Story:Alto/Chapter 7

“Stop trying to be tough and hold still.” Grigori walked up to Dahlia and Ryo sitting in one of the communal halls. She attempted to bandage up cuts and scrapes on Ryo’s body. Only his sword arm was saved from injury, but no permanent damage could be seen. Others were gathered around the house as well. People who had turned to Ryo for guidance before he left. No words were spoken beyond Dahlia’s grumbling, but a lingering question brewed in everyone’s mind.

Grigori, himself, simply stood idly by. Ryo knew what everyone wanted to know. Nobody needed to ask. That’s what Grigori thought to himself. It became a game of patience, watching Dahlia patch up her counterpart in this town.

“The hell’s in that tower that got you so bad?” Kevor asked as he walked in. Arms crossed, back bent slightly forward, and his eyes piercing through the tense atmosphere straight to Ryo.

“I’ll explain later. For now we should have our meeting. I have news.” Kevor scoffed at Ryo’s non answer. The three councilmen looked to Clyde, who had been standing silently in a corner. Dahlia focused on her work, but made brief eye contact and nodded to show she was paying attention.

“Very well.” Clyde spoke slowly, slower than usual, as he walked forward. The five sat in a circle, with everyone around to hear. It began to rain outside. Drops hitting the roof and walls echoed through the building.

To Grigori, the sounds of rain and Dahlia’s patchwork was calming. But he could see others still tense from Ryo’s return.

“Ryo.” Clyde began the meeting proper by speaking a single name. “What can you tell us about the tower?” Silence as Ryo took a deep breath, collecting his thoughts. His head hung low. His eyes searched the floor for an answer.

“For now, what I saw at its peak.” Ryo lifted his head up and looked around. “I saw an army. In that army I saw men wearing armor that looked as though it was forged onto their skin. Only their leaders seemed truly human to me.” His voice was shaky, but not as much as the hands that tended to his wounds.

Dahlia looked straight at Ryo. Her warnings, which had caused strife these past weeks, had been backed up by Ryo’s claims. Whispers returned.

“Sounds like Dahlia’s vision. How close are they?” Clyde looked between the two messengers as he asked. Grigori could tell that his mind was racing. Everyone’s was.

“Maybe a day or two. They’re very close, but I don’t expect this meeting to be interrupted.” Ryo stood up, ignoring Dahlia’s motions for him to stay seated. “I saw the town, as well. I saw how everyone prepared for what is to come. I had feared that I would not return down in time. You’re preparations are going well, but this is a force of a few hundred. Even with those wolves protecting us, it will be an uphill battle.”

“Wait, wolves?” Dahlia asked, gently grabbing Ryo and trying to make him sit down again to little avail. “There’s more than one?”

“Two. The one we see is the guardian, but he has a partner. They work together.” Ryo gently pushed Dahlia away as he answered. “But they cannot be expected to fully protect us. Especially not when the invaders have a magician in their mists.”

“Magician? Wolves?” Kevor scoffed again. “Did you hit your head on the way down? I’m willing to believe in an army coming to take our land, but what’s all this nonsense? What’s next, an angel spoke to you?”

“An angel is the only reason I’m alive to tell you all of this.” Ryo walked up to Kevor. The two were face to face, able to feel and smell each other’s breath.

“Sounds like a concussion to me.” Kevor didn’t move an inch upon the approach. There was barely enough room between them to contain the intensity of their eye contact. “Might want Dahlia to check that out.”

“Ignorance begets arrogance with you, doesn’t it Kevor?”

“Alright, that’s enough.” Clyde pulled them away from each other, stopping whatever was about to happen. “Either way, we need to make sure people will be safe.”

“If they’re bringing an army we may as well surrender.” Kevor waved a hand in front of him as he began to walk off. “Less people die that way. But whatever, if the rest of you want to commit suicide then I’ll sign your damn pact.” He allowed no other words to be spoken to him as he walked off. Whispers argued over these words. Fear sided with Kevor, pride defied him.

“I’ll go talk to him. You three finish this up.” Clyde jogged off after Kevor. The remaining councilmen turned to each other.

“Then, how do we defend ourselves?” Dahlia asked, her fears washing unto the crowd.

“We fight. That’s the first step.” Grigori looked around. None believed his words, despite it being obvious advice. “Ryo, you can train us as well, yes?”

“Of course.”

“But how much can you teach in just a short amount of time?” Dahlia asked, drawing everyone’s attention again. “As Kevor said, if it comes to it we can fight, but… wouldn’t it be safer to just-”

Ryo cut off her words. “They will not accept a surrender. They are invaders. Conquerors. That is what I have seen. If the people cannot accept that, then we all die!” The final words were stretched. Emphasized. Directed at the people, rather than the girl he was facing. Dahlia stood, stunned, and retreated her words. Silence again filled the air.

“If anyone wishes to not fight, then your only path to safety is to leave the forest. Anyone who wants to save our town, save Alto, will meet me in front of the tower tomorrow.” Ryo then sits down, motioning for Dahlia to attend his wounds again.

The people funnel out. Some linger on to speak with him, but Ryo offers no words. He is visibly tired from everything that’s happened. Yet the remaining council stay inside. Grigori has nothing to say, Dahlia focused on treating her patient, and Ryo stared at the floor. What feels like an hour passes before Dahlia silently leaves. She had finished before then, but the persistent atmosphere was too much to handle.

“I saw you, as well.” Ryo pointed out. He and Grigori were alone, but neither looked to each other. “That forest isn’t very thick when viewed from the top of the tower.”

“And what did you see?”

“You know what I saw. I don’t much care for your plan. It’s going to fail.” Ryo finally looked up, with Grigori’s head pointed towards a window. Rain fit this conversation.

“If we live, it succeeds. I have full faith that these raiders can be repelled.” Grigori turned his head towards Ryo. “Besides, killing me now won’t change much.”

“I wouldn’t kill you either way. It’d just ruin everyone’s faith in me. Instead, it’s best that everyone sees who you really are.” The two stood in silence, staring at each other. Ryo got up before too long and walked out. But he stopped briefly to whisper into Grigori’s ear. To lock eyes with him one final time that night.

“But do not mistake this warning as mercy, Delta.”