##@*~,,... ...,,~*@##
###@**/~,. .,~/**@###
#**/,..... .....,/**#
@*~,...... ......,~*@
@****~~,,. .,,~~****@
@**/~~,,,. ** *** ** .,,,~~/**@
####@*/~,. *****~~. .~~****** .,~/*@####
@*~~,..... ** ** ,,, .. 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. .,~/**@###
###@**/~,. .,~/**@###
#@*///,,,. .,,,///*@#
####**/~,. .,~/**####
#***~..... .....~***#
###@**/~,. .,~/**@###
###@**/~,. .,~/**@###