"You have the right of it," he says, letting his hand drop to his side. "It was a matter of agility, both physically and magically. Can you cast a Barrier in time? Can you inject enough power into it to absorb his next few spells? How quickly can you dispel your opponent's mines while he's actively menacing you? Can you cast two spells to your opponents one? How quickly can you end this to meet your companions for celebratory drinks?

"The rules were established at the start, and appointed intermediaries would ensure those rules were followed. Generally, no one ever wanted to fight to the death – the duelists would decide that the victor might be the first to draw blood, or the first to force the other to yield. But there's no accounting for accidents, or 'accidents.'" And Dorian places a bit of irony into the latter.

"'Oops, so sorry. I didn't hear his screams to surrender. I was far too busy setting him on fire, you see. Goodness, look at all these scorch marks. Shall I pay for the repairs?'"