Shina opened her eyes slowly. She was surprised to be surrounded by beautiful clear water in a shallow thriving area of the ocean. It was daytime, apparently sunrise, and she could tell that this was a friendly environment.
"Wh....where am I? This isn't my home bay........ but it must be populated with dolphins.... there are territory marks on the rocks.......I hope they're friendly.....I have no choice but to ask one of them for help," Shina told herself.
She swam to a nearby waterfall with a strong current. It pushed her backwards ans she tried to swim closer. She decided to swim near a large cliff-like structure where she saw to dolphins playing.
Shina swam closer and said, "Hello.....I mean no harm...please, you must help me!"
One of the dolphins approached her and spoke, "Of course. What is wrong? I've never seen you before. Are you lost?"
Shina replied, "Yes.......please, I'm so confused! I was sitting in the cave with my clan a few minutes ago, and I was somehow transported here! I have no idea what has happened! Please tell me you know where my clan is, or at least tell me where I am!"
The dolphin reassuringly nuzzled Shina's shoulder as he said, "Calm down young one, everything will be alright. You are in the bay of Atlantis. There is nothing to fear here, for there are many friendly creatures in this bay. The carved door near the waterfall leads to Atlantis. There, I think you will find the answers to your other questions. But, relax, it is safe here."
Shina nodded and thanked the wise old dolphin as she swam towards the entrance to Atlantis. She thought to herself, "What did that dolphin mean when he said that I would find the answers to my questions in Atlantis?"
Shina made her way through the carved door to Atlantis. She gasped in it's beauty.
There were strange colorful buildings everywhere, and a very large shrine covered in colorful glasses and amazing materials that Shina had never seen before. The water was shallow except for a crack in the ground that lead to a deep abyss that Shina cringed at the thought of swimming in. But, the most amazing structure of all was the giant purple crystal near the shrine that glowed an aura of every color. It seemed to contain immense power. Shina slowly swam towards it, mystified by it's power. It called to her.
"Shina. I am the guardian. I am the one that brought you here from the past. I know you have questions for me. I shall answer what I can," The giant crystal stated.
Shina said, "Why am I here?! Why did you take me away from my clan!? My family! How do I get home again!?"
The Glyph said, "Shina, please, calm yourself. You clan is fine. They know where you are, so you may relax. You are here because you are the chosen one. The only one who can help save the Earth-"
The Glyph was interrupted by Shina who exclaimed, "What do you mean!? I'm not the one you want! I'm just a cowardly mermaid! I'm afraid of everything! Please, send me home! I'm not suited for this!"
"Shina, I know you are confused and frightened, but you must let me explain," the Glyph stated, You have been brought from the past because you are the only creature who has the ability to transport to other worlds through your dreams. You are the key to helping the chosen dolphin, Ecco, fight against the Foe by transporting yourselves the different worlds they reside in. You see, the Foe is an evil alien race, who's only desire is to slowly destroy every trait of the dolphin until they become so evil that they destroy themselves. They want to control and destroy the Earth, and you and Ecco are the only ones who can stop them."
Shina's jaw dropped. She said, "W......who is Ecco."
The Glyph stated, "Ecco is a dolphin that resides in this bay. That is why you are here. You shall meet with Ecco, I will explain how to fight the Foe, and then you must transport, with Ecco, to the first world the foe has taken over."
"I....I can't! How could you force me to do such a thing! I refuse! Send me home NOW!!!" Shina cried out.
The Glyph said, "Shina, you can do this. I never would have brought you here if I didn't know you could do it. I am aware of your fears. I know all about how afraid you are of things..........But you must trust me. You will find your inner courage. And you will defeat the Foe. I am sorry that I cannot send you home, and I am not forcing you to do this. But, the fate of the world lies in your dreams. You are the Earth's only hope. You and Ecco."
Shina shouted, "I can't! Just send me home! Please! If you brought me here, why can't YOU send Ecco to the other worlds! And I know you can send me back home!"
The Glyph said, "I brought you here with the last of the power I have left. I am very weak now. I do not have the power to transport both you and Ecco to other worlds, nor do I have the power to send you home. I am sorry, but, you have no choice but to help Ecco save the world."
Shina felt her heart beat at a rapid pace her eyes welled up and she felt tears being washed off her face by the ocean water. She knew this was her destiny. But she also knew she didn't have the courage to face it. She exclaimed, "I........I'll die.........I know if I do this I'll die........I'm not strong enough........"
"Ecco shall defend you. There are secluded areas and hiding spots in every world. You can hide in them while Ecco fights. You won't have to fight any of the Foe. Ecco will come to you when you must leave a world, and that is your only responsibility. All you have to worry about is using you psychic abilities to transport the two of you to the next world," the Glyph stated.
Shina had so many questions. She was so confused. She asked, "But I can't control my dreams! I have no idea how to direct which world we get transported to, and what if Ecco dies!?"
" Your destiny will control which world you are directed to. You needn't' worry about that. If Ecco dies, then you are on your own. I am sorry, but once you leave this home bay, there is no coming back until all of the Foe are defeated. If Ecco is defeated, then it will be a part of destiny. Everything happens for a reason. You will learn to fend for yourself. I know you don't feel ready for this, but I will use the very last of my energy to grant you with the ability of courage. This will make you braver, but I am weak, so it won't be much. Please, go find Ecco. He is in the kelp forest nearby. Bring him back here and I will explain a little more, and then you must go." the Glyph stated.
A million horrible thoughts crossed Shina's mind.....but it was too late to do anything. She could not stop her destiny, no matter how horrifying it seemed. Shina still felt that some of her questions were unanswered, but she knew the Glyph was weak, so she swam off to find Ecco.
She swam into the kelp forest full of dolphins playing. She asked, "Who is Ecco?"
A dolphin with stars adorning his head called back, "It's me," as it swam towards Shina.
Shina had seen those stars before........on Star! She didn't quite know what they meant, but right now, she was focused on talking to Ecco.
"You must be Shina. It's an honor." the friendly dolphin said, "I know you're probably scared, but know this. I vow to protect you everywhere we go, no matter what the cost. If anything happens to you, then the fate of the world has no hope, so I promise, I'll always protect you."
Shina nodded and said, "It gives me great comfort to know that. Thank you, Ecco. It's true, I am very scared, but I think with you on my side, I'll be okay. The Glyph said that we both need to speak with him before we go on the journey."
Ecco replied, "Yes, of course. The Glyph is so weak now.......we must go soon."
They both swam together to the Glyph.
"Good, you have met now. I have little power left in me, but Shina, I know that the Foe frightens you, and, because you have been forced to join Ecco, against your will, I shall use the last of my energy to grant you with courage. Or at least.........some courage. Close your eyes Shina, "The Glyph said.
Shina silently nodded and closed her eyes. A bright burst of light shot out of the Glyph and onto Shina's forehead. In an instant, Shina jerked backward and then opened her eyes.
"I feel.........better.....I think......I might just be able to do this........," Shina said.
The Glyph stated, "No........energy.......left.......be....careful.......must.....go.......now........"
Ecco nodded knowingly as he said to Shina, "The Glyph has no energy. It can barley communicate now. But, we must go, time is running short. When we get to the first world, the first thing you should do is look for a secluded area or a hiding space to go in while I fight off the foe. I know how to beat them, the Glyph has taught me. Don't worry, I am strong, and can withstand whatever I have to face. I will come to you when the area is cleared, and we can keep moving to the next world. When we must eat, I can retrieve fish, and when we need to rest, we'll find a secluded spot and rest. Now, do you have any more questions?"
"I just hope my clan is alright............" Shina said.
"I'm sure they're fine.......after all, hey do live in the past, where the Foe don't exist yet, so they're safe," Ecco said.
"I hope you're right." Shina prayed.
"I'm sure I am. Are you ready Shina?" Ecco asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be. I know what to do, and you know what to do, so, let's go," Shina replied.
Shina grabbed on to Ecco dorsal fin as she and Ecco closed their eyes. A bright light engulfed the two creatures as they disappeared. Shina felt the environment change around her. The water became very cold.
Shina and Ecco opened their eyes.
Shina gasped.
The green water............the large rocky walls..........but most of all.....the giant shrine of glass......Shina recognized it all........She had been there before......in her dream.
"Ecco! I was here! This place........I had a vision about it! But.......I choked on the poisonous water! Why can I breathe now, but couldn't in my dream?" Shina asked.
Ecco replied, " Of course, you were probably just seeing a vision of the future. Maybe, in your dream..........you were in a certain place that had bad water or something. Even so, the water here is disgustingly metallic tasting. This is a place of machines............Go, up on top of that large shrine, there is a bubble vent. Maybe it has fresher water. I just need to get air, since I do not have gills like you. I want you to hide near the door of the shrine until I come back for you. Don't worry. The foe aren't in this area. I need to talk to some of the clans here. Just wait here."
Shina nodded and swam by the door. Ecco began to swim off downward.
Shina thought to herself, "I hope Ecco will be alright..........But why would we come here if it wasn't invaded by the Foe? There must be something here that needs to be done. Well, I'll let Ecco worry about that for now."
Shina rested against the large doors of the shrine for hours. Eventually, Ecco returned.
"Shina, the dolphins here have been mutated by the foe. They are no longer able to take care of themselves, and have become weak and vulnerable. The Foe has stolen their traits. I'm not sure why, but 3 of the clan leaders say they will agree to helping us open up the shrine if I battle with them. In the shrine, there is a harness that will aid us in our journey. Before we battle the actual Foe, we must help the dolphins that have been manipulated. If we don't, our species could be lost forever.........." Ecco told Shina.
"If it is what we must do, then, I will do whatever I can to save these helpless dolphins. Do you need my help?" Shina asked.
"Yes. Please retrieve one of the leaders that I must fight with, I'll talk with the rest. I believe that he's in the cave near the bottom. Don't worry, just tell him to meet me near the small shrine. He will understand. Just watch out for jellyfish on the way down. They only hurt you if you're swimming upwards though. I will meet you back here when you're finished," Ecco replied.
Shina nodded, with a somewhat concerned look on her face. Ecco reassuringly nudged her arm. Shina and Ecco swam off to find the clan leaders.
As Shina swam off of the shrine deck, she looked down and saw nothing but a murky green abyss. She swam very slowly towards the bottom as small glimmers of white started to appear out o nowhere. Shina swam closer.....very slowly.
"J......Jellyfish........."Shina gasped.
Before she knew it, Shina was surrounded by a huge group of green and blue transparent creatures. They all swayed with the current, slowly drifting upwards. Shina felt afraid, and yet mystified at the same time. She did not move, but rather, sat in awe of this species, which ws like no jellyfish that she had ever seen.
"How could something so dangerous........be so beautiful at the same time?"
Shina sat in awe of the creatures until they eventually left.
"I....I didn't panic.......I just......sat here......Well, it's an improvement from how brave I used to be........" Shina thought to herself.
She kept swimming downward, at a bit of a faster pace this time, while searching for the cave.
Shina noticed a small shrine off to the side of the rocky wall. It appeared to have a dolphin swimming around it. Shina wanted a closer look at it.
"That dolphin.......maybe he knows where the cave is. It looks like an average dolphin........." She thought to herself.
Shina swam closer and approached the dolphin.
As she got closer, she realized what Ecco was talking about. The dolphin was not only mutated in it's shape, but it's body looked decayed , or as it had been eaten away at by parasites. Shina looked at the poor creature in sadness.
"The Foe will pay for this suffering," Shina thought to herself.
Shina approached the creature.
"Excus-" Shina was interrupted by the dolphin.
"INTRUDER! AWAY WITH YOU! What do you want!!" The dolphin screeched.
"Please, please, calm down, I mean you no harm, I only wish to know where the cave is.........I am just a little lost........" Shina said.
"Leave me alone. You are not welcome here! You are not like the rest of us! Leave at once!" The dolphin exclaimed.
Shina replied, "Please, I'm not an enemy, I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way.........could you please just tell me how I can get to the cave to speak with your clan leader? I have a message from Ecco the dolphin fo him. Please, I'm not here to threaten anything......."
The dolphin said, "It's just down a little further. Now, go away!"
Shina apologized and thanked the creature as she swam downwards.
"Wow..........dolphins are never that aggressive and defensive......not even when defending their territory. Ecco was right. These dolphins have been robbed of their traits.........Now, I must speak with that clan leader," Shina thought to herself.
Shina finally came to a large hole/cave structure near the bottom. She noticed that there was a strange ink-like substance coming from it, but didn't bother to examine it. Shina swam through to the entrance. She went through the many twists and turns to get to the cave, eventually, she reached the clan leader.
"What do you want." It asked.
"I have a message from Ecco the dolphin. He says to meet him for the battle near the small shrine," Shina replied.
"Very well. I will go then," The leader said.
Shina nodded as she left the cave. As she swam out of the entrance, Shina noticed that the inky liquid was all over her. It was a dark green-almost black color. Shina smelled it. It smelled like.......metal........metal and gas. Shina coughed and cringed as she smelled it's ghastly aroma. She ignored the fact that she was covered in it and raced up to the large shrine to talk to Ecco.
When she arrived there, Shina felt strangley winded. She stopped for a minute to breathe. For some reason, she could barley inhale. Shina rested on the dock of the shrine as Ecco approached her.
"Shina......no.......you're covered in toxic poison!" Ecco screeched.
"Wha.....wh-" Shina was cut off. She couldn't breathe. Because a painful stinging feeling was charging throughout her body. She heaved and coughed. This was all too familiar.
"Shina! Don't breathe!!!! If you swallow then more poison will get into your system! It must have already gotten into your bloodstream by breathing it in! Shina, try to swim to the fresh bubbles on top of the shrine!!!" Ecco screeched as he helped Shina swim by nudging her body.
Shina began charging for the bubble vent. It was her only hope. As she moved her tainfin along the water, creating a steady beat, Shina began to feel light-headed.
"It's all........a blur........" Shina thought to herself.
Shina was going to faint if she didn't reach that air vent soon, she knew she could only last a few more seconds before..........
"HUUUHHHHHHH," Shina gasped in the fresh clean bubble of air.
Panting, Shina rested with her gills to the clean bubble vent. Maybe if she cleaned out her system with fresh water, it would eliminate the poison ink and she would be alright......
"Shina, don't move....just rest and keep breathing in the bubbles from the vent. Shina, I'm so sorry....this is all my fault. I promise........no, I swear, nothing like this will ever happen to you again.........ever. I was trying to make you do something that you shouldn't have had to do......From now on, I promise I won't make you do anything but what your destiny calls for you to do. I'm so sorry Shina......." Ecco let out a gentle cry of sadness and guilt as he nuzzled Shina's arm.
Shina was still weak and in pain, but she was slowly starting to feel better. She put her hand on Ecco's forehead and reassuringly stroked him. She closed her eyes and rested for a while until she fell asleep. Slowly, Ecco nudged his way out of Shina's arms that were gently wrapped around him , as Ecco knew Shina would be safe where she was.
"I must go battle the other dolphins now. Then they can help us and we can get out of here," Ecco thought as he swam to the small shrine.
Shina opened her eyes and looked around her. She still felt weary, but still, a lot better. She slowly moved her tail in front of her as she sat on top of the big shrine.
"Ecco must be fighting that dolphin. I'll just wait here until he returns," Shina said as she looked around her at the wondrous shrine structure.
Shina saw Ecco swimming toward her as he said, "Shina, you're feeling better? I thought that you would need much more rest!"
Shina smiled and said, "No Ecco, I'm surprisingly feeling much better. What's going on?"
Ecco swam closer and said, "I have won the battles and solved the puzzles of the dolphins here, and they have agreed to help us. They will open the shrine doors for us, and I will be able to acquire the harness that I was telling you about."
Shina said, "But weren't we supposed to, um.......heal them or something? I refuse to leave until we help these poor creatures!"
Ecco let out a sympathetic squeal, "No Shina......I wish we could help them now........ but we can't. It's too late. But if we defeat all of the foe, and the future is saved, then we can prevent all of this from happening in the first place. And even if we could help them........what use would it be until all of the foe are defeated. They would just hurt them again. I'm sorry Shina, all we can do is move on until the foe are defeated for good."
Shina sighed, "I'm sorry too......So let's go get that harness and defeat the Foe!"
Ecco and Shina swam to the doors of the shrine as the mutated dolphins were waiting for them.
"We will open the doors for you, but you must leave us alone and leave immediately, " One of them said.
Ecco agreed and they all turned to face the doors as the mutated dolphins sent out sonar waves to the shrine. The doors began to open, and Ecco and Shina swam into the shrine.
Shina gasped at it's beauty. In the center of the room, there was a large structure made up of 4 golden dolphins touching a bright glimmering green gem. The harness was lying on the structure. Ecco swam towards it as a bright light shone for a split second. Ecco was wearing the harness.
"I have the harness now. Are you ready to go to the next word? I am unsure of weather it will be posessed with the foe or not, but just remember to find a place to hide, while I fight," Ecco told Shina.
" Yes Ecco, I am ready," Shina said, "I know exactly what to do, don't worry about me."
Ecco nodded at Shina as she added, "Before we leave, there's just one thing that I have to do."
Ecco looked puzzled and asked, "What's that Shina? We have to leave now, before the dolphins become aggressive with us. You should hurry."
"I know........" Shina said, "I won't be long."
The disfigured dolphins were swimming outside of the shrine. Shina approached them.
"What are you still doing here!? Leave at once!" one of them shouted.
"Please, I promise that I'll be leaving soon. There was just something I wanted to tell you before I leave," Shina said to them.
"No! Leave now, or we will attack! Go –"
The dolphin was interrupted as Shina swam to the creature and put her hands gently on the sides of it's head and looked straight into it's eyes.
One of the other dolphins called out, "What are you doing! Leave at once!!"
Shina began petting the dolphins head.
She said, "Shhhh.....Please..Calm down. I just wanted to tell you all......That I will end all of your suffering. I promise........ you will not be tortured any more."
The dolphins stared at her and let their guard down.
Shina closed her eyes and gently kissed one of them on the head.
"I promise..........." Shina said as she swam away towards Ecco again.
Shina greeted Ecco inside of the Shrine. "You ready?" She asked.
"Let's go!" Ecco said.
They nodded at each other as Shina grabbed on to Ecco's fins and closed her eyes.
Shina sensed a bright light and felt the settings change around her again. As soon as the transporting was over, Shina opened her eyes and looked around.
After looking at the environment, she'd wished that she hadn't..........
Author's note: Well, that's chapter 3. I apologize for taking so long to post it, as I've been busy and I've been writing it in intervals when I get the time. I hope you guys like it, but I am not sure when I will get a chance to write chap. 4. Hopefully soon.
"Wh....where am I? This isn't my home bay........ but it must be populated with dolphins.... there are territory marks on the rocks.......I hope they're friendly.....I have no choice but to ask one of them for help," Shina told herself.
She swam to a nearby waterfall with a strong current. It pushed her backwards ans she tried to swim closer. She decided to swim near a large cliff-like structure where she saw to dolphins playing.
Shina swam closer and said, "Hello.....I mean no harm...please, you must help me!"
One of the dolphins approached her and spoke, "Of course. What is wrong? I've never seen you before. Are you lost?"
Shina replied, "Yes.......please, I'm so confused! I was sitting in the cave with my clan a few minutes ago, and I was somehow transported here! I have no idea what has happened! Please tell me you know where my clan is, or at least tell me where I am!"
The dolphin reassuringly nuzzled Shina's shoulder as he said, "Calm down young one, everything will be alright. You are in the bay of Atlantis. There is nothing to fear here, for there are many friendly creatures in this bay. The carved door near the waterfall leads to Atlantis. There, I think you will find the answers to your other questions. But, relax, it is safe here."
Shina nodded and thanked the wise old dolphin as she swam towards the entrance to Atlantis. She thought to herself, "What did that dolphin mean when he said that I would find the answers to my questions in Atlantis?"
Shina made her way through the carved door to Atlantis. She gasped in it's beauty.
There were strange colorful buildings everywhere, and a very large shrine covered in colorful glasses and amazing materials that Shina had never seen before. The water was shallow except for a crack in the ground that lead to a deep abyss that Shina cringed at the thought of swimming in. But, the most amazing structure of all was the giant purple crystal near the shrine that glowed an aura of every color. It seemed to contain immense power. Shina slowly swam towards it, mystified by it's power. It called to her.
"Shina. I am the guardian. I am the one that brought you here from the past. I know you have questions for me. I shall answer what I can," The giant crystal stated.
Shina said, "Why am I here?! Why did you take me away from my clan!? My family! How do I get home again!?"
The Glyph said, "Shina, please, calm yourself. You clan is fine. They know where you are, so you may relax. You are here because you are the chosen one. The only one who can help save the Earth-"
The Glyph was interrupted by Shina who exclaimed, "What do you mean!? I'm not the one you want! I'm just a cowardly mermaid! I'm afraid of everything! Please, send me home! I'm not suited for this!"
"Shina, I know you are confused and frightened, but you must let me explain," the Glyph stated, You have been brought from the past because you are the only creature who has the ability to transport to other worlds through your dreams. You are the key to helping the chosen dolphin, Ecco, fight against the Foe by transporting yourselves the different worlds they reside in. You see, the Foe is an evil alien race, who's only desire is to slowly destroy every trait of the dolphin until they become so evil that they destroy themselves. They want to control and destroy the Earth, and you and Ecco are the only ones who can stop them."
Shina's jaw dropped. She said, "W......who is Ecco."
The Glyph stated, "Ecco is a dolphin that resides in this bay. That is why you are here. You shall meet with Ecco, I will explain how to fight the Foe, and then you must transport, with Ecco, to the first world the foe has taken over."
"I....I can't! How could you force me to do such a thing! I refuse! Send me home NOW!!!" Shina cried out.
The Glyph said, "Shina, you can do this. I never would have brought you here if I didn't know you could do it. I am aware of your fears. I know all about how afraid you are of things..........But you must trust me. You will find your inner courage. And you will defeat the Foe. I am sorry that I cannot send you home, and I am not forcing you to do this. But, the fate of the world lies in your dreams. You are the Earth's only hope. You and Ecco."
Shina shouted, "I can't! Just send me home! Please! If you brought me here, why can't YOU send Ecco to the other worlds! And I know you can send me back home!"
The Glyph said, "I brought you here with the last of the power I have left. I am very weak now. I do not have the power to transport both you and Ecco to other worlds, nor do I have the power to send you home. I am sorry, but, you have no choice but to help Ecco save the world."
Shina felt her heart beat at a rapid pace her eyes welled up and she felt tears being washed off her face by the ocean water. She knew this was her destiny. But she also knew she didn't have the courage to face it. She exclaimed, "I........I'll die.........I know if I do this I'll die........I'm not strong enough........"
"Ecco shall defend you. There are secluded areas and hiding spots in every world. You can hide in them while Ecco fights. You won't have to fight any of the Foe. Ecco will come to you when you must leave a world, and that is your only responsibility. All you have to worry about is using you psychic abilities to transport the two of you to the next world," the Glyph stated.
Shina had so many questions. She was so confused. She asked, "But I can't control my dreams! I have no idea how to direct which world we get transported to, and what if Ecco dies!?"
" Your destiny will control which world you are directed to. You needn't' worry about that. If Ecco dies, then you are on your own. I am sorry, but once you leave this home bay, there is no coming back until all of the Foe are defeated. If Ecco is defeated, then it will be a part of destiny. Everything happens for a reason. You will learn to fend for yourself. I know you don't feel ready for this, but I will use the very last of my energy to grant you with the ability of courage. This will make you braver, but I am weak, so it won't be much. Please, go find Ecco. He is in the kelp forest nearby. Bring him back here and I will explain a little more, and then you must go." the Glyph stated.
A million horrible thoughts crossed Shina's mind.....but it was too late to do anything. She could not stop her destiny, no matter how horrifying it seemed. Shina still felt that some of her questions were unanswered, but she knew the Glyph was weak, so she swam off to find Ecco.
She swam into the kelp forest full of dolphins playing. She asked, "Who is Ecco?"
A dolphin with stars adorning his head called back, "It's me," as it swam towards Shina.
Shina had seen those stars before........on Star! She didn't quite know what they meant, but right now, she was focused on talking to Ecco.
"You must be Shina. It's an honor." the friendly dolphin said, "I know you're probably scared, but know this. I vow to protect you everywhere we go, no matter what the cost. If anything happens to you, then the fate of the world has no hope, so I promise, I'll always protect you."
Shina nodded and said, "It gives me great comfort to know that. Thank you, Ecco. It's true, I am very scared, but I think with you on my side, I'll be okay. The Glyph said that we both need to speak with him before we go on the journey."
Ecco replied, "Yes, of course. The Glyph is so weak now.......we must go soon."
They both swam together to the Glyph.
"Good, you have met now. I have little power left in me, but Shina, I know that the Foe frightens you, and, because you have been forced to join Ecco, against your will, I shall use the last of my energy to grant you with courage. Or at least.........some courage. Close your eyes Shina, "The Glyph said.
Shina silently nodded and closed her eyes. A bright burst of light shot out of the Glyph and onto Shina's forehead. In an instant, Shina jerked backward and then opened her eyes.
"I feel.........better.....I think......I might just be able to do this........," Shina said.
The Glyph stated, "No........energy.......left.......be....careful.......must.....go.......now........"
Ecco nodded knowingly as he said to Shina, "The Glyph has no energy. It can barley communicate now. But, we must go, time is running short. When we get to the first world, the first thing you should do is look for a secluded area or a hiding space to go in while I fight off the foe. I know how to beat them, the Glyph has taught me. Don't worry, I am strong, and can withstand whatever I have to face. I will come to you when the area is cleared, and we can keep moving to the next world. When we must eat, I can retrieve fish, and when we need to rest, we'll find a secluded spot and rest. Now, do you have any more questions?"
"I just hope my clan is alright............" Shina said.
"I'm sure they're fine.......after all, hey do live in the past, where the Foe don't exist yet, so they're safe," Ecco said.
"I hope you're right." Shina prayed.
"I'm sure I am. Are you ready Shina?" Ecco asked.
"As ready as I'll ever be. I know what to do, and you know what to do, so, let's go," Shina replied.
Shina grabbed on to Ecco dorsal fin as she and Ecco closed their eyes. A bright light engulfed the two creatures as they disappeared. Shina felt the environment change around her. The water became very cold.
Shina and Ecco opened their eyes.
Shina gasped.
The green water............the large rocky walls..........but most of all.....the giant shrine of glass......Shina recognized it all........She had been there before......in her dream.
"Ecco! I was here! This place........I had a vision about it! But.......I choked on the poisonous water! Why can I breathe now, but couldn't in my dream?" Shina asked.
Ecco replied, " Of course, you were probably just seeing a vision of the future. Maybe, in your dream..........you were in a certain place that had bad water or something. Even so, the water here is disgustingly metallic tasting. This is a place of machines............Go, up on top of that large shrine, there is a bubble vent. Maybe it has fresher water. I just need to get air, since I do not have gills like you. I want you to hide near the door of the shrine until I come back for you. Don't worry. The foe aren't in this area. I need to talk to some of the clans here. Just wait here."
Shina nodded and swam by the door. Ecco began to swim off downward.
Shina thought to herself, "I hope Ecco will be alright..........But why would we come here if it wasn't invaded by the Foe? There must be something here that needs to be done. Well, I'll let Ecco worry about that for now."
Shina rested against the large doors of the shrine for hours. Eventually, Ecco returned.
"Shina, the dolphins here have been mutated by the foe. They are no longer able to take care of themselves, and have become weak and vulnerable. The Foe has stolen their traits. I'm not sure why, but 3 of the clan leaders say they will agree to helping us open up the shrine if I battle with them. In the shrine, there is a harness that will aid us in our journey. Before we battle the actual Foe, we must help the dolphins that have been manipulated. If we don't, our species could be lost forever.........." Ecco told Shina.
"If it is what we must do, then, I will do whatever I can to save these helpless dolphins. Do you need my help?" Shina asked.
"Yes. Please retrieve one of the leaders that I must fight with, I'll talk with the rest. I believe that he's in the cave near the bottom. Don't worry, just tell him to meet me near the small shrine. He will understand. Just watch out for jellyfish on the way down. They only hurt you if you're swimming upwards though. I will meet you back here when you're finished," Ecco replied.
Shina nodded, with a somewhat concerned look on her face. Ecco reassuringly nudged her arm. Shina and Ecco swam off to find the clan leaders.
As Shina swam off of the shrine deck, she looked down and saw nothing but a murky green abyss. She swam very slowly towards the bottom as small glimmers of white started to appear out o nowhere. Shina swam closer.....very slowly.
"J......Jellyfish........."Shina gasped.
Before she knew it, Shina was surrounded by a huge group of green and blue transparent creatures. They all swayed with the current, slowly drifting upwards. Shina felt afraid, and yet mystified at the same time. She did not move, but rather, sat in awe of this species, which ws like no jellyfish that she had ever seen.
"How could something so dangerous........be so beautiful at the same time?"
Shina sat in awe of the creatures until they eventually left.
"I....I didn't panic.......I just......sat here......Well, it's an improvement from how brave I used to be........" Shina thought to herself.
She kept swimming downward, at a bit of a faster pace this time, while searching for the cave.
Shina noticed a small shrine off to the side of the rocky wall. It appeared to have a dolphin swimming around it. Shina wanted a closer look at it.
"That dolphin.......maybe he knows where the cave is. It looks like an average dolphin........." She thought to herself.
Shina swam closer and approached the dolphin.
As she got closer, she realized what Ecco was talking about. The dolphin was not only mutated in it's shape, but it's body looked decayed , or as it had been eaten away at by parasites. Shina looked at the poor creature in sadness.
"The Foe will pay for this suffering," Shina thought to herself.
Shina approached the creature.
"Excus-" Shina was interrupted by the dolphin.
"INTRUDER! AWAY WITH YOU! What do you want!!" The dolphin screeched.
"Please, please, calm down, I mean you no harm, I only wish to know where the cave is.........I am just a little lost........" Shina said.
"Leave me alone. You are not welcome here! You are not like the rest of us! Leave at once!" The dolphin exclaimed.
Shina replied, "Please, I'm not an enemy, I'm sorry if I have offended you in any way.........could you please just tell me how I can get to the cave to speak with your clan leader? I have a message from Ecco the dolphin fo him. Please, I'm not here to threaten anything......."
The dolphin said, "It's just down a little further. Now, go away!"
Shina apologized and thanked the creature as she swam downwards.
"Wow..........dolphins are never that aggressive and defensive......not even when defending their territory. Ecco was right. These dolphins have been robbed of their traits.........Now, I must speak with that clan leader," Shina thought to herself.
Shina finally came to a large hole/cave structure near the bottom. She noticed that there was a strange ink-like substance coming from it, but didn't bother to examine it. Shina swam through to the entrance. She went through the many twists and turns to get to the cave, eventually, she reached the clan leader.
"What do you want." It asked.
"I have a message from Ecco the dolphin. He says to meet him for the battle near the small shrine," Shina replied.
"Very well. I will go then," The leader said.
Shina nodded as she left the cave. As she swam out of the entrance, Shina noticed that the inky liquid was all over her. It was a dark green-almost black color. Shina smelled it. It smelled like.......metal........metal and gas. Shina coughed and cringed as she smelled it's ghastly aroma. She ignored the fact that she was covered in it and raced up to the large shrine to talk to Ecco.
When she arrived there, Shina felt strangley winded. She stopped for a minute to breathe. For some reason, she could barley inhale. Shina rested on the dock of the shrine as Ecco approached her.
"Shina......no.......you're covered in toxic poison!" Ecco screeched.
"Wha.....wh-" Shina was cut off. She couldn't breathe. Because a painful stinging feeling was charging throughout her body. She heaved and coughed. This was all too familiar.
"Shina! Don't breathe!!!! If you swallow then more poison will get into your system! It must have already gotten into your bloodstream by breathing it in! Shina, try to swim to the fresh bubbles on top of the shrine!!!" Ecco screeched as he helped Shina swim by nudging her body.
Shina began charging for the bubble vent. It was her only hope. As she moved her tainfin along the water, creating a steady beat, Shina began to feel light-headed.
"It's all........a blur........" Shina thought to herself.
Shina was going to faint if she didn't reach that air vent soon, she knew she could only last a few more seconds before..........
"HUUUHHHHHHH," Shina gasped in the fresh clean bubble of air.
Panting, Shina rested with her gills to the clean bubble vent. Maybe if she cleaned out her system with fresh water, it would eliminate the poison ink and she would be alright......
"Shina, don't move....just rest and keep breathing in the bubbles from the vent. Shina, I'm so sorry....this is all my fault. I promise........no, I swear, nothing like this will ever happen to you again.........ever. I was trying to make you do something that you shouldn't have had to do......From now on, I promise I won't make you do anything but what your destiny calls for you to do. I'm so sorry Shina......." Ecco let out a gentle cry of sadness and guilt as he nuzzled Shina's arm.
Shina was still weak and in pain, but she was slowly starting to feel better. She put her hand on Ecco's forehead and reassuringly stroked him. She closed her eyes and rested for a while until she fell asleep. Slowly, Ecco nudged his way out of Shina's arms that were gently wrapped around him , as Ecco knew Shina would be safe where she was.
"I must go battle the other dolphins now. Then they can help us and we can get out of here," Ecco thought as he swam to the small shrine.
Shina opened her eyes and looked around her. She still felt weary, but still, a lot better. She slowly moved her tail in front of her as she sat on top of the big shrine.
"Ecco must be fighting that dolphin. I'll just wait here until he returns," Shina said as she looked around her at the wondrous shrine structure.
Shina saw Ecco swimming toward her as he said, "Shina, you're feeling better? I thought that you would need much more rest!"
Shina smiled and said, "No Ecco, I'm surprisingly feeling much better. What's going on?"
Ecco swam closer and said, "I have won the battles and solved the puzzles of the dolphins here, and they have agreed to help us. They will open the shrine doors for us, and I will be able to acquire the harness that I was telling you about."
Shina said, "But weren't we supposed to, um.......heal them or something? I refuse to leave until we help these poor creatures!"
Ecco let out a sympathetic squeal, "No Shina......I wish we could help them now........ but we can't. It's too late. But if we defeat all of the foe, and the future is saved, then we can prevent all of this from happening in the first place. And even if we could help them........what use would it be until all of the foe are defeated. They would just hurt them again. I'm sorry Shina, all we can do is move on until the foe are defeated for good."
Shina sighed, "I'm sorry too......So let's go get that harness and defeat the Foe!"
Ecco and Shina swam to the doors of the shrine as the mutated dolphins were waiting for them.
"We will open the doors for you, but you must leave us alone and leave immediately, " One of them said.
Ecco agreed and they all turned to face the doors as the mutated dolphins sent out sonar waves to the shrine. The doors began to open, and Ecco and Shina swam into the shrine.
Shina gasped at it's beauty. In the center of the room, there was a large structure made up of 4 golden dolphins touching a bright glimmering green gem. The harness was lying on the structure. Ecco swam towards it as a bright light shone for a split second. Ecco was wearing the harness.
"I have the harness now. Are you ready to go to the next word? I am unsure of weather it will be posessed with the foe or not, but just remember to find a place to hide, while I fight," Ecco told Shina.
" Yes Ecco, I am ready," Shina said, "I know exactly what to do, don't worry about me."
Ecco nodded at Shina as she added, "Before we leave, there's just one thing that I have to do."
Ecco looked puzzled and asked, "What's that Shina? We have to leave now, before the dolphins become aggressive with us. You should hurry."
"I know........" Shina said, "I won't be long."
The disfigured dolphins were swimming outside of the shrine. Shina approached them.
"What are you still doing here!? Leave at once!" one of them shouted.
"Please, I promise that I'll be leaving soon. There was just something I wanted to tell you before I leave," Shina said to them.
"No! Leave now, or we will attack! Go –"
The dolphin was interrupted as Shina swam to the creature and put her hands gently on the sides of it's head and looked straight into it's eyes.
One of the other dolphins called out, "What are you doing! Leave at once!!"
Shina began petting the dolphins head.
She said, "Shhhh.....Please..Calm down. I just wanted to tell you all......That I will end all of your suffering. I promise........ you will not be tortured any more."
The dolphins stared at her and let their guard down.
Shina closed her eyes and gently kissed one of them on the head.
"I promise..........." Shina said as she swam away towards Ecco again.
Shina greeted Ecco inside of the Shrine. "You ready?" She asked.
"Let's go!" Ecco said.
They nodded at each other as Shina grabbed on to Ecco's fins and closed her eyes.
Shina sensed a bright light and felt the settings change around her again. As soon as the transporting was over, Shina opened her eyes and looked around.
After looking at the environment, she'd wished that she hadn't..........
Author's note: Well, that's chapter 3. I apologize for taking so long to post it, as I've been busy and I've been writing it in intervals when I get the time. I hope you guys like it, but I am not sure when I will get a chance to write chap. 4. Hopefully soon.