A land of demons

As Sakura approached the dome she recognised how wrong it was, The simplest way she could describe it would be as a city-sized inside-out tent.

It broke out of the ground with black bones holding it up and it had a small torii (temple gate) at the front that she was walking toward. Her coadjutor spoke up as she wondered about the dome "It is called the Conventicle Malfeasant, I can tell you that the torii is the entrance but like most demons I have no idea of what lies beyond it."

Sakura walked forwards towards the torii, she could see now that it was made of flesh that looked to be rotting. A small part of her wanted to make some sarcastic joke, "Oh, this looks inviting" but she was afraid that her coadjutor might take her entirely literally.

It looked like the torri was a pair of gates, each with their own doors. All she would need to do is step inside it and she would be able to get to her 'New home'.

Sakura steadied herself before touching the closed gate on her side of the dome. The door broke around her palm and let her push through to the interior.

A few seconds of pitch darkness passed before the opposite door opened. Beyond the opening was the piercing light of the green sun. She stepped out onto a platform that allowed her to overlook the interior of the dome.

The dome was bigger on the inside. Arrayed around the outside of the dome were large houses, A quick count revealed 50 of these houses. Below them was what looked like a small city that was filled with noise that reached this platform. In the dome's centre was a large amphitheatre, it reached above most of the buildings in the city around it.

As she stood there, observing one of the most normal looking places in Malfeas (still looks odd, just less odd), she heard some footsteps walking toward her. Turning, she saw a woman wearing very little who bowed when she had realised she had been seen.

When the woman spoke it was with a tone of great respect "Greetings New Princess, I have been sent to invite you to your coronation thing."

Sakura wandered what this 'Thing' was but decided to hold off asking that question so she ordered (In her best imitation of how bossy Rin could be) "Very well, lead on."

The woman bowed again and clapped her hands twice. Suddenly the sound of insect wings buzzing could be heard, Sakura glanced around to look what insect could be near her but when the sound became even louder she looked back over the city where the sound was coming from.

Over the city she could see something approaching the platform, it was some kind of giant wasp. Normally this idea would scare Sakura (She still hated insects) but she couldn't hate such a beautiful creature as what descended to the platform. The wasp was easily the size of a horse if not slightly larger, it seemed to glow softly and the slow movements of it's wings was hypnotically beautiful. It was then the wasp spoke in a voice like small brass bells "Greetings New Princess, I am Wondrous Hate. Agatae servant of your previous incarnation and now your servant."

Sakura snapped out of the daze that the Agatae had lulled her into and stood up straight "Take me to my Coronation Thing" she ordered in way that was respectful and commanding. Wondrous Hate bowed her head and then lowered itself to the ground so that Sakura might sit herself onto the Agatae. When she had done so the Agatae stood back up and started hovering into the air.

Sakura had time to grab onto the saddle before her mount took off towards the centre of the city. In only a minute or two she was flying over the top of the amphitheatre where she could see a few people sitting in the stands, looking up at her. Wondrous Hate bought her down in the centre of the amphitheatre, allowing her to step off onto the podium in the centre.

Sakura looked up at the few people looking at her, she knew instinctively that most of them would be infernal exalts like her. The rest would either be high ranking demons that were curious about her or others who were of a high enough rank to be allowed here.

She didn't really know what to say so she found it a relief when another person walked up and stood besides her, she didn't know who he was but he began speaking in a smooth and crystal clear voice "Welcome to today's Coronation Thing for your new fellow. She has taken the Exaltation of Black Moon Walker and there is hope that she outshines even that great woman." The man softly grasped Sakura's arm and lifted it into the air "Welcome the new princess of hell!"

A cheer goes up from the watchers as the man lets go of Sakura's wrist and begins to walk away. Sakura shyly ducked into one of the chairs to let others who were coming for the podium get to it unopposed. Those who stood told stories of Black Moon Walker, the fiend who had died and passed her exaltation onto Sakura. They told stories of her discovery of new necromancy spells that were traded to the Deathlords, they told stories of her conquests of men after being taught by Mara herself. They finally told the story of her death as she fought to make sure that no one would make it to a dragonblood in time to save him.

Sakura didn't really know what to think, she didn't really understand what was going on so when the end of the thing was called she left quickly. Wondrous Hate picked her up and ferried her to one of the townhouses near the wall of the dome. "This is yours my lady." Sakura had heard the Agatae say. The house was beautiful in a twisted way, the way that you could describe a psychopath, 'Charming but evil'.

Sakura pushed on the door and it opened at her touch. Inside was a group of demons and Things that looked like people ("Akuma, those that sold their souls for power" her Coadjutor wispered), they bowed to her.

Sakura asked to be shown her room at present, one of the Akuma took her to a lavish room. Sakura didn't care, she needed to sleep and digest everything that had happened today. She knew she would have to do something tomorrow, maybe train for this 'Great mission' that she had heard mentioned in the thing. She really didn't care.

She just wanted to see Shirou and Rin again

End of chapter

Ok, next chapter we are finally getting back to Shirou

I just imagine him sitting in place while all this has gone on even though most of what has been in the last few chapters are all in the past compared to him