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.........: *$ *$* $* :.........
........:~ *$*$$~~. .~~*$$*$* ~:........
.......:~/ *$ *$ ::: .. 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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