Chapter Five: Escape and Destiny

Flashback

The Baron stood on the hovering platform speaking to the winner of the championship race, Jak. He couldn't hear what they were saying; his ears were filled with the buzz of defeat. He never lost, never. He put one foot down on the pavement to steady his zoomer. If he couldn't be the winner no one would be. He put the zoomer in reverse and obtained a speed boost. Positioning his zoomer, he punched the throttle and whipped around the corner.

"I win Jak!"

Jak had leapt out of the way. The Barron rose up on the platform to avoid collision with the maniac driver. It was only a split second before he had hit the dark eco barrels that he knew he had made a mistake. A sudden explosion of dark eco pierced through the crowds' cheers and sent the stadium into a state of panic. The resulting dark cloud of the explosion covered his escape into one of the hidden manholes on the track.

Few knew of the sewers beneath the stadium, and he was glad that he was one of them. Tunnels upon tunnels of the old sewage system had been shut down in order to build the stadium. It was dark and damp. Bricks littered the already grimy ground and the tunnel's lights had long since shed their last rays of light. He knew not of the darkness, nor of the beaten path, his mind was focused on one thing. How was it that he could have been beaten so easily, and by that freak? He had lost and was now crawling through the sewers like a disgusting rat. He ran his hand over the slime-covered wall to guide his way out. The sludge in which he walked through reeked with the sour smell of failure.

He could hear the faint cry of the Krimson Guards as they tried to silence the rebel. He let out a merciless laugh. No one would defeat Jak, no one but him that is. He knew as soon as he survived the dark eco blast that it was his destiny to defeat the Dark Warrior. He was untouchable, uncontrollable, and free from the Barron's incompetents.

Rounding the last corner, he saw the exit. A small ray of light pierced the darkness and became larger as the worn metal doors began to open. He jumped down and found himself not within the city walls, but in Dead Town. He withdrew his weapon, as the Metalheads were still a threat. Although he knew no mere Metalhead would be able to defeat him, he did not want to chance it. He was invincible, immortal, untouchable, until his destiny was complete.

He walked stealthily through the ruins. He needed to reach the entrance to the city by nightfall, that way he could gather some of his personal belongings and his personal elite KG team, without being noticed or recognized by anyone. He would then exit the city and wait until an opportunity presented itself to attack.

He, Erol, would get his revenge on Jak; it was just a matter of time.

Present

Jak sat up on the cold hard bed. The room was dark, but not as dark as the place he was just in. The curtain surrounding his bed prevented him from seeing the whole room, but he could hear the faint sounds of people sleeping. The sterile air played with his senses, as it was a lot different than the polluted air outside.

A trickle of cold sweat rolled down his back, making him shiver. The images of the dream were still fresh in his mind. He looked down at his hands. Normal. Jak let out a sigh of relief; it was just a nightmare, only a nightmare. Still the images plagued his mind.

The curtains surrounding Jak's bed separated, revealing a slim, red headed young lady. Dressed in white scrubs, Jak guessed that she was a doctor.

"Oh, I-I didn't realize that you were up," she said. Her voice wavered with fear, but she kept herself in order. She obviously knew who and what he was. Jak looked at the tray she was carrying. On it was a container of glowing green eco, bandages, a water jug, and a glass. "Just came to check your bandages."

At those words, Jak was aware of the bandage around his head and arm, and his leg was cast in a splint. His blue tunic was off revealing his well toned upper body, and his hover board and morph gun were rested on the chair beside his bed. His beige pants were torn, and on the side of the splint, his pant leg was cut up to the middle of his thigh.

The young woman worked quickly and quietly. Jak was in no mood to object to being treated by someone other than himself, so he let the doctor work. He sat rigidly on the hard bed as to avoid scaring her while she worked. Her hands, young as they were, moved with experience beyond their years. Not once did they fumble with the bandage, or cause him any more discomfort. In fact the smoothness of her hands soothed and relaxed him, he could feel the knot in his arm undo and the searing pain in his head dissipated into a mild ache.

She was surprised by his actions. Most of the patients that were put in here when she had first started were due to this man. Yet he did not move or complain, he was in fact quiet pleasant. She threw the old bandages away, and was surprised to see that his cuts on his arm and head were fully healed. However, when she had moved on to examine his leg it was still fractured. Green eco must only work on cuts, she thought to herself. She reset the splint and poured him some water. With a quiet goodbye, she walked back through the curtain.

Jak watched her leave. He took a sip of his water and laid back down. His eyelids drew heavier as the hours rolled on by. He was afraid to close them, afraid of his own feelings and most of all afraid of his darker side. His attempts to stay awake lasted for a couple of hours, but as the sun rose in the dark sky, Jak's eyes fell, and all was dark once again.

Dream

Jak opened eyes.

Before him was the oracle. Jak moved closer to the golden statue, its hollow, glowing eyes mesmerizing him and drawing in his soul. Only feet away from it, Jak stopped, and looked at the structure. The dozens of glowing candles were reflected on its surface, giving it the appearance that it was alive. Jak jumped as a deep echoing voice erupted from the golden statue.

"The darkness within you grows, and will soon consume you into its perpetual oblivion. Only by realizing your gift will you be able to save yourself."

Jak looked at it in confusion. "What gift?" he yelled angrily, "I already know all of the Dark Powers! I need to know more!"

"An evil presence will surface soon, you must be ready for it."

At the oracle's last words the candles extinguished and the wooden hut became dark. The floor had vanished from beneath his feet, and the walls surrounding him disappeared until at last only the darkness remained. Jak found himself in nothingness once more.