It was incredibly disorienting trying to figure out how to navigate the new scenery. If it could even be called that. Zeldris was in the middle of some sort of void with absolutely nothing in sight. Just an inky blackness that went on for seemingly forever as he tried not to let the cold feeling that passed through him at the sight bother him.

Merlin was right. The curse has been destroying everything. Is there... Is there even anything left to save now?

He wasn't left alone with his thoughts for long, however, as the mage on his mind appeared soon after with a similar see-through appearance to his own.

"I see... It appears the memories have been hidden entirely, pushed all the way to the subconscious by the spell. Give me a moment, and I should be able to bring them back."

He silently pleaded she was right about her assumption and that they weren't just- well- gone, like he had thought. And he was thankfully given a break for once as doors appeared in the void a moment after she uttered a spell quietly. There were several, but all of the oak doors were closed tight in rows with seemingly nothing on either side. Confusing the man as he tried to see how they could be associated to his brother's memories. Though he wouldn't be in the dark for long- both literally and figuratively- as the woman approached the first one on the left and explained.

"These doors are what your spell pushed all of his memories into. Before, this place would have been full of random moments and thoughts, and it would take careful dedication to find the ones pertinent to what we need to find. However, because of the curse, every one of his memories beyond the age he was reverted to were put in these tightly locked doors; only, some started to open slightly when he was reminded of them. Hence the pain and problems the captain has been facing since the second setback. What we need to do, is unlock and open each door to allow the memories to be free and open once more. With the spell to lessen his emotions combined with the more natural setting these memories are kept in, he should revert back and no longer have the dangers he does now."

"Do we have the time to look through all of these? Meliodas will only be asleep for a few hours."

"It should be fine; time moves differently here. And besides, I don't have much experience with this, for all we know, we only need to unlock a few, select, memories for the rest to break free. However, either way, regardless of how this is done, it starts here, at the first door."

That didn't help Zeldris's nerves much as he was worried what he would find behind some of these, but he knew that regardless, the only way to continue, was forward. So, he followed her lead as she made a key appear to unlock the very first door, before the two stepped inside their first look into the past. 

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He hadn't been sure what to expect upon entering, but it was definitely a surprise and relief when he found that it wasn't something to stress over. In fact, it was a memory related to one of his favorites with the blond. It was one related to his own sixteen birthday, as his little twelve-year old brother worked hard to get him to the picnic he planned. 

"Come oooooon, ya can't take a quick break? It's your birthday, Zel! Stop working for at least an hour, I want to see you!"

He was up to his neck in overdue papers from the other commandments slacking, and he didn't exactly have much time to get them filled out before his father would have a fit of rage over the issue. Yet still, he couldn't help but smile at his whiny sibling's attempts to spend time with him. 

"I'm sorry Mel, I just don't have the time right now. M-Maybe tonigh- wait, no, I have our brother's paperwork to go through as well- maybe.... tomorrow?"

Unbeknownst to him at the time, Meliodas wasn't just pouting because of the rejection. No, it was also because he had spent the past two weeks putting together a day full of activities for them to do together. It really was one of Zeldris's favorite birthdays, and he was still very glad to this day that he had finally relented, even though he received quite the earful from the demon king for it after. 

"Alright, fine... I guess you'll just stay here... doing stupid paperwork... alone... on your birthday. Ya know... instead of any of the things I have planned..."

He was walking away as slowly and dramatically as he spoke, and after he finally left the room with that last line, he kept his head poked in the doorway as he waited for the demon's curiosity to win out. Which admittedly only took a few minutes as the ravenette sighed and rose from his desk.

"Alright, alright. Wait up."

The boy laughed in triumph as he dragged his brother outside. Leading to an easter egg hunt filled with all sorts of riddles and inside jokes- usually with a gift right next to the clue- and a wonderful picnic at the end of the day with all of his favorite foods made by the chefs and cookies galore that Meli was very proud to say he made himself.

It was the perfect day. One Zeldris still thought about often to this day. Although now it was associated with a bit of a bad feeling, as he knew many of the memories to come wouldn't be as lovely as this one, and also that somewhere beyond this point, there relationship had gotten bad enough for the blond to leave for good. Damage the demon wasn't sure he would be able to fix. 

As the day ended with the two of them going back inside to wash up, the memory skipped and seemed to jump back to that morning at his desk. Like an odd loop of sorts that the demon wasn't quite ready to leave. But... they had far more pressing matters that took his attention more than reminiscing. Even though he was worried about what he would see play next. 

They exited the door back into the void- a stark contrast to the light and vibrant colors of the memory- before moving on to the next as Merlin unlocked it once more. Revealing another cherished memory, as many of the other doors they walked through did the same.

The first time in a sword lesson Meliodas managed to best him.

At a much younger age, the first time the boy had finally made a batch of cookies that was successful.

The times he'd have nightmares and Zeldris would comfort him.

Even some other, smaller, moments that the ravenette himself had forgotten. Like him chasing the little tot around the yard as the boy squealed and laughed when he was caught and tickled mercilessly. Or when the boy lost his first tooth and he had to sooth the child and help him calm down by reminding him that losing baby teeth was normal. 

By the time they made it through seven doors with all of the same happy themes occurring, Zeldris was smiling from the warmth renewed in his chest as he was truly reminded of all of the wonderful moments he shared with his younger brother, and by the fact that Meliodas held these moments still as well. He had convinced himself after the blond had left that the teen didn't care about all of the times they spent together, but every door they entered proved him wrong. And it made him forget more and more the anxiousness he had felt about what was to come. Until finally... the mood shifted as they entered the eighth door, revealing something the ravennete only remembered vaguely, but something that made his stomach turn all the same...

He was newly eighteen here. Accepting new responsibilities as such. Ones that... he knew he didn't handle well...

Papers lined the room like it was a part of it, taking up far more of his time compared to his bed. Likely what added to his irate attitude. When he wasn't in here working through kingdom complaints from citizens of the demon realm, he was out there on the battlefield with the other commandments wiping out as many humans as possible for the war their father demanded. After all, the more demons recruited to fight, the more souls they needed to feed them. And as one of the leaders of those men as a ten commandment, there was a very significant amount of pressure on the young adult. He was given the role of executioner by his father; he represented him in battle! What would people say if he started to fall behind on his duties? It wouldn't stand. So, he kept working. Allowing that same work to consume every other area of his life. Including a part of it that used to mean everything to him. His part of his life that he shared with his little brother, Meliodas. The very same boy meekly walking through the door, completely unnoticed by the disheveled demon in front of him.

"H-Hey, Zel. How's work going?"

He seemed nervous, and a bit down. Something he noticed now, while he remained completely oblivious to it back then. 

"It's fine. What do you want?"

He winced at his own tone, knowing now that it was the same one, he used when Meliodas had first been turned back into a kid as he felt guilt weigh heavier on him at hearing the harshness of it from a different perspective. No wonder the boy thought he had done something wrong and wrote those apology notes. 

"I was just coming in to check on you. You didn't come down for dinner... again."

The voice in which the blond spoke was more sad than angry, but there was a slight bitterness to it that seemed to extend to more than just this one incident, making the man wonder exactly when this started, and if his absence alone had caused the rift. 

"I'm just- really busy, Mel. I don't have time to eat dinner with you at the moment."

He was so frustrated, Zeldris still remembered that feeling now, the feeling of drowning in work you were too inadequate to overcome alone. However, he hadn't realized until now that he had clearly been taking out that anger on his brother through agitation and exacerbation.

"R-Right, I understand. I was just wondering if maybe... tonight you could make an exception? You wouldn't have to stay very long, we already ate dinner, it would just be for dessert-"

The man slammed a paper down, reaching his breaking point. This was too much. All of it. He had so much to do, and now there was another thing demanding his attention? There wasn't any room for anything else. He already cut out sleep and two meals a day, he had nothing else to give. Every moment was accounted for, and he couldn't do anything else. This was ALL he had!

"What do you want from me!? Look Meliodas, I don't have time! So please for the love of purgatory drop it! Why can't you seem to comprehend that I don't have time for any of your foolishness!? Ugh, please, just GO!"

He didn't even look back. He didn't even turn around to see the way he just hurt his brother. But Zeldris now could see it clear as day. Meliodas's eyes got dim as he looked to the side vacantly at nothing, before he swallowed hard and walked off. The worst part being, that he didn't even seem surprised, and that even after he acted so horribly, the blond still made excuses for him in his mind. 

It...It's fine. He's just stressed out and it isn't like my birthday is that big a deal anyway. It's more important that he takes care of this first so he can get some rest. I'm worried about him. Besides now that I'm fourteen, maybe I can finally help out with this war and take something off of Zel's plate. 

Zeldris felt sick to his stomach as the memory looped, guilt and disgust with himself didn't even begin to explain all that he was feeling. However, before he could delve deeper into the self-loathing, something started to happen. The ground beneath himself and the mage began to shift as he braced himself in alarm from the movement. 

"W-What's happening, Mage?!"

"Y-Your power isn't enough! The emotion from this memory is closely connected to another I fear, and it's too overwhelming! He's rejecting us from his mind as his curse works to close the door again. "

The demon didn't even have time to respond or react as he jolted awake next to the mage who did the same, a grave look on her face as Zeldris found it was possible to feel worse than he already did. 

"It's not enough. I'll have to give him another dose of the sleeping spell, and then if we are to press forward... we will need the help of another commandment. Otherwise, his mind will reject us every time to keep him from reliving what's to come." 

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