Sealer of Your Fate

Behind the Scenes

Welcome to the Behind the Scenes chapter, where I give you hidden details from the story that you may have missed!

First off - as a practicing witch myself, I must advice (nay, beg) that none of you ever try to date and/or fuck a demon, haha! There are references to actual witchcraft practices and all of the demons in this story (except for Violet, Chris and Amaris, obviously) are referencing actual demons from demonology - which, yes, is an actual field of study.

That being said, here's a guide to all of the demons in this story, even if their part is very small, in order of appearance/mention:
* Merihem - This demon is at times associated with lust, but is most notably known for causing illness and plagues among humans. This is why he is in charge of "diagnosing", and also why he says Amaris has a "fever" when it becomes clear that she has begun to lust for Chris.
*Asmodeus - The demon in charge of lust. This is why Asmodeus is also clearly able to tell that Amaris is lusting for Chris as she grows older, and also why he so eagerly knows that Chris and Amaris would have to have sex in order for the demonification ritual to be complete.
*Balam - This demon is something of an oracle, able to see the past, present, and future. However, given that there are an infinite number of possibilities for the future, Balam is able to see them all, including the one that actually ended up happening for Chris and Amaris. He mainly discusses these possibilities for the future with Asmodeus and Merihem, because it is obvious that either Amaris and Chris were going to end up together, or Amaris would eventually grow old and sick and die.
*Beelzebub - The demon of gluttony. This is why he is always offering Amaris snacks.
*Samael - The demon of death. When Asmodeus and Merihem are discussing the possibility that Chris may try to cheat Amaris's death when she got older, it is said "Samael" won't like that because he is in charge of death.
*Leviathan - The demon of envy. This is why, in Chapter 2, he asks Amaris if there is something she feels she's lacking.
*Mammon - The demon of greed. This is why, in Chapter 2, he asks Amaris if there is something she wants more of.
*Allocer - This demon is known for being a teacher (as are many other demons). He's well-versed in literature, astrology, fine arts, etc. which is why I made him in charge of the library.
*Azazel - This demon is known for vanity, and is also known for introducing cosmetics to the humans, which is why I made him the demon that makes all of Amaris's dresses.
*Lucifer - This one should be obvious. In terms of the seven deadly sins though, he is the demon of pride. It is also true that the literal translation of his name means "bringer of light" or "The Morningstar" which is why I made his hair, eyes, and clothing completely white, along with giving him a lighter throne room.
*Eligos - This demon is a knight and a warrior. He is a war strategist and is known for having vast and hidden knowledge.
*Lilith - This perhaps is also a familiar name to some of you. In mythology, Lilith started out as a human, being Adam's first wife before Eve. She did not wish to submit to Adam, therefore she fled the Garden of Eden and was cursed as a demon. This is why Amaris asks Chris how Lilith became a demon if she started out human - however, she did not undergo the same demonification process that Amaris underwent. For Lilith, becoming a demon was supposed to be a curse. Depending on what mythology you read, Lilith is at times paired with Lucifer, Leviathan, or Samael, but I chose to pair her with Lucifer in this story.
*Namaah - This demon is a succubus mentioned in The Zohar, a text of Jewish mysticism. There is no particular reason why I decided to make this particular demon the "villain" of the story other than the fact that I wanted a succubus (a sex demon) to be jealous of Amaris and Chris.
*Orcus - The demon of the underworld.

There are also several mentions of things having to do with witchcraft and spirituality, so here's a vocab lesson if any of that was confusing to you:
* The Astral Realm - If you've seen the movie "Insidious" then you've probably heard of the term Astral Projection. This is a very real phenomena, though not usually as dangerous as it is portrayed to be in the movie. It is believed that your consciousness leaves your body and that you travel to a middle plane of existence, known as the astral, filled with various spirits and entities. It is believed that both humans and spirits (such as ghosts, angels, demons, gods, etc) can travel to and from the astral realm.
* Trickster Spirits - Exactly that; spirits that wish to trick you or cause you harm by making you believe that they are something benevolent, such as an angel or a passed on loved one.
*Grimoire - A book or journal where a witch writes down their spells, rituals, etc.
*Sigil - A specialized occult symbol meant to represent a specific entity or phenomena.
*Ritual Bath - Many rituals and spells advice or require bathing beforehand; thus, it is called a ritual bath. Sometimes various herbs and oils are added.

When Amaris is exploring the library for the first time in Chapter 2, she comes across a grimoire called Galdrakver. This is a real grimoire that actually exists, written in 1670 in Iceland on animal skin.

In demonology, many of the demons have spouses, children, and even grandchildren, which is why I included that aspect into this story. Also, there are many demons who are considered royalty, especially those representing the seven deadly sins, which is why I incorporated status and royalty into this story as well.

And finally, just something cute: when Amaris and Chris begin their new lives, it is mentioned that they relocate to a new palace near the Sea of Monsters. This is a direct reference to Chapter 7, when Chris changes the Annabelle Lee poem to say, "And together, they lived happily, in their kingdom by the sea, for all eternity". It's a way of showing that the two of them truly gain their happily ever after together.

An explanation of Chris and Amaris's imprint

Under normal circumstances, when a human receives a guardian demon, a circular scar will appear on the demon's hand as a symbol of allegiance to their human. The human does not usually receive an identical scar - that is, unless an imprint occurs, such as in the case of Chris and Amaris.

There are two ways that an imprint can occur - naturally, or forced. Violet's parents' imprint was natural, as in, it formed on its own. As stated in the story, an imprint does not always lead to love or sex. However, it is a strong emotional bond. So much so, that when the human who shares the imprint dies, the demon is so overcome with grief, that they end their own lives.

Then, there is forced imprints, which was the case for Chris and Amaris. When Carlotta forced the imprint, she did not necessarily intend for Amaris and Chris to fall in love, but knew that it was a possibility. Carlotta saw it as the only way to ensure her daughter would have a good and safe life.

Chris had only about half of the information about him and Amaris for the first part of the story. He didn't realize that he had imprinted on Amaris until he was told. However, he was aware that he and Amaris had an incredible bond, and knew that the two of them touching the scars on their hands, the light-centers, would make the two of them become one for all eternity. Chris feared that this would take away Amaris's humanity and freedom, which was why he never allowed them to touch. Also, he knew that if the two of them became one, when Amaris died, a part of him would die as well.

Once Chris realized there was an imprint, and he and Amaris had fallen in love, he came to the realization that touching their light centers together would mate them for life. This is why, for the "ritual" that turns Amaris into a demon, there is an optional last step for them to join their light-centers. Not everyone who undergoes the demonification ritual has light-centers, but Chris and Amaris do because of their imprint.

I think that's all of it - did I miss anything? Let me know if y'all have any questions!