Aya led her into an inn. They went up the stairs into a room reserved just for Raajimera. The space seemed drab but cozy. Raajimera sat on the bed and brushed the blanket with her fingertips. It felt good to touch, although she found it hideous. Its patterns resembled a colorful carpet.

The young girl placed both hands on her hips and exhaled. "I will return to the party now. Find me if you need anything," she said. "See you tomorrow."

Aya looked at the guest. Not noticing any signs of distress on the mysterious woman's face, she just waved at her and shut the door a little louder than it was necessary.

Raajimera tried to wave back, but it was too late.

The room turned silent. 

The woman began fidgeting with her fingers. She noticed that there was an adorned bronze oil lamp next to her bed, so she decided to light it up. 

Raajimera looked around and found a small bag with a firelight kit. The lamp was already prepared; it had some oil inside and its wick in place. All it needed was just a little ember. 

The woman began to hit the chert flint with the piece of steel she found in the kit until the wick was lit. It took her a while, but it was worth it. The warm light of the oil lamp was pleasant to look at.

Raajimera got up and approached the round window placed in the mud brick wall. She saw the group of seemingly happy villagers dancing around the bonfire in the distance. 

The sky was beginning to darken as the sun sleepily waned behind the horizon. 

Raajimera sighed and undressed. She wanted to sleep, but her clothes were too uncomfortable for that. Her dress was placed in the corner, along with her jewelry. 

Now that she was prepared for resting, she climbed back into her bed and covered her head with the blanket. The mattress felt a bit rough on her skin. She tried to find a good position for sleeping when suddenly she heard a faint thump. 

What is it this time? She thought to herself and lifted the blanket. Two beady reptile eyes were looking at her.

"Hi!" the snake yelled happily as it sat.

She came close to tumbling off the bed. There was a snake on her blanket, and it was talking to her. The animal was small and covered with gray scales. 

What did they put in my wine?! She thought, panicked.

"Raa sent me…" the snake tried to explain, but that sentence alone lit a red light in her head.

The woman grabbed her shoe and threw it at the animal. The snake dodged the attack and jumped on the floor. 

"Now that wasn't very nice," the snake stated. 

"Begone, foul demon!" Raajimera whispered, trying to make sure that none of the humans could hear her, and grabbed her other shoe.

"Firstly, you can speak my language, and they won't understand you," the snake said. "Secondly, put that thing down; I am not an enemy."

"How is that even possible?" Raajimera asked, visibly confused. Her grip on the shoe remained firm.

"I was just about to explain that," the snake said, moving closer to her. "I am just a feral animal; being able to communicate with us cold-blooded animals is a part of the deal between you and Raa."

Raajimera was defensive. "I remember no deal. For all I know, she had stolen my memories from me," she said.

"Raa is no thief. There was a deal made, and it was sealed by the mark on your head." The snake responded and climbed back up on her bed. "You must have traded your memories."

"What kind of person would I have to be to do that?" Raajimera asked, shocked.

"Well, considering her reputation among you humans, either very evil or incredibly good," the snake stated. 

The woman seemed down. "Or inherently stupid," she muttered.

"That is also an option," the animal responded. "One way or another, I am here to make sure that Raa's part of the deal is fulfilled."

Raajimera looked at the snake; she was confused. "Which is…?" she asked.

"She made you a demigoddess. You know, an immortal sorceress among mere men? I am here to teach you how to unlock your powers," the snake nodded. "I think it's for the better that you remember nothing; after all, you can't achieve greatness with the weight of your past dragging you down."

The woman looked at the animal, confused. "A demigoddess?" she asked. "But I'm just a regular person."

"No, that's who you believe you are," the snake stated. "Raa told me that the name she gave you was Raajimera; do you know what it means?"

The woman shook her head. She didn't, in fact, even think about it. 

The animal looked at her and gave her a quick response: "It means Raa's chosen. She must have seen something in you that you did not."

"Did she tell you who I was before the deal?" Raajimera asked with a hint of hope in her voice.

"No," the snake cut short. "All information about your past was destroyed. You can't get it back because that would invalidate your agreement."

Raajimera looked downcast. "I just want to be myself with my own name," she said sadly.

"But you are. Your name is not what defines you," the animal responded and shook its head. "Listen, you can't get back to who you once were, but you can build a bright future for yourself. You have to accept your new name to truly become one of us and be able to use your demigod powers. Do you know what my name is? It's Feng."

"They named you Feng?" Raajimera asked, surprised. 

"It's Fang, actually, but they call me Feng because I'm silly." The snake swung back and hissed with its head upside down, touching the ground. "And you know what? I just went with it." The snake came back to its original position. "I don't mind what they call me because I know who I am. Soon, you will as well."

Raajimera patted the snake's head. Its words were oddly comforting. She enjoyed the little critter's presence more than she would like to admit.

"Soon you will be the demigoddess you were meant to be, but let me tell you what." Feng lowered its voice. "The goddess needs you to help this village. From what they told her, they don't have much time left."

A sudden wave of sadness crashed through Raajimera's heart, and her eyes filled with tears. "It's just so much pressure; I don't feel ready," she cried.

"Oh, come on, don't be sad." The snake said and curled up beside her. "I'll be your friend. I will help you; everything will turn out fine."

Both of them eventually fell asleep as the flame of the oil lamp died. All that was left was just a slight glimmer of the full moon creeping through the small window.