§*§§\--... ...--\§§*§
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
#§§\--.... §* §*§ *§ ....--\§§#
@*\\-----. §*§**--. .--§**§*§ .-----\\*@
##@§*§\--. §* §* --- .. 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. ....---§§#
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
@**\-..... .....-\**@
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##
#§§§\---.. ..---\§§§#
##@§*§\--. .--\§*§@##