sixth trial

[arsholes]

[With the last piece of evidence collected, Heisenberg's voice abruptly comes from everywhere and nowhere once again.]

You know the drill. Get up here.

[The long trek up the stairs is different this time and not just because the number of people has been slashed into the single digits in one horrifying night. There are no more locked doors save for the court room.

Finally they reach the courtroom door. The door swings open to reveal a small set of steps, leading up to an imposing round chamber with a tapered roof. Twenty podiums stand in a circle in the center, lit brightly from below. Each podium is made of dark metal with a colored crystal matching the individual dorms enclosed on a thick glass dome on top of it. As always, greyed out portraits of the deceased have been added- Loki, Somnus, Bryn and Hubert. The whole room feels even more massive, echoing and empty.

Heisenberg stands up on his scaffold, as usual, leaning against the railing with his arms folded and looking down at the handful of apprentices left.]

Let's see if you picked up anything from what Hubert taught you.

You will have to vote the correct killer for each victim, whether that killer is alive or not, so don't half-ass it.

Comments

Autopsy Results

[thealchemist]

[As the apprentices approach their podiums, three autopsy reports appear on the mirrored surface for them to scroll through.]

Just to let you know, so that I can't be accused of thumbing the scales again: I didn't have time to do three full autopsies in the time it took you to get up here. So I went with what I could figure out just from looking.

If you really want I can go down and confirm the causes of death while you all talk it out, but spoiler alert, I'm pretty sure it's not gonna be arsenic.

AUTOPSY RESULTS

VICTIM: Somnus Lucis Caelum
CAUSE OF DEATH: Chest hole
TIME OF DEATH: First

VICTIM: Hubert Von Vestra
CAUSE OF DEATH: Decapitated
TIME OF DEATH: Second

VICTIM: Brynhilde Eir Sigrun
CAUSE OF DEATH: Stabbed through the eye
TIME OF DEATH: Third

mods

[rikonstructed]

Heisenberg. I'd like to confirm something first. Last week, you said that you wait until three of us, excluding the killer discover the body to make an announcement. Does that still hold with our reduced numbers, and to all bodies in this case?

[reresurrected]

Heisenberg-san. Is there anything you could possibly tell us about the approximate time of death? Anything that might help at all.

[replacementshield]

You really couldn't have managed to check a single one of the bodies for a proper time of death?

chapel evidence (hubert's body) + misc.

[replacementshield]

[ Let's get this over with. ]

Both Vestra's head and right arm were missing, but not cleaved off with a blade. His head appears to have been twisted off, as if someone had grabbed a hold, and tore it off from his neck. Since his right arm doesn't appear to have been sliced off cleanly, and looks similar in how quickly it must have been done, I'm sure someone must have torn off his arm like some kind of feral beast.

The upper part of his chest had burns, and his clothes were singed around the area—but mostly his collar.

I found his head under a pew and a rather small puddle of blood underneath it. And speaking of which, there's less blood around the body than I thought there'd be considering his wounds.

There was also a pair of bloody footprints looking like they're headed towards out of the chapel. They're smeared and incomplete as if from someone dragging their feet or limping—they also extend all the way back into the hallway until eventually fade and become difficult to see.

[spitessier]

Did anyone check all of the victims' feet for blood?

[Better ask that right away, yup]

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

Twisted --

[Mei coughs and rubs her eyes with the back of her sleeve.]

If they could do that, then it's someone really strong, isn't it? Do you think... Does that mean it's the same person, if Somnus-san really got punched?

[twibeast]

[ The description of Hubert's head being twisted makes Orthrus look ill ]

H-How could anyone...?

[ Even DO that, what the fuck ]

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

[She hadn't noticed it when they gathered to head up the stairs -- she hadn't noticed anything at the time, mind echoing only the grim investigation she'd felt was her responsibility. But when Mei steps into the courtroom, she freezes for a second.

Hubert isn't next to her. Bryn isn't two spaces away. The feeling from her motive orb rushes back, hollow music echoing from the headphones she doesn't even wear anymore, shadowed faces whispering. She's alone on this side of the room.

She steps up to her podium, sword at her side, daggers up her sleeve.]

I found Somnus-san in the solarium, but the body announcement didn't go off, so Orthrus-san and Nuadha-san went downstairs... I guess that's where Bryn-san and Hubert-san were, right? [gulp] But Somnus-san was sitting slumped against one of the glass walls, and there was a trail of blood behind him, so it looks like he hit the wall and then slid down.

His clothes were a little burned from the fire all around the solarium, but -- [She coughs, smoke still in her lungs.] Um... he's got a hole in him. So he got impaled somehow -- but I don't think it was stabbing. Those wounds all sort of closed up on the end, and this one didn't. And there was -- [She goes pale, gulps.] There wasn't anything stuck in him, either. That and the wound was a lot bigger than a knife or even a sword. It was almost like somebody with some kind of super strength punched through him, but that can't be right, can it?

[replacementshield]

I don't think it's impossible. Bryn has shown herself capable of holding a strength comparable to someone I know well enough. If she had the opportunity, she could've been the one responsible for what was done to Somnus.

[spitessier]

[Well! Let's begin. Katsuya looks around, his mood pretty saddened by the loss of three people at once. He says, lacking a lot of his usual forced stoicness in the face of trials]

In front of the potions room and at the foot of the stairs I found blood splatter. I couldn't determine its source -- there was a lack of a trail coming or going to them.

[So that's puzzling]

[replacementshield]

[ On the other hand, Felix is just soldiering through like normal. This is fine.png ]

The reason behind there being a lack of 'source' in regards to a trail could mean a teleportation or warp spell was used.

[twibeast]

Mmm...

There was... a blood trail on the sixth and seventh floor stairs. It looked like someone was dragged or dragging themselves and like they were heading upstairs rather than going down. Might there be some kind of connection...?

Solarium Evidence

[reresurrected]

The Solarium looked like it had seen quite a battle... the entire place was half-destroyed, with a large amount of the plants burned and a number of stabs and gouges in the floor. From the size of the gouges, they look to have been made by something large, like a greatsword-- they were definitely the work of a sword of some sort.

[He pauses for a moment to lift a cloth-wrapped bundle up onto the podium and open it.]

I also found... Brynhilde-san's arm on the floor. From the looks of things, it was cut off cleanly, likely also with a sword.

But that isn't all... while I was investigating, I started to feel a very odd sort of residual magic in the area. Two different kinds, in fact. One of them was... I don't know how to describe it other than unpleasant. That particular type was the strongest right near Brynhilde-san's arm, while the other sort - one that felt almost protective - was closer to the door. It almost seemed as though it had been applied to the doorframe, or at least in that general area.

[spitessier]

Could magic have been used to cut off her arm like that?

[replacementshield]

The protective magic could've been remnants from a conjured shield.

If it was an unpleasant sort of magic you felt, then it could be some kind of Dark Reason magic, or something similar to it.

[sunshade]

[ Patchouli takes a deep breath before she starts. ]

I found Hubert's arm in the potions room. There was an unholy amount of blood in that room.

Someone had been making something, I believe. There were wilted roses on the table that looked identical to the one Brynhilde has in her eye, along with some other plant matter. There was also a straight razor with plant residue and blood on it, a smashed bottle of ether, and another smashed bottle of what I believe to be a pesticide solution.

In general, it appears that there was an altercation here. I can't make sense of it, but the room was in disarray. Hubert's cane was also there.

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

Wait, she was growing more roses? Or... trying to stop growing more roses? I don't get it.

chapel, Bryn's body

[rikonstructed]

[Nuadha glances around the emptiness of the room and his jaw sets in unhappiness. But they have a mess to solve, so...]

I found Brynhilde and Hubert in the Chapel after I heard Orthrus screaming. From inspecting her body I have no reason to disagree with Heisenberg's current assessment. She was impaled through her eye by something narrow, with traces of magic around the wound. I would assume a manifested weapon of some kind, rather than a magic blast, given my own powers and the lack of damage to her face around it.

In addition to the wound that killed her, she had a number of other injuries that I believe to be from a sword, and had been impaled in the side. Her right arm was severed but her left was covered in blood past the elbow. Since the blood on her doesn't seem to be entirely hers, I think it's clear she dealt severe damage to whoever she was fighting. But... there wasn't a large amount in the immediate area. It seems the fight took place elsewhere.

[And then a long pause. Because this seems significant, but damned if he knows what to make of it:]

...There also appeared to be another rose growing behind her eye. If anyone knows more of her circumstances and could explain, that would be... helpful.

[replacementshield]

There is a certain type of magic spell Vestra could cast called Dark Spikes Τ.

[ No surprise that he's aware that of the man's spells considering what he has seen from him in that battle in Enbarr. ]

It's a rather advanced spell, and it involves conjuration of multiple dark spikes directed at an opponent. It's entirely possible one of those could've pierced right through her eye.

HAIR CHECK

[reresurrected]

In light of what Mei-san revealed about the shower, it may be worth checking to see if anyone present has hair that is still damp. Of course, that might not be the case if they showered long enough ago for it to have dried, but it can't hurt to look for the obvious.

May I examine everyone's hair? And you can check mine as well, of course.

[spitessier]

[No wet hair over here!]

wound check;

[replacementshield]

Let's get this over with. Roll up your sleeves and your pants. Show your hands as well.

I don't think I need to say why.

[ Because he will be looking for wounds or anything suspect! ]

[spitessier]

[Katsuya complies without any protest. Ah, no injuries here, it seems!]

a catherd thing

[replacementshield]

Let's go back to what we know so far. I'll focus on the main details and conclusions we've reached.

[ He has no patience for summarizing everything, sorry. ]

Somnus was killed by being punched through, which we've concluded was done by Byrn because of her arm that was found covered in blood, not to mention the fact that she is capable of such strength on her own.

Whatever the hell was going on with the substances in the potions room is beyond me. But Hubert lost his arm in the there after likely meeting up with Byrn, and likely attempted to get away by teleporting, which would explain the lack of trail. But regardless Byrn proceeded forward until she reached Somnus, who was in the solarium, and killed him there since he died first. She seemed to have been the one to set the everything on fire, possibly entirely out of control.

Then at some point she encountered Hubert again. Given her strength I believe it entirely likely she be the one who tore his head clean off of his shoulders as no normal human is capable of that, which leaves us to the one who killed Byrn, who must have been by a third party since she died last.

Not to mention, the pair of bloody footprints leading out of the chapel, which coincidentally had shown someone to be limping or dragging their feet...which could mean an injury or something else entirely.

What we also have pointing to another involved is the fact they used the fourth floor bathroom to wash up, whether it was to clean off their blood or someone else's, but it was freezing. Which could mean that ice magic was used. Orthrus has demonstrated the ability to use ice magic, but I'm sure Patchouli can manage it the same, considering she's a mage.

Another point to bring up is that we don't know the time of death, if we're supposed to be taking Heisenberg's word for anything.

[twibeast]

[ He tilts his head, confused ]

Ice magic...? What are you talking about? I don't use ice magic.

cw: dismemberment

[twibeast]

[ Once Orthrus is back on his feet, he takes a steady breath, still holding himself. The whole room is chilly now but not freezing. ]

I... remember now.

Somnus and I... we were in the solarium. We weren't able to sleep and so we were just... talking... when suddenly Hubert staggered in. He... was already missing his arm and had dragged himself all the way up there. He told us that Bryn had gone berserk - claimed it was his fault somehow - and that she was also coming after him. Somnus had me take him and wait for an opening while he distracted Bryn - wanted me to wake everyone up so we could get Hubert medical attention. He said he'd be right behind me but... he was lying. He was always lying. As soon as Bryn was in and I was out he put up a barrier over the door, trapping both of them inside. He said he'd return but he...

[ Liar. Idiot.

He swallows hard and continues. They all know now how Somnus' last stand went for him. ]

We had made it to the fifth floor when Hubert heard her coming... so I took him into the chapel. I tried to hide him in the pews, and then took on Bryn myself.... if I can even call whatever that was "Bryn". She wasn't in there at all anymore, something else was controlling her. I tried to talk to her but it was no use but I did manage to knock her to the ground. I was about to try and finish her when Hubert sat up and in the brief few seconds I looked to him she grabbed me by the leg and threw me across the room.

After that... she lunged at Hubert and... finished him off. Then she came again at me, but I got my shield up in time. She was showing no sign of stopping. No signs of dying. Even with all of the damage done to her she as so strong, she took off Hubert's head with only one hand and she had me practically pinned against the floor with how much strength she was going at my shield with. At that moment I knew that if she wasn't stopped then she would just...

[ He’s powerless to do anything but watch as the monster (he has to keep thinking of it like that to remind himself to not think of it as Bryn anymore) finishes Hubert off in the most horrifying way possible. Ah. He’s failed both Hubert and Somnus now. How many more will die now? How many will he fail by sunrise?

He thinks back to the motive. The orb. Failure to protect his kin and-- ]

...Kill everyone.

[ --everyone else here. ]

And so that's... I don't know why that blow was the one that worked when everything else didn't but... that's why...

[ghostsguysgyuudon]

[Mei's eyes widen. She shivers, but shakes her head.]

Orthrus-san... I'm so sorry! None of this is fair, you were only trying to protect everybody! You didn't even want this!

Voting

[thealchemist]

[Aside from when he's addressed and when he was joke flirting, Karl has watched this trial seemingly impassively. Something which might have seemed odd, to anyone who knew that he and Hubert had become close, but then.

Now that you know the whole story, it makes sense. Hubert's death was avenged from the very start.

He doesn't get up from his throne, just raises his voice and flicks his wrist.]

Alright, I think you've figured it out. Time to finish this.

[The podiums light up with a single standard voting screen. _____ was responsible for the murder of SOMNUS LUCIS CAELUM.
After the culprit is selected from the list, which includes the names of everyone who was alive at the start of the week, the next screen comes up. _____ was responsible for the murder of HUBERT VON VESTRA.
And then finally, _____ was responsible for the murder of BRYNHILDE EIR SIGRUN.]

[replacementshield]

[ He'll enter in as follows for Somnus and Hubert: ]

> Princess Brynhilde Eir Sigrun

[ For Bryn: ]

> Orthrus

EXECUTION: You Can't Keep a Good Dog Down (cw: dismemberment, robot decapitation)

[thealchemist]

[There are so many fewer votes to count now. They come in one by one by one, fourteen total votes for Brynhilde Eir Sigrun and seven for Orthrus. Perfectly unanimous.

When the final vote is cast the apprentices feel the entire tower quakes underfoot as if it’s been struck by an earthquake. The shaking is so violent it knocks even the most surefooted apprentices off their feet if they don’t grab onto their podiums for balance. Dust shakes down from the ceiling onto the courtroom and, as it has five times before, the pit opens up and the impenetrable wards appear overtop. It feels like every bit of warmth has been sucked from the room and this time it’s not because of Orthrus.

Heisenberg sits back on his throne, crossing his ankle over his knee and leaning his chin on his curled fingers.]

...I hope this gives you what you wanted.

[A streak of black lightning erupts from his podium and, in a flash, Orthrus and his harp have vanished.

Inside the pit Orthrus drops like a stone, his knees hitting the stone ground with a grunt as he clutches his harp tighter to his chest to protect it. The door opens up in the wall across from him, and one of the endoskeletons emerges like it has for every other execution before. A breath of white leaves Orthrus' lips, and the endoskeleton is covered with an illusion of his eldest sister Cerberus in her own human form.

The executioner lunges forward, but her first strike is deflected by one of Orthrus' hand shields. She growls angrily and swings another punch, only to be blocked again.

As Orthrus begins to defend himself, Heisenberg sits up straighter in his throne, an unreadable expression on his face.

The executioner swings again, all raw fury and brute force. This time, Orthrus' hand shield doesn't come up in time, and he takes the hit squarely with a yelp of pain, tumbling backward and falling prone on the stone floor of the pit.

Touching the corner of his mouth briefly to check for cracks, Orthrus pushes himself up onto his hands and knees, and draws the harp from his back. He closes his eyes and strums the first chord, beginning to draw upon his magic to aid him.

While his eyes are shut, the image of Cerberus wavers, then straightens, a wicked-looking scythe appearing in her hands.

Heisenberg's lips purse into a thin line, but he doesn't move just yet.

Before Orthrus' spell can manifest through song, Cerberus lunges forward and swings the scythe. The music stops abruptly with a discordant twang, as Orthrus' hand is severed, falling to the stone floor of the pit. As it lays on the floor, it begins to crumble and be absorbed by the tower itself.

With his remaining hand, Orthrus summons a shield to block the next swing of the scythe, and then puts distance again between himself and Cerberus, raising his voice in a powerful invocation.

That’s right just focus on this. Focus not on that vile mockery.
Just focus on the people who have made you what you are. The people that support you. The people who love you. Everyone you would leave behind, here and home.

[ “Orthrus-san... You're worth protecting, too.”
“...Your life has as much value. Know that.” ]

I am the pillar, upon my strength I call
I am the sun, my light I give to all

[ “We're just mortal lives, but here your life has as much value as ours.”
“... I'm only sorry I couldn't do anything to help any of you.” ]

Mana of life see fit to bless my hands
So I may make one last stand

[ “You really can't be replaced, my beloved Orthrus.”
“ I'll always be there for you when you need help - to be your beacon. “ ]

Keep my body from harm
In fire's embrace safe and warm

[ I won’t let you die, my son. We won’t let you die. ]

Stand strong above–

[ “Persist. At least for the sake of not letting those who were lost before us die in vain.” ]

My Radiant Aegis of Love!!

[A barrier spreads out from the spot in front of Orthrus’ remaining hand. Unlike the crystallized light like appearance of his usual shields, this one is like a dome of transparent light, soft and warm with a sun like emblem in the center. A bright, warm light in the bitter darkness of this death pit.

At this powerful display of magic, Heisenberg stands.]

So you decided not to give up after all! Great choice.

[Cerberus howls in frustration and begins whaling on the barrier with her new scythe. Each blow glances sparks of magic off of it and makes Orthrus wince in pain. But it's not nearly as painful as an actual blow would be, so it's doing its job.

Still, such powerful magic is draining, after all, and even all-loving Orthrus begins to flag after a while. The exposed skin on his neck and arms begins to flake and fall to the ground, eagerly getting absorbed into the stone, as cracks begin to creep up his neck toward his face. He can’t keep this up much longer. If he does, he might just-

Suddenly, the barrier over top the pit ripples. Heisenberg's hammer glances off of it, and flies into its master's hand. He winds up and throws it again with a grunt of effort, and this time when it makes contact, hairline cracks begin to form. The third time, the cracks spread wider. The fourth time, the hammer sticks for a second upon recall in the hole that it made.]

Come on... Break, damn you!

[The fifth and final strike shatters the barrier over the pit, just as the hellish scythe breaks through Orthrus' defenses, scattering the shield and pushing him back against the wall of the pit. Orthrus looks up, startled at the taste of freedom. Cerberus also looks up, and in a voice that's definitely not hers, says:]

Heisenberg, what the fuck are you doing?

I'm doing what my friend wanted. Taking your ass down.

[The iron scaffold and throne begin to shred themselves into pieces at Heisenberg's command with an awful metallic scraping sound. Heisenberg remains floating in the same place, standing on a scrap of metal, while the rest of the scaffold begins to reform around him like an iron chrysalis.

Several scraps fly into the pit. One catches the endoskeleton in the throat and buries itself deep in the wall, decapitating Cerberus before the illusion and the scythe disappear, leaving only the broken endoskeleton behind. The others form a floating staircase.]

Hurry it up, Milkbone! I don't have all day!

[Heisenberg calls to Orthrus. At the same time, he uses his metalmancy to slam the doors to the trial room open so hard that the already damaged wood splinters and explodes out into the hallway.

Orthrus, after recovering from the initial shock, doesn't need another reminder. He transforms into a much larger version of his true dog form, and leaps from the floor of the pit onto the first platform, bounding off of each one until he reaches the top of the pit, scrabbling at the edge for a second on his missing front paw. He glances back up at Heisenberg, then nudges his fellow survivors with his nose to drive them toward the open doors.

A voice rings out, male and dry and completely pissed off.]

I should have expected this from you, Heisenberg. Always ready to bite the hand that feeds. Well, then consider this the dissolution of our little arrangement.

That's fine by me!

[As the survivors all make it through the open trial room doors and into the staircase, the tower begins to shake violently under their feet. Looking back, the great stone pillars in the trial room are cracking under the strain. One falls toward Heisenberg, who catches it with the metal arms that he's made for himself, but before they can see what happens to him, the pillar right behind the entrance falls in front of the doorway, blocking the interior of the courtroom from view.

A purplish-pink magical barrier appears over the door, and after a few minutes, the ground stops shaking and all sound from within the courtroom disappears.

Seven survivors remain.]