Chapter 6

Trellia said nothing in response as she lowered Ecco back into the water of the undersea cave. The Glyph Caller somehow put a flipper on her greatest nightmare since the Vortex future. Ecco hadn't heard what was said, for the great ancient dolphin spoke privately to her and her only. Ecco was however worried, for as soon as the Glyph Caller had mentioned the captive Tiderider, Trellia's somber mood came back. Ecco gave her a look that said, "Trellia, trust me. What is wrong?"

Trellia read his look and replied with one that said, "No."

The light from the Glyph had died down for the moment. Ecco and Trellia were to travel back to his time when the proper good-byes were said to their new acquaintances above the surface. They swam out of the cave and back into the dark ocean, towards the destroyed Atlantis Bay.

Their sleek heads broke the surface. Despite the calm of the night, Trellia dared not look up again. Teo saw the singers and floated down to speak.

"Jewel Brows, I have seen the light from whence you were. What happened?"

"We have found what we were seeking," Ecco answered. "The Glyph Caller is sealed within the confines of his own body. His persona is missing, and both Trellia and I have to go back to my time. Our true mission has been given to us."

Teo nodded his head in thought. "I knew as much. We have felt great power beneath these waves, despite its forlorn appearance. We cannot simply put into words the significance of such a place. All the more reason to preserve what may be seen as destroyed."

Ecco, Teo, and Trellia were hung in silence. Here was the entire Delphine history, almost fully destroyed. No matter what looks are like, memories are never destroyed and are taken to death. Here lay the spirits of many singers with great stories: Courage, deception, heartache, power, anger, rejoice, all warriors of but one purpose; to survive. And finally, here lay the remains of a race now long forgotten by history. Those who hear dare not speak.

Finally, Trellia broke the silence. "I cannot go."

Ecco turned to her. "What was that, Trellia?"

Trellia's voice was raised. "I cannot go, it is that simple. This great power may help, but no matter what, I have seen what can happen. The darkness took my mind and forced me to listen. Why did fate let me love one who was directly descended from the Glyph Caller, for the darkness has him. I want to save him, but I must think of my family now. The entity gets bigger, and feeds on my fear. Nothing will make me leave them, nothing!"

Trellia stopped and took a deep breath, and her voice was once again slow, soft and seemingly fearless.

"Nothing."

Ecco and Teo hung in suspense. Ecco wondered just how serious this was, and now he knew. His own blood was being threatened by an imbalance, and was using her family and friends as a shield, it seemed.

"Trellia," Ecco said finally, "I had no idea. I will do all I possibly can to see to your family's protection. If you wish, we won't leave just yet."

Teo had to speak now. "That is the closest I have seen to anyone giving up, Jewel Brow. You can't hope to stop it, not without knowing it inside and out. If you stay, you are only going on a defense that will be broken sooner or later. The only way to get to a problem is to get to the source. The source in this case may be too powerful to defend against, so be offensive instead. Trust me, I have fought many battles in my life. Go to your time, and take Trellia with you. My pod and I will see to the protection of your family."

Trellia's look now was priceless, of great surprise. "How are you going to protect them? You have stayed here all of your lives."

Teo gave them a knowing smile. "Not exactly, Jewel Brow. My pod and I have on occasion gone to the top of the world to look down upon the peaceful earth. We have memorized all of the locations and names of the bays we could see. All of them contain singers much like you. I will send a member of my pod to each of those spots, and I will head to Trella Bay. With me there, nothing will pass in or out."

Ecco seemed relieved, but Trellia was suspicious. "How do you know you will not eat my family, or your kin does so to the other singers? The last thing I never thought to trust was a Sky Killer."

Despite the accusation, Teo moved not an inch from his position. "If I weren't to be trusted, I would have killed both of you the moment I saw you. Jewel Brow or not. My pod, even though lacking song, still have a will as strong as the sea."

Ecco saw Trellia's look. "Trellia, trust our friend. Tara once told me all those with song, however big, have hearts that are bigger. She was right, and so am I."

"Ecco, he did tell us of the legend of theirs. He may only be after a reward."

"Trellia, you are of no use to your family if you stay to protect them. If you earned an Orca's trust, you have earned the best protection possible. Faith is the key here."

Teo called his pod back over, and all of them faced the two singers. "The Jewel Brow is right. You must go, and trust us. If you are not convinced, then listen to my story. I had a partner once, my pod mate. She was just like me, one of the last with the power of song. Some time ago, my pod had stumbled into a shallow thermal. It erupted and formed a volcano right in front of us. The heat was scalding, as we tried to escape; I still bear the scar today."

Teo indicated the burn on his right flank near his tail, and continued.

"All of us escaped, except for my beloved. She bore a wound from an earlier Hungry One attack and was slow. I tried to go back for her, but the blast took her away from me. I was devastated; I could have saved her, but I didn't."

Teo's voice was wavering, and tears rolled slowly down from his ebony eyes to the shimmering surface. Trellia and Ecco stared in amazement.

Teo then continued. "I am now the last Sky Killer who knows how to sing, and every night I grieve and pray in song that I wasn't. I lost everything then when I made that decision, of a majority over one. I have only two friends now whom I can truly communicate with. And this time, my decision is final. Everyone survives. No one is hurt or suffered. And finally, I will lose no more from my life. I will fight for what I lost, and now hope to keep."

Ecco smiled slowly, and Trellia was silenced. None believes that a Sky Killer can have such feelings, she thought.

Teo still had tears even when he smiled. "And that is why you will trust me. Your family is in the best of flippers with us."

Trellia nodded. "Alright. See to it my family and all our friends are safe. I am only sorry for the doubt."

Teo's tears were just now wavering, but they were still present. "You have my promise, Jewel Brow."

Ecco broke the silence. "Fine. Trellia, you are doing a greater favor for your families by letting them protect the bays of the world. Let's go back now."

Trellia smiled. "Right behind you. Thank you, Teo."

Teo just smiled back. "You are welcome. I wish you all good luck. Fin to heart..."

"Wave to soul," Trellia said.

"Sky to sea, all is whole." They finished together.

The singers said goodbye to Teo as he was calling his pod forth for a mission. "What was that you said, Trellia?"

They dove back into the cave as she answered. "That is the Song of Faith. All singers know the song by heart in my time and it is used for good fortune. I never believed in such, but I may need the fortune to stay on the mission."

Ecco nodded in silence as they faced the Glyph Caller inside the cave, ready to go back to the familiar present Earth.

Listen, and listen well, singers...

The two singers listened intently as they floated in the cave. Ecco wanted to help his descendant, and Trellia just wanted her family and friends to be safe. She knew, however, all was safe with Teo standing watch. The Glyph Caller's ethereal light shone brighter than ever, the body of the dolphin still motionless in the prison.

I will prepare to send you both back to Ecco's world. However, there is one thing you need to know before you depart. First and foremost, Tiderider is not the only one with the ability to use the Caller's Song. I have a descendant in your time that is able to use the power, with sufficient training.

"Is he or she anyone I know?" Ecco asked.

Perhaps not. You may have to find the young singer. It is a child, which is all I know. I will give you the song, and you must teach it to the singer when you find it.

Trellia was about to ask a question, but the Glyph Caller was already ahead of her. Beware, though, for this song is unlike another. It holds great power that can only be effectively controlled by the ones of my blood. Used otherwise, it could destroy whole stars.

"We promise not to misuse the song," Ecco said.

Your promise is not necessary to state. I know already that I can trust both of you, O chosen ones. Now listen carefully, and open your mind.

Ecco and Trellia both closed their eyes and listened to the melody that was the Caller's Song. The prison Glyph shuddered as the tunes rocked the walls gently. Teo could feel the vibrations from the notes even when he was already halfway up the water tube. Even the Hungry Ones stopped eating and listened to the song. So full of wisdom it was, just like the Big Blue just before he died.

Ecco's heart was open to many memories the song gave him. Songs of wisdom by the whales, whose songs were meant clearly for each other than the rest. Songs of play by the porpoises, who knew not the meaning of hatred and fear. Songs of knowledge by the dolphins, who shared the seriousness of the whales and the rush of peace that made the porpoise leap. All of that, even the cold songs that made the Arctic Singers, the narwhals and belugas, the Orcas as well, all dream of worlds unlike no other, all of that were absorbed by two little singers on a quest. The great invincible sea was, too, helpless in a way.

Remember the melody, and teach the Glyph Callers of the past. Sing to them of virtue and peace. And find what I have lost, no matter the cost.

Ecco gave a nod of his head. The stars of Delphineus were beaming with great anticipation. Trellia's brave mood finally came back.

Farewell, chosen ones. The Glyph Caller's light faded, and the cave turned pitch black. Below them, an entire seam of space opened up, leading the way through the tides of time. Ecco gave his trademark battle cry and dropped with Trellia into the void. The light future lay behind them, and the singers took not one look back.

It took a moment to get back home. Ecco swam through a time flow much like a double helix. The singers had to be careful, for a twitch could send them down through a dimension not known to any of them. Their destination lay on the main path, but Ecco could not keep his eyes off the scenes flashing before him. Flashes of the past were unchanged and never meant to be. The future had too many connections to watch; Earth had many possible futures, not just two.

The flow was finally coming to a stop. "Trellia, how are you back there? If you're going to throw your last lunch, wait until we get there." Ecco laughed.

Trellia gave her ancestor a look of mock dread. "If I do throw my lunch, you are going to be in the way!" She laughed as well.

"Seriously, are you sure you are not dizzy?"

Trellia's look was much like an adolescent dolphin's when worried parents bothered her. "Ecco, I am fine. Keep your eyes on the path." Ecco seemed to be the only one who kept a slightly better view of their journey. Trellia remained serious, though somewhat thrilled from the ride.

The void ended, and the two were back in Ecco's home bay. Ecco leaped high in the air, for it was good to be back to a familiar sea. Trellia remained below.

It was midday in Ecco's time. They swam aimlessly for awhile, wondering how on Earth they were going to find the singer who bears the same power as the Glyph Caller. How do we find them? Will we know as soon as we see? Questions were racing through their minds.

Soon, Ecco found his pod enjoying a feast of angelfish near the bay. When Tara spotted Ecco, she immediately dashed over to his side.

"Ecco, you have been gone for two days! I...we were worried."

As if on cue, all members of his pod were there. His mother, sister, cousin, brother, a few non-related renegades, and the young ones.

"Ecco, what has happened? The Glyphs around here are faulty, and now you have a very strange singer with you." said his mother.

Trellia stiffened so no disrespect would be given. "I am Trellia. Ecco is my ancestor, and I come from the rightful future of Earth."

The young dolphins were all amazed. The older pod members sang notes of approval to Trellia's advanced shape. Tara paid no mind; she was still next to Ecco. Trellia blushed at all this attention. Finally, Ecco started in.

"Enough, everyone. Trellia is here with me to solve a mystery. It has to do with the Glyphs."

"You mean the crystals? I wondered if something was wrong, you leaving and the crystal cracking," little Radero said.

"Radero, silence. Let Ecco speak." Enuia said back to her son.

"Thank you. Let me tell the story of the past events, then I will have to leave again." Ecco addressed his pod.

It took almost five minutes or more for Ecco and Trellia to tell their story. From the great darkness, to the Sky Killers, to the Glyph Caller, all of that were retold to Ecco's family.

Finally, Ecco's mother spoke.

"Young one, I fully trust your judgment. If you need help, which I am sure you do, then find Kitnee and his pod. They may help you."

Ecco thought a moment while some of the members got a refill of fresh air. Then, he answered.

"But, all of the Orca pods are swimming north now. I cannot disturb their rights of movement."

Tara smiled. "Ecco, I think you forgot what Kitnee is like. Remember when we were young ones, and all of us, you, me, and Kitnee, swam to find the Big Blue? He is just as adventurous as you and me. Find him, and he will

help."

Ecco smiled. "Tara, has anyone ever told you that you are brilliant?"

"Um, not recently."

"Well, you are. Trellia and I will rest here tonight, and then we will set off north to find Kitnee."

"Let me come too, Ecco. Just like old times, the three adventurous singers on a mission" Tara pleaded.

Ecco's smile evaporated. "Tara..."

"Can I come, Ecco?" Radero asked.

"No, Radero." Enuia said.

"Darn" answered the young singer.

"Tara, it may be too dangerous."

Tara smiled and shot up into the air. She came back down with a belly flop that could disorient another dolphin.

"Dangerous, huh? All the better. You need an army. I can be captain, like always."

Ecco laughed and realized they needed more singers with them much like Tara.

"Fine. We leave at dawn, for the colder sea."

Ecco swam off towards the setting ocean sun, along with his family and friends. Trellia wondered however, if more really was better.