##@#%*†=,. .,=†*%#@##
##@#%*†=,. .,=†*%#@##
@#%%*†=... ...=†*%%#@
##@#%*†=,. .,=†*%#@##
#@@#%*†=,. .,=†*%#@@#
####%*†=,. *% *%* %* .,=†*%####
####%*†=,. *%*%%==. .==*%%*%* .,=†*%####
#*†=,,.... *% *% ,,, .. 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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@##*††,... ...,††*##@