[IC] Call of the Hunt [EliteCommander and Muttonhawk]

[EliteCommander]

Were it not for her experience in Dwemer lifts, Meesei might have given more of a reaction to their ascent up the tower. Neesa had braced herself before Siloune had even activated the platform, so she had identified it right away. Neesa did not act terribly impressed once they reached the top, though Meesei did not mind showing a hint of her awe at the view. It was her first time visiting Alinor where she was actually able to see the outside. It was a city built upon a hill, with even taller spires reaching towards the clouds. Its stonework was as ancient as the Altmer people, and as pristine and beautiful as any outsider might have expected. The roof of their spire did not give a clear view onto the streets below, unfortunately, though Meesei supposed that was for the best. This duel was not meant for the public eye.

Meesei had brought a few magicka potions in case she needed to be ready for the duel quickly, but since Hal-Neesa had contributed the lion's share of magicka for their portal, she did not even need them. The Thalmor seemed intent on getting through with this affair quickly, and Meesei had no reason to argue. While her witnesses were escorted to their seats, Meesei walked leisurely to her own side of the pavement, her eyes still on the skyline around them. "You have a fine arena, in the midst of a beautiful city. Alinor has a reputation that is both mysterious and larger-than-life among other parts of Tamriel, and I can certainly say that it does not disappoint." Meesei commented, though as she spoke, she untied the straps of her dress and allowed it to fall down her body, telekinetically pushing it aside once she stepped out of it. Immediately, she began her transformation, her body growing and contorting into her werewolf form. It was a form that finally gave her greater stature, and magnitudes more strength than any Altmer around her, but she did not expect Teroiah to be intimidated, particularly as one who had faced down Daedric hordes before. In fact, for a battlemage as powerful as Teroiah, it was a choice that would have made the duel much easier for her, against any other opponent aside from Meesei. But, she would see soon enough the reasoning behind her decision.

"It is a wonderful vista for battle with a worthy opponent." Meesei added, finally setting her gaze upon Teroiah.

By this point, the others had been seated, and for the first time since they had met her, Neesa was outwardly showing some genuine confusion. She leaned in slightly towards Sabine, while still keeping her eyes on Meesei. "Has she gone...insane, or something? Or did her lucky win against me really go to her head?"

[Muttonhawk]

Marod and Sabine both enjoyed their first look at Alinor in turn. Sabine was so entranced by the sight that she did not remember to sit down until Meesei was in position.

The responses to Meesei's transformation varied between blank, confused, and alarmed. The escorting battlemages called it out and immediately scrambled to conjure flickering, half-present swords into their hands. "Stand down!" Siloune barked immediately. The mages reluctantly dismissed their weapons into nothing. Siloune gave no hint as to her thoughts on her face, except to imply that she was no more intimidated by Meesei's imposing werewolf form than the portraits in the previous meeting room would have been.

Teroiah, on the other hand, threw back her hood and paced angrily to her position in the arena, half a stone's throw away from Meesei. Unlike the fearful guards near the stands, she was furious. "Do you intend to insult me, lycanthrope!? This is a duel to first blood! That matted pelt will not protect you, neither will your ugly form! I have heard of your reputation in the arcane arts" -- She jabbed a gloved finger towards the ground -- "I demand you bring them to this duel! I am not one of your ilk here to wrestle and bite like a savage."

Marod leaned towards Sabine as well. "I rather agree with the sentiment of your ally here. I am unsure how practical the beast form will be in this particular instance."

Vera looked on, crossed her arms, and failed to hide a smirk.

After all this, Sabine overcame her nerves enough to answer. "It's a plan. Just wait."

[EliteCommander]

Despite her voice's change in timbre, Meesei still had a hint of respectful professionalism to her tone. She was watching Teroiah closely, in case she decided to suddenly start throwing fireballs, but so far, the reactions had been exactly what Meesei had been expecting. "Do you take issue with how I choose to fight this duel, Teroiah? Nothing in the rules I was given restricts me to fighting in the manner you prefer. I am sure you are confident in your abilities, Thalmor, and I stand ready to test them in the way I choose.”

Meesei took on an offensive stance, as if she were ready to charge on a moment’s notice. “I see no reason to delay further. Throw your first spell, Teroiah; you shall not be disappointed.”

[Muttonhawk]

Teroiah's cheeks face flared out in a beet red hue. The way she growled, incensed by Meesei's response, made her sound oddly more savage than Meesei's even voice.

She was about to shout out again when she was interrupted. "That is enough!" Siloune's voice made Teroiah hold back with pursed lips and clenched fists. "Teroiah, put your nattering aside and let us get this over with. You are not here to win for yourself, but for the Dominion. Do I make myself clear!?"

Teroiah stared daggers at Meesei, straightened, and breathed in. "Yes, madam," she answered quickly.

"Then do not forget it." Siloune stood at the base of the stone seating stand. She swung her head across to face Meesei. "This duel shall only begin on my mark and end upon one combatant inflicting a weeping wound on the other. You are not to act with force sufficient to cause death or permanent damage. To do so is to nullify the duel's results. And in your case, Champion of Hircine, you will be held responsible for the bodily harm of a Dominion general. This duel shall be confined to the radius of this arena. And do not for a moment believe you shall be able to come close to the spectators -- they are protected by a barrier that I shall keep up during the entire course of the duel." Siloune gave Teroiah one more sideways glare. "You may both use whatever means are available to you. Are these terms agreeable to both parties?"

Teroiah stepped leisurely into a combat stance with a spell in each hand. "Yes, invigilator," she said, using a new word likely pertaining to Siloune's role in the duel itself.

While the magic in Teroiah's palms was visible, Meesei could not tell from the colours or the energy exactly what the spells were. Teroiah was possibly employing some means to obscure them.

Siloune waited for Meesei to confirm her agreement before lifting an arm. "Prepare yourselves...and...mark!" Her arm dropped.

Teroiah used the first instant to erect a ward and then charge and release a spell towards Meesei at speed. The movements she used suggested a magical projectile of some kind.

[EliteCommander]

Even if Meesei could not feel the type of spell being used, her sharp eyes could certainly see that it was coming, and she had been ready to react just as quickly. It was a quick projectile, something likely meant to be difficult, or even outright impossible to dodge, even for a being as fast as a werewolf. It was a sensible opening, given that Teroiah had no reason to believe that Meesei had any option open to her except evasion. Meesei had been careful not to show her hand too quickly, but just as the spell was being fired, Teroiah would be able to feel in her opponent what should not have been present at all: magicka.

Holding her ground, the ward Meesei cast forward was a strong one, as she did not want to underestimate the strength of any spell that Teroiah used. Instead of lunging forward like an animal, Meesei was standing straight and tall, towering over Teroiah. For at least the first spell, Meesei’s ward held, and much of its energy was funneled into Meesei’s own reserves.

The sheer impossibility of what had transpired hung in the air for anyone with even passing knowledge of lycanthropy. Marod, perhaps, if he indeed was not magically inclined, might have suspected some potion or enchantment had come into play, but any doubts would not last long among anyone present. “Steel yourself, Teroiah. Bring everything you have, everything you are to face down the Champion of Hircine.” A sudden burst of power swelled up from within Meesei as she cast a spell of lightning form upon herself: her first demonstration of a spell from a bygone era. The magic surrounded and encompassed her, making her appear as if she were a werewolf made from pure electricity. The radiant energy would protect her like armor, from steel and spell alike, and shock anything that came too close. She returned to an aggressive stance, her glowing eyes finally staring down Teroiah like a predator gazing at its prey. Her voice lost the polite professionalism it had carried up to this point, and instead was replaced with deadly severity. “You will need it.”

In her seat nearby, Neesa leaned back and crossed her arms, a grin creeping across her face. "Oh, now that is interesting."

[Muttonhawk]

The spell Teroiah cast was not one used in conventional combat. It was a short spray of icy needles that struck everywhere in a cone in front of her, except for Meesei's ward, where they pitifully disintegrated. The small spell was meant to end the duel quickly by piercing Meesei's hide without giving her enough area to dodge.

Siloune's brow lowered in confusion.

Teroiah's eyes widened as reality hit her. However, while she kept her ward raised, her other spell hand moved on its own to cast a glowing sheen across her entire body -- a fortification of some description. She did not even allow herself a response to Meesei's taunting before charging something new. Again, it was obscured in nature, though this would not be lacking power if it the time she was taking was any indication.

"She's moving faster," Sabine commented. "She knows she has to outmanoeuvre Meesei to charge her next spell. She is adapting."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei knew that Teroiah would have to dedicate some of her magicka resources to even come close to challenging the kind of agility that came naturally to a werewolf. If this turned into a contest of endurance, it would be a helpful advantage in her favor. And Meesei was certainly willing to force her to use as much as she could. She lunged forward, dashing back and forth, and slashing at Teroiah with her claws. Even if she could not easily hit the Altmer, just being close to Meesei was enough for her lightning form to start sparking electricity towards her. It was not a dangerous amount of lightning, and certainly would not cause the kind of wounds that would end the duel, but it could be painful and drain some magicka if unblocked.

Of course, all the while, Meesa was keeping a sharp eye on Teroiah's spell. She felt its energy grow, and watched every movement she made. Teroiah was more than able to be deceptive, but there were still signs when she was just about to cast it. Meesei started to charge a strong ward, but its magicka was a mask for the other spell that Meesei intended to use. In the instant that Teroiah fired her spell, Meesei gave her second demonstration of a lost technique. Fittingly, it was bolt escape that she used to avoid Teroiah's attack.

In an instant, Meesei bolted forward as pure energy, passing straight through Teroiah and appearing some distance behind her, imparting some of Meesei's lightning onto her body as well. Again, the shock would not end the fight, but it could stun her, and Teroiah would quickly be forced to react to a physical threat as Meesei slashed at her from behind.

Meanwhile, Neesa let out a chuckle. "Hmm, she had a plan alright. You coy little Breton. Now this might actually be a show worth watching; something actually entertaining for once. Now what I could really use is a snack to go with...hmm." Her voice trailed off as she started to frown, looking around at the others. "Did anyone else bring any food? I don't know why I didn't think about that." It was somewhat strange to hear of a vampire wanting anything but blood, though they were perfectly capable of eating if they chose to.

[Muttonhawk]

Teroiah's previous spell left her inhumanly fast. Meesei's attacks did not even put her off balance as she swept herself back, down, sideways, and away from Meesei's reach. All the while, her ward held strong against the blue sparks licking at her from Meesei's presence.

True to her duelling prowess, the moment Teroiah cast her next spell was only telegraphed by the amount of power Meesei sensed. All the same, Meesei timed her bolt escape well. Out of Teroiah's open fingers was cast a whipping line of glowing violet links, as if a chain of pure magicka had leapt from her palm. The point of the chain floundered harmlessly in the void Meesei left, but she felt the rest of the chain as she bolted through.

It tugged and tore at the very magic that rendered her lightning form. The chain winked out of existence at its full extension, but had it hit Meesei directly, enough of her body would have reincorporated for her flesh to be exposed to cutting. It was an innovative dispelling magic that Meesei could not afford to be struck by.

The front of Teroiah's ward kept her safe from the brunt of Meesei's bolt escape, though her back was raked with lightning that made her reel forward and cry out in pain. She spun to face Meesei again, teeth gritted and uniform softly smoking.

"If you shall mock a storm atronach, I shall fight you like one, savage!" Teroiah shouted out. Already, the dispelling chain charged again in her hand. This time, she swung it around her head as it extended, sweeping horizontally towards Meesei's side.

Sabine, Marod, and Vera were all on the edges of their seats. Only Marod gathered enough wits to form words. "I...sadly doubt they expected the duel to proceed for long enough to eat. Not that I mind!"

The Thalmor around them were dumbstruck. Little hints in their demeanours showed varying levels of worry and encouragement for their commander. Siloune remained focussed and vigilant.

[EliteCommander]

For Meesei, it seemed that she also needed to be aware of new forms of magic. The essence of it was familiar: dispelling magic, but it was being applied in a way she had not seen before. It still should be blockable with a ward, like virtually any other form of magic, but it would still stress it just like any elemental destruction spell. Perhaps even moreso, given the nature of the magic. Still, Meesei wanted to get a sense of the strength of her magic before trying to block it directly.

Raising up one hand, Meesei conjured forth a portal in the ground, from which a tentacle from Apocrypha emerged and slapped away the dispelling chain before it could hit her, while Meesei gauged its strength. Since the tentacle was just as much corporeal as it was magical, the chain could not simply pass through it.

In an instant, Meesei bolted away once more, this time to the side, and from her new position, she was already prepared to launch a cloud of frost magic towards Teroiah. Then, she just as quickly bolted away again. The ice was nothing exceptional, being comparable in strength to the spells of the average destruction mage, but she was launching them quickly from rapidly changing positions. If Teroiah made a single mistake with her ward's direction, or slipped on the patches of pavement that were freezing around her, she could be in danger. Although, Meesei's movements were not completely unpredictable. While Meesei could vary the distance she bolted, she had to follow the same straight-line direction as her momentum immediately beforehand. Concentrated, precision spells would not be reliable, and the swinging chain was not quite quick enough for Meesei to be unable to react, but Teroiah could launch wider area attacks predictively.

"Ahh, that explains it." Hal-Neesa commented, any hints of potential confusion disappearing from her expression. "Apocrypha: a tool of endless potential knowledge for the willful and talented...or a trap for the weak-minded. Or strong-minded, if Mora doesn't like them. Well that decides it, this fight is only going to get better, even if I can already see how it's going to end up. And I am not going to enjoy the show without food."

With hardly more than a flick of her wrist, Neesa released a spell that summoned a bright violet light beside her. In only a few seconds, it materialized into the Dwemer spider that she had confiscated a few days prior. Evidently, she had some sort of spell or enchantment to recall it to herself at will. "Machine, bring me food. Bring me...grapes. Yes, I would like grapes. Does anyone else want anything? I will not be summoning it back again."

[Muttonhawk]

"Um, I'm not hungry, thank you," Sabine said automatically. She was so absorbed by the duel that she did not notice the Dwemer spider. She forgot who was even asking.

Upon their meeting, the chain whipped around the tentacle twice. When the final barbed link struck, the tentacle's link to Mundus was withered like dry grass against a blasting fire. It served its purpose in stopping the magical chain's momentum, though it shrivelled away into thin air before Meesei could dismiss it herself. The way the magicka unravelled was frightening. Teroiah had apparently applied her reputation for bringing down wards to this spell.

However, Teroiah's prowess in a duel remained on display. There was no clear way to flank around her ward. Meesei's changes in position were too easy to follow. All the same, she had little recourse against the growing sheet of frost on the pavement below. The heat of the sun initially left the tiles only darkened with water, but each frost spell built on the other.

Meesei only had to dodge one more dispelling chain, swept around wide in the opposite direction of her circling. It swung high enough that it was easily ducked. It was enough for Teroiah to change her approach again. This time, the hidden spell in her hand clutched a swirling blue storm on thin air. Pulling back, she drew forth a bound shortspear with a wickedly sharp point.

She looked intently at Meesei wherever she moved. Without anything but lightning to strike at, Teroiah's spear appeared to be useless. But a charge of excited sounds built up from the other Altmer mages.

"I hope Meesei doesn't get too close to that spear, now," Marod commented.

Vera blinked, as much as she tried not to. "But her skin can't be broken in that form, right?"

"Well," Marod said reluctantly. "I'm no magical expert, but I know a gambit when I see one."

[EliteCommander]

Meesei’s ears twitched, picking up on the noises from outside the arena. Just observing Teroiah, Meesei did not have much of an idea of what she intended to do with that spear, but nothing about her plan for getting around Teroiah’s ward involved getting close, regardless.

From a distance, Meesei extended both hands forward and let loose two streams of fire. Again, they were nothing exceptional in terms of power, but Meesei was not actually aiming for Teroiah herself. The flames spread over the ice, vaporizing it all around her. A thick cloud of steam surrounded her, to the point that it was difficult to see through; warm, though not dangerous.

Meesei bolted once more to dodge any potential retaliation, then immediately extended a sparking hand into the thick, conductive cloud of steam. Teroiah would doubtless see what was coming as Meesei’s lightning strengthened.

With no one accepting what she saw as a generous offer, Neesa quickly teleported away the spider to some unknown destination. She was still watching the fight closely, but she could not help herself from correcting those around her in matters concerning magic. “Technically, lightning form doesn’t actually turn her into lightning. It just looks like it does. Bolt escape does, but only for the tiniest instant. Any longer, and it pretty much just kills you. Now lightning form, it envelops you in magic, basically, like a mix between a shielding spell and a lightning cloak. Also gives magic resistance, too. But, she’s still flesh and blood underneath.”

[Muttonhawk]

"So, a spear could get through," Marod thought out loud. "It would merely punish anyone getting close."

"Something is not right," Sabine said. Her tone was dry from her attention being split. "She knows Meesei's form is an advantage up close."

Bringing up an obscuring cloud proved a double-edged sword. Meesei's sharp hearing could pick up Teroiah's movements enough to hear her cast another spell, but no magic lashed out to attack Meesei, nor did Teroiah take any more steps.

Only as the lightning spell was almost ready did the logic come together in Meesei's mind -- the instant before Teroiah's determined face leapt out of the cloud at an impossible speed just a fathom to the left of where she was before. As Teroiah thrust out her spear towards Meesei's upper body, her feet fell silently on the pavement with the small dark blue wisps of a muffling spell.

The spearhead flashed with an unusual violet aura. Meesei had only that moment to react.

[EliteCommander]

Much like Marod and Sabine in the audience, Meesei was more than savvy enough to know that Teroiah would not simply accept being electrified in a cloud of lightning, so she prepared for an uncertain attack in the best way she knew how.

Although Meesei's ears could not track Teroiah, the Altmer was not invisible, so Meesei's eyes served that purpose just fine. Teroiah's attack carried with it a veritable avalanche of magicka, enhancing her speed to supernatural heights, and powering her spear into a strike that seemed like it could wound a god. However, all of that effort was for naught when her spear struck forth at a target that simply was not there. It was a pattern so far in this fight that mobility was among Meesei's strengths, and now was no exception. Teroiah's spear struck nothing but a void of black mist. It was Meesei's first time using a spell of its type in this fight, so Teroiah would not have recognized it. It was a teleportation spell that served much the same role as her bolt escape, but without the associated weaknesses. There was no momentum Teroiah could follow, no hint of where Meesei might end up. This time, Meesei ended up behind Teroiah, and since the spell she had intended to use on the steam cloud was still charged in her hand, there was no delay before Meesei unleashed a stream of lightning at Teroiah's back. Meesei knew Teroiah was adaptable, so she had been saving her more impactful spells for critical moments in the fight.

By this point, Neesa had summoned back her Dwemer spider, which had evidently cut off an entire section of a grape vine for its master. Neesa gladly took the vine as she continued to comment on the fight. "Hmm, shadow magic. Haven't seen that for a few eras. Don't know why it mostly died out with the nightblades; it seemed perfectly useful to me. With short-range teleportation, how couldn't it be?"

[Muttonhawk]

The Altmer spectators erupted in a cheer that was cut off when Meesei transposed herself.

Teroiah's exact reaction could not be gleaned from behind her. She was still skilled and nimble enough to land from her missed strike without so much as a stumble. Meesei had to settle for the sound she made when the lightning magic struck her -- a pained and surprised screech.

Her warding hand spun to stem the spell's flow. She revealed her face to be as panicked as it was furious. The conjured spear faded, replaced with a more powerful spell than Meesei could have expected. It required a gathering of power that brought Teroiah to extend her hand up and around in a whipping motion. It had to be something with lethal force behind it.

It was ready faster than Meesei could react.

"ENOUGH!" Siloune's voice rang out. An even more powerful pulse of power in the tiles below sucked away the magicka from both Meesei and Teroiah's hands in a terrifying instant.

"The Champion of Hircine has drawn first blood," Siloune announced dryly. "She prevails."

"What!?!" Teroiah spun around to Siloune and practically screamed back at her. "She has not shed my blood! All she has struck me with are ticklish burns with those sparks!"

Siloune was curt. "Those burns encrusted on your back with her ultimate spell. They would have remained cauterised had you not so violently flexed your back gathering enough power to spin icicles all over the arena like a child in a tantrum."

Teroiah's jaw dropped and her eyes widened. She reached back with one arm, feeling around her back under her collar. Her hand came back in front of her face with fresh blood spread over two fingers.

Her breathing quickened. She looked up at Meesei with her brow lowering. "You..." She growled. "You...cheating...lizard! You were not the one who performed that spell, that...that disappearing act!" She jabbed her finger forward. "You have had help from something otherworldly! Only your own capabilities belong in a duel! You have fought dishonourably-"

"You. Are. Bested, Teroiah!" Siloune's temper had finally showed its edge. "The champion cast all those spells herself! They may be unconventional, but she was not the only one to bring unique techniques into this bout! You have not only failed to attain victory, but you have also failed to lose with your wits intact!"

Teroiah was deathly silent, as were the rest of the Altmer present. Meesei could see hints of fear through her angry face.

Siloune's chin lifted. Her composure was instantly restored. "May you unlearn your weakness during your time cooperating with the Empire and the Champion in your coming mission."

Marod looked left and right, astonished. "I am learning all sorts of new things today," he mumbled.

[EliteCommander]

Although, by every right, victorious, Meesei could not say she was particularly pleased with the current outcome. Meesei had demonstrated power beyond anything that the Thalmor could have expected. She could already see that fact in the eyes of the guards around them. But, she had not yet demonstrated the true extent of what she could do. She had been conserving her energy as much as she could to wear down Teroiah, and honestly, had not expected her lightning bolt to end the bout so quickly. Were it not for Teroiah's intemperate reaction, they would have continued their fight, and Meesei would have been able to be more complete in her victory. If she wanted to avoid turning Teroiah into an enemy, Meesei needed to make it clear to her superiors that no one else could have performed any better.

"If it is how it must be, I can accept this victory, but..." Meesei began, turning her head towards Teroiah contemplatively. "...even I must admit, this feels hollow as a victory. There is still plenty of fight left in Teroiah, I can feel it. And even more within myself. The terms of this fight were to first blood, and we both agreed to those terms. But, among my people, we tend to fight to submission. Or until one party can fight no longer. Blood can be spilled by a lucky shot, but one rarely wears down an opponent completely by mere chance. I want to see Teroiah's power, to test it, and to overcome it. I am willing to accept victory, but if it pleases you, Siloune and Teroiah, I am also willing to alter the terms to a fight to submission. Or until either party can no longer meaningfully fight back."

Neesa leaned in slowly once more towards the others. "Can I go back to what I was saying before? About her being completely insane?"

[Muttonhawk]

Sabine curled her lips in rather than respond to Neesa. She had an idea why Meesei would do this and she did not want to risk giving it away.

On the other hand, Marod crossed his arms and smiled widely. "I enjoy when I cannot predict whether an act is a gambit or folly. I have a feeling that this is not as insane as it sounds."

Siloune took her time looking down her nose at Meesei. Her pause implied some form of surprise, even if she did not show it in any other way.

"Champion, it did not seem to me that your victory was lucky in the slightest. We Altmer pride our magical talent in leaving little to nothing to chance. Only perfection is aimed for. I will not allow you to cause injury to my staff for the sake of pride, much less risk it to yourself while you are under the Dominion's protection here."

"Madam," Teroiah spoke as evenly as she could while catching her breath. "If you would please allow me to accept her terms. I wish to win back the pride of the Dominion, and take her pride down for this."

Siloune narrowed her eyes. "Teroiah, you know what will happen if you go too far."

"Her career'll be over at the very least," Marod said out the side of his mouth.

"I know with full understanding," Teroiah said confidently. "I beseech you, do not allow these...beasts to best us! You know I can win! And you know you expected me to win this. Let me show this upstart a glimpse of the Dominion's magic."

Siloune rotated her gaze back to Meesei. "This shall require a waiver of your safety. Is this acceptable, Champion?"

[EliteCommander]

Meesei gave a nod towards Siloune. "I can agree to those terms. My kind can survive much greater wounds than Altmer, and I shall be cautious to avoid seriously harming Teroiah." She turned her head towards her opponent. "I can say with honesty that I respect Teroiah as a battlemage. She is fierce and capable, and I doubt there is anyone among you I would prefer to coordinate with in this invasion."

Meesei slowly stepped back towards her original starting position on the pavement and faced Teroiah. "But, I do not want there to be any doubts to the outcome of this duel. I want the Dominion and Empire alike to be completely confident that the absolute most qualified and capable individual is bearing the Axe in the invasion. I do not want there to be any doubts for you or your soldiers, commander, that I am worthy of this responsibility. I want to eliminate any...problems such doubts might cause before they have a chance to surface. For that reason, it is not enough to prove that I can win. No, I must show that I cannot lose. You are an immensely talented mage, Teroiah, and I do look forward to working with you. I do not doubt that you are among the best the Dominion has to offer. But, if I am being entirely honest, you are not even the strongest opponent I have defeated this week." She explained, returning to a combat posture.

Without a doubt, this would be a risk for Meesei. There was no way that giving up a certain victory could be anything less than that. However, she felt it was necessary to minimize issues with the Dominion long-term. And aside from that, she had been observing Teroiah and her magic closely during the duel. In doing so, she had caught a glimpse of what Teroiah could truly do. Her final attack, as short lived as it was, had been motivated by the need for revenge, and fueled by anger. She had brought forth as much magicka as she could, as quickly as she could, and in doing so, had given Meesei a standard to measure her by. Meesei had a reasonable estimate of what Teroiah could do, and she knew her potential was greater. She could adapt to what Teroiah could do, and the fact that Teroiah had been expending a great deal more magicka than herself would give her a greater advantage in the next phase of their duel. As long as she kept her focus, Meesei had no doubts as to the outcome. She just needed to make sure to put on a good enough show.

"I am ready, Siloune." Meesei stated.

[Muttonhawk]

Teroiah's rage was not so much as nudged by Meesei's long response. The way her upper lip pursed up against her gums gave her the look of a caricature. She stomped across to her original starting position.

"If you seek to goad me, Argonian, you need not try," she warned. "Your archaeologicked tricks will not avail you."

As Teroiah rolled her shoulders and braced her feet on the pavement below her, a notion occurred to Sabine that made her comment quietly from the stone seating. "They have each shared their talents to one another. They have a measure of what to expect. This will be a decisive clash."

Siloune's small hints on her unimpressed visage told of anticipation, despite her reservations. "If it is the wish of both of you. I shall allow this next duel to end upon submission or incapacity, on my mark. Are these terms agreeable?"

"Yes, invigilator," Teroiah hissed.

"Ready yourselves...and...mark."

The power that Teroiah drew into her hands was hidden as usual, though it was a different spell than perhaps what she intended for Meesei at the end of the previous duel. It came about quickly, and it was not a spell of destruction. Light and sound suddenly warped around Teroiah just as she stepped in a direction that Meesei couldn't place. Her elongated image spread around her half of the arena like something viewed through a multifaceted gem. In an instant, her position was everywhere at once.

Meesei had the sense to know an illusion when she saw one, even if it was unlike any produced by a single mage so quickly. It did not stop the Altmer battlemages from making awed and surprised sounds from the seats.

[EliteCommander]

Even one with no magical knowledge would be able to identify Teroiah's spell as an illusion, though its purpose was not to be subtle. The obvious solution would be life detection, but Teroiah would know that, and it was a spell that could be fooled with enough skill. As such, Meesei decided to take a different approach.

Meesei hunched over slightly, bringing her self closer to the ground, then held her hand up over her head. At the very least, the effort of maintaining such a powerful illusion would delay Teroiah’s incoming attack enough for Meesei to respond. Planting herself in place, Meesei projected a powerful ward in all directions, enveloping her like a dome. She knew well Teroiah’s reputation for breaking wards, but she had a plan to deal with that particular eventuality.

In her other hand, Meesei began to cast a spell, but then something seemingly bizarre happened: it failed. Meesei, who had demonstrated herself to be nothing short of a master of the arcane arts, was failing to cast a spell in the middle of the duel, and it was not one that felt particularly powerful. Regardless, she seemed undeterred. She sniffed the air to sense Teroiah’s location as she continued to try and cast her spell. Fortunately, her sense of smell would certainly still be reliable. Master illusionists had countless hours of practice fooling the sense of sight and hearing in combat, but there did not exist an opponent who would have a lycan’s sense of smell in a magic duel. Except Meesei.

[Muttonhawk]

Pinpointing Teroiah by scent precisely enough to target her through the illusion was easier thought than performed. But it was not impossible. She had a fashionable perfume applied, even beyond her unique Altmer odor. It was just a matter of determining direction.

Just as Meesei began to narrow her perceptions, a purple light leapt out from the illusion to her direct left, dislodged from the scent. So swiftly did one of Teroiah's signature dispelling chains shoot forth that Meesei hardly had the time to direct her ward. But in the blinking instant before it landed, it disappeared without so much as an echo.

Another chain leapt forth from a different direction. It looked just as real. It disappeared just as suddenly before impact.

Once again, the Ring of Hircine proved its worth to Meesei. Having such threats strike like snakes from all directions would have driven most werewolves to anxious rage.

Another chain feinted. And another.

Teroiah's voice called out from ten places at once. "Out of your depth, Argonian?" She said, still angry, yet subdued enough to put listeners ill-at-ease. Another chain struck out and disappeared. "You were never meant to get this far..."

When the next chain sprung out of the warping facets of the illusion, two more joined it from different directions simultaneously.

One landed directly upon Meesei's ward. She barely drained a trace of magicka from the spell, for it tore apart the foundations of the ward around it. It sucked away magicka like an oversized leech. Fortunately, the chain burst into nothingness before Meesei's ward was broken, but she could feel the toll it took. Meesei could not stay on the defensive for much longer. Teroiah's reputation was well earned.

Meesei could still smell Teroiah, though the one real dispelling chain came from a warped direction thanks to the illusion. She could not simply strike at its origin. What Meesei did have was a better idea of where Teroiah was located behind her illusion.

With a moment longer, Meesei could be confident of where Teroiah was standing. But she could alternatively take the moment to strike in what she knew was Teroiah's general direction.