Misunderstood Extra in a Twisted Tale

Kain Rivel trudged back into Rivermist's square, the dual axes clanking at his hips, their chipped edges smeared with dirt and blood. His coughs rasped, his arms burned from the latest clash, Sera's fireballs dodged, her harem pride shattered (Ch. 20), but he'd stood tall, sent her running. Mya Seraphine walked beside him, her silver hair tangled with sweat, violet eyes locked on him, love, pride, that wild edge he couldn't shake. Her kiss, her damn "yours alone," still simmered in his chest, and he hated how it steadied him.

"Clowns," he muttered, kicking a crate. A cough doubled him over, but he straightened, glaring at the axes. "Leon's whole circus can choke."

Mya's smile flashed, sharp, warm. "Choke," she echoed, stepping closer. Her hand brushed his arm, light, fierce, and Kain glared, shoving it off, but not fast.

"Quit it!" he rasped, coughing. Her touch, damn it, lit him up, but he shook it off, scanning the square. Bandits hauled loot, scorched staffs, gold trimmed gear, while villagers cheered, their voices a grating buzz. "I don't need your sappy crap!"

"Not sappy," she said, her voice low, steady. "Real." Her fingers hovered near his harness, her smile fierce. "You broke her, alone."

"Alone?" He growled, yanking an axe free. It wobbled, but he swung it, coughing, pointing. "Damn right! No harem nonsense!" Her laugh, bright, wild, hit him, and he hated how it stirred, anger, want, tangled tight.

"You're mine," she whispered, closing the gap. Her hand pressed his chest, warm, firm, her lips close. "No harem, just us."

Kain froze, heat surging, rage, something softer, damn it. "Us?" he rasped, shoving her hand off, but slow. A cough flared, but he held her gaze, gritty, unyielding. "I'm me, Mya! Not your trophy!" Her closeness, her steel and roses scent, messed with him, and he gripped the axe tighter. "Back off!"

She didn't, her smile softened, fingers brushing his jaw, quick, possessive. "No trophy," she said, her voice a vow. "My heart, I love you."

"Love?" He scoffed, coughing, stepping back, glaring. "You're still crazy!" But her words, her damn faith, gnawed at him, and he turned away, axes dragging, mind racing. That flicker in his arm from the fight, stronger, sharper, itched at him too.

The bandit leader swaggered up, grinning, blood on his spear. "Boss! Cleaned 'em out, harem girl's toast! What's next?"

"Next?" Kain rasped, slamming the axe onto the crate, it stuck, wobbling, and coughed, steadying himself. "Sleep! I'm not your general!"

The leader laughed, saluting. "Aye, boss! You're a beast, smashed that healer!"

"Beast?" Kain growled, yanking the axe free, coughing. "She bolted! Call it what it is!" But the bandits cheered, hauling loot, chanting his name, and he shook his head, gritting through the coughs. "Idiots."

Mya lingered, her smile fierce, loving. "They see it," she said, her voice low. "That fire, my Kain."

"Your Kain?" He spun, axe raised, coughing, defiant. "I'm not your pet!" Her look, pride, love, hit him, and he faltered, why'd she get under his skin?

"No pet," she said, soft, fierce. "Mine." She grabbed his wrist, gentle, unyielding, pulling him close. "You're better than his harem, than him."

Kain stiffened, her touch burning, her pulse syncing with his. "Better?" he rasped, shoving her back, not far. "I'm a mess! He's got flash, I've got grit!" A cough flared, but he stood tall, axes glinting, will blazing.

"Grit?" Her laugh rang, bright, dangerous. "I'd take your grit over his gold." She stepped closer, her lips hovering, fierce, tempting. "You're enough."

"Enough?" He growled, coughing, but didn't pull away, not yet. "I don't need your…" A horn blared, sharp, close, cutting him off. He spun, Mya's hand on her hilt, eyes narrowing.

"More?" Kain rasped, glaring north, hooves thundering. "Leon's relentless!"

"His harem," Mya said, her smile sharp, amused. "They'll bleed for him." She stepped beside him, shoulder brushing his, warm, steady. "Ready?"

"Ready?" He hefted both axes, coughing, grinning raggedly. "Let's crush 'em!" He barked, "North! Move!" bandits rallying, spears up.

Hooves burst through, five riders, gold glinting, a woman's voice, "For Valtor!" not Sera or Vera, Liana again, blonde hair flying, sword drawn, Leon's harem relentless.

Kain roared, charging, the axe swinging, wild, fierce. Liana slashed, he ducked, coughing, the blade clashing with hers, sparks flying. The jolt hit, something surged, his arm burned, and he shoved, hard, her horse stumbling.

"Flashy trash!" he rasped, coughing, swinging again. The axe dented her shield, that flicker stronger, and she yelped, eyes wide, reeling back.

Mya's sword flashed, two riders fell, her laugh wild. "Trash!" she shouted, turning to Kain, pride blazing. "You're mine!"

"Mine?" He growled, coughing, the third rider charging, he swung, the axe clipped armor, denting it, the surge fading, he stumbled, grinning. "I'm me!"

Liana rallied, slashing, Kain ducked, coughing, the axe arcing up, hitting her sword, metal screeched, she bolted, cursing, "He'll bury you!"

"Bury?" Kain rasped, coughing, standing tall. "Try it!" The last riders fled, bandits cheering, spears raised.

He sank to a knee, coughing, the axes thudding beside him, chest heaving. "Done," he muttered, grinning, ragged, fierce. "No harem beats this!"

Mya knelt, her hand framing his face, gentle, fierce. "This," she whispered, her voice trembling, love raw. "You're enough." She kissed him, hard, deep, Kain jolted, heat surging, shoved her off, coughing, glaring.

"Warn me!" he barked, but his voice shook, he'd leaned in, damn it. "Crazy!"

"Crazy," she laughed, bright, standing, hand hovering. "Yours, alone."

He glared, coughing, axes glinting, rising. "Alone," he muttered, smirking faintly, turning south, Rivermist's lights dim. "Damn right."

A horn, east now, Kain tensed, coughing, ready. "Again?" he growled, Mya's sword out, her eyes locked, fierce, loving.

"Again," she said, her voice a vow. "Together?"

He coughed, nodding, axes raised. "My way, hit 'em!" charging, her beside him, gritty, no harem, just them.