Chapter 12
The next evening, the drum of La`a was heard in the distance. Kamahualele was then ordered to place a sacrifice on the altar according to the aged priestess, Kuhelepolani. During this night, Kuhelepolani came to Kila and asked "Did you hear the drum? The time has come when you will see your brother. Follow me wherever I go." All that night and the next day Kila followed the kahuna. By evening, they arrived near the place where La`a was living. Kuhelepolani told him, "Let us remain here until we hear the drum again. Then you will enter the house. When we get to the house, go in and conceal yourself in one of the corners. Be watchful, the one who strikes the drum is La`amaikahiki. When the priests line up and begin the prayer service, call out to him."

Kila and Kuhelepolani remained where they were until they heard the first drum. That evening, after the sun had set, they approached the door of the house and Kila went in and hid himself. Kuhelepolani rose and walked away, as was the law. Not long after Kila entered the house, La`a came in and stood before the drum where he remained awaiting the arrival of the priests. Shortly thereafter, the priests entered. One of them offered a blessing, after which they prepared to begin the prayer service.

At that moment, Kila came forth and called out, "My greetings to you La`amaikahiki!" La`a asked "Who are you?" "I am Kila of the uplands, Kila of the lowlands, Kila-pa-Wahineikamalanai." "What brings you here?" "I've been sent by our father to come and take you to him as he is very anxious to see all his children together. I've been looking for you since my arrival here, but was unable to find you. Just as I was giving up the search and return to Hawai`i, an old woman came to me and told me how to find you."

With the affectionate greetings of Mo`ikeha, Kila presented La`a with the brilliant royal cape and expressed the hope that he would comfort the few remaining days of his step father by returning with him. `Olopana strongly objected "At my age I shall likely die before you return!" La`a promised and assured `Olopana, his father these many years, that he would return before too long.

`Olopana reluctantly consented and after a round of hospitable feasts and entertainment, La`a made ready his own double canoes with his astronomer Kukaikupolo, his diviner Kukeaoho`omihamiha, his seer Maula, his drummer Kupa, his priest and prophet Naula and forty other men to handle the canoe. La`a gathered his priests his god Lonoikaoualii (Lono at the Chiefly Supremacy), his drum and set sail for Hawai`i with Kila's crew.

The fleet of sailing canoes, hulls painted royal yellow and pennons flying, made good time in reaching the Hawaiian islands. They passed to the left of Hawai`i as they approached Pu`u Ali`i Point, stopping at several shores to exchange courtesies with the ruling chiefs as they went. As they passed the shores of Hawai`i, La`a played his drum. Upon hearing the drum, some of the people said, "There is the canoe of Lonoikaoualii." They sailed northward passing Maui and Moloka`i, and on to O`ahu.

Upon approaching O`ahu, the drum was played again. A man named Haikamalama heard the drum from the coast near Hanauma Bay and followed it along the shore, beating out the notes on his chest to get the rhythm and repeating the drummer's chant. When the canoe beached at Kawahaokamano in Waihaukalua, he pretended that the drum was well known on O`ahu (to get a better look at it). Later, he made an exact copy of his own.

When they landed at Waialua to greet his relatives, the people learned that he was the great-great-grandson of Paumakua and had returned from Kahiki rich in honors and possessions. They strewed his path with flowers and welcomed him almost as if her were a god. After a brief stay, they proceeded to Kaua`i.

Arriving off the shores of Kaua`i, La`a again beat his drum. Mo`ikeha and his people, heard the sound and Mo`ikeha ordered everything be made ready for the reception of his sons. Upon their arrival, the high priest of Kaua`i, Poloahilani, took La`a and his god Lonoika`ouali`i to the temple. Mo`ikeha welcomed La`a and the Kauaian court blazed nightly with feasts and festivals in honor of the prodigal son for over a month. Everyone rejoiced at the return of Kila, now a seasoned master navigator, his crew, and the reunion of Mo`ikeha and his son, and chief, La`amaikahiki.