"Well, sure, but all worlds are connected, aren't they? At least we're seeing that here, an' we know about metaplanes where I'm from - other realities. The rules are different, but the ingredients are the same even if some have less of one thing or more of another, or like, one's got chocolate chips and the other has raspberries."

That was a metaphor, certainly.

"Dunno what a seven-fold rule is, but what magic is, is the application of the practitioner's will to the world. Living things have essence, which is sort of your soul but less complicated, and essence lets magic exist. No life, no magic. No will, no magic spells. Anyone can Awaken and be able to do it - not everyone does, but - that's because of some complicated stuff about my world being out of balance. If it was in balance, anyone and everyone could do magic to some degree. Which sounds a lot like how the Brainy described the noosphere working. Consciousness as physical force, or something like that."

Leaning on her bat while Sam works is getting her frowned at, so she starts whaling on the thing from the other side.