Chapter 7: The Hero

Location: Precursor Temple in Forbidden Jungle

Jak snagged Mar's arm and dashed behind some pillars as the Precursor weapons began to shoot at them. "-the hell is that?" Mar questioned as he yelled at Jak, his question being partially muffled by the loud noises coming from the guns.

Jak peered around the large metal pillar and looked at the weapons. They were made out of the same material as most of the Precursorean buildings he'd come into contact with, but these seemed to be powered by the blue eco in the temple. It would seem that this just wasn't his week. First loosing Daxter and now about to be killed with his ancestor next to him.

'NO!" he heard Dark yell. "Let me out and I'll destroy that thing!" Jak could feel Dark's snarl of frustration.

"On the condition you won't harm Mar." Jak paused. "No matter what he may do." Jak could feel Dark thinking that one over because they both knew that Mar more than likely would attack them once he saw them in Dark's form.

"Agreed!" Dark snarled and in the back of Jak's mind he could hear Daxter yell Are ya crazy! at this idea. Smirking Dark took over.

Mar suddenly heard a loud groan followed by a cry of pain from the young man next to him. Turning his head his eyes widened and he felt fear, true fear creep its way into his heart as he watched his new friend's body begin to twist into pain. He watched as Jak's skin turned pale grey and his hair turn ask white. Next long sharp dagger-like talons grew from his fingers, followed by onyx colored horns sprouting from his head. The last thing he saw was the baby blue eyes turned darker than night black color. His jaw fell open as a single fang popped out of Jak's mouth in a smirk. Just when he thought this nightmare couldn't get any more real the creature Jak had just transformed into spoke in a gravelly voice. "DON'T. MOVE." it snarled as it pushed Mar up against the metal pillar. All Mar could do was nod numbly.

Dark snarled as he rushed with inhuman speed around the spiracle corridor. The AI noticed the buildup of dark eco behind the pillar and had assumed something entirely different than what it had seen. It only took her a half of second to realize that the creature that had emerged was the result of the buildup and now had a chance to experiment with another weapon.

Dark took his talons and wrapped them around the round barrels of the gun and cut right through the Precursorean metal and proceeded to tear the weapon out of the roof. So busy with this he didn't see nor hear the second weapon drop out of the roof and point at him.

Mar however did. This weapon had a needle-like appendage as it clicked into place and began to buildup power. Searching his pack on the his hip he pulled out a fist sized yellow eco crystal and began to draw the energy out of the crystal. Within moments Mar was glowing with the power from the crystal and threw the ball of charged up eco at the newer weapon. When the ball of yellow eco collided with the new weapon it caused a misfire which caused the ball of pure blue energy to blast the walls in a zigzag pattern.

Dark suddenly turned in time to watched this spectacle and looked down at Mar who gave him a thumbs up before going back into hiding. Curious. Dark thought towards his host. Seems like Mar is going to be helpful after all. Turning back to his project, Dark pulled all of the wires out from the ceiling and jumped off of the large weapon and watched it crash down to the floor. He landed on the newer weapon and proceeded to do the same thing to it that he'd done to the first weapon. First tearing the needle off and throwing in onto the pile that was created by the first weapon, which was followed by him tearing at the barrel and that's when he heard and felt a click and as he tried to pull his arm out of the inside of the weapon he found he couldn't. The length from the tips of his talons to his elbow was stuck into of the weapon.

Snarling Dark tried to pull, but to no avail he was stuck good and this time he didn't have the little red head to help him. Like Jak earlier he heard Daxter's voice in his mind. Really big guy, ya just couldn't help shovin' that hand up there? He gave a whine. He even missed that annoying red head. He knew the kid was important to his host because he was Jak's brother, but now he saw that Daxter had been a good way to get distracted from a real problem and help out when even he made mistakes. That was when he felt heat begin searing through his skin and pain hit him as dozens of tiny needles began plunging into his skin and Dark gave out a pain filled scream.

Location: Entrance to the Precursor Temple

Daxter whistled as he looked at the temple and smirked as he remembered him and Jak conquering this stupid place. He hated the floating platforms, but they were useful. He walked over to the door and cursed to find it locked and because he wasn't a channeler like Jak he wasn't going to be able to open it. He looked over to the open blue eco vent nearby and smirked as an idea popped into him mind. Opening up his pack on his back and rummaging through it he found an empty jar and smirked. Running back over the Precursorean bridge and over to the vent he placed the jar over the vent and watched as it filled the jar halfway before it fell out because it was upside down. Daxter cursed and tried again and this time when the jar filled halfway he tipped it back upright and smiled.

Running back over the bridge he poured a little blue eco out onto his palm and gave a slight whimper at the feeling of thousands of needles piercing his palm and threw the eco in his hand onto the door. The door opened. Quickly running through the open door before it closed Daxter took a moment to look at his palm and was shocked to only find it slightly red. Squeezing his hand he found that it no longer burned or hurt and was slightly confused why it had hurt in the first place, after all he'd been clinging to Jak's shoulder as an ottsel when he'd channeled this stuff throughout their entire adventure years ago.

Filing that away for latter he walked over to the first floating platform and poured a little eco from the jar and onto the lightning bolt that was on the platform and quickly jumped onto it as it activated. He found himself having to do this several time until he reached the top of the temple and stomped onto the button at the center of the elevator. As the elevator began to go down he could've sworn he saw a lurker dirigible floating off towards the north near Rock village and Boggy Swamp and wondered what that was about.

Once the elevator came to a stop Daxter spotted the second vent that was active still and walked over to it and refilled his jar. Once it was halfway again he tipped it back upright. He had to work himself up to touching the stuff inside this time and silently thought, Jak ya pea brain, when I find ya, yer getting' an ass whoopin'….Daxter style! He smirked and grabbed a bit of the blue eco and bit his lip at the needle-like sensation and threw the wad at the door, which opened. He walked and jumped and rolled to the side as he came to the chamber where he and Jak had fought that plant monster and found nothing but dust where it had died, however what caught his attention was the large door behind it that had been blasted open.

What the heck? he thought as he looked at the bent and distorted metal. Just then he heard a howling pain filled scream that couldn't be anybody other that Dark. "Shit! I'm a comin' buddy!" yelled down the dark corridor and ran down it, ignoring the thoughts of Jak getting himself killed. After a while of running he came to sealed door that kinda reminded him of the door in Mars tomb that would only open for Mar's hair. Daxter dipped his hand into his jar and threw the eco at the door, but it wouldn't budge. Suddenly another pain filled scream echoed and it was coming from behind the door.

Daxter backed away from the door and began looking around the walls and feeling for a switch or anything that could open the door. As he search he spotted light peeking through the wall and began looking through his backpack. He knew he'd taken one of Jinx's inventions, but couldn't remember if he'd packed it or left it in Spargus. "Score!" yelled just as Dark gave another scream. Daxter's ears fell slightly. Dark's voice sounded as if he was being tortured by Erol in the prison. Daxter snarled. Nobody was going to hurt his buddy like that ever again!

Pulling away a few bricks here and there he placed the bomb in the wall and activated it. He then ran and hid behind what looked like a Precursor statue. The bomb then went off, creating a huge hole in the wall. Rushing forward with his bow drawn and arrow ready for whatever was hurting his best friend and brother, Daxter entered the room.

Location: Sandover – Young Jak

Jak looked at his brother's freckled back and wet hair. Daxter was refusing to put a shirt on because of the warm weather. Jak watched as his adoptive mother placed her hands on her hips and looked down at Daxter. Jak frowned. He really wanted that surprise, but if Daxter kept getting mother upset then they'd be going to bed early tonight. Jak sighed and rushed at his brother and grabbed him and began tickling his sides and armpits. As expected Daxter fell onto the floor giggling and laughing as Jak distracted him from the their mother.

Teresa chuckled and grabbed Daxter's arms and quickly looped the shirt over his head and flailing arms as her son giggled and laughed at being tickled. Once Jak saw the shirt was secured and on he pulled his hands away from Daxter. It took Daxter only a few moments to realize he'd been tricked. "No fair!" he cried out at Jak who laughed.

Daxter then attacked Jak with his fingers and laughed as now Jak was flailing about laughing. Both boys were having so much fun that neither of them noticed that their father had arrived and wasn't alone. It wasn't until a little girl's giggle caught their attention that they realized they weren't alone. Both had messy damp hair that was sticking out every which way and cheeks red from their play. Daxter had ended up on top of Jak and as Jak rolled onto his stomach both boys went stock still at the sight of a pretty little girl with aqua hair and bright green eyes staring at them.

"Boys," their mother began. "This is your cousin Keira and her mother." She stated. "They're going to be staying with us in the village."

"Hi." Both said at the same time and then stood up and walked over to the little girl.

"I'm Daxter." Daxter said as he pointed to himself and then nodded towards Jak. "This is my new brother Jak."

Keira blushed at the two boys. "Hi." she said shyly and both boys had to strain their ears to hear her say it.

"You wanna play?" Daxter asked with a wide smile.

Keira looked up at her mother who nodded. "Yes, but not like that. Do you have any toys?"

"Sure!" Daxter yelled as he and Jak ran over to the chest in the corner of the room. Keira ran over to the boys and smiled at all the handmade wooden toys that Daniel had made for the boys. Within minutes the three children were in their own world, forgetting about whatever was outside of it, for the moment.

Location: Hidden Chamber

Mar had been watching in horror as the dark creature he had known as Jak was being tortured by a mixture of a blue and dark eco. Lightning bolts were striking every which way. Jak gave out horrible screams and every time Mar would try to help the device would suddenly come alive and begin another round of torment. He didn't know what to do or how to help the young man. That was when there was an explosion.

At first Mar thought the device had overloaded and Jak had been injured, but as the dust settled he found that the explosion had occurred near the ruined wall and watched as another young man with red/orange and slight yellowish color hair come into the room. Bow in hand and an arrow pulled and ready.

Darks eyes widened and he felt his heart give a pause. Was this a trick by the AI or was it real? He wasn't sure, that is until Daxter spoke.

"Dark, ya lame brain pie hole." Daxter growled. "What the fuck are ya doin' up there?" Dark's ears flicked downward and he gave a tug on his pinned arm and looked back at Daxter. "pish." Daxter said, "Ya really gotta stop stikin' yer arm where it ain't suppose ta be." Daxter approached Mar. "I'm Daxter." he said as he stuck his hand out.

"Mar." was his reply as he took Daxter's hand and shook it.

"Intruder's!" came the voice of the AI, the holo of it no longer showing because of the damage it's projectors had under gone. "YOU SHALL NOT LEAVE HERE!"

"Sounds like Keira when she's piss off at the zoomer she's fixin'." Daxter stated which got a snort out of the dark creature and gave Daxter another whine. "Hold yer pants." He said as he put his arrow away pulled another arrow out. "Now, Mar; yer gonna want ta back away behind those pillars and Darkie, don't go bazerk. I'm a gonna blow that there machine."

The same thought passed through both Mar and Dark's head. WHAT!

Daxter let his arrow loose and it lodged itself right into the joints above Jak's head and the red and dark eco inside the tip of the arrow set off and exploded.

M-Angel: Sorry for the late update. Been busy and internet has been down. So hopefully I'll be giving out regular updates to this story again. Reviews are most welcome!