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The Dreaming

I had watched many others do what I was about to do, but I still couldn't help feeling nervous. The liquid in the goblet held a pungent, almost unpleasant odor that I hadn't noticed when giving it to others to drink. Then again, it wasn't someone else drinking it this time, I was. After all, how could I keep telling others it would be just fine if I hadn't experienced the dreaming and Almahat myself?

And then I drank it. It was sweet, not what I had imagined. I laid down... and the dream began.

~~~~~
"May I help you?"

The woman in front of me fidgeted some. She was grey-haired, wearing a pink sweater and carrying a large brown bag.

"Well... I..." she glanced furtively about, "I was looking for a unicorn. You have so many figurines, but I don't see a unicorn."

"Ah, you're in luck! I was cleaning downstairs last week and happened to see one. Let me get it for you."

I descend the stairs and it's like traveling to another dimension. Upstairs was all bright, clean; mirrors, lights and plants decorated the walls and it seemed to hum with life.

Down here it is dimly lit with a few bare bulbs. Dust covers a good portion of the items arranged haphazardly on rusted metal shelves. Luckily I know where to look or it could take me weeks to sort through the chaos!

I grab the figurine and look closely at it. The unicorn is rearing, golden horn pointing toward the sky, with golden hooves to match. Its lion-like tail is tufted in pastel purple, traveling up the length of its back to join with an unruly, thick mane falling over piercing green eyes.

It seems to wink and I nearly drop it! Remembering my customer I hurry to the stairs and begin the climb, figurine securely in hand.

Four stairs up, I trip! I feel myself falling, almost in slow motion, and whip my leg forward to catch myself... and I'm awake.

~~~~~

The unicorn was nowhere to be found, though I did search for a bit-- it all just felt so real! I knew this meant there was now a dragon in Almahat tied to me, but I knew nothing more than that. Who he or she was... that would be another dream.

I lay back down and sleep once more.