#@&%%=~... ...~=%%&@#
##@&%%=~.. ..~=%%&@##
#@&%%=~... ...~=%%&@#
@&%%=~.... ....~=%%&@
&%%=~..... .....~=%%&
%%=~...... %% %%% %% ......~=%%
%=~....... %%%%%~~. .~~%%%%%% .......~=%
=~........ %% %% ... .. 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. ......~=%%
&%%=~..... .....~=%%&
@&%%=~.... ....~=%%&@
#@&%%=~... ...~=%%&@#
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@&%%=~.... ....~=%%&@