Chapter 78: The Call of Tayun (1)
To become Yiska, one did not need to be the strongest or the biggest. It was not a title passed down through blood, nor claimed through brute force. To be Yiska was to embody more than strength, it was to possess balance.
They had to be steady in the face of fear, grounded in chaos, and clear of heart even when the mind was clouded.
They had to be disciplined, but not cold. Fierce, but not cruel.
Above all, they had to choose the island—not themselves.
The trials were designed to strip everything away: pride, doubt, fear, ego—until only the core remained. And if that core was worthy, the island would know.
It is still unknown whether the Kairan, Gods of the lands, or Tayun itself, plays a role in choosing the next Yiska. A child born with the spiral is touched by destiny: a swirling spiral that mimics the winding path of a river. It twists inward like a current drawn deep beneath the surface, then arcs outward in a final sweep, like water surging toward its mouth where river meets sea.
Yoa bore this mark on the inside of his ankle.
Nova’s eyes shot to his right foot, and there it was, a blueish-grey mark in the shape of a spiral. From a distance it could look like a small birthmark, that was if anyone could force their eyes away from the mountain of muscles that he was, and pay attention to his feet. This close, she could see the mark perfectly. If he hadn’t told her what it represented, she would have assumed it was a tattoo of sorts.
"My parents took me to the healer, and he guided them to Chief Tamuari. I was one of seven born with the mark," Yoa explained as played with a lock of Nova’s hair between his thumb and forefinger. "We were put through trials that decided if we were worthy to bear the role."
Nova’s lips parted. After doing her own little version of their rite of passage, she could already assume that these trials were not child friendly, and Yoa was definitely a child at the time. He was only fourteen when he claimed that role!
With a gulp, she managed to ask him the first thing that came to her mind, wondering about these other... candidates. "You were one of seven... Were you all born in the same year?"