..^=^*$@##                                          ##@$*^=^..
...^=^*$@#                                          #@$*^=^...
....^=^*$@                                          @$*^=^....
.....^=^*$                                          $*^=^.....
......^=^*                                          *^=^......
.......^=^ IN   THE  ENDLESS  WINTER  DAY,  ON  THE ^=^.......
......^=^* CRYSTAL WHITE  PLAINS... WE TRUDGE ALONG *^=^......
.....^=^*$  THE TRAIN TRACKS... THEMSELVES SLOWLY   $*^=^.....
....^=^*$@ SNOWED  OVER,  IN  THE STILL HOURS SINCE @$*^=^....
...^=^*$@#          THE LAST SUPPLY TRAIN.          #@$*^=^...
..^=^*$@##                                          ##@$*^=^..
.^=^*$@###     BELL-LIKE SOUNDS OF THE BLINDING     ###@$*^=^.
..^=^*$@## GROUND.  RIFLES  ATTACHED TO  OUR WRIST, ##@$*^=^..
...^=^*$@# SHARING IN OUR  BLOODSTREAM.  MY  HUSKY, #@$*^=^...
....^=^*$@      MY WARM-COFFEE-IN-COLD-SNOW...      @$*^=^....
.....^=^*$                                          $*^=^.....
......^=^* THE  FIRST  FIVE  SHOTS  YOU  CAN  SPEND *^=^......
.......^=^ INDISCRIMINATELY,  THEY HURT BUT DEAL NO ^=^.......
......^=^* LONG  TIME  DAMAGE  TO  THE SHOOTER. THE *^=^......
.....^=^*$ NEXT  FIVE  YOU MUST  SPEND WISELY, THEY $*^=^.....
....^=^*$@ WILL TAKE DAYS TO  HEAL. THE  FINAL FIVE @$*^=^....
...^=^*$@# YOU    MUST   NOT    SPEND    AT    ALL. #@$*^=^...
..^=^*$@##                                          ##@$*^=^..
.^=^*$@### WEEKS EARLIER, IN THE WEAK AUTUMN  DAWN, ###@$*^=^.
..^=^*$@## IN  THE  BLUE-GRAY  FOG...  SOMETHING IS ##@$*^=^..
...^=^*$@# BURNING  WITH   A  DEEP  CRIMSON  FLAME, #@$*^=^...
....^=^*$@       UNTAMEABLE BY WATER OR WIND.       @$*^=^....
.....^=^*$                                          $*^=^.....
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.....^=^*$                                          $*^=^.....