29

You need to keep this battle under control; find some way to subdue and detoxify him. The drugs in his system must be what's causing his unstable personality, driving the hatred for his own kind. There must be a good man left in that monstrous shell, there must be!

"I can't free you in this life," Williams grunts. His eyes are red-ringed and wet, but his skin is stretched so tightly around his bulky body that he can't even blink to clear them. "So I'll free you in death! I know everything about you! How you fight, what makes you cower! It's all over for you, Holstein!"

The creature that was Elan charges for you, claws held out and ready to rip you to shreds.

What was that he said? you think through the rising panic. He knows everything about me? How could I possibly throw him off-balance?

Williams doesn't give you the time to plan. He puts caution to the wind, charging full speed to hit you in the chest with a knotted elbow, flinging you back to the pavement. You try to breathe, but it only comes in rasping gasps. What was the creature thinking? If you'd have gone on the offensive, you could have sliced him to pieces while his guard was lowered!

"Just as I expected!" Williams crows in maniacal laughter. "I've studied you every day through our cameras. I know how you think, how you react. I know what you'll do even before you make your choice!"

Williams balls up his fists and lashes out at you in a fury. He's close enough now that he could do some serious damage if you're not careful!

I keep my wits about me, watching his movements and countering them as they come.

It's time to get in his face with some dirty tactics.

Bob and weave, feinting to distract from my real goal: a single disabling strike that might allow me the time to flee.

He's close now. I unleash an all-out barrage of claw and bite attacks.

Next

You hold back, taking your time and gauging the monster's attacks as they come. Williams proves wily however, feinting and flicking his tail sharply to distract your senses, almost as though he knew exactly what your tactics would be. He goes in for an attack with his left hand, and you counter, but as you do he leans in and snaps his jaws down on your right shoulder! You pull back, and the teeth slip free, but the pain is agonizing!

Williams grins viciously, snapping his jaws and sending a mixture of your blood and his saliva spattering to the ground. "Why do you even bother?" he asks, his tone boastful and maybe even disappointed. "You can't fool someone who knows you inside and out."

The bite marks on your shoulder burn, and for the first time since the battle began, your body truly begins to falter. You fall to one knee, sparks flying across your vision, ears ringing as you desperately cling to consciousness. You can feel the monster above you, his hot breath tickling the nape of your neck as you bow your head, unable to hold yourself up and stare death in the eyes even as it comes for you.

A rush of wind above your head signals the end, and you grit your teeth, waiting to greet oblivion, but the pain never comes. Was it all over so fast that you didn't even feel it? Your eyes flicker open, and the battlefield greets you with a vision of giants clashing, snapping at each other with bloodied fangs.

Razor slams her knee into Williams's muzzle so hard that it knocks a tooth loose. The alabaster dagger spins, rattling across the pavement and coming to a stop directly in front of you, its crooked peak marking you for violent purposes. The forge master turns while Williams grips his broken jaw, forcing it back into place with a pop.

"Run while you have the chance!" Razor yells, bringing a gnarled elbow down on Williams's grotesque head with a mighty crack.

Barely phased, the monstrosity tears into Razor's chest, cutting a deep gash before your defender can rebuff him. You look wildly for help, but while several wolves are in the vicinity, all of them are currently engaged in their own battles. As you stand locked in helpless indecision, Williams lands a haymaker on Razor's jaw, sending her reeling. She stumbles, falls, and tries to rise again as Williams slowly stalks closer, savoring the thrill of the kill.

I'm in no shape to fight; it would just get me killed! I listen to Razor and flee the battle.

I can't let Razor die in my stead. I'll fight to the death to defend her if that's what it takes.

I call out for help, hoping that there are enough wolves left to save us both.

Next

Ignoring your hurts as best you can, you dive back into the fray, knocking Williams away from Razor as she recovers.

"Damn it, Holstein!" Razor barks. "I didn't take him on so you could rush back in and die like a fool!"

Williams recovers his footing and wraps a thick-fingered hand around your torso before you can dodge away, digits constricting, cutting off your breathing and circulation.

I don't have the strength left to break free! you realize as your vision dims.

Claws like long spikes press into your side as Williams stares into your eyes, watching you die. There might have been a time where he was in his right mind, where he might have stopped short of killing you, but you can see in the beast's eyes that he's too far gone to overcome the beast within. Drool falls from Williams's gaping maw as he glares, his hideous voice trying to say something as he squeezes. "Freeeeeeeeeee…"

Just as you're about to slip away into oblivion, Williams gives a sharp jerk and pulls back his hand, claws sliding out of your torso where they leave gaping angry wounds. You fall toward the ground and crack your head against the pavement, leaving you dizzy. You try to hold your paw against your side to stanch the flow of blood but it keeps falling limply to the ground. Stretching out from your resting place, a trail of gore leads its way to Williams, and as your misty gaze tracks it to its source, your eyes widen with hope.

Razor stands over Williams's twitching body, claws deep in his chest, twisting and churning in a sea of red. You breathe a sigh of relief. Your sacrifice allowed her to sneak up and attack Williams unawares.

"We need some help over here!" Razor howls. "We have a downed wolf!"

Heavy footfalls. Hands pulling at you, holding something warm to your side. So warm…you want to stay in that warmth forever. You close your eyes. Frantic hands push at your sides, trying to hold in the warmth as it seeps out, replaced by a chilling coldness that envelops you like a blanket of frost. Too few hands and not soon enough. Your packmates are already stretched thin, battling for their lives.

Your sacrifice saved a life today, and if you're lucky, Razor will be able to save so many more. You pass slowly into oblivion, the hint of a smile on your muzzle. You died so that others might live. And for now, that is enough.

Werewolves: Haven Rising

End