The Dark Warriors

VIII. Back to The Grind

Keira sighed with relief when they finally made it back to her mechanic shop. Sig had Dei wrapped in the wool blanket they brought with them in the transporter. Blood and sweat dripped down his face as Sig brought him in, "Where do you want em?"

"Lay him on the couch. I'll call my dad."

Sig laid him out, but stopped as Dei cried out. Keira looked back at them just as he tackled Sig, "SIG!!"

He knocked him back, but wasn't able to get very far before Dei suddenly changed into...something else...

Black antlers sprouted as his hair frizzed out silver as a bluish grey complexion spread across his skin, he uttered a fierce roar as he lunged at him. Shadow leapt out and grabbed him, "Calm down Dei! Please calm down!"

He screamed as Shadow forced him against the ground, he lashed out at the cat with tooth and claw, grunting under the strain of his enlarged muscles, "Let go of me..." He hissed in a hollow voice, "Please..."

Shadow grabbed a metal rod and bent it around Dei's wrists, forming a tight ring, "Shh...Shh...please calm down..."

Sig took out his Peacemaker, "What the hell is that thing?"

Shadow sighed, "A Dark Warrior."

Keira frowned, this couldn't be the same creature that Jak became whenever he became angered...

Suddenly a slow, sarcastic clapping echoed from behind them. They looked back to see Veger standing with four Krimson Guard, "Yes Keira, that is the same thing your Dark Eco Freak turns into. Only this one is his predecessor." He signaled to the Guards and they pointed their guns at them, "Now. Give him to us or we'll open fire."

Keira looked down at him and frowned, she couldn't give him up this easily, "What're you going to do with him?"

"Correct our mistake."

Dei slowly heaved himself to his feet even as Shadow protested, "Let me go Keira..." His Dark form began to recede, "Tell Jak that...I'm sorry..."

"I will."

He nodded to her, "Stay here Shadow."

"What about-"

"Hav Thu Shad'row..." He said as Errol grabbed him.

Keira watched them leave with tears in her eyes, she failed Jak...

-•-•-JAK'S POV-•-•-

Jak stood in the old Precursor Monk Temple in silence, Daxter was sitting on his shoulder, but he ignored the Ottsel's ranting as he stood, looking upon the massive statue in silence.

It was a Precursor.

Its face resembled that of a gas mask, but with larger eyes and a longer snout that hung down its face. It stood over a hundred feet in the air with spinning platforms around it. Jak was about to step onto the first non moving platform when his communicator went off.

He took it out and answered it, "Who is this?"

"Dark Eco Freak."

Jak sighed as he let the communicator float from his hand, "What do you want now Errol?"

Errol laughed evilly, his metallic voice grinding together, "Well...I just wanted to torture you a bit. Hey Deitonin! Come here!"

Jak's gritted his teeth as he heard a harsh breath rumble through the communicator, "Hey Jak..."

"H-hey Dei..." Jak said, cursing to himself for letting his voice crack.

Errol laughed evilly, "Ha ha...I knew he was dear to you..." His breath harshened, "If you want to see him again, come to the prison."

Jak frowned as he walked up the platform, "Fine then, I'll be there tonight."

"See you then."

Jak turned off his communicator and sighed, "What power do you have for me now?"

The statue's eyes opened, shining pale blue-white light over them, "I bestow upon you the power of flight..."

Jak felt a cooling sensation flow over his entire body as the Light Eco in his blood stream activated...

A weightless sensation drifted around him as airy wings flowed from his back, he took a running jump from the platform and took flight. Daxter screamed in fear as Jak soared upward and back to the front of the room. He took off running through the temple and leapt high into the air and soared up through the crater of the volcano.

"WHAT'RE YOU DOING?!" Daxter screamed as they sailed down through the heavens, the wind howled through their ears as it tugged at their hair and clothes.

He soared upward and out over the sea surrounding the island Spargus resided on...

-•-•-KEIRA'S POV-•-•-

Keira heard a strange humming noise outside her shop, she looked up from her newest Zoomer project and saw a glowing blue figure walking into her shop with translucent wings flowing behind him.

He looked at her with glowing white eyes for a moment before the light dispersed. Daxter fell from Jak's shoulder as he staggered forward, wheezing. She grabbed him by the shoulders as he began it fall, "Snap out of it Jak! Hey!"

His eyes opened and he looked at her, "What a head rush..." He said holding his head as he leaned against the counter.

Daxter rolled over into his back, "That's an understatement."

Jak picked him up and laid him across his shoulder, "Alright. I understand that." He then snapped his fingers, "Keira, do you know how Errol got a hold of Deitonin?"

She grew sheepish, "Veger came with the Krimson Guard and took him away from us..."

"WHAT?!" He roared baring his teeth.

Tears came to her eyes, "Please Jak...please don't become what he became..."

Hurt showed in his eyes, Jak stepped back, "I can't make any promises to you...I am a Dark Warrior and I always will be..."

She watched him leave, hoping he wouldn't cause too much injury to himself...