FOURTH TRIAL

[bathymetric]

[ Well! That's sure something, isn't it? There may or may not be a lot of you excited to get down to business, but Jones does eventually move to collect you all and bring you to the theatre. It's a familiar routine by now, perhaps even comfortingly so given the irregularities of this particular killing.

Two of you gone this week. The elevator is started to feel downright spacious, don't you think?

A shanty, as usual, echoes from the crew of the Dutchman as you enter. The room is the same as it has ever been before you as the elevator settles into position. ]

To yer positions, passengers. Chins up.

[ Three more podiums claimed by the rust and wear.

You have your evidence, and you're going to need it before long. The music outside dies down.

Welcome to your fourth trial. ]

Comments

[bonesorter]

[OH HEY that sure does get a hard flinch in reaction from Lorna over here upon being reminded of that conversation...]

It's true, I did tell you that... that's why I was uncomfortable with the idea of that seance you were talking about possibly performing after the last trial...

[magycks]

Yes, and you mentioned it sort of vaguely at the meeting. But for a girl who had so much to say about raising the dead before this, you've really been taking your time today, haven't you?

[bonesorter]

... What do you mean by that?

[dokkalfheimr]

...People mention relevant information that they happen to know.

Lalli and Scott do it often. I've mentioned that I can transform at least. We've all discussed how many people we've killed because it came up.

But for someone who has seen spirits do something like...like what was done to Sara, you haven't mentioned it at all here.

[silentscout]

She could just be uncomfortable with it too. I don't tell you guys everything I know.

[Not that it makes Lorna look any less suspicious, but. Maybe she had her reasons?]

[bonesorter]

[Yeah, actually--]

Lalli is right... and even Magica can attest that I have been very uncomfortable with the discussion regarding spirits even before today...

[silentscout]

Mhmm.

But we need to know: what happened last night? Even if it wasn't your fault, we need to find the truth.

[dokkalfheimr]

Even if you don't, in this case it's strange.

[For the reasons Magica is outlining.]

[magycks]

Well, I'd figure your first assumption might be that we awakened something untoward last night and it went out to feed, et cetera, in which case whoever summoned the devourer would probably be held responsible. Too much of a leap?

[bonesorter]

I...

[Lorna wrings her hands, frowning at that.]

I may not have agreed with your methods and what you wanted to do... but that does not mean I would want to blame you without proper proof to support that you had something to do with it.

[magycks]

And if you didn't speak up, and I had summoned a monster to do my dark bidding in the middle of the night?

[thisaroma]

[ Oh. That's kind of a good point, since he even brought up the Centurion's core... Yikes. ]

[leaveittomother]

Now that you've been talking Magica, I've realized something. Sara's heart was gone along with her other organs, yes? By that same line: Albedo's heart would be chalk.

If the spirit was going after souls as well does it not make more sense that Sara was the one clearly eaten? I'm not going to judge whether Albedo has a soul or not but the soul is stored in the heart.

[magycks]

... I mean, where you're from, sure.

[leaveittomother]

It makes sense, though.

[Reika shut up what is wrong with you]

[queceracera]

Oh, so that's why whoever did this killed two people. You can't eat chalk. [A beat.] I mean you could, but I wouldn't.

[leaveittomother]

I think that's part of that, yes. Sara probably was in the wrong place at the wrong time, too, but out of the two a meal that wasn't made out of chalk would taste better.