The Light in Aquala

The curious children always came to see them leave. It was one of the exciting traditions of the village, so old that no one remembered who started it. Perhaps it had always been this way, passed down from one generation to another.

So now, whenever the first signs of the Season change appeared in the jungle: a subtle shift in the color of the leaves, the appearance of unfamiliar flowers, or the faint shimmer of Neon beginning to dance through the vegetation; the children watched for Mara and Lena to arrive.

They excitedly gathered at the edge of the village in the coolness of early morning, barefoot and laughing, carrying their breakfast in little woven pouches and trying to look much older than they were. The younger ones pressed forward eagerly, their small faces alight with excitement, while the older children pretended not to be as interested as they actually were.

Tavi, the eldest among them, stood slightly apart from the group, his chin lifted with an air of importance that fooled no one. He had never been on the journey or helped Mara and Lena prepare, but still, the other children had respect for him since he did a lot around the village helping others.

The rising sun shone down on them as they started eating their breakfasts, while keeping their eyes open for the sisters.

Tavi had eaten quickly, and was standing with an alertness and an expectant look on his face. His dark hair was still damp from his morning swim, and his feet sandy from running across the beach to claim his spot at the front of the gathering.

The village itself was waking slowly around them. Thin trails of smoke rose from the cooking fires where the adults were preparing the morning meal, carrying the familiar scents of roasting root vegetables, fresh bread, and the sweet aroma of fruit that had been gathered from the jungle.

Further along was the beach, which stretched out before them all, the sand still cool and damp from the night's high tide, marked with the intricate patterns of waves that had washed ashore and retreated.

Seabirds circled overhead, their calls echoing across the water, and in the distance, the deep green of the jungle rose like a wall, hiding the mysteries that lay within.

The children knew about the journey, even though none of them had ever made it themselves.

They had listened in wonder to the stories, told around the beach bonfires at night, while the flames cast dancing shadows across the sand and the stars emerged one by one overhead.

They had watched the vibrant, glowing Neon colors light up the jungle, slowly fading behind the sisters as they returned from their journey, the colors lingering in their memories long after they had disappeared.

They remembered the stories of the incredibly massive, powerful and mysterious Aquala waterfall, where the effects of the changing Season were at their most beautiful: the mist that sparkled with countless hues, the vegetation that seemed to glow from within, the way the water itself appeared to carry fragments of color as it plunged into the pools below.

One day, when they were old enough to make the climb, they might be allowed to go along. Until then, watching Mara and Lena leave was almost as exciting as going themselves. Just seeing the Neon glow radiating from Mara and Lena's faces was enough to astonish the children.

The Neon was so rare in humans. It was a luminous quality that transformed ordinary features into something breathtaking. It never ceased to amaze the children when the Neon colors danced and swirled on Lena and Mara's faces.

Sometimes, when Mara was particularly excited about a discovery, her blue-green glow would brighten so much that it illuminated her features like moonlight on water. And when Lena laughed, her warm orange hues would dance across her cheeks like tiny flames, bright and joyful.

Yes, this Season's adventure were about to begin.