Sophitia pulled her sword from the chest of the lizardman in front of her, raising her shield to ward off as much of the blood she could. She stood in a small pocket as soldiers around her fought, taking the momentary lull to breath and collect herself from the day long battle. Lady Hilde had so valiantly led the charge against the forces of Nightmare Sophitia had momentarily believed it to be possible their side would wash over the castle as Lady Hilde had promised. The fierce resistance put up by the possessed swiftly ended that hope, as had the resurgence from the Lizardmen under Aeon's control just as she thought her allies had gained an upper hand. To her far left she could still observe Hilde attempting to fly the Wolfkrone Standard and rally soldiers while defending herself. She kept her eyes on Lady Hilde, watching her red hair flying wildly around her and prayed the warrior princess could maintain her strength under the assault. The display distracted her from Aeon climbing the outer edge of the walls with spiked talons. The blonde hair, the white wispy battle dress, the short sword and shield roused his animalistic rage as he drew his war axe and launched himself from the wall over to Sophitia. It was more the shadow on the earth than the screeching roar that caught her attention. Aeon's axe buried in the ground with both hands on the shaft, missing Sophitia as she rolled away and righted herself in front of him. Her eyes, soft blue met his harsh yellow slit eyes and watched him yank the blade free with a shower of dirt while his other hurriedly fumbled for his shield. "Aeon..." she said softly.

Aeon jerked his head and roared at the mention of his name. He rose to his full inhuman height, towering over the chosen swordswoman by over a foot and beat his chest as he continued to roar. The thin breastplate he wore over him clanged and he began to almost bark, calling out to his kind around him. Sophitia watched with no uncertain anxiety as a ring of lizardmen surrounded them and trapped both within the newly created twelve foot diameter ring. Each wielded a bladed weapon of some kind, each leaping and barking back at Aeon who settled into his swaying slouch. Satisfied at his work, he pointed his axe to Sophitia first, then to himself miming to her this would be their battle and theirs alone. He watched her breath and compose herself, setting back a stray hair that had crossed her face before taking her position in front of him, shield in front of her face and chest and sword held back in a cocked arm pointed toward him. "I don't wish to fight you Aeon!" she called out over the din of the lizardmen around her. "Please, stop this foolishness, come with me to the temple, the gods will surely forgive you!" Aeon hissed and charged her swinging his axe blade down and exposing his chest as he had. His blade met her shield and both created a deafening clang that forced Sophitia both back a step and caused her knees to bend under the force of the strike.

Sophitia forced Aeon away, swinging her sword at him for assurance to create a small space between the two as Aeon leapt back. She stepped back again, wondering what good she could do against a trained Spartan warrior as fine as he had been and still was wielding weapons created by the gods. The warm breath on her back and rough scaled claws pushing her forward reminded Sophitia how close the boundaries of their arena were. Understanding this would be a fight to the death between the two she ran forward leading again with her shield and reading her sword to thrust forward .giving a battle cry of her own. Shield met ax one again though this time momentum carried Sophitia as she pistoned her sword towards the former companion. Aeon brought his shield up defense, glancing the blade away from him and pushing Sophitia closer while exposing her belly and chest. The thought she was safe with the axe grinding against her shield was quickly proven false as Aeon lashed his tail out and caught Sophitia in the same side Tenlo had cut her only a few days previous. With a yelp she fell splayed to the ground and unsuccessfully tried to blink back tears. Her head buried in the dirt, she was surprised as Aeon coiled his tail around and lifted her easily from the ground. The world blurred as he swung her behind him and sent her forcefully to the ground and rolling to the opposite edge of the circle. It was all Sophitia could do to scramble away from shadow of a blue and black lizardman as it buried a large weapon the size of her sword but almost the same build as a kitchen cleaver.

Again she watched the shadow of Aeon engulf her as he leapt over her and in front of her curled up legs. Her mind raced, unwilling to die without seeing her husband Rothion or two beautiful children again as she watched Aeon stand at full height again with his back turned to. He flicked his head over his shoulder eyeing her almost as if to ensure she was not cut before roaring at the minion who had attempted to. With a mighty roar that made Sophitia cover her ears she watched as Aeon bisected the creature she had thought to be his ally from shoulder to waist with a deft swing of his axe. The monster croaked as it fell back dead and was replaced with another, though all gave the two combatants an extra foot space and seemed to slink in fear of the mad beast. She had little time to ponder over the events and what they meant before he turned again to her. The claw that held the shield dropped it and gripped her so swiftly at her dress on her bosom she could not bring her shield to defend herself. Easily lifting her to his face, Aeon roared again at Sophitia, letting her count every razor sharp tooth in his maw and coating her in a thick mist of saliva. He tossed her again like a rag doll and left her roll over before stopping herself by digging nails into the dirt only a foot away from the new edge of the circle. Shakily she forced herself to rise and swayed on her feet as she tried to take her stance again, more difficult from the fire she felt in her side.

Sophitia panted softly as she attempted to regain her breath an control herself as watched Aeon watch her with aggravation. Wince one more at the pain as she began to feel it dull she gained her breath and advanced slowly forward towards Aeon. With shield in front of her but sword kept close and ready to strike at his tail should he try to whip her again she worked to meet him in the center of the circle again. Aeon obliged her, advancing on her behind his own shield with axe raised high and tail swaying behind him back and forth. The two meet with only inches separating their shields and circled once and then again half way. This time it was Sophitia who moved first, faking Aeon with a half step forward before stepping quickly back and watching his arm swing his weapon down. Sophitia yelled and moved her shield against his arm, knocking it back and forcing him to step back. Her sword was ready as his tail whipped at her, again from the side as last, and caught the tip with her sword. The holy blade easily sliced through and cut off almost three inches of the appendage, drawing blood as well as a shriek from Aeon who leapt back and flicked blood from his falling tail. She watched cautiously only on the axe blade and tail, missing as he crashed his shield into her sword arm and sent her toppling over again. She rolled back and away as he sunk his axe into the ground where her waist had been, nearly splitting the woman in two at her hips.

This time she could only watch as Aeon again leapt at her, landing overtop her with both feet spread over her and the two were nearly face to face. With only the smallest of thoughts she brought her sword up and aimed towards the side of his head at his eye. The mighty beast jerked his head to side, not only halting her attack but doing so but latching his jaw around her arm just below the wrist with the side of his mouth. Sophitia squealed in pain as she felt each sharp tooth dig into her flesh almost to bone and watched as small rivulets of blood streamed down her arm from each puncture. Weeping openly she hit at Aeon with her shield, the edge causing his face, jaw, and neck several times as he shook her arm as if attempting to tear it away from her. At last her assault forced him to relent and release her arm, three small sharpened teeth still lodged within while a few others scattered on the ground from the side her shield had hit him. She whimpered softly as her arm fell heavily the ground, almost too weak to even lift as she did all she could to hold the sword hilt tightly. Aeon glared at her, blood running from thin cuts to his face and neck where her shield edge had caught him. He swung his axe again at her, Sophitia blocking away the attempt haphazardly before catching Aeon on her shield as he fell atop her. Using all her strength she moved a knee to his belly and kept her shield at his chest and throat, keeping the snapping jaws from her face and neck as blood from the missing or loosened teeth dripped over her face. Unable to hold out longer, Sophitia forced herself to drive her sword up and at Aeon, screaming as it felt like fire ran through her nerves. The blade entered Aeon's chest just to the side of his heart and the tip erupted through his back while his blood ran freely down Sophitia's arm. Out of energy she relaxed and felt the crushing weight of the creature atop her, smothering her under its heat and her own from the battle. The ring of lizardmen stood still, watching their master lie limp and looked to one another. Hearing one bark at another and it bark back Sophitia relaxed and laid prone on the ground, sure it was her time and the monsters would descend on her. To her surprised they seemed to scatter, lost without their master to order and barked to any lizardmen the crossed in attempts to spread the news. The battle around Sophitia swiftly collapsed to chaos as Wolfkrone soldiers cut down the indecisive monsters.

"Sophitia," a gruff voiced softly wheezed. Her head snapped and looked seeing Aeon looking at her and coughed a bit of blood on her.

"A-Aeon?"

The monster nodded and pushed himself weakly from her blade, rolling off both her and it and laid on the ground with hand covering his wound. Sophitia attempted to sit herself up and could only rise to her elbow as she watched the giant lizard turn to a slightly smaller giant man in front of her eyes. He shrunk in height to a more manageable 6'1, seeming to almost wither as the scales slipped off his skin and revealed a bronzed muscular flesh beneath. His eyes went from slit and yellow to human circled and brown as long blackish-brown dark hair grew just to his neck nape. The armour conformed to his body, looking almost comfortable instead of the small and tight look it held on his lizardman form and changed to bronze as well. Sophitia could see his weapons change, his shield growing larger and axe shrinking to a Spartan short sword, both with a holy blessed light before cracking and breaking to pieces. She watched as they blew away in the wind like sand before a strong hand gripped hers delicately. "Sophitia, I am sorry."

Sophitia forced herself up and sat (almost collapsing) behind Aeon's head, still holding his hand with her shield arm crossing over his broad chest while her sword arm gently went to place a hand on his cheek. "It could not be helped, you had no control."

"No, I had, which makes it worse. I turned my back on the gods, on their blessings and light, on you and the others. I was punished for my weakness and forced to take this wretched form, yet I cursed the gods as if it were their fault and not mine." His eyes glanced to the side and saw her arm he had chewed only moments before. "And I have hurt you horribly as well."

Sophitia drew it back and gently hushed Aeon like her were one of her children. "That is in the past now Aeon, there is time to repent."

"No, not for the sins I've committed. Our allies I've killed, those blessed like you and I to carry the will of the gods against this evil. I should not and shall not be forgiven." He exhaled heavily, taking time before breathing in again in a haggard manner. With a sudden renewed vigor, he gripped Sophitia's hand so tightly she imagined it was all the strength he had left in him. "I accept my fate, my punishment. I know I am destined to be tortured in Hades, to be beaten in battle so easily by any soul who comes through. But please, send me there in my way. Send me there as a warrior, as one who knows his wrongs. Send me on my shield, to my home. Promise me this Sophitia."

"Aeon, please," she started.

"Promise me!" he shouted at her.

Sophitia recoiled slightly before nodded and placed a hand on his brow. "I promise Aeon, you will go home on your shield."

"Thank you Sophitia," Aeon sighed contently and relaxed. "I know you will end this battle, complete our mission."

Sophitia glanced involuntarily at her arm he had bit and thought to argue but looked and saw he had already passed. She went to wipe his brow of the blood from her arm when she felt the earth shudder beneath her. Emanating from the castle, she saw the walls fall stone by stone, crushing Wolfkrone and possessed forces alike indiscriminately. Her mind only broke from the sight when she felt hands grab her pull her away from Aeon's body. Two Wolfkrone men in full armour were hurrying away from the falling debris ignorant to her struggles as she fought them. "NO!" she screamed, "Aeon! We must go back from him, must retrieve his body! He must go home on his shield, I promised him!"

"We have no time!" one of the soldiers shouted. "The castle is falling, you'll be crushed! Nightmare has stuck behind our lines, he fights against the Herr now!"

The words were meaningless in Sophitia's ears, her sights and thoughts only on Aeon as he laid in the middle of large stone bricks falling and men and monsters alike fleeing hastily away. A large chunk of wall began to fall and she could only stare as three huge stone bricks crushed and buried the body of the man she promised to send home, trapping him forever on the barren hellscape field.