With the strangers' unannounced arrivals came a most interesting trial that exposed Espella as the greatly feared Queen of Witches…Bezella. She was locked up immediately after the trial, and was questioned later by Zacharias. It went nowhere quite fast, as Espella had no recollection of her actions as Bezella, only that she admitted that she wasn't sure whether she was her or not. But the Inquisitor had something that was burning in the back of his mind from the beginning…
"I have one final question for you Miss Cantabella…" he said seriously. "The mystery of who exactly cast a petrification spell on Karena has been turning over in my mind, and I have come to one conclusion." – he paused for a moment – "The Stone Witch revealed to me that only one witch could do what she did to Karena, and that would be…Bezella. So tell me…if you are Bezella, as Miss Kira has said, then was it you who turned Karena to stone?"
"Inquisitor Barnham! You know very well that I would do no such thing!" Espella exclaimed in reply, appalled that he would accuse her like that. "I was the only friend Karena had, and she was mine, because we were the outcasts. We understood each other…so why would I do something to take her away from myself?!"
Zacharias listened to what she had to say, and when she was done he closed his eyes. "I am sorry. I just wanted to be sure…" he said.
"It's okay Inquisitor Barnham." She flashed him a bittersweet smile. "Trust me, if I knew who really did that to Karena, I would tell you. After all, I would do anything to find the real culprit because…I miss her too…"
The knight remained silent, but he was gritting his teen brokenheartedly in response to their conversation. The interview ended there, and he went about his business while she stayed in the cell, awaiting her fate.
As time passed, Karena became the least of his problems, as his main focus was now turned to the men he had just faced against in the last trials.
One of them was a scholarly man, with dark colored eyes and light brown hair, most of which was hidden under a tall black top hat with a red ribbon around the rim. He wore a pumpkin orange turtle neck like long sleeved shirt under a black jacket with a high collar. To match the jacket he wore black slacks and dark green shoes. Zacharias had dubbed him Sir Top Hat, as it was his most distinguishable feature.
He was accompanied by a young boy about half his height, with dark colored eyes and lighter brown hair than the man. It stuck up a little in the back, and he also wore a hat in the form of a light blue newsboy cap. He wore a white collared shirt under a long sleeved sweater the same color as his cap. To complete his look, he also wore dark blackish green shorts, white socks, black Mary Jane shoes, and a brown messenger bag slung over his shoulder.
The man in the top hat – whose name was Professor Hershel Layton – had introduced logics to Zacharias' court, but his real rival was the apprentice baker who had turned out to be an attorney. He stood five feet and nine inches tall, with dark blue colored eyes and black hair that was slicked back, but stuck out in the back like spikes. He wore a blue suit with a white collared shirt and red tie.
His accompaniment was a young girl who was five feet and one inch tall with brown colored eyes and black hair that was in a half updo topknot. She wore a short kimono-like dress with a dark red colored obi that was tied in a large bow on the left side. Over this was a purple lightweight jacket and attached around the collar was a set of round beads, with a teal curved teardrop bead in the middle. Wound around her wrists were dark red bands, and on her feet were thick flip flops.
Together the four of them uprooted the traditional way things were done in the courtroom with their "logic" and reasoning, finding the true witch amongst the witnesses. This was something that Zacharias could not do, so he was a little displeased with their actions.
Days continued as Professor Layton, Luke, Phoenix Wright, and Maya tried to find evidence to prove that Espella was innocent. This led to their discovery of an unsolved case – Sir Belduke's mysterious death. Immediately they questioned why it was unsolved, and went to investigating.
Unfortunately the pairs had to split up, seeing as the Storyteller had requested an audience with Professor Layton and his apprentice Luke. So Nick and Maya went ahead to the alchemist's house to take a look around.
The butler – Jean Greyerl – greeted them politely and gave them a chance to investigate his workplace. What they didn't know was that the Storyteller had foretold an awful disaster that was to befall one of the newcomers. The Professor and his apprentice rushed to warn their friends, only for a witch to appear and turn the Professor to gold.
Maya was caught at the scene, and was put on trial. It was a long one, but in the end they solved Belduke's case, found Greyerl guilty of being a witch, and came to the conclusion that only Maya could've turned the Professor to gold. They were about to send Maya to the pit, when Espella admitted that she was indeed Bezella, to put a stop to the utter witch madness. She was put into the cage instead, but as Maya was being moved away on the high platform, she jumped on the cage and set Espella free. Unfortunately for her, she couldn't escape herself, and she was dropped into the flames despite Nick's cries for them to stop.
In the madness that ensued afterwards, Luke led Espella and Nick outside the courthouse via a secret passage, but someone had known they escaped and met them outside…
The trio had just passed the lone lantern at the end of the path, when they heard someone speak up from within the shadows. "…My, you certainly managed to get yourselves into quite the predicament." He said.
The trio was surprised that someone had caught on to their escape so quick, as Luke uttered, "Th-That voice!" – the man who spoke up revealed himself – "It's Inquisitor Barnham!"
"Please wait Inquisitor Barnham! A-Arrest me, lock me up, I don't care!" Espella exclaimed quickly as she took a step forward to defend her friends. "But…these two have nothing to do with this! Take me! I'm the one you want!"
The Inquisitor only remained silent, watching the scene unfold as Luke stepped over to Espella to make his argument known.
"No way Espella!" he shouted with concern. "None of us are at fault here! We're not the ones who did anything wrong!"
Espella was moved by his words, and uttered his name thankfully with a little sadness. Zacharias was unaffected by this, as he continued to oppose the trio.
"You are accomplices to the Great Bezella and have assisted in her escape." He told them seriously. "In a manner of speaking, you have been branded an enemy to all Labyrinthia…There is nowhere you can hide."
"But…But why?!" Luke shouted as he never wavered in his defending his friend. "Espella isn't the Great Witch! Why can't you understand that?!"
"…Then I must ask you…" Zacharias became slightly intrigued. "Why do you continue to deny the clear allegation that this girl is Bezella?"
"That's easy! Because we believe in her!" Luke became more relaxed and downhearted as he continued. "I know back in the courtroom…I said I didn't believe in Maya but…Deep down I believed her…We all did, and we still do!" He paused once more, as Espella admired his bravery to stand up for what he believes in, and then he finished his speech with, "That's why I'm going to stand strong. I'm going to stick by Estella's side, no matter what!"
Zacharias was silent in thought as he listened to the boy's moving speech with consideration. "…Is that so?" he said before turning to the silent black haired attorney. "By the way…Sir Blue Knight."
The man he spoke to said nothing.
"The loss of Maya Fey is…unfortunate."
Still silence.
"You…Have my deepest sympathies."
This last statement broke Phoenix out of his silence as he said, "Really? Your…'deepest sympathies'?"
Zacharias owned up for his mistake, as he explained. "While such a bedlam was indeed unexpected, we should have done something more to prevent it."
"I proved Maya's innocence Inquisitor Barnham…"
"I admit, indeed you did."
"And yet, last I saw she was being dropped into a pit of fire. Tell me Inquisitor…Does that seem like justice to you?"
It was Zacharias's turn to be silent as he could only listen to the attorney as he vented.
"All witches are to be cast into the flames…That is the law of the land around here, right? But…Maya wasn't a witch! How do you explain that, Inquisitor Barnham?!"
Zacharias remained as calm as he could be in giving his answer. "…It is truly regrettable. What occurs in the courtroom…Is my responsibility and mine alone."
"'Responsibility'? Fine! Then take some 'responsibility' right now!" Phoenix was clearly livid, as he grabbed the collar of the knight's tunic and held him threateningly close. "Magic exists here, right? Well then…use some magic and bring Maya back! Cast whatever spell you need to cast…and bring her back!"
As the Inquisitor silently gazed into the angered man's eyes, all he could see was himself after finding his beloved turned to stone and he felt the need to tell the man the truth.
"I am sad to say that I have been where you are now, Sir Blue Knight…" he said calmly. "And as you are about to learn now, I had to learn the hard way…That there is no magic that exists that could accomplish such a feat. I cannot undo her death."
For a split second, Nick's eyes flashed with slight confusion at what the Inquisitor had told him as they stared each other down in silence. Zacharias spoke again, offering his sword as he said, "…'Tis my blame to bear. If it would bring you solace, then take my sword and strike me…"
"Just stop it! You knights are always ready to get rid of those different to yourselves…Just…get out of my sight…" Phoenix then shoved the knight away. When he realized that he wasn't going to leave like he said, he shouted. "I said GO!"
The attorney's risen voice alerted the searching knights nearby and their voices were quickly approaching…
Luke caught on quick and said, "M-Mr. Wright! Those voices are getting closer! At this rate we're…"
He trailed off, and that's when Zacharias immediately decided to help them and said, "Exit through the main gate and head east through the forest. You should be able to escape along the small path there."
He spoke it so unexpectedly, that it threw Luke off. "H-Huh?!"
"On the outskirts of the city, you will find Rouge's tavern. Tell her that I sent you and she will let you in…You should be safe there."
"Why are you helping…?" Luke tried to ask, but the Inquisitor cut him off, giving them a sense of urgency.
"Go! Now! You will be caught it you stay here…and this will be all for naught!"
Espella caught on to what he was saying, and so persuaded the males to flee with her. They agreed, and Zacharias watched as they disappeared into the shadows of the night.
"Karena my love…" he uttered with a little regret and sadness. "My only hope ia that I have done the right thing in aiding the escape of those three…"