The red sun hung halfway down in the west, its faintly yellow light shining over the Altar of Deities. Several hundred, perhaps nearly a thousand Trolls who had come at the summons crowded before the platform, watching the priests and senior hunters whispering among themselves atop it, utterly confused. What exactly had happened?
Not only were the commoners below bewildered, even the priests and senior hunters above were murmuring to one another. From time to time, they looked toward the empty stone seat at the center of the Altar of Deities. They had all been waiting to eat dinner and sleep, only to suddenly receive word that Zul'ra Jin had summoned them here.
"King of the Amani." A long announcement came from the right side of the Altar of Deities. Armed Tooth-Soldiers parted the crowd as Zul'ra Jin, accompanied by Haimuxi, Maki, Barhan, and the others, walked toward the stone seat atop the steps under the Tooth-Soldiers' guard and amid the lowered gazes of greeting from the crowd.
"I have only just returned from overseas, and the moment I returned, I heard news that deeply shocked me. Someone among our people has violated a prohibition." Zul'ra Jin looked at the stone seat before abruptly turning to face the Trolls, all of whom had lowered their gazes toward him in respect.
"A despicable murder. A bloody sacrifice. Can he tell me why he did it?" Zul'ra Jin looked toward the somewhat restless Trolls, then turned his gaze upon the priests and senior hunters, among whom there was also some movement.
"Can you step forward?" Zul'ra Jin looked at the priests and senior hunters, then turned and calmly sat upon the stone seat, placing both hands on its stone armrests as he regarded the crowd.
"If not, then Yogi, as the victim,