Aristeia

Although associated in the popular imagination with Taznikanze wariors, this word is of Kracian origin ("martial excellence"), suggesting that it was a fairly commonplace custom in the ancient World of Mana.

Aristeia was, in essence, a challenge between two warriors to a duel on the field of battle. This were customarily among the strongest combatants on either side. Traditionally, a the call to aristeia begins with a warrior boasting of their accomplishments. ("You now face Harsdrubal the Hammer, wielder of the enchanted mace Flammenherald and War-Lord of the Taznikanze, despoiler of Centwerp and scourge of the River Rheen.")

In the ancient heroic sagas, the battle would stop or slow to a halt, as other fighters stopped to witness the spectacle of this clash of great fighters.

The defeated party was usually allowed to depart with their life (and honor) intact, provided that they had "fought nobly and well." Kedir the Black's saga is filled with him actually challenging the best warriors in the known world to aristeia, beating them, and then becoming friends and allies with them. (This plays out most famously in his romance with the Valkyrie Astrid Sky-Eyes). Of course, such convention did not apply to those who used sneaky or underhanded tactics to win.

The custom is distinct from the Holmgang, a form of duel used by the Taznikanze used to resolve legal disputes (ie, "Letting Zahd decide.")

Naturally, the custom fell out of favor as more industrial methods of warfare became prevalanet, though some have argued that duels between mecha aces are a kind of modern example.