Pestilence: Rise Of The Pure Undead

Of course, Griar could not respond to her since she was choking him, but he did feel her grip lessen even just a slight bit as she realised that the intruder was not the usual sort, which naturally aroused some curiosity, and certainly a wish to extract information from him.

Griar had read about that Republic and those collectivists in the letters, they were two groups who had taken notice of what was happening here, and were seemingly attempting to appropriate the powers of the water for themselves, but could only send handfuls of soldiers at a time as the people here were actually situated into a third country, preventing those two forces from really going all in with their efforts, which resulted in the dismembered corpses being burnt inside of town.

Although Isabela had decided not to separate his head and body by pressing his neck, she was not going to actually let go and question him right there, the tall woman was intent on choking until he lost consciousness, interrogation would be much more preferable somewhere other than her own bedroom.

This just about gave Griar a few moments to think of a way out of here, with this absurdly powerful woman cutting off both breathing and blood circulation, he had just about ten seconds before being knocked out, but he had to be effective, if he reached for his machete or kitchen knife, both of which were currently secured by his belt, she would notice and stop him.

So he had to rely on magic, but once again, he needed to be very careful, once he casted a spell, he wouldn't be able to do so for a few more minutes, and even then, he would need a bit more time for his inner flow to fully return to normal.

Unfortunately, he did not have much time to think of a proper plan that took everything into account, so he merely grasped Isabela's wrist with both hands, and rapidly channelled the most powerful wind slashes he could muster right through both of his arms, resulting in the blade sinking right into the woman's flesh, causing her to let go as blackened blood erupted in droves.

Griar fell to the ground, gasping for air and barely even feeling his legs anymore, but he had to force himself to stand and move, thankfully for him, the tall woman was left somewhat dazed by what just occurred, staring at her bloody wrist, the hand attached to it hanging limply as the muscles he had been partly severed.

"You're a super soldier? No, even those enhanced freaks can't channel those powers without dedicated equipment…" she muttered to herself, pulling back on the sleeve of her trench coat, revealing black tendrils already working to put her torn flesh and muscles back together, the body healing at a visible pace.

Griar did not want to stick around for any time longer than necessary, and since the door out of this room was currently blocked by Isabela, he just jumped right through the window, crashing against the ground alongside shards of broken glass that stabbed into his body, the sudden pain gave him a clear moment of clarity, the haze caused by nearly being strangled unconscious was washed away.

He rose up, only to see the man with the burlap sack on his head approached him with swift steps, barring his double-edged axe menacingly as he prepared to take a swing.

"Little piggy!" saying something in an abnormally deep tone of voice, the man sweeped the axe at Griar's legs, forcing the youth to step and jump back as the man repeatedly swung in the same manner without stop, each of the strikes slashing through the air with force.

Griar knew that he was hit, he would at least end up with a broken bone.

He expected Isabela to leap out of the window, but instead, loud sounds accompanied by flashes of light rang out from inside the manor where the tall woman was- The youth did not even try to wonder what that was about, and took the first opportunity he had to turn tail and sprint away, circling around the manor with the axe maniac in tow, who proved to lack in speed as Griar was able to leave him in the dust.

The young man arrived before the gates once again, but the commotion had attracted the attention of the villagers, who were approaching the manor, all armed with farming tools, Griar saw a reflection as the man with the straw hat from earlier rose his strange object.

Knowing that fighting his way through the villagers right now was not ideal, as much as he could run around and pretend everything was fine, he had still just gotten choked out, fell from several meters in completely uncontrolled manner, and gotten stabbed by who knows how many shards of glasses, and was currently bleeding.

And he didn't have access to magic at all right now, so he gritted his teeth, and headed back through the manor's front door, right a loud sound rang out, and something crashed into the wood near him, leaving his right ear ringing as he shut the door behind him.

Another loud sound tore through all other noises, but came from the floor above this time, following by what sounded like wood being smashed into splinters, Griar could tell that someone else, another intruder, was inside of the manor right now, and apparently caught in a struggle against Isabela.

Griar was not about to get involved with this however, although hasty, he casted two simultaneously spells at that woman at literal touching distance, and he didn't even manage to cut down to the bone, and she could regenerate as well, there was absolutely not way he was going to show his face in front of her anytime soon.

That would just be asking for death, so instead, he pulled a piece of furniture against the front door, and began to move further into the manor, the plan was simple : Wait until he could cast another spell, run out through the back, and leap over the fence before rushing into the woods.

Unfortunately for him, as he moved through the manor, trying to find a way to get out that way, the back door was flung open by the man wearing a burlap sack, his chest heaving up and down, his demeanor not matching at all the sad expression etched upon the bag, that guy was clearly fuming and thirsty for blood.

And he seemed to already know that Griar was inside the manor, but at least, he did not know that the young man was put a few meters away, hiding in another room, pressed up against the wall…

"Come on piggy… Don't play hard to get…"