by Kate O'Hearn
‘Wait!’ she cried. ‘Please don’t leave me …’
She was too late.
Her people had merged themselves into one great blinding flash and released themselves. It was as it should be. They had ruled long enough and had earned their rest. It was time to let the younger ones take over.
Standing at the edge of the gathering, she watched her people go. Rainbows of pure energy flashed across the night sky, blocking out the stars and moons. Powers divided joyously and scattered across the universe.
Then they were gone.
Beside her, Brue, the Mother of the Jungle, raised her two heads and howled in lonely mourning at the passing of the Xan. Brue turned pain-filled eyes to her, begging her to stay.
‘I cannot be the last,’ Riza said. ‘Forgive me, Brue, I must try to follow.’
Riza summoned all her powers. Perhaps it would not be too late. Perhaps she could still reach her people and join them on their new journey. She knew what she had to do. She just prayed her single powers were enough.
Raising her hands in the air, Riza did as she was taught to do. She opened herself and released her powers to the cosmos …
‘No!’ Emily howled. She woke, panting heavily as the memories of that terrible night came flooding back.
Pegasus was beside her. He licked her face while everyone else in the camp gathered around.
‘Dad?’
‘Em, you’re safe,’ he said, putting his arms around her.
Emily started to shiver. ‘I remember what happened.’ Her eyes landed on Brue, who was towering over Paelen. ‘They all died …’
‘Who?’ Diana asked, kneeling before her. ‘Emily, who died?’
‘The Xan.’ Emily was overcome with sadness as she remembered everything that had happened on this world so very long ago. She pulled out her special sea-green handkerchief and dabbed at the tears that threatened to fall. The handkerchief had been a gift from Neptune – to collect and store her tears before their powers could do any harm.
‘I was there,’ she spoke slowly as it became clear in her head. ‘I watched them go. They were tired of their endless existence. They said it was time for the younger ones to take over so they could move on. They gathered together and merged their powers and released themselves into the universe.’
‘You were with them?’ Diana asked.
Emily shook her head. ‘No. I was late getting back. Something happened, I can’t remember what. By the time I arrived at the temple, the moons and stars had aligned and everyone was already at the gathering place. I tried to get there on time, but I couldn’t.’ Emily dropped her head. ‘They left without me.’
‘Em,’ her father said gently, ‘that wasn’t you. You’re my baby girl, born and raised in New York City. Those are just memories from someone else’s life.’
Emily raised her eyes and looked at her father. ‘No Dad, it was me. Somehow it was.’ She looked over to the Mother of the Jungle. ‘Brue was there. She saw it all. She begged me to stay so she wouldn’t be left alone. But I couldn’t. I couldn’t be like her, the last of my kind.’
‘What did you do?’ Joel asked. ‘Em, what happened?’
Emily sniffed and searched his handsome face, finding strength in the warmth of his gaze. ‘Joel, do you remember that glass lake?’
When he nodded, she continued. ‘That is all that remains of the Xan. When they released themselves into the universe, their bodies and the ground beneath them melted into thick glass.’
‘We were skating on bodies?’ Joel cried in shock and disgust. Suddenly he understood more. ‘Wait! That small circle? The one on the shore all by itself, that was you, wasn’t it? That was your body?’
Emily nodded. Then her voice changed, and sounded as though someone else was speaking directly through her mouth. ‘I did not want to be left alone. I tried to follow, but I did not have their collective power. I released myself the same way they did, but it would not work. Instead I destroyed my body and sent what was left of me flaming through the Solar Stream.’
‘Who are you?’ Emily’s father asked. ‘Who is speaking and where is Emily?’
‘I am Riza, the last Xan. Emily is here with me. We are one.’
Diana nodded in blinding comprehension. ‘Riza? That was you who crashed on Olympus!’
‘Of course!’ Chiron added. ‘It all makes sense now. Alone, you were not strong enough to join the others and disperse properly. Instead you somehow crashed on Olympus right before the war with the Titans. It was you, the last Xan, who made it possible for us to defeat them and restore peace. You shared your powers with us. We are part of you!’
Emily nodded. ‘But it was not just Olympus. I became fragmented. Other parts of me were scattered to other worlds along the Solar Stream. Most of my memories are gone. I cannot remember my early life or my family. That Flame-shard is still missing. I carry only bits and pieces of myself.
‘Yet despite being separated, I remained conscious and aware. I remember Vesta coming to me and taking the heart of my powers away. She fragmented me further, when all I wanted was to be whole again.’
Diana reached for Emily’s hands and lowered her head. ‘I am so very sorry. Had we known, Vesta would never have done that.’
Beside her, Pegasus nickered and pressed his head to her. Emily reached up and stroked his beautiful face. ‘Do not be sorry. If she had not done it, I would still be just the Flame. Unknown and unheard. Existing in lonely misery. But because she put my heart in a human girl, it gave me a chance to live again. And I have lived, many, many lives. Passing from one girl to another until, finally, the “I” that was the human Emily went into the Temple of the Flame and we merged together.’
Emily looked down at her hands and took over speaking. ‘I am still Emily, but I am also Riza.’
‘Riza,’ her father repeated softly. He pulled her into a tight embrace and whispered in her ear. ‘Listen to me, Em. I don’t care if you are still my Emily or Riza. I love you – both of you. And you are not alone. There may be no more Xan, but you have a family and people here who care for you.’
‘Oh Dad!’ Emily cried as she threw her arms around him. ‘We love you too!’
‘We Olympians are so very sorry that Riza was left behind,’ Diana told her. ‘But we are so very grateful to the Xan for making us the people we are.’
‘Yes,’ Apollo agreed. ‘And we will gladly continue the work the Xan started so very long ago.’ He stood. ‘I must return to Olympus to tell the others what we have learned. We must celebrate the discovery of Xanadu and show our gratitude to Riza.’
‘You don’t have to do that, Apollo,’ Emily said. ‘We aren’t any different than before. Please, can’t things stay the way they are?’
Apollo bent down and kissed Emily lightly on the forehead. Like his sister, he had dark hair and brilliant blue eyes and was incredibly handsome. Emily blushed at his attention.
‘I must share this, Emily. It is far too important – this is part of our heritage too. Also, I need to find out what is happening with the others. If I leave now, I should be back tomorrow.’
‘Let him go,’ Diana said. ‘Apollo is right. This is monumental news, Emily. It must be shared. Olympians must be told that we are part of the Xan.’
They stood around the archway and watched Apollo open the Solar Stream and disappear.
‘How are you feeling?’ Joel asked Emily when Apollo was gone.
‘We’re fine,’ Emily said. ‘We feel kind of weird, but we’ll be OK.’
‘You’ll be OK when you stop saying “we”,’ Joel said. ‘You are Emily. You look like Emily and you talk like Emily. Even if Riza is in there with you, you are more Emily than her.’
‘I agree with Joel,’ Paelen said. ‘You are Emily. I could never call you anything but that.’
Beside her, Pegasus snorted and nodded his head.
‘You too, Pegs?’ Emily said.
Once again, Pegasus bobbed his head up and down.
Emily smiled
at her friends, but knew they could never understand how she had changed. She wasn’t just Emily any more. She was also Riza.
‘Of course I’m still your Emily,’ she said reassuringly. ‘But if I say some strange things, you’re just going to have to accept it.’
Paelen laughed and punched Emily playfully. ‘So there will be no difference. You are always saying strange things!’
9
They spent the next day in the temple. Though Emily had recovered a few scattered memories of the Xan, Riza’s personal life was still a mystery. Walking through the temple, she was as surprised by the discoveries as everyone else.
They soon found that each chamber was dedicated to a specific world the Xan had visited. It was like sections of a library that held books on different subjects, with each section supplying details of the people and life-forms the Xan discovered, including their requirements for continued survival.
‘Simply fascinating,’ Chiron said excitedly, as he asked Emily to do translation after translation.
Some chambers described worlds where nothing was needed. The Xan quietly visited them to ensure everything was all right, but did not do anything. Other chambers spoke of bringing the survivors of dying worlds to Xanadu and the work involved in creating an environment suitable to sustain their lives.
‘This is amazing,’ Emily’s father said as Emily read information from the wall of a new chamber. ‘What an extraordinary people the Xan were. Look at all the work they did for so many worlds. I wonder if we will find a chamber describing Earth.’
‘Or Olympus,’ Paelen added. ‘Did the Xan know about us?’
Emily nodded. ‘We did,’ she said in the strange, gentle voice they now knew was Riza’s. ‘We visited both your worlds many times.’
Emily’s father shook his head in wonder. ‘The Xan were the guardian of so much.’
‘It’s just like the Olympians today,’ Emily said. Pegasus was standing close at her side as she stroked his strong, warm neck. ‘Pegs, you go to other worlds along the Solar Stream and watch over the people.’
‘Not like this,’ Paelen said. ‘Compared to what the Xan did, we do nothing.’
‘Especially you, little thief,’ Diana teased. She approached Emily’s father. ‘Steve, come with me, I have something to show you.’
Emily and her friends continued to look around. ‘This place is so cool!’ Joel said. ‘I wonder how big it really is.’
‘Do you think we might be able to visit some of the different regions the Xan have created here?’ Paelen asked.
Emily shrugged. She walked up to one of the walls in the chamber and rubbed her hand along the writing. ‘It says that we can visit this people’s continent. But I’ve seen warnings in other chambers to stay away.’
‘Why?’ Joel asked.
‘I’m not sure,’ Emily said. ‘We’d have to read all the details. Maybe those continents are dangerous.’
‘No,’ Riza corrected aloud, ‘not dangerous for us. But for some, the inhabitants do not know they have been moved. We must not contaminate them.’
‘Riza?’ Paelen said, speaking to her directly.
‘I am here, Paelen. We both are.’
‘Can Emily come back please?’ Joel said uncomfortably.
Emily smiled. ‘Joel, I never left. But Riza wanted to tell us something.’
‘This is getting too freaky!’ Joel said. ‘No offence, Riza, but it’s going to take some time to get used to you being in there.’
‘No offence taken, Joel,’ Emily said with Riza’s voice. ‘But understand this. I have known you as long as Emily has. We have no secrets between us. I was with you at Area 51 when we kissed.’
‘You did what?’ Paelen shot an accusing look at Joel.
‘Hey, that was private,’ Joel said, his face turning red. ‘It was between Emily and me.’
‘And me,’ Riza said, laughing softly.
Paelen looked from Emily to Joel. ‘Is there something you two want to tell me?’
Emily blushed. ‘Not really.’
‘Yeah, let’s just keep exploring,’ Joel said gruffly as he stormed out of the chamber.
They were back at camp excitedly discussing their findings when the arch of the Solar Stream came to life. Apollo appeared. They knew something was wrong as soon as they saw him.
‘Father is gravely ill and he has asked for Emily. I fear he is dying.’
‘What?’ Diana cried and rushed over to her brother. ‘That is impossible! Father only just went back.’
‘I know,’ Apollo agreed. ‘It is happening very quickly. Many Olympians are taking ill, including Pluto and Neptune.’
At the mention of his father, Pegasus reared. He whinnied and threw his head back.
‘What’s wrong with them?’ Emily’s father demanded.
‘Father will not say. Only that I am to bring Emily home immediately. He said that Olympus is in grave danger. He has ordered those Olympians here to remain here. He does not want you infected.’
Diana leaned forward and peered closely at her brother’s face. She reached out and touched the hair at his temples. ‘Apollo, your hair is going grey.’
He nodded. ‘So is everyone’s in Olympus. That, and much worse. We are all ageing rapidly.’ He turned to Emily. ‘We have no time to spare; please hurry.’
Pegasus protested loudly and reared again.
‘No, Pegasus, you must remain here,’ Apollo said. ‘No one is immune to this. It is affecting the older Olympians fastest, but none of us are safe. Father believes Emily, Steve and Joel will be safe to return as Aunt Maureen remains unaffected.’
‘I am not staying here,’ Diana insisted, ‘not while Father is ill. You know you cannot stop me, Apollo. So stand aside.’
Apollo dropped his head, knowing there was no stopping his headstrong sister. ‘Father asked all Olympians to remain here.’
‘Then Father is about to be disappointed!’ Diana shot back. She looked at the others in the camp. ‘Those who do not wish to return are welcome to stay here with no judgments made against you. But I for one will not.’
Chiron shook his head and pawed the ground with a hoof. ‘I will not remain here while Olympus is in danger.’
No one in the camp followed the orders to stay on Xanadu. One by one, they charged through the portal into the Solar Stream.
10
Jupiter lay in his bed. His skin was dry and leathery and he was deathly pale. He looked like he had aged a thousand years since Emily had seen him last. His grey beard was white and thin and his eyes were sunken in a face too wrinkled to recognize.
‘Father!’ Diana pushed past Emily and ran up to Jupiter’s bed. ‘What has happened to you?’
The leader of Olympus opened his eyes wearily. They were covered in a white film; he was completely blind.
‘Emily,’ he rasped, ‘I must speak with Emily.’
‘I’m here,’ Emily said softly. Pegasus was behind her and reluctantly followed her up to the leader’s bed. He neighed and shook his head, greatly disturbed by the sight of the leader of Olympus looking so frail.
Emily reached for Jupiter’s hand. ‘I’m right here. Please let me heal you.’
‘You cannot,’ Jupiter said. ‘I am not ill. I am old. We are all growing old. Not even your powers can stop the ravages of time.’
‘No, Father, do not speak,’ Apollo soothed as he crowded in. ‘Save your strength.’
Jupiter shook his head and strands of thin, white hair fell from his rapidly ageing head. ‘I have no strength left, as I have very little time left. Apollo, I am dying. My beloved Juno passed but moments ago. Vesta and Ceres have also gone. I will join them soon. Neptune and Pluto will follow me.’
Emily’s hand flashed up to her mouth. ‘They’re dead? But that’s not possible! You’re Olympians, you can’t die!’
Pegasus whinnied in misery as he pawed the marble floor of Jupiter’s chamber.
Diana looked desperately around the room. ‘What is happening? Why a
re you ageing?’
‘It is not just me,’ Jupiter struggled to say. ‘You too, my precious daughter, have started to age.’
‘How?’ Emily’s father demanded. ‘What has changed? Is it Xanadu? Is that world infecting you?’
‘It is not Xanadu,’ said Jupiter. ‘It is the Titan’s final revenge. After all this time, they have won the war – unless Emily can stop them.’
‘Me?’ Emily gasped.
Jupiter struggled to sit up. It took both Diana and Apollo to help him into a seated position.
‘Listen to me,’ Jupiter said in a fading voice. ‘Long ago, long before Olympus was how we know it now, there was a great war.’
‘Yes, Father,’ Diana said gently, ‘you defeated the Titans.’
Jupiter nodded, but then shook his head. ‘We almost failed. It was in the height of the battle. With our powers matched against each other, neither side could defeat the other. The war raged on and on. All we were achieving was destruction. Olympus was in ruins, Earth was almost destroyed and many worlds are gone now because of us.
‘Finally, we were able to raise an army strong enough to take on my father, Saturn.’
‘Your father!’ Emily cried. ‘The leader of the Titans was your father?’
Jupiter nodded. ‘It is a very long and complicated story. I have no time left to tell you.’
‘I’ve studied the myths. I can tell Emily about the war with the Titans,’ Joel offered. ‘But what happened? What did Saturn do?’
‘He and the Titans created a new army. They called them the Shadow Titans. They outnumbered us by many thousands. They were difficult to destroy or even stop. But that was not the end of it. The Titans also created a devastating weapon capable of killing us and ending the war.’
‘I never heard any of this,’ Apollo said. ‘It is not written anywhere.’
Jupiter shook his head. ‘No, we kept it secret. It happened long before you and Diana were born. Before all that we now know. It was from the dark time.’
‘What was the weapon?’ Emily asked.
‘It was a large stone. It held the power to strip us of our abilities and to rapidly age us – to death.’