#%%/~.,,,, ,,,,.~/%%#
###%/.,,,, ,,,,./%###
@###*%/~., ,.~/%*###@
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#@##*%/~., . . . . . . . . ,.~/%*##@#
##**%~,,,, ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ,,,,~%**##
##@#*%/~., //////////////////////////////////////// ,.~/%*#@##
##%%%/~,,, ,,,~/%%%##
@###*%/~., 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. ,.~/%*##@@
#*/.,,,,,, ,,,,,,./*#
##%//~,,,, //////////////////////////////////////// ,,,,~//%##
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#**%%//~., ,.~//%%**#
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