##%:~~~,.. ..,~~~:%##
#####%:~,. .,~:%#####
####%*:~,. .,~:*%####
####%*:~,. .,~:*%####
##%%%*:~,. .,~:*%%%##
####%*:~,. *% *%* %* .,~:*%####
#%::~,.... *%*%%~~. .~~*%%*%* ....,~::%#
##*::,,... *% *% ,,, .. 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. .......~*#
##%:~..... .....~:%##
##%%%*:~,. .,~:*%%%##
#%:,,,.... ....,,,:%#
####%*:~,. .,~:*%####
####%*:~,. .,~:*%####
#*~,,..... .....,,~*#