$%:=~.....                                          .....~=:%$
¤$%:=~....                                          ....~=:%$¤
#¤$%:=~...                                          ...~=:%$¤#
##¤$%:=~..                                          ..~=:%$¤##
###¤$%:=~.                                          .~=:%$¤###
##¤$%:=~..                %$ %$% $%                 ..~=:%$¤##
#¤$%:=~...           %$%$$==.    .==%$$%$%          ...~=:%$¤#
¤$%:=~.... %$   %$  ~~~  ..  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.            ....~=:%$¤
$%:=~.....                                          .....~=:%$
%:=~......                                          ......~=:%
:=~.......                                          .......~=:
=~........                                          ........~=
~.........                                          .........~
..........                                          ..........