Guess it's time I updated this (although I haven't got a single review since the last time). But anyway, in this chapter I made up my own answer to the question I've been asking myself about since I started playing Jak2, how did the crimson guards know Jak were coming? You know they say "there he is, move in" as soon as they see him, and the baron says he's been told "this one would be different". I also sneaked in some romance in chapter 18, Erol meets a special girl (giggles) my first attemt at romance in a fic, I'm not very good at these things. R&R

CHAPTER 17

THE PROPHESY

213. month 1

Jake

I had taken a small trip out to the bazaar; it was nice to get out sometime.

Kate was out with a friend and Maria had taken Jak and Crocket to the park while I, I was just walking around looking at the different shops placed around the market.

The stands around here had a much larger selection than the ones in the slums of course, if you wanted something very special, this was the place to get it.

I wondered if I should bring home nice gift to Maria, perhaps a new bracelet.

"Hey you!"
I turned around to find the source of the sound, but I didn't see anyone.

"Down here smartass!"

I looked down, a macaw was sitting at my feet, or… it looked like a macaw, but it had a long striped tail and the face of a monkey.

"Who are you?" I asked, resisting the urge to say "what are you?"

"My name's Pecker" said the moncaw, "And I've got a message from Onin, the soothsayer".

"Who is that? And why doesn't she come tell herself?" I asked.

"She's got her reasons, besides, I'm much faster than she is and have easier to hide if I the guards find me. But let's not spend all our time on presentations. I've got important news about your son"

"What do you know about my son?" I asked I started to get nervous; could it be a crimson guard-trick?

"There's no reason to be afraid, mr. Sentinel. Unless you raise your voice and attract every guard in the area. The only one who's got a reason to be afraid is your kid, Onin fears he might be in big danger" Pecker said.

"You tell me" I answered and rolled my eyes.

"You fear the baron and his brother, I can understand that. But they're not your biggest problem. The metalheads have heard of him to, because you know who he related to don't you?" asked Pecker.

"Of course I know. But what has that to do with the metalheads? Why would they care who's running the city?" I asked him.
"Oh, they wouldn't care less about that. But the thing is, your son, and the same with your wife and your stepdaughter, all relates to Mar, who founded this town. But he was known for doing more than that. Have you ever heard of the precursor stone?"

I got a bit surprised as he said that, "I thought that was only a legend" I said, sounding shocked.

"Oh, it exists alright" Pecker answered, "It is said to rest within Mar's tomb. And only Mar's true heir can open the tomb's door. And the only remnants of that family live in your house! The metalheads are in this city mister Sentinel, Onin can sense their presence, and if they manage to capture Mar's heir…"

He stopped there; he had made his point clear enough.

I knew what he feared at the moment he mentioned the precursor stone.

Old legends said that Mar found the stone long before building Haven City, it was said to contain huge powers, the most powerful precursor artefact in the world.

"What can I do to stop them?" I asked.

"Nothing, all you can do for now is to make sure he grows up safely until he gets old enough to face the threat. Unfortunately Onin has foreseen the metalheads forces are getting stronger! The kid can't be safe here for long" said Pecker.

"Sounds like we're doomed then" I said, "there are metalheads everywhere, so there's no way we can get him to a safe place!"

"Correct, there is no way he can be safe in today's Haven City. But if he had been sent back to the time before the metalheads came, he might be able to grow up safe from harm".

It did sound smart, until he mentioned time-travelling.

"How are we supposed to do that?" I asked, "I doubt this Onin has a time machine"
"No, Onin does not have a time machine, but she has foreseen the coming of a great hero, one who has the power to control all kinds of eco. This hero will help the heir of Mar to find his destiny! We haven't figured out when he arrives, Onin's prophesies aren't that specific" the moncaw answered, "But we know he will come soon and when that… what was that?"

I turned around and looked in the direction Pecker was looking and just got a glimpse of someone running around the corner.

"I'm out of her" said Pecker and flapped his large wings and started flying, "You better run to if you want to live"

I didn't need to be asked twice, I hurried down the streets to get home, to warn Maria!

But she wasn't home! I stopped short, the park! I had to get to the park to find her.

I turned around and ran towards the park, so fast I didn't see where I was going and slammed into someone and fell over.

"I'm sorry" I said, without looking up, "I didn't see where I was going. I…"

"What's the rush Mister Sentinel?" a voice asked.

I looked up, two heavy built crimson guards were standing in front of me, they stood on either side of a young boy, hardly older than Kate, but he did have a crest on his shoulder which proved he was a recruit in the crimson guard.

The young boy talked again, "we would like a little chat"

CHAPTER 18

EROL'S FIRST LOVE

213. Month 2

Erol

I felt quite good today.

Only nineteen years old and already head of a crimson guard patrol.

Thanks to the information we forced out of Jake Sentinel I had managed to find a perfect guinea pig for baron Praxis' "experiments", something that was doomed to turn our luck in this war.

He wanted to create a perfect dark warrior by using the highly powerful dark eco.

My only concern was that this warrior may make me and the rest of the guards superfluous but my uncle assured me he would always need the crimson guards, if not to fight the metalheads he needed someone who could handle the creature his experiments might create.

Although I couldn't see how that kid could help us, he appeared to be my age, and he had never been through the rough training I had gotten in the crimson school.

Then again, according to the bird-monkey this kid was extremely good at channelling eco. This was a very rare gift, people said Mar himself could do it and rumours said it was hereditary, but none of his heirs felt like trying. If you didn't have the gift, even the most stabile kinds of eco (red, blue and yellow) could be deadly. Green eco had never killed anyone, but used unwisely it had been known to cause illness and/or deformity.

But today I didn't worry about what happened to the boy, if he died I could take out the metalheads myself, if he made it, well, we had one more advantage.

I kept thinking over and over again what I would say if I ever got interviewed after the metalheads' defeat, you can't be too prepared.

But as I walked past a dark alley lost in my own thoughts I heard a scream, it sounded like a young girl, and she was in trouble.

"Come on sweetypie, just a small kiss?" a darker voice said.

I looked around the corner and saw three boys standing over a smaller elf, the girl, she was scared to death.

"Get away from me!" she cried, but the boys just laughed.

"Don't worry my love, we won't hurt you" said one of them, "We just want to take you out on the city to have a good time"

It was obvious these guys wanted more from this girl than just "a good time", this is not you problem I thought for myself, your job is to fight metalheads and rebellions, not stopping small criminals.

Still a part of me wanted to help the young girl.

I could handle them, it didn't seem like anyone of them had weapons. Fine! I could chase away those bad guys and go home, no problem.

"Hey you!" I shouted.

The three boys turned around at the same time.

"What do you want? Squirt?" one of them asked.

"Leave that girl alone!" I said.

"Or what? You'll tell your mommy?" another one said, laughing.

"Leave her!" I repeated, taking out my crimson guard badge, "Or you'll all be arrested!"

The boys suddenly turned all pale.

"Hey, relax man. We we're just kidding" one of them said, "Sorry miss. We're leaving now", and they did, I never thought I had ever seen anyone run like that.

I turned to the girl.

She was sitting in the corner crying.

"Eh… are you alright?" I asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine" she said and wiped the tears of her face before she got up, "Thanks for helping me out".

"It was nothing" I said, and now I'm leaving, no reason to stay around "Do you…eh… live nearby?"

"Well… I… I'm not sure" the girl said"

"Are you new in town?" I asked her.

"Yeah, that's right, I just got here" she answered, "You don't know anywhere I could sleep do you?"

No, I don't have time for this! "Sure, there's a hotel nearby" I said, "I can take you there"

"Thank you so much" the girl said and smiled.

Now that she was no longer sitting in the dark alley I could see her face.

She had beautiful green eyes and her hair was green and blue.

I lead her to the hotel and got her a nice room.

"You'll probably like it here, at least until you find somewhere else to stay" I said as she sat down on the bed.

"The bed seems comfy enough" she said, "But where's my manners? I haven't even presented myself yet! My name is Keira, Keira Hagai. What's your name?"

"Ehm. Erol Elfin" I said, damn! Why was my face all red? "But you must be tired after today's happenings, you should probably rest so I should probably go", that's a lot of probably in one line.

"You will be back won't you?"

What was I supposed to say? I had already saved her life and got her a place to stay, was I supposed to be her baby-sitter too or what?

"I'll be back tomorrow" I said, "I promise"