Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
Sorry for the delay guys, even writers such as myself are susceptible to the flu. HAHAHAHAHAHA…Ah, obvious sarcasm is obvious. (Kill me…)
Anyway, like I said before, updates should pick up at some point as my other story comes to a close, and when it gets finished, update times for Jak IV will probably be every other week. I want to get a good chunk of the way done with this story before I start posting "Second Chances.
Now…this is very important.
At the end of the chapter, you will be faced with a choice.
Should Stephen, AKA Tech, be allowed to redeem himself and be allowed to live?
Or should he be hunted down and killed for hurting the others and running off with the Fragments?
You will be given his motives, his reasoning, and his backstory…choose wisely. Both options have major implications for the story, and both paths will result in two epic showdowns.
And for the love of the Precursors…VOTE ON THE DAMN POLL! THIS ONE'S IMPORTANT!
Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes Sage Nightwing, doubledamn, StaticBomb324, FanGirl1320, a guest reviewer, evilanimegenious, Ways, S-B216, Ruka, Oblique Strategies, Mooman1706, Sage Nightwing (for the review update), and another guest reviewer.
You guys are the best! :3
Alright, enough ranting. Enjoy!
Chapter 31: Darkness Revealed
"Every action needs to be prompted by a motive" -Leonardo DaVinci
Sanctuary Motor Pool:
Tech's fired a single shot a Phoenix with his pistol, the bullet soaring towards her heart. The gunshot seemed to snap her out of her daze and battle instincts seemed to kick back in. Phoenix managed to barely dodge the shot and drew one her flaming knives as she rolled into a crouch. Tech suddenly vanished on the spot.
"What the hell?" Phoenix muttered holding her knife tightly.
"Michelle…don't do this…" Tech said in a low voice from somewhere to her right.
"Invisibility…? I thought Tech's enhancement was some sort of supercomputer that helped the functionality of his armor?" Phoenix thought as she desperately tried to find some trace of the rogue Agent. She became more and more frustrated by the second as Tech chuckled at her attempts to find him.
"You're getting warmer" Tech laughed at Phoenix, who growled furiously at him.
"Shut the hell up! We trusted you! How could you do this!?" Phoenix demanded as she slashed in his direction, flaming trailing through the air.
"There's no time for explanations. Not now anyway" Tech said as he reappeared next to her. He raised his arm, which suddenly became engulfed in a surging green aura. It felt…familiar for some reason, before Tech suddenly dashed forward with an insane burst of speed and slammed the fist into Phoenix's chest, sending her hurtling backwards and causing her to slam onto the hood of a large buggy, which caved in from the force of the impact. Phoenix howled in pain as she crashed onto the ground, her entire back screaming in pain. She slowly got to her feet as Tech smiled blithely at her.
Phoenix panted from the pain and then and held her hands out to the sides, both of them becoming enveloped in red and white flames, some yellow mixed in. Tech chucked under his breath and said "I remember when you asked for that to be your Armor Enhancement…"
Tech mirrored Phoenix and held his hands out to the sides, and to Phoenix's amazement they too burst into flames, though these flames were blue and white and the air around them shivered with heat.
"W-what the-!?" Phoenix had time to say before Tech vanished on the spot, this time becoming a green blur and slamming into Phoenix with his fists held out, sending her crashing onto the ground twenty yards away. Phoenix hissed in pain as she got back to her feet.
Tech chuckled again and said "Do you guys think I was just repairing armor and powering the facility with my Metal Head Gem Extractor? No…I've always been an inventor first, a mechanic second. Every single one of the Armor Enhancements that I've given you all, I've made backups of…and some of them, I've even made better versions of…well, compared to what I have installed in your armor anyway" Tech said to a stunned Phoenix.
"And I have one of every single enhancement I've ever created built into this armor…consider it my way of leveling the playing field" Tech said as he dispelled the flames with a flick of his wrists. His armor flickered and a white overshield appeared over himself as Phoenix hurled a massive burst of fire at him. Tech simply stood there as they flames went around him, and said in a mirthful tone "Now this is just unnecessary"
"DAMN IT!" Phoenix screamed as she let loose another massive burst of fire. Tech simply fired a blue ball of energy at the ground, creating a massive wall of ice that blocked the flames. The ice crackled with a thread of Blue Eco, and Phoenix could only gap in awe.
"That's Chill's enhancement…how did he get the Blue Eco in it though?" Jak thought to himself as Phoenix clenched her fists in anger.
"You…you…" Phoenix said as she held out her hands, two small balls of pulsating white flames forming in her palms. Tech's expression turned to concern as the balls rocketed towards the center of the ice and smashed through it, the flames exploding as the ice shattered. Tech yelled out in surprise and held out his hand, a wall of energy absorbing the blast. Several massive cracks formed on the shield, which eventually dissipated and shattered like frozen glass.
"Damn…I didn't think you'd resort to the Archangel Firebomb…let alone be able to use it" Tech said in a small laugh, amazement and pride in his tone for his ex-teammate.
"Stephen…" Phoenix growled as her armor shuddered. Phoenix knew she had drained a good chunk of her armor's energy reserves with that attack. And so did Tech.
"Michelle, you should probably get Jak to the Infirmary right away. Chase is beyond saving, Arch might make it, and the Chief will be fine. Jak was an unexpected obstacle that I took care of, he doesn't need to die today" Tech said as he began to take a few steps towards the Dune Runner. Jak grunted in pain and tried to sit up, but he failed and crashed back onto the ground.
"Get him Michelle…I'll be fine…" Jak panted as he tried to sit up again, this time able to push himself up so he could prop himself against the wall while sitting down.
Phoenix turned around, drawing one of her flaming daggers and hurled it at Tech, who once again moved with alarming speed and snatched the knife out of the air and jammed it into the ground, holding it there. The flames dissipated on the spot.
"You don't realize what you're dealing with, do you?" Tech said in a rather cold voice, one that Tech had never used before now. It scared Phoenix…what was she dealing with? She had never seen Tech fight before, but heard in passing that he wasn't that good of a fighter…was that a lie too?
"I know every one of your armors inside and out, just as I know your enhancements and especially weapons inside out. Each one of these have a flaw, which I left there in case someone went rogue…never thought I'd have to use it myself. I know every single one of your weakspots, before you do…for example." Tech said as he yanked the knife free form the ground and tossed it over to Phoenix, who snatched it out of the air. Phoenix held the knife out for a moment, sheathed it, and then pulled out a magnum.
"Alright…then I'll have to take you down the old-fashioned way" Phoenix growled, opening fire on Tech, who let out a laugh as a bullet slammed into his visor. His body suddenly flickered and vanished.
"A hologram?" Phoenix managed to say before something grabbed her and threw her onto the ground. Phoenix yelled out as a weight crashed down on top of her and began to tear at her armor, specifically her gauntlets. She felt fingers dig into her armor and felt her entire armor suddenly become much cooler. The constant warmth she felt when inside of it was gone…
"The weight flew off of her and Tech rematerialized with a grin, wiggling his fingers at her.
"Of course, they'll come back online in an hour or so, as a failsafe I implemented, but it would give me more than enough time to kill you…" Tech trailed off as a small tentacle slowly shot out of the back of his armor. It was made out of a silvery substance, some type of strange metal Phoenix has never seen. The tentacle shuddered and a small deadly spear appeared at the tip of the tentacle.
"It would be so easy to kill you both…but…" the tentacle retreated within Tech's armor as his smile widened.
"But I won't" Tech said as he pointed a finger at Phoenix and shot an arc of blue energy at her. Phoenix yelled out as her entire chest became incased in ice. Phoenix fell to her knees, struggling under the weight of the ice.
"I was going to add that one in Chill's armor, but…I held onto it just in case I needed it" Tech said coolly as he lowered his hand.
"This is goodbye…I'll be contact with you all shortly…I'm sorry it had to come to this" Tech said in a low voice before turning around and hopping into his vehicle. He revved it loudly as it started up. Phoenix growled and grabbed another of her flaming daggers, which burst into flames, and slammed the knife into the ice encasing her chest over and over again, causing it to shatter after the fifth strike.
Tech saw this happen out of the rear view mirror and blinked in surprise.
"A simple miscalculation in Phoenix's will…you never did give up easily" Tech said fondly as he slammed on the accelerator, causing the engine to roar loudly in response. Phoenix sprinted as hard as she could and leapt onto the back of the car as it shot forward.
"STEPHEN!" Phoenix roared as she slammed one of her daggers into the side of the car. Tech swore as the Dune Runner shot into the Wasteland and said "I wish it didn't have to come to this…I'm just trying to save who I can Michelle!"
"Liar! You're going to screw us all over when you give those bastards the Fragments!" Phoenix yelled as she slowly crawled up to Tech from the back of the buggy. Tech scowled and slammed on his brakes, causing Phoenix to go flying through the air and crashing into the sands. As Tech shifted gears, Phoenix got to her feet and ran at him, landing on top of the hood as Tech shot in reverse. Phoenix snarled at Tech and tried to claw at his face but to no avail.
"Michelle! Don't make me hurt you!" Tech barked as he shot backwards in reverse. Phoenix wondered why he didn't just fire his weapons at her when he had the chance, but decided to worry about that later. Tech let out a yell as Phoenix wrenched herself off of the hood and threw herself at Tech, who yelped as she slammed a fist into his helmet. Tech's hand switched the gears of the buggy to drive, and Tech's foot slammed on the accelerator, causing Phoenix to fall into the backseat with a swear. Tech tapped several buttons and activated an autopilot setting on the vehicle.
"No backseat driving!" Tech said with a smirk as he got into a kneeling position in the buggy and Phoenix sat up. Tech balled up his fist and drew it back as Phoenix lunged at him with her last knife, and then slammed his fist into her shoulder as she sank the knife into his shoulder. Phoenix screamed in pain as a surge of electricity surged into her shoulder and sent her flying out of the Dune Runner. Tech hissed as he yanked out the knife and tossed it in Phoenix's direction.
Phoenix crashed into the sand, rolling and rolling until she came to a complete stop. Tech revved the vehicle and sped away, his only parting words was a backwards glance at his former comrade.
Phoenix closed her eyes, panting heavily, before slowly pulling herself to her feet. She held her arm, which was throbbing horribly at the moment, while starring at the retreating vehicle in the distance. She limped forward and retrieved her knife that was resting on the dune.
"Stephen…what have you done?" Phoenix whispered as she fell to her knees again.
Meanwhile:
Infirmary:
"Stabilize him for the love of the Precursors!" Rune shouted at the frantic medics who were currently trying to remove the bullets out of Chase's chest. Rune had point blank refused to stay outside for this, as Chase was her responsibility and she felt it was her fault he got hurt.
"We're trying! I've never seen bullets like this before, it's like their stuck inside of his body and refuse to come out!" one of the female medics said in a panicked tone.
"Sandra, calm down…if we're going to save him, we have to remain calm and professional" a male medic said in a low voice. Sandra nodded after a moment and they went back to work. Rune and Sharpshooter watched on as the medics continued to try to extract the bullets which seemed unwilling to come out. The medics were trying not to cut them out, as the damage would probably be irreparable.
"Come on…let's go see the Chief" Sharpshooter muttered in Rune's ear. Rune nodded and walked out of the room, casting a glance back at Chase before exiting the room.
The two Agents walked over to a large medical bed laying at the other and of the medical wing, where Nightingale and Chill were both sitting down next to the Chief, who had bandages wrapped around his chest.
"How is he?" Nightingale asked Rune, who shook her head silently.
"Not good. The bullets tore through his internal organs and he's lost a lot of blood. The bullets are stuck in his body though, and seem to be made of some strange metal. We can't analyze them or anything, and they want to avoid tearing them out, as the damage may be too severe to repair" Sharpshooter explained.
"How do you feel Chief?" Rune asked the Leader in a quiet tone.
Disten smiled a little and said "I'm fine. A bit sore, but the bullets went through my body, and the bullet holes left behind sealed up right away. I think they may have been designed purely to shoot a person without killing them"
"Tech was always a genius when it came to weapons" Nightingale murmured.
The room fell silent.
Tech…
The resident genius, weapons expert, and mechanic for the Avenging Angels…
A traitor.
"I just don't get why he shot you and Chase…why did he take the Fragments?" Nightingale whispered.
"He's working for the damn Hunters, that's why" a rough voice said to them as the doors opened to the Infirmary.
Jak leaned heavily against the door, holding his chest tightly as the blood seeped onto the floor. Jak felt his knees give out and suddenly her felt a pair of strong yet gentle hands catch him. Jak's vision swam and the world went black around him for an unknown amount of time, though it had to have been only a few seconds.
"…ak!? JAK!? GET A MEDIC!" Nightingale yelled frantically to the others. A third medic walked out of the surgery room, spotted Jak, and said "Another one? What on earth is going on here?"
"I can't heal…or go into either of my forms…the bullets…something's up with them…" Jak muttered as Nightingale went into Light Mode. She held her hand over one of the bullet wounds and frowned.
"This bullet is drenched in Light Eco…" Night murmured.
"Yeah, Tech shot me with it when I went into Dark Mode" Jak mumbled.
Nightingale frowned worriedly and said in a low voice "Their stuck in you…just like Chase…Jak…do you trust me?"
Jak looked at her in the eyes, and then after a moment nodded.
Nightingale then took a deep and the lights surrounding her palms intensified threefold, and Jak felt multiple objects tearing through his body. Jak screamed in agony while the others looked on in horror. Nightingale tearfully watched as the eight bullets (two had somehow merged by hitting each other) clattered onto the ground. Jak nearly fell over but Nightingale caught him again and set him on the ground. Nightingale then began the process of delicately healing Jak's injuries and knitting the muscle and torn skin back together. Chill and Sharpshooter walked over and helped him out of his armor, and Chill helped Jak out of his tank top. As Jak lay on the ground, he closed his eyes…and began to dream.
He was floating…just floating. The world around him was snow-white, and nothing existed but him. Then the area around him changed and suddenly a bright flash of white appeared next to him. Jak glanced over at Nightingale, who was wearing snow white dress and hand angel wings shooting out of her back.
"Night?" Jak asked, reaching towards her.
"This is a dream you idiot…her mind is connected to you while you heal…and as for me…well…" a cynical voice said to him, shockingly familiar.
Jak turned around and saw a man hanging from an invisible ceiling by several black chains, evil demonic wings sprouting from his back. Nightingale floated closer to Jak and clung to his arm. Jak smiled at her for a moment before looking back up at Havoc, who regarded him wearily.
"What's going on Havoc?" Jak asked the man.
Havoc smiled weakly and said "Why would I bother telling you? You'd never believe me anyway"
"Try me. Tech just stabbed us in the back, I'll believe anything" Jak said with a cold tone.
Havoc let out a bark-like laugh and said "The things we do to save those that we love…sort of like how I allowed Arranst to manipulate me so she wouldn't hurt you guys…you know…you're welcome, asshole"
"I'm…I'm sorry for what happened" Jak said in a low voice. Havoc sighed and said "Its not your fault…It wasn't supposed to be this way…she said she'd leave you all alone…"
"Don't believe her Jak. She's a liar, and cares only about destroying you and the Precursors!" Havoc said to Jak in a harsh tone.
"Havoc, who is she? What is she?" Jak asked Havoc, who shook his head.
"The Harbinger of the end...Jak…It's out of my hands now. She…well, let's just say the next time you see me…don't be shocked with what you find" Havoc said in a low voice.
Suddenly Nightingale shuddered and blinked next to Jak and said "What the…where am I?"
"Iris!" Havoc said, sounding relieved.
"…Jazon? Is…is that you?" Nightingale whispered to Havoc, who nodded.
"Night…damn it…there's a lot I want to say, and not much time to say it in…it's too late to save me. Arranst warped me so much that I don't know what's real anymore…all I can think about is finishing that Gate. Letting her in...to Gate to Darkness…so close…so close…" Havoc breathed, as though telling them this was weakening him.
"Havoc, don't give up! We'll figure something out!" Nightingale yelled to Havoc, who shook his head sadly.
"Night…I'm glad I wasn't wrong about you…" Havoc said with a weak smile.
"What?" Nightingale said, confused.
"I knew the second I met you…all those years ago…when you first came here on the Watcher…I knew that you were special. I felt something in me…some sort of connection between us. I knew for whatever reason…we were connected…and that me and you had a greater purpose in this world. We were simply waiting for someone else to come along…and align the pieces" Havoc said with a smile.
"Me" Jak stated.
"You…Jak, you…you have to realize your full potential…you go beyond…just light and dark…pure balance…that is what you embody…I've seen it through the memories of Arrant…You're a fierce and deadly warrior, who can be a savage and unstoppable force on the battlefield…yet you're also a hero, who protects those who can't protect themselves…you laugh, you cry…you love…" Havoc said to Jak, who nodded slowly.
"I am darkness...Iris is light…and you are the guardian of us both…you keep us from falling…" Havoc said as his eyes closed.
"What does that mean?" Jak asked.
"I can't say much more…she's catching onto what I'm doing…Jak…find it…the great weapon of Mar…your ancestor…it can forge the bridge between light and Dark, and help you become what you must…find…it…the Catacombs…aaaaggh!" Havoc muttered before the chains around him tightened and began to crackle with Dark Eco. Havoc howled in pain and yelled "NO! Not…yet…"
"Havoc!" Jak and Night yelled.
Havoc growled and said "I…I'm…sorry…"
Havoc suddenly exploded in a shower of darkness with a howl of agony, leaving Jak and Night standing there in bewilderment.
Suddenly Jak's vision blurred white…he could hear voices.
Jak tried to sit up, but was pushed gently back into his bed.
"There, there…it's OK…he's coming to!" a relieved voice said in a distorted tone.
Jak opened his eyes once more and saw a nurse standing above him, looking tired. Rune and Chill looked down at Jak, looking relieved. Nightingale's head popped into view, and she wore a dazed expression on her face.
"Jak, are you OK? How do you feel?" Rune asked Jak, who nodded and tried to sit up. Chill pushed him back into his bed with a stern look.
"Y-yeah…I'm fine…Night, what just happened?" Jak asked the young woman, who shook her head.
"Iris, that was incredibly dangerous! It could have killed Jak!" Disten said angrily.
"It didn't though...I knew he could take it…" Nightingale said with a tired smile to Jak, who grinned painfully back her. His chest hurt horribly, but the skin felt as smooth as it had before he got shot. It was healed completely. The pain would fade as soon and the blood he lost would be replaced eventually..
"You're getting really good at the healing thing Night" Jak muttered as he sat up again, waving off Chill. Nightingale smiled weakly and got to het feet. Jak scooted over so she could sit down next to him.
"So…now what?" Chill asked the others.
"We recover…and we try and figure out why this happened" Disten said in a soft voice.
Wasteland:
Throne of Giants:
Tech slowed the Dune Runner to a stop and hopped out of the buggy. He stood before the Throne of Giants, a large series of jagged spires that rose out of the rocks near the western coast of the Wasteland.
Thirty armored Hunters had their weapons trained on him as he fearlessly strode towards a man with jet black armor, the color of black reserved for the darkest pit in hell. His helmet was off, revealing a scarred and evil face. The man had glowing red eyes and a smile that sent a shiver down his spine. He currently had a pistol tip pressed against the head of a beautiful young woman with long blond hair, her armor stained with blood.
"Stephen!" Shadow said with a laugh, her voice filled with relief.
Tech stood twenty feet away from Dark, holding the bag filled with Gate Fragments.
"You said…she wouldn't be harmed General" Tech said in a cold voice.
"The Fragments…had them over…" General Dark said in his rough voice, pressing the pistol against Shadow's head a little harder.
"So, this is how you treat those who risk everything for you, General? By threatening their loved ones, and going back on agreements? This is how you repay her loyalty?" Tech said crossing his arms in a furious manner.
Dark smirked and said "Well, we needed to ensure your cooperation. No one is more important than the Dark Goddess, and we all are willing to make the ultimate sacrifice in her name"
"Yes…all of you have done well" a cold cruel voice said loudly to all of them. Dark flinched and looked behind him to see a portal of Dark Eco spawn out of nowhere. Havoc strode out of it, his helmet obscuring his eyes. A flickering black aura was shimmering around him though, and Dark could feel a very evil presence emanating from Havoc.
"Tech…good to see you made the right choice…you chose wisely" Havoc said in an ethereal tone, as though his voice was mixed with someone else's voice.
"Let Zelda go…and then I'll give you your damn Fragments" Tech said coldly to Havoc and Dark.
"You're not in any place to bargain!" Dark growled at Tech.
"Oh really? What's to stop me from simply dropping this bag in a vat of Light Eco?" Tech said emotionlessly. Zelda fought the urge to laugh, she loved it when people played Dark…even I he life wa son the line, she knew Stephen would save her.
"Dark…release Agent Shadow…" Havoc murmured to Dark, who slowly let go of the Hunter. Zelda fell to the ground, panting as she crawled to her feet. She slowly limped over to Tech and gave him a wan smile. Tech smiled slightly at her and grabbed her hand before tossing the bag of Gate Fragments to Dark, who watched the bad fall into the sand. Dark snatched it out of the sands and handed the bag to Havoc, who opened it. He set it down on the ground and emptied the contents, spilling several Gate Fragments onto the sand.
Tech swore and said "Get ready…"
Zelda looked at Tech with worry and then noticed him reaching into another pouch at his belt.
"No…with the number in this bag…counting the Gate Fragments in our possession already…there is nineteen in total…"
"What? How?" Dark asked in surprise.
"One of these…" Havoc said as he picked up one of the Fragments. He scowled and crushed it in his hands like it was nothing. The pieces fell into the sands, only to be destroyed with a burst of Dark Eco by Havoc.
"Is a fake…" Havoc hissed in anger
"Then…" Dark said as the Hunters turned around as one. Tech smiled widely, brandishing the final Gate Fragment in his left hand, and waved it to them before both Shadow and Tech vanished on the spot in a flash of particles. They warped away from the sandy outcropping, causing the Hunters to scream in outrage.
"THAT BACKSTABBING SNAKE!" Dark roared, firing a massive burst of Dark Eco at the spot where the two lovers had been just seconds before.
"Shadow has betrayed us…hmmm" Eclipse muttered.
"Shade, Inferno! Front and center!" Dark roared.
Shade and another Agent with dark red armor quickly stood at attention in front of Dark, who let out a low growl.
"Find them. I don't care what it takes, find them!" Dark roared, Dark Eco crackling around him.
Shade and Inferno vanished in bursts of darkness, and Dark whirled around and stormed towards Havoc, grabbing him by the neck.
"AND JUST WHERE WERE YOU ALL THIS TIME HAVOC!?" Dark roared at the man, who smirked at the irate man in response.
"Havoc…is that who you think you're speaking too?" a woman's voice said in a cold tone from Havoc's mouth.
"What…but…how?" Dark growled in surprise, backing up a step.
"You forget your place, General Dark" Havoc/Arranst purred. Havoc then lazily lifted his hand and flicked Dark in the head, sending him hurtling backwards and crashing into the sand. The Hunter Leader looked at the Hunter/Angel in amazement before he said "My Lady…is that…"
"Yes and no…I managed to subdue his will at last….he is completely under my control now, whether he knows it or not…Took me much longer than expected…I had to go through the Vale of Shadows, where my power is strongest, to manage it…I can allow him some control, but his will is still under my control…" Arranst replied , flexing Havoc's fingers with a smile.
"How long do you plan on using him?" Dark asked the Dark Goddess, who smiled at him.
"Until the Gate is complete, and I can take care of those fools myself"Arranst said with a laugh.
"Right…everyone on the Reconstruction Project get back to the facility. We can continue our work on the Gate. The rest of you, fan out and search for Tech and Shadow…they can't have gotten far" Dark growled to the other Agents, who nodded and vanished in similar bursts of Dark Eco.
"Havoc will be coming back now…he's getting suspicious…not that it does him any good…"Arranst laughed before her eyes rolled into the back her head and the dark red eyes of Havoc returned.
"Ugh…damn it…I hate it when she takes control. Hurts like hell…what did I miss?" Havoc asked Dark, who scowled at him.
"Agent Tech and Shadow double-crossed us. They have the final Fragment and ran off. We're currently hunting them down" Dark replied. Havoc snorted in reply and said "So, Tech finally betrayed them?"
"Considering I was threatening his fiancé with death, he wasn't in a position to do much else. He also said that he crippled the AA as instructed, took out Chief Disten, and shot Jak several times" Dark said, sounding satisfied.
"I doubt he really went that far. If Tech really wanted to do some damage, he'd have done it a while ago…besides, if there's anyone in the AA you don't want on your bad side…it's a genius with a weapons background more illustrious than Krew" Havoc said with a grin.
Dark scowled again and said "Weapons background? The information we have on him says he's the technician and chief mechanic in the Avenging Angels"
"He's also the weapons designer, overseer of the central mainframe and creator of the A.I. Arch, who pretty much controls everything in the Sanctuary. He also made all of our armors, each of our specialized weapons, and now has the last piece of Gate Fragment. And I'm sure that since you threatened his girlfriend…I doubt that leave him with a favorable impression of you" Havoc said with mirth in his tone.
"Get back to the Door…" Dark growled before exploding in a shower of Dark Eco.
"He is nervous…as powerful as he may be, he is scared of your power…our power,,,he believes that completing the door will allow him to become a valuable servant at my side…and gain him unparalleled power…power to finish off those who scorned him so long ago…" Arranst murmured in Havoc's mind.
"What a fool…come on, let's get going" Havoc said in a resigned tone as he too vanished in a shower of Dark Eco,
Several Hours Later:
Infirmary:
Jak rolled his eyes as Daxter began a thrilling tale of how he went against the odds and freed Jak from his imprisonment in the Baron's Palace, a thrilling tale that was so epic that it had to be put on a handled console instead of a main one…because it was just that epic. Nightingale simply sat by Jak's side, her hand wrapped around his.
As Daxter got to the climax of the tale, with Tess watching him in adoration, a familiar figure burst into the Infirmary, looking out of breath and worried.
"GUYS! Come here, quick!" Nymph said, panting slightly, brushing her hair out of her eyes.
"Vivian, what's wrong?" Disten asked the Agent.
"In the MCC…It's Tech!" Nymph said with a scared look on her face. Jak sat up in bed and hopped to his feet, grunting in pain. Nightingale quickly went to his side and put Jak over her shoulder. Disten was helped to his feet by Blade and Sharpshooter while everyone else filed out. The group silently made their way to the MCC, where only one thought was on Jak's mind.
What did Tech want?
Sharpshooter was ordered to get Pecker en route, and Blade was found by Chill. A few minutes later, the doors to the MCC opened and the group went inside.
Jak grunted as Nightingale propped him up in the chair closest to the screen, she then stood next to him with a hand on his shoulder. Disten sat next to Jak, while Rune, Chill, Sharpshooter, Blade, Nymph, Daxter, Tess and Pecker stood behind them. A figure watched them on the largest screen, unmoving…
"Why is this place so dead…?" Jak muttered.
"Vin and Arch are still offline…he's still trying to save her" Rune whispered in his ear.
"I guess that's everyone" the man on the screen said with a sigh.
Tech removed his helmet, brushing his hair out of his eyes, and put on his glasses. He seemed to be sitting in a sparely furnished room with a small bed in the side. He smiled at them for a moment and said "Hey guys…good to see you again"
"You have some nerve contacting us, Stephen" Chill said in a cold voice.
"Excuse me? I could've done so much more damage than what I did. The only one who's dying at the moment is Chase, while Jak and Disten will make quick recoveries and be on their feet in less than a few days" Tech said matter-of-factly.
"Why did you do that!? What did he ever do to you!?" Rune yelled at Tech, who smiled at Rune. Tech looked at Sharpshooter and said "I'm surprised you let her care for someone like Chase so much, James. You were always the one who looked out for her…Aren't you still soft for her?"
"Rune's always cared about others, no matter who they are. Chase was a good guy, and you stabbed him and us in the back" Sharpshooter said in a cold tone, ignoring the barb at his attraction to Rune.
"James?" Rune said questioningly.
"Stephen…why have you contacted us? What else could you possibly want, after what you pulled?" Disten said in a low voice.
"Fine then, we'll cut to the…chase" Tech chuckled a little at the pun and Rune lunged forward before being restrained by Blade.
"You…son of a…!" Rune growled as she tried to wrench herself free, but to no avail.
"Let me explain how and why all of this happened. I have several reasons, and this is kind of a long story, but one we both have time for" Tech said crossing his fingers and folding his arms in front of him, assuming a brooding position. Blade let go of Rune, who glared at him and then Tech.
"I have decided that it was in my best interests to get away from you all. Far away…forces beyond my control have forced my hand, but take note…I don't consider myself a traitor. I haven't betrayed you all…I still do care about what happens to you all…and I will protect you as much as I can…" Tech said in a soft voice.
"Yeah, right" Chill said with a growl.
"Chill, I could have easily slipped Mokua Oil into your drink this morning before you left for the Sunset Stratosphere. You'd have died an hour later from the allergic reaction. Or, I could've simply set an untraceable explosive charge on the ceiling of the Pit while Blade was in there training a few hours ago. The explosion would've caved in the ceiling and buried him alive…"
"You guys…if I wanted to really, really betray you…I would've done it so none of you could've come after me. Jak and Nightingale may have Eco Powers and be two of the best warriors of our time…but the one you should've kept your eyes on is me…the one who made all of the things we do now possible…to the armor you wear to the weapons you use…I made it all. And now, I can use it against you…should I have to" Tech said softly
"What do you mean, should I have to?" Tess asked worriedly.
"I won't fight you if I don't have to. I don't want to hurt anyone else…I have installed every Amor Enhancement I've created into my armor, and I have extensive knowledge on how each one works and how to optimize their effectiveness…in short…" Tech smiled, a hint of malice in his grin and said "I'm one of the most dangerous men on the planet…power and intellect…a deadlier combination than the strongest of Dark Eco powers…"
"If you didn't want to hurt us then why the hell did you shoot the Chief and take Arch offline?" Daxter asked.
"Simple...I was following orders. I was instructed to kill Chase, take down the AA servers, incapacitate but not kill the Chief, and most importantly, retrieve the remaining Gate Fragments" Tech replied.
"Why Chase though?" Rune asked angrily.
"General Dark, the Leader of the Hunters, decided that Chase was too much of a liability to keep around, and added that onto the deal we had. Along with incapacitating the Chief, I have to make sure Chase died…I mean, you could save him, but I'm long gone…the Hunters can't find me now" Tech said with a smug grin.
"What?" Disten said in surprise.
"Aren't you working for them?" Nymph asked Tech, who scowled.
"Of course not…I had to give them the Fragments, I didn't have a choice. I would've just given them to the Hunters and come back here, but…you guys would've killed me the second I came back. So now I'm on the run"
"Why are you on the run from the Hunters?" Disten asked.
"I gave them all but one of the Fragments. I just needed to get Zelda away from them so I could escape…the final Fragment" Tech pulled out a glowing Gate Fragments and grinned at them.
"Is right there…in the palm of your hand" Disten murmured.
"Yes…I now hold the fate of the world in my hand…interesting huh?" Tech said as he set the Fragment on the table.
"Wait, Tech…who's Zelda?" Chill asked suddenly.
"Zelda is my fiancé. General Dark threatened us both with death if we didn't comply with his demands. I did what I had to protect her…I didn't want to hurt you guys, and I certainly don't want Arranst to get released…so I did a double double-cross if you will" Tech said with a grin. He opened his mouth to speak again, but he was interrupted.
"YOU SON OF A BITCH!" a furious voice screamed, horribly loud.
Vin suddenly appeared, his AI body crimson now and his face filled with something Jak and Daxter had never seen before. Gone was his timid expression or paranoid nervousness, this was pure, raw anger.
"Hello Vin" Tech said softly, amusement in his eyes.
"YOU KILLED HER! YOU EVIL, HORRIBLE MAN! I SWEAR TO THE PRECURSORS, I'LL FIND YOU AND KILL YOU MYSELF!" Vin screamed at the monitor, the room shaking with the force of Vin's voice.
"Vin!? What happened to Arch!?" Rune said worriedly. The A.I. suddenly changed back to blue as he looked at the agent, a digital tear rolling down his cheek.
"Vin?" Daxter said in a soft voice, in a way he had never spoken to the man before.
"I…the damage was too much for me to fix…she's gone" Vin whispered, starring at Tech with a look of loathing.
"Gone, yes. But not forgotten…if it makes you feel better, it was painless...I didn't want to cripple the system completely, so I took out the bigger threat to stopping me from getting the Fragments…Arch had to be taken care of" Tech replied.
"You…you…I'LL KILL YOU!" Vin screamed at Tech, his body turning red one more and his voice echoing horribly around the room.
"TAKE HIM OFFLINE!" Disten roared to the two technicians in the room, who didn't reply. When Sharpshooter went to investigate, but technicians fell onto the floor, unconscious.
"They're drugged. Won't do you any good" Tech said with a laugh.
"HOW COULD YOU!? YOU MADE HER AND SHE DID NOTHING BUT SERVE YOU AND WATCH OUT FOR YOU ALL! AND YOU KILLED HER!" Vin screamed at Tech, who's mouth twitched.
"You made Arch?" Jak asked Tech.
"Of course. She was my first major projects when I came to the AA all those years ago. Chief Disten wanted to have an edge against the Hunters…so, I created something that could oversee some of the stuff here that me or the Chief couldn't. Of course…I had to have her and Vin out of the way so I could steal the Gate Fragments of course"
"I swear…I'll find some way to kill you…I don't care what it takes…" Vin growled at Tech, who grinned back at the A.I.
"I look forward to it. Vin, Offline Protocol XK3" Tech stated, causing Tech to stiffen up with a yelp.
"Ack…nowledged… " Vin muttered, still glaring daggers at Tech before vanishing.
"Now then…if we're done?" Tech said with a laugh.
"Tech, why are you doing this!? What do you want from us!?" Nightingale screamed at Tech.
"What do I want?...I want what we all want, Iris…peace" Stephen said as his tone of confidence began to slowly fade. He suddenly seemed tired and drawn.
"I was so happy working with guys…fighting against the Metal Heads…I loved what I did, simply using the resources we had at our disposal to create things to help protect others. To simply create in order to aid others…that was all I wanted" Tech said in a soft voice as he closed his eyes. No one spoke…
"Stephen?" a soft voice said from somewhere behind him on his end of the screen. A woman with long blond hair and a rather pretty face popped into view, clad in a torn and bloodied set or armor. A horrible black tattoo was on her shoulder, where the armor was gone, and seemed to be moving of its own accord.
"Perfect… Zelda, come here" Stephen said moving aside so she could come sit by him.
"Who are you talking…" Zelda then saw the faces of the Avenging Angels starring at her and said "Oh…them…"
"Guys, I'd like you to meet my fiancé. Zelda…she's one of the Hunter Commanders…" Tech said in a low voice.
"You're getting married to a Hunter Commander? That makes way too much sense now…no wonder you were nervous about us meeting her" Sharpshooter said with a roll of his eyes, his voice dripping with sarcasm.
Tech's eyes narrowed and he held out his hand and said in a cold tone "I guess I'll have to show you guys just what exactly I'm capable of…again…"
Tech snapped his fingers.
Sharpshooter jerked back and began to choke as the armor around his neck suddenly began to glow red. The others watched as Sharpshooter sank to his knees, clawing at his throat.
"What the hell!? Stephen!" Jak yelled at Tech, who was glaring at them.
Tech smiled widely and said "You guys got too dependent on my skills…you're at my mercy now…so shut up and listen…because what I have to say is important"
"Leave him alone!" Rune yelled at Tech, who shook his head.
"You all just don't get it…none of you do" Tech said, shaking his head and snapping his fingers again. Sharpshooter suddenly gasped in relief and collapsed onto the ground, and after everyone looked at him in concern, their eyes drifted back to Tech.
"Now, if you would be so kind as to let me finish speaking…yes, I fell in love. With a Hunter Agent no less…" Tech said to the others in a low voice.
"We met in the Wasteland, a few years back. She had been sent to intercept me, as I was supposed to be dropping off some of my prototypes for Damas. She took out my buggy and then we had a short fight in the sands…I lost of course, I've always been terrible at hand-to-hand. Give me a pistol anyday…"
"After she beat me, she asked me what I was doing, and at first I refused to tell her. Then she found one of my prototype Disc Grenades…in the buggy I was riding in" Tech glanced over at Zelda, who had her eyes closed.
"Well, you want to jump in?" Tech asked his lover, who smiled a little.
"I've always had a flair for advanced weaponry…I may not understand all of the nerd speak, but the idea of someone creating something better and more influential, using their mind and knowledge of how things work…well…" Zelda opened her eyes and said "I was amazed at what Stephen had made…I asked him if he had more things like that, and he admitted that was the case"
"And then we got to talking…there was no struggle…we simple sat on the roof of her buggy and just…talked" Tech said softly, lost in the memory.
"I had never met someone like him before. So…intelligent, so dedicated to his craft, yet still wanting to help others…made me rethink a lot of my choices in life…what I really wanted" Zelda said in a soft voice, earning a smile from Tech. Shadow continued.
"I took him back to your Sanctuary, dropped him off, and he gave me the prototype Disc Grenade as a parting gift. I knew what I had been given was worth its weight in gold, and was something that would be helpful to the Hunters…but he had told me that he trusted me to keep it a secret…that it was a gift for letting him have a conversation with someone special…no one had ever called me special before that day…" Zelda shook her head sadly and said "I always remembered that…to someone…even an Avenging Angel…that I was special, and I held onto the Disc Grenade for him…no one ever knew about it"
"I kept it for myself. I was convinced I'd never see him again…I wanted to keep it as a reminder that if one kept an open mind like Stephen, then one could do anything…he inspired me to think outside of the box…that thought…that I was special…that I could do anything if I put my mind to it…it helped me rise through the ranks of the Hunters and become a commander…" Zelda said with a smile.
"We met again a year later, while Shadow was infiltrating Damas's palace. I had been sent there on your orders Chief, as a special guest. I was to explain to Disten how to improve their defenses, upgrading the turret, more efficient gunstaffs, reinforce their buggies, and so on"
"I was surprised to see him again…and like before, instead of raising an alarm, he invited me to sit on his bed and talk like we did before" Shadow said to the AA Agents.
"We decided that we should find a way to meet each other again, and so we decided to meet up at the Hog's Head whenever we could. I'd find excuses to go to Haven, usually on the pretense of getting weapon parts from Krew. Krew was always happy to keep our visits secret from both the Hunters and Avenging Angel's, just so long as I could give him advice and ideas for new weapons"
"We grew closer over the years…and then this last year, I decided that I really did love Zelda" Tech smiled and Zelda held up an engagement ring.
"I proposed to her in the Sunset Stratosphere, surrounded by Hunters. I didn't care what she did as a profession…me and her would work around it…she of course took me, and we got engaged. We decided to try and keep members of our teams from finding out, and to make sure that none of them got hurt…at least until we could both escape and be together, away from the fighting"
"But then Jak came…and everything got complicated. Zelda was found out and I had to comply with General Dark's commands, or else he would kill her. I gave them the intel that resulted in Phoenix's capture and imprisonment…and then I told them our plan to us the Magic Bullet to transport the final Fragment to Spargus, and from there, the Sanctuary…I was the one who really killed Beast" Tech said in a wretched tone, a note of anger and sorrow in his voice.
Zelda frowned and said "No, that wasn't your fault. I was there, I could've tried harder to stop him!"
"You were there!" Jak realized in horror, and Shadow nodded.
"I told the others over and over again to just try and knock you out…incapacitate, not kill…but…things got out of control. Bane was practically gone by the time he killed Beast anyway…" There was a pause at that, and Disten raised his eye in response.
"What do you mean by…gone?" Disten asked Tech.
"It turns out that this Blessing by Lady Arranst is actually a curse. It's what all of the Hunters have been given so that they could try and kill you guys" Tech said to the Angels.
"What does it do?" Nymph asked Tech.
"Well, that much is obvious. It allows them to safely harness Dark Eco and manipulate it at will. It also greatly increases their physical prowess and allows them to share a link with the Dark Goddess"
"Every has a Dark blessing now…at first it's just there, a small tattoo no bigger than this" Zelda held up a finger and held her pointer finger and her thumb about an inch apart.
"The Blessing is shown by the tattoo, which grows larger over time. The Hunters gain strength as the size of the tattoo grows…but it also makes them less likely to question anything they do. They become bloodthirsty, uncooperative, and arrogant. Bane was pretty much uncontrollable when we fought you guys on that transport…I tried to stop him…I didn't want to hurt Stephen by having his friend die…"
Zelda then looked down and said in a whisper "I'd never see you so upset…after that…I was done…"
Tech offered his lover a small smile and said "I said that I didn't blame you…I'm just…I was grieving…"
Jak frowned and said "You were trying to get them the Fragments, but keep the casualties as low as possible?"
Tech nodded and said "I was trying to save who I could…"
"Chase didn't fall under that category though" Rune said coldly.
"Excuse me for considering my fiancé's life to be more important to me than some wayward Hunter punk" Tech said angrily. Zelda put a hand on his shoulder, and Tech composed himself once again.
"So, what's your deal?" Daxter asked Shadow, who blinked in surprise.
"What?"
"Why do you hate them so much? Why fight them?" Daxter asked Zelda, who frowned.
"Do you know why most of us even joined the Hunters? Why we'd even think of joining organization trying to stop a bunch of Metal Head killers?" Zelda asked.
"It's because you were scared…right?" Rune asked Zelda, who nodded.
"You all know what it's like…the Metal Heads are winning the war, and you all know it. They've been toying with the Baron for years now, and when Kor killed him…well, what little peace there was…it was done. I joined up because I wanted to protect those who hadn't died yet…My brother and father got killed because of them…all I had left was my mom and my little sister…when Dark found me, he promised me that if I joined, no one else I loved would be hurt…it's what we were all promised. The Metal Heads would 'conveniently' avoid our families, and they would be given protection. All of us…We would have the blessing of the Dark Goddess behind us…we would win and succeed…and be given places at the Dark Goddess's side…"
"So that's the heart of it…you all don't hate us or worship the Metal Heads…you just serve them so you won't be killed by the Metal Heads when Haven City fell?" Disten asked Tech and Zelda.
"Not many of the Hunters actually worship Metal Heads. The Blessing warps the mind a bit, and the longer you have it and the weaker your will, the more it warps you. That's why Chase had to be eliminated…he had his Blessing destroyed...Erased…but the knowledge he retained from the contact with Arranst could've proved fatal to the reconstruction of the Gate to Darkness" Zelda explained.
"He knows where it is?" Rune said in surprise.
"Of course he does…he was probably waiting for the seal on his tongue, which is connected to the remainder of the blessing to fade away completely…according to my calculations, it would've faded away completely tomorrow evening" Shadow replied.
"If we can save him, we can find out where they're constructing the Gate! We can stop them before they finish" Rune said excitedly.
"There's still the matter of Haven Cit…" Tech added in a cool tone, drawing the attention back to him.
"Haven will fall by next week…I'm sorry, but Arranst is adamant that its necessary for her plan…I tried to stop them, but…I was outvoted" Zelda said with a sigh.
"But…Haven City is pulling itself back together. The Metal Head presence in the city is the lowest it's ever been. There hadn't been a massive attack in weeks. Why would it fall when it's held on for so long and getting back its strength?" Nightingale asked her melodious voice.
"Haven't you guys wondered why the Metal Heads never just came in an enormous wave and just slaughtered everyone in sight? They're wearing the city down" Tech replied matter-of-factly.
"That's because they're letting Haven waste its time and resources by rebuilding itself over and over again before dealing the death blow. They're planning a massive strike on the new Freedom League HQ, which will kill Ashelin, Torn, and anyone else in the city who is a threat to the plan" Shadow said to the Angels, who looked at each other nervously. Chill then stepped forward defiantly.
"And why should we believe any of this? Why should we trust either of you?" Chill asked Tech angrily.
"Trust who you want. Tech's been trying to protect all of you…he was trying to save who he could. Beast died because of Arranst, not Stephen. Arch had to die because Stephen needed the Fragments to save me, and Chase has to die because he knows too much" Zelda said in a cold tone to Chill.
"That doesn't justify him stabbing us in the back! Chase is dying and Arch is gone!" Chill barked.
"Just because I killed Arch and mortally wounded Chase while incapacitating Jak and Disten, all the while stealing the Gate Fragments, doesn't mean you can't trust me…besides, there's nothing disproving anything that me or Zelda have told you. In fact…" Tech tapped the keyboard and the screen in front of them lit up as several files were sent to them.
"There's everything I told you. Plans, schematics, all that stuff. I left behind all of my equipment to keep the armor's functioning and I have instructions on everything I usually do" Tech said to the AA Agents.
"You're officially the worst traitor in the world babe" Zelda sighed in annoyance.
"I always think of everything…like I said, neither side likes us very much, may as well make sure the ones not trying to destroy the world have an edge" Tech said with a smug look as he looked back at the screen in front of him.
"I doubt we'll be seeing each other again… don't look for me…I don't want to hurt you guys…So, I'll say it while I can" Tech took a deep breath, and then sighed.
"I'm sorry…I just wanted to save Zelda. I wanted to save the person I loved more than anything else in the world…I tried to protect you guys from them for as long as I could…but I just couldn't keep General Dark at bay anymore. We'll keep the last fragment safe, but they will be after us. I intend to make sure that they never find this damn thing" Tech said seriously as Zelda grabbed Tech's hand. Tech then looked at Jak.
"Jak, the key to finding the balance between your two sides is the Blade of Mar, hidden deep within the Catacombs. It's the only way you can kill Havoc as he is now, and the only way to unlock your true power" Tech said to Jak.
"Blade of Mar? But that's just a legend" Disten protested.
"So was the Song of the Nightingale, and look how that turned out" Tech replied.
"What's the Blade of Mar?" Daxter asked.
"It is a long lost artifact, buried by time…it was crafted by the Precursors to bridge the gap between Light and Dark Eco. It allows one to command a great power and to unleash their true potential" Pecker said in a soft voice. "Legend says that Mar wielded this blade himself, and before he died, he returned the artifact to the place where he retrieved it"
"But what is it?" Daxter asked.
"It's a sword you idiot! What the hell do you think it does!?" Pecker snapped.
"If I may interject?" Tech interrupted in a clipped tone.
"The sword allows one to control Light and Dark Eco, and it's said that if wielded by the Chosen One, can be used to slay the Dark Goddess and bring balance to Light and Dark. It's the only thing capable of helping Jak reach his true and final form…according to my research…this form is simply called Guardian"
"Guardian?" Jak murmured.
"Guardian…the defender. The Guardian keeps the Champion of Light from falling to darkness…while keeping the Champion of Darkness from fading away into the light…" Pecker added in soft tone.
"So there you have it…Find the Blade of Mar, help Jak reach Guardian, and kill Havoc, or find a way to set him free and sever the control Arranst has over him…"
"Stephen, do they know?" Zelda asked suddenly, and Tech blinked in surprise before saying "No…I never got a chance to tell them"
"Tell us what?" Daxter asked.
"But before I go…I want to share with you guys one more thing I found out, just the other day…" Tech said as he flicked his wrist. Several screens popped up and one of them suddenly flashed red and grew larger. It was several lines of Precursor language written on a stone slab. There was a picture underneath that depicted a figure standing at the top of an alter while several creatures that resembled Metal Heads bowed down before her.
"This depicts the earliest writings of the Precursors that has survived on our planet…as you can tell, it depicts a figure that is raised above others…that is Lady Arranst, the one behind all of this, the destruction of the Precursors, and the corruption of Havoc…those who stand below her are Metal Heads, her children"
"Children?" Nightingale whispered in horror.
"Arranst isn't just some Dark Goddess or shadowy figure…she's been watching everything play out from afar, and has been running the show while everyone else fights her battles for her. She watches over everything, earning her the name Goddess…all-knowing, all-seeing, all-powerful…" Tech trailed off, closing his eyes and lifting his finger, which rested above the button to cease the transmission.
"Lady Arranst…is the Metal Head Queen" Tech said before ending the transmission.
End of Chapter:
And there you have it.
Arranst's identity is revealed!
Tech's motives are in the open.
And now…a choice.
Redeem Tech and have him live?
Or condemn Tech to his fate, and allow him to die…
VOTE ON THE POLL!
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