tearing through Kor's flesh like butter. It didn't take more than a minute for Kor to go down.

He wasn't out though. He wouldn't survive this encounter, he knew, but he would make sure the boy would not either. "You may have won this one, boy." He said as he picked himself up. He stealthily sent eco into the gate, changing it. The metal groaned, but it was hidden by the demonic shriek of victory as Dark Jak plunged his huge claws into Kor's torso, ripping through his vital organs. Kor pushed the last of his eco into the gate before he fell to the ground. He was dead before his head touched dirt. Dark Jak roared again in triumph and stomped the ground. The wave of Dark Eco from his foot killed all of the Stingers. The demon relinquished control to Jak. The transformation back wasn't painful. Jak figured that the demon took all the pain as he found himself clutching his face. He stood up and glared at Kor's body. 'He was a fraud the whole time. I can't believe I ever trusted him…'

"Jak? Buddy? You okay?" Daxter had climbed onto his shoulder and was waving his paw in front of his eyes. Jak blinked and smiled. "Yeah, I'm okay, Dax. It's over. We won." Daxter laughed.

"Yeah, you really did a number on him, huh, Jak? Or was that Dark Jak?" Daxter said as he looked over Kor's body. Jak smiled and reached up to scratch Daxter's ear, an action that always calmed him down, ever since Daxter fell in the Dark Eco vat and turned into an ottsel. Daxter seemed to like it too, from the reaction he always got. Jak moved over to the rockslide and sat down on a rock to wait for the others.

"I think it was both of us, Dax." He said as he leaned back. "For once, we agreed on something."

FLASH! BOOM!

Link leapt back as lightning struck the tree next to him. He landed on his butt and gaped at the fire consuming the tree. Navi flew out from under his hat and hovered in front of his face. "Hey! Link, are you okay? That was close!"

Link nodded slowly, his eyes never leaving the tree. Navi flitted around his face in annoyance. "Link! We don't have time to watch a tree burn! We have to get to Princess Zelda! Link!"

"I know we have to hurry, Navi. I just feel like something isn't right." The little fae flitted in worry. It wasn't often that Link spoke, and when he did, it was serious. "Well," She said, "whatever it is will have to wait. Come on Link."

The boy nodded and got to his feet. He set out at a steady jog, heading towards the city walls in the distance. Lightning flashed above his head once more as rain began to fall. Navi fled under his hat; she hated the rain. He ran faster, not being fond of wet clothes himself. It took a few hours to reach the drawbridge. Link stopped a little ways, breathing hard from his run. He stared at the closed drawbridge with an uneasy expression. The feeling of something out of place returned ten fold. He said nothing as he slowly moved closer. Suddenly, the bridge started to move. Link could hear the sounds of battle within the city. He drew closer as Navi flew out again. The bray of a horse stopped any words she might have had.

Link stepped back as a white mare raced past, leaping off the bridge and flying past him at breakneck speed. He glimpsed Zelda and her bodyguard, Impa, on the horse. Zelda looked back at him and threw something. Impa heeled the horse, causing it to move faster into the oncoming night. Link stared after them for a moment, his mouth open in shock. He had seen this, heard this, lived it in his dreams. When he heard a snort behind him and turned, Link knew what he would see.

It still wasn't enough to stifle the sheer terror in his heart.

The stallion reared and stomped, but the man riding him remained unfazed. "Tell me, boy, have you seen a woman with a young girl come riding past here?"

The man's—Ganondorf's—gaze froze Link in place. After a second of eternity, he gulped and slowly shook his head. Ganondorf sneered at him. "Are you telling tales, boy?"

Link stood slowly, drew his small sword, and shook his head again. The Kokiri Sword looked like a kitchen knife compared to Ganondorf's blade, but it was all he had. Ganondorf laughed. It sounded cold and evil. "Do you think to attack me, boy?" He said as he charged a shot of pure energy. He aimed it at Link's head. Suddenly, he turned his arm and the energy bolt shot into the sky. Link froze again, his courage deserting him in the wake of such power. "You're lucky I'm in a good mood, boy. Hiyah!"

The horse reared again and bolted into the night. Link stared after it for a long while. Navi landed on his shoulder. "Link?" She said. "Are you okay?"

"No, Navi. I'm not okay. We still have a mission to complete, though. Did you see where Zelda threw that thing?"

Navi took to the air again. "I think it landed in the moat." Link nodded and walked towards the moat. It was usually clear, fed from the Zora's River in the east. Now, it was a murky, reddish color. Link felt his stomach turn at the sight. He saw something glitter in the murk. Link steeled himself and dove in, quickly grabbing the object and climbing out. He shook himself off and sat down on the grass. "What is it?" Navi asked.

Link took out the item slowly. Navi gasped as the cloth fell away. "It's-It's an Ocarina. The royal family's Ocarina! The Ocarina of Time!"

Link blinked and looked at the ocarina in his hand. He turned it over and saw a tiny Triforce carved into the instrument. He took out Saria's ocarina and compared the two. The Ocarina of Time was nearly twice the size of Saria's. It was also blue instead of a light green. "Sorry Saria." Link said quietly. "I don't think I can use this anymore." He put Saria's ocarina away and blew a few notes on his new instrument. They sounded clean and pure, with a mysterious air to them.

"There's a lot of magic in that Ocarina, Link. You shouldn't play it lightly; who knows what could happen?" Navi said, flying in front Link's face. Link nodded and put the ocarina away. He walked towards the drawbridge, drawing his sword as he went. Link wasn't sure exactly what he would face inside, but he would be prepared.

It wasn't long before the others arrived with the Rift Rider. Jak had managed to free his younger self and was checking him over for injury. The young boy was fine, if a little shaken up. He found his way over to the Precursor Stone and touched it, freeing the Precursor inside. It made a speech of sorts, and then touched Jak himself, planting a seed of Light Eco within him. Jak immediately felt the difference. The anger, hatred, and depression that had been ruling his life since his time in prison lifted, leaving Jak feeling light and free. He smiled his first real smile in a long time. Samos and his time twin set up the Rift Rider. Keira checked the Rider over one last time, giving it a thumbs up and stepping back. "Ready to ride, Daddy!"

The older Samos nodded. The younger set of time twins clambered into the Rift Rider. Jak sighed in relief; this adventure was finally ending. Now he could relax…

"AAHH! Jak, do something!" Jak's eyes snapped open at Keira's scream. A jagged bolt of energy struck the ground next to him. Jak dived away and glared at the Rift. It was acting wildly, sending energy bolts all over the chamber. The Rift Rider rose unsteadily up, readying itself to enter the wild gate. Jak ran for it, grabbing hold and climbing in. Daxter gripped his hair, determined to stay with Jak. "Use the Heart of Mar, Jak! It should stabilize the Rift Gate and send the Rift Rider on its way!"

Jak nodded at Keira and slammed his fist into the Heart of Mar. The Rider shuddered as a beam of energy shot out from it. The beam hit the Rift with a crash of thunder. The chamber shook ominously as more bolts from the Rift struck the ceiling. "Jak! We gotta get outta here!" Daxter yelled through the rumbling. Jak scowled and shook his head. "I can't, Dax! I have to do something!"

Suddenly, everything seemed to stop. The Rift Gate returned to normal. The chamber stopped shaking. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief. Jak sat back for a moment before he remembered where he was. "Come on Dax, let's go. Everything should be—No, Kid, don't!"

The Kid's hand was poised above the Heart of Mar, about to hit it. Jak and Samos reached out to stop him, but they were too late. Young Jak pushed the gem in and set the Rider rocketing through the Gate. Jak and Daxter were pushed back from the force. As they rode through, the energy around them shifted and changed, turning red, then blue, then green and yellow. Jak pulled himself forward. "Dax, we gotta jump!"

"WHAT!? Jak, are you crazy!?"

"Dax, we can't go back to Sandover! You don't remember a talking ottsel, do you?"

"But Jak—"

Daxter didn't get a chance to finish. The Rift Rider shuddered and tipped, threatening to send its passengers overboard. Young Jak panicked and tried to grab hold of the bar, but he was too slow. As he tumbled out of the Rider, Jak caught hold of him and pulled him back in. Pain exploded behind his eyes as the time twins touched. Memories that were his but weren't his passed behind his lids at a lightning pace. Haven City without the giant Palace; a great fire; Kor in his old man form, reaching out with a hand; a stern man with softened violet eyes putting something around his neck before disappearing…

Jak wrenched his hand away from his younger self. Dazed, he overbalanced and fell out of the Rider.

"JAK!" Daxter cried. The Ottsel gathered himself and leapt, barely managed to snag his paw in Jak's hair. He pulled himself in and held on tight as the Rift Rider disappeared in a flash of white light. The sides of the tunnel changed colors, going from bluish white to a yellowy-green.

The town was quiet. 'Too quiet.' Link thought darkly. Windows were boarded up, and at least one shop was a burned out husk. Link saw a bright curtain flash back and forward. "Where is everybody, Link? The market's usually so busy right now…"

"Something big happened today, Navi. Something bad. The guards wouldn't have let the citizens out so soon. We should find one and ask what happened."

Link searched long and hard for a guard. He checked the empty shops and streets. One of the alleys was barricaded, and he wasn't able to get through. He stood back and frowned. Navi flew up high. "I don't see anyone, Link. Maybe we should go to the castle. Someone there ought to know what happened here."

But the castle didn't give any clues either. The few guards around admitted to not knowing anything, as they had been posted in a remote section of the castle until that day. Even the money-hungry gate guard had nothing to say. He was pasty and scared, and muttered gibberish when Link talked to him. The medic with him told Link that he had suffered major psychological trauma. Link wasn't sure what that was, but he knew it meant he would get no information from the crazy guard.

Link stopped in the marketplace and looked around again. Even the pack of dogs that usually roamed the area at this hour was gone. Link frowned again, an unpleasant shiver running down his spine down into his toes. Suddenly, a wooden CRASH echoed from the alley. Link jumped back and drew his sword, looking around wildly. After a moment, he calmed down, sheathing his sword and walking slowly towards the alley. He didn't get far when a bloody guard dragged himself from the rubble. The man stopped and coughed, groaning from pain. Link ran and kneeled down next to him. He looked up at Navi questioningly. Navi said, "We only have a little Moo-Moo Milk, Link."

Link nodded and rummaged quickly through his pack. He found the bottle and poured the remaining milk in the man's mouth, stroking his throat as he had learned from Malon. The guard swallowed and opened his eyes. "Who… are you?" He spotted Navi hovering around Link's head. "A… fairy? You must be the one." He paused and coughed, bright red blood dribbling from his mouth. He weakly wiped it away and continued.

"You must be the one the princess was waiting for. We tried to get her to leave, but… she wouldn't listen. She said she had to… give something to a boy from the forest." He paused again, gasping for breath. "Please, boy, if you are the one she was waiting for… Go to the Temple of Time. Whatever task the princess gave you… you must… complete… alone."

The guard grabbed Link's tunic and pulled him forward with surprising strength. He looked beseechingly into Link's eyes. Link stared back, horrified, as the light left his eyes and his grip slackened, letting him free. He stumbled back and fell on his rear, scrabbling even farther away. The guard's eyes were a bright, lively green, exactly like Saria's eyes. The sight of those eyes losing Din's fire would haunt him for the rest of his life. Link didn't know how long he sat like that, with a haunted, horrified look on his face. Navi snapped him out of it after an eternity, flying into his nose as hard as she could.

"Link! Come on, Link!" He shook his head vigorously, trying to get those horrible images out of his head. Finally, he got to his feet and walked towards the guard again. He looked away as he closed the guard's eyes, trying not to think about Saria or death. "May the Goddesses watch over his spirit and judge him fairly." He intoned. Malon had taught this simple rite to him after he had asked her how to honor the dead; it was the only one he knew.

"Come on, Link." Navi said after a moment. "We should honor his last wish."

Link nodded distractedly. He turned and started towards the temple, breaking into a run after he left the alley. He denied to himself that he was running away. He had stared ghosts in the eye and killed ReDeads; he couldn't be running away from a dead body. Still, a voice in his head whispered…

He reached the Temple in record time. It was untouched by the devastation in the rest of the city. Link shivered at the difference. Again, that feeling of something not being right cropped up, more intense than ever before. Something was going to happen, Link was sure of it. He opened the door slowly, wary of any threats that might be inside. It was empty. Link made his way to the altar and stopped. He took out the three Spiritual Gems and placed them in the slots. Nothing happened. Link frowned. Navi hovered close to the altar. She read aloud,

"Ye who owns 3 Spiritual Stone

Stand with the Ocarina of Time

And play the Song of Time…

"What's the Song of Time?" Link shrugged in reply. He took out the Ocarina of Time; maybe it would hold a clue.

"Link… Can you hear me? It's me, Zelda."

Link jumped and whirled around. No one was there, and yet he heard Zelda's voice. 'She must have set a delayed message in the Ocarina.'

"Link, when you hold this Ocarina in your hand, I won't be around anymore. I wanted to wait for you, but I couldn't delay any longer. At least I could leave you the Ocarina and this melody…"

A haunting melody floated through the air. Link could see ghostly fingers moving over the holes of the Ocarina. He memorized them quietly, moving his fingers over the holes.

"This song opens the Door of Time. Now, Link. Play this melody in front of the altar in the Temple of Time. You must protect the Triforce!"

Link nodded and turned to face the altar. "Link," Navi said, "Are you sure you should do this? This doesn't seem right." He looked at her seriously. He knew that Zelda knew what she was doing, and he would trust her. He set the Ocarina to his lips and began to play. The haunting melody seemed to echo repeatedly as Link played. The echoes crescendoed as he finished. A rumble came from behind him. Link turned and saw the Door of Time open, revealing a long stone passageway. He ventured inside uneasily, quickly making his way to the room at the end. A single window, high above Link's head, let the full moon's light shine down, illuminating the room. Navi shot forward, gasping.

"Link, isn't that…? It is! It's the Legendary Master Sword!"

Link ran over. He took in a quick breath in awe. The Master Sword. Even the Kokiri knew of it; Kokiri legend said that the Kokiri Sword was a brother blade to the Master Sword, made by the same smith from the same metal, and given a tiny portion of the Master Sword's power. Link took out the blade and compared the two. He could see the similarities in design. Navi hovered around the Master Sword. "Link? Do you think Zelda meant for you to take the Master Sword? I can't see any other reason for us to be here…"

"I think so, Navi." Link said as he sheathed the Kokiri Sword. He slowly walked up to the blade. He grasped the hilt in his hands, paused for a moment, and then drew the sword. Light erupted around the platform, shooting towards the ceiling. Link stood back and stared, his mouth open at the sight.

"Well, well, well, look at this."

Link whirled, the Master Sword falling to the floor. Ganondorf stood in the mouth of the passage. "I knew you were important, boy. I knew if I followed you, you would lead me to what I sought: the Sacred Realm, and its treasure, the Triforce!" Ganondorf laughed maniacally, striding forward. Link took a step back.

"Now, nothing can stop me! I, Ganondorf, will rule the world!"

Link took another step back and tripped over the rise where the Master Sword had been kept. He tumbled backwards into the bright wave of light. Suddenly, everything changed. He was no longer in the Temple, no longer in Hyrule. Link was flying through an amazing tunnel of light and sound. And he was alone. The last thing Link saw before he passed out was a blurb of blue and orange.

"JAK! Something's wrong!" Daxter yelled, fear making his voice shrill. Jak winced and yelled back, "I know Dax! Kor must have done something to the Rift Gate!"

Images began to fly past. A volcano, an endless forest, and three golden triangles that glowed with a holy light all flew by at the speed of sound. Jak memorized them all, sure that they would be important wherever he was going.

WHAM!

New memories flooded Jak's head. There was a giant tree with a regal presence. It was dying. Children dressed in green with glowing balls around them, children he felt he knew. Great, powerful, rock-like creatures that seemed to be starving; they had no rock to eat. A Brother? Fish-people, a sick God, a missing princess. A storm. He was standing in front of a drawbridge, waiting for… something. Suddenly, the drawbridge began to lower. Before it was completely flat, a white horse galloped down it, leaping the gap and flying past. There was a young girl and a tough woman on top. The girl seemed to know him, and he knew her. He turned, and there was a great black stallion with a fiery mane. An evil looking man smirked down at him, and Jak felt fear blossom in his heart. Who was this man? And why was he so scared?

"Hey! C'mon!"

Jak slowly opened his eyes and groaned. He closed them again. He had had the strangest dream… nightmare? It felt like both from the way his heart was pounding. He had no time to dwell on that, though. He had to get to the Metal Head nest and destroy Kor. Kor had the Kid, and he couldn't let the damn traitor do what he wanted with the heir to Haven City.

"Hello? How can Hyrule's destiny depend on such a lazy boy?" Hyrule? Where was that? He was in Haven… or was he?

Jak opened his eyes again. He sat up, blinked twice, then proceeded to faint and fall back as he took his new surroundings.

Author's Notes

And that wraps up the Prelude. This is an idea that sprung in my mind one day and refused to be left idle. I at first planned to write it with a friend of mine, but I felt that he wanted to take this story in a completely different direction, so I went on my own. If anyone who's played both games in question (Jak 2/3 and LoZ:OoT) would like to partner with me on this, I would greatly appreciate it, since this is meant to be a partner project.

If this tale goes well, I plan to write Link's side of things, as this will follow Jak on his travels through Hyrule. I don't plan to make this just a remake of the game with a different lead; while the childhood part may remain relatively the same, adulthood should take a decidedly different spin. I am also aware that I have changed key events in both games. This is on purpose; this is an AU fic, and I will change scenes as I see fit. I will stay true to game roots, though, at least until things start changing radically. Then, who knows. I just hope to get that far.

Be aware, readers, that I am a sporadic updater, as can be seen from my other fanfic. This is part of the reason I'd like a partner. Someone to keep me interested and kick my ass into typing would be truly awesome.

Please review with any mistakes you may see, criticisms, or just opinions on the story in general. I hope you enjoyed it.

End Notes