..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
.:=:$$####                                          ####$$:=:.
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
...:=:$$##                                          ##$$:=:...
....:=:$$#                                          #$$:=:....
.....:=:$$                 $$ $$$ $$                $$:=:.....
....:=:$$#           $$$$$==.    .==$$$$$$          #$$:=:....
...:=:$$## $$  $$  :::  ..   magic  ..  :::  $$  $$ ##$$:=:...
..:=:$$###           $$$$$==.    .==$$$$$           ###$$:=:..
.:=:$$####                $$ $$$ $$                 ####$$:=:.
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
...:=:$$##   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. #$$:=:....
...:=:$$##                                          ##$$:=:...
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
.:=:$$####                   $$$                    ####$$:=:.
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
...:=:$$##                                          ##$$:=:...
....:=:$$# well. it is what it is.  a  dying  art.. #$$:=:....
.....:=:$$           maybe for the best.            $$:=:.....
....:=:$$#                                          #$$:=:....
...:=:$$##                                          ##$$:=:...
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
.:=:$$####                                          ####$$:=:.
..:=:$$###                                          ###$$:=:..
...:=:$$##                                          ##$$:=:...