Jak IV: The Avenging Angels
This story will be wrapped up completely in three month's time.
I know this come's as a surprise to you guys, considering my track record with this fic is absolutely terrible (Yet I'm still absolutely amazing at updating compared to 85% of other writers on this site), but I'm tired of how badly this is dragging on.
I have also shortened it from 50 chapters to 45 chapters, due to additional time constraints and because what I had planned didn't pan out. No worries, this will have a satisfying and appropriately epic ending. Over the next few months I will focus solely on this story and hammer out a chapter week or so.
Also, due to a request and it being an idea I like, I've decided to have chapter 39 be a chapter dedicated to explaining how each of the main characters joined the Avenging Angels before wrapping up Arc 4. Blade, Rune, Phoenix, Tech, Sharpshooter, and of course, Havoc.
Shoutout to the people who reviewed last chapter, Kazan645, a new guest reviewer known a Werewolverine4, Mooman1706, Oblique Strategies, StaticBomb3034, a guest reviewer, and two new reviewers known as Eragonfan33 and olliboy123. Thanks for the support guys, and I apologize for the constant delays.
It's so difficult writing a story for a series you can't play to get inspired to write about, which is why this fic takes so long for me to get done. Apocalypse and my upcoming Pokemon fic, which is NOT "Second Chances" are both series that I can play anytime I want for inspiration.
The Jak series is not something I can do that with, and while I can whip up a 10,000 (plus) word epic in a week and a half (which is what it took for this chapter), I have no motivation to write until I get it. This is also why canon characters don't appear very often in this story as well, due to being unable to play the game they come from and the lack of inspiration that results from that.
Anyway, this chapter is mainly a fight chapter, so I'll stop rambling and get to the good stuff.
I hope you guys are ready for an epic showdown! This chapter will decide Tech's fate! I've actually had this chapter in mind for over two years, and I'm psyched as hell to finally be here!
…Enjoy.
Chapter 37: Hero's End
"Hard times don't create heroes. It is during the hard times when the 'hero' within us is revealed.'"-Bob Riley.
Last Chapter Recap:
Jak, Daxter, and Nightingale discover the true Tomb of Mar and reawaken the old hero, who tells them that Jak must claim his powers by right of combat and defeat the old hero to prove his worth. Mar, his abilities enhanced by the very legendary sword that Jak is seeking, proves to be one of Jak's toughest opponents yet.
Meanwhile, Tech recovers from a seemingly deadly explosion, only for Crash to assault him from within the smoke of the crash, having survived as well. As Shadow arrives on the scene to help Tech, Crash throws a knife that hits Tech directly, and in retaliation Shadow shoots Crash. The two escape, leaving Crash in the hands of the medics at the track.
As this happens, we are taken to Haven City, where the Hunter crew are awaiting the call to action from General Dark. Havoc and Lady Arranst appear then, with Arranst describing her hate of Haven City and how it has stood tall despite her efforts, saying that the city is a testament to the will of humans and the Precursors and that it must fall.
After Havoc and Arranst depart, the Hunters began to discuss Havoc, and how their savior and hero is being manipulated by the very being that they have been serving all of these years. Shade begins to question what the group are doing, and if it will really be worth it in the end, or if they're just being manipulated.
Lady Starlight, the famous singer and pop-cultural icon of Haven City, discusses the upcoming battle with Commander Eclipse in Sunset Stratosphere, discussing his worry about her safety in the upcoming battle and urging her to flee. The two discuss their past for a moment, being lifelong friends, before Eclipse accepts her decision to stay with the people of Haven City and be there for her fans. He then gives her an old good luck charm his mother had given him, hoping it will bring her luck and safety as well.
Jak eventually manages to defeat Mar, his great ancestor, and claims Yvantael and the abilities that will make him the Guardian of Balance. Jak and his ancestor share a brief conversation before Mar passes into the next life and finds peace in death.
Arch, after being reduced to nothing but scraps of data at the hands of her creator, Tech, was finally revived by Vin after much time and effort much to everyone's delight. Shortly after her revival, Tech's current location was finally located, showing that he was within the Icelands once more. Jak, Daxter, and Nightingale then entered the room, with Jak activating his newest ability, Guardian. He transforms into a golden angelic warrior radiating power, one with complete control over Light and Darkness…A form of balance between the two forces.
Chief's Office:
"Well…If I said I wasn't amazed beyond belief, I'd be lying," Disten said quietly, flicking through a data pad and looking at the pictures Nightingale had taken for the fourth time.
The crew was sitting inside the Chief's office, with Jak and Nightingale tiredly resting in the corner.
"Guardian…A form that surpasses light and darkness…" Disten said with a small smile, reaching over to Gallus's journal and picking it up. He flicked through it for a moment and said "Everything seems to be coming to a head."
"That's what-" Chill began to say before Blade gave her a pointed look, which made her fall silent.
"Jak's newest form. These breakthroughs in Gallus's journal, this impending attack on Haven City, and Tech's betrayal. All of these, I feel, are linked in some way." The Avenging Angel leader said in a low voice.
"Thanks to Arch and Vin, we now know Tech's location. Deep within the Icelands, in an isolated town next to the Crossroad Icefields. This is a place that is rather isolated from the rest of the towns in the Icelands, despite how out of the way they are already." Disten said to the warriors.
"Didn't Royal and Crash spot him there last time?" Rune asked Disten.
"Yes. It would seem as though he is focused on that area, if he's risking going back there…Unfortunately nothing of note seems to be out there, as far as I can tell." Disten remarked, shaking his head.
"We'll start getting ready to head out there now." Daxter said excitedly, only for Disten to shake his head in response.
"After the events of the past few days, I believe a day of rest is in order. Tomorrow, Jak, Daxter, and Nightingale, you may search for Tech." Disten said as he got to his feet.
"Hold it!" a familiar voice said to them.
Two bursts of blue light appeared in front of the group, next to the metal panel on the wall, and two holograms appeared, smiling at the warriors.
"Arch, Vin!" Rune said cheerfully. The good mood at the Sanctuary, due to the recovery of Arch, still hadn't ended. Vin hadn't left her side yet, making sure she didn't strain herself.
"Tech and Shadow will most likely be in the Icelands for a reason. If memory serves, there were once rumors of a fabled Precursor Artifact hidden deep within the Icelands, though no trace of any sort of technology or artifact was ever located."
"Meaning that Agent Tech and former Hunter Agent Shadow will most likely be there. Tech seems to have been researching Precursor artifacts for quite some time, prior to his…defection." Arch said with an odd tone in her voice. It seemed a bit like hurt, as if she understood why Tech had done what he had but it had still hurt to have been betrayed by the very man who made her.
"Arch…How much about Tech did you know?" Sharpshooter asked, raising an eyebrow at the A.I.
"I knew enough to guess what he was planning, though when I confronted him about it he denied the whole thing. I could never go against him like that, no matter how much I wanted to…he made me." Arch said quietly, shuffling her feet.
"We'll pay him back for that." Vin said in a low voice. Arch remained silent at that, and after a moment the two A.I.'s vanished.
"Now…I believe there is a Hunter Agent who will be awakening soon. Would anyone like to accompany me to see him?" Disten asked the group. Jak got to his feet, ignoring the bubble of conversation and helping Night up. Nightingale smiled sleepily at Jak and mouthed "Your room?"
Jak nodded and the two them slipped out of the office before walking comfortably down the hallway. Daxter bid the two goodnight and scampered off to find Tess. Nightingale walked closer to Jak, slipping her hand into his as they walked.
"How are you feeling?" Night asked Jak quietly.
"Better…Better than I've felt in a while," Jak said to Nightingale who smiled at him.
"When I began to learn how to control the Dark Eco, that was all I had. Dark Eco made me stronger, but it turned me into an animal. It was just raw strength, and with the anger that came with it." Jak shrugged
"But then you were gifted with the power over Light Eco." Nightingale prompted.
"Yeah…And then I thought everything would be alright-"
"Jak, stop."
Jak blinked in surprise as Nightingale turned towards him, frowning, and said "You have to stop worrying about not being strong enough. About what happened in the past…You can't dwell on it. Look towards the future. Isn't that what you told me all those months ago?"
Jak smiled a little, knowing Night was right, and said "Yeah…You're right."
"I know I am." Nightingale said with a small smile, pulling Jak towards his room. Jak opened the door to his room when they arrived, but Nightingale slipped in past him and grinned at him as he walked into the room.
"Alone at last," Nightingale said with a playful smile. Jak rolled his eyes in amusement before Nightingale pressed her lips against his, closing the door behind her.
A certain ottsel and his girlfriend caught sight of the couple and snickered to themselves.
"We can screw with them later, right?" Tess asked Daxter.
"Absolutely." Daxter said with a devious grin.
Freedom League HQ: Haven City
Torn scowled and took a step back, firing his pistol repeatedly at the figure walking towards him. The man with wild black hair and gruel red eyes simply grinned as Torn tried to attack him, but to no avail. The bullets simply bounced off of his armor, which crackled with Dark Eco.
"Who are you!? What the hell do you want!?" Torn growled at the man. The man simply grinned at Torn until he raised one hand, moving his fingers before snapping them. Within moments, the room was filled with Metal Heads. Where did they even come from!?
"Jakob Werven...I suppose you go by Torn these days, hmm?" the man said, his voice rough but bespeaking power. Torn wasn't one of the few who were connected with Eco, but even he could feel the dark waves of it coming off of this man.
"Yeah, that's me. Just what the hell are you doing here?" Torn asked the man, who shook his head.
"Pity…You're the one who leads the forces of Haven City. Leader of the Freedom League, and close friend of Jak Mar and Iris Nightingale…Absolutely pathetic."
Torn was suddenly thrown back into the wall as a force slammed into him. It then held him there, but that was when Torn realized he was being held up against the wall by his throat. The man raised a his other hand and curled it into a fist began to burn with Dark Eco, causing Torn to shy away from the deadly substance.
"You have fought well. You have resisted us at every possible turn, you have survived hundreds of years of abuse and war…But no longer." The man growled.
He then lowered his fist, the darkness fading away, though his grip on Torn's throat tightened.
"In one week's time, this city will fall. Our Goddess has come, and will claim this world for herself. We give you this chance to fight. Stand your ground and attempt to save this world…"
"D-Dark Goddess…Arranst…" Torn gasped, remembering what Chief Disten had told him and Ashelin a few days ago. They had begun preparing, but-
"Yes…Lady Arranst…The Metal Head Queen, will be coming for your city. You fools will be engulfed in a never-ending darkness, one that none of you escape alive. None save for the chosen will survive the purge of this planet!" the man growled, a sadistic grin appearing on his face.
"My name…is unimportant. I go by Dark now…General Dark, Leader of the Hunters. We have supported the Metal Heads for decades, and now we will reap the seeds of our efforts."
"How could you turn your back…on everyone like this?" Torn gasped, not understanding. An entire group of soldiers, all dedicated to assisting the monsters that were trying to wipe them out…
Dark closed his eyes for a moment before letting Torn go, causing the leader to the fall to the ground, gasping for air. Torn clenched his fist and curled his hand around his dagger.
"I turned my back on humanity? No…You're mistaken…It is humanity who turned their back on me. This world will pay for what it has done to me…My family…My friends…I will rise like no other has and become…" Dark murmured before he felt something pierce his chest. Torn dug the dagger into the man's chest and twisted it inside of him, only for Dark to cackle in delight and grab Torn by the throat again. Torn twisted around and slammed his boot into Dark's temple, but the man didn't even budge.
"You have one week. One week to prepare for the end…I will be leading the charge myself, Torn…You better give me a good fight." Dark said as he released Torn and vanished in a burst of Dark Eco. The Metal Heads retreated from the building, leaving Torn alone and wondering just what kind of hell they were in store for next.
The Next Day:
Jak weaved in and out of the volley of light blasts that were soaring towards him before holding up a hand. Jak pointed Yvantael at Night and said "You've improved your light form, Night."
"I guess, but you're no slouch either. And your Guardian form is incredible," Nightingale said as she reverted to her regular form.
"Yo!" the couple heard Blade called to them from the Watchtower. Blade waved to them for a moment before another figure popped up behind him next to Chill, grinning at them.
"Chase!?" Nightingale said in surprise.
"Yeah, I know, right? Bet you guys didn't expect to see me up and about." Chase said with a grin. Nightingale and Jak made their way up the room where the three warriors were waiting for them.
"How are you feeling?" Night asked Chase, who shrugged.
"I'm OK. I won't be hopping into a firefight anytime soon, but I'll recover thanks to you guys." The former Hunter replied.
"Good to hear." Night said before Jak walked over to him.
"Before you ask, I already told the Chief what I know. The Hunter's secret HQ, what I knew about the attack on Haven City, and so on and so forth." Chase said with a dismissive wave of his hand.
"So you know where the Hunter's are going to build the Gate to Darkness?" Night asked Chase, who nodded.
"Deep within the Uvelt Firelands, they have a base of operations. Fortified to the extreme and crawling with Metal Heads ad Hunters. You'd be absolutely insane to try and take the place." Chase said with a shake of the head.
"We beat you guys on Blackwood Island." Jak pointed out.
"Not the same. We were already transferring our forces to the other HQ at the time. This place holds the Gate to Darkness, something we've-they've," Chase corrected, "hunted down for decades. They're going to never let you get a chance to even see the Gate."
"We don't have much of a choice. Once we get the Fragment from Tech and find out what his plan is, that's what we're gunning for next." Chill said with a small smile.
"What's the base like?" Night asked Chase, who looked at her for a moment before grinning.
"I told the Chief everything I could remember, and even more. I'm not spoiling the surprise." Chase said with a small laugh.
"Surprise?" Nightingale questioned.
"Disten's got the situation under control. He's a bit worried about what I told him about the number's he can expect at the base. Apparently you guys have been underestimating the Hunter's for some time now." Chase said as he leaned against the controls.
"Yeah, and apparently you idiots underestimate the concept of quiet!" Vin's voice yelled at them, with the hologram appearing a moment later.
"I'm trying to do last minute checks with Torn and Ashelin in the Freedom League HQ. Apparently prepared for the worst." Vin said to the group.
"Jakob…" Night said in a low voice.
"It's a bit hard to keep in contact with 20 places at once and keeping on top of everything, but I'm managing. But I need quiet, people!" Vin said to the group, who nodded before Vin vanished. A moment later Arch appeared, rolling her eyes.
"He's a bit worried about the fight. I have to admit, I'm surprised with how well Vin stepped up to the plate while I was deleted." Arch said cheerfully.
"What happened with Torn though?" Chill asked curiously.
"I'm unsure. Whatever happened though made him step up everything around Haven City. Patrols, gun production, and even experiments with the KG Deathbots. It'll all work out in the end." Arch replied before she vanished in a flash of light.
"Insane, right?" Chill said with a roll of her eyes.
"You're not bothered by this in the slightest, are you?" Blade asked his fiancé, who wrapped an arm around him and kissed his cheek.
"Nope."
"Thought so."
"By the way. All preps for your trip to the Icelands are ready. You should head out as soon as you can." Chill said to the couple, who nodded and bid the group goodbye.
"Hey!"
Jak and Nightingale turned around as Chase walked towards them, and extended a hand towards Jak. After looking at it for a moment, Jak shook his head with a small smirk. Nightingale did the same after a moment.
"Good luck out there…Give that asshole a kick in the teeth for me, got it?" Chase said seriously.
"What about Shadow?" Night asked Chase.
"I don't know what to think about her…Bring her in alive if you can. If not…" Chase trailed off, shaking his head. He seemed a bit lost at what to think about the situation himself, though he was understandingly pissed at Tech.
"We'll deal with them." Jak said simply before he said to the others
"Hmm. So they're humanity's last hope, eh?" Chase said after a moment, earning a smack upside the head. Chase looked back and saw Rune smirking at him.
"Hey, they helped save your sorry ass. Be grateful," Rune scolded the former Hunter, who shrugged.
"Meh, I'll pass." Chase said with a grin.
"What am I going to do with you guys?" Blade with a sigh, smiling despite himself. Chill simply laughed and kissed Blade on the cheek again.
Meanwhile:
Tech's Workshop:
Tech winced as he and Shadow reappeared in his workshop. It was as if nothing had changed at all. As if no one had been inside of the place.
"And you're sure they didn't catch that?" Shadow asked Tech, who nodded.
"Security in here is worse than you would think. We're hidden and it's almost impossible to get inside my workshop without my knowledge. I set up the security systems in my own workshop, and I know how to get around them. The Chief can get inside if he wants to, but I can also lock people out. If we get discovered, we can simply teleport out."
"Sounds like a plan," Shadow said quietly.
"Looks like the place has been deserted since I left. Good, I can get to work." Tech said as he strode over to his worktable and began stripping off his armor. Shadow smiled to herself, glad that no one but her was-
"No…Can't get distracted," Shadow thought before Tech turned to her, motioning for her to walk over to him.
"OK, so I'm going add as many enhancements to your armor as I can while repairing my own armor. I have a list of them in the red book over on the shelf." Shadow nodded as Tech pointed to a nearby bookshelf, and she walked over to it.
"Black spine?"
"No, blue."
"Got it."
The two began their work, with Shadow familiarizing himself with the ins and outs of her fiance's hardware. She chanced a glance at him while he worked, and like always was amazed at the smile on his face.
"No matter what…He's happiest when he's creating. That desire to create and his want to keep me safe…He's relishing this…" Shadow thought, a smile on her face. Tech worked quickly, that was for sure. He kept all of the tools that he would be using close by as he began to repair the inner workings of the armor that had served him so well. He had a system in place to where those who had provne their worth as warriors and had earned his respect could have access to more of his technology, though he had supplied himself with the greatest enhancement of all.
A personalized little device that allowed him to optimize the performance of his armor to an incredible level, allowing him to use whatever he wanted to that was installed in his armor. He was practically invincible, save for the Champions of Light, Darkness, and Balance, and she had faith in him.
"This may take a while…If you need to sleep, I have a bed over there." Tech said to Shadow, who shook her head.
"No. We can stay up together and talk." Shadow said with a smile.
"I'd like that, actually…" Tech said, smiling a little himself.
"So, what's the plan for finding this weapon you're searching for?" Shadow asked Tech, who shrugged.
"I'm half tempted to blast the place to pieces and look for an entrance to where its kept. I know it in that Icefield, somewhere…I just have to find where." Tech said, sounding perplexed.
"I don't have much time, and I'm the only one who knows how to activate it, save for the Precursors themselves..." Tech began to say before Shadow wrapped her arms around his neck from behind and kissed him on the cheek.
"Stephen…You'll figure this out. You always figure something out." Shadow said quietly.
"Thanks…Though first thing's first, I have to get my repairs done. Give me a few hours, and I'll fix everything. Give me more…and you and I will be set for anything they throw at you." Tech said as he flicked out his hand, igniting a small blowtorch at the tip of each finger.
"Time to get to work," Tech murmured, a smile on his lips as he pressed his fingers against his armor.
Three Days Later:
Icelands:
Nightingale and Jak continued to make their way through the snowy town that Vin and Arch had indicated was where Tech was currently located, asking discreet questions all the while but keeping a low profile. Daxter suggested that they go back to the inn after an hour or so, and after seeing how much his teeth were chattering, complied. Nightingale was glad of the heating system in her armor, keeping her warm, and of her company.
After a minute, the trio walked into their room, glad for the privacy. Jak and Daxter then started as Nightingale shed off her armor and said "I forgot how cold this place was."
"Icelands." Daxter stated.
"Hey, shut up. We don't have fur, and the cold of this place still gets to you."
"I would expect so…in the Icelands."
"Am I right Jak?" Nightingale asked her new boyfriend, who remained quiet. He had put up with cold weather before and it hadn't bothered him much, but for the sake of Night, he nodded.
"Whipped." Daxter muttered to himself, smirking. He then yelped as a pillow slammed into him and sent him crashing to the ground with a yelp. Jak regarded Daxter with amusement before saw Night change out of her armor and looked away for a moment.
"You know, you don't have to look away, Jak." Nightingale teased Jak, who blushed slightly. Jak looked back at Nightingale, who was now wrapped in several blankets, smiling at him coyly.
"Shut up," Jak muttered, taking off his own armor.
"I'll uh, go down to the bar." Daxter said as he sent Jak a knowing smirk. He walked out of the door, closing it shut, but not before offering Jak a grin and a thumbs up.
"Does he think we'll have sex or something?" Nightingale asked Jak, who shrugged.
"Maybe. They're all expecting it at some point." Jak said with a small laugh.
"Mmm…Not quite ready for that leap yet. Can I still cuddle the hell out you?" Nightingale asked Jak, who groaned at the word.
"I'm going to have to do something manly after this. Like fight a Metal-Saur with my bare hands or something." Jak said as Nightingale tackled him to the bed, nuzzling him like a cat. Jak wrapped his arms around her and held her close in his arms as she turned around, grinning in his face.
Nightingale then kissed Jak on the lips, who closed his eyes and returned the kiss with gusto. Nightingale melted in Jak's arms before he broke the kiss, pulling her close to his chest and resting his head on her shoulder.
"Jak…I love you." Nightingale said quietly.
"I love you too, Night." Jak murmured, earning a hum of happiness from the black-haired beauty. The two lay there for a time, dozing and enjoying each other's company. Jak glanced outside as he woke up again, and noticed the sun setting.
"Jak…Thank you…" he heard her whisper.
"How did you-" Jak began to ask.
"Your breathing changed when you woke up and you shifted slightly." Night replied quietly, shifting slightly so she could look up at Jak, who smiled at her.
"Hmm…Why are you thanking me?" Jak asked Night, who laughed.
"For everything…For being my friend. For loving me...For being the man to turn my life around and save me from myself." Nightingale whispered, closing her eyes. Jak
"So, what do you think will happen next?" Jak asked Night, who hummed in reply.
"We find Tech, make him to come with us, and we force whatever information out of him that we can-"
"AT LAST! I'VE FOUND YOU!"
Jak let out a yell as he felt the Dark Eco inside of him stir, sending painful shivers down his spine.
"Jak…Did you feel that?" Nightingale whispered in a tiny voice.
"Arranst…Meaning that Havoc's nearby." Jak said as he got out of bed. Nightingale hopped out of the bed as well and quickly began putting her armor back on with Jak. Daxter suddenly burst into the room, looking panicked.
"Do you guys FEEL THAT!?" Daxter yelled, clearly alarmed.
"You think Havoc found Tech?" Daxter asked Jak, who nodded silently.
"Dax, you head outside and run to the mayor's office and let him know to keep everyone in their houses. We don't know how bad this is going to get." Jak said to Daxter, who nodded and hurried out.
Jak and Nightingale quickly got suited up, and headed out of the inn and stepped out into the snow. Jak looked towards the north, scowling.
"That way…towards the Crossroad Icefields." Jak said as he ran towards the edge of town, Night close behind. As the couple cleared the town, they transformed into their Light forms and flew towards the disturbance.
"Land on that small cliff." Night said to Jak, who nodded. The couple landed on a small cliff and quietly moved forward, spotting three figures standing in the middle of a massive snowy canyon, with two massive walls of pure ice on the side of it.
Havoc stood there, small flickers of Dark Eco surging around him as he regarded the two traitors in front of him. Tech was standing in front of Shadow, who had a sickle drawn. There were several craters in the ground, as a result of the fighting that had happened beforehand. After a moment, Havoc shuddered and stirred before speaking.
"Stephen, Zelda…So nice to see you again," Havoc said as he removed his helmet. His skin was deathly paled, and his black hair billowed wildly behind him, wild and disheveled. His had a sickly look to him and looked as though he had gone many nights without sleep, but his smile never wavered.
"Jazon…I know you're there, somewhere. Come on, Havoc! Beat her! Don't let her control you!" Tech yelled at his old friend, who shrugged before seizing up and let out a groan.
"You realize my Champion has shared his body with me, correct?" Arranst hissed at Tech, using Havoc's mouth to speak.
"You cling to him, even without knowing who he is. You're nothing but a monster. A leech. A parasite and nothing more," Tech growled at Havoc, who put his helmet back on.
"Parasite? Hardly…I am Queen of the Hora Quan, soon to be rulers of the entire Universe. At my hands, the very gods have fallen. And now…I will be taking the final piece of that infernal Gate! Havoc…Kill them!" Arranst ordered Havoc, who nodded. Havoc flung his hands out, causing to jet black wings made of Dark Eco to shoot out of his back before he kicked off of the ground. Shadow stepped in front of Tech and flung out her hands as Havoc shot towards them. Havoc swore as a crimson wall of light flashed into existence and collided with it, releasing dark red jolts of electricity into his body. Havoc let lose a burst of Dark Eco, sending Shadow flying backwards with a scream of pain while Tech shot forward, drawing his fist back.
A ball of Light Eco formed in his palm as his fist moved forward to punch Havoc, only for the Champion of Darkness to catch his fist and hold it in place.
"W-what!?" Tech said in surprise before Havoc punched him in the gut, sending him flying into the air and crashing down onto the ground.
"Did you really think I'd be so easy to put down?" Havoc asked, his own voice returning as he was given control over his body once more.
"Well, I was hoping you wouldn't be here at all…I guess I should've seen this coming." Tech said as he got to his feet, his armor now giving off a green aura.
"Systems 1-3 are running at 100%," Tech said as he flexed his fingers. He vanished then, leaving no trace behind as Havoc blinked in surprise.
"He's made some modifications to his armor…And I thought it was tricked out be-" Havoc said before a green blur slammed into him, sending him into the snow. Tech flipped in midair, flinging his hands out with a yell, before a series of green missiles shot from Tech's armor and flew at Havoc, engulfing him in a series of explosions. Tech then held his hands high into the air, a ball of Light Eco forming in his hands, before firing that into the cloud of smoke. Tech dropped to the ground and held out his hand, as if to attack again, before a figure rushed out of the smoke and crashed into Tech, but this time Tech was ready.
Tech rushed to the side, avoiding a punch from Havoc and firing a blast Yellow Eco at Havoc, causing him to yell out and slam into a frozen pond of water, smashing through the ice and going into the water.
Shadow appeared out of thin air next to Tech, smirking at him.
"I told you that you could handle him," Shadow said with a laugh.
"Yeah, well I don't-Get down!" Tech yelled, holding his hands and calling forth a wall of green and blue light. Shadow took a step back as a massive surge of Dark Eco erupted out of the pond, rushing towards the couple and enveloping them both.
"I-I can't believe it. His power…Its amazing!" Tech yelled over the roar of the attack.
Shadow grabbed Tech's arms as they shook, trying to maintain the shield that was now the only reason they weren't dead. Shadow activated one of the new enhancement's Tech had programmed into her armor, a support ability that allowed her to increase the effects of a teammate's ability.
The shield took on a dark blue color and Tech's arms stopped shaking. The beam suddenly stopped, though a moment later Havoc burst out of the pond and landed on the snowbank, Dark Eco surging around him.
"Not bad…Not bad at all, Agent Tech." Arranst said with an evil laugh as he held out his hand, a fiery ball of Dark Eco forming in just a moment. Havoc rushed forward, try to smack Tech with the ball, only for him to jump back. Havoc threw hurled the ball of flames at Tech, who activated his shield again as the flames exploded next to him. The shield held for a few moments, only to shatter and send the traitor flying backwards into the white snow.
"DIE!" Havoc/Arranst roared as he lunged at Tech, a ball of Dark Eco forming in his hands.
"No!"
Havoc as tackled in mid-air by Shadow, who let out a yell of fury as she sent Havoc crashing into the snow. Havoc got to his feet, only for a fist to slam into his helmet and sending him to the ground again. Havoc let out a roar, but Shadow had snapped.
"NO! NO! NO! NOT ANYMORE!" Shadow screamed as she began to assault Havoc, Red Eco surging around her hands and feet as she pummeled the Champion of Dark. Tech rushed forward, a rod of Light Eco appearing in his hands, and stabbed Havoc through the chest with the rod, causing him to let out a roar of agony. A shockwave from Havoc's yell sent the couple flying backwards, falling into the snow.
"They're some team," Jak said with a slight smile.
"Its good if they can wear each other out before we have to step in…But I'm worried about Havoc. He doesn't even seem to be even remotely in control of himself anymore. You can just tell by how he fights. Its more Arranst controlling him than himself…" Nightingale murmured.
"N-No…Nooooo…" Havoc murmured as the Dark Eco into him burst outward, causing Arranst to begin cackling with glee. Havoc got to his feet, a sword of raw Dark Eco forming in his grasp. Shadow rushed at Havoc, ignoring Tech's yell of warning, only to get kicked viciously in the stomach and get sent hurtling back to Tech. Havoc shot forward, laughing ethereally as Tech readied himself for Havoc.
"No. Jak, I promised myself no one else would die if I had a say in the matter. I'm not letting Havoc or Tech kill themselves like this!" Nightingale growled, getting to her feet.
"Night, wait-" Jak began to say.
"NO!" Nightingale yelled, her entire body glowing bright white. The young woman vanished on the spot and reappeared in front of Tech, who yelled out in surprise as Nightingale rushed out to engage Havoc, lashing out with a massive burst of Light Eco that sent him soaring away with a howl of agony.
"Never again." Night said, reminding herself of her old vow, before she turned her head to Tech and Shadow, who were watching her. Jak flew through the air and landed on the ground next to her, in his light form.
"You two…How did you find us?" Tech asked coolly.
"Vin tracked your armor's emergency failsafe system. After it came back online, we couldn't find you again, but we guessed you'd be here." Nightingale said to Tech, who sighed.
"I figured it was something I had overlooked. I was so careful…I guess it can't be helped. Tell that computer program I said congrats." Tech said with a small wry smile before he held out his hand, creating a small ball of fire.
"However…I can't go with you. I can't risk the Fragment failing into the wrong hands. I guess we'll have to incapacitate you and flee once more." Tech said as Shadow stepped forward as well.
"I was kind of hoping you'd say that." Jak said with a growl, stepping forward as well.
"Jak-" Night began to say before Tech let out a cold laugh.
"So be it. Zelda!" Tech yelled as he flung his hands out. His armor glowed bright green as it made loud whirring sounds. Shadow's armor did the same after a moment, and both traitors vanished on the spot.
"Mar…Iris…Wonderful. The gang is all back together…" a familiar voice chuckled as Nightingale and Jak whirled around in surprise.
Havoc smirked and held his hand out, releasing a wave of Dark Eco that sent Jak and Nightingale flying backwards. Jak and Night flipped in midair and landed on their feet, shuddering in pain as the Dark Eco ripped through their light forms. Jak reverted to his normal state, snarling angrily as the Champion of Darkness laughed cruelly at them.
"Night!" Jak barked as Havoc released another wave of Dark Eco at them.
"On it!" Night yelled, turning into her light form. She flung out her hands, releasing a wave of Light Eco that slammed into Havoc's wave and made it dissipate after a moment. Jak ran at Havoc, who laughed and fired an arc of lightning-shaped Dark Eco at Jak as he transformed into Dark Jak and balled up his fist, which glowed bright purple, before he punched the bolt of Eco, sending it skyward. Havoc jumped back after a moment, but Jak sent a Dark Strike at him and sent him flying into the snow. Jak reverted to his normal state and placed a hand on the hilt of his sword.
"Come on, let's-" Jak began to say before a series of gunshots tore through the air, spraying the ground with crimson. Jak fell to the ground with a howl of pain as Nightingale let out a scream of horror before looking up at Shadow, who had reappeared as she lowered her SMG.
"That was for back at the Silver Bullet, by the way." Shadow said coldly before she ducked under a Light-Eco filled kick from Nightingale. She snatched the young woman's leg while it soared overhead and swung around, sending Nightingale stopped in midair and shot towards Shadow with a quick burst of speed, slamming her fist into her helmet and sending her crashing into the snow, along with her weapon.
"NO!"
Night suddenly cried out as Tech flashed into existence in front of her, throwing a hand out towards her. A series of green robotic tentacles shot out from his hand and grabbed Nightingale by the arm before a burst of green energy surged into her, causing her to scream in agony as she thrashed and tried to break free as the tentacles crushed and shocked her.
"Night-" Jak began to say before Nightingale vanished in a flash of light, causing Tech to let out a yell of surprise before Nightingale reappeared in the air, swinging her foot around and slamming it into Tech's skull. Tech fell to the ground and got to his feet, only for Jak to grab him around the collar as he turned into Dark Jak and slam him violently into the ground again and again and again, roaring in fury.
Shadow rushed forward, growling furiously as she jumped on Jak's back and began punching him in the helmet, causing Jak to let out a snarl of pain he snatched her off of his back and threw her to the ground. Tech drew back his fist and slammed it into Jak's visor, sending him stumbling backward with a grunt of pain as Nightngale landed on the ground next to him, charging two Light Strikes before firing them off. Both Tech and Shadow threw up a shield to block the attacks, which barely withstood the attack from Nightingale.
"Tech…Please, just stop." Nightingale said quietly, earning a shake of the head in reply.
"Iris…You've come so far. You've grown so much in the time I've known you…Sorry kid," Tech said softy, letting out a small sigh.
"Isn't this touching?"
All four warriors turned to the side to Havoc standing on the nearby snowbank, grinning maniacally as his eyes began to glow dark red. His voice once again took on an ethereal tone, mostly his but also sounding like someone else…
"Arranst…" Jak thought as Havoc began walking towards them.
"Well, well…Looks like I get to take out four birds with one stone." Havoc said with a cold laugh as he held out both of his hands, a flickering disc of raw Dark Eco forming in each one.
"You can't keep running, Tech. Come with us!" Night pleaded with the genius as she turned back towards, who shook his head.
"I can't…You guys know that-" Tech began to say before Havoc let out a yell of anger, causing the group turned towards him.
"Are you guys fucking ignoring me!?" Havoc asked indignantly.
"I've been trying to get you to take things seriously for months, and this is what sets you off?" Arranst asked in an annoyed hiss. She'd never quite understand humans. Havoc hurled the discs of Dark Eco, that had now doubled in size, at the group, who scattered and barely dodged the attack.
"Enough is enough! The Dark Goddess will have your blood!" Havoc roared as he shot towards the group, flapping his wings repeatedly. Nightingale shot towards Havoc and the two former friends collided in midair, punching and kicking and screaming at each other, with massive blasts of Eco radiating off of every strike.
Jak turned his attention to Tech and Shadow, who had gotten into a battle stance. Jak finally drew Yvantael, the blade glowing gold.
"So you found it…" Tech said quietly, a hint of wonder in his voice.
"Yeah…I did. Thanks by the way. Now…Are you going to come with us? Last chance," Jak said as he pointed the sword at Tech.
"If I could steal the Fragment, the Hunters can too. The only way to stop them is in this Icefield, Jak." Tech said as he held out his palm towards him.
"What's so special about this place?" Jak asked Tech, who laugh quietly.
"Sorry…But I don't have time for questions, Jak…I've got a world to save." Tech said as Jak's grip on his sword tightened.
Tech's hand glowed bright red as a plume of flames burst from his palm, but Jak was already moving. He drew Yvantael as he jumped into the side, feeling the immense rush of power burst through him as he transformed into his Guardian form. Golden armor encased Jak's body as beautiful golden wings shot out of Jak's back with waves of Light and Dark Eco radiating from his body in massive amounts.
Tech took a step back and fired a massive ball of flames at Jak, who took the attack head on. The flames crashed into Jak, who simply walked through the flames and approached Tech.
"Why are you so convinced we'll fail?" Jak asked Tech, who scowled at him from behind his helmet. Tech swung his arm, releasing an arc of lightning at slammed into Jak, but this was blocked with a Light and Dark Eco shield that Jak threw up wordlessly.
"Because you all don't know just how bad things are…You don't know just how close Arranst is to annihilating us all. This isn't just some game…The Sanctuary isn't impenetrable, and sooner or later the Hunter's would've broken in. All of this was necessary to keep the Fragments safe," Tech said as his arm's burst into a surging green aura.
"The Hunter's were about to launch an all out attack on the Sanctuary, which would've resulted in the deaths of many of my friends, Jak. What I did was measure the risks, and took action to protect the people important to me. Would you do the same?" Tech asked Jak, who looked away.
The Chief clutching his chest, drenched in his own blood…
Vin working endlessly to bring Arch back after Tech annihilated his own faithful creation…
Rune sitting by Chase's bedside, watching him as he remained still…
"You shot the Chief. You all but killed Arch, and you nearly killed Chase. You betrayed us," Jak said as he clenched his fists.
"To save who I could." Tech growled at Jak.
"But in the end, it doesn't matter what you did. You hurt the Chief. You almost killed Chase and Arch, and you basically handed the Hunter's exactly what they wanted…You turned your back on us."
"Yes, I turned my back on you. Yes, I stabbed you all in the back. But it was necessary, to save who I could. This is a war, Jak…And not everyone makes it out alive," Tech hissed.
"Man, isn't that the truth?"
Tech and Jak looked over in surprise before a massive burst of Dark Eco exploded at their feet, sending them crashing into the snow. Havoc laughed as two bolts of Dark Eco flew from his hand and struck Jak and Tech, causing both to scream out in agony as the Dark Eco rushed through them. Jak grit his teeth and got to his feet. Tech got to his feet, panting heavily, and grabbed a black pistol off of his belt and aimed it at Jak's back.
"Stephen…Please stop…"
Tech turned around and aimed the gun at Nightingale, who was just standing there in her light form, looking rather worse for wear after he fight with Havoc. She sighed quietly before saying "This isn't fair…"
"Life isn't fair, Iris." Tech said coolly.
"I know…I know that more than anyone, Tech." Nightingale said with a sigh before getting into a fighting stance. She then turned around and lashed out at Shadow, who had been rushing at her from behind. Nightingale grabbed Shadow's arm and pulled her forward, kneeing her in the stomach before throwing her to the side and aiming her SMG at Tech and firing at him. Tech smirked as the bullets bounced off of the shield he threw up and as Shadow tackled Nightingale from behind, knocking her to the ground. The former Hunter commander pounced on Nightingale, who put her feet up and managed to kick Shadow away from her and roll to her feet.
Shadow landed on the ground next to Tech, who looked at her for a moment and nodded. Both warriors flung out their hands, engulfing their limbs in red and green aura's respectively and rushed at Nightingale, who let out a growl.
Tech dashed towards her, using his speed enhancement, and fired a burst of energy at Night as she ran towards him. Nightingale shot into the air, firing a ball of Light Eco at the ground and sent Tech skidding back from the force of the explosion of light that erupted from the blast. Shadow jumped high into the air, activating a jetpack in her armor, and punched Nightingale in the jaw, sending her soaring higher into the air before she dropped back down and kicked Shadow in the head, sending her back into the snow. Tech shot into the air as well, firing balls of energy from his armor while Nightingale dodged the blocked them.
"Come Mar! Let's see what the Precursor's Chosen one can truly do!" Arranst laughed as Havoc got into a fighting stance.
Jak kicked off of the ground, raising Yvantael high into the air, and rushed towards Havoc, who vanished in a flash of Dark Eco. Jak ducked, dodging a kick filled with Dark Eco from behind, before slamming the hilt of his sword into Havoc's visor, sending him flying into the air, but he righted himself with a laugh. Havoc flung his hands out, sending a series of Dark Strikes at Jak, who quickly stabbed Yvantael into the ground, creating a golden force field around him that protected him from the attacks.
"Damn those Precursor's…Once that Fragment is mine, I'll come to your planet myself and finish those little rats off…" Arranst growled as Havoc clenched his fists before placing his palms together. Havoc then thrust his hands out, creating a massive black plume of flaming Dark Eco that rushed towards Jak, who vanished in a burst of golden light and reappeared just out of the range of the attack. Havoc landed on the ground lightly, smirking.
"He's so strong…If I wasn't in this form, that could've ended me right then and there…" Jak thought warily, tightening his grip on Yvantael. Jak began to charge up the Light and Dark Eco in his body at the same time, and his body began to glow bright gold.
Jak burst forward, a raging trail of Light and Dark Eco surging behind him as he soared through the flames and stabbed Havoc in the chest, let out and harsh yell of fury. Havoc howled in agony as the flames around him dispersed.
"AAAGH! N-N-N-N-OOOOO!" Arranst screamed as Havoc punched Jak as hard as he could in the face, sending him flying back and ripping Yvantael out of Havoc's chest. Havoc stumbled forward, shaking and bleeding horribly from his chest.
"W-what…I…its hurts…" Havoc rasped before a burst of Dark Eco rushed through him. Arranst growled in his mind as he straightened up, his wound healing before Jak's eyes.
"I've got to keep up the pressure." Jak growled as he flew towards Havoc, who ran at Jak. The two began trading ferocious blows, neither one allowing the other to get a single shot in, with massive bursts of Eco being released with every strike, the force of their blows being felt for miles and miles.
"You are strong! A worthy Champion for me to face, Mar!" Arranst growled through Havoc as Havoc slipped under Jak's guard and punched him in the chest. Jak grunted in pain as he flew through the air, only for him to explode in a series of bright gold and orange sparks.
"What!?" Arranst snarled before Havoc was sent flying forward from a kick to the back of the head. Havoc rolled to his feet, only for a whirlwind of Light and Dark Eco to ensnare him, causing him to howl in agony as the energies ripped through him.
"Let him go!" Jak yelled at Arranst, who cackled with glee as Havoc clenched his fists. The hurricane of Eco dispersed as Havoc raised his hand, causing a black ball of pure, raw Dark Eco to form in his palms.
"Never…" Arranst purred before Havoc fired the attack at Jak.
Nightingale glanced at Jak for a moment before Tech and Shadow were upon her. Nightingale flicked out her whip from her hip and lashed out with it, grabbing Shadow by the leg and spinning around, sending her flying away. Tech fired a blast of icy energy at Nightingale, who dodged the burst of ice but failed to dodge the punch in the face from Tech, who wrenched the whip free from her and crushed it in his hands with a growl.
"I will no longer stand by and have my own creations used against me." Tech growled as he flung his hands out, sending a series of ORANGE small beams towards Nightingale, who's eyes widened in horror.
"He banned that enhancement! He said it was too dangerous for anyone to use!" Nightingale thought as her eyes widened in horror. Nightingale kicked off of the ground and jumped into the air, but it was too late. As the beams hit the ground, a massive ring of explosions went off, engulfing Nightingale as she let out a scream of pain. Shadow landed on the ground next to Tech, smiling.
"Good shot." Shadow said approvingly.
"Thanks…I don't think that'll be enough to take her down, though." Tech said in a low voice before a ball of light soared from the smoke. Tech jumped out of the way of the way of the attack, firing flames and ice into the smoke as Shadow firing beams of energy from her hands as well. To their dismay, Nightingale walked out of the smoke, battered and with her armor damaged badly, but still standing tall as a burning white aura surged around her.
"No…Damn it…" Tech growled as he got into a fighting stance. Shadow vanished and reappeared behind Nightingale, who was walking towards Tech with a determined expression. Nightingale ducked under a kick from Shadow and dropped down to the ground casting a barrier around as Tech hurled a ball of fire at her.
Nightingale let the barrier dissipate and shot forward, light building around her, and slammed into Tech, causing him to cry out in pain and fall into the snow. However, Nightingale managed to knock loose a small silver device that was attached to Tech's belt. As it detached itself, it expanded until it was about a foot long, returning to its normal size.
It was the case that contained the final Fragment to the Gate to Darkness.
"NO!" Tech yelled as the silver case fell into the snow.
All five warriors eyed the case. Four of them with worry, one of them with longing and bloodlust. Jak and Havoc flew towards the case, only for Shadow and Tech to send a volley of missiles in their direction to keep them from getting too close.
Havoc began to laugh then, but it was Arranst who said "Children…That is what you all are. Foolish little children, thinking you can stop a being like me. Beautiful, powerful beyond compare, and wiser than the Precursor's themselves. You all have fought well…But I will be taking that Fragment with me."
"Never," Tech growled.
"Suit yourself. I think a change in field is appropriate." Arranst said through Havoc, who's face was visible through his visor. His expression was pained, Jak noticed, as if he was in agony. However, he raised his hand and held out his palm towards the group in front of him.
Havoc fired a single ball of Dark Eco at the group, who easily dodged the attack, which soared into the massive icy cliff behind them. However, the ball didn't explode on impact, but instead stuck to the cliff.
"Wait, what?" Shadow said, confused.
"No…Is that-" Tech began to say before Havoc clenched his fist with an insane grin.
The ball of Dark Eco sank into the cliff before a series of black lights began to flash inside of the cliff. The light then began to flash and spread throughout the icy cliff, extending higher and higher until it reached the top of the cliff.
"BEHOLD!" Havoc bellowed as he clenched his fist. Jak, Nightingale, Tech, and Shadow all felt a horrible thrill of terror go through this as a enormous surge of Dark Eco began to surge throughout the icy cliff-
Which then exploded…into millions of massive and deadly pieces that began to fall down upon the group.
"SCATTER!" Shadow screamed as she tried to fly away, only for a massive chunk of ice to crash down in front of her. Havoc cackled and rushed at her as she tried to fly above it, aiming a Dark Eco charged kick at her chest which connected and sent her hurtling back into a another chunk of ice as it crashed down into the ground. Tech landed next to Havoc and fired a beam of ice of his own at the Dark Champion, who let out a yell of fury as it froze his arm solid. Tech rushed forward and scooped up the case in his hands, only for a column of ice to crash down in front of him, but he simply leapt over it and fell towards Havoc, shooting a ball of Light Eco from his hand at Havoc, who let out a howl of agony as it sent him flying through the icy debris, but not before firing a Dark Strike that hit Tech head on and made him drop the case. The case flew through the air, bouncing off of the ice blocks as it fell towards the ground.
Jak and Nightingale struggled to avoid the deadly chunks of ice falling from above, soaring and weaving in and out of the way of danger. Jak landed on the ground next to Tech as he landed on the ground, firing two bursts of Light and Dark Eco at him that slammed into him, causing him to let out a scream of agony as he crashed into a fallen chunk of ice. Nightingale landed next to Jak and fired a streak of Light Eco at Shadow as she tried to attack her from the side, only to be sent back into the icy debris.
"NO!" Tech bellowed as he got to his feet despite the brutality of the attacks, his armor now shining bright green. He vanished in a burst of green light, reappearing next to Shadow and vanishing again. Jak and Nightingale began to try and escape the collapsing cliff falling apart around them, but Havoc landed on the ground in front of them, his lips set into a snarl.
Havoc let out a bellow of fury, a fiery dark aura exploded around him, before he sped towards Jak and grabbed him around the arm as Jak tried to land a punch, throwing him into the air. Jak righted himself in midair, only for a chunk of ice to slam into him and crash down on top of him.
"JAK!" Nightingale screamed.
"You're next!" Havoc growled as he shot forward. Nightingale ducked under a punch and kicked Havoc in the chest before jumping back to avoid a chunk of ice crashing down tip-first on top of her. Havoc recovered and let loose a massive wave of Dark Eco that destroyed the ice block and sent Nightingale flying into the air with a yell, where she righted herself and landed on a falling chunk of ice. Havoc's wings sprouted once again out of his back as he grinned evilly and kicked off the ground, flying towards her.
Nightingale held out her hand, creating a rod of Light Eco that turned into a blade and soared at Havoc, who did the same as her and created a sword of Dark Eco in his hands. Nightingale lashed out with her sword, delivering a series of quick and deadly strikes to Havoc, who frantically blocked the attacks and retaliated with a blast of Dark Eco that caused Nightingale to have to fly away, landing upside down on a falling chunk of ice. Havoc roared and flew towards her, only for a wave of golden light to slam into Havoc and sending him flying away into the avalanche with a howl of pain, courtesy of Jak.
"Jak! The Fragment!" Nightingale yelled as she flew towards the ground, flying towards the ground. Nightingale landed on the ground before being engulfed in flame and ice, courtesy of Tech, who was racing towards her. Nightingale fell back, only for Shadow to kick her violently in the back and send her to the ground. Jak turned around and was kicked in the stomach by Tech, who began to relentlessly attack Jak with his fists and feet until Jak exploded in a shower if gold sparks.
"W-what!?" Tech yelled before an explosion of golden fire engulfed him, sending him hurtling backwards. Jak reappeared behind Tech, kicking him savagely in the back and sending him falling into the snow, jumping back as the genius began firing a series of glowing knives from his armor before going invisible.
Nightingale vanished and reappeared next to Jak, panting heavily and looking rather worse for wear, having been caught in the avalanche. She and Jak stood back to back as Shadow and Tech reappeared in front of them, their armor's glowing red and green. The case lay in the middle of the group. Tech fired a beam of ice at the Fragment case, freezing it solid.
Jak shot forward, slashing at Tech with Yvantael and unleashing several arcs of golden energy at him, which he flew into the air to avoid before firing a stream of green lasers at Jak, who easily deflected them with his blade. Shadow sped towards Jak, aiming a kick at his chest, only for Nightingale to appear in front of her and easily catch it and throw her away.
"Did you forget about me?" a cold voice asked the group, causing them to look up and see Havoc flying above them, glowing with dark rage.
"KNEEL!" Arranst screamed as Havoc crashed into the ground and punched it with his fist, creating a colossal wave of Dark Eco that crashed into all of the warriors at once. Havoc stood up tall, gazing at the four downed warriors with a cold smile. For several seconds, all was still. Tech clutched the case of the Fragment, having freed it from the ice and rescuing it before Havoc attacked.
Jak got to his feet first, having been closest to the attack and getting the brunt of the damage. Tech and Nightingale got their feet next, followed by Shadow a moment later. The group couldn't deny that if it wasn't for the degree of protection their armor and abilities offered them, Havoc would have easily killed them from the force of that attack. Even then, the brutal attack had weakened them significantly.
"Kneel before…before…" Havoc murmured, a strange smile on his face as Dark Eco crackled around his hands.
"What's wrong with him?" Jak muttered, getting into a stance with his sword.
"It's the Dark Goddess. She's basically controlling Havoc on every level. Mind, body, and emotions. He keeps breaking through, if only for moments at a time. That's probably why she can't use her full power through Havoc. He keeps resisting her…He's still in there somewhere…" Tech said quietly.
"Meaning we can save him." Nightingale said with a small weak smile.
"No, you can't! He's too far gone now!" Tech barked at Nightingale as Havoc began to walk towards them, casually destroying a chunk of ice that flew towards his head. The group had escaped the worst of the crumbling cliff, though the ice was still falling from above. Tech locked eyes with Shadow and flew towards Nightingale while Jak and Havoc rushed at each other.
Tech vanished for a moment, reappearing behind Nightingale as she flew into the air, firing a burst of Light Eco that created a shockwave that sent Tech skidding back with a swear. Night realized the case was again gone, Tech had probably hidden it somewhere, when Nightingale let out a yell as a kick from above sent her falling to the ground, with her righting herself and landing on her feet at the last possible second. Shadow held out her right hand and released a plume of white-hot flames from her palm, engulfing Nightingale.
Nightingale jumped out the flames, the barrier she had cast around herself fading away, and fired a Light Strike at Shadow who screamed as the blast sent her flying away into the snowy hills some distance away. Tech rushed in and slammed his fist into her visor, shattering the glass and sending her crashing into the ground.
"Night…You're so strong, but you're not much for me. I'm too well prepared. Too well-equipped." Tech said as Nightingale pushed herself to her feet before becoming engulfed in a massive laser beam that erupted out of Tech's hand. Nightingale skidded on the ground, rolling over and onto her back, shaking in pain as she slipped out of her light form.
"That right there, was the original armor enhancement I gave to the Chief when I designed his armor. The strongest attack I have in my arsenal…You're done." Tech said as he created a small rod of Dark Eco in his hand, creating a sword of his own, a cutlass-like blade.
"Farewell…" Tech said quietly before driving the blade home-
Into the ground.
"Wha-" Tech began to say, surprised that Night had dodged the attack, before a kick to the chest sent him falling to the ground. Nightingale ignored her body, screaming in agony, and got to her feet, shaking in pain. The massive amounts of Dark Eco she had inside of her, mixing with her Light Eco, had weakened her quite a bit, but she wouldn't give up. She hadn't come so far just to lose to a…traitor!
"You still have some fight left in you, hmm?" Shadow said, amused, as she walked back to the battlefield. Nightingale felt a fresh stab of anger in her as she balled her hands into fists.
"Why do you fight it? The fact that despite your strength, you're still nothing but a weakling. A failure. You will still let everyone you know and love down."
"n…no…No…No…NO! I'm not a failure! I'll keep fighting! No matter what! Just like Jak!" Nightingale told herself, feeling the anger feed her desire to keep going. It blocked the pain out and gave her focus. She had to win.
"Good answer, Iris. Now, show them why we choose you as our Champion of Light!" Usano, one of the last Precursors, said to her with a laugh.
Nightingale threw down her hands, the light around her almost blinding to Tech and Shadow as they constantly fired attacks at her, but to no avail.
"What's happening!?" Shadow yelled as she fired a volley of missiles at Nightingale, only for her to keep walking towards them. Tech fired his strongest attack at Nightingale again, but this time she cast a Light Shield around herself, a bright white barrier instead of a blue one, that easily withstood the blast. Nightingale then vanished in a flash of light.
"Stop hiding and fight, Night!" Tech barked, light surrounding both of his hands. A moment later, Tech saw a flash of light out of the corner of his eyes and turned to face it.
"THERE!" Tech yelled, firing a beam of light at the flash of light in front of him. He smiled as his attack ripped through the shimmering light form in front of him, a deadly attack that would have finally incapacitated the fearsome champion of light.
"What!? A decoy!? Then that means-!" Tech realized in horror, but it was too late.
Tech's eye widened as a blinding flash of light flared across his vision before he found Nightingale pressing her hands against his chest, both of them glowing bright white and her mouth curled into a furious snarl
"Night…" Tech thought for a moment, amazed that she had outmaneuvered him like that…he felt proud of how far she had come. How much she had grown.
Tech screamed in agony as he flew through the air as a colossal beam of pure Light Eco erupted from Night's hands, sending him falling into the snow one final time, though this time he didn't get back up.
Shadow turned to Tech for a moment in horror before turning to Nightingale, who had closed in the gap between them and punched her in the face hard enough to dent the metal in her helmet and send her crashing onto the ground, senseless.
Havoc kicked out at Jak with a roar, missing him yet again as Jak mercilessly slashed and stabbed at Havoc, who had sustained a multitude of wounds from the Champion of Balance. Havoc swung his arm, releasing a deadly wave of Eco, but Jak simply vanished in a flash of golden light and reappeared above Havoc, smashing his foot into his visor. Havoc flew backwards and fell into the snow with a curse, shaking in pain. What was this energy that Jak was giving off? It made him feel weaker…It made him think clearer…
"Get that Fragment! Tech and Shadow are down! This is your chance!" Arranst growled at Havoc, who nodded and let loose a burst of Dark Eco as Jak closed in once more, causing him to shrink back as Havoc's attack crashed into him.
Nightingale appeared in a burst of light, firing a series of bursts of Light Eco at Havoc as he turned towards her, creating a black barrier of light around himself.
"End the girl!" Arranst snarled at Havoc as he dispelled the shield a moment later, with Nightingale soaring in and stabbing Havoc with her sword of light. Nightingale jumped back as Havoc staggered back in pain, only for her former teammate to suddenly speed towards her,.
"NOOOOOOOOOOO!" Havoc screamed as his hand clamped down on Nightingale's helmet tight enough to cave in the metal. Havoc drew his hand back, bursting with uncontrollable levels of Dark Eco, and punched Nightingale in the head as hard as he could. Jak screamed in horror as Nightingale was sent flying backwards into the snow and crashed into a snowbank.
"You bastard!" Jak roared at Havoc, his body glowing a bright gold as waves of Light and Dark Eco rolled off of him as well.
"This…power…" Arranst murmured in Havoc's mind, amazed at what she was seeing. Jak's eyes narrowed in hate before he suddenly shot forward with an insane burst of speed and stabbed Havoc in the chest with Yvantael, twisting the blade painfully into Havoc's chest. Havoc choked out in agony before he sent Jak flying away with a burst of eco.
"Attack!" Arranst urged Havoc as he healed his wound, and with a nod Havoc obliged, shooting into the sky. Jak soared towards Havoc, who flew out of the way and fired a bolt of Dark Eco at Jak, who knocked it away with his sword and fired an arc of Light Eco at Havoc, who threw up a shimmering purple and black barrier and protected himself from the attack.
"If you want something done right…" Arranst hissed, loathing towards Jak and Night in her voice. Foolish mortals, trying to undermine her rule? Her authority? She who had slayed the very Gods who created her and the world's around her?
No…They would pay for defying her.
Havoc held out his hands, creating a spear of Dark Eco that he hurled at Jak, who sped forward, dodging the spear and slashing at Havoc with Yvantael, slashing him in the chest. Jak followed up with a spin kick to the throat, causing Havoc to fly backwards with a ragged gasp.
"FIGHT BACK HAVOC! WHAT ARE YOU DOING!?" Arranst screamed at Havoc, who grit his teeth.
"N..n...no…" Havoc rasped, shaking his head. Jak flew towards Havoc, firing a burst of Light Eco at the Champion of Darkness, who let out a scream of pain as the light ripped through him.
"Forget him…We came for the Fragment!" Arranst hissed at Havoc, who remained silent. What was he doing? Why did it hurt so much? Why…why…why…
Jak then saw Havoc let out a moan of pain before vanishing on the spot in a burst of Dark Eco, appearing on the ground next to the silver case on the ground some distance away. Havoc reappeared, tossed the case down in front of them as if to mock them, and drew back his hand and smashed the case with powerful strike.
"Havoc! NO!" Tech screamed as he picked up the fragment from the snow, grinning manically. Tech tried to get to his feet, but fell back weakly in the snow, utterly spent, before he lost consciousness.
"20 Fragments…20 Pieces…All of which lead to annihilation. All Hail Queen Arranst!" Havoc's distorted voice cackled horribly before he pointed a finger at Tech, firing a single beam of Dark Eco at him. Jak landed in front of Tech, slashing at the beam as it came at him and diverting it, but amazed at the amount of power behind it. Just how strong had Havoc gotten since Arranst gained total control over him?
Jak dashed towards Havoc, slashing at him with his sword and sending an arc of golden energy surging towards Havoc, who tried to dodge the attack but was too slow. The Champion of Darkness screamed in pure agony as the energy rushed through him, though his scream sounded like two people screaming.
Havoc and the very presence that was possessing him, Arranst.
"JAZON! FLEE NOW!" Arranst commanded Havoc, who remained standing there.
"What!? W-w-w-what's…" Havoc looked at the Fragment in his hands with a look of abject horror and yelled "No! She's got all of them!"
"Havoc?" Nightingale said weakly as she too pushed herself up, looking up at Havoc before passing out. Jak realized that this was the real Havoc, the one that had been Nightingale's friend, swallowed in the darkness. Was it Arranst really controlling him the entire time? Had he lost that much control over himself?
"NO!" Havoc screamed again as a dark aura began to engulf him once more. Jak slashed downwards, releasing a wave of golden energy at Havoc, who managed to dodge the attack this time.
"No…You serve ME!" Arranst growled as massive waves of Dark Eco rolled off of Havoc, who was screaming in agony now and fell to his knees. Jak was hurled back, even in Guardian form, by the force of Arranst's power.
"I will not have my authority questioned! Who was it who fueled your ambitions? Who was it that gave you strength? Who was it that helped you get your revenge!? You and I are connected, my Champion…It is a bond from which you cannot escape!" Arranst purred as Havoc Havoc's eyes shut tight in agony.
"KILL ME!" Havoc roared at Jak, who nodded. It was the only thing that could stop all of this…He'd do it. Jak shot forward, a blast of Dark and Light Eco propelling him even faster as he slashed at Havoc, only for both of the man's eyes to glow crimson. Jak brought the sword down on Havoc's neck, but gaped in horror as Havoc's hand caught the blade effortlessly. Blood streamed down Havoc's hand, but even as that happened, Havoc slammed his fist into Jak's chest, sending him hurtling back into the snow.
"You are strong…A threat to me and all I have worked so hard for. I have not had to interfere directly like this before now…" Arranst hissed, a note of faint but unmistakable fear in her voice. Jak got to his feet, his broken ribs sealing up as he pressed his hands against his chest, but Havoc fired a massive burst of Dark Eco at Jak, who held out his hands and created a light gold colored barrier that barely withstood the incredible amount of darkness directed at him.
"You fools have but a few days before I arrive. And when I do…" Arranst flashed the Fragment to the heroes before saying "Nothing will save you. The Havoc you knew is dead…I have gained complete control over him now. Before now, I let him have some free will, but after this…I will remain in control until I arrive here myself…Be prepared, for I will spare no one. All will perish in my divine darkness!" Arranst cackled as Havoc teleported in a burst of Dark Eco, disappearing from sight.
Jak swore loudly, stumbling forward but falling onto the ground. He pushed himself up and got into a sitting position and looked over at Nightingale's fallen form, a short distance away. Jak ignored his body, which was screaming in protest, and began to walk over to Nightingale. Jak fell to his knees and turned into his light form, and began healing her. After a few moments, Nightingale stirred and said "J-Jak?"
"Night…Thank the Precursors…" Jak murmured as she sat up. Nightingale blinked in surprise as Jak embraced her, which she returned after a moment. The couple began healing their wounds, but after aminute they became aware of another two warriors also recovering their senses. Shadow was the first one to get to her feet before screaming in horror and began using a GED enhancement like Nightingale had, pumping Green Eco into Tech, who stirred after a few moments.
"Should we let them heal each other?" Night asked Jak, who nodded.
"I think we can still take them if they tried to attack us. I'm tired, but I've got a bit more left in me." Jak said with a painful grin.
"You were amazing…You controlled Guardian so perfectly, like you've been using that power your whole life." Nightingale said quietly, causing Jak to smile.
"You guys have a lot of explaining to do." A familiar voice said in their helmets.
"Daxter?" Jak asked curiously, surprised he had contacted them out of the blue.
"Yeah, it's me! I felt all of that crap from here, and you better have a good explanation for why you left me behind!" Daxter said in an annoyed tone.
"Sorry Dax, I-" Jak began to say before he realized Tech and Shadow were walking towards them. Jak silenced his radio and put his hand to Yvantael and took a step forward, only to grunt in pain as a sharp pain erupted from his chest.
"Looks like they did more damage than I thought," Jak thought before Tech ripped off his helmet, glaring at Jak.
"What…Have you DONE!?" Tech shouted at Jak, who scowled in response, clenching his chest. He felt the Guardian form slip away, replaced with a sense of absolute exhaustion. He swayed on his feet, but caught himself after a moment.
"I have spent so much time and effort evading them, and now because of you two they have the final instrument of our annihilation!" Tech barked at Jak.
"Us? He was the one who cornered you. We were trying to defend ourselves," Nightingale said hotly to Tech, who blinked in surprise. "We had to use whatever we could on you because of you two using every enhancement you ever designed at once.
"Besides, who was the one who stole the Fragments in the first place?" Jak shot back.
"I had no choice! They were going to kill Zelda!" Tech hissed at Jak, anger brimming in his voice. Jak sighed angrily, knowing that he had the right motivations for doing what he did, but it certainly didn't make what he did right.
"Night…Go get Dax," Jak said to the Champion of Light, who nodded and vanished in a flash of light. A moment later she reappeared with Daxter on her shoulder.
Jak looked at Shadow and Tech and said "So, what now? You going to keep running?"
"Not anymore, now that they have the Fragment. We may as well try and fight with you idiots, even though we'll still lose against Arranst. Unless Stephen finds what he's looking for." Shadow replied quietly, looking to her fiancé.
"We have one final chance…Come with me, and I will show you exactly what my plan was." Tech said he turned as his heel, striding towards the destroyed mountain that they had just escaped from. What remained of the icy cliff was a small chunk of ice that stood tall, despite the strength of Havoc's attack.
"Jak…What is that?" Daxter asked Tech, who took off his helmet and smiled wryly.
"The final resting place of the greatest weapon the Precursors ever made. I've spent years trying to find it, and here it is…" Tech said breathlessly as the others walked behind him. Jak had one hand on his sword, waiting for any sort of trick.
"How is it we've never heard the Precursors mention this weapon before?" Daxter asked Tech.
"I'll explain more once we're out of the open…Let's get inside. I smell a snowstorm brewing," Tech said as he walked into the crevice, with Shadow close behind.
"Jak?" Nightingale asked.
"We go in. And find out just what the hell Tech's plan is…" Jak muttered. Daxter nodded, and Nightingale grabbed Jak's hand again. With one last glance at each other, the trio delved into the cave right behind the two traitors to find this lost great weapon the Precursor's had left behind.
End of Chapter:
Alright! There we go!
Another chapter down. I'll see you guys in a week or two.
Be sure to review and let me know what you think, because I love feedback and all that good stuff. I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter!
Next chapter, we find out what Tech was searching for, as well as begin our preparations for the epic showdown in Haven City! What will happen now that the Hunter's have all 20 Fragments? What will happen to Havoc?
Find out next chapter!
Until next time, FlygonNick out!