Chapter 14

The skies over Atlantis were no longer quiet and peaceful. Ecco gave a slight whistle of anger and tried to stifle a Charge Song. Trellia matched his look, for she knew what would've become of the earth if the Vortex claimed victory. All they both could do was watch as the armada of dark ships descended, slowly tasting destruction. Facing them, using his power to rise into the sky along with the Glyphs, was the Glyph Caller himself. The great dolphin's eyes shone with greater intensity than the crystals surrounding his body as he faced the Vortex.

Suddenly, all of Atlantis fell empty save for the Glyph Caller, the Vortex, and Ecco and Trellia. "Get ready," she warned Ecco, "We cannot fail now."

Ecco prepared himself. As soon as the Glyph Caller's blast met the Vortex's beam of destruction, Ecco would launch himself at the epicenter of the blasts and quickly use his song to catch the Caller's soul. After that, he'll travel to the prehistoric era to find Tara, Kitnee, and Radero along with the Glyphs they collected. He and Trellia would use their power to travel back to her time and free the Glyph Caller from his crystalline prison. He will aid them in releasing Tiderider from his own prison.

That is, if Ecco's luck was with him on this. One slip, and he could be destroyed himself. Because of his immortality, he'll lose his spirit but bear his wounds on his body forever. The savior of the seas will wander forever as nothing.

When this is all over, I must ask the Asterite to remove my immortality. I can't live like this, Ecco decided.

Both sides stopped in their tracks. A few smaller ships started to blast the buildings apart, and the lead ship was face to face with the Caller.

Ecco faced his descendant. "Trellia...if I don't make it out of this, please, promise me you will find a way to stop this on your own."

Trellia's eyes filled with tears as her heart filled with fear. "Ecco, no...I need you."

Ecco smiled. "You are of my blood, Trellia. You need nobody. I learned from Atlantis long ago that dolphins with our stars stood for courage in the city. They were warriors, and they used their powers of song to protect it. That's what I am doing now, only now I'm protecting the future. If you find your courage, you will find our legacy. Now, promise me, child."

Trellia stood silent. Behind Ecco, she could see the Vortex's beams destroying more buildings. She knew now what she had to do. It was up to her to save the earth if her ancestor was destroyed.

Trellia then realized. "Ecco, if you don't make it, I won't even exist."

"Trellia, I'm immortal. My spirit will ensure your existence if my body won't. Now, say you will go."

She took a deep breath. "I promise."

Ecco nodded and turned back to the battle. "Trellia, lift me, please." She did. Ecco rose quickly as the beams of power were just about to fire. Trellia stayed behind as she saw her ancestor ascend to the battle-torn sky.

Suddenly, the Glyphs flashed, and the Caller released the blast onto the Vortex. Just the same, the opposition fired upon the upcoming power, but to no avail. Ecco pumped his fluke, and was caught in the middle.

Then, a great explosion ripped all the ships apart like a Hungry One rips a fish. The amulet adorning Ecco's neck glowed along with the Glyphs adorning the Caller. Soon, the great dolphin fell backwards in recoil from the explosion. Through the light, Ecco could see his spirit falling from his body. He rushed forward to catch it. But just when the amulet's power caught the dolphin's persona and trapped it, the small crystal ripped from the neck ring and fell to the earth.

Ecco charged down after it. However, the blast opened several dimensional holes in the sky. In just one split second, Ecco was sucked upwards, as the amulet was falling back to the seas.
Trellia saw the falling crystal and rushed to catch it. As she did, she saw a small form of Ecco twirling ever higher. She hoped he'd fall too, but he was actually ascending...straight to a dimensional hole! She was powerless to do anything.

Later, as the blast faded and the smoke cleared, night was giving way to day. Trellia saw the sun rise for the first time on a ruined Atlantis. But as far as she could search she saw no Ecco, no remnants of the Vortex. She could see the Glyph Caller's body floating on the surface just a few feet away.

"Oh no," she whispered to herself, "Ecco has disappeared, I am now left with the Caller's spirit, and the responsibility of the world...how am I ever going to stand up just as my ancestor once did?"

Then she remembered what he said to her about courage. The lone star on her head flashed with the mention of the virtue, and she felt her sense of loneliness vanish. Ecco...what am I going to tell the others?

Trellia searched under Atlantis for one more Glyph, and she used the last of its power to call down the Song of Transport. She headed straight for the prehistoric past, where she was now sure to meet up with Radero, Kitnee, and Tara.

"Unh...where am I?" Ecco asked himself as soon as he awoke. He remembered what had happened earlier. He was with Trellia...in ancient Atlantis...with the Glyph Caller...

Ecco sprung back to life. Where was Trellia? Where did the amulet drop? Were the Vortex destroyed? Questions were racing through his mind.

Ecco calmed himself and surveyed his surroundings. He was in a tank of some kind, in very messy water; water which was very viscous and familiar somehow.

The dolphin searched everywhere for a way out, but it ended in vain. He was trapped, with only a small amount of air towards the top.

"Ah, you are awake now, visitor..." a strange voice called. Ecco turned in surprise to find a very strange-looking singer. It didn't seem like the dolphins he knew; it looked weaker and prone to exhaustion and injury. There was a deep scar in the melon stretching over both of his eyes. The pectoral fins looked a bit more like long vines of flesh, dragging down about three feet. The tail fin looked more like regular dolphins, but Ecco could sense half was torn off. The tail was small anyway, making for an erratic swimming gait. Among the other features were gill openings under the pectoral fins, proof these dolphins didn't need the air above them. The dolphin's color was a bright yellow, and his eyes looked as if they had lost all hope. Ecco was surprised at this.

"You seem like one of us, yet you are different," the singer observed, "What is your designation?"

"Uhm...Ecco. Where am I?"

The other dolphin looked somber, yet curious. "You are in the lowest part of the Vortex master city, the feeding area. We dolphins live here and are raised as food for these creatures."

Ecco gasped. He was in the Vortex future!

Kii ran all along the beach, searching for his family. Certainly a whole pack of us can help, hopefully. I know, we shall sing to Quisheri, the god of whirlwinds, he shall save them, yes! The Land Singer raced as fast as he could, calling out.

Meanwhile, Radero's fears were growing with the darkness. Twice he thought he heard the haunting cry of the Basilosaurus, or the furious growl of Megalodon. He may have even heard Tara and Kitnee struggling with their lives in the crushing pressure. If they didn't survive, their fate was a live burial amidst darkness. Where none could hear you.

He stopped. Shuddering, he thought he again recognized the cries of the Singers he came with. For the first time in his life, Radero actually took his position seriously. He'd never felt serious care for anyone other than his parents. The arrogant young one was actually learning, as he should, from life. He wondered whether he'd live long enough to learn more, though. As long as the Glyph collection trailing behind him stayed silent...

Again, the haunting deep-water sounds resounded, climbing up the walls and bottom, sneaking up on anything like a shadow to whosoever hears it. Radero was tempted to sing back, but only under the risk of catching the attention of the Songless One, and the great king of the Hungry Ones.

I can't give up just because of some noises. Ecco wouldn't, the young Singer concluded. He found an underwater cave where he refilled his lungs with blessed air, then he descended deeper, gently pinging the walls, sonar his eye in the dismal gloom before him.

If I cannot find him, nobody can. I am the master...oh, what's the use, Tara kept thinking. As she swam off, she couldn't empty her mind of worry. Of Kitnee, of Radero, of Trellia, and, she especially couldn't stop thinking of Ecco. Ever since she and him were calves, they adventured together. They made friends with young Kitnee, the orca, when his family was small. She could never admit it through her brutish heart, but she cared for all in her pod, especially Ecco. She smiled as she thought of him again, which eased her tension somewhat. But the environment and sounds quickly dispersed her thoughts of peace.

Suddenly, a piercing cry tore through her silent slipstream. It lingered, then stopped, then rang louder. That noise could only be one thing: Kitnee was in serious danger, perhaps pain. Tara pinpointed the sound, but she didn't even need to move. The black and white, purity within darkness pattern of her demon dolphin friend could be seen. He was swimming slowly upwards, and as soon as he saw Tara he barreled through the water.

Tara was overjoyed. "Kitnee! You're alive!"

Kitnee breached with the usual Delphine dance of glee. But no sooner had he hit the water again did he wince slightly with pain. Tara found the reason; a great wound along his right side, spilling a small amount of blood into the water.

"What happened?" Tara queried. Kitnee opened one eye, the other tightly closed to try and close out the pain.

"I...I was...chased along by the Songless One. He almost caught me. I was fighting for my life, and for air. I slowed. But as soon as he almost had me pinned, I noticed my chance for salvation...I bit his front fin, and just as soon as the blood billowed the water did I see the..."

"The what?"

"...Let me rest...the Megalodon."

Tara gasped. "You saw the king of the White Death?"

"I have. He sensed the blood, and attacked the Basilosaurus. His tail bashed my side as I was fleeing. Soon enough, he will come after me, for the Hungry Ones are keen on blood. We must leave. Now."

Tara was about to agree with him, but no sooner did they turn to leave then they swam right into a sixty-foot frame, ringed with teeth. In front was the gaping mouth and demon-like eyes of the Songless One. Behind them, the Megalodon could be seen swimming effortlessly to the new scent of blood. The great shark's eyes had no demon, nor spirit. They were as black as any Great White. Eyes that seemed to drill through its prey, saying to them, "I have chosen you to die."

"What will we do now, O fearless Sniper?" Tara whispered.

Kitnee snarled. "The Songless one is still bleeding slightly. When I say go, swim, and don't hesitate."

Just above the surface of a seemingly calm ocean, a ring of stars appeared with eager swiftness. Among the stars, a Flying Singer entered, and anchored to the air. Trellia had just appeared in the prehistoric era, a time not even perceived by the future dolphins. This was a date steeped in mystery for Trellia. She knew not where to go, nor what to do. But she had the advantage of air.
Swift and silent, the young dolphin fluked through the low clouds in search for anything that looked like Kitnee or Tara. They could lead her to Radero, for he was too small to spot from so high.

She flew over the land, and suddenly spied something new. Some canid-like creatures below were running towards the water, ten in all. They stopped, and even with their mouths closed, Trellia could hear singing. Inexperienced singing, but singing nonetheless. She decided to try and talk with these creatures.

"Hello? Excuse me, but I noticed you could sing. Can you understand me?"

The Mesyonichids ceased their song and looked upwards. As Trellia descended, they stood in a stupor. For the first time, extreme past met extreme future. Once, dolphins took the land. They wanted to play in the sea, and they did. Later they tried to fly, as they knew the great eagles could. They did.

"Is that you, Quisheri? You've come! Please, help us!"

Trellia was confused. "I am not this Quisheri, my name is Trellia, a Singer from the far future. Do you know Ecco; a dolphin with stars lining his brow?

"Why, yes, we do! Wow, we shall take to the skies one day?"

Trellia sighed. "Do you know where some other dolphins are, then?"

Kii stepped forward. "Come down, Flying One. If you seek whom we sing the safety for, we shall tell you!"

Ecco felt cold, even in the warm but viscous water where he floated. He surveyed where he was; a great metallic box, with a small trickle of air lining the top. Inside with him were several cetacean-like creatures, and whenever Ecco glanced at them it filled his heart with extreme sadness. These Singers' smiling eyes were non existent, their mouths twisted to a frown which they could change, but dared not.

Gone was the true Delphine spirit, and here was a creature with lack of all hope. Ecco understood why, as this was the Vortex's kingdom. But the last time he stumbled upon this place, it had no life save for the creatures of the Vortex planet. Guarding the watery passages above were Vortex worms whose spiked bodies chased you until you faltered.

"Ecco? That is a very strange designation, stranger," the strange Singer observed, ignorant of Ecco's apparent fear, as if he'd never read true emotions before. "My designation is K-542. These behind me are K-543 to K-546."

Ecco turned back to the strange Singers. "You don't have names?"

K-542 looked confused. "What is a name?"

Ecco sighed. "I'll just call you Kone, then. That's a letter 'K', and the number one pushed together into another word."

Kone stared. "Forgive me, friend. But none of us had the great fortune of being given names. Only our masters have names."

The Bottlenose Singer didn't need to ask who their masters were. He gazed upon this small band of Singers, so desolate were they now. Each expression was a fated gaze of fear, pain, loss of hope. In this world, the Vortex destroyed everything, twisted the planet to suit their desires, and now had enslaved the sea's sentience. No longer were they to play. Each could never speak of hope; they were born never to know such a thing. Ecco couldn't imagine such a world, but it was right in front of him.

Kone hung his head. "I can tell you come from another world. Let me explain about ours. Gender and age separate dolphins here. Once to the leisure of the masters is our kind allowed to see one another, once. When a calf is born, they are separated from their maternal parents and put into separate cages to be fed and raised. When they age, they are pushed to fight. The strongest are taken to the Vortex cities above to work. The weakest are put here, for a food source for their Queen. My comrades and I lived in this container for our entire lives, no others, very little food. Some of us are veterans; left weak by the slavery and miscare they had given us. If we cannot work, they take us here where our fate is to be eaten. We are not free and cannot ever try to hope. We tell stories of how our ancestors used to live, but it is only a racing pain for us to think such things happened. As we were taught, this planet had always belonged to the Vortex, and their strange genetic mutations of themselves they use as warriors. At times we are brought up to fight them, and we die. But we, we had no past, no future."

Ecco's rage grew as he sank into the truth behind Kone's words. He knew the Vortex were evil, crazed, uncaring. But to stoop so low as to deny these creatures to a rightful death!

"I cannot bear to see my kind like this. Look at you! Emaciated, blood stained, eyes lacking hope. Your flesh is worn to nothing but your swimming. Turned worthless! I must find a way home, and close this awful timeline!"

"Ecco, I'm afraid you can't escape. There is no way out of here. Even if we found one, we'd be lost forever in the labyrinth of the alleys in the lower section. We'd be caught, eaten or perhaps tortured. Look at us, Ecco."

He did. If he saw dolphins that never knew hope, love, care, then he saw nothing.

"Now look at yourself. Ecco, if you want to keep your health, you must mind yourself."

"NO!" Ecco's stern word startled the others in a gasp. "I cannot stay to see such pity. Dolphins ARE free will, love, compassion, wisdom, and courage. If you lose this...listen, you're singers, what do you sing about?"

Kone looked thoughtful. "We sing of our horrid lives. Of stories that a great savior shall release us. Fiction."

Ecco smiled. "Kone, your savior is here. I have been here before, and know how the Vortex operates. Back where I come from, Singers are free creatures. We live in the seas, leaping and playing, loving. Our pods don't just consist of only one gender and age. We live as families our whole lives. Mothers keep their calves with fierce protection. Only through death is love broken. I have traveled the world, through time itself to save the legacy of my kind. I want you now to tell me where to escape."

"No!" Kone interjected, "You cannot survive out there. What proof do you have that your story is true?"

"Why else do I have the appearance of health? Lead me to an escape route. I shall find my way to the Vortex Queen, and I swear by the stars of Delphineus you shall taste freedom, like you were meant to!"

The strange Singer's anger arose. "Blasphemy! I will not..."

"Let him go, brother," another Singer interjected, trying to stifle a cough at the same time. "He just may be the one."

Kone stared at his brother. He was no different from the others, though somewhat smaller. He was stained the most with blood of others, suggesting his spirit was torn apart by the sight of his kind dying under the hands of the Vortex and their beasts. Plus, his cough suggested he was dying himself from illness.

Kone sighed. "Alright, there's a small exit just above the surface. You may be able to fit through. If you claim you can exit the labyrinthine tunnels of the lower level, then you will be in the middle sanctum where the Killer Beasts roam. If you make it past them, you will find the main city, where their Queen resides."

Ecco smiled. "Thank you, I will leave now."

"Wait!" yelled. If you find a female up there, she was one of the ones chosen for work on the architecture. Her designation is R-763. She is my lost love...please; I was yearning to see her again. If you find her, tell her...."

Ecco intervened. "I understand, friend...I will. I shall return." And with that, he swam to the surface, through the grate leading to the outside of the metal structure.

As Kone watched him, he could never admit that he felt an extreme sense of hope now. But, as his comrades did, he quickly dismissed it. Hope was lost.