Nima sat across from the two candidates, relaxed as always.

He didn’t need special powers to read exactly what was going on in their heads. The fear and uncertainty that ran rampant across their faces. The tense shoulders as their bodies unconsciously tightened up. Gritted teeth and bulging jaw muscles as their confused instincts tried to decide, flee or fight?

Wha stood behind him, the picture of serenity. She kept her face as neutral as possible, not trying to reveal anything to the wandering eyes of the siblings.

“Well, am I gonna get an answer?” Nima leaned forward in the chair and the candidates both flinched.

“One of us has to die?” the girl mumbled, mustering up the courage to look him in the eyes.

“Well, yeah.” He brought a leg up and folded it over his opposite knee. The siblings flinched again. “Don’t worry, I’m not gonna hurt either of you.”

He chuckled a little as they tried to calm themselves. “It’s pretty stressful, I get it.”

The boy shook his hands and drops of blood stained the arena floor. “Why does one of us have to die?”

Nima’s eyes narrowed, for no reason other than because he wanted to focus on the kids face a little better. As he was prone to doing, he allowed the question to linger before answering.

“That’s how becoming a Tu’i is. One is chosen and they are made. Doesn’t matter how, a sacrifice is made.”

Their faces reflected how nonsensical his answer had been. It made sense to Nima and that’s all he cared about. He leaned back and waved a hand at Wha.

She took this as her cue to continue the explanation.

“The reason one of you has to die is because you’re both alrea--”

“Unnecessary. Skip ahead and explain how we’re gonna do this.” Nima interjected.

“Ok. Yes. The choice belongs to you. Either we let you fight and the winner takes the vow. Or one of you volunteers and the other takes the vow.”

“And what if--” Mai started but was cut off by a hand to her chest. Her brother wasn’t looking at her but she felt his hand shaking.

“Then what if one of us takes the vow and the other leaves?” Sone asked, face set with grim determination.

Nima just shook his head. “Doesn’t work that way.”

“Why not? Aren’t you the Tu’i? Wouldn’t you have th--”

“Because even we Tu’i have rules to follow.” His simple answer obviously wasn’t going to be enough as Sone continued with his questioning.

“But still, there has to be some way? And it still doesn’t make sense, why is it one of us? We didn’t even want to come here!” His voice was steadily rising as he continued talking.

Nima stared at the siblings, face an unreadable mask.

“Please?!” Sone implored as tears sprung from the corners of his eyes and slid down his face. “At least let my sister go. Please?!” He slid off of his chair and down to his knees. “Take me and let her go, that’s all I ask.”

Mai, still stunned, felt the sting of tears dripping down her clammy, cold skin. “No!” She cried as she reached out to her brother. Her body froze and she found herself unable to move. The tears continued to roll down her cheeks, unabated, as she tried to speak but failed. Her throat was so tight from the rush of emotions that she couldn’t manage even a squeak.

Nima clicked his tongue. He didn’t like emotional displays.

Sone looked back at his sister and found himself stuck looking at her, both frozen in place. “I love you sis, please, let me take care of this.” He tried to put on a brave face despite the tears and snot that continued to roll down his face.

Mai found herself unable to say anything. The gaps in her memory were growing much wider now. She was starting to have a hard time remembering. She still remembered her brother's face because she was looking at him but somehow his name kept slipping away from her.

Sone, unable to do anything else, continued to stare into his sister's eyes. And he felt what she felt. The gaps were widening. But he refused to forget her name. He started mumbling it, over and over again.

“Mai, Mai, Mai…”

All around them the shadows of the Domain stretched out and engulfed the interior of the arena. It began to greedily devour everything and everyone within sight. Everything disappeared except for the Tu’i’s and the candidates.

“It’s decided.” Nima said as he stood. The siblings were still frozen, looking at one another.

As Sone watched his sister a creeping fear permeated within him. He felt something was wrong. And he saw it too. He saw the way the shadows were working their way up Mai’s body. He couldn’t see if it was doing the same to him but he felt that this wasn’t what he wanted.

“Wait, wait, Mai!” Her eyes were closed now as her tan skin grew pallid and clammy. The shadows had consumed her up to her waist. “Mai, open your eyes! Look at me!”

Sone fought the invisible force that held him in place, all in vain. He was stuck, forced to witness the Advent as a front row observer. He was stuck watching his only connection to the outside world be taken from him. “Please!” he wailed as he heaved and sobbed. “Please! Take me! Not her!”

The shadows were now up to her throat and slowly making their way up her face. Sone continued to scream her name when he wasn’t begging the Tu’i to exchange them.

Mai’s eyes flickered open and the siblings made eye contact. She was clear eyed and aware. He was swimming in tears, frozen in place an arms length away from his only family. As the shadows continued to engulf her, she let out her farewell.

“Don’t forget me, bro. I love y--”

He watched as the greedy darkness engulfed his only family. She disappeared and ceased to be, as if she had never been there in the first place.

Sone let out wracking sobs, screaming his sister's name. He screamed so hard it felt like he had ripped something in his throat. Every muscle in his body fought against the force that held him in place. He struggled, frozen in place, until sweat and tears streamed down his body.

Like a light switch had been flipped, he stopped screaming and fighting and collapsed where he was kneeling.

______________________________________

In the Domain the Tu’i watched impassively. They watched as the Advent took place in all its dark glory.

Each and every one of them still remembered what their Advent had been like. And the sacrifices they’d had to make. Long years of being Tu’i had made every one of them callous to it.

But, deep down, Wha felt sympathy for the siblings. Not only for the one being taken but also for the one who would be accepted into their fold.

None but Nima knew the origins of the Domain. This mysterious area that only allowed the accepted Tu’i into it. It also served as the baptismal grounds for the Advent.

Outside of the Tu’i no one else was aware of what was happening. They had all been frozen in time, visitors and intruders, members and candidates. The Domain treated the birth of a new Tu’i as a sacred right and only the Tu’i were allowed to view it.

All the Tu’i who were currently awake emerged in the arena behind their leader. They stood in observance of the ritual, welcoming the birth of a new Tu’i.

Every single one was stone faced as they watched the dark blob that had engulfed the boy. The Domain continued its work, imprinting the rules of the Tu’i into its newest inhabitant.

Finally the shadows released the boy. The tatau of his sister had been transferred onto him and his face was much more androgynous than before. As if the Domain were paying homage to the siblings, it had taken them and melded them.

Taha ambled up in his animalistic, loping walk. He touched his cheek to the sleeping beings' cheek and spoke the words of communion. “Ha’ele mai, Tu’i.”

After him was ‘Ekolu. The huge man had to get on both knees to greet his newest sibling. Just like Taha he touched his cheek to the sleeping beings cheek and spoke the words.

Rua was next, her lithe form gliding up to the newest Tu’i. She lightly touched her cheek to theirs and spoke the words.

Wha knelt tenderly next to her one time disciples and ran her hands through their hair. She bent in close and touched her cheek to theirs while giving her greeting.

Fiti approached, her flowing dress trailing behind her. She knelt next to the newest member and touched her cheeks to theirs. Her gentle voice, imbued by her Le’o, rang out as she greeted them.

Wanu approached, her walk reminiscent of a queen approaching a peer. She gingerly knelt and touched her cheek to theirs. Her visage changed and the face of an old woman stared down at the new born as she spoke the greeting.

The last to approach was Nima. The consummate leader and regent among regents. He took a knee next to his newest subject and softly cradled their face. Despite him not showing it he had felt their pain in those last moments. The pain of loss that he re-lived at every advent. He touched both of his cheeks to the sleeping beings’ cheeks before standing.

“Me’a mai, Tu’i. We have work to do.”