Jak IV: The Avenging Angels:
So…reality is a bitch.
Reality means coping with depression, dealing with work and the drama that goes down there, and then dealing with other crap that makes writing impossible.
I'm done with saying anything about when these chapters will be out, because I know I won't meet my self-imposed deadlines and I feel horrible every time I'm late. I know my update frequency is still better than a lot of other author's…but still.
I'm trying guys, I'm trying.
Finals week is fast approaching, and with it the end of the semester draws near. With that comes Summer Vacation, and with that extra time I will not only finish up "Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead", but hopefully be able to get ahead in my chapters for this story. I want this thing to be more or less wrapped up by very early next year, that way I can work on new projects like "Second Chances".
Shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which includes evilanimegenious, ScreamGirl4998, a guest reviewer, S-B216, another guest reviewer, Mooman1706, Ways, Oblique Strategies, and a new reviewer known as DaibenDarkKitty64.
Thanks for the feedback and for the support guys.
I apologize for not coming through on my promise to update on the 2-Year anniversary of the story. I wasn't even able to update last Sunday, which is when I said I'd be able to get the chapter up in the update. This story can be hard to write at the best of times, and it's even harder with real life things getting in the way.
Thanks for sticking with me though. 3
Anyway, enough rambling. Time for the chapter.
Enjoy.
Chapter 34: What Lies Within
"Man often becomes what he believes himself to be. If I keep on saying to myself that I cannot do a certain thing, it is possible that I may end by really becoming incapable of doing it. On the contrary, if I have the belief that I can do it, I shall surely acquire the capacity to do it even if I may not have it at the beginning." ― Mahatma Gandhi
Kras City:
Tech sat down in a small worn leather chair, running his fingers through his short hair with a sigh of exhaustion. His helmet lay on the dark grey carpet beneath him, a cracked visor visible from his current sitting position.
Despite the healing mechanisms in his armor, it still didn't heal everything right away. Time was the best healer of such injuries, and time wasn't on his side. He looked over at his sleeping fiancé, who was curled in a ball on the bed, tucked underneath the blankets. She had been through so much…
Fighting her like that…was unlike anything else he had experienced before. There was no planning for it. He had hurt her. He had hurt her, and she had hurt him. All because of Arranst…Tech growled under his breath and said "The Queen of the Metal Heads…"
Freeing Shadow was perhaps the greatest form of revenge that Tech could have gotten on the Metal Head Queen for what she had done. Without Shadow under her control, she had no way of manipulating him. Or more importantly…
Getting to the Final Fragment.
Tech reached down into the bag at his feet and pulled out a silver box, cold and hard and made out of the strongest metal he knew of. Tech tapped it and said "Codeword…Fiona"
"Password Approved" a computerized voice replied. The box slowly opened up, revealing a hollow chamber where the final Fragment to the Gate to Darkness rested. If this relic fell into the hands of the Hunters, then the world would literally be plunged into darkness. A darkness so powerful not even the Precursors could stop it. Tech knew that only someone like him could truly protect the final fragment. Someone with the means and the intellect to keep it safe. Shadow had told him of General Dark's plans to break into the Sanctuary, kill the AA Agents inside and steal the Fragments. He knew that it was possible to break into the Sanctuary, so the Fragments were not safe there either…
He was also painfully aware that he had been the one to hand the bag full of fragments to General Dark. It was something he really didn't want to do…but it was the only way to save Zelda. Nothing else mattered but her…
He recalled the words of the former Number One. Agent Rush, the mentor of Nightingale and good friend of everyone, until his untimely demise in Haven Forest.
"No matter what, we're human Tech. We hurt, we hate, we envy…but we also love too. Keep that in mind…I know you like to think your above something like that, but one day you'll meet a woman that'll be…special. Someone that you'll be willing to do anything for, without hesitation. That's when you know you're in love"
And Tech did love her. He'd betrayed the people he called a family. Destroyed one of his proudest creations and injured a good friend and wounded a man who was like a father to him. He closed the box containing the Gate Fragment with a shiver.
Was it worth it? Now that everything was said and done, and his fiancé was free from the Hunters and the influence of Arranst?
Yes.
It left a very bitter taste in his mouth, but she was worth it to him.
"What did I do to ever deserve someone as incredible as her?" Tech murmured, a smile spreading across his face. Tech got to his feet and looked down at his suit of armor. That suit was his edge…what allowed him to stay ahead of those who wished him and his fiancé harm…
It was truly his greatest invention, next to Arch.
Tech shook his head and said "I've got to wait a few days before heading back to the Icelands…it's gotta be there somewhere…"
"Stephen?"
Tech looked up and saw his wife-to-be looking at him sleepily, still curled up in bed, blond hair messy and in her face. She smiled tiredly at him and said "Come on…you need to get some sleep too. You've been going nonstop and you've got to be sore from the fight"
"There's too much to do. I've got to start modifying your armor too, like mine" Tech said tiredly getting to his feet. He took a step towards the door before his wife sat up in bed and said "You can't be serious? You just fought the Dark Goddess by yourself, and you're going to head back out there and start doing more work? You're barely getting any sleep as is, and if you keep going like this you'll run yourself ragged"
"I've got to keep going though, Zelda. We weren't ready last time, and they nearly got you…I won't let that happen again" Tech said in a very low voice. Shadow got up and slowly walked over to Tech. She placed her bare body against the cold armor he was wearing and pressed her forehead against his, her eyes starring deeply into his.
"The world can wait just a bit longer. As long as we're together, we're unstoppable…they won't get the Fragment, because you're better than them…you're my genius, and I'll be there to help you…every step of way…now…get into bed…and rest. OK?" Shadow slowly whispered as she pressed her mouth against Tech's. Tech closed his eyes and wrapped his arm around his lover's waist, and the two held a deep kiss for some time. It was a kiss of love, nothing more than that.
After a while, they broke the kiss and Shadow stood there while Tech removed the armor that he was so proud of and slipped into bed. Shadow smiled and said "Well, well, well. The great Stephen Herason…without that armor, you're just a man. An intelligent, genius of a man. But nevertheless…a man"
"A man eh?" Tech smirked as he got on top of his fiancé, who grinned lecherously at him. Tech simply bent his neck and pressed his mouth against Shadow's ear.
"Well then, since me and you are finally alone and you've gotten me out of my armor…" Tech said quietly before nipping her ear. Shadow yelped in surprise and smacked Tech, who laughed loudly and rolled off of her. Shadow flung herself at Tech, who's eyes widened in horror as his fiancé pounced at him.
"This is going to hurt later" Tech thought before Shadow smashed into him.
Meanwhile:
Sanctuary Motor Pool:
"Damn it! We were so close to getting that bastard!" Crash roared as he flung his toolbox across the room. It slammed into the wall and the contents spilled everywhere. Nymph simply sighed and said "It wasn't you fault, Daniel"
"You weren't there, Vivian! You…you don't-" Crash bit his tongue and stomped over to his toolbox and began to pick up the tools off of the ground, Nymph shook her head and said "You really need to get a grip. Tech's a genius. He knows each of us inside and out, and knows everything about our weapons and our armor. He took you out first because he knew you're more of a threat physically than Royal is"
Crash growled and said "It doesn't matter…I was still the one taken out first"
"Because he saw you as the bigger threat. Royal is as high as is he on that board because he is the only one besides Disten who can translate Precursor text. He's an alright fighter, but you've got him beat in power and aim, especially with your chaingun"
Crash simply sighed and said "Damn it Vivi, why do you have to make sense?"
"Someone's got to be the voice of reason between the two of us. It's why I put up with your crap when the others can't stand you half of the time" Nymph said with a small frown as she hopped into the Scavenger, one of the few working cars Tech didn't manage to sabotage beyond repair. She was privately glad that Tech was nowhere near as good as car design and maintenance as Crash was. He was good, really good, but no one knew cars like Crash did.
"So, you're heading to Kras City. Any idea what Mizo wants you there for?" Nymph asked Crash, who shook his head.
"Something to do with Krew. Not sure what, since Jak killed the guy and left him to die…serves him right for selling us out to the Metal Heads" Crash muttered as he closed his toolbox.
Nymph simply nodded and said "If he's calling in ex-crew members of his racing team, then I imagine it must be important"
"Yep. And Mizo is a man you can't ignore. Its best to go out there, do whatever he wants, and then come back here" Crash said as he picked up his toolbox, but then paused.
"Am I forgetting anything?" Crash asked Nymph, who shrugged.
"Probably the Torchwick, like always" Nymph suggested. Crash frowned and said "Nah…I packed that first…oh yeah. My 2nd favorite wrench. You know where I left it?"
Nymph pointed towards the Scavenger, where a small wrench lay on the ground. Crash grunted in thanks, set down his toolbox and walked over to the car. He grabbed the tool and walked back over to his toolbox, threw in the wrench, and closed it again.
"At least the Chief approved of me leaving for this trip. Last time he wasn't so willing to let me head back out to Kras" Crash grunted as he began to polish his wrench.
"Can't Mizo meet you in Haven? Why do you have to go all the way to Kras?" Nymph asked. Crash shrugged and said "Hey, the Boss-"
"Do NOT call him your boss. Mizo's a slime ball, and you know it" Nymph growled.
"Yes, but he's my old Boss. He's my source into…well, you know. The system…the black markets, and unknowables, all that stuff. I've still got an appearance to upkeep, you know? Besides…Mizo's crew looked out for me back in the day. When Krew left me high and dry" Crash muttered as he shook his head.
"I still don't like it…" Nymph muttered. Crash shrugged and said "That's life"
"Whatever. Just go already. And be careful, OK?" Nymph said as she hopped off of the car and walked out of the Motor Pool. Crash sighed in a resigned way and said "Women…"
A short time later, Crash arrived in the Docking Bay, and for a second he listened to the sounds of the waterfalls filling the cavern. He smiled a little and said "I always liked that about this place…water everywhere…"
Crash then remembered why he was here, and his smile vanished. With a bitter sigh, he walked towards Jet and Sharpshooter who were in a heated discussion.
"Just shut up, Sharp!" Jet yelled.
"Calm down, man. Jeez…" Sharpshooter noticed Crash and said "Hey Crash. Just interrogating Jet here. The guy had a girlfriend who worked in Sunset Stratosphere and didn't ever tell us"
"For good reason. You guys wouldn't have approved of her job, and I'm not going to get bashed because my girlfriend is a dancer" Jet muttered, crossing his arms.
"The dancer part or her working in a Hunter friendly workplace part?" Sharpshooter replied. Jet scowled and said "Shut it…that's supposed to be a secret"
Sharpshooter shrugged and said "Oh well. I personally don't care, you're a good guy and I'm glad you found someone"
Jet muttered something and stormed off to the cockpit of the Raven-Ship. Crash rolled his eyes and said "Hey Sharp, do me a favor while I'm gone?"
"Yeah, wassup?" Sharpshooter asked. Crash lowered his voice and said "Check in on that computer program guy. Vin I think his name was"
"The Power Guy from Haven City? Oh yeah-I forgot he and Arch were kind of partners in the Mainframe, huh?" Crash nodded and said "The two of them were tight. Anyway, that guy's…well, he's more pissed about Arch than I am. And that A.I. got me through a pretty rough patch in my life, so…"
"So you want me to keep an eye on Vin in case he tries something?" Sharpshooter asked. Crash nodded again and said "Normally I wouldn't care, but that guy…I've heard him muttering to himself when he thinks no one's listening. If you're by one of the control areas that's linked to the Mainframe, you can hear him…gets a bit creepy"
"I'll keep an eye on things. You deal with Mizo and keep him happy. Try to figure out the word on this big attack on Haven" Sharpshooter said to Crash who nodded. Crash turned around and walked into the back of the Raven-Ship. Sharpshooter sighed as the rear bay of the ship closed and the transport lifted into the air.
"Today's going to be a long day" Sharpshooter muttered as he turned around and headed towards the Bathing Grotto.
He felt a headache coming on.
Meanwhile:
Darkness…
Infinite darkness…
My dreams, they're filled with it. I feel as though it may be as a result of the newest artifacts we've found. I have told my friends of their influence, but they scoff and rebuke my theories…
Which is why when the Metal Heads broke into their facilities in Haven and Killed them, I did not shed a tear. I have no use for allies who do not heed my words of wisdom. Any fool worth anything can see that Precursor Artifacts, especially one's that concern Dark Eco, are beyond dangerous. They must be treated with caution.
The Gate Fragments of the Gate to Darkness are the worst though…they whisper evil thoughts in your mind. Those who seek them will find you, no matter what…
Why did the Precursor's create such a thing? Was it to be used for some grand purpose, or was it created solely as a way to destroy all of mankind?
The Precursors, I have discovered, we're not only our creators, but were the greatest of fighters as well. This breakthrough came in the form a monk who found a secret ruin beneath a rocky outcropping in the Wasteland. Several tablets had engravings on them detailing the Precursors abilities as fighters, which were fearsome indeed.
Even the weakest Precursor could destroy the strongest of enemies, and could harness both Light and Dark Eco, though the latter of the two could only be used in the smallest of quantities and very carefully at that.
Oh, how I long to simply immerse myself in research and lore, and just not fight. Not see my comrades die alongside me on the field of battle. Oh…how I long for this.
However…that is no longer a possibility.
Yes, there are those who seek to destroy us, because of what we ourselves seek to destroy. Can it be true that there is a group out there that so vehemently opposes us? For what reason? We protect humanity from the evil that wishes to destroy it. Why destroy us, their fellow man instead?
The Metal Heads…the Hora-Quan are anything if not clever. They worm their way into our world, and then try to rip our life away?
Not while I still stand. The Avenging Angels stands ready for all supporters of the Metal Head scourge. We are the friends of the Precursors and the one's who stand ready for all those who wish humanity harm.
Come at us, and we will strike back.
Come at us, and we will fight until the end.
Come at us, and we will be ready.
-Gallus Darkas
Meanwhile:
Haven Forest:
"I see…" Samos said as Nightingale finished recounting how the group had learned the recently, regarding Tech's betrayal.
"We don't have a clue where he's at, but it's got something to do with a great Precursor Artifact" Rune said to Samos, who floated over a fallen tree with a thoughtful expression.
"It seems as though you and Jak will have to face many difficult trials in order to free Havoc from the Dark Goddess" Samos said in a grave voice.
Daxter, who sat on Nightingale's shoulder as they traversed the forest on foot, simply sighed and said "Yeah, and just like always I'll be sitting on Jak's shoulders as he does all the useful stuff"
Nightingale, Rune, and Phoenix looked at Daxter in confusion while Samos simply said "We all have our roles, Daxter. I myself have taken up a leadership position within the Freedom League. Jak has allied himself with all of you so that he can actively fight the Metal Heads instead of remaining in the city. Torn and Ashelin co-lead the city and its forces…we all have our roles"
Daxter sighed again and said "But you're doing something useful…me? I just sit on Jak's shoulders while he does all the important stuff…"
Daxter sighed heavily, slumping his shoulders.
"Let's face it…I'm about as useful to the plot as Kleiver" Daxter muttered.
"Don't say that! Don't even think it!" Phoenix yelled to Daxter, who smiled a little for a moment, but his frown returned.
"Anyway, on the subject of Jak…" Samos said to Nightingale, who blushed pink and looked away. This was going to get awkward…
"I'm not going to lie to you, Nightingale. Jak is like a son to me. I have been watching over him for nearly his entire life. I have watched him grow from a little boy into the young warrior who saved the world in our time, to the fierce-hearted man who exists today. And in that time, I have watched him and my daughter become close, grow apart, become close again, and then grow apart once more. I had hopes that when all of this was over…they would finally get together in the way that both of them had wanted to for years"
Samos expression turned sorrowful as he said "However…not everyone survives a war…Keira's death…well, there are some times where I simply don't know how I keep going. My world…my little girl…gone"
Rune and Phoenix looked at each other and shuddered. The grief in the Green Sage's voice was heart-wrenching. No amount of time would ever make him losing his daughter any less painful.
Samos looked at Nightingale and said "From what I have been told, it's easy enough to guess. You love Jak, don't you?"
Nightingale hesitated for a moment, and then nodded.
"Why do you love him?" Samos asked Nightingale.
"Why…do I love Jak?" Nightingale thought for a few moments before he said "Because he was the only one who saw me for who I really was…he saw through the hurt and the silence and saw me for who I was on the inside. He saved me from myself, and I fell in love with him. He's kind, courageous, and a true friend. He makes me want to stand by him and help him make this world better…he makes me want to keep going and never give up…he's a hero."
"That he is…" Samos said with a small smile. The man then looked at Nightingale again and said "It seems you understand Jak fairly well, more so than most. I'd say that you and him would make a good match then"
"W-what?" Nightingale asked in surprise.
"Just promise me one thing" Samos said to Nightingale. Nightingale nodded.
"Make sure he never forgets Keira… for me" Samos said in a soft voice.
"He never forgot Keira…he still fights for her. Just like he fights for Damas, and for Beast, and for everyone else who died because of the Metal Heads. Jak never forgets those who are special to him…its what makes him special" Nightingale said quietly.
Samos nodded and said "I know…I just wanted to hear it from you"
Nightingale looked at Samos in surprise, and the Green Sage smiled and said "You've got true strength, Miss Nightingale. The kind of fire that Keira had burns within you too. A desire to change things for the better. That fire is what makes Jak care about you"
"I hope you too are happy together" Samos said to Nightingale with a rather sad smile. Nightingale nodded, realizing that she was essentially receiving the Sage's blessing. The Green Sage was the closest thing Jak had had to a father, so Nightingale was touched that the old man held no ill feelings towards Nightingale despite the fact that she had replaced Keira as Jak's love.
"I thought you'd be a little mad that Jak likes Night now" Daxter muttered. Samos shook his head and said to Daxter "No…Keira and Jak never had a chance to develop their relationship. With Jak struggling with the Dark Eco in him and my daughter being alone in the future, things were rough for a while. And when things began to look up for them, Jak was exiled to the Wasteland"
"And then he hooked up with Ashelin" Daxter thought in his head. Even HE wasn't asshole enough to divulge that little bit of info.
"Jak and Keira cared about each other and had feelings for one another, but…"
"It never got past that point" Daxter finished. Samos nodded and Daxter said "But you…well, you've been in love with Jak for a while, right?" Nightingale nodded and Daxter said "What you two have…well, it's more than what Jak and Keira ever had. You two grew really close really quickly. You two bonded because of how much you cared about one another, over past hurts and all that."
"Which is why I won't begrudge Jak and Nightingale a chance to be happy. He's suffered enough, and deserves to be happy. If you truly love him, then I am happy Jak has you. Keira would have wanted Jak to simply be happy" Samos said to Nightingale. Nightingale felt touched at the statement and was about to reply when Samos tensed.
"Wait…something isn't right" Samos said suddenly, throwing his arms out. Nightingale glanced around in surprise, as the forest was still. No enemies in sight.
Silence…
"I think you're losing it, there's nothing-" Daxter began to say before a cold voice interrupted him.
"So...you pitiful humans think you can intrude upon my lair...and walk away!?" a voice roared at them from all sides. Phoenix drew her knives, Night pulled out her shotgun, Rune slipped a Yellow Eco Cartridge into Aptos and Daxter pulled out his magnum.
Samos tensed, tightened his grip on his staff and said "Watch yourselves…this Metal Head is strong!"
"Fools…the forest is no longer a place of solace to you humans…it is the lair of the Hora Quan…and as an Aimperditor, it is my right as ruler of this area to kill you all…hehehehe…"
"Guys…get ready" Night muttered as she cocked her shotgun.
"You will fall…in the name of our Goddess…"the Metal Head hissed.
"Like hell we will!" Phoenix barked as a wraith of fire wrapped around her. Two crimson eyes appeared from the shadows in front of them, the beady eyes of a predator. Its eyes narrowed to dangerous slits and the forest shivered as a something in the shadows began to move.
"Long…live…the Queen!" the voice said as a massive grey tentacle of sorts slunk out of the nearby trees. It looked similar to a squid's tentacle, except the top part had a sort of grey armor-like shell on the top with spikes on the bottom.
"Watch out!" Samos barked as the tentacle shot through the trees at Phoenix, who fired a plume of flames at the creature. The flames bounced off of its armor plated body, and the tendril slammed into the Agent and sent her crashing into the ground. Rune cried out in distress, only for the tendril to snap in her direction. Rune jumped to the side to avoid the attack, the tendril slammed into a series of trees. Samos flinched and said "We must defeat this creature!"
"Couldn't agree more!" Phoenix grunted as she got to her feet, holding a flaming knife in each hand. Phoenix sprinted at the tentacle, which swerved out of the way as Phoenix slashed at it, only for it to swipe at her. Phoenix threw herself out of the way and hurled a dagger at the hand, catching it in the vulnerable underside. The tentacle flailed wildly, dislodging the knife. Phoenix laughed as she burst forward, pulling out an energy pistol, and fired several shots at the tentacle. The Metal Head roared out in pain and lashed out at Phoenix, who yelled out as the tentacle slammed into her, sending her crashing into a tree.
"Phoenix!" Night yelled out as Phoenix fell to the ground, twitching in pain. Daxter scowled and said "That's it!"
Daxter bounded off of Night's shoulder and landed on the ground, his lips set in a snarl. Samos blinked in surprise and said "You can't possibly be thinking of taking on that beast head-on!?"
"Why not? Jak does this crap all the time" Daxter shrugged, pulling out his signature magnum, a massive pistol that took two hands to hold up to eye level. Samos chuckled and said "Do you even know what end of gun shoots the bullets, Daxter?"
"Shut it old man!" Daxter barked as he fired two shots at the tentacle, which slunk out of the way.
"PRECURSOR!" the Metal Head roared, the noise deafening the warriors. Daxter shrank for a moment and said "Yeah! I am!"
All of a suddenly the trees in front of them imploded violently, revealing a massive spider-like creature with six legs and a heavily armored exoskeleton. The two tentacles on the front of the creature seemed to be protruding from its back, while a massive Metal Head gem rested in the center of the creature's head. Two enormous pincers protruded from the face of the Metal Head, covered in deadly spikes.
"I will take great pleasure in ending you…before I end the Champion of Light!" the Metal Head roared, hatred laced in its voice.
"Incredible…I've never seen a Metal Head like this!" Samos admitted as the creature snarled in response to Daxter shooting at it several times. One of the shots slammed into the armor protecting it and the Metal Head flung a tentacle at Daxter, who took cover behind a true and was sent flying with said tree as the Metal Head destroyed the area with little effort.
"Come on!" Nightingale yelled as she kicked off of the ground, activating her jet boots. Phoenix slowly got to her feet as Rune dashed ahead, activating her cloaking. The Metal Head suddenly darted towards them and lashed out with its tentacles. Nightingale kicked out and soared between them, landing on the creature's face with an elegant flip. She placed the tip of her shotgun on the creature's face and fired three shots into its face. The Metal Head spider roared in pain and snapped its pincer's at Night, who kicked off of its face with a yell and soared into the air.
"Rune! Go!" Night yelled.
"Fools! I am the Isisan, no mortal has ever set eyes upon me and lived to tell the tale!" the Metal Head spider roared, clicking its pincers and mercilessly attacking Nightingale as she dove and swerved into the sky. The Metal Head, after a few moments, grew annoyed and opened its pincers, where a colossal ball of Dark Eco began to form.
"Night! Get out of there!" Phoenix yelled as Nightingale spun around and began to reload her shotgun, in the direct line of fire of the Isisan's attack.
"GOTCHA!"
The Metal Head soared in pain as a flaming red rod was driven into its face, with Rune materializing out of thin air on top of its head. The Isisan snarled and clicked madly in pain until a tentacle managed to smack Rune off of its head. Rune crashed onto the ground, landing rather badly on her leg next to Samos, who yelped in surprise and said "Are you OK?"
"Agh…that thing's got some power…" Rune groaned as she tried to get to her feet, only to find her leg throbbing horribly. Rune fell to the ground and said "I must have landed on it wrong on something…damn…"
Rune tried to get up, but her leg failed her again. Nightingale landed on the ground and pulled out her SMG's and began to open fire on the Isisan with Daxter and Phoenix.
"I can help. Hold still" Samos said as he closed his eyes. Rune sat down on the ground as Nightingale began to lead the Isisan away from them. The Green Sage muttered something as he held out his staff and lightly tapped Rune's leg. The Agent gasped in surprise as Green Eco suddenly materialized around her leg and began to swirl around it, mending it perfectly. Rune shakily got to her feet and said "T-thanks"
"It was nothing. Now hurry!" Samos said to the Agent as he floated a few inches of the ground. Rune nodded, scooped up Aptos, and followed the trail of mayhem as Phoenix, Daxter, and Night tried to subdue the mighty Aimperditor.
"I will destroy you! All of you! Lady Arranst will reward me beyond my wildest dreams for disposing of you!" Isisan growled as it lashed out again with its tentacles, only for Nightingale to land on its face again and shotgun blast it four times. This time the Metal Head managed to discharge a strong blast of Dark Eco into Nightingale, who yelled out in pain and was sent flying into the air. As Nightingale righted herself, the Isisan slammed its right tentacle into her, sending her hurtling into the forest with a cry of pain.
"Night!" Daxter yelled as he fired four more shots at the Metal Head, who snarled and clicked in response before lashing out at him. Daxter dove into the roots of a tree and managed to avoid being crushed by the powerful tentacle of the Metal Head. As the tentacle cleared the area, Phoenix let out a war cry and charged into the fray, letting loose two massive plumes of fire at the Isisan Metal Head, who snarled in response.
"Yeah! Who's hot stuff now!?" Phoenix yelled as she continued dousing the Metal Head with fire. The Isisan clicked again and simply said "You talk too much!"
Phoenix suddenly shot a burst of fire at the ground underneath her, sending her flying out of the way of a massive strike from the Metal Head's tentacles. Phoenix flipped in midair and hurled her knife, which sailed through the air and embedded itself into the Isisan Metal Head's tentacle underside, causing it to roar in pain loud enough to shake the ground.
The Isisan clicked its pincer's furiously and opened them to fire a ball of Dark Eco at Phoenix, only for Rune to jump in front of her and block with Aptos, using her Green Eco Mod. As the shield dissipated around them and Rune slipped in a Red Eco Pod, Rune's tone turned angry as she barked "Leave my sister alone you damn bug!"
"BUG!?" the Isisan roared in indignation.
The entire forest shook with the fury of the Hora Quan, which fired another ball of Dark Eco at Rune, who flung out her hand and slapped her elbow, which was adorned with an intricate design on it. A wicked white aura engulfed Rune, and as the ball made contact with her hand the attack simply rebounded back towards the Isisan, blasting it in the face.
"Gotcha!" Rune yelled as she sprinted toward, jumping into the air and drawing back her hand. Aptos burst into a raging aura of Red Eco as Rune drove the Eco Spear home, slamming it into the face of the Isisan, who roared in agony and retreated back, only for Daxter to fire more shots at it. A tentacle lashed out at Daxter, who took aim and fired a shot towards the wildly flailing tentacle. The bullet struck true, however, and the creature snarled in pain as the tentacle backed off.
"Those tentacles it uses to attack are its weak spot too!" Daxter yelled as the creature's tentacle's reared back and shot towards him with a great burst of speed. Daxter stood frozen to the spot.
"I can't watch!" Samos said as he covered his eyes, only to peak through them.
"LIGHT IMPACT!" an ethereal voice yelled.
A wicked, shimmering white comet slammed into the face of Isisan, causing it to snarl in agony. The creature's tentacle's went off course and as the creature retreated a few yards, a mixture of blood and Dark Eco streamed from cracks in its face armor.
The comet flew back into the air and dissipated, revealing Nightingale in her Light Form. Nightingale growled loudly and shot forward like a rocket, slamming into the Isisan once more with a yell of fury.
"GO NIGHT!" Phoenix yelled as Nightingale slammed into the creature again and again, causing the entire forest to shake with the Isisan's roars as the massive Metal Head was forced away from the others. Nightingale flew back and landed on the ground next to Daxter, panting slightly.
"This thing is strong. I don't think I can take it down as is…maybe if we had Jak-" Nightingale began to say before the Isisan fired a bolt of Dark Eco at her. Nightingale grabbed Daxter and flew out of range, landing lightly on the ground. Nightingale let go of Daxter, her mind racing with possible options…
Then she looked down at Daxter with an expectant grin, who returned the expression with a frown.
"Hey Dax…I wanna try something…call me crazy, but I have an idea" Nightingale said in a soft voice as she knelt next to Daxter. Daxter looked confused, but nodded.
"OK…now, face the Isisan and hold out your right palm towards it" Nightingale instructed. Daxter nodded, yet shuddered as the Isisan gathered its senses, still dazed from Night's assault, and looked towards them. Rune and Phoenix jumped in front of the two and began firing bolts of fire and Yellow Eco at the Metal Head, but in the end Samos managed to do the job better than either of them.
Samos simply sat down and on the ground and scowled, his entire body glowing bright green. He began muttering frantically before grabbing his staff and pointing it at the Isisan. A series of enormous roots burst free from the earth and ensnared the mighty Hora Quan.
"Hurry! I can't hold this thing for long!" Samos yelled, strain evident on his face as the Isisan thrashed and roared in anger. Rune and Phoenix continued to fire at the creature, which snarled "I will not be subdued by such pathetic creatures!"
"Night, what are you doing?" Daxter asked.
"OK, you're a Precursor, right?" Nightingale asked.
"Yeah, why?" Daxter asked.
"Don't you think that you should have some sort of powers then?" Nightingale asked Daxter, who looked surprised at the idea.
"There's no way I have some sort of Precursor powers, Night. I would've known by now" Daxter protested.
"How do you know?" Night asked.
"Because I've tried! I'm about as useless as a Yakow with no legs! Jak's the one that does all of the actual day-saving…I'm just the idiot on his shoulders, messing things up along the way" Daxter muttered.
Nightingale sighed and said "And here I thought I was talking to Orange Lightning, one of the four only remaining Precursors in existence. I guess not"
"I am Orange Lightning, I just-" Nightingale cut him off by saying "You can't talk so big and then turn around and say that you're useless. Jak wouldn't have been able to do half of things he's done without you by his side. Saving the day isn't about shooting the winning shot or landing the finishing blow. There's more to it than that, Daxter…you're a hero, even if you don't think you are"
Daxter looked away, at least until Rune let out a yell of pain as the Isisan managed to fire a ball of Dark Eco in her direction, with the ball slamming into the ground and sending her flying into the air and crashing onto the ground again.
"OK…so say I do have Precursor powers…what did you have in mind?" Daxter asked, giving in.
"If Dark Eco can turn you into a Precursor, imagine what Light Eco can do" Nightingale said with a small smile as she placed her hand on Daxter's head and knelt down by him. Daxter felt the comforting presence of Light Eco flow into him from Night's hand, and he felt a measure of peace and clam flow into him as well. Daxter opened his eyes and said "What…what is this?"
"Light…just Light Dax. Now, focus…" Nightingale murmured. Daxter closed his eyes and tried to focus, unsure of what exactly, but focused nevertheless. To his surprise he felt a great warmth bloom through him as his entire body glowed bright gold.
"W-what the…Night, what's going on?" Daxter asked her, surprised as he felt a strange power flow through him. It was unlike anything he had ever felt. He no longer felt small and weak…he felt confident, powerful, and…good. He felt as though he could make a difference in this fight. He could truly be a hero too…
"ENOUGH!" the Isisan roared as its entire body suddenly thrashed, severing the roots. Samos let out a moan of pain as Rune and Phoenix jumped back. The Isisan lashed out with its tentacles as it advanced dangerously towards them, clicking its claws like mad.
"Daxter…just do what comes naturally" Nightingale said in a soothing voice. Daxter opened his eyes and felt a small smile spread across his face. Not one of bravado or humor, but a small one of peace and confidence.
A small ball of light formed in the palm of Daxter's hand, and the Isisan Metal Head froze in surprise. Daxter then scowled and said "Alright pincer-face, get ready for a taste of Orange Lightning!"
The small ball of white light flew out from Daxter's hand and quickly soared towards the Isisan, which snarled in response and tried to avoid the attack, only for it to slam into its face anyway. The effect was instantaneous. The Metal Head shrieked as a series of crisscrossing white lines flowed across its body and the sound of wind rushed through the air. Samos simply stood there in awe at the wrath of the Precursor's being unleashed before his eyes.
"NOOOO! NOOO! My Goddess! My Queen! Save me!" Isisan begged as it's body slowly began to fade away into nothingness, being turned into bits of golden white dust. The Isisan was literally being blown away soundlessly, its body burning away into golden dust only to be swept away by the wind. Within moments, the Metal Head was gone.
"I…I did it" Daxter said as he felt the light fade away from him.
"Daxter! Can you hear me?" a familiar voice spoke to Daxter within his head.
"Usano?" Daxter asked, recognizing the voice as the Precursor Leader.
"Yes, it's me. I wanted to congratulate you on discovering one of your many abilities as Precursor. I have to say, I'm surprised you didn't figure this one out sooner!" Usano chuckled.
"Wait…you knew I could do things like that?" Daxter asked, surprised.
"Of course. We Precursors are the most powerful beings in the Universe, I'll have you know. It's only natural that we have powers beyond mortal comprehension, and that includes you my friend" Usano said to Daxter, who frowned.
"Then why didn't you tell me?" Daxter asked.
"You have felt useless throughout your recent adventures. You felt that ever-so-present bravado slip away, and let your own insecurities come forth…We may be Precursors, but even we have to realize that at the end of the day, we are still just fuzzy little rodents. Outside, we are weak…inside, however…true power lies within. Just like in lies within Jak…within Nightingale…within Havoc…and within you"
Usano's voice faded away and Daxter opened his eyes to find the others staring at him.
Daxter looked at each of them and said "Well, this is awkward"
Meanwhile:
MCC:
"I'm so close, James. I really am!" Vin said irritably as he paced around in the MCC, flickering between blue and light blue. Sharpshooter nodded and said "I know you are man. You're running the City's Power Grid and our own systems at the same time"
"And its wearing me out! I'm about to bust a circuit if I can't figure out where he is!" Vin said frantically as he dove into the systems once more. Sharpshooter sighed and said "You've got to calm down, Vin. You won't be able to help if you stress yourself out like this"
Vin remained silent before a loud sigh emanated from the room.
"You're right…" Vin took a second to take a few deep breaths, that were unneeded, and as Jak walked into the MCC Vin glanced at him in surprise.
"You're back already?" Vin asked. Jak nodded. He, Chill, and Blade had arrived and told Chief Disten everything. Disten began to examine the Precursor Rod once more and told them to rest and be ready for a mission at any moment.
"Well…keep quiet then. I'm going to try again" Vin said in a soft voice as he dove into the mainframe. A few moments later, they could hear Vin muttering to himself, and then a loud swear could be heard from inside the computers.
"Still not enough…damn him…" Vin muttered.
Jak nodded and said "She was really important to you, wasn't she Vin?"
Vin popped out of the mainframe, and as he looked at Jak his face gained a rather sad expression, he then looked away from Jak, crossing his arms.
"Jak…look at me. I've gone my whole life as just some nobody. I took the gig at the Power Grid not because I was the best one for the job, but because I wanted to do something, anything, to get me noticed. The Underground saw I was good and decided that I could be useful…and look where that got me"
"I'm nothing. No one has ever seen me as anything less than nothing. I was a nervous wreck of a man living at where he worked, because no one else cared…and when the Metal Heads broke in…no one ever searched for a body…they just didn't care to find me after the City fell to the Metal Heads…" Vin said in a low voice.
"And then I met someone who did. That A.I…she sympathized with me. She listened, she cared. She may not be a real human, per say…but neither am I…not anymore…anyway…she was special to me. She was my friend…" Vin said as he looked away.
"Vin…we're going to find Tech. He can fix her-" Jak began to say before Vin looked at him and said coldly "He'll do no such thing. His manner of erasing her program was nearly perfect. The only reason we have chance at bringing her back is because I froze the mainframe and preserved what hadn't been erased."
"V-vin?" Jak asked the A.I., surprised at the coldness in his tone.
"I'll find him. You guys can take him down, but I want to be the one to find him…" Vin growled as he vanished into the mainframe once more. Jak sighed and said "What're we going to do with him?"
"Pray that he gets Arch back online?" Sharpshooter suggested.
Jak shrugged and walked out of the MCC, thinking hard on what just occurred.
Meanwhile:
"Ah, this seems about right. Now, down this way" Samos said as he easily made his way down the mossy pathway. Phoenix, Rune, and Night all had issues, slipping on the slick rock surface. Daxter seemed smug as he simply stood on Night's shoulder, admiring the view as the group made their way down the wet cliff faces.
Daxter had explained what had happened with Usano in his mind and the resultant awakening of Daxter's Precursor powers. Much like Jak and Nightingale, his abilities could be further triggered by experimentation and training, which would of course happen later. For now, Daxter was content with being truly helpful for once. He had gotten to save the day, in a way more epic than he could have ever dreamed.
The group was led by Samos to a small cave a short distance from the battlefield, where the sacred plant they were searching for could be found. It could only be found in dark environments, so the bottom of a cave system was a likely place for it. Plus, Samos could sense the plant at this close of a range.
"Not much further now. The plant you are searching for has an affinity for very wet and very dark places. The deeper we go into the grotto, the closer we are to finding this rare plant of legend" Samos said as he admired the moss growing on the walls.
"Considering the fact that the Aimperditor back there tried to murder us over it, I'm pretty sure that its down here somewhere" Phoenix said dryly.
"Well, at least that means that we're getting close then" Rune replied. Night chuckled under her breath and said "You two are the best"
"Thanks!" the twins chirped at the same time. Samos simply laughed until he froze. He looked around the room before saying "Stop…I feel…I feel a strange energy in the air. Do you not sense it?"
Phoenix and Rune both exchanged looks. Rune looked down at the Green Sage and said "I don't feel anything, sir"
Samos frowned and said "I haven't felt readings this strange sense I beheld the very seed that gave me my powers, all those years ago. The plant you seek is in this very room!"
Nightingale nodded and said "I'll let things up a little"
"Not too much! The sudden change in light could prove harmful to the plants. Best to simply transform and let the light from that serve as our guide" Samos advised. Nightingale nodded and went into Light mode. As her wings shout out of her back and the glow from her body filled the room, a strange plant came into view.
It had a bright red flower on the top with a black center. It had a variety of crimson colored spikes and looked somewhat like a locus flower and a weed. The plant itself was a very bright shade of green with darker leaves.
"Is that the plant?" Daxter asked Samos, who nodded. Samos walked over it and said "The Akyanst…A plant who's healing properties are so powerful, they can halt death in its tracks"
"Let's hope it's as strong as you say it is" Daxter muttered. Samos knelt down to the plant and said "It seems as though carrying the entire thing back would be impractical. This could be the only remaining plant of this kind left…it may be best to simply take a few of the many leaves on it. Crushing them into a powder and having Chase consume it should suffice"
"If there's any left over, we can apply it to the wounds directly" Rune added.
Night nodded and began to gently extract a few of the leaves from the large plant, and when they were satisfied with what they had the group exchanged looks.
"How are we going to get back up?" Daxter asked the group. Phoenix groaned and said "Not this again"
"I can fly you all up" Night offered. Rune smirked and said "Nah, we can make a race out of it"
Phoenix's attitude did a 180 as she suddenly got into a sprinting position and said "You're on"
"Oh no" Night said with an embarrassed look on her face. Daxter watched the proceedings with interest while Samos shook his head. The twins took off towards the slippery rock face and began to scale it with a surprising degree of speed. Nightingale simply shrugged and used her jet boots to soar to the top of the cave, taking Samos and Daxter with her. The trio stood at the top and waited for the twins to duke it out towards the top.
It got even worse when they both tied.
"Argh! You suck!" Phoenix panted as she and Rune tiredly walked out of the cave. Samos chuckled and said "You both act like a couple of kids"
"Hey, she started it!"
Daxter smirked and said "Well, we got what we came for. Guess we should be heading back to the City now, huh?"
"Yes. You all need to get back to searching for the Blade of Mar. If Jak's truly he Champion of Balance, then he will need to get blade before we can even hope to stand a chance against the Metal Head Queen"
Nightingale nodded and said "Well, I'll be ready to help him the entire way"
"Me too" Daxter, Rune, and Phoenix each replied. Samos nodded and said "It'll be some time before we arrive back at the city, we may as well start going"
The unlikely group then began to make their way back to Haven City, going as quickly as they could so they could try and save the only person who could show them the path forward from here. To stave off disaster just a little longer…
Meanwhile:
Kras City:
"Hon, pass my lucky wrench" Shadow muttered as she reached out from under the car. Tech simply grabbed a jet black wrench off of the ground and handed it to his fiancé, who was currently wearing a standard black mechanic jumpsuit. Tech wore a bulkier one, or so it seemed. He was really wearing his AA armor underneath it in case of an emergency. The Gate Fragment was stored in capsule storage on his belt. Tech walked over to the small cooler on the ground and flipped it open. He pulled out to freezing cold bottles of water and set one down on the ground next to the car hi fiancé was working on. Tech thirstily chugged his water and was halfway done before he took a breath.
"Hey, I grabbed you a water. You wanna take a break?" Tech asked Shadow, who pulled herself out from under the vehicle in response. She grabbed the water bottle and got up and sat down by Tech, who wrapped an arm around her waist. She in turn rested her head on his shoulder.
"I love you" Shadow murmured in Tech's ear. Tech smiled and said in a soft voice "Love you too"
The two shared a moment of peace in the car garage, just finding comfort in the presence of someone who loved them no matter what. However, they were interrupted by a man who walked into the garage.
"Hey Stephen, the Boss wants to see ya!" a rough looking man with a thick grey beard grunted at Tech. The former-AA Agent glanced at him and said "Why?"
"For reasons I won't disclose. Now get your ass over there" the man grunted in reply. Tech rolled his eyes and got to his feet. Shadow got up as well and said "So we're going to meet him?"
"Yeah…I've only met the guy once. Just stay quiet and let me do the talking, OK? This guy's a bit…odd" Tech said as he walked into a nearby coffee shop. It was a dingy sort of place with very dim lighting. The room itself was clear of people save for a lone man sitting in a both by himself. His face was cloaked in shadows, but he slowly raised a coffee mug to his lips and drank before his head turned towards Tech and Shadow.
"Ah…I was wondering when you'd come to your senses and use your talents assisting me" the man said in a smooth tone as Tech walked towards the man. Shadow scowled and was privately glad of the darkness in the bar…
Tech stood by the table, and after a beat said "I had some things to take care of. Now…since we both know exactly what it is you need me for…how about we make a deal?
"How about no?" the man replied shortly, his tone having a bit of annoyance in it. Shadow smirked, as she picked up on it right away.
Mizo was the sort of man who hated to give up his influence and wanted to be the one in charge, and the manner in which Tech was trying to take this conversation wasn't going to fly by him.
But Shadow knew that Mizo wasn't stupid enough to let a genius like Tech walk away from him. He'd have to play ball, and the thought of that made her very happy the darkness of the bar hid her smile.
"Mr. Mizo…you strike me as a man who knows how to use a situation to his advantage, no?" Tech asked the man as he sat down in his booth. Shadow followed his example and sat down as well, carefully allowed her smile to slip away into an interested look.
"Indeed…what's your point?" the man said rather roughly.
"I need somewhere to stay, to wait out some angry people who are looking for me. You're looking for an edge, something to give your men so that they can keep on winning…you see where I'm going with this?"
"I see exactly where this is going…continue" Mizo murmured.
"So, let's make a deal. You let us stay with your crew, who of course keeps us safe and keeps an eye on anything suspicious for a little while. At least until I can get some heat off my back. In return I'll give your men the kind of edge against their opponents like-" Mizo raised a hand and cut Tech off.
"I get your point. I'm curious as to who you're running from and normally I'd investigate it…but, I know you're not bluffing when you say you're good. I'll leave the matter be for now. I've seen your designs and schematics I have to say, the designs are…flawless. I want to see them in action. You supply me with faster and deadlier cars to my men and you'll be safe amongst us" Mizo said to Tech.
Shadow could only smirk as Tech and Mizo worked out the details of their arrangement, but couldn't shake the feeling that…something very bad was going to happen. She hoped that this agreement held firm, at least until the Hunters and AA stopped looking for them in the Icelands.
Meanwhile:
Nightingale, Rune, Daxter and Phoenix burst into the Infirmary, holding the leaves of the scared plant they had searched for. Pecker flew over to them and said "Excellent, you found it. We were taking bets you see, and…well, I lost a few coins-"
"You bet on whether or not we could save Chase!?" Rune hissed furiously. Nightingale strode past them and said "Chief, we've got the plant"
"Excellent. We'll grind half of that into a salve to apply to his wounds while he drinks the rest of it" Disten said to Night as she handed it to a medic who nodded and said "I'll prep as quickly as I can"
"Can he really drink anything in this state?" Daxter asked skeptically. Disten raised an eyebrow but said nothing. All of a sudden a girlish squeal could be heard before Daxter was tackled to the ground by Tess, who had Daxter in a deadly embrace.
"I was so worried!" Tess said to Daxter, who gasped for air.
"We'll leave them to their work. Rune, Phoenix, keep an eye on things here. The rest of you should go get some rest" Disten said to the Agents.
"So what happened in Spargus?" Night asked Jak, who shrugged. Tess finally let Daxter go so he could breathe again, and Tess grinned apologetically.
"Met some weird music girl, found Seem, Blade and Chill had sex at some point, and apparently there's a lot more to this prophecy than we thought" Jak explained.
"Interesting" Nightingale admitted with a small smile. Jak smirked back, but the next bit of news took him by surprise.
"I have superpowers!" Daxter proclaimed, bounding into the room like he was king of the world. Jak blinked and then looked at Night, who nearly burst out laughing at Jak's expression.
"Dax…what?" Jak stated, confused.
"Daxter unlocked some sort of special ability that he's apparently had all this time but never knew about. He was awesome!" Phoenix grinned.
"He needs to have access to Light Eco though to do it. We'll have to figure something out so he can use it again…that sort of power would be helpful for what's to come" Nightingale added.
"Well, now that we have the herb we can heal Chase and save him. After that, we can have him tell us everything he knows. Until then, we must find the Blade of Mar. Jak, Blade, and Chill have learned the location of the ruin that houses the weapon, so there's no time to waste" Disten to said the others. Jak nodded and said "We're ready"
"Aren't we Night?" Jak asked the black-haired agent, who flushed pink and nodded in response. Disten smiled inwardly, but spoke seriously to the trio that was about to undertake a very dangerous journey.
"Jak…iris…Daxter…I don't know what sort of trails await you inside of that scared ruin…but I know that you can retrieve that blade and return here safely. I have faith in all three of you…May the Precursors watch over you" Disten said in a soft voice as he walked over to Jak. He leaned over and muttered in his ear "Protect her, Jak. Watch over Iris for me"
"Yeah, you've got it" Jak muttered in reply, Disten backed away and said "Get yourselves ready in whatever manner you see fit. I'm not sure how long you'll be down there, so make sure to pack rations and the like"
Jak and Night nodded and the two looked over at the others. Rune nodded at them and said "We'll keep an eye on things here. Get that sword so Jak can unlock Guardian"
"Yeah, we've got it under control here" Phoenix added with a smirk.
"Go get em' heroes" Sharpshooter chuckled. Jak, Daxter, and Nightingale exchanged grins and they burst out of the Infirmary and raced to their rooms to get ready.
Disten turned to the other Agents and said "So-"
All of a sudden the Infirmary Doors flew open again, and the group inside turned, revealing Nymph. She was looking wary, but was smiling a little.
"Nymph, what's up?" Sharpshooter said.
"It's Vin. He's almost managed to put Arch back together, but he needs our help to finish it. Come on!" Nymph urged the others. Rune and Sharpshooter elected themselves to stay behind, while Disten, Phoenix, Blade, and Chill decided to go along with them. Tess hopped up on the Chief's shoulders and said "You really think Vin figured out a way to save Arch?"
"That man is genius in his own right and is utterly determined to track down Stephen and save Arch…if anyone here can do it…it's Vin" Disten said in a low voice as they walked to the MCC.
Two Hours Later:
"There!" Nightingale said eagerly, pointing towards a series of blood-red pillars sticking out of the sands on a faraway dune. Jak and Daxter smirked and the car shot forward.
"You ready for this?" Jak asked Daxter, who nodded.
"I've never felt more ready" Daxter said in a unusually quiet voice. Jak smiled at his best friend and said "Good to hear"
Nightingale simply smiled and said "We just have a little further to go. With this sword, we can save Havoc and beat Arranst"
The Scavenger slowed to a stop at the base of the dune. Jak and Nightingale hopped out, and Daxter jumped on Jak's shoulder. As the three examined the area, which simply had four red pillars sticking up out of the sand, Nightingale noticed a small inscription on one of the pillars. Despite the fact that it was mostly eroded, they managed to read a small part of the inscription.
"A union of Darkness and Light…center…reveal…path" Daxter read aloud.
Jak and Nightingale promptly blasted the spot in the middle of the pillars with a burst of Dark and Light Eco. All four pillars flashed white and the pillars sank into the sands with a grinding noise.
"Well, that was anticlimactic" Daxter said dryly. Jak was about to agree when a bright white light burst from the ground, revealing a stone stairway that led into the earth. An ancient voice, one that sounded like the Precursors spoke to them.
"Heroes…what awaits you is the our greatest treasure…enter the Chamber with caution…" the voice warned. Jak and Nightingale looked at each other for a moment, and Nightingale grabbed Jak's hand. Jak smiled and gave Nightingale's hand a squeeze, and a moment later the trio stepped into the stairway, which closed up behind them.
Meanwhile:
Uvelt Firelands: Oblivion's Bluff
"Close, my Champion" Arranst murmured as Havoc let out a roar of frustration. The sky above them was storming and raging as the massive slab of pure white stone was splattered with Dark Eco. Shade, Siren, and Deadshot stood nearby, watching the proceedings with interest. They gazed at the small Rift Gate standing before them, complete save for one piece that was missing out of the very top.
Havoc lashed out at the Gate to Darkness, releasing a massive wave of Dark Eco at the scared relic. The Gate began to spin wildly in a circle, and the Hunters shivered at the amount of power being released from the Gateway.
"So…you think he'll get it to work?" Siren asked.
"Yes. Of course he will" Shade grunted.
Havoc then let out a roar of rage as the Gate slowly stopped spinning, even as Havoc pumped more Dark Eco into it. As it stopped completely, Havoc suddenly shot a bolt of Dark Eco towards the nearby mountain, ripping through the entirety of it like paper and creating a solid hole through the rock face.
"Ah…it seems as though that there is no any of getting around it…we need the final piece" Arranst murmured in Havoc's mind. Havoc simply grunted and said "We'll have to find Tech. I told you this"
"The man proves to be elusive. It will take time to draw him out" Arranst replied.
"Then do something about him then. We can't do shit without the last Fragment" Havoc barked at Arranst, who laughed in reply.
"You're certainly worked up about something…" Arranst cooed at Havoc, who snarled "Shut up!"
"Excuse me? Do I have to remind you again who is in charge here, oh Champion of Darkness?" Arranst said in a deadly soft voice. Havoc flinched and said "No…no you don't have to do anything"
"I thought so…I will return shortly. I have other matters to attend to. Farewell…" Arranst vanished from his mind, and with it he felt a small bit of relief fill him. His head felt clearer, he could think better. He looked at the Gate to Darkness, so small but so very dangerous, and shivered.
He knew that with its construction the world's ruin would be inevitable. But this was his destiny. To be the servant of the Dark Goddess, the Metal Head Queen Arranst. He and the Hunters who followed him would be revered as heroes to the Metal Heads and be given safety and comfort…
"But why don't I believe that…" Havoc muttered, crossing his arms. He felt as though something were wrong, very very wrong mind you, about this whole deal. Why would he suddenly attack Nightingale…he used to be friends with her, so…why…did he go along with Arranst so willingly? He cared about his…friends?
Havoc sighed as he felt his skull began to throb with headache, and the Champion of Darkness simply turned away from the Gate to Darkness and faced the Hunters. He had to stop thinking such things. Arranst would get suspicious…
"So, that was a waste of time. You guys know where General Dark is?" Havoc asked the Hunters.
"He's in Haven, double-checking everything for the attack" Shade replied.
Havoc nodded and said "I may just head over there and help him. You guys stay here and guard the Gate"
Shade sighed and said "Havoc…we need to talk"
Havoc smirked and said "About?"
"This whole…thing" Shade said awkwardly. Havoc blinked and said "What?"
"Haven't you noticed that Arranst has been taking control of you for increasingly long amounts of time? You're almost never you anymore" Siren said to Havoc, who shook his head.
"Well…I'm not me anymore" Havoc said in a low voice, turning away.
"You guys are trying to tell me that I'm being used, is that right?" Havoc said to the Hunters, who remained silent. Havoc chuckled and turned around. His fists clenched at his waist, a gesture not unseen by the Hunters.
"Maybe I am simply a tool…but it's too late for second thoughts. Arranst is too powerful, and so am I…there's no turning back now…we have to save ourselves, or be lost in the darkness"
Havoc then closed his eyes and muttered "Just like me…"
Havoc vanished in a burst of Dark Eco, leaving the Hunter's behind and thinking hard on his words.
End of Chapter:
And there goes another one!
Next chapter!
Jak, Daxter, and Nightingale go into the most scared of Precursor ruins in search for the Blade of Mar. Tech gets into more trouble in Kras City, Vin makes a breakthrough, and more plot twists than you can shake a stick at!
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