Turning of the Wheel
A Jak and Daxter fanfic
By PhantomChajo
(A/N pt 1: I own nothing but those characters you don't recognize. Everyone else belongs to Naughty Dog, Inc. And to all those wonderful authors out there in this fandom, if it wasn't for you guys I doubt I'd have been bitten as bad or as hard as I have by those bloody-damned demanding muses! Thanks guys! *Snerks* :P
P.S.… any notes on the chapter will be stuck at the bottom. And I tend to be very slow about posting, just look at my other stuff that's not complete yet!)
35 years before the founding of Haven City….
In a tiny remote village far to the north and west of Sandover Village, the wails of a newborn echoed off the walls of the simple hut. Once the child was cleaned up, it was then presented to the village wise-man to decide the child's fate. The wise-man took the child carefully, looking it over before handing it back to the midwife so that she could return the newborn to its mother. After the child was returned to the mother, the father kissed her temple then stood up and joined the waiting wise-man. The two men slowly walked through the village towards the wise-man's hut.
After entering the hut, the young father sat respectfully across from the village wise-man. "Tell me, o wise one, what is the fate of my son?"
The old man pondered how to put into words what he had seen. "I both fear and rejoice for your son Myrik. He will face many challenges and hardships. He will be put down and insulted, he will be called many things that would break a weaker soul, yet I foresee that he will survive and even be elevated to a higher being. Though he will play the fool for those close to him there will be none more loyal then your son. He will have a hand in shaping the world one day," the wise-man said then softly chuckled, "even if it is just to stir things up because he is bored."
Myrik shook his head then looked up through the smoke hole at the center of the hut. "So shall I mourn now for my child so that I may celebrate his triumphs later?"
The old man smiled then reached out and patted the young man on the shoulder. "Mourn when the time is right, for now; rejoice that your first born is a son. And speaking of that, what do you plan having him named so that I may start on the preparations for his introduction to the rest of our people?"
The young man grinned, reaching up to run a hand through bright fire red and gold hair. "I wish to honor my grandfather. I wish to name him Daxter."
The wise-man let out a laugh. "Eh, so should I worry that my grandson will be just as much trouble for you as I was for my father?" asked Daxter. Though blind, his milky white eyes unerringly found his grandson's eyes then crinkled up at the corners as he grinned impishly.
"I do not doubt it Grandfather."
32 years before the founding of Haven City….
Mayor Manac looked the bedraggled young man with the dull fire red and gold hair over once more. He didn't like the appearance of the young man. In his opinion letting ruffians into the village was tantamount to the place going to the lurkers. His eyes shifted though of their own accord to the tiny child nestled in the older man's arms. Hair just as red though the roots were more orange then gold. Bright blue inquisitive eyes stared back at the Mayor. Bringing a hand up to scratch at his forehead he let out a sigh. "Fine, you can stay. But you had better pull your weight around the village, you hear me?"
The unkempt young man bowed his head. "Yes sir, I will."
The mayor harrumphed before waving a hand in the direction of one of the villager's huts. "Mrs. Perch has graciously offered her home for you to stay in until you can build your own."
"Thank you sir," Myrik responded.
"Come now dear," Mrs. Perch, who was often called the Bird Lady for her avian passion, gently guided Myrik out of Mayor Manac's home. "You both look like you could use a good hot meal and a nice soft place to rest. What's the little one's name dear?"
A gentle smile ghosted across the young man's face as he looked down at his son who was nestled in his arms. "His name is Daxter."
"Daxter? What an unusual name," Mrs. Perch replied.
"He was named after my grandfather. He was a good man and a great wise-man of our village." His gentle smile turned sad once more. "When our village was over-run by lurker beasts, he was one of the first to fall. His sacrifice allowed our warriors time to rally the village defenses so that everyone could escape."
"Oh dear… I'm so sorry…"
Myrik shook his head, "Please, do not apologize Mrs. Perch, you did not know. I am grateful, for without that sacrifice, neither myself nor my son would have made it this far."
The bird lady eyed the tired young man skeptically but shrugged her shoulders. "Well you only have a little farther to go before you can rest." She patted him on the arm once more and continued on to her home.
30 years before the founding of Haven City…..
A rather nasty storm was raging over the small village of Sandover. That itself wasn't too unusual due to the location of the village. It was at the western tip of the peninsula while the forbidden jungle was to the east. No, what was unusual was that an older man with two very young children and a crocadog had arrived in the middle of such a nasty storm. Both children, a green haired boy and a blue haired girl, were clutching the older man. They whimpered in fright every time lightning lit up the sky and thunder crashed over them, clinging that much harder.
They had arrived at the village, just as Samos's older time self had said they would, though the crotchety older man had failed to mention that they would arrive in the middle of fierce storm. His older time twin had also failed to mention that no one in the village would respond to his pounding on their doors as they sought shelter. 'Blasted old coot!' he thought to himself as he huddled under the eaves of the mayor's home, out of the icy cold water. There was just one more home to try before he ran out of options.
As lightning illuminated the area once more, Samos blinked then shook his head to try and clear the after image away. When lightning flashed again the figure was closer. He wasn't sure if he should meet the figure half way or not. The decision was taken from him as the figure made appeared next to him, under the eaves of the home.
"What are you doing out in this storm old one? With little ones no less!" the person asked, flipping back the hood from the rain cape they were wearing.
"Our… ship crashed ashore a ways up the coast. I had been told to go south to seek a village where we might find shelter and a place to stay," Samos said, telling just enough of the truth without revealing everything.
The young man nodded, not fully believing the old man, but he didn't have proof of the lie either. With a mental shrug, he dismissed it for later going over. "Since none of these cowardly lot will open the doors at night, much less in a storm you can stay with me and my son while it blows over," he offered, looking past the old man's shoulder to send a look at the mayor who was peeking out of a window at the group. The mayor quickly vanished from sight. "Give me the little ones, my rain cape should keep them from getting any more soaked then they are."
Samos was leery of giving over his daughter and the heir to the house of Mar, but his wisdom over ruled his distrust. "My name is Samos, I am a Green Eco sage. This little one is.. Jak," he said as he handed over the child Mar. "And this one, is my daughter Keira."
"I'm Myrik. I'll introduce you to my son Daxter when we arrive. Knowing the little imp he is awake and watching the storm from the loft," Myrik said with a chuckle as he flipped the hood up once more then accepted both children easily. Once both were covered by the cape he turned and watched the storm a moment. "Just follow that path," nodding towards the wooden bridges that spanned between the tip of the land, a rocky pillar and finally out to larger rocky outcropping, "Don't worry about slipping, I made sure to keep the wooden planks rough when I built the bridges."
Samos nodded. "Go then, I'll be there shortly."
Myrik nodded back then bounced lightly on his feet, then started a sing-song chant as he watched the shy a moment. As soon as lightning flashed, he dashed out into the storm. Chanting an old melody in hopes to calm the little ones, he made his way towards his isolated home. By the time he made it, the boy Jak, was trying to clap his hands in time to Myrik's chants wearing a huge grin on his face. The little girl, on the other hand was staring with huge eyes towards the way they came, searching no doubt for her father.
It wasn't long before Samos arrived at Myrik's home, knocking the mud off of his wooden stumps-like shoes and trying to rid himself of as much water as possible. When he finally looked around, he couldn't help but to stare, awe-struck as he walked fully into the home. He was standing at the heart of the sacred sight. It took several moments before he was able to compose himself again, lucky that Myrik was busy drying off the children and re-dressing them in warm dry clothes.
"Sorry, but I only have Daxter's spare clothes so your daughter will have to make due at the moment," Myrik said as he slipped the baggy tunic over the blue and green haired girls head. Jak was already dressed and exploring the home.
Samos nodded. "Don't worry, as long as they are both dry and warm the spare clothes will do fine. Once the storm has cleared up and daylight returned I'll see about talking to the Mayor about staying."
"You're welcome to stay here. All I ask in return is that if you teach your children, you include Daxter in those lessons and that if anything befalls me, you will be his guardian."
Thinking about it a moment, Samos nodded slowly. "That can be arranged. And speaking of the child, where is he?" he really hoped he wasn't going to be dealing with an ugly fuzzy tiny rat.
The young man laughed then stood up and glanced towards the loft. "He is up there, watching us." Stepping back he held out his arms. "Aren't you imp?" he called out, moments later catching a giggling child in his arms and swinging him about.
Said child giggled again and hugged his father's neck. Then turning he leaned back and waved to the other two children, "Hi! You gonna be my new friends? Huh? Huh? Please? We can have fun together and go swimming and exploring and.. and … you gonna be my friends?... who's that funny old man? Why's he green? He looks funny, why he has a big stick in his head?" He turned and stuck his tongue out at Samos, making a face then laughing squirmed out of his father's arms to meet up close with the other two.
"Eh… sorry, he's a …"
"Hyperactive.." Samos suggested with 'troublemaker' added to himself.
"Yeah, excitable. There are no other children here in the village he can play with so he's been lonely with only me and occasionally Mrs. Perch to play with." An apologetic shrug was offered as Myrik went about picking up the wet clothes and laying them along a rope strung out for just that purpose. His rain cape already draped over it near the door.
"I think that is a requirement for all children at one point or another. Don't worry about it too much; I'm sure he will settle down in time…"
In a little under a season, Samos was accepted as a valuable member of the village due to being a Green Eco sage. Keira and Jak were also accepted warmly into the village. It was disheartening to Myrik, who had been in the village for two years, to be considered an outsider still. While he learned to just ignore the words, his son hadn't learned quite yet how to. The sometimes malicious words of the adults cut the child to the bone, which would in turn cause Myrik to become defensive towards the others. It was especially difficult to keep a civil tongue when Samos was the one to utter hash words. Yes the man was a sage, but that did not give him the right to try and dictate how and what Myrik should worship or even that he taught his son the old ways as well.
The summer solstice was fast approaching when Myrik made his decision. He would leave the village, giving the sage the home he had built. He would take his son Daxter with him as they headed north and west to find the remaining survivors of his home village. But it was not to be.
Summer storms were known to arrive with little to no warning, lashing land and ocean alike with fierce winds and deadly lightning. It was during the early afternoon while Myrik was out to sea fishing that one such storm came into being. Before he could turn about and head for land the sudden gale force winds cause the mast to bend then break and shredded the sails in the process, leaving him to the mercy of the huge waves and strong currents.
When the storm had abated leaving the evening skies clear once more, the only trace of Myrik's boat was bites of sail and a broken mast. The villagers were more saddened by the loss of the boat then the loss of Myrik. They were also at a loss of what to do with his son, Daxter. Who now would take care of the impudent child? The only logical choice was Samos the Green Eco Sage.
For Daxter, life had just gone from enjoyable to barely tolerable under the same roof as Samos. He resented Samos, for in the thinking of a five year old, 'grandpa green' as he was not so kindly called, was the one responsible for his father vanishing and his life being made a living hell. It was only with Jak's constant friendship and support did he managed to survive to grow up.
20 years before the founding of Haven City…..
A sleigh like machine that a young blue-green haired girl called a rift rider sat before a large precursor warp gate. A young green-blonde haired boy with a red-orange ottsel perched on his shoulder stood to the other side, waiting. The trio climbed aboard, waiting on the final member of the group to join them. It was a few moments later that the grump, green-tinted eco sage also climbed in.
It was only a handful of minutes before the quartet and the rift rider gone, leaving behind a still active and open precursor warp gate. That open gate allowed the hoards of merciless killing beasts to descend upon the defenseless village of Sandover.
No one would know if there were any survivors for a very long time.
Year 0HC…..
Even though Haven City and its walls were completed before the fall of that year, it was agreed upon that a new calendar would not start until winter released its hold over the land and spring took its place. The man responsible for Haven City and its walls was a man named Mar. He never asked for the position of leader, but it was his none the less. He became the founder of a new legacy. The House of Mar.
A new start to go with a new year, and with it, the promise of hope for the future for in the spring of 0HC, the first heir of the House of Mar was born.
Year 3HC….
An old blind man was escorted through the western gates of Haven City by his son. The old man had faded red and gold hair, and had his eyes not been milky white, they would have been a shade of white blue sky. The son's eyes were more green-gold and his hair an orange-red color. When the guards at the gate asked their information, the son questioned why. It was explained that the information would go into the archives of the city incase anything happened. The old blind man simply nodded and provided the requested information.
"My name is Myrik, I am a…or was, the wise-man of our village before it was over-run. This is my son, Errol."
The gate guard logged the information then provided the pair with a layout of the city so they could find their way about. "The city council has openings, you may want to apply for one of the positions having been a village wise-man," the guard said.
"Thank you, I'll keep it in mind," Myrik replied as the pair walked away. It pained him to remember his first child Daxter, who would have been 38 years of age and most likely married with a child of his own. Had he survived what had befallen Sandover Village that is.
"Father?" Errol asked in concern to the melancholy sigh he heard from his father.
"Don't worry my son, just an old man remembering the past."
"Ah," Error nodded as he glanced around. "I wish I had met my elder brother."
"So do I my son, so do I."
In the year 534HC… Praxis was born to a Haven City noble family.
In the year 538HC… Samos was born to a family in a tiny village some distance from Haven City.
In the year 541HC… Veger, Half-brother of Praxis, was born to a Haven City upper middle class family.
In the year 542HC… Kleiver was born to a Wastelander woman in Spargus city.
In the year 543HC…. Damas, Heir to the House of Mar was born in Haven City.
In the year 562HC… Torn was born to a poor family from the slums of Haven City.
In the year 563HC… Erol was born to a middle class family in Haven City.
In the year 565HC… Sig was born to a Wastelander family in Spargus City.
In the year 569HC… Ashelin, daughter of Baron Praxis of Haven City, was born.
In the year 571HC… Tess was born to a merchant family in Haven City.
In the year 572HC… Deep in the forest north west of Haven City, a child was born with the markings of a high priestess of the Four-Fold Goddess. After much arguing, it was decided she would be named Tezcatapolic SmokingMirror. But to save everyone from a tongue twisting headache, she was simply called Tezcat.
In the year 583HC… A trio of Ottsels were born deep in the same forest north west of Haven City. First born was Ari, second born was Lany, last born was Valkryn.
In the year 586HC… Mar, Heir to the House of Mar, was born to King Damas of Haven City.
In the year 587HC… Keira, daughter to Samos the Green Eco Sage, was born in Haven City.
In the year 587HC… Many things changed in Haven City.
(A/N pt 2: This is obviously AU since Jak & Daxter: the Lost Frontier came out. From what I read that game is suppose to happen just a little bit after Jak 3 which throws Jak X Combat Racer out the timeline as well… unless that happened AFTER J&D:TLF….no clue. Don't have the game yet either.
I am not Anti-Samos, Anti-Keira… for some reason those two just annoy/irk me. While there should not be any Samos & Keira bashing in this story, I'm not exactly going to paint them in a good light either.
While I believe in Higher Powers That Be, I don't endorse any one religion over another. Just remember, Samos was born in the future and thus his religions viewpoints would have been much different than those of the past.
Yes, I am implying that Erol of the games is a very distant descendent/related to Daxter. Yes that Errol looks like the Game Erol (just minus the KG tattoos of course).
Timelines are of my creations, though if I appear to be using the same as another author, it's totally by unconscious chance. After all I did go through all 83+ pages of J&D fanfic before starting this!
If it happened in game, I'm skipping it for the most part. I do plan on using a few events here and there as needed though.
And yes, there is an OFC, but I'm gonna try my damnedest to for her to Not to be Mary-Sue-ish, nor do I have any plans on pairing her with Jak, Tork, Ash, Sig, Dax, Tess or anyone else for that matter. Same goes for the Terrible Trio of Ottsels.
Word count: 3250 (give or take)
Page count: 7