#@@*†^~:.. ..:~^†*@@# ##@@*†^~:. .:~^†*@@## #@@*†^~:.. ..:~^†*@@# @@*†^~:... ...:~^†*@@ @*†^~:.... ....:~^†*@ *†^~:..... †* †*† *† .....:~^†* †^~:...... †*†**~~. .~~†**†*† ......:~^† ^~:....... †* †* ::: .. 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. .:~^†*@@## #@@*†^~:.. ..:~^†*@@# @@*†^~:... ...:~^†*@@ @*†^~:.... ....:~^†*@ *†^~:..... .....:~^†* †^~:...... ......:~^† ^~:....... .......:~^