####$=:~^. .^~:=$####
#$$:^..... .....^:$$#
##$:~~^... ...^~~:$##
##$=~..... .....~=$##
####$=:~^. .^~:=$####
####$=:~^. =$ =$= $= .^~:=$####
##$:^^.... =$=$$~~. .~~=$$=$= ....^^:$##
####$=:~^. =$ =$ ^^^ .. 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. .^~:=$####
####$=:~^. .^~:=$####
####$=:~^. .^~:=$####
#$:^...... ......^:$#
##$=:^.... ....^:=$##
#####$:~^. .^~:$#####
####$=:~^. .^~:=$####