##*-...... ......-*##
@@$$/-.... ....-/$$@@
@$$***/-^. .^-/***$$@
##*/-^.... ....^-/*##
####$*/-^. .^-/*$####
##@#$*/-^. *$ *$* $* .^-/*$#@##
##@#$*/-^. *$*$$--. .--*$$*$* .^-/*$#@##
##@#$*/-^. *$ *$ ^^^ .. 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. .^-/*$#@##
#**/--^^^. .^^^--/**#
#@@#$*/-^. .^-/*$#@@#
##@#$*/-^. .^-/*$#@##
##@#$*/-^. .^-/*$#@##
@##$*//-^. .^-//*$##@
#$$$$*/-^. .^-/*$$$$#