Nima and Hiku stood facing one another in the middle of the huge arena. The distance between them was little more than 20 yards but to the observers it felt vast. The arena seemed to expand around them, elongating and growing without actually moving. The large arena became immense but the regents stayed put.

Despite the sun having long made it’s exit the arena remained brightly lit, flooded by brilliant light emanating from the shadowy walls.

Along the edges the void-ocean ceased it’s restless ebb and flow as it sensed the impending clash of the two regents.

Hiku stood, back ramrod straight and regal. Even when she was relaxed she exuded a sense of easy magnificence. Her simple navy blue shirt and loose-fitting grey pants, while pedestrian compared to her usual ensemble, hung off of her as if they were the highest form of fashion. Her clothing was chosen with function in mind, mindful that she would be clashing with a frightful force.

Across from her stood Nima, finally at his full height. His simple t-shirt and comfortably worn blue jeans reflected his personality. Simple, straightforward, unassuming. Even standing straight he still somehow appeared to be slouching. Years of bad posture couldn’t be corrected by sporadic moments of proper adjustment.

“Terms?” Nima infused his words with his overwhelming Le’o.

“I win, you come. You win, we leave. Simple.”

Nima nodded. “Agreed.” In front the two regents a glowing mist appeared, the manifestation of their contract. It floated for a moment before diffusing into their bodies.

Overhead the familiar chimes of the tournament rang.

Right from the beginning both regents unleashed their powerful Le’o.

Without taking a step from where they stood the two beings continuously incanted. Attacking, defending, countering, dispelling, a continual barrage. Every time Hiku tried to exert her will over Nima the incantations would just bounce away harmlessly. Whenever Nima hurled a ferocious attack it ricocheted away, crashing into a far off shadowy wall.

To the witnesses it appeared as if the two regents stood in the middle of a minefield. All around the two, explosions and attacks razed the landscape, churning the land into a pulpy mess. Rubble and dust began to fill the air as the war of words continued.

“Fall.” Hiku continued to poke and prod at Nima’s defense. Instead of crushing him beneath her immense incantation a hole appeared some yards behind from him. The ground caved under the force she generated, imploding as the rubble flattened into a smooth slab.

“Rise.” Nima followed up with an incantation that was cleanly deflected by Hiku by aiming at the ground beneath her. It rumbled and roiled, threatening to erupt under the woman’s feet. As the ground began to split the rumbling halted before a large hole exploded some yards behind her.

“Hit.” Hiku jutted her chin sharply in Nima’s direction as a fearsome gale shot at him. The air hardened and materialized before their eyes as it turned into a large frozen javelin. It rocketed at the aloof regent. The incantation slammed into his chest as the air pressure around the two spiked. Instead of sending the man flying it rebounded off of him and barreled back at Hiku.

“Heavy.” Nima added, increasing the weight of the deflected javelin as it picked up speed.

“Boost.” Half way back to Hiku the javelin violently picked up speed, shockwaves of air blasting away from the incantation. A loud, thunderous popping and a sonic boom filled the arena.

“Stop.” Hiku called out, infusing as much of her immense mana into the command as she could.

“No.” Nima’s simple command was enough to cancel Hiku’s.

“Stop!” The tall woman commanded again, holding out her right hand as her ancient tatau flared to life. Her command was strong enough to force a secondary shockwave to expel from the front of the speeding javelin as it began to slow. Dust and debris flew around in a flurry, kicked up by the powerful shockwaves.

The ground beneath Hiku’s feet swelled painfully. She had lost sight of Nima momentarily as she concentrated on stopping the dangerous projectile. He was crouched, hand flat on the ground as he pulsed his mana throughout the arena.

“Move.” He mumbled as the ground beneath Hiku began to split apart. He infused chaotic energy into the command while also continuing to push the javelin forward.

“Come.” Hiku incanted hurriedly as she glanced down at the rumbling earth. Instead of bursting apart it rushed at her in an earthen wave. It engulfed her lower body in a protective layer as her Le’o forced a counter to Nima’s incant.

Right hand still held out she sent out another command. “Slow.”

The frozen javelin slowed further as it was hit with wave after wave of Hiku’s Le’o. It acted as a dampening field, trying to reign it in and possibly turn it back towards the Tu’i.

“Fall.” Nima called out. The area around Hiku caved in but she remained rooted by the earthen layer she had pulled around herself. She countered by commanding the ground to rise up under her.

Between them the frozen javelin hung suspended as they continued their match. Despite the destruction that erupted around them neither regent had moved an inch from where they had been when their competition began.

Explosions erupted unabated around the two stationary figures, jagged debris and fine dust slowly filling the air.

Each time Nima tried to push the javelin Hiku would quickly counter it. Back and forth, the two beings continued their game. The javelin grew in size as they continued to attack, defend, and pile energy into it..

___________________________________

All the Tu’i were serving as Witnesses to the clash between the regents.

Even Taha, still covered in viscera from his disgusting display, watched attentively.

Seeing Nima engage in a match was rare and it commanded all their attention.

Along with the Tu’i were a majority of the Faifekau, dispersed throughout various viewing rooms.

In the same viewing room as the Tu’i were the visitors, Haiku’s entourage. They watched in enraptured silence, absorbing the sight of their regent getting to enjoy herself.

Fiti sat with Wanu as they held hands. Worry creased both their faces as they sat vigil. Fiti worried for her father as she did every time he accepted a challenge. Wanu worried for her old friend as the pieces slowly fell into place for her, foggy memories returning.

Rua stood, arms crossed as she watched her liege. Her stern expression belied her true feelings of awe as she witnessed the titanic clash. In her eyes, the man that stood at the head of the Tu’i was the sun and they were the heavenly bodies that orbited him, benefiting from his shine. She kept her eyes focused only on him, refusing to miss a single second of what he had to offer.

Wha sat on a comfortable couch, legs tucked under her as she reclined across the arm of the chair. Her gaze followed the mysterious Hiku, the woman that Nima deemed an equal. A slight jealousy reared its ugly head deep within her chest. Bitterness stained her mood as she reflected on how vast the gap was between herself and the mysterious numen. Yet, she tacitly accepted that Hiku truly was a being on par with their leader.

‘Ekolu sat forward, face riddled with childlike glee. He had all but forgotten about his own acceptance round, which had gotten him yelled at by the rest of the Tu’i, due to the spectacle that he was getting to witness. His whole body twitched with each and every incantation that the two regents fired off. Deep within his gut he wished he could experience the extent of their power personally. A large smile sat on his heavily tattooed face, refusing to fade.

The newest Tu’i, Talua, sat by themselves. They had little time to enjoy the match as their memories continued to settle in. Despite the Domain readying the vessel it was still a painful process. The face of the newest Tu’i was constantly shifting as the muscles adjusted to their new structure. While they hadn’t been expected to witness they had requested not to be left alone in the Domain. Memories continued to rush in and out of their understanding, muddled remembrances of the two who were sacrificed for the one.

Taha crouched a ways away from the rest of the witnesses, greedy eyes trained on the visiting regent. His hunger remained insatiable as his mind fantasized about getting to desolate such a strong woman. As he watched he suckled on a long nail. He had purposely kept viscera and remains stuck on his hands and body so he could enjoy them as he witnessed.

All those who stood witness to the clash of the regents felt, deep within their souls, that they were being blessed by a spectacle that rarely occurred.

In the arena, the war of Le’o raged on as the two beings continued to hurl innumerable incants at one another.

____________________________________

All around them the arena had been reduced to a wasteland. Between them the large frozen javelin hung, suspended by their dance of destruction. Layers of incantations built, increasing its destructive power.

Still standing in the same spots, the two regents felt the climax of this stage approaching.

“Accel!” Hiku roared as she targeted the frozen javelin. All around her the arena continued to burst, explosions kicking up rubble and dust. The javelin slowly started to move, heeding her words and moving towards Nima.

“Accel! Fast! Go!” She continued to pile on the incantations, pushing the large bundle of energy forward.

Nima continued to target Hiku, focusing on displacing her while also trying to slow the approaching mass of destructive mana.

The javelin picked up speed as Hiku continued to hit it with propulsion commands. Nima roared opposing commands as quickly as he could, ultimately having to focus on stopping the huge mass.

“Blink!” Hiku roared, using one of the commands that she guarded vehemently. The javelin and all the accumulated energy disappeared from view.

Nima extended his senses, trying to find the gigantic mass before it was too late. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on end as he felt the gigantic mass of energy re-materialize right behind him. It emerged through a shimmering tear in the air, gaping as it deposited the huge mass of energy. As it made contact with the surrounding atmosphere it broke the sound barrier, waves booming out as it landed on the Tu’i.

All throughout the arena a blinding flash of white light filled the vision of everyone witnessing. Shockwaves of destructive energy emanated from the point of impact as the energy imploded on itself before exploding. The area caved under the explosion.

Hiku had quickly encased herself in the ground of the destroyed arena, layering as many defensive incantations as she could before the powerful blast had gone off. She dragged herself downward as the layers built above her.

Overhead the immense mana billowed out. All who witnessed it felt the full brunt of the accumulated mana that the two regents had gathered into the javelin.

It roared in all directions, deafening and blinding everyone on the island for the duration of the explosion. Many of the Faifekau who stood witness collapsed, hands clasped over their ears.

When it finally subsided Hiku emerged from her underground sanctuary, propelled up by the ground. As her eyes adjusted her opponent came into focus through the thick dust that began to settle.

Nima stood a couple steps from the now destroyed spot that he had inhabited for the duration of the match. Slung over his shoulder was his signature weapon, his comically large povai that looked more like a large pillar than a proper weapon.

He smiled as she reappeared, still in her spot.

“Guess you win this one, on to the next.”