Battle of the friends: Mortis against Baron William

Baron William did not hesitate for a second and drew his weapon, then suddenly charged at Mortis. This surprised Mortis, as he had not expected the fight to begin so quickly. Nevertheless, he reacted quickly and deftly dodged the sword strike. In one fluid motion, he retrieved his scythe from his ring and launched a counterattack.

The Baron laughed heartily and remarked, "I see your senses are sharp, and your fighting instincts, along with your skills, have grown tremendously. It's a good thing, because I hardly have to hold back, and I can finally fight at a higher level after a long time."

Mortis enjoyed fighting with this experienced warrior just as much, and didn't hold back. But just when it seemed he had the upper hand, a shield of golden light came flying in, trying to hit Mortis in the side. With a deft parry and a powerful swing, Mortis hurled the shield back at its owner.

It turned out that Jochen, who could not stand idly by, had sided with William. The Baron challenged Mortis, "From the looks of it, you can really take us both on. Show us what you've learned, boy."

Thus began an intense and riveting battle in the garden of Rome Castle.

Not only the children, but also the highborn and the women of Mortis were fascinated. The gathering in the garden witnessed a true spectacle in which it seemed there was no end in sight.

The two warriors, William and Mortis, seemed to be fired up by the rising enthusiasm of the crowd. Their fight became even faster and more intense. They even used special skills, which amazed the spectators. It was as if two warriors who loved the art of fighting were engaged in an epic duel in which they gave their all. The spectators held their breath and watched spellbound as these two warriors went at each other in an impressive 

single action on each other.

William and Jochen, reached their climax. Jochen, acting as a tank, blocked Mortis at the right moments and tried to use his holy magic to influence Mortis. At the same time, William tried to bring Mortis down with determined sword thrusts.

Mortis, however, was more nimble and was able to use the reach of his scythe to counter both warriors without serious injury. The spectators were fascinated by this impressive duel, which was fought with maximum effort by both sides.

The tension reached its climax, and Jochen and William got further and further into the fight, hardly seeming to be able to be stopped. But then an arrow broke through the scene, and William was brought back to his senses with a water spell. An elegant middle-aged woman with black hair stepped forward. It was William's wife, Josefin.

In a cool voice, she rebuked William and admonished him to stop causing trouble. She explained that they were here to visit their friend and not to beat him blue before his wedding. William laughed and agreed that Mortis was a worthy king who could handle such challenges. He also asked Jochen to agree, but Jochen still seemed upset and did not comment.

Mortis was happy to see Fiora and immediately rushed to greet her. He also greeted Josefin warmly and thanked her for coming. But then he was surprised to notice that Countess Martina of Eisenach, Count Werner of Erfurt, Merlin, and his in-laws from Bayreuth and Tannenburg were also present. Mortis greeted them all kindly while his in-laws looked for Leonie and Marina.

Mortis' in-laws, Leonie and Marina's family, were on the lookout for the two women, but at first they were not to be seen. But when Leonie, Marina and Shiva stepped out of the castle into the garden, they joyfully rushed right up to hug them. They inquired about their well-being and how the babies were doing in their bellies. 

Mortis led the family and guests into the throne room, where the tables were already set and food and drinks were served. Together they sat down to a festive meal, where they had the opportunity to talk, exchange ideas and fortify themselves. The joyful atmosphere and the conversations about the upcoming wedding of Mortis and Shiva made the meal a happy event. 

Martina from Eisenach was impressed by the many young women who had gathered around Mortis. Each of them had their unique qualities that she admired. But it was obvious that they were all already taken, and so she had to continue looking elsewhere for her sons.

Count Werner was also worried and was about to address her when the gruff William beat him to it and asked a question. "What territories do we get here in the south? After all, we are your family and the godparents of your children. I'm sure you could cede some land for us, and don't worry, we'll have no trouble kicking that dark emperor's demon crowd's butt one more time."

Mortis considered for a moment, then looked questioningly at William. "Godfather, I'm going to be a father, but I don't have any children yet. I guess you've had a little too much to drink already. But don't worry, I think it's fitting that you're willing to come south with me. After all, we have some vacancies right now, and this country could use rulers who will crack down and make people see their worth again. But has something happened that it needs to happen quickly?" 

Mortis listened intently as Count Werner of Erfurt and Baron William of Bernstein presented their proposals and ideas. He appreciated the support and willingness of their families to move south alongside him to help.

Count Werner spoke of his magic academy and the abundant mana in the south. This sounded promising, as magic could be an important resource to stabilize and develop the land. Mortis nodded in agreement and said, "That sounds great, Count Werner. The availability of mana will certainly be useful to us in our efforts in the south. We will do everything we can to win the loyalty and support of the people and make the country a better place."

Baron William, already recognized as an experienced warrior and commander, found Mortis thanking their families and continued, "Mortis, you can count on us to stand by your side. Our families are loyal to your cause, and we are ready to put our forces and resources at the service of the South. We will show the people that we are here for them and that we will drive away the dark times."

Mortis smiled and said, "Then here's to our journey together to the South and to a better future for this country. May our common loyalty and determination make us successful."

The men toasted, and preparations for the wedding and gathering of guests continued in full swing.