บท 837: Familiar faces

"Shall we just beat him until he regains his senses then?"

Barnock upon hearing this releases a roar and abruptly slams the floor, causing a shockwave to travel through the ground towards the woman, she doesn't move however, simply tapping her foot on the ground instantly stops it, confusing both the Barbarian and the Mage.

Mathias had seen such an attack from Barnock slay hundreds of demons at a time, yet this woman taps her foot and easily dispels it.

Arie backs up as the woman steps forwards, she points a finger at the Barbarian and shoots a red bolt at them... However, it unfortunately does nothing when it hits them, the stunning spell unable to pierce the man's great defenses.

Mathias frowns at the sight of the attack not working, beginning to conjure his own to assist in Barnock's capture. A burst of light explodes from his hand and envelopes Barnock, white glowing chains appearing around the Barbarian as the brightness fades.

Barnock struggles for a moment before shattering the chains with ease.

*BANG!*

The woman had appeared next to Barnock and driven an axe-kick down at him, the Barbarian was able to receive it on his shoulder, but it gave a sick *Crack!* in response, his arm hanging limply due to the shattered bones.

Barnock isn't so easily defeated however, he ignores all the pain and swings his axe at the woman, cutting through her and shocking Mathias... Had his companion just killed that woman!?

...

The woman smiles as her body stitches itself back together, even her clothes repairing themselves before everyone's eyes. Barnock takes another swing but is stopped as she grabs his wrist, using her other hand she grabs the Barbarians throat, lifting him off of the floor and gripping his neck tightly.

Barnock struggles to free himself, delivering building destroying knee and leg strikes to the woman, she doesn't budge an inch however, her strength apparently eclipsing the Barbarians own.

"Why don't you just... Stop." she states, continuing to strangle the man.

Minutes go by and Barnock still hadn't fallen unconscious, his rage and fury refusing to let him stop.

The woman clicks her tongue and bites her lip, allowing blood to drip down from her mouth... It gathers and crawls up her arm and down Barnocks body, additional arms appears under her original ones and hold the Barbarians limbs in place as the blood circles them before hardening and forming ruby restraints...

She links them with a chain before tightening them, dropping the still struggling Barbarian to the floor as he tries to break his way out, the ruby restrains hold strong however.

She looks over to Mathia, "What's your name stranger." she ask.

Mathias replies quicker than he intended, "M-Mathias... And you?"

She smiles, "Nerissa Dracula Ludwig, a pleasure." she says as she presents her hand, the mage shaking it after a moment of indecision.

Arie walks over, still clutching his chest and looking at Barnock, "Are you sure that'll hold him Rissa? He packs a mean punch."

Nerissa nods, "It should, they're even able to hold Uncle Solaire for a few minutes, this guy is child play."

....

Mathias isn't really sure how to react, he and Barnock had been the most powerful humans in their previous world, they were the Nephalim, a unity between Heaven and Hell, a power that has the potential to grow above both... And yet, this world seemed to have an abundance of freakishly strong beings, perhaps they'd be willing to help him apprehend Adria and stop whatever she planned to do with Leah. "What now? I don't know any way to free Barnock of this curse... Well, no way anymore." he adds, there were a few places and artifacts capable of cleaning ones mind and soul, but that was in his previous world.

Nerissa shrugs, "I'll have father open a portal to the church, they'll likely have something to treat him." she says, grabbing Barnock by the chains like a suitcase and touching her pendant.

Mathias "Ah, hold on a second, my travelling companions are still in the village." he says, leaving to retrieve them.

Jerma and Lennon were astounded at the sight of the battlefield, they'd been able to hear ungodly roars and large shockwaves being emitted from the place, but assumed Mathias was likely alright... He had a Witcher with him after all.

Nerissa "You ready to leave?" she asks as she stands in front of a turquoise portal.

Mathias and the others nods, but Arie shakes his head, "I'll be heading back to Daevon, need to let them know the contract has been handled." he says, waving to them all. "I'll see you around Rissa, let those girlfriends of yours know I said hi." he chuckles before leaving.

Nerissa just shrugs and walks through the portal, leading the others who halt as they notice where they are... Mathias looks up at the shining gold plated temple ahead of him, he imagined this is what it'd look like in heaven, though, he had no real reference other than stories and depictions.

Glancing around at the other nearby buildings, he notes that they're also gilded in gold, additionally, no one seemed to care that they'd teleported into the middle of the street, most simply sending worshipping looks at Nerissa.

The Vampire ignores them and steps into the church, inside there are hundreds of people praying on the floor towards statues of two figures, one probably being the God King, but Mathias had no idea who the other belonged to.

A young woman wearing extravagant robes who was giving a sermon stops as soon as she spots Nerissa, shoving the responsibility onto a middle-aged priest as she skips towards them.

"Princess!" they exclaim happily, giving Nerissa a quick hug before stepping back and looking her over. "You should really visit us more often!"