Deep beneath the candlelit halls and the religiously-decorated rooms of the Nagyo Monastery lay a far more sinister area, characterized by a darkness that was not only physical. In the past, there had been incidents of some...interactions among the Brothers and Fathers involving sodomy. Whence they'd been discovered, they'd been sent here, into what was colloquially called the Pit of Dismay, to be purged of all evil—staunchly it was believed that demons had manipulated their actions—through flogging, fasting, and fastidious prayer. On occasions, those being treated were better because of them, but in majority cases, they were never heard from again, yet their souls had been guaranteed a place in Heaven's wide embrace.
Within the pits were three rooms, and within one of these rooms hung the demon. Above its head were its arms, which hung from the ceiling by rope-bound wrists. It had been provided with a simple robe and underclothes, yet they did not hang off of its body.
Into the Pit entered the young monk, a holy book and notebook in his hand and about ten different charms hung from his body.
"May grace shield my body from sin," he murmured quietly. After an exhalation, he approached the hanging demon. Its head faced the floor, and it did not scream. "Ah...are you awake?"
He reached out to touch the demon's shoulder, and it jolted into stiffness once more. Its teeth were bared, and its eyes burned with rage. Tetsuhiro took a step back, and he swallowed. Even restrained, its presence was rather menacing.
After clearing his throat, Tetsuhiro seated himself at a small table against the wall and opened his notebook. A quill and inkwell he withdrew from his robe, and he poised the utensil atop a clean page.
Day I of Study
The demon is subdued, it seems, but not receptive, either. Due to physicality, I shall refer to the demon as a "he."
He looked up to the beast, which scowled at him. "Can you speak?"
It continued staring.
Tetsuhiro opened his hand before his mouth to mime the action. "Speak…?"
More stares.
"Can you understand me?"
It stared, and it did so for a long time, but after what seemed like minutes, it finally gave a slow, hateful nod. Tetsuhiro sighed.
"What a relief. I'm not proficient in the religious language as of yet. But you cannot speak, yes?"
A soft but strong growl drifted from its throat.
"I...shall assume that is a 'yes,'" Tetsuhiro mumbled.
He knows of the words that I speak to him, yet he does not seem able to form any of his own. He possesses the Devil's Mark upon his chest, and though large, it does not appear deep. He is not a long-winded demon, yet he has not just fallen from humanity. He was found drinking from a well this morn, signaling desperation. Due to the other injuries upon his body, I assume that he has been through rough experiences prior to his arrival here.
The monk rose from his seat to stand before the demon, whose gaze had grown even more hateful. A gentle smile appeared on Tetsuhiro's face.
"I know that this is quite a jarring experience," he said. "However, I do not plan on hurting you. Here, you will be kept, but you will not be harmed. That is, as long as you do not harm anyone else in return."
The demon stiffened a bit, and his gaze seemed to crack just a tad. That wasn't hate in his eyes—it was fear. Now that he stood right before the demon, he did have a rather...human air about him. He didn't seem much older than Tetsuhiro, perhaps by only two years or so. Demons had all once been human, and the fresher, "purer" ones maintained human characteristics for longer. He couldn't have been a demon for long.
"I understand your fear, but this is the only fate keeping you from death. I promise, I mean you no ill will."
He did not relax. If anything, he stiffened further.
"Here," Tetsuhiro said. "Allow me to prove my intentions."
Reaching up, he untied the ropes that bound the demon's wrists together. He landed on his feet with a light thud, and while his body was still stiff, his gaze had softened a tad. Tetsuhiro's smile grew wider.
"You see, now, don't you?" Tetsuhiro whispered. "I'm not here to harm you. I only want to study you." He looked over his shoulder. "Lord forgive me for saying this to you, but I'm not wholly fond of a religious life. If I'd had more independence from my family, I'd be spending my time attending parties, not prayer sessions. Though, now that something interesting has entered my life, I am a tad more persuaded to stay."
The demon nodded, but his eyes did not meet Tetsuhiro's. Instead, they lingered on the notebook. Tetsuhiro followed his stare.
"What is it?" he asked.
Swiftly, the demon grabbed the book and quill. He scratched markings upon the page, then held it up for Tetsuhiro to see.
My writing is no strong. I remember much not. Souichi was called I. Demon became five year since here.
It took him a moment, then Tetsuhiro mumbled, "Demon for five years, vaguely remembers how to write...and you were called Souichi?"
The demon nodded.
"Excellent to know…well, Souichi, I am Tetsuhiro. I hope that our experiences together can be relatively pleasurable."