As Kelson finished, violet fire flared where the two arcs had been, the cold violet line now inscribing an unbroken circle wherein the two must duel. As though on prearranged signal, both combatants then moved to opposite sides of the ring, each taking position perhaps an arm-span inside it and with a stretch of some thirty feet between.

Charissa quickly surveyed the limits of the ring, clearly taken aback at her opponent’s obviously competent response, then bowed slightly. Her voice was faintly hollow in the magical confinement of the dueling stage.

“My lord, as Challenged, it is thy right and privilege to claim first strike. Wilt thou claim that right, or must the Challenger proceed?”

Kelson bowed in answer. “My lady, as Challenged, it is true that first strike is our right and privilege. However, in the face of so fair a Challenger, we concede the point. The first strike is thine.”

As Charissa smiled and bowed, Nigel nudged Duncan again. “What the Devil is he doing?” he demanded in a harsh whisper. “Why would he give her any more advantage than she already has?”

“He has no choice,” Duncan murmured. “It’s part of the formal dueling rules that a man, even if challenged, concedes the right of first strike to a lady opponent. Kelson agreed to play by the rules, and that’s one of them. You needn’t worry overmuch. The first spells are just testing spells.”

On the far side of the ring, Charissa stretched her hands out before her, palms together. Then, as she murmured something unintelligible under her breath, she drew her hands apart slowly. As she did so, a sphere of blue light could be seen hovering in mid-air before her, slowly growing in size until it reached human proportions and developed the features of a fighting man.

As soon as the thing’s shape had stabilized—blue warrior-thing in blue mail, blazing sword in hand and blue shield on arm—it looked around the circle and spotted Kelson. Then, dripping fire and blue vapors, it cocked its head at the young king and began advancing cautiously across the circle.

Kelson hesitated but for an instant. Then, putting right hand to closed left fist, he drew forth a glowing crimson sword. As the blue warrior-thing came within reach, lightning forked from Kelson’s left hand, pinning the blue sword while the crimson blade lopped off the thing’s head. It struck the floor with a hollow sound, and then the apparition and Kelson’s weapons vanished. Only a wisp of blue vapor remained.

The people rumbled approval at their young king’s prowess, then hushed as Charissa’s nimble fingers began moving vexedly in the next spell. Even before she began the incantation, dark mists had begun to swirl around her, taking the form of a hulking dragon-shape.

Drathon tall,
Power come.
Conquer all,
Senses numb.