..#....##. ..###.....
#...##.... #..#..####
..#....##. .......###
....##.... .#####..#.
###....### ..###.....
.#..##..## §$ §$§ $§ ...#..###.
.......... §$§$$««. .««§$$§$§ ##.....#..
########## §$ §$ ^^^ .. 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. ...####...
#......### ##..##..##
..####..## #........#
...##....# ..######..
##....##.. ...####..#
#..##..... ##..##....
......#### #......##.