Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
Alright, so figured it's about time for a filler chapter that transitions into the next few chapters. Like always, I winded uploading later than I wanted to. I was just busy with work this time.
Nuff said.
Shoutout to LadyAmazon, Pikadrew9000, Oblique Strategies, StaticBomb324, Mooman1706, a Guest reviewer, and a new reviewer known as HazMasterFlash (may or may not be Hazzard, or I might be dumb. Ah well). Thanks for the feedback and support guys.
I did this chapter in the spirit of vacation, since this is the last day of summer/ first day of school for some of you. Don't expect much in terms of plot, this is pure filler. Also, don't blame me for the angsty bits in there too. Like I said, I was on vacation when I wrote most of this.
Oh, and for those of you who want some sort of explanation as to why Keira died, then I'll give you one. 26 chapters in, and I can finally explain myself.
I am a Jak/Keira shipper myself, but there was something that always pissed me off about the Jak and Daxter games. The games series will remain one of my favorites, but something that always irked me was the lack of character development for a lot of characters. There are so many characters who are introduced in the storyline, never to be truly used to their full potential.
As for Keira's death, I felt that the death of a very close friend would be enough drive for Jak to join a brand new organization he just heard of in an attempt at revenge. Plus, I wanted to use an OC I had in mind for the story. I like Keira, she's a great character and all, but she was expendable to me. Also, she is another character who was never really expanded on.
Another reason was to give this story its setting. It's mood. This story isn't cheerful in any aspect of the word. This story is supposed to be my version of a true finale for the Jak and Daxter series. Expanding on plot, storyline, and a whole crapton of other things left untouched.
I thank those of you who are open-minded enough to understand why I killed her off, and who have stuck through with me and have read up to this point. Thank you.
Enjoy!
Chapter 26: Down Time
If a man insisted always on being serious, and never allowed himself a bit of fun and relaxation, he would go mad or become unstable without knowing it" -Herodotus
Haven City:
A blond woman walked down the dark street in the Palace District in Haven City, her stride strong and purposeful. Any passerby would have mistaken her for a wealthy noble, at least during the Baron's rule. The woman wore a dazzling black dress that went down to her ankles, with sleeves going down to her wrists. She was beautiful, practically flawless if not for her eyes, which were drawn and rather bloodshot, as if she had been crying lately.
The woman glanced at her surroundings for a moment before continuing her walk, her hand brushing the pistol she had hidden in the folds of her dress for comfort. Captain Shadow continued her walk down the street, eventually arriving at her destination a few minutes later.
Shadow looked up at the nightclub, eyeing the colorful revolving planet with a smile. Eclipse sure had an eye for decoration. The Sunset Stratosphere was located in one of the few areas of Haven that had survived the recent attacks unscathed, and was one of the only businesses that managed to still make enough money to stay in business. It looked quite out of place amongst the destroyed houses and buildings, but here it was, standing tall. Like the Naughty Ottsel, it was a place where people could have a good time and let loose, and forget about the war with the Metal Heads for a while.
Though this one had quite a bit more style.
Shadow walked up to the front door, where a bouncer with a black ponytail stood tall, his hand on a black KABAR. He lowered his black sunglasses and said "Miss Akanassa, it's good to see you again"
"Hello Rolf. Is Raphael here?" Shadow asked.
"The Boss is entertaining some guests at the moment, though I'm sure he can take time for you" Rolf said with a respectful nod, opening the door for the Hunter Commander.
Shadow walked into the club and was assaulted by a wall of sound and lights that stunned her for a moment. Shadow slowly walked through the crowds of people, smiling slightly as she made her way around the extravagant nightclub. The music inside was playing a catchy techno beat with an acoustic guitar accompaniment, along with someone on a piano playing rather masterfully. Through the club, beautiful women dressed in very little danced on small platforms, sometimes around a pole or sometimes on the dance floor. Young men and woman danced on the dance floor, which was a series of panels that flashed white as a rotating planet spun above them, showering them in a series of various lights that seemed to transport them to another world. Where only the beat of the music mattered.
Shadow walked through the club until she chanced upon a heavyset man with a scar on his left eye. He wore a plain black T-shirt and a pair of torn jeans. He had disheveled look to him, as though he just rolled out of bed, but Shadow knew better. He was the best shot in the Hunters.
"Deadshot- Erm, I mean, Jackson" Shadow amended.
"Hey there Shadow. Fancy seeing you here" Deadshot said quietly, his voice strangely audible despite the pounding music.
"I needed to get away for a bit. General Dark is becoming obsessive with this plan of his. Between the final Fragment and the Fragments that the Angels have, it's a wonder that he has time to obsess about anything else" Shadow said with a sigh.
"You need a drink?" Deadshot asked.
"Not now. Where's Raphael?" Shadow asked.
"Upstairs. He's trying to get lucky" Deadshot said with an amused laugh.
"Not surprising" Shadow muttered, smiling slightly.
"You need anything, let me know, OK?" Deadshot said seriously.
Shadow nodded and said "Yeah, sure"
"And don't let that thing bother you. There's nothing you can do about it" Deadshot said to Shadow before taking a long draught from his drink before ordering another from the bartender.
Shadow nodded slowly, and then turned around walked up a nearby flight of stairs to the V.I.P. lounge, where another bouncer stood tall, ready to protect his boss.
"Miss Akanassa" the bodyguard said with a nod.
"Is Raphael busy?" Shadow asked.
"The Boss is busy, but I think he can make time for you" the bodyguard said with a smile as he knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a familiar voice said in a rather singsong way.
"Visitor to see you, Boss!" the bodyguard called.
"Who?"
"Miss Akanassa!"
The door was flung open, revealing a man with a colorful fauxhawk. He wore a good-natured smile on his face and had very tanned skin, which was fairly toned for the man's rather thin build. He was very handsome, and was the kind of guy girls would swoon over. He held a wicked-looking cane in his hand, made of solid Precursor Metal. The tip of the cane had a regular steel tip, but Shadow knew that this cane was a cleverly disguised sword and staff combination. She eyed the Dark and Light Eco Crystals at the top of the cane, which Raphael had his hand on. She knew this cane could probably kill most of the people in this club with no effort at all.
Eclipse laughed and said "Zelda! Come on in!"
Eclipse led Shadow into a very comfortable room where two large black loveseats sat, holding several very handsome looking young men and women. Among those was a beautiful woman with large purple hair and a young man with snow white spiky hair with dark red eyes. The Albino man regarded Shadow with a smile over his glasses, and Shadow walked over to them.
"Violet, Doppelganger" Shadow said to both of them.
"Hey boss" Doppelganger said cheerfully, his arm wrapped around Violet's waist.
"Heeey Shadow!" Violet said rather loudly, with a very happy grin on her face. It was obvious she was already wasted, while Doppelganger looked slightly buzzed.
Shadow sat down, rubbing her temples and said "I think I might need that drink now"
"Gustavo, get one of the special drinks we have stored in the basement" Eclipse said to the bodyguard, who nodded and hurried off.
"Thanks" Shadow said gratefully as she leaned back in the chair.
"So, what's new boss?" Violet said leaning forward excitedly.
"Working on my part of the plan. Stephen doesn't like it one bit, but he doesn't have much choice now, does he?" Shadow said with a resigned sigh.
"So where did you meet this guy?" Doppelganger asked as he wrapped his arm around Violet's waist, who smiled with a pleased expression.
"I met him in the Wasteland, while on a scouting mission. He was delivering something to King Damas, and I intercepted him. We fought for a bit, and after a brief struggle he lost. He's always been a lousy fighter…but instead of being afraid, he complimented me on my fighting skills…he was so flattering when we first met, and I was interested…so we talked" Shadow said with a dreamy look in her eye.
"And you two just hit it off?" Violet asked incredulously, still talking loudly.
Shadow nodded and said "It was on and off for a while, but we eventually decided that despite our different paths, we were meant to be together. That's all there is to it"
Eclipse sighed and said "I wish I could find a man like that"
Two of the men who were sitting next to him looked rather put off, and scowled in a rather offended manner. Eclipse turned around, leaning on his cane and said "Oh come on boys, I'll get back to you in a minute. Go get a drink Kev…we can get to know each other better later"
"Fair enough. Come on Chad" the man named Kev said as he got up and walked over to the door and walked out.
"So, what's going to happen after the mission is complete?" Eclipse asked as the door shut.
"Stephen's going to do this…and then…" Shadow trailed off.
"You going somewhere?" Doppelganger said accusingly.
"I didn't say that" Shadow said shortly.
"Hey, we won't tell. Right Eclipse?" Doppelganger said with a smile.
"Of course. After Arranst does what she wants, we'll be free of our bond. The Dark One rewards her followers for their loyalty…right?" Eclipse said questioningly.
"Man, does anyone have faith in her anymore?" Violet said as she rested her head on Doppelganger's shoulder.
"Of course not…" Shadow said with a scowl.
"Thankfully Havoc keeps her busy. Did you hear what she tried with that one girl? Nightingale, was it?" Eclipse said, sitting down and crossing his leg.
"No. What?" Doppelganger asked.
"Tried to force her way into her mind. Corrupt her and take her will, all that stuff" Eclipse explained.
"Wow. And she failed?" Doppelganger said in surprise.
"That's what Havoc tells me. Man…as much as I'd hate to say it…I'm having some serious doubts" Eclipse said with a sigh.
"Is that why you hide in your nightclub instead of going on missions?" Violet asked mockingly.
Eclipse flushed pink and said "Gods no. I have an important cover you know. The fact that this is a Hunter hotspot is not well known. In fact, only my security knows, and that's for V.I.P. treatment. You're welcome by the way"
"Thanks. While I'm getting shot at, you're in here taking shots with your boyfriends" Violet said in an annoyed tone, leaning heavily on Doppelganger's shoulder, causing him to give her a look.
"Vi. You want to go?" Doppelganger asked her.
"No…No…I'm…I'm god…uh, I mean I'm good" Violet said with a giggle.
"Oh come on Vi. Can we come here one time and not have to drag you home?" Doppelganger asked in an amused way.
"You…you know D…I want you…" Violet said with a teasing laugh.
"What?" Doppelganger asked.
"I said…I want you…D…get it…I want the D!" Violet said before cackling madly and passing out on the spot.
"And she's gone ladies and gentleman!" Eclipse said with a laugh, clapping his hands in a light applause.
"About time. She's been drunk off her ass for like the past hour. It'll be good to get her back so she can sleep this off" Doppelganger said.
"So…" Eclipse said.
"So?" Shadow prompted.
"The final Fragment. Has it been located? For sure?" Eclipse asked.
"…yes"
"And where is it?" Eclipse asked.
Shadow was about to answer when Gustavo reappeared with a large bottle of rum, which he poured into a glass for Shadow. She grabbed the drink and downed it in one go.
"Someone's thirsty" Eclipse noted as Gustavo poured her another glass.
"I need something to take the edge off. I've been so stressed lately" Shadow murmured.
"You should bring your boyfriend here Zelda" Eclipse said with a smile.
"He's not much a dancer, though I think he'd like to meet some of you guys" Shadow replied softly.
"Wait, wait, wait! You're going to bring an Angel here? To this club?" Doppelganger said in disbelief.
"D, calm down" Shadow said, but he stood up angrily.
"Don't you remember that we're enemies? We sided with the Metal Heads, because they're going to win this war! We should be hunting down Angels, not inviting them to go dancing with us-" D said before Eclipse moved forward.
Before Doppelganger knew it, Eclipse dashed forward and kicked Doppelganger in the chest before bashing him in the head with his cane. He kicked Doppelganger to the floor, and the Albino looked up at him in confusion and indignation.
"This is my club, Billy. Mine. It was owned by my grandfather forty years ago, and when he died he passed it down to my father. And this club was passed down to me when my father died. It is mine to do with as I please. Got it!?" Eclipse said angrily, and Doppelganger nodded.
"Contrary to popular opinion among the Hunters, this is nightclub is not exclusive to just us. Anyone in Haven who needs to forget their troubles and have a good time is welcome here. That includes the Avenging Angels. I don't discriminate between anyone in Haven City, or the world in general…Are…we…clear!?" Eclipse growled at Doppelganger, who reluctantly nodded again.
"Maybe I should send out invites. Like I said, no one knows that this is a Hunter hotspot. It'd be good for business too…" Eclipse murmured, turning around.
"Gustavo! Brute!" Eclipse called.
Gustavo and the other bodyguard walked into the room, saluted Eclipse and said "Yes Boss?"
"Bring some of the Holo-Invites to my office in an hour. We're about to drum up some new customers. Also, send Sasha in here, would you?" Eclipse said with a dazzling smile.
"Of course Boss" Gustavo and Brute said with a bow before walking out of the door.
A few moments later a woman knocked on the door.
"Come in Sasha"
A woman walked into the room, wearing a wide smile. She was one of the dancers at the club, and was wearing a fairly revealing white two-piece outfit that left little to the imagination. She had flawless dark skin and long flowing black hair with a red streak running through it and had a very trim physique, perfect for this line of work.
"Hey Boss. What can I do for you?" the woman asked chirpily.
"Sasha, can you follow Gustavo and Brute and make sure those invites to the Avenging Angels? It's a little important, and I want to make sure they get to the right person" Eclipse said with a wink.
"Gotcha boss. Love the hair by the way" Sasha said with a grin.
"Thanks, I dyed it special for tonight" Eclipse said cheerfully.
"Is that all?" Sasha asked.
"Yep. You can go now"
"Thanks Boss. Take care!" Sasha said with a tinkling laugh as she exited the room.
"She seems nice" Shadow said to Eclipse.
"She's my best dancer. She's very dependable and keeps the others in line, and she's one of the crowd favorites" Eclipse said with a grin.
"I bet she sees a lot of action" Doppelganger said with a smirk.
"She's actually got a boyfriend" Eclipse replied.
Shadow shrugged and said "Hey, if some people are OK with that, I won't judge"
"Now that we've got that out of the way, where did that last Fragment end up?" Eclipse asked as he sat down again.
"It was in the rubble of the Palace in Haven City" Shadow replied.
"Wait…the Baron had a Fragment of the Gate?" Doppelganger asked.
"Yes. It seems he was familiar with the legend and realized what he had chanced upon" Shadow replied.
"Wait…you said was. Where is it now?" Eclipse asked.
"It survived Veger's attack in the Palace, and it wound up in the hands of Ashelin" Shadow explained.
"The governor?" Doppelganger asked.
"That's the one. Apparently the Angels are supposed to retrieve it sometime soon, so…we're setting up a little ambush for them" Eclipse said to the other two, who nodded.
"I just hope the Intel proves true. Dark won't be happy if this was all for nothing" Doppelganger said gloomily.
Shadow shivered and said "For Stephen's sake…I hope it's true…"
Meanwhile:
Sanctuary:
Bathing Grotto:
"Alright, now relax" Jak said to Nightingale.
"I can't" Nightingale replied tiredly.
"Come on Night!"
"I look so weird though" Nightingale said quietly.
Jak and Nightingale were currently sitting down in the bathing Grotto, where they were trying to get Nightingale out of her Light Form. She had been stuck in it for roughly a week, and she and Jak were getting worried. She shook her now flowing white hair and said "This isn't working. How did you do it?"
"I just run out of Light Eco, or I relax" Jak said, adding extra emphasis on the word.
"Hey, do you have any idea how weird this feels?" Nightingale asked in an annoyed tone.
Jak turned into his Light Form and said "Yeah. I do"
Nightingale frowned, sitting down on the rock, and said "What if it doesn't go away?"
"It will…just relax" Jak said as he reverted back to normal.
Nightingale folded her wings and said "I look like some kind of angel now…"
"You look great, Night. And you look like an angel because you are an angel" Jak replied with a laugh.
Nightingale's face glowed white, and Jak realized that was the Light Form equivalent of one of her famous blushes. Jak wrapped an arm around her shoulder and said quietly "Just relax…let the form slip away…let the Light Eco fade back into your core…"
Nightingale shivered at the softness in Jak's voice and slowly closed her eyes. Slowly but surely, she began to relax. She felt the form sipping away from her, and eventually the glow around her began to fade. Her wings vanished in a flash of light, and her hair reverted to its normal state. Nightingale's eyes returned to their usual green color, and Jak grinned at her with pride.
Nightingale swayed on her feet and Jak managed to catch her before she hit the ground. Nightingale smiled weakly at him and said "T-thanks"
"You did it" Jak said with a laugh.
"I guess s-so" Nightingale said as she closed her eyes for a moment.
"Come on, let's go to the Lounge. You can sleep it off. You've been in this form for a week, so I'm not surprised you nearly passed out" Jak said with a grin as began to walk out of the Grotto, with Nightingale still in his arms.
"I'm fine!" Nightingale said tiredly with a smile.
"Nah, you're going to the lounge. I'll carry you" Jak said with a smirk.
"Jak! Stop it! I can walk!" Nightingale said, squirming in his arms.
"Nah. I'm going to just embarrass you in front of everyone" Jak said with a teasing grin.
"No! Come on Jak!" Nightingale as she smacked him in the chest.
Jak hefted her over his shoulder, causing her to yell out in indignation. Jak walked into the lounge, interrupting a conversation, and dropped Nightingale on the couch.
"…and that's why I don't use the elevator's anymore" Sharpshooter said, ending his story.
"Hey Jak, Night. What's up?" Chill asked, draped over Blade's legs and lying comfortably in his lap.
"I'm finally out of my Light Form, and Jak's been giving me a lessons on how to use it" Nightingale said to Chill, who nodded.
"We haven't seen you much since you got back. Have you been teaching her the ropes since then Jak?" Rune asked.
Jak nodded and said "Me and her are bound to have some of the same abilities. The more she uses her form the stronger she'll get"
"So what can you do in terms of powers and stuff Night?" Blade asked the black-haired woman.
"Well, I can fly now" Nightingale said with a smile.
"You could fly before" Rune pointed out.
"Yes, but before I had a hard time changing directions. And if I got hit, I'd go spiraling out of control. With wings, I have much better control now" Nightingale said to Rune, who nodded.
"Aside from that, she's much stronger in this form. You think she hit hard before, well, she hits twice as hard now" Jak said dryly, lifting up his sleeve and showing a huge purple bruise.
"I said I'm sorry" Nightingale said in a small voice.
Jak winced at the hurt tone in her voice and said "Hey, it's a compliment"
Rune chuckled and said "You two should kiss and make up"
"Shut up!" Nightingale said with an embarrassed scowl as she smacked Rune in the head. Jak could only laugh with a pink face.
"Hey! What's going on in here?" Daxter said as he walked into the room. He stopped in his tracks with an expression of horror.
"Oh god…who invited you two!?" Daxter yelled pointing to Onin and Pecker, who were sitting in the corner of the room.
"We are always there, lurking where you least expect us" Pecker said mysteriously.
"They were there when I came in here" Phoenix said with a smirk.
"Onin's pretty cool, I have to admit. She's been telling us all sorts of things, mainly past and future stuff. She can't give us all the answers of course, but the hints she's been giving are interesting to say the least" Blade said, earning a smile from the old woman.
"Hey, about me!?" Pecker demanded.
"You're sort of a loudmouth" Blade replied.
"Blade, I knew I liked you for a reason" Daxter said with a grin.
"Why you little! I'm going to squawking-!" Pecker began to say before Tech walked into the room and said "What's with the noise?"
"You two, shut it" Rune said sternly to Blade and Pecker, who nodded, though Blade wore a slight grin on his face.
"What's up Tech?" Nightingale asked.
"We received some very odd items in the electronic delivery system this morning…" Tech said as he scratched his head uncertainly.
"What kind of items?" Nightingale asked curiously.
"Well…I got some very interesting invitations to a club called Sunset Stratosphere. Four of them in total…have you guys heard of it?" Tech asked.
"OH MY GOD! I…LOVE…that place" Chill gushed with a grin.
"So…you've heard of it" Pecker said, sounding amused.
"Have I? That place is so much fun. Awesome music, tons of good-looking people, and the owner is sexy as hell…too bad he's as straight as a circle" Chill said offhandedly. Blade cleared his throat loudly before Chill kissed him on the cheek.
"I don't follow" Nightingale said blankly.
Rune leaned over to Nightingale and muttered something in her ear, and Nightingale's eyes widened and said "Really!? That's what that means?"
Jak burst out laughing while Chill, Blade, Phoenix, and Rune laughed with a little more dignity. Pecker and Daxter were practically crying while Onin smiled at them and made a gesture with her hands in which both of her pointer fingers touched over and over again.
"Oh my God, you're so sheltered. It's so adorable though" Rune laughed breathlessly as she gave Night a one-armed hug.
Nightingale's face was beet-red at this point, and Tech cleared his throat and said "Apparently he sent the invitation to you Chill. He asked for you by name"
"Odd. I don't remember giving it to him" Chill said, sounding confused.
"You sure? You were pretty hammered last time we went there" Blade replied, and Chill flushed pink and said "…OK, maybe I may have given him my name"
"Nice. So why did he send Chill an invite?" Jak asked.
"Yeah, seems kind of weird to me" Nightingale added.
"Night, when you leave the Sanctuary and go party, people invite you to places. Weird thing is, I haven't been there in months…its odd that he'd send an invite now" Chill said as Tech handed her an invitation. She pressed a red button on the small grey envelope and a blue hologram appeared above the envelope.
"Hey there, Nicole Iveraldo. This is a special V.I.P. invite to the hottest club in Haven City, Sunset Stratosphere, located in the Palace District of Haven City, just follow the sound of the music and you'll be in the right place. This invite allows up to three guests to come along with you. Come be a part of the greatest club to ever grace the wonderful Haven City! Just show this Holo-Invite to the bouncer at the door and you and your friends will be treated to a night you'll never forget!" the man said cheerfully before vanishing in a burst of green light.
"I'm already excited" Chill said with a grin.
'It'd be nice to go back there for a bit. We'll save that invite, since it's good for any night we want to use it, and save it for a special occasion" Blade said.
Tech raised an eyebrow and said "And what day is that? When you finally propose to Chill?"
Blade flushed pink and Chill grinned widely and said "Hey…now that's a thought Russal"
"Tech, I'm going to kill you" Blade growled as Chill latched onto him with a wide smile.
"Alright, then I'll distract her. Since it's a pretty slow day today, why don't you guys go to the beach?" Tech suggested with a smirk.
"You mean in the Wasteland?" Nightingale asked.
"Yeah, why not? Some areas of the Wasteland have absolutely amazing beaches and coves to relax in. Isn't that right Beast?" Tech asked the big man, who nodded.
"Fossil Cove is good" Beast grumbled.
"Fossil Cove…ah…the memories…OK, it's settled" Chill said as she stood up, clasping her hands.
"Spread the word. Anyone who wants to come can come. We meet in the Motor Pool in thirty minutes!" Chill announced before grabbing Blade by the arm and dragging him with her out of the room.
Pecker eyed the chattering group and said "It's been a while since we went on vacation"
Onin smirked and made a hand gesture, blue mist trailing behind her fingers.
"Oh no! Not after last time! Let's just go already!" Pecker said exasperatedly.
"You? You two aren't going anywhere!" Daxter said hotly.
"Oh really? OK, we'll see about that you orange nuisance!" Pecker snapped at Daxter, who was ready to lunge at Pecker before Jak gave him a look.
"So…you wanna come Jak?" Nightingale asked quietly.
Jak looked at her and said "If everyone else is, I guess I'll go too"
Nightingale smiled and said "It'll be nice to have a day off, especially after all of the training we've done"
"I wonder what other powers you have after all that training." Jak said wonderingly.
Nightingale got to her feet and grinned at him.
"I don't know what kind of powers I'll have Jak, but I do know that no matter what, I'll be by your side" Nightingale said softly before walking out of the room. Jak followed her out of the lounge, but went towards his room.
"Jak, do you ever think of her…you know, like you used to think of Keira?" Daxter asked Jak.
"Shut up Dax. I don't want to talk about Keira" Jak snapped at Daxter, who sighed.
"Hey…I miss her too big guy…but you know…we've got to keep going" Daxter muttered.
Jak stopped in the middle of the hallway, thinking about her. Her death was the reason he had joined this group. Despite everything, he had never once lost sight of the fact that he was doing this to avenge his childhood friend.
Her death had filled him with the sort of grief that he had never felt before. Jak was a very strong person, who rarely showed sorrow or inner pain. He also never cried. At least, that's what everyone else thought. Behind closed doors though, he mourned his fallen friends. He mourned Damas, he mourned those who had perished at the Metal Heads hands.
And he mourned Keira.
Jak felt Daxter pat him on the back and take a shaky breath.
"We'll get em'…won't we Jak?" Daxter asked.
Jak nodded silently and walked back to his room.
Motor Pool:
"Jak…are you OK?" Nightingale asked softly.
"I'm fine" Jak replied shortly. Jak was now dressed in his spare Wastelander Gear (given to him by Sig offscreen for those who are wondering), wearing half of it. He wore a pair of tan shorts with some pieces on it, with a white-sleeveless shirt that went with it.
"No you're not" Nightingale persisted.
Jak gave Nightingale a halfhearted smile and said "I'll be fine"
"Alright, everyone in the car!" Chill said as Blade tossed a few bags into the back of the Sand Hound. Blade drove while Chill rode in the shotgun seat, with the others piling into the back. Blade revved the vehicle loudly and shot off down the tunnel, and within a minute they were in the Wasteland.
"Nice day out. Hot as per usual, no sandstorms in sight" Rune said with a grin. Rune and her twin were wearing bikinis, with Rune's being light blue with purple stylish designs on them while Phoenix had a bright red one with yellow and red fiery designs on it. Beast simply wore his armor, complete with his helmet. He was also the only one outfitted with weapons, though Jak had sneakily brought a pistol with him. When asked why Beast was coming armed by Daxter, Rune said it as in case of an attack, though she mentioned afterwards that there was no chance of that happening.
Chill was wearing a white-two piece that left very little to the imagination, while Tess (who Daxter brought along) came in small green two-piece swimsuit. Daxter of course was rocking his favorite pair of shorts of course, while Sharpshooter wore a pair of black swim trunks. Blade was wearing a red speedo, which was probably Chill's idea.
Nightingale stole the show, in Jak's mind at least, with her black two-piece with a crimson feather design. She looked slightly self-conscious, but a hand on her shoulder from Jak was all it took to get a smile from the black-haired woman.
The group drove for about an hour until they arrived at a small section of the Wasteland where a row of large mounds of rocks locked the beach from view. Blade drove towards the edge of a small cliff, at the bottom of which was a small rocky cove. The water here was very calm and dazzling blue color. Combined with the heat and the cloudless sky, it was the perfect day for a swim outside.
The group slowly unpacked their stuff and got situated. Jak hung around, feeling out of place. Jak glanced off to the side and found to his amazement Onin and Pecker sitting down on the ground nearby. Pecker was sunbathing while just Onin sat there.
"But…how?" Jak asked.
"Don't ask. It is better that you don't know" Pecker said with a smirk.
"Blame the author" Daxter replied angrily.
"So, what now?" Jak asked awkwardly, trying to derail the awkward conversation.
"Well, you can do whatever the hell you want really. This cliff is perfect for diving off of, the rocks down by the water are perfect for relaxing on, the water's nice too. There's a small underground path at the bottom that takes you back up here…Plus... you could always do…" Chill trailed off with an evil grin.
"This!" Chill said evilly, kicking Blade off of the cliff. The Agent tumbled through the air, with a yelp before righting himself in midair.
"Damn it Nicole!" Blade yelled before he splashed into the water. Blade's head shot out of the water, and he shook his short blond hair like a dog.
"Come on in guys, the water's fine!" Blade said with a laugh.
"Alright sexy, my turn!" Chill said as she ran off of the cliff, diving into water like a missile. She popped up behind Blade and kissed him on the cheek.
"I forgot how much fun jumping off of that thing was" Chill said with a grin as she wrapped her arms around Blade's neck.
"Come on Ali!" Phoenix said with a grin as she ran over to the side of the edge and kicked off of the edge, doing a forward flip before hitting the water. Rune followed up with an elegant backflip.
"God I love twins" Daxter said with a sultry smile as the two girls began splashing each other in the water.
"Agreed" Beast growled with a smirk. Luckily Tess wasn't paying attention to any of this.
Jak and Daxter glanced over at Nightingale, who was smiling faintly as she walked over to them.
"So…on three?" Nightingale said playfully.
Jak and Daxter exchanged glances, grinned, and turned back to her and said "On three"
"One…"
Nightingale and Jak took a few steps backwards while Beast and Sharpshooter laughed.
"Two"
Daxter hopped off of Jak's shoulder and said "You two can get this one"
Nightingale and Jak glanced at each other and said "Three…"
"GO!" Beast, Daxter, Tess, and Sharpshooter yelled, and Nightingale grabbed Jak's hand and sprinted towards the edge of the cliff. Jak and Nightingale jumped over the edge and plummeted towards the blue water below.
"Let's make this interesting!" Nightingale said to Jak as they neared the water.
"Alright, like I showed you before" Jak said as his eyes turned white.
"Right!" Nightingale said as her eyes turned white as well.
White wings shot from their backs as their bodies became immersed in a blue glow. Light Jak and Nightingale flapped their wings together just as they neared the water, creating a gust that allowed them to avoid the water below and shoot out along the water's surface.
"Oh wow, that's awesome" Rune said as she admired the two flying around.
"It's so strange Jak…like something out of a fairy tale…" Nightingale murmured.
"It's something alright" Light Jak said as they flapped their wings together, flying higher above the water's surface, still holding hands.
"Jak…thank you"
"For what?"
"For everything…none of this would've been possible without you…without you…I'd be so lost…" Nightingale said softly as they flew out over the water together. Jak shook his head and said "If I had to do it over, I'd do it again"
"Why though?" Nightingale asked softly.
Jak thought about it and said "Because you're…special"
"Special? In a good way?" Nightingale prompted.
"Yeah"
Nightingale smiled and said "Special how?"
Jak scowled and said "Do we have to do this now…it feels…awkward"
Nightingale broke her hand free and quickly flew away before slamming into Jak, who spun around in the opposite direction. Light Jak looked at her with a surprised expression while Nightingale gestured for him to come closer.
"Come on Jak, don't let a newbie show you up" Nightingale said playfully as she turned around and flew back in the other direction.
Light Jak suddenly stopped his flight and said "Wait…was she flirting with me?"
"Wait, what am I doing!?" Light Jak thought aloud as he shot after Nightingale.
He caught up with her easily, his experience giving him an advantage, and grabbed her by the waist in midair as they neared the cove where the others were.
"Jak!" Nightingale yelled with a grin.
Jak spun around in a circle and dive-bombed into the water, sinking them both into the water. Nightingale fought him in the water, and eventually Nightingale stepped on his head and swam to the surface, breaking through the water with a gasp. She reverted back to her normal state as she bobbed above the water's surface.
"Jeez, you two need to bang already" Chill said with a wide smile as Nightingale blushed dark red.
Jak burst up from the water and said "Who needs to what?"
"You two. Bang already" Phoenix said to Jak, who flushed pink and said "Shut up"
"Whatever" Phoenix chuckled as she floated on her back.
"Come on you bozos, let's have some fun!" Chill yelled, splashing Jak and Nightingale in the face. Not to be outdone, the duo began to splash Chill. Blade and the twins joined in, and the group continued the splash battle until Sharpshooter jumped down from below, splashing all of them.
Eventually the group stopped playing around and started to relax, basking in the sun and allowing the stress from the past few weeks melt away. Jak and Nightingale continued to train, with Jak focusing mainly on helping Nightingale fly. Luckily her armor enhancement involved flight, so she was already familiar with a lot of the fundamentals. When the two decided to take a break, they flew up to the top of the cliff and relaxed with the others.
"Bah, you're lucky Jak" Sharpshooter said as Jak and Nightingale landed on the cliff.
"Why?" Jak asked as he sat down on the blanket they had set out on the rock face.
"Because, you get to hang out with Night. You two can flirt it up as much as you want, and I'm stuck here bored as hell" Sharpshooter said with a scowl. Jak and Nightingale glanced at each other, shrugged, and then looked up at Rune who was standing above Sharpshooter. She put a finger to her lips and bent down so that her mouth was next to his ear.
"Flirt it up huh?" Rune whispered into Sharpshooter's ear.
"…yeah, flirt it up" Sharpshooter said with a smirk on his face.
"You're composure is impeccable as always" Rune said with a grin as she laid down next to Sharpshooter.
"We snipers need to always have a calm composure. Can't be stiff and stuffy when we're aiming down our sights now, can we?" Sharpshooter reasoned with a smirk.
Rune grinned and said " Whatever…hey, can you do my back?"
Sharpshooter raised an eyebrow and said "Really?"
"Sure. Just make sure you get my shoulders" Rune said laying down and rolling over. Sharpshooter had a look of utter amazement as Rune undid her top and closed her eyes. Chill and Blade burst out laughing as Sharpshooter eyed Rune's bare back with amazement.
"For the love of the Precursors, just lotion her back" Phoenix said, hardly hold back her laughter.
"Nervous?" Rune asked Sharpshooter playfully.
"Shut up Ali" Sharpshooter said as his face got red.
Jak made a motion with his hands which meant "Go on man"
"I swear, if this is some kind of trick, I'll throw your top in the ocean" Sharpshooter said with a scowl. Jak walked over to Blade and Chill, who were off to the side relaxing on the blanket on the rock face.
"While they get situated, I have to ask you something Jak" Chill said quietly as she rolled over on her back.
"What's up?" Jak asked, lowering his voice.
"Nightingale" Chill said simply.
"Oh come on, not this again" Jak sighed, glancing over at the woman in question, who was practicing her flying in the distance.
"Seriously, what's the deal between you two?" Chill asked.
"I have no idea what you're talking about" Jak replied.
"Nightingale and you have grown really close as of late…well, actually, you've always been close. You can't honestly tell me that you don't think of her in a special way" Chill said to Jak, who frowned.
Jak scowled and said "I don't want to talk about it"
"Aww, is it because-" Chill began to say with a grin before Jak cut her off with an annoyed growl. Chill looked surprised at the anger in the growl, and even more by Jak's tone as he spoke.
"It's because I had a friend once…she was one of my oldest friends…we liked each other…a lot. Then we got dragged into the goddamn future, and the Metal Heads ruined everything. Any chance of me and her together was destroyed when he Metal Heads attacked…She was killed in the Freedom League attack just a few months back…just when everything should have been good again" Jak said harshly.
"Oh…I knew that a friend of yours had died but…I didn't know that…" Chill trailed off softly.
"We weren't serious or anything, but the feelings were there…she was someone very special to me…that's why…I don't know what I feel…Nightingale is special to me too…but I don't know if it's just because I care about her…"Jak trailed off.
"Or if it's something else?" Chill said to Jak, who nodded slowly.
"Hmm…I think time is the best remedy for this. You're still not over your friend, so just take your time. If you think of Nightingale that way, then you don't have to go flat out tell her. Just…you know, let her know you're interested" Chill said with a kind smile.
Jak sighed and said "It isn't that easy"
Jak got to his feet and walked towards the edge of the cliff. He looked down at the bottom, at the water below, before stepping off of it.
Jak closed his eyes as he fell towards the water below, thinking about everything. He knew that the journey had just begun. The fighting, the suffering, and the pain were just beginning. Many more would die in this fight…
Before Jak could dwell on darker thoughts much further, he felt his descent slowly stopping, and felt his body slowly sink into the water instead of slamming into it. He opened his eyes and found that Nightingale had grabbed him and slowed his descent.
"Hey" Jak muttered as he floated in the water. Nightingale floated above him, smiling widely, and said "Come on Jak! Cheer up!"
"Sorry Night…I just…" Jak sighed again and Nightingale deactivated her Light Form as she dropped into the water.
Nightingale's head burst from the water below and she scowled at him.
"You need this day off more than anyone. We've all got to take a breather at some point, don't we?" Nightingale asked Jak in her musical voice.
"I guess" Jak relented.
"Come on, let's just swim over to those rocks. We can get away from the others for a bit" Nightingale suggested. Jak nodded and followed her and she swam towards the rocky shore.
"Alright, I did your dare!" Sharpshooter said to Blade as he tossed Rune's top back to her, his face a dark crimson color. Rune was laughing semi-manically while Phoenix, Blade, and Chill laughed with even less dignity.
"My turn" Sharpshooter said with a smirk, his face still pink.
"Alright, let's hear it" Blade said with a grin.
"Blade, I dare you to bang Chill in the water down there" Sharpshooter said with a grin.
"We haven't done that yet" Blade muttered, and Chill suddenly flung herself at Blade and wrapped herself around him. Blade grinned devilishly and said "OK, we'll do it"
"Literally" Pecker remarked as the two stumbled off the edge of the cliff and into the water below. Jak and Nightingale, who were relaxing on the rocks quietly, looked at the couple in surprise as the two began to thrash around in the water, laughing.
"What are they doing?" Nightingale asked Jak as they submerged completely.
Jak was about to reply when he noticed Chill's bottoms floating in the water, followed by Blade's swimsuit. He then saw a series of a bubbles float up from underwater, and realized what they were doing.
"Uh…fighting"
"Hmm…I don't think so" Nightingale said as she leaned back and rested her head on Jak's chest. Jak smiled and rested his hands on her chest.
"Jak?"
"Yeah?"
"This is nice" Nightingale murmured.
"It is. I can't remember the last time I relax like this" Jak said quietly as he closed his eyes. Nightingale smiled, enjoying the peace while it lasted.
At least before Pecker and Daxter started arguing.
"For the last time, no!" Pecker yelled.
"Come on! She's all magical and stuff, why can't she tell me when Tess and me-" Daxter began to say.
"For the love of all things sacred, shut up! I don't want to hear any more about the squawking subject" Pecker screeched as he clamped his hands over his ears.
"Come on man! She has to know!" Daxter insisted.
"NO! ENOUGH!"
"Hey! Get back here!"
"HEY!" Rune bellowed at the two animals, who were in the process of strangling each other.
"Both of you, shut the hell up. We're here to relax, so relax. Otherwise, you can go sit with Beast in the car" Rune said, jerking her thumb at Beast.
"Why is Beast in the car?" Daxter asked.
"He doesn't like to swim. Plus, he's on guard duty for Marauders" Rune said.
"I thought you said there's no chance of an attack?" Daxter said accusingly.
"I never specified what kind of attack. I meant Hunters. Marauders on the other hand, well…it could happen. I'm not worried though" Rune said with a smile.
"Worried about what?" Nightingale asked as she and Jak flew back up to the cliff together.
"Nothing. Hey, you wanna play truth or dare?" Chill asked with a mischievous smile. Jak shrugged in response, sitting down and staring off into the sky, which was a serene blue color.
"I'll pass." Nightingale said as she reactivated her Light Flight and shot into the air with a giddy laugh.
"She really likes doing that" Jak said fondly as he turned his head watched her fly off.
"Hey Jak?" Chill said.
"Yeah?"
"I dare you to smack Night's ass when she comes back" Chill said with a grin.
"What!?" Jak said in surprise, sitting up.
"What? You obviously like her. Smack her ass. Show her you're interested" Chill said with a perverted smirk.
Jak scowled and said "That won't work"
"So you are interested!" Chill said with a grin.
"Damn it…women make things so complicated" Jak sighed, scratching his head.
"Come on Jak. You're a stud, you're a hero, and you're drop dead gorgeous. Just let Night know that you're interested. She's a bit sheltered, but even she should be able to see the signs. Who knows, she might return the favor" Chill said as she lowered her sunglasses with a lewd grin.
Jak thought about it for a minute and said "OK, I'll do it"
"Sweet" Chill said with a wide grin.
"But you have to bang Blade in the water" Jak replied.
"Can do. Hey Russal!" Chill said as she got to her feet.
"What?" Blade said, walking over to her.
Chill whispered something in his ear and he gave her a surprised look.
"Again? That's three times since we got here!" Blade said incredulously.
"Wait, I only saw one time like an hour ago. When the hell did you have time to do it earlier?" Sharpshooter asked.
"It was when you guys were watching Jak and Nightingale earlier" Chill replied before she grabbed Blade's hand and jumped off of the cliff.
"That man has a sex life spoken of in legends" Pecker said with a smirk.
Onin made several gestures with her hands and Pecker said "Not on your life!"
"What did she say?" Jak asked.
"Something about Blade and her being 300 years younger. Trust me, you don't want to know" Pecker said with a shudder.
"UGH! Did not need that image in my mind" Daxter howled as he covered his eyes. Tess laughed at Daxter's antics before gesturing him over to her. Nightingale's head popped up over and cliff and she said "What happened up here?"
"Trust me, you don't want to know" Daxter replied.
Nightingale climbed up on the cliff, reverting to her normal form. She wrung the water out of her hair and was moving to sit down next to Jak, when Jak swiftly did what Chill has asked.
"EEP!" Nightingale squeaked as Jak smacked her behind, causing her to jump.
Jak and Daxter exchanged looks for a moment before Daxter gave him a thumbs up. Everyone began to laugh, while Nightingale stood there, looking incredibly embarrassed and confused.
"What? Jak, why did you DO that!?" Nightingale demanded.
"Oh come on Night, I was having some fun" Jak said with a grin as he got to his feet and brushed the sand off of him. Nightingale scowled, but then smiled mischievous and swatted Jak's behind in a similar fashion.
"Nightingale!? Are you serious?" Jak asked in surprise as he looked back at the top-ranked Agent, who was sauntering away with a grin.
"I'm going to buy Chill a beer later" Jak thought to himself with a satisfied smirk.
Nightingale looked back at Jak, flushing pink, but was grinning widely.
Jak laughed said "So much for innocence and purity. Maybe that test of heart thing was rigged"
"Hey! Who was the one smacking my butt just a minute ago?" Nightingale shot back, causing Jak to smile as he walked by her.
"Well, you know" Jak laughed, slapping Nightingale on the ass again.
"JAK!" Nightingale yelled exasperatedly as her face turned dark red.
Jak bent over, laughing loudly, before Nightingale ran at him and tackled Jak to the ground. The rolled around on the rock face, both of them trying to get on top, before they realized that they had run out of rock.
"OH F*CK!" Jak yelled as he flailed in the air. Nightingale laughed before she went into her Light Mode and pure white angel wings shot from her back and she soared past him. Jak laughed and grabbed her by the foot as she flew by him, causing her to go off course and slam into the water right before he did. Nightingale shot out of the water with a growl and flung herself at Jak, who went into Light Jak mode and activated his Light Barrier, sending Nightingale reeling backwards into the water.
"Owww…that's a really cool power Jak" Nightingale said admiringly.
"Yeah…let's fly back up there" Jak suggested.
"OK…on three. One…two…three!" Jak and Nightingale said as they both went into their Light Eco Forms and shot from the water, their wings propelling them into the air.
"Wow, you've got that Light Form down, don't you Night?" Rune said with a smile as Jak and Night reverted to their normal forms.
Nightingale beamed at the compliment and Jak said "She's a natural. It took me weeks to get the level she's at now"
Nightingale's face flushed pink and she muttered "Well, I have a good teacher showing me the way"
The conversation continued as such for a few more minutes, and the others continued to relax. A short distance away, Beast was waking up from a small nap. The desert heat was relaxing to the large man, who had thrived on the warmth and heat of the desert once upon a time, and was accustomed to it. Beast had his eyes closed as the desert wind picked up, blowing back his black bangs. Beast then cracked open an eye as he heard the distinct sound of engines in the distance.
Beast growled a curse under his breath and grabbed his warhammer and a pistol, holding them in each hand.
"EVERYONE! HIDE!" Beast snarled to the others, who as one dove into the water at the large man's command. They knew better than to question Beast in the Wasteland. This was his turf.
Jak and Nightingale hid behind a rock a short distance away, ready to intervene if they must.
Beast stood tall as three red and black dune buggies surrounded him, each one carrying three Marauder's in them. As the Marauder's jumped out, they brandished their weapons at Beast.
"Arhyski! Meki osh juka lotana!" Beast growled to the Marauder's. The Marauder's exchanged looks, and then lowered their weapons, muttering "Arkzlag…"
A taller Marauder with a two-handed sword took a step back and muttered "Arkzlag…ah to merkoza?"
Beast nodded and said "Ahta. Judo nosalz towat"
Nightingale listened intently, and murmured under her breath "I knew it…I knew they'd come back some day…"
"Night?" Jak asked, but the black-haired woman ignored Jak and listened intently to the conversation going on.
"It has been some time, hasn't it my brothers?" Beast growled to the young Marauders starring him down. It had been some time since Beast last spoke the language of the Marauders. The last day had been when he left the Stronghold forever.
"What are you doing here Arkzlag?" the tall lead Marauder asked coldly.
"The same as always Lota. Protecting those I care for" Beast rumbled in response.
"Care for!? HA! You abandoned us! You went and joined those Angels! We should kill you now!" Lota roared furiously, pointing his sword at Beast.
"You forget your place youngling! I am still unbeaten in one-on-one combat, and as such I have a higher rank than you! Even if I left the folds of our people, I still hold that rank!" Beast snarled back, causing the Marauder to back off by taking a few steps backwards.
"Grr…" Lota growled angrily.
"Leave this place. Forget about me and move on" Beast murmured softly.
"We can't Akrzlag! Please, come home!" another marauder said softly, his dark blue eyes shining under his helmet.
"Akenna, calm yourself" Beast growled.
"We have been without a Leader for so long. Ever since the Angels attacked us, we have had no one to lead us, to show us the way" Akenna said softly to Beast.
"Of course…Leader is determined through the rule of the Pack. He who slays the Leader, becomes Leader…" Beast said to Akenna.
"What are they talking about?" Tess asked Daxter. Daxter shook his head and looked up at Jak and Nightingale, who were muttering to each other.
"What do they want Night?" Jak asked in a hushed tone.
"They said they need a Leader, and Leader is determined by who killed Leader" Nightingale whispered. Jak and Daxter realized that Nightingale could understand them perfectly, having spent years with them during her imprisonment. She must have learned the language at some point during her time at the Stronghold.
"And who was the one who killed Leader?" Lota said softly to Beast.
"Iris…" Beast growled angrily.
"I killed him when I broke out. I killed so many of them escaping, just so I could find the man that had broken me…I earned the right to fight him, and I beat him…I killed him…I didn't even consider the fact that…oh my god" Nightingale realized.
"So it is settled, we have our new Leader" Lota said with a grin.
"No" Beast said firmly.
"No? She defeated Leader Akto, so she is now Leader" Lota said, clasping his hands together with a satisfied laugh.
"Leave now. Find someone else to be Leader" Beast growled.
"This is how it must be! It is tradition!" Lota snarled.
"If she can't be Leader, than can you come back? You were second in command after all, and you'd be perfect as a Leader" Akenna asked softly.
"Neither me or her will accept the position" Beast growled.
"Then we shall take her by force!" Lota snarled, and Beast smiled sinisterly and dropped his warhammer and pistol into the sand.
"I was hoping you'd say that" Beast growled.
And like that Beast lunged forward, faster than any of the Marauders could react, and grabbed Lota by the head. He drew back his fist, while clutching Lota's skull with his other hand in a grip of iron, and slammed his fist Lota's face. Lota went flying backwards into the sand as Beast's fist connected with a horrifying crunching sound. Blood poured from the helmet of the Marauder as crashed into a nearby dune, where he remained unmoving and still.
"Come get me" Beast snarled, taking a step forward.
The Marauder's roared and lunged at Beast, who charged into the fray. Jak made a move to help him, but Nightingale stopped him by grabbing his arm.
"He can handle this himself. Plus, it's the Lohzusa. The others made the challenge, and now Beast must face them alone" Nightingale said with a knowing smile. Jak nodded and proceeded to watch one of the most one-sided fights of his life.
Beast indeed didn't need any help, as he ducked under a slash and delivered an uppercut to one of the Marauder's the knocked his helmet off and sent him flying fifteen feet into the air before crashing senseless onto the ground.
Beast spun around as another Marauder launched himself at him, and he grabbed him by the throat and held the Marauder high into the air. The Marauder writhed in the powerful man's grip as Beast crushed his windpipe, breaking his neck with pure strength. As Beast dropped the dead Marauder onto the ground, three Marauder's charged at him, sword's raised. Beast kicked his War Hammer into the air with his foot and grabbed it as it flew upwards, spinning around as he grabbed it.
"RAAAAH!" Beast snarled as he slammed his hammer into the three Marauder's, sending them flying backwards into the sands and kill all three of them with one strike. Beast swung his warhammer again, slamming the edge of the powerful weapon into the side of another Marauder, who screamed in agony as the war hammer's spike tore into his side. Beast pulled the warhammer out of the man's side and jabbed at him with the blunt edge of the weapon, downing him for good. The final Marauder managed to get close enough to Beast to slash at him with his sword, but Beast simply spun around and punched him in the face, sending him crashing into the sands once more and breaking his neck with a single punch.
Beast looked up at the only Marauder left, Akenna, who was staring at the former second in command of the Marauders with a look of admiration and fear.
"That guy scares me" Daxter whispered to Jak, who nodded.
"Beast can be really terrifying in battle sometimes" Nightingale whispered in agreement. Beast starred down the remaining Marauder, who looked at his weapon for a moment before dropping it into the sand.
"I surrender. I'm not above admitting that you are the better warrior, sir" Akenna growled.
"Akenna…leave. Tell the others this. They must move on. They must find their own way. Such is the life of the Marauders…" Beast growled.
"But…we need you sir" Akenna muttered softly.
"Maybe…but another can be Leader. I am too soft…too protective. Leader must be someone who puts the clan first, and is ruthless to all others. Vicious, calculating, and puts his people first. That is what made the old Leader so good…Akenna. Leave. Tell them what you saw, and tell them to leave me and Iris out of this. That part of our lives is over now" Beast growled softly as he took a few steps forward. Beast put a hand on the young Marauder's shoulder.
"Go with the blessing of Arkzlag…go…" Beast said to the young Marauder, who nodded silently and began to walk back to his buggy.
With a casual glance at his slain allies, Akenna quickly sped off into the Wasteland, and Beast sighed deeply.
"Another time…another life…" Beast growled to himself.
"Beast!"
The large Agent turned around to see Jak and Nightingale running towards him. Nightingale looked up at him and said "I heard everything…thank you…for sticking up for me like that"
"Don't say that. I can't repay you for what I did to you…Don't ever think we're even" Beast growled at the young woman, who sighed.
"I said I forgive you. If you're going be like this, I can't stop you. But don't beat yourself up over this" Nightingale said to Beast, who shook his head.
Sharpshooter and Rune walked over to the group, so Beast turned around and waked back towards the vehicle.
"What happened? We heard…DAMN!" Sharpshooter said as he eyed the dead bodies on the ground.
"Night, what happened?" Rune asked softly.
"The Marauders…they made an offer that Beast had to refuse" Nightingale replied quietly.
"Maybe…we should pack it in for today" Rune said to Sharpshooter, Jak, and Night, who nodded as they watched Beast stomp off.
"Alright guys! Pack it in! We're heading back" Rune called to the others, who began to get their things and got ready for the ride back to the Sanctuary.
Meanwhile:
Vale of Shadows:
Havoc stood at the entrance to the chasm, eyeing it with apprehension. He ripped off his helmet, trying to keep calm. This valley was terrifying in a manner he had never felt before. It felt…wrong, being here. Every fiber of his being screamed at him to run as far from here as he could.
But he stayed where he was, trying to keep his cool.
"Are you scared of the dark, Havoc?" Arranst asked.
"Of course not…it's just this place…it's terrible…why are we even here!?" Havoc demanded.
"As the Champion of Darkness, you must know certain things that coincide with your fate. You must embrace your heritage, and unlock your full potential. This tomb conceals a great secret, that only you can unlock, Jazon…" Arranst whispered.
"I can do this by myself then!" Jazon barked at Arranst, who laughed and retreated from his mind completely. Havoc felt awareness wash over him. It was one of the very few times when the darkness in him receded. He was in control of his actions once more. He began to walk towards the edge of a small hole, which he could not see inside of. Pure darkness awaited him down below. He was going further and further from the light…
He closed his eyes tightly and took a shuddering breath.
"Guys…forgive me" Havoc murmured as he stepped off of the chasm's edge and fell into the dark unknown alone.
End of Chapter:
So now that both sides have gotten a chance to relax, it's time for the action we all love.
Next chapter, one character will meet their end.
Good or bad?
Avenging Angel or Hunter?
WHO SHALL DIE?
Only I know.
So until then, please review and tell me what you thought. Reviews are what keep this story going! You're feedback helps this story grow and expand.
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Until next time, FlygonN out!