Mirael awoke feeling as if she had not slept a wink. It was freezing in her room and the only thing in the world that she wanted at that moment was to go back to sleep, but the knocking on her door would not allow it.
     "Mira," Jacob called from outside the door. "I know you're awake. Open the door. The sooner we can get going the better."
     "I'll be ready soon," She yelled back through the door.
     "I'll be waiting at the stables with the horses when you are ready." His voice was fading as he spoke. no doubt too excited to even finish his sentence before running off to the stables.
     Despite her drowsy mood, she was excited as well. Nervous, but excited. She'd never seen a demon before. She had read volumes and volumes of books on them, heard countless stories, seen hundreds of pictures, but actually seeing one up close chilled her to the bone. She told herself she was ready, and dragged herself out of bed. Today was going to be a good day.

     Four days of hard riding, dried meat and sleeping on the ground later, she was beginning to realize just how unprepared she was. She'd ridden on horseback since she was a small child, but never for such long stretches of time. Her hindquarters felt as if she had fallen on a very hard rock and her spine was tied in knots. It was with great relief that they came across the first small town. An inn with a soft bed, a hot bath and a warm meal would be very welcome.
     Jacob did not seem to feel the fatigue. His posture never slouched when riding. He would go to sleep after her and he was always awake before her. She wondered if he even slept at all. Where did he find the energy?
     Still, she noticed a slight sigh of relief when they rode up to the inn. Jacob tended to the horses while she went looking for the innkeeper. He was a short man, barely taller than Mirael, With red dark black hair gracing only the sides of his head and a nose that looked as if it had been broken a half dozen times.
     "Good evening, Mistress," He said, his voice deep and gravelly. "Always a pleasure to 'ave a mage at the ol' Dragon's Den. She's a small in, but the beds are soft, the hearths are warm, and the ale is stout. Would the Mistress care for a pint?"
     "Perhaps another time," She said politely. "A hot mean for my brother and I would be lovely, though."
     "Say no more, Mistress. Sit wherever ye' like and I'll have it to you quicker than you can spit." He looked embarassed at having said that. "Not that ye'd spit, Mistress. Beggin' yer pardon." She smiles at him and he walked away muttering to himself.
     She found an empty table in a dark corner by the bar. The room was quiet and mostly empty. So quiet, in fact, that she could hear the two rough looking, heavily drunken men two tables across from her clear as if she were sitting next to them.
     "That's not what I heard," Said the man with long brown hair hanging past his shoulders and a scar the size of her finger across his right cheek. "I hear it's far worse than that. I heard the bodies wasn't only half eaten, but burned to a crisp like bacon."
     "Oh goat farts!" exclaimed the other man, much heavier than the first, and with hair cropped short above his ears. "No animal cooks his meals 'fore it eats 'em"
     "Not an animal," The long haired man said in what he thought was a whisper, but was barely any quieter than he was speaking before, "a demon. A real nasty one, too, by the sound of it. They say the monster's already killed a dozen or more. No one goes in the forest now. Not even the healers looking for herbs."
     "So the demon cooked 'em 'fore he ate 'em? I say it weren't no demon. I say it were a man. Some sadistic prick with a taste for human flesh."
     "Whatever it is, I'm sure the order will--"
     "A hot meal, for the mistress and her companion," The innkeeper interrupted her evesdropping, setting two plates down on the table in front of her. "Would ye' be needing one room or two?"
     "One room should suffice, Mr...?"
     "The name's Tavon, Mistress. I'll have a room ready for ye' quicker than you ca--quickly," He said, his face reddening. No doubt he was about to say something crude.
     "Thank you, Tavon, My name is Mirael, and my brother Jacob and I thank you for your hospitality." He bowed awkwardly and hurried off just as Jacob walked through the door. The two men that she had been listening to had changed their subject to the bosoms of the tavern maid that was running the bar. She had to admit, they were conversation worthy.
     "Jacob, I've been thinking," She said in an actual whisper, one quiet enough that only the two of them could hear it. "What if this demon isn't just a Dietra. What if it's worse, much worse.?"
     "The order does not make mistakes often." Jacob was as devout a disciple of the order as anyone she knew. It was almost annoying sometimes.
    "Yes, but not often does not mean never. Those men were talking about burned, half eaten bodies and a Dietra would not burn a body."
     "Rumors, nothing more. People talk and stories spread. A dog becomes a wolf becomes a hellhound. Still, we will not go into this lightly. Even a Dietra can be very dangerous. We will find out more when we reach Imadra. Now eat and get some rest. Enjoy the comfort while you can. We will be leaving first light tomorrow.
     She did not bring it up again that night, but she could not shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong with this assignment.

Chapter 4: Reminders

    The day was cold and the snow had begun falling heavily. Mirael stepped out of the bath, her teeth chattering at the sudden shift from hot water to frigid air. She searched frantically for the towel that she thought she had placed next to the bath. She had not. Instead it lay sprawled over a chair across the room. She moved toward it and then stopped.
     The mirror was between her and the towel.
     Too cold to worry about that now, she thought as she rushed passed the mirror, careful not to catch a glimpse of her reflection.
     It had been seven years since that day, but Mirael still could not face the sight of her own disfigurement. What had been healed quickly enough with magic had healed as if she had never been burned. Her hair had grown back thick, black and curly. the deep fissures that the magic had ripped in her face sealed without scar or blemish. Her hands, up to the wrist, were porcelain white and smooth as if she had never worked a day in her life. The rest of her was not so lucky.
     Her stomach and chest were relatively untouched by the flames, but her back, her arms and her legs were shiny and spider-webbed with burn scars. She kept her body covered at all times save for when she bathed, which she did mostly with her eyes shut.
     She could not stand the sight of herself.
    Jacob had told her a million times that she was still beautiful, but when she was younger she saw them stare in disgust at the scars on her arms, neck and legs. She heard them whisper as she walked by, so she covered all but her head and her hands.
    The winters were much easier than the summers, and she was thankful for the snow. She donned thick wool socks that went up past her knee, thick form-fitting black trousers,  a loose white satin blouse and a warm silver coat that fit snuggly down to her thighs. The final piece was a red and blue scarf that covered the scars on her neck. She never went out without a scarf, even in the heat of the summer.
    Now she was ready to inspect herself in the mirror. She was beautiful, which only upset her more. Had she not melted off half of her body she would have grown up to be a very desirable woman. Instead she was a freak.
    She knew it wasn't fair to worry about boys and beauty when she had a greater purpose. She was the most powerful mage in the academy. Her last seven years of training with Anima had taught her to control and expand her abilities. She would dedicate her life to destroying demons like the ones that killed her parents. She would save many lives. That is more important than finding love, she told herself. It was true, but love was important to her as well.
    There was a knock at her door. Jacob, no doubt.
    Jacob, as it turned out, had no magical ability whatsoever. Most people had at least some small magical energy, though the majority of them were too weak magically to be of any use to the Order. Only about one in twenty were completely devoid of any energy whatsoever. Jacob was one of those unlucky few.
    It did not seem to bother Jacob, however. The Order had found another use for him. Jacob was tall and lithe. He had broad shoulders and a slender build. He had spent the last seven years training in the arts of combat, stealth and practical healing. Anima said he was one of the most dangerous students she had ever worked with, mage or no. Mirael did not doubt his ability. She had seen him train. His movements were so quick they could not be seen. She had seen him train unarmed against six men with practice swords and disarm them all without taking a single blow. Eyes in the back of his head seemed like an understatement. He appeared to have eyes everywhere.
    She opened the door for Jacob and he smiled at her.
    "Are you ready?" he said, not even trying to hide the excitement in his voice.
    "I've never been more ready for anything in my life," She replied, matching, if not surpassing his excitement.
    Today was the day all of their training and hard work would finally mean something. Anima had been nearly in tears when she told them that they would meet with the elders in the morning where they would be officially initiated into the Order and placed on active duty. Then the waiting would begin.
    Being placed on active duty meant that they would remain on the school grounds and continue training until a mission deemed appropriate for them became available. That could take hours or months, but to Mirael it felt as if she was going on a mission later that day. She was so excited.
    Jacob and Mirael were being inducted as a pair. He would be a bodyguard of sorts to her. They had refused to be separated. Generally the order waited until the age of sixteen to activate mages but Mirael's gifts were so extraordinary they expedited the process.
     When she opened the door Jacob and Anima stood waiting.
     Upon seeing her surprised look at the sight of her Anima said, "You honestly did not think I would miss this. I could not be more proud of you, Mirael." With that she moved forward and gave Mirael a warm hug. Mirael had never seen Anima show any kind of physical affection toward anyone in the years that she had known her. It caught her completely off guard and she awkwardly hugged the old woman back. When they separated there was a sadness in the old woman's eyes. For some reason it made Mirael very uneasy but when she saw Jacob's ear to ear grin she forgot all about it and the three of them heading brusquely toward the council meeting room.
     They were not the only ones heading that way. It seemed as if the entire school, faculty and all, were on their watch to watch her induction. Jacob was to be inducted with her, of course, but she knew that these people were interested in her. She was the freak. The monster with powers greater than anyone had seen in hundreds of years. The attention made her anxious and for a moment she wished more than anything to run back to her room and hide in her bed.
     "No," she whispered to herself. "I will not let anything ruin this day for me."
     The council meeting room was a large, but it was not nearly sufficient to house the many onlookers that had made their way to this event. Dozens, if not hundreds, stood outside in the cold. Some of the younger children were making snow men or pelting each other in the face with tightly packed balls of fresh now. One hit Mirael in the leg and she looked to her left to see a young girl, no older than 8, staring at her in terror. She smiled at the young girl. The look of terror changed to a broad smile and she went back to playing with her friends.
     People moved out of their way silently as they passed. Some gave her approving looks, some congratulated her, but most avoided eye contact. She was used to it. Ever since the incident more than half the school was afraid of her. "Don't look her in the eye or she'll light you up like a torch," they would say. Or "If you make eye contact with her she'll blind your eyes," and other such nonsense. Let them think what they want. They do not know you and they will not hurt you. I will not let them," Jacob had always told her.
     The meeting hall was filled to bursting with people. All the seating had been removed from the room and people stood pressed close against each other. The crowd was practically pulsing with anticipation, as was Mirael. Jacob grabbed her hand as he pushed his way through the throng, clearing a path for Mirael and Anima. People tried to move out of their way but the gathering was so dense that they had little room to move. She grew more and more nervous the deeper into the crowd they sank. She squeezed Jacobs hand and he squeezed hers back tighter. Her heart rate slowed as she shut out the crowd, the room, the noise, and focused on his hand.
     Finally they made it to the front where guards were keeping the crowd pushed back away from the council's tribunal. Two guards waved for her and Jacob to step forward and Anima took a place at the front of the crowd to watch. She could feel the eyes on her back and it made her skin crawl. It had not occurred to her that this would be something people would be interested to see. She had expected a quiet induction, not this massive cacauphanous spectacle. Once again she wanted to run back to her room but Jacob turned to her and whispered in her ear, "It's just you and me, Mira. You and me. Block everything else out. This is our day. Do not let them steal your excitement."
     He always seemed to know what she was thinking. She would never have made it this far without him.
     Andara, the head Councilwoman put up a hand to quiet the crowd. It took a few moments, but before long the crowd grew silent. Even the children playing outside seemed to have stopped their laughter and commotion. Mirael heard nothing but breathing, an occasional sniffle, and the sound of her pounding heart. Jacob squeezed her hand tighter.
     "Jacob Rendaga and Mirael Rendaga," Andora spoke in a deep booming voice that, despite its rasp, carried clearly across the entire gathering hall. "Today all of your hard work and training has finally paid off. Today you will rise to the ranks of Paladin and Mage." A small murmur rose through the crowd but quickly quieted down. "Jacob, please step forward."
     He made his way to the front of the tribunal at a pace just short of a run. "It is with great honor," Andara continued, "That I present you, Jacob Rendaga, with this pendant signifying your status among the Gobani Order. Ankara ahk mas riga," It meant "welcome to the fold" in the old tongue, Mirael knew. "You are now a full brother of the Gobani order and may be called upon to aid in the troubles of those who request our help at a moments notice. Be ready and steadfast."
     A small bespectacled man that Mirael had seen many times before, though she did not know his name, pinned the pendant on Jacobs sleeve and directed him to return to his place next to Mirael.
     "Mirael Rendaga," Her heart doubled its pace at the sound of her own name. "Please step forward." When she reached the front she could barely hear a word over the beating of her own heart.
     The next thing she knew the bespectacled man was pinning a hawk shaped pendant onto her sleeve. She started at the sudden appearance of him next to her and jerked her arm in such a way that the old man accidentally pricked her arm. He looked at her apologetically and she smiled back at him. "It was my fault," She said softly. He finished pinning the hawk and stepped back, motioning for her to return to her brother's side.
     A roar went up through the crowd. cheers and shouts, some angry, some joyous, but collectively loud enough to make her head spin and her stomach churn. Andara raised her hand once more to quiet the people.
     It took longer this time, but eventually everyone went silent. The head councilwoman spoke once more. "Now you must recite the oaths we all have sworn to uphold. I trust you know them."
     Mirael and Jacob in unison spoke the oath they had been taught since the first day they had arrived at the school. "I swear upon my honor and my life that I will only use my powers for the betterment of my fellow man. I swear to follow the order's command, uphold the law of the land, steal nothing, harm no innocent, and protect those who cannot protect themselves. On my life I am bound these oaths"
     "You are now fully accepted into the Gobani Order," Andara boomed." I congratulate you and I ask that you step forward once more. I have something to tell the both of you for your ears alone." Then she addressed the crowd. "You may return to your homes and your work. This ceremony is complete."
     swarms of people flooded through the exit doors and in moments the entire hall was empty save for the council, their guards, the bespectacled man, and Anima. The bespectacled man moved to remove Anima from the room.
     "She may remain." Andara said emotionlessly. The bespectacled man stopped and returned to his place be the tribunal.
     "You have been accepted into the order today because we have a mission for you."
     A mission, Already? Mirael was thrilled. She had expected to have to wait at least several weeks before they were finally called upon. Certainly being given a mission immediately after induction was a surprise. Such a thing was unheard of.
     "You are to travel to Imadra, to the east. They have had several people go missing in the forest near the castle village. Human remains have been found half devoured and they suspect it may be the work of a demon, a dietra we suspect. You are to vanquish this creature and collect payment of five hundred gold coins from king Tyran, who resides in the castle. You will have a map and supplies delivered to your rooms and horses assigned to you in the morning. Tonight you should prepare. Learn as much as you can about a Dietra, although you should have been taught of them many times over."
     Mirael's voice came out as little more than a squeak, "It is as you command, High councilwoman."
     Andara handed Mirael a sealed letter. "This is the contract that is to be presented to king Tyran. Do not lose it. Without it you will not be paid and we will have to send men to collect on the debt.
     "We will guard it with our lives," Mirael said, though she felt like that was a foolish and dramatic thing to say.
     With that the bespectacled man lead them and Anima out of the Council room. The wind hit her face like a wall of ice. It seemed as if it had become much colder in the short time that they were inside. None of the massive group of spectators remained. The courtyard was empty, and they passed very few people as they made their way home.
     "Can you believe it?" Jacob exclaimed. "A contract for us already!"
     "You two had better get some rest tonight," Anima sounded weary, and not as excited for them as Mirael had expected her to be. "It is a long ride to Imadra, and you will need your strength."
     No one said another word before they parted ways back to their rooms. The wind whistled eerily through the trees and Mirael knew she would find sleep very difficult to come by tonight.