..&...&&.& ......&..&
&..&..&&.& .......&..
.&..&.&&.& &.......&.
..&...&&.& .&.......&
&..&..&&.. ..&.......
.&..&.&&&. %$ %$% $% ...&......
..&...&.&& %$%$$==. .==%$$%$% &...&.....
...&....&& %$ %$ ,,, .. 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. .....&....
&.&&...&&& ......&...
..&&&..&.& .......&..
..&.&&...& &.......&.
....&&&..& .&.......&
&...&.&&.. ..&.......
.&....&&&. ...&......