.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%%%## ##%%%$*=,.
....,*$### ###$*,....
.,,=*$$%## ##%$$*=,,.
.,=*$%#### . . . ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### . . . . . . ####%$*=,.
....,*$$%# , , , , , , , , #%$$*,....
...,,=*$## = = = = = = = = = = = ##$*=,,...
.,=*$%#### **************************************** ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
.....,*%## 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. #%%$$==...
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
...,*$%%%# THE CIRCLE IS COMPLETE, THE CONTRACT #%%%$*,...
.,=**$%%%# CARRIED OUT; THE ANIMAL IS ABANDONED TO #%%%$**=,.
.,=*$%#### FIND ITS OWN WAY BACK. THE BUSHES ROOTS ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### DRINK THE NUTRUTIOUS WATER. THE FAIRIES ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### DANCE IN THE SUNBEAMS. ####%$*=,.
..,,**%%## ##%%**,,..
.,=*$%#### **************************************** ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### = = = = = = = = = = = ####%$*=,.
.,=*$%#### , , , , , , , , ####%$*=,.
.....,*$## . . . . . . ##$*,.....
..,==**%## . . . ##%**==,..
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
..,,**%%%# #%%%**,,..
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.
.....,=$## ##$=,.....
.,=*$%#### ####%$*=,.