@%%:::-... ...-:::%%@
##@¤%*:»-. .-»:*%¤@##
¤¤¤%%*:»-. .-»:*%%¤¤¤
¤%%%%*:»-. .-»:*%%%%¤
##@¤%*:»-. .-»:*%¤@##
#¤%**::»-. *% *%* %* .-»::**%¤#
@¤**»-.... *%*%%»». .»»*%%*%* ....-»**¤@
##@¤%*:»-. *% *% --- .. 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. .-»:*%¤@##
@¤*»--.... ....--»*¤@
#¤%***:»-. .-»:***%¤#
@@%:-..... .....-:%@@
@¤¤¤%*:»-. .-»:*%¤¤¤@
¤¤%:-..... .....-:%¤¤
##@¤%*:»-. .-»:*%¤@##