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

[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.

[tangas]

[ fuck he doesn't want to say this but ]

... I think it points out that it can only be one of the girls. Otherwise, why not just carry her?

[maddogs]

You should round up the information for everyone an' start there. I only started talkin' about carryin' because people were talkin' about carryin', I didn't investigate yesterday.

[browbeater]

Tiki just confirmed that a tarp was missing from the greenhouse, and Rhoda said she'd found ashes that could have been plastic.

So, it's looking like the tarp theory is the right track.

[maddogs]

How did we even know about the tarp ta start with?

[browbeater]

It was a guess on my part. I saw that she was dragged outside of the castle, and that the blood ended abruptly at the castle doors.

It's a pretty logical assumption.

[maddogs]

So ya just assumed a tarp was used instead of bein' carried? 'cause then it would implicate someone smaller?

[browbeater]

No, there were clear signs of something being dragged outside.

[maddogs]

But not by a fuckin' tarp.

[ he points back at the blank piece of paper from earlier ]

Put the tarp aside for the moment - though that's a weird fuckin' assumption it seems ta be right - how come if they dragged her with a tarp through the castle [he draws a stick figure on a tarp being dragged with a trail of dark dots -- blood ] when they got outside there wasnt drag marks or blood? did the tarp just magically get clean or am I understand things wrong still?

[ he taps the drawing like if im wrong please feel free to draw how you are envisioning it ]

[browbeater]

I don't think they dragged her through the castle with a tarp. Like I said earlier, I think they dragged her to the castle doors because the castle has smooth floors. It wouldn't be particularly hard to do it.

Once outside, though, it would be significantly more difficult, and they'd do a lot of unnecessary harm to her. That was why they switched.

And it was a guess-- but I figured it had to be something that was smooth, and wouldn't let blood fall onto the ground.

[maddogs]

Okay, so they used the tarp from the door ta the river, and then threw her off the tarp and positioned her and threw her into the river?

How'd they get her ta look all respectful an' shit if there was that large spot in the grass like somethin' fell there?

[browbeater]

Maybe that was where they stood on the tarp? Their added weight and her body could have made it really irregular, and it would have been a large area.

[maddogs]

How'd they get her inta the river?

[browbeater]

If the tarp was mostly in the river, they could have slid her off of it into the water.

[why is he the one having to theorize about this. this is... ugh. he's been framed before, but not for murder ok.]

[maddogs]

But she would've rolled. Look, I wanna follow ya on this, buddy, but it don't add up.

[browbeater]

She was pushed longways in, though. So, no, she wouldn't have rolled.

Look pal, if you're suspicious of me about the tarp, I didn't bring it up. Miyamura did, and it made the most sense.

He happened to be right.

[maddogs]

[ majima shakes his head, putting his hands up ]

I'm jus' tryin' ta figure it out what you're thinkin', that's all. Like ya said, I had the wrong impression of the events after somethin' someone else said about carryin'. I don't think ya did it, Mako. I just wanna know what ya do think.

[browbeater]

[he pauses, and sighs.]

Sorry.

Look, I don't know if I'm right. I can't even get into someone's head that would've agreed to help Natalia. And I'm having trouble with Natalia agreeing to this, knowing that if they pulled off a successful bait and switch, someone innocent would die.