As the trio reached the top of the Elevator, they stepped through a door into an area that didn't even look like the city anymore. The walls were bright green, with metal spines running up and down at even intervals. The floor they could walk on was green and grey, a narrow walkway surrounding a wide pit filled with a shimmering green, bubbling acid. Scattered throughout the acid pit were spires, with sparking Dark Eco crystal formations at the top.
"...dude..." Shining gasped out. "This is just freaky..."
"I really don't like the feel of this place," Daxter grumbled, shivering.
"We're here to do something about it," Jak reminded them, hiding how the sight of the place disturbed him in an attempt to be strong for his companions.
As Jak spoke, the comm unit sparked to life. "Jak, this is Ashelin. It's good to know you're alright. You're behind enemy lines now, so watch out. You need to take out a cache of Dark Eco near the south border. We have reports that the Metalheads are using it to create terrible Dark Eco weapons to infect the city."
"Infect?" Shining asked worriedly. "If Errol is commanding the Metalheads for the fallen Precursors on the Day Star, it's beginning to sound like the plan is terraforming, like what the Baron had planned for the Wasteland once the Metalheads were dealt with to make it habitable...but not in a good way."
"Quite possible," Ashelin replied, "which is why we have to stop them at all costs. Good luck, soldiers."
With the comm signal lost, Jak rolled his head on his neck to loosen up. "Shall we get to work?" he asked.
"Yes, let's," Shining agreed, pulling out his weapons. "Something tells me this is going to be a long one."
The trio carefully made their way around the walkway, searching for a way to reach the Dark Eco crystal formations visible in the acid pit. As they moved, gorilla shaped Metalheads raced towards them, using the terrain for camouflage to get close enough to attack physically. The tactic was frustratingly effective, as many got in a few good hits until Shining cast a shield around the trio with his magic, stopping the first assault from the Metalheads and allowing Jak or Daxter to blast them apart.
At one point around the walkway, Jak noticed a thin purple cable of some sort of excretion connecting the walkway to platforms above the acid. "I think I can get across with the Jetboard..." he murmured, staring across.
"Give it a go, then," Shining suggested. "I'll be fine over here for a while, and I'll watch your back."
"And I'll watch his!" Daxter added, hopping from Jak's shoulder to Shining's back.
Nodding, Jak pulled out the board and rode across. On the other side, he found himself right next to the first of the spires with Dark Eco at the top. Managing to clamber up it, he smashed the Dark Eco crystallization, absorbing the stray Dark Eco into his own body before hopping back down.
"Nice one!" Shining called out.
"Thanks!" Jak called back. "There's another cable over here. You follow the walkway, I'll take the cables!"
"On it!" Shining called back.
After crossing the next cable, he found himself at the top of a spire near a strange flower-like object, blowing steam. When Jak approached it, he found himself launched across the acid pit to another platform a good distance away.
"Jak!" Shining called out, racing along the walkway to keep up. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine!" Jak called back, shaking himself to get rid of the tension the launch caused. "Just a little shaken up! I'm okay!" He took a look at his new location, finding a new cable leading to the next platform, but with an electrified nodule along the path. "Gonna jump that..." he murmured as he pulled the Jetboard out again.
The pattern of movement continued, with Jak taking the cables and steam flowers from platform to platform, with Shining following closely along the walkway, crushing Metalheads. Whenever Jak came close to falling, Shining would reach out with his magic to stabilize him. When Jak reached a new Dark Eco crystallization, he would smash it. When a steam flower launched Jak a great distance, he'd wait for Shining to catch up to him, using his own guns to provide covering fire for his unicorn brother.
After the third crystallization, the steam flowers launched Jak back to the walkway, allowing him to rejoin Shining as they continued. When they reached new steam flowers along the walkway, Shining would step back and let Jak launch first. If he landed on the walkway on the other side, Shining would follow. If he landed amidst the spires and platforms, Shining would race along the walkway to keep up with him.
After smashing the fourth crystallization, Jak found himself launched to very low platforms near the acid pool. Seeing how close he was to death in the acid, he carefully hopped from one platform to the next, taking time to balance himself on each one and making sure Shining had him in line of sight to catch him if he messed up. Seeing a large steam flower near the last spire, Jak cautiously made his way towards it.
Before jumping onto it, he looked up at Shining. "If this launches me wrong, catch me!" he called out.
"Got it!" Shining called back.
"Can we hurry it up?" Daxter shouted as he blasted another Metalhead. "I'm beginning to feel a little faint. I think I might be running low on Eco."
"You can do that?" Jak exclaimed, surprised and worried.
"I haven't used it so much without rest since I started paw blasting!" Daxter responded. "I think I need time to regenerate!"
"Right!" Jak proclaimed, leaping into the flower. It launched him straight to the last crystallization, and he promptly smashed it. He then hopped down to check on Daxter. "You okay, buddy?"
"I'll live," Daxter replied as he shifted to the ground. "Just...just get that new one that just popped up while I get some air," he added, pointing to a new crystallization that had cropped up when the fifth one had been smashed.
Nodding, Jak raced over and smashed it, only to stagger back as the Dark Eco began to infuse him. He found himself forcefully transformed into Dark Jak, only to charge Dark Eco into his clawed hands. Desperately, he threw it forward, releasing a spiraling blast that smashed a nearby wall down, providing a way for the trio to escape the nest.
"You okay, Jak?" Shining asked worriedly as Jak turned back to normal.
"...yeah," Jak agreed. "Just...had to purge the overload. ...think I know how to do that again. Takes a lot of Dark Eco, but it seems effective." He shook his head and scooped Daxter up to his shoulder. "For now, let's get out of here."