Chapter 34

After learning that bit of shocking news from Sasha and Errol, it made me very mad, yet also relieved at the same time. I was very angry at Veger for banishing us just for his own sick gain, even to the point of basically reversing the votes so that it was the opposite of what the people actually wanted... but I was also relieved that the city didn't hate us, at least as a majority. Once Kiki got to us at the garage, she then flew us towards the temple, even though Daxter wasn't a fan of it. He actually insisted to hide in between me and Kiki, basically getting sandwiched so that he wouldn't be able to fall down.

Once we finally touched down, Daxter then hopped on my shoulder and looked a bit annoyed.

"Well, looks like someone didn't like going for a flying session," Sasha smiled at him.

"Yeah, I don't like flying without protection," Daxter said with a frown.

"Well, if you need some kind of protection from falling, you could always hide in my mouth or stomach," Kiki smiled, Daxter growling at her angrily. "Haha, just kidding, Dax. We're friends," Kiki smiled as she simply petted him and Daxter frowned.

"Fine," he said as we then looked ahead and proceeded forward into the temple. And when we got to the staircase that went down, we saw that some new faces had decided to call this place home.

"Ack! Metal Jackets!" Sasha exclaimed as she then shot them with her Beam Reflexor, which actually proved to be very effective. The beams attacked each of the Metal Jackets that appeared three times each before they then all died after getting hit three times each. And the best part was that the bullets didn't hurt our group at all... for some odd reason.

"Why don't those bullets hurt us at all?" Errol asked.

"Well, apparently this gun won't harm anyone else with a Beam Reflexor on their person. I learned that during my last arena fight," Sasha said before then getting a glum look on her face.

"You're still beat up about that, huh?" I asked, her nodding at that.

"You and Sig were braver than I was, Jak. I didn't want to die from Damas's hands... but I don't think that Wastelander should've had that be his final moments of life, especially after I rescued him less than half an hour earlier," Sasha said with a pout.

"I see... well think about it this way, Sasha. It was just one bad thing you did and it only cost one life. Veger, on the other hand? He's done numerous horrible things and the big one he did killed every single person in the Stadium, Maintown, and the Bazaars. If you ask me, you should be focusing on getting back to Haven to kick him in the nards before Ashelin does," Kiki smiled at her, which I found a bit surprising. That Sasha, the youngest of our group in terms of actual birthdays, was the one who was being the wise voice of reason.

"Yeah, you're right, Kiki... thanks," Sasha smiled as we then got to a door that looked to have the Seal of Mar on it. I then proceeded to show the door my amulet and it immediately opened up.

"Now we're getting somewhere! Let's go see what awaits us," I smirked as we then went forward into the temple until we came across some more Metal Jackets. But once again, some Beam Reflexor rounds made them all fall down and die. We then came across a room that had some very odd looking orbs flying around that were a mixture of Light and Dark eco... and after I touched one, it actually flew over to the door on the other side of the room and slammed into the top into another Mar symbol.

"Idea, guys. We should touch every single one of these floating bits of energy so that the door will open up ahead," I smirked.

"Time to bust out the Jet Boards, then!" Errol said with his usual frown, even if he did sound a bit excited. After all, he hadn't ever used a Jet Board before, at least to my knowledge. We then proceeded to board around the place and even go through some tunnels in order to get all of the little spheres of Eco until the door opened up. And after going through it, we actually emerged into the room with the giant Precursor statue, but on a different side of it.

"We meet again, great heroes, but sadly your coming may be too late. Our enemy is approaching us at a quickening rate from the cosmos and we fear we may not have the power to prevent their plans of Armageddon. Behold, the pure power of light!" the Precursor said as I then felt the light appear above my head and I looked up and felt the light pour into me. And I could feel that there was some kind of gate that opened inside of me... I could feel some kind of super-powered version of the quickness of Blue Eco enter my body. "We offer you some power in these grave moments."

I then looked at the others and saw that Errol happened to get the strength as well, which surprised me. "Okay... I think I know what to do," I said as I breathed in and sighed, me then clapping my hands together and me seeing that the nearby spinning platforms had slowed down to a complete crawl to the point that they barely moved. I made sure to hold Daxter tight and hop across the platforms. And soon after, I got on the other side and I saw that the others were shocked.

"Whoa! How'd you get over there?!" Sasha exclaimed in shock and Daxter looking surprised.

"I slowed down time with that Light Eco power," I said, them smirking at that and me seeing that they actually joined me soon after in the blink of an eye... leaving Kiki all alone on the other side.

"Hey! Wait for me, would ya, guys?" Kiki giggled as she flew over to our location and we then moved forward again through the corridor and we saw we had to use the Jet Boards again. And after grinding above the place we got the door open with the floating spheres, we then got to an area filled with spinning blades and some very deep drops that would lead to the area with the numerous floating eyes we encountered during our first trip.

"How about we do this one differently? I'll fly everyone below those spinning wheels of death and to the other side, okay?" Kiki smiled.

"Sure, that sounds like a much safer option," Errol admitted as Kiki then proceeded to fly us each towards the door on the other side. She started with me and Dax, then Errol, then Sasha, the trip being a bit dodgy at the last bit, since there was a spinning blade very close to the edge of the door. But after exiting, we saw yet another challenge, one that looked pretty dangerous. There was a very flimsy bridge filled with tons of cracks and it looked like it was barely able to be supported.

"I bet one touch would be enough to make this thing fall down. Time to use that time stopping power again. And for Kiki, she can just fly over," Sasha said.

"Agreed," Kiki smirked as all three of us pretty much used the power at the same time, all of us rushing over the bridge as it slowly collapsed from underneath us. And even with the time being slowed down drastically, we barely made it to the other side before the whole bridge had fallen into the pit below us. "I'm coming over there, guys," Kiki said as the power dwindled out and she then joined us with her wings flapping over the pit. And in front of us was a door that led to an elevator. We proceeded down it and then entered a room that looked very similar to the catacombs we'd seen after the Palace was destroyed.

"Huh... these must've been made by the Precursors a long time ago... most likely to connect these two areas and this temple together," I gawked. And then someone appeared from ahead of us from a large tube filled with electronics.

"Whew! I finally found you!" said the voice of Pecker as he flew towards us and landed on an inactive car that looked like it'd be fun to ride in.

"What are you doing here so far away from Onin's head, Pecker?" Kiki asked, the monkaw smirking at her.

"Onin requested I come to find you. She says that we must get back to Haven City and find a way into the catacombs. She says they hold the key to the planet's very survival," Pecker said, me then using my amulet and seeing that it activated the car.

"Anyone up for a little ride?" I asked.

"Whoo! I call shotgun!" Sasha smirked widely. Errol and I then got in happily and Daxter looked at us like we were crazy.

"I'd rather fly than risk my life in this contraption, thank you very much," Daxter said, Kiki smirking and picking him up by the head and placing him under her arms and against her tummy.

"Ignore me if my stomach growls, Dax. I'm getting a little bit hungry," Kiki smirked, that only making Daxter get more fidgety.

"I'll get you some Red Eco from my gun after we get to the other end of this tube, Kiki," I said as we Sasha then punched the ignition while Pecker was in the car and we zoomed off into the tube. The ride through was very fun and also kind of treacherous, since there were numerous sections where the road didn't exist and there were some debris in our way in the form of steel girders and yellow poles. But after going through the entirety of it, we emerged into a room with a dead-end right in front of us... and Sasha looked like she was going to ram it before then doing something epic. She hopped from the machine and stopped it from colliding into the wall with just her sheer muscle power in Dark Form!

"Whoa... That was impressive, Sasha!" Errol gawked, which was something rare for him to do.

"Now you see why I can beat up anyone I see? That Dark Warrior Program may have been hell to go through, but the perks of becoming a walking war machine with skin make it slightly worth it," Sasha said, me smirking at that. She did have a point, even though it was one I didn't agree with. Nothing was worth going through that torture. I did keep my promise to Kiki, however, and used my Dark form to poke a hole in a Scatter Gun ammunition pack and she immediately slurped it up happily.

"Thanks, dad," Kiki smiled as, out of the car, appeared a Precursor!

"You are doing well, great warriors, though the Dark Ones will not be an easy opponent for anyone to take on in the fray of battle... please, accept another power of Light. It was what little left we have to offer in these dire straits," the Precursor said as I saw the light above my head again and I looked into it along with Sasha and Errol and I then found I could create a shield around me with the Light Eco!

"So... is no one going to mention how Errol can get these powers of Light Eco as well? Or do I have to ask it?" Sasha said, Errol smirking for a change.

"You weren't the only one who had a Light Eco injection when you were a child, Sasha. I had one as well," Errol said, me smirking at that.

"Well, I wouldn't have ever guessed," I admitted.

"Me neither," Daxter smirked as Pecker then jumped from the car and we then proceeded to another elevator. We were one step closer to entering Haven City and helping out our friends against the KG robots, the Metal Head hordes, and Count Veger himself.