How long Tetsuda worked in the Smelt, he honestly could not say. Each day dragged on and on, seemingly without respite nor alteration. More cuts marred his hands and arms, only to heal moments later, yet others were by no means as lucky. Floggings, whippings, and beatings took place almost every hour, mostly toward the Avaritia and what he assumed were the envy demons. Killings occurred every once in awhile, too, also involving one or both of the aforementioned demon types. The air seemed to hang heavier after each punishment. Heartless or not, Tetsuda still felt a pang of sympathy for the receivers of such torment—in his head, though.

Days he worked, and nights he fucked. Not all, however, as Tyrannus at times disappeared when he ventured up—forever in chains, of course—and also when he awoke. He slept at Tyrannus's bedside, chains dangling off of him, bodily fluids both his and Tyrannus's on his skin. He had to be an incubus, considering how well the demon king fucked, but...he didn't seem like one, truly. He didn't hate clothing—or, at least, didn't show it—and didn't seem as affected by nudity and sex as Tetsuda was. Every time he viewed a nude demon—males in particular—he felt himself harden.

What was he, then?

He wondered this same thing on this day, when he'd awoken alone, body unbound, a note on his lap. He had never seen the symbols before, in life or death, but he understood them without difficulty.

Three doors to the left of here, there's an office of sorts. Come there. I've a gift that you should find most helpful.

So he stood, head up—he'd grown more accustomed to the weight of the collar over time—and followed the note to the room he'd heard of.

In it lay little, surprisingly, save for a grand desk and shelves of texts that covered the entirety of one wall. On the wall behind the desk was a massive window, which allowed Tetsuda a look of the outside he'd barely seen more than a glimpse of before. The skies were red with yellow clouds floating above. The ground was dry and the landscape barren, full of cracks and pits of lava. A few figures with bat wings flew overhead, both to and away from the palace.

Immediately behind the desk stood Tyrannus, gazing down at something splayed out on the top with a near-glare in his eyes. Other objects lay upon the floor, including an unlit lantern and multiple writing utensils.

"You called for me, Lord Tyrannus?" Tetsuda asked.

"You've lost the quiver to your voice when you speak to me," he noted. "Such a shame. Your fear was rather adorable. Then again, I enjoy hearing you much more."

He did have a point. He'd spent at least a few months with Tyrannus, and the more time they spent together, the more familiar Tetsuda had grown with the king. Still, a definite barrier separated the two of them—Tyrannus was rigid, closed off, and Tetsuda was unaware of...well, everything.

"What is it you're looking at?"

"You need to know...why, exactly?"

"Does it not pertain to why you wanted me here?"

Tyrannus glanced up from the paper, his eyes fixated on Tetsuda's groin. "You didn't even bother cleaning yourself," he grumbled. "Like a true incubus...perfect." He straightened himself and stepped over to the shelf nearest to him. After tracing over the spines, he selected a relatively thin volume and tossed it to Tetsuda, who caught it.

"Daemones," Tyrannus said. "On Demons. You've been with me about half a year, and you're still as ignorant as the day you've arrived. Granted, that's partially due to your position. Grunts don't need any sort of knowledge when they're working in the Smelt, but if I'm going to move you to the replenisher role, you need more knowledge of both yourself and others. That is your handbook. It details each of the seven races, as well as bits of history associated with the demon realm. Past rulers, geography, landmarks—that sort of thing."

"I see. Thank you, Lord Tyrannus."

"Of course. Feel free to stay in here to read, if you'd like. A tad of talk will be good for my ever-so-fragile sanity."

"Do you have any preference on seating?"

"Out of the way of me, but that's more for your sake than mine."

His eyes drifted to the items sprawled on the floor. "I understand…"


Avaritia: Demons of Greed

These demons are characterized by their insatiable desire for anything and everything that they do not have. They are plagued by kleptomania, taking whatever they deem valuable and even things that have no meaning at all. In appearance, they are thin and tall, with serpentine features and beguiling tongues. Their skin is often green or yellow and marked with swirls that symbolize being tied to themselves. They originate from humans with too much fixation on wealth or possession, whether rich or poor. In strength, they fall beneath the Ira and above the Superbia.

Desidia: Demons of Sloth

These demons are characterized by chronic laziness and nonchalance. They often do not work nor fight nor listen to any, favoring sleep. In appearance, they are soft and weak, forever possessing dark circles around their eyes and an unkempt look about them. Their skin is grey or white, and it tends to be extremely sensitive to even small amounts of light. They originate from humans who dislike work, usually nobility or royalty. In strength, they reside at the bottom, directly underneath the Gulam.

Gulam: Demons of Gluttony

These demons are characterized by chronic hunger. Like Desidia, they are unwilling to fight nor work, usually viewed as mindless by the superior races. In appearance, they have excessive girth, yet it can be manipulated if a Gulam tries hard enough. Usually, however, they do not. They are the ugliest of demons, possessing little to no hair and boil-laden skin. They originate from humans who enjoyed decadence and overindulgence, mostly royalty, nobility, or those with any sort of money. In strength, they fall beneath the Invidia and above the Desidia.

Luxuria: Demons of Lust

These demons are characterized by a love of sex and pleasure. They utilize their sexuality to their advantage, particularly women, and are the biggest external causes of humans becoming demons. In appearance, they are extremely beautiful, often becoming nicer versions of their human selves. Their skin is incapable of gaining blemishes, and they feel sickened by clothing's presence. Their constant drive for sexuality can be a weakness, however, as they can find themselves aroused by even the slightest hint of nudity. They originate from humans who committed sordid acts, whether with one person or one hundred people. In strength, they fall above the Invidia and below the Superbia, truly the middle of the hierarchy.

Invidia: Demons of Envy

These demons are characterized by their extreme jealousy. Similar to the Avaritia, they want what others have, but rather than taking it, they maliciously destroy or diminish the object of their envy. They are reminiscent of the Superbia in their projection of a superiority complex, yet they in fact suffer from an inferiority complex toward anyone they consider a threat. In appearance, they often possess moderate beauty, but cosmetics and clothing are used to cover imperfections, sometimes heavily enough to become comical. Their eyes can change color, reflective of their varying moods. They originate from humans who drowned in envy toward others for extended periods of time, mostly the poor. In strength, they fall beneath the Luxuria and above the Gulam.

Ira: Demons of Wrath

These demons are characterized by their extreme cruelty and anger. They want nothing but destruction and dominance, and they will accomplish these goals in the most extreme way possible. In appearance, they are rather menacing, with rows of sharp teeth, curved horns, and spiked protrusions on their bodies. They often possess multiple forms, with a minimum of two and upwards of seven or eight, depending on how their power is distributed. The three forms can be extremely powerful individually, while the eight could be only slight increases from one another. They originate from warmongering, pugnacious humans with an appetite for blood, usually assassins, soldiers, or even monarchs. In strength, they reside at the top of the hierarchy, above the Avaritia.

Superbia: Demons of Pride

These demons are characterized by their extreme vanity and superiority. They are fixated on themselves and only themselves, rarely listening to others, especially those not of their kind. In appearance, they are quite beautiful, yet not as much as the Incubi and Succubi. They strive to resemble their human selves, whether intentionally or subconsciously, and are the only demon race that dislikes being demons. Of all races, they are the most disliked, due to their rampant disrespect of others and selfish desires. They originate from vain, narcissistic humans, particularly the upper- and middle-class. In strength, they reside below the Avaritia and above the Luxuria.

After reading the last word, Tetsuda practically slammed the book against his bare legs. He pinched his eyes shut, groaning softly as his head pounded. So much information...he'd read through half of the hundred pages in this one sitting, and his eyes burned the same way his mind did.

Over the past hour, he'd been using one of the writing utensils on the floor to take notes of everything in the book. The margins were full of scribblings that matched the language of the actual text—surprising, as he knew he'd never known those symbols before. Perhaps it was just a natural instinct to write in the demonic word. He'd learned great amounts about the demonic realm—called "Iyan" by the demons, rather than "Hell"—and its denizens.

All the while, Tyrannus scribbled and snarled behind his desk, with an occasional mumble here and there. Tetsuda sat in front of it, and though he truly couldn't see anything, he looked over his shoulder in Tyrannus's direction.

After reading through the descriptions of the races, he'd hoped to find some insight about Tyrannus, but by no means was he any closer. He looked—and, at times, acted—like an incubus, yet he also had hints of Ira and Superbia mixed in. Short of outright asking him, Tetsuda didn't know how to gain any knowledge about his master.

"What do you want?" Tyrannus asked.

Tetsuda blinked. How did he see him? "Ah, well, I'm just wondering...what you're doing, exactly."

"So persistent," he grumbled. "Stand and I'll explain."

He did as instructed, stepping beside the hunched-over Tyrannus. Upon the desk lay a map of Iyan, which he'd viewed previously in the book. Two main kingdoms, Naiyan and Suiyan, comprised the demon realm, with a few territorial states further dividing them. Separating the two kingdoms was a small strip of mountains called the Dirondaks and a river called the Hessan. Upon the map lay X's and lines, particularly near those borders.

"This," Tyrannus said, gesturing to the bordering areas, "is a battleground. Over the past century or so, forces from Suiyan have been crossing the Hessan and Dirondaks to wreak havoc on the demons living there, whether soldier or civilian. We've done little to agitate them, but I'm preparing for an all-out assault if it proceeds any longer."

"I see...Suiyan is led by an Ira, then?"

"No," Tyrannus replied. "An Avaritia. Though, at times, he's also an Invidia. Behaviorally, at least."

"What race are you, then?"

"Isn't it obvious? I'm an Ira. Tyrannical in life, wrathful in death." He straightened, then placed his hand upon Tetsuda's cheek. Though slight, the incubus held a slight height advantage over the demon king. "Don't dwell on me," he murmured. "I'm the least of your concerns, Tetsuda."

He couldn't bring himself to believe that.