She showed me another world. The colors were more vibrant than our own. The air sparkled as if glitter were floating about. The view satisfied me deep inside. Her emotions seeped over into mine, and I felt her desire to see her homeland again.
“I want to go home, child. Ineedyou to get me there.” She released my hand.
“How in the world am I supposed to do that? We can’t even figure out how to fix me so I can live long enough to be with my family!” I was puzzled—what could I do? “I mean, don’t get me wrong, if I can help I will, but I don’t see how.”
“Little girl, over the hundreds of years I've walked this Earth, I've seen truth become legend and then turn to dust. When I came here, over a thousand years ago, I found a primitive land with primitive people. I watched as the humans worshipped me and my ilk as gods, for we knew how to tap the magic in our blood, and we brought magic from other worlds. We also knew more about science than even humans of today can comprehend.
“We came through portals from our worlds to this. Some came earlier, some later. I’m actually one of the last to come through. My people found the portal in our world and traveled to this one. I came with Inti, Supay, and many like us. We became the gods of the Inca, but we heard many stories of other gods the world over. Other beings that were not gods but were worshiped for their magic and knowledge.
“The stories you hear of Hades, Loki, Egyptian gods like Let and Sekhmet, Abaddon, Ishtar, Lilith, countless others. I can tell you some of the worlds they come from. They are no more gods than my cat, HissyFloof, is.”
I giggled. “HissyFloof?”
“Yes, I have a cat, she’s horrible. Hush. We shared one common trait—our DNA was compatible with human DNA. We could create our own species by mating with the creatures of this Earth. The species that call themselves The Supay were notcreatedby Supay or my kinsman that came to this world with me fromUku Pacha.”
Anthony interrupted her, “Uku Pachais a real place?”
“Yes, boy. It is my home. The Inca believed, and we encouraged it, that their dead either went to what we call heaven,Hanan Pacha, or hell,Uku Pacha. This belief helped cement our status as gods. But to us, it was home, and the human dead don't go there. Right now,noone passes in or out of this world.”
Elias held his hand out to interrupt her story, “Wait, you said that Supay didn't create our species?”
Mama Pacha smiled. “You are our descendants. The people of Pacha that came through the portal into this world mated with humans. Our offspring became what are today known as the Supay. I’ve followed our people’s progress, and I’m proud of the place you’ve carved in this world for yourselves.
“I've traveled and observed the many creatures you call the Unseen. I’ve figured out where most of them descend from. For example, the Olympian gods such as Aphrodite and Hermes came from Olympus. They mated with humans and created the Fae. They have their own idea of how they were created, but that's their story to discover.”
“There are several factions of Unseen that have become legends. They’re extinct, or so we think. Riley, you are a descendant of one of those races. You have Unseen blood in your veins. I can't tell you anything about your ancestors, as I never learned much. They were here before I arrived on Earth, and their extinction was something I wasn't a part of. Supay tried to warn me, as I said before, but I didn't believe the portals could be closed.” She sighed and smiled.
“But close they did. Once the last of your kind was killed, they closed. And now, now…we can open them again. I know where one is, and I know how to open it. I want you to send me home, finally. Send me home and then don't open the portals again. If you do, the gods will return and with the technology you have discovered, they wouldn't find the Earth the same welcoming land they once did. They would likely try to take over again and humans today wouldn't have it.”
I was beginning to think I was actually in some sort of crazy fever dream. Leaning against the head of the bed, I stared at Mama Pacha and tried to sort the information in my mind. None of it could be happening. I wasn't the descendant of ancient extinct gods. I’d never been anything but ordinary, it couldn't be. And if the legends we thought we knew were not true, what about the spring of life? I asked Mama Pacha.
“There’s a spring inUku Pacha. Rather, there was one. Time moves slower there, but it's still been over a thousand Earth years since I left. I have no idea if my home is the same. I simply hope my family lives, and they will recognize me. I don’t even think they’ve aged as I have here on Earth. We’re immortal, save grievous injury. If I’d been home, I wouldn’t have aged.”
“But can I go there? Can I drink from the spring so that I can stay with my family?” I was desperate for her to tell me it was possible.
“You can't. We never understood why, but whenever one of us passed through any portal, we were only able to pass through to our home worlds or here. You may be able to pass through to the land of your people, but you wouldn't be able to go toUku Pacha. Only these three would be able to go with me if they so choose. But they wouldn’t be able to return unless you provided your blood to the portal stones again.”
My heart crashed. I couldn’t go to the spring. I couldn’t extend my life. Tears rushed to my eyes, and I covered my face with my hands. A hand touched my shoulder, and I turned and buried my face in someone’s chest. I wasn’t sure whose chest it was until Michael whispered in my ear, “Baby, we'll find another way. We won’t let you leave us.”
I sobbed in earnest. I didn’t even process her words about going to my own world. I didn’t think about her revelation that it must be my blood on the portal stones. I just wept for my children and Michael. I sobbed harder when I thought about Elias and Anthony. The three of them would have to watch me age and die.
Someone else squeezed onto the bed on my other side and pressed a kiss against the side of my head: Anthony. He rubbed my shoulders as he asked Mama Pacha what else we could do or if she knew of any other options.
“The only thing I can think of that you could do to extend her life is to travel to my home and bring some of the liquid from the spring to her here. The magic may not travel through with the water, but you could try.” She squeezed my knee.
“Other than that, she could try to travel to the home of her people, but that has the potential to be dangerous, as she’d be going alone into an unknown world.”
I lifted my head up. “If that’s what I have to do, then that’s what I’ll do. What information do you have about my home world?”
Michael’s chest rumbled as he spoke, “maybe it would be best to try to find something to help us on Earth and not open the portals at all.” His words caused Mama Pacha’s eyes to flash.
“Youmustdo this. You wouldn't be alive if it were not for me. I created your entire species, Michael Effler. Oh yes, I know you. I know your entire line; I knowyou. As my children had children, I kept up with my descendants, and you are my several times great grandson. And you’re supposed to be dead, hmmm?” Michael’s jaw dropped.
Elias, quiet since we’d entered the room, spoke up. “There’s one thing I don't understand. If we're so long lived, how has our history been completely twisted in the span of a handful of generations? At worst, you are what, five or six generations our ancestor? That’s not that long for the legends to be so twisted.”
“It suited us for you to believe we had created you, and the same for the humans,” she replied sadly. “While my brethren and I ruled, the Inca were so cut off from the rest of the world that they believed us completely. We made some terrible choices in those days. That’s why I'm so glad that the old gods were sent to their homes. If any are still alive in this world, they have done as I have and stayed hidden, watching and waiting.”
“To answer your question, your lore is twisted because we twisted it from the beginning. Your people never knew the truth.” She gazed out the window at the darkening sky. Michael disentangled himself from me and went to stand at the window. Mama Pacha followed him over, and I rolled over to rest my head on Anthony. Elias slid into Michael’s spot on the bed, hugging me from behind.
