Rin was in her study and opened up her jewelry box. Taking as many jewels as she could fit into the pocket of her jacket. She didn't care if it took her entire arsenal of jewels she had. Richter was going down.
Sakura was still her sister. Even despite the distance and growing up in different families. Although she kept it down for the sake of easing her own conscience, seeing Sakura like that in the hospital. Almost lifeless and unmoving it had stirred an anger in her like never before.
And now Arefal Richter was about to experience that anger first hand.
Grabbing all the jewels she could she rushed back down the stairs. Barely even thinking as she opened the front door and stopped as Elena Manadek stood before her with her arms crossed blocking her path.
"Out of my way Manadek!" Rin demanded angrily.
"Not going to happen Rin. You need to calm down before you do something you'll regret" Elena said standing her ground.
"Don't tell me to calm down. Look what that maniac did to my sister. Do you really expect me to just let this slide! What if he had done that to Kerrion!"
Elena didn't answer that question, instead she turned her face away from Rin.
"That's different" she finally answered.
"Then you have no right to stop me right here! So get out of my way now!"
"If you go in right now gem's blazing towards Richter you will have ruined everything Shirou and I have worked for."
"Oh is that what you call stringing him along by looking exactly like the woman he loved and lost."
Elena blushed for a moment "this again. Look if I resemble her that's purely coincidental. All I have in common with her is that I'm British. And maybe Shirou just likes me more then he likes you and you can't stand it. Or otherwise you didn't run away that night like a crybaby."
It was now Rin's time to blush before she stepped past Elena and proceeded to walk away from her home. However Elena quickly grabbed her wrist.
"Look I'm sorry that was out of line from me. But you can't just go after Richter like this. If you do that then the retribution that will follow will be immense."
"So what do you suggest I do then huh!" Rin snapped back, unlocking her arm from Elena's grasp "I just have to sit here and allow him to get away! Over my dead body."
Elena sighed audibly. She kind of knew she was getting nowhere in trying to convince Rin not to after Richter. So instead she opted for a different route.
"Alright fine have it your way Rin. But if you're going to do this then I'm joining you."
"What?" Rin gasped in surprise "absolutely not!"
"Look if still don't trust me after everything that's happened, so be it. But I've been there I can help get you through that place if you are truly set on getting Richter then I'm your best shot at pulling this off."
Rin indignantly scoffed "and how will I know you're just leading me into a trap?"
And Elena also in turn scoffed and pinched the bridge of her nose out of annoyance.
"Because what do I have to gain from leading you into my father's secret laboratory where he has been working on something top secret. If I truly had something to hide, I wouldn't suggest joining to it now would I?"
Rin wanted to respond initially but changed her mind. As much as she hated to admit it, Elena had a point there.
"Ugh fine you can join but if I can any whiff of you attempting to betray me I'll blow your guts out of you."
Elena smiled at that "sounds fair to me."
Without a moment of hesitation Fallow slammed open the hotel room door. There in the room Argus Manadek sat on the couch. His hands clasped together looking over a black box sitting solitarily on the table.
"I expected you would show up" Manadek said without looking up.
Fallow slammed the door behind her shut and stepped forward until she was in front of the table. "You gave your word Argus. How could you? After everything she has already endured?"
"We needed more blood," he replied without missing a beat "though to be honest I didn't expect Richter too take it this far. Regardless the deed is already done, what do you want me to do about it."
"For you to take accountability and fix it. You left her in that madman's hands knowing full well how twisted he is. Why did I ever agree to it?"
"Because you trusted me" Manadek replied finally looking at her.
"Yes and you broke that trust. So I'm out! I will no longer be a part of this scheme of yours Argus!"
Manadek solemnly nodded "I figured you would say that. Very well I won't stop you, you are free to go. The only thing I ask is that you do me two small favors."
Fallow raised her eyebrows at that. She should chew him out and tell him to kick rocks after all this. Yet she felt at the very least obligated to hear him out. They had been friends for a long time, she could allow him at least that.
"What kind of favors."
Manadek leaned back and grabbed his nearby cane.
"The first is favor is relatively straightforward. Whether or not I make it today. Promise me you will look after Elena and Kerrion. Whatever you may feel about me now, don't put that on them. Protect them if I'm gone. Promise me that."
Fallow nodded in response. Silently agreeing to it.
"Thank you. As for the second….that one is a bit more…unorthodox" Manadek commented with some hesitation.
"Unorthodox in what way?" Fallow inquired.
Manadek proceeded to open the box on the table. The contents where kind of a shock to Fallow as she now gazed upon a white colored hand marked with red symbols. She recognized them as magical circuits.
"This is what Richter was working on. Why we needed Sakura Matou's blood. This here will allow me to wield Excalibur."
It all clicked now for Fallow. That's why they had grave robbed King Arthur's resting place. What Zouken told them now all made sense.
"So that's why we took that arm. We needed the DNA to craft this thing."
"Exactly. And now that it's done all we need to do is find the sword. I regret that poor Sakura Matou's current state is the result of this. But it is as Doctor Richter states, discovery requires experimentation."
"So what do you need from me Argus?" Fallow asked.
Manadek produced a long piece of fabric from his pocket and rolled up his left sleeve. He then wrapped the fabric around his wrist before grabbing his cane. He twisted the small hummingbird on the top three times and then pulled it, revealing a long slender blade hidden within his cane.
Fallow's eyes grew as she watched him hand the blade to her. Instantly she knew what he was asking of her.
"Are you sure about this?"
"I am this close Nasira. This close to finally ridding the world of the plague that are Magus. So this needs to happen for me to be able to wield Excalibur. And once I finally have rid the world of these pests, I will use it to make young Sakura better. You have my word."
Fallow scoffed at that "no offense Argus. But your world doesn't mean much to me anymore."
Manadek nodded in understanding "then at the very least. Let this act be recompense for what happened to her."
Fallow nodded and took hold of the blade, carefully holding it as she walked around the table until she stood to the side of Manadek. He tightened the fabric around his wrist and put the other end between his teeth and pulled as hard as he could, looking Fallow in the eyes the entire time.
Fallow raised the blade high and brought it down with extreme precision. What followed was a bloodcurdling scream.