Matthew looked towards Chloetta as if shocked. "You talk of diplomacy yet you set a trap..." He looked around, the odds were bad but he could tell the rest of her forces were holding in reserve. He couldn't ask them to throw themselves on their blades here, no he would have to do something else. So he stepped forwards let a bolt lightning strike in front of Chloetta. "I challenge you! A one on one battle, no one else has to get hurt... My Shepherds are volunteers but I know when I'm outmatch you have us five to one and surrounded." He put his tome into his pocket and drew his blade. "If you defeat me, you may take me prisoners... After all I'm Champion you're after bringing me back for execution would earn you a promotion."

He gave the blade a gentle test swing as he looked at Jerod. "Jerod, get back to the others be ready to run if I lose. No sense in dying here, if you want to die do it when your taking a lot more them with you." He told the older man before turning himself towards Heather. "Heather go with the others and stay close to them, run if you have to just be safe." He sighed and turned back towards Chloetta, he stepped forward sword in hand. "The Light Prodigy versus the Champion, if nothing else we will have a fight people remember, so do you accept my challenge? If I win all I ask is that you take your troops and retreat, we end the fight when one of us cannot continue."

Matthew pulled his hood up and held his wind tome in one hand, while his sword hand moved slowly as if he was trying to figure out something. In truth he was preparing for her to say no, to have to try and dodge three archers at short range and then escape. He thought they had less units than had in actuality, with these numbers and his little band it would take a miracle. He was positive that by the time the last one of them fell they would have barely enough people left to move the bodies, but he knew that throwing the entire group was pointless. At least if she accepted only he would face the consequences of his actions here, he could live with that choice.