Chapter XXXVI: The Fight For Spargus
LES: Wow! The big 36! Remember, the goal is to meet or exceed 45 chapters! Think I can do it?
Jak landed on top of one of the many sandstone buildings in an attempt to not attract attention. But attention is the one thing you do attract when you glow like a beacon. Even now, Jak could hear people claiming that they saw a Precursor land on that rooftop.
Jak couldn't help but laugh at being compared to a Precursor. For one, he didn't look a thing like a Precursor. But, then again, most people didn't have a single clue what a Precursor would look like.
But he had very little time. As he flew over he saw a mass of Dark Makers, which from high up, didn't look like more than a giant Dark glob. Jak couldn't tell where one of the creatures ended, and where the others began. They had massed by the Gates of Spargus. The many warriors that faced the Dark Makers made a valiant stand, but the Dark Makers seemed able to call up shields, and none of their shots made it through.
"They're in trouble." Jak observed as he let the Light transformation fade away. As soon as he was back to normal, Jak jumped down from the roof and began to run to the front lines.
Finally, he made it to the Elvin lines and pushed his way through the other Wastelanders. "What the...? What are you..." Then they stopped when they saw who it was, and they moved out of the way.
Finally, Jak made it to the front lines and saw the Dark Makers for the first time. If he hadn't known that the Dark Makers were actually Precursors, he would've never guessed it. The Dark Makers, unlike the Precursors, seemed to have taken the physical shape of their own robots, with long snouts that reached down to their chest. Their powerful arms ended in long claws, even longer than Dark's claws, claws that could easily cut a man in half. They stood on three-toed, wicked-clawed, tyrannosaurus-like feet, walking on its toes.
"Dark One." Jak addressed one of the bigger Dark Makers in the front, assuming he was the Leader of this band, in the Ancient Language, as he was unsure if they could speak the standard language.
The Dark Maker roared at his companions, and they stopped. And then the Dark Maker stepped forward. "Precursor Champion Jak, of course." It also spoke in the Ancient Language, through its voice had an oily quality that had the effect of being evil. "It is an honor, I must say, to meet you in person. Tales of your exploits are legendary, even among us who dwell in the Darkness. What interests me is why someone of your... Eco orientation has sided with our 'brothers', the Precursors."
"The type of Eco that's inside me does not tell who I am, but what is in my heart." Jak replied in the Ancient Language. "My soul tells who I am."
"A worthy reply!" The Dark Maker exclaimed. "So, tell us, for curiosity's sake, what is in your heart and soul of the great hero and Champion, Jak?"
At first, Jak didn't answer, then he said, in the Ancient Language so no one else could understand him. "You know, for a former Precursor, you surprise me. I've only met one Precursor, but Tiatin is surprisingly perceptive. He knows more about me than I do. Shouldn't you Dark Makers, as former Precursors, possess the same gift, am I right?" The Dark Maker growled. "I guess not. In that case, let me enlighten you. Love. Love is what's in my heart and soul."
The Dark Maker made the closest thing it could to a smile and laughed. "Love? The same weakness that doomed your ancestors and, ultimately, yourself!"
"What is that supposed to me?" Jak demanded angrily.
"I fear I'm not the one to tell you that." The Dark Maker said. "Our leader, Karnac, will be able to tell you... or perhaps your perspective Precursor friend."
"Enough talk!" Jak roared in the Standard language. "Why don't you show me how Dark Makers fight?"
The Dark Maker smiled, and then replied in the Standard language. "A little overconfident, aren't we? You see, I've got an army of the finest Dark Maker warriors behind me, and you've only got you, that anomaly on your shoulder, and an army of misfit elves behind you."
"Hey, buddy, what did you just call me?" Daxter demanded.
"An anomaly." The Dark Maker said. "Because that is what you are." The Dark Maker laughed. "And people call your Champion here a 'freak' when there's an even bigger freak on his shoulder. At least his mutation is a naturally occurring one, not one brought on by freak chances."
"Shut up!" Jak yelled. He was used to being called a Freak, but when they started calling his friends freaks... well... he just couldn't stand it.
The Dark Maker smiled again, and a large katana materialized out of nowhere, a weapon made entirely out of Dark Eco. Jak blinked, it was just like himself and Erol. He suddenly remembered the words the Oracle spoke the day he got that power. 'Yes, there are others like you. You will meet them someday.' Could the Oracle have been referring to the Dark Makers? Now it seemed entirely possible.
Jak also called up a katana, except it was made out of pure Light Eco... the only substance that could harm a Dark Maker. With an uttered Precursor oath, the Dark Maker leapt at Jak with a speed that far surpassed what Jak was capable of. Before the elf even knew what was happening, the Dark Maker landed a crushing blow on Jak's... leg?
The Precursor armor that protected him saved his leg from being cut off, but the force of the blow did cause the bone to shatter instantly.
Jak barely managed to hold back a cry of pain as he fell to the ground. Half of his mind exploded with agony, and the other half screamed in confusion. How? How? No one's ever managed to bear me to the ground with a single blow! Why didn't it kill me? My heart's a much easier target than my leg, especially considering his height! Why didn't he kill me?
Then Jak realized. The Dark Maker wasn't aiming to kill him, only to cripple him as he did to Erol. Thankfully, his leg healed rather quickly and the pain disappeared. Jak got up off the ground, his opponent allowing him the chance to get up. Jak picked up the dropped sword and held it in a readier position as the Dark Maker watched in amazement. "I've already proven that my abilities far outstrip your own and still you fight? Why not lay down and die? I could make it painless, if you so desire. Why do you pursue this fool's mission? Why?"
Jak remembered what Tiatin had told him. 'That is the difference between being dragged into an arena to fight and walking into a battle with your head held high.' Jak understood now. It was simple, really.
"Because I choose to." Jak said. With a loud battle cry, Jak rushed his enemy. Perhaps because of the fact that Jak was doing something really stupid, but the Dark Maker didn't react in time.
With a flash of the Light Eco blade, and a cry from the Dark Maker, a leg fell to the ground, the strangely shaped Dark Maker leg. In a fit of irony, Jak had cut off the Dark Maker's leg that corresponded to the leg he had injured. The Dark Maker fell to the ground. Without giving the Dark Maker a second to recover, the Light katana flashed again, and the Dark Maker's severed head went rolling across the street.
There was silence in the street for the longest time as Jak stood over the dead body of the Dark Maker. Then Jak glared at the rest of the army, and they seemed nervous. Finally, one whispered, though Jak heard it. "We can't harm him anyway."
With a flash of Dark light, the entire army disappeared. Jak let out a loud sigh along with most of the other defenders.
Suddenly, a squawk sounded behind them and, recognizing the sound a Leaper Lizard makes, the crowd parted instantly.
Jak looked around, and saw that Damas himself was riding up on a mighty Leaper Lizard. Damas saw the large weapon that Jak still held in his hand. "Light Eco." He said. "There is no doubt now, that you are, indeed, favored by the Precursors." Damas got off the Leaper and whispered a few words to it in the Ancient Language. "Xa iqsrr. Be still." The Leaper obeyed and stood still.
Jak blinked when Damas spoke the Precursor Language. "You know the Ancient Language?" He asked. He had never met any elf besides himself, Samos, and the Precursor monks who could speak the language fluently.
"Ever since I was very young." Damas replied. "My family has always believed in knowing as much about our creators as possible... including their language. You, too, understand the Ancient Language?"
"A man who was like my father taught me." Jak said.
There was an uncomfortable silence for a few seconds. It made Damas uncomfortable every time this young man said something that reminded him that he never knew his father. Damas remembered his own father quite clearly and he remembered being a father to his young son before... the tragedy that began at the Metal-Head Nest. Damas shook off those memories. There was nothing that anyone could do about the past.
It was then that Jak noticed it... the scar. Funny, he had never noticed it before. It slashed across the Warrior-King's throat as if someone had tried to cut it open. But Jak could not imagine surviving such an injury without healing powers. Jak opened his mouth to ask about it, but closed it quickly, thinking better of it. He wouldn't like it if someone pried into his life like that.
But Damas had noticed the look on Jak's face, and where he was looking. "It was a foolish mistake on my part." He said. "I was headstrong and younger than I am now. I believed that, as a Warrior, I couldn't be defeated... so I bit off more than I could chew. In short, I was wounded and almost died. I would have died if a friend of mine hadn't found me and healed me. Still, it was the day I lost my family... all because I was foolish and overconfident."
Jak didn't know what to say. He couldn't even fathom the connection between a father and son, because he had been deprived of that very connection with his own father. "I'm sorry."
"Never mind, it is all in the past." Damas said. "Now, do you remember your last arena fight?" Jak nodded. "I was wrong for punishing you so harshly for not destroying Sig. I understand now. Sig was your friend. You who has killed so many over the years... but your friends..."
"I've killed friends before." Jak said softly. "And that was the day that I died. I vowed I would never hurt my friends by my own hands again."
"The point is..." Damas continued. "Even the Precursors value mercy and pity. Shouldn't we all? Any warrior can take a life, but it takes true courage to throw down your sword and show mercy on those who might kill you." Damas looked down at the headless Dark Maker body. "This victory is a sign of possibility. Times are grim, but when I lived in Haven City, times seemed grim then too. Take hope, for even the smallest weed finds shelter within the rocks. Anyway, here is your third and final War amulet." Damas handed Jak a small, round, metal amulet. "Those War Amulets, when combined, make a beacon. You are one of us now, so if you ever need us, use it to call and we will be there. And, from me a welcoming gift." Damas pulled out a piece of armor, armor that matched perfectly with his own. It was another piece of Mar's armor, the breastplate! Jak accepted the armor reverently. "That ancient armor was once worn by Mar himself in his own battle for the planet long ago. I was saving it for my own son, but since you seem to be carrying on Mar's legacy, you should wear it during these Dark times."
Jak put the breastplate on and quickly checked his flexibility. The armor didn't hinder it at all. As with the rest of Mar's armor, the breastplate fit as though it had been made for Jak. "Thanks." Jak said. The rest of the Warriors watched in amazement. They had never seen their King treat anyone like he treated Jak. "I... I don't have anything for you."
"You have given us all hope, Jak. That is gift enough." Damas said. With that, he turned to walk away.
Suddenly, Jak found him calling after Damas. "Wait, Damas!"
Damas looked around in surprise. "What?"
"I... I do have something to give you." Jak walked up to him. "Something I've given no one else before." He conjured up a Light Eco sword, fell to his knees before Damas, and offered the sword to him, like an offering. "I offer my fealty and my sword to you. I place all my skills as a warrior in your hands to do with as you wish. I am yours to command."
Daxter gasped in shock. "What? What?" He had never imagined, in a million years, that Jak would cast in his lot with a single man. In the past, Jak had many, many loyalties to many different people, sometimes with conflicting interest. But... now Jak was giving all his loyalties to one man!
Damas, too, seemed a little shocked. But, he responded. "And, gladly, I accept your sword and your fealty. Now, rise, as my vassal." Jak got to his feet. "You continue to amaze those around you, Jak. Welcome to the clan."
Jak bowed to Damas. "Thank you, my King."
"You are dismissed." Damas said.
Jak bowed again, and walked away from the scene. Daxter sat speechless on his shoulder. "I... I can't believe you just did that!" Daxter gasped. "To think, you finally respect someone enough to cast in your entire lot with him!"
"Damas has shown great kindness to me, and I respect him more than many other people I could name." Jak said. "The only way I could properly repay him back is by giving him my complete loyalty and service."
"You've... you've grown more than I thought." Daxter said. "The Jak I used to know would never have done that."
"I know." Jak said. "I have grown... and changed. But is it for the worse... or the better?"
"Anything's better than how you were after you busted out of prison." Daxter reasoned.
"Thanks." Jak said sarcastically.
LES: Jak swearing his fealty to Damas was actually a late edition to the story that wasn't in the original written version. Of course, many things do change to suit later events. This is the other thing that I had to completely add in from scratch. But I wanted to show Jak's level of maturity. He's definitely changed from Back To You to be able to make a pledge of his fealty like that. Okay, the whole fealty thing is inspired by the book 'Eldest'. See, I had no idea how to get Jak to swear his fealty before, and then I read that book and was like "Perfect!" Well, hoped you liked it.
