...&&.&&&. ..&.&...&&
&..&&.&.&& .....&..&&
&&.&&...&& &.....&.&.
&&.&&&..&. .&........
&&.&.&&... ..&.......
&&...&&&.. $@ $@$ @$ ...&......
&&&..&.&&. $@$@@~~. .~~$@@$@$ &...&.....
&.&&...&&& $@ $@ ~~~ .. MAGIC .. ~~~ @$ @$ .&...&....
..&&&..&.& $@$@@~~. .~~@@$@$ ..&...&...
..&.&&...& $@ $@$ @$ &..&...&..
....&&&..& &&..&...&.
....&.&&.. 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. ..&.&&...&
.&&...&&&. ....&&&..&
.&&&..&.&& ....&.&&..
.&.&&...&& &.....&&&.
...&&&..&. .&....&.&&
&..&.&&... ..&.....&&
&&...&&&.. ...&....&.