Pressed against the ground, Matteo could practically feel the spray of slimy spit that flicked off the tongue as it whistled over his head, striking the ground in front of him with enough force to gouge the earth. There was a low rumble before the tongue snapped back just as quickly, the toad already priming itself for a second strike against its now-prone target. No telegraph, no apparent need to aim. Its tongue lashed out a second time, a mass of pink muscle lashing out a second time in quick succession.

But Gwyn was there now, a shimmering veil of light repulsing the second strike, Alri-Qua’s grace present even in a foreign land. It was a complete reversal of Ettamri’s original plans, but the nature of a priest was to protect the weak, and when they were willing to put their own lives on the line, their Ward was just as potent as a Paladin’s shield. Shards of light faded away after the second blow, but already, the third strike was primed. A Priest lived by the speed of their prayers, but against the flurry of blows that could be launched by a beast, that speed was wholly insufficient.

[i]Twang.[/i]

At that range, what could more or less be considered point-blank for any competent Ranger, there was no way Ash could miss, her arrow sinking into the toad’s right eye. A strange fluid seeped out of the punctured eye and the toad visibly flinched at the blow, but before it could retaliate, both Muu and Ettamri connected their strikes, the lance spraying flesh and blood as the mounted warrior galloped past while Muu’s own blade buried itself deep into the monster’s hindleg. It was only misfortunate, then, that both warriors had chose to aim for the same leg, Ettamri’s sweeping strike spraying all manners of fluids on Muu’s face.

Instantly, she felt the caustic burn of poison sear her skin and eat at the flesh beneath. Blinded by this, the leather-bound swordswoman couldn’t react at all when the toad suddenly drew in air, its massive form swelling even further as its entire body inflated in a horrible ‘gruuugruk’. The expansion was fast, and pitched its own body forward, with Muu flung into the air by the sudden transformation. She struck the ground hard, disappearing amongst the tall grass.

Gwyn and Matteo, however, were far from being able to offer any assistance. Before them now was something that could only be described as a poisonous, sentient boulder of flesh, and with a powerful kick from its hindlegs, the toad rolled towards them, slowly but surely picking up speed as it crushed everything in its path.