[26] Am I a demon now?

[26] Am I a demon now?

Freja told the group everything from pseudo-banishment to Dorsehal Academy. The death of her sister and the shiagaunt that disowned and embarrassed her as a result. The fight with the troll that nearly killed her and left her crippled in a cave for nearly a week. She told them about the shadow wolves and the steel wolf familiar. She ended her story with the druid she killed, the first and only life she had taken only hours before she met them.

Freja did not waver even once in her retelling of the events. She looked the tiger demon in the eyes with resolve as she spoke. She was done being weak, she was done being pushed around and looked down on. She wanted to show herself that she was worth it. Compared to what she had already faced telling Joha and the rest of the merchants who she was felt freeing.

There was a silence in the air as she finished her story. Helina wanted to run up and hug her but was stopped by Owen. Joha just looked Freja up and down giving her an assessing look. He smirked as he stood from his kneeling position.

“You are aware I am leaving this country. Do you not want to fight for your homeland?” Joha asked pointedly.

“I have nothing here. Bjorn and me, that is it.” Freja said without skipping a beat. “The war has been going on for thousands of years, they won't miss one girl.”

“I will expect you to earn your keep.” Joha said.

“I made three gold sixteen silver today.” Freja said.

Joha laughed. “That you did.” He placed his hands on his hips. “I will tell you now, I cannot teach you how to wield magic, only how to sharpen your instincts, train your body and fight with martial skills. My kind does not use magic, or rather, cannot use magic. Do you still want to learn from me with that knowledge?”

“I have never been that good at magic anyway.” Freja responded.

“Well as my disciple you will be renamed as is tradition in the way of the rakshasa.” Joha stated as a second pipe appeared in his hand. “Freja Thundersky is the name of the girl that died to the troll. You are Tanisha Scalebound, disciple of the rakshasa tiger demon Joha Bhatia.” He lowered the second smoking pipe and gestured for the girl to take it which she did. “Your new name Tanisha means ambition and signifies the determination to pursue your dream. Scalebound from your familiar to whom you owe your life. Speak your new name and smoke.”

“Tanisha Scalebound.” She said as she put the pipe to her lips.

She breathed in the red smoke and let the smoke fill her lungs but as she started to exhale, she coughed the smoke turned blue. The smoke burned her throat and mouth. Joha laughed and patted her back as she continued to cough.

“And now we have a new follower of the path. Welcome sister.” Joha said happily.

Tanisha tried to hand Joha back the pipe, but he refused and told her to try smoking it again. Helina finally broke free of Owen and wrapped herself around Tanisha in the biggest bear hug the three-and-a-half-foot tall woman could manage. Tears ran down her face and wet Tanisha’s shirt. Causing her to cough all over again.

“You poor girl, if I ever see your former family, I’ll kill’em.” Helina stated.Diiscover new stories at novelhall.com

Sabec joined the crowd pulling out a couple fresh steaks from his bag. “Sabec thinks we should have a little celebration for Tanisha’s new name, yes?”

“I think that is in order.” Owen said. “I will go get the boys.”

“Tanisha.” Joha said. “You will be walking today. We need to strengthen your body.”

“Wait Joha, am I a demon now?” Tanisha responded.

“Planes above no.” Joha responded with a laugh. “You must mean the pact. I am now your patron, so you gain glimpses of demonic power.”

“I thought you can’t use magic?” Tanisha said. “I have never sensed you using it before either.”

“That is true. No demon can use magic.” He thought about it for a moment. “Well, lesser demons can, the cambions I mean. All other demons draw power from the higher planes. The Infernal Realm to be exact.”

“Why?” Tanisha asked.

“Your True the Forest Father came here to make you. He made your people from the Lower Plane and therefore you share its property. If you ever travel to another realm, you would be like me, but you would draw your magic from this world. Like a tether home. Demons were not made here, our Trues, the Devils, never descended realms. We were cast out, for what reason I do not know or care. But the tether home is still strong for us. In a few hundred generations a demon may be able to use magic, but I will be long dead by then.”

Tanisha snapped her finger. “That is why I could not sense your magic even when I saw it in front of me.”

“Demons call it maya, most others call it demonic energy, but yes.” Joha said as he took a puff of his pipe. “Now for your training. You will also need to carry this.” A large bag appeared in his hands; it was nearly the same height as Tanisha herself.

“W-what? Why?” Tanisha asked.

“I was told wendigo were stronger than they look.” Joha set the bag down. “You need to be challenged. Carry this and keep up with the group.”

Tanisha’s shoulders were hurting just looking at the new bag, but this was what she wanted, and she wasn’t going to start complaining now.

“Oh, there was something I have wanted to ask you for a while.” Tanisha said as she pointed to Bjorn. “Do you know what he is? Have you ever seen anything like him in your country or anything?”

“No, is he not a creature from here? I assumed since you are his master, he was another beast of this country.” Joha stated. “Two headed monsters are rare though.”

“Did I not tell you last night? He had one head when he was born.” Tanisha said she put a hand on her hip. “The troll decapitated him and then the next time I saw him, surprise, he was twice as cute.”

“W-wait. Are you sure of that?” Joha said his demeanor changed and he stared at Bjorn.

Tanisha is taken back. “Yeah, is something wrong?”

“Lernaean? No-no, that is not possible.” Joha said as he turned back to Tanisha, his deep voice serious. “Do not tell anyone of your familiar’s ability, especially no other demon. I will look into his origin on our journey.”

“O-okay, thank you.” Tanisha said even more confused.