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You take a deep breath and try to summon up all of your strength. The animal might not look like much, but you've never even been in a fight before, let alone against a minion of an enraged fire-god! But luckily, your companions seem less skeptical than you do.

"I know how to take care of this," Merlyn explains calmly. "Enemies are weakest against their opposing elements. My waterspell can defeat this thing, no problem."

Merlyn holds her arms outcrossed in front of her and bows her head upon them. But before she can begin chanting any magic words, Deke charges in.

"No one messes with my team!" he cries. "Take that!" And he hurls his fumball at the creature. A hissing sound escapes as the fumball's water quenches the fireshrew's flames, and the rodent turns tail and runs, a bit soggy and extremely unhappy, dragging its bare wormlike tail behind it.

"Yeah!" Deke shouts, pumping a fist in the air. "We sure kicked his fiery butt! Haha! Take that, Vulkaro!"

"Um, Deke?" Merlyn interrupts him.

"Yeah?"

"Don't taunt the gods."

"Oh. sorry," says Deke.

You continue walking along the road.

You gain 5 strength points, 10 courage points, and 5 luck points.
Turn to page 45.