.-=:%%%$$# #$$%%%:=-.
...===:$$# #$$:===...
.-=:%%%%## ##%%%%:=-.
.-=:%$#### ####$%:=-.
...-=:%%## ##%%:=-...
....-:%$## %$ %$% $% ##$%:-....
.-==:%%$## %$%$$==. .==%$$%$% ##$%%:==-.
.-=:%$#### %$ %$ --- .. 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.. ##%:-.....
.-=:%$#### maybe for the best. ####$%:=-.
.-=:%%$$## ##$$%%:=-.
...-=::%%# #%%::=-...
....---:%# #%:---....
...--=:%## ##%:=--...
.....===%# #%===.....
...---:$## ##$:---...