//------------------------------// // Spargus: End Game // Story: Sons of Damas // by Tatsurou //------------------------------// Once on the ground, Jak and the others made a beeline for Onin's tent to get more information from Samos and Onin. Once there, Samos' face was grave. "Boys, we're in serious trouble." "Onin says there are strange forces at work," Pecker translated as Onin shaped strange images in light from her fingertips. "Fate has been twisted by something more powerful than anything she has seen in her many years." He let off a startled squawk. "Something now awake deep in the catacombs." "Well, we needed to get down there anyway," Jak muttered. "Guess now we know the path's open." "The best access to the Catacombs is on the Metalhead side of the city," Samos pointed out worriedly. "Despite the damage you've done, it's still dangerous. Be careful." "We will be," Shining promised. "What's the worst that could happen?" Daxter joked. Everyone turned to stare angrily at him. Daxter blinked for a time. "...I can't believe I just said that..." "Now I'm even more upset that Onin's sending me with you," Pecker grumbled angrily. Sighing, he took to the air. "You three get to the Catacombs Entrance and take care of business. I'll meet you there once the coast is clear." When the trio reached the path to the Catacombs, they found the area patrolled by exceptionally large Metalheads, each easily tougher than any enemy they had faced before. In fact, they were much the same types that had guarded the path into the Metalhead nest when they'd gone after Kor. It was plain it would not be an easy trek. "The only hombres tough and crazy enough to take on these things are the Wastelanders!" Daxter insisted angrily. Jak paused, blinked...and grinned widely. "You're a genius," he praised, pulling out the completed Battle Amulet. As he pressed it, however, it let out a buzzing sound, a blinking red light...and then nothing. "...should we go back and have Keira give it a look?" Shining suggested. "No time," Jak grumbled. "Guess we're on our own for now." Drawing his Morph Gun and switching to the Beam Reflexor, he charged in, Shining beside him. The path to the Catacombs entrance was wide and open roofed, proving to be easy to maneuver but difficult to take advantage of. The walls were too far apart for the Beam Reflexor to be too effective, and without a roof, the shots frequently escaped upward, forcing Jak to instead rely on other weapons and new strategies to deal with the exceptionally large or agile Metalheads. Eventually, they settled on a new strategy. Jak would make his way down the middle of the path slowly, shooting at the Metalheads with his Blaster to goad them into charging him. When they did, Shining would hurl Daxter from the side of the path, and Daxter would drive in Light Blades first, plunging through the larger Metalheads. The more agile ones were able to leap back out of the way...generally into the sweep of Jak's Eco Blade. This tactic proved effective in the more open areas, while the Beam Reflexor proved more useful between piles of debris. Once their strategy was nailed down, the trio was able to move forward, the only obstacles being walls in the debris on narrow paths that Jak had to use Dark Blast to break through and large pits he needed to use his Light Wings to fly over. Thankfully, there were several Dark and Light Eco Vents to recharge his Eco from. A more concerning obstacle occurred when a perfectly stable seeming platform collapsed under Jak's feet as he landed on it. He nearly fell into a pit without a visible bottom, if not for Shining catching him in his telekinetic aura. "Yikes!" Jak murmured once Shining had him on stable ground. "Did not see that coming. ...any ideas how to get across those?" "...very carefully?" Daxter suggested. "I can probably hold the platform stable with my magic while you're on it," Shining offered. "Still might want to leap across quickly." "Right," Jak agreed, bracing himself. The tactic worked well, enabling the group to keep going, doing their best to balance caution and speed. After blasting through one last wall, the trio found Pecker waiting for them. "Where have you been?" he demanded angrily. "I've molted three times already just waiting for you!" "Not all of us have wings, you know," Daxter replied snidely. "Onin says we must get through the Palace Ruins," Pecker continued, ignoring the jibe. "But I think-behind you!" With that, he took to the air. Spinning, Jak, Shining, and Daxter found themselves confronted by two fully operational Dark Satellites, weapons primed and aimed right at them. Shining immediately threw out his shield, and Jak backed him up with his own Light Shield, Daxter pouring his own Light Eco into them both to keep them replenished. "They're...just going to wait until we run out of juice before blasting us, aren't they?" Daxter asked worriedly. "...probably," Jak confirmed. "And...if we try to make a run for it, we won't get far?" "Nope," Shining confirmed. Daxter swallowed convulsively. "Then guys...I just want to say...it's been wonderful knowing you both. If I could turn back time and change things...I don't think I would." "Except maybe getting someone to make you tiny pants?" Jak offered jokingly. "Yeah...it'd be nice if I died with pants on," Daxter agreed...pulling his paws back and drawing in his Eco. "Daxter!" Shining gasped out. "What are you-" "SPARGUS!" Daxter screamed out, hurling himself out of the shield and at the Dark Satellites, Light Blades fully charged as the Satellites turned their weapons towards him. His eyes shut tight as he flew towards what he was certain would be his death. A huge crashing noise tore through the air. Something large passed over Daxter's head, and he heard the Dark Satellites explode. A large hand caught him out of the air. When he opened his eyes, Damas was smiling down at him. "You called?"