Jak Revamped: War of the Worlds

by WordSurge

A sinsiter plan has been hatched. New twists and horrors lay around every bend. Now this universe must call upon some mysterious hero...or it is all over. This is JAK REVAMPED!

The winds of time howled as time itself went foward into a period of recovery. Haven was finally rid of the grueling war that had plagued it's "glorious" streets before as chaos and vegeance sub-sided into a peaceful and harmonious state. The Slums underwent major urban-renewal as it's weak biuldings were tore down and new ones biult. Much of Haven went on to look like New Haven, but the Bazaar had stayed relatively similar, making it the major commercial District of the continent. As a result, transportation between numerous places around the world flourished and Haven went from rubble, to a glistening Metropolis. The sun rose and fell and the night lights scourged the dark ocean above as time went by. But, there was one place where the sun neither rose nor fell, or show at all for that matter. Consumed of hatred and evil, this never ending cage plays host to the evil hearted who had once walked the Earth with their sinister plans at work. Reigning with superioirity over Hell, it's shadowy vortex's began to enlarge...for a new sinister plan was being hatched. Among the dark wastelands that howled with evil and danger, sands tossed and turned as if it was an ocean. Rocky spikes shot out of the tidal sands and collided with eachother. Storms, it seemed, had never sub-sided. But instead, only got worse by the day. Across the sea of sand lay ruins that looked as if they had not been touched by light in a millenium. Deteriorated towers towered over the gnarled rock and stone as sands began to collide with the shadowy bank. A giant ship bearing the name "The Warrior" suddenly emerged from the sands and collapsed onto the bank, causing it's metal to shatter into millions of pieces. Above the raging stroms brewed evn worse phenomina as vortex's and stars collided with eachother and spread across the sky. Yes, deserted it seemed, but it was not. Amongst the battered ruins of the ancient city stood a small tower, but only 20 feet high. Fresh weeds and boot marks plagued the side of it's chaotic stone as a small pattern could be seen leading up to the top room that beared the most evil within it's dark walls. Around a table 4 shadowy figures sat silently, as if without life...until...a large fist smashed against the gnarled and ugly table.

"What are we doing just sitting here! We need to figure a way out of this hell-hole!" Bellowed the voice of Baron Praxis as his teeth grinded together. "I'm tired of waiting while that stupid brat up above gets the respect that I deserve!"

"I agree!" Chimed in Krew with his disturbing accent. "I say you stop your stupid planning! It's getting us know where!" Krew rose into the air high above them as he yelled at his fellow evils. His voice calmed to an evil snicker. "I should throw you both into the sands." said Krew with utter hate as he glared at the two dark figures sitting at the opposite end of the table. Baron Praxis glared at the shadows as he gritted his teeth and waited for an excuse to draw his sword and cut some heads off. He and Krew both were thoroughly over-run by the chaotic anger that came with the territory of having to endure that place for the rest of their lives.

Utter silence followed the yelling as the shadows merely starred across the table. It was all quiet to where only the thundering outside could be heard booming across the ocean of sand. And then, a word was finally spoken.

"You had better watch your tongue, Praxis, for I can unleash upon you an evil you only dream about." The female voice reverberated upon the walls as they struck his ear, and caused his anger to boil evn more.

"Look dark stuff, I'm tired of your feeble excuses to get out of telling us you don't have a plan, so-" The Baron's rage was cut-off by another voice that had seemed to come from the other shadow. The hollow voice spoke with an eerie tone about him as he spoke ever so calmly.

"The plan has been devised, and it will not fail. Do not lose your head, Praxis..." said the dark figure as two sinister yellow eyes emerged from the darkness alone, "...or I will lose it for you." The Barons teeth gritted evn harder as he grasped the handle of his sword, eyes baring down upon his enemy. With a swift motion he launched his sword upon the shadowy neck. Faster then lightning the figure launched a small wave of dark eco that countered the sword attack.

"You had better watch yourself, Praxis! You have much anger and you will need to learn how to control it if you wish to ever dispose of Mar!" Praxis hit the wall hard as Krew came floating down into his line of sight.

"And what assurances do we have that you are telling the truth?" said Krew as he floated colser to the female shadow.

"You don't. You'll just have to learn how to hold trust. Try hard because I know trust isn't exactly your thing." snickered the voice as Krew's face creased into a look of hate.

"You had better not be lying!" said the Baron as he got up, rubbing his head and sheathing his sword. "I want to rid that little brat of his glory as soon as possible." sniped the Baron as clenched his face.

"As do I." said the male voice sinisterly as his yellow eyes gleamed at Krew and Praxis. "As do I. But first, I will call upon the God of Chaos..." his voice faded into the stormy winds as he raised his arms up into the air and chanted. Praxis only looked at him as if he were high. The storms above brewed into an awesome rage that burned up the sky. Above them formed a giant ball of dark fire that blazed throughout the chaotic lands. The burning ball of dark fire sheaded it's fire onto the ground before them as a small bundle of flame rolled across the ruins. Stopping right before them, a grotesk figure formed on the table and lit up in flame as bellowed with disgust.

"Why have you called me down insolent pests!" bellowed the grotesk figure as he stared with fury upon the shadowy figures.

"Only to relieve you of your burden." replied the shadow in a feeble voice. Praxis and Krew starred with disbelief as they cowered behind the figures.

"Relieve me! Ha! You may not leave! For this place is the consequence you bear for having been stupid enough to get caught and defeated!" The grotesk feature then gave Krew a horrific glance as the flame on his back shot up. The meeting grew intense as the creatures white eyes glarred down upon them.

"I will give my life." Said the voice as his horrific yellow eyes emerged from the darkness once again. A sinister smile then slightly creased the creatures flaming face. "Upon my inevitable death you will have the right to devour us all, and build your power. Also, the one who we wish to defeat will bring you a power beyond your fiery nightmares. his power will break you free from guarding this prison..." The creatures look became more serious as he listened to the propostion laid before him. He was power-hungry. Led into greed, he gave a loud grunt and snorted.

"Fine. Have it your way. Kill this powerful being and you will be free'd." He then gave a slight grin. "But fail, and your heads will burn for eternity!" The flame around him ignited into a large ball of fire once again. As he jetted back up into the storms, a blinding light seized the dark oceans and storms as 4 blue streaks shot through the nebulas at lightning speed. A large hole then broke open as the 4 streaks shot through and became released of the entrapment...

The angelic moon glistened in the night sky as the millions of stars around it pulsated. Haven city had, for once, slowed down a bit, making most of the streets desolate with the exception of the occasional civilian or vehicle to pass by. Most of the city was at the port, partying their hearts out while a rock band jammed into the crystal blue waters that they so often dove into, making it the perfect night for Jak to carry-out the top-secret mission he had planned for so long. The lifeless streets were utterly silent and motionless, until, a swift shadow jetted between the alleyway seperating the Commercial District from New Haven. The signs and lights that littered Haven were still throbbing, however, making it hard for Jak and Daxter to move through the city, undetected. They could not be seen, for detection could easily blow their cover. They had to stay in the shadows of the alleyways if they would ever want to catch their prey under full surprise. Jak ran swiftly and powerfully as Daxter sat on his plated shoulder, looking out for anything threatening to their cover.

"Who signed us up for this mission anyways?" whispered Daxter as he focused in on a nearby window, only to find a rat scratching at the wood. "It was you, wasn't it?" At the sound of these words Jak rolled his eyes as he turned a corner and quickly jetted into an empty house. "Yeah, I thought so." said Dax smartly as he rested his head upon his hand. The T.V. blarred as Jak hastily hot-footed up the stairs and out onto the balcony. Jumping the nearyby ledge, he landed firmly and sprinted across the roof-top, eys bearing forward as Dax mindlessly gazed at the stars and rubbed his chin.

"Hey! I'm getting a goatee!" Daxter clambered over to Jak's other shoulder as he said this, trying to liven things up a bit. A small smile came upon Jak's face at the comment.

"C'mon Dax, knock it off. This is serious." Jak grabbed hold of a support cable that connected the biulding to a large crane, still untouched from the renovations ast month. Catching speed, dax's ears flapped wildly in the wind as Jak's hair entangled his face.

"Plplplplp!Plpllpl!" Daxter made rasberry sounds as he grabbed Jak's wild, blond hair. "Geeze Jak, cut your dn hair!" He grabbed his throat as if being strangled as he mocked Jak. "It's...really...starting..." Dax was cut-off by the immediate landing onto the base of the crane, lunging him forward headfirst onto the elevator door. WH-BANG! Daxter's orange figure smashed against the metal with a loud bang as Jak watched with amusement. Daxter was then flown towards the ground, causing him to undergo another serious injury to the head. Sprawled before jak's feet, Daxter slowly looked up, a confused face creasing his face. Metal Head birds circled around his head as he rubbed it and compressed his face together.

"Aaaaaa...dangit, Jak!" He slowly got up to retrieve the wind that was knocked out of him as he cursed under his feeble breath. "Could you PLEASE be a little more care-" The rubber taste of Jak's glove had all so suddenly collided with his face as he hit the ground once more.

"Shhhh, there's the subject." Jak pointed up towards the thingypit of the crane as daxter wriggled himself out of Jak's powerful grip. Jak swiftly but silently slammed his back against the door, and pressed the "UP" button to the elevator. "Stay quiet." A small figure could be seen entering the crane thingypit as his tiny legs wriggled in the night. But, what could not be seen until he entered, was two large shadows that spread from the sides of his body. At the sight of this, Jak's battle-hardened face turned into a look of concern as his eyes grew wider. Daxter had noticed this also.

"What the heck is that?" Whispered daxter as he clambered back up onto Jak's shoulder. "It looks like a-oh yeah, the elevators here." The doors slammed shut as Daxter turned Jak's head towards the elevator.

"Forget it. I didn't plan on taking it anyway." replied Jak macho-like as he jumped up onto the upper ledge, and began climbing up the crane neck. He climbed with speed as he grabbed bar after bar, swinging Daxter from side to side like a toy. As Jak unleashed a massive amount of sweat, he looked at Dax.

"Alright Dax, here's what I want you to do..."

The intriguing creature sat himself into the crane operator's chair as low grunts and screeches exited the rims of his jaws. Pointed fingertips turned and smashed the numerous buttons and nobs as the crane ignition ignited, swinging the canon ball attached to a massive chain back and forth. A look of mindlessness came upon the creatures face as his wings hit the ceiling. The crane moved back and forth, leaving the creature with no control. As he tried his hand at manuevering a man-made machine, his attention suddenly screeched over to the elevator door that had just opened. With a look of wonder, he scratched his head and walked over to it. Silence followed, deprevating the abnormal creature of attention to his surroundings. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned around...and suddenly froze.

"Boo." Jak swung down from the roof of the thingypit as he the creature stumbled backwards. Screeched exited his mouth as he tried to move backwards, until his back finally hit the door. Jak walked with a look of wickedness on his face as he neared the creature. Startling everything, Jak made a lunge at the creature as fast as lightning. The powerful wings spreading from his sides suddenly hammered the floor as he lunged himself upwards, running off the ceiling and then flipping back down onto the floor. As Jak's ancles broke from his major cross-up, a laser jolted through the air and pin-pointed the creatures chest.

"Don't move you-" The creature didn't stop. Daxter's eyes widened with horror as the creature trampled over him with his claw-ridden feet. The blaster fell to the ground as Daxter was shot-off into the night sky, luckily to grab a support cable. As the creature flew off with a look of victory upon his face, the same laser had suddenly shown on his wing.

"Take this freakshow." The bullet of victory ripped into the night as it screamed through the air. It sideswiped into the beast as it shattered his left wing, causing him to plunge towards the ground. The beast screamed and grunted as it barreled towards the cement, falling at least 200 feet. Jak walked to the ledge and leaned upon his gun as he watched the creature slam into the ground and "break." With a look of regret, he unsheathed his Comm. Device (CD) and radioed back to the Naughty Ottsel.

The pounding bass from the crowds and bands outside reverberated off the walls of the Naughty Ottsel as the radar screens and scanners blipped. The monster party shook the ground beneath the Naughty Ottsel as glass bottles and schematics fell to the ground. Among all the commotion, the red-haired braids of Torn appeared from behind a machine in the back. Smoke exited the main shaft of the mechanical monster as Torn veered around it, signaling one of his men over.

"Get this dn machine working." He sniped, slapping a wrench into the young recruits hand. "It keeps shutting off the power to our scanners." Said Torn as he walked away. As he walked over to the radar, a low mumble came from his mouth. "...dn party..."

"Sir! Incoming message from our man outside!" yelled a recruit suddenly from across the room.

"Good! I was wondering where'd he gone!" Torn replied with a smile as he strolled towards the Holo-Communicator. As he approached, red blips and malfunctions scraped the air, and weird sounds bounced off the walls. Jak's face appeared suddenly from thin air as he waved off to Torn. "What happened? What did you find?" Torn was anxious to find out what had snuck into the city.

"Well, it was not like anything we've seen before. It had wings, I don't know where the hell it came from or how it got into the city, but all I know is that it's bad news." A look of disbelief struck Torn's face as he heard these words, and immediately replied.

"Get it back here." Said torn as he hit the table with his finger. "We need to have a closer look at the subject. Is it still mobile?"

"Well...um...no, not really." Jak replied with a look of sarcasm on his face. "I kinda had to...immobilize it." Daxter's face jetted into the picture after Jak said this, with an angry look about his face.

"Hey, it attacked us! So deal with it!"Said Daxter's as his scrawny arms came into view and flipped off Torn. Torn watched angrily, ready to beat the little Ottsel senseless, until Jak grabbed Dax's head and shoved him out of the picture.

"You better put a leash on that hairball!" Bellowed Torn, putting up a fist and gritting. "Alright, I'm sending an escort down there to pick you up, just-" The Naughty Ottsel door slammed open as Torn's command was overthrown. The entire unit stationed inside the HQ all suddenly wisped their heads towards the front door as two purple soldiers strolled in from around the corner. "Who the hell are you?" Bellowed Torn as he gritted his teeth and walked over to them. "You don't have authorization-" The rage was cut-off by another, more fancy voice.

"Stand down!" Yelled the voice as it's conjuror appeared from behind to overly-biult purple guards. Calm in his demeanor, he glided towards Torn. Dressed in a suit of light blue and dark purple, his hair had been colored black with a very clean shave about his face, which had also looked neat and well taken care of. With an evil grin, he gazed at Torn as Torn gazed back, with more of a sense of fear then the strange man. "I am in command now, boy."

"I don't think so." Said Torn sharply. "Ashelin hasn't informed me of any position fill." He said as he poked at the strange mans chest. "Who the hell are you!" The men surrounding the two were shocked at the surprising entry, leaving their stations at bay.

"My name is Cynder, and you have no authority here, boy." Replied Cynder smoothly as he moved closer towards Torn with unbelievable intimidation. With an evil snicker, he glarred at Torn from about an inch away. "And I'm sorry to say that your friend has been captured. Awe...what a pity." breathed Cynder as he faked the emotion of sadness.

"Ashelin! NO!" Torn screamed as he tried to force his way through Cynder, having no success. As Cynder slammed Torn onto the ground, five Freedom League patrols hammered into the Naughty Ottsel, lifting their guns and screaming.

"GE'DOWN NOW! GET DOWN!" The FL moved closer to the three intruders, fingers firmly rested upon the triggers. As the barrels of five guns neared the backs of the two purple soldiers, Cynder shot towards the wall. "FIRE! FIRE!" The acrobatic baddie flipped off the wall, spreading out his wings and hammering the ground to push himself up again. Machine gun fire and lights filled the room as the other's ducked behind their desks and laid on the ground. As the man side flipped over the FL, hitting one across the face and slamming him into the floor, he side swiped the men with his wing from behind. The FL guards screamed through the air as they collided with the wall.

"I will be the supreme ruler!" Yelled Cynder as he bolted his hands up into the air. "And I will start, by destroying the only hero who stands in my way! Behold the power of my Indigo Brigades!" The purple soldiers, still standing in the same spots after the fire frenzy, both lifted their guns at the Holo-Communicator. Upon aiming, they rocketed off machine gun fire that ripped through the Holo-form of Jak's head just as the HC had shut down. Cynder's wings merged back into his body as he shut the door to the Naughty Ottsel, barricading it shut with plasma that he shot from his mouth. Steam rose from the seared door as the Indigo Brigade gathered the rest of the survivors and held them at gun point.

"Sir." said a deep voice. It was one of the IB. "The man with the braids is missing." Upon hearing this Cynder spun around with his fangs bearing.

"Never mind him. We have bigger problems at hand."

Jak and Daxter were already sprinting feverishly towards the Naughty Ottsel, surpassing street by street, until they finally exited the Commercial District. As Jak and Daxter flew through the metropolis, they both couldn't help contemplating what had just happened.

"What the freak just happened!" Jak cried as he grasped a nearby window and jumped through it, immediately sprinting up the stairs. Daxter was biting his nails feverishly as he grabbed Jak's chest, the pounding heart vibrating his hand as Jak jumped between two roofs. "Who was that guy?" Jak's mind was racing as he ran under the blood stained moon, trying to overcome everything that had just happened.

"I don't know!" Exclaimed Daxter as if he had to answer. "But we need to get the hell outta here!" Jak jumped between another gap, landing strongly and picking up speed again.

"I don't think so, Daxter. Our friends are worth fighting for. This CITY is worth fighting for. I'm not going to stand around and watch some creep take away our home!" As he said this Jak exploded from a balcony and grasped a cable, gaining enormous speed as he flew down it. Dust was blown from under his feet as he made contact with the cement. Running through the Slums, flashbacks were flying through his mind feverishly. He thought of Torn, Ashelin, everyone that he had entangled his threatening life in. But he couldn't burn out: he needed to step it up and become the hero was remembered as once again.

"But what are we gonna do? We can't tackle that beast!" Daxter was flailing his arms frantically as Jak's hair ensnared him, covering his whole head.

"We gotta do something Dax!" Cried Jak as he swiftly peered back at him. "We can't just forget about this place. We gotta find a way to beat this guy!" Said Jak as he ran the streets of the Slums. The thundering beat of the party got louder as the spotlights suddenly became visible over the rooftops. Screams and yells roared off the streets as Jak finally came to the Slums end, stopping right behind a corner. Peering over the corner, Ja saw the party rage with fury, oblivious to the locked-down Naughty Ottsel.

"Oh, Ohhhh Jak be careful." Whispered Daxter as a look of fear creased his eyes and began to bite his nails.

"Don't worry buddy, I'll-"Jak's words were cut short by the sound of a roaring engine coming from the behind the Port Towers. "TORN!" Torn was screaming across the night sky in an Hell-Cat as he waved them off. Rocketing over the party, he descended towards the water as he skimmed the crystal waves, fire exploding from behind.

"TORN!" Bellowed Daxter as a look of happiness struck his face. Torn came to a halt as he landed right next to them, powerful breezes escaping the shadow of the fighter.

"Torn, who the hell was that?" Asked Jak as he ran over to the Hell-Cat, a look of anger creasing his eyes.

"How the hell should I know!" Exclaimed Torn jumping down and throwing Jak a gun. The gun slammed into Jak's chest as Torn walked by, gritting his teeth and making fists. "All I know is we gotta take back the Naughty Ottsel. That SOB hasn't won yet." The bright and colorful lights from the fiesta were beaming off of the trio's body's.

"Don't even think about sending us in that madhouse!" Exclaimed Daxter as he put his finger up to Torn, the colorful lights beaming off his face.

"That's my decision!" Sniped Torn as he put his Communicator up to his face and spoke. But, before he could release his words of revenge, a low screech resounded off the city walls. As the three turned there heads upon the South Wall, sheer horror shocked their face's, eyeballs widening and pupils reducing in size. Utter terror flexed upon their faces as thousands of small, winged creatures suddenly exploded from over the wall. Like an endless wave of madness and chaos, thundering screeches and shrills filled the air as the bright lights and colors all stopped. Crowds and crowds of people were all fleeing the nightmare as they screamed and yelled for help, running around wildly. Green acid dripped from the jaws that played host to jutting fangs as they soared through the night sky, spreading their hell-bent wings and looking for prey.

"HOLY SH-!" Giant wings exploded out of the darkness as one of the creatures jetted down towards Daxter. The creature lunged at Daxter, spreading it's razor-sharp claws and screaming. As Daxter watched this, darkness shot across his face as Jak's blow knocked him to the ground. BANG! The monster collided with the ground right next to Daxter as Jak bent down and grabbed him.

"We gotta get outta here!" Bellowed Torn as he plunged into the drivers seat of the Hellcat and waved Jak and Dax over. As Jak watched Torn wave, he noticed something different, something...more terrible...then ever. BOOM! A monstrous explosion annihilates the South Wall, sending huge pieces of stone and debris flying into the air. Massive collisions shatter surrounding buildings as unfortunate civilians are lost to the falling death. Smoke fills the night sky as the last creature fly's over the wall, rendering any rally attack useless. As Jak and Daxter leap into the HellCat, ground around the impact zone begins to crack and deform, making monstrous bottomless crevices through the southside of the Port. The once crystal blue water suddenly falls into the pits of darkness as the lake soon becomes a barren wasteland filled with flopping fish and lurker sharks. The three's eye began to lightly tear at the sight of this, watching the countless number of innocent civilians devoured and swalloed up by the earthshaking sneak attack. The city was lost to the enemy...they knew that. As they flew away into the moonlight, huge flames suddenly became visible around South Town, and the waves of monster's had seemed to stop. This comforted Jak a bit, knowing that the deduction of the population had finally stopped. In a feeble voice, Torn had broke the uneasy silence that ensued the great atrocity.

"So much death and destruction..."HIs voice faded away as they escaped the North Wall, leaving Haven for good and moving in the direction of Spargus. A look of utter depression had overrun Daxter's face as he sat on Jak's shoulder, who was equally shooken.

"They have Ashelin." Said Torn suddenly.
"I know, but, we have bigger problems right now." Replied Jak as he looked at Daxter.
"Like what?" SAid Torn as if agitated.
"Like how we're going to get the city back."

MEANWHILE, IN THE WASTELAND

"Hy-aa! Hy-aa!" The elogant voice of Keira bounced off the desert grains as she screamed across the wasteland on the back of a Leaper. "You're not going to win!" She bellowed freely as she speedily gazed behind her, the tough winds entangling her blue hair. Shrills could be heard behind the swift rider as she rocketed off a dune, landing in a shallow river and sprinting under a cascading waterfall.

"I'm comin!" A similar Leaper had exploded from above her, leaping off a small cliff. Landing strongly, Tess looked back and smiled. "Haha, thought you won, huh!" Snickered Tess as she manuevered around cacti.

"I don't think so, blondie!" Keira boomed as she began to ride faster, determination creasing her face. Dust collided with her face as she spun around a lit torch, entering a cave lit with burning torches upon the cave walls. The two racers became neck and neck as they thundered through the gritty caves, kicking up dust and rocks as they flew through. The race intensified as the comforting lights of the night glistened in the distance, for the tunnels end was the finish line. As the racers sped through the tunnel, a sandstorm began to brew outside. As it got larger and larger, it spiraled up into the clouds. Massive boulders ripped through the sands as Keira and Tess breached the glistening night air, thrown from their animals.

"IN HERE!" Tess screamed as she dove back into the tunnel, waving over Keira. Sands ripped through the night air as Keira ran for safety. As she jumped over the dead Leaper, a huge stone circled above her with phenominal speed as it peirced the tornado of sand. "WATCH OUT!" The vortex of fate hurtled the boulder towards the ground as Keira plunged into the sand. WHOOSH! All time had seemed to stop as it's razor-sharp edge slammed into Keira's left ear, detaching the upper half. Blood spurted out into the storm as it swirled up into the vortex, staining the sand with blood.

"AAAAAH!" Shrieked Keira as she immediately grasped her ear, blood pouring into her hand. The deadly vortex of sand died down as Keira jolted around on the ground, arching her back and yelling. Cursed with unbelievable pain, her eyes began to tear as her blurred vision briefly observed the night sky. A small shadow could be seen off into the distance, getting closer and closer. As darkness began to overtake her mind, the object became a HellCat, rigged with three passengers...

"Over here! Over here!" Cried Tess as she waved her hands high up into the air, standing over her wounded friend. The HellCat slowed down as it got closer, then came to an abrupt halt and began to descend right next to them. As mighty winds from under the HellCat slammed into Tess' weary face, Jak lunged out of the passengers seat, leaving his frind at the Gunner's Seat.

"Keira!" Yelled Jak as he ran over and kneeled beside her. Upon looking at his wounded friend, he then punched the ground and looked over to Tess. "What happened?"

"I..I don't know...it just...it was an accident!" Exclaimed Tess as she brokedown into tears.

"Jak!" Yelled Torn, breaking the uneasy silence that ensued. "We gotta get her to Spargus! Get in!"

"Right! Let's go!" Replied Jak, picking up Keira and signaling Tess into the vehicle. Tess hopped into the HellCat and sat next to Daxter, soaking her tears into his newly obtained pants. As Daxter tried his hardest to comfort his girlfriend, Jak sat down, holding Keira in his lap. "We gotta hurry." A look of utter seriousness betwixt Jak's face as he looked at Torn.

"Yeah, I know. Hold on to something." Harsh winds exited the HellCat again as they lifted up into the air, short bursts of blue flame exploding from behind. A look of uneasyness creased Daxter's face as he gazed upon the grin expression covering Torn's face.

"Um..Torn?"

"Hold on..." WHOOSH! Bright blue flames erupt from the exhaust pipes as the HellCat bursts into a speedy acceleration, slamming Daxter's head onto the gun behind him. The vehicle becomes nothing but a blue streak of light as they roar across the night sky, surpassing all the stars of the universe. The engine roars as invincible winds blast Jak and Torns hair. Blazing through the night like a wildfire the HellCat roars upon the city of Spargus.

"MOVE! MOVE YOUR BUTTS!" The scorching heat of the sun burned upon the flesh of the civilians as they were hauled into cages. The steel-plated moss-embossed bars slammed shut as the winged creatures screeched and flew about the city, unbriddled freedom under their wings. As Mobile Cage Cars containing prisoners flew about the city, the Freedom League underwent harsh labor as they were ordered to biuld detention centers for themselves. Construction had begun on the rubble of both the left Port tower and the right. The crack of a whip and the sound of a gnarling beast had now become common in Haven City, for Cynder took his power with force and ruled with an iron fist. As the sun glimmered off the dark side of his robe, he gazed upon the city with amusement as he stood upon the roof of the Naughty Ottsel.

"Look at them. Grotesk and weary in their appearence and yet hope is still keeping them firm. I can see it in their bloodshot eyes, the bottomless hope of a fool." Anger had now creased his face as he gave a loud grunt and turned to look at one of his Indigo Guard. "Don't worry, It'll soon be demolished, just like the rest of this godforsaken city." At this a loud engine roared as a Mobile Cage Car (MCC) veered around a turn, and made it's way to the Naughty Ottsel. "Please go show the governess what a lovely view we have up here." Snickered Cynder as he watched Ashelin be thrown from the cage.

"Yes sir."

As Cynder stood alone upon the roof, he began to speak with himself. "I will find you, boy. And even if I don't, you'll still be eternally within my grasp."

Thick dust clouds brewed around the landing zone as the tinted blue HellCat made its way to the ground. As the sand spiraled up into the air around them, dark figures could be seen drawing nearer. Elongated, double-barreled guns broke through the wall of sand as 4 surrounding wastelanders sprinted to the HellCat, yelling with their hands cupped arouns their mouths, eyes closed to prevent any sand to rip into their pupils. The roaring engine simmered down to a small cloud of black soot as the booming of a less powerful engine came spiraling from behind a dune off to the rear of them.

"Get the girl in the vehicle!" Yelled the Wastelander as a Dust Demon came to a pounding halt right before his heels. Jak hastily jumped from the HellCat with Keira over his right shoulder and jumped upon the Demon. Upon laying Keira down in the passengers seat, her ear still dripping with blood, he motioned Torn and Daxter over.

"Let's go you guys! We gotta hurry!" Torn was still planted firm in the cockpit, gripping the steering wheel.

"Jak, I gotta get to Spargus as fast as I can! I gotta inform Sig of the deep shit we're in!" Replied Torn with a drastic look about his face. "Keiras' in good hands, trust me. They're taking her to Samos. He's up at the Monk Temple with an expidition of monks. They're investigating some sort of underground chamber or something..." A look of irritation creased his face as he threw Daxter into the gunners seat with Tess. "Look, we gotta go!" Torn ignited the flames as he pressed on the gas, grabbing Daxter and throwing him into the gunners seat. A look of hard thought opened upon Jak's face as he looked down at Keira, ignoring the rude grunts made by the near wastelander.

"You're right." He jumped down, allowing the wastelander to get in, and watched as red flames exploded from the rear, launching his close friend into the deep wasteland. Worries began to seriously trouble Jak's already troubled mind as he watched the Dust Demon carry Keira off towards Spargus. With a final blink, he turned around, and got in the HellCat. As he sat down upon the leather seat, Daxter broke the silence with a loud thump on Torns shoulder.

"Tell me again, why didn't we just fly straight into Spargus?" Exclaimed Daxter as he looked at Torn crossly, folding his arms.

"Sig's temporarily closed off all transportation in and out of Spargus." Upon these words Torn lifted into the air and accelerated forward. "There's been reports of mass thievery happening lately, and he's trying to catch the thieves.

"What's valuable enough to steal in Spargus?" Asked Jak bewildered.

"I'm not sure what's going on but there's been a lot of weird shit happening lately and I intend to stop it." With these words the tall tower of Spargian Palace came into view, smoke filtering from atop. As Jak looked upon the city desert, Daxter was fidgeting with his tail. Torn entirely focused upon the sky in front of him, none of them had seemed to notice the small streak of light exit the top of the volcano...as it flashed with pulsing auras of lime green a faint whistle breathed into the cloudless sky, becoming louder and louder. The pounding whistle suddenly exploded into a thundering boom as a hell-bent rocket screamed right under the HellCat.

"WHAT THE-!" The rocket screamed through the air as it turned around, heading straight for the cockpit. At the site of this Torn swiftly pushed upon the flight stick, launching the HellCat towards the sands. "HOLD ON!" Daxter's ears flapped wildly in the wind as Torn pulled up on the flight stick, skimming the sands of the wasteland, and dodging trees. Behind them a tree suddenly exploded into flames as the Hell-ridden missile rocketed by, screaming with awesome speed as it whistled with an ear-shattering noise. Another large explosion erupted from the volcano as they jetted across the dunes like wildfire, all the trees and sands becoming a blur. Torn lunged the HellCat back into the air as he neared a high cliff, scraping the edge and causing a massive wave of rocks and debris to fall from the cliff. The thundering avalanche of death broke through the air as a distant howl came from the large explosion on the volcano. The rocket veered up behind Torn, Jak and Daxter, breaking the sound barrier as it howled into the massive wave of rock, exploding upon impact. The colossal explosion roared throughout the wasteland as it annihilated the entire right side of the cliff, causing Torns control of the HellCat to be lost. "GRAB HOLD OF SOMETHING!" Boomed Torn as the HellCats' blue flames suddenly broke down, sending the fighter towards the dunes once again. Jak quickly grabbed Daxter, holding him tight as he looked down upon the rapidly growing earth as his bright yellow hair madly flapped. As the explosion began to subside, a large mass of black smoke arose into the air. The trees shook as the dive-bombing trio rocketed towards the ground. Torn grabbed Jak by the shoulder, helping himself up to the top of the HC. His eyes watered as mad winds slammed into his face, causing his nose to bleed. "WHEN I SAY NOW, JUMP!" Exclaimed Torn, glaring upon Jak. Immediately understanding what he was up to, Jak nodded.

"I GOT YOU!" As soon as Jak said this, his eyes widened with horror as he gazed past Torn. Screaming with phenominal speed another rocket broke through the risen cloud of black, forming a large swirl throughout the cloud. It boomed towards them with a terrifying howl as Torn soon caught on to what Jak was looking at. As he turned around slowly, the wild agility of the missile came into his line of sight, causing him to slip and fall on his back. Time suddenly slowed as Jak watched Torn slip and hit his head, ultimately signaling his death. Wild memories flashed through Jak's mind as he mindlessly through Daxter into the sky, launching his best friend to safety. With utter disregard for his own safety, Jak lunged at Torn, grabbing him by the ammo belt. In a matter of seconds Jak lifted Torn above him, rolling across the backside of the HC. Grabbing the edge of the HC with his right hand, Jak swung Torn around the rear of the fighter with his left, firmly planting both of his feet on the bottom. The rocket slammed into the HellCat, exploding upon impact. The faint shadow of two figures could be seen right below the enlarging fire. Jak slammed into the ground as the explosion erupted towards them. With but a nanosecond to spare, the fire turned into soot as it crushed into Jak and Torns face...

The bright sun crept over the volcano peak as the sands around Jak's motionless body burned, steam rising from each grain. Jak's face was red with sunburn now, as he had been unconscious and laying in the sun for hours under heavy heat. As the somewhat dead trees swayed in the glorifying breeze, Jak's eyes began to slowly open, shuttering vehemently. The white clouds came into view as his eyes blurred almost suddenly, causing him to feel a sickness whenever he attempted to erect himself. Rubbing his head, he opened his plagued eyes once again, the vision beginning to focus. As he gained proper vision, he remembered Torn, and Daxter, and the screaching rocket that had almost impaled them. With a sudden blast of reality, Jak rapidly began looking around for Torn and his little orange friend, pushing himself into the cool breeze depite the sickening pain in his stomach and head. As Jak looked around the desert dunes, searching for his friends, he noticed a blinding glimmer on the top of the volcano...where the missile had come from. A look of utter determination creased his face as the glimmer faded away into the clear blue sky, reflecting off the clouds. Jak was startled by a loud yell over the hills behind him, coming from the base of the dune. Suddenly, the red brades of Torn peered over the sandy mountain as Daxter's face came into view as well, mounted firmly upon Torn's shoulder. Torn waved over Jak, who was undoubtedly happy to see his friends fully recovered, and pulled out one of his handguns as he loaded it with the other.

"Jak! Hey Jak, over here!" Jak jogged lightly towards Torn, a small grin sweeping across his face. The sand brewed around them as they met.

"Good to see you guys are OK. Where've you been?" Asked Jak as Daxter hopped across the gap seperating Torn from Jak, plopping down upon Jak's shoulder armor.

"We've just been scouting the perimiter to see if any of those things are nearby." Said Torn as he looked out over the dunes. "Look, Jak, I never got to thank you...so...thanks." A smile creased Torns face as he held out his hand, Jak grabbing it and shaking. Daxter let out a small chuckle as he watched.

"Awe, the two lovebirds are shaking hands." Chuckled Daxter as he clapped his hands together and set them upon his right cheek, mocking them with enthusiasm. Torn gave him a hard look, emphasizing the trigger of his gun as he briefly looked down.

"Jak, Sig's already been 'informed' of the situation. A group of those creatures attacked Spargus last night with light mortars, nothing he couldn't handle. It really caught him off guard, though, destroying a small sector of the wall." Torn turned his face towards the ground for a brief moment as he said this, the barrels of his small but deadly pistols facing towards the sands. "We lost a couple lives last night in the firefight." Daxter bore a sad face after Torn said this, his ears collapsing down the sides of his head. The sun was clearly past the peak now, reflecting off the rocky side of the Volcano as a humongous shadow slithered across the ground. "Sig should be sending a HellCat out here to pick us up." Said Torn as he peered into the direction in which Spargus lay, cupping his hand over his eyes to block the sun. Jak could feel his inner torment boiling as he clenched his fists and gritted his teeth slightly. Something was going on. But he could not figure it out. What was it? The question plagued the back of his mind as it tormented him, angering his emotions.

"Hey...um...Jak, Torn. Somethings reflecting off the peak of the Volcano." Said Daxter slowly as he peered up at the Volcano, a small glimmer again haunting their curious eyes. Torn and Jak looked up at the peak as a small smirk swept across Torn's face.

"We think there's a settlement up there at the peak. Those friggin' rockets looked like they came from inside, and exploded out the top." Said Torn, peering over towards the direction of Spargus, waiting for the roar of some sort of engine to come out of the blue. "Sig doesn't want to send any sort of squad up there before he knows about whats going on. I'd say he's making the right decision...bad leadership can result in massacre." As Torn said this, Daxter was already climbing up a tree, scurrying about the bark as he made his way to the top. Hopping upon a tree branch, he looked out beyond the Horizon, cupping his hands around his face to block the sun. Jak and Torn stood talking to one another. As Daxter gaped across the sands of the badlands, a small brown spec became visible as it appeared to be moving slowly over a distant dune. As a small grin crept across Daxter's face, the brown spec got larger, turning into a brown and yellow vehicle of some sort. The thundering sound of a well-tuned engine slowly hightened as it got closer, yellow stripes now visible across it's sides.

"Jak, Torn, they're here." Said Daxter as he pointed towards the Wasteland Cargo Craft as it came screaming across the deep blue sky. The trees began to sway in the violent winds as the WCC came to a halt in the air above them, blowing Daxter from his perch. Lightning yellow fire exploded from each of it's 4 spoilers, altering sides. As the massive machine descended towards the ground, the sides of the Cargo Craft opened, revealing 4 men with guns and a small command center up near the cockpit. Yelling with fury, one of the men reached out his hand at them, waving them on board.

"We gotta go! Get on board!" Jak and Torn grabbed the rims surrounding the WCC, pulling themselves up into the cargo area. Daxter hopped off Jak's shoulder as he did this, landing on the metal floor and trying to help pull Jak up as they ascended back into the air, not having touched the ground...

The WCC immediately burst into speed after reaching enough altitude, throwing Daxter against the back wall and landing him flat on his face. Jak and Torn were still pulling themselves up, seeing as how the explosion of speed did not really help them into the cargo area. As they did this, Jak noticed a heavy machine gun pop out of a shaft next to the side door, and another on the other side, the barrels rotating with fury as the gun automatically loaded itself, cocking and loading as if there were a ghost doing it. Something was wrong. Jak finally planted his foot upon the steel floor, pushing himself up into the presence of a very tall man wearing shades and a microphone.

"Welcome aboard the Phantom!" Boomed the man as he saluted Jak. "Sorry about the nasty departure, we had to move fast!" Torn had finally pulled himself up as well, grabbing hold of the side rail to pull himself up and see what was going on. The trees and hills swept by before their eyes as they screeched through the wasteland skys, occasional turbulance shaking the craft into different hights. As Torn stood up, the man saluted him, giving him a wide grin. He had seemed to be a very happy fellow.

"What's going on?" Yelled Torn over the harsh sound of the wind, unsheathing his two pistols. "What's going on out here!" The grin quickly faded into a serious expression as the man picked Daxter up from the floor, setting him down on Jak's shoulder as Daxter bore a wide frown.

"Sig sent us here to pick you up ASAP, it seems more waves of Screechers have been spotted moving across the SouthEast side of the desert, marching towards Spargus! It looks like another attack!" Daxter's eyes widened with horror as he heard this, grabbing his ears and pulling them over his eyes.

"Oohhhhh! Why are we always caught in the middle of these things Jak!" Screamed Daxter as he glared at Jak with one eye, the other one still covered.

"Wait, wait...Screechers?" Asked Jak and Torn loudly as they moved in closer, the thundering winds pounding against their faces.

"Yeah, we gotta a new name for 'em around the city! People tell story's of how they unleash a ear-pounding screech everytime they...well...devour someone!" His voice weakened as he said this, a somewhat sad look creasing his face. "My names Tyco, by the way!" Said Tyco as he shot out his hand toward Jak, shaking it, and then to Torn.

"Screechers, 'ey?" Said Daxter as he looked at the man and folded his arms. "Geeze, how original." Mocked Daxter as he rolled his eyes, his arms still folded firmly across his chest. Torn was rubbing his head as if it had been plagued with migrains and confusian as Jak sat down upon a steel-plated bench, ignoring the yells made by Tyco informing them of their progress towards Spargus. Staring blankly upon the sands of the barren wastelands outside the screaming warcraft, Jak thought to himself about the conflict and turmoil that had now begun to infect his life. He wondered about Ashelin and what was happening to her, and wondered about the safety of Keira. Disease and hatred brewed in the midst of revolution somewhere out there...plaguing and shadowing all that had been trapped by it's black grip of death. What was going on? The question buzzed around in his head like an angry swarm of bees, stinging his thoughts, untouched and unable to stop...

MEANWHILE, IN HAVEN CITY...

The thundering of a steel-barred door echoed throughout the Naughty Ottsel as it slammed shut, Ashelin grabbing the bars with her fists as she gritted her teeth.

"What do you want with me you jerk!" Boomed Ashelin over the many screeches and grunts that now filled the Naughty Ottsel. "When Jak comes back...Oh, you're gonna get it!" With this she gave an exetremely hard look towards Cynder as an Indigo Guard handed him some tinted papers, saluting him and leaving Cynder alone with Ashelin.

"Please! Let him come back! Oh, I do dream of the day when the infamous Jak and Daxter turn themselves in, no strings attached..." Sniped Cynder as he bore a wide grin, staring deeply into Ashelins eyes. Ashelins face soon went stone, hearing what Cynder had just said. She knew why she was being held prisoner, and with this she grinded her teeth harshly, clenching her face as she gave Cynder an evil stare.

"You're using me as bait, are'nt you!" Yelled Ashelin with emotional fury as she slammed her hands around the bars. "What the hell is this all about! Why do you want Jak so badly! You just came out of nowhere and..."

"What my plans are with your friend is none of your concern, twit!" Screeched Cynder as he raized a metal fist towards Ashelin, bearing an evil look of hatred and anarchy as a small red tint shot through his eyes. "My name will live on longer than anything else in this universe, and nor you or your boyfriend can stop me!" Thundered Cynder, turning his back upon Ashelin and walking away. "So sorry your boyfriend had to be so special..."

The sunlight crept about the streets of Haven City, a cool breeze flowing gently through it's veins as smoke rose from the where the party had raged, sparks and small fires plaguing the mechanical ruins. Permanant scars and gashes ran throughout the weary bodies of the citizens as their tattered clothes waved in the wind, whips constantly cracking upon their skin as Screechers let out terrifying shrills. All around the waters the engines roared with furiosity as the prisoners were moved about the city in a constant state of fear, worn looks breaking all of their faces. Ashelin looked upon the city in disgust as she sat lifeless in her cell upon the roof of the Naughty Ottsel, forcefully gripping her head as she clenched her hands. Terribly emotional thoughts screamed in her head as she worried about the city and the well-being of her friends. She wondered where Jak and Torn were, and if Onin had managed to break out of the city before the power-hungry Cynder took over. She knew Samos, Keira, and Tess were all out in the wasteland...lucky. Haven was just as good as gone, and she was caught in the middle of it's downfall...with no one beside her. 'What would become of me?' She thought, flashes of Jak's face electricuting her mind with severe emotion. The thoughts of her conflicted love was interrupted by the rattling of keys upon eachother. With this she abruptly looked up, only to find an Indigo Guard standing next to the cage lock, gripping his gun tightly and comfortably. Ashelin gave a disgusted smirk as she saw this, noticing a large Carrier suddenly fly by in a slow state of speed. Freedom League soldiers filed into back of the ship one by one, slowly and wearily pacing up the cargo ramp as red and black lighted hover pads hovered the ship a few feet above the ground. The distinguished voice of Cynder could be heard below the edge of the Naughty Ottsel, out of the view of Ashelin, yelling into the megaphone different forms of propaganda.

"You are working for a new cause! A much more defined, and powerful cause! One that will shake the universe in which you inhabit and bring about an unknown power to this weak race, relieving you of your god-awful duty towards the salvation of man!" With this he raized his arms in power as Screecher's all around gave out deathly shrills into the sunlight, flapping their wings madly as the Freedom League soldiers looked down towards the ground in disgust, shaking there heads with a feeling of defeat. The burning desire to defend the city was fading away day by day as it slowly disintegrated away with the evil words that exited Cynders' mouth. As the last of the Freedom League filed into the transport, a blue uniform suddenly exploded from the line. As Cynder turned his back to the transport, attention drawn to a Indigo Guard, the soldier whipped out his gun as screams began to rise from the crowds of Screechers around him. Everything became slow-motion as pictures of the bullet ripped rapidly through his mind, overheating it drastically. Wings all around him sprawled across the sky as Screehers dove out at him, everything still appearing slow. Fangs jutted from the jaws, oozing with spit and green saliva as claws extracted from their fingertips. With but a second to spair, the soldier drenched himself in sweat as he feverishly pulled the trigger, releasing the bullet from the barrel as smoke exploded from the barrels' end like lightning. Razor-sharp claws ripped into flesh as the bullet screamed through the air towards the back of Cynders' head. The bullet peirced the sunlight, jetting with phenominal speed as it neared Cynder's head...then...darkness... Blood oozed from the soldiers gut as he cried in pain, not being able to focus his eye's clearly. Everything around him multiplied into numbers of three and four as he heard loud screeches and yells. And then...in his blurred focus...came the colors of white and dark purple. "There is no room for the likes of you." The soldiers eyes widened in horror as another, more darker dressed person came into view. His vision now focusing, he looked upon Cynder and an Indigo Guard standing over him, close into his face, or so it appeared. With a slow motion, the IG lifted his hand above his head...and dropped the bullet in his mouth. The lifeless breath that exited his mouth seized as he abruptly grasped his throat with both hands, widening his mouth in horror as he gasped for air. His eyes went bloodshot as he let out low cry's of pain and emotional hardship, tears drenching his cheeks. Cynder smiled widely as he watched upon this horror in amusement, the IG still holding no expression...

MEaNWHILE, IN A WORLD UNKNOWN TO THE REST... A BATTLE IS ABOUT TO TAKE PLACE...

It was like something out of a storybook—impossible, unreal. The Great Wall of Chaos rose up out of the pock-marked ground, nearly blotting out the sun as calm, morning winds flowed gently through the war-torn lands of Zyson. Huge stone pillars and monuments of ancient Gods littered the lands that had engulfed the mysterious world, evenly placed between the hundreds of territories that inhabited it. Deep inside the boundaries of Assylum, freshly brewed smoke rose from a small house chimney. Deep inside the house, a strong warrior stood proud, neatly suited for battle and trying his best to be the father he was destinied to be.

"Don't be sad, Salica." Mordakai placed his calloused hand on his daughter's cheek then lifted her chin so he could look into her eyes. They were a beautiful golden brown, just like her mother's. As he said this, he smiled at her, trying his best to sound reassuring. But the deeply depressed face of her mother over his large shoulder compressed it. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise." But there was something about this long-eared warrior...it's resemblence to Jak...what was it...

Salica wrinkled up her nose and wiped a tear out of her eye. "I know, Daddy." she said. She was always so brave. Only five years old, but she already had the makings of a proud warrior.

"You mind your mother, and keep some stew warm for me." he said, hefting his hammer. "I have to meet the rest of my Company." Mordakai kissed his wife and daughter goodbye then lowered his head under the low brick archway and stepped through the door into the streets of Assylum. Shortly before sunrise, the scouts had reported that the Molikai had mustered and were marching on Assylum. Mordakai stood beside the crimson and gold banners affixed to the poles atop the castle walls. The sturdy fabric snapped in the stiff breeze, and the crest of Assylums' Chosen—Mordakai's warband of heroes—shone proudly in the afternoon light. This had been the third time in as many days that the Chosen had been called out to defend the city. It was a huge responsibility but also a tremendous honor. Only the strongest warbands held the castle—only the best in the land. The first reports had mentioned only a small force, but as the day wore on they had heard word of a marching platoon of more than fifty. Mordakai gripped his hammer as he thought about that number. Even with the ramparts and archers patrolling the crenellations, the warband was still in for a tough fight. Not everyone would live to see another dawn. Anxiety plagued the battle-weary heroes as they stood firm upon the walls of Assylum, battle-hardened and focused. Everything seemed to be moving so slow, until...a trumpet sounded from the watchtower. Mordakai raised his hand to his forehead to shade his eyes. In the distance, just on the horizon, a line of green dust rose into the air.

"They're here!" Screamed one of the archers on the wall as he tapped another on the shoulder, one who looked as if fainted. The other rangers standing nearby nodded their understanding, not taking their eyes off of the approaching green cloud.

"Let them come," said Mordakai. The big warrior spit on the ground. "They will fall, like all the rest." His words seemed to steel the men around him. Heading down the stairs, Mordakai stepped through the open portcullis and passed through the line of warriors assembled before the castle. In that short time, the Molikai had transformed from a distant speck into a fully formed army. Mordakai could already make out the forest green and ice blue of their warband banners. The big warrior thought back to that morning as he had said goodbye to Salica. He'd made a promise, and he intended to keep it. Donning his helmet, Mordakai took his place at the head of his team. "This castle belongs to Assylums' Chosen." His voice boomed out, reaching all the men and women within a hundred yards. "And it's going to stay that way."

"For great justice!" Mordakai shouted, swinging his hammer toward another of his foes. The blow connected with the Molikais' chest, knocking it to the ground. With the back swing, the mighty warrior crushed a second Molikais' skull. With another powerful heave, Mordakai collapsed a third enemies heavy chest plate, squeezing the life from the ugly creature inside. The clash of metal on metal and the screams of pain began to blend, filling the air with the dark melody of war. With each passing refrain, another of the winged invaders fell to Mordakai's wrath.

There before the castle of Assylum, knee deep in the unrelenting dead, the warrior became lost in the rapture of battle. The lusty thrill of hand-to-hand combat filled his veins, steeling his limbs, turning his muscles into hardened iron. He was the Reaper of Assylum, his hammer the scythe, his tarnished, blood-covered armor the flowing robes of Death itself. With each breath, he cut down the unworthy. With each swing he laid low the foes of the mysterious leader of the enemy invasion. With each powerful stroke he cleansed the world of the tyrants who had come to his home to take that which belonged to him and to his home.

A shout went up from the Molikai. Another wave of creatures swarmed toward the front gate of the castle as they screeched in horrible shrills, bearing their unrelenting fangs. Mordakai braced himself, timing his swing to connect with the first unlucky creature to reach him. His blow came down hard, ringing out as it connected with his attacker's shield, then glancing away. Mordakai tried to bring his weapon back up for another swing, but he was too slow. His attacker swung down with a razor-edged claw, slashing a huge gash in the warrior's arm. More Molikai bore down on him, and in an instant he was cut off from the rest of his warband. A fang peirced his leg, and a hammer collided with the side of his helm. Spinning, disoriented, Mordakai gave ground, trying to regain his balance. He tried left, then right. Everywhere he went there were razor-sharp fangs and claws barring his path, biting into his flesh. Surrounded, outnumbered ten to one, Mordakai went down on one knee. The world spun before his eyes. His hands, covered in his own blood, slipped from the hilt of his hammer. Then a loud thud echoed through his head as something heavy struck him from behind. In the next moment, the world went silent. Time seemed to stand still, and the big warrior fell backward, unable to hold himself up any longer.

"Mordakai!" From the walkway atop the castle, Ludak watched the warrior disappear under the assault of nearly a dozen Molikai. Deeply worried for the life of his dear friend, the faithful Ludak made way for the crenellations. Stepping behind the protection of the crenellations, the monk closed his eyes, lowered his head, and began chanting a prayer to Kyrsia. His words were smooth and mellifluous, a sharp contrast to the harsh clangs and screams below. Lifting his hands into the air, Ludak finished his prayer.

"Breathe life back into the fallen. The miracle of rebirth…" A flash of blue-white light surrounded Mordakai, and his body disappeared from the ground. Mordakai coughed once then opened his eyes. "You really should be more careful." Ludak smiled as he looked down at him.

Mordakai pushed the monk aside and got to his feet. He'd been transported from the ground before the castle to the top of the crenellations by the monk's spell. "I suppose I should say thank you."

Ludak nodded. "That would be nice."

Hammer in hand, the warrior headed down the steps to the portcullis guarding the front gate. He stopped, looking back up at the monk. "Perhaps I'll save my gratitude for after the battle." A smile flashed across his lips. "Keep me alive until then, and I'll say whatever you want."

"The gate has been breached!"

Mordakai felled another Molikai and turned around to see the eastern gates of the castle standing wide open. The passage to the east side of the fortress was narrower, harder to climb and easier to defend from the castle walls. There had been men stationed there, but fewer than at the front gate. Now they all lay dead, overwhelmed by a huge warhost.

Mordakai lifted his hammer over his head. "To the warband lord!" he shouted, and he sprinted toward the open gate. The other elite guards followed the big warrior's lead. Just inside the eastern gate, Mordakai stopped dead in his tracks. On the ground, his head twisted, his eyes staring blankly into the sky as if he could finally see the God of Chaos himself, lay Ludak. His fine white robes were turning red as they soaked up fresh blood from a wound in the man's chest. Mordakai knelt down beside the monk. There was nothing he could do—all the strength in his arms, all the skills he possessed, none of it could help his friend. The warrior took a deep breath. Never before had he felt so weak, so helpless as he did right now.

"They've killed the Enigmas'!" shouted an archer from his perch atop the wall. "All but one!" These words pulled Mordakai out of his trance. The Molikai were no fools. Once inside the castle, they had gone for the most important first. The other spellcasters would be next, then the warband lord. Mordakai gritted his teeth. With the monks and Enigmas' gone, Assylums' Chosen had no more healing magic left. Their prayers to Kyrsia would reach only deaf ears. Those who fell in battle now would not return. He had to save the last Enigma. The Enigmas' held all the keys to the most mysterious of doors...powerful in mind they were, and exetremely important into explaining why these green, winged creatures had now shown up on their doorstep. Getting to his feet, Mordakai took the stone steps two at a time, leaping to the top to be greeted by the vision of a swirling melee. The Enigma stood on the raised dais at the center of the castle, surrounded by more than a half-dozen Molikai. Smaller pockets of fighting littered the open courtyard. Mordakai waded in. A pair of Molikai were attacking a Chosen archer. Mordakai wound up and brought his hammer around in a flat arc, hitting the first Molikai in the helm. The creature flew sideways, his head colliding with the head of the other Molikai, and the two of them crumpled in a heap.

The big warrior took two more steps, and brought his hammer up, smashing another invader in the small of his back. The sound of bending metal and the snap of bone echoed off the stone walls of the castle, and another Molikai fell to the ground. With his next stride, Mordakai reached the bottom step of the dais and was instantly awash in a sea of forest green and ice blue. Mordakai bashed aside one Molikai, then another, determined to make it to his Enigma. But the invaders held their ground, buoyed by their victory over the lord, and they swarmed in on Mordakai, pinning him in place on the steps...WHOOSH. A spear pierced his stomach, and a jolt shot up his spine. It was as if his insides had suddenly ignited, and the pain moved through his body with the speed of a wind-blown flame. Every muscle seized tight, trying to push back the agony. Every pore tingled with the realization that he'd been mortally wounded. Mordakai staggered forward as the spear was pulled from his gut, shuddering as it pierced his flesh once more.

His head began to feel light, and the pain began to numb. His burning hatred of the Molikai dulled, and a warm sensation, like a summer breeze on a sandy shore, took hold of him. His tired muscles felt relaxed, and the cares of defending the castle just simply slipped away. The big warrior hardly flinched when the spear punched through his armor a third time. As his body crashed to the ground, Mordakai's mind wandered. He thought back to the day he had left his wife and daughter to come defend the castle. He could see clearly Salicas' face as she had kissed him goodbye...that seemed so long ago...

"Don't be sad, Salica." he said. "I'll be back before you know it. I promise. But-" His words began to fade as his eyes briefly widened, a surge of memories now pulsing through his mind. "...but...him...a man...hero..." Blood began to trinkle from the creases of his lips as his mind wandered. "...my...brother?" And with a last sigh, the image of the mysterious figure, standing tall with a sword in his hand, faded, and Mordakai closed his eyes. "...Mar..." The big warrior breathed his last sigh, and collapsed completely to the stone. The ending of the heros' life swarmed the conscious of the near Enigma, now free of harm as he heard the trumpet outside reverberate off the castle walls, signaling his victory. Tears began to stream down his face as he bent down to touch the great warriors' head.

"Rest in eternal peace, my savior." As these words gently touched upon th dead mans' ears, 6 knights pounded into the Courtyard, their swords clanking together as they grabbed the sobbing Enigma.

"Are you alright? What has happened, have you seen anything!" The Enigma then just subdued a calm face, and looked at them.

"The last of our hero's is gone. We have only but one left, and he is oblivious to the world in which we live." As he said this, the men noticed the corpse of Mordakai, lying lifeless and without the flame he once had. "We must find his counterpart, if we are ever to suceed in destroying this evil that has now been set upon us...one hero is dead, his balance we must find. The leader of that dark army, the Molikai, will stop at nothing to destroy that last hero...find him we must, and reveal to him everything that is happening, so he may one day live up to his full destiny..."

MEANWHILE, BACK IN THE WORLD OF JAK...ANOTHER BATTLE WILL TAKE PLACE...

The sunlight that shined throughout Spargus city began to fade away as night crept about the wasteland mountains. Half the sun still dully shining throughout the desert and millions of stars starting to glimmer in the cool blue night, the Phantom made it's way home as it descended towards the beach of Spargus, thrusters slowly evaporating as it neared the ground. The comforting sound of footsteps echoed upon the walls of Spargus as the Phantom ramp gave out a large 'click', and unhatched itself, causing it to slowly descend towards the damp beach sands. Jak and Daxter stood anxiously in the crago hold of the Phantom as Torn got up from his seat. As the ramp neared the ground, the harsh voice of Samos suddenly exploded into their ears, causing them to flinch.

"Jak! Daxter! Where have you been? keiras' been getting worse by the hour waiting for you to come back! What took you so long?"

"We got held up." Replied Jak with a more serious tone then usual. "Some rebel Screecher's have been spotted out by the Volcano, and well, they spotted us also." With this the Phantom engine abruptly halted, Tyco stepping out of the cockpit and ordering the other two pilots away.

"Yeah, we were caught up tree-hugger, no thanks to you!" Sniped Daxter as he jumped on the ground and shot his index finger at Samos. "Don't go gettin' all crazy on us just because we weren't here to comfort your wimpy ass!" Samos shot a hard look back at Daxter as Torn came up from behind Jak, putting his hand upon Jak's shoulder as he leaned.

"Look, we're here now. Where's Sig? I need to speak with him." Torn rubbed his eyes roughly as if he were trying to keep them from falling out of his head.

"He's in the Arena." Replied Samos with a bit more ease this time. As Torn nodded his head and hastily walked to the Arena, Samos looked back at Jak and Daxter. "Sorry I came off so harsh, fellas. It's just that Keira is really sick and I can't watch out for her all the time. The Screecher's are marching across the desert...and they'll be here within the next hour or so..." A look of utter sadness swept across his face. "Sig has aready begun gathering forces. It's only a matter of time..." Jak immediately turned towards the Arena, walking away as Daxter jumped back on his shoulders. As he walked away, Jak looked over his shoulder, bearing a look of confidence.

"Don't worry about Keira, Samos. She'll make it through the night, you have my word as a..." Jaks words suddenly halted as he realized what he was about to say...those words...they were not fair to Damas. A look of curiosity swept across Samos' face now as Jak continued on towards the Arena...

Atomic blasts of artillery were being fired from the Arena as Jak walked in, covering his ears as much as he could. Thick smoke was rising to the Arena roof as biult Wastelanders loaded heavy shells into the Artillery Cannon barrels, dark soot spread all over their bodies as they bore looks of annoyment. Daxter was basically jumping in his fur as each explosion went off. Giant platforms were now sitting crudely in the boiling pit of lava as Sig and Torn could be seen conversing off to the side. Crowded wastelanders bellowed orders simultaneously as Jak and Daxter headed down on the elevator, the excruciating heat of the lava growing stronger as they grew nearer.

"JAK! JAK, OVER HERE!" Screamed Torn amongst the commotion as he waved Jak over. A slight smile creased Sigs' face as he saw Jak coming, knowing that he would be most helpful during the battle that was about to take place.

"Jak, good to see ya buddy!" Bellowed Sig as he gave him a hard slap on the back. "Heard you two ran into some trouble out there in the badlands..." Sig was cut off by Jak, who was now unsheathing his gun and cocking it.

"What's going on? How long till the Screechers' reach us!" Jak was still fighting for control with the loud explosions going off right behind him.

"We got a regiment bearing down on our northern entrance, and another on our ass!" With this Sig pointed out across the sea...towards 7 ships, bearing down on the shore hard. "It's gonna be a rough night! We got Company Bravo, Delta, and Charlie! Bravo is taking the shore, Delta and Charlie the North!" A small Wastelander butted as soon as he said this, shoving a stack of Coordinates in his hands.

"Sir, the enemy is now in attacking range and are now performing attack manuevers, deploying E.E.L.'s on your command!" The warrior then stood at attention, a look of utter descipline sweeping across his worried face.

"Deploy! Give 'em a taste of what's comin'!" Roared Torn abruptly, making fists as he gritted his teeth. The small wastelander looked at Torn funnily as he raised his eyebrow, Sig rolling his eyes and smiling.

"Um...ok...yes sir?" The soldier gave a final salute, then darted out of the Arena swiftly, Daxter watching in amusement as he ran with excitement. Bright spotlights immediately shot up into the sky a ways out beyond the shoreline as loud sirens began to reverberate off the Arena walls. Commotion arose among the crowds of soldiers as they heard this, battle-hardened expressions sweeping across their determined faces.

"IT's TIME! TORN, COME WITH ME! WE'RE TAKING COMMAND OF DELTA AND CHARLIE!" Exploded Sig as he spun his rifle around his back and into his hands, Torn whipping out his two pistols and spinning them around his fingertips. "OK JAK! CAN I COUNT ON YOU TO TAKE COMMAND OF BRAVO AND HOLD THE SHORE?" Said Sig, a serious look upon his face. Jak smiled and cocked his gun once more...

"You can count on me."

The moon grew to it's full size now, shining brightly as it lit up the vast ocean of darkness with a beautiful blue aura of hope. Everything seemed quiet as Jak looked up into the night, pondering about Damas and regretting not ever telling him that he was his son...his only hope...that failed him. Ever since Damas' eyes closed, Jak could not help feel that he had let his father down in a numder of ways. These regrets and feelings began to haunt Jak as he gazed past the distant stars. All was quiet in his mind...but not so quiet around him. Snapped back into reality by the chattering of Daxters' teeth as they echoed through his ears, he found himself on the beach with a weapon in his hand and a hundred men under his command. Whistles went off on all sides of the beach as soldiers dove into their trenches, peering out the top as they attached their scopes. Large clouds of smoke plagued the air above them as the 2 Artillery Cannons fired off rounds at the oncoming vessels, making enormous waves as they impacted the water. The waves smashed against the beach as soldiers all around loaded their weapons and took cover in the rocks and reefs, Daxter on the brink of having a nervous breakdown.

"Jak! Oh Jak, c'mon buddy, we can go look after Keira! PLEASE!" Daxter was shaking Jaks' head madly as they both took cover in a hole up near the frontline. "Jak! Why are we so close!" Comic tears began to pour from his eyes as he jumped on the ground and eye'd Jak with wide, sobbing pupils.

"Don't worry Daxter! I will NOT let anything happen to you! I promise!" Replied Jak, a slight smile creasing his face as he winked at Daxter. Daxters' left eyebrow rose as he looked Jak in the eyes.

"Well, lets hope not buddy! PLEASE try and get us outta here in one piece, ok?"

"Oh c'mon Dax." Jak popped his head out of the hole as he saw the last of the men take cover in a biulding a few yards back from the sandline. With a waving motion, the sound of a million cocking guns echoed through Spargus as Team Bravo made ready for the on-slaught, the Artillery still pounding the enemy vessels hard with shells. Worried expressions' swept across the companys' faces as they watched in horror as 11 enemy vessels made their way to the shore, screeches and shrills now echoeing through the ranks of battle-hardened warriors. It was all about to happen...the fate of Spargus and the outcome of the "Screecher Onslaught", as it had been dubbed by many soldiers. Laying motionless in a bed only a few Kilos' behind Jak was Keira, with Samos by her side. Jak could not fail...he had to survive the night and ignite the attack on Cynder...victory had seemed so far away...

"MAKE READY!" Exploded a brute voice as the ramp of a transport hit the beach, hidden behind a giant wave. The Screechers...could some of them talk! Daxters' eyes widened in fear as he saw a razor-sharp blade erupt from below the ramp door. Holding it was a big, gnarled and ugly fist of fury. "BRING ME BACK SOME HEAD'S BOYS!" The ramp suddenly erupted as it slammed to the ground like an earthquake. As soon as the ramp hit the sand, Jak stood up, unloading clips of ammo into a smoke filled transport. Large, slimy fangs exploded from the smoke as Jak shot a Screecher between the eyes, stopping it dead in its tracks. Heavy artillery from enemy vessels pounded the shore as waves of Screechers' began to storm the beaches, claws spread wide and war-torn expressions covering their faces. Jaks' one shot erupted into a wave of shots as men all around him unloaded hell upon their enemy. Gunfire and explosive collsions' just suddenly lit up the night as the Screecher Onslaught began. From behind the waves of green beasts, even more powerful beasts were making their way onto the beach as well. Covered in severd cloth and a whole armemant of razor-like death toys, piercing red eyes glared across the battle-field towards their prey as monstrous beasts thunderd onto the sands of Spargus. With small, red-tinted wings, these brute looking Ogres' swung their large jagged swords wildly as soldiers all around Jak gazed up in fear at the powerful beings.

"Watch out for the Brutes!" Exclaimed one man down the beach as a Brute swiped him from the ground, launching him into the ocean a ways out with powerful rage. Sand storms began to brew around the heated battle as mass collisions and gunpowder raged across the battle-field. Shooting wildly, Jak lunged out of his hole, escaping the explosive blast of an enemy shell just nearly, the extreme heat from it's collision nipping Jak's heel. Dirt and mud smashed against his face as he aimed up from the ground, launching a wave of bullets towards 4 oncoming Screechers', green blood spilling all over the sand. Yells and screams lit up the battle as Soldiers and Screechers' fought harshly against eachother, bullets peircing enemy flesh and blade-like claws ripping through human flesh. As Jak pushed himself up from the ground, his eyes widened as he dove back to the ground, dodging the swift swipe of a Brutes' sword. Jak rolled under its legs as it tumbled forward a bit, grabbing the cloth on it's back and pulling himself onto the beasts back. The Brute roared with fury as it raised it's hands in rage, Jak constantly dodging it's large claws as it swiped at him. Lunging now onto it's head, Jak quickly pulled out his handgun and pressed it into the big beasts' head. BANG! Jak swallowed sand as he crashed into the beach headfirst, sliding across it as his body kicked up mud. He was still trying to process the fact that he had just been bitch-slapped by an exetremely ugly creature. Roaring with savage delight, the Brute broke out into a thundering gallop towards Jak, it's ghastly fangs dripping wet as ice cold waves smashed against his face. Jak's eyes twirled around for a second, then focused in on the onrushing monster. There was no time for shock. Rapidly rolling himself to the side, Jak grabbed the beasts right ankle, taking out his handgun and shooting it in the Achilles. Slamming hard against the sand, Jak launched himself up and aimed both his pistols at the Brute's head, a wicked look shadowing his face. The bullets ripped through the Brutes' head, exiting out the top of his cranium as blood stained the sand around him. Drenched in green blood, Jak spun around towards the rest of the battalion, unloading pistol rounds all over the place.

"DAXTER! Stay with me!" Bellowed Jak as he peered over at Daxter, who was hidden amongst a small tide pool. "This fight isn't over."

Massive clouds of thick and compressed smoke circulated through the air as 3 of the enemy ships caught fire, exploding as they sunk into the abyss. Sirens from across the sea were heard as loud as screams, the thunder of the artillery cannons still pounding the enemy hard. As Jak shot off another 5 rounds into the onrushing wave of enemies, he noticed the ramp of a distant ship hit the water hard, causing a hulking wave to block his view of the ship. And then, the sounds of a million roaring engines bounced off the white waves as 4 small, speedy war boats ramped off the descending tide.

"Awe crud." Jak mumbled under the explosion of another artillery blast, launching his gun to his chest and firing once again. Daxter stood anxiously on Jak's shoulder, constantly looking in areas Jak failed to notice. He was like the second pair of eyes. Spargus soldiers stood all over the southern part of the city, trying as hard as they could to prevent the invasion of the Screecher's into the civilian sector. Gunfire and heavy rounds fired off all around them, a life or two being taken every second. Moving across the beach, Jak was hurling a cloud of bullets on the last of the incoming Screecher's as they rushed in from all sides. The beach was covered with dark green color as Screecher's ripped across the sands from all sides, literally devouring the million grains of sand under a massive green cloak. Soldiers ducked among tide pools and reefs as they constantly pulled the triggers of their weapons, killing and splattering blood on the ground every time they did. Fixed in high rooms situated throughout the southern part of the city, Spargus snipers zoomed in on the enemy, annihilating them with only one shot. That shot always had to count. This was a do or die situation, and Jak was caught in the middle of it. There could be no die. Swiftly moving through the battlefield, Jak and Daxter worked together to eliminate everything that stood in their way. As Jak would put a bullet in an enemy forehead, Daxter would look out behind him, alerting Jak to whatever ghastly prescence reared it's ugly head behind Jak.

"MOVE YOUR ASSES!" Boomed a deep voice from behind Jak as Daxter grabbed his head. Spinning around to find yet another Brute, Jak dove to the side, dodging a slow but powerful slash from the beasts sword. As Jak finished his roll, he was met with the backside of the Brute's hand. SMACK! Jak's golden hair flickered madly in the wind as he collided against a wave, Daxter being thrown into the ocean. Getting up, Jak swiped the water from his face, only to find a war boat hastily speeding towards Daxter.

"Daxter!" Jak struggled into the war-torn waters as best he could, using all his power to save the unconscious rodent. Daxters' eyes shuttered as the hell-bent boat screamed towards Daxter with the intention of plowing him into the underwater sand. The piloting Screecher laughed hysterically as his tongue flapped wildly in the wind, Jak almost to Daxter. "I got you!" Jak exploded with his last bit of power as he dove out of the water, launching his bodyweight onto Daxter as they sunk into the ocean. Jak could feel the feverish, razor-blade like motors on his arm as he held Dax tightly in his arms, sinking under the passing boat. The hero gulped for breath as he began to rise back to the surface. As the boat passed by, Jak emerged from the water, taking in a long, deep breath as Daxter awoke from his unconsciousness. The little orange Ottsels' eyes quivered maniacally as he took a breath. Spitting out water, Jak spoke. "Daxter, dax, you ok?" Daxters' eyes finally opened normally and a small smile swept across his face.

"Woo, yeah. Thanks again Jak, I knew you were too tough for 'em big guy!" Daxter leapt into the water besides Jak, kicking his feet crazily as he struggled to stay afloat. But the smile abruptly faded as he looked down into the water, small curves slamming into his face. "Did I get in the way, Jak? I mean, ever since this whole mess started, I've been a little freaked out. Ya know, with Keira amd Cynder and all. I've been feeling sort of like a obstacle. Like something that you just tolerate." Daxters' thoughts were cut short by Jak, who was smiling.

"Oh c'mon Dax, you're not an obstacle. You're just small, so, there are difficulties. But you still overpower those difficulties even though you may be a bit "outspoken" sometimes." With these words Jak lifted Dax onto his shoulder. "But you're a hero nevertheless, and there is nothing that can stop you." A heart-felt expression swept across Daxter's face as he smiled, feeling replenished with hope. "So! You ready to bust some heads?" Exclaimed Jak with a relentless expression as him and Daxter hit fists.

"You know it!" Replied Daxter, a powerful grin sweeping across his face.