the man screamed.

"You thought to defy me," snarled Tom Joebob. "You thought to turn them against me, to steal rule for yourself. Well. Now you pay the price for your defiance."

He turned the machine on once more, more powerful than ever. Rage and hate and pleasure blended together inside of him as he watched his enemy suffer.

And then- Ralvan began to laugh. Just a chuckle at first, so quick Tom might have missed it. Then a giggle, his chest spasming slightly. Finally a long, drawn out, maniacal cackle. It was a laugh of fury and malice and joy- and Tom Joebob realized with a shock that it paralleled his emotions exactly.

With some desperation he reactivated the machine, pouring more and more power into it until it could take no more. But no matter what he did, Ralvan would not stop laughing.

"Fool," spat Ralvan at last, his mouth twisted into a mockery of a grin. "I do not fear pain. I do not fear Death. I do not fear anything." His eyes glinted with hate. "Unlike you. So full of fear. No matter how many times you give it up, you always find your way back to it." His eyes glinted with malice. "Tell me, Tom Joebob. Where are your family? Your friends? Your subjects? You thought yourself so clever, hiding them away. Pushing them away."

"Safe," snarled Tom Joebob, but his heart had begun to tremble. "Safe from your lies. They would never betray me."

At this, Ralvan devolved once more into laughter, until it seemed he could no longer breath.

"Indeed," he replied, his face alive with hateful glee. "They never will."

Tom's heart stopped. Surely he couldn't mean... no. That was impossible. It was impossible. He fled the cavern, Ralvan's laughter chasing after