..=:†$¤¶##                                          ##¶¤$†:=..
...=:†$¤¶#                                          #¶¤$†:=...
....=:†$¤¶                                          ¶¤$†:=....
.....=:†$¤                                          ¤$†:=.....
......=:†$                                          $†:=......
.......=:†                †$ †$† $†                 †:=.......
........=:          †$†$$==.    .==†$$†$†           :=........
.........= †$  †$  ...  ..  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.           ¤$†:=.....
....=:†$¤¶                                          ¶¤$†:=....
...=:†$¤¶#                                          #¶¤$†:=...
..=:†$¤¶##                                          ##¶¤$†:=..
...=:†$¤¶#                                          #¶¤$†:=...
....=:†$¤¶                                          ¶¤$†:=....
.....=:†$¤                                          ¤$†:=.....