Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
Alright, so here's the deal.
I don't know WHAT I want to do with this story. While I'd love to keep going on with it and not have to stop, the update times for the chapters are getting a bit ridiculous, and I just can't find time to write two stories with all that's going on.
This story takes a backseat to my other one, and I'll work on this one when I can. I want to get Apocalypse finished, not posted and updated, but at least finished before I devote my full attention to this story. This story will NOT be stopping, but…we'll see, OK? We'll see.
Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which included Sage Nightwing, evilanimegenious, LadyAmazon, doubledamn, oddballooze, Mooman1706, TC-Irish3, KETh1thru6, a new guest reviewer known as Ruka, and another Guest reviewer.
Thank you for being so patient this past month, and I apologize that I can't get these out sooner. I'm done promising and apologizing, I'm just going to do what I can.
You guys are amazing. Thank you for the reviews and the overall support. Beast's death was something I planned way back, but I reconsidered it for a while before finally deciding that I had to go through with it.
Anyway, here's the chapter.
Enjoy.
Chapter 28: Seven Strikes Upon the Drum
"While we are mourning the loss of our friend, others are rejoicing to meet him behind the veil"-John Taylor.
Flashback: Four Years Ago
Marauder Fortress:
"ARKZLAG!"
Beast stomped through the hallway, where he found some of his fellow Marauders slain, drowning in their own blood. Beast let out a growl of anger and knelt down next to his comrades. Each of them had been slashed deeply with some sort of weapon, and were dying slowly.
"Who did this?" Beast growled softly.
"The girl…she escaped…we couldn't stop her" one of the slain Marauder's muttered.
"Grr…" Beast snarled as he got to his feet and sprinted down the hallway.
Beast stormed down the hallway, following the trail of blood. He had known that the girl had some serious potential, but to think she had done this?
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
"What on earth?" Beast growled as he took cover behind a stone pillar.
"THAT'S RIGHT! TAKE THIS!" A loud voice yelled furiously.
Beast jumped out from cover and saw a massive transport hovering the sky above them. The Watcher was emblazoned on the side of it, while men and women clad in strange armor jumped from the skies and into the Fortress. One of which was a man clad in red armor, who was currently decimating their forces by himself by moving at an incredible speed. The men clashed with the Marauders, who were attacking with equal intensity.
"EVERYONE! ATTACK!" Beast roared furiously as he charged into the fray.
Beast rallied the Marauders, wondering where Leader Akto was all the while, and led them against the assault. At first they managed to hold off the strange enemies, and Beast nodded in approval and stormed off in the opposite direction, still looking for Leader.
Somehow he knew when he had finally found his Leader that she was with him. Both were standing at the top level of the Fortress, pointing swords made of Precursor Metal and bone at each other. Iris wore a look of utter hatred on her face while Akto wore a wide smile.
"Ah…of course you would try to escape while the Avenging Angels are attacking…you were always a clever one, little girl" Akto said with a grin.
Iris remained silent, but lunged forward, sword raised. Beast jumped in front of the blow and blocked it. He swung his hammer at Iris, only for her to duck under the swipe and slash at Leader, who swiftly brought up his own blade to block the slash. Iris spun around and slashed downwards, causing Leader to jump back to avoid the blow.
"Arkzlag, do not interfere. She has invoked the right of Lohzusa! Me and her must fight to the death…do NOT interfere…I want to see if this girl has what it takes to kill me…" Akto said as he got into another sword stance.
"As you wish, Leader' Beast said, standing down and watching the proceedings intently, even as the Angels attacked below If Akto somehow, someway lost…the very thought of it was unthinkable. Akto returned his attention to the broken yet fierce young woman who stood before him, no younger than 16. She had flowing black hair that reached down past her kneecaps and had toned strong arms. She was blooming into a beautiful woman, but bore marks and slashes that were her only mar on her beauty. The remains of her torture and the scars of what Akto had done to her would never heal, both mentally and physically.
Akto lunged at Iris once more, and the two locked blades for a moment before breaking free. Akto slashed at Iris, who blocked the slash and was sent stumbling backwards from the force of it. Iris regained her footing and began to strike back with doubled ferocity.
"You have talent, Iris…the skill of a true warrior…yes…But you must USE that anger that you have deep inside of you…That hatred! I BROKE YOU! HOW DOES THAT FEEL LITTLE GIRL!?" Leader bellowed as he traded blows with Iris on one of the towers of the Fortress. A growl of fury was his answer and a strike that nearly sent him falling off of the battlement.
"This is bad…the Angels are mowing us down, and Leader seems to be evenly matched with the girl" Beast growled softly as Iris was pushed back a few steps, only to gain them right back with a swift series of strikes.
"Your strength was never in question young one! You just wouldn't listen! You should have just submitted!" Leader yelled desperately as he swiftly blocked the furious barrage. Iris was snarling in anger as they battled back and forth across the battlement, both sides giving and taking ground along the battlements as the other battle raged below.
Beast looked below and saw that the Marauder forces had retreated within the depths of the Fortress, and that the Avenging Angels were watching the fight taking place above them with intense interest. Beast saw a man in whitish-gold armor with a staff walk to the front of the group and stare at Beast for a moment before shifting his attention to the fight with Leader and Iris.
"AGH!" Akto screamed in pain as Iris managed to disarm him with a swift backhanded slash, sending his bone-sword clattering to the ground, coating his hand in blood. Iris stabbed at the Leader, who snaked around the blade and picked his own up, rolling under another slash and lashing at at the young girl in front of him, nicking a chink in her gear and drawing blood.
"AHA! You're getting sloppy!" Akto panted gleefully as he tried to catch his breath.
Iris looked apathetically at the blood dripping onto the ground from her stomach before lashing out at the old Leader, disarming him for a second time before following up by running him through with her sword, piercing his chest with a savage yell.
"NO!" Beast roared, before remembering that he could not interfere. Akto grinned evilly, even as he panted from sheer pain and a death rattle escaped him. Iris glared at him with utter hatred in her eyes.
"Hehehe…ahahahahaha! You are an excellent fighter, young one…agh… I can see that you have an interesting fate ahead of you…too bad you're so damaged there's no chance of happiness in that future" Akto laughed horribly as blood filled his lungs. Iris let out a yell of fury and bashed him in the skull with the pommel of her sword, sending him tumbling to the ground, blood spurting form his skull.
"AHAHAHAHAHA! He never came to save you, did he!? Where did Jakob go!? AHAHAHAHAHA! You're all alone! You'll ALWAYS be alone!" Akto practically howled with mirth as Iris strode furiously over to him and pulled him upright by his graying hair.
"Do it…kill me…" Akto hissed with a mad grin. Beast stood there, shaking in horror and fury as Iris lifted her sword high into the air and brought it down with authority.
SLLLINK!
The sound of Akto's body hitting the ground and the sound of blood splashing onto stone filled the area. Iris let out a yell of triumph as she held Akto's head up to the sky, blood dripping down it like a trophy. The remaining Marauders who were regrouping starred up at her in horror and fear, as did the Avenging Angels.
"You…you killed Leader…" Beast growled, finally gaining his voice back.
Iris tossed Leader's head onto the ground and spat after it before giving Beast a half-hearted glare.
"That man…he took my…my hope…and he broke it…so I…broke him" the girl rasped. Beast was surprised she could speak at all, as she only used her voice to sing to them. For all else she remained silent.
Iris strode past Beast, who moved aside for a young girl as she made her way down the stairway that led to the courtyard. The Avenging Angels drew their weapons as the young girl who walked towards them, ever so slowly. The man in white and gold armor removed his helmet, revealing a man with slightly graying hair and a kind smile. He knelt down until he was face level with the young woman, who looked him in the eyes.
"Hello there…who are you?" Disten asked softly. Iris starred into his eyes unblinkingly, and Disten blinked for a moment before saying "You just defeated the Marauder Leader in one-on-one combat…do you know what that means?"
"…"
"You're not one of them, are you?" Disten asked. Iris shook her head sadly.
"Are you a prisoner?"
Another sad nod.
"Oh my…I am so sorry my dear" Disten said softly, shaking his head.
"We could take you with us. You can get away from here...We can take good care of you. Would you like that?" Disten asked kindly. Iris looked away nervously, unsure of what to do. Beast could tell she was debating whether these "Angels" were better or worse than her previous captors.
Finally she nodded, and Disten led her towards the Watcher, the massive ship that was floating in the distance. Beast followed silently.
After a few minutes of silent walking, Disten instructed another Agent to lead Iris to the ship, and to wait for him. The other Agent led her onto the ship, while Disten stayed where he was, allowing himself to fall behind.
"Come on out. I know you're there" Disten said sharply. Beast immerged from the shadows.
"You are Chief Disten, are you not?" Beast growled.
"Yes, I am. We attacked purely on the grounds that you murdered one of my Agents while he was on his way back to base from a Metal Head nest raid. This was proper retaliation." Disten said coldly.
Beast nodded and said "That girl, she was our prisoner. She escaped and killed many before killing Leader…she leads us now"
"She will not lead you all. She's just a little girl, and I'm taking her with us" Disten said simply.
"I…I will not stop you all. She has suffered much…I have tried to help her, as much as I could…our Leader…she is broken because of him…she may be beyond fixing" Beast said with a guilty look on his face.
"We'll see about that" Disten said quietly. He had hope that the girl could recover from whatever hell they subjected her to.
"…I want to come with you" Beast said suddenly, stepping forward.
"What!? No. Absolutely not" Disten said sharply.
"Even if she does not acknowledge it, she is our Leader. I have sworn to protect our Leader with my life. That girl is special, I feel…she has a great fate before her. So I must join you, and protect her. I will join you in your fight with the Metal Heads. I will help" Beast growled lowly.
"Prove your sincerity. How in the world can I, can we, trust you?" Disten said curiously.
Beast crossed his arms and said "I will leave my people, and follow you through the desert. I am a master-tracker; I will find your base. I will find you once again, and I will prove that I am worthy. That girl…I owe her a debt that cannot be repaid…"
"Hmmm…Have you felt true sorrow before...mister…?" Disten trailed off.
"Arkzlag" Beast replied
"Have you felt true sorrow and loss before Arkzlag? Have the Metal Heads killed one of your loved ones? Have you ever felt the crushing pain of grief at their hands?" Disten asked.
"Yes…my little sister died…because of those monsters…" Beast said in a near whisper.
"Then I accept your offer, Arkzlag. All you have to do is find me in my Sanctuary. Then you may join us, and protect that girl with your life if you feel like you should. Though if you join us, you must swear upon your gods that you will protect your fellow Angels from the Metal Heads with all of your strength. That included the girl we just saved" Disten said seriously.
"Deal" Beast growled.
"I've never turned down a warrior of any kind from the Avenging Angels…perhaps this is the start of an interesting friendship?" Disten said with a wry smile. Beast grinned savagely and said "You should leave…don't want to make this too easy, do you?"
Disten turned around and walked towards the ship in the distance. Beast cast a backwards glance at the fortress behind him, still burning. They could get on without him. There were better uses of his time than staying at the Fortress. He had always felt that the Metal Heads were mankind's true enemy…perhaps he could finally avenge his sister's death after all…and as for Iris…
He'd try to protect her as she recovered from the hell he helped subject her to. It was the least he could do…
Time: Present, Two Day After Beast's Death
Location: Unknown
"WHAT THE HELL WERE YOU THINKING!?" Stephen roared at Shadow.
Shadow was visibly shaking at the amount of anger in his voice, and she managed to reply "I t-told them! I told them not to kill any of them!"
"BEAST IS DEAD BECAUSE OF YOU ZELDA!"Stephen yelled furiously at Shadow, who looked away, trembling horribly now.
Siren, Doppelganger, and Violet were standing to the side of the room, watching the exchange, looking ashamed. They had gotten out of control and Bane had killed Beast. They had gone against a direct order…she had told them again and again to just get the fragment, and they had disobeyed her.
"I…but I…" Shadow stuttered.
"You…lied…to…me!" Stephen yelled, slamming his hands down on the keyboard with each word.
"I didn't! I swear, I didn't mean for any of them to die!" Shadow said as tears formed in her eyes.
"Damn it…"
"Stephen…"
"Get them out of here. Now" Stephen said tersely.
Shadow shot the others a look and they quickly retreated out of the room. As soon as they left, Stephen rounded on Shadow.
"You…promised me…none of them would get killed…hurt, I can live with…BUT YOU HAD HIM KILLED!" Stephen snarled furiously, raw anger and pain in his voice.
"I KNOW! HE WASN'T SUPPOSED TO KILL HIM!" Shadow yelled back, tears running down her face.
"You should be able to control your own damn Hunters Zelda!" Stephen shot back in a low voice.
"I can't control them all the time. Even with the Blessing, it can't fully stop the progress of the Dark Eco. Bane was nearly gone by the time we starting fighting!" Shadow said weakly as she cried. Stephen allowed her to regain he composure for a little while before he spoke again.
"Bane was gone…? What do you mean…gone?" Stephen asked.
"Only Havoc can really control the Dark Eco…the blessing…isn't really a blessing Stephen…you were right" Shadow said as she raised her arm, rolling up her sleeve.
Stephen's face paled in horror as he starred at Shadow's arm, which was flowing with twisting and flowing black marks. The marks seemed foul and evil, and were on a patch of her skin. Shadow smiled sadly and said "The Blessing is stronger in some than others…I'm lucky that it hasn't spread to the rest of my body"
"How long have you been like this?"
"Only a short while? It's not a fast acting curse, but…still"
"I'll find some way to fix this…I swear it…" Stephen whispered as he touched the computer screen.
"Are you still mad at me…?" Zelda whispered.
Stephen shook his head and said "…I…it wasn't your fault…so no…I'm mad that this death had to happen…that this entire war is necessary…Beast was a good friend to me and the others…at least he doesn't have to worry about this damned fight anymore"
"Yeah…"
"Why didn't you tell me about the markings?" Stephen asked.
"I didn't want to make you worry…you're already so worried about your friends, and what you're going to have to do" Shadow said in a soft tone.
"This is still a pretty big thing Shadow, you have to tell me these things…I'll see what I can do from my end…but be careful. OK?"
"OK…"
"I have to go now…we're getting ready for Beast's funeral. The next time I make contact, I'll be leaving this place for good" Stephen said softly.
"Operation Fallen Angel hinges completely on you…once we get those Fragments back, we're leaving this place…we'll go so far away that neither the Angels or Hunters will find us" Shadow said as she reached towards the screen, as if reaching through it would allow her to touch the face of her lover.
Stephen reached towards her, and their fingers pressed against the screen together. The two starred into each other's eyes for a good while, enjoying the silence for a while.
"I have to go now…I'll make contact within the next few days…goodbye" Stephen said in a whisper.
"I love you"
"I love you too"
Stephen ended the communication, and leaned back in his chair before muttering "I should get outta here. If anyone finds me in here…they'll ask questions"
Stephen got out of his chair with a groan and sneakily got out of the room, jamming his helmet back on his head as he did so. With a sigh he got back to work.
Meanwhile:
Phoenix screamed again as she punched the rock face, the blood running down her knuckles staining the water and turning it sanguine. Tears rushed down her face, mixed in with the water as she retreated into the waterfall and sobbed uncontrollably.
"Beast…DAMN IT!" Phoenix screamed as she pounded her fist against the rock face, shaking her head as the tears rolled down her face. After a few more minutes of screaming, Phoenix finally collapsed into the water, floating senselessly. Part of her was hoping that she would drown, but she felt that it wouldn't help things much, so she just floated.
"Michelle!"
Phoenix turned around, hearing her sister's voice, and screamed "GO AWAY!"
Rune appeared on the far shore, dressed in a light blue T-shirt and a pair of sweats. She looked very tired and pale. She had only regained her composure a short while ago.
Rune knew that her sister had taken Beast's death very hard, since she already had an inferiority complex because of her capture, and that coupled with the fact that she had watched him die made it worse. Rune sat down on the shore and watched her sister for a while before Phoenix eventually gave in and walked over to her twin.
"Get it all out of your system?" Rune asked, eyeing her sister's bleeding knuckles.
Phoenix nodded mutely as her sister wrapped a towel around her and helped her sit down. Rune had bloodshot eyes as well, and was hit hard by the loss of Beast. The two sisters' tried to console one another, but Phoenix's grief was too much. Rune walked over to a first aid kit, kept in the Bathing Grotto ever since Nightingale's attempted suicide, and patched up her sister's knuckles.
"I…I failed him. Damn it, I just can't do anything right Ali" Phoenix murmured as hot tears stung her eyes once more.
"That's not true Michelle…" Rune whispered.
"Yes it is Ali…don't lie to make me feel better" Michelle said softly.
"You said that you killed the Metal Head that was attacking them, right? Then you joined the fight?"
Phoenix nodded, and Rune continued.
"If you hadn't arrived, they would have been completely overwhelmed. You evened the odds and made sure that no one else got hurt from that thing, plus you helped them hold off the Hunters. If anything, you saved them" Rune said softly.
Phoenix remained silent.
"You made a difference yesterday, Michelle" Rune added as she wrapped an arm around her sister. Phoenix sighed and said "I watched him die…I watched as that man unloaded an entire clip into Beast's heart…"
"And that wasn't your fault. You have to just accept that you can't win all of your battles. After everything that's happened, I'm not surprised that Beast died…" Rune ended quietly.
"This fight is getting more personal and more dangerous with every passing moment…I just hope that the rest of us can escape from it in one piece" Rune whispered.
Meanwhile:
"AGAIN!" Dark Jak roared.
Nightingale soared down and flung a ball of Light Eco at Dark Jak, who took the attack head-on. Dark Jak howled in pain and skidded backwards several feet, but remained standing. Nightingale landed on the ground, panting heavily and drenched in her own blood. Jak was coated in his own blood as well.
It was a form of punishment/training that Jak had come up with. It had begun as an exercise for Jak to strengthen his resistance to Light Eco and Dark Eco. Nightingale wanted in on it too, and while Jak had initially held back on account of not wanting to hurt her, she was adamant that she didn't want him to go easy on her.
Dark Jak flung a Dark Bolt at Nightingale, who flung her arms out in an attempt to create a Light Barrier. She couldn't manage it though, and the blast struck her head on and sent her flying into the far wall with a scream of pain.
"Nightingale!" Dark Jak growled as he made his way towards her, ignoring his own wounds.
Nightingale's eyes flew open and a she fired a ball Light Eco at Jak, which slammed into him with enough force to send him crashing into the opposite wall with just as much force, coating him in his own blood.
Jak and Nightingale both reverted to normal and fell to their knees from exhaustion when they finally dislodged themselves from the walls. Nightingale ripped off her helmet, panting heavily before collapsing onto the ground. Jak took several minutes to catch his breath before slowly getting to his feet, limping over to Nightingale and rolling her onto her back.
"Are…you…OK?" Jak panted.
"Never…better" Nightingale hissed breathlessly.
Jak and Nightingale laid there for another ten minutes, slowly regaining their strength so they could leave the Pit. Jak carried Night out bridal-style and carried her to her room. She told him that she'd meet him in the Grotto in twenty minutes, and with that Jak walked away.
"She's…she's incredible. She's adapting to her Light Powers with so little effort…what does that say about me?" Jak thought as he limped through the hallway.
Jak got to his room and then made his way down to the Bathing Grotto. Jak slipped into the water, sighing with relief as the water soothed his aching muscles. Jak closed his eyes and allowed his mind to wander, which was a bad idea.
Blood…gunfire…Bane standing over a blood-soaked body, cackling madly as he unloaded a stream of bullets into Beast's chest…
"No!" Jak muttered, opening his eyes.
"Jak? You OK?"
Nightingale's voice had come from nearby, soft as a whisper in the wind. She slipped onto the water and wrapped her arms around him, resting her head on his shoulder tiredly.
"Yeah…it's just…it's never easy, watching a friend die like that…" Jak murmured.
Nightingale replied by saying "Death is a curse, and a blessing Jak…Arkzlag was a very brave man, who protected us with every bit of strength he possessed…he died a hero…like he wanted…"
"Night…"
"I miss him Jak…" Nightingale whispered as tears rolled down her face. Jak detached the young woman's arms and wrapped his arms around her, drawing her close to him. Nightingale sobbed into Jak's shoulder, even as Jak held back the tears.
Beast had come to their rescue many times throughout Jak's time here in the AA. On small missions, and in larger ones. He had held off the Marauder's at the beach. He had ventured out, alone, to save him from the Hunters, and was injured in the battle with Havoc…
And on the Magic Bullet, despite the horrific injuries he had received, he had battled on like a champion until he finally succumbed to his wounds…
The two remained embraced for a long time before Nightingale managed to regain her composure. Jak stroked her hair in the way that she liked while she held onto him. Jak murmured comforting words to the young woman who began to wipe her eyes.
"Jak…we need to do one last thing for Beast" Nightingale whispered to Jak.
"What would that be?" Jak asked softly,
"The Usolutakz" Nightingale replied softly
Jak remembered that word from when Beast had said it as he lay dying on the roof of the Magic Bullet. It had seemed very important to him, it had been his dying wish.
"What is it?" Jak asked.
"It's a sacred burial ceremony for Marauders. It reunites them with the very desert that they live in…it's an important part of their religion" Nightingale said in a soft voice.
"They have a religion?" Jak asked in a surprised tone.
Nightingale shifted her position so that her back was to Jak. Jak in turn shifted his position so that his arms were wrapped around her abdomen. Nightingale rested her head against Jak's chest as he lay against the rock face and said "Yeah"
"You learned about that when you were at the Fortress, didn't you?" Jak asked softly.
"Observation. Just pure conversation. I learned their language, how to fight, how to take a hit, and how to never give up from the Marauders. They're cruel and bloodthirsty…but they did make me who I am today" Nightingale said in a soft tone.
"I'm still surprised they have a religion…" Jak murmured.
"Would you like to hear about it?" Nightingale asked.
"I'd like that" Jak said in an equally soft voice, and Nightingale leaned her head against Jak's neck and said "According to the people of the Marauders…we are all born from sand"
"Sand?"
"Sand…the Wasteland is sort of seen as the place where humans were created. We were born from the sands of the Wasteland, which is called "Daciet en Boqtata", or the "Desert of Beginning" in the tongue of the Marauders" Nightingale began.
"I'm assuming they have a god of some kind?" Jak asked.
"Yes, more than one actually. They don't believe in the existence of Precursors"
"Then what Gods do they believe in?" Jak asked.
"Ashira, the Goddess of Protection, and Ruler of the Dunes is the main one. She is the creation goddess, the one who created everything and anything in the universe. She watches over the Marauder's and protects them from the sandstorms. She also allows them to navigate the desert safely. You ever wonder why Marauders have no trouble finding you Jak?" Night asked Jak. Jak, not being much for religion himself, was surprised that this could be a reason for that.
"Come to think of it, they always do find me no matter what in the desert" Jak muttered. Nightingale smiled a little and continued.
"Ashira presides over the seven stages of life, while the other Gods are designated to other tasks. There are six other gods, each of them equally important to the life of a Marauder"
"Muri is the Goddess of Beginning. She watches over all children born and ensures their safe birth. Those who are blessed with twins or triplets have their children hailed as future great warriors of the Marauders"
"Kidan is the God of Battle and Honor. It's under him that all battles are in tribute to, and he is the favorite God of all Marauders. His weapon is a twin bladed sword that glows with blacks flames" Iris continued.
"Uvis is the God of Growth, he who watches the children of the desert and allows them to grow into strong warriors, and allows them to continue to grow until they become legends themselves"
"Raka is the God of Hope and Regret. He is a very fickle God, who chooses to aid his children in battle on a whim. He can either damn his children or aid them whenever he feels like it" Night explained, and Jak nodded.
"Ivana is the Goddess of bonds and love. Doesn't get much clearer than that, she presides over marriages and all affairs of love deal with her"
"Go on" Jak said quietly, and Nightingale nodded.
"Val is the God of Death, and it's under him and Ashira that the Usolutakz is done under. Every Marauder must have this ceremony done on them, so that they can return from the very sand that they were born from" Iris continued.
Jak listened to Nightingale explain the intricacies of the religion of the Marauders. Time passed, and Nightingale ended her narration by saying "The funeral for Beast will take place at the Marauder Fortress tomorrow…me and Disten will be there, as well as a few of the others who knew him the best"
"What!?" Jak said loudly.
"He wanted his body to given the scared rights THERE. He deserves this" Nightingale said softly.
"And just how are we going to convince the Marauders to let us come into their fortress. Especially since the last time I went there, I took out a good number of them. And they can't have any pleasant memories from when the Avenging Angels attacked the Fortress a few years back" Jak asked.
"Maybe so, but they're honor bound to not harm us. Beast is a Marauder where it counts, even as he fought for the AA" Nightingale replied.
Jak remained silent at that, at least until Nightingale let out a soft yawn. She closed her eyes and nuzzled her head against Jak's chest once again, her breathing slowing down slightly. Jak shook his head and said "You can't sleep here Night"
"Can I sleep with you then?" Nightingale said in a small voice. A faint blush crept into her cheeks, and Jak's cheeks flushed pink as well.
"…why?" Jak asked curiously. Before he wouldn't have questioned it, but now that he knew how he felt about Night…well, he had to ask at least.
"I've been having nightmares again. You help keep them away" Nightingale confessed softly.
Jak nodded, that was good enough for him, and said "Come on, let's get out of here and change. We've got a long day tomorrow"
The two Agents clambered out of the water and dried off, with Nightingale heading to her room. Jak opened his room door and shut the door, changed out of his clothes, and collapsed onto the bed, his screaming muscles cheering in response. A few minutes later, Jak opened his eyes to a soft knock at the door.
Jak stumbled towards the door and opened it, revealing Night. She smiled tiredly and said "Thanks Jak. I know it's kind of a weird, but-"
"I don't mind Night" Jak said with a small smile, cutting her off. Nightingale's smile widened as she stepped into the room. Jak flopped down on his bed, allowing Nightingale enough room to get on as well. Nightingale spotted a small red pendent on Jak's nightstand as she sat down on his bed.
"Is that your seal?" Nightingale asked softly.
Jak nodded and said "My father gave it to me before he died…it's how I knew I was his son"
Nightingale looked away for a moment before "I have one too"
"Do you?" Jak asked in a surprised tone.
Nightingale nodded and reached under her shirt, pulling out a small pendent. It was not unlike the amulet she had used to open the Door to Light. It was snow white, with a delicate golden lining around it. A snow white bird emblem was surrounded by an intricate swirling design.
"Usano gave it to me when my powers were unlocked" Nightingale explained as she set it on Jak's nightstand.
Jak nodded and Nightingale fell into his bed.
"Night…"
"Yeah?"
"Do you…" Jak stopped himself.
"Yeah? What's up?" Nightingale asked softly.
"Nothing…good night"
"Good night Jak" Nightingale murmured as she fell asleep in Jak's arms. Jak tightened his embrace and rested his chin on her head.
"I have to get stronger…no matter what, I have to get stronger. I have to protect them…and you…" Jak muttered as he fell into the sweet embrace of sleep.
The Next Morning:
Jak stood in the Motor Pool next to Sharpshooter, starring at Nightingale.
"That's quite the get-up" Sharpshooter said, snickering quietly.
"Shut up…it's not like I chose to wear this. It's an important part of the ceremony" Nightingale muttered.
Nightingale, having knowledge of the funeral for Beast, had decide to bust out something even Chief Disten didn't know she still had. Nightingale scowled at the others, eyeing her in her Marauder gear, which was a little small on her and required some modifications on her part to make her somewhat decent. Her armor consisted of some scrap metal on her shoulders and arms and the chest and legs were covered by a shirt made of a strong leathery shirt. Nightingale discreetly wore tights under it to make the outfit less revealing, but Jak couldn't help but stare regardless.
"It's a little small on you" Jak said.
"It's essentially a mini-skirt, so shut up already" Phoenix said angrily, annoyed at the guys poking fun at Night's outfit.
Nightingale sighed and said "Seriously, stop staring at me. I still have to do the face paint once I get there"
"Can we really expect them not to kill us on sight?" Chill asked Tech.
Tech nodded and said "I think so. The Marauders are quite proud of themselves, but even they have to adhere to the intricacies of their own religion"
"Yeah, they won't attack you guys. We're sure of it" Jet said with a somber smile as Nightingale got into a large vehicle and drove off into the desert with a large steel container in tow.
The group would ride in a large Raven-Ship designed for large groups. Nightingale would go on ahead of them and meet with the Marauders before them and take them Beast's body, and the Avenging Angels would arrive later on for the ceremony.
Nymph was waiting for them in the Docking Bay, looking morose as they approached. Nymph nodded silently and hopped into the front, and group sat there quietly in the back.
"I can't believe it…I still can't believe it" Nymph murmured as she started up the transport. Jet offered her a sad smile and said "The guy was an insane fighter. A damn near monster and scared the living crap out of me whenever he could…man I'm going to miss him"
Sharpshooter shook his head and said "Beast…heh, you'd think that being a Marauder would've made him too violent to protect people from the Metal Heads"
"You'd be dead wrong on that assumption" Royal replied. Phoenix nodded.
"He was one of bravest men I've ever met" Jak said quietly, Daxter sighed and said "And strongest. He was incredible on the Magic Bullet…"
"Agent Beast may not have come from the most prestigious of backgrounds, having more kills under his belt than any of us, and most of them human…but he was a true warrior, and died protecting those he cared about" Disten said in a soft tone that had a touch of true pain in his tone.
"I allowed him into the AA the day we found Night…after Iris killed the old Leader of the Marauders, he asked if he could join the Avenging Angels to protect Iris…he had helped, according to Iris very little but still, in her torture and imprisonment…he followed the transport to the Sanctuary and managed to find our secret entrance, which back then was easier to find than it is now. He fought through ten Agents before Rush took him down, and after that, he begged me to let him join the Avenging Angels"
"Why?"
"He was honor-bound to protect her. He said she was, technically, the new Leader of the Marauders and he needed to watch over her. Iris resented him at first, but learned to live with it…his desire to protect her grew to include all of us" Tech explained.
The crew remained silent as the ship soared through the desert. After a while, they finally arrived at the Marauder Fortress. As the ship touched down on the long pathway that led from the desert to the Fortress, which was newly repaired (including the bridge connecting it to the desert), a lone Marauder was waiting for them on the ground. The group got out, holding their weapons tightly.
"Ah…greetings. You have come for the Usolutakz?" the man asked. His eyes were bloodshot and red, as if he had cried intensely before meeting them.
"Yes. We are here for the ceremony. I trust Iris made it here safely?" Disten said.
"She has told us what has happened…Arkzlag's death has saddened many of us, he was a wise and strong man. At least he died fighting worthy opponents, in a fight to save us from the forces of darkness" the young Marauder said to them as he escorted them to the front gate.
"My name is Gotha, I will be your escort and translator for the ceremony. Come, we are waiting for you. All of the preparations are done, and we may proceed" Gotha said as they walked up to the gate.
"GOTHA ETAN YU LOKMA!" Gotha bellowed into the sky, his voice echoing.
The gate rose, and the group beheld a massive congregation of Marauders. They were clad in their armor, but their helmets were off, allowing their faces to be seen. It was odd, that such fierce and deadly men and women could seem so normal in their grief.
Death seemed to do that to people, Jak realized. It was something everyone, every human had in common. Mourning, pain, and sorrow. It was what united the Avenging Angels, and in a way, united the Angels and the Marauders on this day.
A funeral for one of the Marauder's greatest, and a warrior to be remembered forever for his sacrifice.
Beast's body was in the middle of the congregation. He was wearing an armor in the style of the Marauders, and held his Warhammer in his hands, which were crossed. Each of the Agents was allowed to approach the casket he was in and pay their respects. Jak muttered a thank you to the large warrior, for both his bravery, his sacrifice, and for protecting all of them, especially Nightingale.
Speaking of…
"Where's Nightingale?" Jak asked Gotha.
"Who?" the man replied, confused.
"Iris" Jak clarified.
"Ah, the ex-prisoner, or the would-be leader. She will be along any moment" Gotha said as he gazed at the events happening with interest.
"To think that the Marauders were capable of such a ceremony…fascinating" Nymph murmured. Gotha smiled blandly at her and said "We are not quite so savage when it comes to honoring our fallen. You all slay dozens of us in battle as were guard our resources and our desert, so who's really the savages?"
Nymph, Sharpshooter, and Rune looked ready to make angry retorts, but Jet silenced them all at once and prevented the arguing before it could even start.
"It doesn't matter. None of that matters now. The only thing that matters right is Beast" Jet said in a low voice. Nymph looked at then young co-pilot for a moment before giving him a one-armed hug as he hung his head low. Rune and Sharpshooter looked shamefaced and remained silent.
"Yes…you are right, I suppose. Now you just stand back…be silent…and observe. Everyone has paid their respects, and the ceremony will begin now" Gotha murmured as a figure walked to the front of the congregation and began to clear a pathway through them.
The congregation of Avenging Angels and Marauders was split into two sections, so that a wide path was created down the middle of the Fortress and led up to Beast's casket. The man stood at the front of the casket and bowed his head, murmuring something in the harsh tongue of the Marauders.
"AKATHA! ET…SO…YOTAL!" a man with fiery red flowing red hair wielding a tomahawk screamed into the sky all of a sudden. He was a massive man, shorter than Beast but of the same build, wearing an intricate looking piece of armor and wearing a headdress of an ancient looking bird.
"Our new Leader, Onist. He is wise and strong, and has done well these past few weeks as Leader" Gotha murmured to Jak and Daxter, who nodded.
At the Leader's command, a massive drum was wheeled out and led to one of the towers of the fortress, where a lone Marauder waited for a signal of some sort.
"What's with the huge drum?" Daxter asked Gotha.
"That is the Kadorjak, the scared drum of Ashira. Some say it was made by the very first of our kind. The first Marauders" Gotha said with a sad smile as Jak began to look around for a special someone.
And then Jak spotted her. The congregation stirred as the woman in question made her grand appearance.
Nightingale stepped out from the depths of the Fortress and slowly walked towards the casket that held the beloved warrior and friend. She wore blood-red face paint in strange symbols on her face and looked very solemn. Each step was slow and deliberate, careful to be in time with the small thuds of the drums the Marauders were playing.
And then Nightingale began to sing.
Soft, sad, and in the harsh tongue of the Marauders, her song slowly filled the Fortress and swept through everyone. Chill and Rune broke into tears while Chief Disten wiped his eyes, and Nightingale sang on. Gotha stopped translating, and was instead focusing on Iris with an expression of awe and sadness. Tears were flowing down the young man's face, just like the faces of many of the warriors assembled there as they beheld the fallen warrior.
Jak had eyes for only Nightingale, despite this being a ceremony for Beast. Her voice seemed to hold him spellbound as the ceremony progressed. Marauders joined in with their instruments, all very crudely made but still lending their own sort of beauty to the song the young woman sang.
A single archer let out a cry from the tower above Nightingale, who was very slowly walking towards Beast's casket and shot a single arrow downwards into the casket, a small flame engulfing the shaft. As the arrow struck, and entire casket and body was enveloped in flames.
Phoenix made a small noise and took a step forward, but Jet grabbed her arm and gave her a look. She relaxed in his grip, giving him a nod, and returned her gaze to her fallen friend, whose body was slowly being enveloped by the flames.
"His body will burn, but his heart and spirit will live on forever, in all of us. Both Angel and Marauder. These flames will burn everything, both flesh, bone, and the casket itself" Gotha said softly.
"The flames will burn his body, which the particles will go into the sky, and he returns to the wind, and eventually the sand. Such is the life of the children of the dunes" Tech said softly, and Gotha nodded.
BOOM!
The marauder dressed in a black cloak swung a large mallet at the Kadorjak, the massive ancient drum on the high tower, and as the mallet struck the huge drum, a massive sound reverberated through the area that seemed to echo throughout the desert.
"The drums are used as a way to communicate with Ashira, to let her known that a brave soul is on his way to her realm. Seven strikes upon the drum, one for each of our gods" Gohta explained as tears rolled down his face. Jak could only nod as he watched the proceedings with wonder. He had been to some funerals before, but never something quite like this. Damas's funeral had been sad and beautiful, but it seemed to pale in comparison to this. Seeing so many hardened and, supposedly cruel and bloodthirsty, warriors reduced to tears like this was something truly incredible.
BOOM!
Another strike on the drum, and the group continued to watch as Beast's body was slowly enveloped by the flames. Beast's body would be picked up by the wind and be carried into the desert. His body would burn until there was nothing left. Until he was one with the wind and sand.
BOOM!
Nightingale continued to sing as the Marauders slowly left their swords into the air, even now, so many years later and after leaving their fold, the respect for the fierce warrior had never left the Marauders, both young and old. Chief Disten lifted his staff into the air, and the Avenging Angels raised their guns into the air as well in salute to Beast.
"HAIL ARKZLAG! GEHA ET KOLO!" the Marauder's chanted, banging the pommel of their swords against their arm. The Avenging Angels joined in the chant, which lasted for several moments before it all of a sudden stopped.
BOOM!
Beast's body was unrecognizable at this point, and as his body continued to burn, Jak thought of his own death. He knew that he probably wouldn't live to a ripe old age, but if he did get to choose his death…
Jak glanced over at the beautiful woman with flowing black hair, singing in the tongue of the Marauders with her eyes closed, even as tears followed from them. Her voice pure and sweet, and always…always beautiful.
He'd go down fighting those who were precious to him. Just like his father did. Just like Rush did.
And just like Beast did.
BOOM!
The Marauder's slowly walked towards Beast's body, led by the beat of the smaller drums. Nightingale led the circle, and the AA Agents slowly followed the congregation until they were packed into a tight circle around Beast's body, still flaming on the dais and the casket.
"Agatha…et so nuna, alaa tono keke eita gahne…aha no….aha no…aha…no…" Nightingale sang as she slowly knelt down in front of Beast's body, which was almost completely gone at this point. The music slowly faded and died as Nightingale stopped singing. Jak felt himself releasing a pent up breath. Like always with Nightingale, you didn't have to understand her music to see that it was truly beautiful.
BOOM!
"Farewell my friend…my brother in arms…rest in peace Arkzlag…I'll miss you…may Ashira watch over you forever…" Nightingale whispered as she looked towards the sky, tears streaking down her face as she saw the embers and ash blow away into the sunset.
She recalled the fierce and protective warrior who was fearless in battle, and was an unmovable force of will that fought until the end against the forces of evil. The Marauders backed off as Jak made his way towards Nightingale. He kneeled next to Beast's casket, right besides Nightingale, and paid his respects as the last parts of his body burned away. The Marauders headed back into the fortress, until only one remained, the drummer who was banging on the massive drum. He remained standing, and there he would stand until the last of the flames had died.
Jak learned later this was because staying behind was frowned upon unless you were truly close to the one who had died. The Marauders left to give the Angels some peace.
Jak closed his hand around Nightingale's hand, earning a sad smile from the young woman. She leaned over to him and rested her head on his shoulder, even as the tears continued to fall. The two continued to watch the sky, even as they mourned. The drummer swung his mallet at the massive drum one final time as Jak and Nightingale kneeled next to Beast's casket together.
Because despite everything…at least they had each other to help them get through the pain. Love tended to do that.
BOOM!
Meanwhile:
Catacombs of the Shadows:
Havoc slumped to his knees, panting heavily as he did so. It had taken so much out of him, but he was finally here. He weakly lifted his torch to help fend off the pervasive darkness around him.
"Well done, my Champion" Arranst crooned as Havoc slowly got to his feet.
"Yeah, thanks for the help" Havoc growled as he slowly pulled out a pendent that was wrapped around his neck. It had an intricate design to it, with interlacing black and red lines flowing over a ruby red skull with a sword through it.
It seemed that there was some true irony to the names they were given in the Avenging Angels, Havoc realized, as the ancient bloodline he belonged to was the House of Havoc, capable of both good and bad throughout the years, but capable of great chaos nevertheless. Nightingale was alike in this aspect, as she came from the house of the Nightingale.
Jak of course came from the House of Mar.
The symbol of Havoc's ancient bloodline, just like the Seal of Mar and the Seal of the Nightingale. The Seal of Havoc flashed bright red and illuminated the room, allowing Havoc to see the large door in front of him closely.
"Yes…YES!" Arranst practically screamed with joy as the two indents in skull decorating the door flashed bright red. The door slowly sunk into the ground, allowing Havoc into the next room. Havoc sighed and took a fortifying gulp of the musty, dank air around him before stepping into the next room.
The next room seemed to be circular, and had a small platform in the middle. It also consisted of a small stone path, floating over an empty abyss of darkness. His torch and Seal were the only sources of light in the room as he stepped onto the path leading to the platform.
"Any chance of some actual light?" Havoc asked.
"Doesn't your helmet have lights on them or something? That may not help much, but it's just a thought" Arranst asked curiously.
Havoc wordlessly activated his Night-Vision and continued to walk.
"Your ancestors were also powerful warriors Havoc, but they did not have the gift that you do. Complete mastery over Dark Eco, something even the Precursors could not achieve. You are the Champion of Darkness, he who conquers the darkness and wields it in the name of me and my children!" Arranst said gleefully as Havoc finally stepped onto the platform.
The second his foot touched it, it shook heavily and suddenly flared up with light, blinding Havoc and nearly causing him to step off of the platform and into the dark abyss below.
"AGH! COME ON!" Havoc bellowed, switching over to his regular sight and being even more blinded.
"You will adjust…now, look above you" Arranst instructed.
Havoc slowly opened his eyes, cursing under his breath, and saw a massive black tentacle of Dark Eco was erupting from a black pool of Dark Eco above him.
"My influence in this world, as of now, is so small…this is the least I can do for you, my Champion. Once I activate your seal, and unlock your powers…the powers your ancestors had that you do not…not even Mar can stop you with this. He and the girl will be powerless before you" Arranst said softly.
Havoc looked up at the black tentacle, which seemed to radiate with a darkness of sorts that made his body shudder. It felt so evil, yet it felt so…familiar. Havoc was drawn towards the darkness, for reasons he could not say.
"Alright…let's do this" Havoc said softly as he raised his Seal high into the air.
The tentacle of darkness reached down and touched the center of Seal of Havoc, and a massive flash of red light filled the chamber, as did the sound of Havoc screaming in agony as Dark Eco surged into his body.
But no one heard him. No one save the woman who was slowly corrupting him could hear his screams of pain, as he sunk even further into the darkness.
End of Chapter:
What sort of destiny lays in store for Havoc? For Stephen and Shadow? For our heroes.
Stayed tuned.
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