Third Trial

[thecastle]

THIRD TRIAL

Saturday, Week 3

UNCOVER THE GUILTY PARTY


No one can resist the tug that urges them forward and into the Great Hall. There's no point in lingering within the safe confines of your bed or loitering in the castle halls. Neither will shield you from these tedious trials nor will they keep you from witnessing the ghastly scenes that follow. Most of you have reluctantly accepted this as your reality. Right now, it probably feels like there's no stopping the course you're on. All you can do is hold on tight and wait for Sunday to come. If you can just get through this trial, surely next week won't end in disappointment and tragedy.

It's only when all twenty-two of you are present that the doors in the Great Hall fly open, allowing everyone to enter into the trial room. The only surprise here it is if anyone's still shocked by the display.

As soon as you enter, it's easy to see that the only difference from last week is there are less of you to fill the seats around the table. Likely because of how spacious the room is, with so many of your number missing it's starting to feel a little lonely. With a quick glance, you can see the profiles still lining the walls. Their presence serves as a grim reminder of those whose lives have been lost, just in case the absence of their voices wasn't enough.

When everyone settles into their respective seats, The Sage's cold voice seeps in through their pendants.

"It is time, my warriors, to meet the challenge head on. Thus far, your quick wit and perseverance have prevented these trials from meeting an unrighteous end. As you come upon your third tribunal, I can only ponder if this trend will continue.

May you be blessed with only the best of fortune. You will need it."

As soon as the Sage finishes speaking, five images flicker into sight as if brought to life by a projector. Seeing how there's no such device present, it may not be a stretch to consider magic is at work here.

Soldier on, Warriors.

22 REMAIN

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locations | profiles | voting

Comments

[browbeater]

... I can pick up my brother, who weighs more than me. That's not even in question.

And if I tried to lie, Nishi-han would rat me out in a second.

[maddogs]

[ majima just starts fucking laughing at mako's comment ]

The fuck? Is that what you're callin' Nishitani?

[browbeater]

Look-- that's neither here nor there.

The point is, it's not me or Georik you should be asking to pick people up, but the people you're not sure can do it.

Plus, we actually can't assume the person can carry Natalia. Her body was dragged most of the way.

[maddogs]

Hm, okay. Guess everyone can try pickin' someone up.

[ omg tho this was a bullshit suggestion ppl could so easily fake this and he's well aware. ]

[fedorascout]

When you say it was dragged most of the way...when does it stop being dragged, exactly?

[browbeater]

I'm not sure. She was definitely dragged outside of the castle, and might have been dragged the whole way. If anything, I think that speaks to the killer not being able to carry her. It's way more difficult to drag dead weight, if you can pick it up.

[tangas]

I doubt Sage-chan will put five people on the suspects list only for us to immediately rule out three because we assume they can't carry or drag a body. Mako-san's definitely right about this.

[maddogs]

If the suspect list made any fuckin' sense - Joker would've been on it this week and Nishitani an' I would be on it every other fuckin' trial.

[hoodini]

[ Fist in hand! ]

What if the Sage is protecting Joker?

[maddogs]

[ majima just laughs ]

[buddyoldpal]

But wouldn't there be a trail of blood if that'd bee the damn case? There was a whole damn puddle of it, weren't there?

[browbeater]

The body was dragged outside of the castle. It's possible it was covered up. There were also signs of that at the river, too, since there were no feet impressions.

[tangas]

Not if they switched to the tarp then to make dragging her body into the river easier. There were drag marks all over the castle until the bridge right? Meaning the killer didn't use the tarp until after they left the castle.

[maddogs]

Wait, hold on, I'm confused - so we're sayin' she wasn't carried at all? She was just tarp-dragged?

[tangas]

Yeah, I guess. The drag marks inside the castle were bloody, so if killer had moved her body onto the tarp during that point, why would there still be blood under it? How would the blood even get there?

[maddogs]

I don't know.

[tangas]

I think it's someone who can't lift her easily. Wouldn't be able to get her body into the river without some help - which, I guess, is the tarp in this case. And it's not even a matter of just shoving her body off the bridge and into the river either. They had to find a way to set it so she was properly faced up and holding the sword for whatever reason. Some sick form of respect maybe.

[ who the hell knows ]

[maddogs]

Then it might've been one of the girls and we're back ta square one.

[browbeater]

That would have the benefit of reducing friction with the ground, once outside.

[bratsitter]

Yeah, could have had the tarp prepared outside the castle waiting for them to use it.

[buddyoldpal]

So they carried her until they got outta the castle? Seems like a lotta fuckin' trouble if ya ask me.

[browbeater]

No, she was definitely dragged out of the castle. It has to be someone who couldn't carry her.

So maybe we should ask everyone to pick up someone similar to Natalia's height and weight.

[buddyoldpal]

Look, I don't care if she was carried or dragged, long as it leads us ta the killer. But somebody had to've picked her up ta put 'er on the tarp.

They mighta just done that ta avoid leadin' a blood trail too, ya know?

[bratsitter]

If that's what they did, anyway. It seems like they used the tarp to try and hide where they moved the body, maybe? If it kept any blood from dripping as it was carried to the river, people might not have found it as immediately and the water could have a chance to wash away some evidence.

[buddyoldpal]

Right, might've just used the tarp ta hide the blood. Don't mean it was somebody weak, necessarily.