There was an orange glow that danced over the horizon and Byleth could hear the screams even before they reached the hill that overlooked Remire village.
"Let's pick up the pace," Jeralt broke out into a gallop.
Byleth followed close behind with Shamir at his side. He could hear his students' footsteps quicken. His chest felt tight, as if someone were standing on it. Solon was no doubt waiting for them, but the thought that he might also be accompanied by Monica and maybe even the Death Knight made him uneasy.
Byleth might be able to take on any one of them, but if they planned to make a stand here and now, he was unsure his students would be ready.
Jeralt came to a sudden stop at the top of the hill. His eyes peered downward though he did not say a word. It was only a moment before Byleth saw what he did as he came to stop beside his father.
Remire village was not a large town, but no less than half of the residential shacks and buildings had been set ablaze. Their flames danced wildly and emphasized the shadows of the villagers that ran frantically past the fires.
From this distance, it was hard to tell who had been afflicted and who was in fear for their lives.
"It's..." Annette had reached them at the top of the hill, "it's horrible!"
"We must get down there!" Ferdinand began moving forward, but Byleth put his arm across his chest to stop him.
"We have to assess our battlefield first," Byleth simply replied.
"B-but... the villagers!" Ferdinand protested.
"I know it's hard," Byleth did not feel like explaining himself, but he knew his students would easily rush head-first into the battle without a plan. "But we must first identify the characters of the infected and strongholds."
"Is that...'' Jeralt narrowed his vision as he stared at something in the distance. "Is that Tomas?"
"Tomas?" Flayn breathed heavily. "Hopefully he has not been injured!"
Byleth followed his gaze to see the old librarian standing on an opposite hill, and beside him, the Death Knight. He could barely see them through the rising smoke.
"He certainly doesn't seem to be in any danger," Jeralt clenched his jaw. His voice was barely audible over the myriad of overlapping screams. Some were shrieks, some called out the names of a loved one, others pleaded for their lives.
It was true. Tomas stood on the hill and peered down at the carnage. However, Byleth already knew Solon was only there to revel in his destruction.
He returned his eyes to the town below and watched the villagers carefully.
"My teacher," Edelgard squeezed her way to stand beside him. "How much longer must we wait?"
"There," Jeralt ignored the students. He lifted his finger and pointed at what appeared to be three strange villagers. "Look at their arms, they're not moving to and fro."
Byleth followed his finger and saw what he meant. As they ran, they spun their arms wildly, not as a normal person would.
"Alright," Byleth nodded his head. "Stay in your groups, protect each other and target the villagers that are moving erratically."
"Target the residents?" Ingrid lifted her brow as she scrunched her face.
"They're killing each other," Byleth answered. "Our first priority is to protect those that aren't affected. Lysithea, stay close to Shamir."
"Understood," Shamir nodded.
"But professor-"
"She'll protect you," he interrupted her.
"My teacher, surely you don't mean to face them alone," Edelgard looked up to his face.
Byleth began to walk down the hill, "if we have any hope of freeing the affected, I have to."
Edelgard trotted down the grass, a short distance from her professor, "then I shall go with you."
The class followed close behind as they weaved in and out, forming their teams.
"Lady Edelgard, I must object," Hubert picked up his pace. "I cannot allow you to face them without me."
"Don't leave Dorothea alone!" Byleth could feel the adrenaline beginning to pulse through his veins as they rapidly approached the chaotic village.
"I've got her covered," Shamir ran, she had not yet unsheathed her weapon but she preferred to do so only moments before she would strike.
Damnit. Byleth did not want Edelgard anywhere near Solon and Jeritza but she seemed determined to defy his instruction, just as Lysithea had done.
But it was not the time to argue. He narrowed his eyes at a few villagers near a burning hut. Byleth knew he couldn't just pass them by on his way to Solon and let the cards fall where they may.
He quickly unsheathed his pale sword and flicked his arm behind him as he ran. The Sword of the Creator glowed as it unchained itself.
Byleth took a double step and forcefully flung his arm. His chain whipped forward faster than he could follow. It struck a rabid villager as it tore a gash through his back and he fell to the ground with a thud. He quickly flicked his arm back to recall his sword.
He could see Edelgard give her axe a twirl as she approached a resident. He turned his body to face her, he foamed at the mouth as he narrowed his focus.
"Kill!" His arms and shoulders darted wildly in the air, as if they were being controlled by something else.
Edelgard brought her arm up with all of her might and sliced the affected villager up his stomach to his chest. She did not cease her motion, instead she spun her body and brought her axe across her body, burying her blade deep into another rabid resident's chest.
Byleth quickly scanned his surroundings as he saw his students intermingle with the frantic villagers.
He kept his blade solid as he dashed forward. A woman tripped and attempted to scramble to her feet, but her pursuer was quicker. Byleth leapt into the air as he thrusted his sword through his back.
"M–my daughter!" The woman stood on her feet as she peered at Byleth. He pulled his sword from the lifeless body and let it fall to the ground.
"Get out of the village!" Byleth waved his hand as he turned his head to find his next target. There was no way around it, he would have to fight his way through to Solon.
"Please! I have to find her!"
"You'll be no good to her dead," Byleth stated. "I will find her. Now get out!"
The woman didn't answer as she gave him an uncertain nod, her whole body trembled. He did not wait to see if she had fled, instead, he turned his body and focused on his next target.
Three rapid villagers faced him, their heads jerked erratically.
"Darkness! Kill!" They ran toward him.
Byleth pushed off his right foot and swung his blade upward, then across his body and finally thrusted the tip of his sword forward. Each strike was fatal as the villagers fell to the ground behind him.
