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Completed Chapter III: Scales of Justice

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Inquisitor Herondale seemed somewhat surprised for a moment, as if he didn't expect the next question to come from a young girl. Nevertheless, he replied in a professional tone. "The crime scene? There's not much to tell, really, and on the point of struggle.... Well, that's hard to say. It's an abandoned warehouse, you see. Overturned barrels, broken crates, shattered glass, debris... Maker only knows what happened in there since closure."


Then prosecutor Thorne interrupted. "The victim and the accused knew each other. They were officers in the City Watch. I imagine Captain Raynard had little difficulty stabbing a man who'd never see it coming. A puddle of the victim's blood and his dead body is all the evidence of struggle that this court needs."


Meric cursed under his breath. It wasn't easy watching Thorne with that confident smug of his.
 
Dina Ailsa

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"If it is all that's needed, why don't we accuse everyone who knew our victim?", Dina said shortly, not even turning to eye Thorne, "Do you happen to know how the guards found out about this matter?" She continued as if nothing interrupted her.
 
Thorne's face filled with disbelief towards Dina, but before he could manage a comeback she already turned the focus back on the witness, and with a very good question at that. Having apparently reconsidered, Thorne directed his attention at the witnesss with clear interest. If Dina looked at Meric, she could see him grinning like an idiot.


Inquisitor Herondale was also visibly caught by surprise. Was he intentionally withholding information? Instead of answering, he met Thorne's look who then rose to his feet again.


"Your Honor, this is irrelevant." said the prosecutor, taking over. "How the Watch found out does not change what they found."
 
Dina Ailsa

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"We must consider every possibility, your Honor. Considering that our crime scene is an abandoned warehouse, where nothing is expected to happen. There might have been a third person in this play." Dina interrupted determined to press this matter on Herondale. I will have justice. She appeared calm, but her eyes were blazing.
 
The judge frowned, but nodded at Dina. "That possibility cannot be crossed out yet. The witness will answer the question."


Herondale didn't look happy. "Thorne..."


But the prosecutor said: "Answer the question, Inquisitor." He maintained a neutral tone and expression.


"Fine. I didn't mention it earlier because like prosecutor Thorne pointed out, it does not change what happened." Herondale sighed and explained. "That evening, just past eleven o'clock, an anonymous message was delivered to the barracks. It said that there would be a murder at the abandoned warehouse at midnight. It was the Watch's duty to check it out." And, perhaps too quickly, he added in advance: "Don't bother asking from whom. We don't know."


"Nice work, prince-" Meric said, then quickly corrected himself. No one could hear him beside the other defenders, but still. "Dina. From the looks that Thorne and Herondale have been casting at each other, it's clear they're hiding something. And if the prosecutor is hiding something... It must be vital for the case!" He looked at Herondale while he was speaking. "You know, first I thought the Inquisitor was just being vague or forgetful. But now... I have a feeling he's lying. We should press him on whatever we can."
 
Dina Ailsa

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"You said that the message was delivered, by whom? Or by which medium?" Dina continued after flashing a quick smile in Meric's direction. I wish Eltheron was here to say the same. She thought. Concentrate, you'll have the time to think about him later! Dina scolded herself.
 
"Y-you..." Inquisitor Herondale frowned, evidently upset, trying to speak. "Damnit, girl! I told you..."


But the judge was quick to react, clearly unsatisfied with the witnesses' performance. "What is the meaning of this? Inquisitor Herondale, you will answer the question. And need I remind you that lying at a Tribunal is a severely punishable offense?"


"Your honor," said the Inquisitor after long consideraton, "With all due respect, I am invoking my authority to refuse any additional testimony regarding this matter - for justified reasons I cannot reveal at this time."


It took the judge an entire minute to calm down the square. People murmured, shouted and argued. "Unprecedented. But, since you are choosing to take advantage of your privilege, please remember the consequences. You better have valid reasons for this."


"I do."


"Noted." the judge concluded. "The defense may continue with the cross-examination, but must not inquire about the identity of the man who informed the City Watch about the murder in advance."
 
Dina Ailsa

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"Yes, your Honor." Despite not getting what she wanted, Dina was satisfied. Their ground is shaking, this will make people wonder. The tiniest of smiles crowned her lips. "As a leader of investigation you must know of what guards encountered and of their actions that lead them to that moment. Tell us, what exactly happened during this period between the arrival of the message and the discovery of the peculiar scene in the mentioned warehouse. And please, in detail." Dina proceeded calmly.
 
The situation had settled. Herondale looked somewhat surprised as if the question was unexpected. "I'm afraid there's not much to tell. We don't receive warnings about murder every day. When this one arrived, it was our duty to investigate. Four of the Watch have been sent to the abandoned warehouse. They arrived some time before midnight, as according to the message the murder was supposed to take place around midnight, but they were sadly too late."


"Your Honor," prosecutor Thorne addressed the judge, standing up. "The defense is wasting our time with this line of questioning. We have all the facts." He waved his hands around as he spoke. "Inquisitor Herondale already testified about what happened. I don't see what else we could learn from him that would affect the outcome of this trial." Thorne paced around from one side of the court to the other. The square was silent. "The accused, Captain Raynard, murdered his superior in cold blood. He was found at the scene, holding the murder weapon. Lieutenant Ferndow lay dead at his feet. The Captain didn't even try to resist. He knows he's guilty as well as this court does. The only thing that remains," he said, coming to a closure, "Is to pass the sentence, your Honor."


The judge listened to the prosecutor's words carefully and nodded at the end. "Well, it does seem that way. I guess you're right." He cleared his throat. "Very well! There is no reason to further prolong this Tribunal. I will now pass the judgement."


Murmurs echoed throughout the people gathered. Captain Raynard stared at the ground, his face grim. He whispered something to himself. Meric's face was a mixture of disbelief and anger, reaching for something that he just couldn't reach. That would be it then. The guilty verdict was about to be passed. The trial went just like everyone expected.
 
Meanwhile, in the woods southwest of Ridge, two people - a human and a shadow elf - had been walking for nearly an hour when they reached their destination. The sun was already past its highest point, slowly making the descent. They followed the river south first, for a short while, then a twisting path westward for a while, and then no path at all until they finally arrived. A place of ruined stone in a miniature clearing surrounded by oak trees.


It looked like the remnants of what once was a short tower, and judging by the remains likely two identical towers side by side. The stone was all mossy and cracked, clearly centuries old. Or as professor Dain said: thousands. He was silent the whole way, letting Henvei play his role of a stoic. But now, needlessly though, he said that they were here. This was the spot. He led the scholar towards the middle between the ruined towers where an underground entrance was dug out with wooden supports and all. There were still tools scattered around it. It looked like the entrance to a tomb more than anything else, really. And it was quiet.


Dain stood in front of the gaping black hole with a frame of stone and wood, and exchanged looks with Henvei. "I know what you're thinking." he said, sounding tense. "And no, it's not good. I left five men to guard the dig site." He stepped inside, turned to face him, and said: "The torches are out. Can you manage a light?" With his dark blue skin, the elf was practically melding with the shadows of the ruin's interior.
 
Tharos Silverlane

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Tharos watched as Meric and Dina spoke through the trial. He kept to himself, sitting on the far end of their desk as he eyed Thorne. He never liked the man, he always seemed to have some kind of scheme behind the scenes. The armorer watched the prosecutor quietly, occasionally glancing at the judge and the inquisitor. He noticed how they trembled as Dina drilled the witness for answers in a way that Thorne didn't seem to expect. Nor did the inquisitor.


When Thorne persuaded the judge so easily, Tharos felt his temper go on the rise. His gauntlet clenched in a fist as he rose. "We are wasting no time, Your Honor, we are searching for answers to prove the innocence of an innocent man." The soldier looked at his companions and then at Thorne before looking at the witness. "Passing judgment so soon means the execution of a man that has been blamed for a crime he did not commit. We do not have all of the facts, that is for certain," he stated sharply with a piercing glance at the prosecutor, "and we could learn more from the Inquisitor if he would answer the questions that the defense has for him."


Tharos took a breath before continuing. "Murder is rarely ever in just plain cold blood; the murderer must have motive. What motive would the Captain possibly have when the two men were well met?" Tharos turned to the judge. "Your Honor, my apologies for rather aggressive tone. However it is troubling to see that judgement be passed so quickly when nothing has proved that the Captain is guilty. The evidence the prosecution has is the captain with his own blade to be the presumed murder weapon, a corpse, and a note from someone unknown that may have purposefully framed the Captain, but the witness and the prosecution won't allow for that information to be disclosed because they are afraid of loosing the case. For all we could know, if the Captain has his blade out of its sheath, then he may have been preparing for a possible attack from the murderer of his superior. If he truly was guilty, then why is the inquisitor hiding the deliverer and the method of delivery from the trial? And why, when he is pressed for a question such as the one regarding the delivery of the note, does he continuously exchange worried glances with Prosecutor Thorne as if he is frightened that we may catch on to something that they are hiding? Your Honor, to me, and I believe to my fellow defenders, the prosecution and the witness are hiding something that could be potentially of determining value to this trial."


Tharos remained standing as he looked the judge in the eye, his breath even as he awaited an answer.
 
The mage responded with a spark of blue flame, which soon blossomed into a pale blue orb of light.


"So this is the place," he mused, flatly, and for once not concerned with sarcasm. "In age alone it is remarkable." The Folk threw a hand up and down the side of the frame, taking the time to admire the ancient architecture.


"Lead on." He finally broke away from the revelry, sending the orb ahead to where Dain was standing. As wonderful as the building itself seemed - whatever lurked in the dark seemed to have a talent for ruining otherwise fine structures. The mage marched on, letting the orb dance ahead of the two.
 
The human and elf marched on as the darkness parted before the magical light. Strange shadows danced around the walls, making the place seem even stranger. Dain led Henvei through a short entrance hallway and then into a small room. Another hallway branched off exactly on the opposite side. On either side of the path that cut across the room there was a statue, but both were in such a state of disrepair that it was impossible to tell what they once represented.


"A wonder the place still stands, I know." said Dain. "We called this the entrance chamber. This way."


There wasn't much else interesting about the room. The walls were broken apart at intervals. You could see the roots of trees reaching out like creepy tendrils of a monster. Another short hallway ended in a T junction. The elf led him right because the left passage was completely ruined. They emerged into a much larger room than the previous one. It stretched out for roughly fifteen feet on all sides. Just barely enough for the light to shine on the side walls.


"This is as far as we got." Dain said, taking a few steps forward and pointing at the far wall. A middle section some six feet wide was indented by two feet inwards. There were some markings on it. "That's the Wall. I have no idea where the men I left are. I'd like to hope they just went back to Ridge but... I'd know about it then. I fear something worse may have befallen them."


The rest of the room included a table on each side with a few chairs, some broken up. There was a lot of random debris lying around: papers, ink bottles, books, even old knives and a sword or two. They didn't look usable at first glance. Neither the books nor the blades. It was dead quiet. The kind people call too quiet. And the scholar's eerie light didn't help the atmosphere in that matter.
 
Henvei Relkor vech Daltzen

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The scholar eyed the wall with a muted expression. Presently he approached the thing, walking with soft steps, and with his mind in contemplation. A wall, yes, but a Wall? The mystery of a Wall has many answers - this thing could be a door, a seal, a portal of some sort, for all the scholar knew.

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"It seems to be calm at the moment..." he mused, stepping right before the wall. If anything, the scholar felt a little homesick - the cave felt more like a Frigid wine cellar than it did an architectural anomaly. Perhaps that was the anomaly, though...The scholar eyed Dain for a moment, considering the possibilities. "Have you uncovered anything about the origin of this place?" he finally asked, stepping away from the wall to eye the debris. Henvei figured that a sound foundation to work upon would make a probe that much easier. And safer, judging from the stories thus far.

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"We figured it might be a fort of some sort. Or a temple. Maybe both." said professor Dain. While Henvei contemplated, the elf proceeded to light a wall torch on both sides of the room. The fire illuminated the wrecked, ruined interior with a far more natural-looking light than Henvei's magic. "Sadly, all my guesses are based on what you've already seen. This is as far as we got."


"Now, the Wall." Dain approached to stand next to Henvei, staring at the inset section of the wall. The markings on the wall were faint, bits and pieces, like remnants of already incomplete runes. "A mystery." said Dain. But there was one thing that stood out. Amid the chaos, like a centerpiece there was a right hand print etched into the wall. It didn't look damaged in any way.


"It could be anything, and whatever it is, I am certain that this hand print in the middle is the key to its secret. Word of caution, though, Henvei vech Daltzen." the elf took up a serious, troubled tone. "Others have tried for the most obvious approach before. None ended well. Their hands were burned. I can't say that any other approach yielded results though. Perhaps it's a lock of some sorts."
 
Meanwhile, back in Ridge, the trial continues at Justice Square.


No one dared interrupt Silverlane during his monologue at the end of which he had most of the crowd blabbering among themselves, some even friendly faces nodding with approval. Inquisitor Herondale maintained a remotely worried expression and seemed to be pondering the situation, but prosecutor Thorne was as smug as ever. As soon as the judge calmed down the spectators, he jumped in.


"A worthy effort," he began in his high and mighty tone, "But futile nonetheless. The defense's claims are nothing more than wild speculations, and these accusations against the prosecutor and the witness... Your Honor, do we allow glances in court into evidence now?"


Then Inquisitor Herondale broke from thought and spoke. "I regret that my withholding information caused problems, but allow me to reassure the court that the identity of the man who delivered the note is not relevant to this case."


The judge raised his arms to request for silence, then nodded. "Inquisitor Herondale. I have already granted your request to leave this out of your testimony. However! Should new evidence arise to invoke suspicion around the matter, you will be required to truthfully reveal what you are now hiding. Is that understood?" Herondale agreed, and the judge continued. "Now, as much as I appreciate the defense's vigor and can't argue with most of the presented points, I agree with the prosecution. There may not be a lot of evidence, but enough has been presented. Now, unless the defense can submit new evidence or find something wrong with existing evidence or testimony, I'm afraid I am not willing to further prolong this trial."


Meric just shot worried looks at his comrades, as if saying: Anything, anyone?
 
Dina Ailsa

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"Your Honor, I have indeed found something wrong with the existing evidence.", Dina said and gave a sideways look to Meric, "The weapon that the accused used to murder the victim. The sword that is perfectly clean. As I see it, listing it as a murder weapon is just wild speculation." She turned to look at Thorne at her last words. Gaze set to a piercing one. Dina gained some confidence during the cross-examination and didn't look afraid at all. Not for her client and definitely not that she won't have justice. Wiggle your way around that one, snake. She thought.
 
Thorne's smug look instantly vanished. He didn't seem at all confident anymore, having heard Dina use his own words against him. "Erm... I... It's, well... T-that's..."


"Prosecutor Thorne!" said the judge with a surprise on his face. "That does look like a serious hole in your claim. Would you care to explain this?"


"Y-your Honor." said Thorne recollecting himself. "The blade is clean, like the defense here thoughtfully pointed out, but that really doesn't change anything, you see. Because... The accused, Captain Raynard, simply wiped it off before his arrest."


The judge shrugged. "I see." he said, and then just started thinking.
 
Dina Ailsa

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"Your Honor, even if the accused had tried he wouldn't have had the blade sparkling clean in time to be caught with it that way.", Dina said, "And with that said, it could have been that be had drawn his sword in defence when he had seen the body of his comrade. The murderer could still had been there, the real murderer." And I still have more to say about that matter. Dina thought of the note that Captain had given them. We have to get to the bottom of this.
 
"The defense rises a valid point again. Prosecutor Thorne?"


"Your Honor, I..." Thorne was stuck, and it was apparent. "He... Maybe..."


"A question for the witness, your Honor." said Meric. The judge nodded, letting him cut off the nervous prosecutor. "Inquisitor Herondale, did the City Watch discover anything at the scene that could have been used to clean the murder weapon?"


"No." Herondale replied. "Nothing was found that could have served that purpose."


"Well, well!" exclaimed the judge. "If I understand this correctly, then the real murder weapon is still missing?"
 
Henvei Relkor vech Daltzen

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"Undoubtedly." The magus ran a close eye up and down the wall, feeling for, well, any sort of clue. As had as it was to admit, whoever had designed this wall had done it well; Henvei feared that no close inspection would do it justice. One of those puzzles, then.

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Hand. Hands that built, hands that destroyed. Hands which beckon, hands which reject. This one seemed to be one of those latter types, the hands made more for gripping swords or pens. Stepping forward on careful feet, the wizard turned his careful gaze on the offending hand. A standard hand: five fingers, one palm. No visible changes, mutations, or variances from a standard hand. Just a good, familiar hand.

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Then why was it so infuriatingly strange? The wizard clenched his jaw, hissing gently, and feeling uneasy. This hand was out of place for a tomb that had claimed so many, and yet here it was, beckoning for a fitting palm and proper fingers. The Folk loved these sort of puzzles, yes, but for once Henvei wasn't feeling as excited as he usually did, even with the threat of certain doom lingering over him. The hand was different, somehow, like it was...judging. Judging Henvei as somehow unworthy.

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Battle nerves. Calm yourself, boy. The scholar shook his head, violently, feeling the nerves rush out with a violent boot to the backside. No time for wandering, time to investigate. Raising a hand, the scholar tentatively let a small rush of conjured water strike the wall nearest the hand, before moving it onto the hand itself. Should the device trigger, well, it would be nothing more than a simple sensing spell. Should it not...well, he'd cross that bridge when he got there.

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Whatever the scholar expected to happen is irrelevant, because what actually happened was nothing at all. Professor Dain watched intently as the spray of water merged with the wall, splashed, and ran down it in thin, wet lines. The hand imprint remained as taunting as ever.


"Interesting." said the elf while contemplating.
 
Violet Robbins

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Violet looked over at Dina an smile. She had this prosecutor driven into a corner, and the confidence and leadership she was displaying made the elf proud. Thinking that she had been quiet for too long, she stood up so she could add a thought that she had begun brewing in her head. With a cool glance at their opposition, she declared, "It would seem, Mr.Thorne, is that all you have is a member of the city watch at the scene of a crime and an anonymously delivered note. Speaking of which, I would ask that the aforementioned note be submitted into evidence and that the handwriting be compared to that found on this note."

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She pulled out the note that Raynard had given her at the prison. Holding it aloft for all to see, she continued with, "This note was supposedly written by our victim. However, I believe that note was written by the person who left the note telling of a murder in the same location that is mentioned in our note. If the handwriting is the same on both, then I would think the information that Herondale refused to tell us earlier would become much more important."

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"I see." said the judge. "The court accepts this note into evidence."


Prosecutor Thorne didn't look happy. As he shifted his gaze from Dina to Violet and the judge, he knew exactly what was going to happen. "Your Honor, this doesn't..." But he never finished that sentence. The judge raise his hand and cut him off.


"Enough, prosecutor. Considering that all of a sudden you're missing the murder weapon, and that these two notes might be related, I think it's quite obvious that it would be impossible to reach a valid verdict today." Murmurs echoed throughout the crowd. "I am rescheduling the trial for tomorrow at noon. The defense and prosecution are expected to conduct a more thorough investigation and present more evidence to support their claims. This Tribunal is adjourned."


People started dispersing. Before the guards came to take him away, Captain Raynard sent a thankful, relieved look to his defenders. Meric was grinning like an idiot.


"I knew we could do it. Well played, everyone. Especially you, Dina. I have to say, I did not expect... such performance from you." The elf looked uncomfortable for a moment as he addressed the girl. "Now we have the time we need to do this right. We'll need to study the crime scene, talk to people involved - maybe the Inquisitor - find and compare evidence. Won't be simple, but the truth must be brought to life."
 
Dina Ailsa

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Dina stood proud and sent an encouraging look to the Captain. "This is not the my usual form of fighting for lives, but it is something I'm quite passionate about.", she said turning to Meric and shortly after shifting her attention to Silverlane, "I think that now those vitneses you mentioned would be more willing to cooperate. I believe we shoud start with them." She felt her heart slowing down the pace, she didn't even realize it was pounding like crazy until this moment. A great show you put on. I wish Eltheren was here to see. Dina gave a brief sigh before turning to Violet with a smile. "We really showed them, didn't we? Did you see Thorn's face? Hilarious."
 
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