The trip through the portal was a disorienting experience, a dizzying combination of colors, sounds, sensations, and the smell of vinegar made Vona feel lightheaded and weak. Almost as soon as she stepped out of the portal her legs gave out, and she collapsed onto her hands and knees, her head pounding and spots dancing across her vision. She panted harshly, trying to suck in enough air, her hands and knees stinging from the impact with the stone tiles that made up the floor.
Something grasped Vona's short hair and tugged her head back uncomfortably, forcing her to stare at an older man who sneered down at her.
He said something, possibly a question, but she just blinked at him, unable to understand the gibberish. Her stomach rolled, and she forcefully vomited onto the stone tiles, bile splattering the old man's shoes.
The old man released her hair and jumped back, his face twisted with anger and disgust.
Vona wiped the bile from her mouth, all signs of dizziness gone.
"I am so sorry," she said, mortified. "I know you probably can't understand me, but that was completely unintentional."
Behind the old man she had vomited on, there was a low table around which a number of other older men were standing, along with a teenage boy. To her right there was a wall of flames, and beyond that Vona could make out the figure of a man sitting on an imposing chair, possibly a throne. One of the older men had a long stick in his hands, and there were a number of figurines placed on the table, which had been painted with what appeared to be a map.
Vona had obviously interrupted a meeting of some sort, and, given that almost all the people present were clad in armor, it was likely that it was a war meeting. Great. So not only was this world inhabited by sentient beings and therefore unsuitable for refuge, but they were also in the middle of a war. For a moment, she was tempted to push the triangle tattoo on her wrist and go home. To go home only seconds after she arrived would be an admission of failure though, and there was little Vona hated more than failure.
Besides, even if she was unable to fulfill her primary objective, to find a new world for her people to live, she could still work on the alternative part of her mission, which was to learn as much as possible about the magic here.
Therefore, when the old man she had vomited on growled and summoned fireballs to his hands, Vona's eyes widened in amazement. He didn't have any tattoos as far as she could see, which could mean that the people here could channel magic without using runes. If she could learn that… Well, Vona wasn't quite sure how she would use that skill yet, but she had no doubt that it would prove useful.
The old man with the fire in his hands yelled something that sounded like gibberish at her and pulled one of his arms back as if to throw the fireball at her.
Vona's body reacted instinctively to the threat, sinking into a defensive position as her hands lit up with the runes linked to fire. A snarl rumbled in her chest, and her canines elongated as her control over her wild side began to slip.
Truthfully, it was all just a show. Vona could fight physically just as well as anyone else in her age group at the Enclave, but she was still just a child. Her magic would be weak and her shifter abilities limited outside of the full moon until she found her true shape.
Suddenly, the wall of flames died down, and the man who had been partially hidden behind them stepped forward. Like all the other men, he had pulled back some of his hair into a knot at the top of his head, which Vona considered a strange hairstyle. It didn't seem very practical.
What set the man apart from the others were the stylized metal flames stuck into his hair and the haughty manner with which he carried himself. It was clear that this man was in charge.
The old man who had been facing her extinguished his flames and bowed, as did the rest of the people in the room.
He said something that Vona couldn't understand, and everyone left the room except for a man with a rounded belly and the young teenager. The man in charge spoke to them a little longer before sweeping from the room.
The older man walked over to Vona, carefully stepping around her vomit, the boy trailing behind. He bowed to her and Vona, figuring that it may be some sort of greeting, reigned in her wild side, released her magic, and bowed back. He smiled kindly at her.
The boy muttered something to the man, and he chuckled, patting the boy's shoulder while he replied. Vona fidgeted, waiting to see what would happen next.
The old man turned back to her and gestured at himself, saying "Iroh," before motioning to the boy and saying "Zuko."
Vona brightened considerably when she realized that they were trying to teach her their names. She smiled and repeated their names, pointing at each one as she said it before pointing at herself. "Vona."
Iroh beamed at her before holding out his arm. Vona stared at him in confusion for a moment before realizing that she was supposed to take his arm.
She carefully stepped around the vomit splatters and grabbed his arm.
Iroh and Zuko led her out of the meeting room and down a series of long, red corridors. A lot of things here were red; the walls, the armor, the floors, the decorations. Maybe there was religious significance to the color red in their culture. Vona made a mental note to not complain about all the red once she could finally communicate with her hosts. Master Predawn had given a number of lectures on the importance of respecting other peoples' cultures to all the children who hoped to be wizards.
Zuko exchanged what Vona thought was a good night with Iroh before stepping through an ornate door. Iron directed her down a few more hallways before he opened a door, allowing her to precede him into the room.
He didn't enter however, just held up his hands in what Vona interpreted as a gesture to stay put. Once she saw the room, Vona had no problem obeying. The bed especially was calling to her, and she was exhausted from calling on her magic and her wild side at once, as well as the portal travel.
She removed her journal from its pocket and placed it on a nearby table before collapsing onto the bed, asleep within seconds.
A/N: Feedback is appreciated.