DEMON HUNT

Chapter 11: The trial

Mari: Cap..captain Sinister?

Sinister walks up to Mari. There are blood stains on his uniform.

Sinister: My, my. What a mess we have here. A CIT getting lectured by a toddler. How low we've fallen.

Mario snaps at Sinister. He seems not to have heard anything Mari and Sinister said prior to Sinister's last statement.

Mario: Listen, weirdo. It's not his fault. It's easy for you to say trash! We were out here the whole night to gather info on the massacre. Where were you?! Tell him, Mari.

Mari: Silence, Mario!

Mario: Don't you dare shut me up.

Sinister: Who is this supposed to be?

Mario: I'm Mario.

Sinister: I didn't ask for your name. I simply asked who you are.

Mari: He's a Junior hunter who joined our ranks not long ago, sir.

Sinister: Days like this are hard to come by. CIT Mari disobeying a direct order, bringing a junior hunter into serious combat, being unable to control a lower ranked hunter...the list goes on and on. To answer your question, brat. I was up north, killing a hundred demons. They were really weak so I decided to finish them off early.

Mario: (thought) A hundred demons in one night? That's incredible no matter the strength level of the demons. Captains are no jokes, are they?

Sinister: You two are coming with me.

Mario: What about the corpses?

Sinister: I didn't ask you to speak. And it's 'what about the corpses, sir' to you. You really weren't thought anything about being a hunter. Leave them there. The military will take care of it themselves. I presume you brought a vehicle. You two are going to drive to HQ immediately! I'll be waiting for you. You know what will happen if you don't show up, right, Mari?

B's body begins to fade away.

Mari: Yes, Sir.

Sinister leaves and Mari tries to pull himself together. It's morning already, the sun is out.

Mario: Wrong time to say this, but we have to go now.

Mari: You're right.

Mario: Cheer up, dude. How bad can it possibly get?

Mari ignores the question and begins to walk slowly towards the tunnel, still holding his head. Mario follows behind. When they get to the car, Mari starts the vehicle and begins to drive, without uttering a word. They both arrive at DDI's HQ, after changing to casual clothes and washing up. They are again made to go through a series of tests before they are allowed into the 'inner chamber'. Immediately they both got into the inner chamber, two hunters began to escort them as though they were criminals to the most important room in the entire organization. The room that needs absolutely no guarding... The Captains' council hall. The hall is built like a law court. The seats meant for the captains are elevated, so the hunter being trialed or questioned is made to look up. The hunters leading Mari and Mario do not enter the room. They open the door, watch both young men enter, shut it, and leave. Both hunters walk slowly as they look around in curiosity and surprise. They both hear a voice from the elevated section of the hall.

Malcolm: You are required to stand right there.

They both stand and try to trace the source of the voice. They finally see Malcolm.

Malcolm: Not many hunters below Captain level enter this room, and most wish they didn't. You've been summoned here to be trialed. While we do not have a full council, the captains available are more than capable of giving a wise and fair judgement. Step up to the podium.