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 guess...

[he looks a little frustrated with the thought, but he can't refute that.]

[buddyoldpal]

Plus, she was placed in the water all respectful-like, right? If they were really freakin' out, they woulda dumped 'er and been done with it.

[browbeater]

True, but there are plenty of people left who could carry her. Enough so, that all the suspects could have been someone who could carry her. It'd be a gamble to have it look like they couldn't.

I'm just saying, the how doesn't rule anyone out.

[buddyoldpal]

That's what I'm sayin'. There's no evidence that proves it was somebody weak. Strong people can use tarps, too. And draggin' a girl inta the water an' placin' her all nice takes a little more self-control than just throwin' her on a tarp.

[browbeater]

You're right.

But my point is, it's a lot easier and a lot less messy if you can carry someone to just do that.

There's also likely to be less clues left behind. I think though, the original argument, narrowing it down to just me and Georik because we're strong, or at least big enough to carry her, is wrong too.

[buddyoldpal]

Yeah, I don't think ya had the knowledge of poisons either. It ain't all about brute strength, we're forgettin' there was a whole lotta other evidence that don't got much ta do with the tarp.

[hoodini]

[ Lookin' between them. ]

I don't think Mako's all that far off though. I don't know if he's right about everything but I think a lot of what he's saying is worth considering.

And what you've said is, too. Like how you mentioned about this being planned out. If Natalia helped her killer, that means everything up to a certain point was planned. What about after it?

[buddyoldpal]

[ Lookin' at you now, Kurosaki-kun. ]

I'm just sayin' I ain't gonna put my weight on evidence that could point ta anybody. Ya wanna see if anybdy can drag a tarp? I'll fuckin' do it if I gotta.

[ He will........ ]

And it wouldn't make much sense not ta plan the after. The whole point of this thing is ta get away with it, right? Hime-chan coulda helped with that, too.

[hoodini]

If you want to, I won't stop you. And it sounds a little fun to be dragged around. [ Quietly because inappropriate timing.

Ahem. ]

A-anyway, that's the point of planning something, yes. But when do things ever go according to plan? Sometimes you have to improvise, sometimes you have to adjust. That's the "after" I mean. [ Knits his eyebrows together. ] Unless that doesn't make sense.

[buddyoldpal]

Take it from me. Ain't much ta improvise once ya killed somebody, pal. Unless ya hear somebody comin', ya get all the time in the world ta muck up a crime scene. An' we don't know when she died, either, so they mighta had all the time in the world ta mess around.

[ He has... experience. Oops. ]

There'd hafta be some kinda witness ta make the killer rush and fuck somethin' up. If they really did plan this, the evidence could be fuckin' staged fer all we know. It's, whatcha call it... inconclusive.

[hoodini]

You think so?

[ Hmm... ]

I don't necessarily think someone would have to rush to do a cover-up, but I don't know enough about these things to guess what someone would think or what they'd do. My only experience with this stuff comes from these trials.

[buddyoldpal]

Sure do! I said it before, ain't I? I've killed plenty of folks.

[ Just one of his many talents... ]

That's what I'm sayin'. It could just as easy be a cover-up. Those're hard ta plan after ya killed somebody, but if ya planned it beforehand, then it ain't hard at all.