Cruel Laughter [Sequel To "Because He Lived."]

[Chapter 1] Insane

James was never sane. Maybe it used to seem like he was sane, but he never truly was. His parents had tried to hide it when they first saw the sings, and they did a pretty decent job. He used to laugh whenever another kid got hurt, or when anyone got hurt for that matter. While he was still a toddler and a young child, people had let it slide. When he was a teenager, not so much. 

Some people had thought that he had no control over it, but he did, at least when he was older. Whenever James saw anyone in pain, he couldn't help but crack a smile and laugh.  He found pleasure in other peoples pain. He was sadistic. What made it worse was the power that he was gifted by Feyeis. James found it cool, shooting beams of light out of his hands, and he used all the time. What else would a young child want? He didn't always use it for good things, though, but he used it a lot. Everyone wanted to help him, but no one really tried. It didn't matter anyway, he never wanted help. Even when his family had tried to get him help, I denied it. 

James's family had managed to keep his mental condition contained, for the most part. But with his family being a bunch of heroes, practically known across the whole Ru'aun region, and even part of Tu'la, it got kind of hard. Finally, he hurt someone, more than he had ever dared hurt someone before. He had killed them and ripped them from this world, and it was exhilarating. Then, somehow--one day--everyone knew he was insane. His secret got out, and it put the rest of his family under a lot of pressure.  They had a reputation to uphold and James wasn't helping

And that one day, it drove him to the edge. He was seventeen that day, he had turned seventeen three months prior. He attacked his own family, and just like the last time he found pure pleasure, pure bliss in it. He couldn't stop himself, and he'd tried, but in reality, he didn't want to. He wanted to feel the same thing he did when he had killed that man. 

In the attack, he didn't manage to kill anyone, but he had come extremely close. His mother, Aphmau, from what he had heard from after the attack, couldn't walk anymore. His father, Aaron, had lost one of his arms and got it replaced by something that one of the local witches had made. And his sister, Lilith, was the only one who had made it out in one piece. The only thing he had left her with was mental scars, but that was enough for him. Of course, he never knew for sure, all he had heard was rumors. He fled town as soon as he could, after the attack. The power that was meant for good, was used for evil. James had always wondered if Feyeis was watching over him, looking down at him in disappointment. James hoped he was, hoped he saw all of the destruction that he caused with his powers. 

Since the attack, James hadn't returned. He had lived his own way in the wilderness, far, far away from the town. The people in nearby towns feared him, he had a reputation, a bad reputation. He loved his reputation, loved being feared. People cowered at just the mention of his name now, and it was amazing. 

--

The only person James talked to now, was someone he considered a friend. He was in the same situation as James, insane, out of his mind. Arsen was the only person he could really trust. Or, whatever trust was in his twisted mind. 

James recalled what he had said when they first met, "We're not insane, Lycan. We're just the people that see the world for what it really is." James believed that. No one but them could really see what the world was like. 

After he met him for the first time, the two had stuck together. Wreaking havoc together. We had formed a bond with him that he thought he couldn't form with anyone else ever again. He was the only person in the world that he was willing to protect. Arsen was the closest anyone had gotten to him since the incident. They were practically inseparable. People had learned that if you saw one of them, the other was close by, and you should probably run. 

Now six years after the incident, or the "betrayal," as others had named it, He was living nicely. Insanity fits him well. 

Arsen and James shared a camp near the outskirts of the town of Scaleswind. Far from the gates, but not too far as to where it would take them forever to get back to civilization. They were living life like they wanted to. Free to be who they really were. Free to do what they liked. Free to hurt, to kill. 

One night, long after the sun had set, they sat around a small fire, talking about the day's adventures. The sky-blue sword from the other days kill, stood leaning up against the tree next to James. 

A trophy; he usually did that. Displayed his prizes. It showed the people what type of power he really had. 

"When I laughed, I got those looks. Like I always do," explained Arsen as he stared out into the fire. He tended to do that. He never focused on the person he was talking to. "I loved it, James. Those looks of horror. It makes me happy." 

James replied, "You're not alone." 

"Do you...," Arsen trailed off. "Do you ever think of what it would be like if you never were insane?"

The question caught James off guard. I had, more than once. James decided on an answer after a few minutes. "Sometimes. But I don't think that I would ever be as happy as I am now. Insanity and all." 

"Agreed." 

The rest of the night was filled with conversations about their most recent kills, and their most recent attacks. That's what it usually was, and James was okay with that. He was okay with not really having anyone. He was okay with having harmed my family. 

James was okay with being insane.

--

"I don't suffer from my insanity-- I enjoy every minute of it." - Sherrilyn Kenyon.