Chapter 13

Ecco and Trellia couldn't believe what they had heard. There was a gasp from the crowd of dolphins, and a few scorns from the humans above. Ecco remembered the story of how the Glyph Caller was banished when he used the Glyphs against the Vortex without command nor consent.

Now, he was back, and the dolphins of Atlantis had mixed feelings. Was he here to help the ancient city, or destroy it?

The leader of the dolphins hushed the group. "We have nothing to fear now. All of us can remember his brave act, when he cast himself with the Glyphs and nearly destroyed our enemy."

"And us!" a few singers argued. There was a fury of argument among the group.

"Just hush a moment, and I shall tell of the plan we were given before the Elder's death. The time machine located deep within the City of Forever has been reactivated. Tonight, the Vortex armada is due to descend back upon us. The virus contracted among us cannot be cured. On their word, the dolphins residing here will leave Atlantis for the open seas and live there for eternity."

"But what about the humans? Where will they go?" one singer asked. Ecco and his descendant were staring ahead in thought as they heard the answer.

"They are to use the time machine and travel throughout time and scatter the Glyphs inside the dimensions, so our legacy will never be forgotten, at least by dolphins."

A slight gasp. "But that's deceitful! We can't leave, not now!"

"They can't leave us!"

"We aren't giving up, not now!"

"Silence, it's useless!"

The argument went on like this for some time. Many of the Delphine residents thought they were abandoning their city, their lives, their future. Many others wanted to stay with the humans, their only friends outside the sea. Very few wanted to actually leave utter destruction behind.

The leader spoke above the crowd. "I'm sorry, my friends, but it's the only way. The Elder spoke to me, and he has said this: 'The dolphins will live not in this ruined city. They are the last of the ocean's protectors and sentience. They will live to sing, and their children will be born to sing. It is the Atlanteans who will travel. The Atlanteans who will be sure to claim themselves martyrs for their causes. We cannot go into the world with you, or we will all perish, so says the legend. The only job of the dolphins will be to remember.' And with that, he fell silent."

The singers were appalled by this. The humans seemed to treat them like animals. But a few argued that what the Elder said was true...the dolphins were the last in the seas to carry the Atlantean legacy with them. No matter what, they shall always carry it.

"What shall we do now, Ecco?" Trellia whispered.

"I know not. All we can do now is wait for the Vortex to strike."

"But, we have enough power to protect the city, don't we? Atlantis does not have to fall!"

"We can't change the course of history, Trellia, or we will have dire results. Just wait."

Ecco had mixed feelings. He felt tempted to save the dolphin's legacy of peace with these amphibious humans. But in his heart he argued that they must perish.

They must perish, they must. He sighed.

"Singers," the leader started again, though more somber, "The sun is to set in one hour. We must be mobilized by then. We have no choice."

And with those last words, the dolphin leader turned his back, and swam off from the center spire. The dolphins were left silent, as the seas around them glared with the sunlight. The glare seemed like a glare from fate...the dolphins' fault was their decision.

And they will remember this for eons to come. The humans, still looking from their windows high above the surface, all closed their eyes. The children cried, the mothers not knowing how to comfort them. The males looked on, especially the warriors guarding them from the edges. They couldn't do anything to help, for the city's fate was sealed.

The Vortex were descending to Earth at this very second, slowly, menacingly. Through them, will come the demise of many a dolphin and human. Of course, the time travel plan will save as many as it could.

The rest would fall with the golden walls.

Trellia and Ecco swam around the city. They weren't noticed as the humans and dolphins were rushing away. Trellia was sobbing slightly, and Ecco swam on and never looked back.

"I never knew what you had to go through before," Trellia finally said, "I can't imagine sacrificing a whole people, for the sake of history."

Ecco turned to her. "When I used the time machine to come here instead of destroying it, I wanted to stay. But I couldn't change fate. I also couldn't change the fact that the Big Blue had died, right when I was there in front of him. I couldn't change it when I had to fight the Asterite in order to get his power back. I don't like to hurt my friends. But there's no choice in such."

Suddenly, he smiled. "But one thing I won't let go by the wayside is your problem. I haven't forgotten about Tiderider, nor your time, nor even the Sky Killers and Teo. We will solve this, or I can't keep my stars."

Trellia smiled back. "Thank you, Ecco."

"No problem." He winked, then they kept swimming near the outskirts of the city.

A few lonely yet dangerous hours passed. Ecco and Trellia just stood by as they watched the Atlantean humans prepare for their time trip. They watched as the dolphins, the ones who still had their powers and the ones whose immortality they lost due to the virus, accompanied them. The clouds were turning bright red and orange as the sun disappeared. Hovering dangerously above them were the Vortex, and their ships. They had begun to drain different parts of the earth's seas. Now, their envious eyes fell upon the future Cape of Archeo. The ship's shadows could be seen from the top of the spire, and within minutes the alarm sounded.

"Everyone, take the submarines to the City of Forever! To our dolphin allies...good luck to you and your descendants!" the human leader called out. The dolphins streamed past Ecco, while Trellia saw all the action from above him.

When the singers all left the city, a few stayed behind a few miles from the walls to watch the city fall. Ecco and Trellia stayed behind inside the walls, as close as they can to the center. They knew they were putting themselves in great danger, being this close. However, they had to complete their mission.

Then, out of the corner of their eyes, they saw the Glyph Caller himself rise towards the sky, using the power of the Glyphs in which he called upon. Ecco glanced upwards to his path. As soon as he did, the stars on his melon shown white, and his eyes filled with memories of past battles, and he had the urge to charge the sky.

The Vortex armada had arrived.

The three singers yelped in surprise at the voice. It sounded like it was singing in their language, yet somewhat different. Like it was just learning.

"What was that?" Radero inquired.

Tara peeked her head up at the small island above them. "Radero, you're not going to believe this. Look up."

He slowly did. In front of their eyes, standing right on the small island, was a four-legged creature, somewhat like a dog. It was brownish-colored, furred, and paws with small claws almost like hooves. And to the dolphins' great surprise, the creature could sing much like them.

"Well, now...you be like the creature that talked to us before, only no stars. Nope, no stars. I saw a large, black and white one, too. That be your friend?"

Tara and Radero nodded.

"Thought so, thought so. Was bein' chased by the Great Carnashol, he was. Them animals is big trouble."

"Excuse me," Tara interrupted, "but who are you?"

The animal seemed surprised. "Oh, pardon my manners, the name's Kii. I'm a Mesyonichid, but that's a mess-to-say." He laughed at his own joke, then said, "Your friend with the stars call us the 'Land Singers'. I guess that's true, my kind loves to sing, yes yes."

"Chatty, isn't he?" Radero giggled.

"Shh," Tara answered.

"So anyways, you want to find that crystal being guarded by the great Carnashol?"

" 'Carnashol'?" Tara inquired.

"That's our word for the Basilosaurus. What do you call him?"

"The Songless One."

"Ah, yes. He doesn't speak our language, nope. So we say he expresses anger by eating everything."

Tara and Radero smiled. This creature seemed less carefree than any dolphin, yet he could still laugh like one. Radero laughed too, but Tara's smile faded. "Enough, do you know how we can get that Glyph?"

Now Kii's smile evaporated as well. "Yes, but it's very dangerous. You will have to coax the big shark, Megalodon, into a fight with him. He's the only one in the sea able to stand up to the Basilosaurus."

Oh no, first the Songless One and now this? Trellia thought. "Tell us, where do we find the Megalodon?"

Kii sighed. "You really want to know? I'd rather have you here to talk to."

"Yes, tell us!"

"The big shark lives in deeper water, way past here. You'll have to watch carefully, he's a master stalker. Been ruling these seas before Basilosaurus, yep, call him the whale-eater we do."

Tara gulped. "In which direction is he?" Kii raised a paw and pointed straight east. Tara nodded and started to swim off. Radero started to swim after her, but she turned back.

"You stay here, calf. It's too dangerous."

"I've heard that one too many times now. Pleeease, let me come with you!"

"No! We still need you. Stay here with Kii."

Radero wanted to argue, but a knowing look from both Tara and Kii kept him where he was. "But, what if you don't come back?"

Tara smiled. "If I don't, then Kitnee will." And with that, she sped off.

"So you're a young one, eh? Why'd you come here?" Kii asked of Radero. He was trying to ease the tension.

"I came with Ecco and his friends. Supposedly I'm the 'Glyph Caller' they speak of, and they want me to go with them. I don't understand much of this, though. And I miss my parents."

Kii smiled. "I see, I see. Must be nice to be born in the water, yes."

Radero just giggled slightly. But he couldn't stop thinking of Tara and Kitnee, trapped below in the jaws of the Songless One and the giant Hungry One.

After a moment, the young singer grew restless. So far he's heard nothing back from the friends he came with. His eyes burned with a ferocious determination. "Kii?"

The Land Singer was fishing. He'd just caught an unwary fish in his jaws when Radero called him. "I want to find Tara and Kitnee. Point me to where they are!"

"Mm?" Kii spit out the fish he started eating. "It's too dangerous! You'd be crazy to face the whale killer and Carnashol!"

"I don't care. I want to help them. I'm of no use to them here!"

"You'll be of no use to them dead!" the Land Singer argued.

Radero decided he couldn't do anything to stop him, and he sped off to where Tara went. Kii jumped in the water and tried to swim after the young one, but to no avail. Radero was far ahead of him.

"Dear oh dear, I'm going to need help, yes." Kii swam back to land and started looking for whoever could help.

Radero was somewhat scared being alone in such foreign and strange seas, but he kept going. He knew he was needed for something. Ecco, my dad, my mom, they'll all be proud of me, he kept thinking.

Soon, he was far into the darker waters again. He started calling for Tara and Kitnee. But no response came back to him save for a few distant howls and various ocean noises. But he was determined as Ecco to find his guardians, whatever the cost.

And besides, he remembered the story of when Ecco was his age, he, Tara, and Kitnee searched the seas for the great and wise Big Blue, rest he in peace.

Finally, he heard a ferocious but faint brawl just below him in the darker waters. Deciding that was Tara or Kitnee, he sped downwards, hoping in all his luck that he was right.