....&&.&.. &..&...&..
....&&..&. &&..&...&.
....&&&..& &&&..&...&
&...&.&&.. &.&&..&...
.&....&&&. ..&&&..&..
..&...&.&& $§ $§$ §$ ..&.&&..&.
...&....&& $§$§§~~. .~~$§§$§$ ....&&&..&
&...&...&. $§ $§ ... .. MAGIC .. ... §$ §$ ....&.&&..
.&...&.... $§$§§~~. .~~§§$§$ &.....&&&.
..&...&... $§ $§$ §$ .&....&.&&
&..&...&.. ..&.....&&
&&..&...&. MAGIC IS ABOUT BEING UNACCOUNTABLE, ...&....&.
&&&..&...& ABOUT REMOVING THE SOURCE OF THE ACTION ....&.....
&.&&..&... FROM YOURSELF. IT WORKS BY EXPLOITING A &....&....
..&&&..&.. KIND OF GRAVITY, CALLED THE .&....&...
..&.&&..&. ARROW OF TIME. ..&....&..
....&&&..& &..&....&.
....&.&&.. THINGS IN THIS UNIVERSE ALWAYS SEEK THE .&..&....&
&.....&&&. LEAST ENERGETIC STATE. ALL POTENTIAL IS ..&..&....
.&....&.&& GRADUALLY LOST INTO LESSER FORMS (SUCH &..&..&...
..&.....&& AS HEAT). .&..&..&..
...&....&. ..&..&..&.
....&..... MAGIC THEN, IS CREATING TUNNELS, ...&..&..&
&....&.... SPECIFIC AND INTRICATE CANALS, FOR THIS ....&..&..
.&....&... TO HAPPEN IN A CONTROLLED MANNER. THINK &....&..&.
..&....&.. OF IT AS SETTING AN ELABORATE TRAP FOR &&....&..&
&..&....&. ENTROPY. &&&....&..
.&..&....& &.&&....&.
..&..&.... AND THEN, WHEN THE CIRCUIT CLOSES, THE ..&&&....&
&..&..&... ARROW IS FORCED TO DO YOUR BIDDING! ..&.&&....
.&..&..&.. &...&&&...
..&..&..&. OF COURSE, YOU'RE ALSO IRREVERSABLY .&..&.&&..
...&..&..& DRAINING TIME FROM THE UNIVERSE, BUT ..&...&&&.
....&..&.. YEAH. &..&..&.&&
&....&..&. &&..&...&&
&&....&..& .&&..&..&.
&&&....&.. $§§ $ $ §§$ .&&&..&...
&.&&....&. .&.&&..&..
..&&&....& ...&&&..&.
..&.&&.... THE DANGER IS A RUNAWAY SPELL - IF THE ...&.&&..&
&...&&&... FILAMENT OF YOUR CANAL IS TOO WEAK, OR &....&&&..
.&..&.&&.. THE POTENTIAL IS HIGH ENOUGH TO ESCAPE .&...&.&&.
..&...&&&. ANY SELF-CLOSING MECHANISMS - A BREACH. ..&....&&&
&..&..&.&& ...&...&.&
&&..&...&& THESE ARE USUALLY CATASTROPHIC. ....&....&
.&&..&..&. ALTHOUGH MANY ARE LOCAL, THEY STAY &....&...&
.&&&..&... ACTIVE UNTIL CLOSED OFF BY COUNTER .&....&...
.&.&&..&.. SPELLS (HARD TO PULL OFF) OR THERE'S NO ..&....&..
...&&&..&. MORE ENERGY TO FALL THROUGH. &..&....&.
...&.&&..& &&..&....&
&....&&&.. IN THAT CASE THE OUTCOME DEPENDS ON THE &&&..&....
.&...&.&&. SPELL. SMALL-SCALE BREACHES MIGHT NOT &.&&..&...
..&....&&& EVEN BE NOTICEABLE BY THE UNINITIATED; ..&&&..&..
...&...&.& BUT A SPELL MIGHT ALSO VERY WELL BRING ..&.&&..&.
....&....& ABOUT THE HEAT DEATH OF THE UNIVERSE. ....&&&..&
&....&...& &...&.&&..
.&....&... .&....&&&.
..&....&.. $§$ ..&...&.&&
&..&....&. ...&....&&
&&..&....& &...&...&.
&&&..&.... WELL. IT IS WHAT IT IS. A DYING ART.. .&...&....
&.&&..&... MAYBE FOR THE BEST. ..&...&...
..&&&..&.. &..&...&..
..&.&&..&. &&..&...&.
....&&&..& &&&..&...&
&...&.&&.. &.&&..&...
.&....&&&. ..&&&..&..
..&...&.&& ..&.&&..&.