The judgment of souls: Mortis' confrontation with the divided personality

After leaving the raid, Mortis and Merlin were met with incredulous looks from the others. Some looked pityingly, especially those who knew they had only gone out as a pair. Others perhaps thought they were the last survivors of a larger group. Mortis and Merlin decided to have a good meal first and enjoy the view of the sea. When the waitress came, however, Mortis felt an uneasy feeling, but decided to ignore it for the moment in order to take a break with Merlin.

During the meal, Mortis noticed how some soldiers and adventurers were secretly talking to each other and exchanging information. This aroused his curiosity, and he decided to send out spirits to scout the city. Suddenly Merlin asked what had happened, or rather, what Mortis was up to. Mortis answered that nothing had happened, but he had some premonition. He asked Merlin to make his way to the border and explore the area while he continued to search for answers himself. Merlin agreed and mentioned with relief that at least this way he could stay away from a Hydra.

After they recovered, Mortis accompanied Merlin nachtschatten to the border with Franken. Afterwards, Mortis took a short walk through the market and some stores to buy something for his wives. While doing so, he carefully observed the inhabitants and noticed that something was strange. Neither the citizens nor the soldiers gave cause for concern, and his spirits found nothing concrete either. But the uneasy feeling in Mortis grew stronger.

When the stores finally closed, Mortis noticed that all the citizens went to a small square near the market. There, he realized that an execution was about to take place here - something Mortis normally wouldn't care about, as he would only need to be nearby to collect the soul. But when he heard the rattle of the chain and his hair stood up, he became interested. He pushed forward to stand in the front row and saw soldiers pushing a young woman with three different colors of hair toward the scaffold.

The young woman was of extraordinary beauty, with wonderfully curly hair that was purple and had red and pink streaks. Her purple eyes made her an absolute rarity. What amazed Mortis the most, however, was that as a mortal, she seemed to have three souls that strangely belonged together, yet each existed separately. When the young woman was forced to kneel, her manner changed three times: from a weeping woman to an angry one, and then to a maniacal one that laughed in the face of death. Mortis knew that something was wrong with her souls and that she seemed to be constantly changing, making it seem like a split personality.

However, a few moments later, a carriage pulled up with the Count of Lecce and his family in it to announce the verdict before his people. The elderly Count walked proudly to the podium, where the young woman still radiated madness and it seemed as if she did not care at all about what was happening around her. When the count stood on the podium, he spoke to his people.

"My dear citizens, today you will witness this woman being judged by me. She has used cunning and deceit to get married men and seduced and almost killed my son, the future Count. But he was able to resist her charms and render her harmless before she could continue her sick game. Today she will atone for her sins and be executed by me with the sword. So, sinner, do you have any last words?"

The woman laughed hysterically and replied, "Hahaha, murdering men, you say? I only rejected that cowardly count who is always lusting after me. But when his ego couldn't take it, he sent adventurers and mercenaries after me to dishonor me. But I'm sorry, a man worthy of us has to dominate all three of us and win us over, you no-good. You're talking like you're more than one again, witch, but that's enough of that."

Mortis was surprised by what was happening. It seemed that the woman was aware of her three souls or personalities. When the woman's laughter stopped and a tear flowed from one eye while the other looked at him seeking help, Mortis couldn't help himself. He whispered to his scythe, "Help her, angel." Then he hurled his scythe, and just as the Count of Lecce was about to lower his sword, the scythe stopped beside the young woman and blocked the attack.

Shocked by the scene, the Count backed away and the soldiers gathered around him and his family to protect them. The crowd was speechless and looked in panic toward Mortis, who was the only one with a scythe. But Mortis made no frantic movement. Instead, he straightened his clothes and seemingly patted down the dust as he strode toward the scaffold with his head held high. As he did so, he left behind a misty path that served as a staircase, paving his way. The fog caused people to feel uneasy, as if death was knocking on their door, and combined with his charm, there was something regal about it.

When Mortis entered the scaffold with his scythe still hovering in the air, many were impressed by the sight. But the other count would not be humiliated and mustered his courage to roar angrily, "Who are you? How dare you interfere with my judgment?" Mortis took his scythe and hovered it behind him. Then he got down on his knees and asked the young woman, "My beauties, may I ask what your names are?" The young woman looked Mortis in the eye and opened her mouth, but no sound came out. Then her souls changed places, and again she opened her mouth, but only a timid peep came out. When the souls changed again and the mad personality returned, she said, "My name is Lucia, the others are called Serena and Elysia, but you may call us whatever you like, handsome."

Mortis smiled gently and replied, "It is my pleasure, my beauties. I look forward to the day when we get to know each other better, but first I have some business to attend to." Mortis then stood up and turned to the Count of Lecce and his family. "May I introduce myself? Count Mortis of Bamberg. Actually, I am traveling, but I cannot tolerate injustice, either to myself or to others. Therefore, excuse my brash demeanor."

"Brash demeanor? Are you taking the piss out of me? You have humiliated me, young count!" roared the old count, beside himself with rage. Mortis confidently replied, "I did that because you've been manipulated or are simply blind to what's going on, Count. But I don't let innocent people die before my eyes just because one of your children is too stupid to court a woman." Mortis grinned cheekily, causing the old count to stomp angrily on the ground. The old count said, "I don't care what you think. I am the ruler here, and I also allow you, young count, not to talk that way about my son or my other children. It would be best if you left now. This is none of your business. This is not your kingdom."

But now Mortis got angry and yelled at the old count, "I don't give a damn who you are and whether this piece of land was delivered to you. We have laws, and we as rulers should judge, but it must only be just. If you already give your son everything. Let him mate with your other wives while you're at it! But if this bastard is a man, he has to come here and tell what happened. After all, the people expect a just verdict."

This struck the old count painfully several times, and the citizens reacted loudly, shouting for justice and a right verdict. Some even insulted the young count, who cowardly hid behind the mothers. This did not please the old count at all, because actually he was a very just man as a warrior. But something made him suspect that his son might be involved in something after all, and so he actually wanted to protect him. In order not to let any displeasure arise, he called his eldest son to him, who fearfully and uneasily went to the scaffold to face Mortis.

The old count was about to ask his son something when Mortis already interrupted him. "Wait, if he testifies, it will be on an oath of the gods or with a slave mark," Mortis said. Thinking he hadn't heard correctly, the old count replied angrily, "How much more will you humiliate me? Give my son a slave mark just so he can't lie? This is absurd!"

But Mortis retorted, "Then let him swear on the goddess Luxia. But I tell you right now, if any reaction from the gods indicates that he is lying, I will behead him. After all, our gods are our most important asset." The old count would have liked to bite the scaffold when a golden portal appeared and Luxia stepped out of it. She complained that she had entered the realm of the living more often lately than she had in the last 1000 years. When everyone caught sight of the goddess, they knelt down and paid homage to her, except Mortis, of course. But when things calmed down, Luxia didn't wait long and put a finger on the Count's son and said, "May all your words have truth in them, so that justice may be hastened in this trial."

The son was frozen with fear, but when the goddess looked at the old count and said, "So, now ask your questions," all was quiet in the city. And even though the son refused to speak at first, he finally sang as if of his own accord and spilled the beans - his intrigues and how, out of anger, he sent mercenaries and adventurers on Elysia to get back at her after she had rejected him. The people and even the mothers were so amazed and disappointed by this young man that it was hard to put into words. But it hit his father, the Count of Lecce, the hardest. He was so disappointed and angry that he bowed to his people and said, "My dear subjects, I am sorry. As it seems, I was blind and gave my son too many liberties. Today a judgment should be passed here, and this will happen. I condemn myself for being simple-minded and disappointing you. But I condemn today above all my son, who from today on is no longer part of my family and has thus lost his title as well as the right to my inheritance. He is hereby banished on the spot. Should he dare to enter the county of our realm again, the next sentence will be that he be executed. I hope you can forgive me, for I assure you that I will keep a closer eye on the next heir and make him a man you can be proud of. Now watch and get this bastard off my land and let all the nobles know that Paleros, my son, is no longer mine."

The young woman was immediately released and even offered compensation by the old count, which she gratefully accepted. But before she could thank Mortis, she saw Luxia whispering to Mortis. Curious and eager, she waited to see what would happen. However, Luxia couldn't wait and whispered in Mortis' ear, "When I see how happy Lumina is that she's pregnant, I get jealous. So get stronger, because my womb is still fertile too. Oh, and I've already negotiated that. So it's a done deal. See you around, donor." With these words, Luxia went away laughing.