[Fin] Murder in the Mountains (End)

[Magolor]

"Well, I sure am no witch, nor do I believe any of that magic, psychic c—p."

[TalesofUnder]

Well, where I come from, witches are the only people who can cast magic. Even then, they can only do it with a special staff. Search me all you want, you won't find it.

[Kennifer]

"Could he have somehow blocked you before he died, or..."

Amy ponders for a moment.

[PointMaid]

Chip grumbles

> Search Tainted Soul and Jean Greyerl and their rooms for any magical implements

That's what I've been trying to do!

[MadameButterflyKnife]

We can't prove that. And no magic on me, either. Magic where I am's like the stars; gone, replaced with man's work.

[Zanreo]

>also help in searching rooms

[Kennifer]

>check Malakhiri's room for anything more sinister and less hilarious than overpriced candles

[Caret]

>check Bonus Boss Z's room for anything suspicious-looking

[Magolor]

"Maybe he died after using his ability , but... what do you mean by three?"

[artsyGeek]

“. .I just referred to Ada and Chip separately.”

[Zanreo]

>or only search Jean's room if I can only do one at a time

[psychedelicate]

"Um... excuse me, but... something about this... doesn't add up. I-if Lloyd was... really the Jailer... Kondraki shouldn't have... been able to... use his, um... abilities. And... even if he could... after Lloyd d-died... how would he know... that that was going to... happen...?"

...Mitsuha looks terrified about being wrong.

[Cassie]

>look for magic implements in the closet and the rooms

Hm...whilst there are magical implements in Jean's room, none of it looks like it could be used to manipulate the position of a living creature's body parts like Lloyd's neck.

[artsyGeek]

[Kondraki looks at Mitsuha with a. .very uncharacteristically neutral look.]

". .I'm assumin' you meant the whole illusioning people thing or whatever? 'Cuz honestly, I didn't. I just wanted to make sure I have a somewhat solid alibi - Or some facsimile of one anyways. That's why I tried to use my abilities. Now, if your first hypothesis was right, and Lloyd did managed to jail me even post-mortem, that could vaguely explain why my targets - the black sweater gal and the couple - don't seem to feel anythin' weird. That, or. . No one did a thing on them."

[TenOfSwords13]

I feel like mentioning: you said something about musical illusions happening around me on the first night?

I don't do that.

[Florien]

Malakhiri, who's totally been here the whole time and definitely didn't just show up, what are you talking about, finally speaks up.

LLOYD IS DEAD TOO?! OH WOE! OH SORROW! WE ARE WEAKENED GREATLY! ALAS! ALAS! BUT WAIT! THERE EXIST MANY POSSIBILITIES FOR HOW A NECK COULD BREAK SO HARD! MAGIC ALONE COULD TOTALLY EXPLAIN IT, BUT WHAT IF... NO IT'S PROBABLY JUST MAGIC. MY POWERFUL AND SUBTLE CURSES HAVE WORKED TOO WELL! TOO TOO WELL! OH WOE, IT HAS ATTRACTED A POWERFUL RETRIBUTOR TO THIS PLACE! WE WILL PERISH FROM THE EVIL! THE EVIL IS TOO GREAT! OH WOE! THE SEVEN CIRCLES CANNOT SAVE US ALL! OH SORROW! REPENT!

Malakhiri overdramatically flails and tears at their skin, before actually attempting to think about the situation and what all this implies.

[artsyGeek]

". .huh. It seems like even I got mixed up by my own illusions. Damn, these butterflies sure are weird."

"Anyways, since I was the one targetin' two people that night, that means. ."

[A pause. He stares at Malakhiri with a more. .aggressive(??????) stare.] ". .I hate to say this, but this probably means the cultist's the one behind these visions."

[TenOfSwords13]

But why did the scarcely clothed lady see what she did?

[artsyGeek]

[. .a sudden wave of realisation hits.]

". .wait a fucking moment. Somethin's not adding up here. Yesterday, she said she stalked that cult freak, only to get, quote on quote, "bussed" into someone else."

"Unless she somehow meant that she tried to stalk you," [he says as he points to Red.] "only to get the cultist, it's. . actually probable that you are the one causing it, and just didn't know somehow."

". .gah, is this hallucination even that important?! It only proved I wasn't lyin', and even then!"

[Florien]

WE ALL KNOW EXACTLY WHAT YOU ARE, RED ONE! YOU'RE A VERY COOL AUTHOR WHO EVERYONE SHOULD LIKE BECAUSE YOU RECORD MY WISE WORDS FOR POSTERITY! AFTER ALL, YOU WANT TO BE FAMOUS, RIGHT?

Malakhiri swoops by, much like a personal-space invading bird, to stare directly at Red, to see if that triggers the "illusion." Obviously, it doesn't, in no small part because their hood has slipped down and is now covering nearly all of their face again.

ANYWAY, KONDRAKI OR WHATEVER YOUR NAME IS, WHAT PURPOSE DOES THIS ILLUSION SERVE OTHER THAN AS A LOADSTONE TO GUIDE OUR KNOWLEDGE OF WHO WAS OBSERVED?

[artsyGeek]

“Mx. Whoever-the-fuck-your-name-is, which illusion are you talkin' about? The ones made by my butterflies, or the one created by either you or the red fellow?”

[Florien]

THE SECOND ONE! BY THE EXTRA QUARTER CIRCLE, WHY DO WE KEEP YOU AROUND IF YOU DON'T GET CONTEXT CLUES?!

Malakhiri seems genuinely shocked their lack of previous clarity confused anyone.

[artsyGeek]

“I'm. . literally the one guy who voluntarily creates illusions here, can't ya' be a bit clearer with your fucking bullshit?!”

[Florien]

SO! YOU ARE A "ROLLER OF RICKS", PERHAPS, RED ONE? DID YOU WANT TO BE THAT, OR DID YOU NOT KNOW WHEN IT CAME UPON YOU?

Malakhiri suddenly lets out a loud shriek as they stub their toe against a chair while dramatically pacing, before acting like nothing happened.

PLEASE, EXPLAIN! If you would that would be nice. Okay thanks.

[TenOfSwords13]

Sorry to let you down, oh wise one, but I cannot do anything like that.