Edrik simply didn’t let his rote water spell fizzle away, he kept most of his focus on maintaining it. Some Wizards were capable enough to cast two and even three spells at a time, Edrik was not one of those wizards. He was the focused type, do one thing and do it right.

Having been lifted up by his bicep brought him up at an angle and extended his arm upwards and away from his body. He wasn’t strong enough to do a one handed pull-up. Luckily his rote had been at least somewhat successful because he felt the resistance of the creature’s tail, and then nothing as it gave way to the slicing power of Edriks magic.

Even as he began his fall he brought his left arm in close, so that his knuckles were up against his ear. Like a Spartan taking cover behind their shield, it was Edriks only defense. He knew that he needed to get away, get on even footing where he could unleash the full torrent of his magic, or if that failed, level a death curse that would surely take the both of them out. 

The creature would find that the shield of water was in its way again, making it difficult if not impossible to reach around and still find purchase in the split second it would take for Edrik to fall out of reach. And fall he would, hitting down on his right foot first before stumbling to the side to regain his balance.

The shield of water would vanish only a few moments after he struck the ground, when his focus shifted from it to not face planting on the corpse that he stumbled over.