The Thief, The Trickster, and The Stolen Kiss

Kain's breath came fast and shallow. His entire body thrummed with raw, pulsing energy—the kind that didn't just surge through his muscles, but commanded them.

For the first time, he wasn't just dodging attacks out of instinct.

He was reacting before they even happened.

And that scared the hell out of him.

---

General Varian straightened, brushing off his coat as if Kain's punch hadn't just sent him skidding across the castle floor. The air around him crackled, his saber humming with stored electricity.

"You're learning fast," Varian admitted, eyes sharp with calculating interest. "That's rare in a fight."

Kain flexed his fingers, still feeling the unnatural speed coursing through him.

"I'd be happier about that if I actually understood what the hell was happening."

The Trickster Goddess, still floating above the chaos, giggled. "Oh, don't worry~! You'll figure it out soon enough!"

Kain shot her a deadpan glare. "You've been saying that for three near-death experiences now."

The fox goddess smirked, her golden tails flicking lazily. "And yet, you're still alive. See? I'm a great mentor!"

Before Kain could properly express how much he wanted to strangle her, Varian moved.

This time, Kain saw it coming.

The lightning-clad blade slashed toward him—deadly, precise. A single hit would fry him alive.

But his body reacted first.

Kain didn't dodge.

He caught the blade.

---

A shockwave of energy exploded through the hall.

Kain's hand closed around the edge of the sword, lightning sparking violently where steel met the arcane gauntlet.

The energy surged through him, but instead of pain—

The gauntlet absorbed it.

The runes on the artifact flared brighter than ever, the crackling magic feeding into it like a conduit.

Kain's golden eyes widened.

Holy shit.

Varian's expression flickered with the first hint of surprise. "You can—"

Kain didn't wait for him to finish.

The stolen lightning surged through his arm, and before he could even think—

He released it back.

A burst of raw energy shot out, hurling Varian backward with enough force to shatter the stone wall behind him.

Kain stumbled back, eyes wide. "I just… what the hell did I just do?!"

The Trickster Goddess clapped her hands in delight. "Oh, that was beautiful! Such a natural talent~!"

Kain turned to her, still reeling. "You KNEW I could do that?!"

She wagged a finger. "I had theories~."

Kain groaned. "Oh, fantastic. My survival is based on your 'theories.'"

---

From the debris, Varian rose.

His uniform was torn, his coat singed, but the fire in his steel-gray eyes had only intensified.

He wiped a trickle of blood from his lip, then smirked.

"You've definitely got my attention now."

Kain's stomach sank.

Varian wasn't angry.

He was excited.

"Aw, come ON," Kain groaned. "Why is every strong bastard I meet a battle junkie?!"

---

Before Varian could resume the fight, a new voice interrupted.

"STAND DOWN!"

The command rang through the halls with enough force to make even Varian freeze.

Kain turned, breath still heavy, as Princess Lysara strode into the room.

Her silver hair shimmered under the torchlight, her sapphire-blue eyes steely and unyielding. She still looked flustered, but there was commanding authority in her stance.

"This fight ends now," she said sharply.

Kain, who had been fully prepared to die fighting a mini-boss, blinked.

Varian straightened, his sword still humming with faint lightning. "Your Highness, this man—"

"—Is under my protection," Lysara cut in.

Silence.

Kain stared at her. The Trickster Goddess let out a low whistle.

Even Varian seemed caught off guard. "...What?"

Lysara crossed her arms. "This man is no ordinary thief." She glanced at the glowing gauntlet still humming on Kain's wrist. "And I refuse to have him executed when I don't even know what he is."

Varian frowned, clearly struggling against his own instincts.

"...You're making a mistake."

Lysara's gaze didn't waver. "That's for me to decide."

Varian exhaled sharply but finally lowered his blade.

Kain, whose entire survival had just been decided by a single noblewoman, exhaled too.

"Man," he muttered, grinning despite himself. "Didn't expect to get a princess to vouch for me today."

Lysara shot him a deadly glare. "You are incredibly lucky I need answers."

The Trickster Goddess cackled. "Ooooh, I like her."

Kain sighed. "Of course you do."

---

The castle guards backed down reluctantly, though their eyes still burned with suspicion.

Kain, meanwhile, was still trying to process what just happened.

A few minutes ago, he was seconds from death.

Now, he was a royal guest.

Sort of.

And somehow, he still didn't know what the hell the gauntlet was.

But one thing was clear:

He had just gotten himself tangled in something much bigger than a simple heist.

And he had a bad feeling it was only getting started.

---