Story:Alto/Chapter 6

It had been weeks since Dahlia’s warnings. The initial tension has worn off, but Clyde kept up training for the militia he had assembled. Taught them how to use their guns and weaponize farming and mining tools.

Yet he did so with mounting worries.

His role as a member of the counsel conflicted his desire to keep the town safe. So often had he heard complaints about the new training. Hands were taken away from where they needed to be. Though everything was still cared for, resources once dedicated to the town itself had been relocated to defending it.

There were those who understood. Some saw his worry and supported him. Others had faith in Dahlia's vision and helped prepare for it. But after so much time had passed, the people grew tired from being guarded against an invisible threat.

Yet being on edge had unforseen advantages.

Clyde walked through the woods. People had been hearing noises from within. Noises they hadn't recognized.

Grigori walked these paths every day. He had learned how to traverse this untamed wilderness without making any signs he had been there. Pristine, undisturbed. He, alone, had this power. By comparison, Clyde's amateur stumbling made his presence known to the world.

This did not stop him.

He followed the whirring and crackling. Going deeper into the woods. Moving closer to the source of this strange sound, until it suddenly stopped.

“Kevor, what are you doing?” Anger, fear, and relief laced Clyde's words.

“What?” The mechanic crouched next to one of his engines. It had a drill attached to it and reeked of burnt animal fat. The drill was slotted partially into another box. “I'm testing something. I needed a secluded environment. It's not as clean as the workshop, but nobody's going to distract me here.” Kevor loosed an annoyed sigh as he looked up at Clyde. “Or so I thought.”

Clyde shakes his head and looks around, taking the moment to think before the drill starts up again. It immediately caught his attention. Clyde looked down and saw that the drill was causing something within the box to light up.

“Would you believe that Grigori helped me on this?” Kevor spoke over the drill. “To think that that dumbass could help with my inventions. Although I don't think he made it all that stable.”

“Can you turn that off?” Clyde asked and Kevor obliged, though not because he was asked.

“I mean, look at this.” He pointed to the box as its glow slowly waned. “It barely holds a charge, and-” he let out a yelp of pain once his hand was on it. “Dammit!” He pulled his hand away and shook it out. “It discharges when flesh or metal touches it. At this point I'm wondering if it's better used for a prank.”

“So you've spent all your time doing this instead of helping supply the town with defenses?” Clyde didn't hide his displeasure when he spoke.

“I've been doing that, too. This is just more important.” Kevor looked up at Clyde as he spoke. “Don't worry, I'm all for wasting resources on your damn war effort.”

“War? I'm trying to stop a war!” Clyde picked up Kevor and pulled the mechanic onto his feet. “Don't you get it? If Dahlia's vision-”

“If! There's that word, if!” Kevor tried to force the rancher off of him, but the difference in strength between them was clear enough just from the sheer difference in their builds. “If it's true, everyone's still gonna be too scared to do anything. Now they're scared, stressed, and armed with weapons!” Kevor stressed the final point of concerns. Clyde let go, though not without catching the back of Kevor’s hand across his cheek, and the councilmen disengaged. “Who the hell is going to help then?”

“I will.” Grigori walks up to the two, looking between them as Clyde and Kevor stared back. “What is it I'm helping with?” He asked after a brief pause. Kevor grumbled out something the others didn't catch before powering up the engine again.

“Kevor had been playing with this instead of doing his job.” Clyde explained, lightly kicking the engine. It stutters from the kick and Kevor glares up at him.

“Well, I'm glad to see it's going well. And it seems to be charging quite nicely!” Grigori crouches down next to the box as well, shocking himself with it alongside a small grunt. Clyde just looked in disbelief at the two.

“Yeah, but keeping that charge is a problem.”

“Can at least one of you take this seriously?” Clyde spoke, interrupting their discussion.

“Well the guardian is, so I suppose I can.” Grigori stood up, immediately catching the attention of the others.

“What was that?” Clyde asked, only to hear Kevor scoff.

“He's growing restless. I think whatever's happening will come soon.” Grigori explained. He looked off into the woods. “He seems hungry for whatever it is. Maybe it's just hunting season for him.”

“Or her vision is about to come true.” Clyde's mind was racing as he stared at the ground.

“Or you two are crazy after all.” Kevor points out as he shuts off the engine. “Now if you'll excuse me, I have actual work to do.” He then picked up his equipment and walked back towards town.

“It's hard to say, but I'm not concerned. That wolf has dealt with worse in the past.” Grigori spoke, looking around the forest.

“How would we know?” Clyde asked, raising an eyebrow and looking back to Grigori.

“Well, I find strange things in the forest all the time. I’ve always assumed that wolf just ate any intruders.” Grigori pointed to the revolver at Clyde's hip when he spoke. One of the forest relics that was found years ago. The two silently reminisced its finding before hearing Kevor.

“Oh, by the way, Ryo's back!” He called out, only barely visible to each. The other two councilman look to each other. Unspoken words lead to an agreement as they hurried back to town.

A meeting was to be called early that next morning.