"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! You can't be bitten...!"
"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."
I don't answer at first. Instead, I rush forwards, cutting down an infested wolf. Another comes from behind, the classic attack pattern of canines. But I'm ready. This time I won't be taken by surprise. The katana whistles back, aimed directly for the neck.
I am the Black Butcher, Hei. This is the only gift I can give Yin before I ask for death.
Even now, I can feel the virus racing through my arm, into my shoulder. It's like novocaine, a gentle numbing fire which makes it hard to think. But I keep on swinging, keep on killing. My level rises wildly and I realize this could be a mistake.
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Congratulations!
Yin must kill me before I rise. Else, I will be unstoppable at this rate!
Panic fills my heart, but to be honest, I can't stop killing these things. I'm so tired, but all that matters to me is that Yin survives. I'll clear each and every last one of these bastards and at the very least, she will be able to move on after slaying me and taking my experience. That is my plan. I don't look back at her until the last wolf hits the ground. I have no clue how many I have killed. All I can see is my level. It flashes dimly in the corner of my vision.
Lvl. 14.
I'm strong.
Way too strong.
And fading fast.
Moving so much has spread the disease through my body even faster. When I turn around, Yin's crying. Her beautiful eyes are open wide, as she takes in the slaughter I have unleashed on the ones trying to take me from her. I've guaranteed her survival. But our time together will end here no matter what I do. My vision is blurry. I'd like to say its from blood loss but I think the stinging in my eyes would give away the lie. I'm crying too.
I don't want our time to end.
I don't want to die, to go into that endless blackness, and experience that horrible thing taking me over once again.
The virus cannot be reasoned with. I can't bargain for more time. Only Yin can save me from becoming the Gray again.
"Do it." I walk over, turn the bloody katana down to face the dirt and wait for her to take it. Even my uninfected hand has begun to shake as the virus overrides my motor neurons. It's almost there, almost in my spine and my brain. Running around so much means I have little time left. "Kill me. Cut off my head right now. You can't hesitate."
"I...don't want to." Yin's hand reaches out for the handle but she doesn't take it. Just watches me with the saddest expression. "Do I really have to?"
"Yes. If I come back as one of them, I'll be the worst plague this world has ever seen. First, I'll rip you apart. Then I'll move on to the town back there. And then no one will be safe. Do you understand? Now it is the time to honor your promise!" I shove the katana at her. Still, she won't take it, so I let it drop, the tip stabbing into the dirt. The blade stands there, quivering, ready for her to take. I'm starting to see it now. The red on the edges of my vision is being replaced with gray. It's like the world is fading from me. My strength leaving.
