Weapons

Rin was on a different layer of Malfeas. It had taken a day or two of travel to reach it with Rubinrot but she could now see the behemoth called The Eater of Stone. It looked like some strange fusion of a worm and a starfish. It's Main body sat on the layer slowly chewing it's way through while it's appendages (it had at least 10) swung around, digging themselves into random places in the layer and eating it away.

Rin thought it was digusting but she wasn't one to turn down a weapon just because of that. Instead she approached while muttering a mantra that the demon had told her about that supposedly would prevent the monster from targeting her. It was entirely possible he was just lying but she wasn't taking any chances.

She neared the behemoth's main body without incident. She then began chanting the words in old realm that the demon had told her was used to control the Eater of Stone.

It was working up until the beast swung a tentacle at her and she was forced to throw herself out of the way. Since she was no longer chanting the mantra she would be targetted as she gave orders.

Once more she focused and chanted out the control terms, she did it faster than before and as the chant came to a finish she saw the behemoth slow down slightly.

When it came to a stop, she gave it orders. A location and a date for it to eat at.

She hoped she had done it properly but she spun on her heels and walked away.

As Rin returned to the layer she was based in she came upon a large market that wasn't here when she was going down. She thought before asking Rubinrot if they knew about it. Rubinrot turned to hover over the market before chiming back to her "It looks like a fairly normal Malfeasean market. I can't see any of the bigger stalls that go with higher level demons."

Rin nodded "Take us down there and help advise my purchases. I still have some of that jade from creation on me."

Rubinrot decended and allowed Rin to dismount. They looked through the different stalls until they came upon a surprising one."

The demon was inside his stall excitedly yelling "Siege weapons! Explosives! Incendiary! All the sorts of weapons one might find helpful in battle!"

Rin glanced at Rubinrot who lifted a leg to gesture at the large weapons he had inside and outside his stall "I see two lightning ballistae, that is rare enough to see at the best of times but they are likely either expensive or in poor repair. There are also a few mundane weapons there a few normal ballistae, A few Onagers. Nothing particularly stands out appart from that. Based on his calls earlier he might also have interesting ammo for those weapons but we would have to ask."

Rin nodded and stepped forward "Let's make a deal."

Sakura waited upon the beach that her patron had told her to come to. She had been waiting for an hour now and was wondering if she had been forgotten about.

Just when she was about to leave, a ripple travelled over the sea. Sakura ran down the beach to see better but it looked like the acid was receding. She looked out into the sea where she could see something like rocks jutting out of the acid. Normally that would be near impossible with most materials as the acid would have just washed them away so Sakura knew there was something important about those rocks.

The first thing she noticed were the rocks were coming towards her. The second was that she saw they were not rocks. They were chipped and pitted teeth.

The receding acid was pulled into this massive mouth. Sakura thought it was like Charybdis of greek myth. A monster that represented whirlpools.

When it was close enough the mouth spoke "I am Tenicren, second circle demon, mouth of the sea that marches against the flame. I am a demon created to speak and that is what I shall do for her."

Sakura looked up at the demon "So what is it my patron wants me to know of?"

The demon laughed "Oh my, it seems this daughter forgot her manners. When dealing with an older sibling one must be respectful."

Sakura was annoyed by this demon, it's pull seemed to be affecting her now so she was being slowly pulled towards that open mouth. It's demand to be treated as a sister reminded her of Rin. Not a pleasant thought.

At that moment Tenicren spoke "Ah, you are thinking about that liar are you?"

Sakura stepped back but Tenicren continued "That Lunar who calls itself your sister is lying of course. She is no Kin to you nor I! She does not have our mother's support."

In Sakura's mind her Coadjutor was silent, Sakura was caught out and so she thought "Neither of us are human anymore so it can hardly be said we share a parent."

"Yes indeed," Tenicren sounded excited "and so in her wisdom, our mother has decided to give you a new name, one that separates you from her!"

Sakura was shocked "A new name?" she wasn't sure about that, it sounded wrong to her.

She realised why, it was for Shirou. He loved Sakura, any new name would be new to him.

"You don't have to worry about him." Tenicren whispered "You can still charm him but simply as a new person. With none of the baggage that came before."

Sakura slowly nodded, the words of the demon winding their way into her mind, reinforcing her thoughts of separation from Rin. Her Coadjutor was sad about something but she had no idea of what it was.

Tenicren spoke softly but forcefully "The new name was one our mother choose herself. She names you 'Crimson blossom on the sea's surface' or simply Crimson Blossom."

Crimson blossom's new name took hold. Her old name faded into the back of her mind as it was forced out of the way.

Her Coadjutor was still sad and she spoke softly "Please, don't lose who you are."

Crimson blossom looked behind her, towards where the battleground would be. She would destroy the Lunar called Rin in battle and ensure they were separated by death."

Deep within her mind, Sakura struggled against the chains that the demon had wrapped around her mind. She had realised already. The hate she had felt towards Rin was artifical and yet she had allowed the demon to twist her and bind her. She struggled and reached for the light that would allow her to be in control again.

Crimson blossom noticed and mentally stomped on Sakura's hand. She bowed to the demon and she was dismissed. She had a battle to plan.

End of chapter.

Another mostly filler chapter for XP before the battle begins. However Sakura has her own problems.

Add a split personality to the list of problems she has.

Also is it just me or has the number of stories being updated dropped dramatically? It is a bit worrying concidering this would likely be the best time to write.