(Emerges from around a corner, sporting riot gear)
Hello every, good to see you again. I swear to the heavens that I've never been more nervous about posting a chapter since the first time I put one up. Sorry, just really stressed about how this one turned out, as I'm not sure about its quality, yes, yes I know big surprise in that department.
At any rate, enough about my inability to write halfway decently.
To those of you who have been so kind and have reviewed.
MariaShadow- Glad you liked the last chapter, and the reunion between Jynx and his old C.O. will happen starting in the next chapter, hopefully you'll enjoy how the pyromaniac will make his appearance.
ChibiSess- I'm actually not sure how you spell his name, I've seen both variations, so I guess it doesn't matter. On another note, I don't know about Sig hugging his poopsie bear, but dear God that makes for a funny mental image. Also, I hope you enjoy your trip, and that you mind this chapter to be good enough to have looked forward to. And about Daxter, I don't think I'll be turning him back into an elf, but towards the end of this chapter, you'll find that I've given the first of his kind something that gives them a bit of an edge in battle. On a final note, if you think D.J. is kicking arse now, I will simply tell you that you ain't seen nothing yet. (cackles fiendishly and rubs hands together)
Exardas- Thanks for the review, and I'm glad that you liked the chapter. About your own story, I read that review, and while I must say I do think you need to give a little more background, that its pretty good other than that. In regards to the whole wand deal, if you read any of R.A. Salvatore's works, specifically his second book, there is an instance in there in which a wizardess attempted to parry one of the main character's mundane, un-enchanted broadsword with a wand...and needless to say, the sword won that contest. At any rate, hope you enjoy this chapter, and good luck in your own writings.
Shakai- I'm happy that you liked the little twist I've put on our pyromaniac, as I've never really seen a story that gave him a decent back-story, and he strikes me as the person with a lot of untapped potential. Also, in the next installment, he's going to go and show just how mean he can be when he wants to (hopefully it'll be done in a funny sort of way).
Light-Eco-Sage- Thanks for letting me know your thoughts on the armor idea, though I can tell you that the gun will not be making an appearance, sadly, and that he won't be donning it until the sequel. Also, about Daxter apologizing, the funny thing is that Jak didn't even know he was there, and the dark elf is still thinking himself a threat to Keira and to everything else around him, though hopefully, I've managed to get them to patch things back up in this chapter in a realistic way. (crosses fingers and prays feverously). At any rate, my problems aside, thanks for your time and best of luck to you as well.
Xeno-Freak- Glad that you liked the last chapter, and thank you for your input. And, to answer your question about Jak, I can say that with the exception of the merged super being, you're on the right track, and actually, towards the end of this chapter, you'll see a bit of a hint as to what's going to happen. Also, I'm going to try and get the next chapter out as quickly as I can, as the one after that is when D.J. 'evolves' and all hell breaks lose for the K.G. stuck in the nearby vicinity.
Lunatic Pandora1- Thanks for your input, and I'm pleased that you liked the chapter. As for D.J., he makes a very minute appearance in this one, if you want to get technical, and he'll play a much bigger role in a couple of chapters to come. As for Jynx and Torn meeting up, that begins with he next one, when things take a downswing for the Underground, and our lost Delta takes matters into his own hands.
animedragongirl- I'm glad you like what my demented little mind is able to turn out, though I must say that it has some major variations from the story line, which is to say nothign of the sequel that I'm planning on writing...provided I can get all the details ironed out. (crosses fingers). At any rate, hope you like this chapter, as I'm a little anxious to see what people think of it.
Farr2rich- I'd always liked the idea of Sig getting the stuffing beaten out of him, and the idea of Jynx being so much smaller than him only adds to the humor factor as far as I am concerned. Hope you update your own story soon, too and best of luck to ya.
To those who read but did not review, I hoped that you liked it, and that I continue to please. (bows)
To the lawyers...oh for the love of Pete why do I have to keep telling you this...I own NOTHING!
(panting) sorry about that.
Red tape aside, please enjoy the next installment.
&
Facing the Mirror
While they had to be alert and dodge a couple of patrols, Keira, Tess, and Daxter were still able to reach the square within half an hour, not bad at all, as far as the mechanic was concerned. The area was devoid of K.G. for the moment, and peering around, she could make out shapes in one of the small streets that ran between the businesses of this sector of the city. Motioning for Tess to follow, she quickly jogged over to where the others were, and was surprised to see both Torn, and most of all, someone who appeared to be her father.
However, Daxter had gone into great detail about her adoptive old man's apparent amnesia, and thus she decided that trying to make him remember her here and now would not be a good idea.
There were a few other resistance soldiers present as well, not to mention Alex, who had the elderly Kor holding him close.
"Glad you could make it." Torn growled, seemingly on edge about something.
"Got here as fast as we could." She said softly, before looking around at the square. "What are we waiting for?"
"One more person that Onin said we needed to have if we wanted things to go right." Torn told her.
"You know," came a sudden voice from the rear of the street, "I'm really getting tired of that old lady telling me to do things without telling me why I need to do em."
Everyone turned, as saw Jak making his way up the street, his dark trench coat helping him to blend in with the night.
"So what exactly is going on?" he asked, his voice just above a whisper.
"You remember those artifacts that Onin sent you out to get?" Torn inquired, getting him a nod from the dark elf, who remembered that little quest all too well. "She finally figured out how to make em work, and they revealed the location of Mar's Tomb."
"Great." Jak muttered, knowing that this could mean both victory for the resistance, and vengeance for him. "So where is it?"
"Right there." Torn said, gesturing to the large stone base upon which Praxis had erected a statue of himself. "Right under our noses the whole time."
However, at that time, the Shadow held up his hands, to call for silence, and then motioned for them to move it. Quickly and quietly, they crossed the street, thankful beyond words for the lack of Krimzon Guard patrols in the area. Upon reaching the other side, Samos began to scour the stone structure, apparently looking for something.
While he was doing that, the soldiers had spread themselves out, their weapons up, and were on guard for anything. After all, with what lay buried below, and the power that it supposedly held, they could afford no chances. Were the Underground to claim it, it would spell the end of Praxis' tyrannical rule. But if the Baron and his forces were to somehow get their hands on it…
And thus, did Torn once again succeed in living up to his name. His mind kept replaying the conversation he had had with Errol in that alley those weeks ago. His not so subtle threat, and his blackmailing of the Ex-Delta into cooperation. He had sworn to protect Alex at any cost, and the child had started looking to him almost as if he were some kind of big brother to him. And, for one awful second, he actually considered not doing what he'd been told.
However, his mind was quickly filled with the consequences of such an action, and the thought of Ashelin being gunned down from behind, because of him, was too much for the soldier to bear. After all she had done to help them out…help him out, he couldn't just go and turn his back on her like that.
And so, making certain that no one was looking, he reached down into his pocket, and pulled out that homing device that he'd been given by the Baron's sociopathic right hand. Quietly activating it, he let it fall to the ground.
May Haven's children forgive me. He thought to himself.
Not a minute after he'd done that, there was a slight grinding sound, and two parts of the stone foundation slide away from each other, revealing a strange looking elevator. Silently as the night itself, the resistance members fell back and piled aboard, forming a protective barrier around their leader and the prince, their guns still trained upon the outside area.
Quietly, a pair of metal doors hissed shut, cutting them off from the outside, and plunging them into darkness, before quickly descending downward into the depths of the earth.
After a couple of minutes of rocketing downward at breakneck speed, there was a 'ding' sound from the lift, and another set of doors opened up on the opposite side. Stepping out, they entered a large stone chamber, with the only thing worth noting being a large entranceway flanked by two enormous statues of elven guards, clad in armor that seemed to be from medieval times.
"Amazing," Keira breathed, her eyes roaming around, "we must be more than a mile underground."
"And yet," Jak replied, his voice distant as he sniffed the air, "the air is fresh, not stale."
"There must be some connection to the surface somewhere, or something of that nature." Kor mused, speaking for the first time, before suddenly clutching his chest in pain and groaning softly.
"You okay?" the dark elf inquired, turning to face him, cocking an eyebrow as he did so.
"Just an old injury that this battered body never wanted to heal." the old elf said, waving off some assistance that Keira was about to offer. "It happens from time to time when you get to be my age. But enough of this, we're wasting time."
"Agreed." The Shadow said. "We need to get the Precursor Stone, its power should give us the edge we need to bring the Baron down."
And so, they walked towards the entranceway, stopping only when the 'eyes' of the statues lit up with a strange fire, and a haunting voice filled the chamber.
"Halt." they said in unison. "We sense among you those with the gift, those of the chosen bloodlines that may enter into this place."
As they spoke, the doors opened, but the darkness beyond revealed nothing of the next chamber. Gently, The Shadow laid his hands upon Alexander, and told him to be brave. It wasn't much help, as the lad knew that there would be some rather intense trials for him ahead. Daxter certainly did not help things when he decided to put his own two credits in.
"Yeah, kid, what's there to be worried about? I mean it's only…" he trailed off as he considered the possibilities, "only a dark creepy tomb sure to be filled to the brim with painful death." he gulped, before adding, his voice very much subdued. "I wouldn't go in there."
Nonetheless, the child seemed to master his fear, and took a few steps towards these apparent guardians.
"No, this one is too young." they said almost immediately. "He will never survive the trials ahead."
And with that, the door began to shut. Swearing, Jak shot forward, his enhanced speed giving him an edge that he needed in this race. Not a second after him, Keira too, bolted, and was just a few steps behind him. Still, the door did not cease its decent, and while the dark elf may have made it past without having to do much more than lean forward to a great degree, Keira was forced to slide underneath.
"Hey, didn't you guys remember the sure to be filled to the brim with painful death part?" Daxter exclaimed, chasing after them, and unfortunately enough for him, getting close enough that Keira was able to grab him and yank him through a mere instant before the door slammed shut.
The others simply stood where they were, blinking, unable to comprehend what had just happened.
"Good heavens!" the Shadow exclaimed, after some time.
That pretty much summed up the situation.
Meanwhile, on the other side of the barrier, Keira stood up, ignoring the glare of death that she was receiving from the Ottsel who had gotten dragged into this bit of tomb raiding, and the strange prickling feeling in the back of her skull.
"Do you have any idea how close you came to making me two dimensional?" Daxter screeched, hopping up and down.
The aqua haired mechanic, however, was paying more attention to the trench coat sporting elf in front of her, who kept his magnum out straight, and had Kitetsu ready in his right hand. The dark elf took a tentative step forward, his gaze and weapons roaming around, his glowing eyes trying to pierce the shadows of the chamber.
"Jak," she inquired, putting aside her feelings for the moment, "what's wrong?"
"Can't you feel it?" he replied, answering her question with one of his own, before he clarified what he meant. "We're not alone in here."
"You are alert and on guard," came a sudden voice from the shadows, and the former Channeler's weapons were pointed at the speaker before the words were even finished, "but that alone will not save you."
"Show yourself." Jak growled, something about the voice putting him on edge, something about it that was hauntingly familiar.
"As you wish, but I do ask that you put your gun away, as it will not do you much good here." the person said, and then stepped forward.
His warning was to go unheeded, as Jak, Keira, and Daxter all stood stunned for one terrified second, before the two elves leveled their ranged weapons and opened fire, while Daxter stuttered and mumbled incoherently, not that he could be heard over the racket his friends were making.
The Ottsel's first thought had been, 'oh dear Precursors, it's him!' His second, 'how the heck can he be here when he's dead?' And yet, that second fact was seemingly disputed by the reality that he had indeed just stepped out of the shadows. Daxter didn't understand. How could this be possible? How? He'd watched from Jak's shoulder as his friend had unleashed the energy burst that had sealed his fate, he'd watched that crazy old freak die!
And now he stood, as dreary and evil looking as he had ever been right down to the strange clothes and red gauntlet fused to his right hand, with bolts of Eco passing through him as if he didn't exist.
"Would you please stop firing?" Gol Akaron inquired, crossing his arms over his chest and looking somewhat irritated. "I am not your enemy and all you are succeeding in doing is destroying some rather old architecture!"
The twin streams of blaster fire ceased, though both elves remained on their guard, wary of the Dark Sage, and no doubt also entertaining ideas of how he'd managed to escape death.
"I apologize if my appearance has thrown you into a 'kill on sight' mode of thinking," Gol stated calmly, "but this form was chosen for two purposes, the first of which was to get your attention, and I seemed to have succeeded in that."
"If you're not Gol, then just who the hell are you?" Jak inquired, his tone cautious, though he did put away his pistol, as it obviously wasn't going to hurt this thing.
"You may call me Sentinel, if you must have a title for me, and for lack of a better term, I am a computer program born from Precursor technology and I am using holographic modules to interact with you." the 'Dark Sage' said. "I peered through your memories, and chose to manifest myself to you in this form, for, as I stated, several reasons."
"You were inside our minds?" Jak said, unable to believe what this thing was telling him.
"You'd be surprised at the level of technology that the Ancients held." it said, smirking slightly as it did so in a manner that most unnervingly reminded the dark elf of his first nemesis. "But, we're not here to talk about the abilities of computer programs, then are we?"
"We're here for the Precursor Stone." Keira said, calming down considerably, having reached a logical conclusion that if this 'computer' or whatever it was had meant them harm, it would have attacked them before starting up a conversation with them.
"Oh, of course you are." Sentinel said, smiling before he continued. "But then, what kind of guard would I be if I were to allow you to simply walk out of here with such a prize without testing you."
"What kind of tests are we talking about?" Jak growled, irritated at the notion of having to please yet another person to get to what was needed.
"Three trials to prove yourself worthy." the computer said, walking towards them. "One shall be a test of skill, another of courage, and a final one, in which you shall have to understand yourself if you wish to succeed." it suddenly stopped and its tone became deadly serious. "I will not lie to you, Channeler, failure in these tests will mean your death, and your two comrades will not be able to assist you."
"Why is that?" Keira inquired, suddenly nervous.
"Because, you are not the one who needs to be tested, not yet anyway." it replied.
Jak remained silent, but raised his eyebrow in a way that the Precursor computer knew exactly what the elf wanted to know.
"Tell me, Dark One," Sentinel inquired, crossing its arms again, and giving him a gaze that seemed to pierce into his very soul, "if you manage to acquire the Stone, for what purpose do you intend to use it?"
"To destroy Praxis." he said, his voice having that infamous rage boiling just beneath the surface, and clenching his left hand into a fist.
"Exactly!" Sentinel replied, snapping its fingers. "You seek to overthrow him, but you do not do it for the greater good, but for your own selfish vendetta. You are walking down a path that will lead only to your own destruction." the computer said, shaking its head sadly. "That was another reason I chose this form," it spread his arms slightly, "to show you what you're going to wind up becoming if you don't change."
"And how am I supposed to do that?" Jak asked, irritation present again in his voice.
"Wouldn't be much of a trial if I told you how to win, now then would it?" Sentinel shot back, before turning back around and walking off, clasping its arms behind its back.
As it did so, lights suddenly came on and revealed the chamber that they were in. To say the least, it was massive, and whereas the outside of it had apparently been made of stone, the inside appeared to be crafted of metal. An 'honor guard' of enormous elven statues lined a central pathway, and to the left and right there were what appeared to be large pools of water, reflecting a myriad of colors.
"The honor that the elves held for Mar was great." Sentinel said suddenly, gesturing around with one arm. "After all, it was he that united them when they were scattered, brought them together to battle a common menace…it was he that saved them."
The hologram fell silent then, as he reached the end of this grand chamber. With a gesture, the large metal door at the end of it opened up, and he motioned for the trio to come inside. They hastened to obey, with Jak in the lead, and Daxter coming up behind Keira, who kept staring around at the technological marvels present here.
The next room was dark, but Jak, with his enhanced vision, thought he could see what appeared to be more statues, these ones about the size of the average elf, rather than the forty foot behemoths in the grand entrance.
Sentinel suddenly stopped, and pivoted around. At the same time, a strange, wavering barrier appeared between Jak and his companions, and all looked to the hologram, demanding an explanation.
"This is where it begins, Jak." the program stated, as the lights came on, revealing the room to be circular and about fifty feet around, and holding about eight of the statues tucked away into alcoves.
With a flash of light, Sentinel vanished, and the dark elf brought Kitetsu out, but kept his magnum holstered, somehow knowing that his blaster would do him little good against what he would face. It was a wise decision on his part, as moments later, there was a strange humming sound, and three of the metallic statues suddenly had a light come into their eyes, and stepped out into the main part of the room. Keira and Daxter could now see that they bore both sword and shield, and approached Jak from three different angles. The dark elf steadied his breathing, and flipped Kitetsu around once, getting himself into an Ataru attack position.
As one, these construct warriors attacked him, one coming in from behind and making a swipe for his head, while another chopped downward, and the third one thrust its blade straight out. Their weapons hit naught but air, as the former Channeler had vaulted straight up, coming down behind the one in front of him, and bringing Kitetsu up in a vicious upper-cut style attack. The machine whirled with speed a normal elf could never hope to match, and managed to get its shield down in time to intercept the attack. Nonetheless, Jak's vampire-like strength, and Kitetsu's unusual construction, helped it to bite into the protective gear, and score a slight hit upon its thigh despite everything. Wires sparked as the machine spun around fully, its comrades also moving to flank him again.
However, Jak was far from stupid, and leaped into the air once again, repeating the maneuver he had used to decapitate that Crab Head back in Haven Forest. Still, the machines had a large variety of offensive and defensive protocols at their disposal, and its own blade intercepted the dark katana, though it took some damage in doing so.
Keira hated what was happening, watching him fight these things, and her being unable to help. She tested the barrier between her and the elf she held so close, but found it to be as solid as a rock wall. Despite her worries, though, Jak seemed to be holding his own against these things, suddenly jumping up and planting his feet into one of them, the one he had damaged earlier, causing it to stumble backwards and lose its footing.
There was an unearthly clang as it hit the floor, and the dark elf rolled underneath a strike from another one, quickly rising to his feet as the robotic soldier tried to regain its footing. However, a runed blade hit it right where its neck was, cutting through wires and circuitry and causing the thing to collapse.
Jak spun his dark blade around once more, slowly moving about the room, a pace that his machina adversaries matched. Without warning, he leaped at one of them, and the two weapons, katana and broadsword, clashed for several seconds, neither being able to penetrate the other's defenses. However, after a few exchanged blows, the dark elf got an idea, and suddenly brought his weapon down in a two handed slash angled right for the thinnest part of the broadsword, and cut right through it. However, before he could capitalize upon his newfound advantage, the mechanical warrior brought its shield back, and smacked him across the chest with it, sending him flying right at its comrade, who held its blade straight out to skewer the elf.
He heard both Daxter and Keira cry out, and he snarled in defiance, twisting about in midair, despite the agony it cause him, as the blow from the robotic soldier had cracked a few ribs. He brought Kitetsu around, swatting away the machine's blade as he plowed into it, taking them both to the ground.
Jak was the faster one to recover, and stabbed it through the chest, right where the heart would be on a real elf. Apparently, these robotic copies had a similar anatomy, as it twitched a few times, and then the light in its eyes died away.
Two down, one to go.
The dark elf got back up, measuring up his last foe as he felt his ribs repair themselves. The last machine had hot tailed it over to the fallen remains of the first robotic soldier, and retrieved its weapon, before assuming a ready stance. Jak smirked, knowing that this one would be no match for him alone.
And indeed, that was the case, as he shot forward, and locked blades with his final opponent. The two weapons grated harshly against each other, until the former Channeler suddenly twisted Kitetsu about, flipping it to where it was inside the defenses of his adversary, and then neatly cutting off its hand at the wrist. He then ducked beneath its shield as it tried to clobber him with it, before separating that from the rest of its body as well. Now it was utterly defenseless, and Jak quickly reversed his stroke, cutting it in half vertically.
As the two halves fell backwards, wires sputtering, Sentinel reappeared, and dispelled the barrier separating Keira and Daxter from Jak and itself.
"Is that the best you can do?" the former Channeler inquired, raising an eyebrow.
"To one who has been fighting as long as you have," the hologram replied, conceding the point, "and possessing your skills, it is true that this would not be much of a challenge for you." He paused as the other two joined then, turning around as they did so. "However, I think you will find you next trial to be a little more…taxing…"
It then began walking off, opening the next door with a flick of its wrist. They followed, and found themselves in another hallway, much like the first, though somewhat smaller.
"I don't understand." Keira said, looking about at everything. "How did the elves build this with the technology they had available six hundred years ago?"
"They had help." Sentinel replied, looking back over its shoulder at them. "Someone taught them the use of advanced technology, told them how to go beyond the simple weapons that they had at the time." It suddenly narrowed its eyes, looking at all of them. "You know who, the legends and tales speak of him."
"The Praetor." Keira breathed, suddenly understanding. "I thought he was just a myth."
"He is no myth, young elf." the computer replied, a mysterious smile appearing on his face.
"You said, 'is'," Jak suddenly remarked, his own eyes boring into the hologram, "implying present tense…" he trailed off.
"Yes, Dark One." Sentinel responded, turning back to face the way he was walking. "He is still alive, despite everything."
"And just how is that?" Keira asked, her voice one of disbelief.
"He is different from the rest of his kind," the computer said, "the result of an experiment...just like you."
Before they could ask anymore, they arrived at the next door. As usual, the hologram gestured, and it opened, revealing a black abyss inside. The program then turned back to them, and with a nod to the room, spoke.
"Within here you shall find your courage tested, Dark One." He said.
His coat swishing about him, he stepped through the doorway, followed by the other three. As soon as they were in, the door hissed shut behind them, but this time, no barrier appeared to separate the dark elf from his friends. The reason became apparent soon enough as light was shed upon their situation.
They stood in what appeared to be Haven City, in a nondescript area of the residential section. Jak stiffened instantly, recognizing this place. So, this was to be what would test the mettle of his courage…well then, let the trial commence, as far as he was concerned. He only wished that his friends were not present to see this.
"Care to turn back?" Sentinel asked, looking at him.
It got a glare in response, and taking that for a no, disappeared again.
"Why do I get that sinking feeling that we've been here before?" Daxter muttered after it'd left, speaking for the first time in a good long while.
"Because we have." Jak said, putting his blade away, and crossing his arms, his eyes growing cold.
Daxter went to ask what he meant, as did Keira, but both were suddenly cut off by a shrieking sound that was normally associated with a missile a couple of seconds before impact. The aqua haired elf looked confused, not understanding what was going on, while the Ottsel, on the other hand, felt his eyes reach the size of a dinner plate, and let his mouth flop open.
"No, freaking, way!" he said when he found his voice an instant later.
The dark elf remained silent, not heeding his friend, as he watched the scene unfold from two perspectives, the one he was in now, and his own memories. Not two seconds later, something fell from the sky, hitting the ground and breaking apart, sending those inside flying. Jak watched as a three year younger version of himself and Daxter 'oofed' and 'umped' their way to a less than graceful landing.
"Uuuuhh," Daxter muttered, getting to his feet and shaking his head. "That's the absolute, last, time, that I touch, any stupid Precursor crap!"
Jak got to his feet a couple of seconds later, blood dripping from many places on his lacerated body. Without emotion, his older counterpart watched the crimson liquid, untainted by darkness, fall from himself. His younger self's sense of wonder outweighing the pain he felt from his injuries, and the boy stared around in awe at the city, with its enormous buildings and apparently miraculous technology.
However, it wasn't more than five minutes before a K.G. patrol, led by Errol himself, walked into the area. The Commander pointed towards the pair, who were alone, as most of the people had fled when they'd crashed. Quickly and efficiently, the patrol surrounded him. Daxter, not surprisingly, made himself scare from the area, but was ignored by the guards.
"Forget the rat." Errol snarled. "We've got what we need." he then looked down at Jak, a twisted grin making itself manifest upon his face. "We've been waiting for you, boy."
A second later, the guard standing behind Jak cracked the boy across the head with the butt of his rifle, and, already in pain from his wounds, he crumpled to the ground.
"How could you just leave him like that?" Keira snarled, looking down upon Daxter with a glare that would have scared the living daylights out of the majority of the population.
"It's a good thing he did." Jak said, not bothering to turn around. "If he'd stayed, he'd have been in the brig right alongside me…and I'd either be dead, if I was lucky, or strapped down to a lab table if I wasn't."
As the words left his mouth, the scene before them changed, revealing the lab area that had been set up, specially meant for housing those unfortunate enough to be selected for this variety of experimentation. And once more, he saw his own suffers from a different point of view. He was strapped down to the lab table, still struggling, despite the fact that, if he remembered this particular treatment correctly, he'd already been there for a month.
"Our experiments have indeed confirmed what we were told, Baron Praxis." Errol said, holding a datapad and apparently reading something. "This little runt's a Channeler alright."
"Then you've increased the dosage?" The Baron asked, looking at his second in command with his good eye.
"Yes Sir." the sociopath stated.
"Then what are you waiting for?" Praxis growled. "Begin the injection cycles!"
Errol walked over to the computer console responsible for the experimentation. He then pulled the switch, that fiendish smile ever present upon his face. Seconds later, the purple lighting that Jak was all, too, familiar with sprang from the machinery around him, and pulsed into the young boy.
Keira, and the diminutive rodent next to her both fought back tears as they watched him struggle, pulling at his bonds with all his might, trying desperately to free himself. A scream tore its way from the young boy's throat, tearing at the heart of another elf that was present. The mechanic snarled inwardly, vowing that if she, ever, got the chance, that she'd thrown Errol into that blasted machine and she just how much he liked it!
For hours, it seemed to go on, these visions, showing torture after torture, treatment after treatment. They watched as Jak was taken back to his cells countless times, only to have the guards beat him, using fists, rifles, knives, and things that would have made most sick to their stomach, and indeed Daxter did retch at one point. Errol was the worst. Bringing to bear a wide and disgusting variety of 'interrogation techniques,' most of which revolved around the use of a switch blade that he seemed to hold quite dear.
But it was not limited to methods such as that. After his healing factor was discovered, Keira watched as Jak was shocked, burned, had limbs broken, ribs cracked, the list went on. She looked over to him as he stood slightly in front of her, his arms at his sides, his fists clenched, as he relived three nearly two and a half years of sheer hell.
One vision, out of them all, surprised Jak. It started as most did, a treatment, and him later being thrown into a cell for Errol to come by and have some fun with. But this time, things turned out a little differently.
As the guards restrained him while their superior prepared his instruments, he suddenly flipped up into the air, and threw both of them off of him. And then, a feral light in his eye, he lunged at his tormentor, his teeth bared and a snarl that seemed so out of character coming from him. Jak felt somewhat surprised as he watched himself bear the Krimzon Guard Commander to the ground, his teeth latching onto the other elf's neck. The reason being that he had no memory of that event.
And then he realized why.
He hurt us…hurt you… I had to make him pay…make him suffer!
Struggling desperately, Errol managed to get his switchblade out, and jabbed it in up to its handle in the other elf's side, getting another snarl, but doing little else apparently, though none could miss Jak's now quite unique blood begin seep out from around the wound.
Unfortunately, before any lasting harm could be inflicted, one of the guards managed to get back up, and promptly gave the struggling young boy a ten thousand volt surprise. Jak crumpled, and Errol rolled him off of him, clutching his neck, which was bleeding rather profusely. One guard remained in the cell, ready in case its occupant should reawaken, while the other hastened to get his commander some first aid.
So that was when it had first happened, when his guardian devil had first made its presence known. And, now that he thought back about it, he found it rather strange.
He'd known that there'd been times, after his…interrogations…when'd he'd entered something of a devolved state of mind, something animalistic and primitive. He knew why, as well. Those techniques that Errol had been using to try and break him were working all too well, and he'd come within a hairsbreadth of shattering his very mind. His altered state of being had been a failsafe, one last, desperate bid by his mind to preserve itself, to save him from descending into madness.
Over time, it seemed as though what had started out as a mental defense, had taken on a persona all its own, a split personality, almost, that had become capable of learning, and now, for lack of a better term, that seemed to have almost developed its own soul. For a brief moment, he wondered, then, if despite everything, he hadn't gone mad anyways.
Keira, meanwhile, had her own thoughts. A tear traced its way down her cheek as she watched the things in which he had been subjected to. She watched through these visions, as the boy she'd loved in Sandover, with all of his silent optimism and cheer, was been transformed into the dangerous and deadly fighter than he was this day. But now, watching these, she simply felt grateful that he hadn't turned into some sort of psychotic killing machine, though some would doubtlessly argue different.
Most of all, though, she wondered why.
Why hadn't he ever told them about this, why hadn't he trusted them to help him with this kind of a burden? And, in such times when emotional passions overruled rational thought, she blamed herself for this. Maybe, if she'd just looked harder, if she'd done something different, somehow…maybe she could have spared him from this suffering.
Finally, the horrid images came to an end, courtesy of a diminutive orange rodent that snuck in orchestrated a rescue.
He had stood before them, relived his past, and he never turned away, never flinched, hadn't buckled underneath the pain of watching his own suffering. Apparently, that was what had been needed to pass this test.
Another door opened, and Sentinel once again stood before them.
"Well done, Dark One." The hologram said. "To be forced to relive a past as painful as that one, and to do it willingly, takes more courage than most realize, and far more than many have in their possession."
With that the computer turned, beckoning for them to follow it.
This time, they were all silent as they passed through the chamber that led to Jak's third and final challenge. The dark elf and his compatriots were all curious as to the nature of this challenge. Thus far, he'd tested his skill in battle, the stoutness of his heart as he'd watched his past, which left the test of spirit, whatever that was supposed to be.
Well, they'd find out soon enough.
After a seeming eternity, they reached the far side and the door to the final trial opened before them.
"And here it lies, Dark One, the final test for you. In here, you shall face the mirror, and in doing so, be either damned, or find your salvation." Sentinel said mysteriously, keeping his back to them again. "I'd wish you luck…but luck will not help you in a trial such as this." He then looked over his shoulder, his eyes boring into Keira. "Remember, this must be done alone."
And then, as before, he vanished, and they entered.
This time, the room appeared as a coliseum, complete with some extensive battle damage.
"I sense yet more violence in our future." Daxter remarked, staring around at the arena.
"The question is," Jak said, drawing Kitetsu and holding it out with a single hand, "who or what am I going up against?"
"The mirror." came a gravelly voice, one that was quiet, but carried within it a power that was almost palpable.
A figure then detached itself from the shadows at one of the far entrances. The person was covered in a heavy black cloak, its cowl down to hide the face. However, there was something about the way in which the being carried itself, that seemed strangely familiar. It reached the middle of the arena, and Jak stepped forward to meet it, another barrier springing up between him and his two friends. The dark elf's eyes tried to pierce the shadows that hid the visage of his soon to be opponent, but could make out naught but shadow.
However, that all changed an instant later, when the figure threw off the cloak, revealing itself.
Jak was surprised, and it showed in his sudden change in posture. Keira, too, was caught off guard, but it was perhaps Daxter who summed the situation up the best.
"What…the…hell?" the Ottsel said, his eyes bulging.
The dark elf recognized the person before him instantly, but for the others, it took a bit of time for it to sink in. The former Channeler stared at himself, only, it was how he would have appeared had he not been 'blessed' with his healing abilities. His copy's hair was matted and unkempt, partially covering a face that was little more than a mass of scars, including a rather nasty looking one where its left eye should have been. Two other marks that stood out were one that ran the width of its neck, possibly explaining the difference in its voice, and the last one being that it only had about half of its right ear. The clone was also naked from the waist up, revealing its chest, that was again, little more than a mass of scar tissue and burn marks covering up the muscle beneath.
"What are you?" Keira asked, apparently loud enough to be heard by the other elf.
"Hatred," it replied with a shrug, "bitterness, contempt. I am, many things."
"And to pass, I have to beat you don't I?" Jak asked, assuming an attack stance.
"Yes," the copy replied, "but you're going to fail, simply because you lack the knowledge of how to defeat me."
"We'll see about that." the former Channeler retorted, a smirk on his face.
In response, the clone drew its own blade, not surprisingly, one identical to the relic that Jak wielded with such a high degree of skill. However, what worried Keira, ever the technical analyzer, was exactly how fast this doppelganger had its katana out. It hadn't appeared to have drawn it, so much as the weapon seemed to have appeared in its hand.
For one single second, the two elves stared at each other, measuring the other up. Once that second passed, the no holds barred fight began.
Jak struck first, lashing out aggressively at his copy, his blade coming in from the right on level with his opponent's neck. Almost lazily, the clone's blade leapt up to intercept his strike, swatting it away. Deciding to go with that momentum, the former Channeler spun around, his coat flaring outward and preventing his foe from seeing exactly where he was going to strike. With blinding speed, he completed his rotation, coming in with a relatively low angle of attack, no doubt hoping to cut his adversary's feet out from underneath him,
Alas, Kitetsu connected with little more than air, as the copy of himself had back flipped out of the way. Snarling quietly, he rushed over to continue his assault, his friends watching all the while. His speed was great, his strength enhanced beyond that of a normal elf, driven by his fury as he was, and his blade came in from all possible ways. Slowly, ever so slowly, he seemed to be driving his opponent back, but somehow, deep within himself, he knew that this doppelganger was only retreating because he wished to, that this disfigured clone was controlling the battle, not he.
It was an ominous theory that was quickly proven to be correct, as his clone intercepted a downward chop that would have split it in half had it connected, and forced Kitetsu down and away to the left, before bringing his right foot up and smashing it into Jak's face. The dark elf staggered backwards, his nose broken, with Dark Eco and blood dripping down his face.
Still, he did his best to ignore the pain, knowing it wouldn't last for long, and concentrated on trying to get back the offensive from his strange adversary. It would not be easy, as now that he had Jak on the defensive, the copy was going to show him what it was capable of.
Keira and Daxter, still watching from behind the barrier, were forced to helplessly observe as the scarred elf went into a flurry of attacks, its blade a blur as it slashed, chopped, and thrust, its momentum apparently unstoppable. Indeed, its opening combos nearly shattered the dark elf's defenses, and Jak found himself desperately parrying and deflecting, unable to get a strategy or anything of that nature going beyond simply trying to keep his opponent from scoring another hit.
But another one did eventually connect, slipping through to drawn a line of Jak's unique blood from his left side all the up past his right collar bone as he tried to leap back to avoid the stroke. Still, even as he hissed in pain, he counted himself lucky, as the damage was not nearly as bad as it could have been had the blow hit home completely.
Snarling once again, he leaped at his otherworldly opponent, bringing the dark katana down from above. His clone, in response, did something unbelievable. It gripped its own sword with two hands, one on the end of the grip, the other upon the end of the blade itself, and held it horizontally, whereupon it actually succeeded in not only blocking Jak's strike, but for lack of a better term, catching the dark elf, and then proceeded to push back, throwing him back up into the air, where he came in for a less than graceful landing nearly twenty feet away.
Immediately, the former Channeler rolled backwards, and jumped back up to his feet, and was scarcely able to avoid being skewered as his clone planted its blade in the ground where he'd been moments before. Even so, he wasn't able to completely avoid a slash that came in at him, catching him along his thigh and cutting nearly to the bone. Practically roaring, he lunged forward, thrusting his blade out for a vicious counterattack, while simultaneously drawing his magnum.
With even greater speed than it had shown before, the doppelganger managed to get out of the way, and lashed out from the side, cutting the morph gun off at the trigger guard. For a moment, Jak looked at the remnants of his gun, before throwing it down with a snarl. His adversary simply smirked, before jumping back and reassuming its combat stance
There was something going on here that Jak simply didn't understand, the more ferociously that he fought, the more powerful this thing seemed to become, whatever in the world it was supposed to be. However, that little bit of thought on his part would prove to be a fatal mistake, as the split second distraction enabled his opponent to get behind him. Realizing the gravity of his error too late to correct it, he felt his feet be knocked out from underneath him via a sweep kick.
As the dark elf began another trip to the ground, his clone finished spinning around, and came up to slam his kneecap into his back hard enough for the vertebrae to shutter from the impact, and it also succeeded in driving the breath from his lungs. His breathing situation did not improve at all when he hit the stone floor, nor did what follow help at all either. For, as his spine had been dealt that crushing blow, he'd lost his grip upon Kitetsu, and his copy had quickly grabbed it out of the air, and then poised it over him for one eternal moment, before plunging it down into his gut.
Pain exploded through him, and it took every ounce of strength he had not to cry out in agony. His scream would not have been alone however, as both Keira and Daxter let out cries of outrage and fear.
The wound wasn't mortal, thanks to his healing factor, but in order for it to heal completely, the blade would have to be removed, something his copy did not seem to be inclined to do. Realizing this, Keira started looking around frantically, desperate to help Jak. And then, curiously enough, she spotted something. The barrier that separated her from the one that she cared for didn't go all the way to the top of the entrance, which when combined with the shape of the area they were in, would allow for her to use her grappling hook to get up in the stands. Flexing her right hand, she proceeded to do just that.
"Uh, Keira, what are you doing?" Daxter asked, practically tugging his fur out in panic.
"Helping him!" She said, testing the grappling line to make sure that it was secure.
"But Sentinel said we weren't supposed to interfere!" the Ottsel exclaimed, torn between wanting to help his friend, and obeying the rules that the computer had set down.
"Damn Sentinel!" was the mechanic's reply, and it had enough of an influence upon the Ottsel that he grabbed a hold of her leg as she reeled herself up into the stands.
Meanwhile, Jak wasn't exactly having the time of his life, as the clone kept twisting his blade back and forth, tearing into him even more. The dark elf could feel in inner demon trying to help him, but for some reason, it was held back, unable to rise to his aid.
"That creature can't help you this time, fool." the doppelganger said, as if it were able to read his mind. "And you were and idiot to think that you could conquer me with your anger, that your hatred could help you to overcome something like me!"
Its ranting was abruptly cut short, though by a 'thunk' sound, and it turned its head to notice what appeared to be a wire stuck in the ground next to it. Somewhat confused, it turned around, and instantly found itself having to duck in order to keep its head attached as Keira nearly kamikazed into it. Nonetheless, though, it did receive a rather impromptu haircut. She hit the ground, shoulder first, and rolled about, losing her helmet and dislodging Daxter in the process, but coming up with her gauntlet vibro-blade out, its resonations distorting the air around it. In response, the clone simply laughed mockingly.
"Well," it replied after a few seconds, apparently amused, "this is an interesting twist on an age old tale, that the damsel comes to save the knight!"
"Leave her…out of this!" Jak gasped, still trying to get two and a half feet of katana out of the floor and his gut.
"If you haven't noticed, she chose to get involved." the doppelganger retorted, rolling its eye, and nodding to her gauntlet weapon. "Come then, little girl, let's see what you can do with that thing."
Keira was only too happy to oblige, lunging forward and striking out. The clone caught her blade easily with its own, and both seemed mildly surprised when one weapon didn't destroy the other. Then, though, the contest of strength began, as both combatants' weapons grated back and forth across each other, each seeking a weakness or something to exploit. After a few seconds, they broke off, circling each other.
Jak meanwhile, had finally managed to get Kitetsu out of his stomach, but was still a little woozy, after all, his copy had done quite a bit of damage. He could hear the sounds of combat coming from where Keira and his copy were duking it out, but it seemed so far away. He couldn't understand…why hadn't he been able to win? What was that thing's secret?
And then, strangely enough, when everything seemed about to come tumbling down, it clicked.
When asked as to what it was, the doppelganger had replied with a listing of emotions. Hatred, bitterness, anger, things like that. It was then that he understood, that thing was a literal physical manifestation of his darker emotions. That was how it kept getting faster, the more he tried to use his anger to overpower it, the stronger it got. Therefore, logically, the only way to defeat it would be to fight it differently.
But how to do that?
Then, he remembered words that came from a certain talking statue.
As all have hatred within them, so do they possess love. As all have sorrow, so do they have joy. Balance is what you must find, young one.
And so, finally realizing the truth about himself, of his own failings, and helped by a body that had finally managed to patch itself back up, he got to his feet with a grunt.
His clone brought his blade in, and Keira found herself having to leap backwards in order to avoid being disemboweled. At the same time, it was rewarded with a sharp pain in its left leg as Daxter finally put his mouth to good use. However, the rodent's heroic actions did little more than irritate the clone, and get him introduced to pain as a shake of its leg sent him flying into some debris.
As the doppelganger went to resume its fight with Keira, though, it heard something, and spun around, instinctively bringing its katana up to block. In the next instant, twin blades clashed against each other, as the dark elf reentered the battle. His copy appeared somewhat surprised to see him back up, but that flicker of emotion lasted only a split second, before its visage became a twisted snarl once more.
"We always were stubborn." it growled.
Jak simply smiled, and blocked its next stroke, and the one after that too. The clone appeared confused, as if it was now the one unable to understand why it couldn't blast through its opponents defenses. This time, it was the one to growl in frustration, and to press in harder, but to no avail, as while still fiendishly quick, it didn't seem to be able to call upon that blurring motion and lightning fast reflexes that it had before. Screaming, it brought its blade up above its head, hoping to sunder the dark elf in half, only to have it blocked in a similar manner to how it had stopped Jak's jumping attack earlier.
"How?" It roared, its rage becoming nearly all consuming.
"Simple," Jak responded calmly, pushing back against it, "I don't fight in anger any more."
And so it was. No longer did the hatred that had driven him in nearly every battle push him onward. Now, he fought for those other than himself. He fought for Keira and Daxter, who'd always been there when he'd needed them the most, who'd never given up on him, for Alexander, who'd been through things no child should have had to experience. He fought for the Underground, which had struggled for so long against the Baron, for all those who were depending upon him, whether they knew it or not, to succeeded here.
And it was driving his opponent up a wall.
So much so, in fact, that its rage was going too far, consuming it entirely, and it was beginning to lose its concentration, its attacks becoming sloppy. And so, after about another minute or so of exchanged blows, Jak saw an opening, and took it. There was a harsh clang, and the clone's sword flew up into the air. Not hesitating for a single moment, Jak leapt up, and grabbed it.
He landed in front of his astonished double, and lashed out with both blades, forming a neat 'X' on its chest, and following through with a spin kick that sent it flying.
Not surprisingly, its wounds began to heal quickly, but when it looked up, it found the dark elf standing over him, both weapons pointed at its heart.
"Yield." he said.
"So what now?" it snarled. "Are you going to lock me away, never use me again?"
"No," Jak responded, shaking his head but not taking his eyes from the doppelganger, "that wouldn't help much in the long run, either. Balance, is what I need. I will use you, but only when I need to, and I won't let you control my life anymore."
And with that, the clone let out a final snarl, before it, and its blade, vanished. The next thing Jak was aware of was his air supply being cut off due to a certain mechanic gripping him in a fierce embrace. It was followed by her beating him in the chest with a gauntleted fist.
"Jak," Keira began, "if you, ever, scare me like that again…" she trailed off ominously.
In response he simply smiled, a light coming into his eyes that hadn't been there for a long time, the glow that had been present when he'd just been the young boy growing up in Sandover, before all of this stuff had happened. It was something that she was overjoyed to see again. And so, taking advantage of the relative seclusion offered by the strange room, the two of them leaned together, and shared something they hadn't for almost three years.
Daxter, watching from the rubble that he'd finally managed to extricate himself from, was relieved to see his friend alright, and apparently, back to normal, for once, was able to resist the urge to have a sudden outburst and let the two elves have a bit of a private moment with each other.
Once they'd broken apart again, there was the sound of clapping coming from the far entrance. Sentinel walked out, a smile practically splitting his face.
"Well done, Dark One, you finally found your balance, it would seem." the hologram said.
"I don't get it, though," Jak muttered, his hands still intertwined with Keira's, "you said that they weren't…"
"I told them exactly what they needed to hear." it said, cutting Jak off before he could finish his question, and upon seeing their confusion, decided to elaborate. "You'll find out soon enough, Dark One, that life's greatest challenges are rarely meant to be faced alone."
"Does this mean we can get the fancy rock and get out of here?" Daxter asked suddenly, unable to hold his tongue any longer, and crossing his arms over his small chest as he walked up.
"Certainly, follow me." Sentinel replied, motioning for them to come.
After yet another hallway, the four of them entered a large, hexagonal room, the walls of which seemed to be a massive mural, complete with some brief descriptions in Precursor script.
"Here you see some of the Precursor history, and how it pertains to Haven's creation." their computer guide said, gesturing.
The first depicted a race of beings, clad in robes and headdresses that hid their visages, and who were practically godlike in their technology. However, after a time, a disagreement apparently happened, and they split into two different factions. The Precursors, and the other group, which was referred to only as the 'Fallen Ones.'
The second, showed these beings, now in armor of different colors, as they waged war upon each other. It was nearly impossible to tell who was on which side, as the only difference being that the Precursors appeared to wear armor that was more angular and jagged in appearance, while the Fallen Ones' carried a variety that was smoother and more rounded. One in particular, did catch Jak's eye.
It was covered in black armor, and hovered above the troops fighting on the ground, a few more similarly equipped and floating behind it, though they lacked the helmet ornamentations that this one possessed. Somehow, he knew it was the same one he'd seen in that vision he'd had in Onin's tent, those months ago. However, he saw one thing this time that had somehow escaped his notice before: attached to its right arm, was what appeared to be a slightly curved scythe blade, jagged on both sides, and looking capable of dishing out some serious damage.
The next part of the mural showed victory for the Precursors, and their forces stood behind seven of their ranks as the Fallen One's were banished from the world. One was clad in red armor, another in blue, a third in yellow, one in green, one in white, and the black armored one as well. In front of them, was a Precursor wearing extraordinarily ornate gold and silver armor, who had its hand stuck out in a gesture that was an age old means of telling someone to 'get'.
Strangely enough, though, was one of the Fallen, clad in white, who had his fist up in the air in a gesture of defiance. The white clad Precursor in the group of seven, also appeared somewhat downcast, and the black armored one had his hand upon his shoulder in a comforting manner.
The next scene showed something that the elves couldn't understand, or possibly didn't want to, and so they looked to Sentinel for a little guidance.
"The Ancients triumphed in their civil war, that much is true." It said with a nod. "But the vanquished left behind a terrible legacy in their wake. It was they who created the Hora-quan, the vicious monsters that you know as the Metal Heads." It turned around, staring into their eyes. "They began to attack the Precursors, and they began to conquer them."
"How was that possible?" Keira asked, looking at the hologram to her left. "How could the Metal Heads defeat the Precursors?"
"The same way they defeated you, through sheer numbers." Sentinel said, shaking his head sadly. "Their conflict decimated their ranks, leaving too few to combat this new threat."
The next mural was fairly self explanatory. Soon enough, the elves, apparently at the dawn of their civilization, came under attack as well. Once more, the black armored Precursor was shown, this time locked in combat with none other than the Metal Head Leader. Unfortunately, the battle ended with the Ancient's champion being defeated, and he was depicted as lying on the ground, his body broken, and in several pieces. Somehow though, he survived, as the next mural showed him hovering before an elf.
He appeared as little more than a boy, but his green hair was rather distinctive.
"Yes, the Praetor found Mar." Sentinel said abruptly. "And he realized the power that lay dormant within the boy, the power of his own kind."
The next scene was of Mar being trained by the Ancient, and later, receiving armor and a weapon worthy of a leader. And the Praetor's teachings were not limited to the future king alone. Other elves were found and united, and the Precursor taught them how to construct the first 'modern' ranged weapons. Armed as such, Mar and his people began to make their stand, as the next several scenes depicted a burning village, not to dissimilar to the one that they'd grown up in, with him and his troops standing in-between the rampaging Hora-quan and the fleeing elven civilians.
However, the next mural was the strangest of the lot. Standing in front of the elven warriors, and next to the floating Praetor, was a massive, winged demon, covered in armor. Both of its hands grasped curved blades, and it seemed to be roaring in the faces of an oncoming Metal Head attack, as if daring them to come forth and be slaughtered.
The final scene showed the elven king with his helmet tucked under his arm, gazing out as Haven was constructed. Once more, the Ancient was next to him, though what exactly he was doing wasn't clear. There was something about it though, that surprised all of them. It was Mar's eyes.
They were as green as his hair, but there was something rather…abnormal about them. After all, none of the three could ever recalling seeing another of their kind that had pupils that were more akin to reptilian slits than anything else.
"Did Mar have a thing for strange contacts?" Daxter inquired, cocking an eyebrow up at Sentinel.
"It was a sign of what he was, a trait setting him apart from the rest of his kind." The computer answered enigmatically.
And before they could ask any more of what he meant, the hologram walked forward, and they realized that there was a sarcophagus in here that they hadn't seen, as they'd been so absorbed by the drawings on the walls. It was a plain box, for the most part, with some script on it in both new and old elvish that stated who was buried within it. And there, resting about where the king's heart would have been, was a pulsing green stone. This is what they'd come down here to get, and slowly, almost reverently, Jak stepped forward, and carefully retrieved the gem, placing it within one of the interior pockets of his coat.
There was something else on top of the coffin as well: the dead king's helmet. The trio was somewhat surprised to see it down here, as logic stated that it'd most likely be in a museum of some sort. The craftsmanship of the piece of armor was alien, looking very similar to the head gear apparently worn by Precursor warriors, but it wasn't as elongated as theirs had been. For the most part, it was composed of sharp angles, and it did have what appeared to be some kind of mirrored visor that flared out at sharp angles at the side, before it constricted itself a little more towards the center. The cheekbone region was also quite pronounced, as was the brow, both of which came out about a good inch past where the visor was. Furthermore, there was a curious indentation about even with the forehead, that looked almost as if something could be placed in it. Also notable, were what appeared to be some kind of war braids that were attached to the rear of the helmet, each about a foot to a foot and a half in length, and made from some strange material that not even Keira was familiar with.
"Man, what was it with these guys and dreadlocks?" a certain orange furred rodent remarked, looking at the helmet.
"It was style apparently favored by the Precursor warriors." Sentinel said, gesturing around at the many examples offered by the mural. "They seemed to believe that it made them appear more fearsome."
Jak was going to make a remark about how they really didn't need to style their hair up for that, when the hologram suddenly brought its hands to its forehead, and hissed sharply.
"What's wrong?" Keira asked, looking at it in worry.
"You have to leave, now!" the computer replied, its voice frantic. "The entrance to the tomb has been breached!"
&
Okay, before anyone says anything, I know that there were clichés zinging off the wall in this one and that it's not one of the better chapters that I've turned out. I'm really, really sorry about that, but I just couldn't think of anything else. Hopefully, the next chapter will be better...though that's probably not saying a whole lot. (laughs nervously, scratching the back of head)
I also want to apologize for the destruction of Jak's morph gun, rest assured, that I intend to give him something better. Also to those who might be curious, Mar's helmet looks sort of like Scar's from AVP, only it has sharp angles rather than smooth curves, and the obvious little place for something to be put in. Once again, I apologize for not being able to come up with anything more original, so feel free to nail me on that.
At any rate, I brought my riot gear with me today, thank you military surplus, so feel free to hurl any resentments, flames, or things of that nature. Furthermore, if you have constructive criticism, probably plenty of room for that, or ideas (for which I will bow down and worship you), feel free to let me know of them as well.
Thank you for your time, and please have a good day.