###¤**†~,. .,~†**¤###
##¤**†~,.. ..,~†**¤##
#¤**†~,... ...,~†**¤#
¤**†~,.... ....,~†**¤
**†~,..... .....,~†**
*†~,...... ** *** ** ......,~†*
**†~,..... *****~~. .~~****** .....,~†**
¤**†~,.... ** ** ,,, .. 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. ..,~†**¤##
#¤**†~,... ...,~†**¤#
¤**†~,.... ....,~†**¤
**†~,..... .....,~†**
*†~,...... ......,~†*
**†~,..... .....,~†**
¤**†~,.... ....,~†**¤