...&&.&&.. &.&&&&&&.&
..&.&..&.. &..&&&&&.&
.&&.&.&&.. &.&.&&&&.&
..&.&..&.. &.&..&&&.&
.&&.&.&&.. &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&..&.. *$ *$* $* &.&.&..&.&
.&&.&.&&.. *$*$$»». .»»*$$*$* &.&.&.&&.&
..&.&..&.. *$ *$ ,,, .. 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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.&&.&.&&.& &.&.&.&&.&
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