YAY faster update! This fiction's nearly coming to a close, but that doesn't mean the action stops here. Whether you peeps care or not, there is going to be a sequel; That will be the final story in the trilogy, as I will no longer write this series once I finish the sequel. Until then, enjoy this: note: characters may seem a little OOC; but face it, if your father died in your arms, and you didn't even know it was hin, wouldn't you be extremely angered/up.
Anyways, on with the update. Chapter 24, HO:O
---
The Trio examined the area with broad eyes; taking in each aspect of the shattered and ruined arena that once housed their triumphant racing victories. The supposed death place of Errol, the Raceway of Mar; This stadium was many things. Now however, it was just a pile of rubble. A storm boomed overhead and drops of rain pattered agaisnt the cracked tiles. Smoke poured from fires that still burned since the initial explosion that brought down the tower. Fuels and gasses energised the flames that roared and crackled, yet they remained localised within their own spaces.
Claws on metal.. low hisses, high screeches.. Wet hands gripped the pumps on their guns.. their ears were raised and they were alert. A creature leapt from the rubble and soared at them with alarming speed, but was cut down in its prime by a whizzing eco bullet. It flopped over like a ragdoll, completely lifeless. Soon more came, and the sky was active as more hopping Metal heads scurried about and stuck at them with slicing claws. But these metal clad beasts of abomination were no match for the seasoned gunman that flanked the area. Beasts upon all four raised arm mounted energy weapons and fired. Ill shots missed horribly while well placed bullets paralysed them and left them for dead. The rain grew stronger, the wind picked up, and the thunder became louder, lighting the sky for miles. Soon, the gunman and sidekick couldn't see but a few dozen yards. The yellow looming glow of Metal head gems was very much evident in the haze of the rain fortunatly.
They didn't know how long they had been traveling. They didn't know what was in store for them. All three had their own motives that drove them to fight. Soon, they were cornered.. Pecker cowered at Jak's feet, as he had been waiting there.Their guns were clutched to their chest as they stared up at the sky. Above them, hovering as if suspended on invisible wires, were three Dark Makre satelites.. Each of their clicking talons grasped at them. Daxter quivered atop the blonde's shoulder, claws screeching against the metal, but not even scratching it. "I think this is the end buddy.. It's been nice, riding on your shoulder.. though it is bony and uncomfortable.." He would whisper to his friends above the rain. The blonde felt his hopes sinking with the rain.
"Its been fun Dax, Sake.. Its been real fun.." Jak replied, managing a smile. Sake wasn't so discouraged though. Just as she raised her gun, something burst through the wall behind her and took out the three massive metalic distortions. An engine purred above the roar of the rain, which was fading for a few. Jak could clearly see the shape of a zoomer, headlights on full, and the driver sitting confidently in a chair.
"Somebody called for an army..?" Damas gave the proud Jak a salute. Sake gave a wave and Daxter's face lit up with a grin.
"I thought you said a wise warrior doesn't face his enemies head on." Jak retorted,
"That all depends on how hard your skull is." Damas patted the seat next to him, and Jak climbed in. "I'd say we're both pretty head strong. Sake! You take the turret."
The female climbed atop the back of the vehicle, which was mounted with a high caliber automatic eco rifle equipped with armor piercing rounds. After charging the device, she swivelled around and faced the creatures that prepared to spell their doom. She fired once, and the beast fell into a deep chasm of water; dead.
The path was rocky and strangly easy to follow; certain areas blocked off by shield walls placed around the area by the Krimzon Guard to stop intruders from the outside. Towers made convienient bridges acrossed the water filled chasms. Sake wasn't the best of gunman, but she knew how to watch the enemie's movements and judge there location when she fired. Thus, they fell by the tens.
The road opened into a broad area, the ground split and only able to be traversed by more convieniently placed metal towers that made bridges. The final barrier was in sight, and the wall was guarded by piles of Dark Makers. Sake reeled around the turret and aimed at the beasts that converged at them from behind. The ones to the front were run over like pieces of grass on mowing day. Down into the trench they went, snaking there way through broken doors and up onto a steep bank. For a moment their wheels spun in the thick black mud, tossing up piles of dirt and rocks. Finally the paddled wheels gripped solid gravel and lurched forward violently. With the destruction of the bridges and four power poles scattered about the islands and trenches, the shield stopping them and they were free to progress. The catapult that had been bombarding them with overhead charges was within close proximity. Unfortunatly, the moment they passed through the gates, one final shell collided with their vehicle and tossed the entire shibang into the air. Sake was tossed far from the crash, head smashing into a rock. Thankfully, the hit spared her life.
However, Damas wasn't so lucky. Jak rose from his bleeding elboes and knees, going around the buggy until he spotted the warrior; He was helplessly pinned beneath the massive machiene. Daxter gasped, noting the pool of blood that was forming beneath the mans pinned legs. This was an injury he would lose his legs for. Jak knealt at his side and rested the man on his lap. Damas coughed a few times; crimson dribbled from his lips. "Damas!" Jak cried, histerical and at wits end. Sake managed to find her way to them, vision slightly blurred. Blood trickled from a gash on her head.
"Not.. bad driving.. kid.." Damas croaked, more blood rolling from his shivering lips. The rain had picked up yet again and was coming down as hard as before. The blood flowed about in a red river. "It was a good fight.. and a good day to die." Damas let his weight be carried by the blondes bleeding arms that were littered with cuts and bruises. He coughed yet again and his face twisted in pain. The man paused, then took a raspy breath. "I'm- Very proud to have been by your side.. in the end.." Jak shook his head in disbelief and shut his eyes tight to chase away the tears that he had been fighting back. He succeeded for now, at least. "This world is not yet out of heros.." Damas raised a hand, and Jak pushed him back down.
"We did well together.. - Don't move! I'll.." He paused. Damas was dieing, he knew. It was already too late, but he was afraid of losing the only man who had ever been so close to him; like a father.. He turned to face Sake, who kneeeled at his side. She clutched soaked medical supplies, but they wouldn't be nearly enough to save his life.
"Please-" Damas reached a hand up again. "Promise me one thing.. Promise me.. you'll find my son.. Mar." Sake's vivid blue eyes flashed suddenly.. it all made sense now.. everything.. Jak was beggining to catch the hint. "You'll know him when you see.. this." Damas dropped an amulet into Jak's awaiting hand. It was stained with blood, and scuffed from many years of being stashed away. "He's wearing one.. just like it." Damas' coughs became rougher, and more crimson spewed from his quivering lips. Death stood over their shoulders, his shimmering scythe awaiting its prize. "Its a symbol of our lineage.. of the great house of Mar." Jak remembered the little boy; himself.. That meant.. "Save the people Jak, Sake.. They need you..."
All at once, Jak felt himself become free from all the ties that held him down. But at the same time, he was burdened with the weight of his father dieing in his own arms. Shaking his head quickly, he clutched his now dead form.. His violet eyes were closed, tears long since streamed from the corners. "F-father.." Jak hiccupped back another sob. His father; the man he had never known, was dead. He shook his head in agony and hung his head low. Sake's small hand rested on his back. She could do nothing for her lover in his time of mourning. But Damas was very much dead. Jak screamed as loud as he could, tears of fear, anger, rage, hate, love; of everything rolled from his tightly clenched eyes. He called out in protest, and Daxter watched as his knuckles turned white around the amulet. After many tears, he grew silent; body wracked with sobs every few seconds or so. Finally he raised his head when he heard foot steps.
"Mm... Yes.. you were that child.." Veger looked as if he had just been bestowed with everything the world had to offer. His face was broad with pride. "I took you from Damas, hoping to harnous your Eco powers for my experiments.. then I lost you to the Underground..." He turned his head to one side, mocking Jak's misery. Sake would have interfered, but this wasn't her battle. Daxter's ottsel face twisted with rage at the man. "You seem upset.. Did I tell you too late...?" Veger acted drawn back, still teasing Jak in his moment of grief. He sparred no cutting words. "You were the son of the Great Warrior Damas...Oh! And he -Never- knew... How delightful..." The way he said it.. the way his face twitched with each painful word. It drove Jak mad with insanity. Once resting his father's body delicatly upon the blood stanied ground, he stood and roared in a very animalistic manner at the council leader. Dark Eco danced around him and pivoted about. For but a second he flashed dark, then reverted. The only thing holding him back was the fear of tearing the man limb from limb and drinking his blood.
"AAHH! VEGER!!!" The blonde screeched at the top of his lungs. He was ready to rend that man of his flesh! Sake stood now, Daxter on her shoulder with his back fur raised like a scared cat.
"Thank you Jak, for opening the door to the Precursors..!! Don't worry, I'll be back to put you out of your misery.." Damas spat out a sinister laugh before climbing into one of two tunnel speeders and bolting off down the catacomb tubing. Daxter lauched himself onto Jak's unoocupied shoulder.
"AFTER HIM JAK!" Daxter pointed, claws extended fully. Jak blinked, suprised.
"Wait- You're willing to go down there; Without a fuss this time?" Daxter stood up high and mighty crossing his arms.
"Yeah-- But don't get used to it! Its just NOBODY hurts my best friends, and lives to BRAG ABOUT IT! LETS GET 'EM!" He made motions that made him look all fired up. Sake cocked her gun, no longer phased by the cut on her head. Jak charged for the speeder, then stopped and summoned Sake. She glanced down at Damas hesitently, then smiled and followed Jak. It was her way of saying good bye.
Jak wasted no time in demolosing the defense systems that guarded the Catacomb pathways in the caverns below. He blasted every single piece away while swirving this way and that going at least 70 miles per hour or so. Sake ducked to avoid a support beam as they wizzed beneath it upside down. A security bot fixed its beams upon them, and he laid waste to them with the built in cannons to the Speeder. At long last the exit was visible; a pitch black hole with no smell, no temparature, and no definitive shape. The Speeder shot from the tunnel they were in and slowed to a crawl while they glanced around. It was obvious the room was very large, as there was a great echoe. Then, the lights activated. The dimmed energy lights raised until the entire room was seen. They were inside the core of the planet! Several other tubes, hundreds upon hundreds, lead into the same core, where in the center, was a large platform housed by a gargantuian Precursor totem statue. Two weapons adorned the location; one at either side. Once passing through a combination of swirling rings, they landed upon the platform and took a step onto the metal.
"Greetings, great warriors." The statue boomed, metal eyes glowing red. "Before it is too late, you must power up the planets defense system." Jak carefully placed the Eco Sphere into the slot, one made from the 8 crystals he had collected from his travels through Spargas and Haven. It slid perfectly into the slot and hovered just inside of it, beggining to rotate. The weapons triggered, and raised up. The tip split, and the charger for the beam was visible."The Eco Sphere has begun its energy conversion. It will take some time for the weapon to fully charge." Two doors slid away from each other and revealed the surface of the planet, as well as a direct pathway to the Dark maker ship, which loomed in the cold depths of space. Who knew what Errol was planning up there, Sake thought. She was caught off guard as a being appeared infront of her, and Jak; Daxter blinked. "You have proven your worth warriors! We grant you the gift of evolution.. the Honor of becoming one of us." A bright beam of light appeared just a few feet away from them, both advanced towards it, hand in hand. Daxter had some misgivings, which came true unfortunatly.
"Step aside!" a voice commanded. All three turned to face the barrel of a gun in Veger's hand. This enraged Jak. He wanted nothing more than to slaughter Veger for killing his father. Sake glanced at him, and saw the anger in his eyes. He hadn't been this angry since Keira dissed him at the garage. "I will be the one who evolves into a Precursor; the right is MINE!" Veger insisted. The light enveloped him, and the statue spoke yet again, almost teasingly.
"Be careful what you wish for..." Veger felt his body gaining strength and right as it went full blast, something hit him! Sake attempted to tackle him from the light and failed. She was unable to break loose from the hold the beam had on her form. Both her and Veger dropped down, and she stood back, aiming her guns at him. Veger glanced up at laughed.
"Ah.. It is done. Don't worry Jak, and Sake of course.. It is for the greater good that I assume this role.." Veger raised his gun and pointed it at Jak, while Sake had hers fixed on him. The statue spoke yet again.
"Even now, it may be too late. If Errol awakens the Dark Ship's cargo, all will be lost!" For a second or two there was an uneasy silence. Then Daxter finally took the stand, raising a fist.
"Listen, glow-boy! We've been doing all your dirty work while you sleapt in the stars! So STUFF IT!" A convienient crotch grab tied off the package and he crossed his arms.
"INEFFICIENT!" Screamed the enraged being, though its pure white face was blank of emotion of any kind. It turned around. "I told you we needed a back up hero. We should have gone with plan B!!!" There was the sound of a few punches and such. The being tossed from side to side and poofed. "OW HEY; CUT IT OUT!" The massive doors on the statue began to slide open. A grand light, brighter than anything ever before streamed from the gap. All four were vexed with amazement. "We are unhappy with your performance. If you had been a true hero, you would have stopped Errol by now."
For a long painful time, everyone was silent, even the voice. The owner of the voice, standing at a short 2 feet or so, large and fat. He turned to face the crowd, shocked that they had discovered their mystery! He hesitated, and watched them in return. Jak's eyes were practically exploding from her head.
"Oh. my. God." Was all he managed to spit out. Veger dropped his wand while Daxter's jaw made itself comfortable on the floor. Sake's expression wasn't much different.
"W-What the hell?"
"Yes.. Well-um... Now we are even more angry.. and um.. we order you to avert your eyes or we will.. um..." The voice stopped and the owner tossed aside a ring device. "Oh bother.." The real voice was much higher and softer to the ears. Daxter took a few steps, still gasping.
"They look like--ME?!"
"Not what you expected.." The leader spoke.
"Yeah- Like we get that alot.." One ottsel with a heavy surfer undertone spoke beneath the leader.
"Don't look so upset. If you knew we precursors were a bunch of little fuzzy rats; would you worship us? Could we run the Universe?"
"Not possible buddy!"
"So..-- We fluffed up the myth; A bit.." The ottsel held his fingers apart.
"And we get the respect we deserve!" yelled the third Ottsel, who sounded rather messed in the head.
Veger was furious; all this time he thought the Precursors were all powerful, and this was them! "You IDIOTS! Get down from there and stop defiling that glorious machiene!" he was immediatly thrown back and restrained in an eco barrier. He shifted uneasily.
"Do not let our size fool you. We are the most powerful beings in the universe.." The Leader spoke confidently, teasing Veger. The other two questioned this and were quiet.
"Why does Daxter look like-" Jak interrupted.
"Ah yes.. All Eco contains the source of our essense.. our 'Code' so to speak.. When Daxter touched the Dark Eco, he was actually blessed, when he thought he was cursed." Daxter leapt with glee at the leader's comment.
"WHOO HOO! I'm a Precursor!" He danced and repeated his phrase over and over. -- "HEY. Wait a minute! THEY HAVE PANTS!"
"These Creatures are the great precursors?!" Veger seemed stunned by this discovery, and paniced. Both him and Sake felt their bodies tingle. He wailed in horror while she gasped and felt her body plactically fold in on itself. She stood only two feet tall now, black hair coming from her head, while her small ottsel body was adorned in small garments and armor. Daxter wiggled his eyebrows and whistled. She crossed her arms and growled; literally. Jak scratched his head.
"A little drafty.. isnt it?" Daxter laughed at Veger who was not helpless against the Precursors great power. Veger growled and wiggled uneasily. However the restraints held firmly.
"The only way to ensure that Errol does not awaken the Dark Ship's Cargo is to go there yourself, and stop him.. We will send you there from here." The leaders broad furry face took on a serious look as he held his staff tightly.
"But the weapon-"
"Chill out buddy!" The surfer said proudly. "You should have mondo minutes to go there and get back pronto here way before-"
'Hopefully before-"
"BABOOM. Oh yeah!"
"Lets move!" Jak called, turning to run into the teleporter that had charged behind them. However Sake hesitated. Jak frowned. "Sake, I want you to stay here.. I've got to stop Errol. I'm sorry, but you can't do much in your current state." He gave her a scratch behind the ear, then took off with Daxter clinging to his shoulder. Sake simply slouched her shoulders and lowered her ears. The leader approached her and gave a smile.
"Its been a while, Sake." he spoke. She was suprised.
"Do I know you?" Her ottsel face twisted into one of question. He couldn't help but laugh.
"Why yes; You know me as, Kaolinth. Now; why don't we get you fixed up before all of history is thrown off course." He took a step back and waved a hand with the staff. A yellow beam struck her and she regrew into her normal human form. She immediatly turned to jump into the portal, but Kaolinth stopped her. "I'm sorry Sake. That's Jak's fight."
"But--! I need to Kill Errol; for everything he did to me.." Facing Veger, her eyes narrowed and her lips curled. "I'm guessing you had some hand in helping, right?" Veger shook his head rapidly, playing koi. "Regardless.. I will slay Errol with my own CLAWS!" The last word triggered a sudden transformation and she stood; breathing heavily with anger. Kaolinth frowned.
"But of-" he was tossed back by what seemed to be a long metal tentacle. Another encased itself around Sake and yanked her quickly into the air. A beast clung from the roof, entire body purple and metalic; A Dark maker. Kaolinth did his best to blast the creature away with his rod, but failed to do so. In the blink of an eye, she was gone. "--Oh dear.. That's not supposed to happen."
---
Lol, cliffy Gotta love cliffies. I plan on uploading chapter 25; I'm on a ferkin ROLE! I've managed to get myself back into Jak and Daxter, so my writing muse is REBORN. Yes, Im sure you agree Jak was OOC; I apologise for any typos. I did do a skim spellcheck, so there's bound to be gramatical errors, but thats just my style.
Anyways, peace.
Jak (and all affiliated characters) (c) ND. Sake (c) myself. Kaolinth(name) (c) Me