*bzzt* "Come in, White Fox. Status update?"
I sighed as I reached for my radio. "Calm down, North Star. I've located the target and I'm in position. We just need to wait a little longer." I peered back down the scope of my rifle and fiddled with the zoom until I saw the man I was after. In the building across from the rooftop I was laying down on, was the man I was sent to kill.
*bzzt* "Don't get too comfortable up there, White Fox, your window is closing."
Ugh, he always tries to rush things. Come on, man. We've done plenty of jobs like this before. It's routine at this point. I heard another chime from the radio.
"White Fox, target is approaching the main lobby. T minus 10 seconds before you miss him." This was my other partner, Shadow, from inside the building.
"Okay, we're finished here." I shot the man and got up to go, no time to waste, after all. I had to make myself scarce.
I turned around to head back into the roof access panel I climbed up to get here only to find myself in an unfamiliar place in the blink of an eye. The rifle I had just used to take a man's life moments ago was no longer slung over my shoulder. I was facing a beautifully crafted door. What the fuck? I guess I should just… open it? As I went to grab the handle I heard a voice pipe up behind me.
"Oh dear, my bad!" The voice of a woman began, "It has been quite some time since I did this last. I guess I got the orientation of the room wrong." I turned around to greet the one who spoke to me.
In the center of the room, I saw a woman wearing a beautiful white dress with accents that complemented her lilac colored hair. She was seated enjoying tea at a table that had been set for two. Upon closer inspection, she had the ears of a fox on her head and several tails poking out from just behind her. We appeared to be in a study, likely of an individual who had a good amount of wealth. Many books lined the walls in a language I couldn't understand. My gaze returned to the woman across from me. She took another sip of tea, and as she set down her cup, she spoke again.
"Welcome, Freya. I am Iris. We have much to discuss, please, have a seat." She gestured to the chair across from her.
"How do you know my name? Where am I right now?" I questioned her as I cautiously moved over to the seat and sat down. "I was on a rooftop just a second ago. Did I die? Is this hell?"
"Oh no, your job was completed, and you needn't worry. Your place is here now. That pesky old world is no longer fit for you."
What? 'Your place is here now?' What does that even mean?
"Your place is here. There's no point in trying to return either, even one such as I don't have the power for that." She didn't really seem to care what my thoughts on the matter were. She stood up and pointed at me. "You're going to become my successor." She said confidently.
"Oh so you can read my thoughts too? That'srude." I responded. Now, successor? What the hell is she going on about with that? Something along the lines of 'with great power comes great responsibility'? Give me a break.
"What does that even mean? What's this 'successor' deal?" I asked, taking a sip of my tea. Delicious! The taste was wonderful, it was honestly the best tea I'd ever had.
Iris smiled as she noticed the pleasure her creation was bringing me. "As I said before, I am Iris. I am the Goddess of Beastfolk, and I help watch over the world of Zuter. I'm happy to be working with you. By successor, I mean that you'll be inheriting my abilities over time and training. You must be able to take my place eventually."
The way she was laying this out was insane. She's just going to pull me away from my gig back home? I was getting by no problem. I'd have to start fresh as well. I'd have no credentials to prove I'm capable-
"You won't have to worry about these credentials, okay?" Iris started again, "I'll give you the means necessary to prove your strength. So, Freya, will you be assuming the role?"
Did I even have a choice? She's making it sound like she didn't just tell me that I can't return to my previous life. Although, this does seem to work out in my favor, as well. Not onl-
"Freya, can you just talk to me? I can hear everything you're thinking anyway!" Iris said, laughing at me as she poured herself another cup of tea. "So, any problems with the new body? How did I do? It has been quite some time since I've done something like this."
"New body?" I asked her. I looked down at myself to realize my hair color matched Iris' instead of its usual white. What?! Iris conjured a mirror for me and I could see that the tips of my ears now had a slight point to them. My eye color had shifted from blue to crimson. "What was wrong with my old one?" I asked Iris, examining every inch of my new features.
"Listen, your race had to match mine, as we are now kin. Also, the old body you possessed had no talent for the use of mana. It simply had to go. You are now a part of my bloodline." She explained. "I guess your features leaned heavily in my favor, though." Oh god. I braced for impact as I felt my lower back. Phew. No tail. Iris glared at me for a second.
"I, however, had nothing to do with those eyes." Hm?Sigh. This is probably all just a dream anyway, so it's not going to matter when I wake up.
"Listen, Freya. You certainly aren't asleep. If you have lingering regrets I apologize, but the ritual I performed brought you to me, so trust in its match." Iris said, barging into my brain. The room around us began to flicker, almost as if it would cease to exist at any moment. Iris sighed before getting out her last statement. "It's time for you to go now, the last thing I'll tell you is to watch out for the Havensguard Empire. They're hunting your kind, those who have traversed worlds. Oh, and stay away from the one who calls herself Aera. She's a liar. Farewell!"
"I'm being hunted? Great. Where am I going exactly?" I asked. I felt like I was being left quite in the dark about several things here. I mean c'mon, she can't just leave me now. I've got my work cut out for me here. I didn't really get a chance to think about it before my consciousness faded away.
"Ah, shit. I couldn't get her close enough to him because of that damn barrier. Oh well. I guess this is your first test, Freya."