"You still paint I see." She said. "I have a offer for you."
"If you want a portrait, I don't do commissions." I said as I turned my back to them, I slowly started to paint a new image on my canvas of silk.
"I'm willing to bring Corinthia back." I stopped completely still. "There is a new Maiden coming your way, I want her dead. Kill her and Corinthia will be reunited with you."
"And what if I fail, like I did so long ago?" I asked.
"You'll see her on the other side. The Maiden has silver eyes." I closed my eyes and let out a sigh, she was of Ozma's blood... Of Corinthia's blood.
"I do need red paint."
Chapter 62: Menzro's Heart
I dodged his quick attacks as he swung in rapid succession, all the while my bolts just glanced off of his armor. I pulled on the power of destruction that laid within me and unleashed a torrent of purple flames, webs burned up, but he dodged the blast with ease. "I can't lose her, this may be my only chance to bring her back." He mandibles retracted back down his throat, his jaw resting in it's position. He looked well...
… Human.
His face showed true emotions, anger, grief, regret. He truly loved this person.
"I understand, but I have people I love, people I need to save." I lashed out with twin ice blades, pushing against his spikes. "And I refuse to let them down."
"RUBY!" Both our heads snapped up to see Kirishima falling down the shaft. Manzro barely dodged out of the way. The shockwave from the impact formed a crater. "I got here in time." He turned to the grimm. "I swore to protect Ruby, and I intend to do so." his crimson aura flared around him as rubble began to raise into the air. "And you tried to kill her."
"I have my own oath to fulfill boy, if you truly are committed to the Maiden, then prove it here and now, as a man of your word." This was perfect.
"Don't kill him! I think I know how to end this!" I yelled as I ran to Kyoka. She had just pulled herself free. "We have to find Corinthia's body." I whispered to her.
"How do you intend on doing that?" She asked as We pulled the rest of the webs from us.
"Follow the smell of death." We shot down a tunnel, my senses on high alert.
The tunnel was covered in master pieces of paintings. All of them depicting the same girl, different ages, and places but they all focused on her smile. Her silver eyes was reflective like it had been painted with real silver. "Are there any legends on that guy?" Kyoka asked.
"The Spider Paladin... I always thought Menzro was a spider faunas. He was know for being hero of the city of Helen, the stories say he died when it fell. And I think part of him did." I looked at a painting of Corinthia, she held two bronze swords, none off the depictions held anything back, it show who she was, a princess who wanted to be a warrior.
The oldest she seemed to be was fourteen, in a suit of bronze battle armor, a plume of blue formed a swirling cape around her as she stood at top a mountain, spear held high above her head. "How would her body even survive this long?" Kyoka asked.
"Arachne webs, they preserve what inside of them for long periods of time, and this... man has been doing everything to preserve her." I said.
"You say that like he's human." Kyoka said.
"He's more human then I feel... ever since the transformation... I have been getting urges when those around me are experiencing negative emotions." I looked at her. "He deserves a chance."
We entered a grand chamber, the domed ceiling and walls were covered in a bright mural, depicting the life of Menzro, but the main focus was Corinthia. the whole room was illuminated with blue flames. In the center was a raised dais with to stone pillars where a silk hammock hung. "That has to be her." I said as I looked around for traps. None seemed visible. "Can you tell how the fight is going from here?" I asked Kyoka.
She jabbed her earphone jack into the ground.
I wiped the blood from my mouth, he hit hard. "For a monster, your pretty damn manly." I said.
"I am a soldier of the great city of Helen. And my post is to never be abandoned." He growled. he hadn't been hurt by any of my attacks. "Once the Maiden is dead, my Princess will be brought back to life by Salem. This may be the only chance I have to bring her back, I can't wait another forty millennia for Salem to rule the world."
"Salem wants to destroy Remnant, and what's so important about this princess?" I asked.
"She was my only friend. She taught to me what it truly means to be alive, what it's like to be Human. I owe her everything, and I failed her when she needed me most, never again. Corinthia deserves better then what I am, but I need her." He lifted his spikes as he readied another attack.
"Failed her when she needed you the most. I know that. I'll never forgive my self for what has been done to Ruby because I wasn't strong enough. We're not so different." And we charged each other.
I looked at the girl under the thin veil of silk, we had cut down the hammock so she laid on the stone, her pale skin looked like it was asleep. Slowly we moved the thin veil. "You sure this will work? Bringing back the dead doesn't sound like a good idea." Kyoka said.
"Well then let's count ourselves lucky that this is literally a god forsaken world." I placed my hand over Corinthia's heart. Kyoka placed her lightning sword on the right side of the body and took in a breath. "3... 2... 1..." We sent a massive shock of electricity into the body, Kyoka started chest compressions as I grabbed her shoulder.
I felt it.
The spark of aura.
"For it is in passing that we achieve immortality. Through this, we become a paragon of virtue and glory to rise above all. Infinite in distance and unbound by death, I release your soul, and by my shoulder, protect thee." I felt the pull on my aura grow in strength as Corinthia started to breath.
A soul for a soul... That is the price. The Brother of darkness' voice reverberated through the dome, and shook me to my core.
I'm sorry. And Pyrrha was gone, for good this time.
And this is done.