.&.....&.& .......&&.
..&....... .......&&&
&..&...... &......&.&
&&..&..... .&.......&
.&&..&.... ..&......&
.&&&..&... *§ *§* §* &..&......
.&.&&..&.. *§*§§~~. .~~*§§*§* &&..&.....
...&&&..&. *§ *§ ,,, .. 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. .....&&&..
.&....&&&. .....&.&&.
..&...&.&& .......&&&
&..&....&& &......&.&
&&..&...&. .&.......&
.&&..&.... ..&......&
.&&&..&... &..&......