The Dark Warriors

I. The Desert Star

"Whoa! Look at the readings on this!" Daxter cried jabbing at the radar. He was a foot tall orange and yellow Ottsel wearing leather gloves and small riding goggles, "Jackpot!"

Jak pulled up his goggles and looked at the pulsing green blotch on the map, "Hmm...It seems to be just over that ridge." He said pointing at the ridge where an ancient rusted bridge jutted out of the ground.

They were in the Dune Hopper, one of the larger vehicles at his disposal with the front wheels on the ends of stalks to insure maximum height when jumping. It didn't take very long to get to the source of the readings, Jak pulled down his goggles and pulled his red scarf up over his mouth and nose as he climbed out of the vehicle, "How odd..."

Before them a long metal cylinder protruded from the ground and was engraved in numerous precursor runes. Jak recognized it as one of the containers Baron Praxis used to dispose of failed experiments with! He went up to the container and pried off the front plate, "Holy shit...!"

Within moments he was on the ground, a withered man pinned him there with inhuman strength as he hissed at him in a strange language. He had matted hair that was a deep indigo purple color and extremely fair skin, he glared at Jak with red-black eyes like burning coals.

Jak felt trapped by the man's eyes, even if he had attacked him, Jak felt something...Familiar.

"DEI?! WHAT DID I SAY ABOUT ATTACKING PEOPLE?!" A shrill, whiney voice cried.

Jak rubbed his bruising wrists as the man let him go, he then saw the source of the voice. A scruffy black kitten no larger than Daxter was standing not too far away. He had large ears, a really long tail, and mismatched eyes, the right one was a light blue while the left was a light green.

The man, who the cat called "Dei," crawled over to the cat in visible pain, "Shadow...?"

Jak frowned as the man fainted, Shadow lifted the man's face out of the sand and wiped dark blood from his mouth, "You two?! Can you help us?!"

Jak looked over at Daxter, who glared at the cat in silence, "Dax, bring the Dune Hopper around."

"But Jak-"

He shot the Ottsel a hard look that shut him right up. Daxter grumbled as he scampered off, wishing that it could have been a hot chick instead of some desert creep.

Shadow looked up at Jak, "Your friend's quite the smart ass, isn't he?"

"Yeah...but I'm used to it."

Jak shielded himself as the Dune Hopper skidded to a stop before them, spraying them with sand, "Perfect, as usual." Daxter scoffed hopping out of the driver's seat, "So what are we going to do with cat-for-brains and his pet?"

Jak got to his feet as Shadow fumed, "We need to help them."

"WHAT?!" Daxter climbed up to his shoulder and smacked him, "WHY?!"

"This man was clearly a prisoner of Baron Praxis." He replied gesturing to the torn, blood stained outfit he wore with red runes printed on the front.

"How did you know?" Shadow asked looking up at him with awe.

"Because I was once a 'guest' in the Baron's prison as well..." Jak looked away as dark memories flooded his mind.

For two long years he endured terrible experimentation at the hands of Baron Praxis...

Dark Eco tainted his once pure soul...

Bur for another to suffer as he had was unbearable...

Jak cursed as a bolt of Dark Eco electricity sparked from the tips of his fingers and came in contact with the man. His whole body jolted for a moment before he relaxed again.