fifth trial

[thecastle]

FIFTH TRIAL

Saturday, Week 5

UNCOVER THE GUILTY PARTY


Yesterday's events were quite shocking. None of you expected to find two victims, much less two who were so young and full of life. But, as always, there's a silver lining here. Their lives bought you release from the motive, and isn't that worth something? After all, it would be a lie to say that this thought hasn't passed through anyone's mind. But would it be right to thank whoever was involved for what they did? For some of you, the idea isn't all that outlandish.

Any further deliberations regarding whether or not the act was truly just will need to wait until later. For now, you have a trial to attend.

Once thirteen of you gather in the Great Hall, the large doors slam right open and prompt everyone to ascend the stairs into the trial room.

As those present takes their seats, it becomes apparent just how many lives have been lost over the course of this game. Half of the seats are now empty, which is staggering given how many of you there were when the challenge began. Beyond the room and the current occupants are the profiles lining the walls. They're hard to miss at this point, for obvious reasons.

The Sage's steady voice slips in through the pendants as soon as everyone's settled.

"It is time, my warriors, to meet the challenge head on. You have all managed to come this far and so I expect you to perform as admirably as you have in the past. How may vary, but every individual here is important and brings their own unique touch to these trials. ... Normally, that is. To my dismay, a number of you will be temporarily incapable of taking part in this challenge.

Let us hope this is a trend that does not continue into future weeks. That said... May all who remain 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.

15 REMAIN

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locations | profiles | votes

Comments

[irrationalities]

I don't mean that he was necessarily killed first, just that he left the room. Miyamura could've trailed him after that and found him getting attacked, so he might've been covering for Kurosaki and gotten all those bruises in the process. Somewhere along the way he got his throat slit too. After he was down, Kurosaki wouldn't be hard to knock out on his own; he's not a fighter.

[Honestly, there's still a lot of holes that he can see here. But maybe it's a start.]

[originallutece]

[She nods again, frowning.]

Then . . . all right. Then what? The killer somehow fled when Miyamura was covering for Jin? I suspect there had to be some pause in the middle, for his throat to get cut and then there to be time for one of them to hastily grab some bandages.

[irrationalities]

I don't think they grabbed the bandages. There weren't even any traces of blood on them, which makes me think they were applied only after Miyamura already bled out. You'd think that'd be the opposite if they were put on when he was alive, especially since we still found some blood on Kurosaki's clothing.

[originallutece]

. . . then perhaps it's a false clue. It would certainly solve the timing issue if it was something the killer did afterwards, trying to cover up for themselves.

[irrationalities]

I still don't know why they slashed through the bandage either, unless they just wanted to give the impression the original wound wasn't fatal.

[So that's still a hole. Still, there's something else that comes to mind.]

...You know how to bandage shit, right? What's the proper technique to do it?

[originallutece]

[She drums her fingers on the desk.]

For a neck wound . . .

[Hmm. That hadn't been her area of expertise, but . . .]

Just about what was done here, frankly. Whomever did this knew what they were doing.

[She glances over at the profiles again.]

Georik's the only one of the suspects who has medical skills on his profile.

[Which doesn't mean he did it, but it is worth noting.]

[irrationalities]

Figures.

[Considering there wasn't anything too decisive last time, it's still helpful to note if they only have a profile to go off of.]

How much do you know about head wounds, too?

[originallutece]

A fair bit. I specialize in blood loss and brain injuries, but head trauma is related to that. What do you want to know?

[irrationalities]

Is it easy to knock someone out if they're hit where Kurosaki was?

[He knows some parts of the skull are thicker than others and that affects things, but... high school biology, man.]

[originallutece]

His right temple . . . yes, that ought to do it. It wouldn't be all that hard; your head isn't precisely built to be battered around, and if someone was deliberately trying . . .

[She shrugs, though that's soon followed by a frown.]

A smaller than average fist . . . that's a rather specific way to say it.

[That'd be Hanyuu or possibly Mahiro . . .]

[irrationalities]

What, are we gonna compare hand sizes now?

[It would probably be more helpful if they actually had the body there with them, but they could at least get an idea of things... maybe.]

[originallutece]

It hardly seems necessary. Look at the heights-- Mako and Georik most certainly aren't going to qualify. You and Kizakura are on the cusp, but even then, I'd hardly classify either of you as smaller than average. Hanyuu, on the, aha, other hand . . .

[irrationalities]

Probably. Tiki insists she was staying with Hanyuu the whole time though, but she still said she slept a little.

[presomnia]

[excuse]

That's if we're sure it was a fist that hit him. A chair was found, wasn't it? You could use, say, one of its legs as a club...

[originallutece]

You could. And that's certainly a possibility. But that phrasing makes me wonder.

[presomnia]

...What?

[did she say something wrong. she feels like she said something wrong what if her stanning has backfired]

[originallutece]

No, no-- I simply wonder at the fact that the phrasing specifically referred to a fist, not a more general bruise. But you're not wrong in that it might be from a club; we ought to consider all scenarios.