His heart stopped for a moment as the freight train of pink tongue muscle roared past him, then retreated in another effortless flick. [i]I have to get up before the second--[/i] but Matteo realized there was no time. He made it to a crouch before-- miraculously-- the tongue slapped off an invisible barrier, shattering motes of light from the impact. [i]What?[/i]  

Magic.

Matteo was surprised only for a moment before he stood. He knew how fast that tongue could strike now-- they had to move. He didn’t even have time to phrase an appropriate [i]Thank you[/i] to the priest. The combined attacks of the others struck at that moment and Matteo didn’t stick around to wait for the creature to finish shifting into a giant toad ball-- he grabbed at the priest’s elbow, pulling to the side. [b]”Come on, this way!”[/b] he urged. If she wouldn’t come with him, he’d have to sprint out of the toad’s path on his own.