Chapter XX: The Krimzon Guard Hag
LES: Let it be known that I will not be following the exact order of the game. Sure, all the important stuff will be there, but not in the same order. With that in mind, let's continue…
Jak pulled out the Blaster weapon as he walked onto the sandy beaches of the Pumping Station. The last time he had come there, he was attacked by small type Metal-Heads. Now the beach was infested with bigger and stronger looking Metal-Heads. The larger type walked around on four pointed legs, stood nine feet tall, and had a Dark Eco weapon attached to its right arm. These monsters looked slow, but powerful.
The other type was a species called 'Grunts.' Jak had met these creatures before. Their name told you everything you needed to know about their fighting-style. They tended to attack first, and then decide what to do when they got there. Jak could easily pick them off with the Blaster weapon from a distance.
"Jak, watch out for those Crab-Heads!" Daxter warned.
"Why?" Jak asked.
"They may look really slow and stupid, but they are really fast and cunning. Don't underestimate them!"
Jak glanced back at the Crab-Heads. They lumbered around clumsily; it was hard to believe that they were fast or cunning. Then he had a sudden suspension. "It's an act." He whispered to himself. "They play dumb and helpless, but the moment you let down your guard… it's too late…"
"Please be careful!" Daxter whispered.
Jak quietly walked up to a large piece of rubble that had been left over from their last trip. That PeaceMaker was really powerful. Jak thought to himself. I'd love to get my hands on one of those. He peeked around the corner and watched as a Grunt growled at the Crab-Head. The Crab-Head reacted instantly, whirling around with a speed that Jak didn't think possible for such a large creature. The Crab-Head lifted up one of its four legs and stepped on the offending Grunt. Unfortunately for the Grunt, the Crab-Head's legs were sharp and razor-tipped, successfully impaling the Grunt.
"Another day in the Grand Metal-Head army, huh?" Jak snorted. "These creatures remind me of the Baron, killing people without any real cause."
"Kind of like someone else I know." Daxter said quietly. Jak didn't react on the outside, but on the inside he growled.
Jak flipped on the laser-sight of the Blaster. "It took one PeaceMaker shot to take those Crab-Heads out." He said. "How many Blaster shots is that?"
"No clue." Daxter responded.
Jak sighed. "Fine. I'll wing it. Like I always do."
"I hate winging it." Daxter complained.
"Be quiet!" Jak ordered quietly. He looked out form behind the rubble again and aimed the Blaster at the monster Metal-Head. The laser-sight was centered on the creature's chest, over where its heart should be. Jak fingered the trigger and the Crab-Head stopped pacing and sniffed the air, as if it could sense Jak's presence. Then, Jak squeezed the trigger and a single bullet hit the creature's chest and… ricocheted.
The Metal-Head didn't take kindly to being shot at. It spun around and charged the rubble behind which Jak hide. The creature raised its Dark Eco weapon and fired. The rubble from Jak's head and above was destroyed instantly in a flash of Dark Eco light.
Lucky thing that Daxter ducked just as the shot was fired, or he would've quickly lost his head… literally. "That worked out great!" Daxter managed to spit out before the rubble was picked up and thrown aside by the Metal-Head.
It snarled as a sharp front leg shot forward to impale Jak just as it had the unlucky Grunt. Thankfully, Jak's own lightning-quick reflexes saved him. He dodged out of the way, and the Crab-Head just as quickly renewed its attack. It raised its weapon and fired a destructive bolt of Dark Eco right at Jak's chest. Jak rolled out of the way just in time before the Dark Eco hit him. Jak had just a split second so he raised his Blaster, fired, and the bullet ricocheted yet again!
The monster roared and charged, swiping at Jak with razor-sharp forelegs in an attempt to take off Jak's head. Jak jumped backwards and fired at the Metal-Head again, praying to the Precursors that his bullet would find the monster's weak spot.
Suddenly the creature stopped, dumbfounded. Jak's bullet had, indeed found its mark, hitting the Metal-Head right in the eye, and penetrating the living brain behind.
The creature gave a roar and fell to the ground. Jak walked over and put the gun right up to the Metal-Head's face, and shot again, just to be sure. The armor may have protected the Metal-Head from long-range attacks, put it stood no chance against a short-range, Yellow Eco-powered slug. The monster's head blew up, painting the sand a disgusting mix of green Metal-Head blood and grayish-purple brain matter.
"Let's move." Jak said, picking up the skull-gem, which was all that was left of the head.
"Fine by me." Daxter said. "Let's get out of here."
Jak walked over to the nearby machinery and rode up the small elevator to the top. He scanned around for more Metal-Heads but there were no creatures worth mentioning. The way used to be blocked by a large tanker, but Sig had destroyed it, a testament to the awesome powers of the PeaceMaker. Jak walked down the walkway, ever alert, and forever scanning for the enemy, but the lack of Metal-Heads deeply disturbed him. "Why aren't there any Metal-Heads?" Jak asked as they reached the end of the walkway.
"Don't worry about that stuff." Daxter said. "Be grateful that you don't have to fight any Metal-Heads." Jak jumped across a series of stepping-stones over to a bunch of metal platforms. As soon as he stepped on them, they began to rotate. At first, Jak wondered why people would go though the trouble of making a rotating platform. Then it occurred to him… Metal-Heads. The spinning would probably confuse the Metal-Heads.
Jak, however, was smarter than that. He moved up the rotating platforms without a problem.
At the top, there was a small elevator leading to a place he had never been.
Jak moved down the small path. There was a small clearing at the top. The only thing to be seen was a strange rock formation with that strange symbol that Jak noted earlier embedded in the face, and a Krimzon Guard vehicle.
"What the heck are we doing risking our lives to rescue some old Krimzon Guard hag anyway?" Daxter demanded while leaping off Jak's shoulder as he inspected the vehicle for signs of life. Daxter began to scratch behind his ear with his own hind-leg. "She's probably got more facial hair than me!"
What happened next happened to quickly for even Jak to react. Someone jumped down from the trees and instantly got the jump on him, got him in a headlock, and put a gun against his head, ready to blow his brains out. "Who the hell are you two?" The woman, for it was a woman, demanded. Jak raised his hands in the universal sign of 'I surrender.'
Daxter saw the woman and instantly got frisky. Jak figured she must be at least mildly hot. He couldn't tell, because he couldn't see the woman in question. "Mmm… I do love a woman in uniform!" Daxter said flirtatiously. Daxter saluted. "Wanna bark some orders at me? Woof! Woof!" Daxter than jumped on Jak's chest, so he was right in the woman's face. "I'm your soldier on the frontlines of luuuve!" Daxter leapt to the ground again. "Oh, waiter! Foxhole for two!"
"Keep talking, and I'll raise your voice a couple octaves." The woman released her hold on Jak and pointed the gun at Daxter.
Jak got his first look at his attacker. His first thought was that she defiantly didn't have any facial hair. She looked only slightly older than himself. Her hair was red and done in dread-locks. She wore Krimzon Guard-like appeal, though her clothes proved that she wasn't exactly modest, as the uniform left very little to the imagination. She looked as tough as nails and she had the look of someone who could handle herself in a firefight. "Easy…" Jak said before this woman blew off Daxter's head. "Torn sent us to help you."
The woman scoffed. "When will Torn learn that I can handle myself?" She asked herself. "Listen, I appreciate you guys coming out here, but I don't need any help." He put her pistol back in its holster on her thigh. But then she looked over Jak's shoulder and pulled the pistol back out. "But you might need help. We've got company." She nodded past his shoulder.
Jak looked around and instantly pulled out the Blaster weapon. There were at least three-dozen Metal-Heads, Crab-Heads and Grunts, dropping down into the clearing from the platform above.
Jak had never fought more than four of five Metal-Heads at a time, and he rarely walked away without spilling some of his own blood.
The woman began shooting at the Metal-Heads, mostly concentrating on the Grunts, whose armor wasn't strong enough to repel the bullets.
Jak rushed into battle, mainly concentrating on the Crab-Heads. His enhanced agility and speed allowed him to jump in fast, shot the Metal-Head at close range, and dodge before the Crab-Head could retaliate.
Jak had killed several Metal-Heads this way when he suddenly felt an enormous pain erupt from left side. Jak glanced down and gasped when he saw that his side was cut open, giving him a sickeningly clear view of his own insides. It seemed that a Crab-Head had snuck up on him while he was busy with another and had used its wicked front legs to open up Jak's side.
However, in the tiny second that Jak stared at his wound a Grunt jumped at him and forced the injured elf to the ground, his Blaster falling out of his hands and out of reach. "Jak!" He thought he heard someone yell before the Metal-Heads engulfed him.
The pain! They bit, scratched, and gnawed on every inch of his body that they could reach. Jak could only grit his teeth against the pain of being eaten alive.
Suddenly, something else rose from the dark depths of Jak's mind, the creature of rage. Now the pain of getting eaten was doubled, added to the pain of the Dark transformation. Jak could not help a cry that escaped his lips.
A field of Dark Eco, usually the last thing to arrive, showed up first. A type of Dark energy field surrounded Jak like a weak shield and the Metal-Heads gave cry in surprise at this new development. Jak roared in agony as horns sprouted painfully from his forehead and claws grew from the tips of his fingers. Fangs grew in his mouths, painfully pushing other teeth aside. His skin paled, as did his hair until both were a deathly white. His eyes opened just as the pupils expanded, leaving nothing of Jak's blue eyes, only endless black.
Instantly, the pain of various wounds faded. Jak, who was aware of himself and somewhat in control, looked down and saw that the minor bite wounds were being healed, but the bigger wounds, such as the one on his side, was left untouched. Quite odd, but Jak could feel the pain. He jumped up from the ground, cackling with Dark energy. Dark Jak grinned and roared a challenge at the Metal-Heads, who backed off in fear. Dark Jak's evil grin widened.
Outside, and before Jak's transformation, Daxter could only watch in horror as his injured best friend was crocadog-piled by Metal-Heads. "Jak!" Daxter yelled desperately. The Metal-Heads slithered over one another in an attempt to get to their prey. For a second, Daxter thought he heard an anguished cry, one that could only come from an Elvin throat. The strange Krimzon Guard woman was too busy trying to defend herself from Metal-Heads to even think about coming to Jak's aid.
Another cry erupted from under the pile. Suddenly the Metal-Heads seemed to back off and Daxter saw the reason why. The monsters parted and Daxter got an eyeful of a Dark Demon, still covered in many wounds. The Dark Demon roared a challenge and smiled at the look of fear in the Metal-Heads. Suddenly, the Dark Monster sprang into action.
It jumped at the first two Metal-Heads and bisected them with a single swipe of its claws. "Jak!" Daxter cried out.
The Demon, upon hearing the voice, turned and faced Daxter. Then Daxter regretted it, he wasn't even sure if his best friend had it under control. It growled and charged Daxter. The rat almost cried out as the Demon grabbed him. However, instead of slicing him, the monster picked him up carefully and placed him on his shoulder.
"Jak?" Daxter repeated, just to be sure.
The Demon growled in affirmation. They were slowly getting surrounded by the Metal-Heads. But Dark Jak wasn't worried. It fact, he was grinning.
Dark Jak snarled at his opponents and the Metal-Heads shifted uncomfortably as if they understood him. Suddenly, Dark Jak leapt up into the air and brought his fist down into the ground. A Dark Eco shock wave rippled from his body, wiping out the Metal-Heads almost instantly.
The woman looked up just in time to see the shock wave heading right at her. "Holy…" She yelled as she dived for cover, the shock wave passing harmlessly over her. All the Metal-Heads were gone, and every last ounce of Eco was driven from his body.
Slowly, the effects of the transformation wore off. The horns, fangs, and claw receded to their normal size, and his skin, hair, and eyes returned back to their natural color. But, as soon as he was back to normal, Jak let out a cry and fell to his knees. His hands were holding his side, which had a nasty looking wound. Regular red blood, no Dark Eco, gushed in torrents from the wound.
"Jak! Heal!" Daxter ordered.
Jak was starting to turn pale again, but this time from blood loss. "Can't." He gasped. "No Dark Eco."
The woman rushed over. "What's wrong?"
"He's wounded!" Daxter cried.
"Dark… Eco…" Jak gasped.
"Oh my Precursors! Did he get hit by that shock wave?" The woman demanded. "Does he have Eco Poisoning?"
"Of coarse he doesn't have Eco Poisoning!" Daxter yelled. "We need to get him some Dark Eco… fast!"
"Dark Eco?" The woman looked around. "Well these monsters are oozing tones of it."
"We need to get him to the Dark Eco." Daxter explained.
The woman clearly didn't understand, but she bent down and helped Jak up. She helped the near unconscious elf to the carcass of a Crab-Head, which oozed Dark Eco. When they got there, Jak fell to his knees again and reached into the Dark substance. "What the hell?" The woman yelled. "What are you…?"
"Don't worry, lady." Daxter assured her. "Jak knows what he's doing."
Jak grabbed a handful of the evil substance, flinching slightly as it burnt his skin. He began to rub it all over the wound on his side, he growled as the evil substance entered his bloodstream. His wound began to heal, but one handful wasn't nearly enough to close the wound. So he grabbed another handful… and another. Soon his skin looked as if it had never been viciously slashed open. The only evidence of the wound was the large hole in his skirt.
"How did you…?" The woman began, staring at the unmarred flesh.
Jak stood up, color rushing back to his face as the Dark Eco replenished his blood supply. "I… I'd rather not talk about it." Jak looked away.
"You're the man Praxis is looking for, aren't you?" The woman asked. Jak didn't answer. This woman was a Krimzon Guard, after all. "Don't worry. I won't turn you in. I don't need the Eco, and none of my loved ones are in prison at the moment."
Then Jak decided that it was safe to answer. "Yes. I'm Jak. And you're right in assuming that I'm the man Praxis is looking for."
"Then can you answer me one question?" She asked.
"Depends."
"Why is my… Praxis looking for you. I've never seen him so intent on capturing a single person, not even the Shadow."
Jak didn't answer at first. "Let's just say that I'm extremely valuable and leave it at that."
The woman nodded, though clearly not satisfied with Jak's answer. She walked back over to her vehicle. Jak and Daxter followed. Daxter began to flirt with her some more. "Watching me take care of those Metal-Heads was pretty… 'exciting,' wasn't it, sugar?" The woman in question turned on the engine of the vehicle and the anti-gravity force threw Daxter back. "Hey! Sweet strips!" Daxter yelled, referring to the tattoos on the woman's face. "Gimme those digits so I can look you up sometime! We'll party hard! Big city style!"
The woman ignored Daxter and looked at Jak. "Tell Torn that Baron Praxis is planning something big. I think it has something to do with that seal." She pointed at the strange symbol embedded in the rock face.
"What is it?" Jak asked.
"It's the Seal of the House of Mar, the founder of Haven City." The woman answered. "We're being sent out on suicide missions to locate artifacts from the time of Mar's rule." The woman got in the driver's seat. "If you believe that curiosity's worth dying for, you can ask the blind old soothsayer in the Bazaar named Onin. She may know something about all this." She pulled out a small security pass. "Here's my Bazaar access security pass." She tossed it to him, and he caught it.
Jak flipped open the pass and read the name. "So your name's Ashelin, huh?"
"We're even now." She said. The woman, Ashelin, flew off into the sunset.
"Wow! What a woman!" Daxter exclaimed before growling softly. Jak laughed half-heartedly. (It's hard to find anything funny when you have a near-death experience.) He picked up his friend and walked out.