Samos paced back and forth in front of the meditation chamber he and Elder had prepared for Keira. With how advanced her Eco abilities were becoming, it was time for her to take her Spirit Quest, to fully manifest her nature as a Green Sage. The revelation that Jak and Daxter were both also Sages had raised the question of sending them on Spirit Quests, but Elder suggested that technically the events since their arrival in this time was far harsher and more testing of their true natures and abilities than any Spirit Quest could ever be. Samos had not been happy initially about accepting Daxter as a fully realized Sage, but Daxter had - surprisingly - addressed the role with an appropriate degree of maturity. Whatever respect that had gained him with Samos had been erased when he'd promptly 'celebrated' with Tess in a manner most unbecoming of a Sage. (Samos would staunchly deny any resemblance Daxter's behavior with Tess had to his own behavior with Keira's mother while she'd been alive.)
However, the state of the world at present left no question as to what the nature of Keira's Spirit Quest would have to be...and it was something that filled Samos with dread. "Are you certain of this, Elder?" he asked anew, despite this being the third time they were having this discussion.
"I am afraid so," Elder replied. "Gol and Maia have confirmed it with their own studies. The planet's Eco appears to be running out, and Dark Eco is acting up. It appears we are on the verge of a planetary collapse."
"What could have caused this?" Samos demanded worriedly.
"There is no way to tell from here," Elder explained. "The only way to figure out what has gone wrong would be investigation of the Eco Core, a device meant to regulate the Eco flows of this world."
"Shouldn't such an artifact be near to the center of the planet, and well protected?" Samos demanded.
"It would normally," Elder admitted, "but...we believe that its protections may have come undone by the Brink."
"And that leads me to yet another question," Samos continued. "What, exactly, is the Brink?"
Sighing, Elder once more conjured the image of the planet. "Most Precursor designed worlds take this spherical shape," Elder explained. "It's most efficient regarding both Eco flow and the balance of other natural forces. However, this world was built...in some haste, due to the ravages of the Dark Makers. The Prism Ghost who infused this world hoped his descendants that took shape in the life of this world would be able to find a way to combat the Dark Makers, and thus save all worlds. Since it was a refuge, he had to make do with what materials we were able to bring with us, and discreetly gather from the area. The end result..."
The image of the perfect globe changed. An entire section of the globe was now missing, like a massive puzzle piece had been plucked away. Instead, floating islands of stone dotted the empty void in that location. "The Brink is how we refer to the part of the world we weren't able to finish. With how Keira has been able to work with the planet elsewhere, we had been thinking of going to finish it now, if Eco allowed. However...the Eco Core could possibly be accessed through that gap. If something has happened to it..."
Samos nodded in understanding. "I see why that is a concern...but why must Keira be the one to go investigate it?"
"Because the Eco Core is equal parts spiritual artifact and machine," Elder explained. "Even I don't have a full understanding of its workings. The Precursor Spirit who infused this world crafted it. And a Spirit Quest is the awakening of a Sage's full potential. In the moment of awakening, they will be able to accomplish things that would normally be impossible for them. Her moment of awakening must be finding and repairing the Eco Core so that the world's Eco is stabilized. Her Eco abilities and machine fascination is the only ability combination that would allow this. In this moment, she is far more important to the world's survival than Jak ever was."
"And in an odd way, without her even Jak would never have come to be as he is," Samos admitted. "So I can see why she has to do this. But...I don't like sending her off alone. The Brink is dangerous."
"Yes," Elder agreed. "If Eco is destabilizing, it will be most unstable at the Brink, and anyone who is still alive there is likely to be desperate for any stable source of Eco they can use. Any Eco she brings with her is likely to become a target, and if they learn she is a not yet awakened Sage..."
Samos shuddered. "Definitely don't want that to happen. I just wish there was some way I could keep her safe!" He sighed, shaking his head. "But a Sage has to take their Spirit Quest alone. I can't go with her to safeguard her, or she won't find herself..."
Elder rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "Not entirely," he mused. "As I recall, a Sage in training is to take their quest 'under the protection of the Precursors', correct?"
"Well, yes, but that's more meant as a state of mind rather than a physical thing," Samos explained. "Though I'd feel safe if you went with her, it would violate the rules of the Spirit Quest, with how powerful you are."
"And beyond that, I'm fully trained," Elder confirmed. "But if a Precursor whose training was incomplete were to go with her...and a Sage whose Spirit Quest was incomplete and covered the same matters from a different direction..."
"Well, both of those would be acceptable," Samos admitted. "But what do you have in mind?"
"If we assume Jak's Spirit Quest was 'saving the world', then it is not yet complete so long as this matter is unresolved, correct?" Elder offered. "Would that not mean his Quest would take him to the Brink as well? With Daxter and Shining accompanying him, as they always have been?"
Samos' face slowly split into a wide grin. "And if both their Quests are heading in the same direction...there's nothing in the rules against two Sages in training Questing together."
"I thought you might see it that way," Elder agreed, smiling as well. "I'm certain the continent can spare them both for a time."