This broadcast is being released on today’s date… March 17th. Time zone… Pacific. Our activation date has been decided as… May 1st. Our 12 targets? To be acquired…
TRANSMISSION RECEIVED.
Hello and welcome.
I have been hired to select 12 candidates for a daunting game of wit and sabotage, a clash of conflict and curiosity. This game has been well matured for the past year; my employer is a very talented and illusive spinster who has decided to set the stage for our show.
What may this challenge include, you might ask?
I can assure you that if you accept the terms of this game, you will be met with the most devilish of foes and a mystery that will keep you rigorously on your toes.
A murderer hides amongst you, not that this is any surprise. You are all villains in your own regard. It is why I have selected you from the most prestigious of prisons. However, there is one within the group that is after your life. If you can find out the truth, you will have the pleasure of having the last laugh.
Tensions will run high. Not only will you be forced to use strategy to piece together the cases you will be presented with, but you will be watched constantly by your peers. This is a social game between liars and miscreants, a feat that is as intriguing as orchestrating your own crimes… and as dangerous. Those who fail to solve the riddles and comprehend the clues will find themselves to be the next victim. It isn’t personal… it’s just business.
I’m sure you’ve all heard those words before. Quaint, aren’t they?
I await your response, my dear guests. Until then, I shall bid you a heartfelt adieu.
I do not have any plans for a second game at this time, but fortunately, several of the players in this game have expressed interest in creating one themselves. If and when another game materializes, I will let you all know. Thank you for your interest!
Enjoy this picture of me (featuring Andy’s hand 😛)
Name: Jackson (he/him)
Location: Davis, CA (y'all can just give a state but I’m moving soon for college so I don’t care if people know haha)
Personality: ISFJ if you like MBTI, or Leo sun/Virgo moon/Aries rising if you like astrology
Alternate character for AA RP: If not Phoenix, I’d be any of the women from this cast because I love them all! I’m not super convincing as a het man lol
Good at: Math, running, puzzles, being a snoop
Bad at: Art, talking to boys
🍴: Burgers, all Mexican food, poke bowls
🎵: My music taste is constantly fluctuating but generally it’s a lot of rap and alternative and also some pop
📗: Agatha Christie novels
🎮: Nancy Drew series, Danganronpa series, Zero Escape series, Town of Salem, most Super Mario games, and Ace Attorney of course!
Something random: My Starbucks order is a venti iced vanilla latte. Hot drinks make me feel gross
I tag every member of the Whodunnit Ace Attorney cast in this! I’m excited to see what you put 😁
And it was empty. There were no persons or objects to be found.
It took several moments for reality to set in.
“This… This is wrong…” Phoenix mumbled to himself. “She… She was here… She had to be here…” His eyes were wide open as they desperately scanned the open space in front of him. His hands were repeatedly clenching and un-clenching.
The sinister sounds from behind him hadn’t ceased. Slowly, he turned his head to see what - or who - it was.
Ema Skye was watching in confusion and dismay as tears streamed Viola’s face. She was doubled over in an uncontrollable fit of laughter. For Ema, the last piece had fallen into place.
“You… You’re the killer. It’s been you this whole time!”
VIOLA CADAVERINI composed herself and got up to face the other woman, wiping one last joyful tear out of the corner of her eye. Her unbroken grin was severely unsettling.
“It looks like I’ve been found out,” she observed. “But are you really that surprised?”
“Why did you do it?” Ema asked, her eyes landing on Phoenix, who was still too shocked and disturbed to speak. How did he fit in to this nightmare? It still wasn’t clear.
“Maybe this will help.”
In a sudden burst of activity, the woman before them turned around and brought her fingers up to the back of her head. For the first and only time she removed her bandage and began fiddling with strands of her hair. Several seconds of braiding later, she turned again to reveal herself.
Ema was confused, but Phoenix wasn’t, despite being presented with what should have been an unbelievable sight.
DAHLIA HAWTHORNE, he thought, the despair pushing him even closer to the ground. I should’ve known.
Dahlia laughed once more, savoring every ounce of the bravado. She was almost unrecognizable as “Viola,” but once she returned her hair to its typical style and allowed herself to show real emotion, she had given herself away.
“It’s been quite some time, Feenie. And I was quite ready to see you again - especially like this!”
Ema couldn’t stand by without trying to get a grasp on the scene before her.
“Who are you?” She demanded. “And how do you know Mr. Wright?”
“You could call me an old friend,” Dahlia jeered. “Although I’m no longer part of his life. Or anyone’s, for that matter.” She snickered at her reference.
“Who the hell is channeling you?” Phoenix asked. “And what did you do to Iris?”
“Well, in case you didn’t know,” Dahlia explained pompously, “there’s a whole country of people who can do this. The dark-haired beauty whose body I’m borrowing just happened to be acquainted with a friend of mine… And as far as my sister goes, she was never here, obviously! I just talked like her for that recording you heard on the phone. Jesus, didn’t she impersonate me for like, months? We sound exactly alike!”
Phoenix was starting to be sick. He had one reason to keep pushing forward all this time, and it turns out he had been played.
“At least tell me that she’s alive,” Phoenix begged, all the weight of these realizations showing on his ragged face.
Dahlia giggled, allowing a rosy pair of dimples to appear on her face. “Tee-hee! I wouldn’t make any promises I can’t keep to you, Feenie!”
Then, as suddenly as it had manifested, the cutesy facade disappeared. “But seriously, Phoenix. How can a woman count on you for anything? Nine people I killed, and you hardly lifted a finger. And for nothing in return, it turns out.”
That was the last blow to Phoenix’s psyche that he could take. His sobs were heaving and ugly. Every cry he emanated came from regret for every friend he had lost to Dahlia’s killing game. It was the most broken Ema had ever seen him, despite all the hardships she knew he had endured.
Dahlia seemed to get the reaction she was looking for - the one she had been aiming to receive from the start. Flashing another toothy grin, she turned her attention to Ema.
“God, he really is a mess, isn’t he! Anyways, I know you’re running out of time, so I’ll let you go. I’ve done everything I need to do. You’re the winner of our game, after all! We can’t have you dying in an avalanche!”
“Wait!” Ema exclaimed as Dahlia turned to leave. “You keep making references to someone else. You weren’t the one who masterminded all this, were you? You were just someone’s tool.”
“Sharp as always!” Dahlia replied. “Yes, another person did come up with the idea for this. I guess you could say he was my boss. And who could be better to hire other than me? I’m dead. The only thing left for Dahlia Hawthorne was to get my revenge on Phoenix Wright and that disgusting witch who made him, and it’s probably the last thing Dahlia Hawthorne will do. Oh, I can’t wait for the news of my crimes to hit the papers!” She clapped with ominous glee.
“Who says it will?” Ema shot back angrily. “Maybe we won’t let them give you the credit you want.”
“Oh, I’m not worried about that,” Dahlia said, starting towards the door. “They’re gonna find this woman’s body buried under the rubble from the avalanche, dead like all the others. If you don’t want you and Feenie to get accused of murder nine times over, you’re gonna have to tell the truth about me being channeled. Don’t worry, they’ve seen it before.” Dahlia had one last laugh as she crossed the threshold outside. “Oh, and by the way. The mastermind - he’s waiting to see you. You should probably pay him a visit when you get back. It was nice to get to know you, Ema Skye! Take care! Your ride home is right behind this building.”
Ema watch DAHLIA HAWTHORNE disappear from her sight. She didn’t bother chasing after her - she wasn’t concerned about her making a run for it. She was already dead, after all. What did it matter now?
She turned her attention to the blubbering heap of a man next to her. She needed to get him out, and fast. She tugged on his arm.
“C’mon, Mr. Wright. We need to go, now.”
“Leave me here, Ema,” he said hopelessly. “She won. I need to die here. I’ll never get past this…”
Ema wasn’t having it. She didn’t have time to convince him not to give up, so instead, she took him by force.
Grabbing hold of his ankle, she dragged him out of the Inner Temple and out into the snow. He didn’t have either the energy or the desire to fight back.
Moving as quickly as she physically could, she proceeded to the other side of the Temple. As promised, there was something waiting for her.
At first glance, it was just a sturdy dinghy. But the hooks on the front and back of its walls indicated exactly what she needed to do.
Piling Phoenix into the boat among the paddles, thick winter coats, and survival rations that Dahlia had provided, Ema got to work. After retrieving the purple and green hang gliders that had been discarded in the snow, she hooked them onto the dinghy. She then pushed it towards the cliff overhanging Eagle River and took one last deep breath.
This was it. She’d won. And although she hadn’t really beaten the killer, they weren’t about to be set free to the world. And best of all, she had saved one person - the person closest to her of all.
Only now she had to navigate a tiny raft through miles of strong current after jumping off a giant cliff. Great.
But to be fair, it seemed about on par with everything she had experienced throughout her time in the mountains.
Ema hit the water with a giant splash. She worried the dinghy was going to flip, but thankfully she was able to steady it. Phoenix, although he remained dead silent, was now helping her keep control. She didn’t know if he would ever recover from what Dahlia had done to him, but she still couldn’t mistake the gratitude in his eyes.
They were only about a minute out when they heard a deafening roar behind them.
“That’s the bomb. Oh, God, I hope we’re far enough away!” Ema yelled.
The avalanche was huge - much larger than the one they had experienced on the first day. Giant boulders and sheets of snow and ice were pouring into the river behind them, creating wave after stomach-turning wave.
Ema thought of Will and the spirit medium as she desperately paddled and shifted her weight. Would they ever be found? Would any trace of what had happened be left behind?
No. It would take some time. But Ema would make sure everyone was found, including the bodies stuck in Hazakura Temple - even if it meant quitting her job.
The ripples of the avalanche soon subsided, never having totally caught up to them. Unfortunately, there was still a long journey ahead of them. It would be several hours - maybe even half a day - before they reached the nearest city.
Despite the exhaustion and the open emotional wounds, Ema’s mind was filled with questions. She tried to contain them, but the pressure inside her only mounted.
“Okay, I have to ask,” she prefaced. “What is your history with that woman? Why did she want revenge so bad?”
Phoenix shook his head slightly. He supposed there was little point to burying what happened.
“It’s not just me. It’s also my mentor. The last time Dahlia left this planet, she and her sister were all there to see it. It was humiliating for her. She probably jumped at the first chance she got to get back at me.” He paused, furrowing his brow. “My question is, who gave her the opportunity? Who hired that woman to channel her so she could carry it all out?”
Ema knew the answer to that. She thought back to the Riddle she had won. The answer was right there in that article.
“So… It’s Dahlia’s sister. That’s who you thought had been kidnapped,” she stated, changing the subject.
Phoenix’s face flushed in anguish. “Yeah. We knew each other before. We lost contact a while back. but…”
Ema felt sad for him. He had seen a lot of bad things and dealt with a lot of bad people. But he still wanted to do everything for the people close to him.
“Alright. I won’t keep grilling you. You should rest.”
He nodded, but continued helping her paddle. Eventually they did reach shore, but not after hours of freezing winds and icy waves. The furry coats were a very necessary protection from hypothermia.
The city lights sparkled in the early morning. It was the most comforting sight Ema had experienced for a long while.
The young detective grasped the hand of PHOENIX WRIGHT and helped him out of the dinghy.
“Let’s go,” she urged. “You may have forgotten, but you have people worried sick about you.
It was an entire day later that Ema was finally released from questioning. She wasn’t completely off the hook yet, but at least she was allowed to go home and get some actual rest.
The police barely believed her story of their escape, but the evidence of their river travel seemed to back her up. They were even more shocked to hear of the nine murders, especially that they were at the hands of a sadistic dead woman. Still, having not yet uncovered any of the bodies, there was nothing to charge her with.
Hopefully for Ema, if anything survived, it’d be that damn cell phone. Dahlia had surely left a gold mine of photographic evidence on that thing. It wasn’t likely that the e-mails would be enough to completely clear her.
First thing next morning, Ema left to see the mastermind. She knew exactly where she was headed - the only worry she had was finding a place to start.
She entered the Detention Center as soon as visiting hours opened and approached the clerk with one demand.
“Take me to Kristoph Gavin, please.”
Her wish was granted, and within three minutes she was led to a carefully decorated prison cell. This, too was a place she recognized from a Riddle’s photo.
“Welcome, Ms. Skye.”
Ema sat across from Gavin, unable to pinpoint how she felt.
How was she supposed to talk to this man?
She hardly knew him.. She had testified in front of him once or twice, and she had even been there for his final breakdown, but at this moment in time, his facade of collectedness and sophistication was truly convincing.
“You appear very happy right now,” Ema observed.
“And you don’t,” Gavin replied. “You should feel proud of yourself. You came out on top in a grueling test of many aspects of human performance.”
“I’m not going to be satisfied until I know everything,” Ema replied. “If I can’t see you and Hawthorne punished more than you’ve already been, then this is the most I can hope for.”
“I see,” Gavin said, nodding in understanding. “You have won my full compliance. Please, ask whatever you like.”
Ema thought for some time before speaking again. In the end, only one word sufficed.
“Why?”
Gavin nodded once more. “It’s a complex question. Obviously, Dahlia Hawthorne is a criminal of the most frightening capacity. Still, we do share one aspect of our story in common. Neither of us have a life. And that is why we did what we did.”
“You’re talking about your life sentence,” Ema remarked.
“That’s right,” Gavin affirmed. “I have nothing to lose, and I have very little to gain from doing anything anymore. I have been imprisoned for some time now, and I can attest to the only tangible thing I experience being desiring the worst for Phoenix Wright. Therefore, it was really only a natural progression for me to seek revenge. It was only once I read a little into his past cases that I hatched the idea to have enlist Hawthorne’s help.”
“How did you do that? And why did she disguise herself as Viola Cadaverini?” Ema asked.
“Well, I knew Wright and Cadaverini were acquainted. Her appearance wasn’t too far off from Hawthorne’s, if she covered as much of her face as she could. I doubted he would recognize either of them with a lot of precision, but I suppose it was still a risk. Even so, her affect made for the perfect cover. One fearsome woman disguising herself as another fearsome woman - it was the easiest role to play, and I assume Hawthorne must have played it well. As for channeling her in the first place, that was deceptively simple. Many fledgling spirit mediums are looking for experience. I sought one out from the Kingdom of Khura’in, where Hawthorne’s face would be unknown. Then, once she arrived to see me in person, I simply showed her a photo, claimed I was a widower who sought forgiveness from my deceased spouse, and that was that. Of course, it was quite a task for Hawthorne to remain in this realm for such a length of time, but she was up to the task. It wasn’t her first time being channeled. Besides, I knew progressing the game as quickly as possible would bode well for her chances in the end.”
“Speaking of which, there’s something that’s bothering me,” Ema responded, her frustration growing. “Why couldn’t you have had Dahlia just murder Phoenix himself, or someone close to him? Why the elaborate game, and with so many people he only somewhat knew?”
“I thought it would be difficult to convince Wright to bring along his daughter or his understudy if Iris Hawthorne was the intended bait,” Gavin explained. “Wright would prefer to keep that history from his most innermost circle, I am sure. I only had Hawthorne contact people who would not be able to confirm the truthfulness of Wright’s invitation in person, essentially. And I think you’ve seen firsthand why the Killing Game was such an effective outlet. Forcing him to watch as so many innocent people were slaughtered was the ultimate revenge. Even allowing him to live, which I assume you made sure of, played into the plan. He will have to live with his inability to save them for the rest of his natural life.”
Ema leaned back in her chair. She was starting to understand the motivations behind what had happened to her and the others. She knew it would’ve killed her not to know, but at the same time, hearing it said out loud was difficult to handle.
“Now, I have a question for you, Ms. Skye,” Gavin declared. “Was defeating all of your competitors and seeing them die - was it worth it? Was it worth it to survive?”
The question was troubling. Of course, Ema would have rather escaped with everyone, but… It just wouldn’t have worked. And using force to try and stop the killer only would’ve been too risky. She likely would’ve killed an innocent person out of misplaced suspicion and paranoia.
Gavin wasn’t going to get the pitiful answer he was looking for.
“Yes, it was worth it,” Ema affirmed. “It was worth it because I know I was the strongest person of all the guests. And I’m going to use my strength to make sure they are never forgotten, and that they aren’t reduced to the way they died. They don’t deserve for that to happen. They were too good for that. I just don’t know if any of them would be able to face what we went through like I plan to if they had lived instead.”
Gavin was silent for a moment before replying. “I see. Very well, then.”
Ema felt the gravity of her words. Once she said them out loud, she knew for a fact they were true.
“I believe this interview has run its course,” Gavin stated.
Though her mind wasn’t totally free of questions, Ema agreed. It was time to go - time to return to normal life.
“I would like to congratulate you once again on your accomplishment,” Gavin said. “To tell the truth, I had a feeling I would be seeing you of all people when it was all over.”
Ema didn’t smile at the compliment. Triumph wasn’t what she was feeling. It was something different - something Gavin would never understand.
“I am not sure our paths will ever cross again, so for now, I will say goodbye,” he said as she stood up to go. “I will be submitting a deposition detailing the crimes committed by Ms. Hawthorne and myself, so you and Mr. Wright should be cleared of suspicion. Oh, and I have one more thing to tell you. I’ve made sure something was left for you. Think of it as your final prize.”
Ema skeptically raised her eyebrow. “What is it?”
“You’ll see once you’ve arrived. It’s been hidden it in a very important location. Here is how to find it.” He handed Ema a slip of paper with an address neatly written on it. “Farewell, Ms. Skye.”
Ema indicated her comprehension, turned away from Gavin, and left without a word.
She soon found herself walking in one direction, not thinking about where she was going.
Her subconscious, however, was taking her exactly where Gavin had directed.
She arrived fifteen minutes later, holding up the paper with the address and comparing it to the building that stood before her.
District Court of Los Kyotos, Japanifornia
Courthouse Reading Room
Ema calmly entered and made her way to the shelf indicated by the note. On that shelf was a book. She reached out to pull it off the shelf.
Apparently, this book was the prize. As soon as she opened it and realized what was inside, her confusion subsided, and she understood what the enigmatic man had meant.
She closed the book and held it tightly in her hands, stunned into silence.
Somewhere far away, she could hear the sound of another book closing. It was a story over a decade old of greed, malice, and tragedy, and it was finally closing for good.
Congratulations to the winner of Whodunnit Ace Attorney, Ema Skye @luminol-lenses! You were one of the most quick-witted and determined contestants in any competition like this that I’ve ever witnessed, and you set the bar very high for anyone who wishes to play this game in the future. You are the most deserving winner I could have hoped for! Thank you from the bottom of my heart for your commitment (and also for forcing me to make the riddles harder 😂).
Also, please offer your congratulations to your Killer, “Viola Cadaverini” @violacadavirini! You not only accepted your challenging role on day one, you thrived with it, receiving only six accusations throughout the entire competition. Despite having immunity from elimination, you presented quality cases every investigation and never shied away from a challenging riddle - this includes the Final RIddle, in which you were both the fastest and the most correct of all three players! I couldn’t have asked for any better.
And for everyone else who played in this game or just watched it unfold, thank you so much! I have had a wonderful time with Whodunnit and I’ll really miss my job as moderator. Please keep in touch with me, whether on this blog or one of my others! And if anyone’s planning a sequel to this game, well, you can count me in 😉
Until then, this is your mod, signing off for now!
Almost thirty minutes had passed, and still nobody had entered a code.
Phoenix’s hand trembled as he wiped his brow. He needed the others to finish, and as soon as possible. He couldn’t open the blue bin without their codes, which meant he couldn’t get to the other side, and, well… With a bomb supposedly about to go off, that wasn’t ideal.
And this wasn’t just about his survival. That was worthless now. He had kept performing his tasks as the killer’s mouthpiece all this time for one reason alone, and that was to save her.
Every moment of the horrific game he had been forced to witness was replaying in his mind, going all the way back to the first e-mail he received from her.
“It’s been many years, and although not much has changed on my part, I’ve heard they were very eventful for you…”
Phoenix usually couldn’t bear to talk about his disbarment. All the feelings of shame and frustration and helplessness seemed to float back up to the surface every time. It was likely she had heard a million awful things about his character while they were separated. And yet… She sounded like the same person. Like they could pick up right where they left off.
He knew now it wasn’t worth it. He witnessed eight grisly deaths, and now what he had hoped for was within a hair’s breadth. If he could turn back time, he wouldn’t have made the same choices, and he definitely wouldn’t have underestimated the murderous enemy lurking among the group. Whoever it was, their objective was to make him suffer, and he had played right into it.
But now that he was here, and somehow still alive… He was going to reap the reward of his cooperation. And she was going to make it out alive.
As if she was waiting for a cue, Viola burst out of one of the bedrooms and ran towards the input device where Phoenix was standing.
“I assume you’ve figured it out?” Phoenix asked, watching as she furiously typed in numbers on the keypad that replaced the countdown clock.
She waved his hand away as she concentrated, reviewing the code she had entered before pressing “submit.” The speaker made an affirmative ping in response.
The countdown clock then reappeared on the screen. They were down to about twelve minutes until the bombs would detonate.
Having caught her breath, Viola remarked on Phoenix’s expression. “You look nervous,” she said. “You aren’t… still upset about what was written in in the last Reveal… are you?”
Phoenix’s face fell. Viola always knew what he was thinking. “Yes, I suppose I am,” he admitted. “If not because of fear, because I know now that it’s my fault everyone was dragged into this.”
Viola fell silent. She couldn’t think of anything to counter the truth.
Seconds later, Will came rushing over, his chest rising and falling at an alarming rate. He had to be extra careful in inputting his code, as his large fingers could press multiple buttons with one movement.
“Where’s Ema?” Will asked through his laborious breaths. “Did I beat her back?”
“Looks like it,” Phoenix responded.
“I hope she doesn’t take much longer…” Viola said softly, her eyes glued to the floor. “We still don’t even know how we’re going to get across, and how long it’s going to take…”
Ema’s arrival came about thirty seconds later and was met with several sighs of relief. She calmly and methodically entered her long string of digits in to the code, and when she pressed “submit,” a new message appeared on the screen.
— UNLOCKING COMMAND INITIATED —
Will jumped at the loud clicking sound suddenly made by the bins on the other side of the room. Those who hadn’t turned their heads in that direction peered at the graphic that the device was now showing. A list of the remaining guests’ names along with a corresponding bin color and shape was displayed.
Viola: Purple Rhombus
Will: Yellow Circle
Ema: Green Triangle
Phoenix: Blue Square
Ema looked up from the screen to see the others deep in thought.
“C’mon, people! We need to move!” She exclaimed, thinking of the little time they had left to escape.
The others quickly shook off their apprehension and ran to the wooden bins. It was only once Will lifted the first lid that the guests understood how they were supposed to get across the river.
“Hang gliders…” Phoenix observed, his fear of heights biting at his chest.
The gliders only needed to be unfolded to become almost full size. Presumably, they would be enough for the several seconds of flight that the journey would require. Each one was color coded to the bin it originated from.
“There’s no safety harnesses or anything,” Will complained as he followed the others outside. It appeared they would just have to hold on for dear life.
Ema pointed off by the edge of the cliff where a tall boulder stood.
“Let’s jump off of that rock there, it’s the tallest one I can see. Hurry!”
Phoenix echoed her sentiments. “We need to run for it. We only have ten minutes left.”
The guests broke into a full-on sprint. There wasn’t time to worry about the safety of their escape attempt, or to question how the killer was able to set up everything necessary for the finale, or accuse the person they suspected of being a traitor.
Phoenix hoisted himself onto the top of the boulder, the others nervously watching from below.
“The killer has said I’m guaranteed passage to the other side,” he reminded them. “So it’s probably best that I go first as an example.”
He straightened out the hood of the glider, tightly squeezed the bar, and took one last deep breath before diving out into the abyss.
The breeze was strong, but the little glider stayed upright. The guests watched as their host reached the other side, falling on all fours into a far-off snowbank.
“Well, I guess it’s safe,” Ema declared. “I’ll just go next and get this over with.”
Will and Viola nodded, their faces practically green from the prospect of flying over such a deep canyon.
Ema’s green glider proved to be as sturdy as Phoenix’s. As she drifted across Eagle River feeling the cold air on her cheeks, she felt like a free person for the first since the beginning of her captivity at Hazakura Temple.
Only Will and Viola were left. They had no time to waste, but still, neither wanted to volunteer themselves.
Finally, Viola climbed up onto the rock, adjusted her glider, and jumped. Every tiny bump and bit of turbulence sent a shudder down her spine. She gripped the handle so hard her knuckles were almost translucent. But in the end, she too reached the other side unharmed.
Will tried to regain control of his breathing. Flying made him extremely nervous. Only the repetition of two phrases allowed him to force himself onto the platform: “If I don’t do this, I’ll be blown to bits,” and “The others made it, so it has to be safe.”
The others watched from the Inner Temple side, anxiously awaiting his arrival. Time wasn’t stopping to wait for him to cross.
What they didn’t know was that fate had stopped to wait. And once Will conquered his fears and leaped off of the boulder on the Hazakura Temple side, his fate was sealed.
For the first few seconds of the journey, everything seemed okay. Then, about a third of the way through, the wing of the glider began to tear. The split only got worse as it faced more air resistance, and Will began to lose height.
Clearly, the yellow glider was missing reinforcements that the others were not.
He barely had time to react before it was too late. Seconds later, the glider had almost entirely torn in two, and WILL POWERS was plummeting to the Earth.
Ema listened in horror as his last terrified scream rang out across the region, echoing off the sides of every mountain, never seeming to end.
And what she heard after that was not an encouraging “splash.” It was more like a “snap.” It was the sound of bones breaking against rock.
“Oh, God,” Phoenix said in disbelief.
“I guess that was the real objective of the Final Riddle...” Viola whispered.
This was the most difficult part of their escape. Not the riddles, not the bomb threat - it was watching Will die and not having time to reflect.
Phoenix put his hands on Ema and Viola’s shoulders. “We need to go. The Inner Temple’s this way.”
“What about the escape method? Where’s the thing that’s supposed to get us out of here?” Ema asked.
“We’ll handle that after!” Phoenix replied. “I’m not leaving without her.”
“How do we know that the person working with the killer won’t be waiting for us at the Inner Temple?...” Viola asked.
“Whoever it is has probably already evacuated,” Phoenix yelled back as he took off in the direction of the rickety shelter in front of them.
Ema and Viola looked at each other. They didn’t have a choice but to follow him.
Inside the inner temple was a dark entrance hall with a large stone door at the end. The women recognized it as being in one of the photos from Riddle One.
Phoenix approached the door to the Sacred Cavern and reached out to touch it. There wasn’t a lock or a barrier in sight.
He placed his fingers around the edge of the door and began to pull, anticipation flooding his mind as he felt the ancient structure moving.
What was he going to find? Was she going to be alive and well? Had the killer made good on his promise to keep her safe?
He didn’t know for sure until the door was completely open and he saw what was inside the Sacred Cavern.
And at this moment, he heard a laugh from behind him. It was an evil, sneering laugh.
And all he could do was fall to his knees.
Will Powers @willpowerss, you are the last person to be murdered. You are a fierce competitor and a great friend, and I’m so happy you made it this far! Thanks so much for all you’ve done to make this game more fun for your fellow players and for me.
The final wrap-up post is coming soon, sorry about the wait this week!
Thanks so much to the final three for giving their best efforts in the Final Riddle, and thanks again to all of the eliminated players for making this game awesome! I’ve had a wonderful time managing Whodunnit and I can’t say enough about what an awesome group of people we had.
There will be a one or two more narrative posts coming that will wrap up the story, but other than that, we’ve pretty much wrapped things up. Stay tuned to find out who wins and who the killer is!
You return to the Main Hall and find someone has tampered with the scene. Where Adrian lay when she died, there is only a large bloodstain. Her back has been pushed against the wall, and a sign has been pressed into her limp hands. On it, the following words are written:
You enter Wocky’s room. His body has been placed face down on the bed, and the Shichishito is once again lodged in his back, standing straight up towards the ceiling.
You take a tentative step towards the display and find that several pieces of paper wrapped around the sword’s handle. They are three copies of the same chart.
Three pencils have been placed in Wocky’s hand. You pick one up and begin reading the written instructions on the back of the chart:
Fill in the boxes based on the clues given for each row and column.
Add the number of filled in spaces in the top-left quadrant plus the number of empty spaces in the bottom-right quadrant.
You enter Max’s room. The bedside lamp is not in its usual position, so the room is much darker than the others. Two small strobe lights have been placed in the corners of the room. The beams of light they create are crossing and bouncing of several mirrors, but you find they both seem to settle on one point on the wall.
You approach it and find a poster taped to the wall. It is a box puzzle of some sort.
The following instructions are written underneath it.
Enter a number from one to four in each box.
Fill in the boxes so there is never the same number in a row or column and the numbers in each outlined section add or multiply out to its corner number.
Then multiply together the numbers you put in the yellow highlighted boxes and add the result to your code.
You enter Jean’s room and are overwhelmed by a powerful stench. The rotting flesh of the body is bad enough on its own, and it appears that much of the produce and meat in the kitchen has been strewn about the room.
You step carefully towards the bed, where a large pile of rotten fruit has been placed. It seems to be covering something, so, while plugging your nose, you push some of the fruit aside to reveal the television set that used to be in the Main Hall. It is plugged into an outlet on the other side of the bed.
This video is playing on its screen. You aren’t sure what to make of it, so you continue to search for clues.
Under the bed, you find an empty DVD case. The text on the outside says the following:
Count the number of times each fruit appears in the video.
Then multiply together the number of appearances by each fruit and add the result to your code.
You open the door to Vera’s room and see that the floor and walls have been almost totally splattered with crimson and brown paint. It makes you shudder as you force yourself to enter.
On the wall on your right hang two large pictures in gilded gold frames, like the paintings in museums. They appear to be identical, but something feels off.
You search a bit more and end up finding Vera’s sketchbook. You open it and begin flipping through the pages, stopping when you see a message written in blood red ink. You doubt it was written by Vera.
Examine the original picture and its forgery.
Add the number of differences you spot between them to your code.
