First Blow --- When the gargoyle crashed down with an almighty thud near Erasmus, he knew the plan had been ripped to shreds already. There would be no teamwork for the short future to bring this creature down; its trajectory had assured it. Instead now it was just him and the beast who would be locked into a deadly dance of death; most likely his own. His chance relied on surviving an onslaught long enough for his companions to reach him and assist; his options were to run or defend. He’d never be fast enough to run, so his only real option was to defend and given his skillset, it was probably the best for him too. Rather than advance on the fallen creature; an action that would bear grave consequences, he hefted his shield up to his shoulder and held his blade out to the side. He warily balanced on the balls of his feet, ready to pounce to either side were it needed and then he did the unthinkable. “Do you feel that creature? Do you feel your strength ebbing away, the threads of your creation unravelling? You’ve come to meet your demise here today, your master never prepared you to face me” he said, taunting the creature with the undoubted wave of sensations the gargoyle would be feeling. “You see, the magic that made you cannot stand my presence, thus as you remain here, you die. You’re weakness is so grave I don’t even have to touch you. Your demise is assured, creature. Unless you can kill me that is; so what of it, creature? Are you capable of that?” Whilst attempting to enrage the creature would seem like an idiotic idea, in truth it was grounded in genius if he could stay alive. The more the beast threw itself at Erasmus, the more it would weaken; every blow it rained on it shield, which would be conducting an intensification of his passive anti-magic thanks to his amulet wrapped around it, it would further weaken itself. Or at least that was the theory; the magical constructions he’d faced before had all fallen prey to this unique situation and he had yet to meet a sorcerer who’d ever experienced his condition before. He'd aim to block any attack aimed within his reach with his shield or sword, even both if it took and to dodge any others that threatened him from outside his blocking zone. Time slowed as he saw his words have an impact on the barely sentient creature; Erasmus controlled his breathing and braced himself for the attacks to come, hoping he’d survive long enough for his companions to arrive. If by some chance any of his companions managed to land an attack before the beast reached him, it’d be best followed up by a bash from his shield, which would serve as an adequate replacement for any defensive strategy.