Ecco blinked and sighed as the entity released him once more. "What...what example am I? Show yourself, he who speaks!" he demanded.

The great beasts budged not an inch, but exchanged glances between them, as if trying to understand the dolphin.

They don't understand me...of course, they speak only the most ancient song...but who is it then that's speaking to me?

His mind was gripped again. I won't show myself yet, ye with the stars of Delphineus adorning his crown. You will first speak who you are, and why you have come here.

Ecco stared at the group of strange, nearly spiritual whales before him. It was awkward to try explaining himself to creatures that couldn't understand him...yet he tried anyway. "I came here following your songs, and a strange current. I was...am...in the frozen north seas, looking for Orca..."

Cursed! Cursed! the sudden outburst interrupted Ecco and made him cringe. You will find no such beasts here, in these sacred waters, little singer. The murderers of singer-kind are not welcome.

Ecco snarled lightly. "Speak not of the Orcas that way! They are as much singers as I am, as my family is. As for their nature, it is only how they survive. The singers of my ocean have forgiven them of that as of late."

The group of whales understood Ecco's tone, and a few of them grumbled lowly. The voice once again spoke for them. Fine. Continue explaining yourself.

The dolphin nodded. "I'm fairly certain that you have heard of me, Ecco, destroyer of the Vortex and Foe menace, once the threats to the Earth and the rightful order of time. Well, a dying calf that I had come upon gave me a new threat. Creatures that thirst for Orca blood haunt the Arctic waters. No matter what, I will find out what I can...I owe it to the calf that died beside me." He released a light chirp in a sigh before eying the whales. "Now, your turn. Tell me who you are, and where I am."

The whales lifted their voices in unison, a song that preluded a story. Aye, we have heard of the great Ecco and your deeds. There is no doubt as to how you found and penetrated our cavern and found this blessed paradise. For you see, the trap in the cave is created from the dilusion all creatures have after moving through darkness for a long time. Imagination becomes their enemy. Strengths, in your case, sonar, becomes weakness...and reality becomes your impossible salvation. It is for our safety.

This warm bay is the last of the ancient oceans, when the great whales started their migrations here. They came feed, to love, and to sing...and gather the knowledge of the world by searching for the top of it.

But when the world changed, when the north froze and humans began hunting our kind, our land became threatened. Using the last of their skills, the seers hid their land from ALL eyes...the other whales never found this place again. Each migration they come back, hoping to find what they have lost, but they find but remnants of a paradise encased in ice, and so live it as they would this place.

Over time, whales diverged into different creatures, such as you dolphins and porpoises. Each pod created its own song, and the song of the ancients was lost.

And soon, something went horribly wrong.

Ecco was entranced by the story. An ancient paradise that still existed in the frozen north waters was a wondrous story indeed. "And what was that? What went wrong?" he inquired.

But the voice gripped him again as the whales surrounded Ecco, their brilliant white and blue bodies shimmering like stars. The seers have decided that you know too much, little Ecco. If you are so adamant on protecting the planet as we sense you are, then be gone and find out for yourself!

Before he could object, Ecco was blinded by a flash of dazzling light, and he felt a lurch in his stomach and felt as if he was thrown through a time warp.

The whalesongs dissipated into silence, and the waters slowly became cold again, so cold that his fluke was instantly numb.

When he awoke, he heard nothing. He saw but the brilliant white crystalline, the dominant color of the frozen poles. Devoid of much life, as was usually the case.

Was that just a dream?... Ecco pondered, but shrugged it off. The matter was near trivial...he had his mission.

His songs echoed through the icebergs and glaciers, calling through the glimmers of white.

And finally, he recieved a song back...several songs back...and an irregularity.