Being first through the portal, Modomnoc figured he got the worst of the turbulence. It felt as if he was being twisted in opposite directions, only to be snapped back together as he entered an expanse of freezing darkness. It seemed like hours, trapped there in that eternal black, but was more like a few seconds until he was dropped out into a bank of earth. Modomnoc struggled for a few moments, still believing he was trapped in that horrible void. Then he noticed the warm sun on his back, and the smell of moist earth in his nostrils.

Spluttering, he pushed himself up, only to come face-to-face with a nest of small, creamy eggs. They were trembling as if to hatch. He sat up, dusting soil from his clothes and watched the eggs rock back and forth, curious as to what creature would pop out from them. First, a fiery-colored foreleg punched through one of the larger eggs, and it's inhabitant rapidly struggled it's way out with a zest for life. A brilliantly colored flying-lizard was revealed to be the occupant and it looked up at him with wide, hungry red eyes.

Curiously, Modomnoc felt a pang of hunger himself, and realized it came from the creature. He felt bonded to it, and it crealed up at him expectantly as another one of the eggs shuddered and tipped over. The egg lay still for a moment or two before exploding in a shower of tiny cream shards, freeing a deep, flowy blue flying-lizard. It too gazed up at him hungrily and Modomnoc had a stronger sensation of the mind flowing into his. The fiery-flit creeled again, more urgently as he rose, turning absently onto the path he'd landed next to. "What do you want?" he whispered to the pair of lizards, not expecting an answer.

What we'd like is food, kind sir...and I suppose my amber sister would enjoy a name. I, however have taken the initiative and named myself. I am Apaka. Blinking with a bemused sort of surprise, Modomnoc held the little blue lizard and said, "Well Apaka, if your sister is amber, what color are you? You don't look exactly blue to me..." Preening himself in quite an egotistical way, the little lizard answered, Water is my coloration. How about that food? Apaka persisted. Looking down the trail, Modomnoc saw a large building in the distance. "If you two can wait, we might be able to find something to eat ahead."

He approached the building and scanned every inch of visible wall, horizon and mountain beyond before even thinking of entering. Apaka sat up, alert and wide-eyed while yet unnamed amber trilled loudly, her high note echoing off of the walls. Modomnoc cursed under his breath, he'd wanted to find out more about the surroundings before letting his presence be known. Ahead a curious silver and yellow form peered from the entrance and watched him with attentive eyes.

"Hello-" Modomnoc called to the creature, opening his arms to show he didn't wish to threaten it. "I am Modomnoc, and I have just arrived from...er, a portal dropped me off. May I inquire as to the name of this place?" Stopping a few feet from the beast, he noticed that it was larger than he had thought and had the body style of a snow leopard, had brilliant yellow skin and and a large silver fin along it's head and tail. It lowered it's head in greeting before a blinding yellow light enveloped it and he found a young woman in it's place.

"Welcome, you are on the world Avengaea, and this is the Dragon city Sanctuary." the woman said, offering her hand in a custom known as "shaking hands" to Modomnoc. "Avengaea...that sounds familiar...what language is it?" Modomoc shook her hand and brushed the amber away from his ear, she was nibbling on it. "It is Old Draconic Tongue, and I'm surprised that you would know if it, since it is your first visit here, no?" she ushered him through the gates. "I've read a few rarer books back in Svalbard. They'd been confiscated from all sorts of visitors to my home." He was pleased to have someone different to talk to after who-knows how many years of being stuck with the same people. They wondered why he never spoke, it was only because one found very little new to say to people who you spent 24 hours a day, 7 days a week with.

The kind woman led him inside and to a place to stay. "You can remain in Sanctuary as long as you need...There is a large library down that way." she pointed out slyly before leaving. Modomnoc was left slightly agape.

"How could she know?"