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."