The panther's paw brushed against Orimudi's side, slicing through cloth and skin. Niu felt the warm spray of blood. The world spun as Orimudi crashed into a tree, gritting his teeth through the pain.
He thrust a hand forward. The forest screamed as a wall of compressed air burst from his palm, knocking branches loose and flinging the creature backward. But it landed gracefully, tail lashing once before vanishing, its body melting into the shadow of a nearby tree.
"Damn it," Orimudi muttered.
Niu screamed, the sound small and useless.
"Stay calm," Orimudi said through clenched teeth. His eyes glowed faintly. "As long as the sun's up, we have a chance."
Niu glanced upward. The sunlight was fading. The forest's edges had already begun to swallow the light. Shadows lengthened, deepened. The creature grew clearer as the darkness spread.
Orimudi unleashed electric arcs that illuminated the trees in flashes of blinding blue.
