Chapter 2
"Ripped apart? How do you mean?" Ecco queried of Trellia.
Trellia went up to catch a breath before telling Ecco her story: "All was fine where I live. Then I saw it, the great cloud of darkness that arrives every night and grows larger by the day!" Trellia found her voice was raised a little, so she paused and went on. "I thought it was nothing, but I noticed all of the Glyphs in the sea were glowing brighter as it moved closer. It told me to get the 'Glyph Caller', and blinked out. I knew that there was trouble when no one would come when I used the Gather Song. I decided to come get you to help solve the mystery, as you may know more about the Glyphs than I do."
During the story, Ecco turned from concerned to confused. He did know of the Glyphs, but not much more than Trellia. The mysterious crystals handed him hints and songs all through his journeys through time.
"I'm not sure, Trellia. The Glyphs were created by the Atlanteans and scattered all around the sea. For what purpose, I have yet to find out." Ecco tried to stay calm, but Trellia was on the brink of losing her mind.
"But, there has to be some way to find out what is happening! It may not sound like much, but my friends' lives could be on the line, please, Ecco!"
Ecco wanted to help, for his descendant was turned from exhaustion and worry. "Hm. Take me to your time. Perhaps we can find out more."
Trellia was relieved. "Alright, but it will be hard for me. The Glyphs are faltering and losing the strength, that binds a time traveler to their goal. Let me rest."
Ecco nodded his head and looked back at his pod. They were too busy catching fish and being careful not to spill the blood of the big ones in the water, for the Hungry Ones could sense blood for miles.
Ecco didn't want to waste any time, but he did remember a similar thing that happened some time ago. About a week after he defeated the last of the Vortex, all of the Glyphs in his area were starting to glow an angry and painful white. He dismissed it, but then he didn't know as much about the Atlanteans and their mysterious technology as he thought.
Now, he was concerned. Every day they seemed to lose a part of themselves that binds to the sea and the sky. Ecco was skeptical, but worried nonetheless.
"Alright, let's..." he began, when a familiar voice interrupted him.
"Ecco, aren't you hungry?" He turned and saw the sleek form of one of his good friends, Tara, swimming up to him. Tara looked up and stopped in mid-swim. Her good friend Ecco was talking to the strangest looking singer she had ever seen!
"Whoa, who is that? Ecco, is that one of the strange singers you spoke about from the future? I thought you lost your mind when you talked about them!"
Ecco gave a small squeak that was the Delphine equivalent of a nervous giggle. "Tara, this is Trellia, my descendant from the future. Tell the pod I have something to do, and I will be back."
Trellia remained restful and paid no mind to Tara, as she was still somewhat exhausted. Tara smiled. "Alright, I will. Good luck to you, Ecco, and to you, Tr... Um, what's her name again?"
"Trellia. And thanks, Tara." As Tara watched, Trellia once again sang the Song of Transport and she and Ecco vanished in the blink of a fateful eye.
The cold tides of the future sea were still dark with night, as Trellia and Ecco reappeared in the middle of the sky where Trellia last called her song. Ecco was about to drop, but Trellia remembered that he couldn't float with his mind like the others and caught him in midair.
"Drop me please, Trellia. You need the rest, and I need to take a look at that Glyph." The Glyph under the wave was still shining like the rest of them. They were like the bioluminescent jellyfish that swam the deepest sea, only they stayed mobile. Trellia gave a slight nod as she slowly lowered Ecco to the calm water.
All the while, Trellia couldn't take her eyes off that strange cloud that hovered dangerously under the stars and over the seas. It is trouble; I know it so, thought Trellia.
While Ecco was searching under the water, Trellia was using her air-tuned sonar to pinpoint where her family and friends were. She had flown quite far away from them; yet she was able to make out the form of Tiderider in the distance, sleeping so deeply he could have been mistaken for dead. Trellia was trying to remember what made Tiderider so special. He was to be the next leader of the Trella Bay pod, but for what reason?
This stuck for awhile until Ecco called from below. Without her knowing it, the light from the Glyphs had turned off instantly. The sea was pitch black, nothing was visible.
Trellia slowly descended and lifted Ecco, who released a curious squeak. "You were right, something is wrong. All of the Glyphs as far as I could echolocate ripped apart. Every single one of them."
Trellia seemed to spasm in midair, which almost made Ecco drop again. "Oh no, no, no." Trellia cried.
"What's wrong..." Ecco started to say. Then he felt a tickling sensation on his forehead. Just like what happened with Trellia, the stars on his forehead began to dim. Ecco looked up and noticed for the first time the great mass in the sky. "Oh my..." he began.
Trellia followed his gaze. "Yes, somehow it is all connected by that." Trellia said sadly. "And what's worse, I can't return you to your time with my song."
This caught Ecco's attention. "WHAT?! Why?"
She hung her head and gave a low, mournful whistle. "The song's power is connected by the Glyphs that hold the power of time travel. Without the Glyphs, I can't use that version of the Song of Transport. I'm sorry."
Ecco sighed. "That is fine, don't mourn. I think we can find another way. Where did you get this song?"
"From the Asterite, when I first met you. He gave it to me when he told me to get you. I used the song to travel to your time."
"Good. I'll stay here, then we can find the Asterite when the sun yields day."
"Okay. You don't have a choice but to stay here anyway. Peaceful Dream, Ecco."
"Peaceful Dream, Trellia." I hope, I hope, thought Ecco as he saw Trellia drift away, her head still adrift with doubt.
Ecco awoke with a start, remembering he was still in the future. He didn't wake up with the sun on his pale, sleek body and the ocean quiet and peaceful like back home. A great cry for help arose from the sky and rippled the water. Ecco swam up to find out what it was.
All of the Sky Singers were gathered around Trellia, who sent the Song of Gather for the morning. This time, everyone came. Trellia was just finishing up her tale when she noticed Ecco. "As you can see, I have brought my ancestor Ecco from the past to help deal with this."
"Oh, for...you are crazy, Trellia," accused Lera, the most skeptic of the group. No one had believed Trellia when the tale was told, as everyone was under a sleep spell when it happened.
"But..." Trellia began to argue, when another singer flew into Trella Bay. She was squeaking like crazy, and caught everyone's eye.
"Help! Tiderider has vanished! I looked all over the bay, and I can't find him!"
"Perhaps he is swimming out of the bay," offered one dolphin.
"No" said Trellia. "When I used the Song of Gather, everyone within half the length of the Earth should have heard it. Something has happened."
Some of the singers panicked. "Someone took our future leader! It is a sign!"
Ecco stared at all this with interest. Tiderider was kidnapped, and all the others were spared. Just like Ecco was spared when the Vortex took his family. "Wait! Do I have a word in here?" he shouted.
Trellia used her mind to lift Ecco from the sea to the air. The five stars of Delphineus were visible on his brow as the sun started to rise. His eyes again got the wild look of a singer on a mission, of destiny, of determination. "Trellia brought me here to see the Asterite. What she says is true; I have seen it for myself. Whether you believe her or not, we will solve the problem with the Glyphs and this mysterious power which seems to take the stars. Trellia, let's go. The Asterite and fate await us both."
Many of the singers wished them luck as Ecco and Trellia rose up to the Sky Tides. "I still think you are both crazy!" Yelled Lera, but still the dolphins pressed on.
They rose above the Earth, Trellia rising with Ecco in the tubes, as her helium-filled body wasn't used to the pressure of the high skies. They worked together past the Medusa's domain, through the Skylands, all the way to the bay that held the great Asterite. Ecco could reach that depth easily, as he held the Asterite's power within.
Trellia, however, had to take a deep breath before descending with her ancestor into the dark water. At last, the Asterite was in front of both singers.
I have waited for you, Ecco, and you as well Trellia, said the Asterite. Something new is in the sea, as you both may have guessed.
"You know about the Glyphs and the cloud?" asked Trellia.
Everything to the detail of Tiderider's disappearance, replied the Asterite, with solemnity in its thoughts. Come in the middle of the helix, Trellia, and I will provide air. There is a long story involved with the Glyphs and you both need to hear it.
Trellia did as the Asterite said. Ecco stayed where he was. "What is the story about?" he asked.
The Asterite seemed hesitant. It all started with the Atlanteans' war against the Vortex.