Eternal Debates
Elementals vs Spirits
(aka Mages vs Shamans)

David Buehrer (19:51:40/1-23-58)

"Man, that run fraggin sucked," Sam said as he took a sip of beer from his mug. "I hate, repeat, hate, elementals."

"Oh, I dunno," Fred replied as he nursed his drink. "It coulda been worse. It coulda been a shaman with spirits."

"No way Fred. I'll take on a shaman and his spirits any day of the week," Sam said confidently.

At that moment Shamus and Magus entered Crazy Ernie's, saw Sam and Fred, and walked up to their table.

"Hey guys, how was the run? Did you miss us?" Magus asked.

"It wasn't any big deal," Fred replied. "Sam's just in a bad mood because we had to deal with some elementals."

"Yep. Elementals can be pretty tuff," Magus said casually.

"Sure. But nothing beats a spirit," Shamus added.

Sam gritted his teeth and glared at Fred.

A look of suprise momentarily flashed across Fred's face before it dawned on him what he'd just started.

Sam spoke up quickly, interupting Magus's reply, "Come on Fred. We've got that follow up meeting with Mr. Johnson. Remember?"

"Uh, yeah. The follow up meeting," Fred replied as he quickly gathered his jacket and tossed a few bills on the table. "We don't want to be late for that, do we Sam?"

Sam and Fred hurried out of the bar as Magus and Shamus started to argue. Sam turned left and headed down the street at a quick walk as Fred kept pace at his side.

"Dammit Fred," Sam exclaimed. "Why the hell didn't you keep your mouth shut. Don't you remember what happened last time?"

"I'm sorry," Fred said quietly.

"Maybe we can," Sam started to say, but was interrupted by a muffled "whump" from the bar behind them.

Sam and Fred stopped and turned in time to see the ghostly flames of a fireball shoot out of the now open door of Crazy Ernie's bar as it's customers fled into the street.

Sam shoved Fred as he tersly said, "Great. There goes the money we just earned from that run."

"What are you talking about?" Fred replied defensivly.

"Crazy Ernie saw us rush out of his bar just before Shamus and Magus got into it. He's gonna put two and two together and bill us for the damages," Sam answered, his eyes angrily reflecting the spellfire leaking from the bar.

Fred shrunk back and said, "Oh."

"But," Fred continued after a short pause, "maybe now we'll finally find out which is tougher, elementals or spirits."

Sam shook his head as a stacato of gunfire came from the bar. Silence settled over the street. "That," Sam said "would be Ernie." He sighed. "Come on. I'll pay Ernie while you keep Shamus and Magus alive until Doc Wagon shows up."

Fred followed Sam back to the bar and asked, "So I guess that means bullets are better than magic."

Sam stopped and looked at Fred coldly. "Don't even..." he said without emotion.

Fred swallowed and for once, wisely kept his mouth shut.