.........& &&....&&..
&&&&&&&&.. ...&&....&
&&&&&&&..& &&....&&..
.&&&&&.... ...&&.....
..&&&..&&& &&....&&&&
...&....&. %% %%% %% &..&&..&&.
&&...&&... %%%%%--. .--%%%%%% ..........
...&....&. %% %% ^^^ .. 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. &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&
&&&&&&&&&& &&&&&&&&&&