%*--...... ......--*%
%%*--..... .....--*%%
§%%*--.... ....--*%%§
@§%%*--... ...--*%%§@
#@§%%*--.. ..--*%%§@#
##@§%%*--. %% %%% %% .--*%%§@##
#@§%%*--.. %%%%%--. .--%%%%%% ..--*%%§@#
@§%%*--... %% %% --- .. 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. .....--*%%
§%%*--.... ....--*%%§
@§%%*--... ...--*%%§@
#@§%%*--.. ..--*%%§@#
##@§%%*--. .--*%%§@##
#@§%%*--.. ..--*%%§@#
@§%%*--... ...--*%%§@