Red Mage 04- Yes, it begins… I am glad you think that this is better than the last chapter. Honestly, I'm surprised, I thought a master writer such as yourself planned out the book, then modified it to our (the humble reviewers) wishes by tweaking it and doing extra work for our benefit. Yea, I figured it was about time Jak and Benedict got their asses handed to them a couple of times. In addition, yea, I was not originally planning on Benedict starting his, uh, journey this early, but I figured I should have started it sooner now that I look back. So yup, he has slowly started sliding down the path he is destined for. It was no problem waiting for you to get back to me; much though it would make my life easier, the world neither revolves around me nor does it do what I want. Anyway, I understand that things happen or things slip people's mind (mine, constantly). In any case, thank you for getting back to me. Ah Daxter, ever the perverted former elf. Thank the Precursors, eh? Glad I made you laugh, because there won't be a lot of humor for a couple of chapters, mostly blood and fighting. I always thought Daxter could pass for the Metal-Head Leader when it came to volume, so I decided to throw in a little tidbit for you guys, hoping one person would laugh. Yes, in the end he will be getting a few powers, though I haven't any clue as to which side he should be aligned with. And as you requested, oh great one, here is the next chapter.
animedragongirl- Darn, I was hoping for total redemption. Ah well, slightly is a start. At least I don't have to worry about you incinerating me. Sorry about the punctuation. (bows meekly). The Red Eco Temple will be, uh, full of Red Eco. Yea that sounds good. Um, I haven't decided. I'm thinking either like a fire based temple, because Red Eco can make fire, or maybe one trap after another, or a maze, or something like the Blue Eco Temple was. I do say it's going to be better than the green eco temple. I don't think you deserve a flame. Your story is hilarious. I have a swivel chair too :-P. I'll try to make up for the flame by giving you a shout-out in the disclaimer. I'm glad that you like my plot overview, and I will do what you said: I'll get it all out and then correct it, although I'll try not to make any mistakes in the first place.
Lauren- The chapter length is your opinion, which you are entitled to until you take Christian Existence in senior year. It is then taken away from you for forty minutes a day. Yea, I did get that line from Revenge of the Sith (AWESOME MOVIE!). You will be seeing a lot of Star Wars influence in this and the next chapter. Glade you liked the chapter, and I don't like spiders either. And I hated that part of the game, since I was always expecting a giant spider to just drop down and eat me. Good, Benedict is starting to bother you. I was going for that effect. But what about him bothers you? I want to be sure what I think should be bothering you is really doing its job. I can't just kill someone, I have to build up to it. But rest assured, Benedict will die, along with many other people when all is said and done. Send the death threats if you must, I suspect I'll be dead before I can get the next chapter up, in that case. Glad to know you'll keep reading if I keep writing.
Leo- I think you are right; Jak should have been able to talk the entire time. That was a horrible plot hole, unless Erol gave Jak a voice box so he could hear Jak scream. Anyway, you will get your wish in both this and a couple of other chapters, although it will certainly be most unorthodox. I am honored that you read this drivel, and even more honored that you took the time out of your life to review, and I thank you very much.
Disclaimer: You should know this, but for those blood sucking lawyers out there: I don't own this. JAK X: COMBAT RACING RULES! Also, I COMMAND YOU ALL WITH MY HORRIBLE WRITING SKILLS TO READ RED MAGE 04'S RISEN DEMON AND THE WAR OF THE ANCIENTS! AND ALSO, ANIMEDRAGONGIRL'S JAK AND DAXTER PRANK WAR! I HAVE SPOKEN! (Sees there no one there except a cricket.) Oh right. And now without any further adieu…
Benedict's Fateful Choice
"Wow. Look at that." Benedict exclaimed. Jak and Daxter looked to where Benedict was pointing at and their jaws dropped as they saw an enormous house. It looked more like a mansion than anything else. The two Channelers walked up to it and knocked on the door. There was no answer, and Jak knocked louder. There was still no answer.
"Watch this Jak." Daxter muttered before he started screaming. Jak and Benedict covered their ears as Daxter's pitch rose. "By the Precursors let us in. The Lurkers have found us and are going to kill us!" There was no response except for a shutter to hit the window as a breeze blew.
A sudden explosion from a nearby cave made all three of them jump. Jak and Benedict peered around the house to see smoke erupting from a cave. The three of them looked at each other and shrugged. They cautiously made their way into the cave; after the explosion they had heard, something really big must be in here.
As they went into the remarkably short cave, they saw an enormous gem. It was so big, the two elves felt utterly insignificant when it came to mass. As for Daxter, well, he was wondering what Lauren and Kristen would look like if they got all covered in water with nothing but white tee-shirts.
Curses brought all the elves back to reality and they spied two very small (relative to the diamond) figures. One appeared to be tall, thin, and wearing what seemed to be a birdcage on his head. This elf was digging at the base of the gem. The other one look short and stocky, carrying a pickax on his back and really not doing much else.
As the adventurers got closer to the elves, they began to hear the conversation.
"Damn, that had even less of an impact than I thought it would." This voice was loud, scratchy and rough. It was not unkind however; there was a benign undercurrent to it, even when he was yelling.
"Duh, that was a big bang. Should we get some more boomers?" This voice sounded doofy, almost childish in nature.
"It's called Econite Willard. And no, that was the last we had." Jak and Benedict walked down to the figures so that they were right near them. The tall elf spotted them and pointed at them.
"Hey, Gordy! Duh, I think we gots visitors!" This elf called Willard must not be the brains of the bunch, Jak thought as the other elf (no doubt Gordy) responded.
"Ya think, Willard? Howdy, strangers! Passin' through? Us too! Well, we gotta be movin' on! Nothin' to see here!" He said as he began to shoo Willard away and pretend as it there was not a diamond the size of a house behind him. Willard protested as he was pushed.
"Uh, I thought you said this was a priceless gem worth-"
"WILLARD!" Gordy bellowed as Willard gestured to the gem.
Benedict decided that this would be a good time to intervene. "Actually, we were wondering if you live in that house."
"Yea." Gordy replied.
"Do you think we could rent it for us plus three others?"
"For three hundred Precursor Orbs sure." Jak's eyes narrowed as he saw the greedy gleam in Gordy's eyes. Willard was politely surveying the patterns of smoke rising from a campfire nearby.
"And can we use a Warp Gate?"
"We got one! You want ta use it?" Willard said
Gordy raised his fist to Willard as he rephrased Willard's generous proposal. "What bird-brain here is TRYING to say is: We MAY have a Warp Gate lying around somewhere, and we MIGHT be willing to let you use it for... Two hundred orbs each!"
"One sec." Benedict said. "What do we do? That's all we got." Jak sighed and nodded.
"Deal."
"We'll need them now."
"The here ya go," Benedict said as he dumped the bag into Gordy hands and turned around and started walking. Daxter however, remained behind to ask them something.
"Hey, how do you two 'geniuses'," at this point he made quotes in mid-air, "expect to get that big gem outta here, anyway?"
"Well, smarty-pants, we got 12 more years of diggin' to figure that out!" Gordy snapped. Willard seemed to be thinking very hard as he counted something on his fingers. "Uh, Gordy? Wouldn't it take less time if you dug too?"
Gordy gave Willard a look that clearly stated "No, it wouldn't." Willard waved goodbye to Jak and Daxter as they went back up to the house.
As they turned the Warp Gate on, Jak shot a look at Benedict, who was looking very hard at his hand, as if thinking about a difficult decision. As Keira popped through, a loud clunk followed. Jak saw she had brought her tool with her. Samos followed, landing on his feet for once. Jak wondered briefly where his staff was when the said object came whizzing out of the Warp Gate and smacked the Green Sage on the back of the head. As Samos rubbed the large lump that had risen on the back of his head, Jak and Benedict took off their robes and hung them up near the Gate.
"Where are we?" Keira asked as she looked out the window.
"We're at the edge of the Desert Colossus, in the house of two miners named Gordy and Willard. They said we could stay here for a few days. In the meantime, we're going to have to find a transport across the desert to the next civilization. Wherever and whatever that is." Benedict added the last thought with a growl.
"The next civilization is Wasteland Metropolis, which is on the exact opposite side of this desert on the northern side." Samos said as he rubbed the large lump on the back of his head.
"So what do you guys want to do?" Keira asked as she returned from whatever room she had dumped her tools in.
"I guess we'll stay here a day or two and rest. Besides, Jak has to keep training me, right man?" Benedict said with a wink at Jak, who grinned.
"All right. I'll make dinner while you two boys go train. Keira, you can keep working on your, ah project." Samos winced as his daughter sent him a look that clearly told him he would regret saying what she was planning. Jak and Benedict went outside and continued their training. Jak no longer had any Yellow Eco, but a quick examination of the garage behind the house showed a generous supply of both Red and Yellow Eco. Jak and Benedict recharged their Eco Boxes and began sparring.
After an hour of sparring, using Blue Eco to enhance their speed, Jak sat down in the shade. He used his Green Eco replenish his strength and banish his fatigue, and shared some with Benedict.
"Hey Jak, whaddya say you use a sword and I'll use my fists. That way I'll be prepared if I lose my Saber and I'm fighting someone with a long range weapon." Jak smiled and nodded; this would be a good way to keep Benedict from losing his temper when he lost his blade. Jak summoned his Yellow Eco Blade and Benedict used Red Eco to enhance his speed slightly and to deflect Jak's Blade. At first he was hit very often, but as they went on, Benedict improved and they began to have a tie.
Jak swept Benedict's feet out and slashed downwards. Benedict closed his eyes and made a fist as he prepared to get hit and was shocked when none came. He opened his eyes and saw Jak looking at him with amazement sketched into every feature. He looked at his hand and saw that the Red Eco surrounding it had become a solid object, shooting straight up. An Eco Blade. Benedict stood up and waved it back and forth. He watched it and looked over at Jak with a mock evil grin. Jak smiled as he watched his friend and apprentice swing his sword again, getting used to the feel of a completely weightless weapon.
"Dad." Keira breathed.
"What is it Keira?" Samos asked from where he and Wartstal were studying maps of the desert.
"Look at Jak and Benedict." Samos grumbled but obliged to his daughters wishes. He looked outside and saw the two of them clash with two different types of Eco Blades. The three of them gazed in awe as the twin Channelers whipped their weapons with a speed and fury that had so far been unseen.
Jak brought his blade crashing down through Benedict's head and would have decapitated him had his Blade been at full strength. As it was, it only turned the skin red. Suddenly a dust cloud started to rise up in the distance. Jak and Benedict stopped fighting looked over at it. They caught the scent of a Lurker heading in their direction. Jak recalled his Eco Blade; playing his ace up his sleeve at the very beginning was not a smart move. Out of the corner of his eye, Jak saw Benedict do the same with his Eco Blade. The two shirtless Channelers stood there, one small, thin, lean and wiry. The other stood tall, bulky, and stout. As the Lurker got within eyesight, they saw it was none other than Gravis.
"We'll attack him together this time." Benedict muttered out of the corner of his mouth. Jak looked up at his friend and nodded; if he was gifted with the ability to speak that had been what he would have said.
Gravis leaped and landed in front of them. They stared at him, neither of them wavering in their stance. "Come now, is that anyway to greet an old friend?" He asked as he leered at them. He sniffed the air and his eyes widened. Despite the defeat he had given to them two days ago, neither of them were exerting any scents of fear. "Well then, I'll teach them to fear me." He thought to himself.
"I've been looking forward to this." Gravis said as he ignited his dark purple Eco Saber.
"Our powers have doubled since the last time we met, freak." Benedict snarled as he and Jak each summoned their own Eco Blades. Gravis looked at them both, surprised they knew such advanced Channeling techniques.
"Good. Twice the pride, double the fall." he said as he rushed them. As he ducked, weaved and attacked Jak and Benedict, they realized that even together, their odds of beating him were slim. Jak finally scored a hit on him, elbowing Gravis on the side of his mouth. As Gravis massaged his jaw, Benedict darted forward. As Jak leaped over the two of them, Gravis punched Jak in the throat. Jak grabbed his throat as his air supply was cut off, leaving his chest wide open for a sidekick, which Gravis eagerly provided.
"Your moves are clumsy, Benedict… too predictable. You'll have to do better if you want to defeat me." Gravis commented as if he was talking about the weather. Benedict snarled incoherently as he pressed his attack even harder. Gravis leaped back and closed his eyes.
"Master Gol was right; this one becomes much more powerful as his anger increases. Maybe I should test his limits. I might even have some fun," Gravis thought as he heard Jak finally rise and rush him. He parried Jak's attacks easily. Benedict rushed in, his guard down and Gravis toyed with him before electrocuting him. He shot lightning at Jak, but Jak rebounded it up to the sky, where it fizzled out.
As the battle continued, Jak began to get tired as the strain of fighting after nearly seven hours of sparring took their toll on his body. Gravis suddenly grabbed Jak's throat and crushed it with his hand. Jak struggled before going limp. Benedict rose and saw Gravis throw his teacher, almost casually into the garage and through a wall.
As Benedict came at him, Gravis finally caught the scent of fear he had been desiring to smell. He watched Benedict's eyes and saw conflicting emotions. He smirked as he ducked under a chop aimed at his neck. Their blades clashed and Gravis leaned in. Benedict did the same. As Benedict glared and bared his teeth at the Lurker, Gravis spoke to him once more.
"I sense great fear in you, Benedict." he remarked as he pressed his attack, driving Benedict back. "You have hate, you have anger, but you don't use them." Gravis continued. Benedict finally gave in to Gravis' taunts and began to use his anger as a weapon. He summoned another Blade and Gravis actually was pushed back by the ferocity of Benedict's onslaught.
"I can't allow him to think he is better than me," Gravis thought as he saw an opening. He swung his Eco Saber and Benedict let out a scream of pain. As Gravis vanished, Benedict's right forearm hit the ground in a puddle of blood. Jak emerged from the small crater in the side of the garage to find Gravis gone and his student on the ground. Jak ran over and gasped at what he saw. He hastily healed Benedict's wound by sealing the wound that had erupted from his skin, but there was no returning his arm to its proper place. As the blood flow ebbed, Jak swore revenge on the monster that had done this to his friend.
Pushing aside his feelings, Jak picked Benedict up carefully and brought him inside. He placed him on a long table and found Samos. Jak dragged the protesting Sage into the next room. Samos' eyes widened as he looked at Benedict.
"By the Precursors…" Samos breathed as he looked at the injured Channeler.
"Can we help him?" Jak wrote on a piece of paper.
"Of course. I have a Precursor artifact in my hut we can use. I'll be right back." Samos dashed to the Warp Gate with surprising speed and hopped through. He reemerged with a hunk of bronze metal, slipping as he did so and falling on his back. He pushed Jak out of the door and began to work on setting the Precursor prosthetic limb onto Benedict's arm.
Jak ran to find Keira, Daxter, and Wartstal and hastily grabbed them. Once he brought them outside the door where Benedict was being operated on, he wrote down what was happening. All of them sat down and contemplated Benedict's horrid luck. If only he had a better rein on his emotions, this probably wouldn't have happened, Jak thought.
Two hours later, Samos finally emerged from the makeshift operating room. "He'll be all right," Samos sighed in response to the unasked question. All of them let out a sigh of relief. Jak went to go in through the door, but Samos put out his arm to stop Jak.
"No Jak, Benedict needs to sleep. He has been through a lot. We can all see him in the morning. But for now, I suggest we get some rest." Jak, Daxter, Keira and Wartstal nodded and silently made their way to the beds. Jak tossed and turned, his soul burning with anger and guilt over what had happened to one of his best friends.
The next day, everyone rushed to find Benedict missing. Jak looked outside while the rest of the group stayed in the house, hoping to find Benedict there. Jak arrived at the edge of the desert to find Benedict there, the wind whipping his long black hair around his face. "Hey Jak. Sorry about yesterday." Jak nodded before sighing and turning back to the house.
"Jak!" Benedict shouted. Jak turned around and saw Benedict striding towards him. "I've… I've disappointed you. I have not been very appreciative of your training. I have been arrogant and I apologize. I've just been so frustrated with Gravis and the fact that I can't truly harness my powers. There's something holding me back. Your friendship means everything to me." Jak smiled softly at his friend and apprentice and put a hand on Benedict's shoulder. If one were to look on this scene, it would have been comical; Jak had to reach up to get to Benedict's shoulder.
Benedict looked down at his friend. In Jak's eyes, he saw the understanding and forgiveness that he so desperately needed. "How's Keira doin'?" Jak shrugged and rolled his eyes. "She's been worried about me, huh?" Jak nodded. Benedict suddenly felt elated. Maybe he still had a chance with Keira after all. Jak turned around and headed back to the house, hoping Benedict would talk to him or someone. He could sense that Benedict was keeping a secret, and he also knew that he was infatuated with Keira. Jak knew that being attached to someone was dangerous, especially of Gol found out. He smirked; he was just as hopeless when it came to Keira as Benedict.
As Jak sat down at the table inside the house, a high-pitched scream broke the silence and serenity. He kicked a hole in the window and ran towards the source of the scream. It sounded like Keira, and she sounded as if she was in a large neighboring building. Jak summoned two Eco Blades and kicked the door down. He almost laughed at what he saw. A Chaser had snuck up on her and began eating the straps of her overalls. He recalled his Eco Blade and pulled the creature gently away from Keira, who was cowering in a corner. He sat her down and began to stroke the Chaser's snout.
The Chaser stared at Jak with it's fierce orange eye. Jak bowed his head, a common sign that was made to the Chaser so that it trusted you, and it bowed its head in return. It stood about as tall as Jak, with six four and a half foot long legs. It was a bright white to repel the heat of the desert and had a tough leathery skin rather than hair. It's ears were six inches long and stood straight up so it could detect any foreign noises. It was just beginning to calm down when Benedict burst in, roaring and twirling his two Eco Blades. The Chaser panicked and promptly kicked Jak under the chin, knocking him out.
Jak came to a few hours later. He was lying on a bed. No wait, it felt more like someone's lap on a hard floor. As Jak opened his eyes, he saw that he was sleeping in Keira's lap. She was snoring lightly, her face drooping down. Jak got p slowly, so as not to wake her and leaned next to her. He gently picked her up and placed her in between his legs so that she was leaning back on his chest. Jak inhaled her hair deeply and fell asleep with a sigh of content.
"I can't get her out of my head." Benedict whispered to the stars. He tried to persuade her to let him bring Jak inside, but she had refused, opting instead to stay with him in that cold shed. "She is in my very soul… tormenting me. How? How can I impress her to make her leave Jak and be with me?" He asked a little louder.
"Well that is simple. I could teach you abilities and powers the likes of which you have never seen before." A raspy voice said. Benedict spun around and saw Gol himself standing about a foot away from him. He summoned an Eco Blade but Gol raised his hand.
"I have no wish to have to destroy you, Benedict. I have come here just to talk." Benedict did not lower his blade, but pointed it at Gol's chest, directly where his heart should be.
"I don't trust you." He snarled at Gol, who raised an eyebrow.
"Why not?" Benedict stared at him, as if Gol had absolutely no idea why Benedict would want to kill him.
"Hmm, let's see. You've tried to kill me and my friends a few times, for starters." Gol chuckled.
"I have not. Maia and Gravis could snuff out your lives in an instant if they really chose to. I have came here to propose to you again. Let me teach you."
"Why should I trust you?" Why should I go to your side? Samos and Jak are powerful. And once we free the Sages, we will be unstoppable. We'll wipe you off the face of the map."
"Hmm. Despite your bravado, I sense great fear in you."
"I'm not afraid of anything. And neither is Jak."
"I beg to differ. Remember back to your early teachings, Benedict. 'All those who gain power are afraid to lose it.' Even Jak."
"But Jak and I use our power for good."
"Good is a point of view, Benedict. And Jak and Samos' points of view are not the only valid ones. The Dark Lords believe in security and justice also, yet we are considered by the Sages to be…" Gol left the sentence unfinished and looked at Benedict as if to say finish it.
"… evil." Benedict said.
"… From Samos' point of view. The Dark Lords and the Sages are similar in almost every way, including their quest for greater power. The difference between the two is the Dark Lords are not afraid of using emotions as weapons. That is why we are more powerful." Gol said triumphantly.
"You Dark Lords rely on your passions for your strength. You think inward, only about yourselves." Gol raised his eyebrows again.
"And Jak, Wartstal, and Samos don't?"
"Our quest is selfless… we only care about others." Gol smiled at this statement, almost as if everything in the conversation was going his way.
Or so you've been trained to believe." Benedict looked thoughtful about this statement. "Did you ever hear the tragedy of Plagueis 'the wise'?"
"No." Benedict said hesitantly.
"I thought not. It's not a story Samos would tell you. It's a Dark Sage legend. Plagueis was a Sage of Dark Eco, so powerful and so wise he could use his power to manipulate Dark Eco to create life… He had such a knowledge of Dark Eco that he could even keep the ones he cared about from dying." Benedict stared at Gol in amazement. Gol turned around, counting down in his head as to when Benedict would ask the inevitable. "Three… two… one…"
"He could actually save people from death?" Benedict asked wondrously.
"Dark Eco is a pathway to many abilities some consider to be unnatural."
"What happened to Plagueis?"
"He became so powerful… the only thing he was afraid of was losing his power, which eventually, of course, he did. Unfortunately, he taught his apprentice everything he knew, and then his apprentice killed him in his sleep." An insane lit up Gol's features as he said this. "Plagueis never saw it coming. It's ironic; he could save others from death, but not himself."
"Is it possible to learn this power?" Benedict inquired.
"Not from Jak or Samos." Gol said. Seeing Benedict's expression, he pressed his advantage. "I know what has been troubling you. Listen to me. Don't continue to be a pawn of Sages and of that traitor Jak! Ever since I've sensed you, you've been searching for a life greater than that of an ordinary Channeler. A life of significance, of conscience." This statement proved to be too much for Benedict who spun around and pointed his sword at Gol's throat once more.
"You're wrong!" Benedict spat at Gol. Gol glanced at the blade pointed at his windpipe.
"Are you going to kill me?" Gol asked so casually one would think he was inquiring about the weather from his tone.
"I would certainly like to." Benedict said, breathing heavily. Gol closed his eyes and smiled.
"I know you would. I can feel your anger. It gives you focus, makes you stronger." Benedict brought his Blade back to stab, but he lost the will halfway through. He put his arm down and turned his Saber off.
"I'll let you go this once. But next time we meet, I will kill you."
"You have great wisdom, Benedict. Know the power of the Dark Eco. The power to save Keira." Gol nodded his head and vanished with a sound that sounded like a whip being cracked.
Benedict went back into the house, his mind full of what he had just discussed with Gol.
Jak ran to Keira and inspected her body. She was severely burned everywhere and her clothes were in shreds. Jak blushed slightly as he saw part of her chest but quickly went to work, healing all of her injuries. He gazed anxiously into her eyes and he wept as she fought for consciousness. She lost the internal battle, and her breathing slowed. As Jak prayed frantically to the Precursors to let her live, she closed her eyes. Jak bowed his head and picked her body up. He carried her small limp frame to a table, where he gently forced Green Eco into her in a vain effort to revive her. She did not respond and Jak's eyes lost the sorrow they held in exchange for anger. As he spun around, his entire body blazed with raw power. He took off down a corridor and summoned two Eco Blades as he rushed to face his adversary…
Benedict once awoke from the same dream he had been having ever since he had talked with Gravis. "Should I do it? Is it worth it? Would it be forsaking my values and way of life to save her?"
"Benedict," Wartstal called from downstairs.
"Yea?"
"We're setting out soon. You'd better come down and eat if you want food."
After another day of rest and training, Jak, Benedict, Wartstal, and Keira began to cross the Desert Colossus. They grabbed some Chasers from Willard and Gordy's stable. As the sun rose, they began their journey through Desert Goliath.
For three days they headed straight North. On the fourth day, Wartstal pulled them aside. "I have a half-brother that lives here. Gol would not allow him to join the ranks so he could infiltrate along with me. He is far more intelligent than I, having the brain of one of you elves. I had to learn intelligence the hard way. Would you mind if we stopped in to see him?" The group shook their head no.
"Good. He lives partly to the west, so I suggest that we alter our present course." He pointed to a small speck that was northwest of their position. As they rode towards it, their Chasers began to get worn out from no water. They arrived at the house and saw that it was more of a hut. Wartstal stayed behind to tie up the Chasers and to get them water from a pond that was nearby.
Jak walked up the pass when all of a sudden an inhuman scream broke the silence. A figure leaped off the roof and aimed for Jak. Jak grabbed Keira and back flipped away, landing to see a small crater where he had just been standing. A figure rose up out of it and growled. As the dust cleared and Jak could see the figure properly, he retched back in shock. The thing, whatever it was, seemed like a horrible cross breed between elf and Lurker.
It stood a little under six feet tall, and had a very wide chest. It's eyes were yellow where the whites normally were, and they were colored a light brown. The pupil was a cat-like slit and was black. The arms were covered in purple hair but were not the bulky ones of the Lurkers, being the small, thin arms of elves. The chest was hairy save for a small six-pack that was hairless. The legs were powerful and but thin like elf's, not like the tree trunks of Lurkers. Its hair was graceful and elegant; long and silver. Two ears poked up out of the top, looking curiously as if they belonged to a Croca-Dog. The creature stood up and lunged at Jak. Up close, Jak saw that it had half-inch claws. He ducked and started hammering the creature in the chest. He winced after pushing it away; its chest was like a block of wood. He summoned an Eco Blade and the beast ran at him. Jak leaped up and prepared to swing down and unleash blasts of Yellow Eco when Wartstal seemed to materialize in the middle of the fight. Jak landed and stopped. Wartstal turned around and embraced the beast.
"Hatu, it's been so long." Wartstal said as he wrapped his arms around the stranger.
"Wart- Wartstal? Is that you?" The being called Hatu asked in a croaky voice.
"No, its your uncle Sinisteras." The half-breed laughed and hugged Wartstal back. It opened one of its eyes and saw Jak, Daxter, Keira and Benedict staring at them with baffled expressions.
"Friends of yours?" Hatu asked.
"As a matter of fact, they are. Guys, this is my half-brother Hatu. I guess I forgot to mention that he is a cross between Lurker and elf." Hatu walked up the group and apologized for attacking them. Jak bowed his head, a way of apologizing without words, and they entered the house.
It was not very well kept, but that was completely understandable considering the environment. Over dinner, the group listened to a tale about Wartstal and Hatu's parents. Wartstal's mother died, and the father met an elfin woman. She was understanding and they married. They were exiled from the town and built a hidden place in the desert. When Hatu was born, Wartstal was kidnapped by Gol to serve him. As Hatu served them dinner, the talk turned to the objectives at hand.
"So Jak, you are trying to conquer the Eco Temples?" Jak nodded as he took a deep drink from his cup. "I can shed some light on the location of the Red Eco Temple if you want." Jak sat up and looked attentively at Hatu, eager to learn the location of the temple.
"This Temple is already unlocked, but there is only one way on. Far to the east lies a volcano. Once you get to Wasteland Metropolis, you might be able to take a Warp Gate there if Gol hasn't deactivated it. The only way in is to climb into the heart of the volcano and piloting a transport through the passage that we have dubbed the Lava Tube. Three people I know of have entered that volcano. None have emerged alive."
Keira spoke up. "Thanks for shedding some insight onto our mission. If there's anyway we can repay you…" Hatu smirked.
"As a matter of fact, there is. Once you get through Wasteland Metropolis, please let me come with you." Jak nodded and Keira added her verbal appraisal of the partnership.
"You won't betray us will you? Wartstal here almost turned Jak over and killed him." Benedict asked suspiciously.
"Benedict!" Keira said, appalled that he could just accuse someone like that.
"I'm just making sure."
"No, I have every intention of trying to defeat Gol." The company nodded and they all went to sleep. Jak laid down and was grateful for the slight reprieve he had gotten. He had not been haunted by his nightmare concerning Keira since he had met Gravis.
The next day, Jak and company woke up earlier than the sun, eager to get some distance in before the heat rose. After a day of riding, they could see the Wasteland Metropolis getting bigger. As they made camp that night, the entire group was cheerful. Once they got to Wasteland Metropolis, they would be one step closer to beating Gol. The next day, Jak urged the group forward. He had a funny feeling something bad was going to happen. As they got near the outskirts, a rumbling caught their ears. They turned around and saw half a dozen twenty-foot long Lurker Centipedes. The was a skinny figure on the center one and Jak was ready to bet everything he owned that it was either Gol or Gravis. As they came closer, he saw it was Gol.
They all dismounted their steeds and readied for attack. Jak and Benedict summoned two Eco Blades each and Wartstal took out an Eco Saber, only to put it away. Jak pointed at Keira, and then behind a rock. When she refused, Jak simply levitated her and gently put her out of harm's way as the Centipedes closed in on them. He then levitated Daxter over to her as well; perverted though he might be, Jak wanted no harm to come to the two people he held closest to his heart.
Jak leapt into the air and landed on a Centipede. As it bucked and tried to throw him off, Jak dug one of his Blades in and started hacking away at the head. After carving a hole big enough to crawl into, Jak entered the Centipede's head and started smashing at the brain. The Centipede shrieked and writhed from the pain. As it collapsed in a bloody puddle, Jak emerged from the mouth.
Wartstal leaped up onto another Centipede and it tried to buck him off. As he landed hard on the sand, Wartstal looked up in time to see Jak land in front of him. Jak sandwiched his two Blades together and they formed a curved six foot Blade. Jak swung the massive weapon once and enormous beams of Yellow Eco traveled along the ground and shredded the Centipede to scraps.
Wartstal yelled a thanks to Jak before activating an Eco Saber. As much as he hated to rely on weapons rather than skill, without them in this particular conflict, he wasn't going to be much use. He leaped into the mouth of a Centipede and carved his way through the Centipedes body, literally. His blade protruded from the monster's flesh as he hacked away.
"Take this you son of a bitch!" Benedict roared as he used his Blade to poke out the eyes of another Centipede. As he shot a blast of Yellow Eco through the holes that had been occupied by eyes seconds before, a scream caught his attention. He and Jak both looked over to see a Centipede looming over Keira, opening its circular mouth and preparing to devour the (in its opinion) lovely delectable she-elf. Jak and Benedict both moved so fast they seemed to teleport towards the creature. Keira and Daxter both fainted just as the Centipede rushed down to claim her flesh for its stomach. Jak appeared for a split second in front of them before grabbing the Ottsel and Keira and dashing away, flying into the air to ensure no harm came to the elf and rodent that were so dear to him.
Benedict went absolutely berserk, hacking and carving away at the Centipede. He continued to slash at it even after it had been separated into dozens of pieces. With a final roar, he brought his sword down on what remained of the head and flames erupted and melted the flesh of the Centipede, not to mention turning the sand underneath its corpse into glass.
Jak set Keira down once more where she would be safe from harm -he hoped- and went to kill the final Centipede. To his surprise, it had decided to retreat. Suddenly, Jak heard an Eco Saber being turned on and he spun around, raising his Blade vertically next to his face, blocking a strike that would have decapitated him had it hit him. Gol hissed in fury and was suddenly struck in the head by Wartstal. He got up and bared his fangs at the two of them. He vanished with a puff of smoke and appeared right in front of them.
Gol telekinetically lifted Jak and threw him away. He then struck at Wartstal with Dark Lightning. Wartstal used his Saber to absorb it, snarling at Gol the entire time. Gol spread his hands slightly and his lightning attack branched out. While the center blast remained on the sword, two streams broke off and attacked Wartstal from either side. He lifted Wartstal up and threw him away with the sheer power of his Channeled attack.
Jak lunged in suddenly and caused Gol to lose his focus. Wartstal's steaming body hit the ground and sank into the hot sand. Gol grabbed his blade with his right hand. Jak pressed harder against the metallic version of Gol's hand, but this odd red metal seemed to be able to resist his Blade's power. Jak leaned back, causing Gol to come forward and Jak dropped to the floor, using his legs and Gol's momentum to slam the Sage into a dune. Gol reactivated his Eco Saber and sliced right through Jak's Eco Blade. Jak stared at Gol in disbelief for an instant before grabbing his own Eco Saber. The two of them battled viciously as Benedict recovered from the intense rush his body had been through. As he approached, Gol made a fatal error, allowing Jak to get in and disarm him.
Jak kicked Gol to the ground and pointed his Saber directly between Gol's eyes. His look said it all; "Your plot to gain control of Weyard is over… you have lost." Gol glared at Jak, any bout of sanity that was in his eyes vanished as he snarled at him.
"No! No! You will die!" Gol proclaimed as he raised his hands, and Dark Lightning bolts shot out. They were blocked by Jak's Eco Saber. Gol got pushed back against the rock as he backed away from the rebounding bolts. As he looked around, his face full of fear, he caught sight of Benedict. "He is a traitor, Benedict."
Jak looked over at Benedict and was amazed to see that he was starting to believe what Gol was saying. He shook his head and pointed at Gol.
"Come to your senses, boy. The Channeler and the Sages are in revolt. They will betray you, just as they are betraying me." Gol called to the confused Channeler. Jak started groaning with the strain of blocking Gol's power. "You are not one of them, Benedict. Don't let him kill me." Gol pleaded.
Jak groaned louder as the strain to block Gol's energy became tougher. "I am your pathway to power. I have the power to save the one you love. You must choose. You must stop him." Gol continued, trying to sway Benedict. Jak shook his head frantically, sensing that Benedict was beginning to go over to Gol's side.
"Help me! Don't let him kill me. I can't hold on any longer. Ahhhhhhh…" Gol began yelling in pain as Jak pushed Gol all the way to the rock. As Jak moved closer, the bolts from Gol's hands begin to arch back on him. The Sage's face began to twist and distort as the destructive power of his own attack went through his body. His eyes began to glow red as he struggled to intensify his powers.
"I can't ... I give up. Help me. I am weak ... I am too weak. Don't kill me. I give up. I'm dying. I can't hold on any longer." Gol said weakly as his bolts stopped and Jak let out a deep breath. Jak once again steadied his Saber, pointing it at Gol's throat this time.
"You can't kill him, Jak. He must be tried by the Sages." Benedict pleaded. Jak shook his head and glared at Gol, no pity in his gaze for once.
Gol nodded at Benedict's plead, knowing that Benedict was starting to convert. "I'm too weak. Don't kill me. Please." Gol pleaded as Jak started to raise his blade.
"He must live," Benedict said, trying to reason with his friend.
"Please don't, please don't…" Gol begged.
"I need him…" Benedict said desperately. Jak shook his head once more and brought his arm down, ready to decapitate the Dark Lord and end the battle once and for all.
"NO!" Benedict screamed as he closed his eyes and fired a beam at Jak's sword arm, knocking his Saber away but causing no harm to the Channeler himself. As Jak stared at Benedict in shock, Gol suddenly sprang to life. He raised his hands again and Jak caught the full force of Gol's powerful Bolts. He attempted to block them with his hands, but the force was too great. As purple rays engulf his body, his eyes rolled back into his skull from the pain and his body was levitated clear off the ground.
"Power! Unlimited power!" Gol screamed in triumph as he blasted Jak away thirty feet. As he got up, Benedict saw Gol for what he truly was, his face a horrible mask of evil. Benedict looks on in horror as Gol levitated himself off the ground a few inches and cackled.
"What have I done?" Benedict said, tears streaming down his face as he sat on the sand.
"You are fulfilling your destiny, Benedict. Become my apprentice. Learn to use Dark Eco." Gol said, looking down at the shattered elf.
"I will do whatever you ask." Benedict said, his voice trembling.
"Good." Gol said, a horrible smiling making its way onto his face.
Just help me save Keira's life. I can't live without her. I won't let her die. I want the power to stop death." Benedict begged.
"To cheat death is a power only one has achieved, but if we work together, I know we can discover the secret." Gol said. Benedict kneeled before Gol.
"I pledge myself to your teachings. To the ways of the Dark Lords." Benedict proclaimed as he looked down, but kept his head up.
"Good. Good." Gol said softly. "A powerful Dark Lord you will become. Henceforth, you shall be known as… Torqueo…" Benedict bowed his head.
"Thank you. My Master." he muttered.
"Rise, Torqueo."
"Yes Master," Torqueo muttered before standing up and walking behind his new master, the one who would use and manipulate him in an insane attempt to drive the last bits of humanity he had out of Benedict's soul. Jak began to stir and saw Benedict standing behind Gol. As he raised himself up and gathered two Eco Blades, he leapt into the air and fused them together again. As he brought the Blade crashing down, Benedict swiftly stepped in front of Gol to protect him, his arms spread out in defense. Jak's eyes widened and he averted his attack to the left. As he regained his balance, he stared at Benedict with a look of dawning horror on his face. Benedict closed his eyes and grimaced before blasting Jak back a few feet with a mild Yellow Eco Blast. Gol let out a scream of triumph as he vanished, taking his new apprentice with him.
Jak sat down, his mind refusing to comprehend what had just happened. Benedict- his friend, ally, apprentice, had just attacked him in order to save Gol. Jak closed his eyes as he felt new power; evil power. It was growing. Jak smirked at himself. For about a week, he had felt an evil presence growing, but he had never suspected it had come from his friend. He walked over to Wartstal and heaved him over his shoulder. He then dropped the Lurker by Keira and picked up Daxter. After storing the Ottsel in his backpack, Jak picked Wartstal back up. He then bent over Keira and revived her with Green Eco, emptying his entire Box into her.
"Jak?" Keira asked, slightly befuddled. He looked down, unable to meet her eyes. "Where's Benedict."
Jak closed his eyes and looked away, but not before Keira saw the look of pain that went across his face. "I'll tell you when we get to the city," Jak wrote in the sand. Keira nodded, knowing something really bad must have happened. Jak hunched forward so Wartstal was balanced on his shoulder and picked Keira up in his arms. Suddenly the remaining Centipede that had run away burst out of the sands. It lunged down and a figure clad in loose red clothes ran up and ripped it to shreds. As it landed, Jak wearily prepared to either fight it or run away, depending on how strong it was.
"Here, let me help you out with that load." Jak smiled gratefully as he recognized the figure as Hatu. Hatu picked Wartstal up and he and Jak made their way to Wasteland Metropolis. Hatu ran along the ground while Jak flew the air. "I got a bad feeling and figured I should come after you." Haut called to Jak, who gave him a thumbs-up. When they landed in Wasteland Metropolis, Jak made sure no one was watching before Hatu carried Wartstal into the Yellow Sage's hut. It was, predictably, empty, with burn marks everywhere. Jak set Keira down, blushing slightly; she had been hanging onto his even after they had touched ground, keeping her arms wrapped around his neck. The two of them looked at each other before looking away, their faces turning red.
"It's about time!" Samos proclaimed as he fell on his face coming out of the Warp Gate. "Wait a second, where is Benedict?"
"I'd like to know that too Jak," Keira piped up.
"I assume Benedict is the one who accused me of trying to betray you," Hatu said smoothly. "I am also curious as to his whereabouts." Jak closed his eyes, resisting the urge to cry. He left the room and returned with a pen and some paper.
"Benedict has turned to the dark side." He passed this note around the room and saw their reactions. Wartstal gazed in disbelief, Hatu closed his eyes, and Samos sat down, a look of dawning horror on his face, much like the one that Jak had been wearing when he saw Benedict risk his life to save Gol. But Keira refused to believe it.
"You're wrong! How could you even write that Jak?"
"I tried to kill Gol, but he stopped me. I tried again and he put his body in front of Gol and then he attacked me."
"Not Benedict! He couldn't!" Keira pleaded, tears welling up in her eyes. Even as she fought to not believe Jak, she knew that he would never lie to her.
"He was deceived by a lie. It appears that after the death of Escuro, Benedict became his new apprentice." Jak wrote. Keira started crying; she had never felt fully comfortable around Benedict, but she had no idea he would do something like this.
"So what do we do?" Hatu asked. Jak shrugged and sat down, internally defeated.
"No matter how much I hate to admit it, I think we might have to destroy him if is truly converted to evil," Samos said reluctantly.
"Is there no other way?" Jak wrote. He didn't want to have to be the one who had to kill Benedict, and he knew the responsibility would fall on his shoulders. Wartstal and Hatu combined wouldn't be much more than a warm-up for someone like Benedict; Jak had seen how much his powers had increased lately. Keira was in no shape to fight, and Samos was forbidden as a Sage to take an elf's life.
"He has become a very great threat." Samos said gravely.
"Why? Why is Gol doing this? Benedict probably wasn't strong enough to be a real threat. Why does Gol feel the need to either corrupt or destroy everything that opposes him, even if it no threat?" Keira asked, her voice rising. Jak looked at her, his soul in agony. For all his power and cunning, there was nothing he could do to make Keira feel better. A swift blast of rage worked through his mind at Benedict, for causing her this pain, before being directed at Gol. It all came back to him. He was the one who had destroyed so much, the one who had ripped countless lives apart.
Only a Dark Lord deals in absolutes." Samos said. "Gol does these things out of fear. He knows that one person, however weak and insignificant, can rally the masses to stop his plan."
"Focus," Gol commanded. Benedict nodded and tried even harder to pick up the thoughts coming from Gol's head. As he strained, he heard a voice echoing inside his own head. "Good. Good. You are fast becoming a powerful Channeler. Soon you will be ready to destroy Jak. When that is accomplished, my plan will succeed and Keira will go to you."
"Thank you for agreeing not to kill her, Master." Benedict said.
"You are welcome. I would not allow for any harm to come to the elf that you love so much. But if she refuses to go with you, what will you do?"
"I will gently convince her that to be with me would be her best option. She is wrong about Jak, thinking he is the stronger one. I am more powerful than he is." Benedict said, his power soaring as his rage grew. "Once Jak is dead, Keira will love me." Benedict said, his eyes flashing. Gol noticed the quick flash in Benedict's eyes and smiled; the evil inside Torqueo was growing, blotting out the good soul that was trapped inside Benedict's shattered heart.
"And now, I have decided that you need to be trained in combat. My minion, Gravis will teach you in the arts of Saber combat."
"Thank you, Master," Benedict said.
"So, you decided to take us up on our offer. Good job. Here," Gravis said, tossing an object to Benedict, who caught and ignited it. It was a doubled-sided Eco Saber. Two beams of dark light shot out at opposite ends, giving it the appearance of an extremely deadly Bo-staff. Benedict spun the handle around a few times. Gravis took one off his belt and ignited it.
"Get ready, the way I teach is to attack you. You're not in mortal danger. These blades aren't much more than shafts of light. Now get ready, here I come," Gravis said as he lunged at Benedict.
"You guys think we should go see what's in town?" Daxter asked. After he had woken up, they had explained what happened and for once he was not himself. The perverted and happy-go-lucky kind at least. The 'I won't stop talking ever' side was still very much present.
Jak went out and saw the villagers staring at him. Ignoring them, he admired the large town. I was about the size of Sandover, but the shorter buildings were about the same size as the Mayor's windmill. One house caught his eye. It was sandwiched in between buildings that made the Mayor's house in Sandover look like a homeless shelter. It was not elaborately designed, nor was it very big. It was the fact that is was only the size of a normal house that caught Jak's attention. There was a single symbol on the door: a red sword crossed with a green sword. Jak held up his hand to stop Keira and pointed to the hut.
As they entered the house, a feeling of incorrectness passed over Jak. The walked from a small room into what appeared to be a training area. As Keira sped up slightly top walk next to Jak rather than behind him, the sense of erroneousness increased. He suddenly spun around and blocked a metal blade from shearing Keira in half. He grabbed the blade with his hands and forced it to the ground, holding it away from her. A second blade was raised and Jak put himself in front of Keira while maintaining a grip on the first sword.
"You would sacrifice your life for another. That is good." A deep voice said. It was soothing, yet it had an undercurrent of authority and power that was undeniable. The being holding the swords stepped out of the shadows and revealed himself to be an old man. Not terribly old, Jak thought as he surveyed this possible foe, but definitely no longer at his prime. Thick grey hair was on top of the man's head, as well as his eyebrows. His physique was not bulky, and he did not have a lot of muscles, but Jak could not find an ounce of fat on the man save for the face, which was strong looking. Silver-grey eyes were set into a rounded-boyish looking face. Jak finished analyzing this elf in a second and assumed a combat stance, eliciting a chuckle from the odd man.
"Come now, I have no wish to fight." The man said as he sheathed his swords.
"No wish to fight?" Keira asked disbelievingly. "You just tried to kill me!"
"Please. I could have killed you both a number of times if I truly wanted. Feel these blades," the man said as he unsheathed one of his swords. Jak hesitantly took it and rubbed his thumb up and down it. It was duller than a butter knife; the only real thing it could be used for was as a club. He handed it back to the man. "Plus, I have complete control. Watch," the man grabbed his sword and leapt ten feet in the air. He brought his blade smashing down, aiming for Jak's head. Jak quickly crossed his forearms and waited for the blow but it never came. He opened his eyes and saw that the old man had landed, keeping his sword about half an inch away from Jak's armor. Jak nodded and finally believed the old man meant no harm.
"My guess is that you came here wondering why this house is so small. I like to remain inconspicuous, but ever since this town got built up, I stick out like a sore thumb. Have you any idea who I am?" Jak and Keira both shook their heads; Daxter was still in shock of the man's skills.
"Well then, let me introduce myself. I am Sett, master of the Sky Fang Style. It's a type of form that is split into three different varieties: Jar Kai, Makashi, and Shien. If you want, I would take you on as a student. Normally, I don't train anyone, but there is something different about you. Your soul is like a light, bright and pure, with no dark thoughts or intentions. Do you wish to be trained by me?" Jak looked at Keira, who just stared at him. He nodded. Sett smiled warmly.
"Good, now what is your name?"
"His name is Jak. I'm Keira, and that's Daxter," Keira explained as she pointed to Daxter.
"Thank you for introducing yourself, but I asked Jak. Is there a reason that you answered for him?" A hint of annoyance in Sett's voice. When Keira answered, her voice had the same touch of annoyance.
"Yes. Jak can't talk." The look on Sett's face changed from one of annoyance to pity.
"My apologies. I did not know." Jak smiled and mimed writing something down. Sett nodded and got Jak a pen and paper.
"Go back to the house and tell Samos what is happening. Let me know if something important. I'll miss you." Keira blushed slightly but nodded. She took Daxter and went back to Samos to tell her father what was going on. Sett tossed Jak a dull blade and assumed an orthodox stance.
"Right then, I'll train you in Makashi first. It is the easiest of all three forms, yet most people die in a fight if they attempt to use this form without good hand-eye coordination and precision. This form is under the philosophy that even pinpricks can be lethal if enough of them are inflicted." Jak nodded. "Get ready Jak," Sett said as he lunged at Jak, explaining all the time.
"So Jak will be trained by Sett? I haven't seen him for a long time." Samos said softly.
"You know him Dad?" Keira asked, surprised that her father knew people this far away from the village.
"Yes. He is an excellent swordsman. Jak will become a powerful fighter under his teachings. We will wait for Jak to return before setting off for the Red Eco Temple."
And so for seven days, Jak was trained continuously by Sett. Although he had barely scratched the surface of the true power of the Makashi style, he was rapidly becoming skilled in its form. On the dawn of the eighth day, there was a rumbling in the distance. The two of them looked outside to see Lurkers swarming the village. Jak quickly activated his Eco Saber and leapt into the fray. Sett ran back inside the house and grabbed one blade that seemed to be made out of a orange metal. The two of them decimated the Lurkers' armies, but not with casualties. When Jak was finished wiping away the last of the Lurkers, he went to see Samos, who was tending to the sick.
"Seventy three have died Jak. If there is another attack like this, the town might be wiped out. I think its time we challenge Gol in his Citadel. I cannot allow these atrocities to continue. Jak, I need you to go to the Red Eco Temple. It has been pulling at my soul, but I did not want to disturb your training. I will be able to teleport to Gol's Citadel and I will try to stop him. I am not able to bring you along. I can only teleport myself." Jak closed his eyes and sat down at the table next to Samos. He pulled a pencil toward him and wrote on the table.
"Send me to kill Gol. I will not kill Benedict."
"I wish I could Jak, but you are not strong enough to fight this Dark Lord."
"He is like my brother. I cannot do it." Jak protested.
"Benedict has become twisted by the dark side. The adolescent you trained, he is gone… consumed by Torqueo." Jak sighed and wrote again on the table.
"How could it have come to this? Why is this happening. It feels like every time we think we've hit rock bottom, we're handed a shovel."
"There is no time to question." Samos said sternly.
"I don't know where to look for him." Jak wrote, hoping that Samos would accept that as an excuse and revoke the order to kill Benedict.
"Neither do I Jak. Go to the Temple. If he is not waiting for you there, then at least you will gain new powers. My task is to visit Gol." Samos said as he sat down and crossed his legs. He muttered incoherently under his breath for a while and then a green light formed around him until he was in a bubble. With a small pop, he simply vanished.
"Hey Jak!" Keira called. Jak turned around and saw Keira running at him. He let out a gasp as she embraced him before hugging her back. A small cough stopped them just as he leaned down to kiss her.
"Uh look, as much as I hate to brake up the Hallmark moment, we need to get to the Temple Jak," Daxter said. Jak rolled his eyes and reluctantly stepped away from Keira. "Hey Jak." Keira called again. Jak turned around and saw her holding out a belt much like the one he was wearing. This one had bigger boxes. "I remade your Eco Boxes so that they can hold twice as much Eco." Jak just grinned like a kid that had gotten everything he wanted at once for Christmas as he hooked them up.
As Jak prepared to leave, Keira approached him again. Jak turned around just as he was preparing to go through the Warp Gate. After Wartstal tested it out, he said that the connection to the Lava Tube was indeed still open. "I want to go with you to the Lava Tube." Jak looked at her like she was crazy and shook his head. Keira narrowed her eyes at him.
"I don't want to go into the Temple, but according to Potentia's notes, there's a lot of ancient Precursor technology. I just want to look there and see if I can salvage anything useful. After that, I'll come back right away." Jak sighed and reluctantly nodded, knowing she would come along whether he said she could or not.
They three of them went through the Warp Gate and came out at the beginning of a long hallway. As they approached the end, Jak felt a presence. He made a sign for Keira to stop and he peered into the next room. He saw Benedict waiting- most likely for him. He was not welcoming; he was dressed in all black with a black cape. The background was not inviting; there was a massive lava flow, black dirt , and a number of towers that looked suspiciously like they were made out of Precursor metal. He crawled back and told Keira what was going on.
"Let me try to reason with him Jak." Keira whispered. He shook his head no, but she explained. "I don't think he would hurt me. He likes me too much." Once again, Jak gave in. The last thing he needed was an evil Benedict and a Keira mad at him.
Keira bravely walked into the next room while Jak stayed nearby, unnoticed. "Benedict," she cried as she ran to him. A warm smile lit up his features as he saw her.
"Keira, what are you doing out here?" he asked as he stepped closer.
"I was so worried about you. Jak told me terrible things." she said. A shadow of worry crossed his face as he responded.
"What things?"
"He said you have turned to the dark side… that you attacked him." Benedict closed his eyes.
"Jak is trying to turn you against me." he said, but his body language betrayed him; he was nervous.
"He cares about you." Keira pleaded.
"Me!" Benedict asked in amazement.
"He wants to help you." she continued.
"Is Jak going to protect you? He can't…he can't help you. He's not strong enough." Benedict declared.
"Benedict, all I want is your friendship."
"Friendship won't save you, Keira. Only my new powers can do that."
"At what cost? You are a good person. Don't do this." Keira begged, starting to see what Jak had talked about before.
"I won't lose you! I've become more powerful than Jak has ever dreamed of and I've done it for you. To protect you."
"Come away with me. Leave Gol behind while we still can." Keira asked, holding out her hand. Benedict just smiled, but this time, there was nothing comforting about it.
"Don't you see, we don't have to run away anymore. I will peace to Weyard." he said, before lowering his voice. "I am more powerful than Gol. I can overthrow him, and together you and I can rule the land. Make things the way we want them to be." Keira stepped back with a look of horror on her face.
"I don't believe what I'm hearing… Jak was right. You've changed." Benedict closed his eyes as though asking for patience.
"I don't want to hear any more about Jak." he said, waving his hand to stop her from protesting. A look of anger began to grow on his face as he continued. "Jak turned against me. Don't you turn against me." Keira closed her eyes as she backed away from the elf that she thought she had known.
"I don't know you anymore. Benedict, you are going down a path I can't follow." Benedict set his face as he looked down at her.
"Because of Jak?" he asked, anger apparent in his voice.
"Because of what you've done… what you plan to do. Stop, stop now. Come back! Please!" Jak leaned out a little to catch Benedict's response and the twisted elf spotted him. He looked at Keira with rage etched into every line of his face.
"Liar!" he bellowed at her. Keira turned around and saw Jak standing in the doorway of the Lava Tube.
"No!" she pleaded.
"You're with him. You've betrayed me! You brought him here to kill me!" Benedict yelled.
"NO! Benedict. I swear… I …" Benedict did not allow her to continue, as he raised his hand and Channeled Blue Eco. He gripped his thumb and pointer together and Keira's windpipe closed as she was lifted off the ground. Keira grabbed her throat as she started to choke.
Jak was horrorstruck, his mind screaming at Benedict to let her go. Benedict looked over at him.
"What have you and she been up to?" he roared. Jak's mind simply did nothing else except scream at him to release her. To his surprise, Benedict released his grip on the unconscious Keira and the girl crumpled to the ground. "I can hear your thoughts Jak. You can't hide from me." Jak simply looked at Keira before gazing at Benedict, his body generating waves of rage so powerful that Daxter felt the already sweltering temperature rise.
"You turned her against me." Benedict shouted.
Jak figured that since Benedict could hear his thoughts he may as well respond. "You have done that yourself." he proclaimed as the two of them circled each other.
"You will not take her from me." Benedict shouted as he shook off the black cloak he had been wearing.
Jak continued to circle with Benedict as he psychically answered. "Your anger and your lust for power have already done that." Benedict snorted. "You have allowed your Dark Lord to twist your mind until now… until now you have become the very thing you swore to destroy." Jak continued. They circled each other until Jak was near Keira. He placed his hand on her and took Daxter off his shoulder and placed his friend on Keira. He had two good reasons; Daxter would die before letting anything happen to Keira, and if there was a fight, he did not want his best friend harmed.
"Don't lecture me, Jak. I see through the lies of the Sages. I do not fear Dark Eco as you do. I have brought peace, justice, freedom, and security to Gol's new Empire." Benedict proudly proclaimed as he spun around and looked over the Lava Tube. He closed his eyes as he imagined apologizing to Keira and she forgiving him and leaving with him. Jak looked at him in amazement as his mind sent a question into the air.
"Gol's new Empire?"
Benedict's eyes opened. "Don't make me kill you."
"Benedict, my allegiance is to the Sages' Council… to democracy." Jak argued.
"If you're not with me, you're my enemy." Benedict said. Jak stared at him for a second as he remembered a quote of Samos' that he had heard a week ago.
"'Only a Dark Lord deals in absolutes.' I will do what I must." Jak thought as he turned his red Eco Saber on.
"You will try." Benedict said as he spun around and grabbed an exceptionally long hilt. He activated it and two dark purple shafts of light shot out of either end. They two of them sized each other up before attacking...
Samos strode into Gol's throne room, knocking the two Scouts guarding the entrance out with his staff. Gol stood up from his seat and looked at Samos, who stood quite calmly.
"I hear you have a new apprentice. Gol, or should I call you Darth Akaron?" Samos said conversationally.
"Master Hagia, you decided to visit me at the firmament of my power?"
"Surprised?" Samos asked. Gol narrowed his eyes.
"Your arrogance blinds you, Master Hagai. Now you will experience the full power of Dark Eco." The Dark Lord raised his arms, and Dark Lightning shot out of his fingertips, surrounding Samos. Samos was picked up and thrown across the room, hitting the wall and sliding down in a crumpled heap. Gol chuckled. "I have waited a long time for this moment, my little green friend. At last, Silos will be opened." Samos pushed himself to his feet.
"Not if anything I have to say about it, Lord Akaron." He raised his hand and a shockwave went through the air and collided with Gol. The Dark Lord was knocked clear over his chair and onto the floor in a heap. Samos started walking to the Sage. "Your rule is at an end, and it was not short enough, I must say." Gol snarled at him before leaping over Samos and heading for the exit. At the last second, Samos flew into the exit and stopped the Dark Lord from escaping.
"If you are so powerful, why leave?" Samos asked as he pulled out a Eco Saber and lit it. The bright green light lit up the room.
Gol snarled at his former friend and bared his teeth. "You will not stop me. Darth Torqueo will become more powerful than either of us." he said confidently as he activated his own dark purple Eco Saber.
"Your faith in your new apprentice, may be misplaced, as is your faith in the dark side." Samos said. The two Sages stared at each other before lunging at each other, screaming battle cries at the top of their lungs...
Ok. I just filled out retraining orders to protect myself, because I am sure that someone out there wants to kill me. Well, I'm sure you guys saw this coming. So next chapter will be the big showdown between Gol and Samos, and Torqueo and Jak. Until next week, this is Farr2rich, reminding you all TO READ RED MAGE 04 AND ANIMEDRAGONGIRL'S WORKS BECAUSE THEY RULE! Oh and coincidentally, does anyone know where I can find a lawyer? George Lucas is suing me for reasons I cannot comprehend. Anyway, when I get out of prison, sometime in the next three to five years, I'll update. See you all next week.