Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
Damn, I have no time this semester for anything, the least of which is writing.
Seriously, these past few months have been terrible, and school is more stressful than ever, and today has been the worst day I've had in a very long time.
I've had some major deaths in my family, the worst of which was my dog right after I last updated. My best friend in the entire world for ten long years died this past August due to cancer, and it hit me hard. Harder than words can express.
So, I am going on record to say this. Do not expect any consistent updates for this story. They will be whenever I get a chapter done. It could be a week, it could six months. Please don't ask when they'll come out, because I don't know when they will.
I do know that after this next week, Apocalypse: Dawn of the Dead will be officially done and I'm caught up on my work for the Freelancer Collaboration, meaning more time to work on this story! I will have nothing else to write for except this story, meaning HOPEFULLY FASTER UPATES.
I know I have a bad track record when it comes to me posting chapters at a decent time, especially when I say that next time will be different. Well, I'm not promising anything, but I have my muse back and I will try.
Now then, shoutout to those who reviewed last chapter, which included DarkJamesWolf, ScreamGirl4998, Ravens of Blood, Mooman1706, Oblique Strategies, Kaazan645, two Guest reviewers, StaticBomb93, and ScreamGirl4998 again.
I will go on record to say that there are two fights/encounters that should have happened in the Jak series, specifically Jak 3 (my favorite of the trilogy).
One of which is with the Metal Head Queen, which is one of the reasons the story took the shape it did.
The second…is with the legendary Mar.
But I'll stop here, and let you all enjoy this chapter.
Enjoy!
Chapter 36: Guardian
"Heroes represent the best of ourselves, respecting that we are human beings. A hero can be anyone from Gandhi to your classroom teacher, anyone who can show courage when faced with a problem. A hero is someone who is willing to help others in his or her best capacity."-Ricky Martin.
Chamber of Balance (The True Tomb of Mar):
"Now then…why I have you come to this scared place, young heroes?" the specter asked Jak, looking at him. Jak then started as he tried to speak, but Daxter managed to speak for him, just as always.
"We need that sword of yours!" Daxter said to the legendary hero, pointing at the sword on his hip.
"Ah yes…the Yvantael...capable of harnessing both Light and Dark Eco, it is the fabled weapon of choice for the Hero of Balance in the Prophecy." Mar said to the three heroes, tapping the pommel of the blade with his knuckles.
"Sir…um, Mar?" Night asked the entity.
"Yes, Iris?" the old warrior replied.
Nightingale took a nervous breath and said "Why are you here?"
Mar then laughed a bit and said "I was chosen by the Precursors to guard this fabled weapon, many years ago. It served me as well as I ruled Haven City….However…as I neared an older age, I decided the best course of action was to hide this blade, deep within the Catacombs and leave behind clues for those worthy of wielding it. It was too precious a relic to leave unguarded, or within easy reach of those who wished to use it for evil."
"Even Precursors themselves were not aware of the sword's location. They only knew that I was keeping it safe for my descendant's…Only my true heir, one who embodies the qualities of the House of Mar, could find it"
Jak nodded and said "What's so special about that sword though? Why do I have to have it?"
Mar nodded and said "The Yvantael is a sacred artifact created by the Precursor King, eons ago. It is one of the only relics capable of harnessing and absorbing the power of both Light and Dark Eco and harming beings who use Eco-based powers like yours and Iris's. It was crafted in a manner lost to time, and is made of a material that exists no longer…This is possibly one of the Precursor's last true weapons before their fall."
"Wow…" Daxter said quietly.
"So, why is it so important that I have the blade then?" Jak asked Mar.
"Because in the hands one of who has Light and Dark Eco in their heart, and can harness the power within themselves, Yvantael has another function. Unleashing the true potential of the Champion of Balance."
"What is my true potential, though?"
"It is a state of being where darkness and light merge together in complete harmony, allowing the true power of Eco to come forth. A state of being the Precursors have called in this tongue…Guardian. The true protector of life and of the universe. The true hero. One that alongside the Champion's of Light and Darkness, can right the balance and destroy the Hora Quan once and for all." Mar said in a low voice.
"Now…It is time for your final test, Jak Mar, last of the House of Mar and Champion of Balance. It is time for you to truly embrace your true destiny."
"I'm ready." Jak said, stepping forward.
"The final test has been foretold on the walls that surround us, written by me by prophesied by the Precursor's. Iris, I believe you can translate the text?" Mar said to the black-haired woman, who nodded. She starred at the wall Mar gestured at, and said let out a gasp.
"You mean…He has to…" Nightingale whispered in surprise.
"Night, what is it?" Jak asked her.
"The two heroes of Mar will meet in this tomb, and there they shall clash in a battle for inheritance. Only by defeating the hero of old, can the world's new hero accept his destiny and save not only the world…But the universe." The woman said quietly, voice filled with awe and a bit of apprehension.
"Now the time has come…the two warriors bearing the name Mar will meet in a clash of wills…" the old warrior said as he put a hand on the sword clipped to his hip. With a smile he drew the blade, and Jak got into a fighting stance, ready for whatever the legendary warrior had to throw at him.
"Come Jak Mar…my descendant who carries light and dark in his veins…let us meet as equals on the field of battle and determine whether or not you possess the power to change an era and bring peace to this world!" Mar cried as he raised his sword into the air and shot towards Jak with an ethereal yell.
Meanwhile:
Kras City Raceway:
Tech slowly pushed himself into a sitting position, coughing and shaking from the force of the impact of the Road Blade slamming into his barrier. The smoke obscured almost everything around him…
And then it hit him.
"Crash!" Tech yelled, waving his hands around through the smoke blindly. He tried to get his armor back online, but for the first time in his memory his armor wasn't responding. He needed to repair it, desperately, but now was not the time-
"…ugh…Da…damn it." came a groan in the smoke.
"Crash!" Tech yelled as he ran towards the sound of coughing.
A fist slammed into Tech's helmet, sending him falling to the ground. He looked up and saw Crash standing tall, cracking his knuckles with a menacing scowl on his face, his helmet gone and blood streaming from his head.
"H-how did you survive that?" Tech asked Crash, who spit a globule of blood on the ground.
"Jumped out at the last minute. I figured you'd pull something out of your ass at the last second, so I ejected myself. And I was right." Crash growled.
"But the explosion…Unless you used-" Tech blinked in surprise as Crash held out a glowing green sphere, who's light was fading now.
"GE Modified Crash Shield. I have them installed in all of my cars, Tech. All I had to do was place my hand on it, and it made a bubble around me to protect me from the crash…But you knew that already." Crash said as he dropped the device on the ground.
"Danny…you've got to listen to me-" Tech said as Crash stepped closer.
The man's scowl grew as he said "Not a chance, traitor. You'll get what's coming to you."
Crash lifted up his boot, but stopped as a yell broke through the smoke.
"NO!"
Crash yelled out as a blur rushed out from the smoke and kicked him savagely in the side. He got to his feet with a groan and looked up, only to find a magnum aimed at his skull.
"Step away from him. Now." Shadow growled at Crash.
"You bitch…I'll get you both for this." Crash growled, backing away from Tech. His hands lowered to his sides, brushing against a jagged knife clipped to his belt. Tech got to his feet, wincing as Shadow put her arm around her shoulders.
"Come on, we need to get you-" Shadow began to say.
"NO!" Tech yelled suddenly, shoving Shadow to the ground. A knife slammed into Tech's chest, breaking through the damaged armor and lodging itself in his rib cage.
"Stephen!" Shadow screamed as Tech fell to the ground with a . Crash laughed and said "Gotcha-agh!"
Shadow screamed in fury as she unloaded the entire clip of her pistol at Crash, who fell to the ground with a howl, bleeding profusely as the smoke cleared.
"Z-Zelda…Get out of here…" Tech grunted.
"I'm not leaving you!" Shadow protested.
"Then give me your hand…And trust me." Tech said to his fiancé, who held onto his hand tightly as the two of them warped on the spot. Crash swore quietly before his head hit the ground, his vision swimming.
"He's over here!"
"He's hurt!"
Crash felt someone press something against his chest and felt a stinging sensation in his chest before he fell unconscious, his last thought being that he had failed yet again to stop Tech…
Meanwhile:
Jak's body exploded in a shower of Light Eco as he rushed forward to meet his ancestor, who suddenly vanished in a flash of golden light. Jak scowled and clapped his hands together as he stopped his flight in midair. He spun around and saw Mar dashing towards him, and promptly swung his leg into the face of the ancient hero, imbuing the kick with a deadly burst of Light Eco. Time reverted to normal as his foot connected with Mar's face, slamming into his helmet. Mar spun through the air and crashed onto the ground, only to roll to his feet, laughing lightly and his expression jovial.
"Excellent! Time itself bows to your touch, Jak!" Mar said as he flipped the Yvantael in his grasp, dashing towards Jak again. The warrior stabbed at Jak with an ethereal yell, but Jak sidestepped and aimed a punch at the warrior's gut, sending Mar flying away, but again he righted himself in midair and dropped to the ground, smiling.
"Now, let's see your speed as you hold that form." Mar said as a ball of golden light formed in his hands, pulsating before firing at Jak, who threw up a Light Shield and braced himself for the impact. The ball slammed into Jak's hands, but to his amazement ripped away the barrier like it was nothing. Jak took a step back before Mar flickered into existence in front of him and lashed out with his fist, slamming it into Jak's helmet and sending him flying across the room.
"Jak!" Nightingale screamed as Jak crashed onto the ground, the room spinning around him.
"Jeez, for a glowing ball of light he hits really hard." Daxter joked as Jak got his feet, shaking his head. Mar suddenly appeared behind him again, slashing down at Jak, who rolled forward and pulled out his pistol, firing a shot at the older warrior, who swiftly deflected the bullet.
"Come! Attack!" Mar barked as he dashed forward, slashing wildly as Jak emptied the clip at him. Mar deflected each of the bullets and got within range to slash at Jak, who burst into a shower of Light Eco and grabbed Mar by the wrist and pulled him behind him, leaping into the air and spinning around to deliver a massive kick to the head to the ancient warrior. Mar's body exploded in a shower of golden light while a laughing sound filled the room.
"Impressive. Very impressive."
"Are you just going to keep doing that, or can we actually fight?" Jak asked the warrior, who sighed and appeared once more.
"Forgive me. I merely wished to put you through some small tests because I got serious. But if it time for a true display of my power, then so be it!" Mar yelled as he flung his hands down, creating a shockwave of force to erupt from his body. The Blade of Mar flashed gold in his hands as he vanished once more, reappearing next to Jak as he jumped back, flaring his wings as the sword slashed through the air. Mar kicked off the ground like a rocket as Jak fired a Light Blast directly into his face, but the warrior took the attack head on by blocking it with his sword and stabbed Jak in the chest.
Jak yelled out ethereally as he flickered out of his light form as Mar ripped the blade out and kicked Jak in the chest, sending him crashing onto the ground with a yell. Mar landed on the ground and held the blade high before slashing downwards at Jak's downed form, an arc of golden light shooting out from the sword.
Jak's body suddenly burst into a cloud of Dark Eco and the blast soared through the smoke, but Jak was nowhere to be found.
"Hmm…Interesting." Mar murmured as he got into a fighting stance, his sword in front of him. He then ducked as Dark Jak suddenly appeared out of nowhere, slashing at him with his razor sharp claws.
"The wild and immense power of Dark Eco! Show me your strength!" Mar barked as he dashes forward, raising the blade high as Dark Jak drew his hand back. Mar leapt into the air and came back down to earth, Yvantael burning like a star. Dark Jak held out his hands and caught the blade in midair, growling as the shockwaves of power ripped through the air. Dark Jak then snarled and threw Mar to the side, sending him falling to the ground, but the warrior landed lightly on his feet with a smirk on his face.
"Is that it?" Mar scoffed at Dark Jak, who snarled and fired a Dark Strike at Mar, who jumped to the side and easily dodged the blast. Dark Jak then exploded in a cloud of Dark Eco and appeared in front of Mar again, slashing at him with his claws. Mar leaned back, the slash going over his head and placed a hand on the ground and did a one-armed handstand, twisting around and delivering a massive slash to Dark Jak's chest.
"JAK!" Daxter and Night yelled as Dark Jak flickered in and out of his form, bleeding profusely from the chest now.
"Now you understand the true power of this blade. Even those blessed by the Precursor's are no match for the Yvantael. In order to be able to wield it…You must feel its power firsthand." Mar said quietly as he held out a hand, a ball of golden light forming in his palms. It fired directly into Jak's chest, sending him flying across the room and slamming harshly into a nearby wall.
"No!" Nightingale shouted, stepping forward as Jak fell to the ground. As she did, a wall of golden light flashed into existence before her.
"I am sorry…But this is something Jak must do alone." Mar said to Iris as he turned to face Jak, only to find that he was gone. Mar ducked as Jak's boot soared over his head, radiating Dark and Light Eco and grabbed Jak by the leg, swinging him around and hurling him across the room. Jak righted himself in midair, turning into Light Jak, and landed on the ground, firing a Light Strike at Mar, who held out Yvantael, which took the attack head on and absorbed the blast.
"Now…let me show you the true power of our name." Mar said as he levelled Yvantael at Jak, who starred at the blade as it began to glow bright gold. The hero vanished on the spot, and Jak glanced around, trying to find him.
"Where…" Jak muttered, taking a few paces with his hands raised and glowing with Light Eco. Jak closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to sense the warrior. A serene calm fell over him…
Waiting…
Waiting…
Wait-
He then jumped to the side as a force came at him, causing him to barely avoid a slash to the stomach as Mar's shining blade rippled through the air. Jak rolled to his feet and pulled out Nightingale's knife and ran at Mar, kicking off of the ground with a burst of Light Eco and stabbing the hero in the chest.
"AAAAAGGGGHHH!" Mar bellowed as a shockwave of energy erupted from him. Jak was sent skidding backwards from the force of the ethereal scream of fury emitting from the ancient warrior.
Jak reverted to his normal form and took a step back as Mar ripped out the blade, dropping it on the ground with a hiss of pain.
"Very good…You are in very in tune with your powers…Most impressive…But…" Mar trailed off, standing back upright. The glowing white wound on his chest remained, leaking a white sort of strange liquid onto the ground. Light Jak smiled and flicked his hand out, and a small tentacle of light shot forward and snatched Nightingale's knife off of the ground.
"In the end, can you do it? Are you truly strong enough to ignite the fires of change and be the savior that this universe has waited eons for? Or will you too succumb to the Dark Goddess?" Mar said as he flipped Yvantael in his grasp and dashed at Jak, stabbing towards him. Light Jak threw up Light Shield as Mar lunged towards him, and as the sacred blade touched the barrier, it shuddered for a moment before shattering like glass. Light Jak jumped back as Mar dashed towards him, slashing upwards with a yell of fury. It was all Light Jak could do to dodge the speedy slashes of the legendary hero.
Mar suddenly drew back Yvantael as it flashed gold and shuddered violently. He then stabbed forward as Jak threw up another Light Shield around himself, but the blade passed through it and Mar ran through Jak with the legendary weapon. Jak let out a yell of pain as Mar withdrew the weapon, spinning on his heel and kicking Jak savagely in the chest and sending him to the ground. Mar walked towards his descendant, a scowl on his face.
"Get up, Jak Mar! If you cannot defeat this old warrior, then what kind of hero does that make you!?" Mar bellowed as he raised the sacred blade of the Precursor's high into the air above Jak's head.
BAM!
Mar let out a yell as Light and Dark Eco slammed into his chest, sending him hurtling backwards and causing him to land roughly on his tomb. Jak got to his feet, with half of his body in Dark Jak mode and the other in Light Jak mode. Jak's face was contorted into a horrible grimace of agony, but he held his hands out to his side. A rod of light and a rod of darkness formed in each hand and formed into two swords.
"An imperfect combination of Light and Dark Eco…Even without Guardian…Amazing! Now…" Mar smirked under his helmet as it formed around him once again.
"Let's put your powers to the test. Are you truly in perfect balance, able to bend light and dark to your will as the Prophecy says you can? Or…Will the world be doomed after all?"
"Let's find out!" Jak growled as he rushed forward to meet his ancestor.
Meanwhile:
Disten sat in his office, his eyes regarding one of the many artifacts in his office, before he returned to the book. Gallus's journal.
The Queen of the Metal Heads.
Such a series of words…The fact that creatures so foul and evil have a creator who instructs them to be parasites and monsters…It's enough to give a grown man nightmares. Tales of the Queen's power, her true strength, has been written about in the tomes of the Monk's extensively, though her existence is a closely guarded secret. Why?
I'm not so sure myself...
Just imagine…
A being that even the Precursor's feared beyond belief, a monk described the Queen of the Hora Quan as a beautiful creature of terrible power and might, capable of controlling her children with a flick of her thoughts. She was a god-killer…A being so powerful, she could kill the very gods themselves…The Precursors fell because of them and the traitors of their race…
What should happen if she were to arrive at our doorstep…
It is a thought that I wish to never have again. It is an unimaginable thought, a thought so terrible…
No.
The entry ended there, and the Chief looked up at the portrait up on the wall. He eyed the scarred and wild look of Gallus Jarkas, the once great leader of the Avenging Angels. His gleaming blue eyes, unruly black hair, and fierce grin betrayed the scholar and philosopher he was within. A warrior, a poet, a scholar…And his god-father, of course.
Disten sighed and closed the journal again, dwelling on the thoughts of Gallus. His worries, all those years ago, bottled up inside. The information that he had uncovered all those years ago, that was only being found out now by them. Why had he not confided in his father, or for that matter, him?
Disten sighed and put his face in his hands, running through his thinning hair, and said "So many questions…"
"Gallus…Did you discover something about the Queen? What else do you know?" Disten said quietly, running his hand over the book. He had reached the most difficult part of the journal yet to translate, and his progress had slowed once more. He had made leaps and bounds with the journal thanks to Nightingale's proficiency in understanding and translating it, and after reading the translated text...he was filled with questions.
"Once Daxter, Night, and Jak come back…Maybe we can shed more light on what you're trying to tell us, Gallus." Disten said as he leaned back in his chair and closed his eyes.
Haven City:
"Ugh, how much longer do we have to wait!?" Shade growled as he paced along the rooftop impatiently. Siren, Violet, and Doppelganger watched on, rolling their eyes in unison, as the sky crackled with the sound of thunder.
"Not much longer. The General has prepared most of the Passages, and we've moved what we needed to Uvelt Base." Violet said to the larger man, who stopped in his tracks.
"Then why do we have to wait another 8 days before attacking the city? And what does this have to do with getting the last Fragment?" Shade asked Violet indignantly.
"It has nothing to do with getting the Fragment." A cool voice said to them, eerily familiar. The Hunters turned around and saw Havoc standing on the edge of the building, jet black demonic-looking wings made of pure Dark Eco jetting out his back.
"It has to do with the history of this city. For centuries it had stood against the Metal Heads, fighting directly against them. Mar, the greatest enemy of the Hora Quan, built his legacy in this city…No…This battle will be very personal."
"This city has only survived as long as it has through the ingenuity of Mar, and the corrupt and pathetic mind of Baron Praxis. The latter of who…Well, he was merely delaying the inevitable with his petty bargains and bribes...Kor dealt with him quite nicely."
"I look forward to destroying these fools once and for all…To show them that their pathetic will cannot hope to match the strength of my children and me. And with you all standing alongside us…We cannot fail. This city is a testament to the will of humans and how they have stood against me…That is why Haven City must fall," Arranst purred, her voice speaking through Havoc as he let out a groan of pain and fell to his knees, clutching his helmet.
"Jazon? You OK?" Siren asked Havoc, who let out a deep breath.
"He still has trouble controlling the amount of power he possesses. It will pass, in time, once I have entered your world myself. Havoc may be stronger than any human, but he is still human in the end." Arranst spoke to the Hunters.
"Agh, I'm fine!" Havoc barked at Arranst.
"You sure boss?" Siren asked Havoc, who nodded.
"Yes…I'm sure, guys. Don't worry about me. You all can go back to HQ now, the General needs all hands available to find Tech, wherever the hell he is," Havoc said as he took his helmet off, looking rather paler than usual.
"Do we have a plan to track him down again?" Doppelganger asked Havoc, who nodded slowly.
"We think Havoc is going after one of the last great Precursor relics, but we're not sure which one. Considering he was in the Icelands that last time, we're speculating that there's something out there that he wants or needs. Arranst is worried though…because with Tech's intellect, he could be able to get some Precursor tech reactivated."
"Is he really that smart?" Violet asked.
"Yeah. He's a crafty bastard, that's for sure." Shade said with a nod.
"Yes…I'll deal with him myself when the time comes, though. He'll have no chance against me and Arranst." Havoc said as he held out his hand. The air itself rippled as Dark Eco began to surge wildly in his palms, before he waved his hands and made the Eco dissipate into the air.
"Do you think he'll be at the battle?" Shade asked Havoc.
"Of course. He told the Avenging Angels about it, which is why the Freedom League is already mobilizing. Tech will be there, one way or another." Havoc replied.
"Yes…But it does not change their fate. The Avenging Angels, Tech, or the Freedom League. Knowledge of an attack is one thing. Time, place, and strength of the onslaught are still unknowns," Arranst purred quietly.
"It doesn't matter if they know…In the end…They will all fall to us either way." Havoc whispered before shaking his head violently. An audible growl rippled through the air before Havoc vanished in a blast of Dark Eco.
"…What the hell was that about?" Doppelganger asked the others.
"No clue." Siren and Violet answered at the same time.
"She's…She's twisting him. Manipulating him…Some part of me wonders whether or not…Havoc joined us voluntarily…Or if Arranst forced him into joining us." Shade suddenly growled, clenching his fists.
"That's crazy. Of course he joined us on his own!" Doppelganger cried out
"Really? He suddenly betrays the AA, after being with them for years, and suddenly has the power to manipulate Dark Eco, and can even give the power away to others? No…She did something to him…Just like she is now." Shade said firmly as he took off his helmet. The bald man took a deep breath before exhaling deeply, his now black eyes surveying the city below.
"You…What are you thinking?" Siren asked Shade.
"I don't know what to think anymore…I keep thinking how Shadow betrayed us…But then I keep seeing Havoc…Our hero. Our protector…Our Champion. The one who was supposed to lead us to true salvation." Shade muttered. The other Hunters walked over to him, and removed their helmets as well.
"And?" Violet said, shaking her purple hair free and letting it flow in the wind.
"General Dark seems to be running the show more than Havoc is, and Havoc seems to not even be control of himself half of the time, and the other time…He seems so resigned. Weary. Its…Something isn't right." Shade said at last.
"You think we're being played?" Doppelganger asked Shade, who turned to his fellow Hunters and nodded.
"Keep this on the down low…We can't be talking like this, not while she's in our minds." Shade said to his friends, who nodded.
"We should get back to HQ. Deadshot should be nearly done finding our target for the other part of the plan, anyway," Doppelganger said to the others. Violet and Doppelganger vanished in a burst of Dark Eco, leaving Siren and Shade alone on the roof.
"What Shadow and Tech said to you the other day really got to you, didn't it?" Siren murmured.
"Shelly…I just…What if they're right?" Shade muttered, shaking his head.
Siren shook her head and said "Jake, we can't lose faith."
"Why? D and Violet aren't too thrilled either. I know they question this like I do…I just…" Shade let out a sigh of frustration and said "This Blessing thing, too. It just doesn't feel like I always imagined it would."
"What, did the unlimited power of the Metal Heads not seem as good as it first sounded?" Siren said quietly.
"No…Yes…I don't know." Shade admitted.
"We're so close to the end, Jake. We can't lose our faith now. Besides, if we fight alongside them the Dark Goddess will spare us and our families in the end. That's why we fight. To protect the ones we love." Siren said to Shade, who nodded. He silently put his helmet back on and looked away before vanishing in a burst of Dark Eco, with Siren doing the same a few moments later.
Sunset Stratosphere:
"No, Raphael!" Lady Starlight said as she flung her scarf around her neck, frowning at the club owner/Hunter as he sighed in irritation.
"I told you, they're going to attack in a little over a week. You've got to evacuate the city," Eclipse said to the singer with a worried expression. The Haven City superstar shot the Hunter Commander a dirty look.
"And why is that? The Freedom League is already mobilizing and is preparing themselves for their biggest fight yet. The Avenging Angels and Spargus have both pledged their support. A group of Metal Head supporters can't hope to match the combined strength of all three groups."
"You people have got to stop underestimating the Hunters," Eclipse said with a sigh, putting his head in his hand.
"And yet the city is recovering. We're ready for an assault. We can take them," Starlight said angrily at Eclipse.
"No, you can't," Eclipse insisted.
"Why? What's so bad that you think we don't stand a chance?" Starlight said to Eclipse as she crossed his arms again in annoyance.
"I can't…I can't say. They'll know its me. They're already suspicious," Eclipse said darkly.
"And yet you've already come this far. Why not let them know? The Freedom League can protect you!" Starlight said to Eclipse, who let out a dark laugh.
"Darling…You should know by now. No one is safe." Eclipse said as he shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.
Eclipse turned around and said "If you value our friendship at all, then you would leave this city before it becomes a memory. The Dark Goddess has this city under her grasp…You all just don't know it yet."
"I think you're overreacting. Seriously, we've hung on for hundreds of years. Even when the Baron died, even when KG Deathbots and Metal Heads had overrun the city, we hung on. What makes you think we can't survive this?" Starlight asked Eclipse, who smiled bitterly.
"Because up until now, the Dark Goddess has not been serious. She has had her faithful underlings fight her battles…But now all of her attention will be focused on Haven City, and its annihilation," Eclipse said as he flipped his Eco Cane, Sparien, in his hand.
"Then why run? She won't settle for Haven, she'll destroy this entire planet. I won't spend my life running while the world dies around me!" Starlight said angrily at Eclipse.
"Its inevitable, but still…You can always join us. Pick the winning side..." Eclipse muttered, earning a disgusted look from the singer.
"Raph…I won't abandon my city to those monsters. I have a duty, and I will stay with them. Don't you remember what I am to these people?" Starlight said quietly.
"Yes…I remember full well. You are the heart of Haven City. You are its lone star. These people have loved your songs and music, and the fact that you never stop returning here despite what happens shows your loyalty to your people."
"I give them hope, Raphael…I won't abandon them. I won't give up hope," Starlight said as she made a move to go to the door.
"Wait!"
Starlight stopped and glanced behind her, where Eclipse was leaning against the wall now, looking tired.
"Fine…If you're going to be stubborn and witness this city's destruction, then at least I can make sure you have a chance at surviving," Eclipse said in a clipped tone. He reached into his pant's pocket and pulled out something that he clenched in his fists.
"This may not guarantee your survival, but it's a weapon. Use it well," Eclipse said, opening his palm. Two intertwined crystals in the shape of a heart, one half light blue with a whitish glow and the other half was a dark purple colored that gave off a blackish glow. It was small though, about the size of her palm, but it glowed brilliantly in the club owner's hand, as though resonating with his heart.
"Is that a Light and Dark Eco Crystal? Where'd you get-Oh nevermind." Starlight said, catching Eclipse's annoyed look. "How can that help me?"
"It won't. But hold onto it anyway. Its an old good luck charm my mother gave me. I want you to have it." Eclipse said, pressing it into Starlight's hand. She seemed taken aback at this, so Eclipse said "I want you to hold onto it for me."
"W-Why? Raph, I can't take this." Starlight said as she tried to push the crystals back into Eclipse's hand, but he pushed her hands away.
"No. Don't think of it as a gift, think of it as doing me a favor. I don't want to hold onto it, because…Well, I'm not sure what will happen in the battle. I may be killed by an Avenging Angel or killed in the crossfire or..." Eclipse trailed off for a moment before getting back on track "But you…I think it'll be safer if you hold onto it for me." Eclipse said to the singer.
"OK, if you're sure." Starlight relented, taking the crystal and slipping it into her bag.
"Now as for the weapon I promised." Eclipse said as he walked over to the far wall, beckoning his friend to walk with him. Starlight walked behind Eclipse as he pressed hand against the wall, causing it to vanish. A large dark grey crate was hidden within the wall panel and was quickly pulled out by the Hunter Commander.
"Take a look." Eclipse said as flipped the clasps and kicked the container open. Inside of the container was an arsenal of gleaming weapons, all of which were assembled and dissembled before her. Eco Grenades, Plasma Swords, and other such devices were inside of it. Eclipse ignored most of them and carefully plucked out a small machine gun that had a sleek and shiny outside with a shining white streak and a jet black streak running down the side of it.
"What is it?" Starlight asked.
"Light/Dark Eco Blaster. Top of the line. I assume you know how to use a gun, right?" Eclipse said to the singer, who crossed her arms.
Starlight smiled after a beat and said "I may be a bit rusty, but I'm sure I can still handle myself."
"Good. I can rest a bit easier then. It's the best of its class when it comes to ammo management, so you'll get a bit of use out of it before needing to reload." Eclipse said as he flipped his cane in his hand and handed the gun to Starlight, along with several cartridges of ammo. He then sighed once more and said "You should get going. I've got some matters to attend to of my own, and you've got a rehearsal to get to."
"Are you sure you don't want to-" Starlight began to say before Eclipse raised a hand.
Starlight embraced her friend and hugged him tightly, and after a moment he returned the hug with one of his own. The two held the hug for a few moments before Eclipse broke it, looking mournful.
"Go…Shine bright, my friend. Burn light the brightest star and give your people hope. Like you've always have," Eclipse murmured. Starlight nodded and slowly made her way to the door.
"G-Goodbye, Raphael…I'll miss you." Starlight said quietly.
"Yeah, me too. If we both survive this, how about we come back here and have a drink amongst the wreckage? My treat?" Eclipse said with a smirk, causing Starlight to laugh.
"I'll take you up on that, Raphael…Hey."
"Hmmm?"
"Thanks…For everything." Starlight said quietly.
"Don't mention it...Anything for a friend," Eclipse said as he nodded to Starlight, who opened the door, cast one last glance and a smile at Eclipse, before slipping out of the room. The Hunter Commander, now alone in his V.I.P. Lounge, sighed deeply and fell onto his couch. He then tapped the communicator on the wall.
"Yeah Boss?"
"Chad…Bring me a drink. And make it a strong one," Eclipse said as he closed his eyes, his grip on his Eco Cane tightening hard enough to turn his knuckles white.
Meanwhile:
Chamber of Balance:
Jak snarled as he slashed and stabbed at Mar, who was swiftly blocking every single one of Jak's attacks, but just barely. The old warrior was clearly being out through his paces as he struggled to keep up with the Champion of Balance, who suddenly shot forward and spun around, kicking out at Mar and slamming his foot into Mar's upper chest, sending him flying across the room in a shower of Dark Eco. Jak landed lightly on the ground, panting in pain as the Dark and Light Eco continued to put strain on his body.
Mar rolled to his feet and shot forward, stabbing at Jak who blocked with his Dark Eco blade and stabbing at the warrior with his Light Eco blade, driving the tip into the ancient warrior's chest. Mar growled in response and kicked Jak in the chest, sending him stumbling back and ripping the blade free.
The warrior then slashed out with Yvantael, sending another arc of energy at Jak and sending him flying backwards as the energy slammed into him and knocked him out of his Dark and Light state. Jak fell to the ground, body shaking in protest as the ancient powers of the Precursors coursed through him.
A few moments later, ignoring the pain, Jak turned into Light Jak and began to heal his wounds as Mar shot towards him once again, flying through the air with both hands on the blade.
Jak managed to get to his feet as Mar shot towards him again, reverting back to his normal form and pulling out his Morph Gun and switching to the Vulcan Fury and opening fire on the ancient warrior. Mar let out a laugh as his entire body began to glow bright white. Mar then vanished, only for thirty copies of the ancient warrior to surround Jak.
"Is that it?" Jak asked as the warrior's pointed their swords at him. Three copies of Mar shot at Jak, who fired a stream of bullets at them and caused them to vanish into nothingness. Jak then ducked as a sword slashed over his head and shot the clone in the chest, destroying it. Three more circled around Jak, who stepped back as one of the three clones dashed at him, slashing downwards. Jak sidestepped the slash and slammed the gun into Mar's chest while turning around, firing at the two other clones as the lowered their blades towards Jak.
More and more of the clones charged at Jak, who was able to barely fend off the weakened versions of Mar. As the final clone vanished and the real Mar remained, he began to glow bright gold, holding up Yvantael high in the air before darting forward, rushing through the air faster than ever before.
Jak didn't even have time to pull the trigger before Mar was upon him, slashing him several times in the chest with the glowing sword before slamming the hilt against his visor, sending him sprawling onto the ground.
"Get up." Mar said coldly, and after a few moments Jak's body shuddered as he turned into Light Jak, pressing both hands against his chest and healing the massive slashes on his chest, at the cost of weakening him further. The warrior warped once more, vanishing into thin air, and Jak closed his eyes once more and focused intently on the environment around him…looking for any trace of Eco-
There!
Jak leaned back as Mar flashed into existence and slashed at Jak, nearly decapitating the warrior, who twisted his body around and spin kicked Mar in the face as hard as he could before leaping into the air, pouncing down on the ancient warrior and slamming down onto his legs, causing the warrior to yell out.
Jak got to his feet and stumbled away, his vision blurring from exhaustion and pain. He was low on Eco, lower than he had ever been in a fight like this, and he was close to his limit.
"I can't do this much longer! I need to end this" Jak thought angrily as Mar got to his feet, clearly favoring his right leg. He then suddenly vanished on the spot, only for him to appear in front of Jak and press his palm against Jak's chest, letting loose a golden bolt of energy that sent Jak flying back with a yell. Jak crashed onto the ground with a groan, before Mar fired a ball of golden energy at Jak as he rose to one knee. Jak let out a snarl, transforming into Dark Jak, as his arm burst into a surging cloud of Dark Eco and swiped at the golden ball of energy as it soared towards him. To everyone's amazement, the ball suddenly surged widely at the touch of Dark Eco and was sent soaring back to Mar, who barely dodged the projectile.
"That's a new Dark Power! I knew you still had some tricks up your sleeve, Jak!" Daxter said with a yell of triumph.
"It redirected Mar's attack right back at him," Nightingale said with a smile.
"Hmm. It seems as though your powers are still growing. An evolution of light and darkness," Mar said as he got into another stance.
Dark Jak growled softly and went invisible, but Mar had other ideas. Holding his sword high, he spun around in a circle and unleashed a circular wave of golden light around him. Dark Jak suddenly roared out in pain and went flying backwards, his invisibility fading away as Jak slipped out of Dark Jak mode. Jak got to his feet once more, ignoring the pain tearing through his body.
"Why do you fight, Jak?" Mar asked as he levelled the sword at Jak's heart.
"Why do I fight?" Jak repeated to the warrior.
"We all have reasons to wield a gun or blade. What is yours?" Mar asked.
Jak looked down at the ground for a moment…Why did he fight? When he was fighting through Lurkers and monsters to get to Gol and Maia, he was fighting for Daxter. When Gol and Maia's true motives were discovered, his reason for fighting became to save the Sages and save the world.
And then he was thrust into the future. After breaking out, he had only one goal in mind. Revenge. Revenge at the corrupt ruler who had tortured him and brought a city to its knees. Revenge at the man who had instilled hate and anger and pain in him. The man who had cursed him.
But then that began to change, even without him realizing it. He reunited with his old friends and made new ones, and together they worked together to try and save the city from the Metal Heads. His motivation had shifted from revenge to protecting others.
And then he had been exiled to the Wasteland for saving Have City. They had turned their back on him, and so he decided to become a Wasteland and protect the people who had rescued him. He bonded with Damas and fought to prove his worth. As time went on, he returned to that role of the hero. Protecting others and fighting to save the world from the Dark Markers and Cyber Erol. Despite everything, he had grown stronger and always would come back to protecting people with the abilities he was blessed with.
No…He was chosen for this.
"I fight to protect those precious to me. To protect those who can't fight against evil. And to avenge the people who have died in this never-ending fight." Jak said as he looked up, looking Mar in the eyes.
"Good answer." Mar said as he smiled under his helmet. The warrior shot forward like a dart, slashing at Jak's neck, but the warrior ducked and sank down to the ground before launching himself skyward, punching Mar in the jaw as hard as he could.
"Ooh! Uppercut!" Daxter cheered as Mar flew through the air. Mar suddenly righted himself in midair and dove at Jak, stabbing at him with Yvantael, but Jak jumped back and drew his hand back, transforming into Dark Jak once more. The sword plunged into the ground, releasing a massive shockwave of golden energy that sent Jak skidding backwards, but he remained standing, a smile visible through his visor as he fired off a Dark Strike at Mar, who let out an ethereal scream of agony as he went soaring through the air, crashing down on top of his own coffin.
Jak slipped out of his Dark Jak form as a haze of pain blurred his vision. He wasn't sure what sort of ancient energies were inside of the sword Mar was wielding, but it was sure as hell as powerful as Seem and Tech had made it seem. Every attack tore through whatever defenses he had and hurt him down to his core. And as for what it was doing to Mar…
He knew the ancient warrior was one of the greatest in recorded history, but the powers he was displaying were the work of Yvantael, not Mar. Though if you combined that with Mar's skill and abilities…Even with his own powers, he'd be hard pressed to beat him.
Why do you fight, Jak?
I fight to protect those precious to me. To protect those who can't fight against evil. And to avenge the people who have died in this never-ending fight.
Damas.
Keira.
Beast.
And everyone else who had died because of the Metal Heads over the course of the war…
Jak clenched his fists as Mar got to his feet, his golden body broken and battered, but his eyes were still gleaming as he summoned the fallen Yvantael to his hands.
"It seems we're both at our limits. We should finish this," Mar said as he jumped down from his casket. He flipped the sword in a backhanded grip and sprinted at Jak with a yell. Jak smirked and held out his hand, transforming into Light Jak once more, firing off a Light Strike at Mar, who absorbed the blast with Yvantael and slashed downwards at Jak, sending a golden arc of energy racing towards him. Jak rolled out of the way, reverting back to his original form as he pulled out his Morph Gun and fired off several shots with his Blaster Mod, forcing Mar back as he slashed and blocked the bursts of Eco. Jak then switched to the Piercer Rifle and took aim and fired, admiring the powerful streak of Eco that slammed into Mar and sent him flying backwards, but he landed on his feet and remained standing. He then vanished on the spot, only to reappear in front of Jak, lashing out with his foot and kicking the Morph Gun out of Jak's hand and stabbing at Jak, who jumped back out of range.
"Dark Eco won't work, Light Eco won't work…Maybe together…" Jak muttered, holding his right hand out in front of him
Jak held out his hand, calling forth the final dregs of Light and Dark Eco inside of him to go to his hand as his body split into Light Jak and Dark Jak once more. The three other warriors watched in awe as a the swirling ball of Light and Dark Eco writhed wildly in Jak's hand, twisting and warping as is struggled to attain a form. Mar took a step back in horror as the ball suddenly shuddered and became a perfect sphere of Eco.
"By the Precursors…He truly is the Chosen One…" Mar whispered as Jak looked at Mar with a hard expression.
"You're done." Jak said as he tossed the ball of raw Eco into the air and then caught it before spinning around and hurling the ball at Mar, who remained still as the ball of Eco suddenly began to elongate and morph into a shimmering and deadly spear of Dark and Light Eco that shot towards Mar with an incredible burst of speed. Mar smirked and vanished in a burst of light, reappearing on the other side of the room, but Jak simply flicked his hand towards the warrior, and spear suddenly vanished on the spot, as did Jak.
"What!? What sort of power is this?" Mar demanded as he glanced around the room. He then let out a cry as a rod of surging Dark and Light Eco tore through his back, ripping through his body as Jak shoved the rod all the way through his chest. Jak smiled grimly as Mar's body crumpled and collapsed onto the ground.
"Well done…hero…" Mar rasped as his body began to dissolve. A strange shiver seemed to reverberate throughout the room, sending chills down Nightingale, Daxter, and Jak's spines. The armor around Mar shattered like glass as the wraith exploded violently, revealing a small orb of gold light in his place that began to float off the ground at about Light Eco. The Sword of Mar floated off the ground and rose into the air, only to stop a few feet of the ground, directly in front of Jak.
"Jak…you are the true heir to the city, and my legacy…" Mar said as the orb flickered.
"Wait, what's happening to you?" Nightingale asked the spirit, who laughed.
"I have guarded this…my true resting place, for hundreds of years…now that you have claimed the Yvantael, I may now join my loved ones…I may now rest in peace, knowing that a hero worthy of the name Mar has come to save this planet from the Hora-Quan." Mar said with a note of pride in his voice.
Jak nodded and stepped forward to take the sword, but stopped and said "Mar…can I ask you something?"
"Ask away, young hero…"
"Do you think we can really do this? Kill Arranst and end the Metal Heads once and for all?" Jak asked the spirit, which laughed loudly, filling the room. As the orb flickered again as a gentle laugh echoed around them.
"Of course…the Metal Head Queen will fall at your hand, but alone you are powerless...Even with the Yvantael…As you know, one man cannot change the world. He requires support…he requires friends to support him. The Champions of Light and Darkness will unite with you to confront the Queen, while others will support you from afar…"
"Together." Nightingale said softly as she stepped forward next to Jak, who grabbed her hand and gave it a light squeeze.
"How do we stop the Queen then?" Jak asked Mar.
"The Metal Head Queen is nearing victory, all of the pieces are lining up for the Gate to Darkness to be finally opened. However, when that does happen, the true key to victory will be shown and the Dark Hero will be saved. Continue on your current path and hone your skills, and all will become clear." Mar murmured.
"So…Look for Tech and the final Fragment, and work on trying to break Havoc away from Arranst's creepy clutches. Right?" Daxter asked the old warrior.
"Yes. An excellent summation, Daxter…Now…If that is all…" Mar's ball of light flashed white before he became gained a human shape once more. He walked over to the white casket and sat down on it, sighing deeply.
"Jak…You are my true heir. No matter what happens, know that you carry the blessing of Mar with you…Your father would be very proud of how far you have come, in such a short amount of time. He would be proud of the man that his son is now." Mar said with a warm smile. Jak felt a sharp pang in his heart…But that was soon replaced with a sense of warmness.
"Thank you, Mar." Jak said quietly.
"No Jak…Thank you. Your skills and deeds, along with your desire to protect those who cannot protect themselves from the Dark Ones…That is what being a hero truly means. Not doing what is easy or what benefits you…But by doing what is right."
"What?" Jak asked.
"Time and time again, you have sought adventure and have fought against the forces of evil, only to be thrust into the position of the world's protector. You accept this role each time, despite everything. Even when the people of Haven City turned their backs on you, you were right by their side when it counted."
"You are a true hero, Jak. You have earned the title of Guardian, and the right to wield Yvantael." Mar said to the Champion of Balance.
"Good luck, young heroes…Fight well, and protect those who cannot protect themselves. Believe in the good of those around you, and in the Precursors…And in yourselves…" Mar's voice whispered as he laid down on the coffin, his body vanishing before their eyes. Nightingale grabbed Jak's hand as Mar, the ancient hero of Haven City, passed on into the next life forever.
"I think we managed to put his spirit to rest, Jak." Nightingale said after some time.
"You think so?" Daxter commented, hopping off of Nightingale's shoulder.
The black-haired Champion of Light nodded and said "Yes. He seemed happy almost the entire time you both fought, even when he was scolding you. I think he was happy about being able to fight against such a powerful opponent, and his last remaining heir to boot. I think…That knowing that the world was in such good hands, let him find peace." Nightingale said quietly.
"I think you may be right, Night." Jak said after a moment. Jak then let go of Nightingale's hand and turned towards the Yvantael, the Blade of Mar, which was still floating in midair.
"Ooh, shiny." Daxter said as he sauntered over towards the sword.
"NO!" Jak yelled at Daxter, who paused and looked back at him.
"No Dax. Not this time!" Jak said to Daxter, who gave Jak a surprised look.
"What?"
"Every time you touch something even remotely Precursor-related, it explodes. Or shoots out a laser. Or collapses. Or sets you on fire. Or turns you into a god. Or awakens a 60-foot tall Metal Head."
"Hey, that last one wasn't my fault."
"Tell that to Seem. He still hasn't forgiven you for wrecking that other ruin. Anyway, it doesn't matter. What does matter…Is that I'll handle this one. Dax," Jak said as he stepped past Daxter and placed his hand on the hilt of the glowing Blade of Mar.
"Accept our legacy, Mar…So that you may become what you must." Mar's voice whispered in Jak's ears as he levelled the Blade in front of his body. A golden light shot through Jak's body, causing him to scream out in agony and fall to his knees, still clutching the sword.
"What's…happening?" Jak grunted before he suddenly felt a great burst of golden light start pouring from his body. He felt the Light and Dark Eco inside of him stir, and then settle down. He could feel both of them inside of him, but…
Jak held his hands out, and to his amazement they glowed a faint gold color before a ball of Light Eco and Dark Eco formed in his palms, pulsating wildly. It barely took any effort and the Eco didn't seem to drain from him nearly as quickly.
"Wow…That's incredible," Nightingale breathed quietly.
"Weird…Its like I can control both of them so easily now," Jak murmured as he let go of the power, letting it go and recede back within him.
"I guess that's the power of Guardian," Night said with a small smile as she walked over to Jak. The Guardian of Balance nodded before he allowed the sword to vanish, though he still felt its presence. He then held out his hand, and the blade reappeared in his grip.
"Fancy," Daxter commented, earning a roll of the eyes from Jak.
"Guardian…There's a lot I can do with this. We can take down Havoc and Arranst, with this," Jak said as he regarded the shining claymore with a smile of his own. The sword vanished once more, and Jak regarded his two closest friends for a moment before he said "Let's go. We got what we came for."
"Can't we stay for a bit longer, Jak?" Night asked Jak, who blinked in surprise.
"Why would you want to stay in a old and dusty place like this?" Daxter asked.
"We're in the true Tomb of Mar!" Nightingale said indignantly to Daxter, who scoffed.
"Yeah, sure. Just let me know when you're ready," Jak said to Nightingale, who let out a squeal of excitement and hugged Jak tightly and kissed him on the cheek before running over to the white coffin of Mar and starring at the inscriptions on the side.
"Your girlfriend is a nerd," Daxter said to Jak, who sat on the ground with a grunt. He laid down on the floor of the chamber, deep in thought and trying to process what had happened as well as get in tune with the strange new powers he possessed.
Meanwhile:
Later that Day:
Iceland's:
Tech opened his eyes and found himself on a bed, wrapped in several thick blankets with his body feeling horrible. He glanced to his side before his vision was obscured by a mess of blond hair.
"Stephen!" Shadow yelled with relief. Tech patted her back before his fiancé gave him some room to breathe. Tech glanced to the side of the room and found the equipment he had stolen from Mizo's garage, or rather, in his beaten and ravaged state, told Shadow to steal for him. He needed to get to his lab back at the Sanctuary, to do the repairs properly but he would have to make due for now.
"Thank goodness you're OK…I was so worried." Shadow whispered as she ran her fingers through her fiancé's hair.
"Sorry…What happened while I was out?" Tech asked his fiancé.
"I patched you up and paid for a week's stay here. Its in another one of the Iceland villages, about 10 miles away from the other one we stayed at, but separated by a snowy mountain range. I managed to pay off the barkeep to look the other way when I dragged you and all of this upstairs, though," Shadow said quietly.
"Did you check to see if you and I were followed?"
"I was careful, and no, we weren't," Shadow replied.
"Good. I'll go down in a little bit and explain things to the owner, so he doesn't think you're up to anything sketchy," Tech said with a tired laugh.
"So, what's our next move?" Shadow asked.
"We need to go back to the Sanctuary…We'll have to sneak into it and get to my workshop. All I need is some time to repair my armor…With you helping me, we can be done twice as quickly…" Tech muttered, sitting upright now.
"But you just got-"
"Zelda…Trust me. I'll be OK. Now…Help me up."
"No."
Tech blinked in surprise, and after a moment he said "What did you say?"
"You…Are going to die if you keep pushing yourself like this. We're safe and sound, no one knows where we are, Arranst can't find us, and you can teleport us away if something comes up. I am NOT going to let you go into hostile territory, especially when you can't even stand up by yourself." Shadow said hotly.
"And…You stand firm on this?" Tech said weakly. Shadow nodded, and Tech sighed and fell back onto his pillow.
"Screw it. We'll do the repairs later."
"What? Just like that?"
"I said I'd stop making you worry about me. What kind of man would I be if I went back on my word?" Tech said as he closed his eyes.
"You…What about your armor?" Shadow asked, regarding the high-tech body armor laying on the ground covered by a sheet.
"Leave it. We'll repair it later. I have some tools to work with…We'll figure something out. We always do." Tech said raggedly as he took a slow, deep breath, and then calmly exhaled. He felt something fall onto the bed next to him, and a moment later a pair of lips press themselves against his cheek.
"Would it be mean if I called you whipped?" Shadow teased.
"Oh come on! I'm hurt and you were mad at me. What did you expect?" Tech said with a weak laugh, rolling over and yelling out in agony before rolling back onto his back.
"Yeah…You're not going anywhere, handsome." Shadow said with a wink.
"Yeah, yeah," Tech said with a small laugh.
"So…You were saying?" Shadow said to Tech, who sighed.
"First, I need to recover. That shouldn't take too long, two days at the most. After that, we need to get my armor repaired and yours outfitted with a few enhancements. After that, we can start searching again," Tech said as he closed his eyes and then opened him, exhaustion wearing down on him
"For what though?" Shadow asked Tech.
"The final great weapon of the Precursors…The Ultimate Weapon," Tech murmured.
"The Ultimate Weapon…" Shadow said slowly, and Tech nodded.
"I'll tell you more about that later, though…I'm getting a little…" Tech trailed off, trying to keep his eyes open.
"Someone's sleepy. I can help wake you up, if you want." Shadow offered with a laugh.
"You…You wouldn't dare." Tech said in a low voice as he opened one eye just a fraction. Shadow winked, but after a moment she simply laid down next to him, snuggling up against his side closing her eyes. Tech wrapped both of his arms around her, rolled his one open eye and simply fell asleep with a small smile on his face, holding his lover in his arms.
Meanwhile:
MCC:
"HERE WE GO!"
Disten and the others watched on from around the room as Vin stood in the center of the room, holding his hands out to the sides with a determined expression on his face. The warriors heard the sound of the computers whirring at Vin's command, and after a few moments, blue holographic specks appeared in the room, floating around.
"Arch's raw coding," Disten thought as Vin's hands flashed white. The Data then began to flash white, and then began to slowly move towards the center of the room. Vin then waved his hand and a small perfect sphere of blue light formed, several inches in diameter. The data began to slowly pile into the ball of light, and Vin scowled in concentration.
"Steady….Steady…" Vin whispered.
"Come on Vin…You can do this…" Chill said quietly as Blade grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze. Nymph, Royal, Rune, Sharpshooter, and Phoenix watched on as well as Chief Disten stepped forward.
"Vin…Let it come naturally." Disten said to the A.I.
"Alright guys. Go!" Vin ordered the technicians in the room, who nodded.
"Activating failsafe."
"Stabilization Program DQV12 is activated!"
"OK…OK…Everyone stand back!" Vin ordered the warriors, who obeyed. The data continued to swirl around in a ball, but at a much faster speed. Vin let out a sigh of frustration and said "Come on…Come on…"
"Where…What's going…on?" came the faintest of whispers from within the room.
"Arch!" Chill said in surprise as the computers flashed white.
"I…I'm lost…help…" Arch whispered, sounding terrified.
"Arch, hang in there. I'm stabilizing the data and making you a new shell." Vin said in a soothing tone as the data flashed blue.
"Vin…is that you?" Arch whispered.
"Yes, its me. Hold on Arch." Vin said as he held his hands together. The computers in the room began to beep wildly and an alarm began to ring out, but Vin ignored it.
"We're so close. Come on Arch!" Nymph yelled.
"Pull through! Come back to us, Arch." Blade said as her hugged Chill close to him.
"Vin!" Disten yelled after a few moments. The A.I. nodded and threw his hands up I the air, and the ball of data flashed red and formed into an even smaller ball before blinking white several more times.
A wicked flash of blue and white light erupted throughout the room a moment, blinding everyone and causing the technicians to cry out in surprise. Vin let out a yell of his own, and for a few moments the room was still as the light died down.
"What happened?" Sharpshooter asked, blinking rapidly.
"I think that…it worked." Rune said quietly, lowering her hands from her eyes.
"Guys…What did Vin just do?" Phoenix murmured, awed at the sight before her eyes.
"Welcome back, Arch." Vin said as the light finally began to dimmed down so the room could see what Vin was looking at. The A.I. was floating angelically in the center of the room, glowing bright blue with her eyes closed. After a few moments, her eyes opened and she fell several inches and landed on her feet. Her knees buckled and she fell to the ground, shaking her head as she began to take in the sight before her.
"Wh…where am I?" Arch asked, clearly bewildered. The others cheered as Vin hugged the A.I. tightly before backing away, blushing light blue. Arch got to her feet, brushing the hair out of her face and said "I had the oddest…dream? I don't know."
"Its OK, Arch. Take your time. Get your bearings." Disten said to the A.I, who nodded.
"I'm not sure what I felt. Like I was here…but not." Arch said after a moment. "It was the strangest thing."
"Vin kept trying to bring you back. It was his programs that did the trick," Chill said to the A.I, who turned to Vin with a smile.
"Thank you, Vin. For saving me," Arch said quietly, a smile on his face now. Vin opened his mouth to say something before both he and Arch flashed red and then vanished.
"Is that their way of…You know?" Chill asked aloud, earning a dirty look from the technicians in the room. "Hey, just asking!" Chill said, throwing up her hands in mock defense.
"Incoming Distress Signal." Vin and Arch said at the same time as they appeared in front of the warriors once more. The two shared a worried glance as they walked over to the large screen in front of them.
"I think…" Vin murmured, a small smile on his face.
Arch nodded and said in a soft voice "You were tracking him…he's there. In the Icelands…It's Tech."
"His armor must have activated its last resort energy deposit at some point. Now that you're back, it must have finally registered on our sensors. I wouldn't have picked up on that reading at all."
"It was a failsafe that was implemented when he began to make advanced armor sets. It was a change that was made long before you came here, Vin." Arch said in a soothing tone, earning a grateful smile from Vin.
"Its good to have you back, Arch." Vin said in a low voice, quietly enough for only her to hear.
"Its good to be back…Thank you for bringing me back. I'll never forget what you've done for me, Vin." Arch murmured as a large map of the world suddenly popped up in front of them. Vin nodded and then addressed the group of warriors in the room.
"Tech must not have taken that failsafe into account when he made all those modifications to his armor. He finally slipped up," Vin said as he raised his hands. Arch made a motion to do the same thing, but Vin muttered something to her and she desisted, seemingly allowing Vin to do this while she recovered.
"I've got Tech's location." Vin said as he turned around, a wide grin on his face as he lowered his arms.
"Good. We'll get ready for the flight over." A familiar voice said as the doors to the MCC opened.
Everyone in the room turned around in surprise, even the two A.I., and saw Nightingale, Daxter, and Jak standing behind them. Jak held out his hand and an elegant shining claymore appeared in his right hand, flashing gold.
"Jak, you-?" Disten began to say before he felt a strange shiver go through the room, cutting him off.
Jak's eyes suddenly flashed a bright gold color as the Seal on the blade flashed white and black before Jak's body was suddenly engulfed in golden aura, laced with crackling black and white static. The Agents watched in awe as Jak began to undergo a transformation the likes that they had never seen.
A bright gold translucent armor, a strange glass-like material of sorts, now encased Jak's body, replacing the armor he had worn before. Tendrils of Light and Dark Eco thrummed through the armor around the wrists, ankles, waist, and neckline while the Seal of Mar in the center of his chest was now gone, replaced by a crimson emblem decorated with gold. Jak's armor burned brightly, as though the sun itself was infused within it. Jak then let out a deep, pent up breath as a wicked helmet made of the same material his armor was appeared on his face, except with a snow white visor. What completed this visage of wonder, however, were the two strange yet beautiful wings that were now sprouting out of Jak's back. They weren't quite as elegant as Nightingale's, yet carried a strange beauty to them nevertheless. The wings themselves were a bright white color with black membranes, with a perfect circular hole in the middle of each one. The room was silent as Jak regarded each one of them, but it was Chill who broke the silence by letting out a low whistle.
"OK…Now that's pretty cool." Chill said as she leaned against Blade, who simply shook his head in embarrassment.
End of Chapter:
Mar's spirit is at rest, Jak has claimed his birthright and has become the Hero of Balance, unlocking the legendary Guardian form!
Can Tech bounce back and find what he's looking for before the Avenging Angels can track him down? Will he survive the events to come or will he be the next in a long line of victims?
Stay tuned, because next chapter is one I personally can't wait to show to you guys. It's gonna kick ass!
This next chapter will decide whether or not Tech will live or die, based on the poll you all voted on!
STAY TUNED!
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Until next time, FlygonNick out!