Behind him walking toward him was Aeon, beside him, the giant Astaroth. Aeon stepped forward, crouching and lowering his reptilian skull and spoke with a hiss like voice "Master, Astaroth has returned." Aeon turned and looked at him "He wishes to return to your side, to serve you once again." Nightmare stood up and asked with his dark, echoing voice "You failed me before..." Nightmare remembered how a simple pirate was able to kill Astaroth several times, his top general, his most strongest servant. Astaroth spoke, his voice booming "I bring more servants, as well as artillery. Your army has no organization. The nations you want to consume, do, you can not stand against them with out it. I can give them organization." Nightmare turned around, his eyes glowing, he looked into Astaroth's white, lifeless eyes "We will see..."
Behind them, in the field below the cliff, the vast army of Lizardmen clamored and roared, it indeed, had no organization. In the past, when Nightmare was united with Siegfried, it did, with Astaroth as its leader. Nightmare knew Astaroth would be a valuable deciple in the coming battles.
"Bow to me..." Nightmare commanded, raising SoulPhantom, what was left of SoulEdge's will. Astaroth did, his previous mission, to take SoulEdge from Nightmare, would still be his main objective, but this time not to deliver the sword to his real master, Ares, but to take it for himself, he would become the new Nightmare, stronger than Siegfried could ever have become. He lowered his head, Nightmare waved SoulPhantom over his bowed shoulders, Astaroth felt Nightmare's dark embrace seeping into his will, his mind, his soul. "You are my warrior once again, give the army back what you took with you." Nightmare said, he knew now that he would be almost unstoppable once again.
The lizardmen army bustled and pushed, they would follow Nightmare wherever he went, but when he would stop, they would get bored and, with killing and fighting their main skill, the army was on the verge of destroying itself. The largest lizardman, his scales black and grey, two long horns jutted from the back of his skull, he had no long rows of serrated teeth but four huge fangs at the end of a long skulled snout, his eyes were tiny black slits, in his hands he held a large tower shield and an equally menacing double ball flail. He was the second strongest, and he thought he was second in command, he had already killed a number of other lizardmen that had challenged or simply angered him. He wore a silvery chest plate, with sharp curving greaves, he was a formidable warrior, his name was Aborym. He looked up and saw Nightmare watching over them, his leader, he would die for him, and he expected the same from those around him.
A menacing werewolf ran by him, its shoulder smashing against his, he stumbled back and roared. The werewolf turned, hearing the challenge, it snarled in return. Aborym slammed his flail against the face of his shield with a loud clang. The werewolf growled flexing its muscles, it opened its hands revealing large serrated claws. The other lizardmen parted, sensing the coming fight, they screamed and stomped their feet, egging the fight on.
Aborym charged forward, the werewolf did the same, doing a drop kick to Aborym's shield, Aborym stumbled back then charged again, this time swing his flail wildly, the werewolf back stepped, dodging the spiked balls of the flail. It rushed forward again, in between another swing, it caught the flail's shaft and tore it from Aborym's hand, it threw the flail to the ground behind it.
Aborym threw his shield down and roared, puffing his chest, the werewolf charged, trying to tackle him. Aborym, with his right hand, slammed the werewolf's head into the dirt, it came sliding to a halt, he jumped onto its back, putting the werewolf into a headlock. He was about to break its neck when he heard a roar in front of him, he looked up and saw the the Black Giant, Astaroth himself. He released the werewolf and got to his feet, the werewolf did the same.
"You are under my command now, Nightmare has reappointed me as your general, obey me or die!" Astaroth bellowed. The lizardmen looked at eachother, then bared their teeth, ready to attack the golem, but Aborym stepped forth, waving his hand at them to stop. He looked at Astaroth and said "The fallen returns." Aborym hated Astaroth but he also respected him," I submit to your command" The lizardmen saw this, if Aborym trusts him, then so must they. Astaroth looked on, knowing this was not going to happen over night. Behind him stood the clay golems, like him, though not as large, they served Astaroth. He preceded to show them what a real army was supposed to be.
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