Chapter 16 Lunara

They walked on the lake water and reached the center of the lake where the moon was reflected on the water. The white orb of the moon mirrored on the still water. They stood across from each other. Enara removed her necklace while Enos removed his bracelet and dropped them together on the white-filled circle of the moon water.

A white beam of light emerged from the reflected moon circle shooting white light straight into a line upwards towards the full moon in the sky. The water soon rose out of the lake building a cylindrical narrow channel of wall water tunnel ahead. A door was formed made of water and moon earth overlapping each other and a golden knob formed from mixed gold and opal.

Enos opened the door.

Enara looked inside. The tunnel was dark but she was soon caught in amazement and fascination how slowly the dark channel sprouted with flowers blooming from the depth of the unseen darkness under and grew on the surface ahead. Lilies, water lilies, and other lake water plants bloomed forth along the edges. They glowed in the darkness, white, serene, and beautiful, and were soon surrounded by glowing fireflies, moths, and butterflies.

"Let's go in," said Ethos entering first through the door. Helios soon followed.

Enos also entered the door but Enara stayed unmoving from her spot.

Enara looked back at where Julienne's spot was and stood there unmoving for a minute. She looked around the park. Its quiet and darkness covered it.

"Enara, what are you doing? We don't have all the time in the world. The channel closes in an hour. We have to be back at Lunara after midnight. Otherwise, I don't know where in God's hell will be wandering this time."

Ethos said with impatience in his voice.

They walked through the narrow channel of unseen dark walls that came with loud dripping noises. Shane tried to touch the walls but Helios blocked his hand with a stick his holding. He saw how the stick melted in its darkness like a black acid that easily burnt. It didn't have a smell but the sight was enough to hold off Shane from extending his arm again. Helios let go of the stick and the black ink of acid swallowed it.

"Oh, I didn't say that you can touch the walls, little brother," said Ethos mockingly. "Unless you'd like to be nursed back to health because of a poisoned arm or you'd like to be transported to another dimension again where this time we won't be searching for you anymore. After all, you are no longer a kid will you be lost again. You're already an adult who is no longer my responsibility to search."

"I know that, Ethos," said Shane quietly. He had always been submissive to his brother. He had never fought him when he was a kid. He rarely fought him when he was a kid.

They walked in silence as they trod the path of the moon road silently lighted by the white glowing flowers and insects. The ceiling above them appeared like it has a glass ceiling but it was actually made of water. It reflected the clearness of the ink-black night illuminated by the moon.

"This moon path is very beautiful," said Rana admiring the path they walked on. "How I wish I knew this path existed then we could have entered here, Enos."

She said as she looked around and up the sky like they were simply strolling in the village park.

"You didn't know this then, Enara because you were still young then. Had you waited two more years to find Enos, you could have opened this portal."

Ethos said as they continued walking.

"Why didn't you tell me about it then, Ethos?" asked Enara looking at him.

Ethos didn't look at her but answered.

"Were you prepared to listen that time? You were so set to leave without care, without patience nor consideration to the people around you. You were oblivious to your surroundings, Enara."

"I was meaning to tell you but you left as fast as you can. You were resolute in your decision. Irrevocable. You were ill-prepared for your journey. No knowledge of the outside world, still you pursued."

Ethos said refuting her past actions.

Rana clenched her fists listening to him. She had already outgrown the man who up to this moment still loved to pick her flaws and never failed to point that out to her.

"You could have told me," she said in an accusing tone. "I could have listened then."

Ethos shallowly laughed at her admittance.

"Were you, Enara? Would you have waited?"

He asked in a mocking tone.

"You and all the people of Lunara had no intention of searching for Enos. It was as if every one of you had forgotten him like he no longer exist."

Enara said in a hurt voice. She had never been bitter about it but she was furious with the people of Lunara for already forgetting Enos then.

At first, the search after his disappearance was rigorous. It was a frantic search. The hope of finding him was high. But when after a month had passed and still they couldn't trace Enos from their radar, the hope of finding him slimmed the chances. It was even presumed he was dead.

It was only Enara who held to the belief that he was still alive, That he was okay even if he was no longer in Lunara. Living and breathing like how she always saw him.

"The moonstone charm bracelet and necklace could only be activated when you're twenty years old."

Ethos said in his clear voice.

"I wanted to tell you that. But you were hellbent on leaving. Your ears were deaf from neither other people's voices nor their reason. How could I tell you?"

Ethos said in a reasonable voice.

"If you had been then prepared to listen as you were prepared to leave to the unknown, Ethiara and I would have helped you."

"You were so set on helping me from never finding Enos again," said Enara hotly. "You were so set on me on stopping my search to find him. How could I listen to you then?"

"That's what's your problem was, Enara. You are always impatient and quick-tempered. Have you listened to us, you wouldn't have lost yourself or your memory."

Ethos said roughly.

"Why do you think you were stopped then, Enara?" asked Helios calmly.

Enara simply passed her eyes on Helios.

Shane spoke while tension filled the air.

"I know you will always search for me, Enara," said Shane looking sideways at her.

He then looked at Ethos.

"I always had confidence that you will find me, brother, as you always had done since. I'd thought then when I passed the portal that you will find me when I dropped from the sky," he admitted with his quiet voice.

They continued to walk in silence after Ethos and Enara argued and Shane spoke. No one was willing to talk anymore as they traversed the moon path.

After an hour's travel in the black walls of darkness, they found a bright light at the end of the other side of the hole.

"There's the light," said Shane, glad to see the end of the tunnel. They had walked for a long time.

They walked towards it faster this time.

Then they felt the channel wobbling. Rana fell on her feet. Shane helped her up. They looked at their back. The channel was disappearing.

"Run!" shouted Shane.

As they reached towards the other gate at the end portal, Ethos spoke to Shane while they were running.

"After the four of us are out of the door, grab the knob of the door."

"Why?" asked Shane running as fast as he can.

"No more questions," said Ethos ignoring his question. "Just listen to what I said and grab hold of the knob."

They ran and soon were reaching the other end of the portal. The trail path was fast disappearing. Enara fell again for the second time.

"Seriously, Enara. Falling the second time?

When have you become so lumpy?" Ethos said ridiculing her. He stopped from running looking down at her.

Enara looked at them. Her face was twisted in pain.

"I've sprained my ankle," she said holding her hurt ankle.

"Oh, shit," cursed Enos, worry lined his forehead.

"Is that what you've learnt on Earth, Enos?" asked Ethos looking at Shane.

Shane glared at him. He carried Enara on his back.

The channel was closing fast.

"Give her to me," said Ethos gently but sounding more of an order.

"You need to be the first to reach the door as you will hold it for us. And don't forget to grab the knob."

He instructed with a clear voice.

They reached the door and Enos opened the door for them.

"Hurry!"

Ethos carrying Rana on his back went to exit first through the door followed by Helios.

Then, just as Enos went out of the door, the path that provided them disappeared. Enos pulled out the knob as strong as he could for it was heavy and hard. He had to twist it like closing a key inside and as it locked, he pulled it out.

He looked at the familiar surroundings he had missed the last ten years. Everything looked the same. It was as if nothing had changed.

The sky above was blue. The sun was bright, it wasn't glaring.

They have returned. Finally. To Lunara—the Moon City.