#what if el DIED and was brought back to life by twsitd

[frozenartscapes]

Near-Death Experience - FE3H Fic

So if the title doesn’t give it away, things get dark. If gore isn’t your thing, I’d give this one a pass.

[Part Two]

---

“Ok, so this is going to sound...crazy.”

“My Love, there have been so many ‘crazy’ things from you in the past, that very little fazes me anymore.”

Byleth drew a deep breath. “Ok, so... You know how Rhea... My heart wasn’t...my heart until after Fhirdiad, and...” She paused. Why was this so hard? “It meant that for a time I could... Talk to the goddess. Erm, Sothis, to be exact.”

Edelgard blinked. “Sothis. The goddess,” she repeated, mulling the thought over, “What was she like?”

“Small.” Byleth winced. Though she hadn’t been able to hear Sothis for years, she could still imagine her insulted gasp at the thought. “Nothing like what the Church depicted her as. She had long green hair, pointed ears, and a tongue sharper than anyone’s. Even Claude.”

Edelgard said nothing, and at first Byleth thought she had lost her. But she had that look on her face. That haunted expression that crept up into her beautiful features every time a long-buried memory was dredged up. “Was she a child?” Edelgard uttered, staring off into oblivion in a manner that was beginning to worry Byleth, “Gentle, but mischievous? Acted immature, but had these moments that hinted at her being far wiser than her appearance suggested?”

“I... Yeah. How do you know that?”

“I...I think I met her, once.”

---

Darkness had become a welcome thing. Before, it hid all kinds of terrors that waited to do who knows what, but now... Now it hid all the gruesome sights her psyche could not bear to witness anymore. She knew it was all still there around her. She could smell it. She could hear it. Sometimes she could even taste it. The rot. The blood. The mold and mildew and stagnant water and the bugs and rats. She started closing her eyes when they entered the cell, carrying a small flame so they could pick out the few still alive from the corpses. Just a little bit of light, her soul craved it. But the light showed her what had become of them and she just... She couldn’t bear it.

She knew she would be joining them soon.

She no longer had the energy to move, to fight. The iron shackles around her wrists had cut so deep she could feel her bones grinding against them. So she tried her hardest not to squirm. She couldn’t remember a time when her body didn’t ache, when there wasn’t some part of her in searing pain, while another throbbed with a continuous agony. Every cut they made had been left to fester, stitched haphazardly and left exposed to the filth in the cell.

Every breath came weak and raspy, her lungs burning as if the air was on fire.

Her heart sputtered and lurched, stopping and starting at an odd and painful rhythm. Like a horse that had been shot by a poisoned arrow.

She laid on the ground, in the darkness. About an inch of stagnant water and goddess knew what else surrounded her. It must be raining - if it rained a lot the cell would flood just a little.

She used to love playing in the rain.

She had no way to tell if her vision was going black, but slowly, everything went numb, and the unpleasantness of the cell disappeared.

“Oh you poor thing. Rise, my Child. You’re safe now.”

A voice. She’d never heard that voice before. She blinked, realizing that the darkness was giving way to a strange, ethereal green light. Slowly, she pushed herself up - only then realizing that she had the strength to do so.

And the chains were gone. So was the cell.

She lifted her eyes further, and she saw her. Another child. She didn’t look that much older than her, but...she felt older.

“Another one, I see,” this strange child muttered, a disgusted look flashing across her features, “When will this suffering end?”

“Who...who are you?”

The strange child tilted her head. “Is it not obvious?” she said. Then she sighed. “I apologize. You’ve clearly been through a lot. My name is Sothis.”

Sothis. That’s when she noticed the ears - long and pointy. And the ceremonial robes. And the aura surrounding her.

“You’re the goddess,” Edelgard breathed.

“Ah, you’re one of the smart ones!” Sothis observed with a smile, “Figured it out in no time! I like you, Child.”

“Am I-”

“I’m afraid so,” Sothis interrupted, her voice quiet and comforting, “But fear not. You will not feel any pain, ever again.” She reached out a hand, and smiled a warm smile. “Come, Child. I’ll take you to the others.”

Edelgard reached, but something caught her arm before she could touch those slender fingers. Metal against bone. Searing pain shot down her arm. Both arms. Then her chest. Then her head.

She reared back, curling in on herself, screaming as white hot fire coursed through her veins.

“Dammit, those bastards,” Sothis hissed. But then her voice turned urgent, almost desperate, as she dropped to her knees before the Princess. “Listen to me: your fight is not over. I wish I could do more for you, I do. But your strength comes from within your heart, not from me. Live, Edelgard, you must. I’ll do my best to watch over you, I promise.”

Edelgard could only let out a choked sob in reply, and her vision began to cloud and fade as more fire consumed her from within. Sothis and the green light dissolved into nothingness.

And with a sudden jolt and a strangled scream, she awoke on that horrid metal table, ribcage torn open and copious amounts of magic pumping into her exposed heart.

When they threw her back in that cell, her body too weak and sore to move once again, she knew this time was different. Whatever fever dream she had before this most recent operation was gone, her memory such a fractured mess it was likely lost forever. But now, despite the pain in her lungs and the lurch of her heart, something felt different. Strength. Stamina... Something was keeping her alive.

She felt it flicker, move inside of her, and she managed to reach one hand out before her to allow it to gather in her palm, whatever it was.

Delicate little tendrils of purple magic swirled around her hand and mangled fingers. Funny...she never used to be able to do that...

She passed out again, but this time her heart kept beating.

---

“...El...”

“I’m surprised I remembered,” she admitted, “It all feels like a dream, but...” She looked to her wife, the woman who once was the vessel for the Progenitor God and while merged with her saved her life more than she could count.

El smiled. “She kept her word.”

#for some reason my brain was like #what if el DIED and was brought back to life by twsitd? #like...in a creepy science experiment way? #like she's the last of their lab rats so they NEED her #but she's suffering the same issues as the others did #so they develop brutal ways to rip someone back to the world of the living #she's the first one it works on #ooh new headcanon #because of this her body was then prepped to receive the crest of flames #i need to go to bed #before i think of any more angst #fe three houses #angst #fanfic #edelgard #byleth #sothis