Changeling's way

Sochi, August 20??

On a southern border of Russia, on the Black Sea coast, stands a city of Sochi - an only tropical resort in the entire Russian Federation, well known in the entire country for it's sanatoriums, tea plantations and vineyards. In that city, in a completely ordinary apartment, one man is having a horrible day.

"What a crappy weekend that was, i guess my monday started on saturday." as a matter of fact, my mood was in ruins since friday, since that was a day when my home city was hit by a severe heat wave. I lay motionless on my bed, trying in vain to cool my tormented body, my AC was broken and even ice cold cola and ventilator was unable to fix this situation. I raise my head to look at the thermometer "42 degrees Celsius? Твою-ж мать...". Meteorological program stated that this heat wave will last for three weeks and i could not afford to buy a new AC. To add insult to injury, it was raining today and humidity made me feel like i was breathing through a gasmask.

Apartment was silent, save for sound of a floor fan and my loud panting, amber rays of light filled the room through open window as sun was setting over the horizon. Occasionally, room's orderly rhythm was broken by soft hum of passing cars. An empty water bottle stood on nightstand, dry, just like my body, it was silently mocking me with it's meer existence.

"That's just unbearable..." i softly told myself, as i slowly stoop up from my bed, old metal carcass creaking under my shifting weight. I take a look at my sweat-covered form, my shirt was glued to my body, sitting on me like second skin. Having no other choice but to stew in my own shame, i went to the bathroom in futile attempt to keep myself from melting into a puddle and make sure i wont smell like a gym locker room. After all, having my coworkers tell me i smell like a dump was the last thing i wanted on monday morning.

Slowly shambling my way out of bedroom i stumbled over the leg of a small cabinet and almost lost balance, loud thud resonated through the room as something fell off upper shelf. Turning around, my gaze fell upon a sheathed scramasax i bought few years ago on a medieval history festival.

Gently, i picked up the fallen blade and unsheathed it, after making sure it's still intact i put it on a nearby table. I always had an avid interest for history, especially of medieval era, and this neat combat cleaver was among my most prized possessions.

"I need a cold shower, right now." I said to no one in particular. Opening the door i stepped inside, swiftly peeling sweat-soaked shirt and shorts off my body, i haphazardly threw them into the laundry basket. Without even bothering to take off my underwear i jumped inside the shower and turned on cold water.

"Shame i can't just stay here until temperature drops, water bill will be comically huge" With that thought i stood still under the shower's head, enjoying the sensation of cold water running down my body.

Unknowingly to me, something was lurking in the shadows of late evening.

______________________________________________________________________________________________________

"How convenient for me..." Drakhor watched as strange biped she was observing for the last two days walked away, pair of scarlet eyes following his every movement from the shadows. Listening closely to her surroundings, she heard an unmistakable thud of a closing door shortly followed by sound of running water.

As human left her alone, her mind returned to the mission at hoof. "Let's begin." ghostly visage of the black goat made a silent step from darkness, in spite of her cloven hoofs, no sound could be heard as she walked. Treading lightly, she stood by her target's bed.

In theory, her task was simple: find a suitable candidate, ensure candidate's readiness and use a spell to transport her (or, in that case, him) to her homeworld. Defacto, finding a suitable creature here was very tedious, as she was unlucky enough to be send to the world in which magisphere was so weak and inessential locals believed it to be a myth, and, unfortunately for her, those few she met who was able to harness it's power was useless to her master's plan.

Using this opportunity, Drakhor put a simple sleep enchantment on the metal carcass, followed shortly by another, much more complex spell. She watched closely as glowing blue runes blended into grey metal, ready for her command for the ritual to begin.

She slowly returned to her hiding spot, waiting for her new associate-to-be to step into the trap. Now, her success was only a question of few hours and her own patience. At first, she planed to leave him behind and return to her search, that is, until she decided to quench her boredom and take a look through ape's dwelling. What she found impressed her so much she decided to send him as her candidate. Suddenly, Drakhor was taken away from her musings by the sound of the opening door and loud noise of bare feet on a floor tile.

Watching as human walked through the door, she could not help herself but grin. He laid down on his bed with a loud sigh and shifted his body to a comfortable position. She observed, as tired human took a paperback book off his nightstand and was reading himself to sleep "Just as planned.". Half an hour later, a combination of some mediocre novel and a sleep spell did it's work. Drakhor watched in anticipation as man's eyes slowly closed, followed shortly by the gentle snoring.

"And now, it's time for the grand finale" leaving her hiding spot behind, she casually walked to the sleeping man. Using her telekinesis she picked up human's shoulder bag off the table and emptied it on a floor. "Let's fill it with something usefull, it will be a shame if you kicked the bucked on the very first day." Taking a close look through the room, she picked up a large knife in a leather sheath, multiple useful books from the closet, some fruits, emergency food bars she heard human talk about, few bright-colored metal cans filled with various drinks from the fridge, bottle of cheap rum and a dressing kit. Unfortunately, she wont be able to send him with more than that, so, it will have to do.

"I did all i can, there is no reason for me to stall any longer." returning to the sleeping man, she threw a cheap book on a floor and put the bag down on his chest. Witch took a deep breath, she knew, that with how poor in arcane energy this world is, she had to make sure her spell wont fail, otherwise, she will have to wait for decades just to restore enough mana to send someone else through the veil, herself included.

Drakhor steadied herself and started her quiet chant, despite her skills, she was nervous. She knew full well, what even if she were to stop her ritual right now, she wont be able to return to Tambelon for many decades.

On that night, Stas disappeared from the face of the Earth, an only witness to this strange event being a random fast food delivery guy, who saw a strange blue light coming from his apartment's window. The police and rescuers will look for clues but wont find anything usefull. He will be declared dead after years of futile search, just another missing person case, which will never be resolved.