Crimson Flower

Divine Pulse

She held her eyes shut, but nothing happened. In fact, there was nothing behind her, there wasn't anything anywhere. Byleth wondered if she was dead, and if this was what she was stuck in for eternity. Dying seemed a lot more boring than it was supposed to be.

"Honestly! What are you accomplishing with that little stunt?!" Byleth recognized the high pitched, angry voice talking to her. She turned to face the mysterious girl from the dream before, she was back in the abyss the girl resided in. "It's like you're trying to get me killed, you fool!" she sighed heavily, obviously just having woken up. The girl was slouched on the throne, resting on the armrest beside her. "Well it's fine.. after all, if you don't know the value of your own life, you're not going to protect it very well, are you?" Byleth looked at her, puzzled at what she meant by that. "Course not, I guess it's up to me to guide you from now on, right?" she stood up and clapped her hands together, almost like she was scheming something. Byleth didn't exactly know what was going on but followed along anyways. "You can call me Sothis, but I am also known as 'The Beginning'."

Sothis buried her face in her hand, she seemed to have lost the excitement from before. "Hmm.. Sothis, yes, that's it," Byleth never ceased to lose herself in these visions, was this girl out of her mind? "My name is Sothis or, The Beginning, but who once called me that?"

"Sothis?" Byleth asked the girl, trying to push her into explaining what was happening. She once again noticed the whispers, were they growing louder than before?

"I was unable to recall my name, until just now," Sothis replied with a smile, she was seemingly happy to be able to refer to herself as something. "How odd," her mood flipped greatly as she scowled at Byleth, "That look, did you think me a child? A mere child who forgot her own name?!" her brows furrowed as she continued to get angier; it was only just now that Byleth noticed her pointed ears, something else she hadn't seen before. "Phooey! Well that 'child' just saved your damn life! And what exactly does that make you?"

She attempted to test Byleth, who remained completely calm, "I can tell you with certainty that I am no child."

"Ha! Such arrogance, you may look the part, are you truly an adult?" Sothis scoffed at her reply, "You threw yourself before an axe to save just one young girl, a stranger you had just met," she made valid a point. Byleth questioned herself, trying to figure out what exactly pulled herself to die for the girl. Was it her beauty? Her natural skill? "Yet all is well, I have stalled the flow of time for now. You would have died had I not intervened." Somehow, Byleth grew even more confused than before, just what was this girl? Sothis was still glaring at her, her arms crossed.

Byleth had so many questions rushing through her thoughts, but could only stifle out a quick "Thank you."

"There now, is gratitude so much to ask? I did deem you worth saving, after all." The girl was smiling again, Byleth finally let her guard down. "Though it is only momentary, time has stopped, however did I manage that.." she asked herself, apparently this time thing was new to her too.

"What will happen when time resumes?" Byleth asked the girl, hoping for some good news.

Still smiling, Sothis said, "When time resumes, the axe will tear into your flesh, and you will surely meet a painful end." Not exactly what Byleth was hoping for, she stepped back in fear. Sothis noticed her change in composure, "How rude of you to drag me into this! Now, what to do.." She rested her head in her hand once again, searching for the answer to the mess.

"Since you could stop them, is there any way to turn back the hands of time?" Byleth attempted to resolve the conundrum, it seemed like a good idea.

Sothis lit up at her suggestion, "Of course! I must turn back the hands of time!" Just like that, she closed her eyes and strange, golden symbols appeared before her. "I do believe it can be done; you really are quite troublesome," She had never received so many insults from the same person before, however, Byleth started to like her company. A time-controlling ally could be a valuable asset. "Though I cannot wind time back too far, you are now aware of what's to come, so all is well." Byleth tried to summarize what had happened, and what exactly she should have done instead.

Obviously, I should face the zealot this time. She could save the girl, and herself.

"Now go, you who bears the flames within, drift into the flow of time, and find the answers you seek."

Before Byleth could question what she was saying, time reverted itself before her, it was so bright that she closed her eyes.