##..###...                                          .#..####..
#.#.#..#..                                          .##.#...#.
######.##.                                          .#.###..##
......##.#                                          ####..#.#.
......#.##                                          #...#.####
#.....###.                 $% $%$ %$                ##..###...
##....#..#          $%$%%~~.    .~~$%%$%$           ..#.#..#..
#.#...##.# $%  $%  :::  ..  magic  ..   :::  %$  %$ #.####.##.
####..#.##           $%$%%~~.    .~~%%$%$           ###...##.#
....#.###.                $% $%$ %$                 #..#..#.##
#...###..#                                          .#.##.###.
##..#..#.#    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.            .###.#.###
##..###...                                          .#..####..
#.#.#..#..                                          .##.#...#.
######.##.                                          .#.###..##
......##.#                                          ####..#.#.
......#.##                                          #...#.####
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