I Won't
Putting both hands in front of my face and crouching down, I take the impact of the blow head on, unable to dodge with only the stats of a Lvl. 1.Hunter. Instantly burning pain over takes my forearms, I can feel the insanely long and sharp claws digging into my flesh and catching on the bone. It's like being struck and stabbed at the same time and suddenly I'm in the air, flying backwards. When the ground hits my back, I see stars and every bit of air in my lungs whooshes out.
"Lin!"
"Ugh." I cough out as Yin rushes over. The bear's claws have carved deep chunks of flesh from my arms and I can barely feel them anymore. Just this deep, dull, ache. Holding up a hand before her worried face, I struggle to my feet. She only looks more concerned as she sees the damage done to my arms. "I'm okay…just didn't expect it to be so fast. Crap, I lost my cleaver." Squinting through the darkness because the torch has gone out, I can see the Corrupted Bear swaying. Unlike a Fresh Undead, it is a living creature and having a knife driven almost all the way through its spinal cord will cause it to slow down. Yin takes a defensive stance in front of me, ready to protect me with her life, but I pat her on the back and push her out of the way. "I got this. Let me protect you one more time before you get too strong."
"Are you sure?" Yin hesitates, holding her replica katana out with concern. "It looks like you really hurt it. Maybe I can finish it with this now?"
I shake my head.
"You're not ready yet. Just let me be cool this one time, okay?" Regaining my breath, I put my hands over hers and she lets go of the katana. It feels good to be holding a sword again, even if I can barely feel my hands. Yin calls out to me as I turn to go.
"Pfft, just this once. Next time, I'll protect you!" She says and I smile. This one really has the heart of a true warrior. Dashing forwards, I pick up speed. The bear does the same, meeting me with a thunderous charge!
GRAAAAWWWR!
A feint. That's all I use the katana for. I swing left and the metallic reflection of the blade causes the bear to shift slightly. Then I spin around its paw and leap into the air. Still spinning, I look over my shoulder behind me in midair to see the cleaver still buried in its neck. Just a little bit more!
"HAH!" I breath out and kick backwards right onto the handle, shoving my cleaver deep into the cervical disk and breaking through! The bear topples instantly and I land beside its fallen body, crouching to absorb the impact. Under the moonlight, I listen closely, making sure its dead. Any second, I expect Yin to come by to congratulate me. I can already see the system message which is happily informing me that I have reached Lvl. 4. Despite the horrible injuries to my arms, strength floods my body. My stats have risen a lot. Perhaps too much. I didn't want to be the one to deal the last blow. "Hey, Yin, you have to admit, I looked pretty cool there, right?"
Tap
Tap.
Tap!
Footsteps from behind. It's Yin. But she isn't saying anything. Not screaming congratulations or calling my name. I turn in time to see her ferocious face as she crashes into me. I just barely manage to hold onto the katana and keep it from cutting either of us as I tumble around in her embrace. Something jagged nips the numb fingers in my left hand. It's a sharp pain, but then I'm on the ground.
"Yin?" I mumble, still trying to get my head together. "Why did you do that?" However, she's already rising. Ignoring my questions, she stands over me and I see a dark shadow where I was just standing by the bear. It has four limbs, about the size of a man, and the tell-tale signs of corruption. Dark spots of infected pus coat its fur. An infected wolf. Instantly, I understand. It was an ambush. I try to sit up, wondering why my left-hand hurts so much. Yin gasps as another wolf comes from nowhere. "NO!"
She dives down to the ground and the wolf sores overhead. I can see the gleam in its cloudy eyes as it stares down at me before it passes. The spittle on its fangs is murky black with taint. Suddenly, I look down at my hand. No…no…no!
"Yin! Get back!" I stare down at my left hand with rising horror. A familiar burning sensation, cold and hot at the same time is spreading up my numb arms. Small jagged cuts from a canine-like mouth are carved into my palm and fingers. "It bit me."
"What! No!" Yin breathes as she scrambles to her knees and rushes back to me. When she sees the bite on my hand she gasps. "I…there's no way! It must be from when you got hit by the bear!"
"It's a bite mark, Yin. I'm sorry." I take the katana in my good hand and rise to my feet. "Your promise...I'm going to have to ask you to fulfill it a little early." She stares at me like I've become an alien. The wolves all around us are howling, baying wildly as they circle for the kill. They smell fresh blood. But Yin only has eyes for me.
"I won't. I can't."