//------------------------------// // Spargus: Shadows // Story: Sons of Damas // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Jak groaned as he slowly awoke, his body surrounded by water as energy flowed through his head. His eyes slowly fluttered open, and he found himself staring up at Damas. "Nnng...hey Dad..." he mumbled, not fully awake. The energy flowing through his head shifted. "Dad?" Seem asked, their voice surprised. "I trust you will be keeping that to yourself?" Damas demanded, his voice stern as he gripped his weapon tight. "This young man has done what the Precursors proclaimed impossible," Seem replied. "He wielded Light and Dark Eco combined, without losing himself to Dark Corruption...and lived. As far as I am concerned, the only one who claims the loyalty of my Order more than he is the Precursors themselves." Damas stared at Seem for a time. "Very well," he replied at last, kneeling down beside Jak. "How are you holding up, son?" "My whole body feels like an abscessed tooth," Jak groaned out. "...except for my teeth, oddly enough. They feel great. Even the one that was missing..." He shifted his tongue around in his mouth. "...which is back somehow..." "The six colors of Eco are the power of creation," Seem explained. "Light and Dark are not meant to be combined, not without the other four colors to balance them." "Speaking of, you were completely out of ammo when Shining and Daxter brought you back in," Damas explained. "The shells were all there, but they were empty." "That would explain it," Seem replied. "And why your life energy is so low. You burned out your own Green Eco and the Eco in your ammunition to stabilize wielding your Light and Dark Eco together. Until you learn to better control your new Eco abilities, however, I suggest you keep such transformations to a minimum." Seem finally pulled their hands away, letting Jak sit up. "It doesn't do much good for all the signs to be there for a savior if they get themselves killed before saving the world." "Right," Jak agreed, pushing himself out of the water. "I'll be more careful...what about Keira?" "She's just fine," Damas told him. "Daxter said that she went back with Ashelin to Haven after using her Green Eco Powers alongside Daxter's Light Eco to replenish you somewhat. Once they realized something of what you did, they knew they needed someone who knew about Dark and Light Eco to help you...which meant Seem." "Don't make a habit of needing my help, though," Seem snapped. "You're only the best option until you break. We don't have time to put you back together every time." "I...guess it's time to visit the Precursor statue again, then," Jak mused slowly sitting up. "The Precursors spoke to me from there, and gave Shining and I access to Light Eco. Maybe they'll be able to help me with this." "Shining and Daxter are waiting for you below," Damas replied. As Jak started to go, however, he seized his son's arm. "But before you go, I want your word that you won't use your Eco Powers for anything but solving puzzles until you've met with the Precursors and they've helped you handle this new twist to your abilities." Jak stared up at his father, then nodded. "Okay, Dad," he replied firmly, returning the arm grip. "I have no intention of coming back in pieces." "Good!" Damas insisted firmly. "I only have two sons, and only one of them looks to be giving me grandkids anytime soon." Groaning, Jak buried his face in his hands. "Shoulda seen that coming..." he muttered, turning to leave even as Damas laughed. At the bottom of the elevator out of Damas' tower, Shining and Daxter greeted Jak warmly. Both quickly embraced him, followed by firmly ordering, "Don't do that again!" Jak managed to laugh it off, returning the embrace. "Alright guys," he said softly. "Let's go get the Dune Hopper so the Precursors can give me a check up. I think I've worried everyone enough as is." "Speaking of which," Shining replied, reaching into his saddlebags. "Keira and Ashelin brought a couple of things for you." When he lifted his head out of his saddlebags, he levitated over the Jetboard and the Mar Medallion Jak's younger self had given him. "You also dropped this when you fainted." Jak chuckled as he took both. "I'll be sure to hang onto these this time-" "And I'm driving!" Daxter insisted. "How are you going to reach the pedals?" Jak countered. "...Shining's driving!" Daxter shot back, pouting, making Jak laugh. The trip to the Precursor Temple proved uneventful, mostly because Shining surrounded the Dune Hopper with a glowing shield that repelled anything that impacted against it. Once there, the trio made their way to the first large room, where Jak had used his abilities and weapons to take out a circle of attack drones. As they entered the chamber, the Mar Medallion began to glow, reacting with a sealed door. When Jak held it before the door, the door opened. "Huh," he muttered. "Think we'll be getting a new power too, bro?" "Maybe," Shining admitted. Following the revealed staircase downward, Jak found that the path led to a large room with neck-deep water covering most of the floor, reminiscent of a chamber in Mar's Tomb. Various motes of light were scattered around, marked with the colors of a symbol above the door at the opposite end. "So we have to collect those to open the door," Jak mused. "Shining, can you grab them with your magic?" Shining focused, attempting to do so, only for his magic to slip right off. "Nope," he replied. "I think they have to be collected physically. Probably set to react to Green Eco or something. You can probably grab them all with the Jetboard. I'll swim across." "I think I'll take the dry ride," Daxter muttered, hopping to Jak's shoulder. Chuckling, Jak hopped onto his Jetboard, zipping across the surface of the water. His skills on the board hadn't diminished, and he'd collected all the light motes by the time Shining had finished his swim, and met him at the other end as the door opened. "Too easy," Jak proclaimed smugly. "Show off," Shining teased, shaking himself dry. Beyond the door, a short path led to a small room with a Light Eco spring, and beyond that was the statue chamber. As they stepped onto the platform, the voice once more echoed from the statue. "We meet again, great warriors, but sadly your coming may be too late," the statue intoned. "You will soon meet the seed of our downfall. It approaches quickly, and I fear we no longer have the power to resist. Allow us to give you what power we can, in the hopes that you might accomplish what we could not-" The statue paused, and the eyes glowed as it stared at Jak. "...the fuck did you do?" it demanded, the voice sounding stunned. Daxter blinked. "...wow. So much for the image of aloof, jaded, all-knowing beings." Jak blinked. "Umm...I tried to combine the Light and Dark Eco inside me...but it brought out the other four colors..." "You have unlocked within you the powers of the Shadow of Creation," the statue intoned. "This power is great, but very dangerous, for to use it is to burn all Eco in your possession, including the Green of your very life. You must be cautious in its use. Until that power is more stabilized inside you as your Light becomes equal to your Darkness, allow us to give you some margin of safety." Light flooded into Jak and Shining. "Eco Warriors, we have given you both a new Light power...power over time itself. And for you, young Jak, we have placed a limiter on the Shadow you have created inside you. Unless the need is truly dire, the Shadow will withdraw before your life is fully burned, as you had last time." Jak staggered against Shining, hand going to his head as he let the Eco power settle inside of him.