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##@#$%*~~. .~~*%$#@##
#@#$%*~~.. %$ %$% $% ..~~*%$#@#
@#$%*~~... %$%$$~~. .~~%$$%$% ...~~*%$#@
#$%*~~.... %$ %$ ~~~ .. 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. ..........
~......... .........~
~~........ ........~~
*~~....... .......~~*
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