Order and Chaos

>Ask which way is the one in which you survive

"Does one of those ways not involve my death, because honestly I'm in favor of that one."

She gave me a harsh glare.

"Look, if you want to lead us out of this mess, you're welcome to it! I'm only in charge because someone had to be. If you think you, or whoever you're threatening me on behalf of, is going to be a better leader, I am all for giving them the chance. You didn't even have to threaten me, you could have just made a no-confidence motion - I realize nobody remembers that law because who would dare issue one against Malcolm Vindictus, but it does exist..."

She tossed me down to the ground.

"Pathetic. I was planning to offer you as a sacrifice to the gods to ease our journey, but now I think they'd just take that as an insult."

"I'm not sure if that would even work," I said awkwardly. "The gods throwing all these obstacles in our way are the dead ones. Can you even sacrifice to a dead god?"

"I was figuring I'd ask the living ones for protection. Work out the details later. Look, what does this matter to you?"

I was about to answer when a very angry Malcolm Vindictus marched into sight from nowhere.

"YOU WOULD SURRENDER TO THE GODS, AFTER ALL THE WORK I PUT INTO VANQUISHING THEM?"

It was a surprising sight, and for the first time I was able to get a good view of the camp. Turned out half of them had swords on the other half, but every sword dropped when Malcolm materialized to chew out their leader.

"I... I..."

"You call Kommun a coward, and not without reason. But does he run from our very cause? Does he beg the enemy for mercy? Does he turn his blade against his own comrades?"

Everyone else was even more shocked than I was - of course, I'd seen this happen before, and I knew Malcolm better than anyone here. Even so, as I saw him yell at my would-be-usurper, I felt myself growing angry.

"Now just a minute here," I said to him. "You can just manifest whenever you please? But you won't lend your men a hand? Can't even tell us if we're headed in the right direction? You want us to just stumble around and lose thousands of soldiers to the weather and the curses. Why?"

"My soldiers should be able to handle anything!" Malcolm shouted back. "I don't expect you to need me to hold your hand every step of the way!"

"Well guess what? I messed up. I can't handle leading an army! I need your goddamn help, and if you don't give it to me you won't have any army at all. Assuming you even still do after this mutiny."

Malcolm glared at me, but I could tell the troops were impressed. No one dared to stand up to Malcolm Vindictus, yet here I was, talking to him as if he were an unruly subordinate.

My heart, however, was sinking with every word I spoke. It grew worse in the uncomfortable pause before Malcolm spoke again.

"If you want my help, earn it," he said. "Single combat. I'll become physical enough for you to hit me, and if you can defeat me, I'll grant you one favor."

Of course, I couldn't refuse his challenge in front of the troops. But I also knew just how powerful Malcolm Vindictus was. And I knew he wasn't going to give me an easy win.

How would I fight him? And, if I somehow prevailed, what would I ask him for?