Chapter Fifteen:
The Circle Closes, Part II
Both Haven and Spargus were thrown into darkness. The sun had set, but every able person was working nonstop, preparing for when Cass would emerge from the ocean with his doomsday machine. They had been warned of what evil would emerge from the sea, and organized for anything.
In Haven, Baroness Ashelin worked tirelessly with the Krimson Guard, starting patrols to watch the outer walls, and especially the Port. Haven City, being right on the ocean, would be the hardest to defend. Cass and his Dark Maker abomination could appear within the city limits without warning. Vin, who had been called back from Spargus, rigged a sonar system, which would hopefully give the city a window of opportunity.
Sig temporarily took over the spot as commander of the Krimson Guard, while Torn was commissioned to the allied city of Spargus. Sig was a skilled leader when he put his mind to it, and Ashelin wasn't disappointed that she had chosen him to lead the KG in this perilous time. With speed and effectiveness, Sig set up patrols around the Port and even sent out Hellcats to scour the sea.
Unlike her father, who had forcefully taken any able person, Ashelin asked that any able person volunteer and report to the Fortress to receive orders. Many people came willingly to serve their Baroness and save their city. Sig even set up new squadrons, made up of citizens and experienced KG. The less experienced citizens would benefit from being grouped with the battle hardened KG in this troubled time.
Mechanics and technicians worked on installing turrets along the top of the outer defensive wall of the city. Without Vin, who was working on the sonar system, it didn't go as fast, but they managed to go at a steady pace. Many manned turrets were functional around midnight, which would give much needed firepower to the city.
"What's the status?" Baroness Ashelin spoke into her communicator to the patrols on the outer wall.
"No change, ma'am," came the reply.
Sighing, Ashelin shifted her weight in her chair. Everything was too damn quiet. During the war with the Metal Heads you could hear a battle coming, but this war was much different. She didn't like the quiet waiting before the storm; it was bound to drive her insane. She would much prefer the action and just getting the battle over with. Not that she was eager for war, like her father had been, but the waiting was getting to her…
"You know, sitting around and waiting for the fight to start isn't going to make it come any faster," a voice spoke from behind her.
Rolling her eyes, Ashelin turned to Sig, who had a devilish smirk on his face. "Don't you have something better to do than come check up on me?" She retorted.
Laughing his boisterous laugh, Sig took a seat next to Ashelin at the large briefing table. "I'm off shift for a few hours."
Isn't that just wonderful for me, Ashelin thought wryly, but didn't speak it aloud. "Have we received any news from Spargus?"
Laughing again, Sig smirked, "No, unless something has changed in the three minutes I've been out of the Fortress."
Ashelin couldn't understand what possessed her to hire Sig, for he was an irritating individual that loved nothing more than to provoke her temper. "I'm glad you think this is all a big joke," Ashelin spit out before she could bite her tongue.
Sig's face turned serious. "I don't think this is a joke. I find that you can't take life too seriously, however, because you're not going to live through it." The smirk returned to his face.
Ashelin rolled her eyes again, leaned back in her chair, and shook her head. What had possessed her to hire him?
In Spargus, the people had to work hard, if not harder. Spargus didn't have the same technology at its disposal as Haven did. Mechanics repaired and upgraded the large defense tower, for they would need it if Cass decided to attack the city. Mechanics also worked on the dune buggies, repairing and upgrading the weapons mounted on their frames.
Torn worked with the people of Spargus, setting up patrols and squadrons, and setting up a battle plan. One thing this city wasn't short on was personal weapons. Living in such a ruthless Wasteland required guns and ammunition to survive, and the city had an ample supply. Every person was given the newest and most powerful upgrades to their guns that were available and plenty of ammo to go with it.
The defensive walls around the city were strengthened. Before they had been used to keep out the sandstorms and the marauders, but now they would need to keep out a much fowler enemy than ever before. Cass was seeking to end the planet as they knew it, so no place was safe until Cass met his end.
King Damas called a meeting within the Palace to organize the defense of the city. Through the communicators they spoke to Baroness Ashelin and others, coordinating their defenses wherever possible. Jak and Erin explained to the people that Cass had dark powers, which allowed him to speak to the Dark Makers. He had made a deal with the Dark Makers, if he helped them, he would be rewarded with control of the planet.
It took some time, but they came up with the best strategy that would work with what they had. Ashelin sent some Hellcats to Spargus to help patrol the water, while Torn worked with setting up proper shifts and squadrons. Damas worked on the dune buggies with the mechanics. Baroness Ashelin also sent some extra mechanics to Spargus to help with upgrading weapons and buggies.
After the meeting, everyone went their separate ways and got to work on their individual tasks. After the time consuming task of assigning squadrons and patrols, Torn tracked down Jak and finally forced him to explain everything that had happened since he found out Cass was a spy. He would have yelled at Jak for upwards of an hour for leaving without explaining in the first place, but there were more important things to worry about.
After meeting with Jak, Torn walked around Spargus and checked in on the progress at each area. Reaching the garage, Torn talked with Damas about the other areas of the city. Most were finished, but there were still a few mechanics overhauling the buggies. There were only two buggies left by the time Torn arrived, so he offered to help.
Approaching the nearest buggy, Torn was astonished to see a familiar green-haired mechanic working on installing a turret on the smallest buggy. Moving closer, Keira was so focused on her work that she didn't even notice him.
"Need some help?" Torn asked.
Startled, Keira looked up into Torn's eyes. "Yeah, sure," she said dismissively.
Rolling up the sleeves to his jacket, Torn moved closer. "Does your father know you're here?" Torn asked, making small talk, and wondering if her father had let go of his over-protective tendencies.
"No," she answered shortly, pulling on her wrench, trying to loosen a tough bolt on the frame of the turret. "He wouldn't have let me come if I'd asked him."
Gently moving her aside, Torn grabbed the wrench and made quick work of the stubborn bolt. Keira raised an eyebrow as he turned back to her and handed her the wrench. "Thanks," she muttered. Barring any further conversation, they set to work on aligning the turret. With the extra hand, it took less than an hour to finish the job.
With both cities as prepared as they could possibly be, there was nothing left to do but watch and wait for Cass to emerge from the sea. The populace of each city held its breath, knowing that the threat would show itself in eventually, and they wanted to be ready when it did.
Erin sat alone on the bed, knowing that she should be trying to get some rest, but she just couldn't seem to force her head to the pillows. So much had happened in the last few days. First she had managed to escape from Krew, and then captured by Cass. Not to mention him trying to convert her to his side.
It had been a nightmare being on that Dark Maker ship. The dark creatures were a perversion to all life, and they lurked in the corridors of the ship like ghosts. They were dark wisps of energy, polluting everything around them. But that's not kept her from sleep at this late hour. Many times her darker self called out to her and tried to take over, but Erin had resisted with all her might. If she hadn't had her light powers, she may have joined Cass…
Her mind kept running over the possibilities if she had. She would have forever been caught in her dark form, unable to control her own actions. Her alter ego would have joined Cass readily, or pretend to. Once Cass had started to trust her, Erin was sure that her dark form would have killed him and chose to rule the destroyed world alone. Dark Erin wouldn't want to share power.
Another thought crossed her mind, if she had joined Cass, would she have killed Jak when he tried to rescue her? Would he be dead now, and the world poised on the brink of destruction? Those were terrible thoughts that kept her from much needed sleep. Cass had come very close to turning her against her own cause, if Jak hadn't turned up when he did, Cass would have forced her into her dark form, forever sending her to a place where Jak wouldn't have been able to save her. The world would have been doomed, and Jak dead, for she was sure that Jak wouldn't have killed her, even when forever trapped in her monstrous form.
Perhaps she was being foolish, thinking so deeply about what could have happened, but she couldn't seem to tear her mind away from that line of thought. But maybe it wasn't just the what-if's of what had transpired that made her fearful, but the what-ifs of the coming battle. Cass was a smart man, crazy for sure, but he was smart. He managed to avoid detection when in the Krimson Guard for all that time, never drawing attention to himself. He had used the resources of the KG and the crime syndicate to reach his goal, all the while never looking suspicious to either group. He was smart, there was no denying it, but that only made the final battle between them that much more uncertain.
Erin worried about the coming battle. Cass had technology that rivaled the Precursors, while they only had the modern-day technology of their people. Cass obviously had the advantage. Not to mention that he could attack at any moment. The alarms could sound anytime, whether it would be within a few minutes or a few days, no one knew.
The uncertainty of the entire situation put Erin on edge.
Light bathed the room as Jak entered, turning the light on as he did. He looked exhausted, his back rigid with obvious worry. He didn't notice Erin sitting on his bed and proceeded across the room. Erin just watched him for a moment. She had missed him terribly when she had been forced away from him. It was comforting just to watch his strong form move across the room.
As if he had sensed her assessment, Jak turned and their eyes met. "Erin, what are you doing here? You should be resting."
Erin smiled wryly at the concern in his voice, she had missed him. She had been waiting for him for about two hours in his room, just to see him; Torn no doubt had wanted a play by play account of what had happened, considering how long it had taken. "I couldn't sleep," Erin gave her explanation, "and I wanted to see you."
Jak sighed and flexed the tired muscles in his back and shoulders. "Have a lot on your mind?" Jak probed gently, moving across the room to sit on the bed near her.
"Yeah," Erin answered absent mindedly, noting the distance between them. They had to be less than a foot away from each other. Erin remembered how she had forced herself to take comfort from such closeness, for they hadn't been able to get any closer until just recently. It wasn't enough, now that they didn't have a limit. Gently, Erin placed her hand on his shoulder, taking in his warmth.
The tension in his shoulders melted at her touch.
Turning to face her, Jak took both her hands in his. He gently started rubbing warmth into her smaller hands, "Do you want to talk about it?"
Erin's attention was so caught up in the gentle caressing of his hands that it took a minute for her mind to catch up with the conversation. "I suppose," she managed, although it was slightly breathless.
Jak, who seemed unaware of how his gentle show of affection affected her, mistook her hesitation for pain. "We don't have to, if you're not ready," he spoke slightly hurriedly, wanting to comfort her, not rush her.
"There's not much to say, really," Erin said as she looked up into his eyes, "he didn't hurt me or anything; he just tried to turn me against the world, and you."
The tender warmth in Jak's eyes turned to fire. "He was a fool to think he could turn you against everything you know."
Erin laughed softly, "That's what I said."
They fell into a comfortable silence at that point, just taking reassurance in each others' presence. Erin felt small shivers run up her forearms at Jak's touch, like little bolts of lightning. The warmth ran up her arms and seemed to take away the uncertainty of the coming battle. Everything would be fine as long as they were together.
Jak sighed again, breaking the silence. "Erin, I need to ask something of you…"
At his hesitation Erin looked into his deep blue eyes, bidding him to continue.
"When Cass shows himself, I want you to leave him to me. I want you to stay safe and let me take care of him."
"You want me to stay behind and let you go and fight him yourself?" Erin reworded his request. "No," she answered her own question.
At the tone of finality in her voice, Jak shifted his weight so they were closer. "He knows what you mean to me, Erin, he'll…"
Jak was silenced as Erin's finger pressed into his lips. "No," she spoke softly, "something tells me that the only way we defeat him is together."
Jak released the air from his lungs that had been about to form an argument, but he could tell that he had lost. "You are so stubborn…" he murmured.
"Only when I have to be," Erin answered good-naturedly, finally removing her finger from his lips.
The small smile on her lips faded when her brown eyes met his beautiful blue ones. She wasn't quite sure how it had happened, but during their conversation, consciously or not, they had managed to maneuver closer together. A deep desire rose in Erin's stomach as all the times she had been missing him came back to her mind, magnified ten fold. The hesitation was almost too brief to measure as she noticed her desire mirrored in Jak's eyes.
Their lips met with almost heartbreaking tenderness. The heat in her stomach ignited into a burning fire, but still they kept the pace slow. Slowly Erin raised her hands to caress her lovers face, and, just as slowly, Jak's made a similar trail around her waist, bringing her gently closer.
The kiss eventually became deeper, but the pace no faster. They were content to just enjoy being in each others' arms. Erin's world tilted slowly as Jak moved their positions. Erin was pressed gently into the soft bedding, while Jak hovered over her, careful not to put too much weight on her. He broke the kiss to look into her deep brown eyes. He moved a hand up to comb through her beautiful red-brown hair. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you sooner," he whispered.
"I'm here now," she whispered, quickly closing the gap between them. A kiss more demanding than the earlier ones. It was instantly deep and instantly satisfying. He let some of his weight rest on her, which only sparked their desire higher. His lips left hers to travel down the sensitive part of her throat; she turned her head instinctively to grant him easier access.
"I've wanted this for so long, my love," he spoke between fevered kisses. Suddenly pulling away, he took a series of deep breaths, "But I don't want to push you."
Erin looked into his eyes and saw the concern mixed with the desire there. Reaching a hand to run her fingers through his short-cropped blonde-green hair, Erin was at a loss for words. His concern and love for her had robbed her of her ability to speak. Her answer was the kiss she planted on his lips, the gentle hands that started pushing the jacket from his strong shoulders.
While the rest of the world kept an avid watch on the quiet sea, Jak and Erin had only eyes for each other. Gently, they entered the new world that love brought. There was no world outside the walls of their room; the worries would wait for a while. Hidden from the concerns of the outside world, they had nothing but their love. They fell asleep in each other's arms, knowing the battle to come was inevitable, but willing to face it. Together.
Jak awake with a familiar beeping in his ear. It was relentless, forcing him to consciousness. Finally opening his eyes, Jak blinked against the darkness clouding his vision. Reaching blindly for the communicator on the bed-side table, he found it and placed it to his ear.
"Yeah?" He asked groggily.
"We've got movement," came Torn's reply, "you better get down here."
"We'll be right down," Jak answered, his grogginess evaporating instantly. Putting the communicator back, Jak returned his attention to the soft woman in his arms. He hesitated slightly, for she was sleeping so comfortable with her head on his chest, but he gently traced a finger along the side of her face.
She stirred slightly; tilting her head up until her eyes met his.
"It's time," Jak answered the unspoken question in her eyes. Nodding, she reluctantly pulled away from his strength and warmth. Turning on the table light, they dressed in silence. They had only gotten a few hours of rest, but Jak was replenished and ready for the battle to be over.
Before the exited the room into the hall, Jak pulled Erin into his arms and kissed her passionately, bringing to mind the pleasure they had shared only a few hours ago.
When the kiss ended, Jak held her close, while her arms circled his waist. "When this is over," he promised, "we'll be married. I'm not letting you get away again."
Erin smiled and inched her face closer to his. "I didn't 'get away' I was taken away."
Jak couldn't stop the foolish grin from crossing his face. He felt optimistic for the first time in a very long while. Stealing a quick kiss, he moved them into the hall. "Like it or not, you're not getting away again." He answered confidently.
Erin just laughed.
Erin's hair whipped through the desert wind as they flew towards their destination. Jak flew the Hellcat across the endless Wasteland to the coordinates that had been given to him. Behind them many more Hellcats fell into position as they closed in on their target.
Cass had emerged from the ocean. The final battle was upon them.
Something wasn't right, everyone could feel it. Cass was up to something, his actions were proof of that. Instead of laying siege to the nearest city, Cass had stopped after reaching land, about equal distance between the two cities. After the monstrous machine had freed itself from the ocean, all movement had stopped, as if he was waiting for something.
Or someone.
Or more specifically, two someone's. Erin was sure, as everyone was sure, that Cass was setting a trap and waiting for them to attack him. Erin was equally as sure that Cass was waiting for her and Jak to show up. She couldn't be sure why, but it was a strong feeling she had. No one knew what Cass was up to, but they knew it couldn't be good.
Baroness Ashelin had sent all the Hellcats from Haven to meet the forces from Spargus. They would attack Cass's doomsday machine from both sides, and hopefully end the threat quickly before too many lives were lost. They were going to strike strongly and swiftly, for it was their greatest chance of avoiding any trap that Cass may have set.
Erin glanced down to the dunes that were thrown into a sand storm. She barely managed to see the many dune buggies below them through the haze. Below, King Damas was leading his best drivers across the desert below at full speed to keep up with the Hellcats.
One enormous sand dune loomed on the horizon, and Erin was sure that Cass wasn't far beyond it.
The wind seemed to howl harder as the Hellcats inclined to a higher altitude to bypass the mountain of a sand dune. It seemed unnatural; it was far larger than any sand dune could possibly be. The dune buggies were forced to drive around it due to how steep it was. As their Hellcat crested the top of the dune, the ever insistent wind died without warning.
It was a perversion of nature before them.
A blinding flash of light exploded out of the doomsday machine before they even had enough time to comprehend what lay before them. Jak's reflexes were quick, but not quick enough. The giant laser managed to cut the left side of their Hellcat, sending them unsteadily through the air. When Jak finally recovered, he saw that others in the squad had not been so lucky. Five Hellcats had been destroyed by one sweeping assault, and several others, like them, had taken some damage. The enemy was smart; he had used the layout of the land to his advantage and perhaps even has altered it a bit. He had waited patiently for them to come to him, firing everything at them when they did.
Cass had set his trap well.
Jak ordered though the communication system for everyone to break off and spread out. Hopefully that would make it harder for the enemy to take them out. Moving low and swift, Jak sped down to the giant machine Cass planned to use against the world. The six-legged war dreadnaught stood menacingly before them, firing shots rapidly at any available target.
The Hellcats reached their target and fired at the many fragile-looking legs, hoping to keep it immobile. They circled the machine like a group of bees, firing at every open opportunity. Jak could just imagine the growing irritation that Cass must be feeling as he missed the Hellcats time and again.
The head of the giant monster-like machine turned outward with a purpose and fired far out in the sand. Following Cass's line of fire with his eyes, Jak watched his shot tear through the hull of the lead sand buggy as it approached, leading the others. The force of the laser caused the buggy to flip. In a fury for his father, Jak changed directions and fired his missiles rapidly at the head of the machine. Subconsciously, Jak prayed to the Precursors that Damas was all right.
The head swiveled around, and with great accuracy, found Jak and Erin's Hellcat among the hundred others. Firing his massive laser, Cass managed to land a shot at the engine compartment in the back of the hull. The sirens in the small cockpit blared as Jak lost all means of controlling the Hellcat. Jak jerked on the controls, but he had no way of changing their trajectory. Abandoning the controls, Jak braced for impact. Over the dominating sirens, Jak managed to call out to Erin, not knowing if she could hear him.
"Hold on!"
The small flying machine slammed into something very solid, whether it was a rock formation in the sands or a dune buggy driving down below, Jak wasn't about to open his eyes to find out. An ear-piercing screech sounded as the Hellcat skidded across the solid surface, sending sparks through the small cabin. Once the Hellcat came to a halt, Jak forced the shell-shock from his mind and got out of the useless Hellcat, pulling Erin with him.
Jak barely had time to comprehend their situation before he had to throw himself and Erin out of harms way. A metal crushing blow came down; Jak barely had time to jump away from the wreckage as the giant head of the Dark Maker machine struck a blow, smashing what was left of the downed Hellcat. Pulling him and Erin off the ground, Jak took in where they had crash-landed. The contaminated Precursor metal underneath his feet was dark and menacing.
The unnatural and twisted machine was now their battlefield.
Pulling the morph-gun from his back, Jak took aim at the Dark Makers who appeared before them. Firing, Jak was sure to keep a watchful eye on the head of the machine. Erin quickly took aim as well, firing at the closest enemies. Firing rapidly, they made their way to the base of the "neck" of the machine. Another thunderclap sounded as Cass used the machine's head to swat at them, as if they were nothing more than irritating insects.
The many engines of the Hellcats in the air around them were suddenly silent; the harsh wind blowing in from the ocean was cut off. The silence was oppressive, changing the landscape of the battle. The air around Jak and Erin grew darker, as a force field appeared around the entire decking of the Dark Maker ship, effectively cutting Jak and Erin off from all backup. Cass's laughter filled the air, but he couldn't be seen.
A flash of purple energy announced his arrival. If at all possible, he looked even worse than before. The darkness had taken its toll on him. His eyes had become dark and sunken into his face, his cheek bones were very obvious on his face, in addition to his pale skin, and he looked like a corpse. His mocking smile was a twisted version of itself, adding a demon-like quality to him.
"You think you can stop me now, Jak? The Precursors aren't here to save you this time," he laughed in his hysteria. He laughed and had no fear, in his delusional mind he was as unstoppable as a god, as he had once claimed to be. He was a madman, and he had to be stopped.
Calmly taking aim for Cass's heart, Jak answered Cass's question. "Yeah, I think I can take you."
Cass's eyes flared, a deep anger rising from the pit of his stomach at the calm dismissal that Jak had just shown. In a blazing fury, Cass fired dark energy balls at Jak. Rolling, Jak returned fire with his morph-gun. While Jak had Cass distracted, Erin pulled out her weapon and fired at him as well.
Cass snarled, calling more Dark Makers to his aide. In multiple flashes of dark energy, Jak and Erin were surrounded. Risking it all, Jak allowed his darker side to emerge. Using his dark powers, Jak blew a hole in the circle of enemies around them, changing the footing in the battle.
After many minutes of battling against the odds, the Dark Makers were dispatched, leaving Jak and Erin versus Cass. Cass backed up to the edge of his self-produced shield around the ship, knowing that they had the upper hand. Jak and Erin both had their weapons raised, not giving Cass the opportunity to escape, as they pressed closer.
"You cannot kill me!" He bellowed, his teeth flashed as if he were a caged animal. "I am all that is dark, I cannot be defeated!" Jak dared a step forward, ready and willing to end this battle now. Shoving the barrel of his morph-gun into Cass's ribs, Jak looked his enemy in the eye.
"Wanna bet?"
It was a foolish mistake on Jak's part, very foolish. Cass had the same enhanced reflexes as Jak, and used them to his advantage. With a swift and precise hit, Cass sent the morph-gun flying, skidding along the metal that made up the Dark Maker ship. When free of Jak as a threat, Cass pointed a hand at Erin.
A dark pulse of energy erupted from Cass's outstretched hand, engulfing Erin instantly. Jak's heart broke as her pain-filled scream cut through the quiet air. Unable to stop what was happening to her, Jak could only watch as Cass lifted her form into the air and tossed her back until she slammed into the bubble-like shield that kept them from receiving any backup.
Jak lunged at Cass, but he had used his transportation power to appear at Erin's side. Running, Jak tried to reach Erin before Cass could finish the job, but she was so far away on the large ship. Jak crossed to the other side in time to see Erin climb to her feet, but she wasn't Erin anymore, it was her dark counterpart that rose from the bleak metal below Cass's feet.
Jak's footsteps stopped, he couldn't force his muscles to respond as he watched the sight of Dark Erin rising from the cold and indifferent metal beneath his feet. Her black eyes were fixed on him, a vicious snarl parted her lips.
"Join me, and we will rule this world!" Cass spoke to her. "He is all that stands in our way!" He yelled, pointing at the stunned Jak. "Together we can take him!"
"No," Dark Erin answered in a calm, demanding voice, her eyes never leaving Jak's, "I'll take care of him, alone." Her demand was so dark that Cass didn't even try to change her mind.
Jak felt as if he was going to die just from hearing those words. His heart had never been so pained; it felt as if it had stopped pumping the crimson blood that kept him alive. A silence filled his ears; everything quit sounding except for those echoing words, as if he were already and empty shell, devoid of life.
Keeping her eyes locked on him, as if displaying her power over him, she approached, silently daring him to defend himself. Jak barely had control over his own body as he stumbled away from her as she came closer, knowing he was helpless against her attacks, for he would rather die than harm her.
Still Dark Erin approached, and still Jak was powerless against her. Finally finding his voice, Jak pleaded with the part of Erin that he loved that had to be hidden in there under the surface. "Erin, I know you're there," his voice was on the verge of breaking, so he took a deep breath as he continued to retreat cautiously, "Erin, you have to fight this!"
"Your words are pointless," Dark Erin laughed coldly, "she has no power now."
Jak's only other option was to give up, which he couldn't possibly do. If he was going to die, he would die trying. "Erin, you have to hear me!"
Jak didn't realize that he had run out of ground until his back pushed into the outer shield of the Dark Maker ship. Jak knew he couldn't do anything to stop her, he couldn't find the strength of heart to strike down the woman he loved, the Precursors were wrong when they chose him to end the reign of the Dark Makers...
Dark Erin's claws clutched at his throat, and Jak closed his eyes, waiting for oblivion…
"Hasn't anyone ever told you to trust your heart?" Dark Erin spoke.
Completely caught off guard, Jak forced his eyes open. Looking into the eyes of Dark Erin, Jak saw the flash of light energy there amongst the dark. Cass hadn't forced Erin into her darker self permanently; he had underestimated the power of the light!
Jak was sure to make him regret it.
"Time to die, Jak," Dark Erin bellowed, but an eye winked at him. The dark eco entered his body instantly, but it was much more potent and devastating than any previous experience, and much more powerful. Cass had given Dark Erin more powers, and in doing so made her an equal, and now she passed the powers on to Jak.
The newly acquired power rushed through Jak's veins as he too turned. With a thought, the two of them used dark energy to transport them instantly to their enemy. They unleashed a dark bomb so powerful that it devastated the dark ship under them, as well as Cass. The shockwave shattered the shield that separated them from their comrades. The solidified shield shattered like glass, which rained down on them.
It was almost slow motion as the glass fell down upon him, impaling Cass in many different places, ending his life instantly. With what dark energy was left, Jak teleported them out of the deadly rain, and the instant their feet hit the soft sand dunes Jak pulled out his communicator. No longer was it disrupted by the dark shield.
"Blow it up!" Jak ordered.
The Hellcats fired all remaining missiles at the Dark Maker ship. The Explosion was catastrophic, sending an earthquake through the sands and nearly blinding all within a mile of the area. Jak held on to Erin protectively until all was clear.
A painful moment of silence filled the air, and the hearts of all involved in the battle, until conformation could be made.
"It's destroyed!" Damas spoke to all who would listen.
The radio burst into cheers from all lines, all celebrated the death of the greatest enemy that had ever threatened Haven or Spargus.
Jak laughed, pulling Erin closer. His father was alive, and was he relieved. He looked into Erin's eyes, thankful she was alive as well. Something had happened, Jak didn't know why, but their darker halves had accepted each other and had worked together. What a joyous occasion it was.
"It's over," Erin breathed as she leaned into Jak.
Jak laughed again, suddenly he felt as if he didn't have a care in the world, which was ridiculous, for there would have to be a massive clean up of the area, and so much more…
"What's so funny?" Erin asked, looking into his eyes, laughing as well.
"I just realized what the Precursors tried to tell me before I appeared on the Dark Maker ship," Jak laughed, yet again, for he was the only one who knew that the Precursors were actually small furry rats.
"What?" Erin asked, intrigued.
"They said, 'pity Cass, for you could have been him,'" Jak answered. Now Jak understood what the leader had meant, for Jak could have been just like Cass if he had never been given the power of light, if he hadn't found it in time, he would have been fully consumed by the darkness, and so would Erin…
"Nice way of showing pity," Erin commented, laughing.
Epilogue:
The entire city of Haven was alight with the upcoming excitement of the day. The early morning chill did nothing to dull the spirits of those preparing the Palace for this glorious day. People worked tirelessly making the Palace a paradise for the wedding of the century. Who wouldn't be proud to have helped decorate for the wedding of the two greatest heroes of the millennium?
It had been only two weeks since the defeat of Cass and the Dark Makers, but it could have been years ago for all the effects that remained today. Baroness Ashelin had demanded that they get married in the Palace once she heard the news, but it had taken time to get everything ready for a "proper" wedding.
Erin sat in the room given to her to prepare for the wedding. Tess and Keira were there to help her dress and do her hair, but getting all dolled up made her feel silly. She would have been just as happy having a small wedding and inviting their closest friends, but once Ashelin set her mind to something, there was no way of changing it.
She hadn't been allowed to see Jak all day; because it was considered bad luck to see each other before the wedding ceremony. By mid day Erin was getting nervous, for every person in the city was likely to be at the wedding.
"Time to go!" Tess called eagerly as she re-entered the room. Quickly Tess and Keira helped Erin get the large veil in her hair and over her face, and they were out the door.
Jak waited at the alter, which had been set up where the throne had sat. The large throne room of the Palace had become the church for the special occasion. Countless people filled the many benches that had been lined up in the room, and those who couldn't find a seat stood along the walls. Even more people waited in the upper levels of the Palace, looking down on the throne room.
A heavenly tune started up, making all noise in the large building cease as all eyes focused on the main door. The door was opened by two Krimson Guards, revealing the woman he was about to marry. A rain of white flower petals danced in the air from the upper levels as the walked forward, arm in arm with Damas, who subbed in for her missing father. She was the most beautiful thing he had ever seen, his eyes forgot about all the other people in the large room, seeing only her. She was a vision in white, an angle that rivaled even her light form.
She walked the long distance to him, and never did her eyes leave his. Her eyes were filled with the love that she felt for him. Jak held out his arm to her, and she took it gently. Jak was barely aware of the pat that his father gave him before he took his seat in the front row.
The leader ottsel stood before them on a raised platform, presiding over the wedding. Jak could have laughed again about the shock it had been to the people of Haven and Spargus to find out that the creatures they had worshiped for thousands of years were actually furry rats, but he was too focused on Erin.
It didn't take long to get to the first kiss as a married couple. Their kiss was met with thunderous applause. Now they truly belonged to each other.
The wedding passed quickly, but now was the hard part. Jak had learned his true name after the battle from his father, and the Precursors had told him what it meant. Jak had to go back to Sandover village, in his old time, to set the stage so he could complete his legacy.
Erin felt a tug on her dress, and turned around. There was a small boy of about ten or twelve. "Is this yours?"
Looking in to his hand, Erin was shocked to find the amulet that was the only tie to her true parents. She took it in her hands, "How…?"
"Jarred, what are you doing?" A harsh whisper from a feminine voice caught Erin's ear. She turned to see an older woman motioning to the boy. Erin froze, for the woman looked like an older version of herself.
"Mother?" Erin spoke cautiously.
The woman looked up, and nearly fainted from shock. The leader ottsel caught her with the power from his Precursor rod, keeping her from hitting the ground.
"Yes," answered the ottsel, "We sent your daughter into the future to keep her safe, so she would grow up away from danger."
"My…daughter," she spoke slowly. "I thought I would never see you again." She hugged her lost daughter.
"I'm your older brother!" Pronounced the young boy, Jarred, proudly.
"The Precursors told me you would be a great hero," her mother said. "When they sent you away, I thought I'd never see you again."
"I'm afraid her destiny is not complete," the leader ottsel spoke, "she must leave again, but this time she won't come back."
"I'm just glad I got to see her, all grown up," she spoke sadly, "see what she's become. It's your destiny, my daughter, don't worry about me."
Erin patted her older/little brother on the head, and hugged her mother. Parting with them after just meeting them was painful, but she was glad that she got to meet them in the first place.
"Are you ready, Mar and Erin?"
The Precursor used his true name, his given name. The name of the man who built the largest city of the time, and advanced technology hundreds of years, who befriended the Lurker race, and headed a war against the first attacks of the Metal Heads.
Jak took Erin's hands in his, "We're ready."
The Precursor raised his rod, and the two heroes of all time were enveloped in a brilliant light.
When Erin first opened her eyes, she was standing on a sandy beach. Not far down the way was a small, quaint village. It was to be her home for the rest of her life. "This is where you grew up?"
"Yes," Jak answered. "There is so much work to do, we have to build the city of Haven, befriend the unfriendly Lurker race, and build a massive defense system… and countless other things."
Jak sighed, tired just thinking about all the work ahead of him.
"You've done it once, you can do it again," Erin answered.
"Yeah, but where to start?" Jak asked redundantly.
"Well, I was thinking that we could work on starting the famous Mar Bloodline," Erin smiled provocatively at her new husband.
Jak kissed his love. He knew he had several lifetimes' worth of work to do in just one, but with all the hardships and battles ahead of him, Jak could be sure of one thing. Erin would be with his every step of the way.
End of Book II
Author's Final Notes: After all this time, I can finally mark this story as "Complete." This last chapter was the hardest to write of any of them, by far! I was afraid that the final battle would be a let down, and not epic enough for the end. And it took FOREVER! I had midterms, twice, and I couldn't seem to make myself type this last chapter, it was like I didn't want it to end. Sorry it took too long!
In my last words, I would like to thank all of those people who reviewed, for if it wasn't for you I probably would have deleted this story long ago! Thanks to Randi-Roo, Volume-5, SAChan23, DarkEcoLord, failedmarshmallow, ShinjaNoBaka, Chibi Jak, Dean's Little Secret, Silver Horror, Choas Babe, Juno, goofball44306, … anyone who reviewed!!! Without your feedback I would have quit, I just know it!!!
And thanks to all those who read, even if you didn't post a review, for, as I'm posting this I have over 6,600 hits for my thirty chapters, and around 155,600 words put into this story!
Anyway, thanks again!! And I hope that you all post a final review for my story!!
Darth Melly