Days before the church heist, Reks stood before Loche in his special little room. Normally only members of Loches harem had the privilege to enter such a room, but in Loches' mind it was a special occasion. 

"He is three months past due, Reks, it's time you bring the boy to me," Loches voice waxed in and waned as he spoke, "I've been waiting for this day, it's about time he gives me what he owes."

Recks bit his lip, his knuckles turning white as he clenched his fists, "no, Loche," he flinched, then breathed a proverbial sigh when Loche did not retaliate. Loche watched the boy intently, a bemused look plastered to his thin pale face, egging Reks to continue, "he's just a boy, don't, don't do this to him."

"I am not a charity, Reks, why shouldn't I expect remuneration in exchange for what I provide?"

"Then let me pay for him instead," Reks offered, a deep pit growing in his guts.

"Pay for him?" Loche cackled, "don't forget you're still in debt to me too," his eyes narrowed and his tone mellowed, "he knows the rules, if you can't pay with money, you pay with your body. It's time he joins my happy little harem." 

Reks scanned the room taking in the many sullen downcast eyes of the boys that sat tethered to Loche by leash and chains. The pit in his stomach became a chasm, "then give us a job!"

"A job? The boy's body is fragile, what possible work can he be suited to?" He clicked his tongue, "no, Silver belongs here with me and my boys."

"I'll help him, we can do it together, whatever it is, just please give him more time!"

With a hiss he narrowed his eyes and asked, "if that's how it is, then please tell me, what job can you possibly do that would pay off both your debts?"

Reks thought for just a moment, and blurted out the one thing he could think of, "St. Agustu’s Cathedral!"

"The cathedral, what of it?"

"Rumors say the kings been paying a big tithe or somethin, they're doing something for the crown and are gettin paid handsomely for it," Reks explained, "we can steal the money from the coffers, it should be way more than we need."

 The man nodded with a sickening grin, "I too have heard about the king's involvement with that church. I have eyes on the place too, of course," he furrowed his brow and sighed, "Silver does not steal money though, or did you not know?"

"Silver's a demon, they shouldn't have any qualms taking from God."

Rolling his eyes Loche dismissed him, "then bring him here and let him decide. If he agrees to take the job then I will give it to him."

"We won't let you down," Reks assured him.

"We will see, we will see."

Taking one last look around, Reks' heart sank as the boy's coward behind their captor. This would not be Silver's fate, Reks promised silently, I can't let this be his fate.

It was only a year ago that he had first met Silver. He had simply been passing by an old church when he saw two Shepherds throwing a child in a torn grey dress out into the snow.

"Miserable little demon, we should lock you up!"

"I didn't do anything," the child cried, "please just let me in."

"Oh we’ll let you in," the other shepherd said, "the dungeons are rather comfy this time of year."

He should ignore it, move on, but something about those big frightened eyes moved Reks. As the Shepherds converged on the child, he threw a snowball at them, "leave her alone!"

"Little prick," the Shepherd cursed him, turning their attention to Reks, "throwing in your lot with a demon?"

"She's just a kid, leave her alone," he threw himself between the shepherds and the child as the Shepherds gave a good hearty laugh.

“If you’re thinking of playing tha dashing knight saves the princess, you might wanna look again. That demon you’re defending is a boy,” one of them cackled. Reks looked back at the child as they picked themselves out of the snow. Getting a closer look, it appeared that the Shepherds were right, but that didn’t matter.

“Boy or girl, demon or not, they’re a kid!”

“They’re a nuisance is what they are,” the other Shepherd hocked a wad of phlegm and spat towards the child, “world would be better off without em.”

Reks gripped the dagger he kept sheathed on his hip, asserting his protection of the kid, “the world would be better off without you Shepherds too,” he growled.

“The world would be lost without the Shepherds to guide it,” one laughed, “then we’d all be delusional like you.” Perhaps because they lost interest, or because they feared a fight, but either way the two turned and entered the church, laughing as they left the two children out in the snow.

Frigid and pissed, Reks turned back to the girl, giving her a look over. Her hair was messy, dress was frayed, and feet were bare, “Hey, hey you gotta get outta the snow, you can’t go walking around barefoot like that here!” He grabbed her arm and tugged lightly, “come on, I’ll take ya back to your parents.”

Pulling her arm away, she spun around from him and buried her face in her hands, “I don’t have any,” her voice was muffled, Reks almost didn’t hear her, “just leave me alone.”

“Hey, if you don’t have a home or parents,” he hesitated, thinking carefully of what he would say next. He knew a place that would be safe, relatively speaking, or it would at least be warmer than the outside. Though Reks knew what awaited the child if he took him there. They would have shelter, but at what cost? “I can bring you somewhere you’ll be safe.” The child looked back at him, their big wet eyes gazing back into his own. Those eyes, one pink and one blue. They were a demon after all. Now Reks had known for sure, this was the only option. “It’s a place called Valha, there’s a man there that can provide you a home and protection,”

“Really?”

“Yes, but it won’t come free,” he told her.

“I don’t have money though,” 

“He’ll find other ways you can pay,” Reks bit his lip, his mind racing back and forth as he tried to consider other options.

The kid just nodded, then took Rek’s hand, “okay, can you show me?”

“Valha is safe, Valha is welcoming, Valha is home,” those were the words written across the old bridge. Calming words, inviting words, false words. The words meant to entice little boys like Reks and this child to cross under the archway, following those retired train tracks to the home of one notorious Loche Valore, God of Valha.

“Come little lost child, into my merciful embrace,” his lips curled in a nasty smile as his eyes fixed themselves on the kid with a hungry leer.

“They say that you can give me a place to stay,” the little girl's voice could barely carry over the sound of wind shaking that old luxury car.    

“You have heard right, little boy, I am Loche the Merciful, and you are most certainly welcomed here, my pretty little demon.”