.^«\*%#@@#                                          #@@#%*\«^.
.^«\*%#@@#                                          #@@#%*\«^.
....«\%%%@                                          @%%%\«....
.^«\*%#@@@                                          @@@#%*\«^.
.^«\*%#@##                                          ##@#%*\«^.
.^«\*%#@## 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.       @#*\«^....
....^\%##@                                          @##%\^....
.^«\*%#@@#                                          #@@#%*\«^.
^«\*%#@@##                                          ##@@#%*\«^
.^«\\\\%@@                                          @@%\\\\«^.
.^«\*%#@@#                                          #@@#%*\«^.