What Ola wants ...

Soon after exiting the toxic Tube of Ka-lai-pahoa, the evil sorcery god of Molokai, on the northeast coast of the island, Kaneloa, an Oahu chief of low status, and Ola, goddess of life, were washing off the nasty residue just offshore from the lush, mythic Valley of Ola.

As refreshing as the surf was, Kaneloa was sorry when Ola put him down. She'd carried him in her arms through the poison tube after dispatching the swirling green toxic mist that was Ka-lai-pahoa -- with a snap of her fingers that produced a flame -- suckling him most of the way, first pure oxygen, later the healing milk of life to nurse him back from death's doorstep.

"That was amazing," Kaneloa said, coming up from a dive under a wave and coming face to face really for the first time with the a very large, very beautiful, very brown, very naked woman.

"Ola gets what Ola wants, bebbe. Well, mostly. Good thing, though, I got the message to come save your young okole when I did."

"Message?"

"You know from who."

"The Great King?"

"Who's been calling your name?"

"The King."

"Kamehameha." She took a deep breath, sighed. "Mm mm mm ... Oh, don't get me wrong, he's a fine man, but no way I'm cutting in on Pele. He is her kuleana. Plus, she gave me that flame power. Before that, it was just the spark of life."

"So how far from here to the Royal Rotunda of King Kavawai?"

"They said you're devoted; no wonder the king calls you."

"Do you know why he calls?"

"Again, not my kuleana. Anyway, normally, you'd be walking another three, four days. But I have instructions. Come ... "

She led him out of the sea, up the beach, along a sandy trail that followed a stream, which led to a waterfall, where they bathed in fresh water.

"What instructions?"

"We shall oil ourselves in scented kukui oil, in order to properly present ourselves at the Royal Rotunda in the twinkling of an eye."

"Oil ourselves?"

"Here," she said, leading him to a shaded grove and a calabash of sandalwood-scented kukui nut oil.

"You do me first. But not too thick, OK. I'll be carrying you again. Don't want to have you slip out when we step through the portal at the back of the valley. It's sort of a jolt."