...^~:*§@# #@§*:~^...
..^~:*§@## ##@§*:~^..
.^~:*§@### ###@§*:~^.
..^~:*§@## ##@§*:~^..
...^~:*§@# #@§*:~^...
....^~:*§@ *§ *§* §* @§*:~^....
.....^~:*§ *§*§§~~. .~~*§§*§* §*:~^.....
......^~:* *§ *§ ^^^ .. 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. @§*:~^....
.....^~:*§ §*:~^.....
......^~:* *:~^......
.......^~: :~^.......
........^~ ~^........
.......^~: :~^.......
......^~:* *:~^......