#payneland princes of hell au

[bigtirednoodle]

your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing - bigtirednoodle

(Part 1 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Edwin takes a deal from Despair of the Endless that sends the boys back in time to the morning of their deaths. Life paths diverge when different choices are made.

Breathe, you know the plan; Go to Hell, Find Edwin, and Get The Fuck Out. A Simple. Easy. Plan.

If only, it could be that simple or easy for Charles again. Sometimes, you have to make deals with the devil you know...

A/N: I'm so excited to share this with you all! Prologue is out right now and Chapter One will be out tomorrow.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.

[dont-offend-the-bees]

I am defo not gonna write this bc the sheer amount of worldbuilding is beyond my mental capacity rn but I would go absolutely insane for some kind of Payneland Legend of Zelda AU.

Like BOTW is what comes to mind immediately — Edwin as the clever prince, triforce of wisdom, descended from the Goddess and trying desperately to live up to his family expectations and harness his power in time to stop a great evil rising, fearing all the time that it's out of his reach and he's not good enough and he'd be better off pursuing his scientific inclinations to help shore up tactics and defences.

And his knight, Charles (who DEFINITELY talks more than Link lmao), courage incarnate, who is to be the champion that fights the great evil if Edwin fails to harness his powers, so naturally at first Edwin resents him and sees him as a symbol of his failure that he can't get away from bc it's Charles' duty to be by his side at all times, a constant reminder.

But he grows closer to him, he grows to know him and like him. He likes this strange little man with his odd goofy and feral qualities, who'd lay down his life for Edwin in a heartbeat. They confide in each other about the burdens put on them by their fathers, about what they'd do if only they ever had a choice in the matter. It's Charles who is there for him when Edwin is hollowed out, his prayers unanswered and his power unresponding. It's Charles who takes the weight of the world off Edwin's shoulders and takes it on himself.

So when the evil does return, and Edwin feels as unprepared as ever, he insists on trying to fight any way he can, even if that just means being there by Charles' side. It's Edwin crying in the mud of the battlefield when all is lost and it's all his fault. It's Charles fighting to his last, not a hope in hell of defeating the evil but if he can protect his prince, that's something, that's all that matters. And when Charles falls and a monster goes for the final blow, it's Charles' life in danger that finally awakens Edwin's power.

But Charles is dead — or near enough — and the evil has risen. Edwin cannot vanquish it alone in his state, but he can contain it. And if they hurry, there might be hope for Charles, too.

And so Charles awakens, a hundred years later in the Shrine of Resurrection. The world he knew is a war-torn ruin that nature has begun to reclaim. Most of his memories are gone, but the ghosts and ruins of the land tell him what must be done; tell him that the boy who was once his prince has been enduring a neverending torment for the last century, locking himself in the castle with the evil and doing everything in his power to keep it contained there. That only Charles can save him. He has to find allies, find his sword and, if possible, his memories. His entire life and purpose coming back to him in drips and drabs, in memories of Edwin, as he forms connections all over the ruptured land with the pockets of people descended from the survivors of the cataclysm.

In the end, it takes both of them to defeat the evil. Prince and knight, reunited after a hundred years. Two boys, sixteen and a hundred and sixteen, lost in time. Finally, they are both ready. Finally, Edwin and the land are free from torment once more; and Edwin and Charles can be together once again.

[bigtirednoodle]

i put my heart in your teeth and say, "don't bite" - bigtirednoodle

(Part 2 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Summary:

“I have changed my mind.” Lie, Again. “No, you didn’t. Now, finish the contract, Mammon." Make me yours.   And he already offered his soul, why not throw his heart on the pile at Edwin’s feet? The truth is simply that everything Charles is, was, and will be, already belonged to Edwin. He was tired of pretending that it hadn’t been the case for the entirety of their friendship.

Notes:

The fic title comes from Love in the Thoracic Cavity by Lena Oleanderson A/N: Part two is here! It's darker than Part One. I purposefully wanted these first two parts to be separate because of the difference in ratings. I'll post the related content warnings for each chapter. Part two is the end of the "intro" to the main plot, and I am excited to add the rest of Hell's Court/Allies to the mix.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.

[bigtirednoodle]

Chapter 2: "i had to return to the darkness (Chapter 1)" is out now!

Summary: Charles arrives in Hell by more traditional and yet more chaotic means.

your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing - bigtirednoodle

(Part 1 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Edwin takes a deal from Despair of the Endless that sends the boys back in time to the morning of their deaths. Life paths diverge when different choices are made.

Breathe, you know the plan; Go to Hell, Find Edwin, and Get The Fuck Out. A Simple. Easy. Plan.

If only, it could be that simple or easy for Charles again. Sometimes, you have to make deals with the devil you know...

A/N: I'm so excited to share this with you all! Prologue is out right now and Chapter One will be out tomorrow.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.

[bigtirednoodle]

Chapter 3: “i’ll show you hands ready to bleed (Chapter 2)” is out now!

Summary:

Charles knows this Prince of Hell is his Edwin.

The Mammon of Avarice is less sure of Charles, and he will confirm in the ways defined by his station.

your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing - bigtirednoodle

(Part 1 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Edwin takes a deal from Despair of the Endless that sends the boys back in time to the morning of their deaths. Life paths diverge when different choices are made.

Breathe, you know the plan; Go to Hell, Find Edwin, and Get The Fuck Out. A Simple. Easy. Plan.

If only, it could be that simple or easy for Charles again. Sometimes, you have to make deals with the devil you know...

A/N: I'm so excited to share this with you all! Prologue is out right now and Chapter One will be out tomorrow.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.

[bigtirednoodle]

Chapter 4: i can’t help it (Chapter 3) is out now!

Summary:

Sometimes the truth hurts more when it's staring you in the face

(and calling you on your bullshit.)

your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing - bigtirednoodle

(Part 1 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Edwin takes a deal from Despair of the Endless that sends the boys back in time to the morning of their deaths. Life paths diverge when different choices are made.

Breathe, you know the plan; Go to Hell, Find Edwin, and Get The Fuck Out. A Simple. Easy. Plan.

If only, it could be that simple or easy for Charles again. Sometimes, you have to make deals with the devil you know...

A/N: I'm so excited to share this with you all! Prologue is out right now and Chapter One will be out tomorrow.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.

[bigtirednoodle]

Final chapter posted!

Summary: Edwin and Charles negotiate.

Success comes to those who don't back down.

your worst sin is that you have destroyed and betrayed yourself for nothing - bigtirednoodle

(Part 1 of Payneland Princes of Hell AU)

Edwin takes a deal from Despair of the Endless that sends the boys back in time to the morning of their deaths. Life paths diverge when different choices are made.

Breathe, you know the plan; Go to Hell, Find Edwin, and Get The Fuck Out. A Simple. Easy. Plan.

If only, it could be that simple or easy for Charles again. Sometimes, you have to make deals with the devil you know...

A/N: I'm so excited to share this with you all! Prologue is out right now and Chapter One will be out tomorrow.

Shoutout to @aletterinthenameofsanity for this wonderful fic mood board idea and Payneland Party Discord for being the best collaborators.