Lyca was silent for a long time while she was trying to stomache everything she had heard from Tirawa.

"What a story." she murmured. "While I am grateful that you shared this knowledge with me I don't see the reason for it. I'm already old, too old. I don't have much longer to live. My time may be enough to impart this story to my descendants but only a few would be able to understand it since not everyone is able to perceive magic and develope their brain to an extent where they could remember the past. We are only a pack of wolfs with not many wishes."

Tirawa listened to her and decided to answer in a way that she did not expect he would.

"I understand your point. But child you haven't even heard what I wish to ask from you and yet you are already thinking that my request demands of you to become Aspects or even Astara herself." He laughed shortly while looking at her in an amused way.

"My request is fairly simple and yet a challenge by itself. In three years a child will be born on exactly this day. You have been chosen to look after the child and raise it as if it was your own flesh and blood."

Lyca was surprised. "A child? Well, I certainly did not expect that." Lyca looked at him in an inquiring look and asked: "And from which member of my pack will that child be born?"

"The child won't be born from one of your pack. It is a human child. I will guide it to you by means of magic. Afterwards I will not be able to stay awake anylonger so the task to look after the child will all be in your capable hands." He smiled at her, knowing that what he asked of her would by any means be a pleasant task to anyone who was not human. The humans were a race despised by many races for their greed and brutality. Still, the choice had been made and there was no going back anymore. If she wished or not she had no choice in this matter.

"A human?!!" Lyca looked at Tiwara in a disgruntled manner. She had seen to much bloodshed for the satisfaction of human nature to even give the slightest fuck about them. Hell she wouldn't have cared if their whole race was eredicated from this land even though she knew that would probably never happen.

"Why does it have to be me to look after a human? Why can't the human child be raised under its own kind?"

*sigh*

"I know this isn't an easy request to fullfill but it has to be this way. The reason it has to be raised outside of its own race is simply because it cannot be tainted by the human way of living. At least not until it is fully aware what is happening in this world. The role he will have to play in the future events is not an easy one and you will have to teach him about himself, the past and what is happening at the hands of the humans.

He shall not be oblivious like the rest of his kind or this world is going to rot faster than you can imagine. The spiral downwards has already started and he is the only stone we can put in its way to stop it at this time.

We tried to accomplish something by giving the Elfs some help in their war but it ended up in a draw with noone profiting from the bloodshed. So I ask of you Kiksuyapi Lyca, the one who shall never forget, will you help us?"

Lyca closed her eyes for a few seconds to calm her rushing blood since the mention of the humans in accordance with her ancestral magic was a mix which could bring a beginner in the field of magic into a bloodrush.

Simply because many of her ancestors were killed by the humans for the sake of their fur or claws or even to the amusement of the nobility and their spirits started to howl like a summer storm once that race was mentioned.

"Cursed humans!"

"Leave our descendants alone or we will rise from the Underworld to haunt you all!"

"You wretched race. What would I give to burry my fangs in your forsaken necks once again!"

"Kill them child. Kill them all!"

"We know you want this as well!"

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"Calm down Lyca, focus on your breath, feel it fill your lungs and leave you."

After she calmed herself down she started to think deeply into the matter. "If it is of such importance than do I even have a choice?! Yes, I do. But it would be foolish to act on a whim without knowing what may happen in the aftermath. Damn it, that something like this has to happen to me shortly before i could leave this world is really a nuissance."

"Even if I was ready to comply and help you in this matter, I'm already quite old and it is a fact that I won't live to see the next summer, so I don't think I can help you with this. I'm sorry."

Tirawa looked at her without any surprise written on his face. "Do you know what the meaning of your name is child?"

Lyca was startled at the sudden change of the topic and answered him truthfully: "Yes, I do. Every leader of the tribes or packs has a name inherited from long ago in the past, passed down to engrave into the leader the task they have to fullfill while wandering these vast lands. Kiksuyapi Lyca: "Remember, Wolf". But what does that have to do with our topic from just now?"

Tirawa looked into the sky and his eyes grew distant in remembrance. He felt like it was yesterday that he had imparted those names to the tribes, giving them the ability to perceive magic and being able to consult with their ancestors just how it was with the tribe of the Wolfs.

After some time his eyes grew clearer again. Even though they were surrounded by the moving mist it was still possible to see a little flicker inside of them as if a spark of his life had just returned from a long journey to the

stars. "Yes, you are correct. Back in the past your ancestors received those names with a responsibility. I was only willing to bestow these names upon your people in return of the promise that they would honor their responsibility

and guide your people with this power." He looked her straight into the eyes, which let a shiver run down her broad furry neck.

"You are saying that you were the one who gave my people their powers? But that lies centuries in the past! How is that even possible?!!!" She looked at him with disbeliefing eyes.

Tirawa smiled at her and said: "Yes, I was the one who bestowed those names upon you. And you have held onto that promise of yours which fills me with pride for your race. You staying true to your promise made me decide that you were the right choice. "

He looked at her with kind eyes which showed a pride in them like a parent had for their children when they took their first step.

"What you don't know though, and that is where the crux of the matter is, is that I have a name as well. My full name is "Atius Tirawa-the grand spirit". I am the last of the Aspects still present on this plain because my task has yet to be

fullfilled. But once I do I will join my brothers and sister into their sleep to look after our mother until the day this world shall know peace and our great mother awakens again."

Lyca wasn't able to close her mouth as her breath started to become rapid which wasn't such a surprise since she is a wolf but still it indicated her incredulity when she heard that the being that she has been talking to this whole

time was actually an Apostel, one of the first sons of Astara and a being of unfathomable power and wisdom. *gulp*

"I am the Aspect that guards the souls of the deceased beings of this plane and guide them back to the breath of Astara to become one with her. Do not worry about the time that you have left on this plain since I will give you enough

time so you can fullfill your last task as beautifully as you did until now. Remember well child, for it is all that keeps your race from falling into oblivion like the humans did. When your time has come I shall see to your soul so that it may have a safe journey back to our great mother. Until we meet again child, and may Astara protect you."

Tiwara raised his right hand which began to shine in dark green light as if translucent green flames were dancing on his outstrechted palm. At the same time he swang his left hand in a diagonal manner in the air and open some kind

of rift in the air which seemed to lead to a dark place. He moved his right hand with the green flaming hand and slit it inside the rift just to pull it out yet again with the light on his right shining brighter than before.

He moved his hand to Lycas head and laid it ontop of her head. There was no noise only darkness that started to circle Lyca and embraced her until she slit into a warm and welcoming unconcious state.

Tirawa looked down at her unconcious body after which he waved his left hand again and brought her back to the hill from which she gazed at the moon. He smiled one last time at her than faded into the night off to fullfill his last task.