§$-~...... ......~-$§
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
@@@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@@@
#@§§§$=-~. .~-=$§§§@#
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
@@§§§$=-~. . . . .~-=$§§§@@
@@@§§$=-~. . . . . . . .~-=$§§@@@
@§$$$=-~.. ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ..~-=$$$§@
@@§§§$=-~. - - - - - - - - - - - .~-=$§§§@@
##@§§$=-~. ======================================== .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. JUST OFF THE COAST TO THE BALTIC SEA .~-=$§§@##
§§$$$$=-~. THERE'S A FRESHWATER POND, SECLUDED .~-=$$$$§§
@§=-...... AMONG ASHEN AND JUNIPER. A CLEFT IN THE ......-=§@
§§$-...... LIMESTONE BEDROCK, SHARP-CUT FROM THE ......-$§§
##@§§$=-~. SURROUNDING PLAINS, A NINETY DEGREE .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. DROP DOWN, DOWN, TO THE MIDNIGHT-BLACK .~-=$§§@##
###@§$=-~. WATER. .~-=$§@###
#§§§=--... ...--=§§§#
#§$-~..... ----$$$$$$$$---- .....~-$§#
##@§§$=-~. --$$ $$-- .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. -----$$ FAIRIES LIVE HERE. $$----- .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. --$$ $$-- .~-=$§§@##
@§§§§$=-~. ----$$$$$$$$---- .~-=$§§§§@
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
§§$$$==-~. THEY SPEAK TO THE SLOANE, CARESS IT, .~-==$$$§§
##@§§$=-~. URGE IT TO GROW THICKER, TANGLED, WITH .~-=$§§@##
§§§§§$=-~. LONGER AND SHARPER THORNS. THEY TELL IT .~-=$§§§§§
§§=--..... TO STAY JUST BELOW THE GRASS, SO THAT .....--=§§
##@§§$=-~. THE ANIMALS WHAT COME TO DRINK THE .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. WATER CANNOT SEE IT BEFORE IT DRAWS .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. THEIR BLOOD. CLOSER TO THE POND, THE .~-=$§§@##
###@§$=-~. SLOANE CAN GROW TALLER, BEING ABLE TO .~-=$§@###
###§§$=-~. HIDE ALSO IN THE JUNIPER. .~-=$§§###
#§§§$==-~. .~-==$§§§#
##@§§$=-~. THE FAIRIES WILL BECKON THE ANIMALS TO .~-=$§§@##
#§$$-..... PUSH FORWARD, TELL THEM THAT THEY'RE .....-$$§#
@§$$$=~... ALMOST AT THE WATER, THAT THEY MAY ...~=$$$§@
§$$=---~.. DRINK SOON. AND THEY WILL TUG ON THE ..~---=$$§
@@§$$=-... SLOANE TO MAKE SURE THAT THE THORNS CUT ...-=$$§@@
§§=~...... DEEP. WHEN THEY FINALLY FIND THE PATH ......~=§§
##@§§$=-~. DOWN BETWEEN THE ROCKS, AWAY FROM THE .~-=$§§@##
§§§=~..... BUSHWORK AND INTO THE CLEFT, THEY ARE .....~=§§§
§$$--~.... BLEEDING FROM A THOUSAND WOUNDS. AS ....~--$$§
§$=~...... THEY DRINK FROM THE DARK WATER, IT IS ......~=$§
##@§§$=-~. IN TURN DRINKING THE ANIMALS BLOOD. .~-=$§§@##
#§§§==~... ...~==§§§#
@@§§§$=-~. THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT .~-=$§§§@@
##@§§$=-~. CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS .~-=$§§@##
§$-....... DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES .......-$§
###@§$=-~. DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. .~-=$§@###
@§$$$$=-~. .~-=$$$$§@
##@§§$=-~. ======================================== .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. - - - - - - - - - - - .~-=$§§@##
@§=-~..... ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ .....~-=§@
#@§§§$=-~. . . . . . . .~-=$§§§@#
##@§§$=-~. . . . .~-=$§§@##
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
@§§§§$=-~. .~-=$§§§§@
@§§§==~... ...~==§§§@
##@§§$=-~. .~-=$§§@##
@§=~...... ......~=§@