Despite the familiar rhythms of the farm, Julio Hyncho found his gaze drawn to the distant peaks again and again throughout the long afternoon.

It was a bowel-loosening screech from above that was the first signal of a return. Again, the big winged creature overflew the farm, sending the herd animals into a panic. It wheeled about and landed with unlikely grace atop of Julio’s main house, immediately preening one wing.

Immediately another, larger shadow moved across the farm and the strange silver plane floated silently down to the green grass near the Rover. The invisible door made its appearance and the young couple stepped out. The woman was much the same, alert and almost unnaturally attractive, but her male companion looked tired, although he wore a weary smile.

“Success, Julio. Your contribution made the difference. In fact, Sahuasiray and his companion, the lovely Pitusiray, asked us to bring you these,” Declan said, his voice again coming from his phone. He opened a sling bag at his side and carefully pulled out two wrapped bundles. Qispi, who had come up alongside her husband, gave a surprised gasp. When he turned to her, he found her eyes were wide with shock. “Julio, those are the offering cloths I wove for your visit to the apu five years ago!” she said.

Now that he looked closer at them, he realized they were familiar, very familiar.

Declan handed one to Stacia and the two moved over to husband and wife, unwrapping the worn and weathered weaving as they came forward. Inside each bundle was a piece of rock, heavy granite flecked liberally with quartz.

“Sahuasiray would like you to have a piece of himself, Julio,” Declan said. Beside him, Stacia presented a similar rock to Qispi. “As Pitusiray presents part of herself to the mistress of the farm,” she said.

Julio found himself frozen with shock. Not for a moment did he doubt that these rocks came from the two great mountains, but the sheer enormity of apu presenting pieces of themselves to an unworthy like himself was too much to process.

“We will feed you dinner,” Qispi said after looking at him meaningfully. He shook himself back to the moment enough to agree with his wife and repeat her invitation.

The couple agreed and seemed moved by the idea of a simple farm meal. Having seen the aircraft move through the sky, Julio realized that they could be in Cuzco in minutes, enjoying the best food the city had to offer. Yet they were honestly delighted to be here, high in the mountains.

“I still fail to see why you would travel with us, and even drive back down the mountains with us, when you have that amazing craft at your beck and call?” Julio Valez asked.

“It would take but minutes,” the young man agreed.

“And we would miss the whole trip,” his lady said.