Chapter X
Reunion
Race the circle, run it fast,
turn within the churning wake,
and if your stand stays up to last,
it's worthy if a life's at stake.
Stand against the current strong,
bear the whip, lash, and weight,
if survival you truly long,
it's worthy if a life's at stake. -Mover Tale of Courage
Trellia didn't wake up for quite some time. Taren was worried about her, refusing to take his eyes off of her face as she floated near the surface. She hadn't been beaten hard...maybe she just passed out of fear, shock...who knows what had caused her to collapse.
After another long pause, Taren finally looked around warily. The temple was large and rectangular, except for the half-sphere dome above him. One could tell by looking at the architecture that this building was constructed from human hands. The sand-stone colored bricks stood strong even after years of being submerged. Algea and aquatic life may live on the surface of the edge, but the inside seemed untouched. Taren, for the first time, noticed four black and gold orbs humming softly at four corners in the temple. The gold strips glowed faintly, as if alive, and Taren approached one of them.
He let out a cautious single note, wondering what it would do. The orb suddenly reacted, glowing incredibly bright for a second. Taren staggered back in surprise, and turned around to nearly scream in shock.
It was just an image though. He thought it was real. A green transparent image, rotating slowly, showed a familiar creature...well, sort of familiar. It appeared to be a shark, though its tail split at the top half to create a V. Instead of along the neck sides, gills were located on the neck bottom. It was some sort of hideous shark-beast, more fiercesome than any reef shark Taren had ever encountered.
"A disgusting creature, isn't it?" Taren spun around. Ecco had entered the doorway; in his jaws he held a string. Connected to the string was a web of it, though parts were shredded, torn, and broken. It was an old piece of net broke away from its original source, and within the net was an entire collection of dead fish. Ecco was holding the string keeping the bundle together.
Taren took a breath at the surface, the image of the monster having disappeared now, and dove to the bottom where Ecco was headed. He released the bundle, the net opening to show its contents fully.
Though the fish were dead, Taren suddenly felt a pange of hunger. He looked at Ecco questioningly, and took a glance up towards Trellia. Ecco followed his gaze, and nodded towards him.
"You eat your fill, Taren. Don't worry about me, and Trellia will be just fine. She will awaken soon, I should think." Taren wasn't even surprised Ecco knew Trellia's name, for she had known his, and greedily dove into the fish collection. Though dead, cold, and not all that satisfying as when alive, Taren ate every fish Ecco had brought. Tossing his head back in uncontrollable hunger, he swallowed them piece by piece. He felt slightly foolish and ashamed when he looked at the empty net once finished. He had left none for Trellia.
Taren looked up, seeing Ecco eyeing the sky singer with curiousity, and seemd to be whispering to her. He swam upwards, coming up close to the pair. Ecco was trying to rouse Trellia, but she was still in her deep sleep, which proved she was at least alive.
"What was that thing?" Taren finally asked to break the silence. Ecco's eye rolled to him.
"What? The image you saw? That was a Foe Minion, a Shark Minion to be precise."
"And you fought such creatures?" Ecco tilted his head towards Taren, eyeing him carefully.
"I have fought its kind, yes, and its brethren." He turned back to Trellia. "The orbs show images of the others. Just sing any note to them, and they will show you. You may look, if you like." Taren shuddered.
"I do not wish to see such creatures."
"Then you don't have to." There was some more silence, and Taren piped up again.
"Sir Ecco, is there anything I can do?"
"What, you bored?" He asked with a smirk. Taren was taken back for a second, but shook his head.
"No...no, you just mentioned you had some questions. I would be happy to answer them...if I can. I have some of my own as well." Ecco smiled.
"If you would be so kind, Taren, I'd like to wait until Trellia wakes up for me to start asking. You may ask yours if you want, though. It would pass the time." Taren's eyes moved around the room for a moment, but he nodded.
"Um...okay, then. How do you know Trellia?" Ecco chuckled.
"She probably already told you. She's my descendant...not for a long time. I forgot how far ahead her existence is to be." He scrunched his snout up in thought, but came up with nothing. "I have to ask something of you, though, Taren. How do you know Trellia?" Taren seemed startled for a second, but having no second thought on whether to trust Ecco or not, told him everything about his meeting with Trellia.
"So...she must have come back for a reason. She didn't tell you why she was looking for me?" Taren shook his head.
"No, sir Ecco."
"Just call me Ecco." Taren nodded.
"All right...Ecco."
"And you're not from around here?" Ecco turned his head towards Taren fully for the first time.
"No. I originated from a pod in more eastern waters, though still in the tropical area. They were called the Eclipse Pod."
"Were?" Taren lowered his head.
"I do not know if they exist any more or not. I was forced to leave them. Those that I followed either died or wandered to seek different lives." Ecco's face sunk slightly.
"I'm sorry, Taren." Taren shook his head again.
"It is all right, Ecco. I have faced much in my short life time so far. I am a lone swimmer at the moment. If my true family still exists, I hope I can find them. Until then, I am with Trellia." Ecco smiled.
"I'm sure she was quite the addition to your life for company." Taren smiled too.
"She is quite a character." Ecco laughed, his grin widening even more. Taren cocked his head when their laughter died down.
"I am curious, Ecco. You knew who Trellia was when you saw her. Obviously you have met before...but Trellia is from the future, or so she says. I beleived her when she said that, and now you have backed that statement up as well. How did you first meet?" Ecco's smile suddenly dropped, and Taren wondered what he had said wrong.
Ecco at first didn't say anything, but Taren was patient waiting for an answer. Soon, Ecco did respond, but he spoke very slowly, thinking his words over.
"I...I did meet Trellia once before. A long time ago, she came back for me before. I haven't seen her since that day. I never expected to see her again."
"Why did Trellia come for you in the first place that time?" Ecco stared at him, and Taren dropped his gaze, feeling guilty for some reason. "I am sorry. Perhaps that is too personal?" Ecco shook his head.
"No, no. Not at all. It would be just..." Ecco sighed. "I can't tell you why, for multiple reasons." He offered a smile. "All you need to know, Taren, is that Trellia came for me once before for something very, very important. If she is here again, you can bet it is very, very important this time as well. That is what I must know." Taren nodded.
"I understand, Ecco."
The temple drifted into quiet again until Trellia did awake. A little groggy, and seemingly a little stiff, she moaned and righted herself, her eyes snapping to full attention once Ecco was in focus.
"Ecco!" She looked so exstatic she seemed about to pounce on him. Ecco laughed, throwing his head back with a smile.
"Trellia! Good to see you again!"
It was a custom welcome, the two exchanging comments, simple questions that had nothing to do with the 'mission' at all, and laughs here and there. Taren watched with quiet politeness. Ecco didn't seem to be in a hurry to get to the point, but as sudden as he greeted his descendant, he jumped right into the topic of being here in isolation.
"So tell me, Trellia. Why are you here?" Trellia's smile dropped, and she nodded with seriousness. Though the nod was stiff and achy, she didn't complain, completely forgetting, it seemed, about her attackers.
"Ecco, I was sent here on a mission to find you." Ecco nodded, showing her he already knew this.
"Yes, but why?"
"Because supposeably you are the only who can help. 'Once I find you, everything else should unfold before me'...or so I was told." She shrugged slightly. Ecco cocked his head.
"Who sent you?" Trellia's face lighted up, a proud smile coming to her face. When she spoke, her voice was beautiful and musical once more, just like a merry flute.
"The Alronsutka. The Alronsutka sent me to find you." Ecco's eyes narrowed from confusion.
"The Ala-what?" Trellia frowned, naturally surprised that Ecco didn't know. Everyone in her time did, but of course, this was millenia ago, right?
"The Alronsutka. You have met him before, Ecco. When I brought you to my time, my kind helped guide you to him. Your 'dear friend'...oh, I don't know what you called him. You never really said..."
"Wait-" Taren interrupted, looking slightly regretfull afterwards. A sudden hush came over the three, and Ecco motioned with a fin for him to continue. "You...you went into the future, Ecco?" Ecco nodded.
"Yes, Trellia took me there. As I said before, I had important things to do. Now, Trellia...'my old friend'?" Ecco stared at her for a very long moment, and then suddenly his brows raised. His crystal blue eyes glittered and shone, and his lips parted slightly. He remembered.
"My old friend..." he quoted again. Then, a small smile appeared. It soon grew, covering his entire face. He spoke again, laughter bounding in his song. "My old friend! Of course, how could I have forgotten!" He roared with laughter, Taren backing up surprised. When Ecco finally stopped, his eyes shone merrily than the sun. "He sent you now, did he? I completely forgot. If he exists in the future, then-"
"-he must exist now." Trellia finished with him. She, too, smiled broadly. Taren was at a complete loss, and he shook his head confused. "We must go find him! We must go find the Alronsutka! He will know what to do, as he always does!"
All of the sudden, Ecco looked extremely saddened. The rapid sensation of overwhelming happiness to loss and guilt was such a big change, Taren thought Ecco was about to be sick. Trellia's own joy dissipated immediately when she realized this too.
"Ecco, what is wrong?" Ecco shook his head slowly from side to side.
"Ever since I have returned...I haven't heard a word. Not an echo, not a whisper. Nothing. I haven't heard a thing from him. I can't even tell you if I could find his hallow even if I had the ability to search the entire oceans." He lowered his head. "I wouldn't know where to start."
"Excuse me..." Taren whispered, dearly wishing he hadn't, but knew he had to know. "I am so confused. I do not understand a single word you two are saying. Wherever you two must go, whoever you two must find for your reasons, I was hoping to tag along in hoping of finding my own family. But..." his voice faded away. "I...just do not understand. I am sorry, for being such a burden."
Ecco sighed, closing his eyes.
"He deserves to know, Trellia." She looked at him, a sudden 'don't you dare' look in her once beautiful eyes.
"Ecco. Even I never knew that you were the same being who fought this 'Foe'. Therefore you must have not told for a reason. If you do reveal the past, it may cause something disastrous. You, of all beings, should understand that-"
"I know Trellia!" He snapped with a slight harshness. The sky singer sealed her mouth shut, surprised at Ecco's sudden anger. He lowered his voice sadly, not really meaning to snap at her. "I know. He will tell no one, though, and leave time as it was intended to be..." he looked to Taren, making sure he heard every word.
"I will tell no one that may put the world at risk, Ecco. You have my promise on death," Taren said, not a sign of hesitation at all. He held his head proudly and high. Ecco frowned.
"You shall be the only current being who knows this, Taren. The only one."
"I understand." Taren wondered what he was getting himself into. Ecco cleared his throat.
"Taren, you know the tale of the Foe. They were nomadic creatures which came to Earth hoping to get any source of life out of it and then leave it to die, right?" Taren nodded. "Let me tell you the tale of another species...
"Not all that far from here, though within the Sea of Stars, lies a dark planet called Vortex. The inhabitants that live upon it are of the same name. They are aquatic creatures like us, resembling insects that crawl upon the lands of Earth. For some reason, the planet Vortex became unable to support the overwhemling kind infesting it, so the species Vortex were desperate to find another way of ensuring their kind's survival.
"Instead of using their own planet, the Vortex turned to using others for their nurishment. They became parasites, feeding off of the lifesources of other neighboring planets. The earth, Taren, became one of their victims." Taren's eyes grew, fear shining plainly in them. Ecco licked his lips and continued on. Trellia didn't speak a word, but a frown was set into her face.
"Every five hundred years, a beam from the Planet Vortex would strike upon the earth's surface, sucking within it all life within the area, and transporting it to the planet where it could be processed and used for whatever the Vortex needed. A little over five hundred years ago, Taren, the beam did its normal attack. The life they happened to take...was my family. Kind of like you, in a way, I was the only survivor of the attack, somehow escaping the clutches of the wind storm which suddenly struck the area without warning." Taren bit his lip, but forced himself not to ask questions, such as how Ecco would have been able to live over 500 years ago. Ecco didn't even flinch talking about the disappearance of his family. Another thought danced in his head too...
Could it possibly be...?
"I did the only thing I could have done. I went in search for them, believing they were still on the planet. On my journies, I met a mystical creature who turned out to become my greatest ally, as well as a devoted friend. He was called the Asterite, and lived alone deep within the ocean. With his help and gifts of strength, Taren, I traveled to the planet Vortex and attacked their queen. I didn't kill her, but I managed to damage her enough to release my entire family, safe and sound, from her deadly grasp. We returned home." Taren cocked his head, wondering if that was the end. Ecco got a smirk.
"No, it doesn't end there. The queen, thirsty for revenge for being defeated by one such as I, followed me home and attacked the Asterite, ripping him apart, who was the supplier of my power. It was here that I met Trellia. She took me to the future, where I met the Asterite of that time. He showed me his memories of being attacked, and then sent me back. I began to rebuild my friend, putting him together piece by piece, but it just so happened that two pieces of him were missing. As I traveled, two Vortex drones suddenly came and captured me, and sacrificing their own lives for the deeds of the queen, took me into their world." He paused.
"A quick lesson, Taren. The destruction of the Asterite wasn't intended in our time, our reality, as can be proven by looking towards the future to see the Asterite still in existence. When this occurred, another reality became crossed with ours to fit the possibility of no Asterite in the future. Without the Asterite and myself to guard the earth, the Vortex would rule. The drones took me to this world, where I had to fight the queen in her new dominion. Luckily, I once more defeated her. Are you following?"
Taren nodded, though he didn't understand every single word, but he got the base of it, which was enough for him. Ecco ground his teeth together as he continued.
"And once more, she escaped. Retreating in a pathetic and pitiful larvae form, she cowardly ran for her life. Jumping back in time using an ancient machine built long ago, she jumped towards the past..." He lowered his head, closing his eyes as if something was tormenting him. "And I foolishly followed her." Taren's cocked his head.
"How could that have been foolish, Ecco? She escaped. She could have created havic wherever she went. It was smart for you to go after her." Ecco shook his head harshly.
"No, it wasn't. When I retrieved the final piece of the Asterite, he instructed me to destroy the machine the queen used, to prevent further usage of it. Other times it had been used..." he hesitated. "...something terrible had been done in return. I should have destroyed it, and left the larvae fail in her attempt to survive in the past, but no, I jumped in after her. She escaped from my view, and I found myself trapped within time.
"I was released, though, Taren. I don't know how, but I somehow was pulled away from it, only to find myself 500 years in the future of my time. Here, I found no presence of the Asterite, but I found my world in danger once more. This time, by the Foe, so I did what I could to protect it, and became what you know me as now."
The entire story left Taren dazed. He let it all sink in before he took a breath at the surface to speak once more.
"So, we must find this Asterite, for he is the only one who knows what is going on." He looked around. "The world seems rather fine to me. I see no catastrophic disasters occuring suddenly. Can we be sure something is wrong?" Trellia snorted slightly.
"It is the Alronsutka. He is tied to the planet itself. Of course we can be sure there is something wrong."
"Trellia," Ecco said warningly. She dropped her head ashamed. Taren hesitated, but continued on anyway.
"But...we do not know where the Asterite lies today. How can we find him? Does any being know?" Ecco sighed.
"Only one being knew the exact location of the Asterite, and he was the one who told me where to find the Asterite in the first place." Taren's face lightened slightly.
"Then why do we not go find this being?" Ecco looked at Taren, his face sunken and dark.
"The Big Blue died a long time ago, Taren." The slight hope in Taren's face diminished.
"Then what do we do? Where do we go?" Trellia asked, her face set in a dour expression. Ecco sighed.
"I don't know. I honestly don't." He looked up, noting that the day was getting later. "You two stay here and rest. I must think about this."
Ecco sat, quiet and pondering what he knew. He knew he must find the Asterite, and then some important questions would be answered. Once he found the Asterite, all instructions would come clear. No wonder he sent Trellia. Ecco no longer had his connection with him, it seemed. Trellia was the only way to get the quickest contact. He could have at atleast provided some sort of intimation or something to guide Ecco at least in a general direction!
He sighed, becoming drained just from thinking this hard. What was he to do? Just start searching? That was what he had done for his family, but then, he had gotten guidance almost immediately, thinking the Big Blue knew where his family was. Well, the Big Blue was here to offer his wisdom, and neither was the Asterite to guide him. No, the Asterite was out there. Somewhere...he just didn't know where!
"Hi, Ecco." A cheery voice nearly made him leap out of his skin.
"Karli! You scared me."
"Me? Scare you?" She joked. She looked around, viewing that Ecco had chosen a small corner of Atlantis to just sit.
"Why are you all alone here? The day is almost over." Ecco grinned slightly.
"I'm thinking."
"About what?"
"Shouldn't you be out somewhere with your friends?"
"Why? Do you not want me around?" She asked with some sass. Ecco smirked at her, turning his head to look towards the city.
"I was just thinking about a pridacament I have."
"Can you tell me? Maybe I could help."
"I don't think it's really all that neccessary."
"Awe, come on! You never tell me anything!"
"I tell you everything you need to know, and this you don't need to know." Karli frowned.
"Well, just tell me this then. Come on...pleeeease?" Ecco sighed, wondering what he should do.
"Let me ask you something Karli."
"Okay, shoot," she said.
"If you had to find something of great value to history, but didn't know where to look, how would you start?" Karli found the question really odd, but immediately came up with an answer.
"I would look for a record about it," as if is was obvious enough. Ecco looked at her oddly, a brow raised.
"A record?" Karli narrowed her eyes, but cast the look away with a shrug.
"Yeah, a written record of the event. I've been told by friends that humans always keep records of everything so they can look back on them for reference, learning, rememberance, and a lot of other stuff. If it was important enough, it should be in a record." Ecco felt his lip twitch, but held back a smile. He turned to look Karli dead in the face.
"Karli, listen closely. If it was important to dolphin kind. If it was important enough, would humans have kept it in writing, even it if didn't concern them?" Karli backfinned slightly, afraid her snout might touch his, and that would be just weird.
"Uh...sure, why not? I'm sure they wouldn't have thought it much trouble if it was that important." Ecco grinned.
"Karli, you're brilliant!" He suddenly flipped around and dashed off at a speed unheard of before. Karli saw him disappear behind a crowd, and suddenly found herself racing after him.
"Wait! Wait! Why am I brilliant!"
She found Ecco halting before the Guardian, it humming merrily and content in its perpetual motion. His face was filled with anxious excitement, like he wanted to know an answer right now, but had to wait for it. When he sang, his voice was quivering, though he coerced it to his best calm he could do.
"Guardian. I have a request." The Guardian glowed, admitting the familiar frequency of Ecco's voice. The humming grew slightly louder, and a soft metallic voice was heard radiating from it like energy. It pulsed past the body, and one could feel their chest vibrate when it spoke. For a machine, the sound was mysterious and mystical...it made you feel like the Guardian was too powerful to be talking to someone unimportant as yourself. It even knew Ecco's name...
You sing, Ecco?
"I ask for you to search for a file on a subject."
Ask and I shall search, Ecco.
"Look for anything you may know about a creature called 'the Asterite.'"
The crystal dimmed and hummed away, thinking and processing, searching and filing everything it had contained within it for Ecco's request. The wait was agonizing for Ecco, which Karli noticed easily by the aprehensive look on his face. She came up to his side, but she didn't ask any questions. Not yet, at least. Finally, the machine spoke again.
File found. "The Asterite: Legend speaks of a great singer alone in the deep depths below the trenches' shadows. A master of song, it has unimaginable power. It can manipulate music to its will, and is said to be capable of feeling the heart of the planet." It said nothing more, and Ecco was disappointed.
"Anything else? Anything about location? Where can I find the Asterite?" Karli turned her head to this, but still kept her mouth shut, curiousity running extremely high on what was going on in front of her. The Guardian hummed some more, but when it spoke, Ecco's smile didn't come back.
Location: unknown. Ecco dropped his head.
"I still don't know where to look for him."
"Ecco...what's going on?" He looked at Karli, forcing a reasurring smile out.
"Not to worry, Karli. It is nothing you need to worry about. I just can't seem to find exactly what I'm looking for. Apparently the information is too secret or too old for even the Guardian to contain. It was worth a shot, though." He started to swim away towards the temple, entering the door and leaving Karli to be alone, shaking his head muttering to himself the entire way.
Karli looked at the crystal, confused about Ecco's strange behaviour. Ecco had never told her anything about this 'Asterite,' and yet he seemed extremely disappointed when he couldn't find anything about it...or at least not what he was looking for.
"Maybe I can help. I owe Ecco anyway." Karli wanted to help if she could. Ecco had saved her life, and she had been a down right idiot, so she wanted to help.
"Guardian?" She asked tentatively. To her amazment, the machine responded.
You sing, Common? What is your request? She hesitated, not knowing what to say, but she took a breath at the surface, and started again.
"Guardian, I need you to search for secret files." It sounded silly, but maybe it would work...?
Access: denied. Files of secrecy can only be view through Land Dolphin identification or approved access from Man. Karli swore under her breath.
"Okay...um, how about old files?" The Guardian hesitated, thinking.
Many old files I contain, Common. Please be more specific, young singer, and I will do what I can. Karli frowned, thinking hard. After a few minutes of questioning herself whether her questions were smart enough or not, and a head ache began to form, she got one. She didn't even notice a few awkward stares coming her way from fellow passers wondering what Karli was doing chatting with the mighty Guardian.
"All right. I have one Guardian. Do you have any files added that contain information before the time of your construction?" The crystal, to Karli's happiness, responded immediately.
I do contain a few of that sort. What do you wish to know?
"Before your construction, where were records kept? Where were very important records written down so others could remember them?"
The Guaridan hummed and hummed, putting words together, thinking of phrases, etc, and all this process just to say simple sentences in dolphin tongue was making Karli impatient.
Before the construction of the Guaridan, any records of utmost importance were carved into the walls of the old passages leading into the City of Atlantis. Those claimed to be worthy of secrecy were placed in seperate chambers connected with the passage. Any records left along the passage were ensured safety and protection, but viewable to the public, and those that needed special guarding could be easily hidden within the maze-like tributary tunnels.
Karli grinned wide as the Guardian poured out this information for her.
"Ah! That's what I wanted! Thank-you Guardian! Thank-you!"
She quickly dashed off, a skip in her tail beating with the thrill of what she held within her head now. She headed right past the machine and towards the temple. She had to force herself to stop in order to let the door open with sensing her presence.
When it was finally open wide enough, she took no time in popping in.
"Ecco! Ecco!" She piped, hurrying over to him. "Guess what I found out! You won't believe-" she suddenly halted, frozen in her spot. There, hovering beside Ecco, was that Spinner and the demon dolphin Ecco had helped at the city entrance. They both seemed much better now, but Karli couldn't help but keep staring at the weird dolphin-thing, no matter how rude it was. The elongated fins, the abnormally long tail, and such odd coloration of water running down from head to tail...she was so weird!
"Karli, it's not polite to stare." She heard Ecco's voice teasingly come from the side, but she didn't turn her head nor her eyes from the creature, her mouth gaping slightly. Trellia frowned, and shouted out.
"Hey, you'd be best to listen to Ecco! And stop staring at me like that!" The sudden realization of the creature talking was more than enough to make Karli leap back in surprise. She would have turned to flee, but Ecco's strong fin had stopped and righted her.
"Now, what was it you had to tell me?" He asked, not a sign of anger or demanding at all. Just the normal sweet Ecco.
"I...uh...I uh..."
"Yes?" Karli's eyes tread back over the Trellia, who locked gaze with her once again.
"Stop looking at me!" Trellia's voice sounded so funny, rising up in a high pitched squeal, that Ecco burst into uncontrollable laughter. Embarrassed by her outburst, Trellia turned cumbersomely around, moving her fins clumsily, hiding her face while muttering angrily to herself. Even Taren, who Karli noticed again, was chuckling with a smile.
"Come now, it wasn't that funny!" Trellia glowered from her corner. Ecco settled himself.
"Oh, Trellia, you should have heard yourself, though." He was sent into giggles once more, and even Karli smiled at how silly he sounded. If he wasn't worried, she might as well not be either.
"Now, back on track. What did you have to tell me, Karli?" Karli eagerly jumped into her topic again.
"I searched the Guardian trying to help you find what you were looking for!" Ecco's grin was set into a flat expression.
"Karli..." he warned slightly. She shook her head.
"No, Ecco, just listen to me this time. You said the information you were looking for may have been too old for the Guardian to know. Well, I searched for where records were kept before the Guardian was built, and it knew where!"
Ecco eyed her suspiciously, his own mind searching for answers with what she was telling.
"What did it say?" He finally asked softly. Karli was trembling with excitement.
"The Guardian said that important information was written within the old passages that once led into Atlantis! There they could be easily kept, or guarded, or anything they wanted! What do you think? Is that what you were looking for?" She asked impatiently. However, an answer didn't come right away for her.
Ecco drifted backwards, letting his fins droop downward, his eyes starting into space with a blank look. He was thinking, wondering...could it be possible?
"Could the location be there?" he whispered to himself, though everyone heard. Karli cocked her head, wondering why he was acting so strange.
"Where, Ecco?" Taren asked. "Is the answer somewhere near by?" Ecco looked at him distantly.
"Yeah, it's close by. In fact, its within the island itself, right next to the city. I know the way in...and so does Karli." Karli pulled her head back, surprised and confused. What did Ecco mean by that?
"Where is this place, Ecco? Obviously, we must go there." Taren said, gaining courage as he spoke. "If the Guardian is correct, and we are correct on our assumptions, then the answer lies right beside us. How can we get in? Where is this place, and what is it?" Ecco looked downward towards the floor for a minute.
"I guess it is a possibility some sort of map or guide may be written by human hands within the passage that I didn't notice before. A final attempt to save long lost memories asked from the dolphins, though man may not have understood what they meant. Maybe she would know..." Everyone in the room, except Ecco, gave each other wondering looks. (Who was 'she'?) Ecco smiled. "This may have been the hint I was looking for." Trellia pulled her head up, holding herself proudly as if that little embarrassment hadn't happened just a few minutes earlier.
"Do we go, Ecco? Is this the start of our journey?"
"Journey? Journey! Can I come?" Karli asked with shining eyes towards Ecco. He looked at her, but didn't respond. Instead he turned towards Taren.
"Are you coming as well, Tide Dancer?" Karli's eyes lit up, wondering if Ecco had meant 'yes' by not answering at all. Taren, on the other hand, nodded, his eyes gleaming behind their dark hazel color.
"Yes, I am coming with, Ecco. What do we set out for?" Ecco got a smirk.
"The place is legend now, though it truly does exist. It is called the Cave of Secrets." Ecco grinned with an inner joke. "Quite a fitting title, once you think about it.
From the Author-
Yay! Another chapter completely finished. I like this one, and personally thought it turned out rather well.
So the next thing our heroes must do is find the Asterite, but as anyone knows, it's hard to find a place when you don't know where to look, and I must say, the ocean is a big place!
And so, we bring one of the most mysterious and unknown places in early DotF: the Cave of Secrets! I don't know how your personal experience went, but that particular level was the first to present an actual challenge for my gaming skills in this particular game.
Oh, and about Karli staring at Trellia and Trellia all getting upset? It was pretty dumb to just put that in there, but I couldn't resist. It's an inside/internal joke that only my family and I know, so whenever I get to it, I laugh unbelievably hard. If it made you smile, then I did my job, but for the true humor, only I know the relation to real life. Anyway, onward we go!...