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Thunder crackled overhead as the last blow was struck against the remaining demonic beast. The students who had fled from the chapel ruins gathered round, a few injured, but no casualties. Mercedes had rushed to the side of the injured student, comforting them with soothing words as she healed their wounds. Flayn rushed to her side to assist.
“I think that was all of them.” Dimitri looked over and saw Felix sheathing his sword. “That was quite a fight.”
Ingrid frowned. “There were other students in danger, and all you care about is how good the fight was?”
Felix shrugged, waving down Sylvain and Annette as they swept the area. Ashe stood nearby with Dedue, too nervous to put away his bow.
“Are you sure that was all of them?” He asked shakily. “They seemed to be appearing out of nowhere.”
“I am quite certain.” Dedue assured him, looking over to where the other students were filing around Mercedes.
“Where is the Professor?” Dimitri found himself asking.
“She was with Sir Jeralt,” Flayn answered, brushing her hands off on her uniform. “They went into the chapel to investigate.”
Thunder cracked ahead again, and Ashe nearly jumped out of his skin. The rain began trickling down, and quickly turned into a hard downpour.
“Where is this rain coming from?” Ingrid shouted over the sound, holding her shield up to block the rain from her face. “It was sunny an hour ago.”
“I don’t know,” Dimitri shook his head. “But I’m worried about the Professor.”
“She will be fine.” Felix answered. “She’s the most capable person here, aside from her father.”
“Felix is right, we should worry more about getting these students back safely. Especially in this weather.” Ingrid added.
Dimitri grimaced. “I’m afraid I’ll have to insist that you go ahead without me. I must check on the Professor. I have a bad feeling.”
Felix scoffed, shaking his head. “Fine, go check. I suppose the rest of us will finish this up ourselves.”
Ignoring the obvious note of bitterness in his voice, Dimitri thanked him and rushed toward the main ruin. The rain seemed to splash down harder and harder with each step he took. Visibility was quickly decreasing, and he worried more and more about his Professor. She usually did not stay away for so long. He hoped that she and her father were not facing another demonic beast alone.
He ducked under an arch and when he entered the ruined chapel, he noticed it was nothing but a courtyard now as the ceiling had crumbled away decades ago. In the distance, he saw blurry figures close to the ground, and a slight glow.
Byleth knelt over her father, her hands glowing brightly and desperately working at his side. Jeralt’s face was slack and bloodless. Dimitri had seen many corpses before. He knew how to tell a dead man from a living one. Shock ran through his system like a splash of ice-cold water. How could this have happened? Jeralt was alive and well when he last saw the man ten minutes before.
An odd sound came from Byleth, and he realized she did not know he had approached. Her hands quit glowing, and simply gripped her father’s tunic until her knuckles turned white. Her head lowered to the corpse’s chest and she made a little sound, and then another, and finally let out a muffled wail. The sound cut through him like a knife in his heart.
He knelt next to her, mud wetting his knees, and his hands went to her shoulders as gently as he could manage. Her face turned upward towards him. Tears flowed freely from her eyes; her face was contorted with excruciating grief. She sniffed and her hand came up to wipe at her nose.
“Dimitri…” Her voice was so small. “My father- He’s-“ She choked on a sob. He pulled her into his chest just as she let herself fall into him. She buried her face in his shirt. Sobs wracked her body, shaking her shoulders and back as he held her. He knew very well the pain that came with watching your father killed before your very eyes. He wanted more than anything to take that pain from her. He would’ve taken that pain on to himself if need be, if only to assure that she would never have to endure it. He rested his cheek atop her head and tried to comfort her with a hand caressing her back, but she did not calm.
“Professor! Your highness!” Dedue and Felix had come looking. As they approached, Felix’s face fell.
“Oh my god.” Felix went to a knee next to Jeralt, bringing a hand to his neck and quickly recoiling.
“How did this happen?” Dedue laid another hand on the Professor’s back. “Who did this?”
Dimitri quickly shook his head at his friend. “Professor, you don’t need to speak just now. We should get you safe, and out of this rain.”
“No!” Byleth shot back, her hands firm on his shoulders. “I can’t leave him here!”
“We won’t leave him.” Dimitri locked his eyes with her and promised. “I promise you, we are not going to leave him.”
Byleth nodded weakly, and he pulled her back to his shoulder. “Dedue, Felix, can you manage Jeralt? I am going to help the Professor.”
“I think I can manage, Felix.” Dedue gently grabbed the knight, lifting him into his arms. Dimitri felt a tinge of guilt. With his strength, the job would’ve been easier for him, but he couldn’t bear to pull the Professor’s clinging hands from his shirt.
Dimitri’s hands went beneath the Professor’s legs, lifting her as gently as he was able. She gasped, grasping his shirt harder.
“Dimitri, you don’t have to-“
“It’s okay, Professor.” He adjusted his grip on her so that he was surer. “I wouldn’t make you walk all the way back in your condition. Please, allow me to help.”
She nodded, resting her head against him again as they began the long walk back to the monastery in the rain.