......##.. #.......#.
#####....# ..#####...
.###..##.. ...###..#.
..#....... ##..#.....
#...###### ......####
..#..####. ** *** ** #####..###
......##.. *****««. .««****** .###....#.
#####....# ** ** ^^^ .. 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. .....####.
....###### ####..##..
###..####. .##......#
##....##.. ....####..
...##..... .##..##...
##....#### ........##
#..##..##. .######..#