"Veger?" Daxter ventured. It wasn't possible… he couldn't be dead! None of his friends ever really died! They were the good guys, for God's sake! Even Vin made a comeback! Veger couldn't be…
Suddenly the older ottsel coughed and started to get up. Daxter was amazed that, despite his wounds, he still had the strength to move. As Daxter left his hiding spot, however, Veger was scooped up by one of the only two Marauders left standing. The man closed his fist around the ottsel's throat, cutting off his air.
"Hang on!" Daxter rushed towards the Marauder, hoping to free Veger, but he was grabbed from behind by the other. Daxter struggled in his grasp, but he was helpless. He watched as Veger desperately tried to loosen the Marauder's grip before his eyes slid closed and his body went limp.
"No… Veger!"
The Marauder tossed the lifeless ottsel into one of the rings as Daxter was shoved into the cage. The two unhurt Marauders dragged one of their still-conscious comrades over to the artifacts before sitting down and beginning the incantation. The artifacts began to glow and a loud screeching noise filled the air as the relics began to vibrate. Suddenly everything went still. And then…
As Jak and the others rushed through the desert in their dune buggies, Jak could only pray that Daxter was still unhurt. As the Marauder fortress came into view, they saw a bright flash of light and heard the thunderous crackling of energy erupt from one of the huts.
"Oh, no… don't tell me…!" Sig started.
"The ritual… is complete," Seem said gravely.
Back in the hut, Daxter coughed as smoke entered his lungs. It stung his eyes as he tried to look around, bringing tears. Eventually, the black fog cleared, and he could see clearly. The force had dislodged the cage and sent it flying. The artifacts were now nothing more than piles of ash, and the Marauders had been thrown backwards. He looked at Veger's body. Coated with hot cinders, but it didn't matter; the dead don't feel pain.
The ottsel heard groans and looked over at the Marauders. Dizzily, they were getting to their feet. Daxter gulped. What new powers had they unlocked? Daxter noticed that the lock had been damaged, and pushed against the door. It opened. Daxter slipped out and hid in the shadows. He watched the Marauders fearfully, but soon that fear gave way to confusion. What were they doing? They were just… standing there. Why weren't they trying out their new powers?
Suddenly he heard a violent cough. Daxter gasped and looked in the direction it came from. "Veger…?" Another cough rattled the wounded ottsel's body. "Veger!" Daxter rushed to his side and held him gently. "Veger, you're alive!"
"R-really…? I… cough… c-couldn't t-t-tell," Veger said sarcastically.
"Hang in there! We'll be outta here soon!" Daxter promised. The Marauders were completely distracted by their bewilderment and hadn't noticed the ottsels. They still had the chance to escape!
"I… I d-don't… have… have the… st-strength… I…" Veger coughed violently again.
"You've managed not to die for this long," Daxter said. "You can make it!"
"No… I-I…" Veger groaned in pain. "I'm not…"
"Don't give up now!" Daxter said. "You've got to pull through! Jak's already started to not hate you!"
"Daxter…" The ottsel struggled to speak. It was getting harder and harder to breathe. But he had to say what he needed to say before it was too late. "C-can you… do me… one l-last favor…?"
"You're not going to die!" Daxter knew he sounded childish, pleading with a dying man not to pass on, but he didn't care. Maybe if he believed hard enough…
"P-please…!"
"…" Daxter swallowed the lump in his throat. He didn't want to admit to himself that Veger's time had come, but it had, and he wouldn't be able to live with himself if he denied the older ottsel's last request. "A-alright…"
"M-My wife… and s-son… they're b-buried… in Haven… C-can you… b-bury me… with th-them…?"
Daxter bit his lower lip. Why did his last request have to be so goddamn morbid?! "I… I will, I promise."
"Th-thank… you…" Veger coughed again. "Thank you… for ev…everything… Y-you've… been very… very good to me… Daxter… e-even though… I d-don't… deserve… y-your friendship…"
Daxter didn't know what to say. He wished he could think of something funny to say, some smart-ass comment, something to make his friend chuckle one more time, but he couldn't. Why did his wit have to fail him now, of all times?!
"O-one… one more… thing… I-If you r-really… really think that…. Jak… should kn-know, th-then… tell him… I… I trust your… j-judgment…" Veger's eyes slid closed as his labored breathing slowed and eventually stopped. His heart beat one last time before going still. He was dead.