#@##$%:-^. .^-:%$##@#
####$%:-^. .^-:%$####
##@##%:-^. .^-:%##@##
@#%::::-^. .^-::::%#@
###$$%:-^. .^-:%$$###
##@#$%:-^. %$ %$% $% .^-:%$#@##
@#$%--.... %$%$$--. .--%$$%$% ....--%$#@
#@##$%:-^. %$ %$ ^^^ .. 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. .^-:%$##@#
###%%-.... ....-%%###
#@##$%:-^. .^-:%$##@#
####$%:-^. .^-:%$####
#%:::^.... ....^:::%#
@##%-..... .....-%##@
@@##$%:-^. .^-:%$##@@