Two Sides to Everything
Disclaimer: I don't own Jak or any of the related characters or places. I own Colle, Zack, and Gurotik.
Sushi: Here is the final part of Chapter 18! This is the last chapter. Only the epilogue is left! Remember to write to me in your reviews weither or not there should be a sequal...although I already have an idea for one, not that it matters, but I also have an idea for another story...
Chapter 18: The Battle Front part 2
The pounding of feet and the scraping of claws were heard racing down the tunnel. The enemy was getting closer. Jak and Colle had led a group of twelve soldiers into the depths of the rosrucs base. They were to take out any and all creatures that got in their way. That included the rosrucerp leader, Gurotik.
"Sir, you go on a head. We'll take care of these beast." One of the stronger soldiers approached the elf.
"You won't stand a chance against them." Colle argued.
"We will do everything to allow you two to defeat this Gurotik. It is our duty." The twelve soldiers spread along the wide hallway. There guns were ready as soon as the first metal head turned the corner.
"Come on!" Jak pulled Colle through a side doorway that led to a smaller passageway. The two of them went on for only seconds before Colle stopped. "What is it?"
"He's near. I can feel it." Colle opened another door. An immense power almost blew her from her feet but she was caught by Jak. "Gurotik."
"How good of you to come." A figure stepped from the shadows. Gurotik was gigantic. Just his arm alone was as long as Jak. He had truly increase his strength. "Too bad you came to your death!" He charged the two fighters once they stepped through the thresh hold of his chambers.
The two of them jumped to the side just barely avoiding his attack. He had gotten stronger and faster. But how? It hadn't been that long since they had encountered him last. Jak dodged another attack that would have cost him his leg. It seemed as if Gurotik was only going to attack the young warrior. He still needed Colle alive.
Colle changed her gun into the blaster. She would need to get closer even for the long range weapon to have much of an effect. The rosruc leader pinned Jak to the wall. He was struggling to get free. With his free hand Gurotik readied a killing blow to the elf. Unfortunately for him, Colle wasn't going to just sit back and watch. She fired her blaster at his neck thinking his armor would be weakest there. She was only half right. She had saved Jak but drawn attention to herself. Gurotik swung around hitting the girl to the ground. Light flashed before her eyes.
"You have it don't you?" Gurotik advanced on the fallen girl. "You have my Crystal!"
"So that's how you got so strong." Colle struggled to get up as Jak ran to her aid. "You used the crystal." She had received the crystal from Mora shortly after arriving in the wastelands. Colle knew there had to be a way to defeat him, but with how things had started it didn't look too promising. Power like his came at a price, however. It meant he was to sure of himself to think he could be beaten.
The giant transformed rosrucerp rushed in for another attack. The already winded Colle tried blocking while Jak tried an attack of his own. Neither were successful. Gurotik slammed Colle into the ground at full force as Jak was hit sideways into the wall. They were losing and the battle had just begun.
Colle wasn't able to breath with the two hundred pounds of dead weight on top of her. She tried to move but froze in pain. It felt as if her arm had been broken.
Jak cleared his head from the impact with the wall. His vision of Colle fading in and out. He had to help her. Shakily he loaded his peace maker. When Gurotik began clawing at the girl he gave up his attempts. Running to help, Jak jumped on the creatures back. He pulled out his hidden knife and jabbed it in it's side.
Gurotik growled as he turned around trying to get at Jak. Colle wasn't able to get away in time from his swiping claws. One of them caught her arm. Three large gashes stretched from her shoulder to her elbow. There was no doubt that her and Jak wouldn't be getting out of this battle unscathed.
Jak hung onto Gurotik's back as tightly as he could.
"Jak move!" Colle yelled at him. She was going to attack.
Feeling the strange aura from her, Jak jumped from the creature's back and moved as far away as he could. Running toward the doorway and into the next room, Jak saw colle doing the same but for one big difference. She was attacking Gurotik with her powers. Suddenly, the room was filled with the eco controlling substance. Colle was running for the door.
"We have to get out of here. That's not going to hold him forever." She grabbed Jak's arm when he wasn't moving.
"What did you do?"
"I used my powers. They caused his eco to go wild. He's in a lot of pain right now." Colle stopped when they came to a large chamber with no other way out.
"You can control your powers? Since when?" Jak was breathing heavily.
"since the last time we were here...Gurotik forced the crystal's energy into me." Her head was swimming. She had used too much energy in a short amount of time. "I guess it gave me the push I needed."
"Then why have you been holding it back?"
"Well...for one, I think I just used most of it. And another thing...There's eco here."
Jak was stunned. Eco. This could help him get the extra strength he desperately needed. If only he could find it. Jak looked around as much as he could without alerting the rosruc leader of their location.
"It's over here." Colle had moved a pile of rocks from the old wall. Red flames spewed into the air. "it's red eco."
Jak knew what to do. unfortunately, upon placing his hand through the flame, the inner was had begun. Pain shot up through Jak's arm and into the rest of his body. His darker self was over coming the light one more time. This time though, it was worse than the others. red light blinded Jak as he tried to escape the pain. He tore at himself wanting to get the darkness out of him. Never had he wanted anything to end so horribly.
Colle didn't know what to do to help him. With all of the screams and yelling, Gurotik would soon find them. It was only a matter of time now. When that time came, neither of them would be in the condition needed to fight.
A bright blue glow came from inside Colle's pocket. She pulled out the Precursor Crystal. it was reacting to the eco. Holding it near Jak the light intensified, but nothing else happened. With Jak thrashing about, Colle timidly grabbed his wrist. Dark Jak sank his teeth into her hand. colle yelped but didn't release him.
White blue energy surrounded the girl as she allowed her own energy to flow into Jak. The longer they were connected the stronger the power became. The stronger the power became the less Jak fought with himself. The darkness was beginning to calm.
As soon as her job was done, Colle noticed the two of them were no longer alone. Before either of the could react Gurotik struck out. He slammed Colle against the wall with a sickening thud. Jak's heart almost stopped when he heard it. It didn't sound healthy. He tried to reach her but was forced to run when he became the new target.
"This world is dead." The rosrucerp swiped landing a few more hits before Jak was forced to retreat. He was going to win this one. "Once the silos have been opened, there will be nothing left but a ball of mud in the sky. And you will be my final triumph. The hero who couldn't do anything as the world turned to dust!" This was his final strike. This would finish it all.
"I don't think so." Colle's deadly calm voice came out of no where.
Jak looked over the rosruc's shoulder and was relieved to see her still alive. He on the other hand might not fare too well for much longer. Blood seeped from a cut on his head into his eye. Another gash was flowing freely on his left leg. His head was feeling light from the massive blood lose.
Before Gurotik could react, Colle was behind him. He was frozen in mid-strike, unable to do anything.
"Can't move, can you?" She had placed both of her hands on his back. Colle's ability to control eco kept the rosrucerp under her control. She looked at the injured warrior on the other side of the room. "Do it, Jak! Transform now and end this!"
What she had said sank into his mind slowly. "You can't be serious!"
"Now, Jak!" She wouldn't be able to hold the giant much longer. Already her powers were weakening. Gurotik sensed this and knew he would have his opportunity. He would kill this girl. She was too much of a threat to keep around. "Jak!"
Before another word, Jak concentrated on the darkness. His form changed and with onyx eyes full of hate and anger, Dark Jak went in for the kill.
The red eco they had found earlier turned out to be a blessing. Jak charged his single strike and found he could unleash more of his dark energy. Preying to the Precursors that Colle would survive, the soulless beast released his eco.
The blast hit with a deafening noise. Dust flew everywhere as the air was forced from the chamber. Orange explosions appeared where the blast had been targeted.
Jak had used almost all of his energy and de-transformed almost instantly. He fell to his knees and waited for the light to fade. There was no sign of Colle. He couldn't hear anything from either of them. Jak was full of fear.
The light was gone and the dust gently floated in the still air as Jak ran to see the damage he had done. He went through rocks straining to move them as his strength left him. He cleared the rubble until he found the two fighters.
Gurotik was barely recognizable. Burns covered his entire body along with many cuts. Chunks of skin looked as if they had been ripped from the transformed rosruc. jak could only hope Colle had come out better. Then right before Jak's eyes, the giant body of Gurotik began to dissolve. There was nothing he could do as he watched his new enemy disappear in seconds. This left Colle exposed to his vision. he was horrified at what he saw.
Colle's hands were burned from where she had held Gurotik in his place. They were bleeding. The side of her face would be slightly scared once it had the chance to heal. She might not be able to see out of her left eye.
Jak knelt down and felt for a pulse. He wasn't going to go through this again. His heart eased when he found the beating strong. she would live. Jak lifted her into his arms and made his way toward the tunnels.
"That's the last one!" Torn yelled as he and Mora shot the same metal head. Around them lay the battle field. The bodies of friend and foe littered the ground. Out of the five hundred soldiers, only a handful remained.
"Are you all right?" Mora limped over to Torn. She sat on the bloodstained earth catching here breath. Torn and two other soldiers joined her.
"I'll live. You?" Torn was eyeing a nasty cut she had received on her cheek. The blood had dried over closing the wound.
"I've been better."
The two sat in silence glad the fighting was over. Now their fates were in the hands of Jak and Colle.
"I wonder if they're still alive." Mora was the one to speak their thoughts aloud. She watched as torn got to his feet.
"Why don't you ask them yourself?" Torn was smirking and pointed to just beyond the first sand dune. Jak was carrying Colle in his arms. it seemed as if they were arguing about something. The two were smiling however. behind them were seven of the twelve soldiers that had journeyed with them.
Sushi: How was that for an ending? Everyone's back together again! Next is the epilogue but I don't think it'll be out until wednesday or thursday of this week. I have go look for a summer job...whoopee...not. Don't forget to review and I look forward to seeing you in the last installment of 'Two Sides to Everything'!