The Dark Warriors

XIV. Innocent Again

One thought occurred to Deitonin as he felt Onin's energy flow over him. Would he still remember Jak? Or Torn? Or the scruffy Ottsel Daxter?

He sat up just as Onin was about to do her thing, "Stop. Wait. I don't want this."

'It has been done,' she said, 'But not to you...but to the one who swims in your blood...'

"Jak."

Deitonin burst from the tent and broke into a full out sprint as thoughts flitted through his mind.

What had he done?

What would Jak be like now?

How far did he go back...?

-•-•-DAXTER'S POV-•-•-

"Get the one over there!" Daxter cried as Jak shot.

"I'm not blind Dax! I know!" He spat as the Metalhead fell dead. He sighed as he leaned on the yellow rifle, "God I've never been so tired..."

"What about after the wumpbees? You practically ran a marathon."

"Wump...bees..." He murmured looking down at his feet.

Suddenly there was a high pitched buzzing sound as thousands of the little buggers came at them from every direction. Jak screamed as he switched to the Vulcan Fury and laid waste to the insects.

But they kept coming...

And coming...

"JAK!!!" They heard Deitonin roar past the screaming of the bees.

Jak senselessly flipped to his Peace Maker and shot, the blast scorched its way through the bees and hit the hapless form on the other side. Instantly the bees scattered, leaving them to watch in silent horror as Deitonin crumpled in a twitching mass of blood.

"What did you do Jak?!" The Ottsel spat looking down at the boy, only to see the pale blue eyes of the Jak he knew only in memories.

The mute whose only worry was getting pecked at by a flut-flut or to step on the occasional pebble...

Jak's shoulders shook as tossed his gun aside and went to Deitonin's aid, Daxter hopped off and stood idly by as the boy placed his hands over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding.

"Channel eco Jak."

The boy nodded and put his hands together, instead of the usual Dark Eco they got when he attempted this, pale green smoke spread over his hands as the heal power of Green Eco manifested. Deitonin's wound began to heal once Jak's hands came in contact with the burnt flesh, he set a hand on Jak's shoulders as tears welled in the boy's eyes, "It's not your fault."

Daxter watched as the tears spilled forth, Jak broke away from him and fled, leaving the Ottsel alone with him, "What's gotten into him?" Daxter asked climbing onto Deitonin's shoulder, "He's acting like he did back in Sandover!"

They saw Jak leapt from his hiding place as Metalheads pounced at him, he scrambled over to Deitonin and hid behind him. The man stood tall as he pulled out his sword, slicing down all who dared attack the frightened little boy cowering behind him.

"It's safe now," Deitonin said, "You can uncover your eyes."

The boy obeyed and looked up at him with pained eyes, he understood why as he pulled out one of the countless stingers sticking from his boy's tear stained cheek, "You poor thing...come here..."

Jak withered as Deitonin tirelessly tended to the stingers, he could sense the change in the boy. He was no longer the hardened criminal Deitonin had come to know and trust, but a distraught boy lost in time.

He remained silent, but the Dæmon could discern the meaning of his words.

I'm lost. They cried out, What is this place?

Deitonin knew his feeling quite well, they were the very same he had felt when he came here. He slowly extended a hand and ran it through Jak's tangled hair, "Do you want me to take you to Keira and Samos?"

Jak's eyes lit up as he nodded eagerly. Deitonin knew that that would get his attention, they were old friends if his after all.

His communicator then came out, 'Jak! Get your ass to the Underground! We need you!'

"Not right now Torn!" Deitonin growled, making Jak shrink back with a wriggling Daxter in his crushing embrace.

'Where's Jak?'

"He's with me, but I need you to get Old Samos and Keira there. Jak's changed."

'Changed? Changed how?' Samos butted in, but he could tell which one.

"I-it's hard to explain. Just do what I asked!" Deitonin hung up before anyone could protest and sighed as he placed the communicator in his pocket. Jak was looking up at him in fear, didn't blame him, he didn't deserve to see such hostility...

"Come here Jak," he said calmly extending a hand, "I'm sorry to scare you..."

The boy hesitated before taking his hand, Deitonin pulled him to his feet, "You're trembling like a leaf child..."

I sense your Darkness...

How fearful his eyes were as Deitonin scooped him into his arms, "I promise I won't drop you...rest yourself Jak."

The boy clung fearfully as Deitonin unfurled his wings, he buried his face in Daxter's fur as he took off, leaving Dead Town and its cruelty where it lay...