Flames of Betrayal (RWBY X Villain Male Reader) *REDUX*

Prologue: The First Kill

"The essence of balance is detachment. To embrace a cause, to grow fond or spiteful, is to lose one's balance, after which, no action can be trusted."

- Mayar, The Third Keeper

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"This is really bad Y/N." Peleus said running a hand through his hair as he led Y/N into a private room behind the entrance area. "They took the bait like I thought, but things have fallen through. They're threatening to rebel if I don't meet their demands."

"What? Sienna didn't order that nor did Ellen or my parents. Who are they operating under?" Y/N demanded, trying to catch his breath and get dressed in his gear at the same time. Peleus used his scroll to contact anyone and everyone he could as he frantically tried to figure out what was going on.

"The Taurus' Doctrine? Whatever that is, it's what they're using to guide their desire for revenge. They want to kill any and every Atlesian official they can." Peleus said becoming more and more stressed out. Y/N looked at him shocked as he took the scroll away, reading the exact wording that Peleus had talked about. "Any ideas?"

"That's impossible, Adam hasn't taken up the Topper role yet." Y/N said confused as he holstered both his pistols and put on his jacket, now being fully geared. He sheathed his katana and attached it to his waist as he and Peleus began quickly running out of the arena. "Did they say where they're going to be at?"

"Close to the palace!" Peleus said as they sprinted through the arena entrance way. They passed by guards and Peleus did nothing but wave his badge around to get by all of the security clearance, yelling the occasional 'Get out of the way!' here and there. "They've got bombs and they're threatening to blow up the mines with all the SDC staff in them. There's a big dust mine below the two mountains that the palace was built on and if they know what they're doing they could bring it all down!"

"Can't you call it in?!" Y/N yelled over the sound of cars and the bustle of the festival and tournament sounds as they reached the outside streets and sprinted up them.

"I could if I wanted to give myself away! Mistral doesn't take kindly to their kingdom vassals assisting terrorists, especially one in power!"

"Then why do you help us then?! I don't think we're terrorists, but if you're worried about losing it all, why risk it?" Y/N yelled as they cut through side streets and buildings, running up the giant city hill that was Mistral until after about 20 minutes of running, coming up to a SDC building below the mountains the city was rested on. There was a staff office building and a giant construction site next to it with machinery and personnel. Peleus pulled Y/N off to the side as they hid behind a building nearby.

"I help because I'm doing what I think is right. The way Faunus are treated is wrong, but I don't think blowing things up is going to help." Peleus explained as Y/N nodded, placing a hand onto his katana.

"Agreed, I don't know who came up with this idea, but it's not a good one. If they're following whatever the Taurus Doctrine set by my brothers parents is, it's gonna ruin the deal Menagerie has with Atlas. They'll cut funding and sending supplies we are supposed to get." Y/N grimaced as he got ready to rush in. "We need to stop them!"

"No! Not yet, especially not you." Peleus said grabbing him the collar and pulling him back. "We need to get into this the right way, let me go in and figure this out. When we enter that SDC mine, we're no longer on Mistral territory, it's fully going to be Atlesian land. Nobody will be in the office, but the miners and guards designated to be there in the mine are. Let me try and figure this out, alright?"