..~~\%*&¶# #¶&*%\~~..
...~~\%*&¶ ¶&*%\~~...
....~~\%*& &*%\~~....
.....~~\%* *%\~~.....
......~~\% %\~~......
.......~~\ 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 #¶&*%\~~..
.~~\%*&¶## INDISCIMINATORY, THEY HURT BUT DEAL NO ##¶&*%\~~.
..~~\%*&¶# LONG TIME DAMAGE TO THE WIELDER. THE #¶&*%\~~..
...~~\%*&¶ NEXT FIVE YOU MUST SPEND WISELY, THEY ¶&*%\~~...
....~~\%*& WILL TAKE DAYS TO HEAL. THE NEXT 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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.....~~\%* *%\~~.....