Authors note: Hello all. I know it's been several months. I've had a very stressful summer in real life that has frustratingly left me with very little time to work on my fanfictions. Those who follow my tumblr already know what's been happening, and if you care for a more detailed explanation, you can find it there.

This chapter has been quite a challenge for me to write. I've scrapped it once or twice already, unsure on how I feel about it. I've officially decided to split it in two, because it was becoming unmanageably long. I know I promised this would be the last, but sorry, there will be one more after this.

I'm eager to get it posted, so I'll skip my usual acknowledgements... just know that I appreciate each and every one of you, and your reviews/offers of support have kept me going on this. The next part is nearly done as well, and will be posted as soon as possible. My wedding is less than two weeks away now, so yay, no more distractions with that at least!

Anyway. I hope you all enjoy. Sorry about the ridiculously long wait. (Also, this chapter has NOT been proofread, because I was pretty antsy to get it up. Sorry for any weird grammar errors!)

CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

Jak sat at the edge of the platform, knees pulled up and arms wrapped around his legs. His head was tucked so that he could squint his eyes and look down at the thick, oozing pool of Eco below them. He'd removed his armor completely, and was currently resting, awaiting further instruction while the Precursor did it's best to explain his comrade's roles from across the ever weakening barrier between their worlds.

From what the half transformed youth had gathered so far, a handful of his friends were going to be doing something or other on the computer consoles, activating the flow of certain kinds of Eco... in all honesty he wasn't paying as much attention as he probably should have. He could only really just make out the Oracle's rumbling voice from this distance, but was tuning out the actual words. His task hadn't been really revealed quite yet, other than the fact that he'd be channeling… obviously. After all, it was pretty much the only reason he was there, wasn't it?

Normally he'd be curious, but at the moment he was just too tired to care how it was all going to work… everything they'd fought toward and dealt with in the last two weeks had led to this moment, and now he was just empty and exhausted, and very relieved to be at the end of this particular adventure. He was done… In more ways than one, he supposed.

"Yeesh… hard to believe a couple hours ago we were all freezing our junk off. Now we're in a freaking sauna… Did you know that Percursors sweat, even with the fur? Because they do. It's awful. Guess that's better than panting like a stupid crocadog though." Soft footsteps padded along to a stop just behind Jak, and with barely a pause he felt the ottsel heave himself up to rest on his shoulder, "Whatcha lookin' at?"

It was obvious in the way that Daxter's voice wavered he was still pretty upset, and easily just as tired as anyone, but was doing his best to keep it together. Small, trembling fingers dug slightly into Jak's shoulder with one hand, while he motioned toward the discarded pile of Precursor armor with the other, "What, don't want me hanging around no more?"

"Hmm?" Jak looked lazily over to his friend, his brow crinkling in confusion for a few seconds before he realized that the ottsel was referring to his missing shoulder guard, "Oh, no… it was just getting uncomfortable, and I'm not gonna need it anymore if all I'm doing his channeling."

"Huh…" Daxter's eyes flashed with sadness as his gaze lingered for several long seconds on the coppery metal, before hastily turning away to face the rest of the cavern, "Yeah, makes sense, I guess."

The two life-long friends sat together for a while in awkward silence. Jak was almost deathly still, the only movement he made coming from his slow, deliberate breaths, and the occasional sideways glance toward his occupied shoulder. He was doing his best to ignore his discomfort and remain calm, despite the bombardment of Eco all around him.

Daxter on the other hand, was fidgeting nervously. He turned his head in every direction but Jak's, eyes settling on various objects or places in the distance before losing interest and moving on to something else. He would sometimes stiffen, and open his mouth like he wanted to say something, but would evidently decide against it and go back to his own musings.

Jak gave him a few more minutes of deliberation before letting out a sigh, "Thanks, Dax."

The ottsel gave a startled jump and turned a confused look on his friend, "Huh? For what?"

Jak shrugged, and turned to face his friend, "Staying, I guess. You don't have to, you know."

Daxter stilled, eyes scanning Jak's face for a moment before shifting away and replying quietly, "Aw, hell no. I ain't going nowhere…. No way I'm gonna let you go through… this… alone."
"Hmm." Jak gave an appreciative grunt, "You're gonna be a good dad."

"Oh, man, I'm gonna be a nervous wreck! I'm already a nervous wreck!" The admission was followed by a low whine as Daxter rubbed roughly at his eyes, "I'm not exactly dad material! I mean, can you picture me doing all that… that fatherly bullshit stuff? Running around after kids and cleaning up after them and taking care of boo-boo's and runny noses and telling them stories when they're sad…"

"Yes."
"What?"

Jak chuckled, and focused his cloudy eyes on his best friend, "Dax, after dealing with my bullshit all these years, you're going to be a pro. You've got this."

"I… you really…" Daxter actually looked dumbfounded for a moment, mouth hanging open humorously as he tried to think of a retort.

"Really. You're gonna be great." Jak reiterated, his voice taking a somber tone, "Wish I could…"
He was cut off when Samos neared, "Jak, we're all set up."

With a nod Jak abandoned his previous thoughts and shoved to his feet, brushing off his pants, "Alright. Where do you need me?"

The Sage nodded over his shoulder as an instruction to follow, and he began leading Jak toward the Oracle, "The Precursor said he wanted to speak with you."

Most of his friends were spread out and familiarizing themselves with the computers. He noticed that the monitors above the consoles each flickered with static, but were showcasing various places around the planet. Haven, the wasteland, the mountains... as well as numerous places he'd never seen or heard of.

Ashelin was hunched slightly at one end, fingers lightly brushing across the numerous buttons and as of yet inactive touchscreens. Torn was next to her, leaning stoically against the console and rubbing his jaw. His gun had been laid out beside him, and he watched with a blank face as Jak approached.

Keira was on the next machine over, and was closest on that side to the giant Precursor ring. She was kneeling down and connecting several wires from the underside of the computer to the ports that were exposed on the now armor-less spider-bot. Vin's shell, so to speak, was sprawled out next to him. Jak actually thought he looked almost fragile without the thick, durable armor protecting him, and could clearly see the gnarly damage he'd sustained earlier that caused him to hobble unevenly on his legs.

Then there was the sloping staircase like ledge that housed the teleportation ring at the high end, and the Precursor Oracle statue at the base. As he made his way forward he glanced toward the other set of consoles just beyond.

Sig was closest on the other side, and was tensely looking over the buttons at his fingertips, a look on his face that oddly suggested that he was slightly confused, but would do his best. Seem was next, eyes closed and hands twisting and moving in one of her many prayers, and Jak briefly wondered why she'd continue to ask for the boon of the Precursors when there was one actually talking to them. Old habits died hard, he supposed.

Damas was furthest away, and was leaning heavily over his console with a dark look on his face. His mouth was set in a thin line, like he'd just lost an extremely heated argument, and his fingers curled tightly over the edge of the Precursor metal. He glanced toward Jak once he heard the loud clang of approaching footsteps, and his expression softened tenderly before he forced himself to look away.

"Jak." The Precursor from another world spoke calmly, the statue's booming voice snapping the youth in question out of his slight daze, "Are you ready?"

"Just need to know what you want me to actually do."

"There are a few things you must understand, before we begin…" It was hard to make out through the artificial tone, but it sounded to Jak like the Precursor on the other end was struggling with something, "As I've said before… the machine is incomplete, and as it stands, won't work in saving your world."

"I remember."

"It wasn't meant to be used this way, so there is a very slim chance it might not work at all. Still, it is our only hope at this point…"

"Okay… so are you going to get on with it or just keep repeating yourself?" Jak mumbled lowly, as he felt a pulse of pain from the corruption inside, "We're sorta running out of time here, if you haven't forgotten."

"Yes… Yes… but this is important. You need to understand..." The Precursor took a deep breath, "The only way we are going to be able to save your world — your entire dimension — is if we reprogram the machine and use it to sever the bonds that connect you to the multiverse. In doing so we run a very, very dangerous risk of ripping open the veil completely. Not only could it destroy your universe all together, it could very well take out several of your closest… er... neighbors, so to speak."

"So, instead of just us, we could literally be sacrificing other worlds for a chance at survival?" Jak hissed… he wasn't entirely sure he liked this plan so much anymore. It was one thing to take a crapshoot for themselves when they were out of options, but another entirely if their actions were going to be the destruction of… well… who knew how many lives? If asked to do the same thing when he was still newly escaped and nothing but a meatsack filled with Dark Eco and anger, he probably would have shrugged and continued without a second thought. Now? He'd had time to change, and remember who he used to be, "What are the chances, exactly, of that happening?"

The Precursor was silent for a few moments before answering, "I can't give you a definite answer."

"Why not?" Daxter intervened flippantly, "Aren't you supposed to be able to tell the future? Predict possible time-lines…" The way he mocked and bobbed his head might have made Jak laugh had the circumstances not been so dire, "You kept bragging all about that junk before."

"You don't…" The Precursor replied as quietly as the statue would allow, "We used the alternate time-lines to gauge possible outcomes and events. It's all about potential. There are now so very many threads to follow that even if I weren't alone, there would be no way to know how things would turn out. Every choice, every difference… and with how corroded your timeline now is, and with mine being all but non-existent at this point… it's impossible. "

Jak crossed his arms and glared, "How do we prevent it from happening then?"

"Well, part of that's going to depend on you."

"Me?"

"Now… this isn't the perfect example, and I'm highly simplifying things here, but…"

"Just get on with it!" Damas complained loudly from his post.

"Imagine your dimension as a ball. It's not, of course, but humor me." The precursor began, "This ball isn't exactly fragile… It's somewhat durable to be sure, but it is vulnerable. It could be broken, or cracked, if dropped or thrown." He paused, and Jak lifted a brow at the almost childish, but admittedly effective description, "Now, that single ball is connected to several others by thin threads of string that travel through the veil. Those strings sometimes collide together and tangle… sometimes they twist and merge. Sometimes they break, and fray, and that's when a timeline differs so greatly from another that it can no longer remain connected. Sometimes one of those worlds ends, sometimes it doesn't. It's simply the way of the multiverse. It spreads on like that and continues to grow and change with the creation of each new timeline. Not every world is connected directly, but they all exist within the same, intricate web."

"Okay…"

"Now imagine that those strings could be manipulated. They could be used to traverse between those worlds, despite the obvious dangers. Imagine if those strings could be pulled so tight, several snap and your ball crashes into another."

"So, you're saying that's basically what Erol did… that's how he started this mess?"

"Sort of… yes. He and the Dark Makers created a paradox. In theory, my world should have failed, the ball should have shattered and crumbled away with nothing but the frayed broken strings left behind, eventually to be replaced by a fresh, new alternate dimension."

"Is that how you're talking to us now? Through these… strings?" Jak questioned.

"Yes. Very, very carefully I might add."

"Ok… so this is relevant to what you need me to do right? I mean, it's interesting, sure, but do we really need this explanation now?"

"It is, I promise," The Precursor's tone was strong, and assuring, "You must be able to understand what you are about to do."

"Which is…?"

"Once they realized what had happened, Erol and the Dark Makers were hasty in the efforts to escape into. Their methods were sloppy, and now your world suffer the consequences. They ripped apart the veil." He paused, "Now… your world runs the risk of doing the same to another."

Jak's patience was running thin, and he rubbed the bridge of his nose between too fingers and closed his eyes, "So what do I need to do?"

"Currently, your dimension is unstable… it is, and will forever be a danger to the rest of the multiverse if it continues on as it is. We're going to reprogram the machine to completely remove your world from the web, ideally without destroying it. We're going to sever every single sting at once, and use the Eco to create a barrier, so that you will never be connected again. Then we're going to use the machine to repair the damage that has been already been done. If all goes according to plan, your world will continue to exist in it's solidarity. Alone in the void… but completely self-sustaining."

"Wait…" Jak shook his head as a single, confusing thought struck him, "So, if we go with your analogy… shouldn't your..." He drew his hand up and curled his fingers, "...ball... be just as dangerous as ours? What happens if it snaps back and hits another one after we're gone?"

The Precursor hesitated before answering, "Ah, well… I wasn't sure if you'd catch onto that little detail. But yes, you are correct."

"So…?"

"There is nothing salvageable of my home-world, and it won't take much… so we are going to destroy what's left in this process. Completely. This dimension will cease to exist."

"What about you?" Surprisingly, it was Daxter that asked, "I mean, don't get me wrong Mr. High and Mighty... I don't really like you, but I don't wanna kill ya! You said Erol and the Dark makers were still there too, right? Couldn't there be others?"

It was quiet for several seconds before the Precursor answered plainly, "I'm already dying… I'm going to use the rest of my power to make sure that your world has a chance to live."

"How is that fair?" The ottsel slumped on Jak's shoulder meekly, "That's not fair... and what about..?"

"Life is hardly ever fair, Daxter." The statue's eyes flashed faintly as the Precursor interrupted, "You must certainly know that more than most. My world was corrupted, much like your friend Jak is now… and sadly, there is nothing left but Dark Eco, and darkness. Without the light, it is a poison that must not be allowed to spread. These Dark Makers and myself have no place to go. We belong to this world, and nowhere else. We will die with this world, as it should be." He let his words sink in for a few moments before continuing, "This isn't anything new. Innocent lives were lost in your plans to overthrow the Baron, even if it wasn't your intent. Others died for your cause in saving your world from the Dark Makers, I'm sure. Almost all of you have made that decision before, have you not? Sacrifice the few for the needs of the many."

"Then what of me?" Damas asked suddenly, taking a few steps away from his console. His expression was grim, "By that logic, I should be there as well. I should not be an exception."

"Damas?" Jak's eyes widened and he jerked his head toward the wastelander in question. Despite his own death on the horizon, he didn't want to think about the same happening to his father… even if he wasn't really his father due to the whole 'being from another dimension' thing.

Several of his other comrades also voiced their objections, only to be silenced when the old King raised his hand, "I am not of this world either. I don't belong here."

The Precursor chuckled, "Yet… you are not taking someone's place. Your counterpart died long before you crossed over, correct?"

"That's a flimsy argument, even coming from you." Damas pointed out, "So did Erol and the Dark Makers. Are you saying they should take up residence here as well?"

"No. Not at all. Maybe I simply want one good thing to come of this?" The Precursor admitted, "Maybe I want one good man to survive."

"I am hardly a good man." The wastelander argued, rubbing the back of his neck, "I have done many regrettable and intolerable things in my life time. War does not allow for good men."

"Then maybe you deserve a second chance."

"You're breaking your own rules, Precursor."

"Yes, well… we Gods seem to do that a lot, don't we?" The statue rumbled, "If you must have a reason — a purpose — then how about this? Don't let us be forgotten."

Damas stood almost dumbfounded, with a distant look on his face. He sighed, and shook his head, "I suppose we don't have the time to continue this debate, do we?"

"You are correct." The Precursor agreed, his voice lilting as if he was happy to win the argument, "We are out of time. Jak?"

"Yeah?"

"This machine is missing the piece that would allow it to break apart and direct the Eco as we need. It has no filter, no conduit. Even if it had been completed, there's no way to know that the AI would have been delicate enough and sentient enough to understand what needed to be done."

"So... I'm supposed to be the conduit."

"Yes."

"How?"

"By channeling." The Precursor stated calmly, "Your friend's are going to monitor the levels and output, and the machine should take most of the strain… but even so…"

"It's never easy, is it?"

"You must listen carefully Jak… once we begin, you will be distantly linked through the Eco to your world — and to the multiverse itself. You will be will be in contact with the veil. You will feel the strings. Failure will not be an option."

Jak'a eyes widened in disbelief as he held his breath, and took a step back. A flash of fear wormed it's way across his features, at the premise of being in control of that much power, "Wait... no. I don't…"

"I believe you've done something similar before." The Precursor quickly continued on, not allowing Jak to think too hard on the prospect, "You linked through one of our artifacts to a Dark Maker bot, did you not? You remotely controlled it from a distance, through the Eco."

"Er… yeah, I guess, a long time ago…" Jak licked his lips nervously, "But that was one robot. You're talking about… There's no way I could…"

"The soothsayer, Onin, does it often on an admittedly much smaller scale. How do you think she predicts the future?"

"That's different... I can't do what she does."

"I understand that the task before you is daunting… I really do. If I could see any other way, we wouldn't be here." The statue almost sounded like it was trying to be soothing, but was failing miserably, "This is going to be the same process, just... more. The machine is going to do most of the work, it simply needs you to channel through it."

"I can't channel all of that!" Jak spat, motioning violently toward the edge of the platform and down into the abyss below, "I mean, I'm not bragging when I say that I'm good… I always have been. But That's… that's everything! I'm only one guy!"

"You aren't going to be channeling everything Jak, simply filtering the raw Eco and sending it on it's way through the leylines. Once enough has been done it will become automatic. The danger comes from loosing control. The backlash could be catastrophic."

"You do realize who you're talking to, right?" Jak deadpanned, "I'm not exactly the poster child for calm and collected. I lose control practically on a daily basis."

"You're the only one who can, Jak. We've been through this." The Precursor statue's eyes flickered again, "There's another quake coming your way. We need to act now. The chamber you will need to be in is in the center of the cavern, just beyond the walk way. Once you are inside, I will be able to instruct you further... but we must begin before your world rips itself apart."

Jak blinked and shook his head, running his fingers through his messy, dirty hair. He paused when his palm brushed against one of his horns, a scowl tugging at his lips as he let his hand fall. This was it...

His eyes traveled toward the ottsel on his shoulder, and be briefly imagined Daxter and Tess back at the bar, and wondered what their kids were going to look like. He wondered if they'd be witty and boisterous like their dad, or sly and bubbly like their mom. He could almost see them running around Haven like they owned the place...

He had to make sure there was a Haven left standing. While he was confident he wouldn't survive this stunt, he was going to do his damnedest to make sure that Daxter and the others would. That silly little daydream couldn't become a reality if he failed.

The ottsel watched curiously as Jak's face faded to something far more neutral. The pulse of emotion that danced across his friend's eyes sent a shiver down his spine, and for the first time since they met he found himself at a loss when it came to what Jak was actually feeling, "Whatcha thinking about, pal?"

Jak swallowed, and shook his head, "Nothing. Just..." He turned away and looked back toward the Oracle, a small crack breaking his voice, "This is it, I guess. No pressure, right?"

"Jak...? Hold on..."

"Hey, Dax," Jak smiled and continued on as if he hadn't heard the ottsel speak, "Why don't you, uh, go help Keira?"

"What? No, I'm staying right..."

"Or you could go with Damas, he looks like he needs a hand."

"Jak, what are you talking about, I told you I was staying right here!"

"Listen, Dax..."

"No! Stop it, why the hell are you..?"

Jak growled as threateningly as he could muster, though even he could tell that it fell flat as he snatched the ottsel off his shoulder with both hands. He was careful not to be too rough, "You're just gonna get in the way, ok? I'm not going to be able to concentrate if you're in there with me."

"That's a great big bucket of yakkow piss!" Daxter struggled in his friends grasp, and smacked feebly at the back of his hand, "You are so full of shit, and don't even act like..."

"Daxter please!" Jak groaned, turning his foggy eyes up to find Keira's wistful gaze. He grimaced, and pleaded with her silently.

Her eyes teared up, but she seemed to understand his motives, and she shuffled forward. Several seconds later was taking the squirming ottsel into her own arms, "Come on, Daxter."

The half transformed youth took a deep breath and gave her a thankful grunt. For a moment he seemed to struggle with his own thoughts, standing and staring at her in complete loss before he closed his eyes and leaned forward so that he could murmur quietly in her ear, "Thanks, Keira. "

She hesitated before giving a single nod, and he could tell by the look on her face that she was resisting the urge to cry. His heart sank, and he brushed his fingers across her cheek. He cocked his head and gave her a small, sad smile, only to be happy when she instinctively scanned his face to read what he couldn't bring himself to say out loud.

"Hey!" Daxter watched helplessly as his friend shuffled away, craning his own neck to keep him in sight as the mechanic turned away and back toward the consoles, "Keira, stop!"

Jak took one last chance to look toward Damas, who was standing rigid with Sig at his side. The taller wastelander had a hand on his friend's shoulder, and was mumbling something that the Eco infused warrior couldn't make out. Damas looked almost livid, with his fingers curled into tight fists at his side, and brows fixed in a harsh glare, but was obviously trying his best to remain composed. He turned his neck just enough to follow Jak's stride, refusing to take his eyes off the youth.

Jak smirked in his direction, and called out, "It's a good day to die."

Damas looked shocked at first, but a sense of understanding slowly crawled across his features.
Without another word Jak darted across the grated walkway at a jog, with Samos following closely behind. The Sage was explaining between panting breaths that he'd be using one of the computers on the outside of domed room to help monitor Jak's progress, as well as help direct the speed at witch the Eco would flow. Jak was only half listening, and quickly found himself standing outside the small, round chamber that he had a feeling would serve as his tomb.

"Are you ready, my boy?" Samos asked quietly, his voice weak and weary.

"As ready as I'll ever be." Jak could feel himself tremble slightly, and he did his best to hide the evidence of his fear. His mind began to scramble, and he internally reminded himself that he had to stay calm and in control. He had to stay focused.

He wanted Daxter. He didn't want to do this alone... He needed that familiar weight on his shoulder to ground him, and was mad at himself for sending the ottsel away, then even angrier with himself at being so selfish... How could he put his best friend in danger? How could he ask his best friend to stand by helplessly and watch what would no doubt be a painful process?

A deep frown tugged at the corners of his lips, and he scratched absentmindedly at his wrists. He felt the Sage's fingers tap against his forearm, and brushed them off as avoided meeting the old man's gaze, "Let's just get this over with."

"I'm sorry, for everything I did." Samos admitted quietly, "I'm... sorry."

Jak stiffened, "It's done. It doesn't... it really doesn't matter anymore."

He was startled when Samos gripped his wrist and yanked, forcing him to look down on his adoptive caretaker, "Ack... what?"

The Sage's eyes flicked back and forth for a few seconds like they were reading words in a book, and Jak momentarily panicked as he did his best to make his face as blank as possible. He didn't need or want the green skinned Sage to know he was feeling sorry for himself. He didn't want the Sage to know that he was scared.

Samos' eyes widened slightly as he caught on to what Jak was trying and failing to hide, "Jak..."

Yanking his arm away, Jak backed up a few feet, "I... I'm good, Samos. We're good. Just make sure everyone else gets out."

"Of... of course." The Sage's shoulders slumped, and his half downtrodden eyes turned toward the floor, "We... we're here, Jak. All of us. You aren't alone."

Jak felt like a dam of relief broke somewhere inside, "Yeah... Thanks, Samos." He gave himself a moment to steel his nerves before cocking his head toward the chamber, "Come on, lets get started."

Samos only nodded, and begrudgingly followed his charge into the small, metal room.

Wires and tubes circled what looked like an Eco vent in mass, spiraling up the walls and out the ceiling into the darkness beyond. Faintly flashing lights of every color blinked, illuminating the room in a pulsing rainbow that contrasted against the handful of Eco wisps that gently drifted around chamber in their endless wandering.

Both channelers could feel the strong tingle of energy from below, but it was Jak that first noticed the clear, glass like rods that broke from the walls in various, messy clusters. He clutched almost defensively at his chest, and closed his eyes. A muddy flashback filled his mind, and he had to mentally remind himself that, no, he wasn't still inside the Terraformer, strapped down to that cold, metal table, "Shit..."

"What's wrong, Jak?" Samos questioned.

They were interrupted before he could get his answer as the Precursor's actual, high pitched voice broke through a speaker nestled in one of the walls, echoing faintly throughout the chamber in a stark contrast to the deeper, more gravely one of the Oracle statue it had been using, "Are you ready?"

"Those look like the..." Jak swallowed, and slowly opened his eyes, "Those are the same glass things that Erol used to..."

"They are the same type of instrument, yes." The Precursor explained with a matter of fact tone, "The Dark Makers themselves used similar methods to become what they are... though the process for them was far less crude."

"I'm not... What am I going to have to... they aren't going to be inside me again, right?"

"No!" The Precursor's disembodied voice assured, "No. They are hollow light Eco crystals. They were refined and tempered into the rods you see, and were created to absorb filtered Eco from the conduit. The ones that Erol and the Dark Makers used to infect you were heavily altered in a way they were never meant to be. You are going to be using these to manipulate the machine, Jak. Nothing more."

"Alright... ok." Jak stretched his shoulders and fought back the stinging, angry surge of Dark Eco that had been bubbling to the surface in response to his rapidly rising fear, "Ok... what do I do?"

"Once we activate the machine, it will begin to harness the Eco from your planet's core. We'll start by slowly flooding the room with the Light Eco, which you will be separating into the four basic elements, and directing through the appropriate glass rods. The Dark Eco will be added once we have a steady stream of all the other types."

"I really can't do that..."

"Yes you can. This is the exact reason why I altered your capabilities, Jak. Once we begin and once you get the hang of the necessary method of channeling, it will simply be a matter of letting it flow through you, and into crystals. Once the links are made, it will be automatic. Your friends will be monitoring your progress, and tasked with making sure the machine distills and directs the Eco properly.

The machine will do the work, but you will in a sense be it's conductor. This is why you must be careful. You are a living, breathing being, with a remarkably strong spirit. Your willpower itself may have the power to override the programming, and in turn, the efforts of your friends. Do not loose focus! If you stay on task, then all should work as planned. The eco should be directed into the Leylines."

"What are Leylines? You keep saying that..."

The Precursor chuckled, "The strings."

"Ah."

"Once enough energy has been built we will sever the ties. The surge of power that will be sent through the veil and into my world should be enough to destroy it, once and for all, and ensure that we don't put any other dimensions at risk."

"And this world'll be saved, just like that?"

"It should be." The Precursor answered, "Again, that depends on you. If you don't falter, and don't do anything that could interfere with the new programming, this will create a new Schism, and the backlash of power should reinvigorate your dimension. It will be an upheaval to be sure, but recovery shouldn't take too much time. Your world will live, and it will have enough Eco and energy to sustain itself until it begins to recycle once again."

"And everyone else? Daxter, Keira and the others?"

"Things will certainly be different. But as long as things go according to plan, they will live on, their fates in their own hands. It's important to remember that if anything were to happen to endanger this dimension in the future, it will have no support from the multiverse... no safety net. Care must be taken, because this is essentially your last chance." He paused as if in consideration of something, "Though, who knows, maybe your world will give birth to a separate multiverse of it's own, or maybe something completely different will happen. Something entirely brand new. The idea of that is both encouraging, and exciting. There could be numerous unexpected side effects to what we are trying to accomplish... I only wish I could be around to witness it."

"And what is going to happen to Jak during all of this?" Samos asked quietly, though it was obvious by the look on his face that he already knew the answer, "What's going to happen after?"

The silence that filled the chamber was entirely too telling.

"I... see." Samos frowned, "There's nothing we can..?"

"No. If Erol hadn't corrupted his light Eco, there may have been a chance. But now? The balance is gone. The machine will most likely draw out whatever is left of his Light and Dark Eco... and if by some chance it didn't, the twisted Dark Eco inside him would devour what is left of the Light, and kill him." There was a loud sigh that filled the chamber with a tense unease, "I am truly sorry. If there was something I could do from here... if I could think of anything at all, I would do it without hesitation. It would take a very real miracle at this point to change his fate."

Jak glanced down at his childhood mentor and found himself slightly shocked at just how old and worn down the man looked. Deep wrinkles creased his brow, and crows feet pulled at the corner of his eyes beneath his glasses. He placed a palm on his shoulder and gave a light squeeze, "It's fine, Samos. If it means protecting Daxter and Keira... If it means they're gonna be safe..."

Samos nodded, "Yes... I know."

"That's good enough for me." Jak hunched forward tiredly, and cracked his fingers in anticipation, "Time to save the world one last time."

"I suppose it is." The Sage mumbled, giving the youth one last look over before backing out of the chamber. He paused at the doorway and wondered if there was anything else he could say... anything that needed to be said. He could only think of one thing, "Thank you, Jak."

The boy he raised shrugged, and flashed his usual, overconfident smirk. This time, however, there was a sense of urgency and fear behind it.

Samos moved out of sight, no doubt to stand at the console just outside. A few seconds later, there was a click, and a thin, light blue force field shifted into existence across the door. The Sage leaned over to check on his charge one last time before stating, "I'm going to flip the switch."

Jak nodded, and tensed as he sensed the buildup of energy beneath his feet. For a split second he almost panicked, the over abundance of power bombarding his senses, but he forced himself to remember why he was there.

He watched in amazement as the Eco wisps in the room stilled for several seconds, then began to circle him. He could feel their small prickles of power as the ambient Eco in the immediate surroundings grew, and he found himself closing his eyes to get a better sense of the energy. Time seemed to slow, and finally, all at once, he found himself surrounded by the warm, familiar blanket of Light Eco. It felt like it was pulling him into it's embrace, and he wanted nothing more than to give in and let it take him. His Dark Eco roared to life in pain and rage, but he shoved it deep inside and began to absorb what he could.

"Jak... Ja... Can yo... hear me?" Samos's voice was thick with static as it filled the chamber, and at first Jak only wanted to ignore it. He was so tired, and this Light Eco was so pure. It felt so soothing to all his aches and pains. He could transform and be lost to the world... "Jak!"

The Sage's sharp snap tore Jak from his daze, and the youth found himself stumbling forward. He pressed one hand against the wall in front of him, "Y...yeah?"

There was an audible sigh, and Jak could have sworn he heard Samos thank the precursors... Which he thought was just as silly as Seem's praying, considering their circumstances. He quickly realized he was drifting off again, and he forced his eyes open, "Sorry... I'm here. Just... give me a second to get used to this..."

"The Precursor says he won't be able to speak to you while the machine is running, alright?"

"Yeah. Ok." Jak mumbled, shaking his head to clear his thoughts, "Ok... what's next? What do I need to do?"

"I'm going to have the others open their lines slowly. The Precursor says the rods should begin to glow with whatever color Eco they need, you only have to direct the flow in the correct direction. Once it's established, you should be able to split the Eco, you understand?"

"No... not really. But I'll... ugh... I'll figure it out." Jak coughed, suddenly feeling nauseous as his body began to reject the massive amount of energy building inside. His eyelids felt heavy, and a surge of power rippled across his skin, leaving faint goosebumps in it's wake, "Ok, yeah, gotta do this quick, Samos. I haven't started channeling this yet and it's... got to let this... to let it go..."

"Right. Hold on tight, my boy."

And all at once Jak felt like the world around him shifted in it's entirety, the Eco both inside, and surrounding him was vying for escape. He gasped out a weak cry, but managed to stay on his feet. Try as he might, he couldn't keep his eyes open as he felt the currents of energy tugging in various directions, begging for an outlet. How was he supposed to separate them, and send them on their way?

Red.

It was sudden. He felt it, rather than saw it... several crystal clusters around the dome pulsed with red light, and he reacted instinctively, directing a wave of thick, hot energy toward the channels that were opening up around him. His eyes were still sealed shut, but he could still see the pathways painted across his mind.

"That's it!" Samos's voice boomed, and he barely made out the Sage yelling something more back at his friends. He thought someone replied, but he couldn't tell who it was so he supposed he could have imagined it.

He always thought Red Eco felt odd. It gave him power, and endurance. It put him on edge, and made his skin itch like it was sunburned. He felt like he could punch a hole clean through a stone wall if he really, really wanted to... and just as he was getting reacquainted, he felt it fade to the background. It became a dull hum to his senses.

Then he found himself suddenly feeling the fun, energetic crackle of Blue Eco, and he couldn't help but smile as he huffed with exertion. Like the Red Eco, it had it's place, and he somehow knew just where to put it. He moved deliberately, as more dancing colors filled his mind.

His body had begun to go numb, which he thought might have been a blessing, because it certainly made it easier to ignore the corruption that had begun to creep agonizingly slow throughout the rest of his body.

Yellow was next, and it flashed it's way like wildfire through the Light Eco and surged through him. Again, he found himself pulling it through and on it's designated route. It burned his fingertips, and smelled like embers...

The green Eco actually seemed to hit him the hardest. It never did play nice with his Dark Eco. Still, it gave him a feeling of nostalgia, like an old friend, and he did his best to concentrate on how his instincts were telling him to move the power through the chamber, and to the appropriate crystals.

The numbness in his body began to encroach on his mind, and he found himself struggling to stay completely consciously aware. But the soothing rhythm of his own channeling soon caused him to lull into a deep trance, and he wondered briefly if he'd ever wake up again.
***

"Whooaaa," Vin's spider-bot grew rigid as he began interpreting the influx of incoming data, and translating it for his friends, "Holy... wow. That's a power surge all right!"

"You'll have to activate the Dark Eco next, and then immediately turn on the Schism Engine. Otherwise he will most assuredly be overwhelmed — regardless of how skillfully he channels — He is a man, doing the task meant for a machine. " The Precursor instructed, "Opening up the Leylines all at once will no doubt incite a violent reaction between our two worlds, but as long as he acts in haste and remains in control, this should work."

"And if he doesn't?" Torn asked, one brow raised in doubt. He had been instructed and tasked with monitoring the levels of yellow Eco that were being released, not that he really understood what was really going on. He only knew what numbers meant there was an issue because the Precursor had told them all what to look out for.

"Boom."

"Wonderful." The KG commander rolled his eyes. Torn couldn't help the doubts that plagued his mind considering his recent skirmish with the hot-headed warrior, and he absentmindedly brought one hand up to rub his pain laced jaw. He glanced up at his monitor, where the main display was currently showing an active volcano. Several markers had appeared, apparently indicating where old Yellow Eco sources were reactivating. One corner of his screen housed a small frame that was focused on Jak inside the conduit chamber.

Every monitor housed an identical layout. Jak was currently hovering a few inches off the ground, with swirling waves of Light Eco spiraling in wide arcs around his nearly motionless form. As the strands of energy flowed, the bright streams of pure white would melt away into a vibrant splash of color, which would dance around their host before pulling away and into their respective crystals. Every so often Jak would wince, or his frame would stutter, but he seemed to recover relatively quickly and the channeling would continue uninterrupted.

Damas looked down at his own readings. He was in charge of the flow of Dark Eco... which he deeply felt was some kind of disgustingly cruel joke. It was the Dark Eco that had twisted his son into the broken, angry young man that now fought so valiantly to save a world he wasn't entirely convinced deserved such loyalty or sacrifice.

"Damas" The Precursor instructed, "We must activate the Dark Eco now."

The wastelander stood in silence for a few seconds before resting his hands on the control panel in front of him. His head hung low between hunched shoulders as he looked down at the buttons in disgust. He knew the urgency of the situation. He understood having to make sacrifices for the greater good. He was a relatively logical man. But this was personal. This was worse than loosing him as a child. This was knowingly sentencing him to what would undoubtedly be his last moments.

He knew there was no other way.

Admitting that didn't make it feel any less devastating.

"I certainly hope this is all worth it." His fingers shook as he stroked them across the touchscreen.

He couldn't watch as the numbers fluttered across the screen, instead, he focused his gaze on the monitor above him. If his son was going to die as a sacrifice, and if he was going to have a part in it, he would at least have the respect to watch until the end. Any warrior in Spargus would get the same treatment. That's what Jak — Mar — deserved.

Jak's surroundings suddenly erupted in a flash of searing, purple electricity that clashed savagely against the Light Eco. The youth in the center jerked forward with a silent cry, as several strong blots wracked against his frame, and he stumbled to one knee. His eyelids flew open, and Damas frowned as he watched the glowing white of the Light Eco within gave way to the inky, deep blackness that was the Dark.

"Now! You have to activate it now so that he has an outlet!"

Vin hastily did as he was told, and within seconds the gigantic, timeworn machine slowly awoke from it's ancient slumber. The cavern walls themselves began to groan in protest, as deeply embedded gears and belts began to shift and break away the rock surrounding them. The copper colored tubes that were nestled in the grooves they'd used to reach the platform filled with color, and some even began to move at an excruciatingly slow pace, drilling their way down toward the center of their planet.

"Is it supposed to do that?" Sig yelled above the deafening noise, both hands covering his ears. It appeared as if the Precursor either couldn't hear him, or didn't want to answer. Just as he was about to persist, the movement stopped, and the cavern erupted in a blindingly bright flash of light as several thick columns of Eco erupted from the swirling mass below and surged skyward, slicing through the darkness above like a knife.

One of the monitors beeped loudly, and the groups attention was drawn toward the grainy image splayed across it's surface.

Snowy mountain came into focus just as the beams of Eco violently broke through it's summit, shooting toward the corroded sky above. Just as the streams energy seemed to reach the planet's atmosphere they exploded like massive fireworks, sending thousands of brilliantly colored strands in every direction, and filling the sky with bright, misty tendrils of colorful light.

"Holy hell..." Sig mumbled, pulling his hands from his ears, though his eyes stayed glued to the screen, "Ain't that something..."

"It's working." The Precursor breathed, the relief in his voice evident even through the rumble of the Oracle's filter. "Now as long as..."

"Jak!" Daxter's high pitched cry cut through the awe and dragged everyone back to their senses. Every set of eyes shifted to watch the monitors as the youth inside the machine fell to his knees, hands gripping his head tightly in pain. Dark, vein's pulsed beneath his skin as the corruption crept, and a mass of stuttering purple bolts bounced haphazardly between him and the floor. His horns were longer, and nails sharper, but he wasn't fully transforming. There was a strange haze of energy around him, and numerous wisps swirled around his hunched, trembling form. Though it was a little difficult to make out on the screens, it became evident that a dark stream of blood was dribbling from his nose and dripping to the floor below.

That's when the world around them began to shake. Several strong tremors had the group swaying on their feet, clinging to the consoles in front of them for support. A few seconds passed before the chaos quickly died town to a slight, every present tremble.

"No!" The Precursor's panic was all too obvious, even from the deep, monotonous voice of the statue he was speaking through, "Samos, stop him! Don't let him reach out! He's loosing his focus! Some— wait... how are you? No! Sto..."

There was the sound of a scuffle from the oracle, followed by a loud crack. It's eyes suddenly dimmed and faded.

"Precursor?" Damas questioned. He quickly glanced toward the statue, "Precursor? What happened?" When his questions went unanswered he turned his gaze across the bridge toward the scrambling Green Eco Sage and yelled, "What the hell is going on?"

"I don't..." Samos's voice came through clear enough on the consoles just as he dropped to his knees, trying desperately to gain his charge's attention through the force field. "He's not responding... he's still connected! There's too much, and it's overwhelming him — Jak! Jak listen to me! I know you're confused, but you have to — Eyes on me, my boy! Come on!"

There was no recognition from the tormented youth, which prompted Samos to slam his palm against the metal surrounding the shielded doorway in front of him, "You've got a job to do, Jak. First, save the world! Then we can end this madness!"

Jak suddenly jerked forward, bringing one hand out to catch himself while the other remained planted in his hair, "First... save the world. Samos... you said that..."

"That's right..." Samos soothed... only to be dismayed when the boy in front of him began shaking his head from side to side.

"First... save the world. Said that before..." Jak mumbled again, eyes still clenched tightly shut, "You said... you told him... this is madness..."

"Jak..." The Sage's eyebrows rose questionably, "What are you..?"

Hisses filled the air as several tears suddenly broke the barrier between worlds, opening wide enough to reveal what should have been nothing but cold darkness beyond.

So when a familiar, high pitched whine echoed through the breaches, everyone's eyes went wide and immediately shifted to the nearest rupture, "Oh great! I get to help the guy who turned me into a furball destroy the only person who can turn me back!"

"What the..?" Torn began, only to be interrupted by an equally high pitched cry from this side of the breach.

"Is... is that me!?" Daxter struggled in Keira's grasp, leaning forward to glare into the Tear to his left, "Wait... Wait I remember this!"

An orange, furry ottsel stood on the edge of a messy, hastily made bridge of collected wood and metal, head tilted up toward the Sage above him. He glared, just as the boy beside him inhaled guiltily and offered an uneasy shrug.

A slightly younger Green Eco Sage hovered before them, shaking his head wearily as he let gravity take him beneath the platform, and toward the giant, half rigged Precursor Statue behind them. He held out his hands, and unleashed a wave of stored green Eco, "First, save the world! Then we'll try to convince Gol to help Daxter."

"What the hell is this?" Damas demanded, edging closer to one of the tears. He had quickly realized that each one held the same vision, viewed from a completely different angle, "How is this possible?"

"It's like when we saw you in the temple." Sig stated numbly, not bothering to hide the confusion in his voice or features, "When you first came through, we could see you... like this, only in your world."

"This already happened!" Daxter screeched, "This is... this is the citadel!"

Authors note: Again, sorry for the split. I hope this will hold you off until the next chapter. Feel free to review and critique if you so desire!