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Arctis Tor - Defendant Lobby(?)
"Soooo..." Athena said, looking around the quiet lobby shortly after they'd entered it. Rayfa was sitting on the small couch provided to them, reading some book of fables she'd found to try and get her mind off her situation, while Apollo was on his phone, his expression intense. "How do you think that went?"
Pulling the device away from his ear to get a better look at it, Apollo punched in some numbers, listened to it again, then seemed to give up. Realizing Athena was waiting for an answer, Apollo thought about it for a second before saying, "That was all set-up, for us and Godot. I tried to spin it our way as best I could, but until we hear the next witness's testimony, I have no clue how good our chances are." Then, with a sigh, he put his phone in a pocket.
Reaching out to lightly slap the pocket he'd deposited the electronic in, Athena asked, "What're you trying to do, call someone? Do phones even work in the Faerie World?"
Apollo contemplated correcting her that, apparently, this place's technical name was the 'Nevernever', before deciding it wasn't worth it and just answering her questions directly. "I was trying to get in contact with Ema, but it looks like there isn't any cell service here." Apollo said this as if he were talking about a remote mountain village and not another dimension populated by creatures from children's stories.
Apparently bored with the book, which she'd at least set back where she'd found it, Rayfa wandered over to the attorneys and confronted Apollo. "That scientist girl my brother likes so much? Why exactly are you trying to reach her?" The diminutive royal had a cocky smile on her face, but Apollo didn't need his (apparently magical) eyesight to know she was putting up a brave front.
Of course, he could also respect her for that. After all, it was what he tended to do, at his own lowest moments. Gesturing with one hand, he explained, "When we were investigating the crime scene, we found remnants of some sort of chemical. I passed it on to her, hoping she'd be able to let us know what it was, but I'm starting to worry about whether she'll be able to get the results to us in time, even if she can properly analyze it considering how long she's had it." He was going to tell Rayfa more about his hopes for the case, only for a Sidhe dressed as a bailiff with a powder blue skin tone to lean in and inform them that the trial was ready to resume. Giving his client the best comforting smile he could, Apollo walked into court, trying to look like he was more optimistic than he felt.
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Arctis Tor - Courtroom
At first glance, the courtroom was the same as they'd left it only minutes ago. But Apollo's sharp eyes took note of one change: one of the wizards watching from the balconies was gone, and a quick headcount confirmed who it was. Rashid, the Gatekeeper, was nowhere to be seen. Unsure whether that was a good sign or a bad one, Apollo looked across the court as his grinning opponent, who was already enjoying a new cup of coffee, ready to hear what he had to say next.
"For the opening act, the prosecution made clear what exactly the crime at question is, and why we're suspicious of the defendant. Both the witness and the defense could only come up with one solid objection to our claims: Why? Why would a meek little princess burn her own bodyguard to death?" Another sip of coffee. "Well, I've got just the witness to clear that up, though I don't know if everyone here would enjoy hearing the sad tale." Apollo suddenly got the distinct impression that Godot was raising an eyebrow in his direction. "Well, Injustice, want to spare the court's ears and just call it quits?"
Unsure what the prosecutor was referring to, Apollo shook his head, keeping his expression serious. "I appreciate the offer, Prosecutor Godot, but the defense continues to seek a Not Guilty verdict, no matter what your witness is about to say." Still, this odd strategy from the opposition did make Apollo even more curious as to who he was going to call, and what they would say.
Leaning laxly onto the frosty bench, Godot stretched his lips into a grin and said, "I expected nothing less. Bailiff, bring in the witness." The same fae who'd brought Apollo and his group into the court was now escorting a familiar man to the witness stand. "Witness, can you please tell us all your name and occupation. All of it up front this time, if you please." Despite the polite wording, it was clear to anyone listening that Godot wasn't really asking, he was commanding.
The man at the stand looked shabbier and grubbier than he'd appeared the day before, when he'd stood in that same spot. His bushy black beard was still framed on his face by bright yellow eyeliner, but from how dry and spotty it was beginning to look, Apollo had the distinct impression the wizard hadn't been able to reapply it, or see to his appearance at all, in the last day. "I am Grim Moir," he said, with the confidence only possible from a wizard if the name they were giving wasn't their Name. "I am...or was, depending on how this trial turns out, the personal tutor for the defendant, Queen Rayfa, as well as her instructor in the ways of magical arts. I am also a practising wizard of the White Council."
The little fact that he was also a victim of Mask DeMasque apparently wasn't relevant enough to mention. Apollo hadn't expected to see this witness again, especially after his testimony had won the case for the defense the day before. But if Godot minded having the man who'd ruined his case with one testimony back on the stand, he didn't show it. "It seems some people aren't sure why your queen might be interested in killing her bodyguard. You claim to have the answer to our question, and it would be rude not to share."
Grim still looked nervous, perhaps even more so than he had the day before. His eyes kept flitting up to the wizards watching from the balcony, as though their presence was a bane rather than a boon. Still, after a small coughing fit, he managed to start his testimony. "I've known...knew...Sah'kred Pahrohtektor longer than either of us were in Royal Khura'inese employ. I counted myself among his few friends. Sadly, the man was not without faults. Some of those...faults...were particularly vexing to Queen Rayfa, who complained about him often. She admires fictional champions of justice, and has a strong sense of morality. If she learned that Sah'kred was really the famous criminal Mask DeMasque and if he...I...I can see why she would want to immolate him." It was a far less decisive testimony than Apollo had expected. There were no concrete details to explain the motive the prosecution was trying to advance.
Of course, Apollo wasn't a rookie anymore. If those details weren't to be found on the surface, they'd appear as Apollo dug deeper, during his cross-examination. The judge for the trial appeared inscrutable as she regarded Apollo. "Is the defense prepared to cross-examine this testimony?" Apollo nodded his head. "Very well, then begin." Thus, Grim began to recount what he'd said before, and Apollo was ready to Press.
When the testimony first reached the part about the victim's faults, Apollo shouted, "Hold it! Witness, you're being unnecessarily vague. What 'faults' are you referring to?" After all, it was hard to understand the testimony as a whole if the crux of it was kept in the dark.
On the other side of the court, Godot's smile grew by millimeters as Apollo asked his question, but he couldn't take it back once it was out in the open. Starting to sweat more profusely, Grim sputtered through a hacking cough while everyone waited for his answer. "Yes, well, I am not sure what word is most appropriate. Borginian is my first language, you see...↑ᨏ∿؟↡ is the word I know of." he tried, the European language sounding far more natural in his rough voice than his attempts to speak in English.
Despite occasionally considering learning Borginian after all the trouble the lack of interpreters caused in his third ever case, Apollo had never actually followed through on the idea. Rubbing his head in embarrassment, Apollo asked, "Does, uh, anyone here speak Borginian?"
Looking to his friend who had spent quite a while in Europe, Apollo was sad to see that Athena looked downcast. "Sorry, Apollo, but I never visited Borginia. The strict borders made it more unattractive than some of its neighbors. My Deutsch won't help either, they're too different." There went the help Apollo had been hoping for.
The silence that followed was soon split by the gulp of more coffee going down the prosecutor's throat. "I do." Apollo wasn't sure if he should believe that, but from what he knew of Godot, there was definitely the possibility that he was on the money. "I might be a little rusty, but ↑ᨏ∿؟↡ is best translated as 'lascivious'. I should know, I got called that more than once when I visited your country." Apollo knew there was a lot to unpack there, but decided he'd be happier throwing out the whole suitcase.
Of course, considering this was the prosecutor, Apollo was about to raise an objection to this translation, only for the witness to snap his fingers, appearing briefly happy for the first time since entering court. "That is correct! 'Lascivious', that is what I was trying to remember."
While Apollo was turning a bright red, Athena put a finger to her chin and asked him, "Uh, Apollo? I don't know if I've ever heard that word before. What's 'lascivious' mean?" He couldn't really blame her, it wasn't exactly a commonly used word.
Still, he wasn't exactly looking forward to explaining it to her. For once, Apollo had wished someone else had been forced to meet that weird perverted fake doctor from the Hickfield Clinic, since his example would have made this a lot easier. "It's, uh...someone who says a lot of...crass comments? Like really dirty pick-up lines and maybe...obscene gestures?" It was the best Apollo could do, the very fact he was trying to explain that word's definition to the girl who'd worked under his tutelage for a year and a half was bad enough, but doing it in court made it even worse. Judging by how scandalized she looked, Athena seemed to have understood what he meant.
Having heard Apollo's explanation, Grim was nodding his head along to it. "That is right. Sah'kred, when not on duty, had a habit of making...suggestive comments about women in his presence. He was not shy about telling women just what he wanted to do to them, either." At the very least, Apollo could take some solace that the witness looked as mollified talking about this as Apollo felt.
The witness went back to his testimony, but Apollo quickly had another question. "Hold it! So you're saying that the Queen was aware of his, uh, unprofessional behavior, and hadn't cared for it? If so, why hadn't she done what she could to make him stop?" After all, Apollo thought, she was the queen. Shouldn't that mean that, if she wanted something stopped, it was very well going to stop?
Now frowning in what almost seemed to be disgust, Grim explained, "She was aware of it, but Sah'kred never said anything untoward in her presence, or while performing his official duties. While she tried to get him to stop his behavior several times, he was always able to weather the talking-to's. To him, since it was something that only happened in his free time, it was beyond the Queen's ability to regulate."
Just hearing that kind of defense made Apollo scowl, and he had to ask, "In that case, why did she keep him on? Surely she could fire him." After all, Apollo had started to know Rayfa better. She was the kind of person who, if food wasn't made according to her preferences, would send it back to be 'fixed' immediately.
After letting out a long sigh, Grim gave Apollo his answer. "Regardless of his...less noble qualities, Sah'kred was a wonderful guardsman. In his short time as her personal bodyguard, he saved her from assassins bent on taking the Queen's life more than a dozen times, even being hurt in the process more than once." Okay, Apollo thought, he was good at his job. But surely there were other badass guards on the market, right? "There was another reason. As you know, loyalty to the Queen has become an issue. Especially when it comes to those protecting the Queen's life, those proven to have no ties to Ga'ran or her supporters are required. It seemed to me that Rayfa had decided to keep Sah'kred in her service, despite his failings."
Even if he didn't like it, Apollo could understand that. Yesterday's trial had been clear evidence of how many hidden snakes and scorpions lurked in the palace, even then. The witness started to continue his testimony, and Apollo was ready to Press again, right after Grim mentioned understanding why the defendant might want to kill the victim. "Hold it! Even after the more...unsavory details of the victim you've revealed, or the possibility that he was secretly Mask DeMasque, I fail to see why you're so sure my client had a motive." After all, no matter his failings, she had decided to keep the man under her employ.
This kicked off a long storm of coughing from Grim, so it was the prosecutor who took over answering the question. "Let me paint a little picture for you, Injustice. You're a young girl, with what feels like the weight of the world on your tiny shoulders. One of the men assigned to guard you is a bit more forward with his passions than most find acceptable. Then, that man shows up in the secret room that's supposed to protect you, dressed as a famous thief. You might wonder...if he isn't there to take something else..." As Godot's words trailed off, he went back to sipping at his coffee, apparently satisfied that his message came across. He only added, "I'm no artist, but I think this picture almost paints itself."
Apollo recoiled in shock, as did Athena. The witness sounded like he was going to hack up a lung. Trying his best not to follow that rabbit hole too far down, Apollo now understood what point the prosecution was trying to make, and if it was left to stand, their case was over. "Defense, your inquiry has yielded the answers we sought. Do you have further questions, or can we end the trial here?" Mab asked the question almost casually, as if the result would not determine the life or death of an underage girl.
No matter how badly his questions had hurt his case, Apollo knew he couldn't give up now. Standing as tall as he could (which really wasn't much), his back straight, Apollo shook his head and said, using his Chords of Steel to ensure the words reverberated through the frozen courtroom, "The defense has not finished! We would like the witness to restate their testimony once more, as we have further questions for him." Even as the words left his mouth, Apollo thought he saw what amounted to pity from some of the monstrous creatures in the gallery, but he tried to ignore them. This wasn't a desperate last stand. It was his counterattack.
The judge took his words into consideration, then gave her own opinion. "The witness will do as requested." Apollo almost let out a sigh of relief, but then Mab kept going. "Only once more, however. Should no new relevant information be found, a verdict will be delivered once the wizard has finished speaking." Considering she seemed close to rendering said verdict anyway, Apollo tried not to think of this as a terrifying ticking clock, and more like a chance to change her mind.
This time, Apollo didn't waste any time. After the witness finished his first statement, regarding how the witness and victim knew each other, the attorney shouted out, "Hold it! Can you elaborate further on the nature of your relationship to the deceased, and how you came to know each other?"
The witness opened his mouth to answer the question, only for the prosecutor to jump in with his baritone voice. "Objection!" By this point in the trial, Apollo had given up trying to count just how many cups of coffee the opposition had gone through. As a new mug slid down his bench to his hand, Godot took a sniff of the brew before bringing it to his lips. Then, after his sip, he said, "Be careful how big a net you try to throw, Injustice. You never know what you'll catch. I'm going to need you to trade it in for a smaller fishing tool."
From Apollo's side, Athena asked, looking exasperated, "What is he talking about? Are we leaving the trial to go fishing?" Apollo could see she was joking, but the frustration was real.
Luckily, years of reading and rereading Mr. Wright's case files meant that he was more used to Godot's legendary metaphors. Crossing his arms confidently, Apollo replied, "The good prosecutor is trying to say that my question was too vague, and that I should ask something more specific." Godot didn't say anything to that, but Apollo didn't care. With a finger to the center of his forehead, he started to think about just what was the best avenue to tackle. He could go further into how they met, what he knew of the victim's past...Apollo only had one shot. Deciding to trust his gut, Apollo told Grim, "Allow me to rephrase that: Can you tell the court more about what you thought about the victim? When he was alive, what was your opinion of him?"
This question, at the very least, seemed to stress the witness out less than most of the others Apollo had asked him. Hands fiddling with the edge of the witness stand, Grim answered, "He was...a charming man. Easy to like. Perhaps that was why he got away with so much." Then, he added something else, and for a second Apollo was sure he Perceived something in the witness's body language. "But really, he was just a normal man, like any other of the royal bodyguards." Now, Apollo's heart was starting to hammer in his slender chest. This was it! This was how he turned things around!
From the heights of the court, Mab asked, "It seems you think something of his response. Defender, do you wish it added to the testimony?" When Apollo replied in the affirmative, she slammed her gavel once, then proclaimed, "It shall be done. Witness, continue your testimony, including what you just revealed to the court."
And so Grim tried to incorporate the new claim into his testimony. "Sah'kred was a charming man..." Still half-paying attention to the words, Apollo rubbed his bracelet, and felt his focus sharpen. The world disappeared, all that mattered was the witness, who now seemed to be talking in slow-motion. "...which is perhaps how he got away with so much." Apollo was looking all over his body, trying to find the source of his twinge of insight, when he noticed the defendant's hands, clasping the ice of the witness stand tightly. "But more than anything, he was just a normal man." Just there, as he called the victim a 'normal man', the ends of his fingers dug tightly into the ice, enough to leave small scratch marks on the frozen surface. There was the lie.
"Gotcha!" Apollo shouted, ready to blow this case wide open. "You don't sound entirely confident, Mr. Moir. A 'normal man', that's how you refer to the victim? Are you willing to stand by that assessment?"
With his focus still heightened by the bracelet, there was still nothing else for Apollo to see besides the witness, and from the hacking cough Grim found himself letting out, the lawyer was sure he was on the right track. Once he managed to recover his voice, the wizard replied, "If I wasn't confident in saying so, boy, I wouldn't have used the word." There was something in Grim's voice there that Apollo hadn't heard before: Warning. Anger. The man seemed so, well, pathetic most of the time that Apollo hadn't considered that he was a wizard, and dangerous because of it, at least on some level.
Even considering that the man Apollo was speaking to could liquify his insides with a word, probably, he wasn't going to stop his pursuit. "Interesting." Then, Apollo pulled out the file he'd gotten from Ema Skye. "According to the official Autopsy Report, there are some issues with claiming the victim was 'normal'. His bones show that he should have been in his early 20's, several decades younger than official records state, while the number of healed fractures, nearly a hundred in total, imply he's far older."
There was a slight widening of the man's yellow-rimmed eyes, but no other sign that he'd taken anything Apollo said to be of import. "Clearly, the mortician examining him must have made some kind of mistake. Unless you claim to have another explanation for such...what is the world in English? Impossible, that is it, impossible results." It was clear to Apollo that, with this level of pushback, he was headed in the right direction.
"Another explanation?" Apollo asked, a sure smile on his face. "Why yes, I think there is. What both the discrepancy in age and all his perfectly healed broken bones tell me, Mr. Moir, is that whatever Sah'kred was, he wasn't a mortal. No, he was something with the ability to pass as a human, but with a longer lifespan and the ability to heal its wounds far beyond what any normal person could manage. Combine that with his predatory attitude towards women, and I think we get a pretty clear picture!" One hand went to Grim's mouth as his eyes bugged out, while still evading Apollo's direct gaze, shocked at what he had managed to put together. "Go ahead, Mr. Moir, say it! Tell the court the true nature of the victim in this case!"
"He was...he was...a vampire!" Grim admitted, recoiling backwards as his robes fluttered in the air. "A vampire of the White Court!" Satisfied with that answer, Apollo took his hand off his bracelet, letting the world return to normal around him. Mab's expression was inscrutable as always, but Godot had a hand to the side of his head, a grimace on his face showing that he hadn't expected this turn of events.
His voice sounding more like a growl than anything else, Godot barked, "Witness! Explain exactly what you mean!" Maybe it was a trick of the light, but Apollo swore he saw sparks arcing off the man's mask as he talked.
Now looking even more ragged and pathetic than he had before his brief resistance, it took awhile for Grim Moir to stop coughing and actually reply to what the prosecutor asked of him. "The victim in this case...was not a mortal. He was a White Court Vampire, and his real name was Ringo Raith, a distant cousin to the ruling house of those monsters..." More coughs interrupted his sentence, but the court seemed to get the picture.
"Why," Mab asked, something deadly clearly audible under the surface of her words, "was this not something you revealed before now?" Apollo, no matter his thoughts on Mab, agreed with the question. Why hadn't this come up before?
"I made a pact, sworn on my power, not to tell anyone what he really was," Grim explained, his voice becoming reedy in his fear. "Technically, any repercussions on my magic ended with his death, due to how we worded it, but I tried to keep the spirit of our agreement anyway, out of respect for the dead." Apollo didn't exactly understand what 'sworn on my power' meant, but he knew this could be the out they needed.
Slamming his fists on the cold defense bench, Apollo shouted, "It is the defense's position that, as a vampire, the First Law of Magic does not apply to the victim in this case!" That caused quite a stir in the gallery, but a slam of the gavel from Mab quieted them.
From the arch look she was giving Godot, it was clear to all she wanted to hear what he had to say. He finished off what coffee he had in his mug, then said, "My opinion isn't relevant, and neither is that of the greenhorn at the defense's bench. I ask the judge for an hour recess, so that I can speak with who I represent, the Senior Council of the White Council of Wizards, and hear their thoughts on this new development."
After considering the proposition, Mab gave a sharp nod. "We will allow this, but the trial day grows long. If your wizards cannot come to a decision within a half hour, I will declare a verdict in favor of the defense." With another single strike of her gavel, she put the court into recess, giving both sides time to head into their respective lobbies.
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Arctis Tor - Defendant Lobby(?)
"Well, that was good news, right?" Athena asked as they settled into their lobby with Rayfa, who looked tense. "Since he was a vampire, there's no way they can actually try to use that law on you."
Apollo wished he could be so optimistic. "Remember what Harry said in his testimony, Athena. Apparently, these specific kinds of vampires are edge cases, so close to the line between mortal and monster that he couldn't be sure if the Laws of Magic applied to them or not." What he didn't say aloud was that, considering it was the wizards themselves making the decision as to whether they did, he didn't have high hopes for them to call the trial off entirely.
As Apollo started thinking through all the evidence they had, all the possibilities for what was to come next, Athena turned her attention towards someone else. "Rayfa, are you doing okay?" she asked, sympathy in her voice.
For a second, Apollo was sure that Rayfa would put up her 'high and mighty royal' defense shields, a common tactic for when the young queen felt like she was being talked down to. But instead, she spoke up with fear in her voice. "I...am struggling to understand how one of my closest bodyguards...could be a monster..." Apollo winced, hearing that. He hadn't considered how the revelation would affect his client. "The man was displeasing, surely. Though he'd never spoken of his perversions in my presence, I heard of them through others regardless. I could see the way he looked at some women...how he sometimes looked at me...but I never thought he was anything but a loyal, if crude, soldier."
Turning his attention away from the Court Record, Apollo tried to give some brotherly advice. "Sometimes, people aren't who you think they are," he told Rayfa, only remembering not to stare directly into her eyes just as the beginnings of a Soulgaze started to tug on them both. He was able to avert his gaze in time and continue, "Over my life, there are several people I've trusted who have betrayed me. Sometimes they redeem themselves...sometimes they only show you how much more terrible they are than you ever could have imagined." Though he doubted Rayfa knew of Apollo's issues with his first employer, it seemed his words touched her regardless.
"How do you deal with those feelings?" she asked, her voice barely above a whisper. "I can't stop wondering how many others I know are hiding who they really are from me."
It was a good question. Apollo took a deep breath, considering what to say. If he was entirely honest with her, he'd tell her that his way of coping had been raising his walls. Not letting others in. If they couldn't get into his heart, they couldn't really hurt him. But perhaps that advice was not the best to give to a teenage girl, especially not one destined to rule a nation. So instead he told her, "Trust your instincts. Keep an open mind, and an open eye." It wasn't great advice, but it was the best he could think of, on the spot.
"Fresh evidence, still warm from science, coming through!" The doors to the hallways of Arctis Tor flew open, and Ema Skye strode into the room like she owned the place. In one hand, she had the glass shard that Apollo had found, but contained in a different plastic bag now. "Did anyone order a victory a la science?" she asked, voice full of mirth.
As happy as Apollo was to see her, especially with that evidence in hand, he still had to ask, amazed, "Ema, how did you get here?"
That cocky smile of hers quickly came to her face, but before she could answer, someone else stepped into the room. Still as tall as when they'd first met in Apollo's office, the Gatekeeper merely said, "I had an errand to run in the capital, and it seemed she had no other way to reach Arctis Tor. Now, I must return to the Senior Council."
The wizard turned to leave, but before he could, Athena reached out an arm and pleaded, "Wait!" The Gatekeeper paused, but did not turn to face them. "You brought me here to help Apollo, and now you've made sure Ema could give us the evidence we need. Why are you helping us?" Apollo thought it was a fair question. After all, at this moment, it was his government behind the prosecution.
"..." The silence stretched as the man just stood there. Finally, he said, "That is not something I can tell you. However, know I will be voting for us to continue trying your defendant, regardless of the exact nature of the victim." Then, he left the room, before Apollo could ask just how he knew the victim was a vampire when he'd been gone since long before that was revealed to the court.
None of them knew what to make of that, but Ema got their attention by saying, "Excuse me, didn't you want to know what I found out?" Looking at her with a smile, both Apollo and Athena nodded their heads, definitely ready for some good news. "You were right, there was something interesting on this shard. It took most of last night and this morning to find the right match for the chemical composition, but I finally got it: napalm. Or rather, some kind of liquid napalm-related chemical. That's why the victim was so badly burned, these kinds of fire accelerants adhere to skin, causing more tissue damage. Now that I knew what to look for, I was able to find trace amounts of the stuff coating the victim's body." As was usual when talking science, Ema talked about all of this with cheer and pep.
Taking the plastic bag from her, Apollo looked at it in a new light. "Napalm..." The implications were clear. There was more to this case than magical fire, that was for sure.
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Arctis Tor - Courtroom
Led back into the courtroom, everyone was on-edge to hear just what the pronouncement from the prosecuting party was, and after their representative lawyer took the time to receive and then savor the first sip from a new cup of coffee, he told the court, "If it pleases Your Majesty, the White Council has asked their ruling be given to the court by one of their own, as a witness."
Apollo had a good idea on just who that witness would be, and considering the strange look in the judge's eye, she was thinking the same thing. "You may call them to the witness stand, prosecutor." There was an unmistakable anticipation in her voice, mirroring the antsy feelings by so many in the court to know what was to come next.
Sure enough, it was Harry Dresden who walked out to the witness stand, though at least this time he was not asked to give his name and occupation again. Instead, he looked very annoyed. Once told to begin his testimony, he said, "So, what with the fact that apparently the victim was a vampire all along, there was a lot of talking. In the end, though it was heavily contested within the Senior Council, they decided with a vote of four to three to continue with trying Queen Rayfa. According to them, the victim was close enough to a mortal for it to count. Unless the defense can somehow prove that someone else did the deed or that it wasn't magic that did it, the case is over."
Perhaps if that revelation had been made a few hours before, Apollo would have been nervous, struggling to find any way to save the case. But now, he stood, arms crossed, ready for cross-examination. This time, there was no Pressing, no scraping for new information. He just had to wait for the last statement and shout out, "Objection!" Pulling out the evidence he'd just gotten back, he asked Harry, "Witness, can you tell me what you know about this shard of glass?"
Clearly unsure where Apollo was going with this, Harry tilted his head and replied, "Uhhh...I got nothing. I've never seen that before." While Godot didn't speak up, from the intense focus he was giving Apollo, it seemed he too was unaware of this glass's existence.
That just made what was to come even sweeter. "This piece of glass was recovered from the scene of the crime, hidden in the far back behind the desk. At first glance, it would appear to be fairly innocuous...but it also happens to be covered in a strange liquid. The defense had this substance analyzed, and it was found to be a highly volatile chemical accelerant, similar in composition to napalm!"
It seemed most of the monsters in the audience, and a few wizards in the balconies, didn't know enough about what napalm was to be surprised by this revelation. In contrast, Godot spit out the coffee he was drinking, and Harry shouted, "Ventas servitas!" A sudden gust of wind pulled the bag out of Apollo's hand, sending it through the air into Harry's only available hand. He looked it over, paying close attention to the chemical analysis written on it by scientific investigator Skye. "Hell's bells..." Harry muttered, eyes going wide.
"Objection!" Godot shouted, mug in hand. "That is a pretty useful piece of evidence you 'found', Injustice," the prosecutor began, his choice of words and tone making clear he wanted to throw some suspicion on how legitimate the evidence really was. "But I'm not sure exactly how you intend to tie it to our case. Where is the evidence that a piece of glass has anything to do with this crime?"
Athena was clenching her fists, stomping her foot in anger. "What does he mean?! It's clearly relevant, it's napalm!"
Unphased, Apollo gave his courtroom enemy a grin. "You want a link, Prosecutor Godot? Well, I've got one for you." Bringing out the report he'd referenced before, he explained, "It seems there's been an update to the Autopsy Report." At that already, Godot was flinching back, seemingly aware of just where Apollo was going. "Now that the coroner knew what to look for, she found the victim's body was covered in trace amounts of this same substance! With that in mind, I think it's clear to everyone that the victim in this case died from this chemically accelerated fire, not a magic one!" Pointer finger outstretched, Apollo knew he had already won.
But it seemed his opponent wasn't quite done. "Objection! Those who chase the white rabbit end up far off the right path." Now, Apollo thought, his metaphors were really becoming a stretch. Throwing it back at Apollo, Godot asked, "Did you forget what our witness testified to earlier? He could feel traces of magic in the room! If those weren't used for cooking the vampire, what was it for?"
The answer was ready. Pulling out the photo of the crime scene, Apollo explained, "Everyone, take a good look at the crime scene photo! Notice how, even though there was a raging fire in this room, one that turned a body into burnt charcoal, the books are all fine? The witness thought this was because the first was magically created and controlled, but it's entirely possible that the fire was natural, and the magic was keeping it contained!" After all, Apollo thought, Harry even said he couldn't be sure what exact type of magic it had been.
It looked like Godot was going to continue his fight back, but the sound of the gavel stopped him. "This new possibility changes things. Prosecutor, do you have any evidence to refute this possibility, or any further proof towards the prosecution's claims?" After a tense moment, Godot was forced to shake his head. "In that case, it is the court's opinion that we cannot rule the defendant guilty under these circumstances. Thus, on the crime of violating the First Law of Magic, we find her NOT GUILTY.This court is adjourned."
?
Arctis Tor - Defendant Lobby(?)
The verdict announced, again, everyone returned to the lobby. Athena and Rayfa looked tentatively excited, talking about how close that had been...but Apollo didn't join them. Instead, his eyes were on the door. Sure enough, less than ten minutes after they'd been ushered back there, Godot came through the doors, flanked by guards. Rayfa's face paled once more, but the man's eyes were trained only on Apollo's. "Looks like you knew I was coming."
A pit having solidly settled in Apollo's stomach, he said, "I wasn't able to prove that Rayfa didn't kill the victim. I'm guessing the White Court is pressing charges." That got a shocked gasp from Rayfa, and a growl of anger from Athena.
For perhaps the first time since the trials had begun, Godot looked at Athena for a moment. "A spirited mare. Too feisty though, she needs some breaking in." Now Athena wasn't the only one staring daggers at the prosecutor. With a lazy smile on his face, he explained to Rayfa, "It's like you said, Injustice. The White Court of Vampires is suing you for weregild, kid. Tomorrow, it's going to be our third, and our last trial." Focusing back on Apollo, his last words were, "Our final showdown, Injustice. Don't disappoint me this time." For the third time, Rayfa was arrested for a crime she had no clue if she committed or not. For the third time, Apollo pledged himself to her, as her defender. For the third time, he readied himself for all that was to come.
COURT RECORD
Evidence
Attorney's Badge (Other): The proof of my profession. Now that I have my own office, it feels more real, y'know?
Mask DeMasque's Thefts (Document): A list of the thefts' locations, their dates, and what was stolen. Updated with victims.
June 6th, Borginia, Chandelier, the White Council of Wizards.
June 24th, Bialya, Enchanted Sculpture, The Jade Court of Vampires
July 15th, Cohdopia, Ruby, the Dragon Pyrovax
September 2nd, London, Manuscript, the Fomor
October 14th, Khura'in, Painting, the Unseelie Traveling Exhibit
Magic and You: Are You a Wizard? (Document): A pamphlet made by Harry Dresden explaining how magic works.
Mortal practitioners interfere with technology nearby them.
The Sight lets a mortal wizard see the true nature of things. It also allows Soulgazes.
Soulgazes happen when a person with the Sight looks any mortal directly in the eyes. The wizard can see their soul, but the mortal sees their soul in return.
Wizards can open Ways into the Nevernever.
People are born with a certain amount of magical potential, those with a lot can be trained into being wizards.
Magic Circles can be used by mortal practitioners for a variety of uses.
Magic can be used by Vampires and the Fae as well as wizards.
Magic can be divided into Evocations, immediate spells, and Thaumaturgy, ritual spells.
The Frozen Queen (Other): The painting stolen from the Unseelie Traveling Exhibit. Found under Queen Rayfa's bed, and has her fingerprints on it.
Mask DeMasque's Costume (Other): The signature costume of the famous thief, sighted during several of the crimes. Not found in the Khura'in Mansion. Recently found on the body of Sah'kred Pahrohtektor.
The Laws of Magic (Document): A pamphlet made by Harry Dresden explaining the Laws of Magic as determined by the White Council of Wizards.
1st Law-Thou Shalt Not Kill. (Only applies to killing with magic.)
2nd Law-Thou Shalt Not Transform Others.
3rd Law-Thou Shalt Not Invade the Mind of Another.
4th Law-Thou Shalt Not Enthrall Another.
5th Law-Thou Shalt Not Reach Beyond the Borders of Life.
6th Law-Thou Shalt Not Swim Against the Currents of Time.
7th Law-Thou Shalt Not Open the Outer Gates.
The first five Laws only apply towards mortal humans, not supernatural beings.
Self-defence can work as a defence, but accidents can't.
Penalty is death or probation on pain of death if broken.
Autopsy Report (Report): The victim, Sah'kred Pahrohtektor, died sometime between 9pm and 10:30pm on October 14th from immolation. Details on bones show victim may actually be in his early 20's, while the number of injuries (nearly 100 broken bones across the entire body) imply a more advanced age. The victim was covered in traces of a napalm-like compound.
Crime Scene Notes (Other): The scene was built with magic circles installed in the floor. They appear to have kept the fire contained. Harry found traces of magic at the scene, but can't be sure what kind of spell was involved, or what kind of being cast them. He is sure it was an evocation.
Broken Glass (Other): A piece of broken glass found under the desk at the crime scene. Covered in a strange liquid, revealed by Ema Skye's investigation to be a napalm-like liquid chemical.
Crime Scene Photo (Photographs): A picture of the crime scene as it was first found.
Profiles
Ahlbi Ur'gaid (Age: 9)-Monk-in-training, tour guide, and sometimes my assistant as well.
Rayfa Padma Khura'in (Age: 14)-Queen of Khura'in, spirit channeler-in-training, and bratty sister to my adopted brother. She's training under a wizard, and has been arrested for killing a man with her magic.
Nahyuta Sahdmadhi (Age: 25)-High Prosecutor of Khura'in and my brother. Well, adopted brother.
Harry Dresden (Age: 48)-Wizard and Private Investigator. Seems to be the investigator for this case. Thinks he's very funny.
"The Gatekeeper" (Age: Unknown)-A Wizard who just showed up in my office, with a friend in tow.
Athena Cykes (Age: 19)-My former junior associate at the Wright Anything Agency and a licensed psychologist. Appeared out of nowhere with a wizard.
Da'ra T'ee Ka'ash (Age: 34)-Courtier for the Khura'in Royal Palace. A Ga'ran loyalist who bribed Grim Moir into hiding Rayfa's alibi.
Grim Moir (Age: 172)-Rayfa's private tutor and a wizard of the White Council. Has been secretly teaching Rayfa magic since late May. The first victim of the newest Mask DeMasque.
Queen Mab (Age: ?)-The Judge of the this trial. She radiates power and beauty but scares the daylights out of me. She's the Queen of the Winter Court of the Fairies, as well as the Queen of Air and Darkness.
Godot (Age: Deceased)-Famous opponent of Phoenix Wright, died years ago, but brought back by Queen Mother Amara to be the prosecutor for this trial. He's started calling me Injustice.
Ema Skye (Age: 27)-Former detective, current scientific investigator, and my friend. Serving as coroner on this case.
Sah'kred Pahrohtektor (Age: ?)-Queen Rayfa's personal bodyguard, found dead in her secret study room dressed up as Mask DeMasque. Real name Ringo Raith, he was actually a vampire of the White Court.
Anna Fanna (Age: 31)-The curator of the Unseelie Traveling Exhibition and one of the victims of this case.