Barago dodged the following claw sweep and countered with a diagonal slash that severed Makhari's fore leg at the shoulder.
The Byk couldn't afford finesse. To even scratch his enemy, Makhari needed to put his full weight behind every blow, making them predictable.
"Stand down, you stupid beast!" Barago said. "You need a Healer, and I need to get away from here. Don't waste my time and your life on a fool's errand."
"I am Makhari, a warrior of the Byk clan!" The magical beast said without letting the amputation stop his attack. "I'd rather die than let my oath go unfulfilled."
Without light fusion, blood gushed from the stump of Makhari's shoulder like a fountain. Darkness fusion allowed him to feel no pain, but his strength abandoned his body with each beat of his mighty heart.
"Mister Bear!" Lenart sobbed, looking around in the hope of seeing Lith or one of his many aunts and uncles come to his rescue.
