"Hahahaha… This is going to be fun…" the Clown cackled from above, his voice sharp and twisted like nails scratching on a glass pane.
With a theatrical snap of his fingers, the sky above the White Pearl suddenly darkened. A ripple of eerie energy pulsed outward, distorting the clouds. Then, in a flash of red and gold light, thousands of Queen of Hearts cards appeared in the sky, all pointed like knives toward the ship.
Each one glowed ominously, flickering with unstable magical energy. The hum of raw power buzzed in the air, like a swarm of insects gathering for the kill.
"Well, well, well… Like a butcher trapped in a chicken shop," the Clown mused with a tilted head, giggling uncontrollably.
"Isn't it the other way around?" came a voice from the sea.
"Yeah, it's supposed to be a chicken trapped in a butcher shop," said another voice.
