Kyllini Mountain is a true architectural spectacle of nature, for no matter where you cast your eyes you see only splendor, grandeur, and countless sensations abound in your soul, making it vibrate, because of gratitude and delight.

Being the highest mountain that has ever existed on Earth, Kyllini was in time revered even by the Titans, due to the surrounding beauty, but also of the mystical power, which seemed to spring from its depths, because anybody who came ever on this mountain and was spending here some time, he was after that returning home full of life-giving energy, even if when he came here had been completely empty and the only thing, he wanted was to find here the Gate toward the Saving of the Soul.

But things weren’t like the visitors were thinking, when they were seeing this place for the first time because the mountain was the mirror of the soul and anybody, whoever stepped on those Lands, was seeing everything in a different color and this was due to the fact that when the Cyclops and Shiman, their King, were still living on this Mountain, had decided to create the Mirage and this way to protect their home, because they were afraid, despite the fact that they had great power, for namely this power made them the enemy of the Titans who were seeing in these Giants a threatening to be dethroned.

Thus, Helyos, helped by Cronus and other small Titans, joined their forces and chased away the Cyclops to Lamar Island, because the Titans were thinking that the Mountain could influence the Cyclops to revolt against them and thus to ask for their rights for supremacy.

But the Titans were wrong because the Cyclops had never wanted to subdue anybody. They wanted only to live in peace and as far as possible from the eyes of the curious ones, for they were known to be great craftsmen and their creation required dedication, hours, and hours of hard work and not the last, concentration.

***

“Your place isn’t here,” Cronus told to Shiman, when the Titans came the first time at the Cyclops’smith, in the heart of the mountains. “This Mountain is cursed due to your fire and we can’t regain the strength of our souls, because of the noise made by your anvils, which hit so hard the heated iron, sucking the life from the blood and from the heart of the mountain and this way it steals energy from us too.”

Shiman only smiled, listening to these words, which to him seemed so reckless and childish, because for thousands and thousands of years, since the Cyclops were living on these lands, after receiving them as a gift from Chaos, who demanded them to make from the metals of the earth joy to the eyes of men, the Mountain had never rebelled against them, per contra it was endowing the Cyclops with even more energy and dedication, increasing the amount of the metals and teaching them new methods of processing them.

But the Cyclops started to be a problem for those places after the Titans came on the Kyllini Mountain to ask the smiths for strong armor and glorious swords, but they were frightened by the height and strength of the blacksmiths and, seeing in them adversaries to be feared, they intensified the attacks and the requests for the Cyclops to leave the Mountain and to go away because they aren’t welcome in a place the Titans wanted.

"It seems to me preposterous to hear these words from such a great Titan,” Shiman said, deeply looking into Cronus’eyes, who felt in the Cyclops’ talk a wave of threatening, but what was only a product of his imagination, because Shiman and the Cyclops were enough peaceful and they never looked for war.

“Are you trying to challenge me?” Cronus talked with hatred. “It seems to me that you are trying to dethrone my father and to rule in his place.”

“You are now wrong, Great Cronus because neither I nor my People wish to rule this world. We only want to be left alone and to make miraculous things in our humble smiths. Nothing more.”

“You are lying!”

„Why would I do this??”

"Because the zeal can be read in your eyes, Shiman! You always wanted my place and to rule over Earth, but I won’t give you ever this pleasure,” and taking his sword out of its scabbard, Cronus tried to hit Shiman, but instead of cutting the Cyclops’flesh, the blade of the sword broke into small pieces, when it touched the first current of air.

Shiman again smiled, but not Cronus, who saw in this a betrayal.

“I told you that you are using black magic to fight, Shiman. So, you give me no other choice: you will be asked to come in front of the Court!”

The Cyclops just slightly bent in front of Cronus, and the Titan, surrounded by immense hatred, climbed on the back of his winged horse and he rushed to the boundless Cosmos, there where Uranus was ruling, on his huge stone throne.

Arriving in front of his father, Cronus bent till the void on which he was stepping on and, forcing not to be rebellious in front of his father, for he was shaking because of hatred and anger, he took a deep breath.

“What this time, Cronus?” Uranus told his son quietly, for being so focused on his mission of giving light to dead stars.

“The Cyclops are preparing for war!” Cronus had lied to him and his lie reached its aim because Uranus right away jumped off his throne and the stars, till then floating around him, had been thrown all over the Universe.

“But how did they dare?! To rebel against me? Against me, the one who gave them immortality?! They will pay me for this, for my wrath is unlimited and for their audacity, they will be transformed into the dust from which they were born! Elyzar! Elyzar, listen to my command and show up!” but instead of the black, fire horse, in front of them Chaos showed up, floating around.

"I urge you to forget your recklessness, Uranus! Your avarice has no limits!”

"But, Father! Cyclops is trying to steal my power!”

"Did they start a war against you?"

"No, because although they have great powers, they cannot reach the Cosmos, and this is only because I foresaw this, and I took from them the power to move outside the Earth. But…"

"Then how can you say that they want your throne, if they can't even get to it?! Don't look for a war where there must be peace, Cronus!” Chaos's eyes had been headed on his nephew's.

"Even though your body was born of Gaea and Uranus, who are both my children, you still don't know what goodness means, Cronus! The Cyclops stay on the mountain and that is not discussed!”

"But, Grandpa, they steal our power, because the mountain dries up when their fire rises to the sky!"

"I said no, because ...!" he wanted to scold Cronus harshly, but when a talking flame appeared in the nothingness of the Cosmos, the three turned to it, for in the flame the reflection of Shiman was seen, speaking to them: "We have decided to leave the Mountain, Father Chaos, for the constant visits of the titans disturb our work, and the Cyclops feel pressured and they want a quiet place where they can continue their work.”

"That's why I gave you the mountain, Shiman, and no one can take it from you!" Chaos told him confidently.

"And yet we would prefer the sea," Shiman replied. "Instead of the mountain, we are asking for an island completely surrounded by water and completely out of the power of the Titans."

"I said he was planning something," said Cronus, looking for trouble.

"Quiet!" Chaos ordered, and he turned back to Shiman's projection. "But your departure from the Mountain can destabilize the Balance of the Earth. And so, it is quite difficult for Atlas to hold the Planet on his shoulders. How do you plan to restore that energy?”

„Giving life to a fourth Moirae!”

"But this is treason," Uranus shouted this time. "You ask us to give great powers to a Moirae who can then decide our fate. Are you looking for our demise?”

"No, on the contrary! If the three weavers were created completely identical, the fourth one should be faceless."

"Faceless? How's that?” and Chaos looked at Shiman, confused.

"Put in her heart goodness and hatred alike. Thus, Moirae will be caught in their own trap, because Parca, this has to be the name of the fourth Moirae, will never be able to be on someone's side only, because having no face or soul of her own, but only a mirror in which souls will leave their mark, she will swing between two worlds and so, the war between Good and Evil will never end, but it will never begin either, because evil cannot fight against evil, just as good cannot defeat himself.”

"And who should lead this Fourth Moirae? Who should she worship? Don't tell me that it has to be in front of Cyclops?” Cronus spoke, looking at Shiman with hungry eyes for fighting.

"You are wrong here, Cronus. We don't want anyone to bow down to us, just as we don't accept the power of the Titans because we only worship Chaos and no one else."

"But those who rule the Earth are the Titans, Shiman, and you are the inhabitants of the Earth, don't forget this," Chaos spoke this time, defending his son and grandson, who, feeling the support of Almighty Chaos, smiled contentedly.

"Then we will obey your command, Father Chaos, and we will turn to ashes, for we do not want eternal obedience to those who see only power wherever they step!"

"You knavish," cried Cronus. "How dare you insult us? You're just…”

"Enough," Chaos ordered calmly. "Be it as your heart desires, Shiman. If you want to live surrounded by water, I will not oppose it. But I have only one condition ... to worship a titan, namely Dike, for he is the one who rules life on Earth and the only one who does not want supreme power. I think you like this proposal as well. What do you say?"

Shiman took a short moment to think, for although he knew of Dike's existence, he had never met the Titan in person. But he had heard of the goodness and wisdom of this titan, who had once guarded the Galaxy of Monsters, but who had been sent to Earth after being deceived by Eris and her heart had escaped from the dungeon where her body was imprisoned.

"I'm still waiting for your answer, Shiman," Chaos told him, blinking softly from his stone eyes, and their light began to glow even brighter, reflecting in the gleam of the flames.

"Then we will obey your command, Father Chaos, and we will listen to Dike, for from what we have heard he is worthy of respect, and his wisdom has traveled the Earth, far and wide, being respected and praised by all beings on the Planet. Before leaving the mountain, we will ask his opinion, as was your command, Father Chaos. And now, I'm asking your permission to withdraw."

The blink of Chaos's eyes was the signal that Shiman was waiting for and the talking flame disappeared as it appeared, leaving behind only faint gleaming ash.

"I wouldn't trust so much a...," Cronus began his talk, but Chaos preferred not to listen, and the light of his eyes faded into nothingness and only a faint sigh was heard everywhere.

"Looks like Grandpa isn't on our side this time," Cronus said to his father. "What do you think we should do? Should we sit and wait to be kneeled by the Cyclops who are worshiping in front of Dike?”

Uranus did not answer anything and, thoughtfully, he returned to his cold stone throne, and, resting his head hampered by thoughts by his huge fist, he sank into silence.

Around him, the light of the Cosmos dimmed and shone again, like Christmas lights, as if Uranus'brain was a hidden mechanism that was controlling their movement, and after a long time of thinking, Uranus said, "Shiman's proposal is not really crazy. A Fourth Moirae can save us too, for if we mess with the three weavers, they can create the destiny of someone meant to bring us to our knees, but if we have the Balance on our side then we will be invincible.”

"Do you think so, Father? But how should we manage to bring Parca by our side?”

"Stealing her destiny. Only then we will be invincible,” and Uranus smiled slyly as the web of chosen thoughts was woven into his head because this could have controlled his fate and of others as well, and he secretly ordered his son to find the Fourth Moirae and to create copies of her all over the Earth, so that no one really knows her and in case of something, Parca herself has to doubt that she really exists.

***

"We've been living in these lands for thousands and thousands of years, and today we have to leave them and take the path of wandering," Shiman said softly, regretfully as he looked at Arkadia Grotto, which had served as their smith, all this time because it looked so desolated and lifeless.

Behind him, scattered over the vast expanse of the mountain, was the Cyclops, carrying in their backs heavy bags with their little possessions.

Sad and inconsolable, melancholic and confused, the Cyclops still did not fully understand where they had gone wrong, that they had in the end to leave these lands, that had served as their home and to venture into the unknown. But after Cronus'last visit, when Shiman gathered the Cyclops' council, they all came to the sole conclusion that it would be better to look for a place of their own, where no one would bother them, and so they sent Shiman to Chaos to ask his permission.

But before ascending to heaven, Shiman asked Hestia's advice, because she was the one who was blessing their work, for her holy and life-giving fire turned even the most capricious metal into a work of art.

Face to face with Shiman, taking her form of a virgin and rising from the heat of the flames, Hestia spoke to him: "even if my energy is feeding on this mountain, I'll respect your choice, Shiman, because I think like you that the Titans and my brothers are just looking for a reason to start a war and to dethrone my father, Uranus, but because they don't have a scapegoat for their bold thinking, they have chosen you."

“Then, our decision is wise, because neither I nor my people want to be involved in the vile plans of someone greedy for power."

“But, what about risques, Shiman? Did you think about this?”

"As fate will have it, Hestia, because we cannot fight against it," said Shiman calmly, and, smiling lightly, he sat down on a massive rock, which served as a chair, and looked around at the cave which had served for so long as their home and for which he had a special love in his soul.

Hestia stepped out of the flames and approached the exit of the cave, watching at the beauty of the mountain. “And I still think that’s a cowardness to leave such a view behind you” and she sighed, sad to see the energy of Kyllini Mountain floating powerless above the forest, because this Sacral Energy was tightly related to the Magic of the Cyclops and how their state of mind was full of sadness and depression, it was floating in disorder, slowly entering the empty spaces in the air, without making something special around.

Shiman also stood up, from his stone chair, and, approaching Hestia, he looked in the same direction. “It’s a real splendor,” he whispered and smiled, and a few multicolored rays pierced the air around, giving to it a blow of life.

Then, Hestia stretched her hand toward that cluster of multicolored rays, and, slightly waving the hand in the air, she made the color float and spread all over above the mountain.

“Look, the splendor of the mountain!” had been heard around the whispers of the cyclops, who, at this late hour at dusk, were exiting the cave and were watching the sun, which was preparing for sleep. “The energy of life is with us. It is blessing us. Father Chaos loves and wishes us prosperity.”

Hestia smiled. “It’s so easy to satisfy the creatures of this Land. You only need a little bit of color for this, while this is so few for the Titans.”

“And still, there is still life left beyond death, Hestia. Even if my People won’t find another Magic Place like this, we will always think about this Mountain and if Moirae will give us to death then we will turn back here, under the form of a small creature and we will enjoy again the splendor of this forest, feeding our life with its Sacralic Energy.”

“Moirae! How didn’t I think about this before?!” Hestia murmured.

„About what exactly?”

“About that Gaea predicted the birth of the Fourth Moirae a long time ago.”

“Gaea? Mother Earth predicted something that Father Chaos isn’t aware of?! How is this possible?”

“This world, as the entire Universe, is beyond Chaos, Shiman. Even if I don’t want to accept it, my grandfather mistook when he decided to bring to life the three weavers, because his decision moved from its place the carriage of fate and thus, Magic is playing a prank on this world and, neither me nor Gaea or Father Chaos, are capable to stop this carriage from its mad rush down the sky.”

„And then, what should we do?”

"Let's put a limit on the Titans and especially to limit their avarice. The birth of the fourth Moirae is actually the resurrection of the Balance of Equilibrium, but not in the Cosmos, but on Earth.”

“But … you know that this is impossible. Nobody knows where the parts of the Balance hid. Father Chaos also isn’t aware of this. Let's suppose that Parca, the one who's name should be the Fourth Moirae, will have such a balance, how will we convince the others that this can be true?”

“This is the real essence of the truth, Shiman. The more you try to convince someone that one thing is true, he will think that it’s a trick to deceive him. That’s why we should be wise and only by mentioning such a destiny to the world we’ll manage to sneak into the titan’s soul the doubt and fear.”

But…”

“Just do it, Shiman and thus you will save your people from loss. This is what you want, don’t you?”

“But I don’t want this using a lie.”

“This isn’t a lie if it was predicted by Cosmos. Parca’s birth was predicted a long time ago since the three Moirae stole Holy Water from the Fountain of Truth for the first time. Then, Yggdrasil’s leaves whispered this truth, which was known only by Lodur and Holy Tree till now. But it was told to the world by the winds when Yggdrasil decided it, but from what I see nobody believed it.”

„Why so?”

“I don’t know if I can answer this question, but only living we’ll see what will happen and the time to meet Father Chaos is now because Cronus is already lying to his father about your intention of dethroning Uranus. Now or never, Shiman. It’s up to you” and, stretching her hand in front of her, she made the flames to dance, while raising in size and when it raised enough that was about to reach the vault of the cave, Hestia vanished and returned in the flames and only her voice was heard around: “So? What did you decide, Shiman?” and it was the decision in the voice of the titan of fire that convinced Shiman to meet Chaos.

A warm hand touched Shiman’s shoulder, waking him from his daydream, and, watching over his shoulder, Shiman saw a stranger smiling at him. “I think that’s the time to lead your people toward a place full of warm magic for you,” the stranger said.

“And, who are you, stranger?”

“I’m Dike, the father of the people who will be born soon and who will be known by the entire world as the People of Rophions.”

„The King-Wolf?!”

„Himself and the one who will be your friend.”

“Friend you say?! Chaos demanded us to listen to your orders and the one in front of whom we should bow can’t be our friend.”

“Who told you this?” Dike calmly smiled at him and that smile was full of kindness and this calmed down the king of Cyclops.

“It was told by History, but it seems to me that it was wrong. Let’s go! We have a long path to walk on till our new house,” Shiman told the Cyclops and, stepping in front, followed by Dike, he walked down the valley, descending a narrow, mountain path, which was passing through the dark depth of the forest.

“Why walk on a long road, when you can take advantage of the Earth's energy?” Dike said while playing with a small, shining dagger.

“To take advantage of the Earth’s energy? What do you mean?”

“I’ll show you,” and while they continued their path a slight tremble of the leaves, similar to whispers, floated around.

***

It had been necessary 6 months for the Cyclops to build their sailing boats, under the close supervision of the experienced Dike, who till then traveled all around the world, to know it.

Dike suggested to Shiman a journey over the sea, while they were still descending the mountain, because even if Shiman mentioned the Lamar Island, completely surrounded by waters, then when he asked Chaos to release them from the Mountain, he never thought about how to get on that Island, because none of the Cyclops had such a power to teleport themselves from the mainland to the island.

“But still, we had never traveled over the sea and we also don’t know how to do this,” Shiman protested at first.

“I’m sure that you also didn’t know how to breathe the first time you saw the light of this Earth, but you still did this,” Dike cheerfully answered.

“You can’t compare life with sailing,” and Shiman frowned because he disliked the comparison, which made him seem as if he was a novice in things related to life, but the kindness seen in the eyes of the titan had melted the ice of Shiman’s upset, which was squeezing his heart, and Shiman was amazed to hear himself saying: ”and still we can try.”

Dike winked to him and when they got to a thicket in the forest they were crossing, with thick, sturdy trees, after he asked the permission of Nature to take a few from its treasure, he ordered the cyclops to take out of the roots the trees, each of them one tree at a time, and to carry it on their shoulders till they will get to the waters.

The Cyclops, who at first didn’t understand what they will need for this, listened to Dike anyway and each of them took a tree, big as all the days, and with a little bit of effort, they took the trees out from the roots and carried them down the mountain, on their large shoulders.

Then, arriving on the seashore, they took their instruments out of their bags, and even if they didn’t know anything about the woodcrafts they started to work because it seemed to them closely similar to the craft of making things, and with a little bit of Dike’s magic, who drew on the air, as if it was on a white sheet, the skeleton of a sailing boat and after 6 months of work they managed to build a fairly large fleet, capable to carry the entire People of Shiman, over the seas, toward the Island meant to be their second home.

Before getting to the board, Shiman asked Dike: “How did it cross your mind to build such a giant capable of carrying in his belly many other giants? It seems to be like black magic.”

"And the handling of the iron in the hot flames, which gives rise to swords, shields, and all kinds of the devil things needed by humans and titans, isn’t it also a kind of black magic?”

The titan’s remark made Shiman scratch the skin of his head. “Well, here I must agree with you, but still … black magic always brings with it something bad.”

“Allow me to disagree,” Dike said, while he stepped on the deck, followed by Shiman. “Each of us has a hidden skill as we have a shadow which lives inside us. But still, that black energy can be destroyed only if we want this, but it can also create things if we head it towards something valuable, meant to be made by our hands.”

“And how should we distinguish it?”

“Imagine the energy of Kyllini mountain, which we left already behind us. Let’s say that the mountain is a being with huge power, black and shining alike. ”

“Ok, but we all know that the part of the black power may prevail over the light.”

“Right, but if the mountain-being will see the world as a threat then he will gather its both powers from inside him and will destroy later the light to survive. But if he will see the world as something full of beauty and kindness…”

“...then he will use his black power to create and not destroy,” answered Shiman, shaking his head and being surprised that he couldn’t understand this before.

He had been always wise, but being now next to the titan he understood that living only on the mountain he had limited his way of thinking and he couldn’t see beyond his own beliefs, while Dike, who allowed himself to live and to travel all around the world, had more experience and he could see everything in bright colors and not only in black and white like Shiman did.

Dike put a hand on Shiman’s shoulder and said with a mild voice: “Don’t be that harsh with yourself, Shiman. Nobody in this huge world was born knowing everything. But we all have the right to learn because nobody can’t forbid this to us, as nobody can’t prohibit you to be part of a war if you want this.”

“Do you also think that war can destroy the world?”

“As I think that without a war it can’t be any evolution.”

„But how is this possible?”

“We can say a lot about wars, but only one thing is true: that some of us see in war a chance to prevail over others and to subdue them. But there are those who after passing a war, in which they had lost friends and family, also prefer later to fight and to try to subdue others too, because they see in this a chance to grow their people and to make larger horizons of knowledge.”

"But doesn't that mean being greedy? I mean, if one wins when at the beginning of the war he was meant to be defeated, won't he want then to try his hand at another, less experienced people? ”

“It’s about beliefs, Shiman. Tell me, please, if let's say that the Cyclops had been forced to fight in a war that they didn’t want and they won, will you try to enter another war to conquer, when you know how many of you died and will die for this?”

“Of course, not. How I’ll wish for the death of someone else if I’m the one who mourns the death of dear people?”

"It's the same with people and with the whole world. I do not deny that there are those who will then go to battle for conquest, but most will cover their wounds and continue to live because this is the course of life meant by fate and this is the purpose of Parca."

"Are you aware of the birth of the Fourth Moirae?"

"Of course, because I've already seen her! Parca was already born and is now living in Rophion Forest until she returns home. ”

“Home? Do you mean the Cosmos of Chaos?”

“No, Shiman. Parca’s house is Arkadia Grotto, because there where led the Spirit of the Cyclops there is also Moirae’s home there and the place where they will be imprisoned for eternity because there is still a long path to walk for those four Moirae and only Sky know-how will everything end.”

At Shiman's signal, the Cyclops pushed the huge wooden monsters, called sailing ships, into the water and set off on their long journey to their new home, also known to the world as Lamar Island.

It took them another six months to reach that island and another twelve to lay the foundations of a new smithy, worthy of the one that had existed until then on Kyllini Mountain, but by their own strength and devotion, the new smithy was created much larger and more magical than the first, and the Cyclops marveled at what their rough, labored hands could create, and, looking up at the sky, they thanked Father Chaos for allowing them to come to these new lands, which soon became their friends, rejoicing them with new lives born among cyclops.

Holding his newborn son in his arms, Shiman approached Dike, who was staring at the bright red sunset and could see the uneasiness in his eyes. "Is something wrong, Master Dike?"

"Yes," Dike whispered sadly. "I feel that a people much loved by me is about to perish, for the enemy is lurking in the shadows and wishing them death."

"The people? And which people are on the verge of extinction?”

"Noear people. Those who have been my friends for so long and have given me life-giving energy taught me what family and friendship mean, and whispered magic words in my ear, words that convinced me that there's love on Earth."

"I feel you'll leave us soon," Shiman murmured feverishly. He knew that Dike will eventually leave the island, but in all these 10 years since they've been here, Dike had preferred to stay with them, except for his brief teleports to the Valley of Silence, to meet Lodur and to decide how best to do it for the welfare of the Earth.

"Most likely yes," Dike finally replied. "They also need me, Shiman. Noea is also my friend and it is my duty to be with her in times of trouble.”

"Then you'll need it," Shiman replied, and, looking back, one of the Cyclops understood his command and approached, bringing almost a sword covered with a white sheet.

Dike took the sword in his hand and, pulling it out of its scabbard, was amazed to see the glow and magic it carried in its metal and he projected into the air, covering them, the famous magical bubble that usually protected the babies of cyclops.

"I named this sword Ionas, and it's meant to protect you from evil," Shiman whispered, revealing the sleeping face of his child, who was smiling soundly. "The same name that I gave to my child too and that will unite them two forever."

Touching the hilt of the sword, Dike immersed himself in a brief meditation and saw the toil of Shiman to work this miracle, for the Cyclops had spent days and nights in a row by the hot furnace, hitting hard on the hot iron, until he managed to give the desired shape of this sword, and when he finally cooled the blade in cold spring water and polished its surface, he decided to give it life and he blew the magic of his own people over it, and thus Ionas became a life-giving element and it protectively, swallowing the magical breath of that island inside, became in time the supreme power in Dike's hand.