.....~:=$@ @$=:~.....
....~:=$@# #@$=:~....
...~:=$@## ##@$=:~...
..~:=$@### ###@$=:~..
...~:=$@## ##@$=:~...
....~:=$@# =$ =$= $= #@$=:~....
.....~:=$@ =$=$$~~. .~~=$$=$= @$=:~.....
......~:=$ =$ =$ ... .. 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. #@$=:~....
...~:=$@## ##@$=:~...
..~:=$@### ###@$=:~..
...~:=$@## ##@$=:~...
....~:=$@# #@$=:~....
.....~:=$@ @$=:~.....
......~:=$ $=:~......