"Much has changed, Hero, since you last came," said Seem. Her voice was quieter and softer than before; it sounded softer than a whisper. She was thinner, her face was shallow, and her eyes looked dead. "The city has expanded in land and population," she coughed, "but there are some things the same," she paused and took a deep breath, "For intense," she stopped walking and waved her hand at the crowd, "our protection is still the same," she put her hands behind her back and started walking again. She didn't stop till she was at the edge of the beach, "The stadium will have a duel in a day or so. You and Orange Lightening must attend."
I smirked, "Will I need to compete?"
"No, Hero, you cannot. You are ruler, therefore there is no point when everyone knows you are the most powerful," she paused, "You may compete though if you are challenged by the winner of the duel, but that rarely happens," she bent forward and went into a fit of coughing. Her hand covered her mouth - I saw blood stain her gloves.
"Seem," I placed my hand on her back and bent forward so I could see her face, "Do I need to get you anywhere, or go get someone."
She shook her head and leaned up, "No, Hero, though thank you for your kindness."
I moved away, "Do you know what is wrong with you?" I locked eyes with her.
"Did you swallow to much sand going up to the temple," Daxter asked.
I attempted to smack him but he jumped to the ground. Once he landed he flipped me off - I glared at him.
A corner of her mouth rose, "No, Orange Lightening, no," she looked out at the sea, "I'm not sure what is wrong. My body is just weak. It has been for sometime," she frowned, "I don't want my life to end yet, but I suppose the Precursors see it as my time," she smiled and looked down at Daxter, "It is an honor to have meet one in person before I died."
"Glad I could make your life," Daxter jumped back on my shoulder.
I glared at him and turned back to Seem, "If you need anything you just ask. No hesitations. Just ask and it is yours."
"Thank you, Jak," she whispered - I could hardly hear it. "You are a great man, even if you have darkness running through you."
I looked down.
"I know it wasn't your choice," there was an awkward silence, "You were an experiment that no one thought would live, but you did. A miracle. How, Hero, how."
I shrugged, "Will. Thirst for revenge. So many reasons that can't be explained."
She coughed than nodded, "Understandable," she took a deep breath and licked her lips, "I mustn't keep you. You have a meeting to attend to with discussion of the protection for the wall."
"What's wrong with it?"
"Nothing. You just need to know the basics, when to know when a storm is coming, and how to protect it," she looked up at the sky, "If that wall is destroyed, we are as well."
Two years later
I had my head leaning against the large window facing the desert. I saw my reflection. My hair had regrown out and it need cut. I hadn't shaved for a few days and you could see green hair around my jaw, chin, and upper mouth. My clothes were long animal skin ropes, and boots to match.
I sighed and searched the sand hoping for an answer to why there was no word from Sig and the others. Nothing. Were they dead or just lost? Sig had said he would be back by this time, but he wasn't. I frowned.
The wheels to the elevator turned and the platform rouse. I listened very close hoping it was one of them so I could go home. Go be with Keira, but probably by now she had found another man. A man that could be with her all the time and have children with her. But no matter who she chose they would be better than Erol.
"JAK," Daxter yelled.
I flinched, "What?"
"Sig made contact with us. Just yesterday they had made it to their destination," Daxter smiled, "They'll be back as soon as they get the artifact. We're going home in a few months," I saw him jump up and down in the window.
"He was suppose to be back by now, Daxter."
He rolled his eyes, "He just was off a few months."
Two years later
I watched as the warriors slung swords and collided. Daxter's snorers were as loud as the cheers of the crowds. From the past four years watching fights once a week I began to wonder why I use to enjoy it. It was boring from this point of view.
There was a loud yell and I looked down. There were only two left. The last two for the duel. They stared at each other for an intense second than one of them charged forward so fast that the other guy didn't have time to guard. The man charging forward leapt in the air and swung his sword. The blade came down sideways and decapitated the other.
The crowd irrupted into mad cheers and screams. The winner raised his hands in the air in victory.
"Congratulations," I yelled, Daxter jumped in the air, "you are now a true, and worthy, Waste Lander. Your honor does extend to being one of my man-"
"JAK!" yelled another voice - the room became completely silent when I stopped speaking.
I turned away and looked to my left at the door. Standing on the platform, trying to catch his breath, was Veger.
"Veger," I said in confusion.
He looked up and backed up. He took a running leap and grabbed on the edge of the platform in front of me. "Daxter," I commanded. Daxter nodded and jumped down to the platform and grabbed Veger's arm and pulled him up to safety.
I jumped to the lower platform and bent down to his level, "What is it, Veger?"
"Danger-is-coming."
I creased my brows, "What do you mean."
"They-told-me-to-tell-you."
"Who told you," I demanded.
He shook his head and took his breath, "I don't know their name, but the male did say he was the Dark Eco Sage."
"Dark.. Eco.. Sage?" Why did that sound familiar.
"Yes, him and his sister."
My eyes widened and I looked down at Daxter.
-------------------
"Gol and Maia," I said in disbelief.
"But, Jak," Daxter gulped, "you defeated them, with light echo, you defeated them! I saw with my own two eyes that they feel into the Dark Eco Silo."
I pinched the bridge of my nose, "Don't you remember what Samos said?"
"Do you honestly think I pay any attention to what that log brain says," he shouted.
"Good point. What he said was while the other Sage's congratulated me was, 'Gol and Maia are probably gone, probably.'"
"Are you telling me that," Daxter stood up and pointed at me, "those two nutters survived hundreds of years within the Dark Eco Silo?"
"Daxter," I shook my head, "by this time we should now that anything is possible. A guy that got blown to peices from dark eco came back to life as a robot. I was born in the future and taken back in time. You are a Precusor!"
Daxter raised his brows and shrugged; He looked out at the desert, "So, what's the plan," he asked meekly.
"We go back to the city and talk to Samos. Get some information and than try to find out where they are before they get anyone to help them, or come to close to Haven, or Spargus. The last thing we need is for them to find the Lurker's underground city and try to recruit them, again."
Daxter nodded.
"Veger," I looked over at the window and saw him leaning against it.
"Yes," he answered weakly.
"Where are the others?"
He locked eyes with me - I saw sorrow, "They're all dead, Jak, these people, Gol and Maia, killed them without any mercy. Sig and Keliever attempted to protect the monks, but they were killed in seconds, I suppose."
I walked over to him, "Tell me what happened."
