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RWBY belongs to Rooster Teeth
Chapter 2: Illusion
One of the worst parts of his life was his job. Honestly, Trent hated being an assassin. He was good at it, amazing even, but that didn't mean he liked it. There were a lot of things that Darius Alister Trent was good at. There were also a lot of things that Darius didn't like to do. Unfortunately for him, the two sets intersect more than he would like. Assassination for one instance, origami for another.
The job was simple. Get in, cleanly end a life, get out. Quick, easy, painless, clean. That was how all of Trent's jobs went. No one was ever the wiser. Really though, he couldn't allow anyone to be the wiser. If anyone caught on to him, they'd catch on to the Pyre. If people started to catch on to the Pyre, they could learn of the Pyre's true goals. Learning of those goals would only lead to manhunts and restrictions. And if there was one thing that Trent had learned the Sanguine Pyre valued above all else, it was the freedom to do as they please, without the prying eyes of nosey individuals. A freedom that Trent was more than willing to participate in.
Right now, though, Trent just had to end another life on the council of Vale. Trent never bothered to remember their names. He only knew them as a job title and a number. Today, Councilwoman three had to go. Last time it was councilman five, next time it'll be councilman seven. A never-ending cycle of replacing the council. All to keep the Sanguine Pyre in control.
If there was one thing that Lord Blackflame was good at, it was giving the people the illusion that they had a say in the government. In reality though, on the council, you either worked for the Pyre or you were dead. No in betweens here. Councilwoman three fell into the dead category… or at least, she was soon to be dead.
Getting past guards was too easy. Walk in with a suit saying you're scheduled for a meeting with the higher ups, and they won't bat an eye. Normally, Darius would refer to them as incompetent fools. Not these men though, they worked for the Pyre. That being said, if it came for them, not even they would be safe from the purging fires. If he had to, he would readily remove a few guards from the equation. The Sanguine Pyre wouldn't bat an eye at replacing a few guards. But that wasn't what Trent was here for.
Trent entered the Councilwoman's office. She was in a meeting right now. She would be back in a good ten minutes or so. Councilwoman five was ordered to stall Councilwoman three. Trent would only need five minutes. One didn't need to study a target long to learn the basics. This target just so happened to be a fan of the drink. Gaining access to the security system had been a breeze. Camera surveillance had shown that the bottom left cabinet of her desk held a secret stash. Opening it revealed the liquid courage to Darius. More than a few bottles of whiskey shown in the dim light of the office.
"What would the taxpayers say if they knew they were funding a raging alcoholic?" Trent muttered to himself with a chuckle
Darius smiled and pulled out an unopened bottle. A couple glasses were hidden behind the bottles. Pulling them out, Darius poured a small shot of whiskey into each glass. Darius pulled out a small vial of clear liquid from inside his blazer. An old toxic friend of his, arsenic. Not enough to kill, but enough to lead the wrong parties down a wild goose chase. He carefully put some drops into one of the glasses. Again, not enough to kill, but enough to cause suspicion.
Trent sat down in the councilwoman's chair. She would be arriving any second now. He was all set anyway. He rotated the swivel chair, so the back was facing the door.
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Right on time, the door opened. A small woman in a business suit walked in. She turned on the light and was confused. She wasn't sure if she left her chair facing the back wall, that wasn't like her. She was certain, however, that she hadn't left out two glasses of golden liquid. And she would swear on her life that none of her whiskey supply was left on the desk. The chair turning around made her jump. A man dressed in a rather simply business suit sitting behind her desk smiled at her and gestured for her to have a seat. A black ring with a red gem proudly adorned the man's finger.
"Who are you and what are you doing here? GUARDS!" The councilwoman called in a shaky voice.
"Hello councilwoman. No need for the guards. Please, take a seat, and I'll answer all your questions." Trent said.
"How about you tell me who you are first." The politician responded.
"Fair enough. You can call me Trent, and I'm sure you can figure out why I'm here." Trent smiled.
"An assassin?" She asked.
"Quick assumption." Darius said.
"Well, you're sitting here in the dark. It's unlikely your business would be legal." The councilwoman responded. "And from what I've seen before, only assassins and criminals meet government officials in the dark, assassins in particular usually choose the official's office or home."
"Astute, however could we not use the term assassin? It's quite a strong word." Trent responded with a smile.
"But you are an assassin." The councilwoman deadpanned.
Trent looked to the ceiling for a brief second. "Yeah."
"Great. What are you being paid? I can triple it." The councilwoman was surprisingly calm.
"You could, but I don't want money." Trent said.
"How about power then? I could make you a lord." The councilwoman responded.
"I don't want power, and who accepts lordships anymore? Actually, don't say anymore councilwoman. You can't give me what I want." Trent said.
"What do you want then?" She asked.
"Influence. I want an influence that can really only be gained with your dead body." Trent's smile turned predatory as he picked up his glass. "Have a drink."
"I'll pass. I don't know if I can trust you." The councilwoman replied.
"Smart move. You can't trust me. I am here to kill you after all. Therefore, you have no way of knowing if the glass is poisoned or not. But you can trust me in this instance. I wouldn't kill you with poison." Trent said.
He could feel his semblance working its magic. The councilwoman's will began to weaken. Her hands were starting to shake.
"Why not kill with poison?" She asked warily.
"Poison is such a boring method of assassination. Too many assassins kill in such a way. This makes for a perfect red herring." Trent answered. "I don't want to kill you with poison, I just the detectives to think I did. Go on, take a drink."
A funny thing, semblances are. Semblances are an expression of the soul. Everyone should have their aura unlocked and choose their profession based on their semblance. It would make life so much easier. A shaky hand extended and grabbed the glass. Darius's smile turned to a confident smirk.
"Do you want to know something funny?" Trent said as the councilwoman finally downed the shot. "That drink was poisoned."
The councilwoman looked panicked. "I thought you said you weren't going to poison me?"
"No, I said I wasn't going to kill you with poison." Trent clarified as he stood up and started walking around the office. "No, I'm going to kill you a different way. Besides, I didn't put enough arsenic in the drink to kill you."
"Even if you kill me, you'll never make it out of the building." The councilwoman replied, getting a bit of confidence.
"No, I'll be able to walk out of here without a problem. You know why?"
The council woman slowly shook her head.
"It's because of the organization I work for. We are the ones who truly run the council." Trent continued. "The council runs Vale, but the Sanguine Pyre runs the council."
"So, you do exist." The councilwoman muttered in realization.
"Of course, we do. The Pyre was founded nearly 170 years ago. We may have ceased being a public fixture here in Vale, but that doesn't mean we have ceased to exist. Now that you know who we are, I'm sure you can figure out why we must remove you." Trent said.
"Even if you remove me from office, you won't change the vote. Besides, you can't guarantee that it will be your people who replace me. And like I said, you won't get out of this building alive. I just have to call for the guards and you'll be arrested." she countered.
"It hasn't sunk in yet, but it will. The Pyre doesn't just run the council, the Pyre runs Vale. Security, police, hospitals, even Beacon are bought and paid for by the council. And we can guarantee that the next election will be won by the Pyre." Trent explained with a smile.
"How? Tampering with ballots?" The councilwoman asked with an eye roll.
"No, rigging the election. Kind of hard for a person who isn't a member of the Pyre to make the council if only members of the Pyre are running." Trent replied with a smile as he moved behind the councilwoman.
"If people found out, they'd never stand for it." The councilwoman said, her voice shaking again.
Darius removed a small thin needle like blade from the inside of his sleeve and positioned it behind the council woman's head.
"Indeed. That's why we give them the illusion of choice. If they think they had a fair election, they won't revolt." Trent got really close to the woman's ear. "I need to get down to business as none of that matters anyway. Everyone in this building works for the Pyre. The security, the janitors, even most of the council. You don't. You have been trying to pass laws, legislation, bills, and proposals that would directly lead to conflict with the Pyre, and by proxy, Lord Blackflame himself. Security is down in this sector, and you will be nothing more than a passing memory come next week. Say goodnight councilwoman and enjoy retirement."
Trent drove the blade into her neck, right through the spinal cord. He had perfected his strategy over the years. Severing the spinal cord lead to a large number of issues. One of his favorites, the reason his kills could be blamed on poison, was asphyxiation. Without the signals coming from the brain, the lungs wouldn't pull in oxygen. A few minutes and it would be over, all while the victim had no clue as to what was happening. Trent smiled as he sat down in the former councilwoman's chair. The wide-eyed look of terror on her face as she slowly died of oxygen deprivation was strangely pleasing to Darius.
"You see councilwoman, The Sanguine Pyre employs a great many people for a great many jobs. One of those jobs is council control. The only people they've hired for that are named Darius, Alister, and Trent. The way the Pyre sees it, there are three types of people in government. The sheep who follow a strong voice, the shepherds who are the strong voice, and the thorns that need to be removed. I only see two people in government. Those that align with the Pyre and those that are dead. In either case, you are the latter. Enjoy your early retirement."
The council woman slumped back in the chair. Her eyes vacant. Darius grabbed a piece of paper and pressed it and his fingers against her neck. He smiled at the lack of a heartbeat. The councilwoman was well and truly dead. Darius pulled out his scroll and dialed a number. The other end of the line rang for a few seconds. A woman answered in a mechanical tone.
"We're sorry, but the number you are trying to reach isn't in use, please hang up and try again later."
"Doesn't matter. I need to speak with Jeremiah Briarheart." Darius said as he leaned back in the former councilwoman's chair.
The line went silent for a few minutes. Eventually the aged voice of Jeremiah Briarheart came on.
"What business do you have with me?" He asked.
"Simple Jeremiah, I have removed a particularly nasty thorn from our side." Trent stated.
"Trent? The councilwoman is dead?" Jeremiah inquired.
"Indeed, sir." Trent replied.
"Good. Return to your home. I will call when your next target is chosen." Jeremiah responded.
"Of course, sir… and about my request?" Trent prodded.
"I shall pass it on to my brother." Jeremiah said before hanging up.
Trent smiled as he wiped the tiny drops of blood off his blade. The job had been a rousing success. A vacancy on the council could see another member of the Pyre in government. It could see him in government. Now there was an influence he could use. Councilman Trent, yeah, that sounded nice.
Trent left the office. The guards that the councilwoman had so relied upon were nowhere in sight. He hadn't been lying when he said the council controlled everything. Two security guards approaching the room just proved his point. They each had a Pyre ring. Trent smiled as he stopped them.
"Gentlemen, it would seem that the councilwoman scheduled to meet with me has entered an early forced retirement. I would suggest waiting a few hours before reporting it." Trent said.
He didn't have to use his semblance on the guards. They would listen to him, chances are, they'd already seen his ring, and could probably figure out he worked for the Pyre. He wouldn't be surprised if they already knew what he was there for.
Darius smiled as he gave them a two-finger salute and left the building. No one stopped him; no one had any reason to. It was almost noon on a late summer day and crowds were bustling about. He was just a man exiting a government building after a meeting with an official. He melted into the crowd; his destination known only to him. There was nothing to be suspicious of. Besides, if people did start looking to closely at his dealings, he could just… persuade them to look away.
That's what he did best. Persuade. He would make an excellent politician.
=Elsewhere=
"Who was that Jeremiah?" Agreus questioned.
"Only our best assassin. There is once more a vacancy on the council of Vale." Jeremiah answered.
"Oh, you think Trent actually did his job silently this time?" Agreus asked.
"Doubtful. Trent likes gloating too much. I'd bet all the lien in my pocket that he'd gloat about anything." Jeremiah replied.
"I'll take that bet." Agreus said.
"How much?" Briarheart asked.
"All the lien in my pocket." Agreus replied with a cheeky grin.
"You don't have any lien in your pocket." Jeremiah answered.
"Exactly." Agreus replied. "But enough of that now, we are here."
Jeremiah straightened his tie. Agreus pulled off his jacket and draped it over his shoulders. The rings gently clinking together, he walked into the middle of the White Fang camp. Many of the faunus grabbed their weapons and pointed them at the intruders. Agreus smirked. Many of them just watched as the two made their way confidently through the camp, and quite a few more simply nodded at Jeremiah. Of course, they would recognize him. Jeremiah did much of the recruiting, but it was Agreus who did all the assignments.
The two marched up to the tent in the center of camp. It was clear this was the tent that the new leader resided in. The fact that the tent had standing security made Agreus wonder if the newest leader of the Fang didn't feel safe in his new position. Looking closer at the guards, Agreus almost laughed. One of them had a pyre ring pierced through his ear. It was innocuous enough.
The non-pyre guard spoke up. "What right do you have to march through our camp, human.?"
The venom was almost dripping from his voice. Agreus would let it slide. The White Fang had been getting quite racist recently. Ironic.
"Well, guardsman, I'm here because I have a meeting with the new leader of the White Fang." Agreus responded, calmly.
"Let us tell Adam Taurus then." The other guard answered.
He gestured to his partner and the two guards entered the tent. Jeremiah glanced at his brother. Agreus just stared ahead. The Pyre guard exited the tent.
"Adam will see you now." He said.
Agreus and Jeremiah entered the tent. It was very spartan in its layout. The only two people in the tent were a red-haired bull faunus, and a young black-haired cat faunus. A table was set up in the middle of the tent. On the table was a map depicting the kingdom of Vale. Several locations were marked by a large red x. It looked like a battle strategy. The White Fang appeared to be preparing for something in Vale. What it was, neither brother could tell. Agreus was delighted to see that the map neglected to include Blackflame Manor on the cliffs by Beacon.
"Thank you for meeting with us sir. Might we have your name to get pleasantries out of the way? We do have business elsewhere, and as such have little time to dilly dally." Jeremiah said as they entered.
The bull faunus scowled. "You can call me Adam, and then you can tell me why I shouldn't have you filthy humans gutted for daring to step foot into our camp."
"Oh, straight to the point. To put it simply Adam, my brother and I are here to make a deal with the White Fang. Seeing as how you have assumed the role of leader, we found it prudent to come to you." Jeremiah explained.
"That doesn't mean anything. Why should I trust a pair of disgusting humans?" Adam repeated.
"Racist and radical. Poor qualities for a leader." Jeremiah muttered.
"I HEARD THAT!" Adam roared getting ready to draw his blade.
"Now, now, Mister Taurus, if you hold off your rage for but one minute, I will explain to you our purpose." Agreus interjected.
"One minute." Adam growled.
"Good. Now, in the past, the present and the soon to be present, the kingdom of Vale has, do and will have worked well with the faunus. Your organization's goals are admirable. Equality for all. The thing is, you are focusing on the wrong kingdom." Agreus said.
"Any kingdom with humans and faunus treated unequally is the right kingdom. Three weeks ago, five innocent faunus were shot in the street by Vale's police force." Adam bit back.
"Actually, they were criminals." Jeremiah said.
"Is that what you see as equality? You label one race as criminals and have them shot." Adam said indignant.
"No… Jeremiah is quite right they were criminals. Those five men, sorry, faunus raped and murdered a pair of teenage girls a week prior. An outstanding warrant for their capture was closed the next day. What you saw as murder, we saw as justice." Agreus explained.
"Murder isn't justice." Adam snarled.
"Quite right. But that was an execution. As it stands, Vale is one of, if not, the least racist and most crime free kingdom on Remnant. Besides, you're forgetting the fact that we had another execution of seven two weeks later." Agreus said.
"Why do you give so many people the death penalty?" The cat faunus asked.
"Quiet Blake." Adam said.
"Well, to be quite frank, using the death penalty discourages those criminals from performing similar actions in the future. We do have a prison system, but it is only for the Vale has deemed to be… minor. Of course, we also impose the death penalty because prevention is better than a cure." Jeremiah answered, ignoring Adam.
"Jeremiah, we have gone on long enough. No more pleasantries. No more pointless questions. Adam Taurus, I come here as a representative of the Sanguine Pyre, the organization that currently owns and operates the entirety of the kingdom of Vale. We have faunus and humans working together in harmony in the upper echelons of our organization. We came here today because the White Fang, despite your claims of being a protest group fighting against racism, have been growing increasingly violent. Honestly, I can't say I blame you." Agreus said.
"What's your point?" Adam responded.
"My point is that Vale will not tolerate a terrorist organization within its borders. You will cease and desist any and all actions against the city and kingdom of Vale, immediately." Agreus commanded.
"And if we don't?" Adam snarled.
"Hah, look at this brother, he acts as if we're giving him a choice." Jeremiah said with a laugh.
"My brother is quite right. Adam, I'm not giving you a choice. If the White Fang refuses to cease operations in the territory of the Sanguine Pyre, you will be branded as criminals and terrorists. We are fully willing to help and supply the Fang in operations in every kingdom, except Vale." Agreus explained.
"The White Fang will pass on your offer." Adam said with no hesitation. "We don't make deals with humans, and this so-called Sanguine Pyre will be sorry if you run across my men."
"Disappointing, but not unexpected." Agreus sighed. "Very well then, come Jeremiah. We're leaving. Our business is clearly not wanted. The previous leader of the Fang was more negotiable than this."
Agreus almost missed the gasp from the girl. Jeremiah turned and exited the tent. A crowd of faunus had gathered outside watching to see what would happen.
"Hold it, I'm not done with you yet." Adam called after him.
"Yes, you are." Jeremiah answered.
"No human can just waltz into our camp and walk away unharmed!" Adam roared.
Agreus heard the sound of footsteps running toward him. In a motion that would be impossible to catch with the naked eye, Agreus spun around to meet the charging faunus. With a snap of his fingers as he turned to meet Adam, black fire roared to life on his hands. Guiding the flame to protect his hands, Agreus caught Adam's blade a two feet from his neck. Many of the faunus backed away from the look of sheer fury on Agreus's face. Increasing the power of the flame, Agreus began to bend the crimson blade.
Adam could look on shocked as this mere human not only caught his sword (which had been described as an unstoppable object by many people before) but continued to bend, then snap the blade. All with his bare hands.
Many of the faunus around them had drawn their weapons and were pointing them at the duo. It was difficult to tell who had more guns pointed at them though, Agreus or Adam.
"Listen and listen well!" Agreus commanded, his voice bellowing across the camp despite him not yelling. "The White Fang has chosen poorly this day. From now on, the claws of the Fang will be seen as a symbol of terrorists within the kingdom of Vale. The Sanguine Pyre has worked with the Fang in the past, but now, that alliance is gone. This day the White Fang has dug their own grave, and the Sanguine Pyre will see that you lie in it."
Agreus threw a stunned Adam backward. Jeremiah scowled at Adam. Agreus stooped over and picked up the half of Adam's blade that he had broken. Agreus walked out of the camp, Jeremiah following closely behind. The faunus parted before them, many out of fear, many more out of respect.
"You think I could have a metal worker make this into a new Pyre ring?" Agreus asked as they left earshot of the camp.
"Probably, they would just need another blood diamond." Jeremiah answered.
The two stopped walking when they reached the clearing their bullhead had touched down in. They turned around as they heard the curious sound of rustling bushes. Agreus raised an eyebrow in question.
"Your stealth could use some work." Agreus said. "So, if you would, come out and we can talk face to face."
The cat faunus girl from earlier slowly walked out of the bushes. Jeremiah looked slightly surprised. Agreus however, had a knowing look on his face.
"Brother?" Jeremiah asked.
"We have a tail." Agreus stated.
"Yes, but why?" Jeremiah asked.
"Ask her, Briarheart." Agreus answered pointing at the girl.
Jeremiah turned to the girl. "Why are you following us?"
"You said you worked with my father." The girl answered.
"That depends. Who's your father?" Jeremiah asked.
"The previous leader of the White Fang." The girl answered.
"Who?" Jeremiah asked.
"I forget, you never met him, did you, Jeremiah?" Agreus said.
"No. Until today, I had yet to meet a leader of the White Fang. You were the one in charge of that relation, brother." Jeremiah answered.
"Right." Agreus responded.
"Do you know what happened to him? I haven't seen him in quite some time." The girl asked.
"You must be Blake Belladonna. Ghira talked a lot about you. He was a good friend." Agreus said absentmindedly. "A few of my men found his body a few months ago. I know it means little, but I offer my condolences."
Blake fell to her knees. Tears began to stream down her face.
"Do you know how he died?" She asked between sobs.
"Yes. It looked like a Grimm attack, but it was determined that his cause of death was three bullets through the heart. The identity of the shooter was never discovered." Agreus answered.
Blake started crying harder. Agreus walked over and knelt beside her. She noticed and just latched onto him. Agreus just sat there and comforted the teen.
"I'm sorry. I thought someone had told you. Ghira Belladonna was a good man. He will be greatly missed." Agreus said.
Blake's crying eventually devolved into hiccups and the occasional sniffle.
"You said you are for faunus equality?" She sniffled.
"Yes, why?" Agreus asked.
"Can I join you?" She asked, looking up at Agreus in hope.
"How old are you?" Jeremiah asked.
"Fifteen." She responded.
"I don't like inducting the underage." Jeremiah muttered.
"Well, Blake, seeing as you are underage, you can't be fully inducted into the Pyre, but you can help us." Agreus said.
"How?" Blake asked.
"Well… we could always use a spy." Agreus said.
"A spy? Don't we have enough in the Fang?" Jeremiah asked.
"Possibly, but Blake here seems to be close to the top of the hierarchy." Agreus answered.
"And what difference does that make, dear brother?" Jeremiah asked.
"All the difference, Briarheart. We have never had a spy in the highest management of the fang, as we didn't need one. Now, though, it appears we do. I only knew that there was a change in leadership, not who took over." Agreus answered.
"I still don't like this." Jeremiah responded.
"You don't have to. Besides, I don't expect this job to be permanent." Agreus said before turning to Blake. "Before I do this, though, I need to know what you're capable of."
"I'm good with a blade and a pistol." Blake stated.
"So, you're combat trained. Good. How about a semblance?" Jeremiah asked.
"Uh… I can leave behind a shadow clone to take damage for me…" Blake answered nervously, still sniffling every so often.
"Show me." Agreus said.
Blake looked at Agreus. Agreus withdrew a pistol and was aiming it at Blake. He waited. It took Blake a moment to realize he was waiting for her. She nodded at him. Agreus fired the sidearm and watched as the bullet flew through the air, straight toward Blake. Blake activated her semblance, causing the bullet to impact with the shadow clone she left behind. The clone disappeared and the bullet fell harmlessly to the ground.
Agreus smiled. He walked up to Blake and removed the Pyre ring from the zipper of his jacket. He knelt down and handed it to her.
"Unfortunately, I don't have a ring of your size, but this will mark you as a trust of the Sanguine Pyre." Agreus said as Blake to the black metal ring. "What I want you to do, for the time being, is to report on what Adam does and plans to do. Don't let him find out you're now with us, Ok?"
"Who do I report to?" Blake asked.
"A member of the Pyre. All you have to do is find someone in the Fang who bears that ring. Show them yours and give anything you find out to them. They'll get it to me." Agreus explained.
"You said this is only temporary?" Blake asked.
"Yes. The Sanguine Pyre fully intends to carry through with the threat against the Fang. Members of the Pyre will be spared. Otherwise, when you come of age, if you wish, I can give you a new assignment." Agreus said.
"I did want to attend Beacon…" Blake trailed off.
"We can help with that. For now, though, just focus on the task at hand." Agreus responded as he stood up.
Blake thanked Agreus and ran back to the camp. Jeremiah was glaring at Agreus. Agreus ignored the glare as they boarded the airship. When they were well and, on their way, Jeremiah broke the tense silence.
"I didn't think you would fully induct her." Jeremiah answered.
"I didn't. You'll notice that she didn't undergo the trial or the ceremony." Agreus replied.
"Yet you gave her a ring as if she were a full member." Jeremiah snapped.
"Jeremiah, when have you known me to take actions that would prove detrimental in the long run?" Agreus asked. "Besides, she'll come of age in two years. If she so wishes, which she probably will, at that time we can induct her into the Pyre."
"She's 15 now? It still doesn't feel right." Jeremiah answered.
"I know. It is exceedingly rare that we induct those who recently come of age, but it is not unheard of for a Beacon student to be inducted into the Pyre. Besides, collecting the youth is one of the main ways to further our own goals." Agreus said.
"As much as it pains me to admit it, you're right." Jeremiah asked.
Agreus smiled at his brother. "I hope you realize that the young minds aren't the only focus of the Pyre. I don't wish to corrupt them or make them into killers. Sometimes, though, my wishes don't matter."
"I know." Jeremiah responded.
"Good. We still have a bit of a quandary, though." Agreus stated. "We'll have to convince Remnant that the White Fang are terrorists."
"You know, I might have a solution for that. It would also solve another of our problems. Although, you are not going to like it." Jeremiah declared.
"Really? Let's hear it, then. Let me decide for myself." Agreus commanded.
"Reassign Trent to the council." Jeremiah answered.
"You're right, I don't like that." Agreus deadpanned. "Trent is the best assassin we have, even if he can't help but gloat. Putting him the public spotlight would remove a valuable asset."
"Hear me out though, just hear me out." Jeremiah quickly interjected. "Trent is our best assassin, yes, AND by that metric, he has never been caught. There's never been any suspicion that Darius Trent is a criminal. If we put him on the council, he could still do assassin work for us. It would have the added benefit of giving him more legitimate reasons to meet with other council members."
"That's a good point… but it's not enough." Agreus replied.
"That's not even my main point." Jeremiah continued. "Darius Trent has a semblance perfectly suited to his job as an assassin, but I think it would be better suited to a politician."
"What is his semblance? I don't think he's ever told me." Agreus said.
"Or he did, but he convinced you he didn't."
Agreus gave a questioning look to Jeremiah.
"His semblance is persuasion. He excels at making people believe and accept what he wants them to believe and accept. It's why he's a good assassin…" Jeremiah resumed.
"And why he'd be a good politician." Agreus finished. "If Trent can truly make people believe and accept what he wants them to, then he would indeed be invaluable on a council."
"And our problems with labeling the White Fang and the current vacancy would just… disappear." Jeremiah said with a sly smile.
"He might even be able to worm his way into the international festival committee… and give us headway into the other kingdoms!" Agreus exclaimed.
"I hadn't even thought of that." Jeremiah responded.
"Brother, this is why we work together." Agreus said.
"Don't call me brother. It's Jeremiah or Briarheart." Jeremiah deadpanned.
"I know, Jeremiah, I know." Agreus said. "I am giving this decision to Trent. If he can convince the people he belongs on the council, then he will have the full support of the Sanguine Pyre."
"Of course, brother." Jeremiah answered.
"Oh, and tell him, if he does get into office, that I will personally rip out his soul should he fail us." Agreus continued.
"Of course, brother." Jeremiah repeated.
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