Legacy's Wake

Bellatrix stood before them, her expression lively, almost gleeful.

"I had planned to keep the game going a little longer, to watch you stumble and fall into my trap, just another set of prisoners for my amusement. But, alas, you've caught me in the act. Now, it's time to face the consequences."

Her smile twisted, a malicious spark in her eyes as the air thickened with tension. "How entertaining you've been, but all good things must come to an end, don't they? I must admit, your persistence was... impressive. But now, you'll see just how deep the rabbit hole goes. My master's game is not one that can be won by mere mortals."

She snapped her fingers, and the flickering lights above them dimmed, casting long, eerie shadows on the prison walls. The temperature dropped, sending an icy chill through the air. With a tilt of her head, she laughed softly, the sound almost playful, yet laced with danger.

"Welcome to my stage, darling. And you—" she pointed directly at Joker, "—shall be the first to perform. I do hope you don't disappoint."

As she spoke, the walls seemed to pulse, the steel bars of the prison vibrating with an ominous hum. Bellatrix raised her hands, her jester's bells ringing in tune with the escalating tension. "Let's see how long you last in my little theater of despair."

The air crackled with energy, and Joker could feel the weight of her power pressing down on him. He glanced at Elliott, who was already stepping into a defensive stance, electricity sparking from his fingers. Bellatrix was far more than the playful façade she had first presented.

Joker, keeping his stance steady, let his sharp gaze sweep over Bellatrix. "I should've pieced this together much sooner," he muttered, his tone laced with frustration. "We've been caught in your web since the moment we crossed paths."

Bellatrix chuckled softly, her laughter carrying a mocking edge. "Oh, darling, you flatter me. I knew you'd catch on eventually, but you've taken your sweet time, haven't you?" She tilted her head, bells jingling faintly as she watched him with keen amusement.

Joker's mechanical eyes glinted as he accessed his internal database, scanning her with precision. "Bellatrix Lamentia," he began, his voice steady. "Mistress of Ruin, with a bounty of 445,000,000. Quite the price on your head."

Bellatrix's grin widened, her expression brimming with mischief. "And yet, here I stand, free as ever. Tell me, darling—did you really think I'd reveal my true identity so easily? I do love a game, but that would've been far too dull. No, I wanted to see how far you'd go before you figured it out. I must say, you didn't disappoint."

Her mocking tone only fueled Joker's determination. "A price like that means you're not just a pawn in Aurelio's game," he said, his voice cold. "You're a key player. Maybe even the one pulling some of the strings."

Bellatrix clapped her hands together in mock delight. "Oh, how clever! But you're only half right, darling. I may not be the spider at the center of the web, but I do love to tangle it. And you two..." She gestured between Joker and Elliott. "...you've made this far more entertaining than I expected."

Elliott, his fists crackling with electricity, stepped forward, his voice sharp and unwavering. "Enough of the games. If you're worth that much, then taking you down will deal a serious blow to whatever Aurelio's planning. Let's finish this."

Bellatrix's smile turned wicked, her crimson eyes glowing with malevolent glee. "Oh, my dear, sweet boy. Do you truly think you can bring me down so easily?" She raised her hands, the air around her distorting as the prison walls seemed to warp and shift. "This stage is mine, and here, I am the maestro. Let's see if you can survive the final act!"

With a snap of her fingers, the ground beneath them rumbled, and the cells lining the prison began to creak and groan. A faint, eerie laughter echoed through the corridor as shadowy figures emerged from the darkness of the cells—distorted, lifeless forms of the prisoners Bellatrix had broken. They shuffled forward, their hollow eyes fixed on Joker and Elliott, their movements mechanical yet relentless.

"Let the curtain rise!" Bellatrix declared, her voice reverberating through the chamber. "And let's make this a performance to remember!"

Elliott's frustration boiled over, the sting of betrayal adding fuel to his growing fury. "Ever since we set foot on this island, everyone we've trusted has turned out to be part of Aurelio's twisted games," he snarled, electricity crackling around his fingertips. "Just how many followers and allies does he have lurking in the shadows of Casinova?!"

The currents intensified as his fists clenched, and he inched closer to Bellatrix, his anger compelling him to deliver a strike.

Bellatrix twirled gracefully, her bells jingling in sync with her unsettling laughter. "Oh, my dear, you're so tense," she teased, her voice dripping with mockery. "Aurelio is a man of vision, beloved by many. His games bring joy and excitement to the people of Casinova. Why wouldn't they flock to him?"

Elliott's glare hardened, his voice laced with contempt. "Joy? Excitement? All of it's a facade! Those who believe in his games are nothing more than pawns. And when they uncover the truth, they end up here—trapped, discarded, or left to rot in the streets like worthless refuse."

As he spoke, the lifeless prisoners shambled closer, their hollow eyes fixed on him, their movements slow but relentless. The eerie sound of chains dragging against the floor grew louder, a chilling reminder of Bellatrix's sinister control.

"Believe what you will, darling," Bellatrix purred, spreading her arms as if to welcome the chaos. "But every great game needs a few sacrifices. And I intend to win, no matter the cost."

"You..." Elliott growled, his frustration surging as he crouched low, his arms lowering toward the ground. Sparks of silver electricity crackled around him, intensifying into brilliant yellow arcs that wrapped tightly around his body like a second skin.

"No way in hell I'm letting your games and twisted jokes keep ruining people's lives!" With a burst of power, the electricity erupted in a rhythmic chain reaction, propelling Elliott forward in a lightning-fast dash toward Bellatrix. His speed was blinding, leaving no room for her to dodge—or so he thought.

But with a single snap of her fingers, Bellatrix disappeared in an instant. Before Elliott could process what had happened, he found himself reappearing mid-air, his momentum carrying him straight toward the empty wall ahead.

"Wh-what?!" he exclaimed, twisting his body mid-flight to regain control. He landed in a skid, electricity sizzling in trails along his outstretched hand. His sharp gaze darted back to where he had started, only to find Bellatrix standing there, completely unscathed, an amused smirk plastered across her face.

"Miss me?" she taunted, twirling a lock of her hair with mock innocence.

"You cowardly witch!" Elliott snarled, electricity crackling furiously around his fists. "Running won't save you this time!"

Without hesitation, he surged forward again, his body a blur of yellow lightning as he aimed a devastating punch at Bellatrix. The air crackled with raw energy as his fist closed in on her smug, unbothered figure.

But just before his attack could connect, Bellatrix snapped her fingers with a mischievous grin. In an instant, her body vanished—and in her place, one of the lifeless, shambling figures appeared.

Elliott's charged fist collided with the unfortunate figure's chest, sending the poor soul hurtling across the room. The force of the impact slammed the lifeless body into the wall, leaving a visible crater and causing debris to rain down.

Elliott froze, his eyes widening in shock as he realized what had just happened. "Damn it!" he growled, electricity still sparking from his clenched fist.

Bellatrix reappeared a few feet away, laughing in a melodious, mocking tone. "Oh dear, that looked like it hurt—for him, not me!" She placed a finger on her chin, feigning concern. "You really should be more careful, darling. Such reckless behavior might get you into trouble!"

The lifeless figures began to close in once more, their hollow eyes locked on Elliott, as Bellatrix continued her dance of chaos, daring him to try again.

"Elliott, stop," Joker called out firmly, his voice cutting through the crackling energy around Elliott.

Elliott turned, his electric aura dimming slightly as he glanced over his shoulder. "What is it, Joker? She's toying with us!"

"She's not as fast as she seems," Joker explained, his analytical tone sharp and precise. "Her ability—it's not speed. She's swapping places. The moment you strike, she exchanges herself with someone or something nearby. That's how she avoided your first attack, too. She swapped places with you."

Elliott's eyes narrowed as the realization dawned on him. "Swapping places, huh?" His fists sparked anew, but this time his stance shifted—less reckless, more calculated.

Bellatrix twirled in place, her laughter echoing like the chime of bells. "Oh, bravo, Joker! You figured it out! I guess that makes you the clever one of the group, doesn't it?" She curtsied mockingly. "But knowing is only half the battle. What will you do now that you understand my little trick?"

Joker stepped forward, his mechanical eyes glinting. "Understanding is all we need, Bellatrix. Your game's over."

Bellatrix's grin widened as the lifeless figures advanced again, their hollow gazes fixed on the two crewmates. "Is it, though? Let's see how well you handle my playmates when you're second-guessing every move."

Elliott clenched his fists tighter, his electricity surging more intensely. "Doesn't matter how many tricks you've got—I'll break through them all."

Joker, meanwhile, activated his marotte, its spinning wheel projecting a holographic roulette. "And I'll make sure we force your hand." The roulette began to glow ominously, casting eerie patterns on the walls.

Bellatrix's eyes gleamed with intrigue. "Now this is getting exciting. Show me what you've got, boys!"

Elliott launched forward, his body crackling with yellow electricity as he aimed a powerful punch directly at Bellatrix. She snapped her fingers just as his fist reached her, vanishing in an instant. Instead of striking her, his punch connected with one of the lifeless figures, sending it flying across the room and crashing into the wall.

Bellatrix's laughter echoed through the space, and when Elliott turned to face her, she was standing atop a nearby table, her legs crossed elegantly. In her hand was a flower pot she had swapped with moments ago. "Oh, Elliott, you're like a raging storm with no direction! So predictable, yet so thrilling!" She tossed the pot into the air and caught it playfully.

"Enough games!" Elliott growled, sending a bolt of lightning hurtling toward her.

With another snap, she disappeared, the bolt striking the table instead and shattering it to pieces. Bellatrix reappeared a moment later, lounging on a couch across the room. She rested her chin on her palm, her grin unyielding. "You boys are exhausting yourselves. Should I give you a moment to catch your breath? Or would you prefer to keep dancing for me?"

Joker stepped forward, his marotte spinning rapidly, projecting glowing cards that hovered around him. "You're not the only one who can play with illusions." With a flick of his wrist, the cards shot toward her like blades.

Bellatrix snapped again, swapping places with another lifeless figure. The cards sliced clean through it, leaving it crumpled on the floor. She reappeared beside a vase on a side table, picking it up and examining it like an art critic. "Hmm, exquisite craftsmanship. Much better than your aim, Joker."

Elliott charged again, this time feinting to the left before striking from the right. His fist collided with the spot where Bellatrix stood, but she swapped at the last second, reappearing on the chandelier above. "So close, Elliott! I could almost feel the static from your punch!"

Her teasing only fueled Elliott's frustration. "Quit hiding behind tricks and fight me for real!" he roared, lightning surging through his entire body.

"Oh, but this is real, my dear," Bellatrix said, hanging upside down from the chandelier like a bat. "Just not in the way you'd like." She dropped to the floor, landing gracefully. "You'll need more than brute force to keep up with me."

Joker's mechanical eyes whirred as he observed her carefully. "Her swaps are instantaneous but require something to trade places with. If we limit her options..."

Elliott nodded, electricity pooling in his palms. "Then we corner her."

Bellatrix clapped her hands in mock applause. "Ooooh, a strategy! I'm so scared. Please, go ahead and try!"

With that, the fight resumed, Bellatrix continuing to toy with them, swapping places with flower pots, chairs, and lifeless figures while her laughter filled the room. Despite their efforts to predict her moves, she remained a step ahead, her antics both infuriating and mesmerizing.

To be continued...