The Rophions were still running through the forest while desperately looking for the Glade of Shadows where the two Samaya were fighting.

  But no matter what they didn't do to find that glade, they couldn't, for each of those paths looked the same, and this made even the poor bunny, from Dike's arms, be mixed up.

  So, when he understood that Fate was playing a prank on them, Dike growled, with all his heart, understanding that he was so shaky in front of life and death.

  „Something is sneaking behind us," a wolf told Dike, and the Titan only nodded yes and stopped. After that, Dike said:

  „We'll have some minutes of rest," and everybody breathed a sigh of relief, for it was something totally unexpected coming from their leader, for they knew that he never gives up, more if his family is in danger. But if he decided so, it had to be for a reason, and having a few minutes of rest was something that could help everybody and they could only thank Dike for this.

  „But, papa…,” Fenrir furiously said while approaching Dike. „If we stop now, it can be dangerous for Samaya and, as she's there, somewhere, where we don't know, it can be also dangerous," but he kept silent when Dike put a finger to his lips, giving Fenrir to understand that they didn't stop because there wasn't anything else to do, but because someone was behind them, following them. „Then, allow me to see who is sneaking this time," Fenrir said upset, but Dike shook his head, denying it.

  „No, my boy. The one who follows us must be left to approach, and not we should approach him. And, if we have some patience, we'll see him soon. Just be patient, my boy, and you'll see something amazing." Then, Dike sat down next to a trunk, on a big, aerial root, and, supporting his back against that trunk, he closed his eyes and waited.

  „What is he doing?” The wolves wondered in a single voice.

  „He's listening to the whisper of nature,” someone answered, and it was so, for Dike was waiting for a miracle, a miracle that actually didn't last long to be seen.

  After the wolves'whispers calmed down and their glance focused on the distance, they could see someone's silhouette approaching them while gracefully stepping between the trees, gently touching their trunks, which saw a lot in those few centuries since they have been on earth.

  The person that was approaching the wolves wore a long cloak, of dark grey, and, because of the hood that was completely covering her face and head, they couldn't see who was coming toward them. But something in the movement of that person told the wolves that he or she was someone important, someone Dike respected, and that they had only to wait to see what will happen.

  Sitting next to his father, Fenrir carefully looked at the stranger that was approaching them, and, very soon, he understood that the intruder was actually a she and not a he, and this made him make a wry face.

   „It's strange," Fenrir thought and he right away heard a woman's voice in his head, answering him:

  „You're right, little wolf, I'm weird," and a burst of melodious laughter was heard floating around them as if it was a piece of music taken out of a fairytale.

  The boy smiled, pleasantly surprised by that laughter, and he also felt how his heart filled with joy and magic.

  „Parca,” whispered Dike, without opening his eyes.

  „Parca?” The boy wondered. „But this is the name of…”

  „...of the Titanide of Fate,” the voice of the woman told him and she took her hood off her head at the moment Dike opened his eyes, and the silhouette of a young woman, extremely beautiful, has been seen by everyone.

  But something was different at her, for each of those present there was seeing her differently: for someone, she was a young lady with golden hair while another one said that her hair had the color of ripped chestnuts and black eyes.

  In Fenrir's eyes instead, Parca looked like his mother: the same black, long hair and green eyes, the same dark olive skin and sweet smile, and the boy smiled too, understanding that actually nobody could see what Parca really looked like.

  But the boy was also wrong, for Parca couldn't hide her real face from Dike. Thus, the Titan could see that she had long hair, of bright green, similar to the new leaves in the spring and the same lively color was seen in her eyes. Her skin instead was as white as the milk, extremely soft, and, because of this, she could be unmistakenly considered as being a real splendid creature: a fairy, so adored by the children, and so dreamt by the men.

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  Then, when Parca was only a few meters from them, Dike stood up and calmly waited for her to come closer while Parca kept staring at him, trying to anticipate his next move.

  „I've heard that these lands are under your protection now, Parca, but I didn't know if it's true or not. It could be only the humans'invention," Dike said, smiling when they were only one step from each other.

  „And you're right, master wolf," said Parca. „I'm the Guardian of the Glade of Shadows now, for namely here Fate has been born, and here is the place where Eris tries to establish her den."

  „Eris?! I thought that she doesn't have such a power on earth," Dike said, amazed.

  „You forgot about the followers of evil," Parca said. „Even if Eris is imprisoned in the sky, her thoughts can reach earth, and, from her thoughts, Tarther has been born."

  „It's the second time I hear this name today,” said Dike, snarling.

  „I know because I've been who told him to tell you about this," Parca said, touching the little bunny's fur, which was sweetly sleeping in Fenrir's arms. „He's the messenger of Sky on Earth. His name is Ratatosk."

  „Ratatosk? I've never heard this name before," Dike said this time. „I don't know why, but I have the feeling that Yggdrasil, the Holy Tree, has something to do with his existence on Earth."

  „And you're right. Ratatosk has been brought into this world the day Tarther has been born from Eris's thoughts. Thus, they are complementing each other, for, as you know, there can't be light without a shadow, as can't be evil without a good soul to lurk on his existence on earth," and Parca smiled.

  Stretching her hand in front, Parca formed a Portal, made from transparent water, and, in that Portal, Dike and his men could see Tarther's reflection.

  That bird of evil had something mystical in her being: she was big enough to easily reach the size of a forest, and her body could also easily cross through the branches and the trunks of the trees as if they had been made from fog or as if Tarther was just a ghost, living in the shadows on Earth. Also, her wings were huge and similar to the dragons', having the same strength and power to keep its heavy body afloat while her beak was strong and hooked, like the nose of a witch, and her claws had the form of the eagles'claws.

  But what was making each earthly creature be afraid of Tarther was her scary, deafening shout, that was deeply entering someone's brain as if a nail had been hit by a hammer, over and over again, to enter their being and subdue them, to make them hide by her all-seeing eyes, for those eyes had a huge fire hidden in them: Eris's eyes.

  „Eris,” Dike shouted and a deafening growl has been heard coming out of his throat, a growl similar to a lion's roar while he was kept inside a cage. „You never learn, Eris. You never learn and you're always looking for a war, no matter where your breath goes. But... you won't ever lead this earth, Evil," and, finishing his speech, Dike left that place, followed by the men of his tribe.

  Only Fenrir, with Ratatosk in his arms, approached Parca and looked into her eyes. And, in his glance, the Titanide saw something that amazed her so much. „This isn't a soul born because I wanted this. I didn't create this boy," Parca whispered.

  „And you're right, Parca,” Gaea's voice has been heard behind Parca.

  This made the Titanide stretch her back, for when she looked into Fenrir's eyes, she bowed. Then, she slowly turned toward Gaea, unpleasantly grinning. „Sister, now I understand who decided the fate of this creature without asking for my opinion. Doing this, you broke the laws of nature, and you know very well what it can bring to you."

  The two Titanides looked at each other and a kind of rivalry has been seen in their eyes. Suddenly, Gaea softened her glance, reflecting kindness in it instead of hatred, and then approached Fenrir, taking Ratatosk into her arms. „Now go, my boy! Follow your father! You can't stay away from him," she whispered to Fenrir.

  „But… Ratatosk…,” tried Fenrir to oppose the idea of leaving that place.

  „Young wolf, we must hurry up," the voice of a wolf, sent there by Dike to bring the boy, has been heard not that far from them.

  „Go with him, Fenrir. I promise that Ratatosk will be fine," Gaea said, caressing the boy's head, and her kind smile calmed Fenrir down.

  „Then, I'll leave him with you, Mother Earth. I hope to see him once again one day if we live in better times," and Fenrir ran, following the wolf, and, while running, he also transformed into a wolf, and, seconds later, they couldn't be seen anymore.

  After Fenrir's departure, Gaea approached the Portal and, moving her hand in front of it, she made the image of Tarther vanish. Then, instead of that image, the one of the Desert of Oblivion has been seen.

  Thus, they saw, that right in the center of the desert, was Yggdrasil, towering his crown toward the sky and the Holly Tree's image made Gaea awake the bunny, whispering in his ear: „now you can turn to your father, Ratatosk. You fulfilled your mission in this world, for the moment," and, Ratatosk, touching his front paws in a sign of respect, squeaked and then jumped from her arms through the Portal right on one of the thick branches of Yggdrasil.

  But the Portal didn't vanish once Ratatosk returned to his world. Seconds later, Yggdrasil's thundering voice could be heard.

  „Don't intervene in this war, Titanides! This isn't the war of Titans! If you do that, then you'll lose more than you can win in this battle, and the punishment will be something worse than living an eternity in the Desert of Oblivion. I hope you'll have only wise thoughts and decisions, and if you listen to my words, you'll have a lot of luck in the future."

  Saying this, Yggdrasil slowly moved his branches while his lips moved only when his voice has been heard. Then, when he kept silent, the leaves froze. But only Gaea understood the message of those frozen leaves while Parca was too focused to plan her next step.