#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
@@@@%~:... ...:~%@@@@
@@;~::.... ....::~;@@
#@%~:..... .....:~%@#
#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
#@#@@%;~:. %@ %@% @% .:~;%@@#@#
@@@%;:.... %@%@@~~. .~~%@@%@% ....:;%@@@
##@;:..... %@ %@ ::: .. 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. .:~;%@@#@#
#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
@@%;:..... .....:;%@@
#@#@@%;~:. %@% .:~;%@@#@#
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#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
#@@@@%;~:. WELL. IT IS WHAT IT IS. A DYING ART.. .:~;%@@@@#
#@#@@%;~:. MAYBE FOR THE BEST. .:~;%@@#@#
#@@%;~:... ...:~;%@@#
#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
#@#@@%;~:. .:~;%@@#@#
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