The Rophions were still running through the forest, desperately looking for the Glade of Shadows where the two Samaya were fighting. But no matter what they didn't try to find that glade, they couldn't, for no matter what path they didn't choose, 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.

„We'll have some minutes of rest," Dike told his men, 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 had 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 said furiously 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 also can be 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 had 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 that saw a lot in those few centuries since they have been on earth.

That 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 was telling 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 looked carefully 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. She was seen by someone as a young lady with golden hair while another one said that she had her hair 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 how Parca really looked like.

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

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 now under your protection, 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 the other.

„And you're right, master wolf," said Para. „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 hasn't 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 into 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'thoughts. 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 enough big 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. Her wings were huge and similar to the dragons', having the same strength and power to keep her heavy body afloat. 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 would have 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'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 borned because I wanted it. I didn't create this boy," Parca whispered.

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

Parca stretched her back, for when she looked into Fenrir's eyes she bowed her body. 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 was seen in their eyes. Suddenly, Gaea softened her glance up, 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 the Portal, she made the image of Tarther vanish. Instead of that image, the one of the Desert of Oblivion has been seen. Right in the center of the desert, Yggdrasil could be also seen, towering toward the sky. Then, Gaea awoke 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, titanide! 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.