Secret of the Andes

When Cusi wakes up the next morning, he is greeted by the guide from the previous night. Together, they enter the city of Cuzco, passing by various historical sites and walking through streets that resonate with Inca heritage. As they walk through the city, Cusi is fascinated by the marketplace. The guide soon leaves him and Cusi begins to barter with the vendors, slowly gaining confidence and enjoying the process. Though Cusi begins to feel more at ease in the lively market, his primary mission—to find a family—remains on his mind. When the guide returns to offer to take his llamas outside the city, Cusi leaves Misti and the others in his care. He heads into the city, following the sound of church bells.

Cusi sits in the shade of a church wall, watching people enter and exit the church. A beautiful Spanish woman arrives at the church, and Cusi briefly hopes she might be part of his future. He sees a beggar and tries to give him food, but the beggar rejects it and demands money instead. Suddenly, an Indigenous woman approaches him, exclaiming at his golden earplugs. She briefly speaks of someone named Titu, who had once been her son but ran away, and then disappears.

The Spanish woman from earlier mistakes him for a beggar and offers him a coin, which angers him. Soon after, a large, boisterous family arrives, mistaking Cusi for one of their own. They are warm and inviting, and although Cusi enjoys the brief feeling of belonging, he soon realizes that these people could not truly fulfill his longing for a family. They give him a new name, “Nicho,” and though they are kind, Cusi knows that he does not truly belong with them. At night, he sneaks out of the shelter where the family is sleeping, returning to his llamas.

Cusi once again participates in the familiar ritual of the Sunrise Call. As he travels with his llamas, he encounters an old Indigenous American man who greets him warmly, recognizing Cusi’s connection to the past through his golden earplugs. The man, called the Keeper of the Fields, helps him unload his llamas and provides a resting place.

As they sit and talk, Cusi opens up about his journey to Cuzco, his feelings of loneliness, and his desire for a family. He shares how he found a family, but realized they were not truly his. The old man listens and helps Cusi understand that he already has a family—Chuto, Misti, and the home he left behind. The golden sandals, symbols of his heritage, are something he could only share with those who are truly part of his life. When Cusi leaves, the Keeper of the Fields tells him that he cannot use the same trail, because it was destroyed in a landslide. Cusi is devastated, because that meant that the ayllu and its people were gone. The Keeper of the Fields offers Cusi wisdom and a parting gift, a reed flute, encouraging him to use it to heal his heart’s loneliness. As Cusi departs, the Keeper of the Fields is visited by a mysterious figure who commends him for preserving the Inca legacy.

Cusi returns home to Hidden Valley, where Chuto greets him warmly. Cusi shares the items he brought from the marketplace, and the two unload the llamas. As they sit by the fire, Cusi expresses his desire to stay in Hidden Valley permanently, calling Chuto his family. Though Chuto initially questions whether Cusi is ready, Cusi insists that he is mature beyond his years. Chuto finally acknowledges that Cusi is prepared and begins a solemn ritual, asking Cusi to repeat three sacred vows. In these vows, Cusi swears to protect the secrets of their heritage, to safeguard the Inca’s llama flock, and to guide the future shepherds who will follow him. Each vow is sealed with a small cut. Chuto then reveals a secret cave filled with gold dust. He explains that only two people at a time know this secret: one whose life is nearing its end and one whose journey is just beginning.

Chuto shares his regrets about Titu, Cusi’s father, who ran away and never returned. He acknowledges that he was too strict with Titu, and reveals that Cusi was brought to him by the Amauta, along with the golden sandals from his mother. Cusi realizes that the woman he met before the landslide was indeed his mother. Chuto tells Cusi that he is free to travel and explore the world, knowing that Cusi’s vows will keep him tied to the Inca’s mission. Cusi, however, decides to stay for now, feeling that his place is with Chuto and the llamas.