WEEK 6 TRIAL

[foundationmods]

It was noon on Saturday.

No matter where they were, no matter what they were doing...the moment the chimes rang out through the hall, they felt a change.

The world...began to expand, as they felt themselves leaving the world they were on, and towards another, much larger world...🗈

...As always, the courtroom was there - along with the audience, watching, waiting for the entertainment before them.

The Witch - Nirrti - was there, sitting in the most important place, watching all of them with a sharp, cruel gaze, the smile on her face bright once again.

Watanuki was also there, but he merely lounged in the back behind them, smoking a kiseru pipe in silence.
...It seemed as if he was content to watch - that he had to watch - as part of the rules of the game.

There was no music to be heard, but... perhaps on another plane, in another place, someone else heard music as they gazed upon the proceedings.

Again, their forms had changed - perhaps into something different than last time, but...still a change, no matter how dramatic or inconsequential it was.

...There was a deep silence in the room, one that no one wanted to break. It was the faint tension in the air, like the moments before a race or a competition begins.

...There was so few of them now.
All of them...were now alone, having to come to this conclusion themselves.
Yet, they had to find the truth.
Why did three people die?
Who did this?
The answer...stretched on ahead...

Comments

FANTASY RETELLING - 1/ 2

[lutea]

This would be it.
The very last night before the game came to a close.
On this night, the very air thrummed with a heavy weight...a weight tense and cruel.

The Witch was ready, of course.
After carefully considering her options…
...She decided to throw it all away and land on random chance.
Well, not exactly random.
But it was boring, calling them to her side whenever she needed them.

No, she would rather let someone else make that decision tonight.
After all, she had gotten a rather eager demon recently.
Why not let him have his fun and run around a little?
He did so seem to love hunting…
“...Come, Caarcrinolaas.”

Her hands glew with a deep, red light…
...And the light itself grew and grew, forming the shape of a dog first, then a man.
And before long -
The demon stood before her, summoned by her almost casual call.

“My lady?
...What do you have need of me?”
His refined voice - the accent of the vessel he wore - was at odds with his expression.
Though he wore a smile, his head tilted to the side - much like a curious, confused puppy, eager to please but not understanding what their owner wants.

Nirrti smiled, leaning back on the air itself like it was a chair...or a throne.
The very picture of a queen, about to order her vassal to do something…
“Tell me - would you like to decide the victims tonight?”

...This was not what the demon was expecting, yet -
As he comprehended what she was saying, he quickly went from minor shock to utter delight, his tail whipping the air furiously in anticipation.
“I would be pleased to have the honor!
If you wish, I would slaughter all the pieces - and then the rest of humanity, if you gave the word.”
Then, he sighed - a soft, disappointed sigh.
“....Of course, that goes against the spirit of the game.
\How many shall I be allowed to hunt down?”

The Witch cackled in delight at his exuberance, though she did agree with what he was saying.
Still, it would be good to restrain him in, just a little.
“Let me think….Unfortunately, you can’t slaughter all of the pieces as you’d like. Kimihiro would protest, and it would be simply unfair...like having your turn never end in chess, so you could keep taking your opponent’s pieces.”

Summoning up a single six-sided dice, she handed it to him.
“What if we let luck decide?
...Whatever is face up is the number you’ll be allowed to kill.”

Of course, the demon laughed - the sound not unlike a bark
“How can I resist letting Miss Fortune decide?”
A small giggle was his only answer as he threw the dice in the air, like a coin.
They both watched it rise and then begin to fall - but Caarcrinolaas snatched from the air with an easy grasp of his hand, opening it to reveal -
3 pips, black and shining on the white die.

“Ah, it looks like three pieces.
How fun for you - that’ll be a new record.
As for how you kill them, well…
I’ll allow you to decide.
So long as it is suitably entertaining to watch - it can be as messy or clean as you’d like.”

Crossing an arm in front of him as he bowed deeply, his head snapped up.
The smile that flitted across his face was far too wide for his face, his eyes dilating until the pupil swallowed the iris - a deep black instead of the normal red.

“My Lady….”
He held his arm out dramatically as he straightened up, like an actor before an audience.
Of course, that what was she intended him to be on this night.
“...I shall author a new chapter of bloodshed - a new novella for your entertainment!”
Then, he was gone.
Vanished into the air, or so it seemed.
In truth, he was beginning his hunt in earnest.

The Witch merely laughed, the cruel noise echoing over the house, as the clock turned over to midnight, and the bells began to toll…
Those bells resounding mournfully, calling all to sleep, save for the three the demon had picked out…

...And the first of them...was Clear.
He had been peacefully inside of the Rec Room, not realizing what time it was.
Or that he had been chosen…

The door creaked open-
at first it seemed like nobody was there.
Then footsteps fell, loud and deliberate...
….circling the young man...before the white-haired demon suddenly appeared in front of him.

Even with his mask on, it was easy to see Clear be shocked by the appearance of the demon.
Yet, he said nothing - because he knew what tonight was, and if a demon was in front of him…
Then that could only mean one thing, couldn’t it?

With a gentle movement, Clear attempted to back up, putting his arms up…

“Ah, Child of Man.”
The voice was strangely gentle.
Yes, despite the malice that shone through in his eyes, focusing only on his prey.
“That’s right - it’s time for your appointed hour.”

Raising a clawed hand, he cut a wound on his own wrist.
A bright bead of red popped from the gash, the blood elongating into the shape of a bullet.
It was impossible, and yet...It existed in that space…!
Caarcrinolaas smirked as the blood bullet spun, aiming right at Clear, proclaiming in a loud voice -
“Now then! Let us set up a most magnificent scene for your friends!”

Instantly, the bullet was ‘fired.’
...However, it made no noise.
Unlike a normal bullet, it was not fired with a gun, but with magic.
However, that didn’t mean it’s lethality was reduced.
No, it was just as deadly - and as accurate as the real thing…!

Pang!

….That was not a sound that it was supposed to make.
No, the sound that resounded throughout the area…
Was one akin to a bullet hitting metal.
The blood bullet flew into a nearby wall, congealing…

And yet, Clear still stood, with a new hole in his gas mask, even as he made a noise and pressed a hand to his head automatically.

The smirk dropped from the demon’s grin, as his eyes expanded once again, the black devouring the red until it was gone from view.
He gave a half-shrug, almost casually.
Almost casually, and yet...
“Ah - I see, you’re a doll.”
The growl behind those words...was something much deeper.

Sighing, he called another mass of blood to come from the wound he’d made - creating another bullet to hover in the air.
“No matter - you are something of man, and I shall slaughter you just the same.”

Yet again, it was fired - and before the robot could react again, Caarcrinolaas was there, slicing through the strap of the gasmask Clear wore and tearing it off of his face.
...And then, he was gone - as if he had never been there in the first place.

There was a moment of shock, as the young man - the robot - stood there, as if he couldn’t understand what had just happened.
He touched his face with a hand, softly.

Without his mask, Clear felt incomplete.
Not only that, but the demon was still out there…
He had to stop him, and recover the mask before anyone else fell victim - or anyone saw his face.

Quickly, the young man checked the rest of the rooms in the hall, before finally coming to the music room.
The room seemed odd and out of place in the mansion, but…
Perhaps a demon would be more comfortable in a place like that.
With caution, he opened the door...and saw a gasmask in the middle of the floor, with a pile of otomatones near it.

….Maybe if he was fast enough...then whatever trap was waiting for him wouldn’t trigger.

Carefully, he stepped inside - and rushed towards the mask, picking it up -

Except the demon was waiting for just that.
A splatter of blood - that stretched from his wrist to the marking he had made on the floor in advance - was all that was needed to complete the magical circle he had created.
Of course, such magic was invisible to the eyes of a man-made doll.

With the demonic blood fueling it, an angry, hot red rose around Clear, trapping him inside the circle - a circle with an inscription of pure destruction, focusing only on one central point…!

BANG-BOOM!

The mansion itself shook as the magic completed itself, the stench of motor oil high in the air.
The floor collapsed, falling into the empty linen room -
And took with it countless small pieces of metal, littering the room and the one below it…

Clear had not been able to withstand the magical blast.
...Of course, no one could have.
Yet, instead of a gloriously bloody room, there was only a room full of the stench of human invention, metal and pieces of artificial skin and hair where there should have been flesh…
Even the fact that a piece of metal had torn through the demon and left his blood upon the wall when the explosion happened was disappointing.

Wincing, the demon lapped at the wound on his wrist.
Each lick helped seal it back up, until there was no sign of it ever having been there.
With that done, he gazed at the remains of the doll -
And easily kicked one of the pieces down into the gap in the floor he had created.
That wasn’t satisfying.
No, it wasn’t satisfying at all.
It may have been in the shape of a man, a creation of man...but it was not a man.
He was unable to reveal things to machines, or impress the joy of bloodshed or knowledge, no matter how advanced the machine was.

Still, he had time.
There were two more to choose from, and all the rest - mostly - had warm blood and thinking minds to delight in.
With that in mind, he vanished again - moving towards a certain location.

...In the kitchen, Emi was sitting at the table - a cup of tea and a lemon tart in front of her.
She was far from stupid - she knew what being awake on this night meant.
It didn’t mean that she should be frightened, or cringe away from her death.

...And at the very least, she should at least get to taste something nice before she died.
Savoring the flavor of the tart, she closed her eyes - unaware of the invisible demon reaching out for her…

And suddenly, there was a pressure at her throat.
Something was cutting off her airflow, making it impossible for her to breathe…
And then, she was even lifted off of the ground.

Caarcrinolaas grinned as he held his prey in the air.
He always did like hunting foxes - whether real or spiritual.
Whether it was because of the canine-shape he usually takes, or their cunning and wickedness that made them worthy prey-
He had been anticipating taking one of them down.

“I didn’t expect to find one of the dying to be having a last meal. Though unlike humans, your kind do tend to not find death to be a thing to be feared.”
His voice echoed around, seemingly coming from nowhere and everywhere at once, sending a chill down her panicked spine.

She scratched and clawed with her hands, but to no avail - the fingers gripping her throat were like iron bars.
All she could make was a strangled, whistling cry...

Outside, in the darkness of the quiet night, Erhard waited.
He knew that he had he had little hope of fighting back any attackers - no matter who came for his life.
No, his only hope of survival was to ambush any potential attackers, and catch them off guard.
He quietly waited, listening carefully for signs of life in the kitchen, staying silent as he heard Emi moving around inside.
Of course, he didn’t make his presence known.
The second he revealed himself, she would be on him -
As she could fight, where as he...couldn’t.
And he didn’t want to bring death to anyone, yet -
The Witch had pushed them all into this, and so they had to dance to her whims.

Erhard toyed with the idea of going back to bed.
While it was an attractive thought, what if his unknown assailant went for him in his room?
No, it was better to stay outside.
But as he thought that -

He heard that terrible sound.
The sound of someone choking, gagging -
And his instincts reacted, as he rushed in through the door.
His own fear meant nothing, not when someone needed help!

[lutea]

Yet...what he saw….
Suspended in the air, Emi struggled and thrashed - and in the moonlight that flooded the kitchen-
Was the shadow of a great beast, it’s jaws around her neck, tightening and shaking…!

In that moment, Erhard knew.
He grabbed a knife from the block, but…
His hands were shaking, even as he gazed at the scene.
She was right there - he could save her, and yet -

However, Caarcrinolaas wouldn’t wait.
The demon suddenly appeared out of the air, his .hands wrapped around Emi’s throat.
...No.
He didn’t appear - he revealed himself.

Laughing, the demon sneered at Erhard.
What were you planning to do with that knife, my good doctor?”
Not waiting for a response, he scratched at his cheek - and let a rivulet of blood appear from it, letting it crawl over his arm like some kind of horrible snake before it took the form of a knife, pressing against Emi’s neck.

For a long second, nothing moved -
And then, the blade plunged into her neck.
Blood sprayed as a major artery was severed, the poor victim only giving a choked gurgle in response.

...And...like a dog that has finished killing its prey, Caarcrinolaas dropped her to the ground.
As the doctor stared in horror, Emi bled out...and then went still.

...And now, they were alone.
The demon walked over to him - calmly, not even worrying about the knife or any chance of counter attack as he grabbed it out of Erhard’s hand, twirling it around.

“...Now then.
I would normally give you a special send off.
...But my time is running short, and you did shoot me.”
There was a growl at that - yet he stopped, and continued.

“However - I will give you one last choice - Doctor.
Accept the gift of knowing and let me fill your head up with everything so that trauma, guilt and suffering is completely buried, leaving you as something that is no longer a piece… or I could kill you.
...Answer fast.”

After all, a dead body, and a living one with a mind so completely shattered that it could no longer be called human was a classic element in mysteries of the most sensational sort.
...And it would still count as having three victims.

Yet...the doctor spoke, quietly.
Though he knew what would come of it…
...He still refused.

“... you’d make me forget Sherlock if you did that.
It hurts to see him in your face, demon.
It hurts to hear his voice in yours.”

Erhard...knelt on the floor, closing his eyes even as he spoke.

“But I don’t want to forget him.
...I can’t.
...So kill me.”

In the silence after those brave words, Caarcrinolaas stared down at him.
His eyes - changed to ones of sheer black for the third and final time that night.

“I know everything about your kind -”
SHUNK.
The knife….went through Erhard’s right eye.
In a single, swift motion - it pierced his brain, shutting everything down.
“-But I still do not understand you humans.”

Taking out the knife, the body...fell into the slowly growing puddle of blood.
Admiring his handiwork, the demon turned his attention to the table, using the knife to carve out a single phrase.
First, do no harm.
...Yes, that was a fitting send off, wasn’t it?

Suddenly, there was a noise.
It was the sound of someone clapping…
The Witch...appeared in front of him, and gently smiled.

“What a wonderful night you gave me, Caarcrinolaas.
It was beautiful - truly beautiful!
I believe the pieces will have a hard time tomorrow, won’t they?”

He smiled at the praise, his white tail wagging happily.
“Of course -
All I need is Praise from My Lady, and I will everything in my power to please her.”

“You have definitely pleased me well, my loyal Furniture.
I have only one question to ask you -
Did you have fun?”
That question...like one would ask a beloved pet, after a day out.

Laughing, the demon nodded - and placed the bloody knife back in Erhard’s hands.
“Of course!”
Then, quickly - before the Witch could say anything - he snatched up the slice of tart that Emi never got to finish enjoying.
He took a quite bite - and then paused.
“Huh, there’s a sweet note among the sour… and an odd heat to it.
It balances out the tart lemon exquisitely.”

Nirrti giggled again, nodding at him.
“Wonderful.
...I still have some work to do, but you may retire for the night.
Rest well.”

With that same gentle, yet terrible smile...she vanished into black flame, leaving the demon alone.
Soon after, the demon himself departed, leaving the half-eaten tart behind .
Letting only silence reign in the mansion yet again...
...If only until morning broke, and everything was discovered.