.:==§§@@## ##@@§§==:.
..:==§§@@# #@@§§==:..
...:==§§@@ @@§§==:...
....:==§§@ @§§==:....
.....:==§§ §§==:.....
......:==§ §§ §§§ §§ §==:......
.......:== §§§§§==. .==§§§§§§ ==:.......
........:= §§ §§ ::: .. 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. §==:......
.......:== ==:.......
........:= =:........
.......:== ==:.......
......:==§ §==:......
.....:==§§ §§==:.....
....:==§§@ @§§==:....