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The three of you run at top speed from the monstrous canine, but you know the distance you're putting between yourself and it is insignificant. It could cover the distance you've run in a single giant stride. But luckily, you see coming toward you a familiar red-haired apprentice sorceror, who's come to check out the commotion.

"Boy, are we glad to see you," you pant to Rial as you run up.

"If there's ever been a time of need for firespells, this is it!" Merlyn adds, just a breathlessly.

The student of Vulkaro regards the giant waterwolf, but just looks at you all for a moment. "I thought you don't trust my magic," he says.

"We've changed our minds!" Deke cries. "Help us, man; you can stop that thing!"

Rial still looks a bit resentful, but he consents and turns to face the wolf. "I can try, anyway," he mutters. He bows with one arm behind his back, holds the other up, hand open and palm up, and begins muttering magic words. A firesnake, much like the ones he'd flung at you back in the burning building, heads for the wolf and hits it in the eye.

The wolf howls in pain. The sound alone knocks down some more walls that hadn't quite fallen in yet. Villagers flee, screaming, but the wolf's attention is now focused on your party alone. In a single bound he is upon you.

You cower in fear. Deke hangs back as well, knowing he can do nothing to help. Merlyn sends up weak firespell after weak firespell, but the waterwolf doesn't even notice. Streams of water shoot from the wolf's mouth at you, some of which Rial manages to neutralize with snakes of fire. A towering wave crashes into and you fall to the ground.

When you look up, the firespells have stopped, and Rial is kneeling on the ground. Oh no, even he can't defeat the creature! you think in despair. But looking closer, you realize that despite being bombarded with wave after wave, the red sorceror isn't falling. He's uttering a particularly long incantation. You hope he casts the spell quickly, because by now the wolf looks to have given up on his water power and turned to his teeth. He lowers his dirty, reeking muzzle toward the ground where you wait in fear. There is no possibility of escape.

Suddenly Rial jumps back up, shouting the final words of the spell. One second the wolf's head stops in its motion toward you; the next second it is engulfed in flame. Flames continue to burst up all over the wolf's body. You all stand to watch as the giant waterwolf gives one last cry, this one more of a yelp than a howl, and falls.

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