Author's notes: Hey everyone. Hopefully you've all been well, and enjoyed whatever holidays you may or may not have celebrated!
There was a bit of a hiccup, and this chapter didn't get done as quickly as I wanted due to some unfortunate basement sewage flooding caused by a winter storm. Luckily my computer and work area sit on a high desk and nothing serious was damaged. Just had to deal with some cleanup.
I also struggled immensely with this chapter. It got re-written twice, because I wasn't happy. I'm ok with it now, and I once again have to thank Oblique Strategies for correcting the numerous and no doubt annoying mistakes in this chapter!
Also, I kinda have to apologize... this chapter is long. Much longer than I intended, but I just couldn't find a good place to cut it.
So, on to the reviewers:
Shaveza: Daxter has pretty much become the very vocal representation of everyone's feelings on the matter at this point! And I'm glad you liked the scenery.
JayneParker: Not much of a break, but it's something right? Seem swearing just seemed like the perfect way to sum up how desperate everything has become. I'm glad you liked it. I'm also glad you found me on Tumblr!
silveremerald202: Haha, I've had those days. I'm always wary about ready a lengthy fanfiction, and have to limit myself to days I don't think I'll be busy because I know once I start, I won't stop. I'm super flattered that you're enjoying the story so far, and hope that these last couple chapters coming up live up to your expectations. Sometimes I think I'm going too angsty.
Leach60: Thank you! I'm glad you liked it.
DesperateRemedies: I'm happy I didn't disappoint with the whole floor collapsing thing. I don't want to go too unbelievable after all. There are a few more surprises and revelations to go before the end!
Oblique Strategies: I always love it when the music I'm listening to just happens to sync up with whatever I'm reading. It always seems to add a little bit of depth to the feeling.
Guest: I'm glad you're enjoying it, and I'm flattered that you think it's the best! I'm always open to critiques, so thank you for pointing out my incorrect usage. Most of the story was written without a proof-reader, but Oblique Strategies has been kind enough to help out with some of the later chapters. Eventually I'll get around to scouring the beginning again, but I really am awful at finding things it seems.
Joe: Jak's been to hell and back multiple times it seems. I wonder if he'll make it back this time... :p
KillaNinjaSheep: No problem about reviewing, I understand! I'm glad you like how I wrote Damas. He's a great character that deserved more! I try my best to imagine his voice saying things as I type them... he's challenging. I actually think he's a bit softer here than he is in the game... especially considering how strict and angry he was at the beginning.
AnonymousNavi: I'm glad you seem to be enjoying things thus far. Looks like you're roughly half way through... so hopefully you see this if you choose to continue reading. Thank you!
On with the show!
CHAPTER TWENTY
"Vinnie, any luck finding them?" Tess asked quietly from the cot, head peaking up over a small, fluffy pillow toward the static, blue holographic image of her friend's once human face. She'd been out and about, helping where she could... but now she was tired and resting at the hub.
"No... uh... I'm sorry, Tess. I'm trying."
"I know you are, hun." She turned away to stare up at one of the screens in front of her, eyes scanning the information intently, despite the fact that she didn't really understand all of it. It had been so long since they had an update on the mountain team's progress... it made her uneasy. Her stomach churned, and she couldn't really tell if it was because of her anxiety, or her pregnancy. She assumed it was probably both at this point.
There had been another nasty quake. It had damaged a large section of the port, and water had flooded through some of the lower streets and into the industrial districts. The sky had corroded further, and the empty black nothingness that threatened to overtake them was almost beyond comprehension.
It just didn't make sense... the world didn't work like that! There were universes and stars and galaxies and whatever else! It shouldn't have been possible. Heck, the Precursors had even offered to take Jak out to explore the cosmos!
Not that that seemed to matter. Where were the Precursors now? If their timeline was breaking apart, shouldn't they be there to fix it? Why go through all the trouble of creating something, just to let it fall apart?
But they weren't there. They hadn't heard a peep from the Gods, and that meant was that Daxter was right about them... not that she'd ever really doubted him. She'd never been the religious type.
People were terrified — rightfully so, of course — and the guard was doing all it could to keep the peace. Luckily, Ashelin's council was actually competent now; it was a group consisting of people from all walks of life. Businessmen, guard commanders, the rich, the poor... everyone was represented. It had been a long and tedious task to find interested and trustful candidates. Once they had, they'd held an election... one that the governor and the guard had fought tooth and nail to make sure was fair and uncorrupt able.
Now the council were working hard to act in her stead, and were very eager to prove themselves. It was a far cry from the situations that arose when their government was full of people like Veger. For once, she could say she was proud of her city, and how the officials in charge were stepping up to handle this particular world ending crisis. Hopefully they'd all make it through this and she could tell Ashelin that everyone involved deserved medals or something...
She sighed and rolled over. No use thinking about all that until the others were back with good news... Might as well try and get some sleep.
Vin, meanwhile, had been doing everything he could to stabilize the city Eco systems... the grid was a mess, which meant utilities and the like had become unreliable at best. He'd had a bit of a reprieve, and was now once again trying to strengthen his signals and contact the missing party.
He wasn't having much luck in that endeavor, and now he found himself deep in thought.
It was late, and it had been well over twenty-four hours since the construct was last able to connect to his spider-bot self. Earlier, when his ottsel companion had asked him how that was possible — after all, wasn't he with them? — he'd taken the time to try and convey to her that, well, yes, part of him was with them... They just couldn't interact right now, so he didn't know what was going on. She gave him a bit of a quizzical look, but left it alone after that. He appreciated that… she hadn't reacted like most people did.
He always found it difficult to explain to others. They would always ask 'What are you?'
He wasn't physically human. He wasn't flesh and blood. His mind didn't work the same way that it used to, though he did manage to find a way to retain his memories and emotions. He was, for all intents and purposes, data.
Sentient data… but data all the same.
So then people typically asked, 'How is that possible? '
And he would simply answer, 'Eco.'
Then they'd take one of two paths: either they'd get creeped out and stop asking questions… or they'd press further, and ask something along the lines of, 'Are you alive?' Or worse yet, 'Are you even a person anymore?'
Vin knew that if he went into detail, explained the science, explained how it connected to the Eco… they'd never get it. He'd try anyway, but people always had a hard time believing what they didn't understand. They didn't understand the science. They didn't understand the Eco. They didn't understand him.
Even his old friends — the ones who'd known him when he was just a quirky, paranoid scaredy-cat — had given him a wide berth at first. They still didn't really get him, though at least they'd eventually come around. They were the main reason for the spider-bots... it gave them something to physically address, it gave them a body for the voice. The fact that the bots were convenient and useful for other things was just a convenient side bonus.
Only a small handful of individuals had ever just forgone the questions. A very small handful.
Two, actually.
Jak and Daxter.
The only question they'd ever really asked was, 'What happened?''
And that was different. So very, very different. That was a question that actually mattered to the construct; because it showed that they cared… they worried about him, even if they'd never openly admit to it. It was something that Vin appreciated so very much, and also prompted him to think about them.
Why didn't they ask the same old questions?
People always gave Daxter flak for being loud and obnoxious. They thought he was an idiot… especially at first. It'd gotten better over the past few years of course — their close circle of friends and allies had come to learn that no, the ottsel wasn't quite the nitwit he led everyone on to believe. They'd come to like him... hell even Torn had a soft spot for the fuzzball, to the amusement of virtually everyone. That didn't mean they understood him, however. It was strange for them to consider the fact that he used to be human, and had somehow magically been transformed into the wise-cracking, furry orange rodent they'd come to know and love.
So Vin liked to imagine that the questions would be quite similar. They'd probably ask Daxter, 'How is that possible?'
And Daxter would probably shrug his shoulders and smugly reply with, 'Eco... Duh.'
Then there was Jak. He was a whole other conundrum. Originally, Vin had just thought he was another of Torn's ill-tempered rebels… he was too big for his britches; a deviant who was too egotistical for his own good.
Until Jak saved his life, that is. More than once.
Vin quickly realized that something wasn't right with the kid. Something other than the snippy attitude and overbearing brooding. It wasn't until a bit of digging — digging Torn had asked him to do, actually — that the truth came out.
Jak had been a channeler. Which in and of itself was quite rare in this day and age… and apparently he was very gifted. That made him the prime target for the Baron's twisted vision. No one really knew where the teenager had come from, only that he had appeared, and the KG was ready and waiting.
Vin had only been able to find the most obscure pieces of information at first… small snippets and hints at what was going on behind the scenes. People disappeared in dark alleyways, never to be heard from again. The KG became even more controlling and brutal than ever. Erol was hastily promoted through the ranks despite the fact that he was better known as a racer with a murderous mean streak than a soldier. Eventually it was all linked to the horrifying truth: The Baron's Dark Eco experiments.
Torture. Torture that was supposedly justified by need; the need to stop Kor and his never ending metal-head assaults. The need to save the city.
Torture that would supposedly give birth to the perfect, living, breathing, weapon.
Jak.
The kid's body was so saturated with Dark Eco that it practically seeped from his pores. Forget the obvious question of 'how the hell was Jak even alive...?' Skip that entirely. Drive right past it without stopping. It was so far beyond that... How he had ever managed even a minute level of sanity was just unfathomable. The Dark Eco should have destroyed him. It should've eaten away at him from the inside out.
It was no wonder that he sometimes lost control. No wonder that he sometimes gave in to his fear and wrath and rage. His episodes were terrifying, even to Vin, who'd never been on the receiving end... heck, never even been close during any of the incidents.
Yet somehow... somehow the twisted, angry, violent, young — too young — warrior had done it. He'd managed to rein in his temper, managed to endure in his lust for revenge. If Vin's assumed time-line of events was right... Jak had even managed to stop Kor and save the city before the Precursors gave him the Light Eco treatment.
That was mind numbing.
It was also why Vin, despite being scared of Jak at first, respected the kid. It was why the Eco construct liked him. He was tortured. Broken. Angry.
But he'd still taken the time to suit up, and blast his way through a hoard of metal-heads in the middle of a Dark Eco mine, to save one, skittish, panicking, Eco engineer. Even if it was originally just an order from Torn.
Then, he'd done it a second time.
And a third... and on his own too. Not because someone else asked him to. Not because he had to. Daxter had helped with that one, of course... but that hardly diminished the sentiment.
Did all of that necessarily outweigh his darker moments? Did it excuse Jak's occasionally ruthless or abusive comments? No, not necessarily… but it did paint a fairly detailed picture on why. It made them understandable. At least to Vin anyway.
So...
What would Jak's answers be?
What would Jak say when people saw his transformations, when they realized that darkness literally flowed through his blood?
When they asked, 'How is that possible?'
Vin imagined Jak would slouch, ever so slightly, with his arms crossed and grim, narrow glare masking so many unspoken emotions. He'd sigh, and reply uncomfortably, 'Eco.'
It always came back to the Eco.
***
They had been walking for quite a while now, and the ottsel had alternated between trudging along and hitching rides depending on how tired he felt. It was becoming apparent that his small fury body wasn't handling well in the damp cold that caused them all to remain wet and shivering, though he'd be damned if he openly admitted it. No one bothered or cared to call him out, opting to just ignore his added weight on their shoulders whenever he chose to climb aboard.
The current was rushing fast enough to force a nearly constant mist into the air, which settled heavily and left a slick sheen across the rocky cavern floor. Several members of the group had paused to empty their boots and wring out their clothes, though that did very little to alleviate the discomfort.
Now they had a problem. The pathway on the less occupied side of the river had begun to narrow. Long, thin stalactites hung precariously from the darkness above; they were frosty and dripping, some merging with their neighboring stalagmites that littered the floor below. The ground had begun a somewhat steep, steady incline, sloping up and eventually jutting thinly out above the river at a daunting height before completely closing off against the equally lowering ceiling. That ledge was a dead end, too high to be of any use in crossing.
On the other side of the river the pathway began to curve away and decline, hugging tightly against the waterline. In the distance they could all vaguely hear the sound of crashing waves, indicating that the rapids were picking up even more. The gentle breeze that coaxed them along had grown stronger as well, and it held a strange, faint, sulfuric smell. Thick, timeworn metallic pillars broke through the darkness above them, possibly supporting more of the temple or mine… or whatever it was they had been occupying before the latest quake; some of which looked about ready to collapse or give out at the slightest aggravation.
The further they went, the more the inlaid crystals had begun to house a dull, deep seated glow that provided little light, but resembled small pulsing flecks like far off colorful stars. The Eco wisps had continued to flit about above them, but had grown in number, an occasional crackle of energy snapping between them and the shards.
"It's still too deep to cross with how fast it's going…" Jak sighed, crouching carefully over the edge of the bank. He couldn't quite reach the water from his current perch, but he still had one hand extended lazily toward the river, murky eyes almost seeming to glisten in the reflective lights of the wisps.
Keira stood diligently at his side, resisting the urge to snatch him away from the ledge. Instead she settled for brushing her fingers lightly against his shoulder. He seemed to have regained his strength, and hadn't needed her support as they walked for a while now, but that didn't stop her from worrying. He turned a slightly annoyed glare in her direction before catching himself, his expression quickly softening apologetically.
"Not that I'm doubting you or anything," Sig called from his place on the opposite bank, roughly thumbing his eyepiece, "But how can you tell? It's too dark, and all the Eco in this place is making this hunk o' junk useless. Ain't getting nothin' but jumbled numbers and static."
"Tell me about it. My scanners are going nuts… I uh… haven't been able to connect directly with Haven's Eco grid for a while now either. It's gonna be a pretty big shock when all the data transfers…" Vin's spider-bot shifted uneasily, his little blue light focused on nothing in particular, "At least my body is holding up… I was uh, a little worried about the cold sapping the battery…"
"We've been through this! Jak can see in the dark better than a normal guy can." Daxter cut in matter-of-factly from his perch on Damas's shoulder a few feet away, "Especially if he's all doped up on Eco."
"It's not that…"Jak grumbled low enough that his voice was nearly drowned out. He dragged a palm down his face before narrowing his eyes on his best friend, "I can't see that well, Dax. At least not through the water..." He paused hesitantly and cocked his head, "It's the Eco."
"What do you mean?" Keira asked curiously.
He turned to face her, pointing one hand out over the water and speaking loud enough for the others to hear, "It's all connected, remember? See the Eco crystal out there in the middle?"
She stretched her neck to look over his shoulder toward where he had indicated, "Yeah?"
"Watch," Jak took a few steps back and slowly brushed a palm against a nearby shard. A few seconds later the entire cavern pulsed brightly in a rainbow of colors. Everyone could see the stream of bright, glowing red embedded deep within the crystal he'd pointed out, trailing and disappearing into the depths of the flowing water.
He cleared his throat and explained, "It's foggy… the Eco in the air is really thick, and my head is killing me…" He brushed a few loose locks of hair from his eyes and sighed, "But I can still feel it."
"Like a tree's roots or a spider's web… all weaving together and stretched throughout the world." Samos stroked his beard and grew somber, brow pulled tight. His mind had since cleared from the overwhelming surge of power, and now a sudden troubling thought struck him. He mumbled under his breath, "But how...?"
Jak nodded, not having heard the question, and took the opportunity to demonstrate again. The Sage's concern only deepened. It appeared as though the youth had found a way to do it without difficulty, or at least without straining himself… which in and of itself was puzzling, but not the real issue here.
Why and how was his health fluctuating so rapidly? One minute the boy was apt to fall over, exhausted by both the thick smog of invisible Eco in the air, and the corruption that was taking root deep within his own body. The next he was channeling competently — very competently actually — in ways that shouldn't really be possible. Even for him.
A frown began to form at the corners of the Sage's lips and he hesitantly stepped forward, "Jak, how are you doing that?"
Jak turned his gaze back toward the main group, one brow arched quizzically. He scoffed sarcastically, as if he didn't understand why the Sage would ask such a dumb question, "Uh… channeling?"
Samos sighed loudly, "Don't get smart with me! I know you're channeling." He pushed his glasses further up his nose and glared, "I want to know how you're reaching out and activating more than one crystal cluster at a time. Each one is filled with a different type of Eco."
Jak only continued to stare, crossing his arms across his chest, "Samos… I've always been able to channel them all."
"Sheesh, I think you're memory's startin' to go, old man!" Daxter rolled his eyes and leaned forward on Damas's shoulder to chide the Sage, "You're the one that taught him how to do it!"
"Yes. I understand that." Samos hissed through clenched teeth. He chose to ignore the ottsel's jab, "But not at the same time!"
A brief flash of shocked realization graced Jak's features before melting into something far more subdued, "I didn't even think..." He turned a scrutinizing gaze down on his own hands before slowly shifting his weight uncomfortably, "Oh..."
The Sage crossed his arms and tapped his foot impatiently as he waited for an answer, while the rest of the group simply shared confused glances with one another... at least everyone except Seem, who had apparently realized what Samos was getting at. She took a deep breath and raised her crimson eyes to stare incredulously toward the young warrior.
"We are of the house of Mar…" Damas stepped forward curiously after a small stretch of awkward silence. "Our bloodline has always been able to channel all four of the basic types..."
"Yes, yes." Samos interrupted, turning his head to look up toward the approaching wastelander. The faint spark of an idea struck him… and the gears in his head began turning, forming a theory. He considered everything they'd already learned. Damas would be the perfect subject to compare to Jak… "I'm not disputing that. Here, come here… I want to show you something." He waved with one hand and led the wastelander toward a small, dark crystal that had broken through a nearby mound of stone, "This one is made of Green Eco, which I know you are perfectly capable of channeling. I want you to do so now."
"Are you insane!?" Jak's head snapped up and a near silent growl rumbled from his throat. Keira fidgeted uneasily at his side, and slowly wrapped one of her slender arms around his, hoping the physical contact might calm him.
The Sage simply cut him off with a sharp wave and continued on, "This is going to be far more power than you've ever dealt with before, so you must listen carefully..."
Damas looked first to his son, who was practically seething, then down on the Sage, giving a slight, curt nod.
"I'm just going to teach you how to trace Eco, and I am not going to let you do it alone." Samos assured deceptively, sending a quick, knowing look toward his charge. Though still incredibly tense, Jak did seem to deflate slightly, eyes still shifting nervously between the man who raised him, and his other-world biological father. The Sage couldn't help a minor jab as he turned back and continued, "Let's see how well you stack up against your son, shall we?"
A small smirk tugged at the corner of the wastelander's lips before being wiped away by a cocky, deliberately loud snort from across the river. He thought he heard Jak mutter something snippy, but the words were lost to the rushing echo of the water. He crossed his arms and scratched at his chin, "What do I need to do?"
"Is this all necessary right now?" Torn suddenly interrupted, "Not all of us are in the mood for one of your 'magical bullshit' lessons right now. Frankly, I'm more interested in finding a way to get them..." He jutted his thumb toward his two stranded comrades, "Over here, so we can move on and find some place to dry off."
Samos turned a glare toward the soldier, and scolded, "This could very well be essential to our mission, actually. Or have you forgotten why we're all here in the first place?" He failed to mention that it was also another piece to the increasingly difficult puzzle that Jak was very quickly becoming. Anything he could learn might actually give the Sage a way to help the youth, or at least figure out exactly what was going on inside his slowly deteriorating body. Though, part of him had to admit there was a strong sense of curiosity driving his current motives as well.
What exactly was the corruption? How had Jak's abilities only managed to increase, despite practically being a dead man walking? Did the Precursor give him some new skill that allowed him to break every known rule of channeling? Was it necessary for the mysterious machine buried somewhere in the mountain? Or was it something else? Was it simply a dormant power that was only now beginning to surface? Was this the true legacy of the Mar bloodline?
There were just so many questions that needed to be answered. If Samos could just test out a few, minor suspicions... Damas and the boy were biologically related, after all, and with their most recent discovery with the crystals, the opportunity was there. If everything worked out, and Damas showed the same promise as his son... he might just be able to start fixing this mess. Sure, it might be a tad dangerous; especially for the wastelander… he'd just have to be careful, is all.
He'd constructed a lifetime of theories, born of dedicated research and trial and error. This might be the only chance he had to prove them... and of course, he wanted to apply them in some way to save Jak.
So yes, it was necessary.
Though... he was sure the youth wouldn't see it that way once he figured out just what Samos had in mind — and he most definitely would — the boy was smart, and had a natural affinity for all things Eco. Admittedly, he was thankful for the river, and the distance it put between them.
Torn only rolled his eyes in reply, but the sag of his shoulders and change in posture indicated that they should just continue and get whatever they were doing over with. The Sage rolled his eyes and held out one palm toward the wastelander beside him, "Give me your hand."
Damas raised one hairless brow, but did as he was told. Samos gripped it loosely and slowly moved them both closer to the crystal before instructing, "I'm going to start by pulling at the Eco, and directing it to you. I want you to channel it through your body slowly. I can't stress enough on how much power lies just beyond your fingers at this very moment, and if you are too eager it will be harder for me to manage it, do you understand?"
The king nodded, and the Sage gave a small hum of approval, "Good. Good. Close your eyes, and remember to breathe."
Damas let his eyes drift shut and gave one curt nod to show he was ready.
At first there was nothing, then, slowly but surely, he began to feel the strange tickle of power. It began as something minor — a lazy, warm tingle of energy — but quickly grew into something so much more. He'd never felt Green Eco quite like this before — it was familiar of course — but raw and unfiltered. It traveled through his arm at an alarming rate, and he caught his breath as it plowed into him like an ocean wave.
He felt Samos's grip tighten, and the Sage calmly demanded, "No. Don't do that... Breathe. Don't let it frighten you... you need to take control of it. Channel it just like you would any other time. I won't let it overwhelm you, but you must take control. We're going to do this slowly, until you get your bearings. This is something that isn't inherently difficult — with practice that is. Which I know you don't have."
Jak couldn't help but stare nervously from the other side of the river, fingers curling and uncurling in anticipation. His jaw was set stiffly, and Keira could have sworn she heard him grind his teeth. She quietly leaned toward his ear and whispered, "What's wrong? My dad won't let anything bad happen..."
Her voice gave him a start, and flushed slightly before hastily recovering. He nearly swallowed his tongue as he resisted the urge to laugh and tell her that 'Samos let bad things happen all the time,' instead replying through clenched teeth, "I... I know. It's hard to explain, Keira... there's so much power there." He shook his head slowly and took a deep breath, "More than Damas can handle. Hell, way more than any of us can handle. If they slip up..."
"But it's just Green Eco, right? Daddy just said it was easy."
"You really can't think of it like that. There's no such thing as just Eco... It doesn't matter what kind it is. If it's channeled sloppily or wrong, it can be a disaster." Jak explained, rolling one hand expressively, eyes still focused straight ahead, "If it were just a little, I wouldn't be worried. Damas can channel a lot better than he thinks he can." He paused, and closed his eyes, "Green Eco is the least dangerous, and yeah, it's easier compared to the others... but when there's this much? What Samos is trying to do is easy — once you know what you're doing, and if you have the talent for it — but it still comes back to just how much power is there. You saw what happened to your dad when he got cocky with it, and he's a Sage."
"You've done it a couple times now without making it a big deal..." She laced her fingers through his, and the worry in her voice caught Jak off guard. She seemed to mull it over in her mind before asking, "What was my dad saying earlier... about you?"
He glanced back at her with half lidded eyes before giving her an appreciative almost-smile, "I've had a lot of practice Keira... but even then I shouldn't have..." His voice trailed off, but that didn't stop her from reading the confusion in his features. After a few seconds he shook his head, "I'm sure he'll explain better than I can. You know your dad, he'll make sure his point is made." With that, his eyes fluttered closed and he cocked his head back toward the events across the river.
He felt her tense slightly as she leaned into him, as if he was about to up and vanish right in front of her, "What are you doing, Jak?"
He exhaled slowly and replied, "Trying to concentrate on what they're doing. There's a lot of Eco in the air here, and I bet even you can feel it weighing down on you. It's making it hard to focus..."
"There!" Samos's sudden cry drew the mechanic's attention away from Jak and back toward the main group.
The Sage had moved his hand to grip Damas's wrist, a faint green glow emanating from his skin, "Now I'm going to let more through, so be ready. Imagine yourself grabbing a hold of that power like a rope, and pull. Do not let it break."
Damas nodded and licked his drying lips. He felt like he was back in the desert, under the glaring, unforgiving sun... only the heat was coming from deep within his very core. He'd never experienced Green Eco to be this intense, and it was beginning to dawn on him that he really had no idea what he was doing. His control faltered, only to result in the Sage roughly tugging his wrist forward and scolding, "No. Stop doubting yourself. Don't you dare drop it now. I'll be the one who gets the backlash!"
Samos gave a sigh of relief when he felt the wastelander steady himself and focus, "Yes. There you go..." He couldn't help but chuckle out loud, "It's uncanny how similar you two are in the way you channel. You've got a hold of the power now. Reach out and draw it in, drag your mind along its path... you should be able to sense it now. You should be able to see it. Do you see how it stretches out in front of you?"
Damas hesitated before nodding meekly, and Samos gave a grunt of approval before continuing, "Good. Now quickly push the energy back along that path. If you feel it fork and split, try to focus on each branch equally." He paused, and lowered his voice, "Be prepared for a bit of a shock, because I won't be able to help you if you come across another type of Eco. Just keep pushing."
Jak shook his head and shot his eyes open before growling, "Shit...I knew it. I knew he'd... Dammit, Samos!"
"What?" Keira inquired, "What's wrong?"
"He's not just teaching him how to trace — argh, stupid. He's being stupid — he's pushing to see if Damas can do what I did earlier." Jak hissed, "Even if he could, he's never channeled like this before! He's gonna burn himself out! ARGH... Damas, stop!"
Everyone but Damas and the Sage were startled by Jak's sudden outburst, and found themselves tearing their gazes away from the channeling duo toward the now incredibly irate youth in the distance. When Sig began to realize something was wrong, he made to move toward his fellow wastelander and extended a hand to grab his shoulder.
"No! Stop!" Jak barked, "He's too focused on his channeling! He probably can't even hear you right now! Don't touch him!"
Thankfully, Daxter had noticed the desperation to Jak's voice and hastily scurried up to Sig's shoulder. He grabbed hold of the wastelander's ear roughly and gave a sharp tug, practically steering him away, "Whoa now, hold up big guy."
"Samos, stop!" Jak spat loudly, and yanked his arm from Keira's grasp. Rage was clouding his vision, but he fought to suppress it as best he could. He needed to help Damas... and he only had one idea on how.
He knew what he was about to try was really, really stupid, especially in his current state of well-being, but his better judgment was quickly fading and giving way to a violent tidal wave of despair. The mental walls he'd built up over the last few years were crumbling, and for once... he wanted to give in. He was tired. Tired of fighting. Tired of saving the world. But most of all, he was tired of being used. He wasn't about to let it happen to someone else... especially Damas.
Jak grit his teeth. If this worked, Samos wouldn't know what hit him. But first, he'd need a better anchor, and a more powerful source to begin channeling from. He spared one quick glance toward Keira and demanded, "Stay. Back." She looked upset by his scathing tone, but Jak really didn't have the time to deal with the pang of guilt from hurting her feelings. He'd just have to apologize later.
He scrambled to a different nearby crystal, this one much lighter and larger than the one he was previously channeling through, and instead of hovering his hand away from its surface he planted both palms heavily. His eyelids closed and he grunted in anticipation. He didn't bother to actually consider what he was doing, letting his gut instincts take over. Corruption or not, angry or not, he was going to access and use his Light Eco. He dismissed the growing ache in his chest, instead focusing on the familiar, soothing tug of power that was quickly surging to the surface.
"Samos, you have to stop this!" Jak gave the Sage one last chance to back down, only to be promptly ignored. The youth sighed... if the Sage wanted to play games with other people's lives, then he'd have to deal with Jak instead. "I know you can hear me, you bastard! You want to see how it's all connected, right? You want to know just what I can do? FINE THEN. Let's see how well YOU stack up against me!"
Jak forced his own Light Eco through the shard and into the twisted, churning vastness beyond.
Samos's eyes suddenly went wide, bright green smoke flowing across the surfaces, "Jak, what do you think you're doing? Stop this! You'll only make yourself worse!" He narrowed his gaze and let go of the wastelander's wrist to better control his own channeling. The fact that Jak was so efficiently able to shift through the conflicting masses of Eco and lash out through the channels at the Sage was astonishing… and VERY aggravating. There was no way he was going to let the boy interfere at this point; he needed to see if his theory was correct, he needed to prove he was right. If he let Jak continue on this path, he'd never be able to save him. The Sage let his own power swell up as he prepared a counter push...
"Tch. Typical. I don't think so." Jak growled as he bit his lower lip in concentration. He either didn't notice, or just didn't care that his sharpened teeth drew blood. The rage from his Dark Eco swarmed to the surface, and he once again found himself juggling the two opposing forces as they battled for dominance.
There was a bright flash of blinding white light from the crystal beneath his grip. The other shards in the cavern pulsed briefly before fading out. Jak sneered, and let loose another, violent surge of power, "I'm cutting you off."
Samos let out a shrill cry as he was struck by the unyielding wave of energy, knocked clean off his feet and thrown violently against the nearest wall. The Green Eco around him hissed and fizzled, and his eyes were sealed shut as he let out a weak, pain filled moan. Blood slowly began to seep from his nose, and one hand moved to wipe it away despite his dazed stupor. His body's natural healing wasn't able to kick in right away, shorted out by the sudden influx of power.
Damas suddenly let out a gasp and staggered back to his knees, eyes snapping open to reveal glowing green. Now that the Sage's expert channeling had been removed, he was left vulnerable to a vast amount of power that he definitely didn't know how to handle. It was a bizarre mix of sensations... Green Eco felt smooth, and calming, but it was drowning him; drawing him in a tight, endless embrace, and holding him under without reprieve. He'd never before felt so much... life.
Jak clung desperately to the Light Eco crystal beneath his fingertips, sharpened nails digging into the surface and leaving small scratches. His eyes were still tightly shut, and sweat slowly dripped down the side of his face. He fought back another nauseous push of Dark Eco from within, shaking his head as he took a deep breath, "I've got it... let it go... Damas let it go... come on!" He coughed, muscles trembling with power. When the wastelander failed to comply, Jak took a deep breath and held it, "Shit... Ok... ok, fine. We'll do it this way."
Jak exhaled shakily, slowly shifting his focus to redirect the underground energy currents, effectively cutting off Damas's access to the Eco. His eyes drifted open, revealing deep, pure white. Impulse took over as he drew in a substantial amount of Eco before turning some of it back and sending a pulse through the pathways.
Damas suddenly felt the power that had been coursing through him break forcefully away, just as the glowing green crystal in front of him pulsed one last time. The glassy surface splintered, sending a deafening, resounding crack throughout the cavern.
He fell forward on his hands, taking deep, haggard breaths. Time seemed to move at a snail's pace, and he barely noticed the pair of hands that gripped his arm tightly in support. He certainly couldn't tell you who they belonged to at any rate, his vision and hearing both refusing to work properly.
Jak tripped over himself as he backed away from his own crystal, a low groan escaping his lips. One hand shot up to his forehead as small trails of Light Eco continued to drift and dance around him. He felt himself slipping away... something was wrong. All wrong.
Terror washed over him... though it wasn't because he was losing control. He'd actually come to expect that.
It was because it wasn't his Dark Eco that was wrenching his senses from him.
He jerked forward, let out a sharp gasp. With a bright flash his body erupted into his Light Eco form.
Keira took several steps back and covered her mouth with one hand as a breath stopped in her throat. She couldn't keep herself from gawking.
Light Jak seemed utterly confused, and he stumbled slightly before gaining his balance and taking in his surroundings. He glanced down at his own hands, a faint look of disbelief darting across his features. The ethereal tendrils that sprouted from his back hung slightly limp, but still pulled and tugged through the air independently. Swirling pools of glowing white shifted up and scanned through the darkness, sliding between the various forms of the people standing across the river before settling very still on the Sage who was currently struggling to push to his feet with help from Seem.
Light Jak only stared for several seconds before his brow scrunched slightly, anger slowly creeping across his normally non-expressive face. He hastily turned toward Keira and darted forward.
Before she could utter a word, he'd grabbed her gently but firmly around her waist. Out of instinct more than anything she found herself wrapping her arms around his shoulders, still in shock by his current appearance. She'd heard about Light Jak before, of course...
But she'd never seen him, let alone touched him. His skin felt hot — no, cold — no... What in the world was she feeling? There was a slight sizzle in the air around him, radiant energy flowing and fading out, only to spark up again unexpectedly... it caused the hair on her arms to stand on end. But something was off... something told her she should have felt calm and serene in his presence. At least that's what everyone else had said they had felt. She could sense something wrong beneath the surface, all angry and hollow. She realized that the small horns and sharpened nails hadn't disappeared... and she could just barely make out the corrupted Eco veins beneath the surface of his glowing bluish-white skin.
The world around them seemed to blur and for a moment her eyes saw nothing but rushing blue. Then, just as suddenly, the mechanic found herself and Light Jak standing on the edge of the steep overhang they'd been approaching earlier, staring dizzily down toward the rushing, crashing water below.
She let out a terrified whine and strengthened her hold. She was vaguely aware of Light Jak's hand wrapping even tighter around her waist and pulling her closer before he used his free arm to effortlessly sweep her up. Her eyes searched eagerly to meet his, silently begging him not to jump.
Nothing in his expression or posture gave any indication that he noticed her plight, his eerie, blank stare only considering her briefly. She felt his muscles tighten under her fingertips, and his wings gave a few tentative test flaps. Without hesitating, he bent his knees and vaulted into the air.
Keira couldn't help but give out a startled, airy yelp that died into a pathetic whimper the first time Light Jak caught the air under his wings. She buried her face against his chest and closed her eyes, the lurching mix of slow falling and upward heaves making her dizzy.
It took several, excruciatingly long seconds before she felt him land roughly, his grip lessening to set her on her feet. She cracked open one eye to confirm they were on solid ground before hastily backing away from him. For some unexplainable reason, she was actually more terrified of him like this than when he was in his Dark form.
His wide, unreadable eyes only lingered on her for a fraction of a second longer before he slowly turned away, slightly hunched and searching. Everyone stood deathly still as he all but ignored them, attention focused solely on one particular individual.
Daxter didn't even have time to shout at his friend before Light Jak darted forward, roughly gripping the Monk at Samos's side by the shoulder and shoving her away without an ounce of care. She gave a startled, uncharacteristic yelp as she stumbled and fell to her backside, eyes wide in shock.
"Whoa! Hey!" Daxter's voice was only one of many that began to protest, but a numbing shock-wave of power from the transformed youth momentarily silenced them all.
Without skipping a beat Jak had crouched, grabbed the Sage by the front of the shirt, and hoisted him up. He shoved the potbellied, disoriented, old man against the wall, and bared his still sharpened teeth. Pure white eyes flared with untamed Light Eco, and with each passing second the corruption slowly crept up the side of his face and pulsed in dark contrast to his blinding radiance.
"Jak! What the hell!" Daxter recovered and confronted his friend before any of the others regained enough of their senses to intervene. Within seconds he was on Jak's shoulder, tugging at the youth's hair with one hand and digging into the skin at his collar bone with the other, "Let him go before you do something you're gonna regret!"
Light Jak refused to acknowledge the ottsel. His only reply was to push the Sage even harder against the wall, which served to elicit a feeble cry from the old man.
Torn was the next to react, and despite telling himself that he was probably going to regret it, he reached out and grabbed Light Jak's bicep in a tight, demanding grip, "Let him go!"
He certainly did end up regretting it. In one fluid motion Light Jak complied, unceremoniously letting the Sage fall to a crumpled heap on the cavern floor, and spinning on his heel to deliver a powerful, unrestrained punch straight at the lean commander's face. There was an alarming crack, and Torn was thrown backward. He tripped over Seem, and tumbled to the ground, breath knocked from his lungs. Pain erupted and spread like wild fire up the side of his face, and one hand shot up to cup his now shattered jaw, "Thon' of a Bith!"
"Jak!" Daxter was panicking now, scratching and pulling anything he could get a grip on. He could see dark, purplish swirls of Eco dancing across Light Jak's eyes, and the corruption was weaving its way up near his left eye socket and ear. The others were all shouting and approaching, and whatever was going on with his friend was only worsening with each breath. The ottsel could feel Light Jak's heightened pulse; the rolling waves of Eco stung his eyes and left a dry, coppery taste in his mouth.
It was bizarre... It seemed as though Jak had all the controlled power and precision that was normal for his Light Eco form, but his rage fueled actions and emotions were straight out of Darkie's book. Even the faint scent only the ottsel would ever be aware of was off, an unpleasant mix of the two.
As if to prove Daxter's point, Light Jak effortlessly engulfed himself and the Sage in a flickering shield before narrowing his eyes to slits and once again snatching up his prey. Anger and hatred set his jaw rigid, and he exhaled loudly. The dark, gnarly veins began to climb across the tendrils of his wings, and a few smoldering jolts of Dark Eco crackled across his back.
Daxter did the only thing he could think of. He coiled and sprung like a spring, navigating the length of Light Jak's arm in a fraction of a second. Without hesitating he buried his claws into the skin around the cold, slick arm guards and dug his sharp little ottsel teeth as deep as they would puncture into his best friend's glowing wrist and hand.
Light Jak gasped, an agitated near-growl escaping his lips. He dropped the Sage like a stone and stumbled back, giving his arm a frantic shake in a desperate attempt to dislodge his furry attacker. Daxter tightened his grip and suppressed the urge to vomit, his friend's Eco infused blood burning the inside of his mouth and staining the fur around his chin.
Small bolts of Dark Eco crackled around him, but he refused to let go. He could feel the tingling pulses of energy as the others pounded against the shield, and he heard their muffled cries. His eyes went momentarily wide, then snapped tightly shut when he saw his friend swing his free arm around, preparing to strike out against the ottsel.
The blow never came. The motion stopped. After a few, tense seconds Daxter was brave enough to open his eyes. Light Jak — or whatever he was now — was staring down at him in stunned silence, inky dark swirls in his eyes burning away to the harsh light from beneath. His sharpened nails were inches from the ottsel's back, trembling slightly. Each breath he took was short and quick, a low wheeze bubbling to the surface.
Light Jak fell forward to his knees, eyes focused only on Daxter for several, long seconds before trailing over to Samos's sluggishly moving, half erect form. Recognition bled across his features, followed by a sense of horrifying dread. He carefully used his superior strength to pry the ottsel free, and shove him away... not to hurt him, but in pure terror.
He was instantly on his feet and backing away. He brought both hands up to his temples and let loose another, much weaker shock-wave that was clearly meant to put some distance between him and the others.
His shield eroded away and he staggered hastily off in a somewhat muddled trance before reaching out and collapsing against a large, smooth rock. He slid to his knees and fell forward, catching himself with one hand while the other shot up to cradle his chest. The Light Eco faded away, leaving the slowly retreating corruption in its wake.
Jak panted loudly, and clenched his eyes shut. His senses were so overwhelmed that his brain felt like mush, and he was only vaguely aware of a few, cautiously approaching footsteps. Voices pricked at his ears, some angry and some concerned, but he couldn't make out the words. He could scarcely focus on anything beside his own erratic heartbeat and the warring Eco forces deep within. He'd managed to snap out of it on his own, so there was still a vast amount of power just hovering at the surface, eager to be used.
Something snapped inside, and he began hacking, shifting the hand from his chest to cover his mouth. Blood seeped through his fingers, dripping in dark, splotchy blots against the floor. Despite the crushing pain, his mind started to focus, memories of his transformation suddenly blinking into existence. He snapped his eyes shut and groaned, his coughs slowly transitioning to a dry heave.
He was startled by the appearance of a shadow above him and the furiously tight grip at the back of his collar as he was yanked backward and up like an abused crocadog. A breathless gasp broke through his lips, and his vision went dizzy from the sudden movement.
Torn's face met his, tattooed brow scrunched and scowling. The skin was swelling, and there was a darkening blue bruise spreading from chin to eye socket, a small spot of blood settled in the corner of his mouth. He shoved Jak against the stone and hissed, "Fuggin' bwoke my daw."
Torn was forcefully removed when Sig intervened, shoving the commander back and placing his bulky form between the two. He used one large hand to support and constrain Jak against the rock, the other outstretched in a threat telling everyone to back the hell off and keep their distance. Torn prowled back and forth, practically boring holes through the desert King as he glared at the youth propped up behind him, "Wuht dah heww wav fat?"
"You." Sig pointed one calloused finger at Torn, tone sharp and demanding, "Stop talking." He turned to face the sagging youth in his grip and winced. Jak had blood dribbling down his chin from the corner of his mouth, and though the corruption had receded, it nestled just under his jawline and wrapped up around the back of his ears and skull. He had reverted to his altered, pale state; horns peaked through his locks of hair and sharp teeth parted as he gasped and gulped for air. His foggy eyes were wide with fear to such a degree that Sig was sure he'd never seen on the youth's face, transformed or not, and he didn't bother to struggle against the wastelander's grip in the least, "Jak?"
No reply came, and Sig carefully released a bit of pressure. He could practically feel the rumble in the kid's chest with each breath, unsupported weight shifting against his palm. But he was startled to realize that there was still a massive amount of hot energy rolling off him in waves. Evidently, Jak wasn't all burnt out yet.
Sig tensed, and steeled his resolve. He needed to be ready for anything in case the kid lost it again, "You hear me, cherry?"
A tiny flicker of sense sparked across the youth's face, and he slowly shook his head, "Sh.. shit... it was too... too much... So…sorry…"
"Yew'r dunna fee…" Torn muttered, hand splayed across his chin. The commander was no stranger to pain. He'd had broken bones in the past, though his face was new. Dark spots danced in front of his vision, and small, salty pools settled in the corners of his eyes, but he was way too hyped up with anger and adrenaline to back off without a fight.
Sig shot him a warning glare, only to be shocked when Jak wearily pushed his hand away and stumbled forward toward the simmering commander, "Let me fix it…"
"Woah now, I don't think that's a good idea at all, Cherry. Everything just went insane. There ain't no way..." The wastelander reached to place a steady hand on Jak's shoulder.
Jak shook it off and raised one hand to his chest, "I know... I know... but I can't leave it like... like that. I absorbed a lot of Eco... too much..." He paused, and took a deep breath that ground out into a single cough. His frame trembled slightly, and Sig noticed a faint glow radiating from his skin, "It's still inside... and I can use it to mend it... at least a bit... but I have to do it fast. It's not... it's not settling right."
The wastelander wondered if Jak meant Torn's broken Jaw, or the Eco. He assumed by the youth's hunched posture and look of panic he meant the Eco. That couldn't be good.
"Heww nah."
"Please!" Jak pleaded with a low growl. He took a few shaky steps, the light around him flickering slightly, "While I still can…"
Torn only glared, fingers itching to grab the kid and shake him senseless. Everything about this entire situation was completely screwed up. Part of him saw reason, knowing that Jak was sick, and had lost himself due to things that weren't entirely his fault. The other part of him didn't care. That just wasn't a good enough excuse for him.
All of this, everything... it was becoming too much. Hell, it had long since passed too much and rolled right into the realm of impossibility. The colliding worlds, the tears, the corruption, Jak — especially Jak, whatever the hell he was now, because Torn was pretty sure he wasn't really human anymore — it was overwhelming. They were all at a boiling point, he hated that feeling of helplessness, and he especially hated losing control of a situation.
And that was it. Control. His jaw was broken, because Jak lost control. Torn wanted so badly to return the favor. Only a thin, frail thread of restraint kept him from doing so, the constant, angry throb of pain in his head egging him on, "Go fump inna wake!"
"I… I have to do it now!" Jak growled, growing increasingly frustrated. His flaring emotions only caused his Eco to surge back up, "It's… while I actually have it!"
"Sthay the heww away fwom meh." Torn spat, fingertips brushing against his blaster,"Twy meh, athhowe."
"ENOUGH!" Everyone jerked their head around to stare at the source of the shout. Damas was still kneeling at the damaged crystal, Daxter and Ashelin at his side. His shoulders were hunched, and one hand was pressed tightly against the side of his head. Bloodshot eyes glared at the arguing men, clearly fed up with everything that was going on. He sneered, his tone taking one he hadn't used in a very long time: that of the warrior King, "This is not the time for this! Infighting will get us nowhere, and we are running out of time! We are lost, and broken. Your world is dying. That is our priority right now. When all is said and done, you can take it to the arena if you so choose, but not now!"
There was a long stretch of silence, as the tension between the two feuding parties rose to an all-time high. Finally, Torn relented, and gurgled, "Juf dew id…"
Jak didn't wait for further invitation. He staggered forward and muttered, tone unapologetic, " Really gonna hurt," before carefully yet firmly cupping the side of the commander's face. Torn hissed in pain and tried to pull away, but Jak latched on to his wrist to keep him from escaping, "Don't. Move."
It took every ounce of trained self-discipline for the KG commander to do as he was told, and somewhere in the back of his mind he couldn't help but think this was the perfect situation for Daxter to make some obnoxious comment about personal space and inappropriate touching. This actually caused him to snicker to himself, surprisingly, and he saw Jak raise one brow almost quizzically, "Juth ged id ofer width…"
"Aww… How sweet. Kiss and make up." Daxter's voice echoed, lacking his usual mirth but teasing none the less.
And there it was. Torn rolled his watering eyes, unable to mask the pain in his face, "Thupid wat."
"What's a wat? Sorry Torn, buddy, but you're gonna have to speaka-da-english, I'm having a hard time understanding you." The ottsel probed. He knew he probably shouldn't push his luck, but just like everyone else, he was irritable and exhausted. His mouth was burning — taste buds pretty much fried due to Jak's blood — and his stomach felt like it was trying to escape through his throat.
Before Torn could retaliate, Jak grumbled through clenched teeth, "Stop. Stop talking..." He forced himself to focus through the ever growing haze in his mind, at least long enough to do what needed to be done. Even he was a bit surprised by his resolve, though he realized it was probably the sheer amount of Light Eco he'd absorbed that was keeping him conscious and at least partially functioning. It didn't make the struggle to channel it efficiently much easier, as his body was hastily tiring and on the verge of shutting down, but at least he hadn't just collapsed dead on the ground yet. He silently swore to himself that he would hold out as long as it took to end this whole nightmare, regardless on if his body wanted to or not. Sheer willpower was all he had left, and he refused to let that go.
He wheezed slightly as he pulled with everything he had, voluntarily bringing what was left of his non-corrupted Light Eco to the surface. He knew that it would make it more vulnerable, but if he acted quickly enough, he should at least be able to get Torn's jaw to a point where Green Eco would be a viable option. He just needed to stay on point… he needed to make sure his Dark Eco didn't interfere, and his Light Eco stayed constrained.
"Gonna be sloppy. Gotta do this quick…" Jak breathed, just as his eyes fluttered shut and body tensed. There was a flash, and once again Light Jak stood in front of them. He lacked his wings, and didn't quite glow as intensely, due to Jak's determination to only draw on what was necessary. He winced, and shook his head, the signs of an internal struggle on display for all to see. His fingers twitched against Torn's skin, and the commander felt a quick, sharp stab of pain followed by a warm, slowly numbing pulse.
Light Jak cocked his head slightly to the side, half lidded eyes meticulously studying the man in front of him. It was hard to tell where his gaze was focused, and the eerie aura sent a chill down Torn's spine. He did not like being this close to either of Jak's transformed sides, especially considering the painfully recent events.
There was a brief moment of silence as Light Jak seemed to consider something. He tightened his grip around Torn's wrist, preparing for the negative reaction he'd receive as he roughly shoved his other fingers harder into the commander's Jaw. There was an unsettling grind, and Torn gave an awkward wail, free hand shooting up to yank away the offending hand.
Light Jak wouldn't budge, despite his best attempts to wrench free. Torn snapped his eyes shut to hold back the tears threatening to leak, silently promising that if Daxter made one stupid comment he'd skin the ottsel and wear his fur as a trophy . After a few agonizing seconds that seemed to stretch on for hours, there was finally a bit of relief. The numbing, soothing warmth was back, and streaking up the side of his face and down his jaw into the muscles of his neck.
As quickly as Light Jak had begun he pulled away, hand still cloaked in swirling, wispy energy. His eyes shifted from the commander and hastily scoured the rest of the group, focusing once again on the green skinned Sage.
Keira and Seem were both kneeling by Samos's side, looking up at the Eco being warily. Before anyone could object he'd appeared to vanish, reappearing with a rush of wind and energy between the startled women.
Several curses echoed through the cavern, but died out to a strained silence when Light Jak didn't move. He simply stood, staring down on the Sage with his large, glowing white eyes. His face was blank, no indication given on what his current motives were.
Samos was still on his knees, the earlier assault leaving him with little strength to stand, and even less to defend himself if the ethereal being in front of him chose to lash out again. His daughter and the Monk tightened their grips on his arm and shoulder respectively. While Seem had more control over her emotions, Keira's trembling fingers gave away her fear.
The Green Eco Sage gave a sigh of resignation before shaking his head and giving his daughter's hand a little pat with his own. He briefly met her worried eyes and sighed, before turning back to look up at his charge, "You've gotten so incredibly powerful, my boy..."
Light Jak's dissecting gaze never left the Sage. His glow flickered momentarily, his muscles tensing ever so slightly before he tilted his head in consideration. The corruption under his jaw pulsed, but seemed to be placated for the moment. The Sage suspected it wouldn't stay that way long, and knew that whatever needed to be said to appease the transformed youth needed to be said quickly.
The only problem was that he really didn't know what that was.
"Heh..." Samos closed his eyes and dropped his head below his shoulders with a tired snort and shake of his head, "It's pathetic, really. Stupid. It's easier for me when you're like this." He could feel Keira's grip twitch under his own, and he gently squeezed to assure her, "I can't face you, Jak. The normal you. I just can't."
"Daddy...?"
The mechanic's soft, questioning tone drew Samos's attention away just long enough to send her a sad smile. When he turned back he was slightly surprised to see that Light Jak was no longer focused on him, the transformed youth's swirling white eyes were centered on his daughter. She hadn't noticed, still concerned with the Sage.
Samos observed quietly for a few seconds, realizing that even though it was nearly non-existent, there was something to read in Light Jak's expression. It was confusion. Confusion mixed with fear, and sadness, with just a hint of longing. Daxter would no doubt be able to put it into actual words, but it gave the Sage some comfort to know that he could still understand Jak's silent voice, even if it was just a bit. Another smile tugged at the corner of his lips, "I'm sorry, Jak."
It almost seemed as though Light Jak hadn't heard him. He visibly hesitated to look away from Keira, but eventually returned his attention to the small, kneeling man in front of him. The overabundance of Light Eco was beginning to fade now, and Samos suddenly made a startling observation... the Eco wisps in the air above and around them hovered closer to Jak, slowly dancing around him, skirting just close enough to not be absorbed or channeled, but still clearly attracted.
If it were a more appropriate time, Samos would have been unbelievably interested, eager to study it further and find out why.
Not now though. The Sage couldn't help but shake his head in remorse at his own foolishness. He turned his eyes to the floor, glaring coldly at the slick, wet sheen that reflected the bright glow of the Eco enhanced young man standing inches from him, "I've caused you so much pain." He pulled his hand away from Keira, and tugged his glasses up and away from his eyes, "And I just keep doing it, don't I? I know, you won't forgive me, and I know I don't deserve it. Especially now..."
The Sage paused, as if expecting some type of reply. He was met with nothing but silence, so he cleared his throat and continued, "You are dying Jak, and I want so desperately to stop it. I wanted to find something..." Even he was surprised when a weak sob tore from his lips, voice cracking and breaking away to a breathless sigh. He was drained, physically and emotionally, but he knew he needed to explain himself to the boy, "It is all connected... everything. The Eco, the different worlds, Mar, the Precursors, you..."
No one else dared to move. Even the echo from the rushing river seemed to fade to silence. Every set of eyes were glued to the scene in front of them, shifting uneasily back and forth between the confessing Sage and stoic Light Jak. Time seemed to have stoped completely.
"I wanted to use that connection, and I took advantage of Damas to do it. I know he could have very easily been hurt, and for that I am sorry..." Samos sighed, head still bobbed low. He hesitated momentarily, voice wavering, "...but I would still do it again."
Several people shifted uncomfortably. It had been obvious by Jak's sudden outburst and subsequent rage that the Sage had done something to piss him off, but the vast majority of their group had no experience with Eco or its functions when it came to channeling... some of them were even unable to wrap their heads around the idea at all. Even those who had the skill to channel lacked knowledge to realize exactly what was going on at the time.
Even Seem, a distinguished Light Eco Monk, only had what she could learn at the temple to go on, and she still had so very much to learn. Samos had decades of intense study and practice. Jak had raw ability and instincts, not to mention his trials over the last few years. They were quite possibly the only two people in the world who could really comprehend what was happening.
"I would do it again." Samos repeated confidently in spite of his clenched eyes and quaking voice, "Part of this... it's my fault. I am to blame as much as the Precursors for what's happened to you, and now you're dying. I refuse to let that happen... You can't... I won't let you."
There was a sudden, gentle rush of power, followed by a hazy, faint hiss of dissipated energy. A body shuffled slightly in front of him, a light thud against the rocks. Samos forced the courage to open his eyes and look up, only to be surprised when he saw Jak's clouded blue irises staring back at him.
The youth's brow was pulled tight, eyes narrowed in what seemed like a mix of exhaustion and resentment, though the latter wasn't quite as intense as what the Sage had expected. The corruption pulsed dully, still branched across his neck and refusing to recede further. The blood that hadn't been wiped away earlier was dried under his nose and chin, and his mouth hung slightly open to draw air in between his sharpened teeth. He was hunched, sitting on his knees with his hands slumped lazily against the floor.
"You don't get to decide that." Jak's voice was almost shockingly calm, but everyone could see he was still struggling to keep his temper in check.
That simple statement seemed to crumble the Sage's resolve, and he once again snapped his eyes away and toward the floor, "Jak..."
"No. Don't." Jak's throat was raw, giving his tone a sharper inflection than he probably intended. He attempted to clear it before replying, "You don't get to use other people, Samos. You aren't a Precursor, and you don't have the right..." Jak seemed to think about what he'd just said for a moment, and barked out a cold, sarcastic laugh, "Actually, neither do they.
I don't care what you feel, not really. I don't care about your conscience, and I really couldn't care less about the stupid Precursors. They can all rot..." Jak grimaced slightly, and closed his eyes, pulling a hand up to cradle his chest. He gave a small, unwanted groan and took a few deep breaths to try and ease the pain and mind numbing shroud that was creeping over his consciousness.
Samos could only look on remorsefully, a hard lump in his throat that wouldn't go away, "Jak, please..."
The youth shook his head violently and growled, "You want the truth? Here... here it is..."
Several seconds passed before he got his senses under control and reopened his eyes. It took even longer before his breathing returned to a relative normalcy.
Finally he spoke, "Feel guilty all you want... I 'm really... not gonna stop you..." He sneered at himself, clearly annoyed at his rapidly deteriorating state, "It might be a shock to you, since you seem to think you're the only one who's smart enough to figure anything out, but I'm pretty much dead already, Samos. I know that. I knew it before we left Haven to come to this stupid freaking mountain. I knew it when we realized that this," he stretched his neck, dragging sharpened nails across the dark, twisting veins beneath the skin of his throat, "was corrupted Light Eco. It's no big newsflash to me, ok? I have no delusions about walking out of this place alive."
Daxter stiffened, staring wide eyed at his friend from his current post at Damas's side. His damp fur was standing on end, and his ears had dropped to frame his face dejectedly. His shoulders slumped, and he slowly swayed back to sit. It was one thing to consider it, to think about it...
It was another to hear Jak admit it. Out loud. In front of everyone.
Jak ignored several gasps and quiet, half-hearted arguments from his friends and allies. Keira had tears pouring from her eyes, and even though he paused hesitantly when he noticed — a flash of regret crossing his face before steeling itself into something more neutral — he still chose to continue on blatantly, "Honestly? It's better than the alternative at this point... Even if I did somehow survive this and make it back to the surface, I would just end up like Gol."
He flexed his clawed fingers, purposely allowing small, crackling jolts of Dark Eco to bounce erratically between them. His eyes visibly darkened to a near black, and he bared his sharpened teeth. His voice came out as a raspy, angry rumble, "I'm already half way there. I would bite the business end of a bullet before It came to that... and if I couldn't..." He turned a narrow gaze toward Sig, and cocked his head slightly to the side. He didn't need to finish his sentence, the meaning perfectly clear. He expected someone to take him out. The wastelander only looked on grimly, unable to give any semblance of an answer.
The Dark Eco fizzled out and Jak exhaled loudly, "So no, Samos. You don't get to make those decisions anymore. I'm done."
This time it was Keira that spoke, her voice barely audible between her muffled sobs, "Jak... you can't..."
He cut her off by shoving to his feet, unable to face her, "Let me get one thing straight: I'm really only doing this because I'm the only one who can. I'm not doing it for anyone's approval, or because anyone asked me or made me. I'm doing it because I want to make sure..." His voice suddenly gave out, and he slowly shuffled forward, passing several of his staring, silent friends, "...to make sure no one else dies."
***
Jak refused to slow his pace, even though it was plain as day that he desperately needed to rest. He'd occasionally stumble, or hack out a wet cough against his palm, but otherwise kept moving forward. At one point he'd quietly mentioned that they must be getting close to their goal, if the build-up of Eco flowing through the air and ground were any indication.
It left the rest of the group to shuffle along behind him in quiet contemplation. Some of them were upset, tearful and downtrodden. Others were livid, giving the occasional huff or grumble beneath their breath.
Still, others were completely silent. Three of them in particular.
Vin, Damas, and Daxter.
They were at the rear of the group, eyes and camera settled on nothing in particular as they trudged along through the dimly lit caverns. The spider-bot was scampering along just beside the wastelander, all but his damaged leg clanking slightly against the smooth, cold stone beneath them. Daxter on the other hand was slumped weakly on Damas's shoulder, barely holding a grip to keep himself upright. He was still feeling incredibly sick, though admittedly, not all of it was because of the tainted blood he'd swallowed earlier.
The distance between them and the rest of the group was far enough that even Jak didn't pick up on Damas's mumble, "It's all just asinine, isn't it?"
Daxter's ears twitched, and he found himself replying quietly, "What is?"
"Everything. I don't understand it. How can any part of this entire situation — this ordeal — be considered anything but absurd?" He paused, eyes settling on the back of his son's head "How can one person... how can anyone expect... He's still a child. He is Mar, my son, but he's been made into something else... something more. He can physically control the very lifeblood of the world, but he's just meant to be a sacrifice." He spat the last word distastefully. "How can someone so powerful exist, only to be manipulated so thoroughly? How can he even be..." He was at a loss for words. He was only spouting half sentences, and just didn't know what he was really trying to ask at this point.
"Possible?" Daxter offered knowingly, finally raising his gaze to glance sideways at the man supporting him. He smirked wistfully, bringing a hand up to rub his eyes.
"Yes."
"Eco." Vin simply answered. It always came back to the Eco.
Author's note: Ok, hopefully that wasn't too bad. I've got mixed feelings. Like I wanted to show everyone's emotion's coming to a head... and Samos is kinda the perfect outlet for that. I just hope it didn't seem like unnecessary drama. I also hope the situation isn't becoming too unbelievable with Jak. Let me know what you think by reviewing please!
Just a chapter or two more I'm thinking. We'll see how it ends up!