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Chapter Text

"I forgive you Silas"

Silas' eyes had been quietly examining his master's pale fingers gripped within his ghastly clawed ones when they snapped up completely upon hearing this. "Sir? I- I don't quite understand... what are you-"

Nathaniel gave a tired smile and his previously limp hand suddenly clasped his servant's with a ferocity, "I said I forgive you Silas. For everything. For the past, for my father- for everything. I forgive you"

His eyes darted to Elizabeth Scrivener's quickly, as though drawing support from her presence, and she gave a determined nod from his side. Nathaniel gave a sad chuckle in response before continuing. "I'd meant to tell you... before. Before all of this. When Scrivener and I had made the new bargain to bring you back from the Otherworld. But alas, I didn't have the courage then and-"

The Archon gave an almighty roar from behind them that shook the very foundations of the ancient library, but Silas had tuned them all out. All he could hear were those three simple words. I forgive you.

Unremarkable by themselves, and yet together they packed a punch strong enough to stop Silas' immortal beating heart right then and there. I forgive you.

He had not realised how badly he had yearned to hear those words from his master.

A sudden unwarranted spew of ancient memories flooded Silas' mind and he gasped falling back. The late Mrs Thorn smiling up at him.The late Mr Thorn calling Silas into his study long past the witching hour in order to show him his work progress. A tiny Nathaniel running through the halls of Thorn Manor at break-neck speed, closely chased by a maid with a comb-

Silas came out of his stupor just in time to catch the tail end of the command. "Silas", said Elizabeth, "Lay waste to them all"

Everything after that was a darkness so complete, Silas did not think he would see sunlight again...

☆

"WAKE UP!"

Silas jolted awake with a start and promptly fell out of his reading 'nook'. Calling it a nook was putting it kindly, because frankly as far as Silas was concerned it was nothing but a hole in the wall. However, beggars couldn't be choosers...

"Have you even been listening to a word I've said Silariathas? I have quite a mind to beat you over the head with that book you're holding"

Silas glanced up at his long-surviving enemy, better known as Evangeline the arch-princess of the demon whelm. Clothed in the finest obsidian silk gown with her firey red hair carefully teased into ember curls, Evangeline was quite the scene for sore eyes. Her emerald studded earrings shook violently as she scowled in Silas' direction. Well this had better be good..

"What could be so important that you felt it necessary to wake me from my slumber," growled Silas as he rose to his full height and dusted off his legs, "I have half a mind to unravel and spin you into one of those balls of yarn you seem to adore so much"

"HA now wouldn't that be quite the scene," snorted Evangeline as she rolled her red eyes, "One, I'd love to see you try Silariathas, and two, I could name about a billion other things that are more important than your need for shut-eye in the middle of the DAY"

Silas picked up his worn copy of The Odyssey and sighed. He felt as though he had been having an important dream. Something about a boy.. no, a man and a woman. And forgiveness? Which was strange in itself, because demons didn't dream. And demons did not yearn for forgiveness. So what had he been seeing?

"You know what, screw you Silariathas"

The princess of darkness yanked up her skirts and stomped away with a huff. Which was just as well since Silas could feel the beginnings of a headache approaching, and he really did not have the energy for one of their usual spats today.

But it did seem as though she had been trying to tell him something important.. Silas settled The Odyssey back in it's designated place upon a hanging bookshelf before straightening his cravat. The room was far from complete, but it was slowly getting there through efforts of his alone.

Luxurious high-paned windows brought in the occasional light from outside, illuminating the many bookshelves Silas had had the pleasure of constructing in his spare time. With a desk made of the smoothest mahogany wood facing out towards the castle grounds below, Silas often found himself spectating the demons below with a quiet indifference.

His 'study', or what Silas liked to think of as his room of respite, had been quite the talk for both lower and higher stationed demon lords for a period of time. Upon rentering the demon whelm, Silas had been at a loss as to what to do next. His heart was in shambles, and there was a deep-seated sense of dread and hopelessness at the pit of his stomach that refused to go away. His memories of his time above had been utterly wiped clean as per the rules of the bargain, and he had absolutely no recollections of what events may have transpired to result in his dismissal to the Otherworld. He could not remember a single thing, and he was a mess.

This had been how Evangeline had found him.

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Chapter Text

A few months earlier..

Silas opened his bleary eyes to a smoky sky.

He was back.

The Otherworld had reclaimed him. Without a doubt, he recognised that dreary sky and he could feel his bones quietly realigning into his demon form.

The branches above him swayed from side to side on a phantom wind, as though welcoming Silas home, and he groaned. It seems he had been deposited in the middle of a forest. Black Briar forest to be exact, if those blackened briar trees nearby were anything to go by, which meant that he had to be somewhere near the Archeon's castle. After an unfortunate incident between a clumsy maid and a poorly made demon-fire torch, half the forest had quickly gone up in flames only to regrow as these blackened briar trees. Such were the ways of the Otherworld, and the forest had been renamed the following day.

But no.. He could not be here. Because his masters' were still fighting up there and they needed him. Back in the human world. His beloved masters were still in danger-

And yet Silas could not complete the thought. What had he been about to say? His masters? What were their names again?

Silas raked a hand through his bone-white hair and clenched his teeth. This cannot be happening.. Where his memories of his time above had once been there was now a grey and fuzzy mess, and yet as he strained his mind to remember he could feel.. the memories dissipating. 

"No no no", mumbled Silas as he shot up from the ground, "this cannot be happening! I refuse to forget-"

But alas, Silas had no say in the matter. For the bargain was ironclad and enforced without bias. Whence forth should a demon return to the Otherworld, rules dictated that they forget. Their time above, the people they had met, and the reasoning for their dismissal. All memories were wiped without bias. And Silas was unfortunately not an exception to this ruling.

As the remaining memories left his mind Silas held on to their smiles. A boy's cheeky and slightly aloof grin beside a girl's charming and determined smile...

☆

"Silariathas, what are you doing on the ground?"

The demon in question remained silent, hoping his lack of a response would somehow drive her away. He was not ready to face anyone yet let alone her.

The higher powers were really testing him today..

"Your princess has asked you a question Silariathas," said the voice as it drew nearer, "Surely your time above has not rotted your mind to such a degree that you have forgotten all our customs?"

Silas bit back a retort as Evangeline Archeon came into view sporting riding gear that hugged her soft curves. And they were still testing him..

"Greetings to Evangeline Archeon, arch-princess of the demon whelm", recited Silas as she came to a stop before him, "May the darkness forever heed your name"

Demon-customs now dictated that he bent on one knee with his head to her Highness' hand until she relieved him of the stance but Silas did nothing of the sort. The clearing drew quiet as they held their stand-still.

"Ever the bold demon I see", sniggered Evangeline as she slid from her werehorse, "I will let you off this time since you look as though you are still out of sorts, but next time I may not be so forgiving"

Silas rolled his eyes. "You are ever the merciful"

But the princess had suddenly gone incredibly still which gave Silas pause. Had he gone too far?

"I was merely jesting, your Highness, and I apologise if I have-"

"Why do you have an Archeon stamp on your chest?"

Silas' eyes quickly shot down to where his shirt gaped open and there it was. A six-tailed star crowned by a halo of thorns. The Archeon brand. And it was now stamped over his immortal heart. This could not be happening..

Evangeline Archeon stumbled back in shock as her red eyes met Silas'. "And your eyes.. they're red just like mine!"

Panic rose in Silas as he dragged the princess into his chest and clamped a firm hand down over her mouth. "Shhhh! Lower your voice!", he hissed as he scanned the forest around them, "Anyone could be within hearing range!"

After a few more minutes of absolute silence from their surroundings, and a couple rounds of Evangeline attempting to kick him in the ankles, Silas released his grip and sighed.

"Yuck! I can't believe you had your disgusting claws over my mouth for FIVE WHOLE MINUTES", spat the princess as she turned to her mount and fanned her pink cheeks, "rest assured that my father shall be hearing of this! You insolent, horrible-"

"Wait!"

Silas grabbed the werehorse's reins before Evangeline could mount. Everything was happening too quickly for him to process. This wasn't going how he wanted AT ALL.. everything was a mess

"I am going to have to ask- no beg, that you keep this revelation a secret your Highness", gasped Silas as a plan quickly enfolded in his mind, "Please do not speak a word of my new status to anyone. Not a soul".

The princess had been preparing for an attack on Silas' kneecaps next as punishment for touching her mare, however she gave a pause at the request and gaped up at him.

"WHAT? Are you a FOOL Silas?" she screeched as he finished fastening up his shirt and then proceeded to undo his ponytail, "What makes you think you can keep your new status as potential ruler of the demon whelm a secret from the masses? Have you lost your everliving mind?!"

But Silas continued to ignore her as he set about rearranging his hair over his eyes. If this was going to work he had to be smart. And that began with sorting out his 'alibi' and his disguise..

The princess continued, "Lesser demons spend their whole existence hoping to raise their statuses and join the ranks of the higher demons, let alone become an Archeon - and yet, here you are throwing it all away without a moment's thought? Are you insane-"

"I have no interest in ruling the demon whelm nor do I have plans to stay" said Silas as he turned back to the princess, "I am sorry if this causes offense, but the Otherworld is no longer my home"

Evangeline seemed to flinch at that however Silas had once again begun scanning their surroundings and failed to notice. "I understand that with the apparent demise of the Archeon comes the need to pick a new ruler. But that demon cannot be me". Silas paused for a moment as he took in Evangeline's pensive expression.

"It is really quite simple - as long as I remain hidden for a period of time, the castle will be forced to appoint a next of kin from the prior ruling Archeon's family. That will in turn put both you and your father in the seat of power, and you shall become ruler of us all"

Silas deftly lifted the princess into the saddle, much to her protest, before meeting her eyes. "If anyone asks, you did not see me today"

"That is all well and good," growled Evangeline, "but we have not even considered why it is that you are now stamped with the Archeon's mark and why-"

But before she had a chance to finish that thought Silas gave the mare a slap on the hind and it shot off between the trees.

That had also been the question at the fore-front of Silas' mind. Just what could have possibly gone down in the human world for such an outcome to have arisen? And how was Silas involved in it all?

But there would be time for pondering later. For now, it was time to put his plan into action..

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Chapter Text

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Silas carefully peered out from behind a briar tree before sighing in quiet relief. They were gone..

—

Soon after he had sent off the princess, Silas had begrudgingly begun making his way towards the royal castle beyond the trees.

He knew that in order to successfully execute his plan of rejoining demon-society undetected, he first required a complete makeover. Namely, for his new and glaringly obvious red eyes. But for that he needed the help of a demon who dwelled in the deepest, darkest bowels of the castle. A demon who owed him a debt..

Silas was quietly pondering how he would go about the task of infiltrating the castle when he first heard the voices of several demons up ahead. It was a group of royal guards.

Reflectively, Silas took a quiet step back and melted into the shadows behind a blackend-briar tree. This was not good..

If one of the guards were to notice him now his cover would be blown! And the questions he would be forced to answer.. Silas swallowed. He was not ready to face the truth yet. The fact that he might have been behind an Archeon's demise was troubling enough.. let alone the fact that he himself was now an Archeon and a potential ruler-

"The Princess was in quite a mood just now", said a female guard as she picked her way through the bushes, "I wonder why she told us to scout out this area?"

So the guards had been the princess' doing. Silas pinched the bridge of his nose in annoyance as he tracked the guards' movements up ahead. That dasted Evangeline..

He should have known better than to have thought that she would abide by his wishes. She was always the same..

From a young age, Evangeline Archeon had been Silas' biggest rival, contender and enemy. The term rotated with the season's change, but the emosity remained. Always a stickler for rules and tradition, Silas had to admit that he was not particularly surprised at her actions now, only that she had not gone straight to announcing the news of his status herself. Perhaps there was still a chance..

One of the guards peeled back his helmet and groaned. "She's sent us on a wild goose chase! I doubt there are any intruders to find this close to the castle"

Silas' hopes rose as they began to tread back towards the castle grounds. Another guard pulled out his sword and began swiping at the bushes as they passed, "I imagine she must be bored with Lord Silariathas still in the human whelm. You know how much she thrived in his presence"

Silas froze and glared at the chuckling guards. They continued.

"If I had a coin for every time she brought up his name I would be able to happily retire and still support my large family", laughed one of the guards.

"I honestly dread the day that Lord Silariathas returns," sighed another, "because she might very well drown us all with her tears of joy - Oh my good Lord Silariathas! How I have missed thee so!"

The guards roared with laughter at the impression and Silas' jaw twitched. It was one thing to complain about being given confusing orders, but another matter all together to gossip and speak ill of their princess. And why were they so convinced of Evangeline's infatuation with him?

Silas debated slaughtering them then and there as he watched their retreating backs but something held him to his spot. No, he would remember their faces and deal with this at a later date. He could not afford to raise alarms now, which would surely happen if a group of royal guards were to suddenly go missing.

Evangeline was likely counting on that. So Silas held back and watched as the guards disappeared amongst the trees. Punishment would come for them later..

☆

After an hour of slow progress through the forest, with the added caution of looking out for any more guards, Silas finally arrived at the edge of the castle grounds. His breath whooshed out in quiet relief upon seeing the castle walls.

Although he held no qualms about camping outside overnight, his body ached from whatever ordeals had transpired back in the human whelm, and his powers were drained. Were any creatures of the night to stumble upon him in his current state, Silas knew he would have a difficult time fending them off. So his arrival came not a moment too soon.

Silas waited for the latest guard patrol to stroll cluelessly by before heading for the hidden servant's entrance. If he remembered correctly, behind a particularly ivy covered part of the wall was.. aha! A faint outline of a door. And all it required was a small drop of demon's blood to open it.

Silas's teeth flashed in the waning light as he bit down on his thumb and pressed the open wound to the door. There was a quiet click from the locking mechanism and the door eased open on a sigh.

Without wasting another moment, Silas wiped away his bloody thumb imprint and stepped through into the royal Archeon's castle.

☆

He was in some kind of wine cellar.

Silas' eyes adjusted to the dark with feline efficiency as he noticed the rows upon rows of wine bottles collecting dust and cobwebs. It looked like this entrance had not been used in quite a while.. In fact, he was likely the last demon to have traipsed through in the past century if the thick layer of dust coating every surface was anything to go by.

Silas shivered in disgust and turned for the cellar's entrance. What he would do if he had his cleaning implements! All he required was some soap, maybe a bucket of his lemon water and vinegar concoction and this cellar would be spotless in no time. Silas tutted to himself as he gently shut the door behind him. Such a disgrace..

The hallway leading from the cellar was thankfully empty with not a demon nor soul in sight, but Silas knew he could not let his guard down yet. Quiet as the night, Silas made his way down the hall and down a flight of stairs. At the very end, illuminated by a pair of hanging demon-fire torches, was an obsidian stone door.

Silas composed himself and knocked three times. Knock, knock, knock.

There was no audible response from whatever resided beyond the black door however the torches suddenly began to sway omiously from side to side.

"Who goes there? / Step in if you so dare", whispered a chitteringly cold voice from within, "A beautiful dream or a blood-curling nightmare, / bargain with me and we'll see what I can spare"

"Enough of your chatter Eeros" said Silas as he pushed into the room, "I have come to collect the debt I am owed"

☆

Chapter Text

The room was in absolute chaos.

Paper littered the cobbled stone floor, intricate glasses and porcelain plates were strewn haphazardly around the room with some balanced on top of ancient tomes, and a strange unknown substance marred both the ground and walls. A purple mist seemed to be clinging to the corners of the room that evening and Silas felt himself grimace. In the middle of all this mess sat a demon-child.

"Glad to see things never change around here" mumbled Silas in greeting as he stepped over a creature's bone-white skull, "how is it that this room just gets worse every time I visit"

The child jumped up in surprise, knocking over a stack of documents in the process and scaring a family of demon-mice back into hiding. "SILAS! You're back!"

A huge grin split the boy's face as he leapt over books and barrelled into Silas' chest. "Oh I've missed you so much! Why didn't you tell me you were coming home?!"

Silas felt the corners of his mouth lift in a reluctant smile as Levi Archeon began an endless tirade of updates on what he and the potions master, Eeros, had been up to during Silas' absence. Clothed in a mismatched outfit of dress pants and a hand sewn sleep shirt, likely at his own choosing, Levi looked no older than when Silas had last set eyes on him.

With hair the colour of corn fields and skin speckled in the lightest of freckles, it was hard to find any immediate resemblance between him and the ruling Archeon family. Evangeline's family.

But if one were to look a little closer, in perhaps, a brightened room some place away from this dank dungeon, one might notice the single red eye which identified him as Evangeline's cast-off younger brother. Levi, the shunned. An archeon with no title nor place in demon-society. A little boy hidden away in the deepest, darkest bowels of the royal castle, like an embarrassing secret...

"So why are your eyes red?"

Silas refocused on Levi with a snap. That was why he was here. His own eyes..

The boy gently gripped Silas' face between his hands in an effort to see better with the minimal light the fireplace offered. Silas bent down to accommodate. "They're both ruby red.. like mine! Did you kill an Archeon?"

The flinch that the question brought on was entirely involuntary, but Levi continued to gaze at Silas with a blameless expression. When it came to the Archeons, the child had long since removed any emotional attachments he might have felt for his family, as a matter of survival. In fact, Levi thought to himself, if he had to choose someone he actually cared about it would likely be the demon that was currently standing before him in obvious distress of the circumstances. And possibly Master Eeros (on his good days..)

Levi gently led Silas closer to the fireplace and cleared a space on the mess strewn settee for them to perch on. "It's quite alright Silas", assured the little boy, "You won't be breaking my heart by telling me any of this. Honest! In fact, it'd actually be quite nice to get some updates about the demon-world whilst you're here!"

As a compromise from sending him away to an exiled land, in light of the scandalous nature of his single red eye, Evangeline had argued for her brother to become a shadow apprentice to the great Eeros Kay'Alis, castle potions master and part-time apothecaries. This meant that whilst Levi had not been entirely erased from society, he was still kept relatively safe and away from any prying eyes.. And thus, leaving him secluded with only the rats and an often absent master for company..

Silas leant as far back into the dirty settee as he dared and rubbed his tired face. Where was that blasted potions master when you needed him!

"If I am being entirely honest Levi, I am not sure of the answer myself.." sighed Silas as he gazed into the flickering flames nearby, "when I woke up I simply found myself in the Briar Forest with the Archeon sigil stamped upon my chest. Anything that happened before that has completely fled my mind". Silas decided to omit the fact that he had also seen Evangeline that night. No point upsetting the child further, he thought bleakly.

"And so you must understand why I am here. I require Eeros to concoct a potion that.. hides my new eye colour", he finished quietly, "And I thought I heard him spewing his silly riddle before I came through the door?" Was I imagining his voice in my exhaustion?

Levi rocked silently for a moment, as though considering an internal debate, before he jumped off the settee and raced to a wall of bookshelves. "When he heard that you'd come to collect a debt he told me to pretend that he was out and raced for the secret rooms!", the boy nimbly pulled several books from the shelf before replacing them strategically, "But I can bring you to him now! I'm not usually allowed in these rooms, unless I need to hide from visitors, but I've seen Master Eeros enter the passcode a bazillion times"

The bookshelf swung inward on a soft sigh and Levi grinned back in obvious triumph. The smile reminded Silas of someone..

But he could not for the life of him remember who.

"Silas what's wrong? Aren't you coming?"

Levi peeked out from around the shelves with a quizzical expression, "The door's going to close soon if you don't hurry!"

Silas quickly shook his head and stepped past the shelves into the encroaching darkness..

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