"Please little girl, go get the elder who was here the first time I came. Tell him I returned to help, before I die. My power and this world, they are not compatible."

"You came to help us Klaeb? You will be of no use to us if the simplest thing as this is enough to bring you to your knees. On the brink of death no less. how dramatic."

"Don't mock me little girl, I defeated Gollus and Melaidin with ease, I am strong now."

"Compared to Shaeg, they are nothing. You must be stronger if you hope to defeat him. And you cannot be stronger if you do not first overcome this obstacle."

"But how? Tell me, please, if you know. I don't want to die, not when I have so much to live for still."

"And we didn't want to be cast away from our home, but we were." Her voice was full of anger. "So tell me saviour, is this how a hero acts? Do you just give up at the first sign of difficulty? If so, you are no saviour at all, and we'll be better off when you're dead."

It was a cold hard slap in the face, and Klaeb was in no mood for that from a little girl. "Do not speak to me like that little girl, I am your savious, and I will be spoken to with respect." He glared at her, his blood coursing through his body furiously. He actually felt good again, but this did nt register on him. He was really angry now. And he jumped to his feet. "Damn you child, help me so I can make Shaeg pay for all of his evil acts. Help me or you are doomed. Don't you understand girl? Help me before it is too late!"

 

He returned to the same deserted place, with power, and a new sense of himself. He was ready to do what he could for them, only this time, he truly felt the misery that Shaeg had caused them, and saw it take place. He felt it all, and was brought to his knees.

"You are not like us, are you?" The hidden voice was young, and despite what she had gone through, being cast into a terrible state of being, she was not afraid of him, and had not lost her hope. "Please talk to me, I used to like talking to offworlders. I miss it."

Klaeb gritted his teeth, desperately trying to block out the shadow of an entire world's misery, and failing horribly. "Please little girl, I came back to help your people, but something is wrong this time, I feel the misery of your people, and it is killing me. Please, get your elders before it is too late."

"But what can I do, I am just a little girl."

She said it so sweetly, but Klaeb was chilled to the bone, struck by the irony of his own attitude when he had come here the first time.

Klaeb stood his ground, no fear in his face. Though just come into his power, he was sure in its use and simply waved his hand at Gollus, who froze in mid-leap. "You're out of your league now Gollus. Your power cannot stand against mine. The sooner you realize that, the sooner you...the sooner you will not suffer for your arrogance." And he sent him crashing through the wall.

"You call that man to man Klaeb? You pathetic wretch, power does not make you a man. You will never be a man, never."

Anger makes the smartest of us act irrationally, and it did the same to her, as she charged at Klaeb, despite the futility of such a choice.

But Klaeb restrained himself, and simply stopped her with a wave of his hand. "Oh Melaidin, you wound me so, save that the words of a small soul mean nothing to me." Though, he didn't let her off without some discomfort as he treated her like a yo-yo, putting her through the moves as if he had had his powers for years, and not minutes. "This is fun Melaidin, well, fun for me anyway, not so much for you."

Melaidin grimaced as she fought the dizziness from being spun around and around. "I'll make you pay for this Klaeb, this is not over yet."

Klaeb smiled and sent her flying into Gollus, knocking him down. "No, but it is over for now, you two are no challenge to me and I have more important tasks to attend to." He clutched the device, closing his hand over it and winking out of sight, but not without a parting shot. "Really Melaidin? What can you possibly do to me?"

 

"I would be happy for you both, if your happiness was not in the service of evil."

Gollus and Melaidin stared at him, dumbfounded, as he looked to be unhurt and not battered by a flury of Gollus' punches."But, but, I was beating you senseless. I had stopped your threat."

Klaeb smiled, and played with the device. "That is what I wanted you both to think, so I planted the scene of your victory in your heads. Convincing no?"

Gollus glared at him and leapt, his right arm already flexed in mid-punch.

 

 

They embraced hungrily, happy that Klaeb's uprising had been put to a swift end before they'd had to call for Shaeg, because that would have been meant nothing but trouble for them. "Mmm, dearest, we can't. There will be time for more later, once we are home. But now we must return our attentions to this wretch Klaeb. We will have to tell Shaeg about this."

Gollus looked away, he didn't want to look at her, not that she would blame him, because she wouldn't, but her eyes would give away her deepest thoughts. This was his fault, he had bid her to say, when she had wanted to check on him. "Yes Melaidin. And I will shouder the blame for this, as well I should. It is my fault that he gained his power, not enough to stop me, but any power, is too much for a patheic worm like him."

"We are both to blame Gollus. Yes my love, you asked me to stay, but I chose to stay. I will stand with you when Shaeg demands metes out his dreaded punishment. I will not allow you to face it alone. I love you Gollus, we will face this together."

Gollus stared at her, horrified at the thought of her going through Shaeg's cruel discipline for what he had caused. "No Melaidin, this is my burden to bear, I will not allow you to suffer for my mistake. Please, let me do this for the both of us. I can bear this far more easily than you can."

"But love, we are in this together. I will not let you suffer alone." And she hugged him close, not letting him go as he struggled to withdraw from her so he could look her in the eyes and show her how serious he was. "Shhh, we both have to answer for this."

He relaxed and stopped struggling against her. "No, darling, I alone must endure what is to come. Let me do this as a sign of my love for you. Please."

Melaidin stood up more slowly this time, further shooken up, as she was not normally sent crashing into walls, especially by an "inferior" man. But she smiled with delight as Gollus was taking care of the upstart with no trouble. "Yes beloved, bash the arrogance out of him, and we will take him back to Shaeg without any further delay."

"No worries beloved, his newly discovered mental abilities are no match for my relentless assault. He is no threat now."

And true to his word, he was relentless, giving Klaeb no chance to even think of striking back. Clearly, he was overmatched, and Gollus had beaten him. Well, it wasn't like he was any kind of hero. 

 

Gollus' reply to her was unusually curt. "I am trying Melaidin, but I can't move a muscle."

"No Gollus, you can't, and that makes it very easy for me to do this." He casually floated through the air and brought his elbow down on top of his head. Cracking it loudly. A good solid blow, that should have made him wince at least, but with his control of his mind, pain was not an issue anymore. But Gollus, oh he felt that."Man to man Gollus? Are you sure you want that now?"

Gollus shook his head and glared at Klaeb, who just floated there, mockingly. "Brave Klaeb, striking me when I can't strike you back? Does it make you feel like a man? let me free, and we'll see how long your smugness lasts fool."

"Yes Klaeb, you pathetic little man, take Gollus on like a real man."

Klaeb ignored her, and dismissed her with a wave of his hand, not even watching as she was quickly flung against the wall. "Like how you beat on me Gollus, when I couldn't even offer up the slightest challenge? Or is that completely different? You are a big man, but maybe the cost of your size..." He laughed at the thought. "Oh poor dumb Gollus, I will enjoy humbling you."

"Let me go Klaeb, and I'll give you your chance to prove yourself, little man." And this time, it was Gollus who laughed. "I have my woman, I have nothing to prove in that area fool."

Melaidin stumbled to hjer feet, shooken up from hitting the wall, but anger motivated her. And Klaeb's attentions were focused on Gollus. She gathered herself and quietly inched closer to him.

"I'll let you go when I am good and ready Gollus, I am in charge now, not you. Or Meladin."

He turned his head, and met a flying kick that shook his concentration and sent him crashing to the floor. Melaidin landed on top of him and began wailing away on him. Shouting at Gollus as she did. "Hurry darling, before he..."

But she was no match for Klaeb as he recovered and sent her back to the wall, a little more heavily this time. "There, a nice try Melaidin, but not good enough."

Gollus was a match for him though, and he barrelled into Klaeb like a truck and sent him flying, again and again, not pausing or thinking, just doing. Not giving Klaeb a chance to catch his breath. He had the edge in abilities, but Gollus had the experience, and the motivation to flatten Klaeb, if for nothing else than for hurting his woman. 

 

 

 

"We both know this Gollus? Do not speak as to what I know, especially now, that I am so clearly different than I was before." Was he being foolish, with his boasts, telling them something they should have to figure out for themselves? He knew he was, but he didn't care. He wanted to get back at Gollus and make him pay for his beating him. "As for tricks Gollus, no tricks, just my power against yours, unless you are suddenly afraid of me?"

"I am not afraid of you Klaeb, never. Nothing could have changed so much to make me afraid of you. You will always be weak and pathetic, how you held onto your wife as long as you did makes no sense at all to me."

"Shut up love, he is not the same man, look at his eyes. They are different, there is a determionation there. Do not disregard it dearest."

"His listening to you would not have changed..." He smiled, more to himself, than either of them, as they surely didn't want anything to do with him smiling. "Forgive me, his listening to you before, that would have changed everything. But it is too late for that. I have power now, and I am going to use it."

She shot Klaeb a dark look, then smiled as she snuck a peek at Gollus, who was unexpectedly still. "What are you waiting for Gollus, knock that smugness off his blasted face."

 

 

 

Klaeb opened his eyes, and couldn't resist a smile, just because he felt more powerful than ever before. He had lost his fear of Gollus, and what threat Melaidin had posed before was gone with his emerging power. "Then do it Gollus. I am just me after all, what threat am I to you?"

"No threat at all you pathetic fool." Gollus knelt down and roughly picked Klaeb off the floor and held him there, at arm's length. "Oh how I wish I could just end your life Klaeb. I would so enjoy snapping your neck, nothing could please me more at this moment. But Shaeg wants you alive, and I am not about to face his wrath to kill you. But your day will come soon, and I only  pray that Shaeg sees fit to grant me that pleasure."

"If wishes were horses Gollus..."

As Gollus reared back his fist, to pound on Klaeb, Melaidin grabbed hold of him. "No Gollus, he is baiting you, and thaere is no way he should be so confident, almost arrogant. Something has happened to that wretched fool since we left him alone."

"Maybe Melaidin, or maybe I just don't care anymore. Did you consider that?"

Melaidin smiled. "No Klaeb, you have changed, I can see the difference in your eyes, there is a fire there that wasn't there before. And a fire in someone with nothing to lose is a dangerous thing. But how? It makes no sense."

Klaeb couldn't help himself though. He smirked. "Oh, it is a real puzzler isn't it Melaidin? And if it is puzzling your brain, then there is no question that it is beyond Gollus' meagre intellect."

Gollus' reply was inelegant to be sure, but effective, as he laid into him with a hard blow to the stomach, and a quick grab of the device. "Fool, your eyes, they gave you away in that little moment, when you were so cocksure of yourself. So don't think me too slow. I am not the idiot you think I am." And he punched him again, this time connecting with a devastating uppercut to the chin. "Laugh that off Klaeb, if you can."

Melaidn wailed on Gollus ineffectually, fearing he would kill Klaeb, and face the fury of Shaeg's brutal punishment. Stop it love, despite the changes, he is still too weak to sustain many of your blows. I don't want to lose you because of Klaeb's woefully weak body."

Meant to plunge Klaeb into unconsciousness, it only shook him up. "Oh, that is really touching. Love amongst the servants of evil. You'll have to do better than that Gollus, I have changed, and I am a more than a match for you now. For the both of you actually." He blinked, and suddenly, he was free of Gollus' grip, and ready to fight them both. "Or do you disagree in the face of my power?"

Gollus glared at him. "You haven't proven anything yet Klaeb. And you won't with mere tricks. You have to beat me man to man fool. And we both know you can't."

 

He woke to pain, as unbearable as it had been before, before he traveled to that dead world. And discovered just how dire things really were. Only this time, he knew he was in control. Pain of the mind, was not fearsome if one did not let it be so. So first, he ignored it, then he made it his own, breaking it down and absorbing it like energy. The longer they left him here, to "writhe" in agony, the stronger he was going to get.And they were foolish enough to think only of themselves. And give him a chance against Shaeg, though the odds were still bad.

"Oh fine, I'll take a look at him, just to make sure he isn't dead."

"Dead, no way is he dead, it is programmed to shut off before reaching critical pain levels. But we did leave him unattended for too long. Please love, we cannot fail like this."

"You worry too much Melaidin. He is merely unconscious." Gollus' cocky grin faded as he saw a glimpse of a smile on Klaeb's face. "Melaidin, get in here, something is wrong. I just saw the fool smiling."

Melaidin dashed into the room, dressing as she did so. "I knew we had left him to suffer too long. But I listened to you, and...smiling? Why would he smile? The pain should have driven him into unconsciousness."

"But he is smiling, this is all wrong Melaidin."

"Get up Klaeb, we know you are not lost in unconsciousness. Get up or Gollus will get you up forcefully."

 

He wandered through the empty building first, bearing witness to some terrible tragedy that had befallen a vibrant people,as evidenced by their literature, their archictecture, their everything, as he was able to access their library. He was scared to wander further, but he felt a need to know, Something about them drew him in. They were gone, but their memories lingered. They haunted their world. Not a menace to him, but a restless anger demanding vengeance.

"This was not a natural thing Klaeb Daruun, and you have met the maker of our demise, and he will do the same to your world if you do not stop him."

He spun around and around, looking in vain for the..spirit that spoke. But there was no visual manifestation. He would have preferred that. It would seem more real that way. "Come out and show yourself spirit. Please."

"No, we will not show ourselves, not while he is still a threat to us. Reaching out to you is risky enough as it is Klaeb, we will not risk any further."

"You are dead, your race is extinct. How can he be a threat now?"

"We are not dead Klaeb, just evicted from the realm of the physical. Oh, he killed many of us, thousands of our bravest fell before him, but he wanted witnesses to his "greatness" so he let us "live", but made sure we could never be happy like we were before, by sending us to this place. And he will do the same to your people. You must stop him now, once and for all, Or he will continue to lay waste to every world he touches. Who knows where he will stop."

"And you want me to stop him? I can't even keep my beloved. How do you expect me to defeat him? Tell me that spirit."

"Did your beloved once love you dearly? Did it slowly change?"

"It did. And I could do nothing to make it good like it had been before."

"He did that Klaeb, Shaeg takes a woman from each world's people, a trophy if you will."

"Each world?"

"Yes Klaeb, ours is not the first, and yours will not be the last unless you stop him."

"But why me? Why can't someone else stop him? I am not the man to do it."

"He always knows who to pick. he always picks the weak. Perhaps someone from the next world will rise to the challenge. You should go then. Your presence here disgusts us."

"But I don't know how to go, and I want to see more of your world. Tell me more about it."

"No! Leave us now!"

And they sent him away, violently casting him away from their world on a wave of righteous anger

And poor Klaeb could only bear the pain, again, of that wicked device, as Melaidin and Gollus went into the other room to be alone.

This time though, he was left unattended, and the pain continued, getting worse and worse, driving his mind to places it had never been. Places he had never considered. Places beyond this anguish, and soon, he felt himself drifting out of his body to somewhere else. Somewhere better, as it was away from Shaeg.

Time and awareness lost all meaning as he drifted from the known into the unknown, retrieving his awareness like a fallen hat, which he happily returned to his head. He quickly scanned his surroundings. And was discouraged as he felt the emptiness of misery that scarred this place, a place that had once been beautiful and free. He wandered freely, as he pondered his totally unfamiliar state of being. He was not miserable, he actually felt happy, truly so for the first time in...months. It's a pity that it had taken such a dire turn of events to give him this opportunity to know happiness again. 

 

He picked him up by the shirt and casually pitched him to the floor, smiling as Klaeb landed awkwardly. "Get up Klaeb, I want to beat you some more, for having the nerve to lay a hand on my woman."

Klaeb stirred and pushed himself to his elbows, then stood up shakily, ready to fall down, but turned around to face Gollus. "She's a woman, but she's no lady. You two make the perfect pair."

"Insolent fool." Further enraged, he charged him and hammered him with a bl;ow across the face, catching him as he fell. Then, holding him up with one hand, he slapped him repeatedly with the other. Quick violent slaps. "Hah! I'll slap you bloody and battered Klaeb, your mother won't recognize you when I am done with you."

Lost in his anger and loathing of Klaeb, he didn't notice when Melaidin roused herself and flung herself at him. "Stop it before you kill him my love." She brought down her arm hard on his hand, jarring Klaeb loose from Gollus' grip. She flung her arm out and slowed his tumble to the floor so his head did not crash to the floor...again. Safely on the floor, she slapped the device on him and turned her attentions back to Gollus.

But Gollus was furious and he wasn't about to take anything from her then. "How could you do tha to me? He was in no danger Melaidin. I was merely slapping him!"

"I know you, you did more than just that, and this fool is so pathetically weak, that I could kill him easily, and I am no warrior. You have to think with your head love, it is not always brawn that wins a fight. Please love, i don't want you to suffer at Shaeg's hands. I love you, and I don't want to lose you because of a puny fool like Klaeb."

Gollus' fury faded slowly, as her anger gave way to a welcoming smile. "Melaidin, I...I love you too my dear."

She smiled. "But you wish I would not make you feel dumb? I know, I'm sorry, but I did not have the time to let you figure it out anymore."

Gollus gritted his teeth, but breathed in deeply, instead of saying anything. "Woman, you try my patience." It started as an angry reply, but softened. "Thank you love."

"You're welcome love."

"Oh Gollus, please be careful with this fool. He is liable to die if you do much to him."

His face softened as he smiled at her with real love. "Yes Melaidin, he is quite soft and pathetic. Shaeg chose well when he chose Klaeb as his plaything. Hmm, I want to punish him myself, but...I have no wish to expeience Shaeg's discipline. What can we do?" He began pacing, tapping his forehead in frustration as he racked his brain to figure out the best means of doing Shaeg's bidding.

Melaidin merely smiled to herself as she fingered the device that had already inflicted pain on Klaeb. She was hoping that Gollus would figure it out without her pointing out the obvious. He was more than just a big oxe, all he needed was small encouargements to think things through.

Klaeb saw this, and shuddered inwardly, he almost preferred the physical beating that Gollus would put him through than to feel the pain of that unholy device. A thopught occured to him, and despite the chances of success, he acted with but a hint of hesitation.

So confident in his broken spirit, they had not bothered to restrain him, and merely left him in plain view. After all, they knew Melaidin alone could take him. But he had surprise on his side and he tackled Melaidin hard as she tried in vain to suggest, without actually suggesting, just how thy could punish Klaeb, while enjoying themselves.

He drove her forward then brought his weight down and she took the brunt of their awkward tumble. She groaned and lay still. He stood up slowly and watched as Gollus came down on him with a hard elbow to the shoulder, cracking it loudly.

"I so want to do more damage to you Klaeb, but I am no fool. Shaeg wants you alive, so you will stay alive, you just won't be so recognizeable. And I can do it without killing you, despite Melaidin's fears. I thought of breaking your nose, but you are so puny, I may well have killed you instead. So be thankful that I am not the idiot you take me for."

"I don't know you Gollus, and have not decided just what you are, except that I don't like you. But can you blame me? You're beating on me for no reason. I have done nothing to you, let me go."

"You are the master's plaything Klaeb and I do not let the master's playthings just wander off. You are staying, and I will punish you as Shaeg wishes."

He did not feel like it, but he laughed anyway, adn grimaced as he felt hisshoulder.

"Do not laugh at me Klaeb, I am your better, respect me fool."

"Better to laugh then cry Gollus."

"No. far better for you to die Klaeb, only Shaeg wants you alive, so you will merely suffer." And he was true to his word as he somersaulted over Klaeb's head and landed behind him, twisting around to deliver two sharp blows to the kidneys. He followed that up with a couple hard kick to both knees and laughed as Klaeb crashed to the floor. "Like this Klaeb, but this is only the beginning. This will be fun, for me that is, but not for you."

 

"May I ask now what your plan is for him master Shaeg? I am so curious as to why you chose such a weak excuse for a man. Please, do not take this as me questioning your wisdom or your vision Mighty Shaeg, never would I do that. I am merely curious."

"Still your tongue Gaiel, I have no wish to confide my plan in you. I am, as you so frequently point out, your master. Do well to respect that with silence on matters of your curiousity. I trust you understand me."

She looked down, to hide the flicker of resentment that flashed across her mind. "Of course master Shaeg. Please forgive my curiousity, I will keep such questions to myself from now on."

"You can do better than that Gaiel, you can just focus on your duties to me, and leave everything else to me. You will be much happier that way."

"Yes Shaeg."

"Are you not curious to know why I chose to torment you, when I could have chosen anyon else? I could have chosen a real man for one thing. They are so much more fun to break than a pathetic excuse like you."

"It doesn't matter Shaeg, you have chosen me, and I cannot change that. I just have to endure it as long as you keep me."

"And why do you think I would let you go? You are mine Klaeb, and I am ever reluctant to part with my things."

"But I am not a real man, you have all said that in your way, surely you will tire of me."

Shaeg glowered at Klaeb then lunged at him, picking Klaeb up by the collar, "Do not presume to tell me what I will do you spineless excuse for a man." He shook him and dropped him on the hard floor.

"I.."

"Do not speak Klaeb, I did not give you permission to speak. Take him away and punish him appropriately Gollus, but he must remain alive." he pauesd a moment, deep in thought. "Melaidin, go with him and make sure that Klaeb survives."

"Of course Shaeg. We will not let you down."

"As you wish master, Gollus can be gentle enough when he has to be."

He did not look at them, but they knew he was not pleased by the way he stared out the window. "See that he is or I will admnsiter my own punishment to the both of you."
 

Shaeg

"Enough my love, let him find out for himself just what we mean. His imagination is sure to fill in the odd thing, and that is much crueler a punishment than we can put him through."

She looked at him unconvinced, she wanted her pound of flesh. And now was the perfect time. "But baby, why are we going easy on him when we could hurt him just enough, that Shaeg would not mind our playing eith his toy thing."

"Shhhh Melaaidin, don't say that, Shaeg will hear you, and I do not want you to become his latest subject of discipline. Please dearest. Pray he did not hear you."

There was a sudden unpleasant odour, that slowly pemeated the room, touching everything, including themselves. But it quickly coalesced into human shape. "Hello Klaeb, it is a pleasure to finally meet you."

"Well, the pleasure is not mine Shaeg, I want you to leave me alone, and do it now! I just want to go home."

"You are in no position to even beg Klaeb. So you" follow what I mean?"

Klaeb wanted to say somethign more, or even better, do somthing more, but he was no fighter, It was Shaeg who had all the power. "Yes Shaeg, I will be no more trouble to you."

"Good, I will make your life bad enough as it is without doing something to you now."

 

 

 

Helpless To Change Your Fate

"No Klaeb, there was no escape, once Shaeg decided you were to be his...plaything, your fate was sealed. And it would have been worse if you had made us come for you. So be thabnkful your curiousity led you here."

"How did you know what I was thinking Gaiel? Your gifts cannot be that impressive."

"Oh but they are now Klaeb. His discipline is severe, but he bestows great gifts to those who serve him."

"And when do I meet this awful master? Surely he's not afraid of me? I am not even..."A real man"

"Fool, to even whisper a challenge to his mastery is utter suicide. For you to do it, is the demand of purest agony."

"Well, it cannot get that much worse Gollus, so I will not take back my "challenge" to your dread master."

"Not much worse? Oh please Klaeb, you really do deserve what is about to befall you."

Melaidin sneered at him and idly trailed her finger down Gollus' chest.

 

A Hint of Agony

"Who is Shaeg? Tell me Gaiel, i demand to know. You owe me that, i have been coming here for years. I even thought we were friends. I guess I was wrong about that."

"Shut up fool, you are in no position to demand anything" Gollus slapped him hard across the face, and scowled at him. "Mind your place Klaeb. You aswer to Gaiel, and we answer to Shaeg. And rest assured, Gaiel wants you to be quiet."

"Well, Gaiel said it herself Gollus, I am needed alive, so just what are you going to do to me to keep me quiet? You're not smart enough to damage me without killing me. You're just stupid muscle. So I will talk all I want."

"No, you won't. And don't speak like that to my man Klaeb. You will show him the respect he deserves. Unlike you, he is a real man, and more than just muscle." She said it with such anger and venom, that he was shocked that he had ever thought she was sweet.He looked at her for only a second, but that was enough. She lunged at him and pulled something from her pocket, then plunged it deep into his spine."You will shut up now Klaeb, even you are not stupid enough to offer up any further resistance after feeling this."

Klaeb cried out in agony, but no sound emerged, even though his mouth was wide open. All he knew was pain, and that he was desperate for it to end.He felt flaming hot and ice cold in different parts of his body. He could barely think, he was ready to pass out when fortunately, she pulled it out of him.

"Yes, fine, you have both had your little amusements. Now, leave him alone, before Shaeg deals with us all, in a far worse manner. I have no desire to feel his "tender mercies" again. I trust you both feel the same way."

Both Gollus and Melaidin shook their heads vigourously. They wanted no part of Shaeg's wrath. But that moment of awful fear passed and Melaidin smiled at Gollus, as she licked the awful implement. Klaeb shivered, and wished he had left when he had the chance. 

 

No Contest

"Gollus, I don't care that you tower over me, or that you are so much stronger, I am going to make such a ruckus out here, that Gaiel will have no choice but to come out here and see what is the matter."

"Oh please Klaeb, just go away before Gollus breaks you. I am anxious to see him beat you to pulp, but I am in a forgiving mood this second, take advantage of it and leave now. Don't and Gollus will beat you badly."

"Melaidin is quite right Klaeb, and you know it too. I am going to do serious damage to you. Be smart and go home now. I don't need to hurt you to know that I can. Save yourself the agony of a long recovery."

Klaeb gritted his teeth, and pounded the broken piece of lumber into his hand. "I'm not leaving without seeing Gaiel. ANd we both know you will not really hurt me."

"Why do you say that fool? Who are you? No one would miss you if you died.And who knows, maybe that is exactly what will happen to you if you take one more step forward."

"Just one step forward Melaidin?" He scowled at her, then did take just one more step forward. "Like that?"

Gollus flexed his musles and cracked his knuckles, clearly seething in anger. "You do not talk that way to my woman Klaeb.And unlike you, I am a man because my woman did not tire of me."

"Oh you know it hun.Yours, now and always.Now go and deal with this sad excuse for a man."

"I surely will Melaidin. He is about to know real pain."

"are you going to talk about it? Or are you going to actually do something?"

Gollus snorted. "Oh anxious for this are you? Such a fool Klaeb."

He charged full ahead at Klaeb, not even stopping as Klaeb gave him a solid thwack in the chest with his lumber. Picked up in Gollus' arms, they crashed through the door. Klaeb bore the brunt of that and was dazed senseless. Gollus smiled and preceded to beat him with his own fists. "Hah, beaten bloody by your own weak hands. How delicious an insult to put upon you."

"That is enough Gollus, We don't actually want him dead. Injured will suffice thank you."

Gollus stopped. And sighed. "Oh fine Gaiel, I will let him be. He will know he was battered by me with not even a hint of difficulty, that is enough for me."

"I am glad to hear it Gollus, and Shaeg is not to be trifled with. I would hate to lose you because he saw fit to discipline you as he is wont to do."

Foolish Klaeb

The door flys open, and a determined looking Klaeb stands there with with a broken piece of lumber in his hand. He waves it ominously. "Yes, you're bigger than me, and can take me with no problem at all, but I'm not just going to give up with out a fight okay. I am not just going to be ignored like a damn fool."

"Oh you little fool, such the idiot, I am going to enjoy beating on you until you do not rise again, well, rise without laying there for a really long time."

"You tell him love, He has walked in here thse past few times, just reeking of happiness he had no right to. Give him a lesson he won't soon forget."

Interlude

"Klaeb is a damn fool, taking me on. I would be too much for him if I was on my death bed, let alone when I am in the pink of health."

Mel smiled and played with her hair. "Oh yes, you certainly are my dear."

He smiled back. "Well, modesty forbids me from going into too great detail."

"Don't be modest on my account. I enjoy it when you are frank with me hun."

"Hmm, later, when we're not at work. Tonight maybe?"

"Yes, tonight would be perfect."

 

 

Unto The Wall

"Gaiel, Come out here now. I want answers, and you are going to give them to me!"

"As I told you sir, Lady Gaiel is busy and cannot be disturbed. And she has no availabilities in her schedule the rest of the day."

"Sir? I've been coming here for five years, and you have seen me here before. You know exactly who I am Melaidin."

"Okay sir, I am going to have to ask you to leave. You are dangerously angry, and Lady Gaiel does not like the energy that such anger gives off. It disrupts her concentration. And that is not fair to her valued clients."

"I am one of her valued clients you little fool. Now, don't try and stop me, I am going to speak to her."

"No, you will leave now, and when you are calmer, Lady Gaiel will contact you."

"I am not afraid of you Gollus. And even if I was, I am mad enough to not care at all. So get out of my way, I am going to talk to Gaiel now"

Gollus towered over Klaeb, and had bulging muscles as well. He was a force. Klaeb was anything but. Klaeb was about to get pummeled.And yet, he did not care. He wanted answers in the worst way.

He glared at Gollus, who simply smirked back.That was it for Klaeb. He charged as hard as he could, hoping to gain his way past Gollus. He failed. Gollus elbowed Klaeb in the head and watched as he dropped to the floor. Satisfied it was over, he picked him up and escorted him to the door, then threw him out.

 

 

 

Gaiel

Gaiel was gifted. She was no fraud. She had proven herself over the years time and time again.Why she should be so wrong now, made no sense. He had wanted Laeran so badly, and doubted his being able to win her. And when Gaiel told him she would love him forever...He was ecstatic. And it had been so good in the beginning. He had thought it would last. But something changed and now, it was over. Gaiel had some explaining to do.

 

 

 

Alone

He stood at the window, watching the rain fall, hard and cold, this kind of rain was always cold. He was glad to be out of it, but being in it would have taken his mind away from this empty numbness he felt.

She was gone, and he was alone. She had actually fallen out of love with him. It had happened to him before, but this was not supposed to happen with her. His almost perfect match. Gaiel had told him so herself. And Gaiel was uncannily correct with her visions. She had promised him a lifetime of joy. This was not a lifetime, and his joy had disappeared months before. He needed to talk with her, and rain or no rain, he was going to talk with her this very day.

Parted

She went into her closet upstairs, and finally took out the suitcase she had packed for this very day. Then, gathered the last few things she needed, and slowly walked downstairs."Good bye Klaeb." She stared at him for a minute, unsure of what to do now that the moment was finally here.

"What?"

"Shh Klaeb." But then she knew, and placed her finger on his lips before she kissed him quickly. "Closure, one last kiss, becuase I will always care about you Klaeb...I just can't live with you anymore."

"I get that Laeran. Now don't tarry please, just go."

She smiled wanly, and left without another word.

 

Still Parting

"Do you think I don't know that Klaeb? Do you think I didn't agonize about this for months? I wanted to be your wife for the rest of our days, but I just can't. I fell out of love with you. And I refuse to feel bad for the rest of my life."

"You fell out of love with me? What did I do wrong Laeran? I hjave been nothing but a good man since we have been together. I am exactly the kind of man a lot of women would love to be with. And yet, you're telling me no, not anymore? This makes no sense Laeran. And I deserve a better answer than "I fell out of love." And I want it now."

"That is all the answer you're going to get Klaeb. You are not the boss of me, I am my own woman, dear. I am sorry that it is over, but I am not going to stand here and defend my own heart. We are over. Let me go with some dignity Klaeb. This is bad enough as it is."

A dignified breakup? Damn you woman, what of our vows, the vows we both spent so much time writing together? They were supposed to mean something lasting. We bopth spoke of our enduring love. This is not enduring."

"I changed Klaeb, and I am sorry, but please, let me go now."

"As if I could stop you Laeran."

"You know what I mean Klaeb. Please, for what we had, when it was good, it was very good."

She looked at him, and her gaze was more than he could bear. He looked away and fought back his tears.

"Go. Just go, let me be here alone."

Her voice barely rose above a whisper. "Thank you Klaeb."

 

 

Parting

"Well, I am so sorry that I made it so bad for you my dear. And here I thought I was doing as good as I could for you."

"Don't make this any harder than it has to be Klaeb. Let us part on friendly terms at least."

"No, I don't want that. You have to understand this hurts me dear."

Klaeb/Laeran

Klaeb knew before she told him. And truth be told, he wasn't surprised in the least.Something had been bothering Laeran for months. In fact, it was a relief to finally have it said. Their union was over. He didn't want this, but she did, and there could be no union if she did not want one. "And this is what your heart truly wants my dear? The end of us?"

She had the courtesy to at least look sad.

"Yes Klaeb, it is. And I am so sorry it has come to this, but I just don't love you anymore."

"And how do you want me to react to this my dear Laeran? I still love you very much. This is not fair to me! I demand to know why it has come to this. You owe me that much."

"Such passion, such desire, dear Klaeb, where was this fire when it would have helped? It is far too late to save "us" now. So, please, save yourself the aggravation and just accept it. I haven't loved you for months. I just didn't know how to tell you."

"Well, you have certainly figured out how."

"I truly am sorry Klaeb, but I could not bear to live like this any longer."