First Step, On A Thousand Mile Journey

As the Manticore stood there staring, Astaroth completed his melding, and he dashed forward.

"Gulnur!! You are up!" he yelled, circumventing the manticore for the right.

"Aye aye!" Gulnur responded.

He then smacked his hammer on his shield as a translucent wave spread from the impact point and washed over the manticore.

The monster instantly went from looking at the dashing Astaroth to the small dwarven man looking at it defiantly.

"That's right, you ugly bastard! Look at me!" Gulnur yelled, as he sprinted on his small legs at the creature.

The manticore roared at the affront and tried swatting the dwarf aside. But it wouldn't be that easy.

The teamwork that the party had fined-tuned during their run in the underground maze was kicking in full throttle. Gulnur stopped dashing as the giant paw came at him and braced for impact.

Something slowly covered his feet, going up to his knees and hardening. It was rock, from a spell cast by I'die, that anchored the dwarf in place.