Chapter Seven, 'Escort; part three'

She rolled to dodge yet another blow. The atrocity had been possessed by the Shaman as a last ditch attempt to save himself. While it was clear he had sacrificed his ability to use magic; it had improved his reaction times. She was trying to get behind it but for something so large and poorly sewn together the atrocity moved quickly.

"Be still fireblooded whelp. Let death take you. I shall make your mangled body my temple and through you the world shall be mine."

"I'll stop moving when you do, creepy codger."

The banter of battle was always more fun between friends, when a enemy yelled at you you knew he meant it. She'd had enough experience with the two to know the difference. Still, it was not so desperate a fight as to make her truly angered. At worst she'd end up getting knocked out and he'd discover just how hard it was to kill the bearer of the feral spirit. If she could get a little more distance she'd use magic, but he was keeping the gap slight.

"If you will not come to death; then death shall bring you to itself!"
The javelin flew forth once again. She sidestepped it easily and it embedded itself in the base of a tree. This was her chance.

Alicea charged the atrocity, running up the javelin's retraction chain towards its head. She hacked the contraption from its shoulder with her right axe, and lodged her left in its head. As the Shaman's spirit began howling in pain from its bond, she charged her right axe with lightning. She pulled herself atop the fearsome construct and leapt behind it. Then as she rolled she loosed the charged bolt into the exposed engine. She managed to shield herself from the rain of debris, and when the dust settled she found that no piece of the Shaman's creation was large enough to contain his howling spirit. It faded into the air, and peace returned to the long gravel road.

The truck and warriors of the Searing Heart clan had already left. She chose not to follow them; she had no need for reward or for glory. She strode back to wear the battle had began and retrieved her belongings. They were a little dirty, and a stray cut had put a ding in her skillet, but they were still functional.
The task at hand was complete, the scourge of the road had been defeated. So Alicea raised her hood, shouldered her pack, and continued her own quest; to find the place where towns grew wealthy from silver.