Case File #4
Victim #1: Sabishi
"The victim suffered excessive damage though due to trauma it's difficult to discern what the source was ."
"Cause of Death is unknown"
"The time of death is approximately 12:57 A.M"
TRUTH BULLETS
Sabishi: Victim or Assailant
Chase/Maya's Alibi
No Resurrected found thus far
Sebastian's Account
Diluted Blood
Water at crime scene
Ariana/Nozomi's Alibi
Strange Blood Patterns
Alejandra's Account
Delayed Rigor Mortis
Chipped Pew
Sonia's Account
Damp Spot in Common Hall
Blood on Alexander's Door Knob
Magically sealed door
Hana's Account
Letter in Sabishi's Quarters
Chapter 24: Necronomicon: Act Four
8:51 A.M Day Eleven
Mausoleum
Trial Room
Syd's tired gaze swept across the trial room. "I believe there is no need for witty banter or drawn out conversation. You all know how this works. Someone died trying to bring back someone that was deceased. It's your job to find who they are or fail spectacularly. Only the best will triumph," he mused as he slumped in his chair. "Let the fourth trial begin."
"You say someone died attempting to bring back the deceased? Does that confirm that no one was brought back, and that Sabishi's death was not caused by the book?" Teleios looked towards the Surgeon, as if expecting an answer.
A chuckle escaped the man as he rubbed at his eyes. "Ah, it seems I have misspoken. However, the damage is done, so yes. No one was brought back through the use of the Necronomicon. You can draw your own conclusions from that."
"Your slip up is appreciated. At least we can rule out some unknown quantity as the reason behind Sabishi's demise," Daisuke pointed out.
The Ultimate Zombie cackled wildly. "This may be over before it begins. I think we may have discovered a smoking gun while investigating Sabishi's room."
"It still needs to be tested, but you may be onto something, Jizoku." Alexander pulled a piece a paper out of his jacket. "While searching the poor dear's room, I discovered a letter addressed to Sabishi herself. It promised that the author had found a way to bring back Remy without a need for a sacrifice. She just had to meet up with the sender to complete the ritual."
"Are you serious? What did it say, verbatim? We can probably solve this case here and now! Did they say anything that gave any specific clues?" Nozomi asked while leaning forward into her podium.
Saino chuckled and looked to her side. "Please, Sakha, there is no need to insult the girl. She is not a fool for thinking this could be over so quickly. In fact, she may even be right. For the record, the note said 'I've found a way to use the Necronomicon without having to sacrifice someone. We can bring back Remy, but I need your help to complete the ritual.' It obviously gives no exact names, but you only need to answer this question to determine the sender: Who among us, in Sabishi's mind, would want to bring back Remy? Who did she believe enough to go into this trap?"
"If we're following conventional wisdom, it would clearly suggest that Hana is the sender of the note. However, with Syd having confirmed the book wasn't actually used, what reason would Hana have had to kill Sabishi?" Kiyomi countered.
The Hunter shifted slightly. A frown crossed his face. "Hana isn't cleared of suspicion just because the book wasn't used. Maybe Sabishi realized she was being deceived and tried to turn on the other girl. It lead to a conflict, which ended with Sabishi's death and an unused motive."
"N-No, that's simply ridiculous! Following Remy's death, I became very close with Sabi. I would never have done anything to jeopardize her life, not even if it meant bringing back Remy," the Channeler said as she gazed around the room. "You must believe me!"
"Can we really believe you? As memory serves, you and Sabishi deceived us in the previous trial. I'm not sure your word means very much," Alejandra said impassively.
Maya let out a sigh. "That doesn't really make sense. When they lied, they did it to try and help the rest of us. It doesn't make sense for Hana to deceive Sabishi just so she could kill her, especially if she did so without using the book." Henry let out a small roar, attempting to back up his master's argument.
"Yes, I'm quite inclined to agree. While it is true that deception and betrayal is quite common in these games, we cannot be sure that the letter found was written by Hana in the first place. For all we know, it could have been forged," Sonia pointed out. TRUTH BULLET
Sebastian loosened his collar. "Actually, I believe we can possibly determine that. Miss Saino, you are very familiar with calligraphy. Why don't we simply compare the writing to anything in Miss Sugimoto's personal journal? If the styles do not match, we should be able to safely remove her as a suspect," the man suggested. His gaze lingered on the Channeler for just a moment before he turned away.
"Of course, it would be best if we put this matter to bed as quickly as possible," Saino explained flatly. She walked over, collected the two documents, and returned to her podium. After a few quiet moments, she huffed and looked up to the others. "Yes, Aurora, I suppose it will come as a relief for the girl. Hana's handwriting is different than the one used for the note."
"Fufufu! Someone was really trying to be sneaky. Now we've eliminated one suspect! Think we should cover the alibis next? See if anything stands out?" Akeno suggested with a fangy grin.
Ariana giggled and wrapped herself with her tails. "What stands out is that only four people even have them. Me and Zo were getting it on, and Maya and Chase were being cuddle bugs. Everyone else was on their own."
"Nuh uh! Kenzie and I were together, too. She stayed up a bit late getting her painting of Remy done, but we were in bed before the time of death," Shiro explained, sending a wink towards the Painter.
"That makes only six of us with alibis. Since we've established that someone forged the note to frame Hana, that leaves eleven of us, right? Anyone else have anything worth offering?" Chase asked as he glanced around the room.
"Seems like most of us were in our rooms by that point. Unless anyone else was bunking together, we have no real alibis," Daisuke mused.
The Butler sighed. "Indeed. As I said before… I was in my room right after ten. I read for a few minutes, then fell asleep. I certainly have no one to account for that, however."
"Wait, that's not true, Sebastian. I saw you when I was heading back to my room. You were leaving the common hall and heading into the rest of the mansion sometime around eleven," Mackenzie recounted. She scrutinized the Butler with a look of pure confusion.
Jizoku waggled his eyebrows. "Ohoho! Someone has been caught in a fib. Could it really be the butler's doing, for once?"
"It's nothing of the sort. I may have neglected to mention that, but I certainly returned to my room before midnight. I simply had something else to attend to." Sebastian folded his arms defensively.
"Bullshit. You're going to need to offer us a bit more than that. You essentially just admitted to lying. If you're not the blackened, you're definitely hiding something." Samuel snapped at the older man with a suspicious glare.
"Mister Botha, that is not your concern. I am entitled to my privacy, just like the rest of you. I have never and would never spill blood." Sebastian's tone was firm. "This is a waste of valuable time."
Kiyomi frowned. "You may see it as such, but your privacy is far less important than reaching the truth. Whatever it is, just be honest with us. Otherwise, we'll never move this trial forward, and you will remain a prime suspect."
The Spirit Channeler cleared her throat as she forced down the blush that had reached her face. "...The truth is that Sebastian and I were… together. He was afraid of any misunderstandings it could cause, so he tried to hide it. I don't want to see the worst come to pass for no reason, though, so I had to tell the truth. Can we please just move on now?"
"I don't think that's good enough. If you didn't do this, please prove it to us," Maya said, looking between the the Channeler and the Butler.
A defeated sigh escaped Sebastian, whose shoulders slumped. "...Hana wasn't lying entirely. We were indeed together, just not in the manner you might picture. I intended to venture into the temple and utilize the Necronomicon."
"Uh, I don't think this is helping your case right now," Chase pointed out with a baffled expression.
"Whoa, I didn't think tall, dark, and sexy would have a person he'd risk murdering someone for. He seemed so composed and focused on protecting his family," Ariana muttered. She crossed her arms, idly using them to push up her chest.
"I never intended to kill anyone if I had used the book," the Butler admitted slowly. "I discovered that my wife was killed. The person keeping her and my son hostage clearly saw no reason to keep two hostages. When I-I saw the opportunity, I planned to sacrifice my own life in hopes of saving hers."
Nozomi frowned. "So… you were planning to commit suicide? Just to save the one you loved?"
"Are you actually buying into this bullshit? For all we know, he could just be spinning this as a desperate attempt to earn sympathy," Alejandra said bluntly.
"Whether or not that's true, dear Alejandra, there is still another part of this. Hana, how is it that you factor into this situation with Sebastian?" the Sorcerer questioned. Now all eyes were on Hana.
The Spirit Channeler folded her kimono sleeves. "...Sebastian's wife spoke to me and expressed fear for what he was about to do. She pleaded for me to stop him, so I left my room and found him near that blasted book..."
BEGIN FLASHBACK
11:22 P.M Day Ten
First Floor
Satanic Temple
The Ultimate Butler took a shaky breath. He stood mere inches from where the Necronomicon sat. "Grace, I'm sorry. I know this is incredibly selfish of me, but I am guilty for being a bystander in all of this. You, on the other hand, never did anything to deserve such a horrible fate. If my death can give you life, it is something I will do without hesitation."
"You're right. It is a terribly selfish thing to do, Bastian. Don't you think I deserve a word in all of this?" a familiar voice asked.
Sebastian's eyes widened. He turned suddenly to see Hana standing several feet away, staring at him with a look he was all too familiar with. Somehow, he saw his departed wife in her face. "Grace, is that truly you?" He could barely contain the tremble in his voice.
A weak, but playful, laugh escaped the girl in front of him. "Dummy, has it been so long that you've forgotten my voice?"
"N-No, of course not. This moment is just so surreal. What are you doing here?" the Butler asked. He stepped forward to slowly drape his arms around the Channeler's shoulders.
The channeled woman smiled as she rested Hana's cheek against the Butler's chest. "I made myself known to Hana and begged her to stop you from pursuing this course. I know where you're coming from - I miss you, Walter, and Hope more than anything - but losing me was enough. Don't make our children lose their father, too. I don't think their hearts or minds could withstand that."
"Grace, what about a mother? They need you just as much as they need me!" Sebastian protested while hugging the Channeler tightly.
A strained smile pulled at Hana's lips. "They deserve us both, honey, but you and you alone have gone through hell for Shiho and for us. In this world filled with despair, you are what our children need to survive."
The Butler began to grind his jaw together. "B-But I swore 'until death do us part.' How can I ignore that, Grace? How can I just forsake you?"
"Love, I'm already dead. You've been a wonderful husband and brilliant father. You shouldn't feel any guilt for that. I know you think throwing your life away is chivalrous, but I'm begging you… Let me go. Do what you must to survive, so our children will have someone to tell them right from wrong," Grace pleaded as she placed her hands on either side of the man's face.
"...Heh, some things never change. I never could win in an argument with you, Gracy, in life or otherwise."
The channeled woman smiled brightly. "Glad you're finally admitting that. I have to go, Bastian, but I'm going to borrow Hana for one last thing. I hope she'll forgive me for this," she said with a hint of smirk. Before Sebastian could respond, Grace leaned up and brushed her mouth against the man's lips.
There was a moment of uncertainty before Sebastian closed his eyes and returned the gesture with both tenderness and longing.
After several long seconds, he stopped when he felt the mouth against his moving in a more timid manner. His eyes opened to see a very embarrassed Hana. He quickly broke the exchange and cleared his throat uncomfortably.
"Uh, forgive me for that, Miss Sugimoto. I apologize for taking advantage of that moment. It was wrong of me, and I beg your forgiveness." The man bowed his head to hide the sorrow still radiating from his being.
The Spirit Channeler took several moments to compose herself before finally speaking. "Y-You shouldn't apologize. After all, I wanted to give you and Grace some peace. I think I finally know how I'd like to use my gift. If we ever make it off this horrible island, there will be so many broken families and hearts that I can bring peace to. That would be worth it to me."
The Butler offered a fond smile as he raised his gaze from the ground. "That is a commendable aspiration. For what's it's worth, you've given me and Grace what I never thought we'd have: a chance to say goodbye. Thank you for that, Miss Sugimoto,"
"You're very welcome, but please don't be so formal. Just call me Hana," the Spirit Channeler said timidly as she crossed her sleeves.
"Hana it is, then. I-I appreciate this more than I can ever begin to express. If it's not too much to ask, could you keep this moment to yourself? There are some things I'm not ready to discuss with the others," the Butler admitted.
The dark-haired beauty gently touched the man's shoulder and gave him a smile. "Unless you say otherwise, I won't breathe a word. Everyone deserves to chance to find peace with the ones they love."
END FLASHBACK
9:02 A.M Day Eleven
Mausoleum
Trial Room
"After that moment, I take it you both returned to your rooms?" Daisuke asked as he raised a single brow.
The Butler rubbed his forearm awkwardly. "We did return to my quarters, but I felt a sense of kinship with Hana after that moment. She was kind enough to lend me an ear. We talked well into the night before I fell asleep in my chair and she fell asleep on my bed. I apologize for not being forward initially, but the two of us have solid alibis."
"You have nothing to apologize for, Sebastian. I think most of us can understand, or at least sympathize with, what you must be going through. This was not a complete loss, anyways, as we can now remove both of you as suspects," Sonia pointed out.
"Yuppers. It looks like good ol' Sebas is in the clear," Shiro mused as he folded his hands behind his head. "Now what? Any other culprits anyone can think of?" he asked in a knowing tone. He looked over to Chase and Samuel, the former of whom rubbed his aching head.
"Well, we did fin-" However, Teleios cut Chase off before he could finish.
"Forgive my intrusion, Chase, but there is someone else who was caught attempting to use the book last night. I think we should settle that matter first," the Familiar opined as he turned to face Alejandra. "I found Alejandra and Saino arguing in the temple. It seemed like a fight was about to break out."
The Ultimate Vampire curled a strand of hair around her index finger as her gaze flickered between the pair. "Fufufu. Care to explain what that's about?"
"Of course. Last afternoon, Sakha pointed out to me that it was only inevitable that someone would attempt to use a powerful artifact like the Necronomicon for purely selfish reasons. So, I stood watch in the temple to ensure no one made such a foolish mistake," Saino explained with crossed arms. "During my time there, Alejandra came in to use the book and resurrect her departed brother. An argument started, which seemed to attract Teleios. Upon his request, we all went our separate ways. I returned to my library afterwards."
Nozomi frowned. "Not to sound like a bitch, but how do we know Alejandra didn't make a play for the book afterwards? Hell, for all we know, she came up with the forged note to implicate Hana and tried to resurrect her brother in the process. Obviously, something must have gone wrong."
"Something must have gone wrong? Are you even listening to yourself? I'll admit I did make an attempt for the damn book, but in what world could I have left Sabishi in that many pieces? I'm a writer and even I can't think of a creative suggestion for that," Alejandra responded.
"Yes, it was quite the magnificent scene. I also can't imagine what could have lead to such a stunning sight," Mackenzie said happily as she looked over her sketch pad. She suddenly looked up and towards the Werewolf. "Oh, I guess that search didn't lead anywhere. What were you going to say, Chase?"
The Werewolf offered a half-hearted chuckle. "Well, I don't much like pointing fingers at anyone, but I guess that's what we have to do in a trial. I found a scent that matched Sabishi's and found her blood on Alexander's bedroom door."
"Much like with Hana, we thought it could be simply a plant… but there was something equally as troubling. We tried to force our way into his room to conduct an investigation, only to discover that he'd sealed the room with some sort of magic. Teleios can confirm that," the Hunter said as he nodded at the gyrfalcon.
"Yes, that is correct. The door had a seal cast upon it that reflected the force of Chase's kick back onto him. It certainly raises the question of why you would have that kind of security in place over your room." Teleios looked over Alexander carefully.
"Kekeke. Maybe our Romeo just didn't want us to find his sex dungeon! Maya, didn't you say that's really popular nowadays? Wasn't it called fifty shades of black or something?" Jizoku offered the Tamer a goofy grin.
Maya rolled her eyes. "I know this is only par for the course with you, Jizoku, but please don't bring up topics like that during the trial. I mean, unless they're relevant." She looked at Alexander for a moment before shaking her head. "Alex, would you please explain what's going on with your door?"
A brief chuckle escaped the Sorcerer as he placed his hand on his chest. "I assure you that I don't have anything like that in my room. All that you'd find there is my large collection of old magic tomes. As for the lock, its purpose is simple: it's to keep myself and anyone who may be with me safe over night." He cast a smoldering gaze towards Akeno before continuing. "This is a killing game, after all, and I wouldn't risk our safety during such a vulnerable time. The lock only responds with force if you strike it particularly hard, but should you simply knock, nothing would happen to you. I've had it set up for the majority of the game and it hasn't caused any problems until now."
"I know I am hardly the most unbiased person here, but I can attest to the fact that it's been there since the beginning," Akeno said while trading a lingering stare with the Sorcerer. "As my darling mortal said, it was simply a way to help us lower our guard without fear of intrusion or worse."
Daisuke rubbed at his chin. "It still doesn't answer the reason for the blood on the door, and I do have to wonder why you didn't reveal this spell during the zombie motive. It could have changed our fortunes. Hell, it could have saved Colleen and Remy's lives."
"That wouldn't have worked for a number of reasons. This isn't a quick burst of flames that I can just snap my fingers to create. A spell like that lock requires a lot of concentration and magic to set up. Just to make it large enough to cover my door took most of a day and nearly sapped me of all of my mana," Alexander explained. "Were it something more manageable, I would've used it in a heartbeat to keep you all safe, my lovelies."
Hana frowned. "I don't think most of us know enough about magic to know if that's true or not, but Saino would know, right? Is what Alexander is saying true?"
The Dragon quietly muttered to the empty air around her for a bit before turning back to the others. "Magic isn't always as instantaneous as one would assume. Neither Rathai or myself know this exact spell. However, in theory, something that sets up a long-lasting ward that recognize aggression and reacts accordingly would not be something conjured so easily."
"Suffice it to say, Alexander may be telling the truth," Kiyomi pointed out before sighing. "Honestly, I think chasing motives and alibis isn't going to work in this case. I think we're better served to examine the cause of death."
"But that's the problem, isn't it?" Sonia questioned as she quirked a single brow. "We don't even know how Sabishi was killed, which means narrowing down a suspect has become much more difficult."
Sebastian's brow furrowed. "Perhaps we should go over the details of the crime scene."
The Ultimate Painter sighed happily as she held up the sketched scene. "It was a beautiful show of incredible force. Simply marvelous. I can't wait to bring this to my canvas."
"Can someone please go over the crime scene so I don't have to listen to this?" the Hunter asked irritably.
The Paranormal Investigator gave the boy a sympathetic smile. "She's not entirely wrong. There must have been a great deal of force to cause the scene we found. What I found most unusual was that the hand I found wasn't yet experiencing rigor mortis." TRUTH BULLET
"Care to explain the significance of that for those of us without any know how?" Ariana asked as she swished her tails back and forth.
Shiro grinned from ear to ear. "Duh, that's super easy! A body starts to get stiffer than I do with Kenzie. This starts around six hours, so there has to be a reason why that wasn't the case."
"If we can determine what delayed rigor mortis, it will guide us to the answer," Sonia mused. "Was there anything else of consequence discovered at the scene?"
Akeno folded her arms. "Well, the blood in the temple was diluted a bit. Does that help?"
"On top of that, we also noticed several damp spots. I'm not sure how it fits together yet," Daisuke added as he rubbed his chin.
"There were also damp spots in front of Alexander's door. I believe we can certainly link them to the killer," Teleios explained.
Jizoku cackled out loud. "Wet spots? What, did someone not make it to the can? Or maybe someone dribbled their ice cream on the floor and forgot to clean up after themselves!"
"...Jizoku, you are a genius!" Kiyomi exclaimed as her eyes widened.
Nozomi raised an eyebrow. "...Never thought I'd hear anyone say that about this bonehead. What did he say that was so important?"
"I have to admit, I'm a bit curious as well," Samuel remarked.
The dark-haired investigator smiled thoughtfully. "It's simple: the water in both locations was formerly ice. It also explains two major conundrums: the blood splatter pattern and the delayed rigor mortis. My theory is Sabishi was frozen solid and then her body was shattered. Over the course of the night, the ice melted, leaving the puddles in its wake. Of course, because of this, it pushed the rate of decomposition back quite a bit. Likely, whoever tried to frame Alexander took a piece, crushed it, and left blood on Alexander's door as a distraction. All of this leads to one conclusion in my mind. Saino Terazawa, you are the killer!" TRUTH BULLET
A deep chuckle left the Dragon as she meet the Investigator's gaze. "That is the only conclusion you could reach? I believe Sakha just summed it up best. 'Leave it to foolish humans to jump to the first connection their feeble minds can fathom.' There is someone else who would have the means to do this as well. Isn't that right, Alexander?"
"That's ridiculous! It wouldn't make any sense for Alex to make himself look guilty if he really was the killer!" Akeno protested as she folded her arms in irritation.
"Unless he wanted to put himself above suspicion by seeming 'too obvious.' Even then, that seems unnecessarily risky," Alejandra mused as her gaze flitted between the pair. "With both of you possessing abilities and knowledge of the arcane arts, I suppose it's possible either of you could have accomplished the task."
Alexander ran a hand through his hair as he sighed. "Simply saying I didn't do it would be worthless. I also do not possess an alibi for this case. However, after Kiyomi's accusation, Saino clearly didn't offer one. I'm afraid you all are going to have to find something more specific to narrow this down. I believe we are running scarce on time as well. Please, there must be something that has been overlooked."
"Indeed. I don't know how much more patience Master Syd has, and I'd rather not leave this to a coin toss," Sebastian added.
"Let's see… Is there something we could have missed?" Mackenzie asked out loud as she stared down at her journal with a whimsical expression. "Rigor mortis, the damp spot, the chipped pew, and the diluted blood..."
The Ultimate Storyteller snapped his fingers. "That's it! It's such a small damn thing, but I guarantee that's the cause. The damaged pew was near the center of the room. I doubt flying ice would have caused that, but I'm willing to bet that Saino used her tail to smash the ice block she froze Sabishi in. As a result, her tail must have caught the pew, leaving the chip we found. I'd say the shape left matches up quite nicely. Is that about right, or would you care to deny it, Saino?" TRUTH BULLET
"No, I believe that this charade has gone on long enough. You are correct, Daisuke. I am the one who killed Sabishi," Saino admitted calmly as she smirked. "I caught her with the book open. When I told her to step aside, she refused, so I froze her where she stood and shattered her with my tail. That is all there is to it."
BEGIN FLASHBACK
12:34 A.M Day Eleven
First Floor
Satanic Temple
Sabishi bit the inside of her cheek as her hands fumbled with the large tome.
Remy, I know you'll be upset with me… but how can I live with myself right now? You gave your life to save all of us. No matter what you did in the past, you laid your life down. I've lost too many people, but maybe this is my chance to save them. Syd never said there was a limit to how many times this thing could be used. Maybe I could take out the entire staff and bring back as many innocent people as I can.
A chuckle sounded in the room as Saino made her way in. "I'm sorry, Aurora, it seems you were wrong. There was someone idiotic enough to actually take ahold of that book. Sabishi, put it away if you know what's good for you." The Dragon made her way towards the Gravekeeper with a glare.
"What's good for me? Tell me, Saino, just how many innocent children have you experimented on? Jibo and Syd might have been behind the science, but none of their projects would have been possible without your knowledge! Your hands are covered in more blood than anyone left on this island!" Sabishi snapped while clutching the tome tightly.
"Yes, there is blood on my hands. Human blood. My work will create beings more worthy of being alive. Besides, all these humans have given themselves away. They wanted to be something better." Saino stopped a short distance from the other girl. "We have had millennia of humanity destroying itself. Perhaps it is time for the next species to take over."
The Undertaker gritted her teeth. "If you spill as much blood as humans have, what makes you any different? You might be a dragon on the outside, but you're just like Syd. You are just as selfish and cruel. You can grow as many scales as you like, but you'll never change that part of yourself. That's why I have no regrets in seeing you traded for a soul that deserves life." She stared down at the page in front of her and began to quickly read the first line aloud.
The words never left the Gravekeeper's throat, as she was quickly covered in ice. The Necronomicon remained free of the ice and slipped out of the frozen girl's grasp. Saino walked closer, picked up the tome, then looked over the girl's encased form. She then raised her tail up with a malicious, toothy grin. With a quick turn of her body, she stabbed her tail directly through the ice and into the corner of a nearby pew.
The Dragon picked up a piece of the shattered remains and made her way out of the temple. All she had to do now was head towards the common hall to carry out her plan to implicate Alexander.
END FLASHBACK
9:20 A.M Day Eleven
Mausoleum
Trial Room
"How can you be so nonchalant about what you've done?" Chase asked in a booming voice. "Don't you have any remorse for your actions?"
Saino laughed and shook her head. "Why would I feel remorse for the work I've been striving for my whole life? After I learned about the amazing creatures that only existed in legend, I knew that the disgusting wretches known as humans would never be worth as much."
"So you truly see anything human as lesser, don't you? Sabishi was right, you might have changed on the outside, but you're not some god. You're just an evil human who became part of an experiment." Hana balled up her fists. "At the very least, your work will end here, as well as your lack of compassion for humanity."
"I have never made the mistake of considering myself something as ludicrous as a god. Hear me now. Your short-sightedness will be your downfall in this game. The fruits of my labors have only just begun to bud. Whether this body is around to see the results no longer matters," Saino said, crossing her arms over her chest. "Syd, I tire of this incessant talk. Bring this to an end already."
The Surgeon offered a chuckle. "As you wish. I have to say this is disappointing. I expected more from you, Saino, but life is full of disappointments, I suppose. Seems there is no need for voting this time. Shiro, are you prepared?"
Shiro pumped a fist in the air with an ear-to-ear grin. "Heck yeah, I am. After getting denied an execution last time, I'm raring to show my stuff again!"
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but for once, I say good riddance," Samuel remarked as he cast a dark look at the Dragon.
"Let's get this over with. Let the punishment commence!" Syd exclaimed. Once he hit a button, reinforced chains suddenly wrapped around every one of Saino's limbs, including her neck and tail, before dragging her out of sight.
A few moments passed before the screens in the mausoleum flickered to life...
9:24 A.M Day Eleven
Mausoleum
Punishment Chamber
The room was filled with a pleasant grass field, with simple wooden structures looking like something from the renaissance era.
A crude stadium sat at the center of the chamber with mostly greyed-out cardboard cutouts in the shape of humans.
In a skybox of the arena, Shiro walked out in a poofy, light-blue princess gown and a tiara. "Greetings, everyone! I've gathered you here for a very special punishment for the Ultimate Dragon, Saino Terazawa. I call it the Legacy of Sigurd!" he announced to the recording of a roaring crowd.
"Everyone, please give a cheer for our brave dragon slayer and the terrible dragon!"
Smoke filled the room as Saino was raised from the ground and chained to a post in the center of the field. She stared forward with an unamused expression, but didn't bother to struggle against her restraints.
From one end of the arena, some fireworks burst in mid-air as horns blared an over-the-top medieval fanfare. Shiro stepped out in a gaudy set of golden armor. He winked towards Saino as he slid a matching helmet over his head and flipped down the face guard.
A large, robotic horse came up beside the Executioner, carrying with it a ridiculous-looking lance. Shiro wasted no time as he swung his leg over the horse and got into position. He lifted the lance and watched as the end of it began to glow orange. After a few moments of build up, a flame burst out of both the lance and the horse, rocketing him towards the restrained Dragon. Saino offered no reaction as Shiro and the horse raced towards her.
Shiro raised the weapon and let the thrust carry him off of the horse. The Executioner cheered and whooped as he sailed through the air towards his target. "This is it! Time to give it everything I've got!" Shiro screamed happily. A loud shattering sound filled the area as the lance stabbed into the woman. An eruption of smoke filled the field after the moment of impact.
As the smoke dispersed, Shiro happily sprang to his feet and struck a pose. He turned to face the remains of Saino, only to become shocked upon seeing her standing there stoically. Her chest had broken open, revealing a hollow, wooden frame. Saino's head rolled off of her shoulders and landed on the ground with a dull thunk.
An alarm blared and the words "Execution Failed" covered the screens in the mausoleum. The video feed from the punishment chamber was cut.
9:31 A.M Day Eleven
Mausoleum
Trial Room
The Ultimate Executioner returned with the puppet's head in his hand and a very disappointed expression on his face. He promptly chucked the head against the wall, causing it to shatter. "This is so uncool! This is twice I've been robbed!"
"If that thing was a puppet, where the hell is the real Saino at?" Nozomi asked with a mystified expression.
Syd stood up with a genuine look of concern all over his face. "This trial is concluded. I have matters to attend to." He swiftly strode away from his podium, and his animatronic bears followed.
"I don't think I've ever seen him this upset before. It seems like the wool was pulled over his eyes, too," Kiyomi mused.
Alejandra shook her head. "That was certainly a plot twist. I'm not sure if I should be upset or impressed."
"Don't be so quick to celebrate one of us deceiving the mastermind. If she's really gone, this could mean something far worse is in motion," Samuel pointed out.
The Zombie shrugged. "Maybe, but don't you think it's amusing to see that even Syd isn't infallible? It means there is a way to cheat the system."
"But where would she even go? Is she just hiding somewhere on the island to avoid punishment?" Hana questioned.
The Sorcerer rubbed at his chin. "I find that highly unlikely. She, above everyone else, seemed to know the physical and supernatural defenses that shielded this island. She'd be the most capable of finding a means to bypass them."
"That make a great deal of sense, but if she's no longer on the island, where could she possibly be now?" Daisuke wondered as he stared at the broken puppet's head.
10:15 A.M October 24th 2020
London
Waterworks
A clanging sound filled the expansive tunnel as long claws met cold metal.
A deep, rumbling chuckle escaped the lone hooded figure that strode towards the entrance of the waterway. Beneath one arm rested an old tome, underneath the other was a large canister.
Saino's predatorial eyes shone through the dimly-lit area. "Why leave of all my research to fate, my friends? The results of that killing game are of little consequence to me now. After all, I've gathered everything that I require here." She inhaled deeply, and released her icy breath.
It soon covered an emergency hatch. She stomped on it, causing it to shatter. The gushing of water could be heard as she watched the pipes feed fresh water through the system.
"Yes, this will make an excellent test. Home of the Arthurian legends, where myth will become reality. A world forever changed," she breathed. She then unscrewed the lid of the canister before spilling the contents into the open water-flow.
The Dragon flickered her tail back and forth through the air with a sense of excitement flashing in her eyes. "Humanity, consider this your death knell."
A few quiet moments passed as Saino watched the chemicals mix in and slowly spread through the water. She looked to her side and smiled kindly. "Yes, Rathai, even my own legends will be coming true soon, but not from here. I will need special subjects for that," the Dragon said as she began to walk away from the rushing waters. A portal opened before her and she stepped through, leaving behind the fragments of the hatch as the only sign she'd been there at all.
17 Survivors Remain
*AN* As per usual, I'd like to thank the betas for all their hard work. I know I keep you all busy around the clock lol. A major shout out though to Petty who really knocked it out of the park with her co-writing in this chapter. Love you babe =)
Review Section:
Trust Me the Spider
No! They all must die my little spider!
1Glimmershine
Well it was Saino, but I think you may or may not appreciate the little twist. Though I sincerely hope you do, as it was one Petty and I were quite proud of.
Psychochiken
Oh I know you're out for my blood now. I killed poor Sabi and ontop of it, her killer got away with it!
MudkipOfDespair
The master theorist strikes again hahaha
BirblordAlmighty
This time no one returned I'm afraid. I thought it would serve as a nice red herring only to have it fall through.
bellatrixshine
Actually you called it! =)
pokemansuperallstar
So funny enough, we had an execution without a death. What a weird trial
doomqwer
Yeah it really sucked. I never expected to become so attached to her =/
NSPunny
Yeah it was a decision I made A LONG time ago. I'll probably be second guessing myself for a long time too.
Raz The Giant
Raz as always, you're rocking that big brain. You called it!
Fee5H
Lol eventually I"m going to have to ban you from making theories, because it sucks the fun out of it for everyone else :P