&.&..&.&.& .&.&&..&.&
&..&.....& ...&&&...&
&&..&....& &..&.&&..&
.&&..&...& &&...&&&.&
.&&&..&..& .&&..&.&..
.&.&&..&.& ^* ^*^ *^ .&&&....&.
...&&&...& ^*^**~~. .~~^**^*^ .&.&&....&
&..&.&&... ^* ^* ... .. 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. ..&..&.&&.
...&.&&... ...&...&&&
&....&&&.. ....&..&.&
&&...&.&&. &....&...&
.&&....&&& &&....&..&
.&&&...&.& .&&....&..
.&.&&....& .&&&....&.