Dust's eyes shimmered, reflecting a pool of crystalline light as he stood transfixed before the portal.  Others pushed past around him.  Without conscious thought, he lifted one foot after the other and approached.  His right hand gripped the hilt of his sword tightly in the loop at his right hip while his left moved forward slightly, palm down, fingers extended as though steadying himself while moving forward.

He had never seen snow before.  He knew of weather, and seasons, and climates and hemispheres and currents of the wind and the seas.  But he had never explored.  The rest of the world had never been an option.  Dust had never even considered leaving his soulless, blasted land for another.  And here he was, a door to the heavens open before him, snow falling upon flushed Featherwind trees, cosmic dust streaking across the infinite golden sky surrounding an amber Aun.

He stepped through, brilliant ripples curving around his small frame and welcoming him home.