#@#@&**-~. .~-**&@#@#
###@&**-~. .~-**&@###
#@#@&**-~. .~-**&@#@#
#&&*--~... ...~--*&
@@**~~~... ...~~~**@@
@@@&&**-~. *& *&* &* .~-**&&@@@
@@*----... *&*&&--. .--*&&*&* ...----*@@
@##@&**-~. *& *& ~~~ .. 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. ....~**@#@
###@&**-~. .~-**&@###
##@@&**-~. .~-**&@@##
@#&*~..... .....~*@
@#@&*~.... ....~*&@#@
##@#&**-~. .~-**@##
@@**~~~... ...~~~**@@