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The Rite of Turnabout
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Maya Fey
Your Benevolence. As crown princess, you are destined to rule this kingdom one day. That means there will be many things that only you alone must determine. Things like how to keep your people happy, and what is true and what is false... And most importantly, what role you must play therein.

Episode 3: The Rite of Turnabout is the third episode of Phoenix Wright: Ace Attorney - Spirit of Justice. Phoenix Wright's second case in Khura'in sees him once again defending his long-time friend Maya Fey on murder charges after a priest is killed during the final rite of her training.

Prisoner 201 and the rebel hunter[]

A guard walked into a cell to question a "Prisoner 201", only to find that said prisoner had escaped causing the prison alarm to sound. Elsewhere, two rebels were talking about "Datz" being back on the street and how they will soon be victorious. A serious one was worried about a certain rebel hunter, but the other more laid-back one assured him that they would not be interested in small fries like them. Unfortunately, he was swiftly proven wrong when someone in a masked costume appeared. The costumed individual brandished a knife, and the rebels' screams rang out into the night.

May 9[]

3:30 PM
Anime Shah'do

Shah'do in the afternoon.

Phoenix Wright was soaking in the afternoon air outside Tehm'pul Temple, reflecting on his experiences in the past two weeks of being in Khura'in, including his ordeal in the country's court. He was eagerly looking forward to meeting up with Maya Fey, who was finishing her ascetic training, when he was approached by Ahlbi Ur'gaid with Shah'do. Ur'gaid was excited because of an annual ritual called the Purification Rite, in which Fey was scheduled to participate in the guise of Lady Kee'ra. He handed Wright Fey's guidebook of Khura'inese rites before the pair set out.

Oldermaya

Maya Fey greets Phoenix Wright at the Plaza of Devotion.

They soon arrived at the Plaza of Devotion high up in the mountains, where many devout followers were braving the cold to kneel in prayer. A large gate blocked passage to a long staircase that went further up the mountain's face, which Ur'gaid informed Wright led to the Inner Sanctum. Maya Fey soon arrived, though she initially greeted them as a hooded pious nun for fun. To bring Wright up to speed, Fey explained that the Purification Rite was the final phase of her two-year training towards becoming the Master of the Kurain Channeling Technique, after which she would be returning home. The duty of Lady Kee'ra was typically handled by the high priest's wife, but, due to her pregnancy, Fey had been given the honor of taking her place. Fey also explained the history of Lady Kee'ra and her role as protectorate in Khura'inese history. The surge in popularity for the Purification Rite this year was sparked by an apparent sighting of Lady Kee'ra as a rebel hunter responsible for taking down several key members of the Defiant Dragons organization.

Maya´s Ritual

Fey and Tahrust performing the rite.

The sound of bells cued Fey to the arrival of the high priest, who wore them around his ankles as part of the ritual. As the ritual began, Ur'gaid pointed out Acolyte Puhray Zeh'lot in the front row of the Khura'inst followers. Abbot Tahrust Inmee and Fey stood in front of the devoted followers, along with the robe Fey would don for the ceremony. Ur'gaid had Wright assume the position of the other followers kneeling in prayer, but the strain on his back became too much and Wright blacked out shortly after the beginning of the ritual.

May 10[]

"A Slaying in the Sanctum"[]

8:00 AM

Wright was carried to the home of the high priest. The next day, Wright was woken by a panicked Ur'gaid, who informed him that Fey was being arrested. They hastily led Wright back to the Plaza of Devotion, where Detective Ema Skye told the arresting officer to handle Fey gently as he took her away. Skye explained to Wright that the high priest had been stabbed to death during the Purification Rite. Fey was the only suspect due to the restricted nature of the Inner Sanctum. The suspected weapon was the ritual Warbaa'd Dagger, used as part of the Purification Rite, but no one in the investigation could locate it. The case was to be prosecuted by Nahyuta Sahdmadhi.

"The Inner Sanctum"[]

Inner Sanctum

The Inner Sanctum.

With Skye's blessing, Wright ascended the stairs to the Inner Sanctum to investigate the scene of the murder. There, he encountered Rayfa Padma Khura'in, who was praying for the departed high priest. Wright explained that he had come to the Inner Sanctum to investigate the crime scene to prepare his defense. Rayfa refused at first, but eventually agreed on the condition that she would oversee the process in the interest of ensuring that nothing unethical took place.

The specific location of the crime was a pool at the back of the Inner Sanctum, overlooked by a statue of a warbaa'd, a bird native to Khura'in. Both the pool and the statue were covered in copious amounts of blood, and one of the statue's eyes was missing. Nearby, Wright discovered a bloody scrap of paper on the ground, as well as the incense-purified robes of Lady Kee'ra. The paper was too obscured by the blood to be fully readable, but it bore the seal of the Defiant Dragons.

The mountain face above the pool had a large portrait of Lady Kee'ra, as well as some writing. Rayfa drew Wright's attention to the mark on Lady Kee'ra's forehead, and explained that there were different markings on the bodies of the Khura'inist clergy, which signified their position. She also mentioned that there was a prison at the very top of the mountain. There were also four lanterns in the sanctum, which Rayfa explained were lit continuously with the aid of wind guards. Wright noted that one of the lanterns was broken, and the snow in a nearby area had been shoveled away.

A ritual curtain enclosed the area, sealing off the place from outside view. Wright looked over the curtain for a dizzying view of some nearby mountains, confirming to himself that he currently was about as high as one of them. There was a trail of prayer flags draped over the other side of the curtain. Investigating these flags, Wright discovered a long string of them just outside the curtain, which were unconventionally tied together as though they were a banner.

Lady Kee'ra

Lady Kee'ra.

Wright also asked Rayfa what she knew about Lady Kee'ra, the Purification Rite, and the Inner Sanctum. In what Wright would discover was a pattern with her, Rayfa scolded him for being ignorant of such topics before consulting with her aide, Nayna, to explain them to him. She proceeded to explain Lady Kee'ra's role in Khura'in's history as a fierce protector. The Purification Rite was a ritual representing Kee'ra bathing in the pool to wash away the blood of battle.

"Questions for a Peculiar Man"[]

Wright and Rayfa returned to the Plaza of Devotion where they ran across a man with unkempt hair and a bushy beard. The man was confused and did not seem to know his own identity or what he was supposed to be doing. As he left, Detective Skye returned and gave Wright a bottle of luminol and a copy of the police crime scene photo. She mentioned that Prosecutor Sahdmadhi had permitted the investigation of the scene because he predicted that Wright would lose his nerve to defend the case once he saw it. Skye also told Wright that Fey was no longer in questioning, so Wright and Rayfa headed to the Detention Center to talk to her.

Fey was relieved to see Wright again. In explaining her side of the story, she said that she had suddenly felt sleepy and lost consciousness during the ritual, only waking up after Inmee's death. Rayfa accused her of using her supposed training as an excuse, and scoffed that an outsider would claim to be able to channel spirits. Wright was about to confirm that Fey could, in fact, channel spirits, but Fey quickly interrupted and told Wright not to reveal this information.

Turnabout Ritual

A photo of the crime scene and bloodied spring.

Fey then had some additional recollections. In particular, she said that the water in the spring had been blood red during the Purification Rite and not just after the murder. This was similar to a prophecy of Lady Kee'ra reading, "The spring shall run red upon Lady Kee'ra's return." Fey also produced a patchwork letter that she had found at the Inner Sanctum. Written in Khura'inese, the letter was a warning not to carry out the ceremony and was emblazoned with the insignia of Lady Kee'ra. Additionally, three sets of three holes punctured the letter in a diagonal pattern across the length of the page. Wright reassured Fey that he was confident in his defense of her, regardless of the consequences, and suspected that the rebel hunter who was masquerading as Lady Kee'ra was the real perpetrator of the crime. Wright and Rayfa set out to find common folk who might have an idea about the rebel hunter.

Wright ventured to the bazaar in front of Tehm'pul Temple, where he met Ahlbi Ur'gaid. Ur'gaid told Wright that people were on edge due to a recent jailbreak of a Defiant Dragons rebel, and they were counting on the rebel hunter to apprehend him again. The vigilante was said to be a skilled combatant, able to subdue rebels without any assistance. Ur'gaid mentioned that the escapee was a feared associate of the elusive Defiant Dragons leader, Dhurke. Ur'gaid was concerned that the escapee could still be at large and that there might be another deadly incident like the royal assassination of Queen Amara, reportedly perpetrated by Dhurke. Ur'gaid also showed Wright a three-pronged arrow that Shah'do had found near the house of the high priest. Rayfa immediately identified the arrow as the "Warbaa'd Arrow", another one of Lady Kee'ra's legendary weapons. Wright requested that Ur'gaid take him back to Abbot Inmee's home.

"The High Priest's House"[]

Datsposter

A wanted poster for Datz Are'bal.

Upon arriving, Wright was introduced to the matriarch of the Inmee household, Beh'leeb Inmee, who was heavily grief-stricken over the loss of her husband. Wright let Beh'leeb leave the room to think about whether she would agree to being questioned. He took this opportunity to explore the house, in the process learning more about the Holy Mother and seeing a portrait of the queen for the first time. Wright picked up an orange envelope addressed to the high priest from the wastebin and a wanted ad for the escaped prisoner, Datz Are'bal. Wright also observed a picture of the mountaintops where the Inner Sanctum resides and was introduced to The Plumed Punisher: Warrior of Neo Twilight Realm. He also spotted a bag that Fey had left.

Eventually, Beh'leeb agreed to answer Wright's questions. However, she was not very forthright, denying that anyone would have a grudge against her husband, revealing three Psyche-Locks to Wright in the process due to the power of his magatama. Wright theorized that the rebel hunter had sent a letter to Tahrust, specifically the one that Fey found at the Inner Sanctum. The envelope found in the wastebin had three holes in a similar pattern to the ones on the letter. Evidently, the envelope had been pierced by the three-pronged Warbaa'd Arrow with the letter inside.

Her secret revealed, Beh'leeb confirmed what Wright had deduced. She had chosen to keep it between her and her husband for fear of misrepresenting her husband as an insurgent. The letter had been pinned to the couple's bed, despite the residence being securely locked that night. Wright saw some legitimacy in the idea that the high priest was a rebel or a rebel sympathizer but was unwilling to press the issue at such a difficult time for the widow Inmee. He decided to ask Fey about Tahrust, but was sidetracked when Rayfa was summoned to Ga'ran Palace at the behest of her mother the queen in order for a rite to be conducted in honor of the high priest.

"The Queen and the Minister"[]

Royal couple

Her Eminence, Queen Ga'ran.

At the palace, Queen Ga'ran took Beh'leeb Inmee and Rayfa aside to conduct the Prayer of Lament, leaving Wright alone with the Rayfa's father, Justice Minister Inga Karkhuul Khura'in, who at first did not recognize him. Wright asserted his intention to defend Maya Fey in the upcoming trial to the Justice Minister, who reminded him he would be subject to the Defense Culpability Act should he do so. Inga would not answer whether he was responsible for writing the act, but remarked that it was very handy for him to keep naysayers of the Ga'ran regime in line. He added that it wasn't the only way he intended to deal with the rebel insurgency. Rayfa returned upon completion of the prayer and, seeing that Wright had spoken with Inga, told him that her father was a great man deserving of respect.

"Interview with Maya"[]

Rayfa and Wright returned to the Detention Center to talk with Maya Fey. Wright told Fey about his suspicions that Tahrust Inmee may have been tied to the Defiant Dragons, which offended Rayfa enough to cause her to leave. Fey was only able to say that Inmee had been acting somewhat on edge, looking up at the sky periodically. With Rayfa out of earshot, Fey explained her reluctance to talk about her spirit channeling ability. Because the queen was the only one capable of spirit channeling in Khura'in, the ability was considered a marker of power. It would have been scandalous for the Khura'inese people to learn that there was an entire village outside the kingdom with residents capable of spirit channeling. She added that her training in Khura'in should allow her to channel a spirit without fail, but she had not had an opportunity to try it yet.

Plumed Punisher

The Plumed Punisher.

The two then discussed The Plumed Punisher, with Rayfa joining in, having decided that she would stick by her duty to supervise Wright. Fey had met a "kindred spirit" with whom she had traded her Steel Samurai watch for a special, one-of-a-kind promotional lanyard of the Plumed Punisher that would play the show's theme song. The two argued about whether The Plumed Punisher was a ripoff of The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo, with Fey pitching an idea for the two characters facing off against each other. Though Rayfa showed great interest in the strap, she vehemently denied being a fan of the show.

Wright assured Fey that he would handle the case, and returned to Tehm'pul Temple, where he recapped the facts of the case with Ahlbi Ur'gaid. Rayfa scoffed that Wright had little concrete evidence on his side, and that she would not falter as she had during his first trial. Even so, Wright steadfastly stuck to his convictions in defending his long-time friend, telling Rayfa that his faith in his clients was his greatest weapon as a lawyer. Rayfa responded that she would surely see Wright under the headsman's axe the next day.

May 11 trial[]

9:40 AM

The bang of the judge's gavel rang through the High Court of Khura'in, ushering in the trial of Maya Fey. Prosecutor Nahyuta Sahdmadhi outlined his case, accusing Fey of stabbing the high priest Tahrust Inmee during the Purification Rite with the sacred dagger of Lady Kee'ra as the only party present besides the victim. He added that Fey and Phoenix Wright would be subjected to eternal tickling, the lowest level of Khura'inist hell, in the afterlife, before calling up Rayfa Padma Khura'in for the Divination Séance.

"Divination Séance"[]

Divination Séance (Tahrust)

The image shown in Tahrust's Divination Séance.

Taking her place with confidence, Rayfa performed the Dance of Devotion around the Pool of Souls, causing the ethereal waters to project the images of Tahrust Inmee's final moments. Rayfa interpreted the events shown, saying that Fey had donned the robes of Lady Kee'ra and approached the victim whilst he was reading a sutra as part of the Purification Rite. Wright took issue with the sound of footsteps heard by the victim, saying they did not increase in volume as the accused supposedly approached the victim, despite the smell of incense growing greater as the attacker neared. In response, Rayfa refined the vision, changing the sound of footsteps to the sound of bells, followed by the sound of water. This implied that it was the priest who was in motion and not the accused.

Rayfa asserted that the priest must have rushed the accused and tried to fight her off by the broken lantern. Wright disagreed, saying that the only water in the Inner Sanctum was not in that direction, suggesting that the accused had been standing in the spring. This amendment to the insight now contradicted what the priest was able to see, as the lantern to his right when facing Lady Kee'ra showed signs of blowing in the wind. Rayfa refined the vision to show the lanterns more clearly, explaining that the wind guards had been removed for the ceremony.

Purification Rite diagram

The diagram showing where Tahrust and Fey should have been positioned during the Purification Rite.

Wright was now able to see that the lantern next to Fey was in fact the broken lantern that was near the entrance to the Inner Sanctum, but that the lantern that was near Lady Kee'ra was not broken, meaning that two different lanterns were visible to the priest's right during the course of the vision. Correcting his earlier claim about Fey's position, Wright deduced that Inmee had turned himself around to face the opposite direction while reading the sutra, a fact that had been hidden due to the sutra obscuring the victim's vision entirely while he was reading it. Wright concluded that a third party dressed as Lady Kee'ra must have been responsible for killing the high priest. With the insights refuted, Sahdmadhi dismissed Rayfa, saying that he could handle the trial through more orthodox means.

To identify the third party, Wright presented the threatening letter to the high priest. Despite the content of the letter, Wright believed that the letter had found its desired recipient and that it did, indeed, imply that Tahrust Inmee was a rebel, with the vigilante dressing as Lady Kee'ra to hunt rebels being the one visible in Inmee's vision. This threw the entire court in an uproar, as Inmee was a well-respected Khura'inist priest and it was unthinkable to them that he would be a rebel. Sahdmadhi cryptically said that something had occurred to him before summoning a witness to refute Wright's claims.

"Cross-Examining Ihmus"[]

The bushy-haired man whom Wright had met in the Plaza of Devotion took the stand and, due to his forgotten identity, Prosecutor Sahdmadhi had dubbed him "A'nohn Ihmus (TBD)". Ihmus testified that he had climbed to the top of Mt. Poniponi to pray away from the crowds of people in the Plaza of Devotion. He claimed that, during his time at the summit, he had seen Fey stab the victim at the Inner Sanctum with his binoculars. The sky had been clear that night, as evidenced in a newspaper from the day of the incident. Ihmus added that the accused had held the blade in a reverse grip, consistent with a reach-around stab to victim's abdomen.

Inner Sanctum & Mt

Mt. Poniponi (left) and the Inner Sanctum (right).

Wright objected that the ritual curtain would have blocked Ihmus's view of the Inner Sanctum, to which Ihmus replied that the shadows of the two individuals had been clearly projected onto the curtain by the moonlight. Wright countered with the rites guidebook, stating that the ritual required the full moon to be over Mt. Poniponi, meaning the shadows it would cast would be on the east side of the curtain and not on the side visible to Mt. Poniponi, where Ihmus claimed to be. If Ihmus really had seen the shadows, he must have been somewhere other than Mt. Poniponi, namely the Inner Sanctum itself. Wright accused Ihmus of being the Lady Kee'ra who slayed the priest, but Sahdmadhi responded that there was no way for him to have climbed up to the Inner Sanctum.

"Ihmus's Whereabouts"[]

Inner Sanctum & Penitentiary

The penitentiary atop the Inner Sanctum's mountain.

Ihmus recanted his claims about seeing the shadows, testifying that he had never been at the Inner Sanctum, and never could have been there. Wright suggested that Ihmus had fallen from the sky, proposing that, because of the clear and still weather, a parachute jump into the Inner Sanctum was possible. Ihmus scoffed at the notion as no gear had been found at the scene, but Wright proposed that he had sewn prayer flags together to create a makeshift parachute, which Wright had found at the Inner Sanctum. Ihmus testified that he had been using the flags as a paraglider on the night of the incident, but a gale-force wind near Mt. Poniponi had blown him towards the Inner Sanctum and caused him to crash there, hitting his head and being the source of his amnesia. Wright retorted that the skies had been completely calm according to the weather report, soundly contradicting this claim. This also meant that the only way for Ihmus to have ended up near the Inner Sanctum was if he had come down from the top of the mountain, the site of the prison.

Sahdmadhi accepted Wright's deductions but pointed out that they revealed the real identity of the witness: Datz Are'bal, the escaped rebel. His skills as an ex-paratrooper would have allowed him to escape safely from the prison with a makeshift parachute. This meant that Are'bal could not be the rebel hunting vigilante. Are'bal admitted to fabricating his entire story of witnessing the murder, other than the fact that he had hit his head near the Inner Sanctum, then fled the courtroom before he could be arrested.

"The Third Party"[]

Maya & Tahrust

What Sahdmadhi believes happened

While fleeing, Are'bal dropped a ripped shred of paper, which Sahdmadhi said were orders from the rebel leader Dhurke. Wright recognized the shred as being a smaller piece of the bloodied paper he held, which allowed the court to read the full contents. Sahdmadhi translated the paper as the escape plan for Are'bal, which involved wearing Lady Kee'ra's robes to leave the Inner Sanctum. Sahdmadhi argued that Are'bal could not have pulled off this plan without Inmee's help, which meant that Inmee had indeed been in league with the rebels. Wright protested that this did not explain the individual dressed as Lady Kee'ra from the Divination Séance, but the prosecution responded that this figure was simply the warbaa'd statue draped in the robes of Lady Kee'ra. He argued that the accused, who killed him from behind, had used it as something for the victim to see before death and to manipulate the Divination Séance once the case went to trial. Wright realized that Sahdmadhi had had this argument in mind ever since discussion on the third party had even begun, and had been stringing him along the whole time. Having run out of viable arguments, Fey was pronounced guilty with Wright being implicated under the Defense Culpability Act.

However, a bailiff suddenly announced that the body of Acolyte Zeh'lot had been found at the Plaza of Devotion. He presented the court with the murder weapon, the missing Warbaa'd Dagger, saying that the fingerprints found on the dagger belonged to the accused, Maya Fey! Sahdmadhi promptly accused Maya Fey of being Zeh'lot's killer as well as the rebel hunter Lady Kee'ra. He explained that the sightings of Lady Kee'ra had begun two years prior, which was around the time Fey had entered Khura'in. Moreover, the letter could easily have been delivered to the high priest by someone staying with the family, as Fey had been. The judge announced that Fey's sentence would have to be delayed to resolve this new charge, and adjourned the court for the day.

May 11 investigation[]

1:03 PM

As Phoenix Wright returned to Tehm'pul Temple to figure out what to do next, he noticed Rayfa Padma Khura'in moping. Although Wright had lost the trial, Rayfa felt that she had failed in her duty, having to leave the work to Nahyuta Sahdmadhi. Wright could not stand to see her so sad, so he told her that he intended to investigate the newly discovered murder, and that she should keep an eye on him like she had done before. The prospect of fulfilling this duty seemed to lift her spirits, and she agreed to accompany him to the scene of the crime.

Dead Puhray

Photo of Zeh'lot's body.

At the Plaza of Devotion, Ema Skye filled Wright in on the situation. Puh'ray Zeh'lot had been kneeling in prayer ever since the day before the rite. Around noon, when the rite had wrapped up, it had been discovered that he was dead. He was estimated to have died on May 9, during the Purification Rite, from being stabbed in the upper back by the same bladed weapon that had killed the high priest. The Warbaa'd Dagger had been covered by Zeh'lot's scarf, preventing it from being seen. The police theory was that Zeh'lot had also been a rebel, which was why he had been killed.

Wright took a look around at the scene. He commented that the green carpet would have been the last thing that Zeh'lot had seen, though he wondered about the lack of bloodstains. Someone had laid nahmanda flowers near the police outline of the body to pay respects. Wright also noticed a new prayer flag, which contained a message telling the recipient to meet "at the usual spot" and to bring food and "the key, too."

Wright then headed to the high priest's house to talk with Beh'leeb Inmee. She was moved upon hearing of Wright's belief in Maya Fey's innocence, and agreed to divulge information. She explained that Tahrust Inmee had found Zeh'lot two years prior, collapsed on the ground. Zeh'lot had been born in a poor village and had had no place to live, so Tahrust had taken him in as a disciple. Wright found a photo of the three of them with Fey, which Beh'leeb told him was from the "Feast of Blessings", a meal taken before the rite. The meal consisted of dishes made of an herb called gingihl, which was only allowed to be consumed on the day before the rite, between noon and 3 PM. After the meal, Zeh'lot had left for the plaza, while Fey had headed to the temple.

"Interview with Maya"[]

Wright then went to check up on Fey. Rayfa attempted to comfort the two and tell them to accept their fate instead of fighting on uselessly. Fey replied that Wright was doing his job as a lawyer by risking his life for her. Rayfa insisted that there was no need for lawyers because of the Divination Séance, but Fey retorted that her insights had already failed on multiple occasions, and asked her if it was really her duty to turn a blind eye to the possibility of error. Eventually, Wright and Fey got back to discussing the case, though Fey still could not remember anything from the Purification Rite and did not know Zeh'lot very well. Fey also asked Wright to fetch "Tome of Secrets", a folding book given to the priestess who performed the rite, from her bag at the Inmees' house. The tome contained Lady Kee'ra's real name.

As Wright was fetching the tome, he thought to engage in conversation with Rayfa to make her feel better, and asked her what was so important about the tome. After consulting the matter with Nayna again, Rayfa discussed the intricacies of spirit communion, saying that a spirit's face and true name needed to be known in order to contact it. Moreover, a spirit's memory would be cut off at the moment of death. The power of spirit channeling was a valuable tool for the international relations of Khura'in, allowing it to maintain its culture in peace without any invasions.

"Hey, Datz Are'bal"[]

As they were talking, they heard sounds of someone being chased. Nayna told Rayfa that Datz Are'bal had been found, and Wright, seeking more leads, hurried after the sounds to arrive at the bazaar. He ran into Ahlbi Ur'gaid there and, upon discovering an open manhole cover, had Shah'do pick up Are'bal's scent from the peculiar prayer flag from the Plaza of Devotion. As Wright followed Shah'do down the manhole, Rayfa stayed behind due to the danger of confronting a rebel. It was not long before Wright was knocked out and taken to the rebel base.

Once Wright came to, Are'bal apologized for knocking him out, as he had believed him to be a cop. Although Are'bal had been out cold during the entire Purification Rite and thus had witnessed nothing of Inmee's murder, Wright was nonetheless able to learn about the Defiant Dragons. Dhurke had once been a renowned defense attorney, and the rebel base had been his office. Wright could see the office sign and robes from that time. There was also a law book with the Defiant Dragons' insignia on it.

Drukpollynayu2

The photo of Dhurke, Nahyuta, and Justice.

Wright noticed a photo from about 20 years ago, containing Dhurke with two children. Are'bal revealed that one of the children was Nahyuta and was Dhurke's son, while the other was Apollo Justice, an adopted son! Nahyuta had initially been a rebel taking after his father, and had become a prosecutor to take down the regime from within. However, he had apparently lost his resolve and was now at the forefront of the regime's activities.

Are'bal claimed that he was planning on leaving the Defiant Dragons and Khura'in, and denied having any reason to be at the Inner Sanctum other than to escape prison. Seeing four Psyche-Locks, Wright probed further, saying that Are'bal had been grieving for Tahrust, as evidenced by a nahmanda flower in the office. Moreover, Are'bal had left a prayer flag at the Plaza of Devotion for the rebels to find, proving that he was still contacting them. Not only that, but Are'bal was still wearing a scarf on his left arm with the insignia of the Defiant Dragons, which would have been the first thing to get rid of if he had really wanted to dissociate from the rebels. Pointing to his attorney's badge, Wright said that people would fall back on what they really believed in when backed against a wall, and that Are'bal had never even considered leaving the rebels. Seeing Dhurke's convictions in Wright, Are'bal admitted that he had been testing Wright the whole time to see whether he would stick with his ideals as a lawyer to the very end. Are'bal had no information on the murders, but he gave Wright an orb that he said was the key to another one of their hideouts.

Lady Kee'ra newspaper

A newspaper article about the rebel hunter.

Wright asked whether Are'bal knew anything about the rebel hunter dressed as Lady Kee'ra. Are'bal explained that the rebel hunter would not only catch rebels, but also conduct surveillance on them and frame them for crimes that they had not commited. This led to the conclusion that the vigilante was, in fact, an agent of the government who would catch rebels without making it look like they were being hunted simply for criticizing the regime. Wright now understood what the minister of justice had meant by having other methods of dealing with the rebels.

Are'bal also explained that the Defense Culpability Act had been enacted after the assassination of Queen Amara. Dhurke had been convicted for the crime, turning the populace against all lawyers. Even worse, the act had changed the significance of the Divination Séance, as the insights had previously been up for debate between the prosecutor and defense attorney. Only after the passage of the act had the insights been regarded as absolute truth. The rebels simply wanted to restore the legal system to what it once was, and the only way to do that was to overthrow the current regime.

"Locating the Hideout"[]

Are'bal and Wright both left Dhurke's former office, with the latter returning to the bazaar. He told Rayfa that he had tripped and fallen, and had not found anything of note. He headed to the Inner Sanctum and, remembering that one of the statue's eyes was missing, placed the orb there. Upon doing so, the statue and part of the wall it was attached to could be rotated to reveal the entrance to the rebel hideout.

"The Rebel Hideout"[]

Wright saw that the Inner Sanctum spring's water originated from this area of the mountain. There were two large, stone, moss-covered slabs, which Wright thought could easily tip over. One of them was near the statue and had handprints on it. Near the slab's base were some small bloodstains, but Skye's luminol spray revealed a much larger stain at the base of the statue.

Looking around further, he saw a Defiant Dragons banner, and found a microphone hidden behind it. On a table, there was a rare Plumed Punisher clock that would play the Plumed Punisher theme song every hour, as well as a Plumed Punisher themed calendar. On a nearby wall, he found instructions for Are'bal to infiltrate the royal palace and look for clues concerning the assassination of Queen Amara. Although he found such discoveries intriguing, Wright had found nothing that could conclusively help his case, and returned to Tehm'pul Temple.

Once at the temple, Rayfa learned that Prosecutor Sahdmadhi wanted to see her perform a Divination Séance for Zeh'lot before the trial. Despite reviewing the case with Ur'gaid, Wright had insufficient evidence to make any potential arguments stick. He realized that the Divination Séance was his only hope. Ur'gaid was shocked to learn that what was understood in the present as a tool of the prosecution had been seen as a neutral source of evidence in the past. Ur'gaid wished Wright luck at the trial the next day.

May 12[]

9:34 AM

The trial of Maya Fey began for the murder of Puhray Zeh'lot. Prosecutor Nahyuta Sahdmadhi tried to prevent the Divination Séance from being performed, but Rayfa Padma Khura'in was adamant. Unfortunately for her, she failed to contact the victim's mitamah, with Sahdmadhi saying that she had failed the previous day as well. He said that he did not need the Séance to prove his case, and summoned Ema Skye to deliver an overview.

"Cross-Examining Ema"[]

With nothing in the court record for him to use, Wright asked about the victim's identity in hopes of finding a clue as to why the Séance had failed. It turned out that the police had found no mention of Zeh'lot in public records, indicating that the name was fake. Wright pointed to what appeared to be a tattoo of a peach on the back of the victim's neck, saying that the red outline of the tattoo resembled the marking on Tahrust Inmee's forehead, signifying that he was a member of the Khura'inist clergy. Sahdmadhi ran a search for clergy with such a marking on the backs of their necks, and found only one name: Rheel Neh'mu.

"Divination Séance"[]

Divination Séance (Zeh'lot)

Zeh'lot's Divination Séance.

The Séance could finally proceed as planned. Initially, it seemed even more damning for Wright's case, because Zeh'lot had apparently heard the sound of the Plumed Punisher theme from Fey's rare strap. However, Wright noticed the smell of gingihl in the vision, which proved that Zeh'lot had been killed on the afternoon before the Purification Rite, not on the night of Tahrust's murder as the autopsy report had originally estimated. At that time, the floor of the Plaza of Devotion had been frozen over with a thick layer of ice, but the vision showed no traces of ice on the "floor". Wright concluded that, at the moment of the murder, Zeh'lot had not been kneeling at the Plaza of Devotion, but pushing against one of the moss-covered slabs in the secret rebel hideout. It was soon confirmed that the blood that Wright had found at the hideout indeed belonged to Zeh'lot.

Snow and lantern

A photo of the Inner Sanctum showing the area from which snow had been removed to cool Zeh'lot's body.

Wright argued that the victim had been killed in the rebel hideout. Someone had then used snow from the Inner Sanctum to cool the body and throw off the estimated time of death, before planting the body in a prayer pose at the Plaza of Devotion. This also explained the Plumed Punisher theme as originating from the clock at the hideout. Wright also pointed to a heavy sensation in the vision, from which he concluded that the slab had been falling toward the victim. The bladed weapon that had snuffed out Zeh'lot's life was not the warbaa'd dagger but the dagger-like feathers from the warbaa'd statue, turned toward the hideout's side after Zeh'lot had entered the hideout. The dagger had been planted afterward to implicate Fey.

Sahdmadhi insisted that Fey still could have been the one to kill Zeh'lot and plant the body as a warning to the rebels. In response, Wright proposed another suspect: the high priest, who was the only person who was both a rebel and a participant in the Purification Rite. He requested Tahrust's testimony through spirit channeling. With the queen being too busy to do the honors, Fey revealed that she, too, was capable of channeling spirits. Although the entire court was shocked that a foreigner would even make such a claim, Rayfa proposed that Fey be allowed to attempt the channeling, with both her and Wright being executed on the spot if she failed.

"A Short Recess"[]

Mayachannel

Maya Fey prepares to channel Tahrust Inmee.

After a short recess, the court watched as Fey successfully channeled Abbot Inmee. However, not only did he corroborate Sahdmadhi's claim that Fey had murdered him, but he also had an alibi for the time of Zeh'lot's murder. He testified that the judge and his family had visited his home between 2 and 3 PM. While the alibi itself proved airtight, Wright pointed out that nobody had mentioned the time of the murder since the channeling. Abbot Inmee explained that there was a listening device at the hideout from which he could hear the murder taking place.

Tahrust said that there was a recording of the murder at his home, which a bailiff was ordered to fetch. He described what he heard from the recording, in particular a "terrible crash" at the end to which he commented, "Poor Zeh'lot... It must have felt so heavy." Wright asked Abbot Inmee if he had gone to the hideout after the murder, to which the high priest answered that he had done so and found the place exactly as it had been when Wright had been investigating it. Wright pointed out that Tahrust could not have known, then, that one of the slabs had fallen on Zeh'lot, unless he had been the killer, or had heard about it from the killer. Tahrust's alibi was firmly established, but the judge confirmed that he had not actually seen Beh'leeb Inmee during the visit at all. Wright accused Beh'leeb of being the rebel hunter and the one responsible for both murders.

"The Final Cross-Examination"[]

Lady Kee'ra Tome of Secrets

The depiction of Lady Kee'ra in the Tome of Secrets.

Abbot Inmee reminded Wright that Beh'leeb was pregnant and thus could not be the rebel hunter, but Fey could have achieved this by channeling the spirit of the real Lady Kee'ra. Wright retorted that Fey knew Lady Kee'ra's true name but not her face, since the portrait of her in the Tome of Secrets wore a mask. By process of elimination, Wright concluded that Zeh'lot was the rebel hunter, since he was the only other person who could have sent the warning letter to Tahrust from inside the locked house. Wright theorized that Beh'leeb was also a rebel, and had killed Zeh'lot, the rebel hunter.

Fonsarramalmelmayaphoto

The photo taken during the Feast of Blessings, with the Steel Samurai watch on Beh'leeb's wrist.

To Wright's surprise, however, the high priest revealed that the Plumed Punisher clock's alarm function is left always switched off, disqualifying it as the source of the theme playing in Zeh'lot's Divination Séance vision. Unfortunately for him, he slipped up again by saying that he distinctly remembered the taiko drums in the intro. Wright simply played the Plumed Punisher theme from Fey's strap, then revealed that what the victim had heard was not the Plumed Punisher theme, which had no taiko drums, but the very similar theme of The Steel Samurai: Warrior of Neo Olde Tokyo. He explained that Fey had traded a Steel Samurai watch for her strap, which he found on Beh'leeb's wrist in the photo from right before the Purification Rite. Sahdmadhi, who had been silent during this argument, pointed out that Wright's theory would have the rebel hunter dead before Tahrust was slain, failing to explain who had killed the high priest.

"The Truth Revealed"[]

Wright revisualized the events of the Purification Rite. Zeh'lot's blood had stained the spring before the rite. Wanting to keep the hideout hidden, Tahrust had taken advantage of the rite to cover up the evidence. Thus, he had killed himself and used his own blood to cover up the fact that there had been a murder on the other side. With the dagger already inside Zeh'lot's body at that time, Wright concluded that the high priest had used the warbaa'd statue to commit suicide, the same method that had slain the rebel hunter. While Sahdmadhi pretty much gave up, Abbot Inmee desperately tried to salvage his case, but Beh'leeb Inmee stepped in, saying that the argument had gone on long enough. It was 2:30 PM, and Beh'leeb's Steel Samurai watch played its alarm, set for the time at which both she and Tahrust would conduct their daily prayers, and the time at which Zeh'lot had been slain. Unable to stop her from confessing to the murder, Tahrust Inmee screamed and fell over.

Puhray impaled

Zeh'lot's death.

Beh'leeb explained that she was also a rebel, and had been in the hideout during the Feast of Blessings to prepare it for Are'bal's escape. However, Zeh'lot had also gone to the hideout to investigate it, only to see Beh'leeb there, revealed as a rebel. Zeh'lot lunged at her, saying that the minister of justice had permitted him to kill rebels as an agent of his secret police. In self-defense, Beh'leeb had pushed the slab on him, only for him to end up impaled on the statue. The fact that Zeh'lot had been acting under Minister Inga's orders shocked the court, but did explain why no orders had been given to investigate the rebel hunter.

Tahrust then admitted that the cover-up afterward had all been his doing. In order to frame Fey, Tahrust had had her hold the warbaa'd dagger during a rehearsal on the night before the rite. During the rite, Tahrust had covered the statue with Lady Kee'ra's robe and drugged Fey so that she would be rendered unconscious. Tahrust had then impaled himself on the statue, then pushed himself backwards, taking the robe off in the process. All of this had been done to manipulate the Divination Séance vision to make it look like Fey had donned the guise of the rebel hunter and stabbed him to death.

Wright realized a third reason for the cover-up: the Defense Culpability Act. Without a lawyer, it would have been difficult to prove that the killing had been accidental and in self-defense. Wright pointed out that he could have helped them, but Tahrust admitted that, despite being a rebel, he had little faith in lawyers. The act had another implication, however: the only other person whom Tahrust could have implicated was himself, but in this case, Beh'leeb would have come to his defense, and both would have suffered the same punishment.

Beh'leeb Magatama

Beh'leeb bidding Tahrust farewell.

It was time for Abbot Inmee to return, and he implored Wright not to let another soul be convicted under the Defense Culpability Act. Rayfa had a Magatama of Parting in her possession, which would cut off the flow of spiritual power and terminate the channeling. She allowed Beh'leeb to do the honors. The couple shared some final words of love before Tahrust left Fey's body. As the Magatama turned dark, having expended its spiritual energy, Beh'leeb Inmee held it close to her and tearfully bid her husband farewell. Before the "not guilty" verdict was read, Prosecutor Sahdmadhi vowed to Wright that he would pay a debt to him in court one day.

"Post-Trial Wrap-Up"[]

4:20 PM

The revelations of the trial had taken a huge toll on Rayfa, who had just had many of her beliefs about her life and role as royal priestess shattered. Fey reminded her that the Divination Séance was a heavy responsibility that only she could fulfill. Rayfa protested that it was Fey's spirit channeling, not the Divination Séance, that had revealed the truth in the trial. Fey assured her that the people of Khura'in still believed in her, and Wright added that her insights had been crucial to finding the truth, even if they had not always been correct. Fey could relate to Rayfa's struggles due to her own training to become the master of Kurain Village. In light of the trial, Rayfa did not know what was really true or what her duty was, but Fey said that it was up to her as the future queen to find the answers for herself, and assured her that she would be able to do it.

Suddenly, a loud smoke bomb went off, and the bailiffs rushed off to investigate. Beh'leeb entered the accused lobby and apologized to Fey and Wright for what she and Tahrust had put them through. She ripped off her veil, made a Lady Kee'ra mark on her forehead with her lipstick, and declared that she would pick up from where Tahrust had left off. Datz Are'bal and Dhurke arrived to retrieve her and they all escaped. Wright pondered about the coming revolution, but Fey interrupted him with her idea of a show called The Steel Samurai vs. The Rebel Dhurke, possibly with the Plumed Punisher included. Wright was glad that, while Fey had obviously matured, some things would never change with her.

References to other cases[]

  • While in the detention center, Wright tries to console Fey by stating that she should be "used to being the usual suspect by now", referencing the previous times she was the defendant on trial.
  • While talking in the detention center, Fey mentions how she must have outgrown the old "step-ladder" argument she and Wright have, which the latter corrects her by saying "ladder." This is a reference to an in-joke in the series that began in Turnabout Samurai and has been in every Ace Attorney game to date.
  • After photographing the Rebel Hideout, Phoenix says, "Now, to search every nook and cranny...". This may be a reference to the line, "I won't rest until I've inspected every suspicious-looking nook and cranny" from Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth.

References to popular culture[]

  • In the first investigation day when visiting Maya in the Detention Center, she mentions, "Yeah... But we're not in Kansas anymore, you know?" This is a reference to Dorothy's line, "Toto, I have a feeling we're not in Kansas anymore," in the classic movie The Wizard of Oz.
  • Upon pointing out the flaw in Rayfa's Insight concerning the time of death in the second trial day, she blames Wright for tricking her by saying, "You... You blinded me with science!" This is a reference to the lyrics of a song from the 80's called "She Blinded Me with Science" by Thomas Dolby.
  • The popular Khura'inese game "Kachu'demahl" references multiple elements of the Pokemon franchise. The name is a reference to the series' slogan "Gotta catch 'em all", and the winning condition of annihilating all pieces on one side alludes to the rules of Pokémon battles, which end when all Pokémon on one team have been defeated.

Notes[]

  • In the opening cutscene, two rebels discuss the prospect of Datz Are'bal being "back on the streets" before being captured by Puhray Zeh'lot, even though Are'bal actually escapes around the time of the Purification Rite, long after Zeh'lot has been killed. This could be explained as the rebels knowing about a planned escape beforehand, or an earlier prison escape.
  • The two murders of Acolyte Zeh'lot and Abbot Inmee are referred to as a serial killing within the episode. Although a serial killing is typically, and traditionally, used to refer to the murders of three of more people, this is not an explicit error as this definition differs between authorities and jurisdictions; some extend this to four with others lowering it to two. The American FBI, for example, defines a serial killing as "a series of two or more murders, committed separately, by one offender acting alone".
  • While not cross-examinated, this is the first case in the main games where a judge is a witness.
  • This is notably the first episode in the series in which both Maya Fey and Ema Skye appear in the Court Record.
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