Disclaimer: All characters presented in the chapter belong to Insomniac Games. I only own the Grey Mages and the Unseen Destroyer.


~ Part III: Downfall ~

Chapter 13: A Fateful Rising

"Yes, it sounds impossible but after I saw my sidekick and my sidekick's sidekick faint from the vicious blue gas I, Captain Qwark, also passed out. I know, I know, hard to believe. Then I awoke in complete darkness, having no way to move around. I don't know where I am and I don't know where Ratchet and Clank are but the cadets are probably being held hostage and now I have to go save them. But that's just like eating breakfast for a hero. This lab cannot defeat me. No matter what it does, it will never vanquish me. My physical condition has offered me excessive endurance and my intelligence is beyond natural borders. Its mechanical mind will never outwit me. After all, when the evil Dr. Nefarious was trying to gain control over time I was the one who made technology my-"

"Qwark, shut up."

The first thing that penetrated Ratchet's blissful lethargy was a distant mumbling that slowly carried him into consciousness. Steadily his heart resumed its normal beating and sent surges of blood through his body, rendering it active again. His head felt heavy and even though his senses had returned to him he had trouble throwing away the immense, invisible burden on him that kept him nailed to the floor. But as soon as he overcame the drowsiness that numbed his form Qwark's exaggerating narrations quickly added to his headache. He tried to stand up noiselessly with a palm on his forehead but a silent groan was accidentally let loose.

"You're… not abducted?" Qwark asked in a way that made Ratchet frown as an underlying disappointment distorted the sound of his usually proud and loud voice."And who will be the hostage I'm gonna save? If there are no hostages there's no news coverage."

"I'm glad you're okay too" was Ratchet's cutting retort. The dense blackness prevented the discerning of the slightest detail and despite holding no material form Ratchet felt entangled in it, an unnerving feeling which intensified when he failed to detect the bright green optics of his friend. "Clank? Are you here?"

He couldn't tell eyes wide open from eyes shut and shifting his head to various directions in hope of finding Clank brought him face to face with nothing but conquering darkness that had smothered all shapes and colours. Ratchet had frozen in his place in fear of tumbling and kept searching around with restless glimpses. An unsettling quietude flooded through the grand room, confounding the Lombax. The mere sound of his breaths started creeping him out and for brief moments he was unable to recognise whether he was awake or still in a deep slumber.

A groan made Ratchet swiftly break out of his stagnant state. Turning to his right he saw a pair of glowing eyes that somewhat extinguished the darkness. The vastness of it was lost to the faint green light and Ratchet found its reign crumbled by the robot he was worrying about seconds earlier.

"Clank!" Ratchet exclaimed loudly with joy evident in his call. He made his way to the robot, now no longer in fear of stumbling. Once there he found Clank on the floor with a small hand near his antenna, looking rather disoriented. "Welcome back, pal" he patted his friend's shoulder.

"There goes the second hostage" Qwark murmured which instantly resulted in being elbowed by someone who was proving more and more that he wasn't skilled enough to hold the position of his sidekick. He really should listen to his agent more often.

"I am glad to see you two are unharmed" Clank warmly said while he quickly found himself fully aware of his surroundings.

Shortly he activated the Clank Light, an upgrade offered to him by Big Al and an object that had greatly assisted him and Ratchet during their search of the twin Nether siblings. Graced by the radiant light the orb emitted, the three of them were finally able to overpower the blackness.

With the room dimly illuminated Clank happened to lay his sight on the big screen behind Ratchet. He took an impetuous step backwards with a desperate look plaguing the full circles of his eyes and fingers anxiously hiding into balled hands. "If we are to trust in Tachyon's message, something terrible must be happening on Zanifar. We should leave at once."

"No chance. Ratchet broke the elevator" Qwark quickly added and he was penetrated by a slight jerk as soon as he looked at Ratchet; the Lombax glared at him with an open indication of his thoughts. When Qwark realised Ratchet's increasing mood for murder he paced around the spacious chamber and tinkered with a device he picked up from his inventory.

His angry stare created a furrow between his eyebrows and the pressure applied on his forehead made Ratchet's headache worsen. He found himself battling the memory of the Cragmite emperor reminding him of past rage, a memory his entire body physically responded to. Like a chain leading to a source of inner pain, he instantly remembered Orion's cruel judgment and then how coldly he took the secret of his true name with him, a secret that belonged to him but he could never retrieve. Kaden's Armor glowing beneath the mesmerizing light of Azalea's moon, a dreamlike image twisted, distorted, stained by a father's desperate message and the suppressed screams of his final moments; they were always there, always in the back of his head reminding him how agonizing and tormenting Kaden's death had been.

"We still have to save Zanimal" the glimmering sands of the desert planet retained the beauty with which Ratchet remembered Egandor and Asyrian's homeworld. The thought of his friends being subjected to the Unseen Destroyer's tyrannical retaliation filled him with better left unspoken images. The Coliseum would be forgotten upon the far crueler things Thírios would do to Zanimal's inhabitants once he conquered it. "Is there time for Zanimal?"

"I cannot be certain" Clank lowered his head and fixated his gaze on the floor, as if searching for shattered pieces of solace. "What I do know is that we must go to planet Zanifar fast. The Fongoids there are in great danger."

"I know but…" Ratchet's eyes lingered on Clank's form. He stood with mouth agape as he failed to find the right words to speak and his face contorted in accordance with the bewilderment he was overwhelmed by "Are you saying that we can't save both?"

For a while it was difficult for Clank to lift his head and look at his friend. When he found the courage to do so, he was forced to encounter Ratchet's sorrowful eyes that held a peculiar glint; it was not reminiscent of anything regarding life or enthusiasm, it seemed to blur the intense green of his eyes with a murky veil. He wondered whether it was caused by tears that stubbornly refused to fall "I am very sorry, Ratchet."

"Fantastic! I just fixed our day!" Qwark announced vociferously and ran towards the duo with the device held above his head. Even if Clank was the only one paying attention to him, he went on. "No need to thank me. It's only a matter of time now. All we have to do is wait."

"Yeah, like we can do anything else" Ratchet snorted with ill-concealed doubt and placed his hands on either side of his waist.

"Don't deem it like something easy, waiting can be strenuous. Especially if…" Qwark's speech slowed down until it reached a temporary halt.

"If what?" Clank wished to learn what the pause had withheld, motivated by curiosity.

"I, ah… I really must use a bathroom right now. Even a bag would do" Qwark let them know with a nervous, shameful chuckle.

"Great, did I really have to know?" Ratchet almost recoiled at the statement. With a sigh he supported his weigh on the nearby wall and folded his arms. "Anything else?"

"I should recharge soon" Clank announced and rigid steps led him right next to Ratchet. "I am feeling rather exhausted" he spoke in a saturnine manner and thereafter barely moved, as though he was trying to preserve his energy. "And you?"

"Me? I'm fine" Ratchet claimed with a zeal that even reached the borders of arrogance for everyone seemed to be in need of something except him. However, the grin was erased from his face as soon as a sound of complaint produced by his stomach was heard. The hungry Lombax rested a hand on his stomach and laughed nervously, feeling his cheeks heating up due to his awkwardness. "Okay, almost fine."

Four hours passed by during which Qwark narrated stories of his heroic deeds that Ratchet had a hard time believing. Clank wandered around the room in an attempt to find a way of breaking out, a task often interrupted by the immediate need to keep Ratchet from attacking Qwark. However, his research proved to have been futile in the end. It was after Clank had surmised there was no way of escaping this place that he approached Ratchet to let him know of his investigation's results. What he found though was a very angered Lombax swearing he would make sure to render Qwark incapable of using the B20 Crotchitizer. Two heroic monologues and one enumeration of all the qualities that make Ratchet a totally unworthy sidekick later, the Lombax began making his way to the unsuspecting celebrity to turn his threat into an action. If it hadn't been for Clank's interference, the green-dressed hero's aforementioned device would have remained cold and forgotten for a long time.

"Find anything?" Ratchet finally asked after guaranteeing that Qwark was not in danger anymore.

"Despite the constant disturbances coming from you two" the robot began with a strict look. "I was able to fully inspect the chamber. But I found nothing that could help us escape."

"Escape?" Qwark questioned with a puzzled look and directed his gaze to the gadget he had used hours ago. "But I thought after activating this… thingy, we only had to wait to be-"

"Keep it down" Ratchet accompanied his demand with a stark gesture and rushed to the wall. He turned his head sideways so as his ear could come in contact with the compact surface. "I'm hearing something. Sounds like thrusters."

Clank approached him with a hopeful look. After four hours of complete stillness, any sort of change could be considered a positive occurrence. He leaned his head on the wall and searched for the sound Ratchet had described. "You are correct. I can hear it as well." Clank detached himself from the wall and sent a concerned look at Ratchet. "Someone is here, but who?"

"I hope it's Thírios so we can finish what we started" Ratchet responded while standing his ground, still close to the wall. Only by uttering the hybrid's name, he could already feel his guts seethe and his body stiffen.

"Step away from the west wall, guys" a familiar female voice was heard through the device in Qwark's hand.

Despite the slight distortion of the voice caused by the gadget, Ratchet recognised it instantly. He saw past the stern nature of the demand and felt the genuine concern lying beneath which left its traces on him as his features softened. "Tal?"

"Detonating explosives in 10, 9, 8…" the unexpected ally began voicing the unforgiving countdown, steadily and firmly.

As numbers echoed in the atmosphere, the three of them made sure to create a great distance between them and the wall before hiding behind anything that seemed strong enough to withstand an explosion. During these seconds the voice worked as a wordless sound filling the background. It was after he had taken cover that Ratchet concentrated on what the voice was saying. Seconds had never seemed longer.

"3, 2, 1!"

A fierce, violent wave blew against them. Ratchet shut his eyes and covered his ears as the enormous gust collided with his form. He struggled to remain where he was and opened his green eyes slightly to make sure Clank and Qwark hadn't been swept away by the sheer nuclear energy.

The catalytic event reached its end and only falling debris could be now heard. Ratchet stood up slowly and saw that he was standing before burning ruins and igneous fragments of metal abandoning their flying spree. Puffs of hot wind blustered towards him and once his vision focused, he found himself staring at Aphelion and Talwyn Apogee's starship floating on the fiery horizon.

His red starship flew right on the edge of the wide hole and opened her cockpit so the captives of the lab could enter. As much as Ratchet didn't enjoy allowing Qwark to enter his precious ship, he was aware he had to make an exception this time. Clank proceeded forward and Ratchet followed immediately. Before getting into Aphelion he turned back and absorbed the devastating scene of the lab and the broken screen where Tachyon's ghost had appeared. His sight left the computer with a bitter glare and he took glimpses of the pieces of metal glowing red, promising extreme pain to whoever touched them. He mentally winced at the thought as he hopped into his ship.

TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT

The two starships had landed near an enormous ship with green paint, right in front of the laboratory's entrance and with a perfect view of the Myzangard volcano.

"Good job back there, Tal" Ratchet complemented with a smile while approaching his Markazian saviour.

"And good job keeping yourselves out of trouble" a witty reply impulsively escaped her. With little interest to think through her actions, Talwyn paced towards Ratchet and pulled him into a tight embrace. Ratchet didn't have much time to react to it as she broke away and took a concentrated look of his face. With a sinking heart she noticed the scratches running across Ratchet's face. Her blue eyes became wide and circular, staring at the Lombax with suppressed fear. "What happened to you?"

No matter how much he wanted to move away from her horrified stare, Ratchet willingly stood there and inwardly sucked in all the care she was silently exposing to him with those fearful eyes set on him. "It's a long story."

Talwyn breathed a brief and soft sigh, as if she didn't wish to disturb the atmosphere and simply kept looking at Ratchet, devoid of any words. Looking past Ratchet's shoulder, she spotted Clank and rushed to him. "Clank! Are you okay?"

"We are all fine" Clank gave a straightforward response and accepted Talwyn's worry with a warm, reassuring expression. "To be honest, I cannot help but wonder how you were able to locate us."

"I was worried by the lack of news from you two. I checked the satellite scans every day but there was no trace of you in Polaris. I knew you were travelling to a different galaxy, but…" her lips were sealed by an ache in her chest and her eyes sought for Ratchet. He stared back at her with forlorn viridescent eyes. "I was anticipating your return" she wearily muttered before averting her pair of blue orbs away from the Lombax's form. "About four hours ago I got a signal from Qwark's old detection device."

A sudden surge of interest made Ratchet want to participate in the conversation "Don't tell me you found us thanks to him!" he said aloud and pointed at Qwark, who was busy admiring his muscles with the use of a small mirror.

"Well, it's thanks to his gadget that I was able to pinpoint your location. Qwark bought it as a souvenir from the Museum of Intergalactic History when he visited it for the first time. What makes me wonder is how the device managed to work. Cronk and Zephyr used to work with those on the battlefield but now they're considered obsolete" Talwyn's explanation seemed to convince Clank.

Ratchet on the other hand was left staring at Qwark who was now kissing the mirror. He withdrew his gaze slowly while trying to fight the distraction caused by Qwark's narcissism. "You must send help to Zanifar" he began after succeeding to focus on Talwyn. "Something bad is happening there but I don't know what exactly."

"How do you know?"

"I will explain later, but trust me on this" an imploring expression cleansed the usual boldness and determination off Ratchet's face, a peculiar occurrence which left Talwyn's with no words to speak.

"And what will we be doing?" Clank stepped in and asked, with optics firmly set on the Lombax.

"We've got to defend Zanimal. If Thírios isn't after us, I bet he's planning to make the people of Zanimal pay for helping us escape. Even if it was only two of them who helped us" Ratchet stated, his voice stripped off its normal fearlessness.

Clank was bewildered by Ratchet's unusual lack of confidence but decided against pointing out the excessive worry his friend was exhibiting. "We cannot be sure that Zanimal is in danger, Thírios might not even have reached the planet. But we do know Zanifar is in desperate need of help right now."

"How do we know? By trusting in Tachyon's words? What if it's some sort of diversion so Thírios can turn Zanimal into dust?"

"Wait, what?!" Talwyn exclaimed in shock. "Tachyon? Okay, that's it! I demand to know what's going on right now!"

"Ratchet, please" Clank took slow steps toward his friend, speaking silently. Ratchet could sense fragility in his voice and had heard the underlying fear hiding behind a steady tone. "I hate to say this but we cannot afford to rush and save both planets. I do not think Tachyon was lying. We have to help Zanifar first and then I promise you we can go inspect Zanimal's condition."

In spite of the lack of reaction from Ratchet, he was letting Clank's words flow into his mind and the struggle in his head was contradicting the stillness of his form. He shut his eyes and took a deep breath in a futile attempt to get rid of the tension aggravating his body. "Alright. We're going to Zanifar."

"Awesome! When do we take off?" Qwark made his presence apparent after evading his state of uncharacteristic subtleness.

Desperation began materializing all over Ratchet's face. It was then when Talwyn put her plan in motion. "Actually since I'll be away for a while, you're in charge of training the recruits. You're expected to get to Igliak ASAP. Vorn's orders."

"I'll be training rookies? Good thinking, no one's better at training losers who are going to die in battle than me" Qwark boasted with an exhilarating voice and quickly hopped into his ship. "See you soon, cadets. Good luck! You'll need it without me" Qwark announced with a loud, overconfident voice before shutting the cockpit of his ship and taking off into the fiery-orange sky.

Ratchet and Talwyn bent their arms in front of their faces to shield their eyes from the soil and dust hovering after the ship's departure while Clank looked at the bright tail the starship had drawn onto the sanguine sky.

"If I were to express an opinion" the robot broke the silence "I would say that this is totally unwise."

"Relax" Talwyn exhaled with a light, reassuring voice. "Qwark will only think he's training them. Vorn is conducting some sort of tolerance test and he thought Qwark's going make the test even more… challenging."

"Can't blame him" Ratchet let the remark slip out of his mouth. When he remembered what Talwyn had said earlier, the mood for wittiness abandoned him and he looked at Talwyn with a revitalized hope "Wait, you said you're going to be away from Igliak?"

"Yes. I'm coming with you. Whatever this is you've gotten yourselves into, I want to help" she confessed while looking at them both with pleading eyes, as if waiting for their agreement on her statement.

"In that case, we will meet you on Zanifar" Clank accepted Talwyn's help. "Now let us move. We cannot waste anymore time."

Ratchet agreed and followed the Zoni robot, advancing towards Aphelion.

"Ratchet, will you tell me what's going on? That armor you're wearing, didn't you tell me this is why you followed that stranger? What does it have to do with Tachyon?" Talwyn reached the border of shouting to eliminate the distance between her and Ratchet.

"No time! I'll tell you on our way there" was all Ratchet could yell back before following Clank's lead by getting into Aphelion.

Once Talwyn took command of her own ship, the sound of engines coming out of their motionless state permeated the area and overpowered the perpetual noise of fluid fire descending from the top of the Myzangard Volcano. The coal-black haze originating from the burnt earth the lava rivers left in their trail was torn by Aphelion and the Apogee starship. The ships flew towards the ornate space. Glowing stars soon appeared beyond the glass of the cockpit of each ship, seemingly showing the way towards Polaris.

TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT

The journey back to the Polaris Galaxy had a soothing effect on Ratchet for he experienced it as something akin to a homecoming. His return to familiar constellations, asteroid belts and sectors had lasted a while since the Twin Galaxies as well as Ceilif lay parsecs away from all he defined as home. This astral voyage had provided Ratchet and Clank with the opportunity to speak with Talwyn through their ships' communication systems, narrating everything that had occurred since their departure from Meridian City with an unknown man who claimed to hold information regarding Kaden and the Lombaxes.

With a newfound purpose leading her incentive, Talwyn swore to herself to reach the end of Tachyon's insane plan come what may. Even Ratchet, who never exhibited signs of fear and hesitation no matter how dire the circumstances he and Clank fought under, couldn't lie to himself; he was expecting the worst, especially after considering how much time had elapsed since the activation of Project After Omega. His ears senselessly drooped when Tachyon's voice surfaced to the conscious part of his mind.

"Now entering Korthos Sector. I'm detecting minor presence of Agorian ships patrolling" Aphelion informed through her speakers. Ratchet almost flinched due to the abrupt pull into reality but he welcomed the distraction.

"Agorians are the last thing we need right now" the starship's pilot stated. "Any way of evading them?"

"They seem to be heading for the Agorian Battleplex. If you don't lock on them, you will be able to land on Zanifar without the need to engage in space combat" Aphelion advised.

"I can already spot Zanifar, Ratchet. Do not change your course and keep your speed steady" Clank declared from the passenger's seat as his keen vision captured the gigantic orb floating steadily into the dark.

Ratchet was quick in enabling the ship's communication systems and with the push of a few buttons he managed to reach his co-traveller. "Tal, we're about to reach Zanifar. What's your status?"

The sound wasn't flawless as static was emitted through the speakers before the Markazian's voice was heard. "I'm already there. You won't like this, Ratchet. Just… make sure you land somewhere with shade. Don't leave the ship beneath the sunrays. And come fast."

The communication was ended abruptly and violent silence made the atmosphere heavy. Ratchet instinctively held the wheel much tighter, applying pressure while extending his finger to fully grasp it as though it would make the ship go faster. He didn't bother to glance at Clank, his mind was too occupied with different scenarios of what could have happened to the planet, apprehension weaving fearful thoughts that concerned Talwyn's safety.

His tail was relatively still, an event which unfolded on rare occasions and something Clank interpreted as a sign of sorrow. Silence was the most helpful factor of clarifying one's mental state most of the times and at this moment silence told Clank that Ratchet was so worried his concentration as well as his rational thinking could be clouded. "I am sure Miss Apogee knows how to keep herself away from danger. What I cannot fathom though is what she meant by telling us to land somewhere with shade."

"This is what's bugging me. Did she mean the sun's become dangerous? Is that even possible?" Ratchet emphasized after deciding to ignore all this anger caused by possibilities of Talwyn being harmed in any way. Although he knew she was capable of handling danger, worry still sneaked above all emotions pryingly when her safety was on the line. He surmised it must have been due to the different way he had begun seeing her a while ago…

"We have reached Zanifar's mesosphere" Aphelion's announcement once again dragged him out of stress-conjuring thoughts and he couldn't be more thankful for that.

"Can you spot Talwyn's ship?"

"Affirmative but I have to reach the planet's troposphere to accomplish that" Aphelion acknowledged.

Ratchet turned his gaze to Clank, uneasiness settling in his two emerald eyes. "We don't know what we're dealing with here. Stay alert."

TTTTTT ~~~ TTTTTT

The ground felt extraordinarily hot, even if sunbeams never found a way to reach the particular area. The heat even managed to somewhat penetrate Ratchet's hoverboots. He felt as though he was surrounded by an illusion, a persistent hallucination as the scenery in the far corners of what his eyes could reach seemed wavy and looked like the terrain there was literally melting. The two of them had set foot on the planet a while ago, embraced by an eerie stillness that challenged their composure. Ratchet had longed to encounter vast green valleys and small creeks and lakes as an affirmation that the planet had eluded Tachyon's wrath but before him lay only withered plant life.

"No sign of Talwyn" Ratchet noted with anguish becoming more apparent in his moves and voice.

"I am sure she is okay" Clank attempted to alleviate his friend's concern. "The ground is excessively heated, which is rather suspicious."

"Yeah, I noticed. Everything seems… off" Ratchet voiced his own suspicions as he took steps around and let his eyes wander around.

Clank didn't search for answers with such restlessness for his gaze fell far in the distance where the landscape looked like fragments of broken glass imperfectly pieced together due to the high temperature. Into the distorted, distant image a celestial body resembling a sun started to ascend. The sentient robot stepped to its direction hesitantly, all systems within him working hard, slightly loudly as a result of his utter confusion. Clank observed a red solar halo around the orb as it revealed itself. All that surrounded him and all that where above or beneath him froze in place, left aside as things unimportant. For a moment he thought his sensors caught Ratchet's voice but he hadn't listened to what the Lombax had said, absorbed by the peculiar sight before him. No matter how fast his gears turned, no explanation emerged.

"Clank?" Ratchet called and walked to his side.

He was left speechless as soon as he laid his eyes on the rising orb and its red light that fell on the surface, prevailing before resistance even began. "What the hell is that?" every word was spoken slowly and seemed to momentarily falter while his fists clenched as a result of sensing threat.

The mysterious orb ascended even more with a pace faster than that of a regular sun and spread its light to chase away every shadow in the region. The higher the globe moved the more it was covered by a vermillion colour, shining down the planet a peculiar light that made everything around look hazy. Ratchet glimpsed at the far off terrain again and could discern every detail as if seeing through crystal clear water. On the contrary, everything within close proximity looked like it was concealed by mild, maroon-coloured fog.

In a matter of seconds, the menacing light fell onto Ratchet and Clank and it instantly showed its merciless face. It was experienced by the two as a cruel touch, a burning hand invading them in split seconds. Ratchet cursed because of the sharp pain that crossed his form, though the ache seemed to slightly diminish on his torso and legs that were protected by the silver armor. Clank cried out in agony for his sisterboards became overly heated without a single warning. Before either of them could grasp a chance of reacting, they felt someone pulling them backwards with force and they gracelessly landed away from the life-stealing rays.

"Have you gone mad? I told you to stay in the shades!"

The frantic voice was heard very close to Ratchet and it gave a slight pain in his ears. Remainders of that strange, burning sensation lingered for a little longer before disappearing completely. He wearily half-opened his eyes and saw Talwyn with her jetpack activated and an expression of utter terror replacing her usually calm and benevolent look. "What is that?" he asked in between breaths he was taking in order to recover from the shock.

"I don't know, what I do know is that it's very dangerous" Talwyn exclaimed and rubbed her hands together as they were throbbing even if they held no different colour than her natural complexion. The pain had almost fully receded and she hoped the effect of the red rays would only be temporary.

Ratchet quickly searched for Clank and found him standing near the Markazian, his optic lids closed and totally immobile. Unlike Talwyn's nervous inspecting, Ratchet knew there was no reason to display any concern. Clank was merely performing an internal check-out of his systems so as to be aware of any malfunctions that could have been possibly caused by the lethal rays. He waited patiently until his friend could check on his wellbeing.

Clank soon opened his green optics. "Everything seems to be working properly."

"That's good to hear" the Lombax said relatively quietly. Talwyn had expected a more joyful reaction but thought the lack of zeal from his side was a due to the effect of the rays leaving him weary.

Clank set his pair of optics to the gigantic orb hovering near the place where the sun had risen. "This is an artificial sphere, a body orbiting the planet and emitting rays which I believe do not simply emit excessive heat. They permeate the outer layers of all living things, for instance the skin of an organic, and cause damage to the tissue beneath them" Clank was able to assess the nature of this original phenomenon during his short exposure to its deadly cause.

He took a look around and his optics narrowed as if experiencing the pain from all the destruction that had been caused around "Plants withering from inside out. People burning from inside out." The robot turned to look at Ratchet and Talwyn without making any effort to hide that he was feeling discouraged. "If it keeps orbiting Zanifar the shades will not be able to save the locals for long."

"I don't think those rays are going to be the locals' only problem" Talwyn pronounced silently with an alarmed stare fixed on moving figures, their identities concealed by the great distance.

The crimson beams bathed the barren area as they fell from a slowly darkening sky, making the wilted grass seem blood-painted. The crowd was identified by the three as a gathering small army when pairs of yellow-glowing eyes became visible. Dark-coloured armors covered the thickened skins of the Cragmites with all types of weapons firmly held by gloved and clawed hands.

Searching the cause of Talwyn's stillness, Ratchet spotted more of the mutated enemies he had encountered on planet Everos. The thought of one more battle rendered him weary and his limbs suddenly became too heavy. He inhaled deeply to get prepared for what was to follow.

"They seem immune to the rays" Clank's observant nature intervened.

"We'll fight them from the shadows" Ratchet instructed before positioning Clank onto his harness.

Carmine light and salutary shades rivaled each other on the battlefield. The crimson orb joined the sun in its radiant game. Shadows scattered in the plain, offering a chance of survival and an unforgiving end to the careless. Ratchet wasn't yearning to become part of this treacherous festivity but he never retreated from a fight and that day he wasn't up to any changes. Especially since lives were at stake. Driven by prowess and with unconcealed boldness, he rushed forward.

He activated his hoverboots to reach the first shadowed spot as rapidly as possible. Once out in the ruthless light he felt the stinging pain all over, especially on his face where scratches were still somewhat open. This only lasted a few seconds for rescuing shades were finally reached. Ratchet mentally thanked the Grey Mages for the armor's masterful design which, to an extent, protected his body from the orb's cruelty. Thinking he couldn't afford any delays or clemency he opted for the Warmonger. Once approached by a squad, Ratchet fired in a speed that betrayed no regret or guilt. In spite of the weapon's heavy impact, it took three rockets to send them to the ground and the Lombax feared he would run out of ammunition before all enemies could be dealt with.

Thus the CryoMine Glove firmly covered his hand and Ratchet held his position, preparing for his next attack. Gunshot taking place right behind him forced him to immediately turn around and evaluate the situation. A sole Cragmite had attempted to assault him from behind but was unsuccessful. Instead, he was knocked on the ground rendered unable to help his allies in the battle. Searching for an explanation, Ratchet looked farther to his left and noticed Talwyn holding her blaster and hiding in the shade of a tree.

No enemy approached Ratchet for the time being and so he seized the opportunity to gain ground and reach the next safe point with the use of his hoverboots. The way there promised no kindness though and he had to endure the unwanted effect of the rays. One thing that made him hold on was that Clank was able to remain out of the light's grasp the entire time for he was facing the opposite direction and Ratchet's stature worked as a shelter for the diminutive robot.

The Lombax exhaled audibly once he arrived at a more secure spot. Indiscreet steps acknowledged him that danger was far from eliminated. With the CryoMine Glove still in hand, he aimed at the direction of the Cragmites. His experience in combat didn't fail him and as soon as the enemies drew even closer, Ratchet was already in position and was hence allowed to fire frost spheres quickly. As soon as the hostile creatures were bound in a motionless state, crystallized by the weapon's freezing effect, Ratchet took a firm hold of his OmniWrench and threw it towards the icy statues. The melee weapon turned the figures to smithereens before returning to its wielder's hand.

"Ratchet, we're clear here but there are more ahead. I'm moving to the next spot" Talwyn informed through her own communication device and Ratchet clearly heard the sound of her jetpack penetrate the air.

He glanced at the red discus that had risen to bring the end of life on the planet. The deep breath he took wasn't enough to provide him with sufficient strength but unknowingly, he followed the same tactic he used before in order to advance. His exposure to the unforgiving light was more painful than ever and Ratchet couldn't suppress a cry of agony on his way there. At that moment, Clank could swear he felt a terrible wave within him as though his cables had been violently pulled by a careless technician. In order to save his friend from his agony, he used his helipack as a means of helping Ratchet gain more speed. Still, it felt like time physics had been twisted to lengthen his ordeal. Eventually he reached the shades and he couldn't help panting once he deactivated his hoverboots.

His moment of recollection didn't last long however. Another squad of enemies approached him and no good intention was written on their claws and weapons. Ratchet persisted using the CryoMine Glove, then his OmniWrench to deal with them and it seemed like his endeavours were paying off, though only until the courage-bending click was heard. Two Cragmites were still unharmed, taking slow steps towards the Lombax and producing a wicked smile.

The ceaseless steps of the enemies made their intentions crystal clear. Ratchet stepped backwards with a worried look and a plan already in his mind, his actions deliberate, only to deceive. The two savage creatures aimed at the Lombax but before any trigger could be pulled they saw rockets flying their way. A small explosion threw them on the ground and the smoke quickly dissolved to reveal a Warmonger in Ratchet's hands.

"We're not done yet, Ratchet. There are more coming from behind us" Talwyn's voice was heard, accompanied by a steady static on the background.

Even though it was a needless act, Ratchet fixated his gaze on the direction they had come from and the sight before him confirmed Talwyn's statement. Another battalion was walking towards them decisively, the flare of a predator's longing to slay and devour present in their yellow eyes. But Ratchet's longing to stay alive and overpower Tachyon's rage was stronger, a blaze empowered by his undying wish to save the ones in need. Or maybe by the message his father had left him, even if he wouldn't admit it.

"Can you make it across the bridge?" he asked his female companion.

Talwyn stared ahead and saw a metallic bridge that had been built so as to provide passage over a dangerous gap. It was leading to a smaller area where shades reigned thanks to a rocky surface that seemed to reach the clouds and prevented the orb from ruling it with its destructive light. A cave was also carved there, leading to a shelter provided by natural forces.

"It's a long shot, there's a considerable distance between the bridge and our position" Talwyn concluded, feeling disheartened.

"It's our only shot! There's too many of them, we can't fight them forever" Ratchet's own daunted spirit found its way to his mind, determining his decisions.

There was silence between the two and only heavy footfall resonated on the field as an omen of impending devastation. Ratchet looked at the Markazian who remained out of the light's reach several meters away from him. Even if hope had deserted him a dominant instinct kept his trembling on check and motivated him to fight towards his survival. He felt too close to collapsing but there was one small, hardly lit flame within that made him keep on fighting even if exhaustion was written all over his face. When he looked at Talwyn, he got an idea of what he himself must have looked like as her face mirrored the same exertion and hopelessness.

A few seconds passed them by, one after the other, but not even hours would be enough to mentally prepare themselves to get out into the deathly light. Talwyn was the first to perform the dive into pure danger as she tore the air with her jetpack, neglecting the excessive pain on her face and her exposed hands while flying above the gap. At the same time Ratchet mustered enough strength to activate his hoverboots and make his way to the bridge as fast as he could, feeling as though the streams of lava from Everos were flowing on his own face now, then traversing his entire form slowly. So keen was the sense of burning he could swear his scratches were bleeding.

The gap was finally crossed and Talwyn found solace in the shadows, though her skin still hurt extensively. Even if her skin held no red marks she felt a prolonged pain strain her body. The white in her eyes reddened dangerously and standing upright required great effort. She observed Ratchet who had reached the other side of the bridge but stopped where he was. Suddenly, she found herself closer to the ground as her knees collided with the cool soil. Bewildered she noticed Ratchet standing only mere steps away from the shadows after he had crossed the bridge. Yet she didn't see him take those rescuing steps to his salvation and wonder what was running through his mind. She tried to call but only shallow air escaped her lips. Her knees weren't sufficient to keep her face away from the soil so she found herself placing her palms on the ground, losing eye contact with Ratchet.

"What are you doing?" Clank blurted impatiently after he made his way to the ground, putting himself under the orb's effect as well.

"Making sure we'll win this" Ratchet responded in determination, his voice sounding somewhat frail from the ceaseless pain. He grabbed his OmniWrench and quickly began turning a gear that was attached to the bridge, each movement making the suspended path move. "Go in the shades, Clank!"

"This is too dangerous" the robot insisted. His brief exposure to the red orb's light had already begun to cause great discomfort. He inwardly wondered how Ratchet and Talwyn had managed to endure the weakening effect while fighting.

"I said go in the shades! Now!" Ratchet snapped at his friend while glaring at him.

Clank almost stepped backwards but not because of Ratchet's abrupt speaking. His eyes were starting to become bloodshot and his facial wounds were slightly bleeding. Seeing his friend like this dragged him to the brink of desperation.

Even though he knew Clank hadn't moved as he had ordered, Ratchet continued with his task and the bridge was being pulled beneath the ground he stood on, dragging its end away from the field they fought on earlier. The army had stopped on their tracks, unable to overpass the great gap.

Ratchet sent a tired stare at the Cragmites' direction and saw that some of them were trying to gain momentum to jump on the other side. He knew he had to fully retract the bridge or else their strife would have been for nothing. The taste of copper made him look away. When he saw drops of blood on the mechanism he was handling he realised his scratches were bleeding and even Kaden's Armor couldn't stop his temperature from rising, intensifying his exhaustion.

One more turn and the bridge would be secured and away from any Cragmite's reach. No matter how much Ratchet tried to gather strength from this thought, it wasn't enough to move his arms one last time. His power had been drained and instead of pushing his OmniWrench he was now leaning on it.

Clank ignored his friend's fiery command and placed both hands on the tool, pushing it with as much power as he could muster. He looked at Ratchet with imploring, desolate eyes as he tried to make the OmniWrench move. Looking at Ratchet caused his internal systems to work irregularly for the Lombax looked as if he had nearly passed out on his own weapon.

No growling Cragmites could be heard. No heat could be sensed. No taste was provided by the blood in his mouth. The only thing he perceived into his swirling, semi-oblivious state was his breathing.

"Don't worry, I won't kill him. If he's young enough when I find him, I'll tell him what your filthy kind did to the Cragmites and I'll teach him how to kill. And he will kill for me only to find the Dimensionator and bring back the Cragmites."

"You'll never find him or the Dimensionator."

"Too bad you won't be alive to see how wrong you are. Hmm now that I think of it, I might consider sparing you if you agree to kneel before your emperor" Tachyon commanded and then laughed viciously.

Kaden's unstable breathing could be clearly heard. Ratchet could tell he was fighting back sobs. "Lombaxes never kneel."

A small ounce of strength reanimated his hands. With eyes shut and with no control of his body he gripped the OmniWrench tightly to prevent a fall.

And unexpectedly, Ratchet felt it move.

A loud click filled his ears and was simultaneously picked up by Clank's sensors. The bridge had been secured. He didn't find it possible. He thought that being dangerously close to fainting, he was experiencing hallucinations.

"Ratchet, we are safe now. Can you walk?"

The voice had been too distant, to distorted to recognise. But he strangely found himself willing to listen. He felt a handle gripped on his one hand and movement. He wondered if he had managed to walk before falling straight to the ground to join Talwyn into stunning stillness, gravity too powerful to withstand. Everything but his breathing disappeared again. He breathed in and out before the sound of inhales and exhales faded into the distance as well.

After finding solace into the shadows Clank was the first to overcome the shock. His sight fell on the field on the other side of the gap. He found no enemy awaiting there, only a strange yet comforting silence residing on the plain. He took an inspecting glimpse of Ratchet and Talwyn who were lying unconscious near him.

Before worry could overtake him, an unfamiliar presence was detected and Clank turned his head towards the cave's opening. His sensors never sent faulty signals. It was only a Fongoid that had hesitantly crept out. The robot stared at him for a while, his gears racing to discover the local's motive. The Fongoid hid inside again and then used his staff to push two crates out of the cave before walking out of Clank's sight.

Clank recognised the crates and laughed in his usual, typical manner. He watched the boxes for a little longer, greeting luck as it finally decided to show its face.

Nanotech.


A/N: My ideas are so original I finished the chapter with Ratchet falling unconscious for the fifth time. I am a great writer, aren't I. It won't happen again, this is the last time.

And for those who are rightfully going to call this a Haestrom mission copy, I swear I wrote down the idea of this chapter way before playing Mass Effect 2. I tried to differentiate the two by adding that small detail Clank noticed, about the rays leaving the outer layers unharmed while burning the tissue beneath.