A/N: So yeah, these all take place before the beginning of the first game. Just in case I didn't say it before.


"You're leaving?!" Daxter and Keira yelled. They, Zal, Samos, Zon, and Jak had all gathered inside Samos's hut after Zal said he had something important to discuss to them all.

"Not forever." Zal said as he packed some of his equipment into a bag. "Just for awhile."

"But where?" Daxter asked.

"Zon and I will be travelling by Warp Gate to the homes of the other Eco Sages." Zal said. "With their help, I'll be able to understand more about the other kinds of Eco out there."

"And, there's bound to be all kinds of Precursor Artifacts out there just waiting to be found!" Zon said as he lifted his full pack.

"Now remember, the four other Sages out there are very different from myself." Samos warned. "The Red, Blue, and Yellow Sages are all friendly, though each of them have their quirks. The Red Sage is a bit laid back. The Blue Sage is constantly tinkering with inventions. And you may want to inspect any food the Yellow Sage offers."

"What about the other Sage?" Zon asked. "The one who studies Dark Eco?"

"That might not be a good idea." Samos said. "But if you intend to meet him, be very careful. He tends to take his studies with Dark Eco a little too far."

"Thank you for the advice." Zal said. "Well, we must be going. My research won't finish itself. Farewell for now, my friends." Zal said before jumping into the Warp Gate.

"Bye Zon!" Keira said as she and the others waved.

"Bring us some souvenirs!" Daxter said.

"You know I will! Bye!" Zon said before jumping into the Warp Gate.

-4 months later-

It was late in the afternoon in Sandover Village. Jak and Daxter were scaring yakkows, which earned a lot of yelling from the Farmer as he chased them away from his farm. Both boys were laughing as they ran until they stopped at Samos's hut.

"Jak! Daxter!" Samos yelled. He and Keira were down in the lower part of the hut looking at the A-Grav Zoomer. "What are you two doing?!"

"Nothing." Daxter said. Samos was about to yell again, but stopped when they heard the Warp Gate activate. Everyone ran up into the hut just in time to see two familiar faces hop out.

"It's Zal and Zon!" Keira said.

"In person." Zon said.

"Welcome back. How were your travels?" Samo asked.

"Enlightening." Zal said. "The amount of knowledge I've learned. The research I've done! Truly a grand experience!"

"And don't forget all the stuff we got!" Zon said.

"Yes! Artifacts and Eco. Courtesy of the Sages." Zal said. "I learned many things from the Blue Sage. The Red Sage kindly let me use his home to conduct a few experiments. And...you were right about the cooking from the Yellow Sage. And Gol...hmmm."

"What about Gol?" Samos said.

"I briefly met him and his sister, but not for very long." Zal said. "They didn't seem very welcoming to strangers, but they did allow me a parting gift." He then reached into his pack and pulled out a few small phials full of dark purple ooze. "Dark Eco." Everyone looked at with curiosity except for Samos, who merely narrowed his eyes at the sight of it.

"I hope you don't do anything reckless with that." Samos warned.

"Not to worry. I plan to use it only after I've studied it carefully." Zal said. Jak Daxter, and Keira watched as Zal brought out many jars of various Eco before Zon called them away, leaving the two men to talk.

"I brought you guys some souvenirs." Zon said as he reached into his pack. He pulled out a few trinkets that the Sages gave them, and a few he 'borrowed' from them. Jak and Keira liked them, while Daxter looked at them in confusion. "Just don't tell my father or Samos."

"You really shouldn't steal." Keira said.

"You say something?" Zon asked as he walked away.

"He's not listening." Keira said.

-Night-

Sandover Village was quiet, with the only sounds being the Windmill turning and the waves against the shore. Everyone was peacefully sleeping in their homes, except for Jak and Zon. Jak had woken up to use the bathroom, but hadn't returned to bed afterwards because he saw Zon messing with his father's stuff. He went over to watch, gaining Zon's attention.

"What are you doing here Jak?" said Zon as he messed with the phials of Eco his father had collected. Jak tilted his head in confusion as he silently pointed at all the stuff on the ground. "What? All this? I was gonna mix them up and see what could happen. Just a little from each so that my dad didn't realize I messed with them. Though I don't have the Dark Eco. My dad keeps that with him at all times." He tried to uncock one of the phials before he heard footsteps. "Oh crap!" he said before he quickly tossed the phials into the pack before closing it and standing in front of it, trying to hide it behind his back. "If it's dad, I'll apologize." he whispered. "If it's Samos, I'll offer to clean for a month." The footsteps grew louder as a figure came out of the darkness. A young woman with an angry scowl across her face glaring down at Zon. "Or if it's Maia, I'm dead."

"My brother may have been too wrapped up in his research to notice you steal an artifact from us, but not me!" said the woman before she placed her hand out. "Give it to me this instant, and I promise you'll recover in a few years time." Zon didn't move at all as he stared at her. "NOW!" That time he moved, tripping over himself an landing on the back. The sound of breaking glass could be heard as Zon lifted himself off the pack.

"Oh no!" Zon said as he lifted the pack and looked inside. To his horror, the jars containing the Eco his father collected had all been broken, causing all the Eco to spill and mix inside. "Crap! Dad's gonna blow a gasket!"

"I tire of your stalling!" shouted the woman before she floated towards him. "Give me that bag!"

"Jak! Catch!" Zon yelled as he threw the bag to Jak. Jak caught it, earning a glare from Maia.

"Hand it over!" she yelled as she came towards him, her patience at an end. She reached for him before she jerked her hand back, as if in pain. She held her hand and looked at it while the bag had a glow coming from inside. "What?!" Jak looked down at the bag before opening it, revealing a very tiny ball of light. "It can't be!"

"Is that...Light Eco?!" Zon said. All of them stared before Jak slowly reached for it. Without warning, the Light Eco vanished, and Jak's entire body became white. "Whoa!" Zon whispered as Jak looked at his hands in shock.

"It does exist?!" Maia cried out, causing Jak to look at her. Jak glared at her before throwing his hand out, releasing a small sphere at Maia. A blinding light enveloped the area, with Maia's ear-splitting scream erupting around them. Then the light was gone, and Maia as well. Jak and Zon just stared at the area as a few villagers woke up and ran to see what was happening.

-In Gol and Maia's Citadel-

Maia was lying on the floor of her room, her entire being wracked with pain. She had tried to use her Dark Eco powers to teleport away, but was still caught in the blast. Her head felt like it was splitting, and her body felt like it was on fire. She struggled to stand, but her body refused to listen. Eventually, her strength gave out and she collapsed to the floor out cold. She lay there for several hours before she slowly stirred from her slumber. The pain had faded to a dull pain as she looked around the room before looking down at herself.

"What...happened?" she asked in confusion, the usual malice gone from her eyes.


A/N: So, what do you all think? Too fast? Too slow?