The next lunge came fast, the beast's claws swiping at his chest. Damien twisted, the movement fluid, and countered with a strike to its foreleg. The blade bit deep, drawing a roar of pain.
The beast staggered, but its rage only grew. It charged again, its massive body crashing against the rock.
Damien barely held his footing, his muscles straining as he parried another blow.
Then he saw it—a loose boulder teetering on the edge of the riverbank.
"Vynira!" he shouted. "The rock!"
She followed his gaze, her eyes widening in understanding. Without hesitation, she scrambled down to a lower branch. The beast was too focused on Damien to notice her.
Using all her strength, she kicked at the boulder. It shifted slightly, then more, until it broke free.
The beast's head snapped up just as the boulder plummeted. It struck with a sickening crunch, the impact driving the creature into the water.
