The crowd roared as Jak finished his fight brandishing his gun which had a new part it seemed. I stood beside Damas, he allowing me to be up there with him and pecker. I had no idea why, but he must've sensed my connection to Jak. My arms were crossed, I secretly proud of Jak. I didn't show it, I tried my best to show little emotion around Damas.
"I can't believe you two are still alive!" Pecker exclaimed.
"Yeah what a surprise." Daxter said.
"Damas and I are veery impressed." Pecker continued.
"Hey featherbutt. Who appointed you king?" Daxter asked, annoyed.
"He did! Well almost, kind of a semi-king you know. You should see our sleeping quarters and his harem of love birds. I never get any sleep these days. Its good to be king, no?" Pecker said. I rolled my eyes. Him and Daxter would about to get into it again. I could tell.
"I don't see no crown on that fat feathered head." Daxter said
"You want a crown? I'll crown you! Don't make me come down there from this perch!" Pecker exclaimed.
"I got a perch for you birdy right here." Daxter exclaimed, jumping down. "Twirl on it." He said as he gave pecker the finger. I was shocked but then stifled a laugh. The whole crowd gasped.
"That's it! It's go time!" Pecker yelled as he flew down to fight Daxter.
"Bring it on, bird brain!" Daxter yelled In response and got into a fighting stance. But Damas had enough.
"Enough! If I had wanted you to fight, I would have commanded it." Damas ordered as the both of them stopped mid fight. I composed myself, proud of Daxter for that stunt.
"You did very well, Jak. You make me proud…that our training program is so good. Here is your second battle amulet and a second weapon mod. One more arena win and you will be a true wastelander." Damas said as Jak nodded, I tossing him both of his prizes. I gave him a slight smile. Damas noticed but said nothing. Pecker returned to Damas' side, I looking at him.
"Enjoy your new perch Pecker?" I teased.
"Laugh while you can Zoe, while I'm safe in these walls, you're out there in the desert." He said. I rolled my eyes, and Damas looked at me.
"Zoe, a word?" He asked.
"Of course King Damas." I nodded as I followed him to his throne room. I haven't been in here since my last arena fight, he being so impressed by my skills.
"Zoe, I'm appointing you a new position. If you'd take it." He said, getting right to the point. That's what I liked about him. No nonsense.
"Depends on what it is." I said, crossing my arms.
"You're smart. I need a strong warrior to be my right hand fighter." He said, looking at his weapon.
"I.. I don't know Damas, I.."
"You are hesitant, I understand. The Dark eco powers you possess are unpredictable, no? But I believe you can use them for whatever you are a wastelander, a subject understand my rule. You wish to fight for your king?"
"Of course King Damas." I nodded.
"Then will you accept the task I have given you?"
"Yes." I answered, a slight smile on his face as he pins something to my vest. A strange yet familiar symbol.
"This symbolizes your loyalty to me and that you are my right hand fighter. Now go, celebrate your friends victory." He waved me off, I bowing before leaving the throne room. As I left, I ran into Seem.
"Oh hey Seem." I said.
"Come Dark One. You must be ready in time." She said, leading me away to the precursor temple yet again.
"In time for what?" I asked as we entered the warp gate and was instantly transported to the temple.
(Later)
Immediately after my arrival back in Spargus I was summoned to Damas' side. Did this new job require me to drop everything to go to my King? Probably… As I entered the throne room for the second time today, I noticed Jak and daxter walking in too.
"Hey Zoe." Daxter greeted as Jak nodded at my direction.
"Hey boys." I said, approaching Damas, who was on the loud speakers.
"Attention all citizens of Spargus, a large storm is heading our way. Prepare the city!" he announced, then looked at us. "Jak, Zoe. There are four wastelanders out there that still have not reported in. I want you two to go out there and find them. Do whatever it takes to bring them back!" He ordered. We both nodded, racing to the garage.
"Take the sand shark Jak." I said, as I jumped in one of the many buggys used for variousmissions out of the desert. "It'll go faster if we both pick up two. There's a tracker to help you find them and to get them to a transport out in the desert. Be careful and watch out for marauders!" I shouted before donning my handkerchief and goggles, taking off in the vehicle I was in. I was launched into the desert as I used the opening gate as a ramp, spinning off into the whipping wind. We only had a few minutes before the storm was here, but the wind and sand wasn't making it easy. I did many treasure runs in the desert, knowing it very well by now. But every storm that had passed blew away dunes and made new ones, and I had to somehow predict that. These wastelanders grew up in this desert, some traveled in it for years. I hoped someday I could do the same. I looked down on my tracker for a brief moment, it picking up a signal east from me and not far Hitting the gas and spinning the car sideways as I turned, making a jump over a dune as I spotted my fellow wastelander next to their buried vehicle that was overturned.
"hey!" I shouted, waving. They spotted me and ran over.
"Thank the precursors, you saved my skin." They said as they got in, I wasting no time in taking off again.
"What happened?" I asked as we spun off towards the transport.
"A creature jumped out of the sand and rammer my car. Then disappeared after I crashed." They explained as I let them off at the transport. I noticed Jak's vehicle take back off into the desert as I just arrived. I nodded in understanding as I left again, the other nor far. I didn't have a lot of time left. Traversing the sands again I found the other one in no time, their vehicle no where to be found. They got in at my wave, I going after the closer transport. No need to backtrack as the storm was getting worse and changing the sands. I would've gotten lost. As I drooped them off they told me the same thing the other did. A creature attacking them and disabling the cars. I nodded, now heading back to Spargus and hoping that Jak and daxter were okay. I rounded a corner around a large sand dune when aa blast of dark energy hit the side of my buggy, rocking it a bit. I looked around and saw nothing. But as I was distracted, my car spun a few times and I pulled the park break to stop. It slid in the sand and hit the side of a dune, stopping and jolting me a bit. Shaking my head I kicked the broken door and freed myself from the now totalled buggy. I grabbed the tracker from the center console and my gun from the passenger seat as I jumped out , assessing the situation. The front tire was popped. It must've been the monster they were talking about. But they didn't mention the ball of energy. I turned on my tracker, putting it above head and hoping Jak would find Me. But as I did, something attacked me from behind and knocked me down into the sand. I dropped my gun and tracker, hitting the ground hard. I shook myself and tried to stand, noticed my assailant. It looked like a metalhead from the city, but it was completely silver except for a glowing purple gem in it's forehead. What looked like dark eco was under the silver parts, it's sharp teeth chewing on my tracker. I slowly picked up my gun, loading the chamber before shooting at its head, the same tactic used against the metalheads. But surprisingly, the bullet bounced off.
"Okay, not a metalhead." I muttered as it looked st me, and spat out the now destroyed machine. It went to charge, I dropping my gun to summon the dark eco. Both arms lit up with the marks, I having dark eco in both hands. As It charged, I reared my arm back and slammed it into the ground, flipping the creature on it's back. Now exposing it's vulnerable stomach. I used the other arm of eco to launch it at the creature it exploding on impact. Dark eco rushed everywhere as the monster died. Leaving a dark eco crystal. I didn't have much time to process as more came out of the dunes. More than I could handle. But as I went to summon more eco, Jak arrived and stopped his vehicle beside me.
"Get in zoe!" Daxter yelled over the wind. I didn't need to be told twice as I grabbed my gun and jumped in, sliding into the passenger seat and buckling as he hit the gas.
"were those metalheads?!" Daxter asked as we approached Spargus. The storm was almost here. Jumping into the garage in a similar fashion that I left, the doors closed just in time. He stopped the car, I getting out.
"Zoe. You okay?" Jak asked, approaching me.
"I'm fine. I think." I said, leaning against the car. My head hurt and I felt dizzy.
"Those weren't metalheads." I looked at Daxter. "Guns won't work on those things."
"That's not good." Jak shook his head.
"No. It took me using my Eco powers to defeat it, and that took a lot out of me." I admitted. He could see the marks on my arms, they fading rapidly. "It also dropped this." I took the dark eco crystal from out of my pocket, it crackling a small bit as it reacted to both Jak and I.
"Then that means its related to dark eco." He said, taking the crystal. I didn't stop him.
"What're you gonna do with that?" I asked.
"I figured I'd keep it safe. Away from whoever was on that communicator we saw." He responded as he put it in his pocket.
"You don't think I can keep it safe?" I asked jokingly, crossing my arms.
"I just don't like it being near you that's all." He admitted. I looked at him.
"I can take care of myself." I said. "We've had this conversation before, at Haven City." I reminded him. With everything going on I expected him to forget our argument before my dissapearce.
"I know you can but you almost died, Zoe." He sighed.
"Yeah, almost, what's important now is that we're together. Me, you and Daxter. And you can keep the promise you made on that beach." I said, putting my hand on his chest as I spoke. His free hand grabbed my wrist. I was slightly surprised, but I looked up into his cerulan blue eyes and our eyes met. My heart was beating rapidly and I was sure he could hear it. I sighed, stepping back from Jak.
"I need to report this to Damas. He needs to know of there's any new threats." I said, now all business. Jak simply nodded. "Meet me here tomorrow morning. There's something I wanna show you that you might enjoy." Smiling I turned on my heel and started making my way to the throne Room.
What was that Zoe? By the precursors I'm stupid. Now he might think I'm not interested! I inwardly groaned. But maybe… no. I had to get those thoughts out of my head. I had more pressing matters to think about. These creatures and the thing up in the sky. I looked up, it among the stars. It was getting closer and we had little time left.