,:»^*%@@@# #@@@%*^»:,
,::»^^^*@@ @@*^^^»::,
,:»»^^*%@@ @@%*^^»»:,
,,,:^^%@@@ @@@%^^:,,,
,:»^*%@@@@ @@@@%*^»:,
,:»^*%@@## *% *%* %* ##@@%*^»:,
,:»^^**%@@ *%*%%»», ,»»*%%*%* @@%**^^»:,
,:»^*%@@@# *% *% ::: ,, 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. #@@@%*^»:,
,:»^*%@@@@ @@@@%*^»:,
,:»^***%@@ @@%***^»:,
,,,,:»»*@@ @@*»»:,,,,
,:»^*%@@@@ @@@@%*^»:,
,:»^*%@@## ##@@%*^»:,
,:»^*%@@@# #@@@%*^»:,