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THE FIRST TIME
Zeldris hates his brother.
There's a special kind of loathing reserved just for him. One that easily survives a 3000 year time span. It taints any remaining fond memories of someone he had, at one point, cherished more than anything. It pushes him to stand by and watch while each of Meliodas' hearts be pierced by the dagger of their shared brother.
But yes, while these may have been the feelings Zeldris held onto after the betrayal / joining Stigma, his brother’s first death was still an event that shook what little was left of his crumbling foundation.
He was present, saw the entire affair unfold. Could barely breathe or stand when it was over but somehow he managed it. After allowing him to fully take in the sight of Meliodas' corpse, the Demon King then proceeded to simultaneously mock Zeldris about his failure to fully commit to getting rid of the vampires and to remind him that, even if he was his son, he wouldn't hesitate to ❛ put him in his place ❜ like he did to his ❛ miserable older brother ❜ Meliodas.
When he was ordered to carry out his duties as executioner ( annihilate Gelda along with the Vampire Clan ) he felt an all consuming anguish. He didn’t think he could ever feel that level of hopelessness again but when the Demon King and the Supreme Deity effortlessly wiped out his brother's defiance, a different kind of despair took hold but it was one just as potent.
The prince hated his father for all the suffering he's inflicted and reminding him how helpless he was in taking any meaningful action against him. He hated Meliodas for abandoning him for a goddess and putting him through this alone.
Most of all he HATED himself for not being strong enough to stop any of it.
by any other name
Some beings have Other names.
These are more along the lines of the "true name" trope and can only bestowed by godly figure inhabiting the world like the Demon King and Supreme Deity, or equivalents of them. It differs though, as knowing it doesn't give you any power over the individual.
Rather than being an entirely separate name, it's more accurate to say it's still the same one but expressed completely differently. For example, the first son of the Demon King. His everyday use name is as stated, "Meliodas". If you know him, chances are you’ll only ever hear him refer to himself by this. It’s what he’s used to and he prefers it. His Other name though is mostly unpronounceable to humans, much like Merlin's. It must be spoken in the demon language which is impossible for human vocal cords to handle, but it roughly translates to a mixture of pride, darkness, and power.
Zeldris' own Other name roughly translates to honor, shadow, and strength. The Original Demon, Demon King and Supreme Deity also have these ( with the latter two naming themselves ), although it's been so long since anyone has referred to them by it that it's all but considered lost knowledge and are known only to a few.
Even though residents of the demon realm are aware of their princes' Other names, they refrain from saying them. They are wary of those that do too. It's far safer to use Meliodas and Zeldris’ regular names or pseudonyms, and it's not recommended to test your luck. To try is a very bad idea for several reasons.
These Other names are powerful. Most are considered unworthy of using it in the first place. To do so is seen as blasphemous. It's believed saying their names aloud outside of certain narrations is a sign of severe disrespect and, therefore, must be avoided at all costs. To speak it to their face is a good as an invitation to incur their ire. This restriction can be lifted if one is especially familiar with them, like a family member or a close friend.
Second, and most importantly, it grabs their attention. Distance doesn't matter. If you utter the Other name, they will hear you. Sometimes your next few words as well.
This is due to the fact mentioning them generates a brief, tenuous connection through the soul. They don't have to take an interest every time anyone mentions them, but... they do notice it. The speaker's exact identity isn't always known as they go off what they hear, plus the use of context and tone of voice, but even without that a vague, general sense of your location is indicated. If nearby, they tend to soon come to seek you out.
Because of this, it's possible to summon them straight to you outside of rituals. Essentially, speak of the devil and he will appear. However, simply trying to call them out with this method often causes a magic reaction in the air. It has been known to inadvertently injure or kill weaker individuals in the immediate area if the backlash is strong enough.
It’s best to circumvent this by using their regular names within the confines of a prayer, though it has a far dimmer effect and it’s liable to be ignored altogether.
Chances
Zeldris loved his brother. More than anything. He gave him so many chances. Far more than what any other demon would have dared to consider.
With life in the Demon Realm, he and Meliodas may have had too much weight and pressure put upon their shoulders, but at least it was a burden they bore together. Zeldris nearly collapsed under the weight of it all after Meliodas gallivanted off with a goddess of all things.
Despite of what he assumed were murmurs of baseless criticism against Meliodas, he still maintained his trust and advocated for the elder prince in his absence, harshly defending him against the notion of his brother being willingly seen in the presence of a goddess, their sword enemy.
Soon after his exit, but before it was revealed he was a part of Stigma, he tried a final time to make Meliodas see reason. Tried convincing him that blatantly running off with the Supreme Deity's daughter was not worth bringing their father's ire upon him ( and he feared for his brother's life ), but Meliodas wouldn't capitulate.
But it was back when Meliodas tried to convince him to leave with Gelda, things truly changed. It was at that point Zeldris wondered if the level of care was one sided, if Meliodas was so blinded by the goddess that he could only view problems on a surface level, that his concern was skin deep / superficial at best. He didn't care think about Gelda's position in all this. Was she to endure the sunlight that bore down on the earth for as long as his brother dared to run ? Would she never know a moment of safety and security again in order to shoulder the burden Meliodas would toss on her shoulders ? His beloved was being used against him, a subtle manipulation to steer him to Meliodas' side, but a manipulation all the same to achieve what his brother wanted. Meliodas didn't care beyond any brother obligations that weren't already torn to shreds. He didn't think about the ramifications of what he himself had already done, what he was about to bring upon himself and sheer damage he was going to leave in his wake. It showed him how little thought he put into any of this.
But for a moment he considered. When Meliodas dangled hope on a string before it was cruelly ripped away, he wondered if he too could be strong like him, strong enough to take his brother's hand and fight against the storm to come. But he wasn't. He isn't. The realization of one time Meliodas tried reaching out, and it wasn't even sincere for the reasons he wished it were.