..~:**&@## ##@&**:~..
..~:**&& #&&&**:~..
.....:***@ @***:.....
......~:*& &*:~......
.....~~:*& &*:~~.....
..~:**&@## ** *** ** ##@&**:~..
..~:**&@@# *****~~. .~~****** #@@&**:~..
..~:****&& ** ** ... .. 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. ##@&**:~..
..~:**&&&@ @&&&**:~..
..~:**&@## ##@&**:~..
..~:**&@## ##@&**:~..
..~:**&@## ##@&**:~..
...~::***@ @***::~...
..~:**&@## ##@&**:~..