"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."