<div class="floatright">(https://elliquiy.com/elluiki/images/0/09/1392559621072.png)</div><br/>Alisandra stirred with a heavy start at the unyielding rigidity of the stone, a powerful contrast to the snug bed of the tower where she was practicing her magical ability.  The tower was her life, as was her magic.  More than a century of her existence had been focused in honing her arcane talents.<br/><br/>No surprise, then, that her first thoughts were to her abilities.  Unwilling to walk around in simply a nightshirt, she closed her eyes, reaching out her mind and soul for her talents...and nothing.<br/><br/>A sharp intake of breath displayed fear, and she concentrated all the more, trying to perform the task which had proven a simple demonstration for her apprenticeship in transmutation.  All she should have to do is remove the sleeves, reconstitute the fabric...but nothing.<br/><br/>Helplessness burned its way into her heart.  Although she could hardly expect anyone not magically trained to understand, such abilities were as inherent a part of her as being able to see, or walk, or smile.<br/><br/>The logical suggestion was that this was a dream.  Her magic didn't always work in her dreams, the same way that her body went rigid to keep her from acting out her dreams.  Usually, she had as much magic in her dreams as she did while awake because she dreamed it so, but not always.<br/><br/>The simple belief that this must be a dream, not easily disproven, gave her a sense of confidence.  She glanced around, taking the time to rebutton her nightshirt and hope that no one got a good look at her before it was done.  It wasn't quite large enough to reach her knees, but at least she was reasonably decent.<br/><br/>The sudden squeak of the rodent caught her attention, and her hand flew up, gesturing in the shape of a claw to fire off eldritch energy at the unwelcome pest.  The idea to actually eat the vermin didn't even occur to her; she had little doubt that the creature must be diseased.<br/><br/>Nothing happened.  Of course not: this dream didn't have any magic.  Well, that was going to be a problem.  What if this was one of those dreams where she could feel pain?  What if it lunged at her?<br/><br/>What if this wasn't really a dream at all?