A/N: TECHNICALLY, May it Be is complete, and like I said these last few chapters are merely supplemental, to wrap up sub plots and provide a little extra insight into the ending. I'm sorry if details in this chapter are inconsistent with information established far earlier in this story- Try as I might, I wound up writing this chapter as if it were based on the information to be revealed in the rewrite of What If.
Either way Please Read and Review! Reviews are always appreciated!
It was all he had left, this aged and worn medallion, of his father- A man he knew for barely a year but had grown so completely attached to. The more time he'd spent around Damas, the more he remembered- They came in little spurts, the faces of his father and mother smiling down at him warmly as they held him close in their arms, the day he was whisked away by the Baron's men, his mother crying out to him as she was killed.
He was a prince, the heir to a magnificent dynasty that spanned more years than he could count. More importantly he was Mar, a revelation that still took a lot of effort to rationalize as it sank in. It meant that he wasn't finished being a hero- He still had things to do, Important things that would shape the future he had come to know so well over the last four years with little shards of his earliest childhood mixing in.
A hand on his shoulder, he turned to face its owner. She was so beautiful, even now and he mustered a tiny smile through the veil of sorrow.
"He'd be so proud of you Jak.. Of what you've become." Sake said as he felt her give his shoulder a reassuring squeeze.
"Yeah.." Was all he said. What else was there to say? His father was dead, though when he admitted it to himself, he had spent the last thirteen years of his life fatherless, so why should now be any different?
It was different, because Damas was an incredible man, and now he had to lay him to rest.
The transport shifted, and Jak leaned to avoid falling out of his seat, even though he was safely buckled in. The ride grew bumpy and turbulent and from the window in the back door, he could see the outline of Haven City as they passed into its air-space. The vehicle slowed and began its descent, landing in an open area just east of where they needed to be. As the hatch opened, a dozen Wastelanders stepped out carrying a large ornate coffin etched with Precursor symbols.
Jak lagged behind, unable to watch as the others retrieved the body of his father- the body of their King. He had to remind himself that Damas had made an impact on hundreds of lives, not just his own. They were mourning just as much as him, if not more so.
With a heavy heart, he watched that evening as his father's body was lowered into a grave while The people of Spargas sang music of victory and triumph.
"Ya'know... Back home.. a lot of people believed that when you died, you went to a place called Heaven, if you were worthy. Others called it Valhalla. Either way.. I'm sure Damas is somewhere wonderful." Sake held Jak's hand gently, giving it a squeeze once more as she smiled solemnly. Dax gave a reassuring nod and a thumbs up.
"Sounds nice.. I hope you're right." Jak muttered distantly, but there was a hint of happiness in his voice.
That evening, sleep came all too easily to the young Wastelander, mind brimming with more memories from his youth, a painful reminder of what he had lost so long ago.
Sake awoke early the next morning, startled awake by a siren as it blasted out over the city, followed by Sig's voice in the loud speakers.
"Attention all citizens of Spargas, the Inauguration Ceremony will be this evening at sundown in the Arena." The line went dead and she swallowed a few times to steady herself. Not the best way to wake up.
The choice to delay the wedding came after confronting Sig about Damas' death. Between their trip into the planet, and the fight with Errol and his machines, there had been no other time to tell anyone about the King's untimely demise or who Jak really was. Sig had also taken that time to present Jak with the choice to take the throne, insisting that it rightfully belonged to Jak. The renegade quietly declined, leaving Sig to take his place.
Sundown settled in over the Wasteland like a liberating haze, the coolness of the evening blowing away the stifling heat that had enslaved the desert and its sandy inhabitants in the mornings. Civilians began leaving their homes in small clusters as families or groups of friends, congealing until they were one unified movement destined for the steps leading to the Arena.. The black garments they had adorned for the funeral had been replaced with the usual colorful uniforms they wore, their faces paved with pride.
Jak stood next to the empty throne, apprehensive while quietly sighing as he wished to see Damas there just one more time- even if the only times he saw the man there were when he sent he and Daxter into the meat grinder. Dax saw his face wash over with silent grief and he patted his friends shoulder.
After another fifteen minutes or so, the Arena's stands had filled to the brim with Wastelanders, young and old. Their voices melded into a cacophony of low rumbles as they chatted amongst themselves, waiting for the ceremony to take place.
Everyone suddenly fell silent as Seem appeared from behind the curtain hung behind the King's throne and walked gracefully out onto the platform before it. She held her hands in the air as two more monks followed step for step.
As if they were one single entity, they began to perform gestures with their hands and arms in smooth, flowing strides. Their hands parted as points of blue light carved themselves from thin air, tracing the outline of the symbol of the House of Mar. The three monks came to a stop, palms pressed together with their forearms parallel to the ground.
"Long ago, the world was paved with strife and hardship, the people scattered and lost amidst the turmoil. Out of the suffering rose a great man, one who set forth a path to unity and salvation. That great man was Mar, and even though he did not achieve in his lifetime what he had hoped, he left behind his legacy in for form of a child- A child that would grow and become wise- A child named Damas Mar.
"Damas was more than a leader, he was a friend to us all- A father to countless children and a brother to countless souls, a beacon of light in a world filled with darkness and suffering- But as is are the ebs and flows of life, he came and went, leaving behind his memory to guide the next generation. We will always remember his sacrifices and his bravery to defend this great city, even in the face of insurmountable odds as we march forward into a new era. And while we do not pass the torch on to the Heir of Mar, another noble soul has earned his place to lead us forward along Mar's Path. Sig, Please come forward."
Sig had been standing just in front of the throne for a short while, listening intently to what the Monk had to say. Another monk holding Damas' staff stood in front of him, the shimmering orange-gold rod laid across his forearms. The monk approached Seem, Sig in tow. Seem took the staff, the monk bowing and stepping aside until the four monks formed a circle around the dark skinned soon-to-be-king.
"This staff, forged by Mar himself, is a symbol of his strengths, his ambition, his courage, his dedication to his people and a future.. And now, they are yours. May you always look to Him for guidance and strength, and may Damas' memories keep your resolve steady in the face of danger.
"Accept this staff, as King of Spargas."
Seem's voice, though quiet, seemed to fill the Arena. Sake felt her skin bristle with excitement as she watched Sig take the staff into his hands. He observed it quietly, running his fingers along its surface before turning it and setting it on its bottom point with a solid thud. As he did so, every man, woman, and child rose from their seats in an uproar of cheers and whistles, Sig's eyes scanning the crowd of his subjects. He wasn't Damas but.. they respected him, and they looked up to him.
Finally the cheering subsided and Sig quietly cleared his throat.
"I never thought I'd find myself standing here, following the footsteps of someone as great as Damas. He was always the leader, not me, but time and again he came to me for support, for guidance.. Its humbling, really- and an honor. I can never hope to fill his shoes, and trust me, they were big.." A chuckle, "You have entrusted me to guide you forward, to keep you safe, and to protect Spargas, so I entrust you to help me keep the memory of Damas alive inside us all." Sig met Jak's gaze and both men frowned. "And while it is our duty to carry on his memory and keep always in our hearts, we must also continue toward the future."
A pause as he found the right words, yet his voice still seemed to echo in the hollowed out chamber even after he was silent.
"I know I cannot be the King that Damas was, I can only be the King that Spargas needs. So this evening, I am honored and deeply humbled by the proud people of Spargas who have so graciously chosen me to become its pillar." Applause began, came to a dull roar, before tapering off quietly. Sig then turned, facing Seem who nodded softly in silent affirmation. Sig ascended the steps to the throne, towering over it. He turned and slowly sank into the stone chair, engraved markings and metal plating scuffed and dulled throughout the years.
The seat was a perfect fit, but Sig didn't entirely feel like he belonged. This was, in his heart, still Damas' rightful place.
Pecker, who had been sitting quietly on the top edge of the throne, threw his wings into the air. "Great people of Spargas, Your new King!" With that the applause started up once more.
Suddenly the air became deathly still as a rumble overhead broke the sounds of cheering. The mouth of the cave leading out over the water filled with bright light as a large unknown vessel drifted in. Its body was roughly cylindrical, with blue lights and round shapes laid out in the shape of a triangle at the top and bottom. Instantly the Wastelanders went on the defensive, weapons raised, thousands strong and ready to fire.
A latch at the front of the vessel spiraled open and Jak watched with shock as the Precursor leader he'd met at the Planet's core stepped out.
"Kaolinth!" Sake called and the two teens ran to the platform in front of the throne where the Precursor ship had come to hover.
"Sorry to drop in unannounced!" Kaolinth said with an earnest smile on his round furry face. Sig raised an eyebrow.
"Can I... help you?" Sig leaned forward in his seat, hand on his Peacemaker for support, or a death threat, he didn't know.
"Ah yes, my apologies. You may call me Kaolinth. This is Zeth and Saimon." He pointed to the surfer-esque Ottsel, then the one with buck teeth respectively. "We are Precursors." There was a fourth Ottsel, fur tinted a burned reddish orange color that did his best to sneak off unnoticed.
"I beg your pardon?" Samos had been otherwise silent up on the throne platform, but was the first to speak up. The expressions on the crowd and even Sig were amusing and Kaolinth cracked a wide smile.
"Yes we get that a lot. But a moment if you will, we have something to say- First of all... Thank you brave people of this planet." Kaolinth gave an elegant bow, "Onin, Samos, and all- Your strength and wisdom in these dark times give us reason to fight on."
Samos looked defeated, but grateful. "My life's work, it turns out, was spent searching for a bunch of furballs."
"Onin says, 'It is a great day for the universe!'" Pecker squawked as Onin signaled in the air.
"Jak, you are the greatest of heroes. You have turned the tide against the Dark Makers, and together, we will win this war." Kaolinth's rounded furry features were serious, betraying his otherwise 'innocent' demeanor.
"But dude, there are like, way more challenges in the future!" Zeth cooed out with a grin.
"Or.. or was it the past?" Saimon tapped at his chin.
"Yes yes, I was getting to that!"
"More adventures? Where've I heard that before?" Jak grinned, words filled with sarcasm as he grinned.
"We need heroes like you, and Sake, to help us protect the Universe, Jak."
"Then you can call me by my first name- by what my father called me. Mar." There was a gasp from the crowd, with more expressions of complete shock from all around. Sake merely smiled, wrapping her arms around his waist.
"Wait- Jak is Mar? THE Mar?" Ashlein butted in, a grin parting her too-red lips.
"Come then Mar, Sake- No time like the present." Kaolinth stepped aside and gestured to the ship. Jak took a few steps forward, only to be stopped by Sake. She was obviously hesitant.
"C'mon Sake, it'll be fun!" He offered a hand, and as Sake looked back at everyone, there was a collective nod. "You comin' Dax?" Jak faced his friend who had been cuddled up nice and close to Tess.
"Naawww, I got all I need right here baby." He smiled up at the blond and she hoisted herself up onto the platform Daxter was sitting on to sit beside him. "But if you need me, and I KNOW you will, you know where to find me!" The Ottsel gave a contented sigh before laying his head on Tess' lap, her nails going to work scratching his belly.
"Oh Daxter, my little hero!" Tess squealed and Daxter's eyes crossed at the sensation.
"We owe you much Daxter, for all you've done. For your bravery in the face of incredible danger, We shall grant you your deepest desire."
Daxter snapped to his feet, incredulous and astonished that anyone had even acknowledged his heroics. "Ya'know, I could really go for a snazzy pair of pants, like yours!"
Kaolinth angled his staff, bright yellow orb near the top glowing before projecting a bright beam of light toward the Ottsel. The light dispersed and Daxter stood proud in his new pants, dark blue and a perfect fit.
"Wow, those are sharp! I wish I had a pair just like that!" Tess said excitedly.
"Be careful what you wish for.." Again Kaolinth angled his staff toward Tess and she was enveloped in the light. When it faded, she stood a mere two feet tall, slender and covered in a coat of thick orange and yellow fur. Daxter gave an approving whistle.
"Don't worry honey, you get used to it!" He took her hands and it was apparent then that she stood an inch or two taller than Daxter. "Oh and uh.. you may want to shave some parts.. trust me on that." Tess smiled and the two Ottsels leaned in to share their first genuine kiss, only to be interrupted by Jak.
"Hey! Thanks for everything, partner." Jak gave his furry friend a thumbs up and Sake waved.
"You are a great hero, Daxter." Seem added her two cents.
"This is gunna be good! They think I'm a god, and they're RIGHT!" Daxter bowed with more animation than necessary and Tess couldn't help but giggle.
The massive door to the Precursor vessel opened once more, and a chorus of small voices bellowed out, "Our hero!"
Veger, now pint sized and colored a rusty orange, gave a heavy sigh. "Uggh.. This is going to be a long trip." He'd already had the displeasure of being crammed into that ship with the other Ottsels to even get to the party in the first place. With his head low and shoulders slumped, Veger started back on his way to the Precursor vessel, only to be stopped mid step as a massive foot landed on his tail.
"Hold it right there, little bugga'! I've decided I want me own sidekick! And you've been nominated!" Kleiver's scarred face grinned all too wide. He plopped the scrawny Ottsel onto his large shoulder pad. "We're goin' ta make a great team! Just don't make me angry!" Veger recoiled to avoid being nailed with a haymaker of a punch, but Kleiver didn't actually punch him.
Kaolinth stood with Jak and Sake inside the vessel now, staring back out over the throngs of people they might likely never see again. "Are you ready Mar, Sake? We have something to show you."
"What?" The teens said in unison.
"The universe!"
The door spiraled closed and the engines flared to life. There was a deep rumble as the vessel drifted out of the cavern through the mouth. Sig stood and gave a quiet salute to the young couple and the Precursors as the ship disappeared from sight, even the sound of its engines eventually going silent.
Daxter already missed Jak. He stared at the mouth of the cave, trying hard not to let the sudden overwhelming feeling of loneliness overtake him. He hadn't noticed Tess turn and face the sound of someone walking up behind him.
Jak waited for a moment, amused as Daxter subconsciously glanced back to see what caught Tess' attention before turning rapidly on his heels. The Ottsel was surprised to see Jak and Sake standing there, though Sake looked just as confused as he felt.
"Aw, I couldn't leave you Dax." Jak's lips parted in a grin. "With all our adventures ahead, you wouldn't last a second without me! Besides," He turned to Sake now, pulling her in close. "That wedding'll go to waste if there's no one around to get married."
"As long as I'm with you Jak, I don't care where we are." Sake returned the hug and kissed him on his cheek. "Though, how did we.. Weren't we just on..?"
Pecker broke the moment, landing with a thud on the pedestal they were all crowded around. "Ahh, What a team we are!"
"Yeah, well the next adventure, I call the shots!" Daxter barked, using a thumb to point to himself. "Put er' there partner." The Ottsel offered a furry paw and just as Pecker reached for it, he yanked it away. "HA! Psyche!"
There was a collective feeling of contentment throughout the arena, and all the while Jak had failed to notice that the crowds had been continuously cheering. Their voices maintained an almost melodic level. Daxter put his hands on his hips, smiling to Tess, then Jak before nodding and grinning. "Oh yeah... Life is good."
The Wastelanders that were packed into the cramped Arena stands began to file out in shuffling droves, many greeting and congratulating Sig as they met him at the top of the stairs. Many others were equally glad to see that the young heroes hadn't truly departed. Finally the crowds died down and Jak and Sake could take a walk in silence. Daxter was with Tess, quite preoccupied with his now-Ottsel companion so it gave the teens time to relax.
"That was pretty sneaky." Sake blurted out as the pair meandered west toward the tunnel that served to connect the two halves of Spargas.
"What?" Jak could hardly stifle his grin.
"Convincing everyone we were blasting off on some wild trip to space, then using those fancy light powers of yours to stop time like that." She laughed, raising a hand and nudging the blond firmly in the shoulder. He stumbled, almost face-planting but he caught himself before he fell.
"Yeah that was pretty sneaky of me, wasn't it." He remarked coolly. Both froze in their tracks when they heard their names being called. As they turned, Sake caught sight of Kaolinth in his humanoid form. He stood, almost motionless just a few feet behind them.
"I must say I am impressed, young Mar. I always forget how talented you are." Kaolinth's face was wide with a knowing grin.
"Hey, Kaolinth," Sake finally took the time to give the elderly man a firm, thankful hug. He returned it. "Why the disguise? Everyone knows who.. and.. what you are now."
"Why yes, word is certainly spreading quickly about we Precursors, now isn't it? But between you and me.. I rather like being tall."
Both teens shared in a hearty laugh with Kaolinth and as the giggles tapered off, he became serious.
"We made you a promise Sake. You held up your end of the bargain, and now it's our turn. Sake, Mar, take my hand and take a deep breath, don't let it go."
"What for?" Jak said, hesitant but Sake had already folded her hand into the man's. He stared at Kaolinth's outstretched palm wearily.
"Teleportation, my dear boy. Come, we don't have all day." Kaolinth wiggled his fingers and after another few seconds of silent deliberation, Jak finally joined hands with the peculiar gentleman and both teens took deep breaths. When they held their breath, Kaolinth nodded and the three of them vanished in a dim flash.
They reappeared deep within the bowls of the mountain temple out on the far edge of the desert. Jak and Sake gasped for air upon landing.
"Holy god I feel like I was just hit by a bus." Sake bent over, resting her arms on her knees while Jak leaned against the wall and thumped his chest in an attempt to restore normal breathing. Kaolinth, meanwhile, just grinned.
"Ha, kids these days." Then he stepped up onto the pedestal in front of the massive Precursor statue and beckoned to Sake. "I think you've been burdened by Catalyst's presence for long enough.."
Somewhere in the back of her mind, slithering about in the catacombs of her subconscious, Catalyst was screaming in protest.
"I'm afraid I have to ask you to transform Sake, it's...the only way. Mar, you may want to be ready.."
"O-Oh okay.. If you say so." Sake went through the paces of removing her armor, boots, gloves, and any extraneous clothing except for her shirt and pants- no sense in ruining them. She then stood in the center of the pedestal, took a deep breath, and sighed as she let go of the mental restraints that kept Catalyst under check. The transformation was typical of all the others before it but the moment the demoness gained full conscious control, she beat her newly formed wings rapidly and took to the air.
"Go to hell, miserable rat!" Catalyst screamed as she put as much distance between her and the men. "I'm never giving up this body, NEVER!"
"I've got her!" Jak shouted, body suddenly becoming a wash of light as great tendril wings spread behind him. With a great leap and beats of his wings, he closed the gap between he and Catalyst, quickly wrapping his arms around her from behind.
When her wings beat rapidly in protest, threatening to jar him loose, he wrapped his own around her, coiling them together in a cage of light until he fell to the floor with a solid thud. Jak was then able to re-situate his arms so that he had a better hold on her, and her wings. Her tail lashed, but dealt no real damage despite the massive spikes on the end.
"Hold her still. This may hurt her." Kaolinth produced a clear orb of Light Eco and held it in one hand while he placed two fingers with his other hand to her forehead. Closing his eyes, he began to focus intently.
Catalyst stilled for a brief moment, only for her jaw to gape as a defiant roar escaped her throat. She screamed obscenities and threats, kicking and lashing but Jak held firm, tightening his grip. A light welled up beneath Kaolinth's fingers, traveling from the ball, into him then into Catalyst. It filled every crevice of her being and the demoness fell still in Jak's arms.
Then the light began to retract from her and Catalyst's cries of defiance filled the hallowed temple once more. Every muscle in her body went ridged and Jak could no longer hold her as he was thrown back. The impact left a shallow crater in the stonework and the hero recovered just in time to witness Catalyst 's body be suspended in the air as if on string, his own transformation fading in the process. Now Kaolinth was drawing the light from her eyes and mouth and it rose out in wispy smokey trails.
He gawked, watching as the transformation began to reverse, aspects of Catalyst's influence turning to crystal then shattering before being sucked into the glowing orb along with the trails of eco. Jak barely managed to clap his hands over his ears as the creature's piercing cries reached a painful apex.
In the blink of an eye, the light had gone and Sake remained suspended briefly as the last flakes of Catalyst's person were trapped within the sphere with a faint, ghostly whisper. Then, the invisible forces holding her up were released and she fell to the ground with a thump, unconscious.
Every fire in the temple went out, leaving the chamber in a gaunt, quiet darkness. Only the orb in the Precursor's hands illuminated the room. Jak dove to her side, hand on her forehead. Her skin was too-warm to the touch and she was drenched in sweat.
"Is it.. is it done?"
"The creature no longer resides within her. She will recover soon enough. Catalyst had woven herself so deeply into Sake's psyche that removing her..." His words trailed and it was then that Jak realized Kaolinth looked older, paler- the tiredness of age seemed to catch up quickly, his features gaunt and weary. "It is no easy task.. But thank you Mar, I couldn't have done it without you. Now, only one final step remains."
"What's that?" Jak watched closely as Kaolinth held the orb. It's glow was intense, almost blinding and he could almost see the material within writhing angrily as Catalyst fought for freedom.
"Much like the last time I faced her, we were only able to lock her away, not destroy her. But much progress has been made since our last encounter."
"Whose 'we'?"
"You will meet him in soon enough, but for the time being, it is none of your concern. For now, summon your aid for a ride home. I must dispose of this."
"Wait-" Jak almost jumped when Sake shifted next to him. She struggled to sit up, so he put a hand on her back for support. "Kaolinth, before you go, I have a question."
"Hmm?"
"Four years ago.. When I came to this world, Why was I also in a coma in my world?" Sake's words were hazy and slurred, likely from exhaustion.
Kaolinth was turning to leave, but froze mid step and turned to face the pair. "That is quite easy to explain, actually.. Forming a bridge between two worlds is no easy task. As you'll recall, its only possible when they have aligned because of a tear in the metaphysical 'wall' that exists between them. When we attempted to bring you through the first time, we were only able to make a partial connection, and an unstable one at that, so only part of you was brought over as a result. My associates and I had to quickly make up for it, otherwise you wouldn't have er.. survived the trip. The second time was much more successful, if I say so myself.."
"I see.. And the storms?" Sake silently admitted to herself that she was pretty much just as confused now as she was before he explained it.
"A side effect of bridging. Transferring information and matter though a tear is a chaotic process- This world suffered its fair share of storms as well when you and Mar came through the rifts. Now then, I'm afraid my time here has reached an end. I must go so that we might destroy Catalyst once and for all, though history likely has other plans.."
With that, Kaolinth's disappearance was only signaled by a quick and dim white flash. Slowly the fires in the braziers began to reignite, casting their calm glow on the stoney surfaces of the temple.
Jak carefully lifted Sake into his arms and made his way outside, only stopping at a light eco vent to replenish his energies before allowing himself to become one with the Eco. His wings spread and he ascended into the air, Sake in his arms as he flew back in the direction of Spargas.
A/N: Next chapter is the -final- chapter! I know, I'm sad to see it be over too :( Please Comment and follow, It'd be really appreciated!