The Devil's Laughter

The moment Selena fell, the world went silent in Ravien's mind.

The crowd still roared. The city-like arena still pulsed with the heat of battle. Blood still stained the cracked stone beneath his boots. But none of it mattered. None of it existed not right now.

All that existed was the dagger-wielding bastard in front of him and the blood dripping from the blade that had been meant for him.

Selena coughed, clutching her side, trying to push herself up. She was bleeding but it seemed like she could survive if he just ended this quickly enough, she tried getting up to some stairs but couldn't she trembled and was in big pain. He needed to end this bastard fast and he knew it. Ravien saw the pain twist her features, saw the way her body trembled. And something inside him snapped.

The smirk that had once been on his lips was gone.For the first time, he wasn't playing.

The dagger-wielder sensed the shift. His stance adjusted, muscles tensing as his eyes flickered with something close to caution. "Should've stayed out of the way," he muttered, nodding toward Selena. "She made her choice."

Ravien chuckled. It wasn't amused. It wasn't lighthearted. It was empty."Yeah," he murmured. "She did."And then he moved. Faster than before. Faster than his opponent could react.

A blade met steel in a violent clash, but this time Ravien didn't dodge, didn't dance around his enemy like he usually did. He forced the dagger-wielder back with raw, merciless strength, striking again and again. Each attack pushed him further into defense.

There was no teasing. No snide remarks. No laughter.Just rage.The dagger-wielder gritted his teeth, blocking another strike before retaliating. He slashed at Ravien's ribs, but Ravien twisted, the blade barely grazing him. His hand shot forward, grabbing the man's wrist

Snap.

A scream tore through the air as the dagger-wielder's wrist bent in the wrong direction, the weapon clattering to the ground. Ravien didn't let go. His grip only tightened.

The opponent gasped, eyes wide, body trembling from the pain. "Y-you-"Ravien yanked him forward, their faces inches apart."You think this is funny?" Ravien whispered, voice eerily soft. "You think this is a game?"His opponent grunted, trying to break free. But Ravien was stronger. His fingers curled tighter, bone grinding against bone.His lips parted, and finally, he laughed.

But it wasn't the usual laugh. Not the mocking, arrogant sound he always threw around in fights. This one was different. Hollow. And as he laughed, flashes of his past flickered in his mind, unbidden, unwanted.

"You're such a freak."Ravien had been eight when he first heard those words.He didn't understand at first. He had only been playing and like every other kid he seeked attention and acknowledgement, doing what he always did mimicking others, cracking jokes, trying to fit in. But the laughter that followed wasn't with him. It was at him."You always smile too much. It's creepy."He had looked at them, the group of kids huddled together, whispering, pointing, laughing. His fingers had curled into his palms. He had forced himself to smile anyway.Because smiling meant they couldn't see the way their words hurt.

He had learned, over time, that if they wanted a monster, he'd give them one.

If they laughed at him, he'd laugh harder.

If they called him cruel, he'd be worse.

If they thought he was heartless. Then he'd make sure there wasn't a single part of him left to feel. He wouls erase every single emotion from his system except Ego and Laughter but not happiness, he infact didnt know what truly that was so he didnt't want to keep it when he burnt down every piece of emotion he had in his body up to that point.

Back in the arena, the dagger-wielder tried to attack with his remaining hand, but Ravien was already moving. He let go of the broken wrist only to drive his elbow straight into the man's face.

Crack.

Blood splattered from his nose. He staggered back, gasping, but Ravien didn't stop. He was relentless, ruthless, a force that couldn't be reasoned with. He slashed, kicked, punched anything to make him suffer. Because if Ravien had to be hurt,broken or in pain, then so did everyone else.

His opponent stumbled, barely standing. His body was shaking, blood dripping from multiple wounds. Yet somehow, even with his shattered wrist, even with his battered body, he laughed. A weak, broken chuckle. "You think you're different from me?" he rasped. "You're just like me, Ravien." Ravien froze. His grip tightened on his blade. "…What did you say?"

The man lifted his head, a bloody grin stretching across his face. "You think you're the villain because it's easier, don't you? You think if you play the part long enough, it won't hurt anymore."

His smile widened, teeth stained red. "But we both know that's a lie."The world blurred. His own laughter rang in his ears but whose was it? His, or theirs?

Ravien growled, shaking his head, forcing himself to focus. "Shut up." The man took a step forward. "Why? Because I'm right?" Ravien's blade trembled. The dagger-wielder chuckled, though it was weak. "Tell me when did you start pretending? When did you decide that if you were going to be the joke, you might as well laugh with them?"

He lifted his gaze, eyes meeting Ravien's. "Who hurt you first?"Something snapped. Ravien lunged, and the world exploded in white.

Pain surged through him. Not physical, but something worse. It clawed at his mind, at his very being, tearing through his thoughts like sharp nails on fragile fabric.

Memories.

His knees hit the ground. His vision blurred. He gasped, but no air filled his lungs.

The laughter his own laughter echoed all around him, drowning out everything else. His opponent stood over him, bloodied and broken, but victorious."You can't hide forever, Ravien." And then, as the world dimmed.

The dagger came down.