The colossal povai swept through the arena as Nima adjusted it. He easily shifted it from one shoulder to the other, handling it like it was a toy. Yet each movement caused ears to pop and winds to pick up.

Fashioned out of an ancient ironwood tree that once engulfed the Seas with its shade, the weapon was magnificent. It bore the marks of countless battles, it’s huge body riddled with gashes and scores from numerous battles. All along the body were the engraved markings of the forgotten warriors that Nima defeated. Their memories living on in his titanic weapon.

Hiku smiled as the dust settled and she laid eyes on his weapon. It had been a long time since she had laid eyes on the gnarled thing. It reminded her of when the world was still young, languishing under the shade of the ancient tree.

“Blink.” Nima mumbled as he stepped forward.

It didn’t surprise Hiku that he was able to quickly assimilate her incant into his repertoire but it did surprise her that he would use it in his opening barrage.

She whipped around, expecting him to materialize behind her, and lashed out with a mana hardened hand. Her intricate tatau blazed as her fingertips shimmered, bright lights bouncing off the sharpened edges of her fingernails.

Her strike flailed through the empty air as she belatedly noticed the huge shadow that had engulfed her. Continuing the momentum, she spun and raised her arm over her head. The colossal weapon made contact with a tremendous thud as the lower half of her body sunk into the destroyed ground. Shockwaves of broken earth rippled out from Hiku’s location.

“Bind.” Nima incanted as he jumped on top of the halted povai. The earth that was blown out and away was sucked back in, coiling and gripping at Hiku’s sunken lower body.

“Pull.” The ground that had grabbed her legs began to sink, pulling her down.

“Crush.” Nima commanded, jumping and dropping a heavy elbow on top of his huge weapon. It, along with Hiku’s incant, propelled her down into the earth faster than she had expected. All around her the earth began to collapse, attempting to constrict around her and hold her in place. The weapon now lay across a cavernous hole that was widening with frightening speed as it collapsed in on the woman.

“Dissem!” Hiku let out a powerful cancelling command as shockwaves of moving earth scattered and fled. Finally able to free herself from the groping earth, she propelled herself upwards, headlong towards the weapon and its owner.

As she approached the weapon she called out another of her trump cards. “Hop!”

Her form flickered like wisps of smoke in the wind right before she collided with the gargantuan weapon.

To the observers she appeared to phase through the huge weapon. As quickly as she disappeared she reappeared behind Nima, mana enhanced arm covered in shining obsidian as she threw a full bodied punch at his face.

Nima ducked, slide stepping forward, as a blast of energy was sent tearing towards the void-ocean by the ferocious punch.

Hiku popped out beneath him, catching him flat footed and open legged. She quickly propelled herself upward and hit him squarely in the groin with her enhanced arm.

The shockwave of energy flared out as he took the enhanced attack straight on. Painful waves circulated through his immortal body as he tried to wrap his legs around Hiku’s outstretched arm. The pain twisted its way up his body as he fought the crushing need to curl into the fetal position.

Before Nima could grab hold Hiku disappeared once more.

As understanding of her last Le’o dawned on him, she reappeared, this time from above. Arm still encased in mana, she dropped her elbow on the top of his head.

Nima’s knees buckled but he was able to ignore the pain as he reached out and grabbed the pesky woman. His rough hands found purchase on her enhanced arm, reeling her in. Hiku’s enhanced arm flaked and crumbled as his grip tightened on her.

A minuscule wave of mana shocked him as he made contact with her arm. The few hairs he still had on his arm stood on end as he felt the incoming command.

In an attempt to cancel her incant he waited until the last possible moment, when all of Hiku’s mana had aligned itself in preparation for the jump. Just as it was about to release the crafty Tu’i activated his newest command.

“Blink!”

Nima extended the range to include Hiku. But the two commands clashed, their two sources of mana repelling one another.

Thrown some yards away from where the colossal povai lay across the unnatural indent in the ground, Nima reappeared. A mana enhanced, obsidian crusted arm sparkled in his hands.

Hiku hit the floor, expelling all the remaining air in her lungs as she dropped out of her jump.

“Whoops.” Nima said as he sheepishly turned around and lay her arm next to her. “Didn’t think that would happen.”

Hiku ignored the pain that was coursing through her body. She bit her lip and grabbed her arm, gruffly holding it in place. “Revert.”

Beneath a short, intense flare of light the sinews and skin reached out from her shoulder. Strings of light bound the separated pieces together as the chime of an ancient grandfather clock reverberated through the arena.

“Dick. Don’t be using new commands mid fight.” Hiku said as she stood and rotated her arm, checking for any kinks.

“Can’t help it. You have some fun ones.”

The two regents reset themselves, Nima heading back to his weapon and Hiku keeping a measured distance.

___________________________________

In the waiting room the rest of the Tu’i continued their vigil.

Rua tsked as the two combatants reset. “He should have kept going. He’s being too nice.”

One of the visitors, Rove, bristled. “Just because you lot have no etiquette doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be observed.” If she had hackles they would be standing on edge as her protective instincts reared themselves.

“Etiquette is for the weak.” Rua answered coolly, locking eyes with the visitor. “You’re just lucky he seems to know your little friend.”

Rove attempted to stand but was stopped by her companion, Bue. “Enough. We’re here to witness.” It’s deep, rumbling voice was infused with it’s bottomless Le’o as it attempted to assuage the situation.

The last of the visitors, Vuvu, turned her eyeless gaze on Rua. “You might be a Tu’i, little girl, but know your place.” Her voice was bouncy, almost jovial, but the Le’o she exuded felt almost comparable to Nima’s. All the Tu’i felt the reverberating power and reacted instinctively.

Rua was not the type to back down. She stood and began infusing her immense Le’o. “You numen--”

Wanu stepped between the two at the same time that Bue stepped in front of their companions.

“That’s enough. We have a vigil to sit.” Despite being the shortest in the room Wanu exuded authority. She craned her neck as she forced Rua to meet her eyes. “Sit.”

Her Le’o was much more precise than Nima’s. Where his bottomless Le’o oppressed from sheer magnitude, Wanu’s silently attacked every single weak point and brought the aggressors low. Rua’s knees buckled as she plopped back down into her comfortable couch. Vuvu and Rove were also hit, forced to sit still in their seats.

“This is my only warning.” She said as she stared Rua down. Her jaw set as she glowered at the hotheaded Tu’i.

“As for our visitors.” Her steely gaze turned on the two visitors who were caught in her incant. “Your presence is welcome but you will observe proper decorum. This is the home of the Tu’i, don’t ever forget it.”

She held the command for a moment before releasing it and returning to her seat. “Let us continue.”

Bue’s face remained impassive as they gave Wanu a silent nod of thank you. Wanu acknowledged gracefully before turning her attention back to the match.

Rua and the two visitors sat quietly, a mixture of emotions roiling just below their facades of quiet acquiescence.

____________________________________

The battle continued to rage in the arena. All around the two regents the grounds were churned and destroyed, over and over again, as they continued to fight to their heart's content.

They exchanged Le’o, bounced around and beat up on one another, destroyed and remodeled the grounds, letting all their pent up energy out.

Nima’s huge povai fell, picking up velocity as it twisted and turned through the sky. The Tu’i had thrown it in the air in preparation for the end of their fun time.

Hiku slid around the grounds, lower body encased in living armor made from the surrounding rubble. She had commanded the earth to protect her while she readied another of her trump cards.

All of the hidden tatau that riddled her body ignited, glowing fiercely as she infused her Le’o. Around her Nima’s assault continued as he waited, for her final attack and for his.

The colossal povai finally hit terminal velocity and was making its last approach. Fierce, howling winds accompanied the approach of the falling weapon as its shadow blocked out the light of the rising moon.

Hiku’s living armor came to a screeching halt as Nima’s assault waned.

In the middle of the arena he stood, all of his hidden tatau lit up with his signature shadowy glow.

Hiku opened her arms and released her Le’o.

“Mahina!”

Above the Tu’i a shimmering hole was torn open as a meteor that resembled the moon fell out. As it materialized and made contact with the warped air of the Motu it burst into bright blue and white flames. For a moment it hung suspended in a blaze of molting flame. The ancient grandfather clock chimed twice. It fell, breaking the sound barrier as time resumed its march

It’s flames reached down and licked at the Tu’i, instantly vaporizing his clothes.

Completely naked, Nima stood confidently and waited.

Hiku covered herself in her living armor once more and sped away.

Once the meteor was closer than he needed it to be, the Tu’i launched himself at it. His mana enhanced legs glowed darkly as the tatau circulated and powered him forward. He used one of his favorite methods of mana control, condensing mana and alternating between shooting it out from the bottom of his feet for a quick burst of speed and creating a solid disc to push off of.

The Tu’i and the meteor met in a violent, explosive clash. Brilliant light flooded the arena and momentarily blinded all who witnessed. An image burned itself into the eyes of the witnesses, that of Nima’s naked form punching the huge meteor.

Flames and shrapnel raged in a hot wind of destruction.

Hiku continuously pulled in ruined earth as the explosion repeatedly destroyed her living armor. She continued heaping defensive incantations on herself, throwing them out wildly.

Even with the constant layering of defense, she refused to take her eyes away from the point of impact. A nervous sweat rolled down her back as she waited.

Above her the tumbling shadow of the huge povai reappeared as the brilliant flash of the explosion faded.

Her panicked gaze shifted up when she noticed the shadow and met the eyes of the man she had been looking for.

Nima had a huge smile on his face as he fell right alongside his huge weapon. Still naked he wrapped himself in shadow as he gripped the tumbling weapon.

Hiku let out an exasperated sigh. “Yield.”

The crazed glint in Nima’s eyes dimmed as his smile faltered. Fierce winds whipped all around him as he pooled mana at the base of his feet, slowing his descent. His hands sank into the weapon as he exerted himself, straining against the velocity the falling object had built. A pillar of mana condensed beneath him, halting the fall with an audible thud and quiver.

It began to swing, swooping low and missing Hiku and the destroyed arena grounds by mere inches. Turning, Nima’s body strained as he redirected the immense weapon.

With a mighty roar he flung the huge povai towards the void-ocean, a shockwave of energy preceding it. The energy wave split the stagnant water, kicking up foul, slimy foam. Tumbling end over end, the legendary weapon fell towards the hateful water. As it neared the waters remained parted, fleeing in fear of the Tu’i’s possession. It descended into the gaping abyss as the void-ocean escorted it down to its resting place, keeping a respectful distance.

Still clothed in shadow, the sovereign of the Motu gingerly landed next to his acquaintance.

“Coulda just let me hit you once, since you got in two free hits.”

Hiku chuckled as she turned her back on him and began walking towards the tunnel. “Yeah, no. I’m never taking a hit from you again.”

Nima followed, pouting. As he walked the shadows writhed around his body, transforming into a fresh set of his favorite, drab outfit.

“That ain’t fair. Tie?”