So.. I've been asked a few times by some readers for different POV and since I haven't been doing the diary entries for this kind of glimpse into other peoples heads - yesterday I was asked for the fight scene to be done in a different POV. I'm not quite sure if this is what they meant, but this is what came out when I started to try and do the next chapter haha... So here you have Chapter 28 again but from Cain's POV.

Enjoy x

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Kara hadn't made the offer to side with the twins out of concern for Elle's wellbeing. The look in her eye was too calculating, her mind three steps ahead as she faced off against me. Her Valkyrie background had never been more obvious; she'd trained endlessly to get to this point.

Unbeatable.

I had watched her sparr with Deimos, before this Elise, even Hades. It was never disappointing to see her in battle, and thanks to her most recent effort if there was anyone of us with a bruised ego right now, it was hers. She hasn't had her powers back for long and she hasn't had a chance to test herself properly. The run-in with the Furies had been her first chance to let them free and it hadn't ended in her favour. I felt how hard she pushed herself now, the Valkyrie skills would only take her so far and she needed to go further with her powers if she was to keep that crown on her head. It had been a test and she barely passed. Today she was determined to soothe the hurt left behind from the Furies by making me yield. One day she might, but that wasn't today.

Apparently, she wasn't the only one needing some self-reassurance and Hades intercepted her next attack towards me, redirecting her focus to him. I saw the look on his face, the attention he gave her. This would be a reminder she wasn't the only one who owned a crown, and that he could easily wear both if he wanted to. Kara didn't disappoint, by not allowing him to do what he had just done to Hermes to her. It made Hades try harder, which was almost amusing and she wouldn't beat him today either. Even when Deimos just couldn't help himself and stood by her, as they seemed more intent on keeping me engaged in this than Hades; so much for teamwork.

"This is boring," Hades growled as he realised I was dealing with everyone now. Apollos blasts of energy and light never found their target; just like Artemis and her pesky arrows which enraged her no end.

Hades was just as predictable, and as I felt the earth tremble it was a clear move against me too.

Guess no one was in the mood to stick to the plan today.

"Really? I'm not Hermes." I glanced over to where Hermes was, noticing how animated Zane was as he pointed at us; Elle was nodding along looking less like I was going to regret today and almost as if she might be enjoying the show we were putting on.

"I want to face an actual threat," Hades drew my attention back to him, as. "You and me."

"And what about what I want?" I smirk, "Who can I play with that poses an actual challenge. Kara seems more on your level."

"Fucking arrogant, asshole." He grunts his minions as annoying as Artemis's arrows.

They crumble to dust before even hitting my first shield, and that didn't do anything to improve the state of his current mood.

It's too easy, reaching out my power adapts to that around me. The feeling of what I'm putting out alters to the mass of dark energy Deimos wielded, forcing it back onto my attackers, one by one and even the so-called god of terror himself.

"Your girlfriend. No wonder you want her to sit it out, scared of what the outcome will be?" Hades taunts.

Kara's been practising, walking through the shadows that seek to break her mind and I don't even attempt to hold back now, the force of my hit has her stumbling as one by one the others fall to their terrors and their knees.

Pathetic.

Kara's sword rests in the dirt and maybe it's time to do more than flex my abilities. I'm in the mood to hurt things now and I grab the sword; it doesn't feel how it used to. It's lighter, less reactive as I face Hades who is grinning as if he's already won. I can sense the recognition the sword gives me, I'm not its master but it knows I can give it what it seeks; blood.

The first cut to Hade's arm pisses him off, the second makes him lose his smile. I look at Elle, she's standing up and I can feel how torn she is about staying put. I know she knows how it is now and training or not, her place is at my side.

Fuck, I love her.

Hades takes a quick, cheap shot; I don't blame him, but still, semi focused on Elle, I don't see his fist until it's too late.

That hurt.

I drop the sword, barely managing to avoid his and manage to dodge the next few hits before Kara is back, sword raised and her battle cry is a thing of beauty. I had to give it to her, she was relentless and when she finally regained her full power, I would not be so careless around her. Just who did Hecate use to be her sire?

The ball of light is small but effective; Apollo would be pissed off he saw me mimicking another of his powers which is why I did it, and Kara doesn't get a chance to block it. She is thrown backwards, her fight over as she slams into the twins and Deimos. I force them all down, and they will be staying that way. I'd had enough, I wanted to go back to the sofa, TV and Elle. Any leftover resentment about today would be bribed to leave with those doughnuts she liked so much and I'd get out those ridiculously tiny socks too. Yup, I am over this shit with these fucking assholes. Hades smirked, sensing the change.

"Finally, little brother. Show me what you've got."

He'd feel it only the explosion of lightning around us stopped me before I could even begin. A streak of light blasted the space between me and Hades separating us. The hell?

That was not Apollos doing.

I couldn't focus right, and rubbing my eyes the first thing I see is Elle where I'd left her. She was okay. Shadows slipped between the light, as more lightning struck around us and I instantly released the others, about to go to Elise when she screamed my name. I sensed the presence behind me a second too late but Hades was one step ahead of me only his attack was pointless as I tried to work out if I had been struck by lightning or something else. I hit the dirt hard, my shoulder felt crushed and sucking in a breath, I nearly broke my jaw to keep myself from screaming. Forcing myself to heal, to focus just on that was impossible. Getting back up was equally as hard; I'd endured plenty of pain in the past but I'd almost forgotten what it physically felt like.

It fucking sucked.

Black spots blurred my vision as I stood, my defence way behind what it should be and as Hades was completely focussed on my next kill, he offered no help there. The tingling rush of healing eased the pain enough for me to block the next attack. The hammer dropped, inches from my head before it was pulled away and Hades felt it next.

Too bad. He can deal with this fucker on his own or someone else could help him, yet everyone was busy. Whoever just broke in, brought friends and our plans of testing each other took a real turn. Of all the days to bring Jordan and Zane along...

They're gone. Hermes too.

Elise is still here, but she isn't in the same place and as the rain sets in, I see Vidar and some other dead man over there.

Where the fuck is-

"Fuck." I groan, spinning around to see Thor grinning back at me; his sword marked by my blood as pain takes over my left side. My shoulder isn't healed, now I've got this to deal with. "Thor."

"I expected more from you, after killing Odin." He snarled. "This is not the fight I anticipated."

I grab onto him in a second, raising my fist I can feel his pulse tight in my hand. My magic tightens further around his neck, I'm going to snap his fucking head off and if anything happens to Elise, I'm going to bring him back to life to do it again and again. I know I"m not healing fast enough. Blocking every god damn lightning strike is slowing the process, I need to focus and sort this shit out quick.

It doesn't happen.

I don't see his arm move in time, and his hammer slams into my side again. I drop him, Hades appearing to take over while I fight to stay standing. The bleeding has stopped. It still hurts like crazy, and force myself to take deep, slow breaths.

Where the fuck is Apollo when you need him?

More importantly, where the fuck is Elise?

I can feel her here, her presence is like an atomic bomb and finally, I get movement back in my left hand. Searching the stands, I find the stranger and Vidar and the one they're blocking from my view as they fight has to be her. Hade's groans behind me and instinctively I turn to help to find him holding his stomach, barely managing to avoid a second hit from Thor. Kara's here now, and I see the blow she's about to receive while she fights two of Thor's other soldiers and doesn't see the third approach. I reach out, blocking the hit and her attacker drops; he won't get back up. Hades is handling himself just fine, so where is my girl?

This time I see her.

All of her.

She is fucking magnificent.

The wind swirls around Elise as if she's the one controlling it, her dark hair flying wildly behind her as faces the pair. She doesn't need my help, she'd probably hate me for it anyway and I can already hear her, 'I told you so' coming. Her sword moves with precision and ease. Elise wields the blade as gracefully as a ballerina moves, delicate and dangerous. Those two words sum her up so well, and I was nearly about to burst with pride at watching her now.

That's my girl.

"Did that hurt?" Thor goads Hades, and I step in. What pain remains I ignore, and as Thor narrows his eyes my way, I wish him dead. "I was not expecting your mortal toy to look so tempting or for her to be one of us at all. Vidar will fall at her hands as he deserves for underestimating such a creature."

"On that, we agree."

The real fight started now. Hit for a hit, we moved fast and left the others behind. Thor was not as weak as I'd implied to Elle a few days ago. His power was not easily dismissed thanks to his parentage. I only had Cronus to thank for everything, whereas his mother had been a force in her own right. He easily matched Hades and me, plus he fought better than his sire, something I knew had been a necessity if he was to gain his freedom, which he had when he grew into his powers.

"If it was not for the joy I take in being the one to destroy you, I would almost offer my thanks for doing what I could not," Thor growled, no longer attacking and doing all he could to keep me back.

"You're welcome, though to be honest, he was merely half the man he used to be when I found him. Someone had already gotten to him first."

This seemed to surprise Thor, and I felt the last grip he had on his defence slipping.

"Who?" He demanded. "Was it the God Killer?"

He searched for Kara and found her, the distraction all I needed. "Doesn't matter."

I felt his pulse slowing as Kara came running over, leaving Hades to help the others.

"Cain, don't kill him." She ordered as I glared at her. "Please. I promised Frigg could have him if we found them first. Please, don't kill him. I have to do this, I am asking as your Queen and friend."

Her order weakened as it sounded like she was more begging me not to do it than asking. I looked away from Thor, confused at the request and why she would actually make it. Kara was not stupid. I admired her and was thankful Elise had found her when she did. If anything happened, Frigg would struggle against Thor. How good was her judgment anyway when she had Vidar at her side as a trusted companion until he suddenly wasn't? Vidar would not be kept alive. Enemies with grudges do not get to live to come back another day.

"Why does she want him?" I ask, trying to remain neutral. I could slip, kill him before she even knows. I'll send the Queen of the North a great big bunch of flowers to apologise. "Careful Kara, some enemies can come in the disguise of friends."

"You're being paranoid. I did not ask for your advice or opinion. Do not kill him." She found her confidence and her request was clear. "Release him, now."

Was I being paranoid?

Should I keep pushing?

"Cain," The way Kara said my name sounded like a warning.

Sucking in a deep breath, I let him go. "You're the Queen."

Lightning instantly rained down on us, the storm intensified as desperation filled the air. I lost Kara, forced to shield my eyes as I nearly got hit. I was back on the defence and I fucking hated it. Right now, I fucking hated her for this, and I hated myself for listening in the first place.

Bad call, Queenie.

Thor is struggling, his attacks are weak and desperate as he knows Kara had just brought him time. This time, I do things my way and it's Apollo's stupid voice that gets in my head as I sense a change, a new kind of electricity surrounds us and as I manage to knock Thor down, I dare to look across the arena. The fighting has stopped, the group are moving towards Elise as if she's drawing them to her and then away as all as dismissed. Her hands have lit up, the electricity coming from her and it pulls even Thors lightning toward her now.

I forget everything, stuck to her like everyone else as she pushes past Apollo and Kara as if she didn't even see they were there. Thankfully she is completely unharmed. Her eyes are focused ahead and filled with rage, there is a promise of no mercy written all over her face as she owns the arena like she owns me.

The pain that reignites in my shoulder leaves me breathless, and I'm on the dirt for a second time which would piss me off if it didn't hurt so fucking much. Anything I had healed is broken again, all I can taste is blood and with Elise here, facing off against Thor with her best friend prone to making shit decisions right now, I force myself to ignore the pain. I spit blood, more filling my mouth as I bite my tongue, forcing the pain away. Later it can have me, not now.

Get up.

Get up.

"Hey Asshole," Elise has Thor's attention and I hear the smash of him a second later. Looking up, she's thrown him into the watchtower on the other side of the arena and goes after him. "You're not what I was expecting."

"The same can be said for you," Thor answered, getting up "You are not a little mortal, with no power of her own."

"And you are not an Australian actor." She sighs as if this really was nothing. "Disappointment all-round, am I right?"

I'm on my knees. Kara is shoving Apollo towards Hades, yelling at him about something I can't hear thanks to the thumping in my ears. She looks over at Elise, her sword in her hand, but the fact she looks conflicted right now only fuels that hate growing towards her.

I stand up.

I start to walk; even that hurts as I can't breathe, can't think. I see Elise, Thor circling around her as she mirrors his movements. Smart girl.

"Disappointed isn't a word I would use." Is he flirting with her? I'm going to fucking kill him.

"Why are you here?" She asks.

"Revenge for my father. Nothing more."

"I heard you didn't even like him?" Thor has his back to me now, and Elise stops moving; so does he as I take a deep breath and push the pain down deeper. Why aren't I healing faster!

"Love and hate are easily confused." He shrugs.

I see the way he leans to the left, his back is hunched and I consider stabbing him in it. He's hurting, I can feel it nearly as well as my own injury from that stupid fucking hammer he's still holding onto in his right hand. I am going to melt that fucking thing down into pieces and shove it down his fucking throat.

Every inch of my being prepares for this moment, and as I disappear from the arena, reappearing a second later, Elise has kept the space around Thor open without him knowing; she knew I'd come. She'd set it up perfectly, but it wasn't my powers or any weapon I attacked him with now. It was my fist and throwing every bit of strength and power I could, the crack was rewarding enough as I slammed it into the side of his face.

Thor crumbled, a thud rising as he hit the dirt. He didn't move, didn't flinch, didn't do anything and as I looked at Kara over his limp body, her face pales as she came with the others. I wanted the hit to kill him, but I knew it didn't. It had been worth making Kara sweat over it though. Hades grabs Thor's wrists, slapping a pair of gold handcuffs around them while Kara watches, refusing to look at me now.

There is no thank you, good job or anything - not that I expected it. I look at Elise, the what the fuck to this outcome all over her face as Apollo joins us.

"Frigg wants him alive," Kara explains.

"You okay? Elise, what were you thinking?" Ever the fucking controlling prick.

"I had every intention to just watch, but then this happened." She dismisses him, thankfully going to my good side, I tense as I force my arm over her shoulders and for once her touch isn't comforting as she holds me around my waist. She hasn't noticed a rip in my shirt or the blood. "Are you okay?"

I nod, and they all watch Hades and Thor as I close my eyes, forcing myself to heal. Hermes and Athena appear then, Hermes looking completely exhausted and as Athena sees Thor her mouth drops.

"Will you deliver him to Frigg?" Kara asks Athena, though it's less a question and more an order.

She's good at that tonight, and as she looks my way I can see the guilt in her eyes.

"Of course." Athena eagerly agrees and Hades helps her lift him as best they can, and they're gone.

Elise lets me go, drifting towards the others where Artemis is fussing over Hermes. I can still taste blood in the back of my throat, and now Elise isn't here I focus only on healing; the tingles adding further pain as it's not a quick fix. I force myself to keep breathing, the black spots back as I just hope everyone thinks I'm pissed off and leaves me be.

"We haven't done this in a long time, remember when we did it practically every week?" Artemis frowned, looking to Apollo and not so subtly towards me.

Without it, I never would have learnt what exactly my abilities were.

Or theirs.

"I remember," I didn't mean to answer, and I don't look at any of them either. I didn't need their belated sympathy, or to see the questions on their faces.

"Zeus enjoyed watching us fight for his favour. His Olympians were no different and we all suffered for it." Apollo mumbled so clearly there was a need for further explanation. "It made us stronger. We don't use our abilities how we used to anymore. I'm not saying this to be an asshole, but especially you Hermes. Did you even try to fight back?"

"Of course I did!" He snapped. "You know what Deimos can do, how do you stop that?"

Yes, and Hade's fists had nothing to do with that. Nice try, Hermes.

"The Furies are like that too, We have to fight better, be stronger." Artemis decided. "This isn't the time of peace we wanted, we've become complacent."

"Some of us have." Hermes sounded as if he agreed, yet he looked between me and Elise which really did just piss me off. "I agree, we need to prepare."

"Let's do that then." Kara sighs. "But not now. We'll meet tomorrow morning to discuss it further, and we'll need everyone on board."

I'm gone the second she stops talking, mostly because there is a lot I want to say and do that I can't be bothered actually doing right now. Elle is behind me, and before she can start asking me what was wrong or anything else she might say I go into the bathroom. It's getting better, the tingles are less painful now and only hurting in a good way that was easier to handle. I ditch my close and feel Elle's eyes on me as she gasps. Looking into the mirror, I catch her gaze but look away, the purple all over my arm and chest worse than I expected.

"Please let Apollo heal you." As if I'm going to fucking let that happen.

"No. I can heal myself." I go into the shower, breathing easier now.

"You don't have to, Cain this looks bad. Really bad." She frowns, joining me in an instant.

"Fucking hammer."

A tiny glimpse of a sad smile is on her face, but her eyes stay wide and concerned as she cautiously touches where his blade had hit. It hadn't been gold, the scar pink already and as she clears the blood off my skin, she says nothing as the mark disappears. I'm not sure if it's just water from the shower or tears that wet her face now. She kisses every part that hurts the most as if she knows everything I can't say and as we get into bed, it's hard to imagine this is the same girl that owned the arena.

Elle finds extra pillows, helping me without being asked and knowing what I need without a clue. Her hands are soft, gentle and as she touches my face I lean into her. I want to ask her, how and why she is here, what actually happened for this to be my life now. I want to tell her how incredible she was today, how proud I am, how much I fucking love her, but instead, I just pull the blanket up as she slides in beside me as if her body was made to fit so well against mine.

Did she know how today changed everything, again?

Artemis is feeling left out. I bet she's jealous and the one thing that has saved Elle so far in all of this is Artemis's loyalty to Apollo outranks anything else she may feel or want to say or do. It was cute when Apollo had Elise, she could ride the glory of knowing the God Killer, be her friend, someone she trusts. She's lost some of that privilege now. I may be her half-sibling, family, but I am not Apollo and that changes her position with Elise.

Hermes knows this too.

He's a survivor. What he lacks with his powers, he makes up for with brains. I know he is thinking what I am about Artemis and her decision that they all needed to train more to be better.  It's not about facing the Furies, it's about us.

It's about Blueberry.

I let myself get lost in the fantasy, and looking over at the rocking chair, I wanted to stay in it. The Furies and the Fates are just a sign of what's to come. Peace, whatever this is not going to be so easily won. Maybe if I had stayed dead, and we'd lived normally here as simply, Cain and Elise, we could have had that. Instead, the Fates and Furies will merely be replaced, again and again. We hadn't even told Ares about the baby yet, how will Kara decide to keep her authority when those around her start to plot against her - if they weren't already?

Elle is drawing circles on my chest, her leg sliding over mine as she inches ever closer into me and I'm not sure she even knows what she's doing. I want to get lost with her, pull up the blankets and create a new world, but it isn't that simple. Looking down at her, my heart hurts as I think about how important she is to me.

I love her.

"You were something today," I say quietly, she doesn't move as rest my chin on the top of her head. Everyone else is planning ahead now, so we have to as well. "We'll train together if you insist on doing it too, Kara. Deimos. Hades if he decides to join in. You can't, we can't do it together in front of everyone else. Your power is different to theirs, like Hades and mine. Kara's is different too, but not enough to notice."

I'd rather leave Kara out right now, Deimos too, but for now, I will be wary and see how things play out.

"What does it matter? We've fought together before." She hesitates, and I wonder if she has already worked it out too. "You held back, a lot today."

"I had to." I sigh. "As you do too. No one seems to remember just how powerful you were in that war and I don't want them to. Elle, you were destroying Berserkers on your own. When you did that, I expected an army behind you, but there was only Alfie."

"Why is that so bad? You encouraged it when I was the God Killer, it's how that whole damn thing started." She looks up at me expectantly, and yes, I was well aware of how it all started.

"The God Killer never had a baby with the Fallen One. It's not even about us, it's about him. Call me paranoid, but I'd bet anything those that know would have already questioned what powers he'll have."

"Art did," She admits, closing off a little as I feel her hand slip to hold her belly.

Fucking Artemis.

"Of course she did." But this was the reality and shifting slightly to look at her better, the last of my shoulder pain makes me cringe as I do so. "Some might try to take him, to raise as theirs and use his powers for their own benefit, and if it was not Kara on the throne, I'd guarantee we'd have a price on our heads by now."

"Exactly, with Kara in charge, aren't things different?" I hated how hopeful she sounded. I wish I could say what she wanted to hear, but I couldn't.

"No, because I was reminded today of how things are. There were no teams. It was me against them." I lay back down, leaving it at that.

"It's not just you anymore." It sounded like a promise I wanted her to keep, yet that damn Seer's painting jumped to the front of my mind and I tightened my arm around her, not sure what else to say.

I didn't deserve her, or any of this, but I really would burn the world down rather than give it up.

Elle moves, shifting her position so she's straddling my hips and carefully she leans down, kissing me while her hands slide up my chest as the bruises begin to fade away, just like the memory that wouldn't be as easily destroyed as the canvas it had been painted on.