In Which the Decision of the Direction in which to be Directed is Decided

"East," said Fred.

"South," Astra replied.

"East," Fred repeated.

"South," Astra said again.

"East," Fred stated resolutely.

"South," Astra reiterated just as steadfastly.

"East," Fred said with rising emphasis, undeterred by Astra's obstinance.

"South," Astra said once more, planting her hands firmly on her hips in a manner suggestive of a quite unmovable, although very short, mountain.

"EAST," Fred shouted, his exasperation beginning to show.

"SOUTH," Astra screeched, her temper beginning to fray.

"EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!" "EAST!" "SOUTH!"

"SHUUUUUTUUUUUPPPP!!!!!"

Astra's sudden, and rather rude, outcry caused Fred to stop and catch his breath. Astra panted by his side. And then the Aqualarian warrior princess looked up at him with smoldering eyes and said, "There's only one way we can settle this." Fred nodded. He had hoped that it would not come to this but it seemed that the situation had come to a head and if they did not make a move quickly to get out of this hot and arid deathtrap that Synizn had so kindly deposited them in then their lives would be forfeit. "I am afraid that you are right Astra, although I am most sincerely regretful that we must now engage in the ritual death combat."

Astra's eyes widened in surprise and then she punched him in the groin. Fred fell to the ground like a ton of bricks. "You're in no condition to engage in ritual death combat hero-boy," she said with a smirk, "and anyway, that's not what I had in mind." Fred looked up at her from the strategic fetal position he had taken upon hitting the sandy floor of the canyon. "What did you have in mind," he squeaked. She smiled as she stood over him, basking in her obvious amazonian superiority. "We of Aqualaria have had a long and glorious past," she said. "There are none who can surpass us in the art of war, but also we have mastered the tools of peace." Somehow Fred found this hard to believe as he clutched at his inflamed groin and fought back the urge to cry. But he let Astra continue anyway. "When a decision must be made and all must follow it without hesitation but there is some disagreement over what the course of that decision shall be, the Aqualarian way is to put the question to the Test of Mulciber."

And then Astra held out her hand. At first her hand was held straight out with the fingers rigidly pressed together longways. "The Net," she said. Then her hand balled up into a fist. "The Mallet, " she said. And then her forefinger and middle finger jutted out from her fist and parted slightly. "The Shears," she said.

"On the count of three we both must choose one of the three tools of Mulciber," Astra explained. "Whichever of us is victorious shall then lead the way. And that shall be the end of it."

1. Net covers Mallet. Astra wins!
2. Shears cuts Net. Fred wins!
3. Mallet crushes Shears. The huge Rock Golem that just rose up from the canyon floor wins!

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