RWBY: Parabellum - Male Reader x Harem (Complete)

Part 42

The current and coming days were becoming worrisome for the Guard, grim even.

The disappearance of their leader forced Mandias into power, a man lacking in many things. However, the past 24 hours had changed that.

Instead of hiding his emotions behind a mask, he stood fierce, unmoving, always staring at the Argus wall.

The respect they had for him was as a warrior, leaving the aspects of a leader practically nonexistent. Which brought their current situation to mind.

"What are we doing here?" An older member asked Vic.

Vic, allowing the cold air to ruffle his fiery hair and beard, only hummed.

"What's that supposed to mean?"

"His affinity for magic trumps our own." Vic replied, his voice gruff and calm. "There's something behind those walls... or someone."

They fixed him with something resembling a frown. "Are you sure? I'm not feeling—"

"This magic is different." The towering man hummed while warming his hands over a morning campfire. "Mandias would know more."

A group of a couple dozen Guards looked amongst themselves. Many of them were trained by the man behind the thicket, so questioning him now felt disrespectful toward his stature.

"Alright..." A woman sighed as she began her reluctant approach.

Mandias wasn't exactly known for discretion, so that answered why he stood out in the open. As for the rest, she steeled her nerves to find out.

"Hey, Mandias...?"

The man turned his head just a smidge, never taking his eyes off the wall.

"Everyone's talking..." Her voice suddenly lowered, turning to a near murmur when she spotted the gold lightning popping off the webs of his fingers. "T-They—We're in the dark here."

She couldn't see his face, but it contorted with thought. He considered telling them the truth, here and now. Keeping it a secret any longer would just delay the inevitable.

"Gather the others..."

The lone woman nodded. Hesitation held her leg for a moment before turning around and navigating the woods.

Their little camp was separated from the others, turning her short walk into a massive gathering.

Their weapons were stowed, preventing any bit of magic from leaking into the air. The same could be said for their camping situation as they remained minimalist.

She spoke to a select few individuals, and from there Mandias's order rapidly trickled down, forming a nice, tidy group of 100 men and women.

He emerged from the edge of the forest, his face conveying regret and an iron will.

Mandias took his seat, a tree stump with a flat top. From there he looked to every last bit of ivory facing him.

"How much do you know of the Brother Gods?"

His voice, as sudden as it hit them, had changed. It hardened just as his face did, confusing some and intimidating others.

A meek woman raised her hand before speaking. "Everything the Queen told us... they were responsible for all destruction and creation. They'd abandoned us after a rebellion."

"Anything else?"

Everyone held their tongue. Everything the mousy woman had just said was true, thus confusing them.

"That's it... that's all we know." He stood from his seat, his fists clenched. "We don't know why they created us, what their purpose was, or why they left objects of power behind."