Jak was beaming as he stared up at the great white light shining forth from the dome's summit. The last time he had ever seen anything this magnificent was back in the old world: a huge Precursor door that stood atop Gol and Maia's sky-scraping citadel, and what life-changing wonders it had contained. Could this dome hold similar treasures?
He looked to Ashelin, and her eyes shared the same excited sparkle of his own. Then she in turn looked at Olto, and he looked at Torn, and then Torn looked back to Jak, completing the circle. Without saying any words, they each knew what they would do. All thoughts of danger and concern forgotten in their fascination, they scrambled as fast as they could up the sides of the dome, towards the glow at the top to see what it was.
They all got there at the same time, and beheld a circular opening in the now exposed summit. The light seemed to soften to a barely noticeable glow as they drew near, not painful on the eyes. With brimming intrigue, they pulled themselves closer, their hands gripping the edge of the opening, and peered down into the structure.
What they saw amazed them. A deep vertical shaft yawned open before them, plunging right down the centre of the dome and far into the earth beneath, so deep that it made their stomachs feel suddenly empty leaning over the edge. Circular lamps lined the interior walls in a spiralling pattern, and Jak was reminded instantly of the Precursor sub-rails he had once travelled through, ancient underground tunnels which ran deep into the very planet. But this was not a part of the sub-rails, because set between the lamps was an even more amazing sight: shelves upon shelves of pristine Precursor items, ancient artefacts of all shapes and descriptions, too numerous to count, and finer than anything held in all the museums of Haven. They followed the lamps in their downward pattern into the very depths of the earth, as far as the eye could see, with no end in sight.
"Wow!" Olto whispered, amazed at the quality and quantity of these many items, and the immeasurable depth of the shaft.
Ashelin and Torn were equally awe-struck, but could find nothing to say. For the first time, they could take a direct look into the world of their ancient forebears of legend. But for Jak, it was like stumbling on a hidden gold mine. He felt like a child again, as he did upon another incredible discovery of Precursor origins, and to be a part of something that they just might have used themselves to build the world so many ages ago. If only Daxter could have been here to see this and share in this incredible moment, or Keira, or even Samos...
"What is this, Jak?" Olto asked after a long while of staring into the shaft.
"It looks like a Precursor storage chamber of some kind," Jak answered with his best deduction. "Just look at all those artefacts. I've never seen so many in one place before."
Everyone else looked at each other impressively, knowing that this must be something significant if it caused Jak, the seasoned adventurer that he was, to say this.
"Just how deep does this thing go?" asked Torn with wide-eyed interest.
Jak tested this by drawing a stone out from his pocket, extending his arm over the opening, and then letting it drop. They watched it as it fell past the many lamps and shelves, straining their eyes to keep it in sight for as long as they could, until it was too deep and too far to see anymore. Then in silence they listened for the sound of it striking the bottom, waiting, and waiting... and waiting. But no sound ever came.
Olto whistled impressively. "That's a long way down..."
Everyone cautiously shuffled back from the edge a little, now fearing falling into this seemingly endless pit, but Jak was thinking hard again, trying to make sense of what this meant. Maybe this passage did go all the way to the earth's core, just like the sub-rails. What was down there, and where did it lead?
"But what's a Precursor storage chamber doing way out here on this island in the middle of nowhere?" asked Ashelin, interrupting his current thought with a new question.
For that, Jak had no definitive answer. "I don't know," he said honestly, but he was thinking all the while. Clearly, someone had gone to great lengths to conceal all of these artefacts here and arrange them so carefully on those shelves, but exactly who that was, how they had accomplished this, and why, remained unknown. Could it have been the Precursors themselves who had done this? Or maybe their descendants or worshippers, hiding away all of their artefacts to protect them from the Metal Heads when they invaded? Those dark monsters had destroyed so much of their legacy, but they had never found this hidden treasure horde. Maybe there was a clue somewhere inside this dome, something that would give them the answer...
"We should try and get them out," he said determinedly.
The others were all too fascinated to argue otherwise and they agreed, wanting to see those artefacts up closer and find out just what they were. However, there was a problem.
"But how are we going to reach them?" asked Torn. "How's anyone supposed to get them out? There's no way down."
He was right. Even the topmost shelf was metres out of arm's reach, but Jak knew from experience that there had to be a way to get to them. There had to be some way to activate this thing. He imagined a hovering platform that would transcend the many levels of shelves, passing smoothly down the dome's centre, but there was none here. Had it been removed to thoroughly isolate these items from intruders? Or was it perhaps lying out of sight right at the bottom? If only he had some eco, then maybe he could find out for sure. But until then...
"We'll have to go down there ourselves," said Jak. "One of us at least, and bring them back up."
Nobody else seemed very keen on this idea, however. They all peered down into the dome again, the sheer depth of it making them feel a little nauseous from all the way up here. It was so deep. If they fell, there was no coming back.
Ashelin especially was in two minds about this. After this incredible discovery, she had recently found greater appreciation and interest in the Precursors and what they had left behind, but her initial cautions about this dome had now resurfaced. "Are you sure it's worth the risk, Jak?" she asked tentatively.
But Jak nodded, feeling adventurous. "Just look at them all. There's got to be hundreds of artefacts down there, and they could really help us, maybe even get us home somehow. Who knows what we could find."
The others looked warily to each other, teetering on the verge of willingness. Jak thought for a few seconds, looking down into the shaft again. It was so tantalising to have so many intriguing and potentially useful artefacts and instruments just out of reach. He examined what he saw. The opening was like the inside neck of a bottle, smooth and glassy Precursor metal for the first few metres or so, and below that it looked like it widened out above the first shelf. Climbing down to it would be impossible. But there had to be a way, and Jak saw only one sure solution.
"I could go down on a rope," he suggested. "There's plenty of vines in the forest. All we'd need to do is tie a few together and then we're good to go."
Everyone remembered the vines. They had used some as makeshift ropes already back at their camp, such as in the construction of their raft, and they seemed to be strong enough for that purpose at least. It could work here too.
However, Ashelin still felt very uneasy. "I don't like the idea of you going down into there on just a rope, Jak."
"We'll make sure it's safe," said Jak. "We'll only really need it for the first few metres anyway. I reckon I could hold onto those shelves when I reach them, and then the rope's just a safety line."
It would be a risky endeavour that the others were reluctant to agree to, but the lure of discovery was just too great, and eventually Jak persuaded them, realising it as the only possible way. Though it would take extra work, everyone was willing to get involved, even Torn; the raft and all other work were completely forgotten by all in the wake of this incredible discovery. It was all decided now, and everyone was united in their goals as they ventured into the woodlands in search of the vines they needed.
An hour later, Jak sat on the edge of the circular opening, his legs hanging over the deep shaft. A firm rope of vines was tied securely around his body, all rigorously tested for their strength. Ashelin was just behind him on the shoulder of the dome, holding it taut at one of the connecting knots, while further down the line at the dome's base, Torn and Olto took up their positions, providing extra anchorage and managing the slack. They all looked eager and ready, but also apprehensive at what they were about to try.
"We're all set, Jak," Ashelin said. "You're still sure about this?"
"Positive," Jak answered, but even so, his heart was increasing its pace.
He took a deep breath. This was it. Descent time.
He turned himself around carefully, supporting himself with his hands upon the rim, and lowered his legs backwards over the edge. He could feel the pull of the rope on his body, and when he looked Ashelin in the eyes, he could see the trepidation reflecting in them.
"Alright, start lowering me."
"Good luck, Jak. Be careful," said Ashelin, and then she nodded down to Torn and Olto.
They fed her the rope and she let it slide gently through her hands. Very slowly, Jak began to lower down into the dome, guiding the effort. This whole operation required perfect co-ordination and communication, but it was starting promisingly so far, and the rope was holding his weight.
"This feels OK," Jak said when his entire lower half was below the rim. "Keep going."
As Ashelin passed him more length, he leant back with it, and placed both feet flat against the inner wall of the opening. Then carefully he moved both his hands, one at a time, onto the rope. It was the only thing supporting him now. Just before his head vanished below the surface, he looked up at Ashelin again and winked at her. And then he was gone from sight.
He was fully within the dome now, suspended on the rope, descending slowly and smoothly. Keeping his legs straight and his feet against the plain metal walls, he walked himself down with the lengthening of the rope. The tight bindings around his body did not feel very comfortable now they fully held his weight, but it was enduring, and that was all that mattered. Though he had traversed many high drops before on his past adventures, he did not dare to look down, concentrating on the positioning of his feet and the rope in his hands. He felt a trickle of sweat slide down his face, and his heart was still thumping powerfully.
"How's it going, Jak? You still OK?" called Ashelin from above, and Jak looked up to see a glimpse of her face peering at him over the rim, still just a couple of metres above.
"It's all good," he answered back. "Just keep going slowly."
The steady descent continued, but after a few more steps, the wall on which he walked ended. This was where the bottleneck curved downwards and outwards away from him, leaving his feet dangling as he was now suspended in the air, letting the rope take him deeper. There was not far to go until he was level with the first shelf.
"Stop!" he called back up, and the rope halted immediately at his command. Now that he was properly within the dome, the sound of his voice swelled and rang throughout the inner space, reverberating for many seconds after he had spoken like a thousand-strong choir somewhere beneath him. The sensation caused him to smile crazily as he now hung in mid-air above The Great Below.
"Everything OK?" Ashelin called back down. Her face appeared again silhouetted against the opening above.
"Yeah!" Jak said back up to her with a wave, and his voice filled the dome once more as a spectral chorus. He could make out Ashelin's face brighten in astonishment at the sound.
"That's one hell of echo down there!" she said.
From behind her, there was an excited laugh and a shout which Jak could just about perceive.
"Olto loves it too," Ashelin added. "But have you reached the artefacts yet?"
"Yeah, I'm right next to the top shelf."
Jak outstretched his arm and caught hold of its edge, and pulled himself closer to it. His toes brushed the lip of the one beneath.
"Give me about a foot more rope," he called up, and the rope loosened a little more. His feet touched down comfortably on the lower shelf, taking the weight off the rope and giving him a bit of extra leeway to move around. The gap between these two shelves was just wide enough for him to stand comfortably on, but a little too wide apart to climb down to the others like rungs on a ladder. He would still have to rely almost completely on the rope and the strength of his friends to help him go deeper, and then to get back out again.
But now that he was securely supporting his own weight, he could afford to observe and enjoy the majesty of his surroundings. He felt a strange energy all around him, the gentle hum of the earth resonating through his whole body like a second pulse. The air was cool and dry in here, sheltered from the wind and the surface elements, and every movement or sound he made was amplified inside the structure. Upwards, the opening was now a circle of sky, while beneath him, the shaft just continued infinitely downwards.
"It's really something down here!" he called up. "But don't let go of that rope!"
The circular shelves which he clung to formed a complete circle, running around the full circumference of the shaft's inner walls, and the lamps embedded between them glowed dimly and mysteriously, illuminating the many wondrous items which they bore. Here he was literally in the heart of Precursor history once again, close enough to touch.
He reached out for the first one lying directly in front of him, and took it reverently. It appeared to be a small star-shaped ornament, fitting nicely into the palm of his hand, and it reflected the chamber light beautifully. It was not an artefact he recognised, but there would be time to fully examine it and the others once he was safely back on the surface. He slipped it into his backpack, and then made to do the same with all the other objects on the top shelf, carefully shuffling his way all around the circle. He took a quick look at each of them before he stowed them away. There were a couple of other ornaments similar to the first, a short metal rod, and most interestingly, a cylindrical container of some description. The largest of the artefacts on the first shelf, this container emitted a dull, shifting red glow from a small round window on its front, and Jak recognised it at once: it was red eco!
Having completely stripped the top shelf, and with a backpack full of treasure, Jak called back up to his friends. "OK, pull me up again now."
He felt the rope tighten again, and very slowly, he began to rise upwards. He helped as much as he could, but the upper walls were smooth and impossible to find a grip on. Thankfully, there was not far to go, and as soon as he reached the opening, he pulled himself through and re-appeared on the surface at Ashelin's feet.
"Did you get them?" she asked, grabbing his hand and pulling him back into fresh air.
Jak smiled proudly. "Sure did. Take a look!"
He drew the items he had collected out of his backpack and displayed them to Ashelin. Torn and Olto climbed up the hill to join them.
"Cool!" said Olto, examining one of the ornaments keenly. "What does it do?"
"Don't know, but we can figure that out later," said Jak. "I want to go back in and clear the second shelf next."
Now they had done it once, it felt much easier sending Jak down into the dome again, despite the extra depth. They were getting into a confident rhythm with the rope now, and Jak went down many more times, his adrenaline keeping him energised and brave as he continued to collect up more artefacts. Many of them were fairly small and easy to carry, just like the first ones, but they were becoming larger and more elaborate the deeper he went, and these bigger ones proved more difficult to extract. One such large artefact looked like a chest of some kind, no doubt holding something that was just as wondrous as the other things they had collected. Getting this one out was a challenge and put a fair strain on the rope, but they succeeded after a good deal of effort.
By the middle of the day, they had accumulated a good pile of artefacts, but after that chest, they were getting rather tired and hungry. So they decided to take a break for lunch, carrying all the items they had recovered so far back to the camp with them. They looked over them as they ate.
"We've made a good haul, haven't we?" said Olto, admiring the heap of Precursor items. "What shall we start with?"
Jak reached over and picked up the item nearest to him, a small sphere, and weighed it in his hand. He knew at once what it was. "This is a power cell," he said. "Looks like it's dead, though."
He could recognise a power cell anywhere, for it had once been his quest to scour the earth for them. Normally they would shine brightly, be warm to the touch, and could power the most elaborate of Precursor machines. This one, however, was cold and dim, and the little pieces which would normally orbit around it were stuck fast into the globe. Jak was disappointed, but then a sudden thought hit him: what if this was one of the many he had collected and personally handled long ago in the past? It was an intriguing possibility, but with no way to confirm.
The next item was also something he recognised: the small container of red eco, one of the first things he had extracted from the dome. A valuable energy source, but they had no real use for it here except for recharging Ashelin's gun. They put it aside for now. Maybe it could serve some purpose for one of the other artefacts.
"How about this one?" asked Torn, lifting up the rod that Jak had also collected from the first shelf.
He held it in his hands while they all looked over it with inquisitive, examining eyes. Then Torn's hand found a button on the side, and when he pressed it, the rod suddenly extended to three times its original length, almost hitting Olto in the face. A blue spark fizzed out of one of its ends.
"That was blue eco!" said Jak excitedly, and Torn handed it over so he could take a closer look. "This thing must be some kind of tool or weapon that runs on blue eco. But it doesn't look like there's much left in it now."
"Would the red eco work in it?" suggested Ashelin.
Jak made a thoughtful expression. "Not sure. You've got to be careful when mixing different kinds of eco, or using one kind in something that was made for another kind."
Next they had a look at the chest, which Olto was most interested by. There seemed to be no lock or lid, but a little searching revealed a hidden compartment with a switch. When pressed, an opening appeared, and they were able to pry it apart with ease. Inside was a marvellous treasure: neatly arranged right to the brim, was a vast collection of Precursor orbs.
"Wow! We're rich!" said Olto excitedly, pulling one out and balancing it upright in his palm.
"Oh, these things used to be everywhere," Jak explained.
Precursor orbs had become much rarer after the Metal Head invasion, and were now highly sought after in Haven City, more than ten times their value in the past. However, again, there was little use for them here on this island. Still, they were determined to look after them and bring them back to the city if they could, so they stored the chest carefully beside their shelter.
One more artefact they examined did offer a very functional use, however. It was a bag of some sort, and it appeared to be made of Precursor metal in the form of a durable leather. Jak was fascinated by this novelty; back in the old world, any such bags or satchels were made from woven fibres or animal skins. He wondered how its unknown crafter had managed to transform the metal into this state. They could definitely put this to great use when they went back into the dome again.
By the time they had finished eating, they still had many more artefacts to sift through and identify a use for. But still they felt drawn back to the dome to try and bring out more, and it was not long before they were heading back there again to carry out that desire. Once Jak was securely roped up once more, they prepared to lower him back in.
"Right, let's go in again!" said Jak, and everyone returned to their well-practiced procedure.
At least the first dozen shelves had been completely cleared by now, but there were still many more even deeper. Jak went in and out several more times, bringing the newly discovered bag down with him and using it to hold the artefacts he continued to gather. It was a remarkable little container, for it could somehow hold much more than it looked capable of, and also made its contents feel lighter and easier to bear.
One time, as he stood on a shelf that was quite deep inside but still nowhere near the unseen bottom of the shaft, Ashelin called down to him. "We're running out of rope, Jak! You won't be able to go much deeper than this."
Jak shouted back up to signify his understanding. The halo of blue sky up above now seemed so far away, like the size of a coin that he could fit between his fingers.
Then, realising that this was as far as he might be able to go, he sat down on the current shelf and took another moment to just look around again in contented amazement, drinking in the beauty of where he was. It was a very isolating feeling to be down here, encompassed in the dark earth, and illuminated only by the mysterious glowing lamps in the walls all around. He dared to look down into the endless expanse, and the shelves and their inaccessible artefacts lying out of reach. He understood and accepted that they would never be able to retrieve them all, but how he wished he had a way to get to them, to dive all the way down and see what lay at the bottom of this marvellous structure. He bet there had to be something really special hidden down there, perhaps the greatest of all the artefacts, the last secret of the Precursors.
But then, a few shelves below, something caught his attention. He could make out the edge of another object, mostly obscured from sight by the shelves above it, but something about it drew his curiosity more than any of the others he could see. He had to try and get closer.
"Can you give me a few more feet of rope?" he called up.
There was a few seconds before the response. "Maybe," came Ashelin's distant voice, "But there won't be much left for us to hold up here."
"Just give me as much as you can!" Jak shouted.
"Alright, we'll try," said Ashelin. "Just be careful!"
Jak guided their movements, and he passed about five more shelves bearing increasingly larger Precursor items, none of which he had ever seen before. But then the rope halted, and he hung in mid-air again, still several metres above the thing he had sighted.
"That's it!" called Ashelin. "We can't risk letting you go any further, Jak. The rope's almost out up here."
Jak was silent, concentrating on his target. He swung himself, trying to get a better view of it.
"Jak? What are you doing?" called Ashelin, alarm and confusion in her voice. "What do you see?"
Jak did not answer yet, wanting to be absolutely sure of himself, but then it struck him. He could see it now, and he recognised it at once. His heart gave a massive leap in his chest, for there was another one sitting right next to it, and a third next to that. This was too good to be true!
He shouted involuntarily, both with joy and shock. His friends far above him, already concerned for his safety, heard the sudden cry, and thinking that Jak was in danger, pulled him up at once. Jak zoomed upwards at an incredible speed, but when he emerged into the sunlight in front of his breathless and exhausted friends, he was laughing.
"What?" the others asked him. "What happened? What did you see?"
Jak was smiling ear to ear, a mad look on his face.
"Zoomers..."